Fishloin

An aquatic race originating from Pipework, the **Fishloin** are adapted to survive on dry ground. Requiring moisture to live, Fishloin use breathing masks to filter water into their gills. Naturally talented swimmers due to their frills, Fishloin can move fluidly in water, but are slow on land due to their protective gear. Fishloin have a rivalry with the Turyle species and environmentalists, due to their separate approaches on nature and use of technology. Fishloin instead aim to maximize exploitation of natural resources. Though this focus makes them popular for economic focused businesses, natural resources are left damaged in their wake.

## Biology and appearance

Fishloin are formerly aquatic sentient fish. Over time, they have evolved the ability to survive temporarily on land but remain mostly aquatic. Fishloin, being semi-amphibious, have two sets of lungs: their main set is directly connected to their gills, which absorb oxygen from water. Their second smaller set allows them to breath above land. However, Fishloins require breathing masks to survive above water. These breathing masks cover Fishloin gills, supplying a steady supply of water to them via a tank. The size of the tank is limited by the strength of the Fishloin; advanced models have the ability to reuse the same small supply of water.

The frontal fins have limited motor capability. Fishloin feet fins conjoin at the hip. These fins have a ligamental bone structure, with a thin layer of skin protecting them. Fishloin limbs are fragile and break under stress or stronger gravity levels. Fishloin compensate for this by avoiding threatening environments and wearing protective covering.

Fishloin skin is smooth and constantly lubricated. Fishloin scales are too fine to see by the naked eye. When on land, Fishloin need to stay wet, otherwise they dry up and die from exposure. Fishloin bodies attempt to do this naturally over time, it loses the capacity when on land. Fishloin solve this by living near bodies of water or wearing wateroid protective suits.

The fragility of the Fishloin body and the necessary protection means all but the wealthiest Fishloins avoid living on land. The lack of complete adaptation leaves the average land Fishloin slow and unmaneuverable, making them ineffective in most professions. Fishloins are proficient in aquatic environments; their frills and long limbs allow them to cut through water.

Fishloins reproduce through large clutches of 40 - 90 eggs. These eggs often don't survive the embryotic process, with only a few eggs surviving each clutch. Due to this high rate of mortality, most Fishloins are detached from forming relationships, with most reproductive relationships conducted in a business-like manner. The parents care for the hatched eggs temporarily, abandoning them as they reach maturity within two years. Most Fishloins are expected to become independent after this period.

The sex of the hatched egg relies on water temperature. However, the industrial and tropical waters Fishloin commonly live in are usually warmer. Due to water temperature fluctuations, male Fishloins are rarer than female Fishloins. The two sexes look similar to each other, with male Fishloins having slightly less pronounced frills and fins.

###### Sub-Species

The main variant of Fishloin is the Land Adapted Fishloin: common in most moderate environments, Land Adapted Fishloins have the commonly associated coloring and protective coverings of Fishloins. Water Adapted Fishloins live on Bonspity, Mercredi, and Pipework and live almost entirely underwater; they have a more animalistic appearance, with shorter limbs and the inability to stand. Lurker Fishloins live in the depths of Pipework, with dark skin and clear limbs adapted to the lack of light. With their more feral appearance, Lurkers are reclusive, preferring to maintain Pipework's ancient water filtration systems. Swamp Fishloins are extremely rare, with single long-lived individuals sighted in swampy environments. These Fishloins, like the Lurkers, are reclusive and prefer to live alone.

## Society and culture

Fishloins are nihilistic and unattached compared to other species. The Fishloin, with this mindset and their biology, struggle to maintain or create relationships. The necessary equipment needed to survive on land makes Fishloin unapproachable to most. Fishloin struggle with the idea of love, viewing procreation as only a means of reproduction. As such, most Fishloin appear asexual to outsiders. Fishloins instead pursue economic success rather than relationships.

The Fishloin views land as a means for exploitation. This mindset makes Fishloins effective general and financial advisors. As advisors, Fishloins avoid attachment to other living subjects, instead examining how to best utilize something. This leads to Fishloins being encountered at jump gates, governor palaces, and other high-status locations. The Fishloin specie was one of the most collaborative species when encountered by the Cogre; these connections allowed the Fishloin to create a short-lived colonial empire. However, in the modern day, as attitudes shift more towards preservation rather than exploitation, the Fishloin struggle to maintain their former galactic position.

Fishloin, given their limitations on land, are wholly unequipped for combat, space travel, and most other important professions. Even underwater, these positions are relegated to the more limber Dsuids. Fishloins are common in extremely wealthy areas. On Pipework, Fishloins live communities congregated in underground reservoirs. Fishloin structures are kept purposefully barren and devoid of architectural details, as to withstand water damage from flooding. Fishloin stay near their home community but are rarely stationary for more than a few days.

The utilization of natural resources is viewed as an art by the Fishloin. Though they have never led an effort as massive a scale as Pipework, Fishloins are employed in construction efforts and industrial areas. Despite Pipework bringing the initial fame of the specie, many Fishloin view the planet as a negative for them, bringing to attention the environmental side effects of Fishloin practices. Scientists estimate that the polluted water of Pipework and of Fishloin areas in general, have negative effects on the Fishloin biology. The mortality rate of Fishloin eggs have risen over prolonged exposure to polluted water, with some Fishloin claiming infertility. Though most Fishloin ignore the issue, it has led to some rethinking their cultural mindset.

