Ir'vaki
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The Ir'vaki are a race of highly technologically advanced sapient and reptilian bipedal carbon-based organics. They possess psionic biology and technology, as well as faster-than-light travel. They are the closest sapient race to humanity in the galactic community and share distant ancestry with Earth biology.
Biology
Appearance
The Ir'vaki present as tall bipedal reptilians with digitigrade feet, and have slitted eyes with iridescent, colour-changing irises. Their bodies have dark purple scales, which extend into large spines with glowing, light purple tips along the spine, tail, and the back of the arms. They have a large, forked prehensile tongue, which still retains the independent ability to smell. They have a long tail with a sharp metal barb at the end, which is able to inject a potent neurotoxin into prey.
Abilities
Ir'vaki possess innate psionic abilities, including telepathy and telekinesis. Their bodies can absorb and deliver large amounts of electromagnetic energy to use both to power their psionic capabilities and as a direct defence system, which they can recharge directly from sources of electrical power, including human substations.
Their nervous systems are highly complex, making individual Ir'vaki highly intelligent. Tied into this is their ability to manipulate energy, allowing them to sense and control RF. They have a highly evolved rapid regeneration system, which means they can recover from physical damage quickly, and do not suffer from cancers. The natural lifespan of an Ir'vaki is approximately 500 years, representing their highly evolved biology.
Internals
Ir'vaki feature a highly specialised organ structure. Capacitor organs, which are designed to store electromagnetic energy, are distributed throughout their bodies and connected via conductive channels; glowing conductors down their spines and across their limbs act to increase surface area for channelling psionic energies. A redundant circulatory system with two hearts ensures resilience and increases stamina. They also possess largely vestigial gills derived from aquatic origins; they still assist in underwater respiration to an extent.
Reproduction
The Ir'vaki are hermaphroditic and all members of the species possess both a genital slit with an ovipositor and a womb. No genders exist. An internal egg clutch stores eggs before they are fertilised; they are then pushed into the womb of the submissive via the ovipositor during mating. A single mating cycle usually delivers between 16 and 22 eggs, though usually only around 3-4 eggs make it to maturity. The rest are dissolved and absorbed.
Psionics is highly involved during mating rituals. Ir'vaki challenge each other for the dominant (penetrating) role on the basis of both mental and physical acuity. After selection, the psionic link entwines their minds and greatly enhances their senses, allowing for significantly increased intimacy and pleasure during the actual mating process.
Food
Ir'vaki are both carnivores and lithovores, with two separate digestive systems; one for organic material, and one for metals common to their home system, such as iron, titanium, and tungsten ore, which are used throughout their bodies for various purposes, such as conducting energy, and integrated into their scales as a form of armour. While they primarily subside off organic food for energy, their metallic diet is a critical part of their metabolism.
Hibernation
Part of Ir’vaki biology and culture is a 3-month hibernation cycle, which is performed every 6-7 years. It serves to repair long-term damage from aging as well as regenerate neural pathways which have sustained wear from the use of high-energy psionics. It is a very intensive process, and for this reason, there is a small chance Ir’vaki die during hibernation. Greater use of one's psionic abilities increases both the frequency and duration of hibernation cycles, and increases the chance of death. Conversely, the lack of use of one's psionic abilities leads to chronic wasting and overall weakness, making it important for individual Ir'vaki to maintain psionic fitness and strike a balance between the two extremes.
Culture
The Ir'vaki possess a nomadic culture, with many clans that are spread across their homeworlds. Because of this, they are often very divided when making decisions as a species. They do not use currency, and instead possess a barter economy between clans which caters from the smallest to the largest transactions; within clans, all resources are shared. They hold evolution in high regard and possess little desire to artificially improve their biology; and live to coexist with nature, hunting using traditional methods and seeking to leave as little of an impact on the environment as possible. They are also both highly empathetic and xenophilic.
A significant part of Ir'vaki culture is also centred around their unique neural biology and psionic abilities; Ir'vaki tribes commune often to share memories and pass knowledge down through generations. Additionally, though they possess advanced forms of technology and electronics, they crucially do not rely on it alone, preferring simpler solutions that work consistently. Their computer systems are also designed to communicate with them psionically, and do not incorporate physical input devices as they are unnecessary for them.
Linguistics
Despite their psionics, most Ir’vaki generally rely on spoken language to convey information, where psionics is used to transfer more abstract concepts, memories, or experiences. However, this differs by culture, and some clans adopt purely psionic methods of communication.
Defence
The Ir’vaki do not use conventional kinetic or energy weapons. Rather, they fight physically with their own bodies, as well as melee weapons, and most importantly, using psionics, as was seen during the Ir’vaki Conflict. Psionics also acts as their defence against reality-manipulating threats, as enough Ir’vaki acting collectively can repair even the most severe of manifold fractures. The Ir’vaki need neither the secrecy nor the authoritarianism of human organisations such as Raven; all members of their society are aware of the dangers, and threats that arise are much more easily dealt with. They believe that reality does not need to be controlled.
Relations
The Ir’vaki possess a strong bond with the Vertex Network, due to many shared ethics and common negative experiences with humanity. The two civilisations have formed a mutual alliance, working together on each others’ worlds for collective benefit.