Meet the Yrmaks

It’s very easy to dream up a weird name and a sketch of an alien monster for a science fiction story. But if the creatures are going to be part of the story, not just some throw-away excuse for a battle, they need to be placed in a setting, with a culture. Otherwise they’re simply cardboard cut-outs. 

The Yrmaks are the go-to villains in my Dryden Universe. Older than Humans, the species sees itself as the superior power, even while sharing several worlds with humanity. Scaly skin, yellow eyes, and eye ridges that flare red when tempers rise give them an unmistakable presence. They have two hearts, one on each side of the chest.

Although they are humanoid, they are also reptilian. Females are larger than males and do all the ruling since it’s a matriarchal society. Priestesses (Rylats), generals, and most merchants are female. Many more males are born every year than females. Males are either warriors, or workers. Having said that, the females are warriors, too, as they fight their way up the clan’s hierarchy. They love the color green and are capable of creating beautiful, intricate jewelry.

The Yrmaks evolved on one planet (Pok Yaavan), then spread to the stars. As well as being matriarchal, their society is also a theocracy. From their home world the Yrmaks revere a constellation which they see as the Mother (much as we can see the constellation Scorpio in our skies). As they spread among the stars, the shape of the constellation became distorted or disappeared completely from their skies and its meaning was lost for later generations on distant planets. But the more fundamental groups always come back to the Great Mother in the sky.

Yrmaks will happily fight with each other if there are no Humans or other alien species around, often even then. Their society is very much clan-based, with each clan having its own secret language – although they share a common language for inter-clan communication.

Yrmak warriors gravitate naturally to piracy, raiding other clans and other species. On mixed worlds they will also take jobs such as bouncers, or general purpose thugs for gangsters. But not all Yrmaks are blood-thirsty brutes. Yrmak workers will take positions with merchants, and sometimes set up in less orthodox Yrmak society as merchants in their own right.

In spite of their claws Yrmaks create intricate jewelry. They love green stone such as emerald and aventurine and use silver to decorate trinket boxes and the like.

Excerpt from Eye of the Mother.

Tian, an Imperial agent, is visiting a market stall owned by a human.

“Name’s Austen.” He thrust out a hand. “I’m a well-known archaeologist. Ask me anything.”

Tian shook his hand, which had the texture of sandpaper. So he did, at least, work with his hands. Of course, that could be digging ditches.

“I’m Tian. Pleased to meet you. Tell me about the Rite of Ur Bazoon. Isn’t that some sort of fertility thing?”

“No. It’s a ceremony carried out when the young men are mature enough to go to war. They pledge themselves to the Great Mother by cutting their left claw with a knife like that one. Their blood drips into a bowl on the altar, then the High Priestess drinks the blood. After that, they’re given their spears.”

He knew what he was talking about, and his pronunciation of Ur Bazoon had been pretty good. But that dagger was no more authentic Yrmak than she was.

“Do you speak Yrmak?”

“I do. It was difficult, but I find their culture fascinating. A true matriarchy, with the females running things. It’s hard to find out about anything interesting if you don’t speak the language.”

So very true.

“Is there anything in particular you’re looking for? I have some beautiful pots, carvings.” Austen put down the pot he held in his hand and picked up another. “Lovely carvings on this one. See?”

Tian stared at the jar he’d put down, dark green stone with what looked like a gold inscription. If she was any judge that was probably worth more than the rest of his collection put together. “Can I see that one?”

He picked up the piece and fondled it as though it were precious. “Beautiful, isn’t it? It’s not for sale. I… ah… only just got this one.”

Stolen? “May I see it? Please? I’ll be very careful.”

“Well… okay.” He placed the jar onto Tian’s outstretched palm.

Heavy. Not pottery, this was deep green, flawless aventurine. The symbol on the lid had been carved, then the carving filled with gold. It was an eye surrounded by rays. She’d never seen the symbol before, but she suspected she knew what it was. “Where did you get this one?”

“Picked it up in an Yrmak’s junk sale. Just came from there. The matriarch had died — that is, passed on to the Mother — and they were selling up her effects. Household goods and such.”

“And they sold this?”

His eyelashes fluttered. “It was part of a job lot.” He waved his hand at the counter behind him, where an assortment of jars and cheap jewelry stood next to the box. “I’ve been sorting it out.”

There was a certain resemblance between this symbol and the other one she kept in her comm. Not the same, but resonant. “How much do you want for it?”

Austen stared at the jar, then at her, then back at the jar, his eyes widening for the barest instant. He shook his head. “It’s not for sale.” He tried an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I think I’ll be keeping this one.”

“Do you know what it means? This symbol?” Tian traced it with her finger.

“I don’t think it means anything. Not everything does, does it? Look, it’s nothing. Just a part of a female’s dressing room. That’s why it’s so fancy.” He almost snatched it from Tian and put it in his pocket. “It’s pretty. I think the wife would like it.”

Hmmm the plot thickens…

Probably THE most wonderful thing about AI art is that it’s finally possible for not-artistic people like me to have the wherewithal to create images of alien species in my SF books. I’ve had a go at creating Yrmaks in earlier versions of Midjourney – but the latest version does a so-much-better job. The images above are very good depictions of my vision of Yrmaks.

Eye of the Mother, first book in the Imperial Agents trilogy, is a good place to start to learn more about Yrmaks. Their society and culture play a large role in the story.

A distant star explodes. The ripples of its passing will rock the Empire.

When fate throws Brent Walker and Tian Axmar together, it’s strictly a business arrangement. She’s an Imperial agent with a problem to solve, he’s a space jockey with an empty bank balance and a tramp freighter for hire.

Someone’s murdering Yrmaks and Humans, leaving a cryptic calling card and a trail of chaos designed to spark war. To stop it, Tian and Brent must delve deep into Yrmak culture—and into danger.

As the conspiracy unravels, loyalty, love, and the fate of two species hang in the balance. Before it’s over, both will face choices that will change them forever.