Cephaloa
07-05-2005, 23:38
General Overview
Cephaloa is a small island/sea-based nation. The territorial domains of the nation is about 80% water. Or 14 nautical miles in any direction. This is actually perfectly alright seeing as only about 5% of the population itself is land based. The island that the humans of the nation of Cephaloa inhabit is only 90 x 120 miles.
The island, or Cephaloan Coral as it is called in the native tongue, is heavily forested on the interior while beach surrounds the exterior of the island. At the western end of the island is a cave that stretches about twelve miles inward. This is extensive cave network has about half a mile of it plugged up every day during high tide.
How the sentient Cephalopods came to be
The average cephalopod one will find floating in the ocean is at the top of its game. It is incredibly intelligent for an animal, a viscious predator, and very short lived. This is because of its copper based blood. Whereas the highest animals have iron-based blood. Which is the cause of red blood and our own intelligence and long lives. Whereas copper blood produces green blood, a short life, and usually a lack of oxygen being pulled into the body. Yet the sentient cephalopods of Cephaloa are red blooded, highly intelligent, and rather long lived. There are several theories for this.
The first being this: God did it. This one has widely been discarded as stupidity.
The second one being this: An iron producing bacteria was incorporated into the genetic structure of the cephalopods through endosymbiont hypothesis. A few problems with this are that the cephalopods don't absorb bacterium directly into their bodies.
The third and most likely being this: A retrovirus (A virus that uses RNA instead of DNA to take over host cells) was caught by an ancestors of all cephalopods who would later become sentient. Now during the process of reproduction those genes that control heredity are moved around thousands of times. This would mean that an RNA marker that was in the genetic material of these cephalopods when positioned near a gene that controls the development of the blood affected it in some way producing cephalopods with iron-based blood.
What it means: Cephalopods with iron based blood are not only going to live longer because iron carries oxygen infinitely better than copper but they are also going to have a chance to get much larger. And with the sudden influx of oxygen to an already incredibly brain it would be like the creature just "woke up" and was now sentient.
How the pseudo-Arthropods came to be.
The only real theory as to how these large armor plated sentients came about is this.
Plankton that were isolated in a small microcosm evolved more and more. Becoming larger and more aggressive they became the high power in that area. After wiping out their food source they moved on out into the ocean where they were easy prey for those animals that had evolved in the ocean. But something did happen. They came into contact with these new sentient cephalopods. They were easily enslaved and became the main food source for those who stayed around the home island.
How the Humans came
A bit later on a large group of boats came to the somewhat coral surrounded island. They soon encountered the Cephaloans and for a time revered the thinking monster in the depths as gods. After a time though their societies grew together and their languages merged (to the extent that they could) marriage was not uncommon amongst the two species, even though breeding was impossible, though a liberal policy on sex and parenting ensured the survival of the two species.
In 1189 AD two small groups of Welsh boats encountered the island. What were they doing there? Well in 1172 Madoc, the bastard son of the Prince of Wales, reported a large empty land to the west. So he gathered those willing to go colonize it. Five boats filled with colonials were lost along the way (even though the original expedition was lost entirely according to historical records) those boats skitted along the coast of Africa. Landing only to pick up slaves and supplies. After passing South America the two left landed on the shores of the island. Settled deep in the hear of the Pacific ocean they were stunned at what they found. Building forts they carried their culture with them. Though soon their way of life was no longer sufficient for survival and they sought the help of the local human population. Now a group or humans had come together in fruition with another and they were accepted readily.
Government
The Cephaloan nation is an oligarchy. Ruled by a council that is elected directly by the people. This council serves for 10 years making all the decisions for the nation. Then after another election a new council, usually bedecked with an old member from the previous council, takes the stone.
