Gorm

Gorm
Fullbody sketch of a Gorm
Conservation status
Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Bulloidea
Kingdom:	Nektonica
Phylum:	Telepatha
Class:	Galactea
Order:	Centauridae
Family:	Rostrati
Genus:	Xylodraco
Species:	X. aphonos
Binomial name
Xylodraco aphonos

Gorms (Xylodraco aphonos) are the sparse inhabitants of the Farthest Land, the only life-harbouring planet of star Pnoa. They are large, furred centaurist sophonts with tough lignin "masks." While incapable of speech, they are able to communicate through mid- to high-frequency radio waves, achieving this with a high metal content in their nervous system and two lignin antennae on their back. Their signals remain within a range of 500 to 42000 kHz, called the gorm conversational frequencies. They are peculiar in that they are scant and nearly endangered.

Appearance

Body

Gorms are hexapodal, having six limbs. They display centaurism, their bodies separated into a prebody and postbody. The prebody has the front limbs, arms, usually tucked inwards when not in use. Their hands are symmetrical and "mitten"-like, with three fingers, two of which are opposable thumbs, with a larger finger at the centre. The postbody has the ears at the front, the walking limbs on the sides, and the tail and anogenital area at the back. It also hosts two small lignin antennae at the withers area, which serve as receiver antennae for communication; the transmitter antennae are instead located on their head, just above their eyes.

Head

The most distinctive feature of a gorm's head is their lignin "mask," which protects the face from injury; a common display of dominance within gorm cultures is sparring with the horn located at the forehead. They also possess a mouth, which cannot be used to vocalise, and a pair of eyes. Above the eyes sit the transmitter antennae.

Coloration

Gorm fur colorations include browns, light blues, whites, greys and blacks. Their skin ranges in the blues, in part because their blood uses copper as its oxygen-binding molecule. The most common eye colour is amber, which is near universal, but some individuals possess eyes ranging in the blues and greens.