Electric Orgaff

Illustrated with the use of ArtBreeder.

Electric Orgaffs are bio-mechanical beings found on New Albuquerque and a few other planets in cosmic accumulation zones. While the origins of Electric Orgaffs are unknown, they seem to have common habits and characteristics. They tend to spend time in sunny places in order to accumulate solar energy, and graze on available vegetation. Their bodies are made of a fusion of organic matter with electro-mechanical parts scattered throughout. Inspection under a microscope reveals that the Electric Orgaff’s physiology is shot through with tiny robots that connect and coordinate the biological and mechanical aspects of the creature’s body. Electric Orgaffs are named due to their similarity in size and behavior to an Orgaff, but the two species are not related. Electric Orgaffs are occasionally used as pack animals, though their behavior can be somewhat erratic.

Vorgons

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History

Vorgons evolved on New Albuquerque, (the original vorgon name for the planet has been lost to time) the lone native life-form that we would consider to be properly intelligent. Early in their prehistory, however, a large cosmic impact left their home-world largely arid, and the species which had evolved to live in a tropical, rain-forest-like habitat had to adapt to deserts and scrubland. Life was hard for the early vorgons, and as a consequence, their strength and stature diminished considerably.

New Albuquerque is a rare planet in that it exists as a habitable world in the midst of a stellar graveyard. Many of the planet’s neighbors are white dwarfs, black holes, or neutron stars. As a result, the region is constantly subject to cosmic storms, and is the site of a remarkably large number of shipwrecks. As a result, the vorgons learned, early in their history, to be scavengers and engineers, using the available cast-off materials to maximum advantage.

About 50,000 years ago, during the height of the 1,000 Years war, a fierce battle was fought on and around New Albuquerque by the Empire of 1,000,000 Suns, and the forces of Troniac. The battle of the three moons left many additional scars on the planet, and saw many vorgons conscripted into the imperial army, or subjected to various genetic engineering experiments. Most of the vorgons who live beyond the confines of New Albuquerque are the descendants of the diaspora from this period. After the war, the Empire made New Albuquerque into a scrap and salvage -yard.

Later, the lost colony ship Garcia’s Hope from the newly-formed Planetary League crash-landed on New Albuquerque, giving it the name that it bears to this day. In the meantime, the descendants of the vorgon exodus were gradually spreading tenuously throughout the galaxy, often serving as engineers aboard the vessels of the Nomad Armies and Breakaway States that cut loose from the Empire of 1,000,000 Suns around the time of the 1,000 Years War.

Biology

Vorgons are carbon- and water- based life-forms, like most in this galaxy. Omnivorous in diet, they still prefer a carnivorous cuisine. In desert environs, though, they will eat basically whatever presents itself. They have two biological sexes, of which, only females posses hair (usually black in color). Vorgons tend to be nocturnal in habit.

Names

Download: Vorgon Name Generator for Windows

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“Oh, goody! I jus’ finded this beautiful golden ring jus’ rattlin’ aroun’ out here in the junkyard. Finders keepers!”

The Orgaff

The Orgaff (from the vorgon words 'Orr' - mighty, and 'Gaff'- beast) is a large animal native to New Albuquerque.  Often used as a pack animal, the Orgaff's enormous body and stout legs store an abundance of water and nutrients for long desert treks.  Their habits are diurnal and herbivorous, grazing on whatever vegetation presents itself.

Before the catastrophe that turned New Albuquerque's climate into a desert, Orgaffs were migratory, returning to the same regions each year for mating season.  As the planet dried and Orgaff populations dwindled, they became asexual, reproducing through parthenogenesis.  Wild Orgaffs are solitary creatures, though they can be fairly social when in captivity.

The high hump on the Orgaff's back is topped with a secondary pair of eyes that constantly scan the horizon for trouble while the creature's main brain is concentrated on finding edible plants.

An average adult Orgaff stands about 3 meters tall (2.5 at the shoulder), weighing around 2300 kg. Rare specimens have been found to exceed 4 meters, some weighing as much as 7000 kg.

