Sapient Biology of the Greater Eridún Crux Region
Sapient life in the Greater Eridún Crux Region (GECR) takes several fundamental forms—generally separated by their ability to interbreed—which may then be subdivided into more specialized or mixed groups. While categories vary by culture, the Author will use the Daybreak Empire's method of classification.
This only includes Material beings; Spective creatures are not biological and do not therefore have common descent.Orders
Unable to genetically intermix, the fundamental forms of sapient life, known as Orders, include Humanoid, Avianoid, Reptiloid, Arthropoid and Created.Humanoids
The most common sapient Order across the GECR, Humanoids are differentiated by their bipedal forms, dexterous front limbs, flat faces and body hair. Fecund and often gregarious, they're ubiquitous across the GECR, and so cannot be classified regionally. Their high metabolisms result in relatively short and fast-paced lives, and they are generally more cold-tolerant than most Orders. The most fundamental Humanoid Families include
- Ur-Anthra - Basal humans
- Ur-Mera - Basal elves
- Ur-Arakh - Basal arakh
- Ur-Davva - Basal dwarves
- Ur-Aselu - Basal aselu or jackalfolk
- Ur-Boggra - True goblins or boggarts
Generally more numerous than these basal Families are mixed Families such as Meranthic Peoples (mixed human-elves) and Gretanthic Peoples (mixed human-arakh). Less common are Greterans or Mer-Arakh (arakh-elves) and Bugbears (arakh-goblins).
Arthropoids
Arthropoids are a diverse but generally less social Order, typified by their jointed exoskeletons, multiple walking or swimming limbs and compound eyes. They lead terrestrial, aerial and aquatic lifestyles in more or less equal measure. Due to their physiology they often struggle with the speech or mannerisms of other Orders, and so Arthropoids that integrate into other cultures must be exceptionally gregarious or adventurous. Families include
- Homarids (Adaephite Eighth of the GLCR)
- Scyllarans (Adaephite Eighth)
- Thri-Kreen (Kolarian Eighth)
- Hecath (Silurian Eighth)
- Medusans (Nixotite Eighth)
- Gomtu (Dornnian Eighth)
Avianoids
Once common throughout the Kolarian and Cymedian Eighths, the Avianoid Order have experienced heavy extinctions and retractions of territory over the past few millennia, and are now the rarest Order in the GECR. They are defined by their winged front limbs, dexterous hind limbs and light bones adapted for flight. Families include
- Eos (Kolarian Eighth)
- Forhar (Kolarian Eighth)
- Strigops (Cymedian Eighth)
Reptiloids
Largely terrestrial, bipedal and with dexterous forelimbs, Reptiloids often bear similarities to Humanoids, with the three main differences being their snouted faces, scaly skin and slower metabolism, the latter of which results in generally higher longevity, a more sluggish disposition and a dislike of colder climates. Some, like the troglodytes, have forward-hunched postures with larger tails to compensate. Families include
- Zahakkh (Kolarian Eighth)
- Troglodytes (Dornnian Eighth)
- Silurians (Cymedian Eighth)
- Kappa (Silurian Eighth)
- Lisks (Arborian Eighth)
Created
Created races share little in common with each other except they are not biological but rather born of the alchemical or magical actions of other Sapients. They are nonetheless undeniably sentient: they are as intelligent as any other Order if not moreso, are able to harness innate lifeforces like ki energy and are susceptible to soul-manipulation spells such as Magic Jar and various forms of necromancy. Created species include
- Varya
- Galateids
- Chelicerans
- Driders
- Ichthyocentaurs
- Astomoi
Some species are not created from housing souls in empty shells, but rather from powerful, intergenerational magic performed on already-living beings. Some can still interbreed with unaltered members of their race, so their status as a separate Order is debatable. This subgroup of Created beings includes
- Etiainen
- Ula'thau'la
- Wayangs
- Onidoshi
- Sireni/Harpi
Distribution Theories
A major problem in multiplanar biological theory is the widespread and often scattered planar distribution of the Orders, Families and Species: since Voidwalking is highly complex and considered outside the ken of all but the most advanced societies, planar populations ought to be more isolated and coherent. In an attempt to explain this "distribution paradox", three major schools of thought have formed.
The "Seeding" line of theories posit that the orders were seeded across the GECR by an ancient and advanced culture, either intentionally or unintentionally. Other theorists have stated that, given enough hundreds of thousands of years, even less advanced cultures may be able to radiate across planes through random luck (the "Randomness" line of theory), while others claim cultures have gone through cycles of advancement and reversion, having developed, then in turn lost, methods of Void navigation (the "Cyclic" line of theory).
Banner: (Left to Right) A Hecath Symbiont: an Arthropoid from Waking Materia. An Onidoshi, a divinely Created species. A Qufit, a member of the Ur-Anthra line of Humanoids.
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