The League of Anthropomorphic Worlds (dismissively called Astra
Bestia or "Beast Space" by more chauvinistic humans in Astra
Byzantium) have a common theme: theriomorphic
(with animal characteristic) humanoids. The
choice of the name "Anthropomorphic" for their nation name was a
deliberate statement towards the more dominant humanoid species: "We are
not Beasts, we are People, and you will deal with us as Equals."
For generations, there was a loose confederacy who manage
their own affairs as they see fit, but regularly convene in a council of
delegates to discuss matters involving the entire League. Each of the major Crystal Spheres had a
dominant species that dictated policy.
This all changed about a decade ago and has thrown the entire
region into perpetual war. Astra Buto,
or frog space, has become a cruel and expansive empire that plans to conquer
all of Astra Bestia and then all known space.
While the remaining star systems are sharing information, they are still
acting independently to each other that it is impeding the war effort…at least
for now.
The Species of Astra Bestia
This part of space is believed to be the birthplace of many
of these Anthropomorphic species.
Speculation is rampant of why.
The Bullywug Empire
The frog folk have become a menace that will be a danger for
all around them. A decade ago, the
Bullywug Empire was contained to its own planet, and seemed nowhere near
developing Spelljamming Magics. However,
something changed. They massively exploded
expanded outwards, conquering all habitable worlds in its home system, and
using the resources from those worlds to launch assaults on their neighboring
systems. They have developed magic,
technology and tactics that makes even the vaunted Astra Byzantium and Astra
Arcadia wary.
There are multiple myths that explain their ascendency, and
nobody is completely sure which one applies, or worse, they all might be true:
1.
The Bullywug have managed to find a blood red
obelisk in the adjoining salvage zone.
This ancient alien marker was forged of intense magical energy that
dated back to the dawn of the universe. It’s
mystical energy both acts as a source of virtually unlimited energy and is
secured on the Bullywug’s home world.
Other lesser obelisks are placed to channel their energies to capital
ships to make the unliving alive. This
has also allowed Bullywugs to be augmented with warforged technology making the
feared Toadborgs.
2.
The Bullywug’s are not their own masters. A group of mind flayers have subverted the
entire Bullywug people. To them, the
frog folk breed quickly, are easy to control mentally and brains taste great
(even if it is essentially junk food by illithid standards). Furthermore, their swampy worlds are
incredibly comfortable. They are used
their virtually limitless armies and their own considerable psychic and
bio-magical talents to create something that has a real chance of taking over
all space…once the bugs are worked out.
It Is rumored that is why the Bullywug empire has amazing communications
across time and space at a rate that is faster than the fastest ship: They have the equivalent of elder brain pools
created with Bullywug brains to act as Transmitters of telepathic thoughts.
3.
They didn’t find an artifact, but merely awoke a
legendary leader from a previous era.
His name was Stephen, and he was rumored to have taken incredibly
advanced technology from beyond anything discovered in current space and melded
it with the Bullywugs to create an army that is terrifying. It does explain the massive Pantheon of the
Frog, a massive structure where the current Emperor Steven reigns pointing the
Bullywug legions where he sees fit.
The Other Major Players
Aarackocra
the Aarackocra are depicted as a peaceful and reclusive
species that live in isolated asteroid communities within their sphere of Astra
Bestia Avis, which is dominated by a massive gas giant <insert name here>.
As a spelljamming species, the Aarackocra are well-suited to life in space due
to their ability to fly and their natural aptitude for navigation. They might
make use of their innate magical abilities and their advanced understanding of
aerodynamics to design and build advanced small maneuverable spelljamming
vessels.
Aarackocra are also depicted as being skilled in the use of
magic, and they might use their abilities to defend their ships and protect
themselves from threats in the void of space.
Some aarakocra have a unique ability to fly through the
vacuum of space. These "starborn" aarakocra are bizarre and
alien-looking, having integrated out realm elements and strange colors to their
own physiology. They are only born to aarakocra who often frequent the void of
space and who lay eggs on space-traveling ships.
Aaracrokra sailors are fond of pet monkeys, going to great
lengths to acquire the most colorful, exotic, and intelligent simians. Monkeys
that can do one or more tricks are especially prized.
Overall, the Aarackocra would likely be a formidable and
respected presence in the Spelljammer setting, known for their ingenuity, their
connection to the natural world, and their devotion to freedom and
independence.
The Bullywug empire has been sending raids into the area and
more or less playing wack a bird, but the Aarackocra are very evasive in
dealing with them.
Finally, they use little bags of grain and suet as their
primary trade medium/snack packs.
Hadozee
These ape-like humanoids with gliding flaps are known for
being agile, athletic, and physically powerful, with a natural affinity for
climbing and an innate sense of balance.
They also seem to seriously like sea shanties mixed with techno creating
their own unique music.
