Perry Rhodan English Homesite FAQ

• Akonides
• Antis
• Aras
• Arkonides
• Blues
• Cheborparners
• Eloundars
• Ertrusans
• Ferrons
• Gazkar
• Haluters
• Herreach
• Kroogh
• Larens
• Lemurians
• Matter Wells
• Mockgergers
• Paradea
• Plosophers
• Posbis
• Raubyners
• Sigans
• Springers
• Superintelligences
• Topsiders
• Unithers
• Zentrifaals

The Akonides belong to the same genetic line as the Arkonides (being their ancestors) and, so, have a bony plate instead of ribs and rather elongated foreheads. Their hair color varies from ebony to rust-red while their skin color is generally a velvety brown. Their most prominent psychological characterstic is an excessive conceit that they are the greatest race in the galaxy.

They are descendants of the Lemurians who colonized Sphinx (the fifth planet of the Akon System) some 50,000 years or more ago. They have colonized numerous planets throughout the galaxy but the last major wave of emigration occurred about 20,000 years ago during the Akonide Civil War. During this war a large group of imperialistic Akonides left the akonide sphere of influence to establish dominance over the M13 galactic cluster and that part of the galaxy nearest to it. These secessionists later became known as the Arkonides and a smaller group became known as the Antis.

They developed an extremely high level of space travel technology but eventually generally abandoned it (after the Akonide Civil War) in favor of the use of a star-spanning network of matter transmitters. To keep out unwanted visitors the Akonides, thousands of years ago, surrounded the Akon System with a protective energy field, the Blue Shield.

In 2102 AD Akon was accidentally rediscovered by Perry Rhodan while testing the Solar Alliance's new Linear Light Drive. At this time the Akon System became popularly known as the Blue System (after the colour of Akon and the colour of the Blue Shield). After their encounters with the Solar Alliance and the Arkon Empire the Great Council of Akon decided that they needed to develop a full-fledged space fleet once more. Although they had several false starts by around the establishment of the New Galactic Calendar (~3500 AD) the Akonides once again possessed a regular space fleet.

The Akonides, convinced of their racial superiority, have time and again attempted to gain dominion over the known galaxy (often by attempting to destroy the Solar Alliance). To this end they have used the Energy Command, the Condos Vasac and, centuries later, the Blue Snake. At present, the Akonides, not wishing to ally themselves with either the Terrans or the Arkonides, have joined a loose alliance of galactic races (such as the Unithers, the Cheborparners, the Antis, the Topsiders, and some Blue Clans) known as the Raglund Forum.

This race is directly descended from the Akonides but seems to live and operate primarily within the boundaries of the Arkon Empire. After emigrating from the Blue System around 20,000 years ago the ancestors of the Antis settled on the planet Trakarat. Environmental conditions on Trakarat changed their Akonide gene structure slightly. This change induced several paranormal abilities in them including a shielding abilities which allow them to mentally generate personal force fields and to dampen hyper-jump shockwaves. They can reflect psionic energies directed against them, (even ambient energies) back at the projector in the form of a debilitating migraine-like feedback. They can also combine their powers in a collective fashion generating incredibly powerful hypnotic, suggestive, telepathic and even telekinetic effects.

The name "Anti" is an abbreviation for "Antimutant". The Antis' name for themselves is "Baalols". This name is also applied to their secret religious cult which they have used to infiltrate the Arkon Empire. Through their religious activities and psionically-backed political subterfuge they have gained immense power in the Arkon Empire and have gained control of entire populations of peoples without the populations' knowledge. Believing themselves to be the rightful heirs to the Akon Coalition, they seek nothing less than total domination of the galaxy.

The first encounter between Antis and Terrans took place in the year 2044. Since then, there has been a bitterly fought Cold War between both peoples that has claimed millions of lives. Examples of Anti activities during this Cold War have been their backing of Thomas Cardiff (Perry Rhodan's estranged son) and his Liquitiv Plague, the deposing of Atlan (Emperor Gonanzol VIII) through machinations with the Akonides, and the invasion of Terra by the Laurins which resulted in the nuclear deaths of millions of Terrans and others.

Aras stand about two meters tall and are, generally, extremely lightly built. Like their Arkonide ancestors they are almost albinos with pale skin, pink eyes, and white hair (what hair they have as they prefer the bald look).

Descended from the Springers, the Aras settled on the planet Aralon (Kesnar System) to provide a centralized location for their research and medical services. Over the millenia they have developed a galactic monopoly on medical technology and, through that, considerable economic power. Unwilling to rely on the unreliable occurence of medical emergencies, Aras have secretly developed and dispersed plagues on unsuspecting worlds then provided "rapidly-developed" treatments at a considerable cost to the victim planets. This has resulted in more than a few worlds that have been forced to sell themselves into slavery to the Aras.

