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Drawbba-The-Hutt — Flotation Device: Cronians

Published: 2012-10-05 07:52:13 +0000 UTC; Views: 1306; Favourites: 13; Downloads: 24
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Description Wow, it feels like it's been forever since I've drawn something. I guess I shouldn't brag about more datasheets, but it's better than nothing. And just like in elementary school, I still suck at drawing Saturn.

In Flotation Device, all 11 planets in our solar system have native, sentient life on them, and go by names based on Greek mythology instead of Roman lore. If any of you guessed that the cronians (sometimes called cronusans) are actually supposed to be from Saturn, then congratulations. Before I begin, TL;DR, The cronians are a powerful species from beyond the Asteroid Belt, and they extend their power in the solar system with the Cronian Empire, a fascist, aggressive nation quickly establishing itself as one of the most dominant factions in the system. They have four arms and four eyes, and live far longer than any other organic species in the solar system. Cronians are neutral to humans, but are wary of them, and are on the fence about becoming friends with the Solar System Coalition, or invading the pre-belt worlds. One of the only things keeping the cronians on humanity's good side is their ongoing struggle with Uranus, Poseidon, and Hades, as well as the constant raids from the nightmarish Erisans. For now, the cronians keep the peace with cold, militant efficiency and an iron determination to one day see the banners of their conquests across the galaxy. Now, for those of you who like to read, here's the unabridged version:

Biology:
Cronians are around human height and mass, though they are distinctive for their four arms and four eyes. Cronian eyes are capable of seeing ultraviolet light. Their skin tones are usually darker than those of humans, but usually remain shades of brown or tan, though grayish pigments occur regularly in cronian populations, as well. Cronian eyes range from shades of brown, to black, to blue, to violet; though violet is the most common. Their hair colors are usually dark. While not capable of the gravity manipulation of the uranians, or the ability to breath any known gas like their zeusan neighbors, cronians have the advantage of living far longer than any other organic race in the solar system, with the average cronian life expectancy by 2121AD being about 430 gaian years. The oldest cronian in history lived to be 613 gaian years. Cronians naturally breath oxygen, but are capable of breathing hydrogen and helium. Cronians are also born with three hearts, though most of their other organs are very similar to those of a human. Interestingly, cronians begin life with many more vestigial organs than any other species in the system, but many of these organs become useful as a cronian ages. Cronians have a low birthrate compared to other species.

Civilization:
The Cronian Empire is the dominant nation of the cronian people, and it controls around 95% of Cronus and her moons, though the latter have been major points of contention not only between the Empire and smaller rival factions, but also the nearby hadesians, poseidonians, and uranians, who have sought after Cronus' moons and the surrounding celestial bodies for the past several decades. This struggle has since been known as the Centaur Conflicts. The Cronian Empire is a fascist state, ruled by the High Magistrate and the Imperial Magostratum. High Magistrates are selected by the Empire's ancient tradition of Nerronc Gezalkas, the "Assassin's Conquest". In order for a High Magistrate to take the throne, they must murder the previous High Magistrate. In this way, the High Magistrate is always considered to be the most cunning and powerful assassin of the Empire. One of the most legendary accomplishments a High Magistrate can achieve is living to old age and dying a natural death; after which, the selection process for a new High Magistrate is often along the lines of chaotic, planetary civil war. One of the few things keeping the Empire as static as it is, is the Guild of Stargazers, the ruling religious organization of the cronian people, as well as the bureaucratic pencil-pushers of the Empire who, when in unison, have the final vetoing power over the magistrates. They are equal parts supreme court justices and popes, as well as some of the oldest cronians in the Empire. Other than the Empire, there are numerous miniscule organizations that control territory outside of the Empire's jurisdiction; some of these nations are in opposition to the Empire, while some others are their allies.

Culture:
Cronians are a very martial and proud people. They are some of the fiercest warriors and brilliant tacticians competing in the Centaur Conflicts, but their low-birth rate has bred strong senses of self-preservation and caution. They are thinkers first, and fighters second, but one should never underestimate a cronian warrior in battle. Cronian technology is slightly more advanced than their post-belt neighbors, except for the erisans, and they are about on-par with the machines of the Solar System Coalition, though still not quite as advanced as the hermesians. One one hand, cronians lean towards conformity, though they have always had a strong sense of individuality in their culture, and no cronian law has ever made them forsake their individualism in favor of unity. It's less like "we're apart of a fascist dictatorship, so we're all mindless machines", and more like "Our dictator said we each have to eat a pizza, but we still get to pick our own toppings". Cronians have a strong devotion to spacefaring, and are roughly tied with the hermesians when it comes to shipbuilding and space navigation. Unlike many other species, who have lost much of their religious ideologies as more scientific information about their surroundings began to fill in the knowledge they were missing, cronians have always had a strong devotion to the Guild of Stargazers and the group's predecessors, which devoted much of its belief to astrology, divination, and the constellations. Cronians have a complex relationship with fate and destiny, which is arguably the biggest divider between their people (some strongly believe in destiny, while others prefer freedom of choice). Cronians have never truly had gender inequality in their society, and females and males have stood on equal terms for most of their history, with many notable females serving as High Magistrates.

Overall, I wanted to the cronians to be burgeoning space-romans. They aren't too powerful to completely overwhelm their neighbors, but they are definitely a species to be feared if you get on their bad side. Like the other 10 species, cronians have a color coded to them; in this case, violet. I don't know specifically why I wanted the cronians to have 4 arms and 4 eyes, probably because I've been having a four-armed girl fetish lately, but I like how they came out. I wanted to get their datasheet uploaded by now because they are going to factor heavily into my next saga of Flotation Device stories. As with the others, you may depict them yourselves to your heart's content. I'm always happy when people get involved in this setting. I'm proud of these datasheets, so far. We've done about 5 of them, so there are only 5 left (6 if I do one for the humans, but I'm not sure about that yet).

For the others, see below:
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Comments: 5

EmmetEarwax [2019-11-02 16:27:39 +0000 UTC]

I imagine the 7th day Adventists believe this.

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PrinceBuffoon [2012-10-31 09:14:59 +0000 UTC]

It's nice to see you continue expanding on the Flotation Device Universe, and the Cronians are certainly interesting! You know, each time you publish one of these, it just gives me more inspiration and ideas. These certainly sound like people whom a certain spacefaring Hermesian hippie might dislike. A lot.

Minor detail, though: The description says "four arms and four legs"; don't you mean "four arms and four eyes"?

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Drawbba-The-Hutt In reply to PrinceBuffoon [2012-10-31 17:51:55 +0000 UTC]

Yeah, they're sort of on the fascist end of the political spectrum, in stark contrast to the hermesians.

I'm glad I can inspire you with stuff like this. I hope to finish up the rest of the datasheets in November.

Also, I searched the page over and over, and I can't find the word legs anywhere. Whatch'yuo talkin bout?

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PrinceBuffoon In reply to Drawbba-The-Hutt [2012-10-31 18:25:05 +0000 UTC]

In the picture itself: "Four Arms and Four Legs", "Live much longer than most other species".

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Drawbba-The-Hutt In reply to PrinceBuffoon [2012-10-31 18:47:02 +0000 UTC]

Oh shit! I completely missed that! I'll get that changed by tonight. Sorry about that.

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