A Wharanagi
The Wharangi are a species in the Boundless Fantendoverse, they're an Amphibious Fish-like species that are commonly known to inhabit tropical and swampy planets, their home planet being a near Ocean Planet. The species is split into two groups known as Beach Wharangi and Marsh Wharangi to denote the natural environment of each member, although there is a long history of conflict between the two prior to their modernization in the modern day they have achieved relative unity and peace.
Appearance[]
The Wharangi are described as manta ray-esque in appearance having large, flat bodies with a kite shape and a long tail, they have small legs that have very rudimentary toes to support them while standing and large fan-shaped hands which allow them to easily manipulate and grab objects. Uniquely on their back and chest they have specialized air sacs that are heated by muscles in their body allowing them to float for prolonged periods of time.
Their heads have a serpentine shape to them with their snout having an upward flick towards the tip albeit with a rounded edge, this gives them a natural smile which depending on the body pattern can make a Wharangi appear both friendly or nefarious. Often their eyes are surrounded by large dark spots that were used by their ancestors to ward off ancient predators that would threaten them. As they're amphibious they do still rely on frequent access to water although this is easier in the present day as their technology in water filtration is incredibly advanced allowing them to maintain space-faring abilities for years at a time as well as inhabit planets whose water content is far below what regular amphibians require.
Although both sexes possess long tails, the shape of the tip of the tail differs with the males having a barbed hook-like shape while the females have a flat, spade-like shape, it's believed before they gained sapience the males would use their tails to fight one another for dominance.
Culture[]
Wharangi are one of many terraforming species, they're part of the greater Terranaut Alliance that permits its members to perform terraforming on planets to improve the suitability for life. Wharangi are known to specialize in particular with humidifiers and de-humidifiers and in multi-species Terraforming projects they're often among the first to work on a planet due to the fundamental nature of their technology in the chain of terraforming.
Beyond this technological specialization, Wharangi are known to be avid collectors of fauna from other worlds, it is not uncommon for a Wharangi's home to be filled with fossil replicas and even an aquarium of life from other worlds as it is associated with the success of a Wharangi. Although they're scientifically inclined, the dominant religious order of the Wharangi known as the Flowing River is present in much of their life as it's believed the further one can go during life the closer to the nirvana in the afterlife they will be able to reach, describing the afterlife as a downward flowing river which one's experiences must be used to climb up and only a few ever reach the top.
Abilities[]
Wharangi are physically much weaker than humans and their bodies are especially susceptible to drying out if they're unable to hydrate themselves regularly, as such it is a common practice among the Wharangi to learn some form of Hydrokinesis to stave off this threat to their lives for as long as possible. In addition, Male Wharangi are able to secrete a venom from the barbs on their tails, this venom is effective against other Wharangi but can cause a severe allergic reaction within other species. Unique to the Marsh Wharangi is their cold resistance, their bodies are covered in an incredibly fine layer of hairs which insulate them from the sometimes freezing temperatures of the planets they inhabit and can at times give them an edge against other amphibious species hoping to attempt to take over their planet.
History in the Fantendoverse[]
The Wharangi presence in the Fantendoverse is somewhat contentious among the other species due to them being a critical member of the Terranaut Alliance which some view as a directly antagonistic group for the danger they can pose. As such the Wharangi are not unfamiliar with combat and often use a combination of camouflage and acidic projectiles to disable any enemy ships they encounter.
In more accepted territories, the Wharangi are viewed more favourably as sustainers of life, often collecting the DNA of various species to prevent absolute extinction, sometimes other species will directly request the aid of the Wharangi to create a DNA Photograph of their planet in order to provide a means of fixing the ecosystem should it be damaged.
