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''This race is admin-spawn only. For the white-listed version, see '''Black-Eyed Shadekin''' below.''


==Introduction==
==Introduction==
Very little is known about these creatures. Seemingly very rare to encounter, there have been widespread myths of these creatures over the galaxy, but next to no verifiable evidence to their existence, until first contact with an injured shadekin who seeked healing at a NanoTrasen facility on one of Virgo’s moons, Virgo-Erigone System, back in 2562.
Shadekin, or sometimes lovingly called "Interdimensional Floofers" are a species closely resembling biped canines, with four ears. While outwardly appearing like a standard furred race, they are actually shrouded in a lot of mystery and unsolved questions. Generally accepted in stations and cities of the Orion Confederation and the Vikara Combine, they are less accepted in the Moghes Hegemony.
Seeing as said Shadekin - who took upon the name Virgo - was not harmed by the people they came in contact with, more and more of the species made themselves known - though sightings are still rare. It seemed that word got spread that this was a safe location, and Shadekin popped up now and then at and around the facility.
NanoTrasen jumped on the opportunity to study an alien race immediately, and offered them teaching and housing, as well as job opportunities. To this day, NanoTrasen is still known to work with the species, hiring them or allowing them to roam around their postings across the galaxy.
Being as these creatures are such an unknown, a few research teams have taken upon themselves to study these aliens. They seem mammalian, but their ability to come and go as they please with no sign of entry is still being studied, with little to no progress as to how it happens. The name and classification for this species is,still today, unknown.
The crew of the few NanoTrasen postings they frequent have taken to calling these creatures "Shadekin", and the name has generally stuck and spread, being as they seem to lack an actual species name.


==Biology==
==Biology==
Not much is known about the biology of Shadekin. From their discovery, and to this day, researchers are still working on understanding the workings of their bodies.
===Physicality:===
It does appear, however, that regular medical scanners and analyzers can read Shadekin’s data perfectly fine, hinting at their being closer to existing species than we may think.
Physically, Shadekin are very similar to canine races like the Vulpkanian. While they are mammalian in nature, very little sexual dimorphism can be seen. Both male and female share body shape and voice, male membes have no external testicles or visible sheath, and female members have no breasts.
The head is very similar to that of a Vulpkanian or other Canine. A snout with nose, sharp teeth in the mouth, two big ears on top. In addition to the two big ears, Shadekin have two more ears lower down, giving them an exceptional ability to discern if a sound comes from above or below. Shadekin eyes are unusually large and are fully mono-colored. There are no discernable pupils, iris, or similar.
A Shadekin's tail is much more flexible and controllable than a tail of a Vulpkanian, and Shadekin can even use their tail to wrap it around someone or something and hold it, though it's not able to do fine manipulation.
Throughout all of observation, Shadekin have not been observed to age. Some may look older and some younger, but there has been no observation of them aging, even after hundreds of years of observation.
A bit of an unusual thing, is that according to all scans, Shadekin have no lungs and they do not breath.


===Physicality===
===Mentality/Eye Color:===
Shadekins seem like a mammalian species, perhaps evolved from some ancient, unknown species. Their main features are their thick fur, paws for hands and feet, large eyes, huge expressive ears and long tail.
A multitude of vastly different personalities exist among Shadekin. Their core personality is mirrored by their eye color.
Shadekin eyes have no pupils, and are usually brightly colored. For more information on said colors, see Mentality.
*Blue = Curious, eager for knowledge
They tend to be extremely agile with their tails. Those consist of mostly muscle, covered in a coating of fur, rather than just fur.
*Green = Eager for knowledge but shy
Shadekins tend to have rather natural fur colors, in brown or grey hues - however, unnaturally colored Shadekins also exist and are not rare by any means.
*Red = Determined to reach a goal, not shying away from confrontation to reach it
Shadekins do not have a common height or weight. They come in all shapes and sizes!
*Purple = Eager learners who are willed to seek out knowledge more than others
It has been noted that Shadekin do not breathe, and can withstand the lack of pressure from space’s vacuum.
*Orange = Shy people who will fight when cornered
There are rumors that other colors exist as well.
In addition, those Shadekin who lose their ability to travel between dimensions, have black eyes, no matter their other personality. Those are also the kind of Shadekin that make up the highest number living in Realspace.


Studies have shown that Shadekin tend to be incredibly adaptable as well, often ‘evolving’ in ways that fit their needs and way of life. A shadekin who fights a lot can grow larger and tougher, while another who lives in or around water can develop webbed features.
==History==
These changes are not fast, of course, but years of living in one specific way will start changing a shadekin!
===Origin System:===
So far, no one Origin system has been found. Shadekin seem to appear in various sectors and various systems.


===Gender differences and reproduction===
===Homeworld:===
Like with general Shadekin biology, there is no reliable data. There are reports of more masculine or feminine-presenting Shadekins, and Shadekins who refer to themselves with gendered pronouns, but they do not have visible genitalia - if they do, it is most likely hidden in their thick fur.
While no home system or homeworld has been found, some Shadekin talk about dreaming of their homeworld, describing a lush and green world.


If one were to want to know what sex or gender a Shadekin is, they’d most likely need to ask, given the lack of ‘tells’.
===History:===
Shadekin are creatures native to a so-called Pocket Dimension, a part of space which is unable to be accurately pinpointed and visited by most people. From there, Shadekin visit our worlds, and sometimes a large number of them are forced into our world and then live among us. What exactly caused those mass migration events is unknown.


As for reproduction, it seems very mammalian in nature: there have been studies on pregnant Shadekin. |How| they get pregnant is still unsure, as the question of whether they have genitalia or not is still unanswered.
While the beginnings were a little bit difficult, by now Shadekin are more widely known and accepted, with some Governments openly accepting them, and some being cautious.


The pregnancy time appears to be around four to five months, and studies so far have shown that only one Shadekin is born from those - not twins, triplets, or more have been documented yet.
===Current Racial Status/Government:===
There currently exists no Shadekin goverment, and with Shadekin being as rare as they are, they tend to fit into currently established societies and civilisations, with varying degrees of success in the past. In recent years, however, many cultures have taken to accepting shadekin as another galactic constant, going as far as allowing them lives simillar to those that any of the other species would lead.


From what has been recorded, too, it seems Shadekin can only reproduce with other Shadekin. They cannot impregnate other species, or be impregnated by them.
Vikara Combine was the first galactic power allowing such, with Shadekin appearing near Skrell Bluespace Testing sites around 2150's, with Shadekin being, at first, captured and tested upon for means of utilising their powers in technology, and even to recreate them using, at the time, experimental technologies. The tests failed, and Skrell deeply apologised to the Shadekin that appeared in their regions for their behaviour, designating them as a sentient species.


