The Emans are a race closely related to the Zhaks. Fairly widespread in the galaxy. Most members of this race are medium-height (170 cm) humanoids with a tail. An interesting feature is a tail with a spine at its tip. This spine is venomous, and although the venom is not especially potent, it is enough to temporarily throw a victim off balance, or its effect can cause the victim to lose consciousness.
For a long time the Emans were a slave race subordinate to the Zherzy. The Zherzy used them as a personal army and acted without regard for losses. But now most Emans gvidanto (traditionally the Emans are ruled by gvidanty, an authority passed on meritocratically by choosing the most worthy member of the community) have thrown off subordination to the Zherzy. The Emans remember their many years of slavery very well, and in most Eman societies the extermination of the Zherzy is considered the right thing to do, especially since the Zherzy still hold a whole range of races in their grip. Emans hatred of the Zherzy is simply pathological. Waging war for the sole purpose of exterminating the Zherzy population is commonplace for them.
The Emans are egg-laying — they can reproduce several times a year. In the past, such high reproduction rates required a special birth-control policy. Today this has evolved into the Institute of Demographics — an institution where every Eman spends their time from age 0 to 12 (their average lifespan being 50 to 60 years). The Institute of Demographics is responsible for demographics and social planning in any Eman community. The head of the Institute is the second most important figure after the Gvidanto. One peculiarity of the Emans is a strong dependency between the temperature at which an egg develops and what the newborn Emans ultimately becomes. Those born at a temperature of 25 degrees have superior analytical abilities. At 33 degrees, by contrast, they become dutiful but not especially intellectual members of society. As one might gather, the Emans have no institution of the family; offspring may only be conceived with the Institute's permission. Sometimes this happens at the Institute's own demand, which cannot be refused. To maintain order in this autocratic society there is a secret police. The Special Departments — an internal-control security service — traditionally answer directly to the Gvidanto and serve as his instrument of control, including over the Institute of Demographics.
Angerpen is a mystical society of the Eman race. This society arose many years ago and was the first to defy their Zherzy masters. To fight the Zherzy, they spent many years developing the most varied means of resistance. Since armed struggle did not always work, they often turned to the help of tehags and the Underworld. Angerpen was an organization closely tied to the Underworld. Its adepts sought to use the Underworld for their own ends. For this same reason they maintained good diplomatic contacts with the old dynasties — chiefly with the Povody.
