Etherea

In the upper atmosphere of an uninhabitable planet lightyears away floats Etherea, a world of sentient but essentially formless beings who communicate thought via electrical impulse, carrying on a society that has hovered for millenia, drifting minutely toward a new atmosphere, and possibly a new existence.

Demographics

Family groups are connected by the tether of parent-to-parent and parent-to-child. Those tethers are strongest at the early stages of the child being; as they mature those tethers begin to fade, to allow the mature ethers to seek their own opportunities within the society. This may or may not include increasing the family group or creating a nearby family group.
Beyond the family units, those within a particular district tend to have stronger connection/ability to communicate with each other, although those who have enough energy to travel or settle to another district can form connection/communication with those there.

Government

The government is comprised of the leading etherals in each district, as well as the leading Signals; the leaders travel between the districts to maintain and share understanding of the current status of the society.

Defences

Distance is the only true defence; unexpected collisions with other individuals or other beings could alter or potentially destroy an ethereal beyond recovery. Etherea is a relatively safe society simply because the Surface has no known inhabitants, and nothing from the lower atmosphere has ever reached their level. Individually, ethers within close proximity to each other can sense each other; this is necessary for the exchange of energy, transfer of ideas, and also for personal space boundaries.
Etherea devised an alarm/warning system by which designated ethereals use additional energy sense potential impacts or collisions between ethereals; the designated ethereals are called Signals for the communications they “broadcast” to alert beings to potential impact situations before those being are actually within range of each other. This is particularly important in the Forcestream, as ethers are carried along the currents at a speed faster than they would normally move.

Industry & Trade

The major trade industry is in energy generation/conversion. This is needed for an ether’s movement in the world, for “procreation”, for growth.
The secondary “industry” is Thought Exploration. Historical knowledge and scientific ideas are treasured, as there is no concrete form which can maintain these things.
The Undercurrent exchange is of particles, nanites, and energy. This is frowned up, seen as selling of oneself, rather than coming to any mutual agreement of exchange for the sake of family ideals or society’s survival.

Districts

Districts tend to be defined by the focus of the mature ethers:
There are those who feel called to maintain the “fullness” of the society; they focus on generation of new beings.
There are those who value the preservation of Etherea’s history; they focus on communicating their understanding of the society as it has been and the activities necessary for its continued existence.
There are those who desire to solve the problems facing that continued existence; they focus on the exploration of ideas for energy generation/conversion, for security, transportation, and even scientific endeavors that will benefit Etherea as a whole.
The beings tend to congregate together based on their focus, as the proximity simplifies the communication and exchange process. The leading beings of each district travel among the others to try to keep or create connection between them to maintain the society as a whole.

Assets

Energy and Knowledge are the two major assets. Energy is necessary for life, movement, and growth; elemental particles define the “person” or form, but can become a detriment if they begin to weigh the being down so that it can no longer keep up with the society/world.

Guilds and Factions

Several factions exist based on the different beliefs in an “afterlife” for the ethereals.
Some believe there is nothing for an ether who falls below the curren atmosphere — it is torn apart by the currents and heavier particles closer to the Surface, its nanites essentially shorting out in electromagnetic debris.
Others believe that continued existence is possible, but debate at what level that existence is achieved.

Type

Ecumenopolis

Inhabitant Demonym

Ethereals (Ethers)