Edora

The **Edora** are colonial, non-humanoid creatures formed of large, specialised zooids. Most Edora reside on their homeworld of Edor Prime, while colonies have been established throughout Edor and neighbouring systems. The species does not exist within any single civilisation or union, rather a multitude of chiefdoms that vary in size from the equivalent of small city-states to continent-spanning nations.

## Physiology

Edora vary greatly in regards to their overall anatomy, although many external features such as fur, colouration, and shell growth are shared by members of the same clan.

An Edoran's zooids are often around a meter in diameter once fully grown. They are mostly independent for matters such as respiration and simple reflexes, the latter through primitive brain-like neural structures. More complex thought is managed by a large central brain; usually one of the first zooids to finish growing. At least one other zooid is used as a lung, circulating air (and thus heat) through the Edoran's body. The independence of individual zooids means that Edora are (in theory) biologically immortal, although their minds can only live as long as each brain that grows within them.

As an Edoran grows, its outermost zooids (such as sensors and manipulators) are gradually redeveloped into internal zooids (for digestion, nerve centres, structural support, and so on). Zooid transformation can also occur in the form of specialisation. Manipulators, for example, can adapt into natural weapons or locomotive structures. Edora can move using the latters either by dragging themselves or rolling. An adult Edora can roll at up to around 55 km/h, but older Edora are generally slower.

Adult Edora can quickly grow external zooids that act as storage organs. These allow them to easily bring back the food gathered in a long hunting expedition, to feed those that can't or don't participate in these expeditions themselves.

The brain of an Edoran releases a hormone to suppress the growth of reproductive organs, preventing reproduction without significant growth. While Edora are asexual, individual zooids have different genders, allowing reproduction to be entirely internal. Children remain attached to their parent until they have grown enough zooids to survive on their own.

Blood vessels are independent of other zooids, along with vessels carrying a bioadhesive that can be release through specialised manipulators. The latter solidifies upon contact with oxygen, and is responsible for hemostasis. Prehistoric Edora made use of this bioadhesive for crude shells and killing parasites, while modern Edora have also used it as a material for construction and repair.

Edora communicate primarily through infrared radiation, using specialised tendril-like zooids to precisely generate heat. Older Edora have been known to grow up to five such zooids, allowing them to communicate multiple aspects of the same thought simultaneously. As they lack a consistent body structure with which to convey emotion, Edora make use of language for this instead.

## Technology

While Edora have a great interest in scientific progress, their reluctance to rely entirely on computer systems has severely dampened this. As a result, there is much variance and disagreement in their understanding of scientific concepts, particularly within the study of theoretical physics. Bonds and rivalries between chiefdoms have only encouraged this, particularly when chieftains refuse to share technology and information gained from more advanced alien civilisations.

The Edora have made much progress in both genetic modification and biomechatronics, and the technology is now both widely and inexpensively available. Synthetic zooids vary from imitations of their biological counterparts to military equipment and heavy-duty load-bearers. Workers augmented with load-bearers require extensive internal cooling systems, and are rarely able to attain a higher status within their chiefdoms.

Modular, adaptable technology is very common in machines designed by the Edora. Ease of modification is generally favoured over efficiency. While individual components are often standardised, the distinctiveness of any single Edoran-built machine can make maintenance difficult for those not familiar with it.

Disease, meanwhile, remains a significant cause of death for the Edora. There is a general consensus among chieftains to maintain this, so as to avoid the potentially disastrous consequence of letting all or most individuals reach a stage where they can reproduce. Nonetheless, many Edora operating outside of their chieftains' influence have been able to utilise their experience with Edor Prime's considerable biodiversity become skilled practitioners of medicine.

