posted 05-24-99 08:35 PM ET        

[An octospider looks like a cross between a spider and an octopuss, though much larger. They have eight tenticles that they can manipulate with great effectivness, and a circular central body. They have a large forhead that bands of colors move across. This is their language, they speak in 69 differant colors, 14 of which cannot be seen by the human eye. They cannot hear anything, but are very quick and intelligent and can read human lips with ease after learning how. The most interesting fact about them is that they do everything biologically. They haven't developed much in the ways of machinery (they have basic computers and such but nothing that we would think of as high tech/futeristic). They are very advanced in biology. They create differnt animals and such to perform their tasks. Biology for lights, biology for farm and construction equipment. They can match machinery with their biology. They have biological spaceships, huge living entities that they controll. They refer to their creations as biots(biological robots). On to the background story of their creation].

In the beginning the octospiders lived in the ocean. There were many creatures on land, on of which were called the precursors (those who came before). They had built many differant vehicals that could fly in the they air, had even explored neighboring planets and stars. They had also learned how to create life from simple chemicals. These precursors determined that the octospider had enoumous untapped potential. They decided to intervine with the species and because of it, the octo's became the second most intelligent species on the planet. All but on of the octo colonies moved to the land and learned how to breath oxygen. But it was a good thing one stayed below the water, for a great disaster struck and everything on land was destroyed, and the precursors dissapered (no one knows what happend). All land octos also were gone. The ocean octos restored the planets surface with their biological skill, but decided to keep the ability to live on both land and water, the leason being learned. The octos live in a society where everything is optomized. Each creature, including the octos, has a tally keeping track of how much they produce, and how much they consume. If the consumption is greater then the produce, they have a chance to increase their production. If they don't then they are terminated or exiled. They termination is almost always by choice, the octos never force anyone to die, though if you don't comply you are exiled to another planet for those who choese exile. You cannot be a burden. You chose at an young age which society you wish to live in, the optomized one or the exiles. Both societies actually live in realitive harmony and no hard feelings between, and trading goes on.

Suppose that is enough of a background story.

Octospiders are very peaceloving (war is not an OPTIMAL enviorment, to much destruction). But they will go to war if threatened, though only if directly threatened usually. For each war octo is terminated after the war, for they are changed by the experience. All war is done through biological warfare (this is not disonerable because this is where their tech ability is), virusis being the main weapon. They live for the advancement of tecnology and a harmoniouse, happy society. Each octo can get his voice heard, and crime is unknown (it is not and OPTIMAN behavior).

SE choices
Democratic
Planned
Knowledge
Eudaimonia

(I didn't make this up, got it from a sci fi book, but would love to role-play them. I belive that i have all of the highlights. The book was the Raman series by Arthur C Clark).