Black Eyed Shadekin

Shadekin are largely thought to be myth by much of the galaxy, few 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.

Overview

• Black Eyed Shadekin are not originally from realspace, so many things can be unfamiliar to them.
• Black Eyed Shadekin suffer from an unresolvable chronic injury to most of their body, which makes them rather more susceptible to physical harm.
• Shadekin are naturally very hardy and can usually survive in nearly any kind of environment without special equipment.
• Due to unfamiliarity and their condition most Black Eyed Shadekin tend to take on simple, safe jobs. They are typically somewhat quick learners, so they tend to occupy lower rungs of all non-combat related jobs.
• Black Eyed Shadekin naturally communicate through empathy which you can speak by typing ,M
• While it is basically never their native language, in order to be hire-able by NT they must at least be somewhat fluent in Galactic Common.
• Black Eyed Shadekin can wear most clothing. Many prefer clothing that covers most or all of their body, to attempt to hide what they are, and to avoid standing out in a foreign society.
• Black Eyed Shadekin can eat most typical food items and have no species wide restriction on diet. Their bodies do burn through food faster than most.
• While Black Eyed Shadekin may be familiar with growing up among their own kind, they are typically so disconnected with other shadekin as to be unaware of any current events or happenings.

Naming

Individual names are typically extremely important to shadekin. Empathically as they ordinarily communicate, a shadekin name has a lot of extra information attached to it. These names, the reputation, and information attached to them are usually a shadekin's most prized possession. To be named after another is typically the highest of honor, and to act in a way that would disgrace the name might get the offending shadekin hunted down and straightened out, by one means or another.

However, Black Eyed Shadekin most typically actually lack a name. Having lost their ability to process energy, they are incapable of surviving for extended periods of time in The Dark, where Shadekin originate from. Out of necessity, Black Eyes are effectively outcast, and the way by which the condition afflicts them is almost always during the ritual from which they would ordinarily get their 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.

'Nurse' 'Enginemaster' 'Short Tail'

This is not to say that they can't or don't accept others giving them nicknames, that is up to the individual. But these names don't ordinarily carry the same weight as a proper shadekin given name would.

'Black Eyes' Condition

Shadekin typically live on another plane of existence, one made almost entirely of energy, which can be shaped by one's expectations on their surrounding. They also have adapted to absorb and process this energy to survive. The ritual by which shadekin earn their names is generally known to be highly dangerous. This involves deliberately overloading oneself on this energy by briefly entering a font of the stuff. 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 other planes of existence. This can be done naturally, but typically takes what amounts to multiple lifetimes. This ritual is essentially a 'coming of age' ritual. 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 and names, though will need some recovery time.

Some will not, and these ones typically do not survive.

If one is too old and overdeveloped and passes through the font too quickly, then they may not develop their energy capacity sufficiently, and would essentially be suicide to attempt it again. These however can at least still process energy, and so may still eventually develop the rest of the way naturally.

If one is too young and underdeveloped, they are typically vaporized, or otherwise made rather unrecognizable by the experience.

Even falling in the middle of these two extremes offers no guarantee of actual success or survival. This is where Black Eyes condition comes in.

The Black Eyes condition occurs when one's body fails to contain the energy load of the ritual, but they manage to survive. With so much energy burning through them, the injuries are typically immediately permanent. This condition doesn't necessarily prevent one from absorbing energy, but their ability to process and retain the energy is entirely compromised. Shadekin eye color is related to the source of the energy that they have absorbed, and so black eyes occurs due to an absolute lack of this energy. This comes with a whole host of small issues, but the main ones immediately are burns across much of the body, which can potentially cause long term discoloration. Additionally, Black Eyed Shadekin typically no longer grow any larger by natural means.

Without the ability to process or retain this energy, they tend to need to eat more than one might expect in order to maintain themselves.

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 Eyes are often evasive about what they are or where they are from.

Species on Vorestation
Station Crew Akula - Angels - Demi-Humans - Demons - Dionae - Hanner Lleill - Humans - Lleill - Nevreans - Promethean - Rapala - Sergals - Shadekin - Skrell - Synthetics - Tajaran - Teshari - Unathi - Vasilissans - Vox - Vulpkanin - Xenochimera - Xenomorph-Hybrids - Zorren - Alraune - Custom Species