Cill'nairi

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Cill'nairi are a race of bipedal humanoids with four arms and bioluminescent eyes. They have two main arms being placed on the side like a human but at the midsection of the torso, with the secondary arms being pectoral and stunted in growth when compared to the main side arms. The Cill'nairi have a hard exoskeleton that covers their body. Young Chill'nairi are ashen white, and as they grow into adult-hood they take on more earthen-tones. All Cill'nairi shed their exoskeleton as they age, undergoing many various metamorphosis depending on rituals and magic present. 
The Cill'nairi use their own magic based system, using runes of power. Certain runes when combined with certain rituals can cause a runt Cill'nairi to become a Cniht or a Celare. Add in sacrifices to this and sometimes the resulting metamorphosis could be an ogre or cyclopes. In rare conditions of major bloodshed and war it has been noted that runts can turn into fierce ghouls. Cniht and other races can even undergo further metamorphosis becoming even stronger and twisted versions of their previous selves.

Genetics and Reproduction

It is unconfirmed how the Cill'nairi reproduce, but it is believed to be done through the laying of eggs, which hatch into larva which undergo changes into the runts and other various sup-species of the Cill'nairi. During this larval stage the Cill'nairi are extremely weak to physical damage, but show a high magical resistance through a jelly like ichor they produce around their body. These larva have several legs, sometimes up to 22, which seem to disappear during their metamorphosis into runts. 
Not all larva turn into runts, as the larva, like all Cill'nairi are cannibalistic. It is theorized that a runt Cill'nairi could have consumed upwards of 200 of its kin during its larval stage. This may seem crude, but is done as an evolutionary trait, allowing the strongest of the larva to adapt and learn in a fight from birth, or die. Either way, this stage results in the strongest Cill'nairi larva becoming runts, ensuring the strength of the species.

Growth Rate & Stages

Egg
Larval Stage
Runt
Cniht (Knight)
Celare
(Ogre)
(Cyclopes)
Clutch Mother
Crux Cnight (Crusader/Champion)

Additional Information

Average Intelligence

The intelligence of the Cill'nairi is up for much debate. Some theorize that all are telepathically linked, making all as smart as the other. However, the leading idea is the that they are individual beings of varying intelligence, that changes in learning capacity with the different Cill'nairi stages; with Cyclopes being one of smartest but singled minded, Ogres being extremely dumb and primal, and 'Wizards/Witches' being some of the most intelligent of the race.

Civilization and Culture

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The Cill'nairi are known in Wild-Space as a plague that goes through spheres and systems, cleaning them out of every useable resource, leaving behind dying suns left to supernova, or more often nothing at all. This is because the Cill'nairi are born into battle with their own brothers and sisters, forced to eat them to survive. So to the Cill'nairi, if your race isn't strong enough to repel them, stop them, or crush them outright, then you deserve to be consumed by the Cill'nairi, to allow for the growth of something potentially stronger. It is widely known to spacial-scholars that the Cill'nairi's code states they welcome death by a stronger entity or species, but have yet to meet such a worthy rival.

Lifespan

Unkown, death only observed in battle or sacrifice, never 'natural' like age.

Discovered by

Yami Munenori