The Culture and religion
Life in Cephaloa revolves around the sea. So the culture is rather simple looking on the surface. This is reflected in the religion of Cephaloa. The One God lives in Mother Sea. His servants are giants of all sentient species. They glow with such holy light that the stars are just their reflections in the sky. The sand is salt of their blood. Spilled during a great battle so long that all sentients have forgotten it and can only tell odd tales. The battle took place between The One God and The Other. Whereas The One God is usually depicted as eight limbed and with the hands of a man and always surrounded in a flaming white light and a kelp garden growing along his back. The Other is depicted as a massive fish with wings and carrion hanging from his back. Seagulls surround his head and he has the eyes of the dead.
Music is an important part of any culture in Cephaloa music is most often sung or easily produced with a stone and some waves. Elaborate dances are seen from both humans and cephalopods depicting ancient battle against sharks and The Other.
Expressions are very different for Cephaloan humans. Whereas a cephalopod can simply change his or her color and posture in the water to show confusion, anger, or embarassment humans can not. So they've developed an odd way to supplement that.
Anger: Usually involves jutting the chin out and crossing the arms while the head is slumped forward and with an extremely un-relaxed posture. Note non-formal anger can be expressed through stomping the ground and or punching the person.
Happiness: Same as outside world.
Confusion: A tilting of the head to the left with cheeks puffed out and the right arm being brought higher than the left. Note in non-formal confusion a simple tiliting of the head to the left will do.
Respect: A bowing of the head and a crossing of the arms outwardly with both hands hanging. Note no non-formal respect posture exists.
Embarrasment: Same as outside world.
Sadness: Excessive rubbing of the left side of the face. Note non-formal sadness postures would just comprise of telling a fellow sentient.
Some expressions in verbal language:
Taking the stone: To get a seat on the council.
Crushing a hard one: To kill a pseudo-Arthropod with ones bare hands. Usually ingestion will be raw after such a victory.
Taking the flap: To urinate. Or in the case of a cephalopod to expel large amounts of sepia i.e. "ink".
He/She went out to the beach: An expression meaning someone has passed into the next world.
Taking a hop: Taking a large risk. Usually associated by humans as jumping from one of the diving cliffs on the northern side of the island.
To add more later
Cephaloa is a small island/sea-based nation. The territorial domains of the nation is about 80% water. Or 14 nautical miles in any direction. This is actually perfectly alright seeing as only about 5% of the population itself is land based. The island that the humans of the nation of Cephaloa inhabit is only 90 x 120 miles.
The island, or Cephaloan Coral as it is called in the native tongue, is heavily forested on the interior while beach surrounds the exterior of the island. At the western end of the island is a cave that stretches about twelve miles inward. This is extensive cave network has about half a mile of it plugged up every day during high tide.
How the sentient Cephalopods came to be
The average cephalopod one will find floating in the ocean is at the top of its game. It is incredibly intelligent for an animal, a viscious predator, and very short lived. This is because of its copper based blood. Whereas the highest animals have iron-based blood. Which is the cause of red blood and our own intelligence and long lives. Whereas copper blood produces green blood, a short life, and usually a lack of oxygen being pulled into the body. Yet the sentient cephalopods of Cephaloa are red blooded, highly intelligent, and rather long lived. There are several theories for this.
The first being this: God did it. This one has widely been discarded as stupidity.
The second one being this: An iron producing bacteria was incorporated into the genetic structure of the cephalopods through endosymbiont hypothesis. A few problems with this are that the cephalopods don't absorb bacterium directly into their bodies.
The third and most likely being this: A retrovirus (A virus that uses RNA instead of DNA to take over host cells) was caught by an ancestors of all cephalopods who would later become sentient. Now during the process of reproduction those genes that control heredity are moved around thousands of times. This would mean that an RNA marker that was in the genetic material of these cephalopods when positioned near a gene that controls the development of the blood affected it in some way producing cephalopods with iron-based blood.
What it means: Cephalopods with iron based blood are not only going to live longer because iron carries oxygen infinitely better than copper but they are also going to have a chance to get much larger. And with the sudden influx of oxygen to an already incredibly brain it would be like the creature just "woke up" and was now sentient.
