The Xenians are a currently extinct race of highly intelligent, spacefaring creatures that once existed on the planet Xeno. This race is responsible for the "Operation Niche" project, millions of years prior to current day.
Anatomy[]
Xenians, on average, stand at around four to five feet tall. Amphibious in nature due to the naturally humid, warm climates of Xeno, Xenians have naturally thinner skin compared to that of Homo Sapians, comparable instead to that of frogs or salamanders. Thicker-skinned races of Xenians exist further away from the equator, though their skin is still only as thick as those of Toads rather than human skin. Studies of the fossilized bones of Xenians revealed that their skeletal structure is actually more robust to compensate for their thinner skin structure, seemingly an adaptation as means to better protect their vital organs more efficiently. These robust bones and muscles also suggest that Xenians are capable of "walking" underwater, much like Hippos do on Earth, rather than actually swimming. Xenian skin is capable of absorbing the oxygen through the air and through the water, allowing Xenians to navigate in and out of water with little to no difference between the two in terms of oxygen intake. It's thanks to this that Xenians are able to travel through the water almost indefinitely.
As a sapient race, the Xenians had evolved a set of manipulative tentacles, each one ending in a set of three finger-like digits that allow it to successfully manipulate its environment. These tentacles are homages to its own ancestry but have evolved far more complexly than its ancestors. Although appearing upright like Humans on Earth, their bodies are supported by two pairs of legs located underneath the main base of the body, the legs spread outward and down, rather than directly upright. This spreads the Xenians' weight alongside its wider, flatter feet, as to not sink in the soft grounds of Xeno's landscape. Their forward-facing eyes have maintained a skin-like, translucent covering to protect their fragile eyes from outside molecules (ex. Salt within oceanic waters). Studies of fossil records suggest that the Xenians in particular is a trait from their ancestors they've kept within their million years.
Evolution[]
Xenians belong to a group of currently extinct creatures known as the Duaquians, the name meaning "Two-Water". Duaquians as an animal group appeared around 130 million years ago, evolving to fill in the niche to that of Earth primates. Despite the name implications, only the Xenians themselves are considered sapient, as other members of this species are more comparable to chimpanzees and orangutans in intelligence. Duaquians extended into several currently extinct species, adapting to specific environments throughout the world. Though evidence for this is hardly any, it's been suggested that the Xenians became the latest evolving member of this group because they've hunted down their relatives to extinction, alongside numerous other family groups during their reign.
Duaquians as a group became completely erased by the extinction of the Xenians, no modern species in relation to them, native or otherwise.
Society[]
Culture[]
Xenians hold themselves as a species of high respect as opposed to other forms of life on their home planet, considering their kind as overall better due to their own intelligence compared to other creatures. What little is salvaged from their existence had shown hints of religious beliefs that elevate Xenians as an almost God-like race on their world. The most developed remain of this is a relic from their ancient past preserved, and a translation from the passage "the rising of Xeno" passed down through Xenian generations. The log goes as follows:
- Oh Ctherox, Xenian made at the dawn of time, we are made within your image and go on within your name. For you've made and provided all that we need, and we owe our importance to this realm to you. May the vines of Fearax never reach your throne, and taint you with her corruption. May you influence your purity onto all Xenians, for we are amongst your collection, and we, for now and forever, will rule in your name to all who oppose your greatness. Fooru.
According to this, it is suggested that "Ctherox" is the Xenians' interpretation of God, and "Fearax" their interpretation of The Devil. However, with this known, some races believed that their "noble actions" to save their ecosystems in Operation Niche is more self-interested - the Xenians taking their role as creators and attempting to completely control their environment through this operation. It's currently impossible to confirm or deny this claim.
Technology[]
Xenian technology has well-evolved beyond that of Humanity, developing spacefaring vessels that exceed that of Humanity tenfold by the time they discovered Earth. Spaceships of Xenians vary in shape, though common vessels are streamlined in structure, with many of the rockets located on the "wings" rather than directly behind it, giving these ships a triangular-like shape. These ships have tentacle-like tractor beams capable of safely collecting multiple lifeforms from the surface of planets without direct damage to the planet itself.
Much of their known technology mostly revolves around environmental control: their ideology as gods on their own homeworld inspired them to create various mchines that allow them to control life to an extent. Their most notable form of this is their "Pocket Habitats" - areas reaching miles of artificially controlled ecosystems that the Xenians are capable of influencing rapid evolution to how they see fit. These, much like many other forms of technology, had been lost overtime, but it's partially thanks to these that some of the introduced species are able to adapt on Xeno in the first place, according to some studies.