Mage's Laboratory - Codex Workshop I

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Spoiler: Symbol

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To create a dark side sacrifice cult devoted to the Brain Demon. A sub-cult of the Cult of the Brain Demon composed of “mortals” and NFUs who do not engage in the practice of mind absorption.
• Image Credit:
  • Blood Moon Logo
  • Miriel - Nixri
• Canon: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
  • Tython Class Leviathan (House Io)
  • House Io Corvette (House Io)
  • Cult of the Brain Demon (X)
• Links: N/A

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Organization Name: Angels of the Faceless
• Classification: Dark Side Cult
• Affiliation:
  • Cult of the Brain Demon
  • House Io
  The Angels of the Faceless have a direct affiliation with the Cult of the Brain Demon and House Io. However, their first loyalty is to the Cult, with the House being second.
• Organization Symbol: See: Symbol Above
• Description: The Angels of the Faceless are a dark side sacrifice cult that is subordinate to the Cult of the Brain Demon. In this, the Angels are the armed, “mortal” wing of the Cult, serving their parent organization in the capacity of foot soldiers, social media influencers, dancers, priestesses, assassins, operatives, and gladiators. Like the Cult, the Angels practice sentient sacrifice, with a particular emphasis on flaying their victims alive, blood ritual, and torture. Such practices are believed to strengthen the Angels’ connection to the dark side and empower the Brain Demon.

GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

• Headquarters: The largest and most influential convent of the Angels of the Faceless (The Dancers of the Demon) is based on the Avatar of Suffering—a Tython Class Leviathan. As such, this vessel is considered to be the Angels' primary headquarters.
• Domain:
  • Khemost
  Most convents of the Angels are nomadic or semi-nomadic, traveling the galaxy via their temple ships to ply their services as mercenaries, gladiators, and dancers. Through the ritualized arts of bloodshed, flaying, dance, and sacrifice, the Angels believe that they worship the Brain Demon and proliferate the purifying energies of the dark side through the galaxy.
• Notable Assets:
  • Avatar of Suffering - Temple Ship of the Dancers of the Demon Convent
  • Unholy Matrimony - Temple Ship of the Skin Brides Convent

SOCIAL INFORMATION

• Hierarchy:
  • Low Angels - “Excoriatarii”, “Flayer Divas”, and “Cheerflayers”
    • Initiate(s)
    • Excoriatrix Maiden(s)
    • Excoriatrix Sister(s)
    • Excoriatrix Concubine(s)
    • Excoriatrix Bride(s)
    • Excoriatrix Queen(s)
  • High Angels - “Excoriatarii Prima” and “Flayer Priestesses”
    • Avatar(s) of the Faceless
    • High Angel(s) of the Faceless OR High Oracle(s) of the Faceless
    • First Angel of the Choir
• Membership: The Cult typically prefers to fill the ranks of the Angels with normal people. While Nuetralizers, strand-casts, and other synthetic beings (who make up a large percentage of House Io's population) can be accepted into the ranks, there is a particular emphasis on bringing perfectly normal, ordinary people in and training them how to perform the rituals and atrocities of unholy worship. This ties into the Cult’s beliefs of teaching otherwise normal people with no real connection to the Force how think and behave with the dark side in mind. As such, prospective members can literally walk in to a given temple and ask to be trained. Alternatively, the Brain Demon or a particular Brain Demon cultist could visit some troubled soul in their dreams, offering them belonging and a chance for retribution on a seemingly cruel galaxy. In general, the initiation process heavily favors women over men, but there is no explicit policy that bars men from joining. Prior to becoming a full member of the Angels, Initiates are conditioned, trained, and brainwashed, with this period generally lasting a year. In order to become an Excoriatrix, an Initiate must be able to cleanly flay the skin from a sacrifice’s face, recite the prayers, songs, and catechisms of the Brain Demon Cult from memory, capture and cleanly flay their own sacrifice victim, swear an oath of loyalty to the Brain Demon Cult, and last a minute in single combat against a Model 1 Nuetralizer (or defeat the Nuetralizer outright). Consequences for failures past a certain threshold may range the gamut from non-fatal flaying (with the failed Initiate kept alive via technology or the Force and later healed) to mind wiping (making the Initiate forget that they ever attempted to join the Angels) to evisceration and outright sacrifice.
• Climate: Bloodthirsty cheerleaders. The Angels of the Faceless are notoriously vain, backstabbing, fickle, and dramatic. While alliances (often in the form of cliques), friendships, and romantic relationships do exist, most of the Angels' temples are characterized by everpresent intrigue, which can turn lethal in some cases as cliques and rivals vie for favor. Considerations such as perceived beauty, martial skill and strength, skill at the art of flaying, skill at the art of agonizing (torture), skill at dancing, the quality of sacrifice victims, and a host of other factors play a role in determining a given individual’s status. In this, the climate somewhat mirrors that of the Cult of the Brain Demon. However, outright murder of rivals is generally frowned upon. In the majority of cases, rivals are simply disgraced or disenfranchised.
• Reputation: The Angels of the Faceless have a mixed reputation within House Io. They are known for hosting drug-fueled dance and rave parties that are open to all citizens of the House, which often last entire days. In this, dance—even of the non-lethal variety—is considered to be an act of worship by the Angels, in mimicry of the dancing avatars of the Brain Demon. The longer said dance parties last and the more feverish and passionate the dancing, the better. The Angels are also known for their ritualized displays of combat, which are essentially public war dances and gladiatorial events dedicated to the Brain Demon. Like their parent cult, the Angels host public sentient sacrifice and flaying rituals of prisoners of war and civilians not affiliated with House Io. These events are almost always accompanied by controversy, protest, curiosity, and frenzied episodes of vivacious dancing which are often performed while wearing the skin of their sacrifice victims.
  
