Fiction:Nocturan Empire

The Nocturan Empire is a small empire on the very outskirts of the Milky Way galaxy. Mid-way through the tribal stage, this civilization was uplifted by an illegal Monolith, which was hastily jettisoned from a smuggler's cargo bay in an attempt to evade pursuing authorities and landed near a cluster of Nocturan tribes. A mere 6,000 years later they had entered the Space Stage. Not much is known about Noctura, the planet this empire hails from. All that is known is that the relative position of the sun and the moon results in a constant, full solar eclipse.

Biology
Due to the planet's constant state of dusk, the Nocturans along with other variations of the planet's fauna have evolved with bioluminescence, full control over their body temperature, and natural night vision. By flashing patterns on their fur using their bioluminescent hair follicles, they can communicate using their own form of morse code. The average lifespan of a Nocturan is about 140-160 years.

Something the Nocturans are notable for are their irregularly sharp senses. All five senses are substantially better than that of most other creatures. They also bear catlike reflexes, climbing ability, and combat skills.

A notable attribute of the Nocturans is their unnatural ability to manipulate a form of matter called "Grayscale", which bears a resemblance to black-and-white plasma. Most individuals bear a very small, if not non-existent grasp upon the knowledge to use Grayscale. However, after years of intense mental and physical training, one can become what is known as a "Gray Mage." The job of these creatures are to, for a price, teach other Nocturans to apply Grayscale in many different situations, including soldiers, mechanics, and farmers. They are also regarded by others as wiser than most, and are often used merely to give advice.

Government
The government in which these creatures reside is very loosely organized around a series of city-states dotting the planet, which are usually around 5 square miles across and have an average population of about 5,000 individuals.