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Description
It's been a while since I visited my sci-fi setting of Merchant Federacy, so I thought I'd drop some lore with a rather simple, quick doodle to illustrate it.

This time around I wanted to show differences between Merchant Families and Planet Population. While both can enjoy fruits of complex genetic engineering, the Planet Population resembles modern humans more, though they still opt for certain improvements and artificial implants, or even outright switching out the internal organs for more optimal bio-components. The Merchant Law puts certain restrictions over how much one can modify own body, the most severe on machine implants and replacements, dictated by fear of cybernetization that swept the galaxy before the Last War of Empires. Due to the restrictions placed over Klone project, which most importantly require artificial beings to be unmistakable for human being, certain limitations over cosmetic surgery also exist, though its recreational availability led to certain bans being temporarily lifted in event of parties in Merchant Law-mandated facilities and holiday celebrations.

Merchant Families are much more otherworldly in their appearance. As their ancestors after Last War became plagued by WEG radiation, their skin turned hot pink, with their capillaries multiplying rapidly under their skin, to accommodate thickening blood slowly turning into almost separate, symbiotic lifeform, which was caused by the necessity to travel too often under Weirding Effect on risky supply runs to nearby worlds, while avoiding detection and consequential conscription into the War. Long years of living in space with little to no means to generate artificial gravity made their supercharged bodies start growing again, giving them grotesque elongated forms that later required them to implant into themselves reinforced skeletal structures to be able to walk the land again. Since then Merchant Families became absolute ruling class, but they continue to wear their mutations as a badge of honor, though nowadays their bodies are carefully tailored rather than randomly and rapidly changed.

In the picture one can see, from left to right:

Anelia Madurskan - from Planetary Population native to New Karalu under Malican rule, current chief scientist of Malican Duelist Project - doctor Madurskan, as she insists on being called, skipping numerous degrees, probably to hide her age from the speaker as well as her largely artificial (though, as Merchant Law imposes, still 100% biological) body does. Known for almost childlike curiosity with which she carries her research, standing in stark contrast with her sharp mind and ruthless way in which she trampled competition to achieve the title of Malican lead scientist.

Oriana Malican - Malican duelist, born Oriana Valeria Faustina Malican at re Karalu-Sardis - as all duelists she was discovered to be compatible with the project during tests performed on every living being upon reaching an age of seven Councils (a Federacy-wide measure of time, equal to single full revolution around the star of its main planet, Gyaclea). In respect of Personal Proceedings she's still considered a child and requires a legal guardian over herself and whatever things that may be considered her property. In respect of Merchant Law duelists are considered weapon and fall under War Decree. Oriana is in a highly improper relationship with a cheap, defective household Klone Soviya, the damage to Honor and Profit which it caused to her father, Rishard Malican, made him take actions against it. The resulting crisis caused Head of Malican family to accept transfer of legal custody over Oriana to their Assistant, followed by hastily carried out adoption process.

Ardogast Malican - Assistant, future successor and son of Head Marge Malican, the leading member of the Family - he had to drop his promising career of hired blade and substandard ore asteroid prospector when Rhabbald Malican, known among the family members as 'Uncle', suddenly stepped down from his position of Assistant, recommending Ardogast as promising replacement. Stepping into shoes of well-liked diplomat and skilled speaker made Ardogast grow up in rapid pace, though, admittedly, considering he was living off being paid to provoke duels to resolve lawsuits in shady ways, it was long overdue. Due to the fact that he adopted her and it visibly irritates the younger man, Oriana often calls him 'dad'.

Ardogast, as a visiting guest, wears a variation of official Malican uniform, this particular one known as knightly dress, due to similarities between it and the one worn by Retinue sergeants (Family's military force). Oriana is seen in her standard duelist coat, which is loosely based on official dress, duelists in general preferring minimalist clothing that doesn't get in a way of their carapace. Doctor Madurskan wears a standard bodysuit, utilized by most workplaces, capable of maintaining constant temperature and keeping the body fresh and clean. Due to these properties similar bodysuits are often used by people in their everyday life, even by members of Merchant Families. All three of them show official gold and black of Malican family, Oriana, as a duelist, required by War Decree to display those colours at all times.