Orgaffs give off a pungent odor when wet, and to say someone “Smells like a wet Orgaff.” is a not uncommon insult on certain planets, particularly in and around the Vorgon Empire.

Vase tree

Habitat

The Vase-tree is native to the deserts of New Albuquerque.  It survives the arid environment by collecting rainwater (and any animals hapless enough to fall in) in the base of its massive trunk.  Found primarily in the arid regions of the planet's northern hemisphere, some species are found near the southern rain band as well, (whether these are the result of convergent evolution has been the subject of serious debate, but no conclusion has yet been reached).

Handy Vasetree sprite

Anatomy

The vase-tree is dominated by its trunk, which resembles a large vase (from which it gets its name).  The vase is hollow, and is ringed with rows of downward-pointing internal spines (which help it trap and digest any animals that fall in).  The vase typically forms around a single large knot in the wood of the trunk (known as the "navel" of the tree), which is often drilled out by those knowledgeable in desert survival as the fastest way to the tree's water supply.  The upper end of the trunk centers around a large opening that supplies water and nutrients to the tree. 

Vase trees only have a few large leaves that sprout from large stalks coming out of the trunk.  The underside of these leaves is covered (in most species) with a thick growth of vines.  The ends of these vines sprout flowers that then give way to small fruits.  When these fruits are ripe, the vines detach from the leaves.  Many of these fruits are edible to humans, and the various nomads and wildlife of the planet often consume them.

Most vase-trees are between 5 and 10 meters high, although specimens as large as 250 meters are known to have existed when humans first arrived on New Albuquerque.  Most of the largest vase-trees were harvested for wood in the early years after the crash of Garcia's Hope.

Economic value

The wood of the vase-tree is porous, and not suitable for most construction applications, although larger trees have more solid wood, which is.  The wood of even small vase-trees is still valuable for paper-making or fuel.  The fruits (in most species) are edible.  The fruits are typically semi-sour in flavor, yet nourishing, and have become the basis of several dishes in the cuisine of New Albuquerque.  The main economic value of the vase-tree lies in its ability to store water in the desert wastes.

Another use of the vase-tree is the downward-pointing spines that grow in the interior of the trunk.  These are often harvested and used as spears by Vorgon nomads.

The Tale of the Vase-tree

The tale of the vase-tree was a common creation myth among the Vorgon tribes of New Albuquerque.  The Vorgons are also known as "goblinoids", though this name is considered to be somewhat derogatory, because of their resemblance to goblins from human folklore. 

The gist of the tale is that when the gods created the world, they inhabited it solely with plants, the greatest of which was the vase-tree.  Little did the gods realize that the vase-trees would bring forth the Vorgon race (who are claimed to be the parents of all the other animals through a series of degenerate events).  The first Vorgons are said to have climbed out of the trunks of the vase-trees, bending inward the long spikes that vase-trees grow on their interiors, which had previously pointed upward.  This so upset the gods that they sent a great calamity to dry up most of the world's water to punish the vase-trees.

Motor Centaur

To the extent possible under law, Melvin M has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to Motor Centaur. This work is published from: United States.

On the wild frontier worlds of the galaxy, a traveler may chance to encounter a Motor-centaur.  These are hybrid cybernetic organisms created when the upper body of a humanoid life-form is attached to a modified motorcycle.  Typically, the upper body is also modified for increased strength and durability, allowing the centaur to self-right more easily in the event of a fall.

The largest populations of motor-centaurs are associated with the Fractal Legions of Eris, who typically create them for use as cavalry. 

New Albuquerque in particular is known for its roving bands of these creatures.

Saurexian Rock-Toads

The Saurexian rock-toad is descended from common toads from Earth, that were on board the colony ship that crashed on New Albuquerque.  Over the years, these toads evolved to survive the conditions of their new home. 

One of these adaptations caused their cells to produce a chemical commonly used by the Holy Empire of Man in their nano-weapons.  As a result, refugees from the Planetary League, fleeing the Great Reckoning, who had been inoculated with defensive nanotechnology, and came into direct contact with these toads were treated to a bizarre sight.  The defensive nanobots would disintegrate Saurexian rock-toads in a spectacular fashion.

See:  Tail of the Toad God