Their home world is a jungle world where the ground level is
filled with dangerous predators. As a result,
they live in the massive trees and spend most of their lives in the world
above. There is a gender-based division
of labor; males hunt, forage, and make weapons, while females raise young and
handle other domestic tasks. However,
females are more likely to be touched by magical energy, whether arcane, divine
or psychic.
The Bullywugs are skittish around the Hadozee despite all of
their famed changes. Perhaps it is some
sort of primal fear from a time when they were the Hadozee’s Prey. Their response to Hadozee aggression is fearful
overkill.
Harengon
The rabbit folk are a people under occupation. The Bullywug empire has managed to take over
the planet and are using powerful magic to make the planet slowly and surely
much more to their liking: a massive swamp.
While many have capitulated, there is a avid Harengon resistance that
bides their time and strikes where the Bullywugs least expect it. The Harengon are a deeply spiritual people
who have a connection to the feywild and their gods reflect this. Astra
Byzantium often calls them “the children of hermes” for the similar nature.
As a species, Harengons are said to be highly adaptable and
able to thrive in a variety of different environments. They are also known for
their strong sense of community and their devotion to their families. In terms
of culture and society, Harengons are depicted as being organized into clans
and led by a council of elders. They are also said to be skilled in the use of
magic and technology, and they are known for their advanced shipbuilding
techniques, even if their supplies and manpower are in short supply. Harengons are also known for their
intelligence and resourcefulness, and they are often employed as navigators and
engineers on spelljamming ships.
Overall, the Harengons are portrayed as a technologically
advanced and resourceful species that is well-suited to the challenges of life
in the vast and dangerous universe.
The Harengon home space is called the Great Warren, and all the planets are connected by Tunnels in the Sky (i.e. wormholes). These have been spiritually locked and have become a mission of the Bullywug empire to crack.
Kenku
The Kenku are a subspecies of aarakocra. They first arose
thousands of years ago on some of the "trap worlds" that Elves must
deter space-vikings. Many of them have ended up on the ships of those freebooters
as space-vikings themselves. They also aren't cursed -- they don't have the
capacity for speech other races do.
The Kenku are said to hail from Astra Bestia Corax, a
crystal sphere that is known for its strange and unpredictable nature. The Flow
is depicted as a place of endless change and transformation, where the laws of
physics and reality are constantly shifting and evolving, almost like it was a
fragment of the plane of limbo. It is said that the Kenku have learned to adapt
to these constant changes and have developed a unique culture and society that
is well-suited to life in this tumultuous and unpredictable environment.
The Bullywug hate the Kenku as they are difficult to deal
with even when they submit and cannot be trusted. This has resulted in many atrocities that
have made the Kenku even more likely to go out of their way to be a thorn in
their side.
Lizardfolk
Most people underestimate the Lizardfolk. the Lizardfolk are often considered a a
primitive and tribal species that is driven by instinct and a strong sense of
community. They are said to live in small, isolated settlements on their home
world, and they are known for their strong ties to the natural world and their
devotion to their clans. As a spelljamming species, the Lizardfolk are known
for their physical strength and their ability to withstand harsh environments,
and they might use their natural aquatic abilities to navigate the void of
space and explore aquatic worlds.
However, that is changing.
About 3 generations ago, Lizardfolk found out that hatching near a star
result in smarter offspring, so there was a communal effort to setup
"Nursing ships." The result is that Lizardfolk have been going
through both a baby boom and artificers and wizards are surprisingly common on
their ships.
They are the communal nouveau riche and are a growing
demographic in Astra Byzantium and Astra Arcadium as well as their homeworld
crystal sphere: Astra Bestia Lacerti. They
have control over several water worlds where they make use of their aquatic
abilities to gather food and resources.
There has been a backlash as there were several unfavorable stereotypes
that are being push back at hard lately by the lizardfolk as they use their new
nurturing techniques to improve their own lifestyle.
Lizardfolk enjoy the consumption of live food, treasuring
monkeys as delicacies and view them as a nice change from the rabbits and giant
rats they usually eat on voyages. Aaracrokra are not endeared to this habit and
the two species rarely crew together.
One of the strange elements of the Lizardfolk is even with
their range of development, they are just as likely to work for the Bullywug
empire as their own communities. One of
their stereotypes is that they will work for the highest bidder and feel no
loyalty if a better offer comes around.
Minotaurs
Minotaurs are a species of humanoid creatures with the head
of a bull and the body of a human. They are strong, agile, and physically
powerful, with a natural affinity for combat. Once a touched species by the
demonic, the minotaurs have reformed into a society of philosopher-poets that
worship Asterion, The First Minotaur, as a god of sacrifice. His mother,
Pasiphae, is seen as a mother-goddess, and the bull of myth is said to be a
powerful archon. They have one of the highest numbers of aasimar populations
among their numbers, and the minotaurs frequently take pilgrimage to
good-aligned outer planes. Their
neighbors believe these are the gods Poseidon and Athena respectively, but they
often take offence to this. The Minotaurs have a strong tradition of prophecy
and divination, using their spiritual insights to guide their actions and make
decisions.
