Caera-Leecii

The Caera-Leecii are a species born of two worlds in the Tahgii system Tal-Sheed and Xian. In technicality, the leecii are a form of psionic, non-sentient parasitic moss native to Xian. While the Caera are a cervine species originating from world Tal-Sheed. While not all caera are leecii, nearly all leecii are caera. The caera are a strict people, known for having little patience for weakness, are cutthroat survivors with little care for life's innate value. Consideration for things in a long-term fashion were not well considered. Their culture changed dramatically when in-system exploration unified them with the world of Xian, and they began understanding the leecii moss and integrated it with their people over time. The sense of unity and far-understanding caused by the psionic nature of the moss and its unique abilities to pass along hereditary memories from host to host allowed the Caera to become starfarers, balancing their demeanor with an inward focus.

Physical Description

The generic caera are tall cervids, around 2 meters in height with a diverse range of coat colors, meant to blend in with the vibrant jungles of their homeworld. From black to white, brown to a slight green or blue. When they are symbiotically fused with leecii, they will take on plant-like traits, whether a mossy coat, verdant plumage, strange eyes, etc. A symbiote unified caera-leecii is going to have both plant and animal traits in some mannerism, though the adaptation may differ due to environment. They are known for being sturdy, healing wounds rapidly and are omnivores with a taste for meat. The leecii symbiote is a form of parasitic plant that can take numerous forms, it will fuse with the body and nervous system of its host, and convert it to its needs. But the moss is choosy. It cannot fuse into a symbiotic form with just anyone, they need to have the readiness to spiritually, mentally and physically resist its consumption and form a bond with the symbiote. True symbiosis has the moss integrate nonharmfully with the person, transforming them. Failed symbiosis is when the person is not capable of taming the leecii as it grows and is consumed by it into fuel and nutrients, and the final is rejection, in which the leecii will not be able to psychically link with the individual and is unable to find purchase into their body, rejecting them.

It should be noted that while rare, non-caera joined do exist. It is both more difficult to successfully bond with the moss for non caera and more dangerous. To become part of the joined is to become part of the caera-leecii existence. Their mind is flooded with memories of caera generations, adapted and changed to fit into the caera-leecii mode of thinking, and with little place for any former identity or life. To be joined is to become part of the whole, yes, but the whole is caera, not human, feni or poliesu.

Heritages

Caera are divided based on their interpretation of their relation to the leecii moss and their individual pursuits of the Great Hunt, their ancestral pursuit of self perfection.

• Joined The dominant variety of caera and those who make up the elite of society are those who have joined with the leecii moss and are both plant and animal. Having gained longevity, health, and the wisdom of countless voices, memories and peoples. They guide society.
• Unjoined Caera that are unjoined, unable to join, or are separated from their home are often eager to prove themselves to society to permit them to join with the whole. They are cervids and are little different from their ancestral selves.
• Illuminated The Caera self dubbed illuminated are Caera that believe that technology is their path to ascension, not just joining and obsessively unify themselves with machines and technology and take these actions to extremes. Replacing organs, skin, or even their minds with mechanical ones, blurring the lines between caera and thinking machine.
• Resolute The Caera self dubbed the resolute reject the leecii and technology both, believing in the unchanging nature of their future. Ascetics in their society, they believe that Caera should be hunters and warriors, living through their own blood. They believe pain and suffering are necessary parts of life and practice ritual scarification and bloodletting.
• Non Caera Joined Of note is there are leecii joined that are of other species. These integrate into caera society almost completely, as their minds are unified with the caera-leecii whole. They may in body be human, but they are considered caera-leecii like any other.

History

Ancient caera were warlike and hostile people with strict societies led by strong leaders living in their oppressive jungle habitats, in the space-age, they were made up of many authoritarian nations in constant nationalistic struggles with one another. But it was in the space age, they transformed. The leecii symbiote brought balance to their minds and people, long-lived thought and saw a transformation of their spiritual system. What was once war and domination, became inward conquest. The joined guided their society, could see fragments of each others memories, and brought hereditary history to their people. With unity, they sought the stars, until they encountered the human Galactic Coalition who's lack of unity and centralized, sol-focused politics were staunchly radicalizing for the caera-leecii. Their belief in differences promoting unity created the framework for what would be the federation. Unbeknownst to most in the following decades, the caera-leecii began infiltrating what is now known as federation space, joining, willing or not, finding key persons to join with the leecii symbiote beyond their peoples, who would disguise their new state of being, and be ready to push politics in a preferred, secessionist direction. When war broke out, the new leecii-joined helped ensure that the series of assassinations and coups at the local level would be rapid and effective, permitting the Sovereign Federation's birth. Since the war, they have been one of the most critical non-human powers in the empire, and are said by some to be the true heart of the Sovereign Federation.

Society

The most notable factor in caera society is their relationship to the leecii symbiote. To be joined is to have your memories live on, and each patch of leecii can retain the psychic imprint of its past hosts. Through these flashes of insight, caera-leecii society can be capable of a seemingly deep understanding of the patterns of history. Something confusing to most outsiders is unjoined caera are not a lower class, but rather are a separate class. The leaders of their society are not always joined, but their advisors almost always are. Yet there is an elitist division between the unjoined and the joined. With many unjoined feeling like they are less of a person and are eager to prove themselves. Even if through death, where their bodies will be laid to rest in the moss of Xian to become unified with the whole. Example Names:

Beliefs

The caera-leecii are a unification of two contrary beliefs. The innate caera self-serving survivalist mentality, and the long-thinking, unified state of being that can transcend lifetimes given by the leecii symbiote. Even those unjoined are effected by this, and most caera long to be chosen or deemed worthy of receiving the symbiotic moss, for it brings both physical benefits of strength and longlevity, but permits greater mental understandings of the world around. The concept of the Grand Hunt is integral to caera, who believe it is great acts, inward perfection and mental and spiritual stability that will lead them to being joined and many caera long to prove themselves to the symbiote to permit unification. They are broadly considered highly introspective spiritualists, but are not pacifists. The caera-leecii have a unique understanding of the afterlife as a literal place, those consumed by the moss have some memories and imprints retained, and the caera-leecii believe that even as those memories fade, they do not die, they simply become part of the Whole. Death is abjectly not the end to their minds, and they as a people do not fear the end of life as many do.