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The Hra'vakh are a humanoid, spacefaring race from the planet Hra. Following first contact in 2023, they began collaborating with humans in scientific and cultural ventures, and aiding in the exploration of the Milky Way. They are genetically baseline to humans, and therefore cross-species procreation is possible, and was commonplace by 2100. Their government is set up in a tetrarchy, with strong democratic influence.
Hra'vakh recorded history begins in the Shier'akhrita, the Holy Book. It says that Akh, God, created two people, Ielekh and Zaia (whose names translate to "handsome" and "beautiful" respectively). Their task was to name the plants and animals, and they were to rule over all of them. They were free to do whatever they pleased, so long as they didn't eat from e qrata khurka, "the filthy tree", which was in the midst of their garden home. They faithfully obeyed Akh, and he rewarded them with twins once they were wed. The boy had green skin like the trees, so they named him Qratan. The girl had blue skin like the seas, so they named her Sati.
As they grew up, Akh mandated that Qratan should be the protector and ruler of all that dwells on land, and that Sati should be the protector and ruler of all that dwells in the sea. He gave them both "gifts" to aid them in their duties. Because Sati needed to spend time underwater, he gave her gills and kiathie, the ability to communicate without words. Because Qratan needed to spend time not just on the ground, but also in the air, Akh gave him ainethmie, the ability to move objects without touching them.
One day, Qratan was watching his parents interacting. He wondered who his mate would be, and Akh said that it was to be Sati. He was excited because he loved his sister and wanted to share the special bond with her that Ielekh had with Zaia. But Sati wasn't so sure she wanted to go through with it. She felt just fine on her own; she didn't need a mate. So after Qratan told her he was to be her husband, she went for a walk.
She came to e qrata khurka, and saw another man come out from behind it, calling himself Amiek, "Prince". He asked her name, and why she was wandering through the garden. Being more trusting than the rest of her family, she told him everything. He said that she didn't have to take Qratan as her husband, and that Qratan was wanting to take the easy way out. She told Amiek that it was Akh, not Qratan that had made the decision, and he retorted that Akh wanted only to control her, that she was no better than the animals she ruled over. He picked a fruit and offered it to her, saying that all she needed to do was take a bite, and she would be elevated to Akh's level. She refused at first, but then he kissed her. Enraptured, she took the fruit and ate it. Amiek revealed himself then as a khauri, a demon (though it turned out to be Satan himself).
Qratan was heartbroken when he found out, and he vowed to share his sister's fate. He picked the fruit and ate it too. Because of their sins, Sati's blue skin now meant that every time the moons were full she would be in pain to remind her of her disobedience. He wedded them there and then, though Sati didn't love Qratan the way she could: it was out of shame that she chose him. And because of it, the two domains were divided instead of united. Akh gave Qratan gills and telepathy so that he could be with his wife, but she avoided him until the day she died at age 1300, making contact only for procreation.
The children of Sati and Qratan divided themselves by skin color. Those who were blue-skinned continued to live underwater, and the green-skinned lived on land. In lieu of leaders, the two tribes decided to worship the most intelligent species of each domain, instead of worshiping Akh the creator. The water-dwellers worshiped Sat'eah, which means "Mother of the Sea" in the ancient dialect. The land-dwellers worshiped Qra'mathe, which means "Father of the Trees" in the old language. They also believed their parents became the moons when they died.