Metal Demons

The beings known variously as "metal demons", "Wanderers", and "The Nebula People" are, barring one or two malignant strains under the being known as Mother, are a somewhat large group of nomadic space-farers, descended from the remnants of a planet now devoid of life.

## Appearance

The typical Metal Demon is usually integrated with a power armor of their own design, giving them a bulky look; however, underneath, they are typically impossibly slim, if of human skin tone. Their time in the stars has made them generally pale, but their hair and eyes run the gamut of their visible spectra, including UV and IR.

## History

### Hades

Metal Demons evolved as a partially silicoid life form, along with many other such beings, on the planet they now call "Hades". It should be clear: Hades is dead now. It is barren of all life and atmosphere, and has been for longer than the Metal Demons can recall, even with their most ancient ships.

Depending on which clan you ask, and how spiritual the individual is, answers about what the legends say regarding Hades can vary from "Our goddess pressed herself beyond the veil of stars with all the life force she could swallow" to "An AI went paperclip and everything died."

Since then-- again, depending on who says what and where-- they're out there to "Atone", or "look for a new home", or "rebuild what was once lost", or "were given the blessings of the stars themselves".

### Diaspora

Since this disaster, the Wanderers have lived aboard-ship, never setting down on any planet for longer than it took to ascertain what life there was, and if they could live there. Most often, they have a 7 day limit on loading cargo and do not stay in one place for long.

Theirs is not the only spacer culture; such clans are as widespread as the galaxy and fail to outnumber the stars only by dint of the fact they must all move between them.

But in most inhospitable routes, and most impossible places for humans to travel through, you may find a wandering clan of the Metal Demons, plying space, making good time in the ways their ancestors did.

### Jupiter Empire

Understandably, since the Diaspora, they've had a rather grinding relationship with most planet-bound intellects, who do not particularly enjoy that there's no central planet to take to task, no single head of all clans, and no organization above the convoy level.

The Jupiter Empire proved no exception; as they started to take over the trade lanes from the Metal Demons, they responded as nomads usually do-- they moved on, without papers or other such things. The trek was fraught with risk, but it was no more than another bump in the road. Petty empires rose and fell all the time, out in the galaxy. This Jupiter Empire was no different.

Until the Jupiter Empire declared them, to a one, pirates to be destroyed on sight, when they did not join their forces with the Empire's military.

This, too, was not unheard of; the word spread like wildfire.

But not fast enough. Ships were lost. Clans are mourning. The convoys move to meet in the Great Garden.

## Abilities and Physiology

A Metal Demon is remarkably close to a human, but is denser, owing to heavier elements being used in their biological components. This density gives them remarkable strength and resilience for their size.

being partially silicate themselves, they have a natural aptitude for interfacing with smartchipped or other transistor-based equipment. This is one reason they took to the space-lanes so well in the latter years of their existence; three Metal Demons and a navputer can run rings around some of the most agile ships in the galaxy simply due to the reduced reaction time. While they're not as fast as a Cybertronian in alt mode, they are powered armor and mecha pilots *par excellence*