Ingza

"Greetings, my extra-galactic human brothers and sisters, I am Representative Syygan Xligio, ambassador to her most gracious majesty Queen Ingza M, omnipotent ruler of the Ingza people. I have come to negotiate opening relations between our two great peoples, the Ingza consider you our brothers and we would be honoured if you would open relations with her majesty"

- Representative Syygan Xligio negotiating the opening of relations between the GFSS and Ingza

The Ingza were a Human people who were officially led by a Queen (though in rare cases they were also led by a King), but in practice were led by the V'ei'ka. from the Ingza System which was located in the Foundary Region of the N'Akkiarl Galaxy.

Like there cousins in other galaxies the Ingza were a baseline human race. They used to rule the former Ingzan Commonwealth, an alliance of all the planets of the Ingza System which was led by Ingza, until it was taken over by the N'Akkiarlians during the N'Akkiarlian-Ingzan War of 32,854 BBY-32,851 BBY. After the Ingza were defeated the N'Akkiarlians took control of them, however the N'Akkiarlians allowed the monarchies of the Ingza to remain as puppet rulers. Despite being rulers of there people the Ingzan monarchs had to do whatever there N'Akkiarlian masters ordered them to.

"The Ingza are wise, they wisely worship us, there masters, they know that revolution and rebellion will result in certain death and very heavy punishments. They wisely kneel down and kiss our feet!"

- The N'Akkiarlian King on the obedience of the Ingza

Despite suffering heavy losses during the war the Ingza didnt hate the N'Akkiarlians like the Jussk'Ravgarok did. As the decades and centuries of N'Akkiarlian rule went by Ingza grew to think of themselves as well cared for children of the N'Akkiarlian Star Empire, they thought that the N'Akkiarlians were like there parents, they knew what was best for them. The Ingza were almost as loyal to there N'Akkiarlian overlords as the extremely-loyal U'k'r'zedolgeiekoo. After several millenia of occupation the Ingza bowed down and worshipped their N'Akkiarlian masters and revered the N'Akkiarlian King as a god. However there faith and obedience to the V'ei'ka was still just as strong as it had been before the occupation.

"Our N'Akkiarlian masters treat us well, just because they own us doesnt mean they treat us badly, we're well cared for children!"

- An Ingzan speaking abowt his N'Akkiarlian rulers

Biology and appearance
The Ingza were a baseline human race and were biologically and anatomically the same as there fellow baseline human cousins in other galaxies, leading some to speculate that they had been brought to the Ingza System by an ancient alien species from another galaxy.

Like other humans they had hair of many colours but blond, brown and black were the most common colours, this turned white or grey during aging. Like most human races females almost always had longer hair than males. They lived on average several decades longer than there cousins in other galaxies, the average life expectancy was 130 but one, Okki Uukagora, managed to reach 160 years old. some said this was because Ingzan medicine was so good.

History
The earliest documents about Ingzan life are from around 40,000 BBY. At this time the Ingza were little more than tribal savages who had only just formed religion and basic language and writing. After several millenia the Ingzan language and writing evolved into more advanced forms and the tribes began to settle, forming countries. Then around the year 33,288 BBY the Ingza managed to develop space travel, disease and other social health problems had largely been dealt with by this point and Ingza Prime was united the country of Ingza, a planet-covering supercountry. After developing space travel the Ingza colonised the other worlds of the Ingza System: Hzajka, Avolorta, Vleems and Zjikia. During colonisation they found that these planets were populated by humans which were identical to them.

The Ingza decided that millenia before achieving full sapience an extremely powerful extra-galactic race had brought them to the Ingza System and had spread them through-out the system, each group forgetting or not knowing about there brothers on the other planets and created independant societies unaware that there people had relatives on other planets. The evidence available meant that this theory was the most likely explanation. Theories said this ancient race brought their ancestors from a planet called "Earth". Many saw their language, which had many words similar to that of Earth English, as a way to look at their Earth ancestry and heritage.

"We are children of Earth, we were brought to the Ingza system from Earth by an ancient race! I wish we could meet our brothers on Earth!"

- an Ingzan who believed Ingzans were taken from Earth to the Ingzan system by an unknown alien race

After discovering other members of there people on other planets the Ingza formed and alliance with each of them and created the Ingzan Commonwealth. The Commonwealth ruled the Ingza System for several centuries before the N'Akkiarlians arrived in 32,854 BBY.

The Ingzans knew that the N'Akkiarlians were sweeping through the galaxy and were battle-hardened after spending the past 96 years fighting wars and putting down rebellions until most of the galaxy was under there total control, they had heard that the N'Akkiarlians had slaughtered some nations which had stood against them and began to worry about what would happen if they were invaded.

Despite worrying about a N'Akkiarlian massacre of there people the Ingzans decided that death was much better than living as slaves and increased the strength of the Royal Navy of Ingza and the Royal Ingzan Army.

Politics
Ingzan politics began simply as tribal chieftains and there leftenants. Around 39,000 BBY the different tribal chieftans formed a council which eventually grew into the first country, a super-country called "Tribe-land", this broke up after about a hundred years when one chieftan proclaimed himself as the King of the others, the founding of the Ingzan monarchy.

