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Description

(Cryonaia vitrecutans)

Homeworld: Eonaia, Moon of Loronos in Hathir System

Dwelling in an ocean beneath the ice of the Loronosian Moon Eonaia, the Meer were once completely unaware of the outside Galaxy, or for that matter, the concept of anything beyond the icy ‘ceiling’ of their world, even during the Novanth War. Their world was changed forever when explorers broke through the 15-mile layer of ice. Within a short time, however, they quickly became the unexpected heads of many Eonaian-based operations, revealing them to be economic geniuses. Although they cannot depart their home world due to their anatomy, the Meer have managed to found many corporations that find footholds across the known Galaxy, rivaling those of the Hippokytes. They do have something of a rivalry with their fellow Eonaians, the surface-dwelling Duni. Although what really lied outside the ice shelf of Eonaia remained unknown to the Meer, their religion taught that Heaven lied beyond the icy ceiling, and that the ice itself was a kind of passing gate to this afterlife. This religion has endured, now teaching that Heaven lies beyond the universe, in a sea of false vacuum matter. This version has caught on in some parts of the System, and is known as the ‘Outer Faith’.

The Meer are completely unable to depart their home world, mainly because no other world has Eonaia’s subzero aquatic temperatures, nor can a suitable artificial environment be created with present technology.

A typical adult Meer measures up from 23 to 26 feet long, about the length of a Terran orca. They are a fully aquatic species; their bodies are roughly fusiform in shape, swimming by means of constantly undulating lateral fins along the tail. They are translucent enough so that their inner organs can be seen, but they also possess rudimentary bioluminescence. Their large, paddle-like limbs on the upper torso have four long tentacles. They have four eyes; a dominant pair on the ventral side of the head and two smaller eyes on the lateral side. They have no hair, but possess long, cilia-like organs on the dorsal side of the head. They breathe through gills partially shielded by an operculum on the ‘shoulder’ area. Their blood is a natural anti-freeze. Their beak-like mouth is commonly retracted inside the skull, except when eating. They are omnivorous, kelp-like plant material making up a large part of their diet. They are divided into male and female, but males will commonly carry some fertilized eggs to ensure the survival of at least some of the clutch, an old survival tactic.

Can I just say how cool it would be to find something like this living in the waters of Europa?? Who's with me?

Description

(Cryonaia vitrecutans)

Homeworld: Eonaia, Moon of Loronos in Hathir System

Dwelling in an ocean beneath the ice of the Loronosian Moon Eonaia, the Meer were once completely unaware of the outside Galaxy, or for that matter, the concept of anything beyond the icy ‘ceiling’ of their world, even during the Novanth War. Their world was changed forever when explorers broke through the 15-mile layer of ice. Within a short time, however, they quickly became the unexpected heads of many Eonaian-based operations, revealing them to be economic geniuses. Although they cannot depart their home world due to their anatomy, the Meer have managed to found many corporations that find footholds across the known Galaxy, rivaling those of the Hippokytes. They do have something of a rivalry with their fellow Eonaians, the surface-dwelling Duni. Although what really lied outside the ice shelf of Eonaia remained unknown to the Meer, their religion taught that Heaven lied beyond the icy ceiling, and that the ice itself was a kind of passing gate to this afterlife. This religion has endured, now teaching that Heaven lies beyond the universe, in a sea of false vacuum matter. This version has caught on in some parts of the System, and is known as the ‘Outer Faith’.

The Meer are completely unable to depart their home world, mainly because no other world has Eonaia’s subzero aquatic temperatures, nor can a suitable artificial environment be created with present technology.

A typical adult Meer measures up from 23 to 26 feet long, about the length of a Terran orca. They are a fully aquatic species; their bodies are roughly fusiform in shape, swimming by means of constantly undulating lateral fins along the tail. They are translucent enough so that their inner organs can be seen, but they also possess rudimentary bioluminescence. Their large, paddle-like limbs on the upper torso have four long tentacles. They have four eyes; a dominant pair on the ventral side of the head and two smaller eyes on the lateral side. They have no hair, but possess long, cilia-like organs on the dorsal side of the head. They breathe through gills partially shielded by an operculum on the ‘shoulder’ area. Their blood is a natural anti-freeze. Their beak-like mouth is commonly retracted inside the skull, except when eating. They are omnivorous, kelp-like plant material making up a large part of their diet. They are divided into male and female, but males will commonly carry some fertilized eggs to ensure the survival of at least some of the clutch, an old survival tactic.

Can I just say how cool it would be to find something like this living in the waters of Europa?? Who's with me?