===Lifespan===
Orion Confederacy, however, truly came in contact with Shadekin via NanoTrasen Research Facility <i>NSB Adephagia</i> constructed in the Virgo-Ergone system. While it's not known when precisely Shadekin appeared in the system, it's speculated it happened around the 2400's, with the Facility having to handle various Shadekin interactions during it's operation. It's the NanoTrasen research staff that dubbed the race "Shadekin", in relation to their preferance of dark spaces, and the name stuck. After stable contact with the planet's Black-Eyed Shadekin was established, various NanoTrasen representatives started introducing them to Orion Confederacy space, where they were relatively quickly accepted into day-to-day life, with Humans affectionately dubing them "Interdimensional Floofers".
No reliable data either. People who have come into contact with Shadekin have reported different things - timeless beings, rather young and new species; all sorts of different reports, most likely due to the fact Shadekin see themselves as individuals rather than as a species.


A research team, however, has found that the oldest of the species they could find was about three hundred years old, with declining mental and physical health. More studying should be done, but this may just be the point where Shadekins start dying.
Moghes Hegemony on the other hand is still reluctant to accept Shadekin into their borders, with each one being treated on case by case basis. However, much to the dismay of the Pracausal Division of the Hegemony, in recent years Shadekin have been spotted inside of their borders, without any explanation on how they got there. In answear to a swelling in Shadekin population, the Hegemony created what they dubbed <i>Reality Anchors</i>, which block a Shadekin's ability to utilise their powers, while also reportedly giving them varying degrees of psychological pain. Moghes Hegemony does not utilise said devices in public places, however govermental buildings, such as Planetary Administrations, are equipped with them.


===Diet===
===Notable Racial Factions/Entities===
Shadekin seem to have an omnivorous diet. However, they do tend to prefer meat over fruits and vegetables - especially red meat.
There are no known Shadekin factions. Some Shadekin in Realspace form communities, but those are communities for people of the same species to stick together, not to pursue political ideas. Notable entities are limited and mostly come from Pop-Culture and from the actions of individuals, such as...
Rose, a Shadekin who worked in the film industry, most times playing the female lead role in romantic movies.
Blink, a Shadekin film star, most well known for the trilogy "Call B for Blink", a classic Noir Detective story where Blink uses his powers and wits to uncover a galaxywide conspiracy.
Azrael, a Shadekin pirate who somehow started to work with Vox pirates. The name was given by those observing camera footage of his attacks, where he used his Shadekin powers to teleport onto ships and cut down the crew with a sword. When a Orion Confederation decoy ship was attacked, Azrael was reportedly shot by multiple tasers and lasers while the pirate ship exploded, but since the Shadekin simply disappeared after he was hit but before he hit the ground, many theorize that he might actually be alive.


===Technological Advancements as Understood by NanoTrasen:===
Shadekin lack any major technological advancements, however in lieu of that majority of their species is capable of utilising what many colloquially refer to as "magic". Each one of the galactic powers has a different nomenclature for Shadekin powers, ranging from Hegemony's <b>Type Green</b> to Combine's <b>Extra Dimensional Access properties category C</b> or <b>EDA-C</b>.


==Mentality==
==Culture==
These aliens have been confirmed to be of similar level of mental development and faculties to other space faring species. They also seem to have some kind of language with which to communicate, and there are reports that this can be done at range. The creatures have been shown to possess a high capacity for learning, as there are a number of them who have been reported to have learned Galactic Common well enough to communicate with crew to varying degrees of competency.
===The Typical Experience (Life on X/Life as X):===
Primarily, encounters with these creatures have been peaceful. Shadekin primarily seem to be curious explorers inspecting NanoTrasen facilities, though there have been reports of kidnappings and even attacks by a few members of their kind.
Most times, life is pretty normal. A Shadekin can have a job, go to the job to work, then spend some time off with friends. Fact is that most times of the day, the small abilities one might have are nice, but not overly useful. Sure, a Shadekin could create a sphere of darkness to dim the lights, but at the same time, the Shadekin could also just flick the lightswitch. However, it can sometimes happen that when a Shadekin slept in and needs to get to work quickly, they might just teleport to work.
It is notable to mention that these creatures seem to have a means of travelling space without the use of any technology that has been detected, and have been known to escape confinement even when such should be impossible.
Some people might be overly wary of you, some might be drawn towards you. Many Shadekin use to not wear clothes, which can lead to some situations, but those are generally the same situations any other furred race might run into when walking around nude. However, it can happen that someone asks you to show them a "magic" trick...
Following a number of reports on the creatures, it has been determined that there appears to be a correlation between eye color and general temperament:
   
Blue eyes have been by far the most common that have been encountered, and in general these seem to be the most likely to possess a curious, friendly temperament. They have been the fastest in learning Galactic Common.
===Language:===
Purple eyes are the second most common, and appear to be more reckless. Not outright hostile, but more likely to retaliate if offended or attacked. Like blue-eyed Shadekin, these seem to be curious about crew, but seem more likely to be aggressive in seeking out their curiosity.
The only recorded spoken Shadekin language, is an unusual language which was named "Mar", named after the fact that every single word in this language is the word "mar." Spoken in different tones, with more or less emphasis on the various parts, or by drawing out parts of this word, a multitude of different "mar"s can be created, but they follow no apparent conventions. Shadekin can perfectly understand each other though and discuss complex topics using only this one word.
Red eyes have been the third most common to have been seen, and it's a good thing too, as they have been almost exclusively aggressive and hostile. There are reports of red-eyed Shadekin who have been able to be reasoned with, or who have made deals with the crew, but these seem to be outlying cases. It is advised that the crew be extremely careful and on guard when dealing with red-eyed Shadekin.
Shadekin tend to learn one or more languages of Realspace. The capability in such learned languages depends fully on each single Shadekin, where some have only very broken capabilities, while others are fully fluent.
Green eyes have been the third most rare to have yet been encountered, and these have been noted to be extremely shy. They do not typically respond well to being approached casually or in large groups, but will interact with strangers with caution if approached alone.
Orange eyes have been the second most rare color to have been seen. Very little data has been gathered on them, though they seem to only be present for short periods before departing. They seem to be highly evasive and sneaky ordinarily.
Yellow eyes have been the most rare color to be encountered. There is little to no data about them, as they seem to flee as soon as they are sighted. Only one interaction with a yellow-eyed Shadekin has been recorded: a short conversation where the Shadekin asked a NanoTrasen crew member for food. It was remarked that the Shadekin was incredibly skittish, but no significant data came of it.
It should be noted that while these trends in temperament have been recorded, the eye color of the creature does not exclusively seem indicative of their intent or personality. There have been reports of red eyes who are non-hostile, and even helpful at times. And likewise, there have been reports of some hostility from most of the other eye colors somewhat in line with trends one might expect from an intelligent, self determining set of individuals.


