Ameans

Amean citizen

**Ameans** are a fully sentient minor xenos species, forming an early post-faster than light space-age civilization known as **Amean Collective**, residing on their home planet Cinereth, it's two moons, and two nearby planets, Rania and Leron B6 (Imperial designation) in the eastern part of the Segmentum Tempestus. They have discovered FTL-capable ships based on Imperial warp drive technology, yet their species world's spacefaring fleet counts only a handful of vessels. A peaceful and kind-hearted species by nature, they wish to interact with the galaxy in such a manner. They seek to engage in trade and diplomacy with other civilizations, yet they still possess a formidable military force for the defense of their homeworld.

## History

### Early & Pre-FTL History

History of this species and civilization is not entirely known yet, as, that it seems, they hold some of the pre-FTL, and FTL stage periods of their existence in secret. What is known is they started recoding their history in around early M40. The history is available to access up until the point they reached the industrial-age, roughly at the turn of M41 and M42, where things start to get missing, clearly trying to cover how they reached the space-age, and how they got their hands on the FTL technology. Investigation suggests they must have been contacted by an outside force, possibly Eldar, but it is not fully certain. One of the theories claim a crewless, yet otherwise intact Imperial light-cruiser might have been placed on the worlds orbit for the Ameans to explore and reverse-engineer for their own use. Further investigation revealed the fact that this civilization was located in the path of the original Garon-Nebulae Crusade, and the outside force likely wanted to give the Ameans means to defend themselves, or at least not to go down without a fight.

### Space-age History

After the one-century long period of expunged records, their history continues as previously, albeit still with removed sections describing the development and working their starship and weapon technology. Over the following century, they established colonies on the moons of their home planet, and three centuries later, two additional planets were colonized, and the Ameans became a tiny stellar empire. Another expunged record suggests they were contacted by an outside force once again, which one, however, remains unknown, but it is presumably the Eldar once again. The following entries referred to the further development of the colonies and the homeworld, exploration of the surrounding systems, with occasional expunged records, as well as slow military build-up, social event and research breakthroughs.

Later it was found out it was the Arkists, and their ship called Azumaya, who was the first who encountered this civilization and provided the necessary technology for them to reach the Space-age.

### Encounter with the EPF

Vessels of the Europan Planetary Federation first met the Ameans at 997.M41, and despite the first meeting was rather hectic and completely unexpected, with all weapons loaded and primed, not a single shot was fired. Instead, comms channel from the Ameans was opened and introductions presented, with a reassurement the Ameans do not desire to engage in hostilities, but rather engage in diplomacy and possibly, trade. Europans accepted their offer, which, over the following years, developed into a mutually beneficial trade relationship, and possibly friendship between the two civilizations.

## Population, Society & Culture

### Amean anatomy

The Ameans intelligent, fully sentient carbon-based organisms, reminiscent of the Centaurs from the Ancient Terra mythology.

* Their body consists of two sections, the horizontal part, reaching for up to 4 meters in length, although on average it is about 2,5 meters, to which four very strong legs are attached. Their feet are unguligrade, with soft three-toed hooves. The horizontal section contains the hearth, much of the digestive system which takes nearly the entire upper half, along with reproductory organs which takes almost entirely the lower part of the horizontal section. The skeletal structure runs along the sides nearly the entire length of the horizontal part, although it does not create a closed cage, but rather two half-circles that are only connected to the spine. This is due to stomach and womb size changes, either due to digestion, pregnancy, or both, which can be rather significant, and often even movement-limiting. They are single-sex species, each having both male and female reproductive organs present, although, for the creation of a healthy offspring, two individuals are still necessary.

* Their horizontal body section hosts from the largest part two pairs of lungs in the upper part, and the rest of the organs in the lower part. They have two long hands, each with two fingers and a thumb. Externally, in the front, there are three pairs of mammary glands and a short, yet very thick and bushy mane running all the way down the vertical body part. On the top of the torso is a neck, and the head, with a flat nose, and two flappy hears pointing to the sides. Thick hair covers most of the top and back of the head.

* The skin is colored into turquoise or light blue colour with pink-colored patches on some areas. The skin colour mimics the environment colours of their homeworld. which is predominantly of turquoise colour. Their eyes are deep-black, with very good low-light vision capabilities, although they are, in return, very sensitive to bright or rapidly flashing light.

### Amean Society

Ameans are by nature peaceful and communal species, making them living in close proximity with one another. Due to this, the concept of monogamy, or even marriage is completely alien to them, as well as affection towards another individual (with the exception of mother-child relationship), and they show and feel affection towards their commune, or clan and all their members. This would result in closed gene-pool and inbreeding, and for this purpose, a lottery or a competition amongst the youth is held periodically, whose winners (or losers) are permanently moved to another commune or clan.