  Unlike the Cult of the Brain Demon, the Angels of the Faceless are largely unknown outside of House Io, due to the organization’s youth. However, the Angels' status as an arm of the Cult naturally assigns them a similar reputation to their parent organization.
  
  As the Angels frequently ply their services as mercenaries, they have developed a minor reputation as reliable, yet gruesome allies, should they be hired. In this, their rates are considered to be quite cheap, as the Angels rarely negotiate for outright profit and instead seek the right to ritually sacrifice enemy combatants and the coverage of their operating expenses. For many cash-strapped warlords and crime lords, it is quite easy to tolerate the disturbing sacrifice rituals of their retainers when their services are offered at such a bargain compared to other mercenaries.
• Curios: Every Excoriatrix has the symbol of the Brain Demon tattooed on their body, the location of which is chosen by the individual. In addition, each member also possesses up to two ritual knives, which are most often used for the flaying and mutilation of their victims. These are always carried on their person. Finally, many members have a personal, individualized weapon of some kind, though the Angels generally spurn long gun-style weapons in favor of energy bows, monomolecular-edged blades, vibroblades, energy blades, and more rarely, lightsabers, should they be able to get their hands on them.
  
  One of the Angels' calling cards, any non-flayed bodies or survivors left in the wake of a raid may have the symbol of the Brain Demon carved into their flesh.
  
  The Angels believe that skins are sacred. As such, during sacrifice rituals, they will flay their victims alive, offering the victim’s life, skin, and suffering in oblation to the Brain Demon. In particular, the Angels believe that the most sacred part of the skin is the skin of the face. In this, the Angels will flay the skin of the victim’s face while they are still alive, believing that the agony and humiliation of being physically defaced are among the most potent sacrifices that one can offer to the Brain Demon.
• Rules: The Angels of the Faceless are bound by their oaths and therefore, follow the rules of the Cult. Nevertheless, they maintain a very high level of autonomy as an organization, far more than that which might be enjoyed by Sith troopers under the control of a Sith Lord. Nevertheless, within the organization itself, the Angels maintain a strict hierarchy where those on the lower rungs follow the orders of their designated superiors. Insubordination that can not be justified by right of superior strength or cunning will generally be punished with extreme prejudice.
• Goals: The Angels of the Faceless support and pursue the goals of the Cult, especially as they relate to the proliferation of the dark side. In this, they play a vital role as the equivalent of the Cult’s foot soldiers. As pertaining to their rituals, the Angels commit ritualized blood and sentient sacrifice in order to fulfill a rite that they believe will give life energy to the Brain Demon.

MEMBERS

• Alevia Io - First Angel of the Choir. A Chaplain Nuetralizer, Alevia Io was one of the Cult’s earliest advocates to House Io’s population. Since her ordeal after the Battle of Tython (where it was rumored that she struck a particularly demanding bargain with the Brain Demon), Alevia has taken this to greater extremes, to the point where she began to engage in the Cult’s sentient and blood sacrifice rituals, while devising many rituals of her own (of which include long dance parties and ritualized displays of combat). However, due to the increasing dissatisfaction within House Io regarding the presence of the Cult, the Cult’s leadership realized that they needed an army of dedicated loyalists that were loyal to them first and House Io second. Given Alevia’s history of advocacy and support for the Cult, she was the natural option for overseeing the effort. In this, Alevia was tasked with establishing the first convent of the Angels (The Dancers of the Demon), an assignment that she quickly succeeded in. As of the present, she is the undisputed leader of the Angels.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
[ Include a description of the organization's history. Who started it, how and why it was formed, modus operandi, any events tied into its creation and existence, etc. ]

 

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Spoiler

• Intent: Create a sect of Dark Jedi for the Kainate and the Sith Order.
• Image Credit: KH×SWお絵かき
• Canon:
  
