Excerpt follows from query database.Zirilian.historical.biography.Zelogen.ful l_text:
Zelogen hails from a system surrounding the star known as Zirilia. The area is quite unique in that all 4,295 planet/planetoid entities are inhabited by his race. In fact, travel between celestial bodies is so routine that the individual planets were never granted names by the natives; however, for ease of understanding by aliens, they are numbered.
Zelogen's race, the Zirilians, are predominantly peaceful and wise, deriving joy mainly from intellectual and physical pursuits of excellence; however, they are considered above all to be just, which keeps problems on their homeworlds minimal: should a dispute arise, the party at fault usually cannot even bear to continue the ruse that he is innocent in his actions; vindication goes to the deserving when the other finally admits his guilt. This has led to a society nearly free of contradiction and strife...
...Problems are encountered in matters of a more personal nature though, as Zirilians do mate for life -- but take on one additional partner for every cycle around Zirilia that planet #1904 makes (approximately 3.14159 Earth years). With a life expectancy of 105 Earth years and rising, domestic dispute ranks high among the problems of the common Zirilian, although most fights are little more than tiffs.
While appearing as a large humanoid, the most distict characteristics of Zelogen's people (beyond the pale skin) are the large calcified, retractable protrusions that litter their bodies. These have few drawbacks since they are under complete voluntary, conscious muscle control -- that is, no reflex causes them to extend, and getting angry won't accidentally impale someone (though this plea was attempted in court once). The spines are an incredible boon to the race, giving them enhanced survivability via boosted skeletal strength; organs and tissue and used to dealing with the punishment of sliding spines repeatedly causing puncture wounds; therefore, the Zirilians heal at inhuman rates. These pointed spikes are also the source of much diversion for the race, with sporting activities and artistic expression built upon their cornerstone.
Zelogen has never been involved in an altercation that led to the Zirilian High Court of Arbitration on #19. His personal life is also unblemished, even though he has four mates now that he is in his 34th year of life. He is a highly-regarded member of Zirilian society, but that is not as great an achievement as it sounds, since so many of his race strive for perfection. His spines are quite a nice specimen, and he is envied for their size, strength, and polish in his neighborhood of #1-#269
In matters of science, Zirilia aims to develop better travel technology, things that improve their quality of living, and also researches new uses for their spines. This is where Zelogen makes his living, in the Tactical Assault Research Division, a subgroup working for Zirilian Army Corporation (Z.A.C.T.A.R.D.). He co-led the project which resulted in their current light battle armor (the equivalent of the best properties of Titanium and our Kevlar, only exponentially more effective), which comes in suits fitted to work with a soldier's spines as their main weaponry.
Zelogen has never been one for sports, partly because he is a little too proud of his spines to dirty them up... but mainly because he is secretly really bad at Spikeball and the other popular games.
Around 5 Zirilian years ago, the Rikti arrived in the next star system closest to Zirilia. Soon the Rikti intentions were clear, and a full-on assault by the alien marauders was underway. Early space-based attacks were wildly unsuccessful, and Zirilians as a whole were confident in their ability to beat back the enemy. Then the Assault of Zobegane 5th happened, and the tide turned. The Rikti managed an invasion of over 400 planets that day, and Zirilia would never possess that ground again.
While ground-to-air cannon and beam weaponry had thwarted Rikti spacecraft, in close-quarters battle the Rikti had a definite advantage. While Zirilians had naturally good defense, along with combat suits from Z.A.C., their offense was based primarily around their spines, and this would not be enough to kill off the invaders.
Slowly, more planets fell to the Rikti. Zirilians became better and better at fighting, but on a per-person basis, they were never able to be better than the Rikti. Zelogen was one of the few who was more than a match for any Rikti. His assignment as a newly-drafted cadet had him stationed at a military post that was one of the last on the Rikti's path to conquest. This afforded him and his fellow soldiers much time to prepare, and they fended off many scouting runs by the aliens, learning how best to fight them as time went by.
Alas, eventually a full evacuation of Zirilia was ordered. The remaining soldiers had but a few duties left: some guarded civilians as they evacuated; some made haste to friendly planets, asking asylum for refugees; some took the fight to the Rikti, and this is what Zelogen did. As his homeworlds were nearly empty of his people, his command learned of Rikti plans to invade another innocent system -- this one containing a small planet known as Earth.
Zelogen was one of few to come to Earth just ahead of the Rikti invasion. He survived the horrors of that great battle, and came to respect the heroes of Paragon City, who were the only reason Earth did not fall as his homeworlds had.
Diversions for an emotionally and physically beaten warrior such as Zelogen are few and far between, but are made more common by the fact that he now lives in an alien system. For instance, there is the persistence of other heroes to address him as "Z", which makes no sense to him because in Zirilia, all translated native names begin with our letter Z. He has also picked up smoking fine tobacco, as he was offered his first cigar last July 4th. He was given a light by a cocky young hero, The Prolix Dragon, who Zelogen believed more just wanted to show off his (literal) firepower... but he came to like the habit, basking in its nastiness and how foul they tasted. Life has become one long streak of pain for this displaced warrior; he has to come to terms with it or give up.
Zelogen continues the fight because he reasoned that, while he could not save his people, perhaps if he combined his prowess with these incredible superheroes -- the ones that stopped invasion -- then maybe he could eventually destroy every last Rikti. And so, that is his mission, and he seeks to do it to the best of his ability, to his dying breath, with the heroes of Paragon at his sides...
Credit is herein given to Peter Smith of The Paragon Post for his wonderful article on Zelogen in his recurring column: "Heroic Tales", which runs every Wednesday.