===Naming Conventions:===
Shadekin tend to name themselves with a singular word, ranging from states of being, such as <i>Lone</i> and <i>Collected</i> to words that describe their memories connected to their supposed home dimension, like <i>Dreamer</i>. However, other names are taken as well, allbeit much more rarely. Names hold a great deal for Shadekin, because of how closely they are often tied to describing who they are. Following life changing events, Shadekin might even choose to take on a new name.


==History - As Understood by Nanotrasen (and regular players)==
===Religion:===
There is no unified religion known for Shadekin. Even when asked, many claim that there is no one in The Dark to pray to. Some simply pray to The Dark itself, similar to how some cultures pray to the weather in hopes for rain.


===Origin System/Homeworld===
===Relationships With Other Species:===
Unknown. All that is currently known by researchers is that Shadekin live on another plane of existence. Any more details are currently undocumented and will require more researching and questioning of the species to be done.
Humans: Humans pack-bond with anything, including Shadekin. The nickname <i>"Interdimensional Floofer"</i> came from humans, and exists up to this day. Overall, relations between Shadekin and Humans went rather peaceful, with Humans letting them integrate, and most human governments and corporations accepting them with open arms.<br>
Unathi: With Unathi societs greatly based on blood relations, and Shadekin not being of their blood, the Moghedi treat them as outsiders. Even worse, as outsiders they cannot control as well as other outsiders. As such, Shadekin were under scrutiny, with many officials believing or fearing that they were spies, and many Shadekin found little hospitality throughout the entire Moghes Kingdoms.<br>
Naramadi: Naramadi Society is split on Shadekin should be treated. With the Ascendancy putting high emphasis on personnal strength, improvement and skill, Shadekin possesing extradimensional properties is seen as cheating by some, and as a valuable addition by others. The Landsmeet currently orders all Houses to treat Shadekin as any other species, and to look at them on case by case basis.<br>
Skrell/Teshari: When Skrell and Teshari met for the first time, the Skrell were quick to see that they prossess an unique ability for travel and captured Shadekin, conducting experiments on them. However, soon after, Skrell learned that the Shadekin are sentient and the testing stopped, with the Skrell apologizing. Ever since then, the Skrell and Teshari tried their best to integrate and welcome Shadekin, to passively learn from them, and now most Shadekin hold little ill feelings towards the Skrell. Maybe mostly because most Skrell who were involved in this died to old age.


===Current Society Status===
===Rumors and Speculation:===
Unknown. No Shadekin that has been studied has reported anything about their society. The lack of a species name, for even themselves to call it, may indicate a very individualistic society where Shadekin live on their own rather than as groups.
Rumor says that Shadekin are being from another dimension, capable of performing feats others could only describe as "magic", with no scientific explanation.
It is speculated, that Shadekin actually have a whole nation in their own dimension, and those that come to Realspace simply collectively refuse to talk about it. Sometimes Shadekin mention a "Hub", which is obviously just further proof of a Shadekin nation.
An Urban Legend says that Shadekin are the Vulpkanian crew of an expedition ship which disappeared a hundred years ago, even though the first Shadekin sightings were long before that. Obviously, this expedition ship performed time travel.


===Technological Advancements as Understood by NanoTrasen===
==OOC Notes==
As of today, no specific Shadekin technology has been discovered. The only thing that may amount to ‘technology’ is Shadekin’s different abilities, such as phase-shifting and healing.
===Secret Shadekin knowledge:===
Homeworld/Origin System:
The Homeworld of Shadekin was a beautiful planet with lush forests and tall mountains. In the nightsky, the Galaxy at large could be seen stretching over the nightsky. And while no Shadekin exist anymore who actively remember being on that planet, many Shadekin have visions of their long lost home in their dreams. Where exactly the planet was in the galaxy is unknown, but given that the milky way can be seen in the nightsky, according to the dreams, the planet is likely somewhere in the outer third of the galaxy. Which, truthfully, does not make finding it any easier.


===Relationships With Other Species===
History:
The Shadekin people have encountered so far are known to be rather curious creatures, and that applies to their curiosity about other species as well. They have shown nothing but a want to learn about others. No signs of prejudices or negative ideas about other species have been shown.
Thousands of years ago, Shadekin lived on this lush forest planet, using primitive technology to work with metal, create tools, and build stone buildings. According to the dreams, Shadekin back then had forged tools and blades, but no electricity, presumably putting them at a medieval technology level.
In a sudden event, everyone and everything organic suddenly found themselves in an alternate dimension, sucked straight out of their previous home. Now stuck in this alternate dimension, Shadekin changed a lot. They stopped ageing and with time they developed the ability to use the energy of this dimension to power unusual abilities. And even later, they learned how to leave the dimension and travel to realspace and back again. However, as the eons passed, memories became shady. Many Shadekin forgot more and more about their thousands of years that they have lived, reducing memory on the more important closer time. However, in dreams Shadekin, even those born in the pocket dimension, often have visions of their home planet. And some trigger events, like meeting someone they knew from the past, can cause flashes of memories to appear. As such, it can happen that two Shadekin meet and remember that they have met hundreds of years ago.
Soon, the first Shadekin started to travel around the Galaxy, while others were content with staying in their home dimension. However, in total three "dimensional ripples" happened where a lot of Shadekin were randomly ripped out of the dimension and put into Realspace. And while a lot of Shadekin could simply travel back, the black-eyed Shadekin had no easy means of travel and as such stayed in realspace.


==The Crew & Shadekin==
Biology:
An additional eye color exists, Yellow, who are very secretive and cautious. In reality, the three main colors of Blue, Red, and Yellow, mix to create the other colors of Green, Purple, Orange. If a Shadekin's personality changes drastically, their eye color will change as well.<br>
Shadekin are ageless beings. Some look younger, some look older, but that is merely a visual representation of how they feel about their own age. Roughly 20 years after birth, a Shadekin stops ageing and in all of Shadekin history, no instance of a Shadekin dying of old age is known.<br>
When a Shadekin reaches adulthood, they undergo a "Ritual". During this Ritual, they intentionally overload their energy reserves, forcing their energy capacity to expand rapidly in order to gain enough energy to travel between dimensions. Most Shadekin pass and that's it, but some Shadekin perish during that ritual. Others again fail the ritual, but do not die. Those then have black eyes. Also Shadekin who pass the Ritual but later on damage their energy organ, due to overuse or accident, also get black eyes.


