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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 Tmere 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 10 Polysitonian years (around 90 Earth years), while a feral Lagikos generally live 8 Polysitonian years (72 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. While Lagikoi prefer the coastal regions, bounty is the norm of Polysiton proper and Lagikoi formed inland settlements such as Argyria, although those are sparse enough that humans were able to occupy much of the inland territories. Likewise, the Lagikoi need sodium as much as any Gaian animal of similar caliber, and the freshwater nature of the Zoometer sea at the center of Megale Patris limited Lagikoi inland settlements to a limited region where rock salt were readily available nearby.

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 Hellenic roots of the Lagikoi language, Lagikoi call those who use true Ancient Greek dialects "neochmoi" or "kainoi". The Lagikoi initially called the Sentinels "xenoi", and later "apoikoi" as the Sentinels left their home to find a new home. This would later evolve to the "hetairoi" after the First Lampardian War, and is recognized as a title of honor by other Hellenophone factions such as the Arche Hellenike.

Units[]

The Lagikoi units are largely based on the Hellenic units, although evolved a bit differently. Since the Lagikoi arms are stubby, their base unit of length analogous to the pechys is the pous (πούς), around 0.4-0.5m (making it larger than the Ancient Greek podes of all different flavors), and longer distances are measured using the stadion equal to 600 pous much like the Ancient Greek equivalent, but about 60% longer because of the larger value of the Lagikoi pous. The pous is subdivided into the smaller unit daktylos, and like the Ancient Greek counterpart there are regional differences: the Polyphoran pous used in Aphrantis and southwestern Megale Patris consists of 12 daktyloi, while the Boreian pous used in northern Megale Patris is 14 daktyloi, and Notian pous used in the East and Southern Megale Patris 13 daktyloi. Likewise the daktyloi also varied in length by region, but was eventually unified to mean .32m, and likewise the pous was eventually standardized to be 15 daktyloi settling the koinos pous to be 0.48m.

Lagikoi unit of land area is more simplified, using only the hektos, aroura and the plethron from the Ancient Greek list, but adding the pleistheron, equal to 60 plethron.

Like the Ancient Greeks, the Lagikoi unit of currency is a measure of the mass of a valuable good. 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. Likewise, since SI units are a Gaian thing, the Lagikoi have not fully integrated the SI units and still use their traditional units in everyday lives. While engineers and scientists have made shifts to the SI unit, more traditional crafting and machining still uses the Lagikoi traditional units.

Religion[]

The Lagikoi adhere to their native henotheistic religion dubbed the Arete. While Arete adherents worship the main unnamed god (they simply use the term theos), it also associates gods with natural phenomena such as the sun (much like say the Greek naming of things after gods such as sun Helios and river Potamos) and rituals to those is also considered pious as reverence and preservation of nature is deemed good. Such rituals led to the rise of cult cities, most notably the polis of Heliopolis which is a major pilgrimage site. Arete's principles are baked into Lagikoi morality, and it teaches generosity, tolerance, self-sufficiency, preservation 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 generous in giving in Dorematismos, and the well-off gives 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 Tmere Asia.

As nature is seen as something to be preserved, nature cults such as the Sun Cult of Heliopolis and the Spring Cult of Glykykrenai were formed organically celebrating whatever natural phenomenon the cult was based on. Non-nature based cults formed later, such as the Cult of the Gourmet which was accelerated by interaction with the foreign races of Tmere Asia.

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.

Science and Technology[]

Lagikoi technology shares some similarities with those of humans, but in general are incomplete compared to the humans: while human technology was also influenced by curiosity, Lagikoi technological route was influenced almost entirely by necessity, convenience and physiology. This isn't to say Lagikoi are not inquisitive creatures: by far Lagikos curiosity often rivals that of human child, but their race's insanely high metabolism led to their focus on machinery and automation, limiting their understanding of basic sciences outside rudimentary physics.

Given the high calorie needs, Lagikoi mastery of automation is almost savant-like. Lagikoi have empirically discovered physical phenomena and ways of using them, and thus Lagikoi mastery of mechanical and robotic engineering matches or exceeds the technologies of present human population. Likewise miniturization is also a strength of the Lagikoi, and their mobile factories inspired the Posterity of The Sentinels into developing their mobile warfare doctrines based on their Mobile Command Vehicle. Likewise, their ability to harness energy is also advanced: Their primary source of energy before the arrival of the humans was water power, and while they don't have nuclear technology due to the paucity of radioactive elements in Polysiton, combustion power from both wood and Ergamata oil are also widely used by the Lagikoi and all of the options were developed enough to generate electricity. Power from combustion was later replaced by hydrogen power developed with the aid of the human settlers.

Despite these strengths, lagikoi technology is incomplete compared to the more widely spread human technology. While the Lagikoi grasp of engineering is impressive, the Lagikoi did not delve deep into the pure sciences. For example, the strong magnetic field of Polysiton allowed the Lagikoi to work with electromagnetic phenomena, even though the Lagikoi do not understand what causes these things and do not have a theoretical structure to explain electromagnetism. Likewise, the Lagikoi tradition of engineering was built upon a mathematical background and the Lagikoi understand the concept of energy and forces, thus their knowledge of physics encompass Newtonian Mechanics and energy based mechanics, although they haven't built a rigorous approach to an equivalent of say the Lagrangian mechanics. However, theoretical science is beyond them, and they do not understand atoms and chemistry, let alone quantum mechanics. Likewise, their lack of theoretical structure to explain electromagnetism held them back from making strides in electronics. This is the reason why medicine is still focused on herbs rather than manufactured medicines. The contact with the Terrans have sped Lagikoi advancement in technology and science, with the Terrans introducing them to things like refrigeration and advanced electronics.

