Neraka - A Guide

Parallel Name	Neraka
Parallel Code	247N2
Number of known native human species present	2 [i]
Number of non-human native intelligences present	0

Albian Common Name	Tamaratry (both singular and plural), Tammies (slang)	Kalpanar (sing.), Kalpanari (pl.)
AHIT (Albian Human Index Type)	2	1
Ethnonym	Tamaratry - “noble race” [ii]	Kalpanar (sing.), Kalpanari (pl.)
Kingdom	Animalia	Animalia
Phylum	Chordata	Chordata
Class	Mammalia	Mammalia
Order	Primates	Primates
Family	Hominidae	Hominidae
Tribe	Hominini	Hominini
Genus	Homo	Homo
Species	Homo sapiens	Homo sapiens
Subspecies	Homo sapiens nerakus	Homo sapiens sapiens

Species 1 - The Tamaratry

The Tamaratry physical layout is largely similar to that of an Albian Type 1, but the Tamaratry are generally much more massively built. Tamaratry have a deep affinity for water, very little body hair apart from the head and both sexes are sleeker than type-1 humans with a deep layer of body fat over their muscular frames.

Most Tamaratry are a deep golden colour with platinum blonde hair and the race is sexually dimorphic. Tamaratry females are an average of 5ft 8 and generally slender whilst the males are an average of 7ft in height and heavily muscled.

In most Tamaratry mythologies there are tales of their ancestors having come from the sea and Albian scientists believe that their ancestors underwent an aquatic phase. Tamaratry cities, towns and estates are usually situated on sea coasts or lakes, islands are particularly prized.

Species 2 - The Kalpanari

The Kalpanari exhibit a wider range of body types than seen amongst type-1 humans on any other single known parallel. The reason behind this is that the Tamaratry have been breeding them for hundreds of years to suit particular needs as detailed below. The first three types (and the kaligtermut) are considered untouchable except by their owners and have forehead tattoos to denote their status, rank and owner. Any kalpanari found without a forehead tattoo is likely to be captured and summarily executed.

1	Blessarak “soldier slave”	Police, janissary soldiers and estate guards. Life for a blessarak, although physically demanding and often dangerous, is comparatively good as they are allowed certain freedoms and many are allowed their own families.
2	Omsterlak “house slave”	Estate/Household Managers, medics, chefs, cooks, book-keepers, civil servants, concubines, nurses and nannies. Omsterlaks have possibly the best lives amongst the Kalpanari. They are generally trusted and well treated. Most of them live in their owner’s estates or houses and are usually allowed a family life. Many old omsterlaks are allowed to live out their retirement as long as they do not become a significant drain on resources.
3	Hemosterlak “outer house slave”	Domestic and menial workers including plantation/farm workers, gardeners, porters and factory workers. Hemosterlaks are bred for physical endurance and are generally of low intelligence. Although generally well fed and adequately clothed and housed they rarely live beyond the age of 40.
4	Liktyar “meat”	Liktyar means “meat”in Listantal-ji. Liktyar are bred purely for their meat and taste. Most liktyar grow quickly and if left unculled they would reach puberty early by about age 10. Selective breeding has left them with very low mental capacity and are generally docile. Few live until puberty apart from the luckier and brighter ones who may be selected as hemosterlaks or very rarely, omsterlaks.
5	Janagali Liktyar “running meat”	These are Kalpanari who live in small communities on Tamaratry estates and in wilderness areas. In the main they are allowed to live as they choose but are hunted and culled by the Tamaratry under strict laws. Culled janagali are either used to eat or as breeding stock. These Kalpanari are very close to the Albian type-1 human norm.
6	Kaligtermut “half breed”	The kaligtermut are the humans born of unions between Tamaratry and Kalpanari parents. The vast majority of these have Tamaratry fathers and Kalpanari omsterlak mothers. Kaligtermut are known for high intelligence and whilst they may not always be as large and strong as their Tamaratry fathers they are generally stronger and healthier than type-1 humans. Kaligtermut occupy a difficult position in Tamaratry society as their mixed heritage forever taints them in both Tamaratry and Kalpanari eyes, and they are rarely fully trusted or accepted by either human race. Kaligtermut often find positions as blessarak army officers and police chiefs or amongst the omsterlaks as estate managers. The elite guard of the Taymat known as the “Randanatani” or deathless ones are drawn solely from the ranks of the kaligtermut officers.

