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-~*~- “…and in Vast filled only with darkness, Endless Night cried for her fallen first children. Her shadow-kissed scales bloomed into colors of mourning, deep greens and blues tangling between emptiness. Vast itself shuddered with the terrible greatness of billions of limbs, shifting, curling inwards painfully. Her tears bled into the formlessness, cutting matter apart as rivers of stars came forth from her trembling core. Her wail broke untouched galaxies, tore planets from their cycles as her final attempt, her last egg, hatched. In her loving grasp, unending light was birthed…”

— Excerpt from “Fæġer Glōm” [Beautiful Darkness] written by Monajjfyllen|||Gebed [Full-Moons-Prayer], Court of Eage, Esteemed Tungol-Bespyrige [Star-Tracer] 

(Star-Tracer: Historical Researcher and StoryTeller concerning Endless Night, mostly with religious/theologist connotations.)

(Vast: The term Black Arms use to call Space) (“|||”: An important weight-bearing term often used in names to point to rank in order of: |, ||, |||. Not all Black Arms have ranks unless directly related to a Worship/Church. The term “|||” concerning Full-Moons-Prayer points to their rank as a Star-Tracer, having the same weight in-universe as that of a Priest. While in a name it acts a bit like a title like “Dr.” where it has some weight but is mostly descriptive.)

-~*~- HER THREE GIFTS HATCHLING: Shadow was hatched looking more similar to the Death Leeches all Black Arms began as, but due to him being artificially made some characteristics of hedgehog and alien struggled to balance themselves. He was still born with the flexible “down-coat” of leathery skin as all alien young, but was mouthless and barely able to support himself due to not having grown the dark coat that would later have him be near-fully Radiotrophic. To adapt, what would form later into curved quills became a temporary feeding cavity lined with tiny rows of false-teeth (essentially denser skin protrusions with better crushing force that look like teeth. think the texture and look of a bird's egg-tooth but slightly harder). Through this cavity Shadow could feed on solid objects, mostly meat (he had trouble with growing and so needed meat as a supplement for weight, fat and muscle he didn’t have as a part of his body, as well as genetic tampering ^^), even seemingly inedible things such as metals or wood. Shadow’s body also had to go through changes, having naturally-occurring internal organs be removed in place of rows and lines of tubes for excess chaos energy regulation (no more digestive system, just a forever-burning pit of dangerously hot chaos energy in the tummy. This also was to push his body to adapt more to becoming fully self-sufficient! Can’t have a supposed war-super-weapon on the field wasting time eating right?). These tubes were the only thing left along with his lungs and two hearts. (Too vital to replace, and at the time would be more hassle than it's worth to have to essentially remake how the brain works with everything gone.)

Unfortunately, ARK scientists couldn’t figure out how to have the blood of mobian/hedgehog and alien mix well. 

One heart has a clear artificially made “Mobian” blood with all the normal average properties the blood should have. He used to have the usual red but the lack of organs meant more blood would go to the brain. This would be mostly good, but several times Shadow had to be wheeled back for surgery due to Aneurysms and Hemorrhagic Strokes, and with the risk of the two bloods mixing in him through the burst vessels, had the red blood be removed and the vessels all around his body be artificially shrunk and altered to send a slightly higher but healthy, non-excess amount of blood to the brain. This new clear blood is also ingrained with a controlled stimulant from a piece of Endless Night herself that reacts to adrenal glands (Now located fully in the brain as an extremely tiny implant. This stimulant is similar to the aggression switch Endless Night can control through the hivemind, having soldiers fight harder, faster, and with an increased healing speed. Endless Night considers it her first gift to him since, being artificial, he would never experience the hivemind she instills.). 

The Black Arms have, what normal humans would consider, an excess of sulfur in their blood; this is what the second heart contains. Due to them being Photosynthesizing Radiotrophs, the excess sulfur is needed to help them gain nutrients (Even though their scales are black, they have plant-leaf-vein like patterns all across their bodies that glow under UV light in almost Aurora-Borealis colors of green/yellow and tinges of purple/blue. The Chaos Energy they naturally contain and feed on exemplifies this glow through their thick skin and scales.). 

This is what not only makes their blood green, but when coming in contact with oxygen, turns blue-indigo (Shadows blood does this as well! It turns indigo due to Black Arms and Shadows body running much hotter than average, now made even more dramatic as Shadows body has essentially become a living chaos-energy-furnace, the sulfur reacts to oxygen and combusts slightly while in the blood.).