Terrans first encountered the Aras in the year 1984. Because of Terran actions against them the Aran monopoly on medical services within the Arkon Empire was broken within a century. Although the Aras no longer have their monopoly, they are still the most prolific medical professionals in the known galaxy and can still boast the finest medical researchers.

Arkonides are humanoid, though tall and with a high forehead. In adapting to life on Arkon the Arkonides developed features very near that of albinos: pale skin, silver-white hair, and pink eyes. The chief differences between Arkonides and Terrans are a chest cage of bony plate rather than ribs and an additional section of their brain which gives them a photographic memory.

This race settled on the third planet (Arkon 1) of the Arkon System after their emigration from the Akon Coalition about 20,000 years ago. Over the course of the millennia the Arkonides expanded their new realm, conquering the entirety of the M13 galactic cluster and several thousand light years into Milky Way Galaxy proper. Eventually, however, a racial degeneration set in for a majority of the race which spared only some Arkonide colonies and a few throw-backs.

Through the Arkonide colonization efforts numerous sub-races developed over the millennia. Among the best-known or important of these sub-races are the Springers (from whom descended the Mounders and the Aras), the Ehkonides, the Zalites, the Solteners, the Utikers, the Azgonians, and the Eysalers.

Perhaps the most famous and archetypal Arkonide is the "Immortal" Crystal Prince, Atlan, who has been the leader of the Arkonides off and on for millennia. Under his guidance the Arkonides began the long upward climb to renewed racial vitality. By 1170 NGC they have reached a vitality on a par with the Terrans.

Through all this time the Arkonides have been split, ideologically, between their own racial destiny and the divergent goals of galaxy's two most powerful human races: their "adopted" offspring race, the Terrans, and their parent race, the Akonides. After many years of struggle the Arkonide patriotic organization "For Arkon, Power, and Glory!" (F.A.P.A.G.) came into power on a nationalist platform in the beginning of the 13th century NGC. They rejected the goals of Terrans, Akonides, and even galactic unification and reestablished the Arkon Empire as the Crystal Empire under the leadership of the Imperatrix Theta.

The Blues stand about 1.8 to 2.0 meters tall with short legs and long arms. Vaguely humanoid, they have large, plate-shaped heads with four eyes arranged evenly about them. They speak using ultrasonics. Their gestation period is three months and they produce an average of seven to eight children per litter. This incredible fertility is one of the chief reasons that they were able to populate the east side of the Milky Way (Eastside) so rapidly.

When Rhodan made contact with the Blues for the first time in 2327 AD he designated the entire area populated by Blues as the "Second Empire" though, as he later discovered, the region was actually highly balkanized with almost every blue clan at war with at least one of its neighbors. To the Terrans the Gatasers (the blue clan from the Gatas System) are the most important group although the Apasos and the Tentra are also considered very important. The U.S.O. and the Second Empire coexisted precariously for many years after they concluded the major conflicts between themselves.

When the Laurins swarmed into the Milky Way, overwhelming most resistence in 3459 AD, the Blues were finally forced to abandon their intercine conflicts and even entered into the GAVOK Forum, allying themselves with the other races of the galaxy. In 428 NGC Gatas was activated as a Chronofossil and the Blue race underwent an evolutionary step forward. For the first time they developed a sense of creativity and aesthetics which they had previously held to be superfluous abilities. At the same time their fertility diminished enough for them to establish a normal rate of population growth.

Since then, the Blues have been an important ally to galactic unity. When the Imprint of the Hamamesh enslaved most of the Milky Way the Blues proved to be immune to the effect. As a result they were the only group with the ability to equip a fleet to rescue the former Imprint Outlaws of Hirdobaan and, with them, free the galaxy. In 1,288 NGC some of the Blue clans chose to join the Raglund Forum. As such, they stand politically independent of the League of Free Terrans and the Arkonides' Crystal Empire.

The Cheborparners come from Psopta, the fourth planet of the Ayc-Tohotche System. Physically, Cheborparners vaguely resemble two meter tall terran goats with black wirey fur that grows greyish-white with age. They possess three nostrils from which a 55 cm prehensile tentacle emerges. At the end of this muscular tentacle are situated four delicate fingers with which Cheborparners perform fine motor work. They have two sharp horns on the top of their skulls. Their eyes are large, round, and deep red. The voice of the Cheborparner is loud, clear and, sometimes, bleating. Their feet have cloven hooves while their hands have four hooved fingers. These fingers are much more articulate than the toes but are still fairly clumsy.

The Cheborparners developed space travel much earlier than Terrans and are known to have visited Earth during the 10th and 11th Century AD where, because of their appearence, they were believed to be "devils". In 3441 AD, Terrans and Cheborparners met officially for the first time. Terrans, having learned to look beyond the strange appearence of most aliens, welcomed the Cheborparners into the galactic community. One of the first Cheborparners encountered at this time was the so-called Chief, Cheborparczete Faynybret. (The Che is pronounced Chee, so adding the "F" which is the first initial of his last name sounds like "Chief").

