The Nakalim are an ancient empire that first rose to prominence during the time of the Endless. Under the guidance of a Lost, Sobra, that protected their home system, they developed at a remarkable rate and their society flourished. They even expanded to other systems, integrating the species they encountered into their empire.
However, when the Endless harvested the Lost for their Dust, the Nakalim lost their patron deity. Without the guidance they had relied on for so long, their development stagnated. As their power waned and their empire began to crumble, they entered hibernation to await their return to glory as was foretold in an ancient prophecy.
Discovered and awakened by Isyander, the Academy has become a valuable ally in their return to power -- and their quest to resurrect their Lost god.
While they have lost most of their territory and infrastructure, the Nakalim retain much of the scientific knowledge from before their fall, so they begin the game with the first two sectors of each Research Quadrant fully researched.
However, having attained much of that knowledge through the patronage of their Lost protector and their faith in them, they are not particularly skilled researchers. Their population generates no Science output at all, and any system output from other sources is cut in half.
Relics of their former empire are scattered throughout the galaxy. The Nakalim can collect these relics and study them to recover some of their lost knowledge, boosting their science production. They can also assign them to their heroes or their empire for various bonuses.
Even after the death of their god, the Nakalim have not lost their faith. They have found an ally in Isyander and support his quest to revive the Lost. Thus, they can construct Temples to the Lost on their planets. As centers of worship, these planets will no longer contribute to their economy, but they will spread their influence. Any enemy system that falls under the influence of a temple can be peacefully converted to serve the Academy, which Isyander will reward with Relics and a tribute of Dust, Science, and Influence paid by the converted system.
Join us on Twitch tomorrow, Thursday, September 5th, at 5pm CEST (4pm BST, 11am EDT, 8am PDT), as we talk more about Awakening. Set your reminder, so you don't forget!