As these Edora are by necessity grown large enough to develop reproductive organs, reproduction has to be prevented by artificial means, in most cases through the regular injection of synthetic hormones. Nonetheless, the specialisation of structural Edora for their role means that they are still allowed to reproduce when more are needed. As such, these Edora aren't considered to be affiliated with any single chiefdom, and are easily integrated into other chiefdoms should the structures they inhabit be taken over. Those with developed brains are treated with great respect, sometimes more than whichever chieftain holds authority over them.
**Ether** was the first structural Edora to be grown into a starship, almost two centuries after their first successful spaceflights. Designed for diplomacy and exploration, the vessel was equipped with one of the first Edoran hyperdrives, built with technology acquired from the Aoshanti. The ship and its crew proved pivotal in establishing ties to numerous local spacefaring nations in the following decades. Over the course of its journey, Ether was modified and expanded on several occasions, becoming a jumbled mess of barely compatible alien technology that only it itself knew how to manage.
Ether returned to Edor Prime in 13,971 PR, exchanging its crew for the chiefdom of Ili-of-Fibs, a particularly ambitious Edoran chieftain named after one of the Aldrean emissaries who had made contact with the Edora in 13,930 PR. Ili-of-Fibs encouraged the ship to journey farther from Edoran space, and in 14,003 PR, Ether and its crew became the first Edora to leave the Farside, traversing the Talis Rift.
In 14,057 PR, a number of Ili-of-Fibs' children split off to form their own chiefdom, moving to Hopfenreich with Ili-of-Fibs' blessing. With them came a child of Ether, to be integrated into their home aboard the station. Ether stayed in orbit of Kornhofen until 14,065 PR, leaving to continue its voyage.
Ili-of-Fibs continued to make visits to Hopfenreich aboard Ether, meeting with its children for exchanges of gifts. Both the ship and the chiefdom on Hopfenreich were often visited by other Edoran explorers, and Ether continued to grow with alien technology.
In 14,129 PR, Ether disappeared. It was only two decades later that sightings of the ship began to occur, and with them came rumours of its fate. The stories varied widely - pirates had boarded the ship and killed its crew, only to be slaughtered by the ship itself; the ship had been taken over by some of the technology it had been augmented with; too much time in the void of space had driven the ship to madness - the only facts common to each tale was that Ether had lost it's crew, and viciously attacked any who dared to approach it. The vessel had become a ghost ship, and many spacefarers would claim to have encountered or even destroyed it over the centuries to come.

## Military

While the Edora have yet to develop any dedicated military spacecraft, many chiefdoms operate standing armies. Warfare on Edor Prime has historically been very aggressive due to the difficulty in defending settlements from naval attacks, but over the course of history, the Edora have learned much about the creation of sea defences.

The prevalence of swamps and shallow oceans across the surface of the Edoran homeworld has impeded the widespread development of large ships and submersibles. Airboats and hydrofoils are common among modern Edoran navies, often supported by airships armed with various forms of naval artillery that these smaller vessels cannot carry. Some navies still make use of structural Edora to drive their ships, often as a secondary means of propulsion. Before the development of mechanical propulsion devices, many chiefdoms in regions with deeper oceans made use of sailing ships with massive structural Edora grown into their hulls, similar in function to the submerged legs of some aquatic birds. These Edora made up for their size and weight by acting as food supplies where necessary.

Wars between Edoran chiefdoms are still commonplace, although most are more ritualistic than aggressive. The Edora have a generally peaceful attitude towards outsiders.

The **Yellow Lord** (a rough translation of its Edoran name) was until 11,756 PR the chieftain of a moderately powerful but relatively obscure chiefdom in one of Edor Prime's larger rainforests. Already familiar with the use of poisoned weapons in warfare, the chieftain set out to conquer its neighbours without the need for a direct conflict. Assassins were trained and dispatched, and in 11,756 PR, the Yellow Lord met with resounding success, expanding its chiefdom to a regional superpower. While the chiefdom was faced with significant setbacks as others began to counter their expansion, continued advances in assassination techniques ensured that the Yellow Lord would soon rule over half a continent.
The Yellow Lord's reign came to an end in 11,772 PR, when it was assassinated by one of its oldest children. Thus began the Yellow Wars, a period of conflict lasting over a century, named after the yellowing of the skin symptomatic of the poison made popular by the Yellow Lord's expansion. Neighbouring chiefdoms soon pounced upon the Yellow Lord's realm, as it itself crumbled in civil war. The plants that were used to make their poison spread throughout the continent, a commodity considered to be more valuable than gold. The deaths of countless chieftains left millions of Edora clanless, and even those that could not produce children of their own began to lead chiefdoms as the assassinations continued.
The Yellow Wars came to an end in 11,904 PR. Chieftains across Edor Prime have since come to an unspoken agreement to never again employ assassins. Nonetheless, many continue to produce and exchange poison. Such gifts are symbolic of both a powerful ally, and a dangerous enemy.

