Elemental Aliens

Species from other worlds or orbital bodies with inherent elemental magic.

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Asterian

Beings made of starlight.

• Lifespan: 200 years
• Diet: Astral fare and energies
• Habitat: Outer space
• Socioeconomic Status: Varies by nation

Asterians appear to be anthropomorphic starlight. Their skin glows like the cosmos if they are in the void of space, but it clouds up to a greyish yellow fleshtone when they enter a planetary or lunar atmosphere. Their fingers are longer proportionately than their hands would indicate, and their flesh fits tightly to their skeletons. Their eyes are star-flecked whether they are in an atmosphere or not, and their hair is made of thin strands of shimmering crystals or metals.

All asterians know their cosmic position from birth. They can live in the vacuum of space without need of clothing. Their bodies absorb cosmic radiation safely, don’t get cold if there is no atmosphere, and adjust their pressure according to the atmosphere around them.

All asterians are attuned to cosmic entities. Most are attuned to a constellation, as defined by the asterian zodiac, but some are attuned to specific stars, star clusters, galaxies, nebulae, even blackholes. Their attunement comes from when and where they were born. This connection gives them different powers:

• Ishaqalamqa, the Fountain of the Universe: those born under this sign have minor telepathy and can innately throw their voices. They are always left-handed.

• Xiqmad Nifzaso, the Breathing Guru: those born under this have the ability to glow in the dark of space. They also have farsight.

• Huwadhaqowad, the Manifest: those born under this sign always know their way home and have stat bonuses in their own territories.

• Hisafiyyidnimo, the Voice of the Stars: those born under this sign can speak to animals and have perfect pitch. They have minor empathic senses.

• Saqsaddexmadexleh, the Tricow: those born under this sign have emotional bonding powers and eidetic memory.

• Masduulaaqii, the Galactic Beast: those born under this sign have loud voices that can be heard in space and can glamour.

• Dirxiweyn, the Cosmic Worm: those born under this sign have the quick-learning edge and can glamour.

• Hanuuniyye, the Navigator: those born under this sign have a perfect sense of direction and greater physical speed.

• Firqadabqa, the Fist of the Comet: those born under this sign are telekinetic and have strange visions.

• Gubjuge, the Distant Observer: those born under this sign can create an aura of silence around them and farsight.

• Qaade, the Bearer of the Deep Cosmos: those born under this sign have supernatural strength and hearing.

• Geezijabay, the Fallen Star: those born under this sign have the power to release a wave of radiation and can reflect energies from their skin.

Asterians control a many countries that span from the Grey Moon to the asteroid belt, with colonies in various spots throughout the star system. They have a reputation for xenophobia.

There are many nations of asterians, but there are seven nations that have the most significance in the sociopolitical realm of the Angeldawn system:

• Aaldasqi: a nation of rovers and nomads who live on ships moving throughout the solar system.

• F’noraph: a nation known for their use of psionic sciences.

• H’qalqi: a nation of far-flung peoples on the outer edges of the solar system known for their complex mathematical esoterica.

• Qeernaxi: the original “star people” and most populous nation.

• Roqasti: a nation on the Green Moon known for their connection to nature.

• Undrasqa: a nation in the asteroid belt known for being slavers.

The Qeernaxi divide their culture between the 12 zodiac signs. These signs are not determined by the time of birth, but the location one is born at. They see the solar system as a massive ellipsoid which they split into 12 sectors that correspond to the flow of energies through it, each of which are directed by the collective logoses of various constellations:

• Ishaqalamqa, the Fountain of the Universe, or the Source: In asterian cosmology, the Source is a fountain that flows with elemental starlight from the center of the universe, and the constellation is a guide to how to get there. None have ever been recorded going there, of course.

• Xiqmad Nifzaso, the Breathing Guru, or the Sage: In asterian cosmology, the Guru is a wise asterian who advised the Manifest on how to reach the other end of the galaxy. He became a constellation rather than die.

• Huwadhaqowad, the Manifest, or the War-Mother, the Warrior-Queen of the Galaxy: In asterian cosmology, she was the first ever asterian, War-and she led her people on a journey from one end of the galaxy to the next, fighting off dangers along the way. She was killed in her final fight at the end of the galaxy and became starlight so she might return to their homeland.

• Hisafiyyidnimo, the Voice of the Stars, or the Starsinger: In asterian cosmology, she was an elven starsinger who became one with starlight when her nation ascended.

• Saqsaddexmadexleh, the Tricow, or the Astral Plowright: In asterian cosmology, this was the first domesticated tricow, who served the Manifest and helped her feed her crew. For his sacrifice, he was made into a constellation.

• Masduulaaqii, the Galactic Beast, or the Dragon: In asterian cosmology, this was the first dragon from Shem who arose into the stars and fed on starlight, becoming a friend to asterians. It eventually became starlight when it ascended.