  • Dark Side Adept
  • Dark Acolyte
  • Dark Jedi
• Permissions: N/A
• Links:
  
  • The Xendori Elite
  • Orladri Lovrus, Derriphan of the Xendori Guard

• Tradition Name: Informally known as the Eclipse Adepts. The institution is known as the Eclipse Sect.
• Tradition Type: Formal Order
• Tradition Focus:
  
  • Physical
  • Intellectual
  • Sensory
• Influence: Interplanetary
• Orientation: Dark-leaning
• Influence Area:
  
  • Malsheem
  • Dromund Kaas
  • Ziost
• Symbol:
  
• Description: The Eclipse Adepts are a formal order of dark side adepts and Dark Jedi associated with the Kainate and more loosely, the wider Sith Order. While they are explicitly distinct from Sith, they are more or less considered to be subordinate to the Kainate Sith Kabal (and to a lesser extent the Sith Order), with corresponding limitations placed on their practice of the dark side. In this regard, such limitations are viewed as necessary to curb the perceived anarchistic tendencies of non-Sith dark siders and those who are judged as too weak to be worthy of Sith instruction. These overarching perceptions are the primary driver behind the Sect, which ultimately functions as an institution of control intended to direct the practice of non-Sith dark siders within Kainate territory (with some exceptions) so that they might better serve the Sith Kabal and the Sith’ari—Darth Carnifex. While high-ranking Adepts are generally left to manage the day-to-day affairs, the entire organization is overseen by the Grand Lord of the Sith Kabal, with Sith Knights and Sith Lords having special dispensation to deploy members of the Sect as they see fit.

• Membership: Waste in the form of sentient lives is considered to be a hallmark of traditional Sith training. The cruel, brutal nature of Sith indoctrination frequently veers towards the excess, moving past the point of culling and embracing the pointless destruction of sentient resources as a mark of strength. While Kainite Sith Kabal academies are still extremely demanding, the senseless disposal of Force-sensitives who fail to meet the high standards of their overseers is rarely tolerated. Instead, these individuals—washouts—are typically relegated into the Eclipse Sect where they restart their training as Eclipse Novitiates. They will never be Sith, but they will still serve.
  
  However, Sith academy washouts—of which there are many—are but one stream of recruitment for the Eclipse Sect. Another avenue of admission are those individuals who do not meet the minimum midi-chlorian count to qualify for Sith training, but are still Force-sensitive or Force-attuned. Recruits are also drawn from newly-fallen Jedi (or fallen from any other light side groups) who are judged as lacking the necessary control, malleability, or strength to become Sith. In much the same manner, recruits may also be taken from the lower ranks of unsanctioned dark side groups. It is not uncommon for acolytes from the remnants of a rogue Sith Order to be relegated to the Eclipse Sect upon arrival, due to being perceived as irreparably corrupted by heretical teachings.
  
  Upon recruitment, new members start at the rank of Eclipse Novitiate, being analogous to a Sith Acolyte. Those at this rank do not have dedicated masters and are instead taught by overseers, typically in group settings. The next rank in the hierarchy is Eclipse Pursuivant, which is comparable to a Sith apprentice. Pursuivants commonly have dedicated masters and are often engaged in missions. However, in order to advance to the next rank, Pursuivants must complete (or otherwise be exempted from) the Imperial Eclipse Examinations which are detailed as follows:
  
  • Examination of Precision - A battery of assessments which are designed to test skill and competency in combat. The Sect does not mandate competency in any one weapon or art, but the most commonly taught arts (and therefore measured) are of the lightsaber or vibroblade. These tests are judged based on an objective standard, with an emphasis on proficiency in single combat and Force power execution. A composite score is given at the end to determine whether a candidate passes or fails.
  • Examination of Awareness - A series of assessments that grades the ability of the candidate to see through illusions. The exam also includes tests that force candidates to face and overcome their fears, which are elucidated via a precise, droid brain-calculated analysis where an examinee's vital signs and biosigns are measured in response to various stimuli. Much like the Examination of Precision, a composite score determines whether the candidate passes or fails.
  • Examination of Form - A regimen of tests designed to assess the constitution of the candidate's body. Pain tolerance, physical strength, responses to trauma, and other physical skills are tested and scored in a composite. In addition, all tests have a Force-active and Force-suppressed component. For example, pain tolerance is measured and scored in both contexts, wherein the Force-suppressed test the candidate is exposed to synthetic Void Stone or injected with a Force-suppressing drug.
  • Examination of Discipline - The Examination of Discipline is a regimen of tests designed to assess the candidate's willpower. In one of the tests, a mentalist will impose suggestions in the candidate's mind, who is scored on their ability to resist or defeat them. Other tests assess their ability to overcome the perceived weaknesses of morality. As with the other exams, a composite score is given at the end.
  
