Travel among Worlds

Travel among Worlds originally "Подорожі серед світів"|"Podorozhi sered svitiv". Is a series of five science fiction novels by Leontiy Kudriavtsov. Published between 1979 and 1983. The novels follows war hero Afanasij Chkonia, the sole survivor from a resort ship that due to a navigational error crash lands in the distant planet of Marai.

Books

1. Tribe of Asnari (Published in 1979)

2. City of the Kelpari (Published in 1980)

3. Nation of Belgars (Published in 1981)

4. Union of the Vaki (Published in 1982)

5. World of the Makelvi (Published in 1983)

Setting

Map of Marai

World

Marai is a planet that exists outside the normal space-time continuum, and can only be reached by an universal navigational error in the advance navigational computers of spacecraft. The planet is similar to Earth, although it is common to be ravaged by month long rainy seasons in the equator, with the northern latitudes being an expansive steppe, leading to a cold desert.

Time in Marai is strange, for it does not exist in the same timeline as events occuring. In the fourth book, Chkonia predicts that the first ships started crashing into Marai approximately some 50 thousand years priors, although ships landed in the planet millions of years before the current universe time. A year, Chkonia estimates to last 892 earth days, the days themselves lasting 30 hours.

Races

Life in Marai is understood to be a strange thing, as the sole native life are the secretive Makelvi which inhabit the polar ice caps of the planet, the rest of life in Marai either sentient, Fauna, or Flora are a combination of the crash landed ships.

The Makelvi are a race of insectoid aliens, and the only native species to Marai. They're an ancient race that inhabit the worlds polar ice caps, in large cities in the kingdom of New Di. They possess highly advanced technology, although they do not appear to have ever expanded beyond the ice caps, and are the most isolated, and secluded of the species in Marai.

The Asnari are a race of contemporary aliens which have fought humanity in numerous wars throughout history, in Marai however they have formed distinct kingdoms where humans and Asnari inhabit together in the steppe and jungle regions of the world, primarily the Volar Empire, Pairi, Xalne, and Zibal. They possess advanced technology, but remain mostly isolated. They're infected by some sort of virus which is incurable and is slowly killing all Asnari.

The Belgars are a race of tall slender creatures, they're all Hermaphrodites which reproduce through an elaborate mating ritual which involves ritualistic duel of Love darts. They're a highly aggressive species and dedicate themselves to raiding in the worlds equatorial jungles and steppe. It is discovered that the Belgars are actually an ancient pacifist race which has gone extinct in the normal timeline, dating humanity by millennia.

The Kelpari are a race of feline like creatures with advanced language learning skills, they serve as the prime merchants between civilizations. The Kelpari are rumored to have arrived on the planet on purpose, with the intention of aiding communication between all the species. They're one of the few species which are aware of their accidental arrival to the planet. Their homeland is Mital.

The Vaki, are a race of flying creatures, which maintain a large isolationist empire in an archipelago. They hold advanced Genetics knowledge, and commonly genetically modify their bodies, otherwise they exist in a feudal society with little technological advancement, with their god-emperor being a highly advanced computer of human origin. They live in Kuluban.

Several sub-species of humanity exist in the planet a result of 300 years of space travel crashes, although the humans appear to have been inhabiting the world, for thousands of years.

Arnalmen have fundamentally altered their biology to allow the use of photosynthesis in their skin, as a result they have a yellow skin color to better reflect light, as plants due in Marai. They inhabit the Asnari polities, in dual monarchies of the two species. They're regarded as the most advanced men in the planet.

Nalmen inhabit the cold deserts of the planet, they're considerably more hairy than regular humans, and speak a language based around fashion magazines, which they consider to be ancient texts. The Nalmen exist in a matriarchy, and frown contact with other human species, preferring contact with alien species.

The Volgmen inhabit the vast jungles in the middle of the world, they have grown a tail, and several "monkey-like features", to better survive in the jungle. They're an egalitarian society, which live in peace with their surroundings. Opting not to kill any animal in the planet. They inhabit the Commonwealth of Gerl

The Seamen have developed webbed feet to better aid them in swimming. They exist in nomadic groups, which transverse the oceans of the world, they appear to have more knowledge of their origin, making a yearly pilgrimage to their crash site in the middle of the Sea of Elsi.

The Cannibals or Cilmen, are a group of nomads which are believed to be cannibals, and are considered dangerous and avoided. In reality the Cilmen are a group of highly advanced men which have enhanced their bodies with technology. They're the most aware humans, claiming to have crash landed in the planet only 50 years prior, where Chkonia discovers they set sail some 200 years prior.

