Ildirans

Ildirans
The Ildirans are a polymorphic species ruled by the quasi-mystical Mage-Imperator, via an empathic link called the thism. Lens kithmen are able to focus the thism. Socially, the Ildiran are separated into castes (kiths), according to their dominant genetic traits. Each kith ends its name with a different phonetic sound and cross-breeds combine the sounds:
 * 'h  rulers/nobles
 * 'n  soldiers/warriors/guards
 * 'nh military leaders/generals
 * 'k  workers
 * 'v  bureaucrats
 * 't  singers
 * 'l  lens kithmen
 * 'f  scientists
 * 'o  technicians
 * 'of engineers
 * 'a  teachers
 * 'th artists
 * 'sh rememberers
 * 'x  miners

They are a stagnant race, mired in ritual and protocol, uninterested in expansion and content with the past glories described in their epic poem, the Saga of Seven Suns. The Saga of Seven Suns supposedly records every significant event in their history, and the task of retelling this epic is given to the rememberers. They are dependent on their thism-link with other Ildirans, and terribly afraid of the dark. This is due to the fact that their homeworld is bathed in constant sunlight, from seven suns, and thus they had difficulty adapting (and comprehending) night-time on other worlds. The Ildirans invented the Ildiran stardrive, which uses ekti (an allotrope of hydrogen found mainly in gas giants, although other sources of hydrogen are found in places) to travel great distances in remarkably short amounts of time. It is the only viable form of space travel.