In the year 1289 NGC the Cheborparner, as well as the Akonides, Blues, Unithers, Topsiders, and other non-humanoid peoples, banded together to form the Raglund Forum. Chief Denay (full name - Parneberochacz Denayrech) heads the Raglund Justice Department (RJD), the Raglund Forum's secret service.

The Eloundar are between 1.5 and 1.8 meters long. Their pear-shaped bodies have short, thick legs with broad, webbed feet. They also have two arms that end in flipper-like "hands." These "hands" are prehensile and capable of delicate manipulations. Beneath the main arms sits another, smaller, pair of arms that end in dangerously sharp claws. Their heads flow into a trumpet-shaped speech and eating organ. On each side of the "mouth" sits a facetted amber-coloured eye. The top of the head sports a "dragon's comb" that acts as a psionic sensor, capable of detecting and identifying intelligences (including strength). Their skin is whitish-grey with bristly white hair covering all of the body except the head, flippers and feet.

The largest Eloundaran spaceships so far encountered in the Perry Rhodan series are long ellipsoid vehicles some 800 meters long and no more than 200 meters in diameter. Wreaths of 100 fifty meter-long antennas surround the domed bows of their ships. The hulls are golden-red in colour and have twenty comb-like elevations along the hull like the Hedgehog ships. Delta-shaped flipper-like extensions can be found on the sterns of the ships.

Among the tolkander races the Elounder are considered holy because they are the transporters of the Vivoc. Within their ships are force field "honeycombs" (about ten meters across per cell) in which the Vivoc travel.

Along with the Neezers, the Gazkars, and the Alazars the Eloundars are one of the people of the Invaders otherwise known, collectively, as the Tolkander.

The Ertrusans are Terran colonists from the third planet of the Kreit System. They began colonizing Ertrusa in 2026 AD. Because of Ertrusa's high gravity (3.4 G's) the Ertrusans were genetically engineered for life on their adopted homeworld. Their average height is 2.5 meters, with their width, at their shoulders, being 2.1 meters. They mass, on the average 1,300 kilograms. Their skin is reddish-brown. Many Ertrusans carry about a sickle-comb to trim their fast-growing hair. They have life-spans of between 350 and 500 years.

Because they are accustomed to much higher gravitational conditions, most Ertrusans wear a mini gravity-generator to simulate their native gravities. Their appetites are legendary. For many years the unofficial motto of the Ertrusans was said to be, "Eat well and become satisfied!".

After defending themselves from the threats of the Dolans and Uleb they came under the domination of Nos Vigeland, Runeme Shilter, and Terser Frascati, in 2437 AD and split off from the Solar Alliance. As the Carsurals Alliance the Ertrusans eventually attempted to conquer Terra itself in 3430 AD. When the attack failed the Carsurals Alliance gradually fell apart. In 3590 the Ertrusans became members of the Gavok Forum and, later, the Galacticum.

Ertrusa produced several historically memorable people. One of the first was Melbar Kasom who was a U.S.O Specialist teamed up with the tiny Sigan Lemy Danger. Others were Oro Masut, the bodyguard of the Free Trader Rous Danton; Toronar Kasom, the great-uncle of Melbar Kasom and Tauro Kasom. Later Ertrusan figures were Arlo Rutan, commander of troops aboard the Base on one of its expeditions into the Great Void, and Lyndara, a politically important galactic leader who was involved in the tragedy of the Great Cosmic Riddle.

Currently, Ertrusans occupy many important positions throughout the galaxy. Kalle Esprot, the commander of the Merlin (the communications module of the Gilgamesh), is an Ertrusan. He is unique among the thirteen commanders of the Gilgamesh in that he is the only commander without a Cell Activator Chip.

The Ferrons are natives of Ferrol, eighth planet of the Vega System. They stand about 1.6 m tall with pale blue skin and thick copper-coloured hair. They are of A(r)konide descent.

The Ferrons have had space travel for over 10,000 years but lack the ability to think fifth-dimensionally and have never invented a faster-than-light drive or artificial gravity. They have explored the less hostile planets of their system and have extensively colonized two of them (Pigell and Rofus).

For reasons now lost in history they have preferred to govern their system with a constitutional hereditary monarchy headed by the Thort.

Although they were visited by Arkonides about 10,000 years ago and may have explored some of their nearer stellar neighbors, their first prolonged contact with alien races occured in 1972 when Topsiders, trying to track down the Arkonide ship headed by Thora and Khrest, invaded their system. This, in turn, brought them into contact with the Terrans. Although the Topsider's expeditionary force was eventually destroyed, the contact with Terrans quickly grew into a close and profitable relationship.

Soon after the foundation of the Cosmic League a branch office was opened on Ferrol. In 1288 NGC the Vega System became a member of the League of Free Terrans.