• Dirxiweyn, the Cosmic Worm, or the Coiled Nebula: In asterian cosmology, this is the lair of the massive Spacewurm, an annelid so vast it is measured in lightyears. There is some evidence they may be correct.

• Hanuuniyye, the Navigator, or the Great Sailor: In asterian cosmology, this is the War-Mother's lover and the first plicator. He became starlight when she did, as he could not leave her side. He is said to be guiding her home.

• Firqadabqa, the Fist of the Comet, or the Fist: In asterian cosmology, this is a warrior who could break through any metal or stone with their fist. They were the one who developed the skills of the miqinchir and taught them to other asterians, and they died in battle at the side of the War-Mother and became starlight. Comets are often seen flying across this constellation, hence the association.

• Gubjuge, the Distant Observer, or the Observer: In asterian cosmology, this is an unknown being who watches the asterians as they travel. It taught them astral projection.

• Qaade, the Bearer of the Deep Cosmos, or the Star-Carrier: In asterian cosmology, this is the massive kujuta bull who carries the cosmos, reflected in the dark sky.

• Geezijabay, the Fallen Star, or the Broken Sword or Shattered Meteorite: In asterian cosmology, this is a Champion of their people who died on Shem and was flung back into the stars.

The sectors are determined by the energies flowing through them, so there is some fluidity to their position, but they tend to be roughly in the same spots at any given time. However, the objects in the solar system are not static and therefore rotate through them. One can determine this by the time period determined by the average time of revolution around the sun, and thus, by time of year, but this varies by object - i.e. a Shem year and an Ane year are vastly different. It’s easier to simply divide the revolution of an object into 12ths to determine the location. Ane takes 250 Shem-years to go around Angelos, so she goes through the sectors every ~21 Shem-years or so, whereas Shem goes through them every month. Because of this, asterians simply discuss the matter by sector and not by time of “year”.

These star signs are not deterministic. Those born in the sector of Qaade have different powers due to the different energies they were influenced by when they were born, but this does not doom them to a life as a load-bearing laborer. It does mean they might be stereotyped or assumed to be such in life, if they mention their sign to others, and there are some systemic prejudices around certain signs - military recruiters seek out those born under Huwadhaqowad or Geezijabay, for example - but there are no laws or rules about what one must do if born under a sign.

Because the sectors are vast - they are a 12th of the solar system - those born under a sign are often clustered together culturally and socially, but Qeernaxi are a people who like to move about. They are astronautical people, and therefore, they move about a great deal during their lifetimes.

The Qeernaxi are not nomadic; they have massive city-states and asteroid colonies. But individually, they move to new locations often in their lives and taken time to travel, even if they aren’t amongst the rich and powerful. Travel among the vast, sprawling asterian-controlled countries is cheap because the ability to travel vast distances is democratized and accessible by almost every asterian. The art of plication, or folding space, is something any asterian can learn more or less easily if they have any other asterian near them.

The Qeernaxi are the most common and powerful nation of asterians, and they rule nine different countries:

• Altaqanamin: a major country in the asteroid belt known for their vast mining operations and expansionism.

• Ezreldaq: a country in the outer moons of Weptaram that are all former colonies of Altaqanamin.

• Ichin’qalzar: a country in the asteroid belt that was once a powerful empire and is now a shadow of its former self.

• Kinzrig: a moon of Kruurach that is a major city-state of the same name.

• Ondlazoriq: a small country on the Grey Moon that is the one most familiar to those on Shem.

• Qeer’gullaem: the homeland of all Qeernaxi and all asterians, a small country in the asteroid belt protected by potent magicks.

• Samindiqa: the massive country within the asteroid belt whose capital is Q’kzaaha, a perfectly smooth mesoplanet in the asteroid belt that has been turned into a megacity.

• Wohaqua: a cluster of space stations and colony ships parked in orbit around the sun between Daialoth and Parsadus that were once a more spread-out set of observation stations for different empires and countries but are now their own close-knit federation.

• Zarbadiq: a small country in the asteroid belt known for their xenophobia and religious fanaticism.

What each of these have in common is their core culture. The Qeernaxi honor their roots as explorers of space, wielders of starlight, and observers of the distant universe. Their art reflects the beauty of the cosmos; their music echoes the electromagnetic drone of the universe; their cuisine is as diverse as the locations they have visited (though tricow beef remains their favorite no matter where they are).

Qeernaxi children are raised by their immediate families. In most countries, they are sent to school around the age of six or seven and graduate from it around the age of 20. Education focuses on basics such as math, astronomy, physics, and history. When they graduate, their path depends on the country they are in.

