Spludd

Spludd is a plant-like organism that produces a fruiting body commonly consumed as a food. The exact origins of spludd are obscure, it likely originated among the old core worlds of the Empire of 1,000,000 Suns, where it is a popular food.

The fruiting body of spludd contains small seeds that are normally eaten with the flesh of the fruit. The spludd fruit (simply called spludd), is reminiscent of bread, of pudding and of meat, combining the textures of all three. It has a unique sweet and savory flavor and is high in both protein and short-chain carbohydrates.

Humans first encountered spludd on New Promise in the hills northwest of New Denver. Archaeological findings in the area suggest that the Convergence had been in that region sometime before humans first arrived in GSC 130.

Life Cycle

Spludd grows from a seed, like most plants. Upon sprouting it first grows leaves and a short stalk, then develops the fruiting body. The juvenile fruiting body is covered in a sweet nectar and pollinated directly by insects without going through the flower stage typical of most plants.

A spludd bud, at this early phase of development the fruiting body is considered inedible due to high levels of tannins.

A more mature fruiting body, this one is not quite fully ripe, but getting close.

The spludd fruit right after harvest.

After cleaning and preparation. Spludd can be eaten raw, or cooked into a wide variety of dishes.

A popular recipe featuring spludd as the main ingredient is this sweet and spicy cake.

Pictures made with ArtBreeder.

Necroderm

The Necroderm (“skin of death”) is a plant-like species endemic to the Empire of 1,000,000 Suns. Most of the time it appears to be an algal mat floating on the surface of the water in wetland environments. Necroderms can survive for years on photosynthesis alone. When anything swims by or through the Necroderm, however, it immediately wraps itself around the intruder, constricting its prey viciously, often strangling or smothering smaller animals. Once the prey is subdued, the Necroderm gives off a powerful acid that digests its catch. If the prey is heavy enough, the Necroderm can survive at considerable depths deprived of sunlight while eating. The particular blend of plant and animal -like traits has led most xenographers to conclude that the species is closely related to the Cielioid race. Necroderms are simple enough creatures that they reproduce by regeneration. If a Necroderm is cut or broken up, each piece will grow into a mature specimen.

Cielioid Evolution

Cielioids evolved from an ancestor similar to tumbleweeds on Earth.  These lightweight bushes would break off from their roots, and be carried by the wind to distribute their seeds. 

Some of these bushes evolved special leaves that could store water and nutrients after being separated from their roots in order to produce more seeds.  As time went on, some of the ancestor plants also developed specialized parts to digest insects, further extending their uprooted life.

In order to maximize their nutrition intake, and do some basic navigation, these plants evolved basic musculature and nervous systems that could move their branches and leaves a bit.  This proved so successful that the proto-Cielioids now spent most of their lives in an un-rooted state, after a short maturation.

Over a long span of time, the ancestors of the Cielioids lost much of their bushiness.  Their bodies gradually became large, single leaves that could flex to take advantage of the wind.  Some of these adapted to airborne life, while others developed basic limbs, torsos, and heads to live on land.

Gradually, the land-based ancestors of the Cielioids acquired an upright  posture in order to reach food sources that were off the ground and to see predators from a greater distance.

The first anatomically modern Cielioids appeared around half a million years ago.  Overall, their development of culture and technology has proceeded at a slower pace than that of the human race.

Cielioid Pilot

The Pilot is a subspecies of Cielioid engineered to effectively pilot spacecraft. 

Anatomy

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Pilots are small and lithe, generally standing between 1 and 1.25 Meters high. 

Their heads are expanded to allow extra eyes, giving pilots 360-degree vision, enhanced depth-perception, and fine-detail perception.  The interior of the Pilot's skull contains specialized structures for protecting the brain from the effects of high g-forces.  A Pilot's brain is optimized for spatial perception and navigation ability, combined with a capacity for making split-second decisions. 

Pilots have two sets of thin, nimble arms for operating multiple sets of controls at once.

Pilots stand on four sturdy legs to help them maintain their balance and stability, even during high-acceleration maneuvers and occurrences of atmospheric turbulence.

Culture

It is common for Pilots who achieve officer-level rank to have cybernetic implants installed that allow them to communicate directly with their ship's systems.  Frequently, Pilots with these implants will become so emotionally attached to their ships that they refuse to leave their posts for the rest of their lives, even in emergency situations or long periods of maintenence.

Exo-plankton

There is a thin veil of life permeating the galaxy.  Most of it is lumped together under the category of "exo-plankton", a term that describes a wide array of simple life-forms found living in deep space.  Human explorers first confirmed the existence of exo-plankton in the mid-2000's, when samples from the asteroid belt were found to contain simple viruses.

General types

• Organic molecules and prions
• viruses
• spores, and spore-like cells
• exo-bacteria
• other plant- and animal-like microorganisms

The more complex microorganisms are typically found near the frost-lines of stars where the temperature is in the range where volatile compounds can exist in liquid form. Typically, in the region closer to a star than the inner boundary of the habitable zone, the more complex forms are absent, with only viruses, spores and molecular types present.

Fire-grass

Fire-grass, also known as "Settler's Surprise", is a short, perennial grass native to the arid regions of New Promise.  Fire-grass has light blue-green leaves, and in the early summer produces small, white flowers.  Its most notable property is that which gives it its name.  The leaves of fire-grass contain a chemical that reacts violently with uric acid, bursting into flames when coming into contact with the substance.  Most animals in the regions where fire-grass grows do not excrete uric acid. 

When New Promise was first settled, several explorers, answering nature's call outdoors, were surprised to discover that they had inadvertently started grass-fires by doing so.  As farming and ranching operations expanded on the planet, extra care had to be taken to avoid the placement of animal-pastures in areas with fire-grass, and anyone needing to relieve themselves out-doors had to be careful of the vegetation. 

Fire-grass became a profitable export for the planet, being sold dried in sealed packets in kits of survival gear, as a means of starting a fire in an emergency. 

Cielioid Centaur

Subspecies Description

The “Centaur” is a Cielioid adapted just to perform manual labor.  This subspecies was first engineered during the 1,000 Years war, when industrial robots rose up against their masters.

The Centaur's form is designed to assist in the carrying of heavy loads, and to perform repetitive tasks.  Centaurs can be found in a variety of roles, but generally perform unskilled or semi-skilled labor.

Due to their higher metabolism rates, Centaurs generally live shorter lifespans than other Cielioids.  An average lifespan for a Centaur is 80 years.

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Cielioid Boxer

Subspecies Description

The boxer is a Cielioid adapted to hand to hand combat.  The Boxer cuts a towering figure, heavily muscled with hands built to inflict the maximum amount of damage, and no head or neck separate from its body.  The biggest psychological adaptations of the boxer subspecies are a propensity for aggression and respect for authority.

Most boxers find employment in law enforcement or the military.  Boxers are also in demand as enforcers among criminal organizations.  When boxers are employed outside of these fields, care is usually taken to place them under the command of a mentor/ boss who they respect, and to minimize their aggression.  Under the right circumstances, Boxers also excel in performing heavy labor, which was significant in the 1,000 Years War.

Boxers generally live shorter lives than most Cielioids, due to their high metabolisms.  A typical Boxer lives to about 50 years old.

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