The Gazkar are an erect-walking insectile race up to 1.55 meters in height. They bear an amazing resemblence to the scarab beetles of Egypt on Terra. They have two pairs of arms of which the upper pair is shorter and capable of fine manipulations (such the use of instruments). The lower pair is longer and stronger and used for coarse manipulations (such as handling weapons and close combat). All four arms end with chitinous three-fingered prehensile hands. Their heads have large red horizontally-slit multi-facetted eyes and seventeen ornamental bony horns. As a Gazka gains specific ranks within his society he has some of his horns burned off. Thus, a star-ship commander will have only twelve horns. The chitin plates of the body shimmer with a deep blue colour. The back is naturally and individually patterned with various amounts of white.

Gazkar have no individual names but, rather, use identification tags that tell what world they were born on, which brood they belong to, and what resonance status they have achieved.

The Gazkar have the interesting passive defense ability to enter a near-death trance. In this state they have almost immeasurably low physical and mental functions and their body temperatures sink to room-temperature or 10 to 15 degrees C (whichever is higher).

Fekett is a suicide drug used by the Gazkar to prevent being captured alive by an enemy. Unlike the spectacular suicides of the Neezer fekett preserves a Gazka's body so that it can be recovered and recycled. It appears to work on the same biochemical pathways that induce the near-death trance. It may be that it is also reversable but the biochemistry of such a reversal is well beyond the current medical technology of any human race.

Gazkar do not normally use clothes but they do use belts to carry equipments. They wear these belts diagonally across their bodies.

They are the warriors of the Tolkander Alliance, occupying and defending worlds (such as Lafayette) that the Neezer have previously infiltrated and encased in the Tangle-Scan. The Gazkar must rely on a pheromonal network of chemicals, sprayed by the Neezer, to orient themselves on a target planet. Without the aromatic network the Gazkar become entirely disoriented. Once a world is secured the Alazar and the Elounder then follow the Vivoc to hatch new broods.

The Haluters live on the only planet in the Haluta System, Halut. They have two legs, four arms, and hemispherical heads. The average about 3.5 m tall and about 2.5 m wide. The arms emerging from the chest are the "leaping" or "coursing" arms. Using them a Haluter can run up to 120 km/hr (about 75 m/ph). The other pair of arms (emerging from the shoulders) are the "manipulation" arms. Haluters also have two brains. One is used for processing sensory data, controlling movement, and simply thinking. The other is the calculating brain which is used for more sophisticated thinking. They are unisexual. Haluters have a maximum life expectency of 3,000 years.

Despite their frightening (to Terran eyes) appearence Haluters are not a violent people. It is only during their "Blood Fever" that they become particularly aggressive. During this time (not completely unlike human puberty) Haluters are "hormonally" predisposed to seek out adventure and even violence. They will deliberately put themselves in dangerous situations to see if they can escape alive. An effect of the Blood Fever is that their skin takes on the hardness of terkonite steel.

The Haluters are descended from the "Beasts" which were, in turn, descended from the Uleb. Some 50,000 years ago the Beasts were unleashed on the Milky Way Galaxy and ravaged worlds unchecked until they encountered the Lemurians. The Lemurians used their Shaping-Beamers on the Beasts and they became peaceful beings. No longer driven across the galaxy by their Blood Fever, the transformed Beasts retreated from the worlds that they had conquered to Halut where they developed into the Haluters of today.

Atlan reported stories of four-armed monstrosities who appeared during the Great Methane War some 10,000 years ago and fought to protect weaker communities against the Maahks. When Icho Tolot came into contact with Terra during his Blood Fever in 2400 AD he ended the long period of his race's isolation. In 488 NGC, during the Century War, the Haluters finally became members of the Galacticum. Four years later their planet's surface was destroyed by the Blitzern. This forced them to begin a long odyssey to find a new homeworld. They finally settled on the planet Halpat in the Andromeda Galaxy. After Monos was destroyed they returned to the Milky Way and made Halut habitable once more.

As of the year 1,288 NGC the Haluters have not chosen to join any of the three main power blocks in the Milky Way (the League of Free Terrans, the Raglund Forum, or the Crystal Empire).

The Herreach inhabit Trokan, the new fourth planet of the Sol System. They stand about two meters tall. Their faces are dominated by a short trunk-like nose. Lifespan is normally around 110 years but, in their smog-infested cities is a good ten years less. After the extinguishing of the Time-Gathering Field Trokans have had to wear cowled cloaks to protect themselves from the unaccostumed light of Sol. Since the need for protection came about rather unexpectedly the cloaks still tend to be made of whatever material was handy.

The civilization of the Herreach consists of approximately 145 million beings who, for the most part, live in close proximity to the seven cities of the planet. The largest of these cities, Moond, is also the capital of the world.

