The Bektepi

Overview

When other species think about the Kepek, it's usually the Bektepi they imagine. The Bektepi are the inhabitants of The Bektep Space Station and the surrounding system. Thanks to The Station's position as the empire's central meeting point, many Bektepi have easier access to travel beyond their system and as such, it is not uncommon to see Bektepi aboard other ships or on planetary colonies as either permanent passengers or tourists.

Their defining characteristics are their stripes and facial markings. Every Bektepi's stripes are unique, though they often share strong similarities between family members, and can often be an indicator of which families they come from if one knows what to look for.

Quick Facts

Home Station

The Bektep Space Station

Average Height:

Scale Colour:

any

Markings:

Swirling lines and stripe patterns.

eye colour:

any

Femur Gap:

yes

Average Lifespan:

250 Bektep Orbits

Bektepi Culture

Bektepi Fashion

Bektepi Kepek tried to mimic their former home's environment as close as possible when constructing the Bektep Space Station with the limited information they have, which means very warm, tropical weather which their clothing reflect. They tend to prefer short-sleeved shirts, singlets or crop tops, as well as shorted pants, skirts and dresses.

Coming of age Rights

The following year after a Bektepi Kepek comes of age (25 orbits), they and any siblings, cousins and other similarly aged family members partake in a competition. The individuals must race to the top of a Vetipek Tree - usually, the one grown and tended to collectively by the family - and pick the first fruit of the season. Whoever picks the fruit and makes it back down to the bottom first, wins. The winner is said to have good luck for the next five orbits, and bring their most immediate family members (usually their siblings and parents) good luck and blessings as well. In the modern era, the luck aspect is taken less seriously and the whole tradition is treated more like a friendly competition between family, but it is still considered an important milestone for many young Bektepi Kepek.

Names

Family names

Bektepi family names originated as indicators of where a family came from - usually named after a city, town or even specific streets from Xebrik or even the ship that the family left the planet on. Kepek, and especially Bektepi, families are massive, with several generations usually living in a single building complex. When a Bektepi Kepek finds a partner, they will decide between them which family they will move in with (usually determined by whose family is larger or has more free space in their complex), and the new partner will take on that family name.

For example, according to legend, the Veri'ep family name came from The Flagship of one of the fleet the Kepek used to flee Xebrik on. Records from that long ago are hard to verify, but the Veri'ep family claim to be descendants of the captain.

Given names

Gendered names have somewhat fallen out of fashion with Bektepi Kepek, and most will choose names for their children without a specific gender in mind. These androgynous names typically revolve around astronomical objects and phenomena. Some examples include:

Xaribek = supernova
Vekad = moon
Ravurek = star cluster

Cultural Taboos

The Bektepi Kepek value their extended family immensely, and choosing to sever ties with them, or even worse, being forcibly kicked out from the family's complex is a massive source of shame, both for the individual and the whole family. As a result, any Kepek who lives alone or has no notable family connection is assumed to be in that situation due to their own actions and are, by default, thought to be deserving of their circumstances. They are treated as an outcast and avoided where possible.

Many people who have had to leave their families choose to live in The Wall, a series of apartment complexes built on the outer wall of the Bektep Space Station's habitable zones. People who live here are often called "Wall Evat" (A more direct translation would be "Wall Rat", as Evat are often looked at in a similar way to rats on earth)

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