## Society

### Chiefdoms

Early Edora evolved in clans with age based castes determining each individual's function. Children were nurtured and protected by their clan, mostly under the guard of the more mature adults. Young adults would act as scouts - particularly during a migration - taking advantage of their speed and size. Most other adults performed tasks such as hunting, and later, tool-making. Older adults often competed to succeed or otherwise replace their chieftain, occasionally (but rarely) making an attempt to form their own clan. The chieftains themselves would tolerate this competition because it generally led to stronger leadership in the future, and as it prevented unity in rebellion. This tolerance would reach a limit when these adults proved able to reproduce, and thus capable of becoming chieftains themselves. Chieftains were supported by their younger relatives in return for protection from larger predators.

Modern Edora have a similar caste system to their ancestors. Children are still nurtured by their chiefdoms, and young adults often serve as scouts in asteroid mining and planetary exploration. Most adults are workers, while older adults continue to compete for power in the aristocracy. Chieftains are no longer relied upon for protection, but still act as the highest authority within their chiefdoms. Modern chiefdoms hold territory varying from a large city to much of a continent, depending on their age, location, and prior success.

### Culture

Although there is much cultural variation across Edor Prime, it is possible to divide these cultures through shared traits. Many chiefdoms follow an honour-based society, in which individuals have much freedom to gain power within their chiefdom through age and prestige. Historic wars between these chiefdoms were occasionally resolved by a duel between chieftains, or even the immediate surrender and exile of one in the face of an overwhelming force. The conflicts themselves were generally very restrained, with limited collateral damage and loss of civilian life. Chieftains are respected and guarded by their children, and the formation of new chiefdoms is often (but not always) empowered by them - leading to incredibly strong alliances. Those that lose their chieftain are integrated into other chiefdoms, although not always by choice. These Edora rarely reproduce or start their own chiefdoms, and as such it is not unknown for a chieftain to be younger than some members of its clan. Power is spread between the most mature adults within each chiefdom, allowing chieftains to focus on ceremonial matters such as duels.

Other chiefdoms have a greater emphasis on personal strength, holding a rigid social structure in which older individuals have a lot of power over the younger serfs. Historic wars have been very destructive, and it was not uncommon for chieftains to lead their children into battle. New chiefdoms usually form through violent revolutions, in which only older clan members can hope to gain more power. Those that lose their chieftain are enslaved or killed. A few ancient chieftains chose to present themselves as all-powerful beings, with varied success.

**Selaphiel Eskarnis Garavon II**, commonly known as **Selaphiel the Bloated**, was a notable exception to this. Selaphiel broke away from its birth clan in 14,345 PR, forming a relatively small and isolationist chiefdom on Edor Prime that would grow steadily over the next few decades. A few years into its reign, Selaphiel came into possession of several Aoshanti long range communications devices that had been lost in the Eugolis Disaster nearly five millennia prior. Recognising the potential of FTL communications, Selaphiel resolved to ensure that this remained a secret, personally consuming the scout that had acquired the devices to honour their achievement.
Over the next century, Selaphiel would groom both itself and three of its oldest children, using synthetic zooids where necessary, so as to make the four of them as similar in appearance as possible. It was at this time that Selaphiel would adopt their Aoshanti name, claiming to be a direct ancestor of Selaphiel Eskarnis Garavon I, the Edoran chieftain who had collaborated with the Empire in 9,612 PR. Selaphiel soon asserted that it was in fact a being of divine power, although without much of an impact - no chieftain had made such a claim for millennia, and Selaphiel's chiefdom was a regional power at best.
In ID.237,329, the chiefdom established two colonies, one on the nearby world of Edor IV, and one on Kador III, in a neighbouring system. To each, Selaphiel sent one of its children with a communications device. Through masterful coordination and near-instant communications, Selaphiel appeared to be omnipresent, governing a united chiefdom within multiple star systems. No longer able to dispute Selaphiel's supposed powers, many chiefdoms attempted to appease it with extravagant gifts, often of land and resources. With these and the valuable goods mined off world, Selaphiel's chiefdom was able to quickly develop an extensive industry, soon becoming a significant economic power.
Wishing to secure its chiefdom further, Selaphiel oversaw the retrofitting of several Edoran transport ships with modified mining lasers and some more conventional weapons. By the end of ID.237,374, the Edoran had control of a roaming fleet of proto-warships that would grant space superiority over the Edor system. Selaphiel continued to expand the fleet, sending the last of its oldest children to lead it.
Selaphiel and its children managed to maintain their act well into the following century. But in ID.237,451, Selaphiel was taken ill, dying the following year. The conspiracy immediately began to fall apart, with the Selaphiels of Edor IV and the Edor fleet both racing to regain control of their holdings on Edor Prime. The fleet was close enough to get there first, and that Selaphiel was even able to covertly re-establish itself as chieftain. But before the year was over, Selaphiel was at war with itself.
The distances involved in the War of Pretenders ensured that it would last for decades, but in ID.237,480, the Selaphiel of Edor Prime emerged victorious, before being killed in a coup as its chiefdom fell apart eight days later. The Selaphiel of Kador III has since maintained amicable relations with neighbouring chiefdoms, although without claims to divinity.

