Mezagon Overview

Mezagons are a prolific yet somewhat reclusive race native to Sift Galaxy. Specifically, their race originated from the moon Cuelong, one of sixty orbiting the jovian world Myin. The world of Cuelong is a startling and turbulent place. This moon must have been captured by the gravity of Myin, for it orbits in the opposite direction of the parent planet’s spin. Cuelong is a small world with a weaker magnetic field than Terra. The surface is subjected to high levels of radiation from the star and the jovian. Its proximity to Myin, and its opposite orbit generates much volcanic activity on Cuelong. Several times in prehistory, the eruptions were so violent they caused mass-extinctions. The days have gradually become elongated by the pull of Myin’s superior gravity. There are approximately three weeks of light followed by three weeks of darkness. The volcanoes emit enough gases for Cuelong to retain a thin atmosphere. Much of Cuelong is a vast desert, but there are polar ice caps and a southern sea flanked by immense canyons harboring life.
The mezagons themselves evolved within the sheltered depths of the largest canyon. Melting ice during the day would pour into the great canyon in many large rivers. Much of the lower lands of the canyon are swampy with a great many rivers and streams. The mezagon’s ancestors were wading predators/opportunists. They walk on two telescoping legs. An accordion-like hydraulic muscle system supports their legs. The high levels of radiation have forced life on Cuelong to develop highly protected organ and regenerative systems. Their skeletons are copper-based and their important organs—such as their spiraling lungs and starfish-shaped hearts—are enclosed within protective carapaces. Mezagons are a tall species with long necks containing sensory organs. Specialized nodes—part of the neck vertebrae themselves—detect varying electromagnetic radiation. At the top of the neck sits a flat, face-like structure. This is covered in tiny patterns of photoreceptors. Mezagons are known for their extremely acute vision. They can see in more spectrums, details, and flicker-rates than many other species. At the base of the neck is a long, stiff pole-like organ. This is the mouth. A long, chameleon-like tongue strikes out, pistol-like, from the opening of the tube. This organ can rotate nearly 360 degrees around the neck, guided by the mezagon’s vision and radiators to pinpoint small prey. Mezagons will also take fungi, fruits, and flowers as special delicacies. They possess two long spurs on their hips as a defense against predators. At the base of their bodies is a bundle of four pairs of long tentacles. These are actually highly derived genitalia. Obviously, only males have the ability to manipulate tools, or properly communicate. The tentacles are covered in tiny, spinning hairs. These hairs, as well as movements of the tentacles themselves form an intricate sign language. Females communicate through symbolic running and dancing.
Although copper is in great abundance—mostly within the biosphere—of Cuelong, there are very few metals. Although mezagons had been an intelligent species for a few million years, they had progressed much slower. Their stone architectural feats are truly monumental. They have perfected the art of stone-sculpting to enormous depth. Enormous megastructures of stone, aided by the planet’s low gravity, have been carved into the landscape by hundreds of millions of generations. They have also developed plastics, optics, ceramics, and biotech to high degrees as well. They were only slightly less advanced than 20th century Terra by the time of the Singularity.
Mezagons are naturally skittish sophonts. Many populations choose not to interact heavily with other sophonts. They share a flocking intelligence which borders on the edge of a hive society. Entire ethical groups or subspecies are made up of smaller individual groups. The casual human observer may perceive them to be defeatists due to their apparent lack of hope. They always assume things will go wrong, thereby increasing the zeal of success. Running and dancing are all very important aspects to almost all mezagon-derived societies. They are also noteworthy for their unique concept of suicide. The older they become, and the more children they have, they become increasingly aware of their dwindling value to the group. They will volunteer for more and more extreme of hazardous jobs until they may eventually simply go off to find some way to die. Many modern mezagon societies store their elder’s minds in disposable bodies. There is actually a correlation between the older a mezagon becomes and its likelihood of ascending to Ultrasapiency.