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Lagikoi are sentient, intelligent, lapine, and kephalothorakid lifeforms native to Polysiton. They are part of the Kounelidai family that constitutes one of the most common and well-known fauna species of Segmentum Asia. Of the Kounelidai family's linguistical branches, the Lagikoi language is the most Hellenic of them all.

Physiology

Lagikoi are multicellular species like any common animal known to Earth, and largely inherits the mammalian features as do most of the Kounelidai. However, Lagikoi are purely asexual species, and their reproduction involves spawning in which a Lagikos lays an "egg" of stem cells which develop into a kit. As such, reproduction rarely introduces mutations, and mutations are often caused by other ways, most notably Polysiton's UV rays. 3 times stronger than that of Earth, the UV rays are more likely to mutate genetic material of a Lagikos than most terrestrial animals. Also, consuming parts of a lagikos also will introduce new genetic material to the Lagikoi eating. However, this applies only to lagikoi flesh, and unlike the Kroot of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, eating members of other species will not introduce new traits or mutations to the Lagikoi.

Lagikoi are also noted for extreme metabolism, as well as significant natural regeneration far greater than that of a human or most of the Kounelidai at that. Given that, Lagikoi eat literally like birds, requiring 11000 kcal compared to human 2500 kcal. In times of war, a Lagikos may burn as much as 40,000 kcal of energy, which is one of the many reasons for their peaceful nature. An average Lagikos has a radius of .5 meters, rendering them smaller than most humans or humanoid creatures. Areus Megas is an notable exception, having a radius of 0.8 meters. Given their largely smaller stature and fairly simpler anatomy, Lagikoi are more reliant on carbohydrates, and Lagikoi need for minerals and vitamins are vastly lower than that of a human, unless regeneration is involved. Given that, and the nutrient rich flora that makes up much of Lagikoi diet, lagikoi often have huge mineral holding vacuoles, and will even excrete mineral pellets. In fact, this was a primary reason for the Pachydermic War, as Polysiton's pachyderms are omnivores and particularly liked lagikoi for their rich nutrients.

Given the lack of toxic fauna and flora in Polysiton with few exceptions such as Hyppho, a toxic berry of low toxicity as well as hallucinogenic properties, Lagikoi liver is significantly less capable of handling toxin than most animals. As such, Lagikoi cannot drink alcohol, and poison is siginficantly more harmful to Lagikoi than to most terrestrial animals.

Lagikoi do not have predefined color that is associated with species. However, the vast majority of Civilized lagikoi have blue fur, given the vast intake of crustaceans: large intake of DHA is associated with blue color for whatever reasons. Notable exceptions to the rule include Areus Megas: Seleonites living in the mountainous regions eat less crustaceans than most, although they do eat some, as they do have access to the shores in the Braxian peninsula. As such, Seleonites are known for a large number of non-blue Civilized Lagikoi. In fact, the most colorful array are found in Zyngos, where the feral Lagikoi live.

Generally, a civilized Lagikos lives 55 Polysitonian years (around 88 Earth years), while a feral Lagikos generally live 43 Polysitonian years (69 Earth years).

Biological Relationships

The most notable symbiotic relationships involving the Lagikoi would be that between the Lagikoi and the melittai. This is particularly of great importance, as this partly explains the teeming flora of Polysiton. As expected from the name (melittai means bees in Attic Greek, and it is the Attic equivalent of melissai), the melittai aids in pollination of plants, especially critical crops such as Ephran and Thrane. Not only that, the melittai are fond of utilizing the waste nutrient pellets produced by the Lagikoi (given their extreme need for high calorie compared to other nutrients) which they use to build their structures. In fact, such is the relationship that the melittai are considered domesticated even though there were no Lagikoi activities in actively trying to breed them.

Culture

Lagikoi culture is very similar to that of the Ancient Greeks: Lagikoi are social creatures, preferring to live in a close neighborhood. Given their massive metabolism, Lagikoi usually form poleis around a reliable source of food. Lagikoi can be divided into two groups, the relatively civilized Lagikoi and the feral Lagikoi: most civilized Lagikoi live in coastal areas where crustaceans are readily available, while feral Lagikoi largely reside in mountains and forests. Feral Lagikoi are also peaceful, and most feral Lagikoi tribes speak the Lagikoi language. However, feral Lagikoi tend to have claws or other rigid "hands", compared to the more blobby and flexible hands of the civilized Lagikoi. Civilized Lagikoi are industrialized, producing machines mostly to assist in acquisition of food, although most feral Lagikoi also undertake some sort of domestication. Large metropoleis were a relatively young concepts, created just before the arrival of the Sentinels and expanded greatly after the First Galactic War.