===Standard Operating Procedures===
Language:
It has been determined that it would probably be a supremely bad idea to make enemies of these creatures, as in our present state, there is little we could do to counter them.
The Language of "Mar" is not a Shadekin's main language. In reality, Shadekin communicate with each other using empathy, where they can simply feel what the other is talking about and feel their emotions. Such "Shadekin Empathy" could not be confirmed by any of the Xenolingustical Research conducted on Shadekin, and officially remains in the realm of speculation.
Lucky for us, they seem to be relatively peaceful and compliant with our rules. As such, they are to be treated as visitors. This means they should only be allowed into restricted areas with the permission of at least one of the crew in the area. They should not be using restricted equipment. They should not be vandalizing or damaging the station. The exception to this is in of course, dress code. They are not required to wear clothes or possess and display ID cards, though it is encouraged to issue guest passes to them with their name on them if they are allowed into an area.
Naturally, it should be assumed that these creatures may not be aware of our laws, so a bit of lenience should be allowed while they are learning so long as they are not actively sabotaging or otherwise damaging the station.
That said, should they repeatedly break our regulations, they are to be dealt with by security like any other criminal. They should be made to know that they are guests here, and that we have rules.


===Research Directives===
Racial Factions:
As with most early contact scenarios, these creatures are largely unknown. As such, brave individuals are needed to study these aliens. It is important to note that these are potentially dangerous aliens. As yet they do not appear to be hostile outright however. Should these creatures present themselves, they are to be protected for study so long as the subject is not plainly hostile. Should one of these creatures take issue with an individual's presence, said individual is to be removed, and a report to be made regarding their interactions with the creature, and any notable differences between them and other crew.
Not really a faction, but in The Dark exists a place called "The Hub", which is a place where many Shadekin go to meet other shadekin, share stories, trade (non-monetary trades, Shadekin don't print a currency), rest, and relax. There is no government, just other Shadekin.
These creatures are not to be allowed to meddle with vital station services, and should be discouraged from doing so with force if necessary. It should be noted, that these creatures seem to prefer low light environments, so visibility when dealing with them may be reduced.
As for directives, we have determined that these creatures are of similar intelligence to other space faring species, though their views on the nature of the universe seem to be strange.
Establish contact, attempt to assist compliant individuals in learning Galactic Common. Many of them seem to be attempting to learn it, and if we hope to learn from them in turn, we need to be able to understand them.
Test the range of ability to manipulate their surroundings, such as writing or tools.
Determine what their primary method of communication is (if any), and learn to utilize it if possible.
Study what exactly their method of 'disappearing and reappearing' is, and how we might be able to utilize, or prevent it.


===Etiquette Guide for Shadekin:===
Even though Red-Eyed Shadekin are stronger and more conflict seeking, do not use the excuse of being a formelry Red-Eyed Shadekin as a reason to needlessly cause trouble.<br>
Shadekin learn other languages at different rates. Some may speak Galactic Common fluently, some very broken. Pick your own language capabilities and don't let anyone else tell you how your char should speak. But keep in mind that NT will only employ Shadekin who are able to communicate decently.


==History & Culture - In-Depth==
===Important Racial Terminology:===
'''Note: this is lore stuff that crew members do not know unless told by a Shadekin.'''
Shadekin: The name given for your race. While your race doesn't have a name for itself, this is how most of the Galaxy calls you.<br>
 
The Dark: The other dimension where you are from. There are theories that The Dark and Bluespace are connected, but you don't know details about that.<br>
===The Dark===
Mar: A word used to verbally communicate feelings, emotions, wishes, hopes, ideas, and whatever, in addition to your Empathy. Happy? Mar! Confused? Mar? Seductive? Maarrrr~
Shadekin live primarily in another plane, one where most of the laws of realspace do not apply. A formless nothingness made of pure energy, which they call The Dark.
 
 
The Dark is another plane of existence made entirely of energy and nothingness, only given a form by what one expects to see. Were one to enter The Dark, they most likely would not notice they did - their surroundings would not change, as they’d be what they expect to see, but some details would most likely be out of place (lack of people they know, strange sounds, shifting colors, etc).
After a while, by noticing those peculiar happenings and starting to doubt their own reality, The Dark would become more and more unstable, until they’d be left with nothingness. If one were to have less expectations of a place, however, it’d be easier to maintain a form for The Dark; for example, simply expecting there to be land, water and trees, with a few familiar animals here and there, would be a lot easier to keep maintaining - whereas, with expecting a highly-details forest, with lots of different types of plants, trees, soil, etc, The Dark would shift more and fade away quickly.
If one were to master their expectations, forming a simple, specific image of what they want The Dark to be, they’d always be led to where they expected to go.
 
Non-shadekin going into The Dark is rare, but not unheard of. Around the galaxy, barriers between realspace and The Dark exist - anomalous ones that are usually short-lived, most often trapping whoever wandered in into The Dark. Those barriers tend to attract Shadekin, most likely from the energy they exude.
 
===Shadekin & The Dark===
Today’s Shadekin have had a long history of exposure to The Dark. Not much is known yet of what happened, but it seems some ancient war between their ancestors and a long dead civilization caused them to somehow escape into The Dark - a complete, unexpected incident.
 
Cut off from infrastructure and resources, they were not able to keep up their previous society. Difficult to survive at all, let alone rebuild or advance, when nothing is within reach. Time in this environment changed them, making them tougher, more resilient. Many, many generations have passed. More than long enough that their true origins have long since passed from history, to legend, to myth, and into obscurity. So long that there are likely none who yet live who know those tales. With time and effort though, the shadekin have been able to form a sort of central hub. A place where shadekin actually live, and maintain, one where they can return. It changes over time based on their understanding of The Dark, but it remains in the same place, and any shadekin who is at all familiar with this society knows how to get there.
 
To get to The Dark and back to realspace, Shadekin use a bluespace tunneling effect called ‘phase shifting’, using energy stored within their bodies, which they can replenish by staying in darkness - most likely a byproduct of being in literal nothingness for long periods of time. Phase-shifting is dangerous and taxing at first, even for Shadekin, so they practice it for a long time using anomalous barriers between realspace and The Dark. A Shadekin’s first phase-shift is an important event called ‘the Ritual’.
 
===The Ritual===
The ritual in which Shadekin first phase-shift is generally known to be highly dangerous. This involves deliberately overloading themselves on energy. The purpose of this overload is to rapidly expand one's capacity for it, and to develop the ability to phase-shift, allowing them to cross into realspace and back. This ritual is essentially a 'coming of age' ritual for Shadekin. One is only allowed to attempt this at around normal breeding age, and is considered an adult for trying it.
Most will succeed and go on with their lives, usually leaving their family and friends to explore the galaxy on their own, though will need some recovery time.
Some will not, and these ones typically do not survive.
 
