Eda-Shojec

In the shadow of the Oto, their cybernetically ascendant kin, the Eda-Shojec cultivate a life of contemplation and tradition on the dust-swirled planet of Lahthor. Here, amidst the rugged terrain and poxy caves, they meditate upon the ancient mantras of the Vocru, seeking enlightenment not in the gleam of technology, but in the stillness of the mind. The Eda, guardians of the spirit and flesh of their species, live by a caste system where spiritual acumen is the currency of leadership, though not immune to the undercurrents of familial ties and favoritism.

by midjourney

Above: The planet Lahthor

The mimesis that defines the Eda-Shojec is internal, a reflection of their veneration for their own spiritual masters in addition to the Vocru, the latter of whom the Shojec species as a whole holds as gods. Young Eda-Shojec emulate their esteemed gurus, as well as their idiosyncrasies, and in this way blooms a myriad of interpretations of Vocru scriptures. Debate and philosophical discourse are vibrant in Eda society, where the merit of one's argument can elevate their school of thought to prominence, bestowing honor upon its adherents. Questioning is much less desirable among the Oto, who view the Vocru ideal of order as one to be imposed as rigidly as possible.
The Oto-Shojec, with their eyes set on the cosmos, regard the Eda as relics, their austerity a sign of backwardness. The tradition of master veneration among the Eda is another reason Oto hold them to be backwards kin, as the only "proper" subjects for worship are, of course, the Vocru. Yet the Eda stand proud, seeing themselves as the true bearers of a legacy that the gleaming cybernetics of the Oto could never comprehend. Their bodies, unchanged, are a testament to the original form of the Shojec, a lineage they uphold with quiet dignity against the onslaught of progress.

by midjourney

To the Eda, the Oto's pursuit to embody the Vocru is a path fraught with misunderstanding, a literal misinterpretation of a figurative aspiration. The Vocru, in their diverse and expansive empire, never mandated conformity, their Iconographic laws clear in their prohibition of imitation. The Eda hold firm to this conviction, seeing the Oto's endeavors as a deviation from the true path laid out by the Vocru teachings.
Relegated to the fringes of society by the Oto, the Eda endure as second-class citizens, their existence an uncomfortable reminder of a purity forsaken. Yet, bound by Vocru dictates that stress the preservation of social bonds, the Oto refrain from severing ties completely, their superiority proclaimed in loud proclamations rather than outright persecution. In periods of strife, the Eda have teetered on the brink of oppression, their salvation found in the Vocru's celebration of free will and agency.