Abyssal

Abyssal

Information
Homeworld	Pelagia
Habitats	The abyssal (ha, get it) depths of Noct Stratum
Unique Traits	Sharp teeth, several sensory organs, elongated/digitigrade limbs, tails, bioluminescent patterns, deep-sea creature appearance
Writer(s)	Cristi, Arc

"Let the darkness flow around you. Only by knowing nothing can you truly begin to understand." — Unknown individual, likely a devotee of the Stranger

The Abyssal are a mysterious species that lurk in the depths of Noct Stratum on Pelagia. Their appearances are similar to those of deep sea creatures (resembling things like sea slugs and larger predators), with common traits including bioluminescent patterning and toothy, jagged smiles. Typically more solitary beings, they tend to float around and mind their own business, relishing the vast unknown around them and often disliking when their business is intruded upon. Owing to exceptional neural adaptability, most Abyssal have an innate ability for mimicry and a near-photographic memory, making them ideal behind-the-scenes operatives, keepers of information, and grunt workers, though many delve into countless other fields which they find interest in, often leaning into their attachment to the magical and occult. Though they share many fundamental similarities with the Thalassans in Pelagia's upper layers, the differences between the two are the source of notable tension. As a result, the Abyssal lead a somewhat marginalized existence, often forced into the shadows when outside the depths, which act as one of the few places where they can exist comfortably.

History

The Abyssal have existed for almost as long as the Thalassans have, though they haven’t always existed together. During the planet’s foundational days, only the Lucent Stratum and Twilight Stratum sectors existed, as going any lower was deemed dangerous to life. Most lived closer to the surface, but those who lived towards the bottom of Twilight Stratum (and closer to what would later become Noct Stratum), began evolving and adapting to their environment over the years. They began to adapt to the darkness, gaining more features that deep sea animals would have, and appearing akin to predators–noticeably different than common Thalassans, but not different enough to call for separation.

As more time passed and differences became more noticeable, their senses were becoming less adapted to the surface, and some Thalassans began to treat them differently, and slowly began to be cast aside from society. Driven by the desire to belong, many of these Not-Thalassans began to delve deeper instead, in order to properly sustain themselves and exist in a comfortable environment. This dive was also encouraged by the discovery of Pelagia’s radioactive core, which many Abyssal were curious to discover. Once Noct Stratum was established as a sector and the first cities and towns were built is when the separation began. Their traits began to evolve and change due to pressure changes and long-term exposure to radiation, and after years of existing in the depths they were different enough to be another species. This is when the distinction between a Thalassan and an Abyssal was created.

It’s important to note that the separation between Thalassans and Abyssal was not because of their marginalization. The Thalassans valued technological evolution and expansion, while the Abyssal valued discovery and expression of self. The Thalassans wanted order, while the Abyssal desired to free themselves from those confines of order. This conflict in views is what drove the rift between the two species, and the physiological evolution of the Abyssal is what drove to the eventual separation between the two. Most Abyssal never cared for opinions of the Thalassans, and simply fled to Noct Stratum for their own comfort and safety, and because they didn’t agree with the Thalassan lifestyle. It’s less of a case of oppressor and victim, and more a case of inevitable cultural separation.

Core Worldview

The Abyssal are driven by a curiosity for the mysterious and unknown, finding solace in things that aren’t easily understood and considered complex. Each Abyssal believes in their own philosophy and ideas, always pursuing the things that interest them with unwavering determination.

They aren’t notably judgemental towards each other but they are adverse to Thalassans, often avoiding them, either out of fear of being mistreated or out of distaste for their order. They lean towards discovery more than conformity (order vs. chaos), which is a rift in connections between the two species.

They often are adverse to being studied and perceived, derived from their obsession with the unknown. This contributes to their mysterious nature, as many do not wish to be studied and categorized.

One of their core traits is their adaptability, which extends to social circles. They are quick to take up worldviews that interest or intrigue them, contributing to their varying and unknown nature. They’re known to travel to many Spheres outside of Pelagia, seeking more discoveries and knowledge, and often don the appearances and worldviews of these communities.