Excerpt follows from query database.Zirilian.historical.biography.Zelogen.ful l_text:
Zelogen hails from a system surrounding the star known as Zirilia. The area is quite unique in that all 4,295 planet/planetoid entities are inhabited by his race. In fact, travel between celestial bodies is so routine that the individual planets were never granted names by the natives; however, for ease of understanding by aliens, they are numbered.
Zelogen's race, the Zirilians, are predominantly peaceful and wise, deriving joy mainly from intellectual and physical pursuits of excellence; however, they are considered above all to be just, which keeps problems on their homeworlds minimal: should a dispute arise, the party at fault usually cannot even bear to continue the ruse that he is innocent in his actions; vindication goes to the deserving when the other finally admits his guilt. This has led to a society nearly free of contradiction and strife...
...Problems are encountered in matters of a more personal nature though, as Zirilians do mate for life -- but take on one additional partner for every cycle around Zirilia that planet #1904 makes (approximately 3.14159 Earth years). With a life expectancy of 105 Earth years and rising, domestic dispute ranks high among the problems of the common Zirilian, although most fights are little more than tiffs.
While appearing as a large humanoid, the most distict characteristics of Zelogen's people (beyond the pale skin) are the large calcified, retractable protrusions that litter their bodies. These have few drawbacks since they are under complete voluntary, conscious muscle control -- that is, no reflex causes them to extend, and getting angry won't accidentally impale someone (though this plea was attempted in court once). The spines are an incredible boon to the race, giving them enhanced survivability via boosted skeletal strength; organs and tissue and used to dealing with the punishment of sliding spines repeatedly causing puncture wounds; therefore, the Zirilians heal at inhuman rates. These pointed spikes are also the source of much diversion for the race, with sporting activities and artistic expression built upon their cornerstone.
Zelogen has never been involved in an altercation that led to the Zirilian High Court of Arbitration on #19. His personal life is also unblemished, even though he has four mates now that he is in his 34th year of life. He is a highly-regarded member of Zirilian society, but that is not as great an achievement as it sounds, since so many of his race strive for perfection. His spines are quite a nice specimen, and he is envied for their size, strength, and polish in his neighborhood of #1-#269
In matters of science, Zirilia aims to develop better travel technology, things that improve their quality of living, and also researches new uses for their spines. This is where Zelogen makes his living, in the Tactical Assault Research Division, a subgroup working for Zirilian Army Corporation (Z.A.C.T.A.R.D.). He co-led the project which resulted in their current light battle armor (the equivalent of the best properties of Titanium and our Kevlar, only exponentially more effective), which comes in suits fitted to work with a soldier's spines as their main weaponry.
Zelogen has never been one for sports, partly because he is a little too proud of his spines to dirty them up... but mainly because he is secretly really bad at Spikeball and the other popular games.
Around 5 Zirilian years ago, the Rikti arrived in the next star system closest to Zirilia. Soon the Rikti intentions were clear, and a full-on assault by the alien marauders was underway. Early space-based attacks were wildly unsuccessful, and Zirilians as a whole were confident in their ability to beat back the enemy. Then the Assault of Zobegane 5th happened, and the tide turned. The Rikti managed an invasion of over 400 planets that day, and Zirilia would never possess that ground again.
While ground-to-air cannon and beam weaponry had thwarted Rikti spacecraft, in close-quarters battle the Rikti had a definite advantage. While Zirilians had naturally good defense, along with combat suits from Z.A.C., their offense was based primarily around their spines, and this would not be enough to kill off the invaders.
Slowly, more planets fell to the Rikti. Zirilians became better and better at fighting, but on a per-person basis, they were never able to be better than the Rikti. Zelogen was one of the few who was more than a match for any Rikti. His assignment as a newly-drafted cadet had him stationed at a military post that was one of the last on the Rikti's path to conquest. This afforded him and his fellow soldiers much time to prepare, and they fended off many scouting runs by the aliens, learning how best to fight them as time went by.
Alas, eventually a full evacuation of Zirilia was ordered. The remaining soldiers had but a few duties left: some guarded civilians as they evacuated; some made haste to friendly planets, asking asylum for refugees; some took the fight to the Rikti, and this is what Zelogen did. As his homeworlds were nearly empty of his people, his command learned of Rikti plans to invade another innocent system -- this one containing a small planet known as Earth.
Zelogen was one of few to come to Earth just ahead of the Rikti invasion. He survived the horrors of that great battle, and came to respect the heroes of Paragon City, who were the only reason Earth did not fall as his homeworlds had.
Diversions for an emotionally and physically beaten warrior such as Zelogen are few and far between, but are made more common by the fact that he now lives in an alien system. For instance, there is the persistence of other heroes to address him as "Z", which makes no sense to him because in Zirilia, all translated native names begin with our letter Z. He has also picked up smoking fine tobacco, as he was offered his first cigar last July 4th. He was given a light by a cocky young hero, The Prolix Dragon, who Zelogen believed more just wanted to show off his (literal) firepower... but he came to like the habit, basking in its nastiness and how foul they tasted. Life has become one long streak of pain for this displaced warrior; he has to come to terms with it or give up.
Zelogen continues the fight because he reasoned that, while he could not save his people, perhaps if he combined his prowess with these incredible superheroes -- the ones that stopped invasion -- then maybe he could eventually destroy every last Rikti. And so, that is his mission, and he seeks to do it to the best of his ability, to his dying breath, with the heroes of Paragon at his sides...
Credit is herein given to Peter Smith of The Paragon Post for his wonderful article on Zelogen in his recurring column: "Heroic Tales", which runs every Wednesday.