A nation originally formed after the mass exodus caused by the near extinction of the Ishii in a xenocidal war. Its name is Ihyss and is commonly translated as "Bastion of the People". It is ruled by a monarchy under the leadership of PJ Lelli.
Although scars from the aforementioned war still remain, the nation and the people have come a long way since then and are determined to return to and then surpass their former glory.
The government consists almost entirely of the executive branch. Currently headed by Pj xi'Lelli, it has supreme and effectively unlimited power. The xi has the power to make new laws, deal with foreign nations, as well as the ability to declare war and official control of the military.
Despite technically having the power to regulate the economy almost indiscriminately, xi'Lelli is far more relaxed towards this area. The opinion is commonly held that a free market is better than one controlled only by the govern
Nightwish - Last Of The Wilds
Lifesong - The National Anthem
ment, an opinion reinforced by centuries long traditions. However, in certain circumstances, the xi is capable of forcing the compliance of corporations owned or operated under Ishii law. This is considered an action reserved for extreme instances.
Advisories
Advisories are departments specializing in special roles within the exectuive branch of government. An Advisory is led by an Advisor, who answers directly to Pj xi'Lelli.
Emblem of the ACA.
Alien Cultures Advisory
The Alien Cultures Advisory deals with matters relating to Ish'Cong's dealing with foreign entities. This could relate to trade, new meetings, diplomatic events, and even war-time negotiations among other things. The ACA has been said to roughly parallel a foreign affairs ministry in its role in Ish'Cong's government.
The ACA often makes use of three delegates at meetings, including a dedicated Yaeir and Xerra'ach. Naturally, those two persons are speaking for their roles at official junctions, and nothing they say should be held as their personal opinion. Nor should their statements be considered reflective of Ish'Cong's stance in a matter unless validated by another official.
Internal Information Advisory
This advisory deals primarily with the gaining of detailed information of a sensitive nature both within and without Ish'Cong. While that is their formally given directive, it is commonly accepted that they perform other duties as well, such as the detainment of dangerous or wanted persons, planting misleading data, and other operations of a sensitive nature.
The IIA has a reputation for being uniquely over-bearing in their more overt operations, frequently annoying those they are supposed to be working with such as local police. Several times their agents have also been accused of the use of disproportionate force in a situation, a criticism they have largely ducked. Some have also alleged that the IIA has more power than it strictly should and recommend cutting back its mandate.
The IIA is colloquially known as the III, or Ishii Internal Information.
Armed Forces
The Navy
Unlike conventional navies, this consists exclusively of the space-faring elements of the Ishii armed forces. This is due to the simple fact that Ish'Cong has few large bodies of liquid water on the surface in need of defense. In addition, some vessels are always made capable of in-atmosphere flight in addition to their extra-atmospheric abilities, and so it also handles the role commonly assumed by an air force.
Ships in the navy are commonly given the tag SIN, which means Ship of the Ishii Navy.
A special branch consisting exclusively of Bonded Ishii trained from birth in every method of combat feasible. They are the pinnacle of the armed forces, and commonly are used in special operations. It is not unusual for Bonded to be granted authority over the other branches when of equal, or even slightly lesser, rank.
The Bonded are the most traditional of all military branches, in fact, of all the population. Each adheres to the Ishii Doctrinate, and each also follows a life-philosophy known as a Discipline. They answer only to their own commanding officers, and to the current Ishii Head of State.
Culture
Main article: Ishii Culture
Language
Meeting standard baselines in both Galactic Basic and Ihyss is a requirement for graduation from primary and secondary schools, as per national educational regulations.
Galactic Basic
Due to a wide-spread drive by Regent Lelli to ensure the ability of his people to communicate with ease in the galactic community, Galactic Basic is part of the standard school curriculum in Ish'Cong. It is not so commonly used in house-holds, but is in wide-spread use in business and government functions.
The original language of the Ishii, Ihyss, is still in use, especially in homes or informal settings. It commonly has multiple vowel sounds, and when combined with the common airy accent of Ishii, sounds literally like a soft wind. Typically, it is spoken quickly, so that words seem to blend together. Currently, there are no easily accessible translation sources from Ihyss into Basic outside the country, nor for Basic into Ihyss.
The Ishii Doctrinate
Main article: Ishii Doctrinate
More of a life philosophy and system of traditions, it is nonetheless commonly counted as a religion in surveys. Though it has a small following, it does have some very note-worthy followers. Regent Lelli is one, along with all of the Bonded. This has, of course, led to some tenets of the Doctrinate affecting national policy.
Some have alleged that Regent Lelli has used some of his authority to spread the belief, though no organization or policy exists that openly proves this.
