[Voyager Report] Species Spotlight: Fulgori
almost 3 years ago
– Tue, Nov 16, 2021 at 08:25:04 PM
Some of our new Voyagers might be thinking to themselves 'What the heck is a Fulgori? or a Mikwa?' heck, some of our Mikwa and Fulgori voyagers might find themselves thinking the same thing about Humans and Robots. In an effort to work closer together with our brothers and sisters in arms, Voyager Command has authorized these dossiers that we will be referring to as Species Spotlights. Each one will focus on one of the interesting species that are a part of the Voyager coalition, starting with: The Fulgori.
Anatomy
Fulgori are intelligent humanoids that typically stand 6 feet (1.8 meters), on average. Fulgori have long pointed ears that can rotate to face sounds, yellow luminous eyes that allow them to see fairly well in the dark, a jagged upper jaw that gives them a somewhat predatory visage, and have sharp teeth that suggest a carnivorous diet. A Fulgori's body is covered in coarse fur, and are capable of growing hair on their heads and faces.
Fulgori proportions are shockingly similar to human's, with the obvious difference of digitigrade legs ending in small paws, and a thick tail that aids in balance. Fulgori do not show much sexual dimorphism, saving for the expression of breasts in females. Much like a camel, fulgori store fat on their tails first, leading to the coloquialism of "slug butt" for affluent, lazy fulgori.
Society
The Fulgori Empire is something of a social dictatorship, with almost every job or industry being under the umbrella of the Fulgori Government. The Empire is currently ruled by Emperor Fulgor, who possesses executive, legislative and judicial power. These duties are delegated to state officials more specialized in their departments. Despite comparisons to some earth regimes, fulgori generally have a high standard of living.
Fulgori cities are large and heavily populated, with citizens living in high density housing complexes. Children are typically enrolled in boarding schools at a young age, where they are given a formalized, uniform education. Employment is decided based on aptitude tests so that each citizen can contribute where they are most effective. Most fulgori will work one job for their entire life, unless circumstance renders them unable to effectively perform their job.
Fulgori philosophy values society over the individual, but this does not mean that the individual is not cared for. The government supplies all citizens with ample food and shelter with the expectation that they will perform their jobs to the best of their ability. Citizens that work hard or innovate are rewarded with social credit to buy luxuries, while fulgori who slack off are looked down upon by society as a whole.
Despite this large government influence, fulgori home life is very private. Fulgori are slow to trust, but form tight bonds with very small groups. Personal things like displays of affection, parties, funerals and feelings are kept within these private groups, to the point where even as much as holding hands in public is considered taboo.
Fulgori have a strong gourmand culture. Most fulgori eat meals prepared by career chefs that are delivered to their homes by pneumatic delivery systems. Fulgori are omnivores that generally prefer savory and bitter flavors. Sweets are a rarity to be enjoyed in small amounts.
Technology
Fulgori technology superficially resembles humanity in the mid 20th century, though their actual capability far exceeds that era of mankind. The Fulgori Empire is extremely industrialized, with a large portion of their workforce dedicated to factories and assembly lines. Despite this, The Empire is also quick to adapt to new technology. The empire is adept reverse engineering and incorporating new technology into their production lines, switching over to a new product within a relatively short time, and recycling the old product into the new line wherever possible.
The fulgori empire employs a fleet of wheeled vehicles and flying machines to move on and between the floating continents. Most fulgori vehicles are powered by internal combustion engines that burn the sweet smelling oil of the rarana plant. The burning oil gives the area around power plants and motor pools a distinct sickly sweet aroma.
Fulgori aviation technology developed and advanced far earlier owing to the fact that there is no water separating landmasses, making long distance boat travel impossible. The empire employs a large wing of aircraft of various sizes, including a few massive airborne carrier craft.
The Imperial Military primarily use solid projectile ballistic weapons and tempered steel blades produced in large quantities to exacting standards on their production lines.
Rebels
The Rebels, as their name might imply, oppose King Fulgor's regime. It takes a lot to get a Fulgori to leave the comfort of their old life; Being fed, clothed and housed for simply doing your job is a wonderful deal. So what happened to these Fulgori that caused them to leave the safety and security of their home?
Fear, to put it simply. Sometimes hard working citizens simply... Disappear with no explanation, no one knows where they go. Their disappearances are often blamed on the Rebels, claiming that they were killed in a terror attack, or kidnapped to be tortured for their amusement.
More disturbing, however, is when they say nothing at all; Superiors, workmates and sometimes even family members claiming that they never even existed. The fear of something like that happening to them or their family is enough to run some Fulgori out of their homes, to join the rebellion before some shadowy hand can whisk them off to an unknown fate.
Life outside of the empire is not easy, however. Most fulgori lack the breadth of skills necessary to survive in the wilderness, and those with practical skills lack the resources to put them to use. Lucky rebels can depend on helpful mikwa to teach them the basics of homesteading, but most are taught by brutal trial and error.
Despite the rebels' position opposite the empire, they are suspicious of humans and vice versa. Despite this suspicion, a number of rebel fulgori have joined with the Voyagers, offering insider knowledge of the empire in exchange for food and safe housing. Although they are slow to trust, the fulgori's natural urge to form small group bonds can lead to very tight knit teams.
