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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:17:13 GMT -5
THE TRUTH IS OVER HEREA long time ago, mankind was alone - hopefully. It did not last long. Soon after the Pioneer Network was founded more than a millennium in the past, aliens arrived again and again, sometimes twice in a single serving. Some were curious explorers, some were ragged outcasts, others simply defied explanation. Not all were terribly happy to see Set. In the end, the planet became home to dozens, if not hundreds of different intelligent species. Some coexist happily. Some arrived to wipe out all life and are still hung up about it. The following is a list of all major sentient and sapient races on Set. Of note in this topic are two primary attributes governing how an intelligent species behaves. Sociability is considered a measure of a species' capacity to work collectively towards tasks and form social structures. Adaptability is considered a measure of how effectively a species can understand tools and manipulate its environment. These attributes are not considered for individual members of a given species and are applied as an average across the whole. This is an open topic.
If you'd like to invent a new intelligent species, feel free to post it here! Since space is a big, wide-open place, just about anything's possible. Go nuts! In addition, if you've got something more in-depth than a quick summary, be sure to post a separate topic. Put a post in here with a quick synopsis and a link to your topic. Check some of the core species for examples.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:18:07 GMT -5
HUMANITYAliases: Humans, Mankind Sociability: 100% Adaptability: 100% Population: Extreme First Appearance: -22 OSC Humanity arose from Earth, in the Sol system, but it is unknown how the human species arrived on Set. Some say that Set was once Earth and that the planet is mankind's birthright. Others claim that humans simply arrived first. Whatever the case may be, humanity is the most populous intelligent species on Set, to such an extent that there is no accurate figure for the total human population on the planet. Likewise, there is no singularly dominant culture on the planet, and many humans carry along mixtures of native customs and old Earth traditions. Of the many species on the planet, humans are one of the few who are fully adapted to Set's biosphere and planetary conditions. They exist virtually everywhere on the planet, from the deepest pits of the Chambers of Myth right up to frigid tundras and caustic hellscapes on the surface. Mankind has conquered orbit and exists in space anywhere from the Comm Slice right up to graveyard orbit.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:18:16 GMT -5
REDWORLDERSAliases: Exiles, Kessam Sociability: 100% Adaptability: 100% Population: High First Appearance: -22-100 OSC It is unknown what planet the redworlders originated from, nor what its conditions were like. "Redworlder" is no more than conjecture based on their relationship with the Cult of Meat. Regardless, redworlders were the second intelligent species to arrive at Set and have inhabited the planet since. Similarly, they are its second most populous intelligent species, though significantly behind humanity. The total redworlder population on Set is unknown due to their high population and dispersal. Similar reasons have also made it difficult to determine a dominant culture. Redworlders are humanoids that are virtually identical to mankind, right down to facial structure, sexual characteristics, and environmental adaptability. They exist in nearly every environment on the planet, with the majority of their population in orbit. Despite this, they are largely incompatible with Set's biosphere and rely almost solely on food and medicine produced from specifically-tailored sources.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:19:29 GMT -5
WHITEWORLDERS
Aliases: Stewards
Sociability: 60%
Adaptability: 100%
Population: High
First Appearance: 100-200 OSC
There is no information on the origins of the whiteworlders. Of the few facts leftover, they are known to have been the third intelligent species to arrive at Set, via the now-missing Worldship. Since then, their species has survived purely as the caretakers and service staff of a great deal of spacecraft and stations. Thanks much to their ubiquitous role as general labor in orbit, their race has thrived even without their ancestral home. It is believed that somewhere between 400 million to 600 million whiteworlders exist in orbit over Set. Due to their limited sentience, they do not have any known cultural practices.
The whiteworlders are tall, insectoid humanoids with vacuum-sealed exoskeletons. They feature six limbs, split between four arms and two legs, and six eyes along the sides of their heads. They are among the few species able to survive prolonged periods in the vacuum of space. In spite of this, they demonstrate poor social abilities, limited personal initiative, and are almost wholly dependent on supervisors for guidance. All known individuals are fully sterile, and are produced directly via cloned eggs.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:19:46 GMT -5
ZASCHIA
Aliases: Martyrs, Grazic
Sociability: 95%
Adaptability: 100%
Population: Extinct (790-860 OSC)
First Appearance: 300-320 OSC
The Zaschia were originally the graz, or grazic, an estimated 1,700 years in the past. When their species' frigid homeworld of Zaschia was destroyed, they exchanged their old name for that of their homeworld and withdrew to space entirely. They arrived at Set as the fourth intelligent species to discover the planet, but were rendered effectively extinct during by the Splinter Wars. Only scattered few clusters of their once-impressive population remain today, at an estimated total of no more than 3,800 individuals. The central culture of the few left is a tame combination of the Space Loonies and that of their lost homeworld.
