Physiology
The Evergreen are a sentient tree-like race that are debatably one of the younger sentient races of the galaxy.
Like other plant life, The Evergreen gain chemical energy through photosynthesis and hydration. This does mean Evergreen do not need to eat food like most other species. Evergreens do posses a mouth however, and something akin to a digestive system, which stores consumed organic matter, draws nutrients from it and then disposes it as a compost-like mulch.
The Evergreen possess a supressed nervous system, with many of the nerves being located under thick wooden bark-plating. It is rare for The Evergreen to feel pain thanks to this, but it also means when their nervous system is attacked, they feel pain more severely than most others.
One of the useful abilities of The Evergreen is their ability to root their limbs. The Evergreen can extend powerful roots from their arms or legs into most surfaces to anchor themselves and increase their resilience. Many militaries have sought to offer privileged positions within their ranks to Evergreens, however the pacifist nature of most Evergreens means these positions are almost always turned down.
The Evergreens are not gendered, and produce offspring very rarely. When an Evergreen does produce offspring, it is in the form of a rare sapling grown and plucked from their body. Scientists liken these saplings to genetic growths, which, when planted, contain the genetic DNA to grow into an Evergreen of its own right. Many remark how the single parent nature of this offspring is similar to cloning theory. When a sapling is plucked, they are planted in private orchards their ‘parent’ owns. The ‘parent’ will then ensure the orchard is well maintained and protected until the new Evergreen reaches full growth at the age of 50. Most will then teach their ‘child’, or send them to conventional schools, for a decade, at which point they are considered mature.
The Evergreen have average life spans of 560 stellar years, only reaching maturity at the age of 60.
Origin Theories
Whilst the only recorded sentient Evergreens have been discovered upon The Faerie, a recent discovery of Evergreen fossils on Panasu Prime has sparked much intrigue into the origin of an already enigmatic species.
Even upon The Faerie, Evergreen origins were a mystery, with the first Evergreens emerging from magical groves less than a millennia ago.
Given their presence on multiple worlds and no records of previous sentient Evergreen existence, many believe the Evergreens to be creations of the gods, left abandoned after the events of the Ravaging. In an era of rationality and historical accuracy, this leaves many unsatisfied however. Why would the gods create these beings? Why did the awake when they did? Have they walked the galaxy before?
Significant Historical Events
The Evergreen Awaken, GY 6262 / 2720 PPT – As the Faeries was in the midst of industrialising, a remarkable event began. A new species emerged from the still dense, preserved forests and jungles of The Faerie. The species called themselves Evergreen, and were a peaceful tree-like people. This event was met with much clamour, and investigations into who this species were and where they came from began immediately. It was found the Evergreens had emerged from magical groves, where they had either hibernated themselves, or had been hidden by unknown powerful forces. The Evergreens themselves had a collective amnesia of their time in the groves.
Organisation
The Evergreens are a passive species that have little interest in politics and traditional organised society. Most Evergreens live isolated lives, leading to no organised Evergreen peoples emerging throughout the years.
Shared Values/Beliefs
Most Evergreens are staunch pacifists and like to live sedentary and uneventful lives. This is not always the case however, with some rare Evergreens acquiring a spark of curiosity and adventure. For those that do, they explore the galaxy with wide eyes, marvelling at the sights so many others of their species would never see.
Almost all Evergreens retain a close connection with the natural world, for obvious reasons.
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