Solemn

The Solemn are an isolated, technologically primitive race native to the planet Reaper, sealed within the world's temporal anomaly.

## Biology and appearance

Solemn, coming from a low-gravity world, are tall beings. They bear a humanoid body shape, and are over twice the average height of the average human. They also sport lanky, skeletal frames, sickly thin by human standards. Their bodies are fairly weak when compared to a species from a standard gravity world, incapable of resisting high amounts of blunt trauma or physical force. Their blood and other soft tissues contain antifreeze properties, and their skin, while appearing thin and wrinkled, functions as further insulation. Solemn do not require a high calorie intake in order to survive, and are incapable of overeating due to their small stomachs that cannot stretch as far as the stomachs of other species. However, they are capable of digesting many substances that other species would find inedible. Differences between their sexes are near-indiscernible, as both are equally thin and hairless, with only small differences in body shape, the most notable difference being the way their telepathic voices sound. While bearing a mouth that they use to eat, Solemn have no vocal cords, and rather, communicate telepathically, with their telepathy causing audible distortions that sound like a gust of wind. Their telepathy comes off as a form of omnispeak, able to be understood flawlessly by any who hear it, and they are able to mentally translate whatever words are spoken to them, although more in terms of discerning the meaning behind them and not the word-for-word translation. Solemn are highly sensitive to bright light, which can severely burn them. Due to the constant exposure to Reaper's negative emotional aura, which they have managed to adapt to in order to avoid insanity, they are immune to emotional manipulation from outside sources. Solemn, while bearing visible eyes that are reflective, use their eyes for a form of infrared vision, an adaptation they gained to better survive in Reaper's dark environment.

### Habitat

General habitat: Cold

Gravity: Low

Pressure: Standard

Atmosphere: Toxic

Ambient concentration of Celestial Energy or magic: Low; high unholy energy

## History

The Solemn arose on the planet Reaper, a cold world with a star somewhat dimmer than the average sun. They grew tall, and quite thin, with no knowledge of what lay within their star. Due to their lack of proper vocal cords, they evolved with telepathy, an ability that grew to great levels. As the temporal anomaly within their star grew, they could sense it, and see its effects. Their sun was engulfed, soon known as the Eye of Death, now bearing the appearance of a black hole, and Reaper became an even colder and darker world. At the same time, the unholy energy within the planet festered and permeated in the form of an aura of dread and sorrow, and in this damnation, the Solemn named themselves. While able to think and form communities, the Solemn acted as little more than another animal on their world, wandering the rocky plains and scavenging the remains of other creatures. When the Watching One, a demonic being serving as a tactician for the Legion of Sin, arrived on Reaper through a temporal bridge, the Solemn offered no resistance. The Watching One created its base on the planet's surface, and anchored its temporal bridge to its watchtower to bypass Reaper's anomaly. After the Watching One went dormant, other visitors landed on Reaper's surface, of which only a few were able to leave. For those who were stranded, the Solemn would tell them that they are damned, as their entire race is. Most visitors did not last very long on Reaper, except for one, a Britonican Commonwealth astronaut, who survived for many years on Reaper. When the Watching One reawakened to invade Eiel Britonica, a human named Thomas Fru and a Parfinoid named Nara Genopos landed on Reaper, having used the Watching One's temporal bridge to strike it at its source. However, the Watching One had cast them out of the temporal bridge and onto the planet's surface. Solemn, easily blending into the darkness, quickly surrounded them, and repeated to them that they are damned. However, Thomas and Nara ran from them and managed to reenter the temporal bridge. After destroying the Watching One and fleeing back to Eiel Britonica, the first Solemn they spoke to latched on to the dissolving temporal residues, using them to telepathically speak to them, telling them to rejoice in victory, for they have returned to their time and escaped Reaper's damnation.

## Society

Solemn have an enigmatic society, with no formal government and only a few loose communities around Reaper. They mainly wander as nomads, and act as scavengers, taking whatever is left from the catches of Reaperian predators. However, they are also gatherers, and edible plants are often used to barter for permission to stay in a community or get aid in travel. All Solemn display the same gloomy attitudes, a result of Reaper's negative emotional aura, which often comes out as apathy. To those who land on Reaper, Solemn would repeat a mantra of grieving and damnation, especially if said newcomer has no way off of Reaper, although they will leave the newcomers in a short time. Solemn are known to bury the bodies of any aliens who die on Reaper, while their own deceased are entombed within caves, or left to rot on the ground. They know of worlds beyond their own, emotions they cannot feel, things they cannot experience, and the effects of the temporal anomaly. Solemn are technologically primitive, showing no interest in developments, although they can comprehend many concepts of modern species, most notably the nature of a soul, salvation, and damnation. Their interactions often involve strange and unsettling topics.

### General characteristics

Type of government: None

Technology level: Primitive

Proficiency in magic and other abilities: High proficiency in telepathy, immunity to non-Reaperian emotional manipulation

Cultural traits: Perpetually gloomy

Population: 11 million