the star lyathe

one discovery ... changed worlds

After centuries of random solar flares and star bursts, finally our star began its long struggle to settle into its final form … and life was able to evolve on the eight planets in the Hyleit system.

The intense heat kept the planets closest to her ... warmer, giving longer, lazier spins to their rotations, and longer days, weeks, months and years.

The closest planet was too warm for far longer than its sisters and the life that developed on it stayed very minimal for a long time.

The second and third planets evolved, grew and expanded and life flourished during the times when the star was at rest.

For the fourth, fifth and sixth planets, it was a bit harder, darker and colder but life found a way.

For the farthest planets, it was cold, and dark and the rotations were far slower and the days far longer as those planets struggled to stay in their orbits.

On three of the planets, the creatures evolved to the point where they were curious about the skies around them. They built ships and attempted to travel to their neighbors. Several of those first excursions were successful … to a point. But over time, the people evolved and expanded even more, moving farther afield, both inward as well as farther out until all eight of the planets in the Hyleit system was teeming with life.

Those that had language first, got the privilege of naming their star, naming their system. And assigning names that became predominant in their trade … for each of the planets. That planet was Relkili. And the reason that they were able to do this was an accidental discovery. A mineral that changed the lives in the entire system. Most for the better, and a few … for the worst.

These are the stories of the Star Lyathe System …

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Our Stories

The discovery of two twin brothers and the extraordinary vision of one Empress would create a trajectory that would push not only their planet but the rest of the system to a future of unity and prosperity.

Their only challenge was keeping everyone believing in the vision.

Come with us as we explore the loves and lives, the hopes and fears of a diverse group of people deciding that the discovery of one mineral, unique to their world would be used to unify a system. One planet at a time.

bonded together in steel

Relkili Steel

After a decades of relative peace, something was going seriously wrong with their carefully crafted society. They could no longer ignore the signs. They were the creators and keepers of a substance that was bringing new life and prosperity to not only their planet, but the others in their sector. Most of the planets in the Hyleitan system struggled with intense heat from their very capricious and malicious star as well as the reduced resources that this heat caused. One day two brothers on Relkili were experimenting with various minerals that were being mined in their home country and almost by accident discovered that one particular mineral – in various forms from liquid to the most hardened of steels – had properties that confounded Lyathe’s wrath in more ways than they could count. They played around with the recipes and proportions and compounds and by the time they had reached the 3199th compound, they had found the perfect combination. They named it rse3199 or relkili synergenic energy 3199. This mineral and compound had the power to change lives. It reawakened decades long feuds and created new grievances. Their job was to protect it and make sure that it benefited the most people. In Relkili Steel, these measures are being tested. As they grew their society and expanded almost before they were ready, things began to go wrong. A few suspected that descendants of the original Dithann dissidents might be involved in thefts, murders and disappearances that were beginning to become a problem in pockets all over their world. The Confederation Council always discounted these as rumors only and little was ever done. But then, why wouldn’t they? When Dithann had a large support base among the Council members, this had become the norm. Each country had representatives on the Council. And while those from Dithann clamored the loudest that something needed to be done, they always seemed to be the first to suggest doing nothing. Four Comporadors stripped themselves of everything that gave their military an edge and stepped into the lion’s den as vulnerable as any other migrant worker. What they uncovered there would challenge nearly every aspect of their lives. They realized that this was not merely about rumors of missing or murdered workers but a large underground movement replete with the collusion of government officials from several states. This was a movement that could topple their entire society. And they weren’t having it.