Economy
The economy of Ish'Cong is dominated by the free market, and in some areas, regulations are less than what might be expected. However, certain government agencies do interact with the economy and businesses to enforce regulations. Inter-national business deals have also been seen to have drawn interest from the government.
Races and Biology
Ishii
The people of Ish'Cong are a race of non-Humans known by the same name as the populace, Ishii. However, much of their physical characteristics are Human in nature, or near enough. Still, there are certain features which openly mark them as Ishii.
One of the lesser of such features is their height. Most Ishii lie within the 5'2" to 5'6" range by adulthood. Unlike Humans, height, weight and muscle mass vary less noticeably among the Ishii. However, the same general differences in torso appearance that appear between Human sexes also appears among Ishii sexes.
Another characteristic that is also less unusual is their skin tone. Ishii skin tones are universally very pale, paler than Human Caucasians by far, bordering on actually appearing pure white.
Other characteristics are far more noticeable. Such as the eyes of the Ishii. Unlike Humans, the eyes do not lie in fields of white, but rather fields of the darkest black. In addition, their irises are not circular with a pupil in the center. Instead, they are solid colored diamonds. Eye colors vary wildly, and mutations in those genes can cause nearly any color to appear, with the exception of black. Some more common colors include a pale blue, red, yellow, violet, and green. The diamond iris is known to change shape when an Ishii undergoes I.A.C. transformation, with colored lines spreading across the eye like broken glass. Due to cultural beliefs that the eye is extremely connected to the very being of the person it belongs to, Ishii eyes are often changed in paintings and other pictures. Ever since arriving in the Human regions, these have been largely changed to the appearance of Human eyes.
Ishii senses are a bit more refined than a normal Human's, especially in sight and hearing. Their hearing is better than a Human's, but their eyesight in clear day is not. However, Ishii do have an incredible night-vision, and are capable of seeing even in the blackest of nights clear as if it were day. Recently some mutations in Ishii eyesight have been noticed in some new-borns. What effects these might have is, as of yet, unknown.
Their teeth and jaw are omnivorous in design, and they do eat both plant and animal material. Overall, the teeth formation is rather similar to a Human's, with a singular difference. That being that the Ishii canines are slightly sharper, and longer, the rest of the jaw having adapted to accomodate this change.
Ishii do rely on oxygen to survive, similar to Humans. Unlike Humans, their lungs are somewhat more efficient, and more capable of dealing with the intense cold that the Ishii thrive in.
This being perhaps the feature in which most Ishii differ the greatest from Humans. The Ishii evolved in a polar climate, and developed to suit this environment. In comparison to most species on Earth, which rely on heat retention, Ishii simply have a far colder ideal body temperature than Earth-based species. They are quite comfortable in polar temperatures, and find these to be their ideal living environment. Naturally, this creates a significant problem in warmer climates, as Ishii biologies are not adapted to rapid heat loss. They are capable of manipulating their internal temperatures, but far warmer areas such as the tropics are very stressful on Ishii, and they could easily die from overheating.
Lystern
There is very little known of the Lystern due to the incredible isolation and secrecy that species insists on maintaining. Even that which is known could be considered to be largely speculative.
A race of intelligent plant life. Formally, their colonies are not counted among the Ishii populace, and they live largely seperate from the other peoples of Ish'Cong. When visible, they can be seen to have a central hub of sorts, from which several tendrils extend. These vary greatly in both width, and length. In fact, the whole of the Lystern body is composed of millions of miniscule tendrils, wrapped around each other in near inifinite variations. This permits Lystern to change shape and size by rearranging this smaller tendrils.
Non-Bonded Lystern appear to have a largely black exterior, save for glimmering silver strands that spiral around long tendrils. This exterior seems to be metallic, yet flows like water at the same time. No external sensory organs are detectable, but it is known that Lystern can "smell" and "hear" by analyzing chemicals and sensing vibrations in the air. By extending smaller tendrils and vibrating them quickly, Lystern are capable of "speaking", though it is extremely unusual to hear one do so.
They live in "colonies" consisting of dozens, and sometimes hundreds or even thousands, of plants in which each one is intertwined with the others. These colonies are provided for by the state, and horticulturalists help feed and nurture the colonies. Other than this, the Lystern are seemingly self-sufficient.
All Lystern have extraordinary physical capabilities. A simple change in chemical production permits them to change their external coloring to any color they choose, at a moments notice. They are also capable of breaking down most chemicals and genetics, analyzing them, destroying harmful chemicals, and even reproducing almost any they come in contact with, including body cells.
Lystern and Ishii are capable of undergoing a most unusual process referred to as "Bonding". This occurs when a Lystern enters the system of the Ishii by way of the skin. The entirety of the process is unknown, as it has never been witnessed by an Ishii, and the Lystern refuse to speak of it to any who have asked. What is known, is that during the process, the two become as one, tied in both mind and body. The Lystern leaves the colony, and makes the Ishii's body its new host. After this, the Lystern's body seems to flow around within the Ishii's, and they share a deep mental connection, giving both full range of the other's senses. Both retain their own seperate and distinct personalities in spite of this.