Over the millenia the Ingza grew wiser and began to invent a lot more. By 33,288 BBY they had invented space travel, had eradicated most diseases and were colonising other worlds by this time. They met other identical people on the planets they had colonised and formed an alliance the Ingzan Commonwealth. The Commonwealth was officially headed by the Ingzan sovereign but in fact the actual ruler was the V'ei'ka, the head of the Ingzan religion. This was because the sovereign bowed down to the V'ei'ka so the V'ei'ka was the mistress of the sovereign so the sovereign's power was hers, she could do whatever she wanted and the sovereign had to consult her on all of there decisions.

Every Ingzan in the Commonwealth worshipped the V'ei'ka, as she was a living goddess and the physical incarnation of the mother of everything, V'ei'ka herself. The people genuinly believed they had to be owned by the V'ei'ka, they felt proud to be her slaves.

"Our great ruler is the mortal form of the mother of everything! We are little children to her, our mother knows whats best for us, we dont question her!"

- An Ingzan speaking about his mistress, the V'ei'ka

Religion
"Behold, i am the V'ei'ka! I am the mortal form of our mother, V'ei'ka, creator of everything!"

- A V'ei'ka introduces herself to her people



The Ingzan religion was led by the V'ei'ka, a blinded woman who was the mortal representative of the blind goddess V'ei'ka, the creator of the universe. Ingzan religion says V'ei'ka pierced her eyes with a special mask to ensure her children (living things) could see, it was said that if she hadnt blinded herself then all life would be eternally blind, V'ei'ka sacrified her eyesight and endured the horrific agony of piercing her own eyes to ensure her creations could see.

The V'ei'ka was chosen by her steadfast devotion to her ruler and religion, only the most devoted candidate was chosen, only women aged between 20-30 could apply to be the V'ei'ka. Upon being chosen the would-be V'ei'ka would spend 5 years of her life with her family (or whomever she chose) living in absolute luxury and she would ready herself for being made the next V'ei'ka. When the 5 years came to end the V'ei'ka would be taken to the square outside the sovereign's palace where the Shrine of V'ei'ka resided, and in front of her people, sovereign and family would have the Mask of V'ei'ka applied to her face, which would pierce her eyes and she would then be the new V'ei'ka.

Once getting over the mind-numbing pain she would introduce herself to her people and sovereign as the new V'ei'ka, the living form of the goddess V'ei'ka. After introducing herself the sovereign would walk in front of the V'ei'ka and bow down on there hands and knees at her feet, showing that the sovereign worshipped her, after watching the sovereign bow down the people would bow down to there great ruler, showing they worshipped her, and the ceremony would be finished.

After the ceremony she would be taken to her palace (the Palace of V'ei'ka) where she would live in luxury for the rest of her life and would lead the entire Ingzan religion. Because she was the leader of the Ingzan religion her power and the respect she received from her people rivalled that of the soverign, even the sovereign bowed down to her, the only living person in the entire universe the sovereign worshipped (the only other person the sovereign worshipped was the goddess V'ei'ka herself). During the time of Ingzan Commonwealth the V'ei'ka was the de facto ruler of the Ingzan Commonwealth, the sovereign was only the de jure ruler, whilst the sovereign had tremendous power and respect the sovereign bowed down to the V'ei'ka so the V'ei'ka was the one who held the actual power over Ingzan society, if she wanted to a V'ei'ka could abolish the monarchy and rule by herself, she could also form a mammoth militia to take down the monarchy if they refused to obey her command to abdicate. As the physical manifestation of V'ei'ka the V'ei'ka was the "mother" of living things and the people called her "mother", whilst she called her loyal subjects her "children". The new V'ei'ka would be chosen when the old one died, the V'ei'ka blinding ritual was abolished when the N'Akkiarlians conquered the Ingzan Commonwealth, who thought it was a barbaric ritual, however the V'ei'ka lived on and was still just as respected and worshipped by her people, they just didnt go through the blinding ritual. The last ever V'ei'ka to be blinded for around 30 millenia was a 26 year old woman called Kysa Zerego, she underwent the blinding ritual 12 years before the N'Akkiarlians invaded and conquered the Ingza System. She rallied her fellow Ingzan brothers and sisters to defend there homes and freedom to the end and that V'ei'ka would be happy that they were defending there liberty and freedom, her rallying cries were an inspiration to the Ingzan people. After the N'Akkiarlians conquered the Ingzan Commonwealth and abolished the blinding ritual Kysa became the last of her kind. After the N'Akkiarlian conquest she ruled for a further 86 years as the V'ei'ka before she died in 32,765 BBY. She was buried in the Tomb of the V'ei'ka with her predecessors and was signficant as being the last ever V'ei'ka to undergo the blinding ritual in Ingzan history. After her death her position as the V'ei'ka and the way she stirred her people's spirit to never falter in there fight against N'Akkiarlian oppression and imperialism caused her to be made an honourary member of the Ingzan nobility.