===A nameless species===
Shadekin themselves don't actually have an official name as a species. They don't claim one. Their origins are largely forgotten to them. They tend to be called shadekin by others, due to their apparent affinity for darkness. A shadekin who is unfamiliar with the ways of others, when asked what they are, will say their individual name, because to them there isn't a difference.
 
==Society==
Shadekin society is very much built on skills and information. Given the existence of The Dark, they care little for physical things - hard to take more and more things with them into The Dark. So, instead, Shadekin focus on building skills they can use in realspace, gathering information from wherever they can, and finding spots with valuable resources to survive (food, water, etc).
This makes Shadekin a pretty spread-out and individualist species, with most of them branching out from their original groups to go learn new things and explore on their own, caring little about the family or initial friends they leave behind.
There is, however, a place Shadekin can reach in The Dark nicknamed ‘The Hub’, where they can meet others of their species and relay information. There, most shadekin end up being known for one thing they can do in particular in realspace, or for what information they brought back. That thing usually becomes the inspiration for their second, ‘new’ name.
 
==Language==
Shadekin are largely empathic. They can sense the emotions and intent of one another, which makes their language very simple.
Only a few different sounds are needed, as a large portion of their intent is plain to see between one another. However, this makes their language rather impossible for outsiders to understand.
As time went on, Shadekin's audible portion of language has come to primarily consist of different intonations of "mar", peppered with the sounds of their individual names where needed.
Shadekin can, of course, learn and speak other languages given time and effort.
 
===Names===
Names are very important to shadekin. Apart from their marring, their name is almost universally the one other set of sounds that they know well (barring them learning another language).
A Shadekin’s first, childhood name may be more traditional, often a proper name from a language their mother is familiar with, or something related to her skills/enjoyments.
They are then given a second, new name by their peers based on their accomplishments or discoveries. Shadekin who are given a new name will go by that one from then on, completely leaving their old name behind.
Those new names are most often related to their skills or the information they brought back. They can be object names (Patch for a Shadekin who learns medical, for examples), names of famous figures related to a skill (like Tesla for a Shadekin particularly well-versed in engineering), adjectives, or pretty much anything. Those names are not always Galactic Common ones, either! ((I.E., your Shadekin’s name can be in whatever language if you go for a noun or adjective, don’t let English restrict you.))
Shadekin are very proud of their second name, and will do their best to live up to it. They may get very defensive and may seek to live up to it if someone else tarnishes it.
 
===Shadekin Eye Colors===
Another change that Shadekin undergo over time, is their eye color. A Shadekin’s eyes usually tells people who know the species well what type of Shadekin they are.
There are three colors that are most often seen:
Blue: Those Shadekin spend most of their time in realspace. They do not appear very tough or physically imposing, but if pressed, they can definitely fight - aside from if they are provoked, however, they are peaceful and would not harm a soul. Blue-eyed Shadekin tend to be interested in learning about the places they live and the people there - they’ll therefore look for opportunities to help and cooperate. This type of Shadekin is the one that will be encountered in realspace the most, given their lack of shyness around strangers.
Red: Red-eyed Shadekin spend most of their time in rough areas, both in realspace and The Dark. As a consequence, they tend to be tougher and pretty well-versed in fighting. They’re usually greedy, always looking for power, or things that will give them power, even if they have to fight for it or be crafty and sneaky to steal it.
Yellow: These Shadekin prefer life in The Dark. They tend to be extremely shy around strangers unless they have something they want, will flee at the first sign of danger, and will rarely be seen in realspace. They’re knowledgeable about survival in the most extreme conditions, given their reluctance to phase-shift into realspace for supplies. This makes them extremely resilient, yet weak in terms of strength and fighting. Yellow-eyed Shadekin are the most common ones.
 
While these eye colors are the most common, a mix of two of them can also exist. Mixed-color eyes Shadekins will usually act like how their parent-colors act, but can lean more in one direction than the other. Most usually, they’ll act like followed:
''Purple (red and blue)'': Shadekin who will spend a lot of time in realspace, but will be more reckless in wanting to help and learn about people and their living space. Usually tough like red-eyed Shadekins, and able to fight, but reluctant to hurt people unless necessary.
''Green (yellow and blue)'': Shy Shadekin, though they won’t flee when strangers are around, instead interacting with them carefully. They spend as much time in realspace as in The Dark. Probably the weakest of Shadekins in terms of fighting prowess.
''Orange (red and yellow)'': These Shadekin seek power and self-satisfaction, but almost exclusively in The Dark. Less shy than actual yellow-eyed Shadekin, they won’t hesitate to phase into realspace for something they want - they’ll still avoid strangers, however. They’re about as tough as blue-eyed Shadekin, and more sneaky than red-eyed ones.
 
==Abilities==
Note: Abuse of these mechanics will most likely end up with you losing the privilege of playing a regular Shadekin.
 
===Phase shift===
Excessive time exposed to The Dark, and attempts to leave it, ended with Shadekin evolving to be able to phase-shift: moving between The Dark and realspace via a bluespace tunneling effect.
This is, of course, not an easy and danger-less process. Phase shifting for the first time requires one to deliberately overload themselves on pure energy. Attempting to achieve this and failing, may cause permanent harm, or death.
That said, they can learn to control this effect with time and practice (usually using the rare, anomalous barriers leading into The Dark), until it comes almost as naturally as walking. The more specialized they are at it, the more capable they are of doing so more frequently, and in well-lit areas.
Though in well-lit areas and under heavy observation by multiple people, most shadekin would struggle to leave by this method. The personal cost to them tends to be greater, the more heavily observed they are. A phase shift occurring where people can see it likely is done in an emergency, and that shadekin likely won't be able to phase shift again for some time, unless they are particularly specialized in phase shifting.
 
===Create Shade===
Long exposure to The Dark’s nothingness and darkness has caused Shadekin to gain the ability to shroud themselves in darkness. It does not last long, and will not be effective against those who can see in the dark, but it gives the more shy and skittish Shadekin a way to hide - and possibly escape.
 
===Regenerate Other===
Harsh conditions in The Dark lead to Shadekin having to heal some of their own, at times. Time spent in The Dark ended up with them evolving to be able to heal through touch. It’s no replacement for actual medical treatment, but when resources are scarce, it’s better than nothing at all.
 
==OOC Notes for Shadekin==
===Etiquette Guide for Shadekin===
- You may know Galactic Common, however, it’s preferred that your grasp on it is shaky at best (at first). Get the crew to teach you.
 
- No, you do not get hurt by light. You’ll feel uncomfortable at worst, and you won’t regenerate energy as fast, but you’ll be fine.
 