The Kalmen inhabit the continent of Veil-Sal, in the twin kingdoms of Kal, which have been in a state of civil war for hundreds of years. They're considerably taller than regular men, and are completely bald, to cope with their environment they harvest the thermal energy from a highly active volcano chain in the continent. They worship a series of lava and ash gods.

The Turlevmen inhabit the kingdom of Turlevan in south Cermeira. They are the least changed humans in Marai, however they're known for their extreme isolation, and aggressive foreign policy. Turlevan is ruled by a council of elders which maintain a theocratic state centered around an extreme form of Irfan which has survived through the ages.

Religion

Religion plays a big role in Marai, as all societies and civilizations bar the Makelvi have some sort of myth or belief around their arrival on a crashed ship. Some in world philosophers have theorized that this shared belief is a sign of how their own beliefs are the trues ones. The existence of scattered technology of alien origin throughout the world has led to an acceptance and rejection of such technology, which is believed to have come from an advanced precursor race that once existed in the planet.

Even between species, and societies a great interest is taken to showcase the wide array of beliefs individuals in the society have, showcasing how they're not united monoliths. Some societies have taken to worshiping the Makelvi as gods, their advanced technology seen as a result of godhood, with some believing the Makelvi as having engineered the species arrival to the planet.

Society

Kudriavtsov dedicated ample time to studying the strange societies in Marai, which through the eyes of Chkonia are truly alien, even those made up of men. Kudriavtsov regularly used similarities between societies and species to tell stories of human origin but with an alien spin. In the book issues of discrimination, eclinism, racism, and xenophobia are explored, along with the dangers of uncontrolled technological growth. Aside from the almost mythical precursors, the existence of now extinct alien civilizations covers the entire planet, with large cities usually repurposed by modern species.

Kudriavtsov explores issues of urban decay, and urban poverty, in the cities of tremendous size which exist in Marai. Spornash, the legislative capital of the Volar Empire, is said to hold over 15 million people, of numerous races, and religions, although the city is considerably desolate and empty as a result of the disease that affects the Asnari, reducing its population from a height of 32 million.

Some societies exist stuck in the past, while others exist solely in the future. The prevalence of societies who are chained to ancient and rudimentary forms of living and government, are contrasted with societies obsessed with their existence in the future. Societies such as that of the Vaki, exist believing in an ancient glorious past, while the Asnari are obsessed with the future and their desire to transfer their consciousness to machines as a result of the possible extinction they face.

Plot

Tribe of Asnari

Afanasij Chkonia is a veteran and warhero who has fought in numerous conflicts against the Asnari Free Republics. Finally retiring, he and his wife Olga, take a resort ship similar to modern day cruise ships. As the ship is traveling through a wormhole utilizing the universal wormhole drive adopted from an ancient space faring species, the ship crashlands in the continent of Cermeira. The 5,000 passenger ship features few survivors, both Chkonia and Olga survive, however Olga is severely injured. The survivors remain in the steppe recuperating their losses, and awaiting rescue, however a band of Belgars attacks them, capturing both Chkonia and Olga. The Belgar raiding party is attacked by forces belonging to the Volar Empire. However during the escape, Olga is killed. Chkonia who is surprised to meet the Asnari and Arnalmen fighting together, suffers a culture shock as he is informed of his arrival to Marai, and the existence of men in such a world.

Chkonia enjoys the patronage from his Volari friends, who take pity on him after the loss of his wife. A plague which only affects the Asnari has created severe rifts in their society, as the Asnari attempt to create thinking machines to carry on their legacy, while Arnalmen factions oppose such measures. Chkonia when visiting a city, witnesses a bombing orchestrated by the League of Sarxa, an extremist faction of Asnari which believe the plague to have been made by humans in conjunction with the secretive Makelvi, which the Arnalmen worship as gods. Chkonia meets Voseida an Asnari woman who was injured in the bombing. Chkonia learns that Voseida is immune to the disease, although some Asnari believe that their species time in Marai is counted, and have opted to accept their fate in a form of nihilism, or enter a higher level of existence by becoming machines. She is wanted dead by the League, as her parents were an Asnari and an Arnalmen in what was previously believed to be an impossible mating option. She is followed by the vile Lady Turle. The two leave the Volar Empire, which is slowly decaying, as the Asnari plague decimates half of the empire's population. The League of Xarxa pursues them, into neighboring Asnari-Arnalmen state of Zibal. The Zibal provide protection to the two, although the capital city of Zibal is overrun by the neighboring nation of Turleva which have taken advantage of Zibal's weakness, shortly after prompting the two to leave the city. They meet the Kelpari merchant, Babonicus, who offers them passage to the more friendly cities of the Kalmen.