-~*~-

YOUNG: As a hatchling, his limbs were a mix of malformed paws and the claws of a Death Leech, but even then he had trouble walking upright, so seeing Shadow skittering around (like a little bug) was fairly common. He would also be very instinctual, following most Black Arms hive-instinct to find dark places to nest (there were many incidents of finding Hatchling Shadow in old air ducts and curled up between large machines.) Around his mouth and where his arms would grow through were pairs of mantis-like appendages used mostly for eating but also for defense (many “cat-scratch” incidents). He was also blind, going off scents mostly to find safety (this would have him end up outside Maria’s chambers very often, clawing at the door or hiding in her room in tangled nests of blankets and pillows. He liked her scent of Vanilla, Warmth, and sweet Blue Sage). Overall he had to be monitored a lot!

GROWTH: Shadows black quills would take a while to grow in, the pink-ish hatchling skin peeling away in 4 layers after a few days, each softer than the last. (This shedding would have naturally been eaten by Shadow if it wasn't taken for examination). In place of the quills would be normal skin and a thin layer of all pale red baby-quills. (Usually for Black Arms they would have scales which would be all red and gradually change color as they grow, dividing the black and red patterns.)

As Shadow would grow and develop more of his body and his skills the Black Arms would allow him to listen or join in rituals. Endless Night itself found a large fascination in Shadow, as well as a great amount of care. (One ritual, “Geswefnian”, was a small period of rest which lasted for two Earth days in which Black Arms from all conquered planets would gather back on Endless Night to connect with their brethren and to her personally, through the hivemind and have a piece of the future revealed to them.) Shadow was called to join secretly during a quiet period for ARK personnel, as Black Arms were sent to transport him undetected. Her second gift would be to reveal her form to him through his mind, having Shadow be one of the only Black Arms to ever truly witness her. This is where he would also connect with other Black Arms, grown and young alike and learn of the new markings he would soon obtain.

Soon as Shadow became of age he would not only grow in his black quills, but be having more talks with Endless Night. Due to fewer Maria visits with his development and more testing and observation, he would tell her his troubles; of many ARK scientists being afraid of him, looking at him as if a rabid animal ready to pounce, of how lonely Maria seems to be and how it saddens him he can't fix this problem, and especially of how little he knows of the world. Shadow was terribly naive, quickly hardened by painful tests and pokes and prods, but at least for now still very young mentally. Endless Night would respond in kind, teaching Shadow (or as she would refer to him “Lȳtling Heofonsteorra” = “Little-Star” / “Little-Heavenly-Star”) small, simple lessons such as loving himself and the power he holds, to find confidence in himself, to keep those he cares for close and especially to always remember that no matter how weak he may feel sometimes he would always be Ultimate, The Ultimate Lifeform. (Although Endless Night is somewhat an acquaintance, the wisdom and kindness from a near incomprehensible being soothed Shadow, even being a sort of mother figure away from an environment mostly surrounded by cold scientists) 

The black quills would only grow around certain spots meaning wherever the future red patterns would be would be left with altered red baby quills into patches of pale string-like growths which seemed to wriggle on their own, searching for energy (Shadow would sunbathe under a heat lamp a lot during this time, feeding the pale strings to slowly become a glossy, multicolored sheen similar looking to that colorful sheen on a bugs wing. These growths being shiny and reflecting colors would note good health, if they remained pale off-white it would note illness or malnourishment). As he grew slowly his body would stabilize especially with help controlling chaos energy as taught by some Black Arms. One alien of the Court of Sciell, Déop-Wæterhelm [Abyssal-Ice-Cover] was often sent by Endless Night to help him adapt to more alien changes such as the Black Arms natural shape shifting such as learning to melt into the dark (in which Shadow could only somewhat learn, giving him less malleability that normal Black Arms), certain abilities tied to his alien genes, or simply learning a bit about how his body will grow considering the Black Arms (slight) gendered traits.

-~*~-

SCAR: Shadow would have nearly fully matured by this point and would be invited to his final sacred ritual, The Mother’s final gift. Things would go as usual during the day; testing, testing, some time with Maria and more testing. What would happen differently would be a check-up and the introduction Shadow would get to his Inhibitor Rings. Although they were made mostly by ARK scientists, it was requested by one of Endless Night’s court rulers, Black Doom, to have them as plainly made as possible. At “night hours” where systems would be set to automatic and the technical “day” on the ARK would end, Shadow would be taken by an escorting group of Black Arms decorated in gold. Endless Night herself would, as always, be dark, but this time have small spots of light dotting the area as Black Arms of all groups came together, having their red markings glow. This ritual is one of the most important, a coming of age for Black Arms to celebrate their growth (even as a mostly violent species, growth of any type is seen as one of the most valued aspects of strength). 

