The Ameilla

Discussion in 'Denied' started by syntheticdeity, Jun 28, 2021.

  1. syntheticdeity

    syntheticdeity boss Silver Donator

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    The Ameilla
    (AH-mèy-UH)

    Stage 1: Basic Synopsis

    Tags
    Advanced paranoid eusocial insectile refugees

    Appearance/Biology
    The Ameilla are a humanoid species loosely resembling Earth bees or wasps, divided into two major castes. The castes, divided into workers and warriors, differ in appearance and internal structure - however, both work to keep a hive and its Queen alive. Workers generally stand between 4’ and 4’7”, have a soft chitin exoskeleton with a fine, soft fuzz on the outside and two clear insectile wings on their back. They have small mandibles separate from their mouths that have small extendable fangs and two antennae sticking from the top of their head. Warriors on the other hand stand between 4’8” and 5’2” tall. Their exoskeleton is harder than that of a worker, and lacks fuzz. Their hands feature sharp, talon-like fingers, their mandibles are larger, and have larger fangs.
    Both castes are designed to work during the night, and have evolved accordingly. All Ameilla have a tapetum in their eyes, and a slightly higher ratio of rods-to-cones compared to most humanoid races. This allows them to see better in the dark and make out movement more easily. All Ameilla have venomous fangs, and carry a mild, paralytic neurotoxin; in the case of Warriors, their venom contains an anticoagulant as well. In addition, every member of the species is equipped with a pair of wings, which allow them to glide in up to 1.21 Gs and, with training, allows them to fly short distances.
    All Ameilla, of both castes, have an organ above their right lung that produces acid; the type of acid varies by caste.. A worker’s gland produces a unique chemical used to break down biomass into a nutrient slurry, as a first step in a larger process. A warrior’s, however, produces hydrochloric acid that can be sprayed at aggressors, causing skin irritation and potential mild skin damage. Lastly, workers are equipped with a fine, soft fuzz over their exoskeleton, which is used to detect even extremely minute changes in local air pressure. Its function is currently largely vestigial, but in the past it was used as a borderline “sixth sense” - an unclothed worker could detect the changes in local air pressure that would be caused by, say, an approaching predator. In modern times, clothing dampens the effect to near-uselessness.

    Culture
    Ameilla culture differs on a hive-by-hive basis, with cuisine, philosophies, and government varying wildly depending on how far separated a hive is from a city or cluster. One constant in their culture, however, is their use of nonverbal languages. It used to be vital to their survival in the jungles of their home planet, and it remained a staple as their preferred method of communication outside of their hives. They also rely on body language to determine the mood of others because of their emphasis on nonverbal ways of communicating.
    Each hive is also influenced by the fact that Ameilla were not at the top of the food chain on their planet for most of history. As a result, they adapted to put the need of their hive before the want of an individual. This has led to Ameilla hives being extremely collectivistic, leaving the thought of individuality on the backburner for most of their existence. This also makes it hard for them to empathize with peoples outside of their race and even sometimes outside of their own hive.

    History
    Originally a species that subsisted off of plants and animals from the jungle floor and trees of Fora la Mors, Ameilla expanded their borders and numbers as their technology slowly progressed. Eventually their population exploded with the advent of longer ranged weaponry, now capable of hunting and defending their hives without making themselves known. This led to hives being able to establish more reliable connections between each other, which allowed them to trade resources and ideas, as well as protect each other. This strong bond between hives established their dominance within their world, and lifted them from a species constantly being threatened by the deadly wildlife of their world to a race that would lead itself to the stars.
    Yet still, they preferred to stay hidden. They believed the galaxy was a dangerous place, teeming with life that would sooner eat or enslave them than try to make peace. But in recent years, their planet has made them face a harsh choice; let themselves be known to the galaxy, or go extinct. This is because a flood basalt eruption threatened a smaller, mostly unpopulated continent on their world but it released toxic and greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere that started to raise the temperature and poison various plants on the surface. Now, they are faced with the largest crisis they ever have as they’re forced to leave their home and make a new planet theirs. This has thrust them into the light as they take a big step out of their comfort zone.

    Intentions for Story & Setting Interactions
    Ameilla are meant to bring not only new technology and more opportunities for diplomacy, but also a humanitarian crisis. Factions can interact with them and change the course of Ameilla history.
    On an individual character level, Ameilla can vary widely, but all are driven and even restricted by the needs of their now desperate collectivist society. A few examples could be an Ameilla diplomat that travels and negotiates deals with the nations of the Fringe to secure resources to assist in a colonization effort. A warrior that has turned to piracy to obtain their hive supplies and food for their journey through space. A worker who gets employed outside their hive to fund costs for fuel and makes broader connections with the people of the fringe. Or even a worker who abandons their hive, motivated by something unknown that forced them to leave or separate themselves from the hive.
     
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  2. Exon

    Exon Galactic Enforcer

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    Immediate co-sign.
     
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  3. nenin

    nenin New Arrival

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    cosign.
     
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  4. MaskedHero

    MaskedHero Galactic Prodige

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    Co-sign
     
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  5. crumchy

    crumchy pet food taster Silver Donator

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    it is time for me to beecome a cosigner
     
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  6. Pinkbat5

    Pinkbat5 pocl v3.6.7 Staff Member Moderator Diamond Donator

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    Oh christ this has been left ungraded for awhile. Do you still have an interest in apping this species?
     
  7. syntheticdeity

    syntheticdeity boss Silver Donator

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  8. Pinkbat5

    Pinkbat5 pocl v3.6.7 Staff Member Moderator Diamond Donator

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    Ok... grading time...
    Fail. I love insect people as much as the next person, but this species needs to be more unique. They're bee people– they look like anthropomorphic bees, they have venom, they have different castes including a queen they have to protect, and they live in hives. They're collectivist, which is what you'd expect of bee people. The acid spit isn't very beelike, but it is seen in other insects, so it's not a huge subversion.
    This needs an extra layer of theming on it. They need to have traits to their biology and culture that you wouldn't immediately assume bee aliens to have, and this extra layer needs to be obvious enough that it shows in the pitch page, not only the full document. It essentially shouldn't "just" be a bee race.
    Even starbound does this with its species (although not very well), where they take an animal and add an IRL culture to it. Layer one is "they are an anthro version of this animal," layer two is "they have this culture" and the animal and culture are not related. I don't immediately think "aztec" or "shiny red crystals" when I see a bird. I'm not encouraging you to do animal + IRL culture because that's not interesting, but you can see how it's important that a species have more than one inspiration or "core theme." With starbound, it's two or three core themes. Most of the good species on here have way more than that.
    I absolutely hate to hit things with a fail, especially after such a long period of waiting! Do not let this discourage you! The only reason it's getting that is because the "pending" grade is for minor revision only, and this is something that needs to be overhauled at the core.
     
  9. Skid

    Skid God Incarnate Staff Member Community Monitor Diamond Donator

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    Seconding the fail and moving. Feel free to repost with changes.