The governmental and social structures of the nine Qeernaxi countries:

• Altaqanamin: controlled by the mining corporations, Altaqanamin is run by a small group of very rich asterians in financial institutions who own all of the mines within a massive range of asteroids. They are a fascist state that pays slave-wages and have no social programs and colonize many, many smaller asterian countries.

• Ezreldaq: prideful of the fact that they freed themselves of Altaqanamin, the asterians of Ezreldaq tout their democracy while downplaying the fact that it is a patriarchal, racist democracy for the rich and powerful only. They have enslaved the kene and other asterian nations there.

• Ichin’qalzar: a country that is in the early stages of developing a feudal economy, they are ruled by a group of warlords who control the land and still rely on owning slaves as well. The mixture of serfdom and enslavement is a source of conflict, along with the fact that they are under threat from other asterian countries.

• Kinzrig: a major hub of trade in the solar system, Kinzrig is run by a consortium of merchants, traders, and speculators who openly own the politicians who do the work of gulling the people and the police force who keep the poor down. Basically, space-Merukus.

• Ondlazoriq: a country of guilds - Explorers, Navigators, and Shipwrights - who control the local government of a fading aristocracy and rising merchant class. The people are either sailors, artisans, or poor.

• Qeer’gullaem: a country of quartz-crystal wonders protected by a shield of radioactive energy generated by incredible elemental arts, this matriarchal society is the homeland of all asterians. They are ruled by a council of elected elders, own all things communally, and explore the depths of space through incredible observatories.

• Samindiqa: the main rival to Altaqanamin, a major imperialist power run by a more diverse set of capitalists - industrialists, finance capitalists, and military capitalists - who vie through a three-party bourgeois democratic system for control. They rely less on austerity because they need to buy the populace to their side, but they still engage in super-exploitation, especially in their colonies.

• Wohaqua: the Wohoaqu Federation prides itself on its parliamentary democracy and extensive social programs, but they remain an imperialist country with colonies throughout the solar system.

• Zarbadiq: a small feudal state ruled by an aristocracy dominated by a king. They have a land-based economy across multiple asteroids.

The other nations of asterians fit into the wider asterian society in complex ways:

• Aaldasqi: a nation of rovers and nomads who live on ships moving throughout the solar system, the Aaldasqi are seen in a similar fashion to Romani people by other asterians. They are not thieves or mystics (no more so than any other nation). They have no countries of their own, but rove through the solar system. Within their own culture, they live in extended families that strongly associate with the sectors they consider their homebase. They leave their sectors regularly, but always return to “recharge” via a festival held in a specific area - in other words, when a specific asteroid or mesoplanet enters their home-sector.

• F’noraph: a nation known for their use of psionic sciences who come from the outer reaches of the solar system. Their favoring of psionics means they try to be born within the Ishaqalamqa and Firqadabqa sectors. They do this either by intentionally moving to these sectors near the time of birthing, or by trying to conceive during the right time so that they are naturally in these sectors when gestation ends. This has led to some crude jokes about them. They are often exoticized by Qeernaxi and Undrasqa asterians, treated as “model minorities”, and exploited for their psionic abilities. Culturally, they favor learning and psionic skills, a belief that education will liberate them, and an appreciation for obscure information. The only country they are a ruling class nation in is called Darlaqinth on the mesoplanet Xaucha, a dark planet where their starlight is extra bright. This tiny country is more or less a small commune; most of them live in diaspora throughout the solar system.

• H’qalqi: a nation of far-flung peoples on the outer edges of the solar system known for their complex mathematical esoterica, the H’qalqi live in space stations beyond the farthest planets of the solar system, on the far-edge of Angelos’s gravitational pull, and they spend over a century in each sector. Their love of complex math and physics drives their culture; they focus on educational systems. Their country, Galniqin, is the largest spatially, but the least populous, and run by an extensive communications network that doubles as a ruling class - basically, a capitalist communications conglomerate and government in one.

• Roqasti: a nation on the Grey Moon known for their connection to nature; they consider themselves the true successors of the original Qeernaxi and hold onto the matriarchal structure of their country. They live in Ondlazoriq in the wilderness and are seen as basically a series of hippie communes, druids, and astronomic observatories. They are subject to extreme discrimination and oppression by the Qeernaxi and Undrasqa.

• Undrasqa: originating in the asteroid belt, this nation is a breakoff from the Qeernaxi who embraced slaving as an occupation and economic mode, and developed a philosophical and cultural justification for it. They mostly live in their own country in the asteroid belt, a slave-based empire called Undrasqala, ruled by an tyrannical emperor, but they trade with all other asterian countries that allow slavery (most of them). They have a privileged status in most Qeernaxi countries, but they are hated and feared in Qeer’gullaem.