Most of the population lives in rather small towns, with one town hosting from several hundred to a few thousand individuals, generally all belonging to a single clan or commune. Each of these towns usually has vast crop fields, meadows, or orchards in close proximity, as Ameans are skilled agrarians, making them grow most of the food the old way, without the use of industrial fertilizers. Despite the Ameans require to eat huge amounts of food (comparable to their body size), they have no need to use such technology, as the native crops, fruits and vegetables are generally extremely nutritious and calory-heavy. Each town also specializes in the production of a specific type of product. This does not mean each town makes only one product, but, for example, a town which is specialized in the production of vehicles, they are supplied with raw or already pre-processed base materials, and all those are processed and used to assemble a finished fully functional vehicle, that is then exported where it is needed the most.

### Amean Government

Ameans live under a very specific type of ideology. They have a small government, that mostly coordinates the economy, production quotas, and transport schedules, as well as the armed forces and the navy.
They do not use any kind of money or it's equivalent, but rather they just pick whatever they require from the stores. They are not awarded by anything for their work, yet they do their deed to support the well-being of their commune or clan, and the race as a whole. The only thing they receive is a requisition chip that has a point limit programmed in, allowing the individual to take any extra goods they desire in any quantity as long at the point cost does not exceed the point limit. The limit varies slightly with the skill and importance of one's job and can be modified during emergencies or shortages.

## Known Inhabited Planets

### **Cinereth**

Cinereth is the homeworld of the Ameans. It is a very rocky planet, with a very mountainous landscape. Sharp rocky spikes protruding from the surface are a quite common occurrence, and it does make the planet look hostile and unhospitable, yet the opposite is closer to the truth, as the valleys between the spiky mountains are lush and very fertile, ideal for agriculture. Whole-day lasting heavy rains and lightning storms are very frequent too, with the flashes of lightning having purple color due to the increased presence of Potassium in the atmosphere.

### **Rania**

A sparsely populated desert/savannah planet, not very fertile, yet very rich in minerals. Originally, the planet was a dead world, only with a somewhat breathable atmosphere and some liquid water. With no native species, the Ameans brought some plants and animals from their homeworld that were most adapted to desert conditions over. Most of the species adapted quite well, yet they are able to thrive only in small regions, mostly around water sources.

### **Leron B6**

An ocean world covered almost entirely in oceans colored in a slight crimson hue, with only several dozen small islands that host the entire stable population, rising above the water level. Due to close proximity to the sun, the planet is hot, and the weather turbulent as well, resulting in frequent storms and cyclones.
Ameans use this planet mostly for the endemic algae collected from the oceans, which is later processed into food, fuel, and biopolymers.

## Relationships

* **Arkists** - It was the Arkists, a human stellar nomads traveling the void in huge vessels that function similarly to the Eldar Craftworlds, were the first to encounter this civilization, and uplifted them into Space-age. Despite Ameans being secretive about this encounter, it is presumed their diplomatic relation are friendly, and the Arkists are likely to return someday. There is no record of the Arkists returning to visit the Ameans after they were encountered by the EPF, although ongoing, yet secretive diplomatic and trade actions are possible to exist.

* **Eldar (unknown sub-faction, likely Biel-Tan)** - Ameans are suspected to have good relations with the Eldar, as several examples of Eldar technology was found on the planet, and the homeworld of the Ameans is likely to be former Eldar Maiden World. It is believed the Eldar allowed Ameans to stay on the planet, due to them being young civilization, under the premise of some form of vassalisation, and conditions regarding the natural state of the planet and urbanization. The possibility of the Ameans being specifically gene-tailored by the Eldar in their early history is also present.

* **Europan Planetary Federation** - Ameans and the EPF have a friendly relationship, with non-aggression pact and free trade opened, although none of the sides are allowed on the planet of the other, so the only chance a human can see an Amean is aboard one of the orbital stations. The two civilizations are mostly trading raw materials, civilian technologies, fruits, spices, and luxury goods. One of the favorite commodities imported from the Ameans are specific kinds of their fruits, especially those with exceptional nutrition values, those with healing and rejuvenating effects on human bodies, and those with high aphrodisiac effects.

## Disclaimer

* Feel free to use this Xenos species as you desire, just, please, don't have them killed or overly brutalized. They are ideal as traders of unusual commodities, scouts or secret agents.
* Please, do not edit this article unless it's a typo, or you want to add entries of your faction interacting with this civilization. Please mind their location and proximity with the Europan Planetary Federation, and relations with the Eldar and Arkists.