When they died the V'ei'ka was buried alongside her predecessors in the special Tomb of the V'ei'ka and would go to Ingzan heaven where they would look after there people from above, they would also meet and assist new arrivals to heaven. They would also meet the goddess V'ei'ka herself in heaven. The tomb was a sacred place where the people and sovereign honoured there great religous leaders of days gone by, the penalty from breaking into and ransacking the tomb was to be blinded with the Mask of V'ei'ka, not only did this cause terrific agony to the victim but it also meant that they were abused and loathed by the people for disturbing the rest of there respected leaders.

"I am the V'ei'ka, I'm a goddess, i'm the mortal form of the creator of everything! Kneel down and worship me, your goddess!"

- Kysa to a N'Akkiarlian

After the N'Akkiarlians left the blinding ceremony was revived but was not used as frequently as it had been before, instead it was used occasionally but the blinded V'ei'ka had returned after not being seen alive in around 30,000 years.

The V'ei'ka was advised by the B'Kekara, the Religous Advisor, the B'Kekara advised his mistress on religous matters. Unlike the V'ei'ka the B'Kekara could be either sex and some were siblings of the V'ei'ka, which was probably because some V'ei'ka's used their power to get their family members into positions of power.

When Ingzan society began and the position of V'ei'ka was established there was no limit on how many V'ei'kas there could be at any one time, theoretically there could be thousands of V'ei'kas however after the War of the two V'ei'ka's of 37,183 BBY it was written in Ingzan religous law that there could only be one V'ei'ka at any one time, this was to prevent another religous civil war.

The V'ei'ka was also called Gúreit Óne (Great One).

Language
The traditional language of the Ingza was Ingzan, Ingzan could trace it roots back to Ancient Ingzan from around 40,000 BBY. Ancient Ingzan became extinct around 38,482 BBY as it was largely replaced by standard Ingzan, however speakers of Ancient Ingzans continued to exist for around another 5,000 years after it was made extinct. When the N'Akkiarlians took over the Ingza system they enforced the use of N'Akkiarlian as the primary language and schools were made to put priority on learning N'Akkiarlian rather than Ingzan, so Ingzan took damage and was nearly made extinct but the N'Akkiarlian King at the time allowed Ingzan schools to make it a compulsory subject and Ingzan was saved from extinction, after the N'Akkiarlians left Ingza the native language flourished and went through a renaissance, when the Ingza opened relations with the Galactic Federation of Sentient Species many humans saw how similar the language of their Ingzan brothers was to Galactic Standard Basic and decided to learn it, When the Ingza joined the GFSS there were already quite a few non-native speakers, Ingza joining the GFSS meant many more took up Ingzan.

Many Ingzan words and phrases sounded a bit like their Galactic Basic equivalents, but were spelt differently, however some were completely different e.g. Frigate was Ávákóné. Vowels with marks were long vowels whilst those without were short, e.g. i was pronounced ih, whilst í was pronounced ee. The dipthong ei was pronounced ay. The language was said to be quite easy for Galactic Basic speakers to learn as many of the words sounded similar to Galactic Basic words.

As many of the words sounded very similar to Earth English, many Ingzans believed that their language was some evidence that their ancestors had come from Earth, many saw their language as a way to look back at their Earth heritage.

Ingzan words and phrases:
 * Hello - Héró (Hey-row)
 * Hi - Hé (Hey)
 * How are you? - Hoyów árú yúe? (Ho-yoh ah-roo yoo-eh)
 * Good day - Gúd Dzé (Good Dzey)
 * Religious leader - V'ei'ka (Vey-ka)
 * Religious advisor - B'Kekara (Buh-kek-a-ra)
 * Battleship - Batarosép (Bah-tah-ro-seyp)
 * Queen - Kuwín (Kuh-ween)
 * King - Kínigó (Kee-nih-go)
 * Planet - Pláránettá (Plah-rah-net-tah)
 * First Great Ingzan Civil War - Firústó Gúreit Íngzan Civilú Wárá (Fih-roo-stoh Goo-rayt Een-gzah-n Sih-vil-oo Wah-rah)
 * Second Great Ingzan Civil War - Sékúnada Gúreit Íngzan Civilú Wárá (Say-koo-nah-dah Goo-rayt Een-gzah-n Sih-vil-oo Wah-rah)
 * Great One - Gúreit Óne (Goo-rayt Oh-neh)
 * Great Mother - Gúreit Múthe (Goo-rayt Moo-theh)
 * Omnipotent Mistress - Úmnípótenta Místaresá (Oom-nee-poh-tenta Mee-sta-res-ah)
 * Obedient servant - Úbídíenta Sírventa (Oob-ee-dee-enta Seer-venta)
 * Obedient servants - Úbídíentas Sírventas (Oob-ee-dee-entas - Seer-ventas)
 * Slave - Sláva (Slah-va)
 * Slaves - Slávas (Slah-vas)

Behind the scenes
The V'ei'ka is visually based on the Blinded Maiden of Project Zero