#### Values

Both biologically and socially, Edora are very different individuals to their younger selves. This has encouraged an unusual sense of self, in that they consider themselves more like one might think of one's family than the continuation of their consciousness. Self preservation is thus driven by a sense of duty, and both blame and merit are rarely held over long periods of time.

To the Edora, logic is considered a matter of degree, rather than one of truth and fallacy. This is also arguably a result of their own biology. This biology has also resulted in associations of 'outwards' and 'inwards' being somewhat similar to the associations of 'up' and 'down' or 'high' and 'low' that is common among humanoid cultures.

Modern Edora have developed a great curiosity for the unknown, in part due to the time their ancestors would have spent looking out to the sea. After their first full contact with the Aoshanti, some Edoran cultures adopted ideas pertaining to their reverence of the Etheric Plane. The Ether has since been more universally accepted as a term for Aoshtai or the universe (outside of the Edor system) as a whole, which many Edora consider to be itself a celestial realm.

#### Grooming

In the process of social grooming, carers often eat zooids that are useless to their children. At the same time, similar consumption of zooids can be a means to assert dominance over another, as the presence or absence of particular zooids can determine an individual's role and chances of survival. Edora occasionally offer their zooids as a bond or tribute - an act which can carry much weight if the zooid in question is particularly valuable. Chieftains have been known to consume the brains of their peers when taking control of a chiefdom. Despite the distress that this may cause to the deceased leader's closest relatives, this is a generally considered to be a sign of respect.

#### Fleshsculpting

While practitioners of psionics are uncommon among the Edora, there exists a codification that originated from their homeworld. This codification, commonly referred to as fleshsculpting, is specialised for the manipulation of living biological matter. Edoran fleshsculptors can alter themselves and the forms of those around them, such as by stretching a limb, toughening skin, or even restructuring a body entirely. Learning to do this with some measure of safety can take decades, and usually requires the guidance of a more experienced practitioner.

Many Edoran clans are wary of fleshsculpting due to its harmful effects on the body. Successive adaptations to a single subject makes fleshsculpting easier, until the body begins to shift on its own - unable to maintain a stable form without constant assistance from a fleshsculptor. The removal of zooids that have been subjected to fleshsculpting can prevent this, but not reliably so. Some fleshsculptors have learnt to sustain their own forms subconsciously, but few that are afflicted by it can go long without returning to a writhing mass of flesh and organs.

A particular distrust for chieftains that practice fleshsculpting has encouraged many practitioners to undergo voluntary exiles rather than hoping for chiefdoms of their own. Other chiefdoms ignore such prejudices and encourage the practice. Most prominently, a number of nomadic chiefdoms scattered around Edor Prime's south pole utilise fleshsculpting to extend their reach while affixed to hot air balloons, both in hunting and combat.

Even the the most capable of fleshsculptors struggle to safely perform alterations on creatures alien to Edor Prime. It has been hypothesised that the colonial biology shared by many species on the Edoran homeworld relies on a more subtle form of fleshsculpting, but studies into this thus far have been inconclusive.

