GLOSSARY FOR NAORHY

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

The following are definitions, explanations, and other rumblings about the Naorhy that may help to confuse you even farther.

CYCLE: When referring to time most commonly used to indicate a year. In biology, a women's semi-annual biological cycle, while in combat the time between launching a fighter, combat, recovering it, reloading, and re-launching (cycling a fighter group.)

MASER: The most common beam style weapon in the Naorhy Universe. Based on microwaves MASER is an acronym for Microwave Amplification by the Stimulated Emission of Radiation. This technology is not hypothetical as MASER's have been studied and used on this Earth since at least the 1950's.

TIME: While the basic NAORHY hour has been kept equal to that of ours (60 minutes to the hour) for ease of understanding of the days, months, and years are much different. A Naorhy year is 270.1 days long and broken into ten months of equal length. Every ten years an extra day is added to the last month of the year. There are 27 days in a month, three weeks to a month, nine days to a week, and 27 hours in a day. Each year is broken into non-equal seasons. Winter is four months long while Spring is two months, Summer three months, and Fall one month. Due to the axial tilt of the planet (slightly greater than Earth's) seasonal changes can be quite abrupt.

FTL DRIVE: The original FTL drive has a 'speed' of 5x that of light. Under emergency Military Overload that speed can be increased to 6.5x that of light, after which the engines must be overhauled and often replaced. When FTL/2 drives became operational the speeds were improved to 11x that of light with a Military Overload speed of 13x that of light. FTL means FASTER THAN LIGHT, an older Science Fiction phrase now less used since the popularization of the copyrighted (when used in this connotation) word WARP.

GWP: Great White Plague; Originally brought to Naorhy by the Nakatallan event, the GWP is a viral-fungus that is transmitted almost specifically by physical contact, even simply by touching fingers. It is rarely transmitted by air as it quickly becomes inert outside the energy field generated by living bodies. The actual life form has no equivalent in the solar system and it is suspected that it is not a natural life form.

Upon contact the GWP grows very slowly on the skin and can be washed off by soap and water. Once it locates a break in the skin or enters the body by touching the mouth, nose, eyes, or other access openings it quickly migrates to the bloodstream. Here it rapidly begins eating oxygen carrying blood cells, excreting a creamy white substance that quickly clogs the lungs and is very toxic. The toxin causes extreme pain and muscle cramps. Death is by asphyxiation, although often the pain causes death on its own.

Of all living things on Naorhy only two other species are susceptible to the GWP. A shell fish found in shallow warm waters (now almost extent) and a forest feline closely related to the Naorhy. Some Naorhy become carriers, unaffected by the GWP themselves for some unknown reason. For quite some time a small enclave of these people were kept by the First White Church, being used to release the "Vengeance of the Earth God" against nations that advanced too far (by the FWC’s guidelines) with technology. Although a cure has been found as well as a preventative, the GWP is still considered the most horrible way to die. Even the staunchest warrior will pause when informed that an area is infected.

TRANSGATE: Unlike a popular (at the time of this writing) entertainment program the Naorhy transgate operates in a most unusual manner. Its transmitter locks onto a point and opens a hole, or gate between the two points by equalizing the physical properties between them. This science is known as Telephysics and is also the bases for the FTL drive (causing the ship to 'slip’ or ‘slide' from one point to another.) The object to be transported must then be moved through this 'hole' where it appears without having been changed. If an object cannot be moved a skillful operator can slide the focus point across the object, transporting it to her without outside help. This takes great skill and a well tuned piece of equipment, the average operator is unable to control the focus point causing it to diffuse and break down. Its limits are 1,000 miles, 1,500 if there is a Gate device at the other end.

COUNCIL: Ruling the Naorhy is a Council of twenty seven members. These members are selected from various social groups including, but not limited to the Religious, Military, Social, and Scientific fields. A council seat is for life or until either medical or personal reasons require the member to step down. A replacement member is selected by a system wide popular vote which usually takes three years to complete. Actual campaigning is limited to two months and the replaced members social group is not eligible for the now open seat (although a member of that group will hold the seat until a new member is elected.) Other than the Royal Family, the Council is all powerful in that it can overrule any legal body beneath it except a church.

ROYAL FAMILY: Actually a Clan within its own right, the Royal Family is ruled by a 'traditional family' of one male and three females. Mostly used as diplomatic personnel as well as for opening bridges, addressing troops, etc, the Royal Family can and will overrule the Council. As well in legal cases where life, reproduction, and or freedom is involved the accused may appeal to the Royal Family to review their case. Considering the rather large number of qualified adults in the Royal Family this is not as difficult as it may seem, even though there is often a backlog in requests.

RELIGION: As with Earth there are as many beliefs as there are people. As for organized religions the last count (in 6233) there were 2,893,143 separate religions with members of 100 or more. There were only sixty three religions accepted as 'Major,' having greater than one million members each. Each religion has its own Gods & Goddess's, rules, laws, and codes of conduct. There are even two religions specifically for slaves only.

Laws governing Religion's are simple, other than a single member in Council they may have no political power nor may they be involved in any political or State run office (which includes schools.) They may own up to two acres of land tax free and within this land not be subject to State or Council law. As with all Naorhy they are responsible to the Royal Family even upon these lands.