  After passing (or being exempted from) these exams, they may advance to the rank of Eclipse Adept, by which point their training is considered to be complete, being roughly equivalent (but in no way equal to) to Sith Knights. Finally, the next two ranks, Eclipse Ascendant and High Ascendant are master ranks, with High Ascendants occupying nine seats on the Ascendant Council. The tenth seat is designated for the leader of the Eclipse Sect—the Eclipse Derriphan.
• Motives: The ultimate, yet hidden function of the Eclipse Sect is the control and direction of dark side Force-users by de-emphasizing the primacy of the individual and fostering unconditional loyalty to the Sith'ari and the agents of His will. While individual members of the Sect may still be motivated by the desire for power, the institution is structured in such a way that any such pursuits do not encroach on the power enjoyed by the Kainate Sith. However, even with these restrictions and concealed curtailing mechanisms, individual Adepts can still become powerful in their own right, but they will likely never be afforded unique privileges granted to ranking Sith.
• Rules and Teachings: In addition to following the dogma of Eternal Rule, members of the Eclipse Sect must adhere to the following rules in all of their engagements:
  
  • Surrender to the Kainate Sith Kabal.
  • Eclipse the light.
  • Order governs passion, body governs individual, and power governs strength.
• Reputation: As the Eclipse Adepts are a relatively new organization, it has yet to establish a full reputation. However, Sith tend to view members of the Sect as subpar at best and outright disposable at worst. By comparison, outsiders often mistake them for Sith, though it is a perception that is frequently corrected by Sith and members of the Sect, with the latter being obligated to do so.
• Openness: Members are generally open about their identities and affiliations when among allies. Moreover, in many contexts, they are obligated to clarify that they are not Sith and to correct any who might mistake them as such. Failing to do so (and passively allowing ignorant outsiders or other individuals to refer to them as Sith) is grounds for extreme sanction. Finally, their teachings are only rarely shared with outsiders.

• Characteristic Equipment: Lightsabers with synthetic crystals and vibroblades are the most common weapons among the Eclipse Adepts. However, exotic weapon types, including discblades, polearms, energy bows, and yet more, are not uncommon. In terms of clothing, individuals often wear outfits or armor emblazoned with the symbol of the Sect to positively distinguish themselves as a member of the Eclipse Sect and to prevent outsiders from misidentifying them as Sith.
• Notable Force Skills: The Eclipse Adepts place a heavy emphasis on the physical and objective study of the dark side. As such, abilities such as telekinesis, Alter Environment, Force lightning, Pyrokinesis, Cryokinesis, Art of the Small, Force cloak, and various physical enhancement powers are common. Mentalists are less common, but not to the point of rarity. Finally, Force healers and other non-combat specialists are rare, but not unheard of.
• Notable Force Limitations: Members of the Eclipse Sect are forbidden from practicing all forms of Sith magic, Sith alchemy, Sithspawn creation, and Sith rituals. However, it is not uncommon for members of the Sect to be used as living focuses or attendants in Sith rituals. They are also barred from speaking or reading ur-Kittât, High Sith, or any other Sith ritual languages, save for common Sith phrases or parlances (i.e. an Eclipse Adept may refer to herself as Jen’jidai without punishment). Finally, while Eclipse adherents are allowed to practice mechu-deru, they are not permitted to create techno-beasts.

• Abrax Iosi - A hulking Mandallian Giant, Abrax Iosi is the first and present Derriphan of the Eclipse Sect. He was once a member of the seven Xendori Elite before the organization was disbanded in the wake of the Third Imperial Civil War. However, he was allowed to continue serving the Kainate via the Grand Army, a period in which he developed a fearsome reputation as a battlefield juggernaut while also displaying a talent for leadership that resulted in his quick ascension to the rank of Colonel. With the reclaiming of the Sith holy worlds, an influx of recruits into the Kainate Sith Kabal (and the perceived low quality of many), led to higher fail rates in the Sith academies and thus, increased waste and inefficiency. Thus, Abrax was recalled from his service in the Grand Army to oversee the founding of the Eclipse Sect, eventually leading to him being named as the Derriphan—the leader of the Eclipse Adepts.

A successor organization of the now-defunct Xendori Guard and Xendori Elite, the Eclipse Adepts were formed soon after the retaking of the Sith holy worlds. With the influx of new students in the Sith academies, the Kainate Sith Kabal oversaw an initiative to curtail sentient waste during Sith indoctrination. The Eclipse Adepts were a major component of this effort, allowing the Sith academies to maintain their high standards through less wasteful methods by funneling washouts and other failed students into the Sect. This would not only limit waste, but it would also cement the elite status of the Sith Kabal and give the Kainate a surge of manpower in the form of an army of dark siders who could augment military formations, hunt down Jedi, and ultimately, serve at the behest of the Sith Dyarchy.