The Zaschia are large, powerful, headless quasi-humanoids with six limbs, two of which open into four branches apiece. Their bodies are covered in heavy, resilient exoskeletons that afford them an immense degree of protection. Despite their considerable weight, gravity on Set is orders of magnitude too weak for them to inhabit the planet successfully. Likewise, they are wholly incompatible with its biosphere, and only marginally adapted to its temperature and atmosphere. As a result, they have historically lived in orbit.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:20:01 GMT -5
ORSCRUFT
Aliases: Returned
Sociability: 100%
Adaptability: 100%
Population: Extinct (790-860 OSC)
First Appearance: 360-450 OSC
The orscruft were once a spacefaring species that shared an uneasy relationship with the Zaschia. Soon after the destruction of the Zaschian homeworld, the orscruft were targeted on their own home planet and driven into space. They arrived at Set by following the Zaschia and became the fifth intelligent species to inhabit it. They are presumed to have been wiped out entirely in the Splinter Wars. As of the present day, there are no surviving members of their species known to still inhabit Set.
The orscruft were quasi-humanoids with five limbs, three of them legs and the other two arms. They were covered entirely in hardened exoskeletons made of specific mineral formations from their homeworld, which they were forced to synthesize during their time over Set. As descendents of a high-pressure planet with strong gravity, the orscruft could not settle Set's surface. The planet was, for the most part, entirely uninhabitable to them. During their existence, they lived in orbit with the assistance of the Zaschia and redworlders.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:20:44 GMT -5
SORASSANAliases: Scattered Sociability: 100% Adaptability: 100% Population: High First Appearance: 380-550 OSC The sorassan hailed from the high-gravity planet of Xask some time in the distant past. When Set arrived in their home system, they had only tenuously achieved electrical power. Shortly after, Xask was sent spiralling into the system's star, completely destroying the planet. It was largely thanks to the efforts of the Pioneer Network that the sorassan were evacuated from their homeworld before it was destroyed. As a result, the sorassan went on to become one of Set's major intelligent species and have since held on to their place as one of its most populous. Due to their dispersed nature, there is no dominant culture among them. The sorassan are armless quasi-humanoids, with three to seven legs that can function additionally as arms. Of particular note is the significant electromagnetic field generated by most sorassan, which strongly impairs their ability to work with electronics. Due to this facet of their physiology, very few sorassan live in orbit. Otherwise, despite their high-gravity origins, the sorassan have comfortably adapted to life on Set, and are modestly compatible with its biosphere.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:21:02 GMT -5
UNIONITES
Aliases: Seared, Branch N-84, Unity Trust, Jungovist
Sociability: 90%
Adaptability: 100%
Population: High
First Appearance: 490-520 OSC
Far in the past, the unionites were once the jungov, or jungovist, on the idyllic, low-gravity planet of Gorsang. Over six millennia, they shed their natural forms in a steady process of cybernetic transfiguration. Prior to Set's arrival, they cannibalized their home planet and converted its resource contents into the present-day Unity Station, where they continue to reside. Eventually, Set appeared nearby and Unity Station was moved into its orbit. Since then, the unionites have remained an ever-present element of daily life in orbit and maintain a strong population. Their central culture is that of Unity Station, which has fully supplanted Gorsang as their homeworld.