The Herreach are not a people who rely greatly on science or technology. There are exceptions, such as the railroad and telegraph, which have, presumably, been developed to allow for more reliable contact between the cities of Trokan. Dominant in their lives in the belief in the god, Kummerog. This belief is based on the prophecy that came from the Speaking Mountain, the current temple of Kummerog. The prophecy translates as:

"Kummerog is the god who waits behind the gates of the temple, to be redeemed by the Herreach. And, when the Herreach have spread out far enough in the far future then will the gates open and the god Kummerog come through the portal. Then will Heaven itself open and a bright radiant half and a dark half will come forward."

All the Herreach are religious which explains why their highest official is a high priest. This priest, who is named for Kummerog's highest advisor, has no actual power but, rather, rules through consent. This position, as of the break-down of the Time-Gathering Field, was occupied by the advisor Presto Go.

Individually, the Kroogh are only about three times the size of a human fist. They have twelve legs and a muzzle and dark eyes that remind one of a Terran hedgehog. They are considered quite cute. They can, however, join together to form a Great Kroogh. Within each Great Kroogh individual Kroogh handle specific functions of the Great Kroogh. One controls the motion of the Kroogh, another makes decisions, another acts as the speaker, etc.

Rhodan first encountered these creatures on the planet Galorn along with the Zentrifaal, the Tasch-Ters-One, and the Mocksgergers. There, these races were living in the city of Gaalo which was left to them by the former inhabitants, the Galorns.

The Laren were the pioneers and conquerors of the multi-racial association known as the Hetos of the Seven. Their homeplanet was Laren in the NGC 3190 Galaxy.

They were humanoids standing about 1.6 to 1.7 meters tall. Their heads were flattened and sat on short, muscular necks. Their hair ranged from coppery-red to golden-yellow and is thick and very curly. At first glance it appeared to be spiral of iron wire. Male Larens built up jewelry on their skullcaps until it formed almost a nest. Beneath that their faces were bare. Female Larens wore their hair in a cone or pill atop their heads. The eyes of Larens were large, emerald in color, and sat rather far apart. The nose was quite wide and flat with four oval, closable nostrils. Under a full lip sat a wide mouth. The lips were yellowish, a stark contrast to the dark brown to ebony skin color of the Laren. Officers and high-ranking individuals sported narrowly spaced combinations of dark red colors while lower-ranked individuals wore more the more common ochre to light yellow combinations.

Larens projected themselves as "good uncles" to their subjugated peoples. This permeated every level of culture that the Laren imposed on their peoples from the language to the bearing and even gestures.

The Laren were not death-crazed monsters but they were merciless and gave no quarter when striving to achieving their goals.

This people developed on the third planet of the Sol System, Terra. It is probable that they developed from the Ganjas (who, 200,000 years ago, broke the criminal power of the Takerer on Terra) and the First Humanity. For some 50,000 years the Lemurians were the leading power with the Milky Way Galaxy. They, in turn, spawned the Akonides, Arkonides, Ferrons, Antis, Terrans, Tefroder, and the Masters of the Island.

The Lemurians looked much like Terrans with velvet brown skin and dark hair.

The center of Tamanium (the Lemurian empire) was Terra which, at the time, was called Lemuria. When the Haluters attacked the Tamanium in 50,080 BC Lemurian technology was at approximately the level of the Solar Alliance in 2400 AD. It consisted of 111 Tamanis (stellar kingdoms), each of which was ruled by a Tamrat. The highest level of the Tamanium government was controlled by 50 Tamrats who had three votes each.

After the victory of the Haluters over the Lemurians some of the surviving Lemurians were able to flee the galaxy through the Sun Transmitter to Andromeda. Within a short time the exiles were able to use their superior technology to conquer that strange galaxy. They drove the mysterious Maahks from Andromeda and, eventually, split into the Tefroders and the Masters of the Island.

Other Lemurians survived on the planet Dhorah (known to Terrans as Sphinx) where they became the Akonides from whom, eventually, the Arkonides and Antis developed. Some Lemurians also survived on Terra where, after thousands of years of barbarism, they became the race known as Terrans (the Second Humans) who, with the introduction of Arkonide technology, were able to, once again, become a star-spanning race.

Not an object but a being, the Matter Well is the highest form of intelligence understandable within the confines of our universe. It is an evolutionary step beyond the Super-Intelligences of our universe but still below the Cosmocrats. The known Matter Sources developed when, over the course of millions of years, they condensed together the galaxies within their spheres of influence and the intelligences within them. Physically, such a Matter Well resembles a gigantic black hole also known as a Barys. In the course of this evolution the Matter Well guarantees the continued existence of its universe. Further information about the nature of Matter Wells is strictly speculative.

It is believed that negative Super-Intelligences undergo a similar process of development into Matter Sinks under the guidence of the Chaotarchs.

