Star Citizen lore: the Xi’an, the patient empire

Calculating, patient, with an extraordinary lifespan: the Xi’an are the oldest and subtlest civilization humanity has met. After centuries of mistrust, they are now at peace with the UEE.

Who are they?

• Reptilian-looking bipeds with four fingers, scaly skin and a face reminiscent of a turtle’s.
• They consciously control their metabolism, which makes them highly enduring on long journeys.
• Their lifespan is immense: some Xi’an from several centuries ago are still alive, including their Emperor.

A society of Houses

• The empire is ruled by an Emperor and organized into great Houses, each in charge of one vital function for the Empire.
• Their ethical code and religion, Li’tova, focuses on the intent and consequences of actions across time.
• Between ages 40 and 70, every Xi’an performs a compulsory Service, both administrative and military.
• Their homeworld, RyiXy’an, was made uninhabitable by a civil war; the capital is now Ka’ua.

A long history with humanity

• 2530: human terraformers discover the Xi’an. A cold war lasting over two centuries begins, full of covert operations.
• 2789: the Akari-Kray peace accord is negotiated; in 2793, the Perry Line Pact ends the cold war.
• 2910: MISC signs an agreement with the Xi’an, giving rise to hybrid-tech ships such as the Reliant series.
• Their age-old enemies are the mysterious Kr’Thak. → Kr’Thak, Hadesians and other species

In game, you’ll see their technology in ships like the Khartu-al, a fighter with petal-shaped wings.

Khartu-al or San’tok.yāi: what’s your favorite Xi’an ship?

The full story: Star Citizen lore: the great timeline, from 2038 to 2956

Sources: the official Star Citizen lore (Galactapedia, Comm-Links) and the community Star Citizen Wiki. Image: Star Citizen Fankit visuals, logos and 3D models, layout by Beacon Mag. Made By The Community. Star Citizen®, Roberts Space Industries® and Cloud Imperium® are registered trademarks of Cloud Imperium Rights LLC.