City of the Kelpari

In the second book, it is discovered that Babonicus was hired by the league to kill the two of them, leading to an intense battle in the ship, where Babonicus is killed. Chkonia learns that Voseida holds possibly the only true cure to the disease that affects the Asnari. Upon landing in the twin kingdoms of the Kalmen, Chkonia learns more about the world, including fears in some circles in other states about the mysterious disease expanding to other alien species. One such worried race are the Kelpari. Following another attempted murder by Lady Turle, the Kelpari noble house of Liane takes interest to Voseida and sponsors a trip for the two to the Kelpari capital of Mital by ship. Upon their arrival to Mital, the two discover the intricate political maneuvering of House Liane against their rivals in House Aidar, and Soni. Voseida is not pleased with developments in Mital, while Chkonia after an attempted robbery becomes loyal to their patrons in House Liane.

Chkonia who is amazed by the Kelpari and with the prospect of a prosperous life in Mital, begins to drift away from Voseida who states they must leave Mital, to avoid being embroiled in any conflict, after a fight the both of them take their separate ways. After some time Chkonia who has been teaching the Liane household, discovers that Voseida has left the House for the Aidar who promise her protection from the League of Xarxa. He discovers that without Voseida he has lost all interest by House Liane, and has become like any of their servants. Chkonia is expulsed from the household after he refuses to commit an assassination against the baby son of a Soni noble. Disgruntled, Chkonia is approached by House Soni who bring him into their fold, after his brave refusal. They offer Chkonia a ship to leave the planet in exchange for committing a single assassination, Chkonia agrees. Unbeknownst to him the target is Voseida, which has been taken captive by the Aidar in cooperation with the Liane, and is using her to extract possible cures to the disease, to sell to the Asnari. The Soni jealous to the two houses plotting against it, wishes to eliminate the possible business venture, which in turn is funded by House Liane who fear the Aidar growing too powerful. The book ends with Chkonia having infiltrated the Aidar stronghold and his intentions unknown whether he'd kill or save Voseida.

Nation of Belgars

The third book starts with Chkonia opting to save Voseida, and fighting his way out of the stronghold, including against Soni troops. The two board a vessel at the last moment and abandon Mital, as general war breakouts between the three houses. Aboard the vessel, Voseida recovers, and realizing their feelings for one another, the two develop a relationship. After some trouble where they're aided by the Seamen they land in the continent of Makel, where they land in the Commonwealth of Gerl, inhabited by the Volgmen. The couple remain in Gerl, until Lady Turle attacks the couple, during the struggle Lady Turle is repealed but one of her henchmen is killed accidentally while escaping. The Volgmen which hold all life to be sacred, exile the couple from the country, prompting them to travel north. The couple join a caravan of Cilmen, which delight the two on their travels to a northern port city. They are able to provide help to Voseida, and give knowledge and advising him to travel to Pairi. The caravan is attacked by a group of Belgars, and taken captive. Voseida which has some knowledge on the language discusses rudimentary with the Belgars.

They're brought to a Belgar city, where brutal acts of violence are carried out. The Belgars upon learning of Chkonia's past, grant the couple greater freedoms to explore the city. They discover numerous things about the Belgars, including their extinction in the current universe, as Chkonia connects them to an ancient species found by humanity when visiting the stars. The group meet a Belgar individual called Deir-la, the Belgars are a distinct Hermaphrodite species, although Deir-la was born exclusively as a male due to a mutation, making him an outcast. He agrees to aid the couple in their trip to Pairi, but warns them about foul stenches in the wind. The three set off for a northern port, before the ice can blockade the ocean. On their way, they interact with the Nalmen. The Nalmen and their distinct social and cultural customs result in Chkonia being sidelined in favor of Deir-la and Voseida, as they do not enjoy humans, nor males in their matriarchal society. The Nalmen reveal that they believe the Makelvi to be the source of all evil in the world. The three board a ship bound eastward, and set sail. The book ends with Chkonia and Voseida being involved in a hurricane which forces the ship to land on the coast.