Singular: Athid Plural: Athid Group: Swarm of Athid Communication - Mindspeech Size Ranges – Insect to a meter in length Colorations – The insect they resemble Naming Convention -- None
General Information Athid were created eons ago by an inventor named Astrid. Astrid was the village’s watchmaker and all-around tinkerer, a profession that kept her rather isolated from her customer base. In her youth this solitude was a boon, but as Astrid aged she grew progressively more lonely. Eventually she hit upon a solution in the form of ensorcelled mechanical creations. These were the first Athid, who took their creator’s name (or an approximation thereof) in her honor. To this day Athid remain primarily companion creatures, all too happy to spend their lengthy lives with those who love them. Unbonded Athid are almost unheard of; those who choose to not bond to a humanoid typically bond to another shiny, be they Athid or otherwise.
While early Athid took on every animalistic form imaginable, modern varieties are somewhat more restricted in terms of shape. Most resemble nothing more so than an insect crafted of exquisitely delicate machinery. Aesthetically pleasing species such as butterflies and beetles tend to predominate, though less-picturesque species occur as well. Athid are made of purely man-made materials ranging from plastics and tubing to extruded wire and complex clockwork. At the core of each rests a self-contained power source, the type and rarity of which determines the Athid’s rank. Athid sizes vary widely, though as a rule an Athid cannot be smaller than the species they resemble. They can, however, be larger, with particularly massive individuals clocking in at close to a meter in length. All Athid are capable of coherent mindspeech, though not all are inclined to use it.
Mating Information Athid are a physically sexless species. As such, they do not ‘mate’ as most other species would understand it. When one or more Athid deems it time to reproduce they embark on a mission to gather all the raw materials their creations might need. Once a sufficient amount of material has been amassed the parent(s) involved hunker down amidst their findings and enter a powered-down state akin to hibernation. Anywhere from a few hours to a month later, parents and newborn Athid hatchlings alike emerge. It only takes one Athid to create a brood of Athlings, though up to ten parents can take part in a brood’s creation. The more parents involved in the creation process, the more Athlings they will eventually produce.
Bonding Information Athid emerge from their ‘nest’ at roughly half their eventual adult size. They are capable of bonding the moment they come online, though many prefer to wait a few weeks or months before settling down. Young Athid are easily swayed by offerings, though the exact type varies from Athid to Athid. Some can be tempted by handfuls of wiring, some by stories of derring-do, still others by offers of companionship or protection. Once an Athid has found a suitable bondmate, they will offer that humanoid a bit of whatever material makes up their body. A bond is formed the moment said humanoid accepts the Athid’s gift.
Ranks
Nuclear ***** Athid are by and large a merry bunch, but Nuclears are a notable exception that rule of thumb. While nuclear-powered Athid are created as often as any other rank, they bond only rarely, in large part because their all too fragile power cores can emit dangerous levels of radiation if damaged. Most Nuclears choose to live away from organics for this precise reason. Those who overcome their own fears long enough to bond tend to be high-strung and jittery creatures plagued by paranoia. Talk one out of their tree, though, and their wealth of obscure knowledge might just surprise you. Nuclears typically take complex forms that tilt towards the futuristic.
Wind *** ‘Outdoors enthusiast’ and ‘mechanical bug’ might seem contradictory, but no one ever got around to telling Wind Athid that. Notably smaller than other Athid, Winds are wanderers at heart, ever eager to find out what lays over the next horizon. They roam from place to place like the air currents that power them, leaving a trail of friends and acquaintances in their wake. They’re charming, Winds are, but they’re also infected with a certain callous wanderlust. Some choose not to bond because a bondmate might tie them down, curtail the freedom they so freely value. Those that do often hold their bondmates at arm’s length. All Winds take some variety of winged form.
Geothermal *** The last of the uncommon Athid, Geothermals are precisely as stolid and down-to-earth as their names might suggest. They’re the biologists and chemists of Athid-kind, utterly devoted to the twin gods of Logic and Reason. Very little can shake their unflinching curiosity, or their willingness to share their amassed stockpile of knowledge. Alas, their clinical detachment makes them rather difficult to engage in conversation outside a Geothermal’s realm of expertise. They tend to be dismissive and self-absorbed, especially around minds they consider ‘lesser-than’. Geothermals typically take terrestrial forms and often sport squared-off angles.
Steam * It’s thought that the very first Athid was steam-powered, a fact that today’s Steams take immense pride in. These little chatterboxes seem to live life in fast-forward, ever buzzing from place to place and task to task. They love life, love living, and love sharing their boundless energy with all comers. Alas, this live wire lifestyle makes Steams more than a little eccentric. It’s not at all unusual to hear them spouting off about blue ribbons and apple skies. Following that tendency towards nonlinear thought, most Steams take on unusual forms, most of which involve unnecessary embellishment in the form of wiring and gears.
Petroleum * Perhaps the most common of all Athid ranks, Petroleums are an unfortunate bunch. Intensely social, above and beyond even the sociability expected of Athid, they nevertheless have a tendency to frustrate and annoy at every turn. They’re terribly clumsy, you see, and not in an endearing fashion. Unless they’re closely monitored Petroleums will find a way to run any venture they participate in into the ground. Despite this- or perhaps because of it- they’re the workhorses of Athid society, all too eager to please their fellows. These workman tendencies are further reflected in their typically utilitarian forms. Just... do us all a favor and ignore their tendency to reek of exhaust.
Solar * Petroleums may make messes, but Solars clean them up. These efficient little beasties are the caretakers and peace brokers of Athid society. If a conflict flares up you can all but count the seconds before a Solar shows up asking for both sides of the story. They’re fair-minded and nonjudgmental creatures, able to set aside their own feelings long enough to solve the problem at hand. Once that’s done, though, all bets are off. More than any other rank Solars care about others and can’t bear the thought of leaving someone to suffer. This altruistic streak leaves them vulnerable to extortion and overwhelm, a fact many Solars forget in the heat of the moment. As a whole they tend to be unfortunately poor judges of character. Solars have no preferred form, though almost all come in dark colors.
Arcane * If you ever find yourself forced to trust your life to an Athid, make it an Arcane. More sensible than their fellow commons but less closed-minded than their rarer kin, Arcanes have an uncanny knack for getting things done. These lodestone-powered automatons will make sure you eat, drink, bathe, socialize- and while you’re attending to your neglected bodily functions, they’ll hunt down whatever bit of information you need to make a breakthrough. They’re a knowledge-hungry bunch, ever eager to learn more. About what is immaterial. If they don’t know something, they want to know it, and Aeon save you if you try to keep anything from them. As knowledgeable as they may be, Arcanes have distinct bulldog tendencies. Once they’ve caught wind of a mystery they simply can’t let it go, no matter how many feelings they hurt in the process. Arcanes typically take unusual or little-known forms.