To lead the Sect, Abrax Iosi, who previously served as an Xendori Elite during the Third Imperial Civil War, was christened as the first Derriphan. He, under advisement by the Grand Lord of the Sith Kabal, assembled the first Ascendant Council and built out the structure of the organization. The first temple—the Temple of the Eclipse Adepts—was constructed on Malsheem, with a number of semi-mobile satellite academies and temples established in orbit of Dromund Kaas and Ziost as the Sect expanded during its early stages. It was during this period that the secret mechanisms designed to keep overly ambitious Jen’jidai in check were refined and perfected. In effect, any such Adepts would soon find themselves in constant competition with others seeking the same power, thus keeping them dependent on the Sith.

Finally, the Eclipse Adepts would come to represent a manifestation of the unceasing industrial power, brutal efficiency, and dark side autocracy of the Eternal Rule doctrine. The crude ambition, avarice, and anarchism often manifested by non-Sith dark siders would have their inherent contradictions leveled against them, so that they would ultimately come to serve the Sith Dyarchy.

 

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Other Projects - WIP Slot 3

 

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OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: Create unique species of extragalactic space elves
• Image Credit: Gencraft Ai
• Canon: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: Tarnooga, Arkanis Sector

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Name: Quendesh
• Designation: Sentient
• Origins: Extragalactic
• Average Lifespan: 400 - 500 years
• Estimated Population: Scattered (Smaller groups or individuals found in many places around the galaxy)
• Description: These extragalactic beings are notably short in stature and possess elongated, pointed ears that twitch with subtle movements. Their bodies appear frail, with a seemingly low physical density, suggesting a light build unsuited for brute force. Despite their delicate appearance, they are known for their exceptionally long lifespans, often witnessing centuries pass within the galaxy.

PHYSICAL INFORMATION

• Breathes: Type I and II
• Average Height of Adults: 1 - 1.5 meters
• Average Length of Adults: N/A
• Skin color: Various (copper, bronze, pale white, pale gray, icy bluish)
• Hair color: Various (white, gold, silver, purple, blue, green)
• Distinctions: Long, thin, pointed ears. 2) No facial/body hair. 3) Diminutive size. 4) Sparse bone and tissue density resulting in lower mass.
• Races: None currently known to this galaxy.
• Force Sensitivity: High - 80% have Midichlorian count greater than 8k

Strengths:

• Longevity & Wisdom – With lifespans spanning centuries, they accumulate vast knowledge, making them excellent historians, strategists, or advisors.
• Agility & Stealth – Their small size and natural grace allow them to move swiftly and unseen, excelling in espionage or guerrilla warfare.
• Strong Cultural Traditions – A deeply rooted society could grant them resilience, advanced craftsmanship, or unique Force traditions.
• Echolocative Hearing - Their long ears are not just decorative. They an detect subsonic frequencies allowing them to “see” in darkness using sounds.
• Symbiotic Metabolism - They host beneficial gut microbes from their home galaxy let them digest toxic plants/metals other species cannot.

Weaknesses:

• Isolationist Tendencies – Long lifespans could make them slow to adapt or distrustful of outsiders, leading to political marginalization.
• Physical Fragility – Their diminutive stature might make them weaker in direct combat, relying on speed or technology to compensate.
• Overconfidence in Age – Some might grow arrogant, assuming their longevity makes them infallible, leading to costly mistakes.
• Density Dysmorphia - Due to low body density they are terrible swimmers and vulnerable to high winds.
• Photoreactive Eyes - Vertical slit pupils excel at sight in low light situations, but they can be overwhelmed in bright sunlight.
• Bonding Withdrawl - Their polygamous nature results in physical lethargy when isolated from others. Solitary Quendesh often require accompaniment of pets to overcome this.

CULTURE

• Diet: Omnivore
• Communication: Spoken language (Quendeshi)
• Technology level: Galactic Standard. Some heirloom personal items (clothing, jewelry, armor, weapons) exist from their home galaxy. All ships and major technology are in disrepair and replaced by galactic standard tech.
• Religion/Beliefs: Polytheistic pantheon of Gods and Goddesses responsible for various portions of life. They believe the Force is controlled by and gifted by these Gods and Goddesses.
• General behavior: Many Quendesh have left their colonies to explore and hunt. Those Quendesh have mostly adapted their daily lives to the human-centric galactic life (with exception of religious views). Inside colonies small familial communities. They are by nature polyamorous and pansexual taking multiple partners over their long lifespan. Reproduction requires a male and female, it is rare for a Quendesh to have more than one offspring. Wisdom and tradition is handed down to the next generation within these communities informally.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Quendesh are native to an unknown galaxy. In their home galaxy they are a well rounded society who lean heavily into the traditions of their deities. A small group dedicated to the God of Exploration led a group dedicated to the Goddess of the Hunt into the known galaxy during the Four Hundred Year Darkness following a pack of non-sentient monsters that threatened the Quendesh people.