The unionites are small, disproprotionate creatures often described as spiders or slugs, no larger than a human head. Through genetic modification and overuse of cybernetics, they are no longer capable of moving, eating, reproducing, or perceiving the world around them without cybernetic assistance. Resultantly, most are housed in cybernetic cases, often fitted with thrusters for zero-gravity or low-gravity movement. Most communicate through holographic avatars, often based on humans or redworlders. Though loosely compatible with most life on Set's surface, the unionites are incapable of utilizing it.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:22:16 GMT -5
PALEWORLDERSAliases: Betrayers Sociability: 75% Adaptability: 90% Population: Moderate First Appearance: 500-600 OSC The origins of the paleworlders are a mystery. It is estimated that their species became intelligent only on reaching Set. Consequently, they have no recorded history prior to their discovery. The paleworlders were first discovered as corpses aboard a derelict that drifted into Set's orbit. Explorers unknowingly transported spores from the bodies onto other ships and stations, which eventually developed into small paleworlder families. Initially, the paleworlders were regarded as nothing more than vermin, but they were eventually determined to be intelligent and partially incorporated into Set's daily affairs. Despite this, their population has remained low and they have yet to form a culture of their own. Paleworlders are tall, slim, semi-translucent humanoids. They lack traditional sensory organs and instead sense directly by perceiving various stimuli directly through their skin. Most are only partially sentient and display poor sociability around other species or unfamiliar individuals. Similarly, the majority are outright feral and work as packs of ambush predators. They are, however, highly adaptable to their surroundings, and are capable of extracting nutritional value from virtually anything they can eat.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:22:27 GMT -5
BOGLANDERS
Aliases: Harbingers, Siezano
Sociability: 100%
Adaptability: 90%
Population: Moderate
First Appearance: 530-680 OSC
The boglanders are a sub-species of siezano, natives of the rainy, low-gravity planet Kesz. They were discovered when Set appeared in their home system opposite to their homeworld. Though they had yet to develop even gunpowder, the boglanders successfully negotiated their evacuation to Set via unionite scouts. They were spared possible genocide from their more advanced relatives, the dunelanders, and eventually went on to modestly expand on Set. Most share their national heritage as their common culture, that of the partly-defunct Rezqale monarchy.
Boglanders are short, centipede-like creatures that stand at roughly half the height of an average human. Their means of manipulating their environment are three dexterous tongues, which also serve as antennae. The boglanders are noted for their body's gelatinous nature, which requires that they wear pressure suits or maintain closely-monitored breathing at all times. Likewise, boglanders are capable of literally dissolving into nothing more than their vital organs without suffering any permanent impairments. While they have strong compatibility to Set's biosphere, the boglanders cannot readily survive its gravity. Resultantly, most reside in orbit, particularly aboard Unity Station.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:22:39 GMT -5
WAXWORLDERS
Aliases: Heirs, Dasqians
Sociability: 100%
Adaptability: 50%
Population: Low
First Appearance: 580-720 OSC
As with many others, the waxworlders are unsure of their own history. They became intelligent only by inhabiting the forms of an unidentified humanoid species. Through the husks they had claimed, they took on various traits, such as sentience. When they were first discovered, they had limited control of a spacecraft attempting to explore Set. They were eventually integrated into daily life on Set after a long argument on containing them. Their population has remained largely stagnant since. It is believed that there are only 40,000-80,000 waxworlders in existence, most residing in human or redworlder husks somewhere in orbit. In addition, humanity's culture has almost entirely supplanted their own.
The waxworlders are a gelatinous mass of nerve clusters that parasitize other creatures after ingestion. Once taken into the body, they grow to encompass their host's body cavities and begin to feed off of electrochemical energy from conventional nervous systems. By means unknown, this allows them to sustain a form of intelligence and control over the body, even after the host has died and begun to decompose. Despite this, most intelligent waxworlders prefer to die with their original husk rather than move to another body. Limited motor control and technological understanding largely precludes their independence.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:22:48 GMT -5
BLACKWORLDERS
Aliases: N/A
Sociability: 70%
Adaptability: 0%
Population: Extinct (790-860 OSC)
First Appearance: 770-830 OSC
There is no explanation for why the blackworlders appeared, nor where they originated from. Attempts to uncover a motive were largely unsuccessful. For most, they were nothing more than a nuisance and they were never fully integrated into Set's daily affairs. They simply moved inexorably across Set, often times appearing instantaneously wherever they wished to be. The blackworlders disappeared en masse when the Splinter Wars ended and have not been seen since. The blackworlders did not have any known form of culture, but could understand and speak every language on Set. They gave names to all other intelligent species on Set - apart from mankind, who they refused to communicate with.