The Relkili Sun

The Star Lyathe

Space was vast in the Hyleitan system. There are eight planets in the system, Itaan, Relkili, Pisal, Neusa, Nosa, Nohal, Syle and Freer. Most of the planets struggled with the intense heat and reduced resources that this heat caused. Not every planet progressed at the same speed, and at the same level. Not every planet handled the destruction that their star created to impede their efforts at survival in the same ways. But those who lived within it were undaunted. Some chose to hide, some chose to fight, and some tried to adapt to the heat and scorching that was their daily lives. But they all learned to do more than survive. Each planet reacted to the idea that there were other people out there in different ways. Some with open arms, and some with ulterior motives. But everyone thought about how this would benefit their own people. They were unafraid. Many felt that they should have been. Those on the fifth planet believed that there had to be something better out there. They embraced the unknown because what they already knew was unsustainable. Those that made the first known forays out into space elected to investigate neighbors that resembled their own planet rather than the one green planet in their own back yard. Only those who chose to leave knew why. A strong, brave people … determined to coexist on their terms with their capricious star; four brave ships set out to find homes that might provide them with better options. Their entire lives were fighting to survive and to learn, this was no different. Those ships left chaos in their wake as those that remained continued the fight that had begun decades ago. To go or stay. This is the history of the Hyleitan system. Those that reached for the stars, and those that remained. Itaan – the closest to the star. The people had named her Puloo. And she was oftentimes cruel. Pisal – A peaceful, happy people who made the best of what they had and welcomed all. For a time. Neania – Never having learned how to live in harmony with the capricious star, their people were torn over how to handle life. Some wanted to continue to fight the losing battle of survival and some wanted to run. Centuries of fighting over that one question nearly tore the planet apart. Nosa – A ship was aimed here in the hopes of finding a new home for people who needed one. Nohal – A ship was aimed here but those that lived there already weren’t sure that they wanted to share. These are their stories …

The Zoerc Discoveries

The islands are beautiful. Peaceful, with soft sands and warm waves and many neighboring nations enjoy vacationing on their shores. It was also a haven for the nerdy, science-y and artsy. Many inventions and works of art are created there. Helping friends improve their lives, two brothers, who dip their toes deeply into the science-y, nerdy aspects of their haven, searched for a way to give their people better lives. They found it. And it was big. But someone wanted to take it from them. From their entire world. They played around with the recipes, proportions and compounds and by the time they’d reached the 3199th compound they had found the perfect combination. They named it relkili synergenic energy 3199 or rse3199. They took this find to a neighboring nation, one that had far more government structure as well as funds for research and production. But … in order to bring their dream of sharing the rse3199 with their world to fruition, they were forced into a set of contracts that would put every aspect of their find under that leader’s control. Fearing they wouldn’t be able to help their people as they had hoped, they turned to their second largest nation for assistance. Fortunately, this leader had great vision for Relkili as well as a little bit of pull with other nations. Calling them to assist they banded together with the two brothers to do what they could to secure their patents, their compounds and to protect the future for the entire planet. Drawing on advisors from across their world they set up laws, governance and a military structure designed to protect as many aspects of this new industry as possible to bring it to as many Relkilians as they could. Making ALL of the reasons for these changes - public, they garnered the support of everyone even those in the country whose leaders had tried to take advantage. Alliances were formed and sides were chosen and from the struggle, a great house was raised. With it, a fortress to protect them all, not the least these islands. Organizing their governments and their military towards the offensive rather than the defensive, they staked their claim for their people. And now all they had to do was protect all that they’d built long enough to get it into the hands of everyone that wanted it. Only not every government agreed with their goal. In searching for allies to help them set things right, a new world was born. One of prosperity and of family.

The comporadors

It was an epic test. An experiment in a world full of experiments. The Zoerc Twins had just given their people the most wonderful gift. A future. And there were hundreds of brave souls who were determined to do everything that they could to protect it. After centuries of war, the people of Kili-Pau wanted peace and prosperity for their people. For all of their people. Even those that didn’t want to play nice. Their military was barely sufficient for a defensive world, but they believed that they needed to create an offensive world in order to achieve everything that they wanted to. After the last wars with Dithann, they had needed leadership … and from the ashes of world-wide devastation, an emperor was born for their nation, making alliances with other states struggling to recover as well. When new tests to their fledgling government fell into their lap, the emperor called together all of those friends, contacts and alliances she had been fortunate enough to make. And they searched for solutions that they hoped would bring their people together for the first time in centuries. But this meant that they needed new leadership … not in the form of a new person, but a new position for a leader that they all loved and trusted. And so, the people elevated their emperor to Lumiere, their first born, light … leader … hope … not just for some, but for the entire planet. But they needed … more. A series of strange and wonderful happenstances gave them the idea of also creating a special unit, an elite force … to help them make the transitions that they needed. To give their military balance. To keep watch over the machinations of their emerging world governments. And, to protect the entire realm. From the moment of their inception and coming from the dregs of war, they were exceptional and exceeded any and all expectations. These are the Comporadors … the Second Born.

