Ruby Empire - Ruby Dynasty

The Ruby Dynasty are the direct descendants of the Ruby Empire, which now help to govern the modern Skolian Empire in the Saga of the Skolian Empire series of novels by Catherine Asaro

The descendants of the Ruby Dynasty are all Rhon psions. They can read moods, and even particular thoughts. They were created in a genetic engineering experiment to help power the Locks, ancient devices that control the psiberweb.

Ruby Dynasty members differ physically from the members of other noble Houses, who are mostly dark-haired and dark-eyed, also with swarthy skin. This is because some ancestors of the Ruby Dynasty came from ancient colonies of the Ruby Empire, where people genetically engineered themselves to better adapt to their surroundings. The first Skolian Imperator Jarac was extremely tall (over 7 feet) with golden skin, eyes and hair. Some of his descendants inherited these traits, particularly his daughter Roca and grandsons Kurj, Althor and Kelric. Ruby family members who look similar to the first Pharaoh Lahaylia, such as Dyhianna, Sauscony or Taquinil, are on the other hand smaller than average and slim with black hair. Eldrinson Valdoria, a native Lyshrioli, had violet eyes, fair skin and burgundy hair, which is also true for several of his children, especially Eldrin and Del-Kurj. All Ruby Dynasty members are very good-looking, which is no wonder, as their progenitors have been bred for it.

Once a member of the Ruby Dynasty makes contact with a Lock, they become part of the Triad (formerly a Dyad). A member of the Triad is called a Key. Three types of Keys exist: Assembly Key, Military Key and Web Key. Each Key has to have a unique personality different from the other two as much as possible because two identical personalities cannot coexist in the Triad. So far the title of Pharaoh was always associated with the Assembly Key while the title Imperator was associated with the Military Key.