- Obviously, do not abuse phase-shifting. Try to avoid being inside departments when you shouldn’t be, aside from when you’re roleplaying with people there. NEVER enter the armory or the bridge, especially the vault, with phase-shifting. It’s recommended to avoid dorms as well - please don’t be a creep and spy on scenes.
 
- While you can sense other Shadekin, and hear them through Shadekin empathy, you won’t know who they are unless you’ve met them before.
 
- Do NOT remove lights from everywhere. You can remove them from maintenance ONLY.
 
- Avoid using Regenerate Other when medical is around, unless they ask for it or are busy. Job-stealing is against the rules.
 
===About mechanics===
- Shadekin abilities can be used via an ‘energy’ system. You start with 100 energy, which gets consumed every time you use an ability. It regenerates over time, and is faster to regenerate in darkness.
 
- Phase-shifting consumes 100 energy.
 
- Create Shade consumes 25 energy.
 
- Regenerate Other consumes 50 energy.
 
- There is a Darkness meter which will indicate how much Darkness is around you, with 1 being the darkest, and 0 being brightly-lit places.
 
- Shadekin Empathy is spoken with ,m. It is a Hivemind language, so you do not need to be near other Shadekins to hear it or to talk to them with it. It works across Z-levels, too.
 
________________________________________________________________
 
==Black-Eyed Shadekin==
'''This race is whitelisted. For the admin-spawn only species, see Shadekin.'''
 
===Introduction===
Few Shadekin settle in realspace where those outside of their own kind can come to know them.
However, Shadekin with black eyes have by one means or another, lost their ability to process energy, and as such, their ability to freely travel and to live among the rest of their kind. These weakened, exiled creatures tend to struggle to live on their own, and so will usually seek out places where they might be able to live and contribute.
 
===Biology===
Black-eyed Shadekin look much the same as regular Shadekin. However, a striking difference is their eye color - or lack thereof. Where regular Shadekin have brightly-colored eyes, black-eyed Shadekin, as their name indicates, have black eyes. This denotes their condition, and shows their difference from regular Shadekin, to people who know about the species.
For more details, see Shadekin.
 
==='Black-Eyes’ Condition===
Black-eyed Shadekin are extremely similar to their non-black-eyed counterparts. The primary difference physically is in that, those with black eyes have suffered a chronic injury that prevents them from processing and retaining energy. Most who fail this ritual will perish in the attempt, but extremely rarely one may burn themselves out, but still survive the occasion.
Failure in this way however typically means that they can no longer process the energy that they use to survive within The Dark. The parts that are used to do that are quite literally burned out, and there is no known way to restore them to full function. As a result, black-eyed Shadekin are by necessity, exiled from The Dark, their home. Sympathetic individuals will typically gather them up and transport them to somewhere that they could reasonably survive. However, this failure still leaves them largely alone in the world, and denies them their proper, second Shadekin name.
Instead, black-eyed Shadekin most often actually lack a proper name. These nameless ones typically adopt something more of a title relating to what they do, rather than a proper name. This tends to lead to individuals referred to as their occupation or other notable features (for example: 'Nurse', 'Engine-Master', 'Short Tail'). Even still, black-eyed Shadekin are typically very particular about the topic of naming, and will generally only accept nicknames from those who have earned their respect.
It is possible for a fully-powered Shadekin to burn themselves out as well through prolonged, excessive energy overload, but this is exceedingly rare.
The injury primarily affects the creature’s skeletal structure and connective tissues, and as a result, black-eyed Shadekin are typically quite physically weak, prone to broken bones and more serious physical injuries than one might expect from Shadekin. Additionally, while normal Shadekin can subsist off of the energy that they take in, black eyes cannot, and so must take advantage of a somewhat underdeveloped digestive system to survive. They can eat most things, but their bodies quite simply burn through anything that goes through them, so a lot of food is required to keep them going.
The wounds related to this condition take a long time to heal, and learning to fit in with a new people takes even longer, so by the time any of these creatures might appear among NanoTrasen halls, the events that gave them this condition will typically be pretty far in the past, and most will have gotten used to it.
 
===History & Culture===
See Shadekin.
 
===Relations===
Shadekin in general do not actually have or claim a name for their own kind. Names for them vary from one culture to another due to being given to them by those various cultures. Black-eyed Shadekin are very much not a group. Like the rest of the Shadekin, they tend to identify individually. However, they are typically relatively secretive about being different, and do their best to fit in with sympathetic groups. As such, while black-eyed Shadekin are often evasive about what they are or where they are from.
Since they are so disconnected from The Dark and other Shadekin, black-eyed Shadekin have no idea of any current happenings in Shadekin society.
 
===The Ironcrest Transport Group===
In and around the Sigmar Concord, a company has taken to gathering and training black-eyed Shadekin to participate in spacefaring life. The company is commonly known as ITG, or Ironcrest Transport Group. Not much is known about why exactly the company took upon itself to train the species, but the most common rumor is that after meeting a black-eyed Shadekin, the CEO thought they’d be good, cheap labor.
As such, while still extremely rare, the Sigmar Concord and its surrounding systems do have a higher than average concentration of black-eyed Shadekin. Many of them have been trained within the ranks of ITG, and it is not uncommon for such Shadekin to still work for ITG, but be contracted out to other companies.
 
==OOC Notes (for Black-Eyed Shadekin)==
===Etiquette Guide for Black-Eyed Shadekin===
- You know Galactic Common. You may not be fluent in it, but you were hired by a company that requires you to speak it.
 
- While you know of The Dark and how it is from your past, you are disconnected from it now, and do not know of anything that may be happening among Shadekin society.
 
- While you can sense other Shadekin, and hear them through Shadekin empathy, you won’t know who they are unless you’ve met them before.
 
- While you are not playing a regular Shadekin, reading their lore is highly recommended, as it is pretty much the same species. History, culture, etc, are all on the Shadekin page.
 
 
===About mechanics===
 
- Shadekin Empathy is spoken with ,m. It is a Hivemind language, so you do not need to be near other Shadekins to hear it or to talk to them with it. It works across Z-levels, too.
 
---
Author: ''Pastel Prince Dan''
 
{{Races}}
[[Category: Lore]]
[[Category: Races]]

Revision as of 17:25, 15 November 2022

Introduction

Shadekin, or sometimes lovingly called "Interdimensional Floofers" are a species closely resembling biped canines, with four ears. While outwardly appearing like a standard furred race, they are actually shrouded in a lot of mystery and unsolved questions. Generally accepted in stations and cities of the Orion Confederation and the Vikara Combine, they are less accepted in the Moghes Hegemony.

