Antumbrian
The Antumbrians are a silica-based species capable of living above ground (hence, "above the shadows"), their skin able to reflect and absorb incredible amounts of sunlight and radiation. They occupy a majority of the settlements on the surface of Arkadia, as they are adapted to the extreme environment in both mind and body.
Where are they in your setting?
- Many move to SADRES for work because even commoners and rejects are looked at with more regard there (compared to the Umbrians) and they can get better jobs
- They have limited interaction with the Penumbrians, some of whom don't even know they exist and think they come from Tegas Eisar due to their minority population there
How do they survive in their environment?
- Their tissue is similar to jellyfish and regenerates, so they live longer naturally, with 250 years being an average. There have been royalties who have lived to 900 years, but never over 1000 (Earth Years, do the math for this later)
- They can recover better from head injuries than other species because their brain cells heal, but are still at risk of injury/death if enough or certain parts are damaged. They often wear helmets and other head coverings because of his
- They can't reproduce unless a virus or parasite grows in them, in which the growths start and have to be manually removed and placed in certain types of rock. The new life grows on its own and has to find its own way back.
- They are extremely prone to viruses as organic matter likes to hide in their rocky skin to escape the radiation of the sun, and several types of snails have evolved from living in/on them. Sometimes a fully-formed creature will just crawl out of their body and kill the individual, as they don't feel pain and can't often tell when they're infected
What is their general attitude?
- They seem peaceful and progressive but a lot of that masks a general intolerance for those they consider morally incorrect
- So they have a holier-than-thou identity as "life givers" and "the first real wombs of Arkadia"
- They're anti-colonialism in that they believe the Arkadians are responsible for their exile, and don't mind spilling blood if the time comes.
How do they feel about the other peoples?
- They think the Umbrians are filthy and uncivilized despite how advanced they are as a society, purely due to their consorting with the Uidugenoi and colony structure, and fertility culture
- They find the Penumbrians quaint and too sensitive, and due to the Briar Wall, don't often interact with them closely unless part of Arkadian culture
- They have a tense relationship with the Arkadians because of their history, some are more sympathetic than others, but undertones of post-colonialism exist there
- They actually can communicate with Indifferent Shadows because of their vibrations and are the only species who even tries to understand them - hence why they do so well in SADRES
- Poor eyesight but sensitive to vibrations, so they wear a lot of different stones that they can sense based on magnetism
- Their bodies naturally repel carbon-based things
- They are often seen feeding on old technology for the silica and conductive wiring
- Their bodies burn hot enough that they don't feel cold or pain
Basic Information
Anatomy
Their skin is silica-based and naturally crystalizes, and in the light they reflect sunlight and have a blinding glow. However, in the darkness some of their vertebrae/bones are bioluminescent. From far away, they are able to camouflage their skin to be more fleshlike, however the differences are clear at close inspection.
They are prone to polycephaldy, particularly extra eyes, limbs, and sometimes full heads. Their brain grows outside of their head and forms a lichen-like stubstance which can regenerate with sunlight, allowing them to regrow brain cells. They often wear armor made of their own bones, as they tend to be dense and can absorb extra radiation and sunlight.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
They have poor eyesight, which can often detect infra red and ultra violet light but very little in between. Unlike the Umbrians, who have compound eyes, the eyes of the Antumbrians are more like simple occelli. Their eyes and senses overall however, are sensitive to vibrations. While not much use up close, their long range detection is very good.
Their body temperature is hot enough, even in the dark, that they don't feel cold or pain.
Civilization and Culture
Major Organizations
- Caloris, a city-state inhabited by the Calora people, is their largest and most prosperous self-governing territory. They are very martial and encourage their young to expand and grow their territory. They are closely associated with the Ring of Ruin, supplying a large part of the energy and parts for the Watchers. However, the Calora do not need the Watchers for energy, so there's little bargaining chips among rivals.
- L.U.N.E.D, the research and manufacturing conglomerate who makes and powers the Watchers, was founded by several Antumbrians. Today the company is also invested in by Penumbrians, and is one of the few stable alliances on the planet. This goes a long way to show that the Penumbrians are good negotiators.
Common Taboos
One popular practice among Antumbrians is the idea of "coal mining", which is looking for abandoned craters or buildings on the surface, looting them, and starting a settlement there. This is taboo because they often target places where small Uidugenoi or Umbrian populations are actually living, and chase them out or subjugate them. However, there's nothing culturally wrong with this for Antumbrians so they do little to discourage it.
Antumbria Sulfugea
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