Sheydor Spherian

Basic Information

Anatomy

Coming from a low-gravity world, these unique deebees can not be mistaken for anything else. They have an exoskeleton consisting of an amber to gold colored, gem-like faceted, round body with six long sinuous limbs. Two of the limbs end in long three-toed feet, two other limbs end in small three fingered hands and the other two end in amber colored grapelike sensor clusters. Their heads appear to be a cross between that of a hummingbird and a kiwi. Extending from the rear of their body is an equally long and sinuous tail, tipped by a very sharp arrow-shaped blade.
All of their lilmbs, with the exception of their legs, are prehensile.

Ecology and Habitats

Spherians come from a low gravity world high in rare metals and other raw minerals.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Spherians are frugivores. They eat pulped fruit, nectar, honey and other like substances, but will happily ingest the occasional insect larva as a delicacy.

Additional Information

Social Structure

There are four major career choices for a spherian. They are healer, warrior, explorer and sensitive. Very few are warriors, since this is a relatively peaceful species and culture; however, since coming to Rifts Earth they have had to devote much of their time and effort into defending themselves. A large segment of their newest generations are adept psionic combatants.

Average Intelligence

Very Intelligent

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Spherians are master psionics and are considered equivalent to a Mind Melter for all class considerations.
The atmosphere of Sheydor, the world they come from, is a hazy golden orange color caused by microscopic algae-like photosynthesizing organisms that thrive in the humid air. Visibility is significantly reduced and reliance upon extrasensory perception drove the spherians to becoming the adept sensitive psionics they are.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Sheydor Spherians organize their society among four castes:

• Sensitives. This is a broad term used to describe those who are most adept at trades and science, obtaining and applying useful knowledge.
• Healers. This caste is most adept in healing both physical and mental trauma.
• Warriors. With a focus on affecting both themselves and the physical world, this is the only caste capable of forming psionic blade constructs.
• Explorers. These general purpose psionics have a smattering of sensitive, healing and physical psionic abilities aimed at a level of independence and getting around the uncivilized world.

While there is no genetic predisposition, the argument of nature versus nurture is settled when it comes to Sheydor Spherians. Psionic powers are the powers of the mind, the powers of belief, of knowledge and of ego. As a result, Spherians become the adult they want to be, or rather they adult they think they want to be. Because each caste is explicitly different than the others, each sheydor grows to fit neatly within one of the four castes. So even though they are no different than Mind Melters in potential and raw capability, the focus they take in life is determined by their caste. This is just how they be.

Beauty Ideals

Beauty is determined by the clarity of thought and the presentation of their sensor clusters.
Each caste also has its own ideals of physical beauty. For example:
the most beautiful sensitives are those with largest and most colorful sensor clusters
the most beautiful healers are those who have the most blue-green in their exoskeleton.
the most beautiful warriors are those who have the longest tails with the largest tail spikes
the most beautiful explorers are those with the largest eyes and the thickest arms and legs.

Gender Ideals

An outsider would not be able to tell a male Spherian from a female Spherian.

Relationship Ideals

As a naturally psionic species, Spherians tend not to keep secrets. At the same time, they also tend to trust more readily than others, since they are not raised in a culture full of deception, white lies and posturing as are most other intelligent species.
Because of this, Sheydor Spherians will take great offense when confronted with lying or deception, even if done so for the best reasons. Likewise, someone who displays honesty will be respected and likely be viewed as a friend.

Average Technological Level

Sheydor Spherians were approaching the iron age in their native world before the Splugorth found it. On Rifts Earth, they have been quick to adapt to whatever technology they find, aided by their psionic abilities.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Shey: The native language of Sheydor Spherians. It is a songlike sound much like that produced by running a finger over the rim of a wine glass, accentuated by high-pitched birdlike chirps and whistles.
They have made a concerted effort to learn American, and most are somewhat conversational in it as well. Besides the physiological difficulties they have with reproducing human sounds, their secret existence does not give them many opportunities to exercise their skills with native speakers. As a result, they are difficult to understand and fluence should not to be expected.

Common Etiquette Rules

It is customary for Spherians to extend one or both of their sensor clusters towards the person to whom they are speaking. Spherians think it also rude if whomever they are speaking with does not return the favor by extending their own hands towards them.
This is especially important when speaking telepathically. In the company of others, it is rude to communicate verbally unless you are addressing multiple others, so the extension of sensor clusters is a polite way of signaling you are speaking so they don't interrupt. If one were to communicate mentally without doing so, giving the impression of subterfuge, the others might think it was gossip or perhaps something offensive.
Whispering and intimate conversations are accompanied by physical contact of their sensory clusters.

Common Dress Code

Spherians do not wear clothes

Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals

Spherians are fond of swatting each other with the broadside of their tail blades as a means of expressing encouragement and friendly comraderie. it is important that they do not make contact with the limbs of other spherians when they do this, however. While armored, their limbs are much more vulnerable to breaking than their hearty, spherical bodies.

Common Taboos

Do not touch another spherian's sensor clusters.

A Sheydor Spherian:

Sheydor Spherian by Newton Ewell

Conservation Status

As far as we know, there is a single group of just over a hundred and they are the only Sheydor Spherians on the planet.

Average Height

2-2.5m at full leg extension

Average Weight

30kg

Average Physique

Frail yet armored

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Mostly amber to gold in color. The edges of the gem-like facets on their bodies and limbs exhibits an irridescent character leaning towards blue and green. This blue-green edge is more prominant in spherians who have devoted more of their psionic abilities to healing.