A hunting colony was established and the Quendesh went about ridding the universe of the threat. As the galaxy came out of the threat from the Gulag Virus the Quendesh were packing up to head home. Their escape was thwarted by pirates and their extragalactic vessel was damaged causing them to return to the colony. Adventurers and explorers don’t sit still however. The Quendesh have in small numbers infiltrated the galactic population and adapted to known technologies. Most are bounty hunters or spacers. The colony still exists as the “home planet” of this generation of Quendesh on the moon of Vashya orbiting the planet Tarnooga in the Arkanis sector.

 

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Spoiler

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: Create a specific breed of Arkanian Offshoot.
• Image Credit: Eos of DawnSphere. Miss Universe. Vote like!
  
  • Unable to find exact credit.
• Canon:
  
  • Arkanian Offshoot
  • Arkanian
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: N/A

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Name: Arkanian Offshoot 202
• Designation: Sentient
• Origins: Arkania
• Average Lifespan: 500 GSY
• Estimated Population: Rare - ~5,000
• Description: Luxury products of Arkanian genetic engineering, Arkanian Offshoot 202s are eerie, unnerving, yet delicate creatures of precision and inhuman grace. Possessing wide cheekbones, long, slender necks, and deeply hollow cheeks, their appearance is that of feline grace, gaunt elegance, and serpentine inhumanity. They excel in roles where precision, aesthetics, emotional sensitivity, and intellect are paramount, making them nigh-indispensable within Arkanian high society.

PHYSICAL INFORMATION

• Breathes: Type I
• Average Height of Adults: 1.4-1.9 meters
• Average Length of Adults: N/A
• Skin Color:
  
  • Alabaster
  • Pale
  • Tan
  • Brown
• Hair Color:
  
  • Alabaster
  • Blonde
  • Black
  • Brown
  • Red
• Distinctions:
  
  • Four Digits on Hands and Feet
    
    • Retractable Micro-Serrated Pads
      
      • Each finger / toe has retractable micro-serrated pads for sheer-force adhesion. In practice this allows for scaling smooth surfaces and ultra-precise tool adjustments.
  • Elongated Cervical Vertebrae
    
    • Although not present in all Offshoot 202s, a number of individuals have a subtly extended neck, lending their appearance a serpentine aspect.
  • Hybrid Muscle Fiber Composition
    
    • Superfine Myofibrils
      
      • Ultra-dense, slow-twitch fibers with 0.000001mm contraction precision, allowing for the adjustment of force in nanogram increments. These also function to suppress micro-tremors, even after long periods without rest.
    • Elastomeric Biopolymers
      
      • Artificial protein strands woven into muscle tissue, acting as self-tightening "living cables" that automatically adjust tension and recoil while stretching. Notably, these biopolymers serve an additional purpose in preventing muscle fatigue.
    • Neural-Filament Bundles
      
      • Dedicated nerve clusters in each muscle fiber bundle, allowing for direct synaptic muscle control and instantaneous correction without conscious thought.
  • Enhanced Visual Perception
    
    • Dynamic Iris Aperture
      
      • Their pupils can dilate / contract instantly, optimizing light intake.
    • Enhanced Flicker Fusion Threshold
      
      • Owing to their high-speed optic neurons, they can process visual data at ~1000+ frames per second.
    • Tetrachromatic Cone Cells
      
      • Allows for a wider range of color perception, including ultraviolet light. Their color vision extends beyond the standard visual spectrum.
    • Thermochromatic Rods
      
      • Rods are laced with thermoreceptive proteins, allowing for infrared and temperature-sensitive vision.
    • Adaptive Pupillary Shutters
      
      • Semi-translucent membranes in the eyes slide horizontally to block excess IR / UV in bright environments or to dilate in darkness. The latter function notably creates a reflective glare.
    • Optic Neural Processing
      
      • Their lateral geniculate nucleus has dedicated channels for processing IR / UV stimuli, preventing sensory overload. Specialized neurotransmitters also sharpen wavelength discrimination, allowing them to distinguish a 0.1 nm color difference.
  • Seemingly Unblinking Eyes
    
    • Although their eyes blink periodically, it is not visible and occurs only rarely.
  • Enhanced Reaction Time
    
    • Myelinated Quantum-Nodes
      
      • Nerve fibers are coated in bio-engineered superconductive proteins, enabling near-lightspeed signal transmission.
    • Spinal Reflex Bypass
      
      • Threat responses may skip brain processing, routing instead through dedicated ganglia clusters in their spine for instant counteractions.
  • Iridescent Blue-Green Blood
  • Eidetic Memory
  • Dark Sclera
  • Subvocal Humming
    
    • Not known to serve a specific purpose, a faint, ultrasonic resonance carries when they speak, generally detectable only subconsciously. As such, their voices can be eerie and unnerving, without listeners knowing why.
  • Hibernation Trance
    