Most asterians worship Qeeridajjham, the Starful Universe, or simply “the Immensity”. Their religious structures vary by country and nation, but among the Qeernaxi, the most common is a sort of mixture of superstitions of the sailors and navigators, nature-based faith, astrological beliefs, and guidance from specialized interpreters of the stars.

PRO 8 ATH 10 STR 8 AWA 9 WIL 8 PRS 8 STH 8

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Eliyana

Shapeshifting alien nomads.

• Lifespan: 200 years
• Diet: Varies by form
• Habitat: The planets of Angeldawn
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Eliyanas are shapeshifting beings who take different forms depending on which planet they are on or near. Within the Angeldawn system, these are the forms they take:

• Colos: magma person.
• Behial: horned alien with broad shoulders.
• Jahur: pink planet person.
• Shem: human with hands and feet backward.
• Salit: rain cloud.
• Kruurach: stone person.
• Avagen: delothian missing facial features.
• Inoxuil: inoxan with the wrong kind of tentacles.
• Gallyneg: pink rabbit.
• Weptaram: kene without ears or antennae.
• Thurudrill: llassar without loud voices and the wrong skin tone.
• Mytoth: ha'ull without enough animal features.
• Daialoth: black yetis.
• Parsadus: empty platemail beings.
• Unim: pink crystal beings.
• Ane: floating marble cubes.

Outside the Angeldawn system, they vary depending on any nearby planet. If they are not near enough to a planet, they retain their most recent form. If they are on the satellite of a planet, they take on the planetary form and operate as if within that planet's atmosphere. As such, they often need the same protections people from that planet need on its moons.

They have the power to adjust to any environment as long as it is planetary. They often gain different powers on different planets as well, mostly reflecting the physical form they take there.

It is said they originated as the planets were forming, and their culture is so ancient none remember its earliest days. They refer to the planets as "houses of the cosmos", and they believe that the planets are reflections of aspects of the wider universe. They otherwise try to adjust to the cultures of the worlds they are on, though they infamously get their forms just slightly wrong.

PRO 8 ATH 8 STR 9 AWA 9 WIL 8 PRS 8 STH 7

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Medhu

Aliens of the system's mesoplanets.

• Lifespan: 150 years
• Diet: Cosmic fare
• Habitat: Varies
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Medhu appear to be 4' tall frog-legged hominids with otherwise human-like appearance. Their skin is pitch black, and their hair is red.

Medhu have the ability to jump long distances. If they are in a place with light or no atmosphere or low gravity, they can jump for miles. They always know the position of the mesoplanet they were hatched on, and their eggs will not hatch on anything but a mesoplanet. They are resistant to radiation, cold, and heat. Pressure changes do not affect them. And they can see in the dark. Depending on which mesoplanet they were born on, they may have other powers:

• Aram: farsight
• Ziezi: astral navigation
• Asshur: lava breath
• Arphaxad: sand cloud form
• Elam: precision measurement
• Lud: molten metal breath
• Venok: poison breath
• Yeltara: resistance to undeath
• Bossetta: resistance to mind control
• Eltevra: always counter attack
• Hijai: smell metals
• Kena-Kunara: animal form
• Nechozach: see pneuma (invisible servants of the Divine)
• Q'kzaaha: direction sense
• Xaucha: shadow aura
• Hieghedon: hide-in-plain-sight

Medhu culture varies throughout the various mesoplanets they are from, but most have a respect for the cosmos and the strange wonders found there. They view the asteroid belt as the original home of their people, but they have long since wandered throughout the solar system. In any imperial area, they are oppressed, often enslaved.

PRO 8 ATH 9 Jump 14 Spacejump 22 STR 7 AWA 8 WIL 8 PRS 8 STH 9

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Meekita

Flying aliens who live in orbit.

• Lifespan: 300 years
• Diet: Energy
• Habitat: High orbit
• Socioeconomic Status: Oppressed

Meekitas are 5' tall, butterfly-winged aliens with colorful patterns on their furry bodies. They have no legs. They are otherwise anthropomorphic.

Meekitas live in high orbit over any orbital body in the solar system, and thus, they are immune to radiation, cold, and heat. They are able to ignore gravity, and they prefer low-pressure atmospheres. If they touch the ground, they are weakened. The colorful patterns on their bodies allow them to absorb certain energies, send subtle signals to other meekitas, and blend into various cloudforms. All meekitas can sing such that the atmosphere around them vibrates and either soothes or harms those nearby.

Meekitas live in cluster colonies in the upper atmosphere of various orbital bodies, led by small groups of elders whose voices resound stronger than any others. They are hated by imperial powers and often hunted and enslaved by them. They see it as their duty to guide ships in the upper atmosphere of the worlds and satellites they live above.

PRO 8 ATH 9 Flight 11 STR 7 AWA 9 WIL 8 PRS 9 STH 7