Lagikoi culture is very monolithic as well as egalitarian, and their structuring of the polis and the class system (or lack of an socio-economic one) reflect this. Lagikoi are very generous creatures, and they help out others in need. Given the communal view of resources that result from their egalitarianism, the concept of poverty is almost exclusive to famines. This view of communal management is defined by the polis, meaning that Lagikoi generally prefer trade to accepting donations from Lagikoi of other poleis, and there are mercantile Lagikoi poleis, most notably Emporion at the northeastern edge of Zyngos.

On the other hand, Lagikoi have a sense of linguistical Hellenocentrism, calling those who do not speak a form of Greek "barbaroi". However, given the pacifist nature, the term "barbaroi" do not hold any malicious intent in the Lagikoi community (unlike in the Greek context), and often is used interchangeably with the term "xenoi", which are all sorts of foreigners although the term xenoi are used also with those who speak a form of Greek. Given the Lagikoi language, Lagikoi call those who use true Ancient Greek dialects "neochmoi" or "kainoi". The only exception to the Hellenocentrism is the Sentinels, given their relatively positive effect on the Lagikoi, particularly with the succeeding Posterity of the Sentinels playing as a ally of the Lagikoi interest in the First Galactic War.

Units

Lagikoi are purely Hellenic in that matter, using only Hellenistic units in almost all matters. However, the area and the currency are exceptions. As for the former, Lagikoi only use the hektos, aroura and the plethron, adding a new unit, the pleistheron, equal to 60 plethron. As for currency, it is also a unit of weight much as it was in the Ancient Greek period. The base currency of the Lagikoi is the rhe/rha (Gk. ρη/ρα), equivalent to 576 grams of flour. However, the Lagikoi also use a more standardized currency for trade, the koinon, equal to 1 kg of iron. As Lagikoi currency for trading is attached to iron, while the Imperial drachma is attached to gold, the foreign exchange between the Lagikoi koinon and the Imperial drachma is dynamic. As pig iron ingots are worth around 350-550$ per metric ton, this result deems a koinon to worth around .35-.55$, a small unit especially in light of the extremely large value of the Imperial Drachma.

However, there are those who have transitioned into a more universal currencies: the Rhakotean Nomarchy for example has adopted the Imperial drachma as its base currency, although it has not phased out its native currencies. 

Religion

The vast majority of the Lagikoi are adherents to an henotheistic religion called the Arete. The said religion tends to be very practical, and not only the worship of the main unnamed god (they simply use the term theos) pious, but the veneration of its creation, such as the sun is also considered pious. Given that, certain cities are destinations of pilgrims, most notably the polis of Heliopolis. Arete's principles are essentially built from the Lagikoi mentality, and it teaches generosity, tolerance, self-sufficiency, and frugality as the key virtues. Although festivities are largely local, all adherents of Arete take part in the festival Dorematismos, which involves gift-giving, especially to the less fortunate. The Lagikoi are very generous in giving in Dorematismos, and the concept of noblesse oblige is particularly strong, resulting in the rich giving a significant portion of their wealth to the poor (a small portion of the population given the already generous nature of the Lagikoi), which helps in keeping the Lagikoi as one of the most equitable and happy species in Segmentum Asia.

With the passage of time, cults and heresies developed. One cult that is not opposed to the Arete is the Cult of Gourmet, which is centered around a feasting festival. In fact, there are many cults not opposed to the teachings of the Arete, and such have developed into a unique pilgrimage economy. One such example would be the Sun cult of Heliopolis, which took advantage of Arete's openmindedness to reverence of material things as well as Heliopolis's status as the definition of the prime meridian. There are heresies as well, such as the Peritheosis, which claim that the Lagikoi are divine and destined to rule the galaxy. Such heresies have very few adherents, and most come from war-torn victims of pillaging.

Language

Main Article: Lagikoi Language, Neo Koine Greek

The Lagikoi language is essentially a derivation and a simplification of Ancient Greek, retaining the Greek alphabet alongside some of the defunct letters such as the Digamma, as is in the name of the polis Phovellis (Lagikoi Greek: Φωϝέλλις, -ιδος). On top, the Lagikoi language do not present the aorist form as is in Ancient Greek. However, the aorist form does have some influence in the Lagikoi language, as the augment associated with the aorist is used to serve the purpose of the aorist form: to notify the readers that the action is simple or completed. The Lagikoi language is also simple in that it has a unified set of verb inflections, meaning that verbs do not have different declensions, and inflection is determined only by its mood, tense, and voice.

Technology

Lagikoi technological route is vastly different to those of humans: while human technology was also influenced by curiosity, Lagikoi technological route was influenced almost entirely by necessity and physiology. This isn't to say Lagikoi are not inquisitive creatures: by far Lagikos curiosity often rivals that of human child, but the oppressive burden of high calorie needs push back inquisitive developments. Given the high calorie needs, Lagikoi mastery of automation is almost savant-like, and Lagikoi have the robotic technologies that matches or exceeds the technologies of present human population, having things like unmanned drones, automated mechadendrites, and such. Miniturization is also a strength of the Lagikoi, and field mechadendrites are much more common than in the human society.