#### Art

Infrared sculptures are a common form of art on Edor Prime, in various forms. Early cultures made use of stones, heated either through fire or kinetic energy. The introduction of metal and water as materials led to a series of artistic movements, largely surrounding emotions and abstract themes. The use of water and air currents became more popular with the development of turbomachinery. More recently, the invention of computers has resulted in devices designed to generate mathematical art, and Edoran computers in general are designed to emit heat in a visually appealing way.

Other popular art forms include shells grown or carved into decorative shapes - occasionally embedded with conductive materials for emphasis - and music. Choral 'music' is particularly common, and is generally performed alongside synchronised dances. Some Edora utilize fleshsculpting in their dances, moving their bodies in ways that would not otherwise be possible and sometimes losing coherent forms entirely.

#### Literature

Edora evolved in heavily forested swamps, in which the most dangerous predators were pack hunters. This has led to a strong fear of small creatures, particularly those that hide in shadows. Superstition surrounds tales of imp-like creatures that harass and (sometimes fatally) mislead travellers passing through swamps.

#### Architecture

Early Edoran settlements were usually constructed with either Edoran bioadhesives, or other biomatter (occasionally including their own shells). Most were built on the edges of Edor Prime's shallow oceans, and as such generally consisted of stilt houses. The Edora's organic construction materials has encouraged the attitude that buildings should be developed naturally, rather than built all at once. A typical Edoran city is a chaotic mass of structures covered by networks of walkways. Evolution in environments with heavy vegetation has led the Edora to be more comfortable with long, thin, irregular shapes - a phenomena reflected greatly in their architecture. In larger cities, the space below their stilt houses is often used for various forms of public transport, as well as sewage disposal. These railways and waterways are often enclosed within tunnels so as to improve sanitation.

Although Edoran settlements can seem exceptionally disordered, temperature control is generally well managed. This is largely because of the significance of heat in Edoran cultures due to their infrared vision, as well as the advantage that this heightened sensitivity has provided them with since the earliest of constructions on Edor Prime. Heating and ventilation systems are often designed to have an aesthetic appeal, such as through heated decorations or displays formed from jets of cool air. While most Edora settle for comfortable temperatures, associations between heated surfaces and traces left by body heat have given excessive heat an ornamental value in some Edoran cultures. With the efficiency of temperature control in Edoran architecture, a warm residence is more likely the sign of an Edora that wishes to appear active than one that actually is.

### Economy

Trade is very important to the Edora, and has more often than not been the cause of conflict between chiefdoms. At the same time, it has created very powerful bonds between chieftains. A regular exchange of gifts is an important part of such alliances.

Edora keep other colonial animals as livestock, which are especially useful sources of food due to their ability to function as normal even when zooids are lost. Similar domesticated creatures are also still used both for power generation and naval transportation, often grown around the oars (and other mechanisms) that they are moving.

### Law

While most Edoran chiefdoms lack a fixed set of laws, their chieftains (along with their oldest children, in larger clans) often take action against troublemakers, as well as those that otherwise displease them. The consumption of a zooid is a common punishment, along with imprisonment or exile for more serious crimes. While it is not unusual for chieftains to execute an Edoran that causes them great displeasure, many prefer to consume only the offender's outermost zooids, rendering them unable to sense or interact with the world around them until these zooids have grown back. For a chieftain to delegate the consumption of an offending Edora or its zooids in all but the largest of clans is deeply humiliating, both for the offender, and in many cases, the chieftain itself.

