Eslyat: Evolving from a species of reptilian carnivore
chasers, Eslyat are upright and bipedal, rear limbs
digitigrade, with a height of approximately 2 meters (not
including the 1- to 1.5-meter tail). The frame is slender,
and the head is elongated as in their reptilian ancestors.

The Eslyat have a sociological system of interdependence
and cooperation born on their home planet, Elliador
(Vanguard Reaches 1307 A-67A3DD-B). This world has less than
a million square kilometers of land area. A warlike history
like those of most human species would have left the race
extinct. The Eslyat history features a slow, steady progress
of cooperation and advancement.

Having no mechanism for regulating body temperature, the
Eslyat are poikilothermic, or "cold-blooded." As their
homeworld environment is an especially warm and humid one,
some believe they would be unable to adapt to a cooler
habitat. The high temperature and humidity of their
spacecraft artificial environments would support this theory.

Circa Imperial date 456, the Eslyat began explorations
of their own solar system. By 585, bases were built on other
worlds. A Zhodani scout craft misjumped into the Elliador
system in the year 613, and this accident gave the secret of
jump drive to the Eslyat.

By the late 900's, the Eslyat had antagonized every
other race they had come in contact with except the Zhodani.
Imperial settlers in the newborn Duchy of Trelyn were not
suprised when the Eslyat attacked Duchy holdings in the year
981. This First Eslyat War is also called the "Cruiser War,"
as both fleets were not equipped with full-scale battleships.

In 1057 the Second Eslyat War began with an attack on
the colony at Surtun (Vanguard Reaches 2005 B-100967-A). Some
25 weeks later, the war ended when a Duchy fleet arrived at
Elliador and demanded surrender. The negotiations for the
Treaty of Elliador (1058) took longer than the war.

The Third Eslyat War with the Trelyn Domain took place
in 1083. This conflict began with a pre-emptive strike by
Domain forces attacking an Eslyat fleet refueling at Yazoo
City (Vanguard Reaches 1804 E-000351-B), a neutral world. The
war was ended with the Battle of Surtun as the Royal Navy
forged a decisive victory and Eslyat elements surrendered.

Trelyn holdings continued to expand after the Third
Eslyat War. Royal Navy estimates expected no trouble from the
defeated Eslyat navy, but a two-pronged attack on Natrosilo
(Vanguard Reaches 2003 B-7A0341-B) and Alfar Edylsyla (2033
C-887989-A) began the Fourth Eslyat War. This war ended like
the second one, with Royal Navy forces in orbit over
Elliador. The Treaty of 1087 assured the Eslyat would refrain
from further attacks on Duchy territory "in perpetuity."

The Eslyat government is a religious theocracy based
upon the Sesshayr religion, a monolithic and all-pervading
force throughout the entire state. Worlds in 30 systems are
governed by the Eslyat theocracy, which has jurisdiction over
more than 19 billion sophonts.

(reproduced by permission of the author, Chuck Kallenbach II)