Biology

Physicality:

Physically, Shadekin are very similar to canine races like the Vulpkanian. While they are mammalian in nature, very little sexual dimorphism can be seen. Both male and female share body shape and voice, male membes have no external testicles or visible sheath, and female members have no breasts. The head is very similar to that of a Vulpkanian or other Canine. A snout with nose, sharp teeth in the mouth, two big ears on top. In addition to the two big ears, Shadekin have two more ears lower down, giving them an exceptional ability to discern if a sound comes from above or below. Shadekin eyes are unusually large and are fully mono-colored. There are no discernable pupils, iris, or similar. A Shadekin's tail is much more flexible and controllable than a tail of a Vulpkanian, and Shadekin can even use their tail to wrap it around someone or something and hold it, though it's not able to do fine manipulation. Throughout all of observation, Shadekin have not been observed to age. Some may look older and some younger, but there has been no observation of them aging, even after hundreds of years of observation. A bit of an unusual thing, is that according to all scans, Shadekin have no lungs and they do not breath.

Mentality/Eye Color:

A multitude of vastly different personalities exist among Shadekin. Their core personality is mirrored by their eye color.

  • Blue = Curious, eager for knowledge
  • Green = Eager for knowledge but shy
  • Red = Determined to reach a goal, not shying away from confrontation to reach it
  • Purple = Eager learners who are willed to seek out knowledge more than others
  • Orange = Shy people who will fight when cornered

There are rumors that other colors exist as well. In addition, those Shadekin who lose their ability to travel between dimensions, have black eyes, no matter their other personality. Those are also the kind of Shadekin that make up the highest number living in Realspace.

History

Origin System:

So far, no one Origin system has been found. Shadekin seem to appear in various sectors and various systems.

Homeworld:

While no home system or homeworld has been found, some Shadekin talk about dreaming of their homeworld, describing a lush and green world.

History:

Shadekin are creatures native to a so-called Pocket Dimension, a part of space which is unable to be accurately pinpointed and visited by most people. From there, Shadekin visit our worlds, and sometimes a large number of them are forced into our world and then live among us. What exactly caused those mass migration events is unknown.

While the beginnings were a little bit difficult, by now Shadekin are more widely known and accepted, with some Governments openly accepting them, and some being cautious.

Current Racial Status/Government:

There currently exists no Shadekin goverment, and with Shadekin being as rare as they are, they tend to fit into currently established societies and civilisations, with varying degrees of success in the past. In recent years, however, many cultures have taken to accepting shadekin as another galactic constant, going as far as allowing them lives simillar to those that any of the other species would lead.

Vikara Combine was the first galactic power allowing such, with Shadekin appearing near Skrell Bluespace Testing sites around 2150's, with Shadekin being, at first, captured and tested upon for means of utilising their powers in technology, and even to recreate them using, at the time, experimental technologies. The tests failed, and Skrell deeply apologised to the Shadekin that appeared in their regions for their behaviour, designating them as a sentient species.

Orion Confederacy, however, truly came in contact with Shadekin via NanoTrasen Research Facility NSB Adephagia constructed in the Virgo-Ergone system. While it's not known when precisely Shadekin appeared in the system, it's speculated it happened around the 2400's, with the Facility having to handle various Shadekin interactions during it's operation. It's the NanoTrasen research staff that dubbed the race "Shadekin", in relation to their preferance of dark spaces, and the name stuck. After stable contact with the planet's Black-Eyed Shadekin was established, various NanoTrasen representatives started introducing them to Orion Confederacy space, where they were relatively quickly accepted into day-to-day life, with Humans affectionately dubing them "Interdimensional Floofers".

Moghes Hegemony on the other hand is still reluctant to accept Shadekin into their borders, with each one being treated on case by case basis. However, much to the dismay of the Pracausal Division of the Hegemony, in recent years Shadekin have been spotted inside of their borders, without any explanation on how they got there. In answear to a swelling in Shadekin population, the Hegemony created what they dubbed Reality Anchors, which block a Shadekin's ability to utilise their powers, while also reportedly giving them varying degrees of psychological pain. Moghes Hegemony does not utilise said devices in public places, however govermental buildings, such as Planetary Administrations, are equipped with them.

Notable Racial Factions/Entities

There are no known Shadekin factions. Some Shadekin in Realspace form communities, but those are communities for people of the same species to stick together, not to pursue political ideas. Notable entities are limited and mostly come from Pop-Culture and from the actions of individuals, such as... Rose, a Shadekin who worked in the film industry, most times playing the female lead role in romantic movies. Blink, a Shadekin film star, most well known for the trilogy "Call B for Blink", a classic Noir Detective story where Blink uses his powers and wits to uncover a galaxywide conspiracy. Azrael, a Shadekin pirate who somehow started to work with Vox pirates. The name was given by those observing camera footage of his attacks, where he used his Shadekin powers to teleport onto ships and cut down the crew with a sword. When a Orion Confederation decoy ship was attacked, Azrael was reportedly shot by multiple tasers and lasers while the pirate ship exploded, but since the Shadekin simply disappeared after he was hit but before he hit the ground, many theorize that he might actually be alive.

Technological Advancements as Understood by NanoTrasen:

Shadekin lack any major technological advancements, however in lieu of that majority of their species is capable of utilising what many colloquially refer to as "magic". Each one of the galactic powers has a different nomenclature for Shadekin powers, ranging from Hegemony's Type Green to Combine's Extra Dimensional Access properties category C or EDA-C.

Culture

The Typical Experience (Life on X/Life as X):

Most times, life is pretty normal. A Shadekin can have a job, go to the job to work, then spend some time off with friends. Fact is that most times of the day, the small abilities one might have are nice, but not overly useful. Sure, a Shadekin could create a sphere of darkness to dim the lights, but at the same time, the Shadekin could also just flick the lightswitch. However, it can sometimes happen that when a Shadekin slept in and needs to get to work quickly, they might just teleport to work. Some people might be overly wary of you, some might be drawn towards you. Many Shadekin use to not wear clothes, which can lead to some situations, but those are generally the same situations any other furred race might run into when walking around nude. However, it can happen that someone asks you to show them a "magic" trick...

Language:

The only recorded spoken Shadekin language, is an unusual language which was named "Mar", named after the fact that every single word in this language is the word "mar." Spoken in different tones, with more or less emphasis on the various parts, or by drawing out parts of this word, a multitude of different "mar"s can be created, but they follow no apparent conventions. Shadekin can perfectly understand each other though and discuss complex topics using only this one word. Shadekin tend to learn one or more languages of Realspace. The capability in such learned languages depends fully on each single Shadekin, where some have only very broken capabilities, while others are fully fluent.