The Fishloin mindset and history has led to contention with other species: despite collaboration with the early Cogre and Orspeer empires, many species view the Fishloin as selfish and cold. The Turyle and Tediberian species, the former once colonized by the Fishloin and the latter in conflict over environmental views, are vocally opposed to Fishloin practices. Their beliefs and cultural attachment to nature leads to constant conflicts with Fishloin expansion efforts or even with companies openly hiring Fishloin employees. These detractors point to Pipework and Mercredi as examples of Fishloin methods, staging protests at Fishloin affiliated companies or debates with Fishloin industrialists.

Fishloin society is dominated by the female members, as they control the population and future of the specie. Males, rarer in numbers, are relegated to minor manual tasks, while the females control the trade network, politics, and interspecies relationships.

## History

Fishloin evolved from a nocturnal aquatic specie that lived in flooded reservoirs. The first movements above ground were by cartographers, mapping out the planet of Pipework, to draw basic estimations of the underwater cavern system. Fishloin utilized cylindrical passages to expand.

The issues with the high mortality rate of the Fishloin clutches became apparent. Without near constant breeding cycles, Fishloin populations were rarely enough to expand their territory planet wide. The first connection with Pipework's oceans occurred simultaneously with the discovery of converting waterpower to electricity. These two discoveries preceded an era of Fishloin expansion and flourishment. The Fishloin expanded overseas, necessitating the need for pipe array expansions.

These new continents supplied enough resources to begin the massive construction process of overseas pipe networks. This massive expansion of the pipe network came at the cost of the environment of Pipework. At the time minimal required protective gear was designed, the Fishloin contacted the Cogre. The Cogre, seeing the effective resource development processes of the Fishloin, introduced space travel and assisted in the development of protective technologies.

Alongside the Cogre and Orspeer, the Fishloin served as a lesser member of the newly burgeoning empire, with a single Fishloin member a part of the Core Council. To a lesser degree, the Fishloin participated in galactic affairs. Fishloin employed by the Cogre-Orspeer Empire acted as advisors and overseers to new colonies and other species. Still, the Fishloin, like other colonial species, were second class citizens within the empire. During the Reptoid Wars, the Fishloin were employed in-mass by the Orspeer navy, in return for land adapted technologies. Pipework and the majority Fishloin population were unaffected by the fighting but suffered stagnation during the unrest afterwards. In the First Colonic War, the Fishloin were heavily conflicted on their allegiance; many Fishloin resented the empire for exploitative treatment, while others wanted to retain their positions and technology. However, with Pipework blocked from joining the Core Alliance, the Fishloin majority decided to join the unsuccessful colonies during the Second Colonic War. Pipework, blockaded by Core ships, focused on developing itself and emerged prosperous despite losing the war.

Pipework and the Fishloin joined the newly formed Planetary Union. The Fishloin expanded offworld. Contact was made with Mercredi, Akoopa, and Juniper, and Fishloin colonies were established. The Fishloin empire was short lived and faced pressure from other members of the Union. Akoopa, already having faced colonialism through three separate empires beforehand, reacted violently to the Fishloin colony. The technology of the Fishloin proved not enough to maintain offworld colonies. Akoopa was released back to the Turyle, the Juniper colony failed after a power outage, and the Mercredi colony was forced by Union pressure to share ownership with the native Andorrans.

By the time Humans first appeared, the influence of the Fishloin had decreased, with the resurged Orspeer taking their place as economic provisioners. Some hope persevered through the successful work efforts with the Andorran and the continued systems of Pipework. However, the Race War effectively ended both of these: an occupation and scorched earth of Mercredi ruined much of its economic and social worth, and manpower drawn from Pipework to defend the colony strained the systems of Pipework. Reliance on automated systems during a mass exodus offworld proved too much and Pipework suffered from disrepair and structural failures, including the collapse of the intercontinental pipe network.

The Fishloin began withdrawing from intergalactic affairs. Further rescinded support from the Planetary Union and conflict over Humans led to many joining the System of Independent Alien Planets. From decreased fertility, the Fishloin population also began to decline. Despite a Fishloin representative dying in the Parliament Tower bombing, Fishloin remained unpopular on the galactic level and divided among government allegiances.

During the Secession War, Fishloins participated on both sides. The majority of those on Pipework and Mercredi allied with the Planetary Union, despite open resistance on the planets. Before the height of the war, the SIAP staged an offensive against Pipework, exploiting weaknesses in its infrastructure and expecting support from a divided population. The Fishloin did not join the SIAP, rather rallying to defend their planet. The offensive failed, though SIAP espionage continued on the planet.

Afterwards, most Fishloin opted to find remote, safe homes on distant worlds, creating various small settlements. Pipework itself remained in ruins after the war, with most Fishloins, aside from Lurker Fishloins, abandoning the planet to decay. Part of this was from the discovery that Pipework pollution had led to near irreplaceable fertility rates. Even with the increased alarm and the risk of a rapidly decreasing population, the Fishloin have mostly disappeared from the public view. A notable group have polled resources into research on how to revert fallen Fishloin fertility rates, but a lack of interspecies support slows their research.