The Lyndri Empire is the contemporary government of the Lyndri people, centered on their homeworld of L'Dree'll. Following the Pandemic that devastated their civilization three thousand years ago, the Lyndri reorganized around the surviving males—the Kings—who now rule with absolute authority.
Before the Pandemic, the Lyndri were a spacefaring civilization ruled by Queens. Their society was matriarchal, with the Queen serving as both political and spiritual leader. This era is largely forgotten—or deliberately obscured—by the current regime.
Approximately three thousand years ago, the Pandemic swept through Lyndri space, killing the vast majority of males. The virus was engineered by the Sooni to destabilize Lyndri society, though this truth has been hidden from the galaxy.
The surviving males—perhaps one in ten thousand—became the most precious resource in Lyndri civilization. Society reorganized entirely around their protection and worship.
With males so rare, those who survived became the new rulers. The Kings—as the surviving males came to be known—consolidated power, and Lyndri society transformed from a matriarchy into an oligarchy centered on male worship.
The transition was not immediate, but over generations, the old ways were forgotten. Today, most Lyndri believe their society has always been this way.
The Lyndri Empire is ruled by the Kings—the collective body of surviving Lyndri males. Individual Kings control territories, resources, and populations of females. Political power is determined by:
There is no central "Emperor" or supreme authority. The Kings govern through a loose council system, though individual Kings have near-absolute authority within their own domains.
All Lyndri females are expected to fulfill a "breeding duty"—bearing children for the Kings. This is presented as a sacred honor, though in practice it is compulsory. Women who refuse or are deemed "unfit" face severe social consequences.
The Lyndri "Diplomatic Corps" is the Empire's most valuable export—and its darkest secret in plain sight. Ostensibly a corps of ambassadors and cultural liaisons, it is in reality a sex slave trade. Lyndri women are sold or leased to other species as companions, entertainers, and worse.
The galaxy knows what the Diplomatic Corps truly is. Most choose not to acknowledge it.
Lyndri society under the Empire is defined by the worship of males:
This stands in stark contrast to pre-Pandemic Lyndri society, which was egalitarian or female-led. The Monarchy in Exile preserves something closer to the old ways.
Not all Lyndri accept the Empire's rule. "Free Lyndri" is a term for those who have escaped or rejected the Kings' authority. Many flee to Tel'Erani, an independent colony that serves as a haven for refugees. Others live in the margins of galactic society.
The Empire officially considers Free Lyndri to be criminals or mentally ill.
The Lyndri Empire maintains a significant military force, though it has been in decline since the Pandemic destroyed much of their industrial capacity. Their ships and weapons are often ancient—relics of the pre-Pandemic era kept functional through careful maintenance.
Elite warriors who protect individual Kings. The Kingsguard is a prestigious position for Lyndri women, though it still exists within the framework of male worship.
The Lyndri and NorAellians have been in a state of cold war for three thousand years. The Lyndri believe—because the Sooni told them—that the NorAellians created the Pandemic that destroyed their civilization.
This is a lie. The Sooni created the virus, but the Lyndri don't know this.
The current "Lyndri-NorAellian War" is actually a coordinated ruse between elements of both governments (specifically, the Monarchy in Exile and NorAellian leadership), designed to draw out the Sooni.
The League maintains diplomatic relations with the Lyndri Empire, though the relationship is complicated by the League's distaste for the Diplomatic Corps trade. Officially, the League does not participate in the slave trade. Unofficially, wealthy League citizens are among the Diplomatic Corps' best customers.
The Terran Republic has few official dealings with the Lyndri Empire, though individual Terrans certainly make use of the Diplomatic Corps.