Alien Liveship

SPIRAL-ARM UNION DATA REPOSITORY

SPECIES ENTRY: IGLANI

The Iglani are a sapient species native to the planet of Iglan. While this species has only recently discovered space travel, the Spiral-Arm Union has been somewhat reluctant to welcome them to the interspecies community. Reconciling the Iglani’s social parasitism with galactic law and the wellbeing of other spacefaring species may prove difficult. Engagement not recommended without direct support from the Spiral-Arm Embassy.

Biology

• Adapted to extreme solar radiation through the growth of thick plates over all but joints. Up to three meters tall, and typically very light-bodied due to a low-gravity environment. No optical organs; this species “sees” and communicates using the movement of electrons in their vicinity.
• Egg-layers. Reproduce both parthenogenetically and sexually, like the Cape honeybee. Males have become extremely scarce as parthenogenetic (single-parent) reproduction became ingrained as a tradition in culture.
• Consume a mixture of cultivated fungi and insectoid/invertebrate meats from the other species on their planet.
• Social parasites - gradually eliminate all of their adaptive competition by laying eggs in other species’ nests.
• Highly intelligent, but have shown few signs of cognitive similarity to other discovered sapient species.

Culture

• The Iglani have agricultural roots, but have become hunter-gatherers as their males near extinction, catering to the increased energy needs of the egg-laying population by seeking meat and other high-energy foods.
• Iglani wear minimal clothing or flexible, chitinous armor to cover their unarmored joints.
• As they do not require air or standard vision, they live in complete darkness aside from the light produced naturally by the minerals, plants and creatures in their surroundings.
• Octahedral forms are recognized culturally as a symbol of organized conquest - these are forms derived from the stable internal structures of the Iglani’s low-gravity hives. This inspires the construction of their most valued structures, including colony ships like the one showcased here.
• Stasis pods within Iglani ships are modeled after the shape of the species’ egg-sacs.