Endurians
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Summary:
A race of alien humanoids congregating on Amalthea. Endurians have blue skin and possess extra sensory antennæ which can sense even micro changes in air density. This gives an Endurian a type of sonar which allows them to operate in total darkness. Endurians are suspicious and easily offended. First contact with the Endurians nearly led to war. Endurians hold several seats on the Ukp counsel and have acted as allies to her majesty in times of need. Endurians as a race harbour a strong resentment toward the Vulkans for undisclosed reasons.
Detail:
Origins:
Archeological findings on Elara suggest that the Endurian race may have evolved there or may have been transplanted to this system at an early stage of their development. Many of the animal species native to Elara share physiological commonalities with Endurians. The early history and development of the Endurian race on Elara as portrayed by the Counsel of Great Houses seem exceptional but many scholars suspect that certain details of Endurian history have been withheld. This editing of the Endurian history is easily done considering that no non-Endurian is permitted to set foot on Elara.
Physiology:
Endurian biological processes are wholly unlike our human chemistry but the general make up of organs is by and large similar in function. Endurian blood dœs not utilize hemoglobin but rather a sponge like, oxygen carrying cell that is dark blue in colour. This gives Endurians the characteristic blue skin colour.
Sensory perception in Endurians is similar to those in humans with the addition of their cranial antennæ. These sensory organs are sensitive to barometric and pressure waves in the atmosphere thus acting like passive sonar to detect motion even in absolute darkness. The antennæ include musculature to focus their sensory acuity. This passive sense may be used in conjunction with a clicking sound that can be produced in the throat to act more like active sonar. The antennæ are sensitive to water so the few Endurians who do swim do so with their heads above the surface. Submersion not only irritates the sensory tissue but the pressure at even shallow depths causes considerable pain. The antennæ fold forward when asleep or when donning helmets and alike.
Endurian’s natural life span is comparable to human life span but their advanced medical technology has boosted longevity to around 120 years. Endurians tend to mature faster at an early age. Mentally and physically a human of 20 years is equivalent to and Endurian of 16 years. Sexually inactive males tend to live longer and take positions as House elders.
Endurians are more susceptible to damage by solar radiation than humans. Their skin due to its colour absorbs greater amounts of ultraviolet and infrared light and burns to a brown colour after prolonged exposure.
Language:
Like English the Endurian tongue is a hybrid of multiple base languages that were originally spoken by various groups on Elara. The Endurian vocabulary is to this day filled with a variety of Endurian ethnically distinct synonyms that are tinted with extra meaning. It is therefore difficult for human or mechanological translators to understand the subtext of any discourse between two Endurians.
Endurian script is fairly standardized using a phonetic alphabet and a number of grammatical symbols to denote extra-verbal gestures and intent.
Society and Social Order:
Endurian government, vocational and societal organization is based on a client / patron basis with the basic element being ones “House” A “House” in Endurian society is similar to the clans of old Earth. One is born into the structure of a House but access and migration to other houses is common. A hierarchy of Houses is topped by the Great Houses which form the ruling counsel. The great houses are patrons to a number of Noble Houses. Each Noble House may have a number of High Houses as clients and they intern may have a plurality of Craft houses, these inturn may patronize a number of Client Houses of labourers. The patron / client arrangement is mutually beneficial with the lower houses providing support to the house above it and the higher house offering beneficial treatment and care to its clients. In the social system clients may change their loyalty to different patrons depending on what the patron offers but a complicated system of inter-House politics limits such changes and adds stability to their society.
Gender roles for Endurians are greatly influenced by the specific customs of the House to which they belong. In many of the lower client houses unqualified gender equality is practiced until such time as a female is heavy with child. Other houses impose strict rules on the duties and vocations of both men and women. An example is the House of Aldrous which provides various forms of entertainment. Both men and women of Aldrous may be actors, stage performers, writers, etc. but only men may be field reporters, stage hands, or directors. Similarly only women can be studio interviewers, sound technicians, stage managers, etc.
Costume:
Each House has distinct history, heraldry and customs which denotes it’s social level, vocation, location and alliances. These distinctions are intuitively obvious by ones costume, to any Endurian. These societal signs are difficult for any non Endurian to decode but any other Endurian immediately knows many details about any other Endurian on sight.
In comparison to other races the Endurians are considered flamboyant in their costume, some may even say gaudy. The use of bright colour, trim, splash and ornament is pervasive in Endurian society and many Endurians in the Æther Fleet consider it abhorrent to don an unembellished uniform.
Mechanology and Ætherfaring:
Endurian technology is relatively equal to advanced British techniques although their technological development is much older. Endurians have traveled the æther for hundreds of years prior to contact with humans. The torsion and torque æther drive systems were developed by the Endurians when humans were establishing the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt. The pace of Endurian technological development is not due to a lack of aptitude or capability but rather a difference in priorities. Endurians would be more concerned with inter-House politics, nurturing their young or religious adherence before scientific research, invention or product development.
Endurian medical techniques are well in advance of any other race which has increased their normal life spans to 120 years or more. Regeneration of limbs and organs are possible and a host of remedies for illness and injury are available for rapid recovery.
The Endurians have a wide variety of ætherships for almost any purpose. Fleets of æther whaling vessels follow the seasonal migrations. The majority of the fishing vessels and skimmers operating on the surfaces of the gas giants are of Endurian manufacture. Merchant vessels of every conceivable shape size and capability are operated by the various Endurian Houses. Since there has been little change in Endurian ætherfaring technology over a very long span of time their designs have become the standard in the industry. Finding parts for Endurian engines is comparatively easy and ships using a mélange of mismatched Endurian systems is the norm for independent æther pilots.
Endurian military vessels are rare but have a reputation high maneuverability, bursts of high speeds and their initial barrages of lightning gun fire. All of these traits rely on secret capacitor technology that provides use of vast energies for a limited amount of time. Once their reserves are spent the ships tend to have an under powered Performance.
Economy:
It is beneficial to Terrans that the Endurians have not monopolized Jovian resources but encourage open trading and outside ventures in their own backyard so to speak. Æther whaling and phlogisten production nets the Endurians a significant portion of their trade income. Endurian trade goods can be found in all parts of the solar system due to steady Endurian production and widespread trade.