Despite these strengths, lagikoi technology is incomplete compared to the more widely spread human technology. Given the strong magnetic fields, Lagikoi do have electronics and magnetic technologies, and as such have hover technologies. However, Lagikoi lack laser, and their mastery of chemistry is similar to human knowledge of chemistry at the late 19th century. This is the reason why medicine is still focused on herbs rather than manufactured medicines. Lagikoi also lacked refrigeration technologies, and it was the trade with the xenoi that introduced refrigeration to the Lagikoi society.

Likewise, Lagikoi industry is also very tied to agriculture and food processing in general. As such, while the Lagikoi have a good history of invention, the Lagikoi industry is far less developed, and large factories with heavy equipment were a rarity until the arrival of the Sentinel xenoi. However, industry grew as the Lagikoi interacted with the Sentinels, and war needs led to the development of munition factories. However, the large industrial complex of Euxeine meant that the Lagikoi themselves did not need to field giant factories of their own, so the Lagikoi maintain only a few manufactories, and most are either in the Braxis Peninsula near Areus's home polis of Seleon and in the ascending power of the Rhakotean Nomarchy.

Cuisine

Main article: Lagikoi Cuisine

Given Lagikoi demand for high calorie, Lagikoi cuisine tend to be loaded with the sweets. However, the term sweet should not be taken as junk food, as most Lagikoi cuisine derives most of its sweetness from the Polysitonian honey or its plethora of fruits. Nonetheless, desserts and snacks are the heart and flower of the Lagikoi cuisine. Given the lack of a counterpart to wheat, Lagikoi pastry tends to be a bit coarse in texture given that Lagikoi flour are based primarily on Ephran, which is closer to corn than it is to wheat. However, this isn't to say Lagikoi pastries aren't good. To the contrary, Lagikoi biscuits are widely popular throughout the scope of civilized populace (The Demokratidai settlers actively consumed Lagikoi cuisine), and Emporion has established wild Thrane trade with the feral Lagikoi using biscuits (along with other things, such as tools) as the trading material. Lagikoi also have hardtacks as well, which are closer to the Japanese kanpan than the western hardtacks and are generally used to supply troops alongside the ever so common Krommuon, of which the latter is feared by Lagikoi in general, considering it famine food and also a symbol of poor logistical skill on the commander. Contact with xenoi brought new food to Lagikoi diet, with Galakoi as the prime example that is so popular that it alone is responsible for keeping the Arche's trade with the Lagikoi in black.

As for food culture, most Lagikoi eat 5 meals a day: the Ariston, the breakfast, the Metaponon (lit. "between work"), the mid-work meal, Katalimos (lit. "against hunger"), the late lunch, the Epoikon (lit. "upon home"), the end-work snack, and the Deipnon, the dinner. Generally speaking, the Ariston and Deipnon tend to be the largest, although in cases of holidays the Metaponon and Katalimos may receive some attention, leaving Epoikon to be the smallest of the meals at all times. For the Ariston, most Lagikoi (given the lack of economic stratification) will have 1 or 2 Ephran steamed over water prepared with the glukeis and salt, along with several briskets of meat, fruits, and Kankares if available. In the Metaponon, a Lagikos is generally treated with some biscuits, malakoi, and a bottle of Thrane juice, while in the Katalimos a Lagikos gets vegetables and 4-6 thin briskets of meat. Epoikon may be as simple as a stick of Obeliskoi, while Deipnon will involve things like noodle soup made with bone stocks and more briskets of meat along with desserts such as those found in the Metaponon.

Named Lagikoi

  • Areus Megas - Formerly Cyan Sphere of Doom before species overhaul, founder of the Territorial Independence Army as well as the de facto representative of the Lagikoi
  • Antimachos Argyrios - Leader of the Koinon Syllogon, the initial alliance of southwestern Megale Patris Poleis against the Evil Baby Corporation
  • Nikator Halphios - Second-in-command of the TIA
  • Chremonides Seleonios - Tyrant of Seleon playing a key role in Pachydermic War as well as a reform in armament.
  • Ptolemaios Rhakotios - Nomarch of the Rhakotean Nomarchy
  • Maion Arinthides Phovellios - One of the captains of the Polemarchos in the Battle of Telemantros
  • Xenophon Massonides Telemantreus - One of the captains of the Polemarchos in the Battle of Telemantros

Trivia

  • The Lagikoi society as a general is very similar to the House Atreides at least as described in Dune II. For starters, Lagikoi generally are of benevolent and charitable nature. In addition, they also shirk from violence for the most part. Furthermore, they live in a very fertile planet, and they also have Greek roots.

Gallery

As Spheres, before Species Overhaul

After Overhaul

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