Harmagian

*For the category of the same name, see: Category:Harmagian*

**Harmagians** are a powerful and wealthy sapient species and founding member of the Galactic Commons. Prior to the Galactic Commons' creation, the Harmagian possessed a vast colonial empire. Their native language is Hanto.

## Appearance and biology

Despite Harmagians' warmongering past, they are noted not to be very physically intimidating: they are mollusk-like blobs without bones. They have yellow skin, eyestalks, and a wreath of tentacles (ending in dactyli) and tendrils around a toothless mouth. Males and females can be distinguished by the spots across their backs. They possess a single muscular foot that they undulate to propel them fairly gracefully through water, however, it is only capable of very slow terrestrial locomotion. To keep up with the other species in the GC, Harmagians use motorized carts. They have extremely sensitive skin and are also known to have very finicky stomachs, necessitating a restricted diet and the avoidance of hot food. They do not have a sense of smell, as they do not breathe. They respire by passive diffusion through their skin and are able to sense chemicals in the air by the same manner (a sense they call *kur'hon*, "air-touch"). They speak using a dedicated airbag/sack-like organ at the back of their throats called a *kurrakibat*.

### Offspring

Harmagians leave their offspring in the care of specialized facilities, where the polyps spend the time they need to develop attached to a rock, fed by a nutrient brine that cradles them with gentle artificial waves. Little buds develop into tentacles and the brain grows until the polyp is ready and detaches from the rock wall. This is seen as its death, as its behavior changes radically, from passive and stationary polyp to an infant Harmagian, that begin to explore their brine filled tanks. At first their movement is uncoordinated, but over time they become proficient in the use of their own tentacles and new bodies. Somewhere around this time their first memories are formed.

Harmagian children are raised in schools and do not live with their biological parents.

## Culture and history

Before the Galactic Commons were formed, Harmagians had a vast empire, enslaving many less technologically advanced species including the Akaraks. After becoming involved in a long, bloody war with the Aeluons, the Harmagians and Aeluon negotiated peace mediated by the Aandrisks, which created the GC. When the Sapient Sovereignty Act went into effect as part of the Hashkath Accords, all the homeworlds colonized by Harmagians were returned to their native inhabitants. It is theorized by an Aeluon scholar that the Harmagians' physical limitations have actually been a benefit to them, forcing them to create more advanced technology and allowing other species to underestimate them, making them easier to conquer.

Harmagians are known to be very rich, working on their ships being one of the best paying jobs for spacers. They also are known to be big sponsors of the arts, Blue's biggest patrons being Harmagian. The style of Harmagian contemporary decor (at least in s193) is bright, bold, and full of smooth geometry.

Manners are very important to Harmagians, especially the relationship between hosts and guests. Guests who do not behave properly are as bad as "petty thieves". The rules for Harmagian conduct are written in a large, tedious volume that most Harmagians are expected to follow.

## Notable Harmagians

* Ghuh'loloan, an ethnographic researcher who visits the Exodus Fleet.
* Lum'matp, the captain of a tunnelling ship in *A Good Heretic*.