The Matter Well sought by the Loowern is the only one that pulsates (period of 23 hours, 18 minutes). Loowern beacons all use the same pulsation pattern. Loowern architecture incorporates the number nine as an almost sacred number. The sacredness of this number is based on the Loowern belief that their Matter Well has nine outlets.

The Mocksgergers became known as the "Displaced of Plantagoo" because they had no known homeworld. Whether this was because it was destroyed or because they had simply forgotten where it was even forgotten by them. Nevertheless, there are numerous Mocksgerger colonies throughout the Plantagoo. They are the most numerous race in the Plantagoo and, even more than humans, vary considerably in appearence. They are all humanoid with greasy, shining, yellowish skin, yellow eyes, long noses, and loose-lipped mouths which cover their masticating bones (which they have instead of teeth). They can vary from one to two meters in height, from fat to thin, weak to muscular, smooth-skinned to irregular skin with blotchy-red eruptions.

They are skillful technicians and builders, dependable, grateful, and willing to learn.

The Mocksgergers nearly all speak Standard Goo (the commmerce language of Plantagoo). They also have a racial language but it is hardly ever used.

Rhodan first encountered them on Galorn, a planet of the Zentrifaal. He also met the Tasch-Ters-One and the Kroogh, all of whom live in the city of Gaalo that was left to them by the original inhabitants of Galorn.

The Paradea were snake-like with with otter-like heads, 20cm-long necks, and blue, scaley skin. They had small, lipless mouths from which flicked triply-forked tongues. Because their red eyes did not move they needed to turn their heads to look in different directions. They stood about a meter tall atop 30cm long legs which end in round, formless feet.

The Paradea were inhabitants of the "south"-side of the Plantagoo and were extremely sociable. On Pittor, their homeworld, they lived in large families in large, silo-like buildings.

Part of the social structure of the Paradea was the Dreaming in which the Paradea shared their dreams creating a kind of collective racial dream. Sharing in the Dreaming was an important aspect to the continued mental well-being of the Paradea. However, there were occasional aberrations. Some Paradea, although they appeared normal to the eye, required more than the Dreaming. They required the unique dreams of other races (such as the Zentrifaal, the Kroogh, and the Mocksgerger) to maintain their sanity. These Paradea, when discovered, were placed on special space ships which, acting as mobile therapy centers, travelled to areas of the Plantagoo inhabited by other races. Although most Paradea were cured by a few months to years of this kind of contact some were forced to remain aboard the therapy ships for the rest of their lives.

The Plophosers are Terran colonists. They began colonizing Plophos, third planet of the Eugaul System, in 2028 AD. Three hundred years later, in 2328 AD, they became the first Terran colony to try to secede from the Solar Alliance. This occured when Iratio Hondro's political maneuverings made him dictator of Plophos. After Solar Alliance forces and the Plophosian underground deposed Hondro he was replaced by Morv Abro whose daughter, Mory Abro, married Rhodan in the same year.

Not all that Hondro was responsible for was destructive. His direction made Plophos into a powerful industrial and economic entity which would remain one of the most powerful planets of the Solar Alliance for many centuries. The capital of Plophos was New Taylor.

The Posbis are a bio-robotic race centered on the World of a Hundred Suns. Their bodies are robotic while their minds are mostly cell-plasma and, though they are of artificial origin, they are most definitely alive. Some 30,000 to 45,000 years ago the Laurins of the Andromeda Galaxy disovered the Mechanicans on the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. They "convinced" the Mechanicans to produce robot bodies for them. While the Mechanicans were producing the bodies for them the Laurins imported matter from the Great Plasma of Rando I and genetically altered it. When both components were ready they were combined and the first Posbis were created.

Among the modifications that the Laurins made was a special circuit that would guide the plasma-based emotions of the Posbis. The circuit didn't work exactly as planned. Instead of loving the Laurins ("True Life") and hating all other organic life the circuits were, apparently, a bit vague on the definition of True Life. Whatever the correct definition was the Laurins were not it and the Posbis soon turned on their creators. In a battle that lasted centuries the Posbis drove the Laurins from the Milky Way.

During all this the Mechanicans disappeared or died out (Posbis records do not seem to record what happened). Left to their own devices the Posbis slowly established their own civilization, a civilization that looked outward from the galaxy (especially toward Andromeda and the Laurins) rather than inward. Using technology salvaged from the Mechanicans and the Laurins they built their enormous fragment ships, hid entire worlds behind time-shields, and built (and stockpiled) billions of Posbis. Although they do not seem to have ventured into the Milky Way very much they did assimilate what technology they came across, eliminating the organic life-forms that created it and salvaging the robots. These robots, in turn, were retro-fitted with cell-plasma minds and became Posbis themselves contributing, in part, to the incredible diversity of Posbis body designs. Then, for some reason, the Posbis retreated completely from galactic affairs (it is possible and even probable that It had a "hand" in this).