Nerakan Society

The society that the Tamaratry have created is a difficult one for Albians to comprehend. Tamaratry are generally good and kind to those of their own tribe or nation. They love and care for their children and their parents. They treat their pets and domesticated animals well and are accomplished veterinarians, but they view any non-Tamaratry humans in the way that an Albian would view cattle, horses or dogs. At best they consider the Kalpanari as pets and more often as tools to be used, moulded and often consumed. Once you understand this then you are just beginning to comprehend the Tamaratry mindset.

Kalpanari are in essence treated like pets, slaves, servants, livestock and beasts of burden. In their own fashion the Tamaratry treat their blessaraks and omsterlaks well. Life for an hemosterlak is often brutal and short. The life of a liktyar is akin to an Albian pig or sheep, short with a violent end in a slaughterhouse.

Neraka is currently in a state of uneasy peace. Although Tamaratry history is comparatively old (they have been building cities for about 12,000 years) current technology is roughly at the level of the Albian 18th Century or the 21^st on Henry Tudor. The Tamaratry have electricity, computers, aeroplanes and satellites but have not yet travelled to the moon or beyond. The warlike temperament of the Tamaratry is the reason why they have not advanced further, as at least 3 times; wars over the entire continent of North Columbia has reduced them to pre-industrial levels. The last major war - 1500 years ago - almost reduced them to the Stone Age.

Any Kalpanar who deliberately attempts to injure a Tamaratry or to escape is considered to lose their untouchable status and become kailusterlak liktyar or running meat. Punishment is meted out, is always savage and few escape. In extreme cases such as the murder of a Tamaratry the punishment is shared by every member of the immediate family from grandparents down to infants as a lesson to others. The punishment for an old blessarak or omsterlak who becomes kailusterlak liktyar is normally to be hung upside down (to increase blood flow to the head and reduce fainting) and to have all their limbs broken with a metal pole. Their eyes are popped with wooden stakes and they are then slashed with razor blades from foot to head before being dangled into a cage full of wild dogs. Younger kailusterlak liktyar are treated exactly the same way except that after their eyes are popped they are dismembered limb by limb with an axe and served up for a Tamaratry feast. If a family is being punished then the Tamaratry do it in strict age order from oldest to youngest with each person being made to watch the others being tortured to death before them. According to Tamaratry tradition this ensures that the meat for the table becomes ever tastier and more tender as the punishment continues.

Janissary Blessarak

The janissary blessarak form the corps of the slave soldiers and kalpanari police forces of Neraka. Any future candidates for life as a janissary blessarak are identified before puberty commences (usually between the ages of 9 and 11). They are indoctrinated into corps belief systems, circumcised and supervised around the clock by battle hardened elders. For 8 years they are raised in compounds where they undergo intensive physical training including martial arts, use of weapons and communications. Life is physically tough for the janissary recruits but they are well looked after and fed to meet the demands of their training.

Janissaries serve in the Nerakan armies for a minimum of 30 years after which they generally become estate guards for the remainder of their useful lives. Veteran blessarak return to train new recruits after about 20 years and rotate back into their active units for the remainder of their service.

The more intelligent of the janissary blessarak are given enhanced status and education and form the officer corps of both the janissary armies and police forces.

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[i]

                        [i] There is archaeological and fossil evidence to suggest an extinct 3^rd human species present on Neraka which died out some 10,000 years previously. Destruction caused by Tamaratry warfare has made further investigation very difficult.

[ii]

                        [ii] Listantal-ji is the main Tamaratry language spoken by about 77% of the Nerakan population including both human species. There are other tribal languages spoken only by the Tamaratry but Listantal-ji is used for trade and commerce globally. All Kalpanari are raised to learn Listantal-ji.

                Studies of the Kalpanari have shown that they have a sign language that they use to communicate unknown to their Tamaratry masters.