Thalassans
| Information | |
|---|---|
| Homeworld | Pelagia |
| Habitats | Various stratified levels of the ocean |
| Unique Traits | Extremely varied, but localized to fish and marine animal traits such as fins and gills |
| Writer(s) | Nikki, Arc, Kay^2 |
"Just as every molecule of water has its place in the machinery of the oceans around us, so too is each and every one of us instrumental to the world around us. Study your path well, and let us all do our part to maintain this beautiful operation." — speaker at a Thalassan graduation ceremony
Thalassans are an aquatic, humanoid species that varies widely from individual to individual, due to the explosive genetic diversity of marine life. Many have gills, fins, tails, scales, webbing, and other aquatic adaptations. They are a caste-stratified species denoted by the various depths at which individuals live on their homeworld, Pelagia. They are extremely technologically advanced and have been at the forefront of scientific advancement in known space. Their culture combines an almost oppressive work ethic with a deep thirst for knowledge. As a primarily aquatic species, one would imagine that their advancements would be limited, but instead, the opposite is true. Deeply passionate about their life pursuits, Thalassans are appreciated throughout known space as ambitious and competent in many fields, though their ambitions can just as easily take a dark turn.
Core Worldview
Thalassan society centers around the idea of perfection, and striving to attain it in every aspect of their lives. While there can be many differing ideas of what perfection can look like, resulting from the many different Thalassan subspecies and their priorities, the ultimate goal is to achieve harmony among these goals.
Such perfectionism is quite noticeable in the intense, almost oppressive work ethic of many Thalassans, regardless of their chosen field. Tasks are treated with great dedication, and timeliness is of great value, both inside and outside the workplace.
This passion for each individual's field also places a great emphasis on ambition and progress in one's achievements. Thalassans strive to be the leaders in many fields, though their ambitions can just as easily take a dark turn. On a societal level, this has led to many advancements over time, cementing Pelagia as a hub of technology and research.
Lastly, this perfection finds itself reflected in the overall structure of Thalassan society, where order and stability are established as incredibly important concepts. This reverberates across many spaces, making changes to existing systems often slow to implement in order to preserve existing efforts to optimize them.
Physiology and Design
Common traits found across many Thalassans include:
- Gills in some form
- Specialized sensory organs to allow for detection of electrical fields
- Fins
- Tails
- Scales
- Sharp teeth
- Fish eyes Webbing
- Tentacles and other species-specific features
Diet:
Thalassans are omnivorous, carnivorous, or herbivorous. Each variation has differing diets and nutrition requirements, leading to each city and region having 2-3 different cuisines naturally residing and originating in them based on the dominant Thalassan subspecies/variety.
Size and Age:
Size can vary drastically from 2ft tall (i.e. shrimp-based thalassans) all the way to 8ft tall (i.e. whale-based thalassans). Thalassans have some of the longest lifespans out of the other species universe, but their lifespans mainly are connected to what species variation they are. The average Thalassan lives anywhere from 200 - 500 years old, however some variations of Thalassan genetics are able to live anywhere into the 1000’s, with medical advancements being partially responsible for this extension of their lives.
Common Intraspecific Variation
Thalassans of many kinds can be found on Pelagia and her sister planets, even if there are drastic differences between some members within the same variation category based on what region or culture they originate from. Thalassans can be broadly classified into a number of sub-variations underneath the overarching umbrella of "Thalassan".
- The Tiburan
- This variation dominated in the early warring period of Pelagia. Now they find themselves dominating many fields, being known for their ambition and drive to constantly be moving forward-- whatever 'forward' means to them. This variation is characterized through their sharp rows of teeth, their sandpaper-like skin(dermal denticles), and sharp vision.
- The Neptan
- This variation is the most common, being able to be found in every environment on Pelagia. Being the most common, they are also the most diverse, with extreme differences being found in each region they reside in. This group made up most of the smaller sects of Thalassan in the warring period. This variation is characterized through their scales, lateral line system, swim bladder, and unique abilities per Neptan variation. For example, a Neptan whose lineage traces back to clownfish is able to change their biological sex through natural processes, and a Neptan found in the deeper water would commonly have bioluminescence. Connie Vixen - Lionfish Neptan and famous Pelagia talk show host
- The Crustan
- This variation can be found on Pelagia and every sister planet. They're known as the most adaptable Thalassan variation, being incredibly durable and strong. Crustan are able to live some of the longest lives of any Thalassan due to their adaptability and constitution, but the upkeep required to maintain themselves is extremely expensive. This variation is characterized by their chitinous exoskeleton, segmented bodies, larval stages, and many have only legs and no fins.