The Minotaurs might also have a strong sense of community,
with a focus on family and clan ties.
A martial culture, they are the most successful in repelling
the feared Bullywug legions. However,
they are slowly but surely losing a war of attrition and are seeking
adventurers to act on their behalf.
Owlin
The Owlin are a species of avian humanoids that are known
for their intelligence and their ability to communicate over long distances
using a series of intricate calls and whistles.
The owlin are almost wholly spacefaring and live a nomadic lifestyle.
They believe in a holy trinity of Order, Wisdom and Learning, the concepts
themselves existing as immaterial gods. The culture is best described as
Arthurian chivalry with wizards and staves instead of knights and swords,
combined with thousands of secret libraries and quests to preserve helpful and
lost magics.
The Owlin are believed to have mastery of the various elven
jump gates that cover known space. These portals allow the Owlin to travel
quickly and easily between different worlds, enabling them to explore and
colonize a wide variety of different environments. While no home sphere of
their own, the Owlin might also have several powerful magical academies and
libraries that they founded in major settlements that are often cloaked by
magical energy to not arouse suspicion.
Tabaxi
the Tabaxi are a fictional feline species that are known for
their agility, their speed, and their natural curiosity, but they have a bent
different then their terrestrial cousins. The Tabaxi of might be known for
their innate magical abilities and their natural aptitude for the arcane arts. The feline oracles are particularly noteworthy
of seeing the future.
They are organized into clans or societies that are led by
powerful sorcerers or magical adepts, and they might have a strong tradition of
magical study and research. Overall, the Tabaxi are a formidable and respected
presence in Astra Bestia, known for their magical abilities and their
adventurous and curious nature that also makes them very dangerous.
Their solar system, Astra Bestia Feline, is a place of great
magical energy and potential. The Tabaxi might use their natural affinity for
magic to shape and manipulate their environment, creating fantastical and
surreal landscapes that reflect their unique and creative nature. They might
also use their magical abilities to defend their solar system from external
threats and to explore the vastness of the void.
The Bullywugs have been sparing in their raids into this
space as it is filled with potential magical traps, but they are slowly but
surely mapping it out, ultimately dooming the Tabaxi if they cannot get outside
help.
Thri-kreen
While originally a caste species of the Elves, the
Thri-Kreen of Astra Bestia have thrown off these ancient bonds and are a
species of Space Pirates. The Thri-kreen
would likely be known for their combat prowess and their cunning. They use
their physical strength and their innate magical abilities to overpower and
plunder other spelljamming ships, and they might also use their intelligence
and adaptability to evade pursuit and escape from danger. The Thri-kreen might
also be known for their resourcefulness and their ability to make use of
whatever resources are available to them, including scavenging and repurposing
the technology and equipment of their victims.
They love smoke powder weapons and often have a pistol in each hand
before they switch over to a sword.
In terms of their home worlds, the Thri-kreen live in a harsh,
desert world that have forced them to rely on their strength and their
resourcefulness to survive. The Thri-kreen are known as having a strong
tradition of martial prowess and discipline, with a strict code of honor that
guides their actions as pirates. They consider
the use of parley to be sacrosanct and woah be the animal that breaks “the
code.”
What they are also known for is a drink called “bug juice.” Made of fermented grasses and with small
larva grown for such a purpose, they consider it their rum and love to drink
it, especially if it nauseates those nearby.
Overall, the Thri-kreen would likely be a formidable and
feared presence in the Spelljammer setting, known for their combat skills and
their ruthless tactics.
They don’t fear the Bullywugs and are likely to raid them
just like any other, but they often hit hard and flee before the full force of
the Bullywug empire can be brought to bear.
Tortle
This species of turtle humanoids have a long emphasis on
tradition, history, and ancestor worship, with important cultural and spiritual
ceremonies and rituals related to space travel:
including body paint of celestial objects. They have a strong sense of community and
work together to defend their territories and trade routes from threats such as
space pirates and other dangers. Their
homeworld acts as a central hub for their own travels.
While they are often priests, they also seem to be really
good artificers. Their spelljamming
ships have a tough, armored shells that protect them from the hazards of space
travel, such as micrometeoroids and radiation.
They are also really good at augmenting spelljamming helms.
Tortles prefer to speak softly and use their ship board
weapons to talk for them/
The rumor that the Red Obelisk that is used in Bullywug
architecture is based on an ancient Tortle Artifact that was deliberately lost
due to its corrupting nature.
The Bullywug empire is somewhat frustrated by them as they
seem to go where they wish and merely reverse polarities of their shields and
leave, even if it is through territory that is claimed by Bullywugs.