In 2112 AD the Posbis, once again, emerged into galactic affairs. Still under the control of the Laurins's hate circuit the Posbis attacked the races of the galaxy. Finally, in 2114 AD after the loss of billions of lives on both sides, Rhodan and Atlan were able to destroy the hate circuit on the World of a Hundred Suns. The Posbis, previously split into Posbis completely controlled by the circuit and Posbis who had some independence from it, united and, allied with the remnants of the galactic forces, dealt a crushing blow to the Laurins remaining in or near the Milky Way. From that point on the Posbis were faithful allies to the galactic races.

In 428 NGC the hate circuitry was revived and the Posbis became tools of the Decalog of the Elements. This was ended when the World of a Hundred Suns was activated as a Chronofossil and the Posbis underwent a concurrent evolutionary leap forward. Previously positronic devices linked through hypertronic circuitry to cell-plasma, the Posbis became syntronic beings and more truly "alive".

In 1143 NGC part of the Tarkan Association travelled to the World of a Hundred Suns and found the Posbis gone. Encouraged by the "prophet" Icho Tolot they had left on a quest to search for the missing Perry Rhodan. The Posbis had also (around 177 NGC) returned their Central Plasma to its homeworld in Andromeda (Rando I) and established a new homeworld on Dongan. During the absence of the Posbis the Gurrads took charge of their homeworld. Soon after the end of Monos's reign in the Milky Way the Posbis returned to the World of a Hundred Suns.

A Raubyner vaguely resembles a Terran elephant with its 1.5m long legs and thick cracked skin. Its arms end in short claw-tipped tentacles that bear a remarkable resemblence to human hands (though twice as large). The head is conical and about a meter long. Its yellow eyes sit close together well behind the Raubyner's small mouth. It weighs about a metric ton.

When a Raubyner feels pain it exudes a hormone called Liquorac. Unfortunately, Liquorac is an anagathic (age-suppressor) for those of human descent which has resulted in their being sought by the Assassins of Bröhnder.

Little more is known about them at this point.

The Sigans were the descendants of Terran colonists on the planet Siga in the Gladors System. They were genetically normal colonists when colonization began in 2003 AD. However, Siga (or Gladors) had a totally unexpected effect on them: successive generations were significantly smaller than the previous ones. This trend continued until, in 2326 AD the average Sigan stood 22 cm tall, weighed 0.85 kg, and lived around 800 to 900 years. They also developed green skin and black hair as well as ultra-hearing and sight. On the downside Sigans took up to fifty years to mature and had pregnancies lasting 25 months.

Due to their size and well-developed sense the Sigans became galactically known for their micro-technology, rivalling the Swoons of the Arkon Empire.

Although well-concealed by time and secrecy one of the most galactically-influential Sigans was Lemy Danger who, with his Ertrusan partner Melbar Kasom, was a highly successful U.S.O. Specialist.

Under Monos's domination of the Milky Way the Sigan race became the subject of numerous (and often unspeakable) genetic experiments. By 1146 NGC there few Sigans who were not clones or descended from clones. These Sigans stood about 11 cm tall and lived only about 250 years.

In 1255 NGC is was discovered that Siga was depopulated. The Sigans had disappeared without a trace. The reason for their disappearance remains a mystery but it appears to have been extremely sudden and, possibly, voluntary.

Aras stand about two meters tall and are,

The Springers generally claim to have descended from Arkonide colonists from the fifth planet of the Rusuma System some 8,000 or more years ago. Since then, however, most Springers became based on their enormous long-ships. Although many Springers continued to live in trading bases on planets it was not unusual to hear Springers bragging of having no ancestors who had lived on a planet for five or eight generations. The most striking physical difference between them and the Arkonides is their bright red hair (versus the silvery white hair of the Arkonides).

There is little question that, by the time that Terrans came onto the galactic scene, the Springers were the most powerful political entity in the known galaxy. The Arkonides had degenerated to the point where their military might could only occaisionally be used effectively but the Springers had developed their economic influence to take up the slack. Having gained exclusive control of interstellar commerce the Springers held entire solar systems in their grasp, a control that they defended vigorously. Although they were independent clans of traders they often banded together when the need arose, because an infringement on any one clan's trading rights might set a precedent for infringements on other clan's trading rights. If that force did not prove enough the Springers could call in a special Springer clan which specialized in warfare, the Mounders.

Although there were occasional problems, this system worked well for thousands of years until the coming of the Terrans and the Solar Alliance. Constant pressure from the Terrans backed by Imperial influence (mainly Atlan (Emperor Gononzal VIII)) finally broke their trade monopoly and forced the Springer clans into new roles in the galaxy.