- The Koppo
- This variation is not the most common, but it is found in many academic fields, being known culturally for their values on academia. This variation is characterized by their many tentacles, ability to camouflage, their ink sac, and their beak.
- The Valis
- This variation is known for their larger than average sizes and for being especially sociable creatures. Valis tend to form close family bonds and deeper friendships, and thrive in fields that encourage communication and teamwork. This variation is characterized by their blowholes, size, lack of gills, smooth skin, and their many unique sensory organs.
- The Mylio
- This variation is most commonly known for their dances; they can be found in many entertainment fields, using their unique wing-like fins to entrance and entertain. This variation is characterized by their unique wing-like fins, horn-like projections, and a whip-like tail that can be either razored or venomous.
- The Usa
- This variation is known for their many colors and being the most similar to water itself. This variation is characterized by their bioluminescence, stinging cells, and extremely long natural lifespans.
- The Echino
- This variation is known for slow, methodical movements and decisions. This variation is characterized by their spiny skin, regenerative abilities, and water vascular system.
- The Saporans
- This variation is known for living on the few pieces of land that are above water. However, this is not their only habitat, as they are able to live in most cities that lie in the shallower areas of the oceans and lakes. This variation is characterized by their permeable skin, unique hearing, biphasic lifestyle, and their ability to undergo drastic metamorphosis. This variation has many differences, but they are able to live both with other Thalassans and well among themselves. Many Saporans do tend to live further away from standard Thalassan society, leading to complications in social and cultural exchanges.
Social Structures and Community
Early Thalassan History: Early in Pelagia the oceans were separated by fear and differences. The many variations of Thalassan led to such separation that the word Thalassan did not exist for much of Pelagia's history, they used different words to classify each other. This is where the existence of names like: Tiburan, Neptan, Koppo, and all the other names for intraspecific variation came to be as they were used for these separate tribes. Those words are not used often anymore as the more united Thalassan is much more popular, but older Thalassans still tend to prefer the distinction. These early tribes in Pelagia are long sense disbanded, but the ripple of the early waring periods of the tribes still affects modern Thalassan society. Groups like the Tiburon, the Valis, and the Koppo still benefit from their early dominance on Pelagia. The wealth they accumulated in those times still benefits their children and much of society is still dominated by these groups. Even though the world is not swayed by war and conflict anymore, those that are the strongest, fastest, and deadly still have more opportunities. Beauty standards, popular culture, fashion, and jobs still tend to be swayed by those ideas.
Pelagia holds many cities, all at varying depth and location to accommodate the many different variations. Variations that prefer depth and cold live in cities closer to the poles in the many trenches that carve Pelagia's surface, variations that prefer warmth live closer to he equator at floating surface cities. The variations that prefer to live in wetlands tend to live in the more rural patches of land that speckle the planet. However, the capital city of Pelagia named Coralia houses the widest variations of Thalassan and even many Abyssals.
Thalassan government operates as a partial representative democracy. Each member representing their own field, from engineering to arts. The members of this large council of leaders is decided by a series of tests according to their own fields and public voting, the combination is used to decide who would be the perfect pick. Issues and decisions are tackled by this group of leaders, each providing their perspective and view of how to make the perfect decision, this leads to many decisions taking a very long time. Each term of ruling lasts a short 42 years.
Families in the past were communally raised, and given independance as soon as a child was mature enough to make their own decision to leave or stay. Some Thalassans still do this, but a rising trend due to the individualistic nature of capitalism is a more closed off family structure. With two parents raising their children and once mature that child is forced out to begin their own path but still tied to their family.
Religion and Spirituality
Thalassan's desire for perfectionism has left their previous spiritualist beliefs behind, belief in invisible forces like in religion or spiritualism is not popular, but it still does exist. Few Thalassans still truly believe but the most popular form of spiritualism is a form of Animism that revolves around the currents, waves, maelstroms, the sun, and their three moons. They believe each of these things along with other natural phenomena have their own will, that their is intention behind the chaos. That entropy itself is achieved through will. There is no singular name for it but many refer the idea as being one of a "blue mind".
