When the ancient humans fled to the stars centuries ago they found it necessary to splice in other DNA sequences to properly adept to the new planets and moons they found habitable. The places were given names that meant something to the ancients that have since been lost to time. Each settled world had developed its own unique language and culture. Each has its own specialities and level of technology.
Serenity
Vellamo
Haven
Cerridwen
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The planet (moon) HAVEN has a low gravity and the settlers were given avian traits and are commonly referred to as Angels though there is only a vague resemblance to the mythical celestial entities in ancient texts. White wings are very rare and feathers are not strictly located just in the wings. The secondary residents of Haven, while still called Angels by off worlders, are descendants of those infused with bat DNA and are also called vampires while there is no bloodsucking involved this group is more inclined to be Nocturnal.
The world of Haven is actually a large moon circling a gas giant,Serenity. It had a pale blue and white coloration (more like Neptune than Jupiter in colour). The settlement is valued for its beauty and its quantity of fresh, clear, clean underground water sources. The terrain in mountainous in nature so the ability to fly and glide in the low gravity moon is as much a necessity as it is a joy.
The Angles are known for their fine arts and love of beauty as well as literacy in not just the common languages throughout the ancient colonies but in languages lost to ancient times. A race of artists and scholars their schools are open to outside entrants but still difficult to get into for outsiders.
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(Surface resembles west bank terrain photography)
The next nearest habitable globe to Haven is also a moon orbiting Serenity this one was named
Cerridwen by the ancients who settled there.
The residents of this mineral rich moon took traits from the rodents of ancient lands. Many resemble mice, moles, rats and chinchillas. The surface of the land is harsh so the cities like the mines are all below the surface. There is nothing as lavish as the mythical Dwarven cities in ancient texts but it is comfortable if not low tech compared to other settlements. The underground architecture while not gold and jewel encrusted is still impressive in its own right. Precisely cut stones and expertly carved arches out of the endemic terrain.
Aside from the twisty tunnels, passageways, and cavern like apartments many of which started as mines there are also catacombs for the dead. Outside of services for the deceased the general public does not venture to these catacombs often but not all residents are honest and the catacombs are targeted by thieves and young thrill seekers.
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The world neighbouring Serenity is a salient water world with little land so the settles of VELLAMO took from the creatures of the ancients oceans. There are three major tribes within this world the merfolk are the collective name of the native residents.
The Selkie tribe are those descended from the ancients that took from the ancient sea mammals unlike the ancient mythical creature that their name originated with they are not shifters who can shed their skins but they are the only one of the three tribes that live on the limited land and are the most likely to encounter off worlders and participate in barter and trade. Food is the primary export of this world.
The Kelpi dwell near the shore lines and can surface as well as breath the air above but their bodies can no longer sustain themselves on land. Their bodies are almost more amphibian. They are bipedal with webbed fingers and toes however beyond that there is a large variance between individuals.
The third and largest tribe most closely resemble the merfolk of ancient lore but call themselves Merrow instead to avoid confusion. They cannot breath on the surface and live solely in cities deep beneath the waves of the oceanic world.
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There may be other colonies still existing in nearby solar systems but contact with them has been lost over time.