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.

Lagikoi understanding of social sciences and biology is similar to their understanding of physics: they have empirical knowledge but their theoretical foundation incomplete. Lagikoi have managed to domesticate fauna and flora, developing the chief Polysitonian crops such as Ephran into their current form and have empirically discovered the technique of crossbreeding, but do not fully understand the idea of genes. Behavioral sciences are also largely left in the philosophical state, and Lagikoi being more practical than philosophical meant that social sciences got a backseat compared to say engineering.

Lagikoi industrial technology is roughly in line with the Gaians of the 21st century: They have most of the extraction and manufacturing technologies that the Gaians have, such as furnaces, mechanized mining and partially automated manufacturing plants. However, the Lagikoi's ecological viewpoint prevented them from developing technologies needed for things like strip mining.

Weaponry[]

The Lagikoi are a peaceful people and thus their weaponries aren't as advanced as the Gaian settlers whose history was marked by war. With that said, their limited experience in war in the form of the Pachydermic War saw development of some weapons and they drew from their experience with explosions, both accidental and controlled in mining to develop their firearms. However, the Lagikoi were not well equipped, having basically muskets and hand cannons when the infantids of the Evil Baby Corporation first arrived in Polysiton, although their uncanny technology also gave them some rocket support which would eventually evolve to be the Rhabdos Aretes. Having acquired some of EBC guns, while EBC guns were of poor quality their modern design allowed the Lagikoi to quickly design modern automatic guns.

The most basic and most plentiful of the modern Lagikoi firearms is the Mechanikon Hoplon series. Its first iteration is pretty much the Sten gun: simple and cheap to produce. It was the standard service firearm of the Lagikoi during the First Lampardian War and remains a popular choice among militias in the less developed regions, while still seeing some service as a reserve weapon in the more well supplied armies as well. However, its simplicity too worked to Lagikoi's disadvantage, as the Evil Baby Corporation also looted those guns and gave those to its Enforcer elites. The second iteration of the Mechanikon Hoplon is the standard issue gun of the Territorial Independence Army in the Second Lampardian War, being once again reliable, simple and relatively cheap but at a cost of lower effective range and accuracy than the Gaians' standard issue weapons. There were high end rifles even in the First Lampardian War: the experienced Lochagoi wielded the Pyrobolos Typhekios, which were much more in line with the Gaian assault rifles of 20-21st century with the picatinny rail and modularity. The Rhakotean Nomarchy had managed to make the Typhekios the standard issue weapon even for its regulars, although its signature Bomba Pyrobolike underbarrel grenade launcher remains reserved.

While their standard small arms are a bit behind, the Lagikoi had a better time with artillery and heavier support weapons although for the same reason their machine guns are a bit dated. The Kyriakos Proteros had the Makrobolos Harmatos gun, and the Lagikoi metallurgy produced ammunition capable of penetrating Gaian composite armor of the late 20th century. The Makrobolos Harmatos gun was like most Lagikoi weapon simple, although the Gaian population vastly accelerated the development of Lagikoi armor and by the middle of the First Lampardian War the Lagikoi tanks had modern fire control systems. Their artilleries were also quite capable, with the Makrobolos Klineos and the Makrobolos Grammatikos serving as the howitzers and direct firing guns respectively. The former might not have the precision of the more refined Arche artillery, The latter was used to establish positions and ward off the EBC armor, for which it was more than capable. The Klineos was not as used as much given the Lagikoi lack of understanding of modern artillery doctrine, but has seen greater use in the Second Lampardian War. The Lagikoi also have their share of mortars dubbed the Thyeios, which are like most Lagikoi weapons simple and cheap, yet the Thyeioi were cost effective enough to be smuggled by smugglers working with the Tropas Libre while also supplied to the Arche garrisons of its enclaves in Polysiton. On the machine gun side, the Lagikoi operate their native Polybolos series but supplement it with donations from their Posterity of The Sentinels ally or imports from the Arche Hellenike and Tropas Libre smugglers. The Polybolos series consists of the Phylakos and the Prosbolos, the former the heavier variant suited to defensive usage while the latter is the lighter squad automatic weapon.

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.

The Lagikoi have a developed food culture, and it is customary for the Lagikoi to eat 7 meals a day: the Ariston, the breakfast, the Metaponon (lit. "between work"), the early mid-work meal, Katalimos (lit. "against hunger") which is the Lagikoi analogue to the lunch, Ampnoe (lit. "respite") eaten in the resting period to accomodate for the longer days in Polysiton, the Epoikon (lit. "upon home"), the end-work snack, the Doron (lit. "gift") eaten shortly after returning from work, and lastly the Deipnon, the Lagikoi analogue to 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
  • Parmenion Argyrios - A former lochagos of Koinon Syllogon and later one of Territorial Independence Army's most experienced generals.
  • Glaukon Marides Phovellios - 210th Eponymos Archon of Phovellis and a member of the Koinon Syllogon. Killed in action at the Second Battle of Argyria.
  • 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
  • Diodotos Philadelphos - The Master Scribe of the Rhakotean Nomarchy
  • Heliodotos Heliopolites - The current Hierophantos of the Heliopolitan Sun Cult

Trivia[]

  • The Lagikoi society shares some key traits with House Atreides at least as described in Dune II. Lagikoi are generally of benevolent and charitable nature. In addition, they also shirk from violence for the most part. Furthermore, they live in a very fertile planet with strong agricultural basis and have Greek roots.

Gallery[]

As Spheres, before Species Overhaul[]

After Overhaul[]

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