Currents are viewed as the push and pull of energy, a invisible force that will guide you to where you need to go but over reliance on it will leave you lost or crushed. The instinctual push and pull of life guides all, and you must move through those currents of life with intention or else the oceans intentions will overtake you. Travelers that get caught in currents may view it as the ocean telling them where they must go, and so they listen while they are within it.
Waves represent the ebb and flow of life, that no matter how large you scale you will crash back down eventually only to be built back up into the next wave. You are not the individual wave, but the whole ocean. You will rise high and crash down, but there is more rising and crashing to follow. This is a very important piece of Thalassan philosophy as with their long lifespans there is a lot of time to fail, and having the reminder that you will exist beyond those is important.
Maelstroms are violent whirlpools, they represent turbulent intersections of energies. Different wills battling against one another, and while destructive in their wake they cleanse the energies of that region of ocean. The churning of the water revitalizes the area and uplifts hidden things. If you come across one it is advised that you avoid and go around, but provide an offering to ensure safe passage. The contribution will assist in the revitalization of the water after it has cleared.
The sun's heating and evaporation is a large cause of many ocean currents, as well as generating winds, and evaporation driving storms. The sun is a vital part of what causes the ocean to not only move, but live. Solar bodies represent entropy with intent, the intent of these solar bodies generates entropy and chaos in all that it touches, uneven heating generates winds, winds generate random currents, those energies push, pull and react to each till they dissipate. Great movers and shakers that despite their almost divine form, each action they take eventually breaks down. Chaos consumes, but in that chaos there is beauty. A reminder that no matter how large or powerful you are, or how small and weak all actions lead to the same result, ever echoing chaos and entropy. Each individual themselves is nothing more than the energy that came before, every action is outputting that energy that they are, and even long after they are gone the energy they put out will still be moving and transferring somewhere. No matter what even if you die, you actions will not, their impact will ripple through the universe forever. As energy can never be destroyed.
The three moons on Pelagia have immense spiritualistic meaning. The moons themselves create the chaotic and turbulent ocean that Pelagia holds, the push and pull against each other to create unique tides and waves every day. The three moons are sisters, their names are Tirina, Shura, and Mira. Mira represents the reflection of the Thalassan people, a reflection of their intent and will. Shura represents logic and stability, she is known to have the most stable orbit with it barely moving even a degree off the equator for as long as its been recorded. Tirina represents destruction, she is blackened by the ash of many asteroids and she is believed to be the cause of many tsunamis destructive currents and maelstroms. She is viewed to be Pelagia's anger. Each moon has different meanings at each phase with their new and full variations. During a full moon Mira is said to be reflecting the joy of the Pelagian people, and that she is providing them a feast, as hunting is most efficient in the bright light of the full moon. A full moon for Shura means that the oceans will be calm, and that tranquility is approaching. Tirina at a full moon represents a dangerous ocean, and that she wishes to watch as beings are crushed beneath her waves. New moons always have an ominous meaning behind them but are inverses of their full phase version.
Technology and Science
Here you guys can expand. If there's a specialty relating to one field or another, include it. Are they especially good at invention? Chemistry? Biology? You can also add a section for literature and artisinal aspects if you would like.
Traditional Clothing and Fashion
I urge you to think of what would be practical to wear given the species' line of work and environment, but also how the species would choose to dress and accessorize given their biology and physical traits. Have fun with this!
Occupations
The point of this section is to list some fields that this species could specialize in to give people more ideas for their character.
Starships and Space Travel
What does travel look like for this species? What do ships native to their planet look like? Do they travel often? Do they have bustling ports or are they more closed off?
Cultural Quirks and Daily Life
A big trivia section, basically. I'd encourage incorporating animal mannerisms and fun little traits that don't fit anywhere else.
Notable Locations
List important places tied to this species.
Interactions With Other Species
Especially the other species that they share the planet with. You may need to work with the other teams for this. But I'd like to see this section just to foster more player interactions from the get-go. It's easy plot hooks.
Inspiration Images
Add visual references here!
Concept Art
Add actual concept art here, stuff we made!
