Creature:Tentekh

The Tentekh were three species of omnivorous cephalapoids native to the, all sharing a common ancestor in the archecoid (Tentaculus primigenius), a telepathic Taukappan predator.

History

 * See also: History of the Girdo Empire

Out of the three species, only the Taukappans (Tentaculus taukappaensis) evolved from the archecoids on their eponymous homeworld, where they later founded the. The other two species were transplanted to neighbouring star systems by an unknown civilisation circa five million BC: the Armoured Tentekh'l (T. scutus) descend from archecoids placed on Novemeshk as part of a terreforming effort, while the Mollusc Tentekh (Pseudotentaculus loligines) was heavily cosmetically modified for survival on low-gravity moons, to the extent that only phylogenetic analysis shows them to be of the same family as their relatives.

When the Girdo (then Apalosian) Empire developed interstellar travel in 2664, the civilisations of the Armoured Tentekh'l and Mollusc Tentekh were rapidly assimilated into the Taukappan group mind, and from then on, the history of the three Tentekh species was forever intertwined.

Biology and Appearance


[Anatomy]

The two naturally-evolved Tentekh both had telepathic abilities, but these were much stronger in the Taukappans, who had a weak collective consciousness; similarly, neither had many natural weapons despite being the descendants of apex predators, having lost them during their evolutionary transition to an agricultural society.

Society and Culture
The Taukappans' spacefaring society was originally that of their Knightly Apalosian Empire, but after the Scientist Armoured Tentekh'l were incorporated into their group mind, this identity started to weaken, a process that continued with its conquests of other species until it had the whole of Girdo under its control. The Mollusc Tentekh were Ecologists, and it seems that their entry into the Empire is what began its lasting obsession with the discovery and protection of "truly alien" life.

Notable Indivduals
Notable Taukappans in the Girdo Empire include Emperor Ghelax Dreyk and Commander Iilfertu, the latter of whom led one of the four fleets under the command of Commodre Bracheps of the starship Astronomer, a Mollusc Tentekh most notable for leading the First One Campaign. Meanwhile, notable Armoured Tentekh'l include Commodore Theta of the starship Explorer and Ambassador Ten'Trantia, both of whom served as diplomatic staff in the.