Physiology and Design

The Abyssal tend to have appearances similar to that of deep sea creatures, most commonly sea slugs. They are tall and relatively humanoid in appearance, with some elongated/digitigrade limbs that give them a strange shape. Features can include some of the following:

An example of an Abyssal with a lighter coloration

• Slimy skin that tends to be dark colors, but can vary greatly in color. Could range from pitch black to neon colors
• No hair, but can have bits of skin/sensory organs that appear like hair
• Cold blooded, slow heart beat, fast metabolism (with a very varied diet)
• Small degree of resistance to radioactivity
• Light skeletal system that is more like cartilage at times, which allows them to squeeze through some places a bit more
• Digitigrade legs, elongated arms, two pairs of arms
• Sharp teeth. Several rows of teeth at times, and long/forked tongues
• Gills on places like neck and/or ribcage
• Some have eyes that are either almost impossible to see or big beacons of light (like anglerfish)
• Several sensory organs (rhinophores, cerata, ears, etc.). They rarely have ocular structures, but those that do can exhibit several eyes with incredibly limited vision
• Their main methods of perception rely on electromagnetic waves, echolocation, seismic sensing, auditory cues, tactile sensing etc. Can be a combination of multiple. Commonly sensitive to very bright light
• Tail, or tails for movement. Jellyfish-like tentacles as well
• Fins/frills along their limbs/back/anywhere else to aid with underwater movement, webbed fingers as well
• Bioluminescent patterns anywhere along their body, brightness of these patterns fluctuates based on emotion or could just be manually adjusted
• Incredible neuroplasticity, granting abilities with mimicry and near-photographic memory
• No actual sleep, instead they have rest periods of a few hours several times during the day
• They live long and extensive lives, x2-x5 longer than the average human
  

Social Structures and Community

The Abyssal tend to be solitary, associating with very small groups at best. They’re scattered all over Noct Stratum, often not having any defined cities or towns. The few cities that exist are closer to the surface, in which some Thalassans reside and are often the ones who govern these cities, and Abyssal are not as free here as they are on their own or in other places.

An example of what a small Abyssal Dwelling may look like.

Familial ties are not as maintained as they are in other cultures. When children are born, they are given a temporary name based on an object or virtue important to the parents, and are raised to be independent and self-reliant. Once the children are old and mature enough to maintain themselves and explore the world on their own, they choose their own names, sometimes sticking to the same naming scheme of objects or virtues, or simply choosing a standard name. As such, there are rarely blood-related families living together.

Though they lean towards solitude, the Abyssal who meet and connect hold incredibly strong bonds, and are rather loyal to each other. It isn’t uncommon to find groups of 2-3 Abyssal living together.

The lack of cities and towns combined with the high pressure of the depths makes construction and building maintenance more difficult. As such, most Abyssal that don’t live within the cities closer to the surface tend to make their homes carved into walls; often, it’s unclear at what point the building begins. These homes are decorated with trinkets of things that interest them and bioluminescent plants.

Religion and Spirituality

Most Abyssal have no religious beliefs, often finding it difficult to understand a higher being able to grant them knowledge and answers. They do not believe in artificial gods, nor do they believe the Nullstar to be worthy of faith as it’s portrayed by the cosmos.

In quiet corners of Noct Stratum, however, some begin to worship a figure commonly referred to as “The Stranger”, an artificial deity whose identity and specifics are unknown. Some relate The Stranger to Pelagia’s core, others deem it is a completely separate being. The focus is not on providing answers, but rather finding solace and comfort in the unknown. This structureless, nameless cult is sparse between the Abyssal, worship often being individual, but those who believe in this have an unwavering devotion to The Stranger.

In terms of spirituality, the Abyssal find a great importance in their patterns and bioluminescence. Being the only form of colored light that they can “see” without their senses being overwhelmed, they decorate their homes with glowing plants, paint the walls and roofs of their homes with bioluminescent paint, and show off their patterns as a form of self-expression and freedom. In the deep of the abyss, they greatly value the color and vibrance that bioluminescence brings to their lives. These patterns and colors present themselves in the magic that they use and rituals they participate in. Followers of The Stranger do not follow these practices, and instead cover up their patterns and live in complete darkness.

Another common practice is carving and sculpting statues and monuments of their occupations or practices from stone and similar materials using highly pressurized jets of water magic. Not only is it a way to refine their magical skills, but it’s also a form of worship to their craft and devotion to their practices. These statues serve both as a decoration for their homes and an object for their magic and rituals.

Technology and Science

Though most Abyssal are more inclined towards magic, they can also be knowledgeable and skilled engineers. Most machinery they employ are things that would make their jobs easier, such as drills and cranes. Most machinery tends to be closer to the upper layers of Noct Stratum, as the pressure deeper down makes it difficult for machines to operate and maintain. Machinery closer to the core are more commonly power generators, providing hydraulic power, thermal energy, and some small nuclear plants that draw energy from Pelagia’s core.

