– originating from eight planets in the Aquari Home Federet; citizens of the Pan-Galactic Imperium
– conjugated as Aquari:Human, Aquarii:Humans, Aquariid:Human(adjective)
– names: adjective + nature
– since we can’t fully reproduce their language, their place and person names are descriptive translations, like Russet Song Valley and Far Pitch

– bipedal mantid-cephalopod bodies
– suedelike skin covered in tiny vibrational hairs called setae-villi
– two main arm tentacles (no suckers, but electrostatic gecko grip suede that’s usually smooth and dry except when picking things up or gripping) – a circular mane of vibrational tendrils, plus a mustache of them on many of the men
– a beak mouth for eating
– audio-visual range frequency abilities in their natural communication
– high empathic perception
– somewhat taller than humans
– tribally-aligned uniquely colored carapaces
– their upright, two-legged bodies are covered in armor like carapaces
– strong, mantislike hind legs
– intelligent and compassionate black eyes
– carapaces vary in color, pattern and shape by tribe

– the young start in round shells protected in dreaming seashore beds with a lovegiver where they can already sing & color
– go through successive moltings & imaginalize into the modern bipedal-tentacled form when they can walk away from their molting
– start with short tendrils
– align by markings from group infancy and are raised tribally
– referred to as our-children
– can individualize in recombination to migrate tribes
– they mature in the company of their conscious Symbias tree groves, which maintain their ancestral linkage
– pair mating

– they use very little fire technology, prefer humidity – shape wood with song for their homes
– artistically-oriented culture
– all professions are a form of art
– technology, evolution and culture are centered around vibrational color/sound modulation
– we perceive it as what we call art, and to them it’s direct communication creating lasting structures of and monuments of multi-layered thought
– they love to share their art

– their language is audiovisual
– includes tones that humans can’t hear
– they have some emotions humans don’t have
– we can see their color-visual cues more clearly when applied to certain media
– they are very good at replicating human language sounds
– with some effort, they can color-emote for the human spectrum, but they are always able to read wavelengths off each other
– uncannily perceptive, coming from a culture that habitually sees thoughts and emotions publicly
– tentacles and tendrils are part of their emoting apparati, both visually and in producing vibrational control
– some can ventriloquize friction, the distance breeze

– Humans and Aquarii don’t often fight, the temperament is no longer there (since a long while back)
– they make everyone’s lives more fun, cooler, healthier, and more beautiful; simply put, they’re some of our favorite people and there’s a mutual natural reluctance toward conflict
– they also uphold powerful strategic keys of the Imperium, like the transgates
– with their hidden Groves and secret council planet too they may seem closed in some ways
– but they’re also extremely accommodating, helpful and fair

– no Aquariid defense (or attack) is like any other Aquariid defense or attack
– they’re situation-responsive and capable of extreme unpredictability using light and sound waves, which are intrinsic building blocks of our perceivable reality

– they don’t use much clothing or weaponry
– they do decorate themselves
– not very many technological objects
– commonly used are staves, wands, pendants, beaded scarves – they prefer swampy or rainforest environments

– Sendsingers enable modern intergalactic transit
– sendsinging is a deep craft with high responsibility
– linking those massive distances and bearing up to the task makes the nature of their voice rather different
– sendsinging requires a change of voice
– sendsingers pledge allegiance to no one planet

– common professions in the Imperium: artists, performers, special effects people, Sendsingers, natural builder terraformers
– herdspeople and foragers above and below water, sonic songs allow communication with other species
– they pride themselves on very earnestly developing interspecies communication praxes, like a new musical instrument or different scale
– charming communicators, powerful runners/jumpers/climbers

– the Aquarii have a pet type – a sluggie, like a friendly bean bag
– sort of a leathern styrofoam-pellet slime mold with a personality
– not actually slimy, snorfles, aids with projection in Symbias groves
– they’re a responsibility with their own moods, but they’re very joyful and able to bring harmony in tune