Grik

Warning Spoilers through Straits of Hell.

For the Grik Empire (see here).

(Much of this article needs a rework, process pending). The Grik (Ghaarrichk'k) are lizard/avian-like creatures that control a large portion of the Destroyerman series's world. Their main nation is known as Celestial Realm.

Life Cycle:
The Grik are egg-laying species, whose intelligence and self-awareness are directly linked with their age. The hatchlings (also known as Griklits) are almost completely animalistic, non-sentient creatures without any self-awareness. They are subjected to a careful selection shortly after hatching, and the ones who demonstrated undesirable traits (like lack of aggressiveness) are eliminated. With age, they became more intelligent, capable to a (limited) speech and became Uul

The majority of Grik population are Uul. They are semi-sentient, capable of limited speech and some simple operations - like weapon handling and participation in productive activities. Due to the lack of self-awareness, Uul obey the adult Griks - known as Hij - without questions, and serve as the main military and working force of Grik society. They are unable to carry out complex procedures, but could carry out simple procedures (like individual stages of industrial process) with great precision and determination. This unique quality make Uul a perfect workforce.

Most of the Uul are slaughtered for food as they grew older, before they became truly sentient. Only a limited number of Uul, chosen by the Hij Chosers, are allowed to fully grown up and become Hij. This procedure is called "the elevation". A very few Grik become Hij, and the Uul chosen for elevation, also done by the choosers, are almost exclusively the hatchlings of other Hij. [SoH Hb. p 248-250].

The Hij are the fully-sentient, self-aware ruling class of the Grik Empire, that control the Uul actions, and perform complex operations. Basically, they represent the ONLY real population of Grik Empire, because all other population are either semi-sentient Uul, or non-sentient Griklings. The Hij are the civilian and military leaders, skilled artisans, high-ranking servants, ship officers, bureaucrats and, basically, they preform every functions that required intelligent operations.

Psychology
The most significant part of Grik's psychology is their binary thinking model. Every other society or species they regarded within the framework of "hunter/prey" model, where the Griks themselves are "hunters". The societies, that are unable to withstand the Grik onslaught are considered "prey" and subjected to extermination. The societies, that proven to be at least a partial match for Griks are considered "hunters" too, and spared (at least temporarily) from destruction as long as they participate in Grik military actions against other "prey".

This binary logical model made Griks relatively inflexible and predictable in their actions, and, also - quite dangerous for anyone near their borders. Their natural predatory aggressiveness - probably artificially increased by the centuries of selection - lead them to react with hostility against any other species. However, Griks are mostly isolationists; their empire expanded slowly in a millennia-long series of large-scale invasions and then almost complete lack of external activity.

The Griks are much more conservative than humans and/or lemurians; however, it's still unclear, how much of their conservatism are biologically-based, and how much are culturally-based. They prefer not to invent themselves, but copy (and sometimes improve) the designs that they were able to obtain from others.

Griks are much less capable (but still capable) to lie and deception, than humans and/or lemurians.

Sociology
All Grik are under the command of the Celestial Mother, also known as The Giver of Life. She is chosen by conquest (i.e. duel to death) out of her siblings. [Hb. p 47-48]. Her will are clearly considered divine by all Uul and the majority of Hij, and she is the unquestioned ruler of all Grik Empire.

The books have not discussed mating practices in depth. It is known that it is generaly limited to the Hij and females known as brood mares, and that various regents are the consorts of the Celestial Mother. Some Hij have mates. Later in Crusade when Tsalka learns that Walker was responsible for the loss of nearly a whole pridepack he says he should have given Righ the lier's death for reporting the Iron ship destroyed, and later says he could kill all of Righ's mates.

While it is apparently not the usual pattern some Ull - usually the ones, who demonstrated some superior traits - are allowed to mate. Halik had been given access to a female twice producing two clutches of hatchlings, and trained his own hatchlings for the Arena. He had no feelings for them prior to reaching sentinence killing two in the Arena, but he had familial thoughts about them prior to his test in Distant Thunders. Even Esshk remembered that Halik had hatchlings among the Sports fighters who might be useful since Halik turned out so well in Deadly Shores. Generally, family ties aren't as important for Griks as for humans and/or lemurians, but some blood relations are considered important enough for them.

Technology:
The Grik use mainly out-dated technology. They use trebuchets that hurl flaming balls containing a substance similar to Greek Fire. The Grik are also notable for having extremely large crossbows that can fire meter-long bolts at long range. Their warriors, the Uul, are typically outfitted with leather helmets and armor as well as chainmail and wield wooden shields, spears, and short swords. Their swords are easily distinguished, for they are essentially even more sharply-curved scimitars. Their navy is obsolete as well, their technology dating back to the 17th century.

When the three East Indiamen arrived in the 'New World', they arrived in Lemurian territory. They showed the Lemurians metallurgy and how to build efficient ships and how to rig them. When the English 'pioneers' had enough, they sent one ship to the west to explore and the other two went east. The two that went east found and settled the Enchanted Isles. The one that went west fell into Grik hands.

The Grik copied the Indiaman design precisely and it has been used ever since. They retrofitted the design to make use of their trebuchets and crossbows, as well as adopt English as the 'Scientific Language.'

However, with the arrival of the Japanese battle cruiser Amagi, and its captain Kurakawa, the Grik advanced in leaps and bounds. The Japanese showed them how to build dirigibles, cannons, mortars, muskets, and ironclads. Albeit, very crude in the way they are built and controlled, the Grik are able to mass produce the weapons in sufficient numbers to arm their troops.

Grik Glossery:
Dorrighsii: Grik for Night Hunters, scouts, and spies. [POF Hb. p. 48]

Garrak, Grik name for a musket from loud sound it makes [ROB arc p 3]

Hiskak, Grik term for battle fury [ROB arc p 183]

Uuk-Arrg, ancient Ghaarrichk'k tongue for the Zambezi River [DD Hb. p. 156.]

Named Grik Characters:

 * Agta


 * Arlskgter


 * Celestial Mother


 * Celestial Mother II


 * D'ga


 * The Chooser


 * Esshk


 * Geerki


 * Gookir


 * Grikky


 * Halik


 * Ign


 * Jash


 * Naxa


 * N'galsh


 * Pokey


 * Ragak


 * Righ


 * Seech


 * Sich’k


 * Shlook


 * Shighat


 * Tsalka


 * Ugla


 * Yikkit