Most of their scientific advancements are towards nuclear sciences. The goal is to understand the intricacies of the core, harness them safely, and use them for the betterment of Thalassan technology. These developments have been difficult to achieve, however, as the core’s high levels of radiation are difficult to create protections against, and getting closer to the core has proven to be difficult. Outside of the nuclear circle, scientists often study the plant life in Noct Stratum, which has been used for medicinal advancements and material applications.

Another field of science that’s largely explored is thermodynamics. There are countless thermal vents, geysers, and inactive underwater volcanoes used as one of the main methods of power generation in Noct Stratum and Twilight Stratum. Thermodynamics also play a large part in Abyssal magic systems, and as such, many seek a better understanding of its nature in order to combine magic and technology (a very common pursuit amongst Abyssal).

Traditional Clothing and Fashion

Those that live in the cities and travel to Twilight and Lucent Stratum, tend to cover themselves with clothing that obscures their figure and features. Cloaks, robes, masks, and several layers of clothing in dark colors are the common clothes worn by those who wish to obscure their identities.

Those who work closer to the core cover themselves often, and have some layers of radioactivity protection, either donning the clothes that they wear to the surface, or specialized uniforms for the places which they work in. Lightly armored uniforms with masks, gloves, and boots are commonly seen. Those who hold occupations further from the core often wear jumpsuits, tool belts, and other less heavy protective gear.

Many others find pride in their patterns and wear light, revealing clothing that shows these off. Things like open-back or open-front shirts, translucent clothing, mesh clothing, and other clothes that show what’s under them. These clothes come in bright colorations, used as an expression of the self. People who wear these kinds of clothes think poorly of those who cover their patterns with heavy clothing and uniforms.

It’s also rather common for Abyssal who move to other Spheres to adopt clothing from those cultures.

Occupations

Most Abyssal stick to occupations within Noct Stratum, very rarely taking jobs in any higher sectors. Typically used to grunt work due to them being adapted to the depths, thus being able to work more efficiently. Construction and engineering work are two main occupations taken. They handle the maintenance of power generators and other similar structures, as well as ensuring no significant structural damage due to pressure happens.

Another common job is those related to Pelagia’s core. Abyssal are often sent to survey the core and perform maintenance on the small nuclear plants due to their slight resistance to radioactivity. Despite this, these jobs still have high casualty rates and are avoided, though most have no choice but to do so regardless.

Those that take jobs in Twilight or Lucent Stratum often land positions in archival roles, serving as information gatherers and keepers due to their excellent memory. Other roles include covert operations and intelligence gathering, despite the Thalassans’ mistrust and aversion towards the Abyssal.

Starships and Space Travel

Their space travel is entirely based on Thalassan space travel, as they have no access to these space ports on Noct Stratum. Their starships take the appearance of sea life and sailboats, and vary greatly in shapes and sizes. The Abyssal often don’t own large ships, and instead stick to smaller, personal ships and shuttles. The ships they utilize are commonly hybrid starships, used for travel both within and outside of Pelagia.

Those that leave Pelagia and integrate themselves into other societies keep their starships despite their cultural changes. Maintenance of their ships can be difficult depending on the location, so it’s common for Abyssal to replace some parts of their ships with easier to find parts and materials, leading to unique appearances of the same starship model.

Cultural Quirks and Daily Life

The spoken language that they use to communicate is a combination of mainly clicks and growls, akin to echolocation. They can also communicate using their bioluminescence, applying a form of morse code and varying brightness levels to communicate.

The younger Abyssal often play a game where they delve deep into Noct Stratum, often near the Hadal Zones, and whoever can last the longest without getting strong waves of radiation sickness wins the game. This is often looked down upon by the older Abyssal, since it’s seen as reckless and dangerous.

The reason why they can’t see other forms of light well but can see bioluminescent light is because light powered by electricity emits a buzz that intervenes with their senses, but bioluminescence is a natural form of light and thus doesn’t emit the same buzzing that other forms of light do. This is why they prefer darker environments illuminated with bioluminescence over brightly lit places.

Abyssal “vision” appears like a faint white veil covering the objects they perceive, more of a texture vision than color vision, the only color that they can see being that of bioluminescent light. For those with no ocular organs, their method of perception fully relies on auditory cues, echolocation, and tremorsense.