As with the structural Edora grown into starships and cities (who are also thought of as exiles, of a sort), Edoran exiles are usually respected and left alone, even in times of conflict. Most live as nomads, often travelling in groups, while others have laid claim to abandoned settlements, scattered across Edor Prime and its colonies.
The largest of these was originally a small outpost on Edor V, one of the many failures in the initial attempts an interplanetary colonisation in the early 237th millennia. The outpost (which has yet to be named in any spoken language) was resettled by a group of exiles in ID.237,243, and has since become home to over two million exiles, with at least half as many nomadic Edora in temporary accommodation at any time. Power is officially held by a number of local councils, constantly at odds with each other, the surrounding chiefdoms, and the various gangs and smugglers that operate within the city.
Pulling the strings in many of these conflicts is an Edora most widely known as **The Spider of Edor V**. Originally grown into the outpost as a structural Edora when the planet was first colonised, it maintained the settlement in isolation until the resettlement a millennia later. In the guise of a non-sentient Edora, the spider allowed itself to be spread throughout the settlement as it expanded, choosing to observe the exiles until enough were present for its influence to go unnoticed.
Few neighbouring chiefdoms and local organisations have gone long without somehow acting on the spider's behalf, and those that could not be brought under its sway have quickly collapsed. While the scope of its influence has made a degree of exposure inevitable, the spider has taken care to act at odds with itself in order to maintain its reputation as an urban legend, someone who many gang leaders have claimed to be but who never actually existed. Any Edora that has been unfortunate enough to uncover too much about the spider or its activities has found that the city itself can be far more dangerous than its inhabitants.
Between ID.237,451 and ID.237,480, the War of Pretenders provided an opportunity for the spider to spread its influence throughout the Edor system. Aiding both sides of the war with mercenaries and smugglers, the spider managed to draw the attention of numerous chiefdoms to the settlement on Edor V, which itself grew far more wealthy in the process. In doing so, it leveraged the respect Edora have for their exiles and made sure not to favour either side of the war, so as to avoid drawing attention that would be unwelcome.
At the end of the war, a number of gangs and independent Edora acting on the spider's behalf managed to procure some of Selaphiel the Bloated's proto-warships. How this factors into the spider's ultimate goals for its settlement and the Edor system as a whole remains to be seen.

## Diplomacy

### Foreign policy

As a divided species, the Edora have various approaches to foreign policy. Many chiefdoms have chosen to isolate themselves from outsiders, while others send out young Edora to serve as explorers and ambassadors to alien civilisations. Older Edora have little interest in living among aliens, but are often more than happy to exchange goods and services.

Although Edoran emissaries aren't nearly as common as representatives of Aegis' older inhabitants, they can can be found throughout the Cluster. Lacking FTL-capable starships of their own, Edoran emissaries generally travel among aliens, providing a variety of services in return.

Most Edora experiencing regular contact with other species are equipped with translators for verbal communication, often implanted into their bodies. Many older Edoran adults and chieftains adopt spoken names, occasionally as gifts from the aliens that they encounter. Edoran emissaries do the same, although they rarely settle on a name unless in consistent company.

It is said the first Edora to be sighted in Corinanis appeared mere days after the Umbral Desecration that tore the galaxy's etheric plane asunder. The ships they travelled in were close to falling apart (and some did, upon their arrival), but the clans within were concerned only with trading their motley assortment of supplies and trinkets for whatever the locals had to offer. As soon as each exchange was over, they and their ships disappeared. Only later was it apparent that these Edora had been travelling through the void.
Encounters with Edoran voidships have been fairly common in the millennia following the Desecration, and more has been discovered about their society. Each ship is home to an Edoran clan, operating independently from the others, mostly as traders and scavengers. Chieftains of clans that have grown too large will look for opportunities to provide their oldest children with their own ships, sending much of their clans to join them. As with Edoran societies in other galaxies, most clans choose to fit their starships with structural Edora. Either they or their chieftains will study as voidal mages, guiding their ships through the galaxy.
Edoran voidships travel through the void to an excessive degree, some going so far as to lack thrusters for subspace propulsion entirely. The Edora aboard have little care for where or when their journey takes them, save for that they find someone or somewhere interesting from which they can acquire new goods. Edora have been observed to cope unusually well with the harmful side effects of void travel: their bodies have proven to be particularly resistant to physical deformation, and those whose minds are warped by the experience often find one or more of their secondary brains developing rapidly so as to take over.
Most Edora in Corinanis have expressed reverence towards an as yet unidentified entity, which they call the **Hungering Star**. Much of the goods they collect are supposedly offered to this entity as gifts. It is unclear what the Edora receive in return, but they often praise the entity's generosity as a host, and seem eager at the idea that others might wish to join them as its guests. None who have travelled with them to the entity have been known to return.

### Relations

"*That which has been given, shall be returned.*"
"*Unity of form heralds a unity of mind.*"

"*We look forward to working with you.*"
* Aldrean Empire
* Day's End
* Phero Ecumene
"*Fascinating.*"
* Karstedt
"*We have no desire for conflict.*"

"*Look outwards and gaze upon your failings.*"
* Bonds of Kallos
"*That which has been given, shall be returned.*"
* Lommakk Singularity