Although humans have known of at least one Superintelligence (It) for millenia, it has only been recently that they have begun to learn more about them. The best known Superintelligence (to humans) is It, which is the Superintelligence in "control" of the galaxies in this immediate area of the universe. From the information that has been gathered on It, it appears that Superintelligences are the collective intelligence of entire peoples or even galactic communities. Although their power, to an extent, is measured by the intelligences incorporated into their intellectual structures, the greater part of their power derives from their understanding of the nature of (and, therefore, ability to manipulate) the universe and beyond.

Whatever their origin Superintelligences develop in their native regions of the universe and seek to guide the development of their section of the universe in order to increase their sphere of influence (generally groupings of galaxies and the regions surrounding them). To do this they employ agents among their "client" races and, especially, seek to use a particular client race to direct the development (such as when It chose to employ humans).

As a Superintelligence's client races develop it eventually incorporates them into itself, allowing it to develop to the next level of cosmic evolution, the Matter Well. Beyond that level are the Cosmocrats. Nothing is known to humans of development beyond that level.

Although the Superintelligences that we know of seem to have developed in roughly the same way they do not seem to have developed in the same direction. Seth-Apophis, for instance, developed into a Negative Superintelligence (beyond which are the Negative Matter Wells and the Chaotarchs). To humans this difference appears to be a matter of philosophy rather than structure. However, since Superintelligence evolution is an intellectual evolution it is possible that philosophical differences may be far more important than their psionic structure. The Chaotarchs seem to promote chaos while the Cosmocrats promote order.

This race is native to Topside, the third planet of the Delta-Orion System. They are oxygen-breathing reptilian humanoids that lay eggs. They stand about 1.8 meters tall with six-fingered hands and tails. They live about 200 years.

Members of the Arkon Empire, they first came into contact with Terrans in 1975. At that time they had attempted to track an Arkonide distress signal and had mis-jumped into the Vega System. Although it was not what they were looking for (namely another Arkonide ship to add to their fleet) they took advantage of the situation and quickly set about attempting to conquer the system. Their goals were stymied by Rhodan's interference and, through a deception, Khrest sent them into heart of a nearby star. The dictatorial regime in place during this point in galactic history prevented Topside from becoming a galactic power at this time.

During the century-long wars that wracked the Milky Way under Monos's tyrannical regime the Topsiders degenerated and fell into a medevial-level society. Unable to travel or even communicate between their planets the small Topsider realm splintered into three dictatorships: the Trukreh-Hun Empire, the Gura Gkor-Gmen Alliance, and the Enshgerd-Ahk Alliance.

The Topsiders proved resilient, however. Within twenty years of Monos's fall the Topsiders had regained a technology equal to many other races in the galaxy. Unfortunately, they retained their warring ways and developed an intense hatred for the immigrants from the Hangay Galaxy.

To their credit some Topsider groups have chosen less war-like ways and united with the Unithers, Cheboparners, Blues, other non-human races, Akonides, and Antis to form the Raglund Forum. As such, they stand in opposition to the League of Free Terrans and the New Crystal Empire. Their position on the Camelot Project has not yet been specified in the series.

The Unithers originated on Unith, third planet of the Unatha System. They are basically humanoid but stand about 2.2m tall with wide heads that sit directly on their shoulders. Set into a Unither's head, between its two large eyes, is a nearly meter-length trunk. This trunk is prehensile and capable of fine manipulations. It is also the Unither's mouth. A Unither's skin is thick, tough, and yellowish-brown in color.

The Unithers were brought into the Arkon Empire very much against their will and participated in several bloody (if ultimately ineffectual) uprisings before the collapse of the Arkon Empire. In more recent times they were founding members of the Raglund Forum along with the Blues, Topsiders, Akonides, and Antis.

The Zentrifaal come from the Zentriff System and, at last count, had nineteen colonies throughout the Plantigoo. They are humanoid beings, standing about 1.7 meters tall with light, leathery skin and no hair. In the place where human eyes sit on the face the Zentrifaal has a strip about 10cm long and about 2cm high. To the onlooker it almost looks like a strip glued to their angular flat faces. The Zentrifaal forehead is about twice as wide as a human, giving the impression that the actual face is much smaller. In general they wear skin-tight black clothing. Although they have no actual noses or lips and their mouths are quite small this is hardly noticeable. When their heads are turned they closely resemble humans otherwise. Because their sexual organs are concealed within their bodies and they have no secondary sexual characteristics, the only way to distinguish between the sexes is by the pheromones that they exude.

Although the Zentrifaal have two hands like humans, the hands themselves are quite different. The left hand is shovel-like and its bones can be locked together to stiffen it for a variety of purposes. The right hand has seven strong fingers whose nails can be razor-sharp and can be used as deadly weapons. Their feet also differ from each other, but this is mostly a matter of size.

Rhodan and Bell encountered the Zentrifaal for the first time on the planet Galorn along with the Tasch-Ters-One, the Krooghs, and the Mocksgergers. These races were inhabiting the city Gaalo which was left to them by Galorn's original inhabitants.

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