Marelians (/mer ə liən/)

The dominant species on Marelia, the Marelians are eight-armed cephalopods perfectly suited for survival in the water world.

Highly intelligent, they developed in a world filled with variety and nearly infinite options for food. Surrounded by this bounty, their sense of taste became heightened, serving not only as a sense, but as a form of communication.

The Marelians are responsible for developing two vital pieces of technology:

Basic Information

Anatomy

Posessing a natural ability to camoflage and blend with their environment, when the Marelians took to the stars, they developed technology to enhance this skill. Capable of existing both in water and air, this species blends well with most cultures of the galaxy.

Food is the universal language of peace.
— Chef Flen of the Aquatic Culinary Masters Guild

Growth Rate & Stages

The older a Marelian gets, the larger they become. As with many aquatic species, environment can limit the life expectancy and growth of the individuals. The largest ever encountered posessed a brain bulb of over 100ft in length with tentacles stretching another 200 ft. Known as the Grandfather, it is unknown what became of it. It is possibly still living in the oceans of Marelia.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Intelligent and easily bored, Marelians seek a wide variety of experiences in eating. The wealthy pride themselves on rarely eating the same dish twice.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Diagnostic cubes are used to extend their natural sensory ability to understand the tastes and dietary needs of those around them.

They believe that through food, all organisms are connected. The most highly trained Marelian chefs are considered to be almost prescient in understanding the culinary needs and desires of their patrons.

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Aquatic Culinary Masters Guild

Beauty Ideals

Beauty takes on new meanings in light of a species capable of changing color and appearance at will. Beauty is seen not in physical representations but in the culinary and other skills that they have mastered. Some believe that the size of the brain bulb reflects the relative intelligence of the individual, therefore the larger the bulb, the more attractive the individual.

Average Technological Level

Advanced space faring race

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Marelians are aware that their eight-legged appearance causes discomfort in some cultures. As such, they make it a habit to explore the universe in other forms. Outside of kitchen environments, where their native skills are seen as having high value, Marelians often travel the galaxy with their true form hidden. They can appear to match the form of any culture they come across.

Aside from culinary exploration, they also enjoy interactions with other species. It is believed that they may have explored more of the galaxy than the Ciceronean Guides. This claim has not been proven.

This article is a stub.

I'll be adding more content to this article in the future.

Geographic Distribution

Comments

Please Login in order to comment!
Powered by World Anvil