Naming Conventions:

Shadekin tend to name themselves with a singular word, ranging from states of being, such as Lone and Collected to words that describe their memories connected to their supposed home dimension, like Dreamer. However, other names are taken as well, allbeit much more rarely. Names hold a great deal for Shadekin, because of how closely they are often tied to describing who they are. Following life changing events, Shadekin might even choose to take on a new name.

Religion:

There is no unified religion known for Shadekin. Even when asked, many claim that there is no one in The Dark to pray to. Some simply pray to The Dark itself, similar to how some cultures pray to the weather in hopes for rain.

Relationships With Other Species:

Humans: Humans pack-bond with anything, including Shadekin. The nickname "Interdimensional Floofer" came from humans, and exists up to this day. Overall, relations between Shadekin and Humans went rather peaceful, with Humans letting them integrate, and most human governments and corporations accepting them with open arms.
Unathi: With Unathi societs greatly based on blood relations, and Shadekin not being of their blood, the Moghedi treat them as outsiders. Even worse, as outsiders they cannot control as well as other outsiders. As such, Shadekin were under scrutiny, with many officials believing or fearing that they were spies, and many Shadekin found little hospitality throughout the entire Moghes Kingdoms.
Naramadi: Naramadi Society is split on Shadekin should be treated. With the Ascendancy putting high emphasis on personnal strength, improvement and skill, Shadekin possesing extradimensional properties is seen as cheating by some, and as a valuable addition by others. The Landsmeet currently orders all Houses to treat Shadekin as any other species, and to look at them on case by case basis.
Skrell/Teshari: When Skrell and Teshari met for the first time, the Skrell were quick to see that they prossess an unique ability for travel and captured Shadekin, conducting experiments on them. However, soon after, Skrell learned that the Shadekin are sentient and the testing stopped, with the Skrell apologizing. Ever since then, the Skrell and Teshari tried their best to integrate and welcome Shadekin, to passively learn from them, and now most Shadekin hold little ill feelings towards the Skrell. Maybe mostly because most Skrell who were involved in this died to old age.

Rumors and Speculation:

Rumor says that Shadekin are being from another dimension, capable of performing feats others could only describe as "magic", with no scientific explanation. It is speculated, that Shadekin actually have a whole nation in their own dimension, and those that come to Realspace simply collectively refuse to talk about it. Sometimes Shadekin mention a "Hub", which is obviously just further proof of a Shadekin nation. An Urban Legend says that Shadekin are the Vulpkanian crew of an expedition ship which disappeared a hundred years ago, even though the first Shadekin sightings were long before that. Obviously, this expedition ship performed time travel.

OOC Notes

Secret Shadekin knowledge:

Homeworld/Origin System: The Homeworld of Shadekin was a beautiful planet with lush forests and tall mountains. In the nightsky, the Galaxy at large could be seen stretching over the nightsky. And while no Shadekin exist anymore who actively remember being on that planet, many Shadekin have visions of their long lost home in their dreams. Where exactly the planet was in the galaxy is unknown, but given that the milky way can be seen in the nightsky, according to the dreams, the planet is likely somewhere in the outer third of the galaxy. Which, truthfully, does not make finding it any easier.

History: Thousands of years ago, Shadekin lived on this lush forest planet, using primitive technology to work with metal, create tools, and build stone buildings. According to the dreams, Shadekin back then had forged tools and blades, but no electricity, presumably putting them at a medieval technology level. In a sudden event, everyone and everything organic suddenly found themselves in an alternate dimension, sucked straight out of their previous home. Now stuck in this alternate dimension, Shadekin changed a lot. They stopped ageing and with time they developed the ability to use the energy of this dimension to power unusual abilities. And even later, they learned how to leave the dimension and travel to realspace and back again. However, as the eons passed, memories became shady. Many Shadekin forgot more and more about their thousands of years that they have lived, reducing memory on the more important closer time. However, in dreams Shadekin, even those born in the pocket dimension, often have visions of their home planet. And some trigger events, like meeting someone they knew from the past, can cause flashes of memories to appear. As such, it can happen that two Shadekin meet and remember that they have met hundreds of years ago. Soon, the first Shadekin started to travel around the Galaxy, while others were content with staying in their home dimension. However, in total three "dimensional ripples" happened where a lot of Shadekin were randomly ripped out of the dimension and put into Realspace. And while a lot of Shadekin could simply travel back, the black-eyed Shadekin had no easy means of travel and as such stayed in realspace.

Biology: An additional eye color exists, Yellow, who are very secretive and cautious. In reality, the three main colors of Blue, Red, and Yellow, mix to create the other colors of Green, Purple, Orange. If a Shadekin's personality changes drastically, their eye color will change as well.
Shadekin are ageless beings. Some look younger, some look older, but that is merely a visual representation of how they feel about their own age. Roughly 20 years after birth, a Shadekin stops ageing and in all of Shadekin history, no instance of a Shadekin dying of old age is known.
When a Shadekin reaches adulthood, they undergo a "Ritual". During this Ritual, they intentionally overload their energy reserves, forcing their energy capacity to expand rapidly in order to gain enough energy to travel between dimensions. Most Shadekin pass and that's it, but some Shadekin perish during that ritual. Others again fail the ritual, but do not die. Those then have black eyes. Also Shadekin who pass the Ritual but later on damage their energy organ, due to overuse or accident, also get black eyes.

Language: The Language of "Mar" is not a Shadekin's main language. In reality, Shadekin communicate with each other using empathy, where they can simply feel what the other is talking about and feel their emotions. Such "Shadekin Empathy" could not be confirmed by any of the Xenolingustical Research conducted on Shadekin, and officially remains in the realm of speculation.

Racial Factions: Not really a faction, but in The Dark exists a place called "The Hub", which is a place where many Shadekin go to meet other shadekin, share stories, trade (non-monetary trades, Shadekin don't print a currency), rest, and relax. There is no government, just other Shadekin.

Etiquette Guide for Shadekin:

Even though Red-Eyed Shadekin are stronger and more conflict seeking, do not use the excuse of being a formelry Red-Eyed Shadekin as a reason to needlessly cause trouble.
Shadekin learn other languages at different rates. Some may speak Galactic Common fluently, some very broken. Pick your own language capabilities and don't let anyone else tell you how your char should speak. But keep in mind that NT will only employ Shadekin who are able to communicate decently.

Important Racial Terminology:

Shadekin: The name given for your race. While your race doesn't have a name for itself, this is how most of the Galaxy calls you.
The Dark: The other dimension where you are from. There are theories that The Dark and Bluespace are connected, but you don't know details about that.
Mar: A word used to verbally communicate feelings, emotions, wishes, hopes, ideas, and whatever, in addition to your Empathy. Happy? Mar! Confused? Mar? Seductive? Maarrrr~

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