How the pseudo-Arthropods came to be.
The only real theory as to how these large armor plated sentients came about is this.
Plankton that were isolated in a small microcosm evolved more and more. Becoming larger and more aggressive they became the high power in that area. After wiping out their food source they moved on out into the ocean where they were easy prey for those animals that had evolved in the ocean. But something did happen. They came into contact with these new sentient cephalopods. They were easily enslaved and became the main food source for those who stayed around the home island.
How the Humans came
A bit later on a large group of boats came to the somewhat coral surrounded island. They soon encountered the Cephaloans and for a time revered the thinking monster in the depths as gods. After a time though their societies grew together and their languages merged (to the extent that they could) marriage was not uncommon amongst the two species, even though breeding was impossible, though a liberal policy on sex and parenting ensured the survival of the two species.
In 1189 AD two small groups of Welsh boats encountered the island. What were they doing there? Well in 1172 Madoc, the bastard son of the Prince of Wales, reported a large empty land to the west. So he gathered those willing to go colonize it. Five boats filled with colonials were lost along the way (even though the original expedition was lost entirely according to historical records) those boats skitted along the coast of Africa. Landing only to pick up slaves and supplies. After passing South America the two left landed on the shores of the island. Settled deep in the hear of the Pacific ocean they were stunned at what they found. Building forts they carried their culture with them. Though soon their way of life was no longer sufficient for survival and they sought the help of the local human population. Now a group or humans had come together in fruition with another and they were accepted readily.
Government
The Cephaloan nation is an oligarchy. Ruled by a council that is elected directly by the people. This council serves for 10 years making all the decisions for the nation. Then after another election a new council, usually bedecked with an old member from the previous council, takes the stone.
The Culture and religion
Life in Cephaloa revolves around the sea. So the culture is rather simple looking on the surface. This is reflected in the religion of Cephaloa. The One God lives in Mother Sea. His servants are giants of all sentient species. They glow with such holy light that the stars are just their reflections in the sky. The sand is salt of their blood. Spilled during a great battle so long that all sentients have forgotten it and can only tell odd tales. The battle took place between The One God and The Other. Whereas The One God is usually depicted as eight limbed and with the hands of a man and always surrounded in a flaming white light and a kelp garden growing along his back. The Other is depicted as a massive fish with wings and carrion hanging from his back. Seagulls surround his head and he has the eyes of the dead.
Music is an important part of any culture in Cephaloa music is most often sung or easily produced with a stone and some waves. Elaborate dances are seen from both humans and cephalopods depicting ancient battle against sharks and The Other.
Expressions are very different for Cephaloan humans. Whereas a cephalopod can simply change his or her color and posture in the water to show confusion, anger, or embarassment humans can not. So they've developed an odd way to supplement that.
Anger: Usually involves jutting the chin out and crossing the arms while the head is slumped forward and with an extremely un-relaxed posture. Note non-formal anger can be expressed through stomping the ground and or punching the person.
Happiness: Same as outside world.
Confusion: A tilting of the head to the left with cheeks puffed out and the right arm being brought higher than the left. Note in non-formal confusion a simple tiliting of the head to the left will do.
Respect: A bowing of the head and a crossing of the arms outwardly with both hands hanging. Note no non-formal respect posture exists.
Embarrasment: Same as outside world.
Sadness: Excessive rubbing of the left side of the face. Note non-formal sadness postures would just comprise of telling a fellow sentient.
Some expressions in verbal language:
Taking the stone: To get a seat on the council.
Crushing a hard one: To kill a pseudo-Arthropod with ones bare hands. Usually ingestion will be raw after such a victory.
Taking the flap: To urinate. Or in the case of a cephalopod to expel large amounts of sepia i.e. "ink".
He/She went out to the beach: An expression meaning someone has passed into the next world.
Taking a hop: Taking a large risk. Usually associated by humans as jumping from one of the diving cliffs on the northern side of the island.
To add more later