The blackworlders were energy beings that remain unexplained to this day. They were masses of empty space that absorbed light within their area of influence. They were typically no larger than a human being in overall size, but rarely maintained any coherent shape. They were able to move through solid objects at will and teleport vast distances. It is unknown how they were able to speak or communicate, nor how they could perceive the world around them. It is unknown whether they were distinct individuals or multiple extensions of the same entity. Little much is known about them beyond the scraps of information they conveyed to Set's inhabitants.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:23:12 GMT -5
PSEUDOCRUSTACEANSAliases: Crabs, Lobsters Sociability: 40% (Variable)Adaptability: 25% (Variable)Population: Extreme First Appearance: 0-840 OSC Intelligent pseudocrustaceans were first discovered on Set as a result of blackworlder interactions with various pseudocrustacean tribes. Before then, they had been assumed to be nothing more than animals. Following their discovery, the Native Uplifting Agreement was put into place - and soon earned its name as "crustaceageddon". Despite this, it is presumed that intelligent pseudocrustaceans are one of Set's most populous intelligent species, possibly even outnumbering humanity. This impact is largely mitigated by their limited intellect and heavily-dispersed nature. Pseudocrustaceans are generally low-lying, lobster-like creatures with hardy exoskeletons and strong pincers. Many derivations of this basic structure are present across Set in both feral and intelligent populations. The variety of pseudocrustaceans on the planet is so significant that they encompass the entirety of some of Set's biospheres. As there is no single cause behind intelligence in pseudocrustaceans, any one of these templates could become intelligent at any time.
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Post by Insano-Man on Sept 18, 2018 22:23:38 GMT -5
THIRD INVADERS
Aliases: N/A
Sociability: 90%
Adaptability: 100%
Population: Low
First Appearance: 780-850 OSC
The Third Invaders originated from a yet-unnamed planet covered in sprawling megalopolises. The planet's original conditions are unknown. When Set appeared in their home system - or so it was believed to be - the Third Invaders launched an all-out assault. In the process, many were stranded on Set's surface by crashing ships or lost ground assault teams. These elements of their invading army were cut off when Set departed their home system. They have since gone on to form small, stable communities dotted around the planet. Due to a lack of contact, any form of culture they may have is unknown. Likewise, their actual name is unknown.
The Third Invaders are large, millipede-like creatures flanked by sixteen pairs of legs. They are able to lift the front half of their body up to better utilize their front six pairs of legs, which are adapted for grasping. They cannot see or smell and instead rely on a mix of echolocation and cybernetics to perceive their environment. Since their arrival, they have refused to cooperate or communicate with any of Set's inhabitants. Their ability to survive on Set's surface suggests they are adapted to its conditions and biosphere.
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Post by Silverwing on Feb 23, 2019 1:28:57 GMT -5
LUMES
Aliases: Actives
Sociability: 70-90%
Adaptability: 100%
Population: Tiny
First Appearance: 620-780 OSC
Lumes are an incredibly rare species of A.I that started making small and selective appearances some long time ago. Their presence immediately brought controversy to several organic races around them despite their attempts to maintain diplomatically friendly. A few races sought their expulsion and so the Lumes complied and their brief public presence diminished once again. A Lumes is only seen incredibly infrequently unless one attempts to track down one of their Active Outposts, the location where most Lumes spend their time and manage their diminutive societies. These outposts are only found far away from civilization in remote parts of Set, such as the freezing tundras. They are almost all heavily defended by walls and often they can appear to be abandoned structures to unaware outsiders due to the distinct lack of moving parts, lights, or windows.
The body of the Lumes does not vary much at all from other Lumes, they are all cut-and-copy wedge-headed humanoid bots with semi-skeletal metal bodies that maintain a mostly simple silhouette compared to other races. Their heads have a set of simple slit shaped optical sensors on both sides and a single inch wide antenna clung to the left side of their head. Each personality of a Lumes can be vastly different from another and that is often the only way to tell each of them a part except when the occasional Lumes decides to decorate or paint themselves. They have a very slow way of reproducing, each Lumes is carefully and meticulously made by hand over a course of several months using salvaged and recycled metal from destroyed buildings or vehicles, Lumes rarely reuse the metals found in other Lumes and prefer that the parts of passed Lumes are buried or put into Inactive Storage.
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