Since electrical light interferes with their senses, they can’t look at screens for prolonged periods of time. As such, most have a specialized device that filters out the light of the screen that they point it at, and condenses what’s displayed into the screen into a textured surface that they can see without any problems. This is slightly inconvenient, so most prefer to stick to physical writing when possible or reducing screen usage as much as possible.

Despite their sharp rows of teeth and predator-like appearance, Abyssal are omnivorous and their diet can vary greatly. This includes some Abyssal insane enough to digest small amounts of radioactive material. Consequences are rather obvious in cases like these, though with quick enough treatment, rarely ever results in death or long-term damage.

Notable Locations

Aphokia

The largest and only of two cities in Noct Stratum. Ran mainly by Thalassan officials, the city is a district for research and engineering. It’s the closest city to Twilight Stratum, and as such, its architecture is most similar to that upper sector: large, modernized, dark buildings with high security and apartment complexes for the workers living there, and a lack of color and greenery. It’s commonly used as a middle ground for travel between the upper levels and the Research Sites in the Hadal Zones of Noct Stratum. There are more Abyssal living there than Thalassans, but the few Thalassans are of high authority, and tend to treat the Abyssal as lesser, mere workers. The disconnect between the two species is incredibly prominent and noticeable here, and most Abyssal don’t bother interacting with the Thalassans outside of work. All Abyssal who live here cover up their patterns, and live there solely out of necessity for work and payment.

Kataphos

The other of the two cities in Noct Stratum, and smaller than Aphokia. It was founded by the Abyssal who were fine with living together in larger communities, and it sports drastically different architecture than that of Aphokia. Its location deeper within Noct Stratum makes it so that Thalassans can’t live there for prolonged periods of time, thus making it an Abyssal-only city. While architecture is still modernized, it leans more towards the natural state of the depths they live in, with smaller buildings of stone that look partially carved into the walls and floor that surrounds them. It’s decorated with many bioluminescent plants and colors, making it far more vibrant than its Thalassan counterpart. Kataphos has more areas for agriculture, merchandising, and residential living, making it more of a hub for trade than Aphokia.

Hadal Nuclear Research Sites

In the deepest trenches of Noct Stratum, in those areas called Hadal Zones, there are several nuclear research sites established by the Thalassan government in an attempt to better study and understand Pelagia’s core. Due to the core’s very radioactive nature and the high pressure of the atmosphere, only Abyssal are authorized to go down to these sites. Once again, the architecture of these buildings is akin to that of high-security Twilight Stratum buildings, with large layers of protection and several ports for vehicle entry and exit. Due to the radioactive environment, Abyssal are completely forbidden from entering the Hadal Zones without heavy-duty protective gear, and even more so forbidden from exiting the research sites for any reason. Travel between research sites and out to do maintenance is allowed only through the use of specialized crawler vehicles, modeled to look like crustacean species. Equipped with legs that adapt to the jagged terrain and claws to easily conduct maintenance and resource collection.

Interactions With Other Species

Interactions between Thalassans and Abyssal tend to be strictly work and business related, as the two species’ ideologies rarely ever line up, and most interactions end in more conflict and fighting. The Abyssal are workers to the Thalassans, and nothing more than that. Most Abyssal see the Thalassans as pretentious with their head in the clouds. Conflict is not actively sought out–more often than not, Abyssal try to be more understanding of Thalassans and their points of view, but the contrasting beliefs and ideologies lead to poor connections between the two species.

As stated in the History page, the separation between Thalassans and Abyssal was not because of their marginalization. The Thalassans valued technological evolution and expansion, while the Abyssal valued discovery and expression of self. The Thalassans wanted order, while the Abyssal desired to free themselves from those confines of order. This conflict in views is what drove the rift between the two species, and the physiological evolution of the Abyssal is what drove to the eventual separation between the two. Most Abyssal never cared for opinions of the Thalassans, and simply fled to Noct Stratum for their own comfort and safety, and because they didn’t agree with the Thalassan lifestyle. It’s less of a case of oppressor and victim, and more a case of inevitable cultural separation.

Inspiration Images

Besides the images shown here, there are also boards for clothing references, location references, and spaceship references.

• 
  An example of how Abyssal "vison" works.
• 
  An example of the crawlers used in the Hadal Nuclear Research Sites.
• 
  An example of the devices used by the Abyssal to see screens.

Concept Art

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Playlist + Theme Song

Abyssal theme song, made by Garyth (the goat !!)