    • Can enter a low-metabolism trance state, often used for reducing caloric demands during travel.
  • Wide and Angular Cheekbones
  • Deeply Hollow Cheeks
  • Hyperfluid Joints
    
    • Multi-Axial Ball Sockets
      
      • Gives joints markedly enhanced rotational capability. With their joints’ ability to articulate in 360 degrees (and at times beyond that), they can move in ways that would see a normal humanoid dislocate.
    • Elastic Tendons and Connective Tissues
      
      • Tendons and connective tissues are elastic, able to stretch and retract in the manner of biopolymer springs, allowing for instant recoil without strain.
    • Liquid-Cartilage Lubrication
      
      • Self-replenishing synovial fluid infused with engineered cells reduces wear and tear to almost zero. Stiffness, friction, and fatigue are effectively eliminated.
  • Porcelain Skin
    
    • Skin is smooth, poreless, and slightly reflective.
  • No Body or Vellus Hair
  • No Body Heat
  • Odorless Physiology
    
    • Sterile Sweat Glands
      
      • Sweat is composed of 99% water + electrolytes, with no lipids or proteins for bacteria to break down.
    • Self-Sterilizing Dermis
      
      • Skin secretes lysozyme peptides that instantly kill odor-causing microbes on contact.
    • Engineered Scrubber Cells
      
      • Engineered cells neutralize volatile organic compounds before they can evaporate. These cells also scrub VOCs from the bloodstream before they reach the lungs, preventing halitosis.
    • Digestive Byproduct Neutralization
      
      • Intestines contain probiotics that convert sulfurous waste into odorless inert salts. A hyper-optimized liver breaks down remaining volatile organic compounds 100x faster than that of baseline Arkanians.
• Races: N/A
• Force Sensitivity: High
  
  • Roughly 75% have greater than 8,000 midi-chlorians per cell.

Strengths:

• Machine Muscle: Offshoot 202s have muscles that are engineered for nano-scale precision. Unlike normal humanoids, their muscles do not utilize graded muscle activation. Instead, their musculature activates only the exact fibers necessary, eliminating wasted motion. So precise are their muscle fibers that they can write several pages worth of text on a single grain of rice, provided that magnification is available and the tip of the writing implement is fine enough.
• Snapshot Replication: Syngergizing with their eidetic memory, Offshoot 202s have adoptive muscle memory. They can replicate another individual’s movements after witnessing them performed only once, as muscle memory is encoded within the fibers.
• Contortionist: Offshoot 202s possess hyperfluid joints, giving them the ability to move in smooth, eerie fashion. Of particular note, some have learned the ability to dislocate their joints at will, allowing for extreme flexibility rivaling (and at times exceeding) that of the Vahla.
• Kinetic Marionette: Their frictionless, hyperfluid joints and inertialess, ultra-precise muscles allow for zero-lag neuromechancial feedback and instantaneous motion response. In effect, they can change direction mid-movement without deceleration, lending them an eerie, marionette-like grace. These same anatomy structures allow for limited kinetic energy absorption and rerouting, allowing incoming force to be translated directly into controlled motion along new vectors. A blocked punch’s energy could be redirected to fuel a backflip. However, it should be noted that their kinetic energy redirection abilities are limited to low-grade impacts such as punches, kicks, and low-height (<6 meters) falls. Like any other humanoid, hammer blows will shatter bones and sword strikes will shear through unprotected flesh.
• Emotional Mirror: Offshoot 202s are nigh-perfect mimics, lie detectors, and emotion readers. Their facial muscles (zygomaticus, corrugator, mentalis, etc.) have elastic, ultra-responsive fibers, allowing for twitch-level precision in replicating facial expressions. Neurologically, their brains are optimized for emotional perception and mimicry. Their premotor cortex and inferior parietal lobule contain clustered, redundant neural pathways that fire both when they observe an emotion and when they "replay" it. When mimicking or mirroring emotions, their brain releases specialized “emotion sampling” neurotransmitters, creating a brief, synthetic version of the emotion they are copying. Finally, sensory inputs from a humanoid target (e.g., seeing a smile), can trigger an instant, autonomic facial response wherein they mirror the emotion.
• Unliving Signature: Given their odorless physiology, Offshoot 202s leave no scent trail for animals, scent trackers, or chemical trackers. In addition, their lack of body heat while at rest renders them hard to pick out via infrared or thermal sensors.
• Synaptic Overdrive: Offshoot 202s have parallel-processing neural architecture, allowing them to perceive, analyze, and react to threats with nigh-zero latency. In practice, their average reaction times measure in the single-digit milliseconds.

