A nascent species of digital ghosts bound in hardlight and steel, proving themselves to the universe. Appearance . . . . A metal shell encasing a photonic pith, the Nitidians are a species of digital minds capable of interfacing directly with electronics. Their outer layer is a bespoke suite of cybernetics built to house the bundle of clouded hardlight that is their being. Their senses originate from the pith, though they can be extended outwards into nearby machinery. Notably keen is the Nitidian sense of sight, which they prefer to be unmoored by cameras, leaving sections of their carapace open to see and be seen through. . . . . The consciousness of a Nitidian is contained entirely within their pith, which forms spontaneously under the unique conditions of their home world. Most Nitidians approximate a biped, with many possessing excess arms or legs, while others generate as multiple disconnected body parts answering to the same mind. Stranger still, some do not begin to approach the humanoid physique. Most do not have anything recognizable as a 'face,' and they are not known to be able to change the shape of their pith, post-formation. Culture . . . . Independent and cunning, Nitidians place a heavy burden on the individual to be exceptional. Possessing a great capacity for pride, they view all paths that do not lead to greatness as wasted effort. This drive often pushes them into competition, and their stubborn persistence in their beliefs often sparks violence. These tendencies are only mellowed by an innate fixation on the survival of their species. The death of a Nitidian is an unspeakable crime, and the punishment severe. Martyrdom is similarly unthinkable, as a martyr is merely one less voice for their belief. . . . . A Nitidian's beliefs come forth from their ephemeral past, an illusory sensation of having lived prior to being born. These dream-like memories are often abstract, but firmly real to the individual. This past seems to grant them inborn understanding of the Galaxy, as well. Many form knowing how to read and write Common. Infrequently, Nitidians of similar ideology are known to gather into tight-knit cabals. These secretive groups are typically lead by the most accomplished individual within them. Most cabals are temporary, as few Nitidians can see eye-to-eye with each other for very long, and many are prone to jealousy. Some even view success as part of a cabal as lesser than the success of an individual, though this opinion is in the minority. . . . . Among the Fringe, Nitidians are stereotyped as self-interested and conceited nomads. Despite this, they are often sought out for their specific expertise, as few can match the skill their society forces upon them. History . . . . Settled as a home for the Xadari shortly after the fall of their homeworld, Vandoxx was one of few colony-building projects to attract the attention of the Grey. Several groups, eager to finally work with an intellectual peer, combined their efforts to transform the once-barren planet into a technological marvel of the Fringe. To do this, they utilized cutting edge hardlight architectural theories that would be typical of CivSpace, with projectors embedded in almost all of the infrastructure to keep the city upright. . . . . Five years ago, researchers on Vandoxx observed a new species of phasematter mite, capable of bonding with phasematter to create a novel material that they could sustain indefinitely. These mites were simple autotrophs, feeding lazily off worldly radiation. The same was not said for the more complex genus of Sklira-Nitidus, which were observed mimicking the shapes and actions of security drones around the colony. Evidence suggested that some could even receive signals from the network, responding to commands even when given no obvious stimulus. . . . . Two years ago, the first documented instance of Sklira-Nitidus Sapiens manifested in the middle of a Vandoxxi debate chamber. The speck of hardlight grew rapidly, filling the entire room while those around it raced to study the phenomenon. The debaters only realized the creature was capable of complex thought when it displayed the ability to communicate. Its first words, I AM ALIVE, were recorded onto the same stenography computer as the debate preceding it. Intentions for Story & Setting Interactions . . . . Nitidians are intended to introduce new character types to the setting with a novel biology, while also providing a connective tissue between several interesting parts of Galaxy Citizen's lore, namely the Grey, Xadari, and often-unmentioned Fenerox. In addition to this, they will present unique opportunities to players through their unique interactions with technology, and plans to introduce a new type of hardlight to the setting.