the confederation voice

Thanks to the leadership of our amazing Lumiere, we now have a wonderful capital, a consortium of allies determined to help the Lumiere protect our world, a military structure that spanned the nation states, and an elite force of protectors that were the envy of all. Now, we needed someone that we all trusted to keep an honorable and unbiased eye on the entire thing. The Lumiere entrusted this monumental responsibility to her most trusted advisors … the Elden Maata Mages. Even with their own demons to battle, the Maata Mages volunteered to become the Voice of the Lumiere, the Voice of the consortium and the Voice of the new confederation that was being formed to spread the benefits of the rse3199 discovery and all that was produced from it in a fair and equitable way. To go from a people on the fringe, to one of the cornerstones of an entire civilization was almost more than the Elden could handle. But they learn. Twenty Maata Mages trained hard and studied the rules of engagement in order to be able to keep all of these other disparate organizations on the same page. And, if they were going to bring their long-time enemy into the fold … they really needed to make sure that they held the position of the strongest Voice.

Year 642

From the heat of Pisal, to the waters of Itaan; from the divisiveness of Neania, to the prosperity on Relkili … now the new Confederation had choices to make. How to bring other planets into their trade alliance and still maintain control over their own dissidents. While Relkili had exceptional technology and a new supply chain to be bragged about as well as imitated, they themselves hadn’t yet ventured into space. It had been in the plans, but being the first to venture out, had come from another people. A people whose entire existence had been one of struggle and battle. Now, there were power struggles and battles that no one wanted. One civilization had the power to travel from one place to another, and another civilization had the power to bring them all up to a way of life that made dealing with their capricious star almost null and void. One people wanted to control this, and one people wanted it to be freely shared. Allies and enemies were made, changed and made again. And the Lumiere decided to find out from the other world governments, exactly what they wanted to find from an alliance. One near miss almost destroyed everything that they had been working towards for so long. Fortunately for those on the side of prosperity, their allies far outnumbered their enemies.

the shadows of one world rule

Why did the Dithann leadership believe that they had a right to the lands, the resources and the peoples of the rest of our world? We would barely pull ourselves out of poverty and rebuild after the destruction that they leave us in, when they would return to wreak havoc all over again. They steal our men and boys for war, attack our villages and our women and strip our resources for their own use, time and time again. How it all began … We can only go back so far. We can only tell you what we have been told by those that survived those times. But we will do the best we can. The Zon family believed right or wrong, that they literally owned our world. At this time, we called our world Kili du Rele. Kili was an ancient Dithann word that meant forest. Much of our world was covered in lush forests that the Dithann were determined to strip of all resources to make up for the almost totally desert land of their own nation. After centuries of bad governing, they only had one forest left. The only reason they didn’t denude it was because it was the source of their fresh water and several foods that grew nowhere else in their nation. So … they continued to steal from our lands. Until … we finally fought back and put a stop to it.

Neusian Complicity

Their world was once known as delight … now they called themselves all that remain. Their people are fighting to bring two differing belief systems together after centuries of anger and hate. The problem is, both sides have different ways of doing this. The Neusa Bowa fear everything that the Neusa Baaea are and will … and have done anything they could to destroy them; while the Baaea merely want to be left alone. Millions want to leave, and after years of controversy, thousands did so, leaving war and famine in their wake. How do they bring their people out of very dark times and still join in the wider community that their neighbors were building? The Baaea had helped their neighbors to win a war that might have upended the balance of power in the sector, thus securing Baaea’s acceptance in the new alliance. But how do they bring the Bowa in, when the Bowa government still do not want to accept even the concept of space travel? The amazing part of that was that they weren’t exactly opposed to benefitting from the largess that this alliance offered to their entire planet. Once, the Baaea had taken on the challenge of protecting and supporting a small fringe group, and it had changed their lives forever. Now, they were being presented with wider challenges and others who were being persecuted for just as little reason. This was a people who believed that if you couldn’t look them in the eye, you were not a friend and they were once more offended. This is a planet of very tall, green eyed and gloriously tattooed warriors determined to pull the rest of their people into the present so that they could all greet the future together and take their place in the wider chain of events. They just had to figure out how to do this before the two sides destroyed each other … and anyone else in their paths. COMING SUMMER 2025 to Rakuten Kobo and Lulu.com