The House of Jurai is an empire in which great power is wielded by its famaily members through mysteroius trees.With this power the Jurai have laid claim to the largest territory in the Galactic Union. While the number of starts they control are small, the resources they command are tremendous. Nearly three quarters of the homeworld is covered by vegetation and species which are used for many purposes, including shipbuilding and defense. Earth is included in Jurai's domain and is a subject planet.

Royalty:

Jurai roots can be traced to long before the current intergalactic government's existance. Thousands of years ago, several noble families formed a great pirate guild after losing their thrones to various parties. The first leader of this guild was an ancestor of the Jurai. The families slowly intermarried and adopted a more convetional lifestyle, eventually becoming the House of Jurai.

The guild continues to exist in a lesser role and is controlled by the royalty through a combination of intellegence officers and imperial guardsmen.

Trees:

Jurai trees (Ouke no ki) are special, self-aware, plant species found only on the planet Jurai. They have wills and powers of their own, and are distinguished by generation. Tsunami, the origin of all trees, is the most powerful being in the universe, being able to generate wings of the lighthawk, teleport her counterpart, Sasami, and even bring back the dead. Yosho's tree, Funaho, is a first generation offspring. Ayeka's tree, Ryu-oh, is a second generation. These decendents can create up to threewings, but trees further removed than two generations from Tsunami must combine power with other Ouke no ki to form them.

Trees reproduce two ways: through seeds withing fruit, or at special times if they are destroyed and regenerate themselves. Fruit seed germinates only on Jurai, and only when ripe. Special seeds, produced withing the sap, will grow if provided a special planter and activated by a key. Ryu-oh was renewed this way.

Members of the Royal family are partnered with trees during a special ceremony. Trees provide energy, keep memories, and can communicate over long distances for their partners.

Keys:

Keys are special devices Jurai family members use to activate the power of their trees. Each key is unique to a trees partner and cannot be used by someone else, unless the owner allows it. Keys are formed from the combination of crystallized sap and carved bark. Yosho posseses a master key, the Sword Tenchi,capable of commanding any first generation or younger tree and overriding other keys. The master key also concentrates Jurai energy in a blade, which Yosho and Tenchi use for defense. Keys can be any shape: Ayeka's is her headband, Sasami's is trigger shaped, and Misaki's is her ponytail comb.

Ships:

Jurai spacecraft are carved from wood (sources other than Ouke no ki) by master craftsmen usinggiant robots. These ships form the beautiful, if somewhat unusual, Jurai armed forces. Special materials are added to strengthenthe wood frame and protect them. Trees that live on the inside provide power and use their roots to contol various onboard systems.