When possible, the state requires all infants to spend time in at least one Lystern colony, commonly done at the colony of the hospital where the child is born. If Bonding does occur, the children are taken by the state to become Bonded, Ishii special forces, and the children are never told of their families. The naming of a Bonded does not occur until graduating the beginner's academy in Bonded training.
Special Conditions
Ishii Aggression Complex (I.A.C.)
Ishii Aggression Complex is a curious condition, that has been likened to an adrenaline rush in Humans. However, there are several differences between the two.
Firstly, Ishii can have an adrenaline rush that is roughly identical to that experienced by Humans. Ishii Aggression Complex exists seperately from this.
Secondly, I.A.C., unlike adrenaline rushes, cannot occur without a psychological and physical component, and both components must be severe. While life-threatening situations have been proving to induce adrenaline production in Humans and Ishii, I.A.C will not necessarily occur just because an individual's life is at risk.
Thirdly, occurances of I.A.C. are incredibly rare, with few instances on record each year. Rates of occurances of adrenaline rushes and I.A.C. are drastically different, with the latter having almost negligible occurrances in the civilian sector, less than .1% each year.
Fourthly, rates of occurances of adrenaline rushes are not seen to differ between Bonded Ishii and those that are not, given similar external stimuli. In comparison, I.A.C. is known to happen far more often in Bonded than in any other group, including other military branches.
I.A.C. triggers occur after a given external stimuli creates a reaction in the brain of the individual. Whether Bonded or not, the brain will begin to produce a particular chemical, which will be sent to the heart for widespread distribution throughout the body. Changes begin immediatly thereafter.
Initially, blood production and production of the chemical both soar. Blood saturates the Ishii in question at abnormally high levels. The chemical also serves to strengthen the cardiac system significantly, to cope with the rising blood pressure. It seems that this is caused by the chemical's ability to dramatically strengthen muscles at a moment's contact, as similar results occur throughout the various muscles in the subject's body.
Effects of I.A.C. are not limited to simply the body. Notable and drastic effects are observed in the mind and psychology of the subject as well. Most notable is the apparent lack of the survival instinct of the subject in many cases. This, however, is not always true, due to another mental factor.
That being, that I.A.C. seems to create a goal-centered psychology in the individual. The different stimuli causing the person to I.A.C. trigger seem to create a super-goal that the state is meant to accomplish. For example, were a person to enter I.A.C. due to the murder of a loved one, their goal might be to take vengeance on their murderer. Were that same person see the murder about to happen, it might be to save the loved one. Although it has not been conclusively proven recent experiments have caused the medical community to theorize that the psychological component necessary to trigger the Complex may be distinct for a given individual. Whether or not psychological changes affects that psychological trigger is completely unknown.
No person has been known to come out of I.A.C. without first completing their objective, dying, being knocked unconscious, or treatment. Due to the effects of the chemical, and the exertions of the body, the individual will commonly pass out due to over-exertion after a short period of time. Upon awakening, a non-Bonded Ishii will have exited I.A.C., but may re-enter again. People who have awoken after having come out of the Complex by falling unconscious are more prone to entering the Complex again. That increased tendency decreases over a very brief period of time lasting from 5-30 standard minutes after awakening.
A Bonded Ishii, on the other hand, will remain in I.A.C. even if they are unconscious. This is one of the changes between Bonded and non-Bonded Ishii in I.A.C. conditions. Another being that Bonded Ishii feel far more dramatic effects, it is more common, and that the Lystern bond-mate is affected as well. This leads to the Lystern growing, covering their entire body, and the re-apperance of the silver strands on the Lystern typically lost when Bonded. It is also of importance that a Bonded Ishii will not come out of I.A.C. by fulfilling their objective, they must be either killed or treated.
The only known treatment capable of intentionally pulling a person out of I.A.C. without knocking them unconscious or killing them, aside from the fulfillment of their goal, is to administer a cocktail created by a Lystern colony of at least five Lystern. That few is incredibly dangerous, and doctors and Lystern do not recommend trying to create the cocktail with less than twenty-five Lystern familiar with the process. This cocktail serves to cease the production of the I.A.C. chemical, bringing the individual back to normalcy.
However, there is a time limit. If the individual in I.A.C. is not brought out of it within a standard week (approximately), they will lose their sanity. If they have not fulfilled their objective, they will do all they can to fulfill it. Once they have, or if they did already, they will simply become feral, lashing out at anyone and anything near-by until death. For this reason, Ishii at this point are universally euthanized.