Weaknesses:

• Overheating: The synovial fluid within their joints can overheat with a large number of redirections of high-momentum forces in a short period of time, since a small percentage of the absorbed kinetic energy is lost as waste heat. In extreme cases, joint lubrication can fail as the synovial fluid becomes watery, losing its frictionless properties. This can result in grinding friction and stiffness, causing the joints to revert to baseline humanoid-like movement. In addition, excessive energy storage from heavy impacts can overstretch the elastomeric fibers, causing tears, twitches, or spasms.
• Underheating: The synovial fluid within their joints can be too underheated to function effectively, as well. In extreme cold environments (often below freezing temperatures), the lubricating fluid within their joints can thicken, causing stiffness.
• Flash Strike: Sudden high-intensity IR sources from flash grenades, strobe lights, and other high-light sources can cause retinal bleaching (temporary loss in IR / heat vision) and painful pupil spasms. In addition, they generally need to wear eye protection on planets with hot, blue suns.
• Emotional Backwash: The ability of Offshoot 202s to mimic emotions can be weaponized against them, especially if they lack strong emotional regulation. In theory, a target could fake pain or agony and in turn make an Offshoot 202 feel real pain as specialized “emotion sampling” neurotransmitters react by a synthetic version of pain. In addition, the use of multiple contradicting emotional stimuli (e.g., laughing while grimacing) can desynchronize their mirroring.
• Social Dysfunction: The ability Offshoot 202s to constantly detect lies can result in eroded trust. Some see deception everywhere, becoming paranoid and manipulative as a result. In addition, some struggle with sarcasm or idioms, as their brains are engineered to prioritize facial expressions or micro-expressions above all else.
• Uncanny Valley: Especially perceptive individuals may sense that Offshoot 202s’ emotions are fake and scripted, due to the precision, perfection, and uncanny mimicry of their emotional responses.
• Caloric Consumption: Offshoot 202s’ demanding, ultra-precise biomechanics need roughly 3x the caloric intake of a baseline humanoid in order to maintain health. They require high-sugar, nutrient-dense diets in order to prevent hypoglycemia. Prolonged starvation will force their body to consume elastomers for fuel, degrading performance.

CULTURE

• Diet: Omnivore
• Notable Communication:
  
  • Arkanian
  • Galactic Basic Standard
• Technology level: Galactic Standard - Space
• Religion/Beliefs: As religion is not a prominent part of Arkanian society, Offshoot 202s reflect this. Thus, they are generally not religious and do not hold superstitions. However, it should be noted that those 202s who are incorporated within the Kainate are known to worship Darth Carnifex and Darth Prazutis .
• General Behavior: Designed for high-status service roles, Offshoot 202s typically work in roles where aesthetics, intellect, and precision are paramount. In Arkanian society (and often beyond), they may serve as interrogators, surgeons, diplomatic attendants, and spies. However, even in these fields they are extremely rare. It is Arkanian high society where their numbers are more concentrated. In Arkanian courts they are commonly displayed as “living art”. In this capacity they may recite poetry, play music, dance, or pose motionless for hours as “living statues”. Arkanian nobles may also take them on as genetically tailored companions and confidants.
  
  In terms of their specific shared culture, 202s almost universally value strong emotional discipline and regulation, due to the mechanisms behind their mimicry and mirroring abilities. Children and newly created individuals (since many are made, not born) are trained to regulate their emotions as soon as possible, a practice which continues throughout the lifespan.
  
  Although capable of having children, many 202s are manufactured specifically for their roles, often being grown directly as adults and thus bypassing childhood. Those who were created as part of the same batch may perceive each other as siblings, especially if they were created from the same genetic material. However, it should be noted that manufactured 202s are not clones. Their genetics are effectively randomized to ensure that each individual is different.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION
Conceived within various Arkanian genetic engineering laboratories, the very first Arkanian Offshoot 202s were created during the final decade of the eighth century after the Battle of Yavin. Originally the product of a number of the Arkanian geneticist Suni Nes, after a long string of failed subjects the Sith Healer Vestara VII oversaw the refinement and stabilization of their genome. Her services came with the condition of the Kainate being granted license to produce Offshoot 202s, in addition to research data for a number of other Offshoot and “pure” Arkanian variants.

With full stabilization of their genome, it did not take long for Offshoot 202s to become an uncommon fixture within Arkanian high society. Unlike many Offshoots variants which were bred for industrial work, 202s saw use in high-status service roles. More darkly, their ability to pick out micro-expressions made them ideal for roles as spies, interrogators, and mentalists. A small number of 202s were also produced within the Kainate, albeit only on an experimental basis.

However, given their exclusive, luxurious status and the extreme difficulty of their creation, Offshoot 202s are rare, even on Arkania. They are essentially nonexistent within the greater galaxy and their numbers in the Kainate are within the tens. Nevertheless, representing the pinnacle of Sith and Arkanian genetic engineering, Offshoot 202s are poised to become an eerie symbol of the relentless pursuit of genetic perfection.