Description
It's been a while since I visited my sci-fi setting of Merchant Federacy, so I thought I'd drop some lore with a rather simple, quick doodle to illustrate it.

This time around I wanted to show differences between Merchant Families and Planet Population. While both can enjoy fruits of complex genetic engineering, the Planet Population resembles modern humans more, though they still opt for certain improvements and artificial implants, or even outright switching out the internal organs for more optimal bio-components. The Merchant Law puts certain restrictions over how much one can modify own body, the most severe on machine implants and replacements, dictated by fear of cybernetization that swept the galaxy before the Last War of Empires. Due to the restrictions placed over Klone project, which most importantly require artificial beings to be unmistakable for human being, certain limitations over cosmetic surgery also exist, though its recreational availability led to certain bans being temporarily lifted in event of parties in Merchant Law-mandated facilities and holiday celebrations.

Merchant Families are much more otherworldly in their appearance. As their ancestors after Last War became plagued by WEG radiation, their skin turned hot pink, with their capillaries multiplying rapidly under their skin, to accommodate thickening blood slowly turning into almost separate, symbiotic lifeform, which was caused by the necessity to travel too often under Weirding Effect on risky supply runs to nearby worlds, while avoiding detection and consequential conscription into the War. Long years of living in space with little to no means to generate artificial gravity made their supercharged bodies start growing again, giving them grotesque elongated forms that later required them to implant into themselves reinforced skeletal structures to be able to walk the land again. Since then Merchant Families became absolute ruling class, but they continue to wear their mutations as a badge of honor, though nowadays their bodies are carefully tailored rather than randomly and rapidly changed.

In the picture one can see, from left to right:

Anelia Madurskan - from Planetary Population native to New Karalu under Malican rule, current chief scientist of Malican Duelist Project - doctor Madurskan, as she insists on being called, skipping numerous degrees, probably to hide her age from the speaker as well as her largely artificial (though, as Merchant Law imposes, still 100% biological) body does. Known for almost childlike curiosity with which she carries her research, standing in stark contrast with her sharp mind and ruthless way in which she trampled competition to achieve the title of Malican lead scientist.

Oriana Malican - Malican duelist, born Oriana Valeria Faustina Malican at re Karalu-Sardis - as all duelists she was discovered to be compatible with the project during tests performed on every living being upon reaching an age of seven Councils (a Federacy-wide measure of time, equal to single full revolution around the star of its main planet, Gyaclea). In respect of Personal Proceedings she's still considered a child and requires a legal guardian over herself and whatever things that may be considered her property. In respect of Merchant Law duelists are considered weapon and fall under War Decree. Oriana is in a highly improper relationship with a cheap, defective household Klone Soviya, the damage to Honor and Profit which it caused to her father, Rishard Malican, made him take actions against it. The resulting crisis caused Head of Malican family to accept transfer of legal custody over Oriana to their Assistant, followed by hastily carried out adoption process.

Ardogast Malican - Assistant, future successor and son of Head Marge Malican, the leading member of the Family - he had to drop his promising career of hired blade and substandard ore asteroid prospector when Rhabbald Malican, known among the family members as 'Uncle', suddenly stepped down from his position of Assistant, recommending Ardogast as promising replacement. Stepping into shoes of well-liked diplomat and skilled speaker made Ardogast grow up in rapid pace, though, admittedly, considering he was living off being paid to provoke duels to resolve lawsuits in shady ways, it was long overdue. Due to the fact that he adopted her and it visibly irritates the younger man, Oriana often calls him 'dad'.

Ardogast, as a visiting guest, wears a variation of official Malican uniform, this particular one known as knightly dress, due to similarities between it and the one worn by Retinue sergeants (Family's military force). Oriana is seen in her standard duelist coat, which is loosely based on official dress, duelists in general preferring minimalist clothing that doesn't get in a way of their carapace. Doctor Madurskan wears a standard bodysuit, utilized by most workplaces, capable of maintaining constant temperature and keeping the body fresh and clean. Due to these properties similar bodysuits are often used by people in their everyday life, even by members of Merchant Families. All three of them show official gold and black of Malican family, Oriana, as a duelist, required by War Decree to display those colours at all times.