This ritual celebration, “Eftācennednes” [Rebirth], would begin with cheer, a celebration in which Black Arms gather on a spot on Endless Night and jump into the space around her, twirling and dancing in her orbit. Black Arms as being a hive species only usually get to communicate if there is a mission or directive to follow, but here they can speak (almost completely) freely, finding past partners or now grown young to regroup and communicate with. This celebration would usually last at least 2 days as they would travel to other systems to explore and celebrate for the young maturing, but since Shadow was under careful watch his celebration would be cut slightly short, having them skip straight to the most important part of Eftācennednes; “Wundswaþu” [The Mark]. Black Arms would gather in large groups ushering Shadow towards Endless Night. He would pass by a small line of Black Arms who would have him hold out his Inhibitor Rings, and using small bits of their own chaos energy, would burn in intricate patterns with delicate claws, mostly symbols of good-faith wishing healing, growth, health, happiness and, of course, strength. After he would stand before Endless Night. She would place one claw on his back, and using a bit of chaos energy, would tangle a small bit of hers with Shadow’s as she carved markings along his spine. The tangling of energies would aid in having the markings stick, as well as giving her own form of comfort to him as she takes on some of this pain. This process, although painful, is made more bearable as Shadow is led into a trance-like state, mind partially in the hivemind and partially outside of it. Through the hivemind the gathered Black Arms will provide him senses of comfort, encouragement, and general positivity, stopping the brain from flooding him with Adrenaline and instead with small bits of Endorphins and Oxytocin. In simple terms, this is essentially the alien version of one, or in this case billions of people, holding your hand in a time of high stress, like a trusted person holding your hand for you to squeeze while you get a shot at the doctors or your blood taken and all the while they comfort you, and say how brave you are being :]

-~*~-

RUNES: The first markings would appear as a mark of her visage along both shoulder-blades, how many Black Arms portray her in art (the swirl pattern Shadow usually is connected with in media), and the second would be three runes along his lower back above the tailbone (the small of the back? I think that's what it's called). To give him the runes, Endless Night would use her limited future-vision to see what's to come for Shadow, and although she cannot absolutely determine a future, she can accurately sense the feeling of the journey he will take. 

Shadows runes are as follows: “Reversed Uruz”, “Nauthiz” and “Raidho”. The first rune represents the overview: your situation, the second rune represents a challenge, and the third rune represents a possible course of action that could be taken. Here are the rune descriptions as followed (This is mostly gathered information, I did not write the entirety of these descriptions, only edited some small things as the original I found described them very well!):

“Reversed Uruz” = “The rune Uruz reversed is a rune of loss of strength, loss of health, and opportunities. Find a way out of a deep hole and find true harmony of yourself with the external world, because all good comes to you from within. The rune Uruz reversed that fell out in the rune layout in an inverted position directly indicates a situation in which the higher forces turned in the wrong direction, which led to a dead-end and, as a result, to a loss of strength and vital energy.”

“Nauthiz” = “The meaning of the rune Nautiz. When we imagine the symbolic field of this rune, which many consider “dark”, we see first of all a need, limitations, constraints, some kind of painful necessity. That is why it immediately seems to us scary, frightening, unpleasant. But, if we think about the meaning of the Nautiz rune from the point of view of internal changes taking place with a person, we will see that everything is actually not so gloomy at all. If we take a closer look at this symbol, we will understand that the meaning of the Nautiz rune, although heavy, is far from fatal. Deadly – this is when there is no way out at all, while Nautiz only limits our movement, she seems to temporarily block the huge space of options for us, leaving the only path along which we need to move on. We can say that the rune focuses our gaze, allows us to focus on our inner reserve of strength, develops our will.”

“Raidho” = “If we turn directly to the name of the rune, then it will be deciphered as “riding”. At the same time, here we mean not only the direct process of movement but also the road itself, the path. Therefore, we can say that, first of all, the meaning of the Raido rune will be associated with travell. And in most situations, the trip that the rune portends will be pleasant, unless, of course, there are no ìbadî symbols in the neighborhood that promise trouble. However, like other Futhark runes, Raido has a broader symbolic field. So, for example, it can mean spiritual searches, when a person searches for himself, because the definition of his life purpose is also a path, albeit not in the literal sense of the word. Often the rune comes at moments when a person is at a crossroads: when he only thinks about changing something in his life, or when he embarks on the path of change, but still doubts his decision. The meaning of the Raido rune, in this case, seems to tell him – “Don’t quit, keep on this path!”” (essentially in this case: personal development and “keep going, don’t quit, keep growing!”)

With the final markings done, the chaos energy disconnects, all once pale and glossy white, turning a deep shade of red.

-~*~- Note for next section: These shapeshifting alien things were developed and written before “Sonic x Shadow Generations”, and so were not influenced by Shadows in game transformations. Rather this was spurred by my own disappointment on Shadow having little of his Black Arms blood affect him, though this again was written before the game was released. As of now I've merged what I've written with the games things! ^^ -~*~-

SHAPESHIFTER: Eftācennednes would end with a resting period, Black Arms gathering together in groups to, essentially, take a big nap and gather energy from the star they are closest to. Shadow would be sent back to rest with Maria, Déop-Wæterhelm [Abyssal-Ice-Cover] being the one to take him home, sneak onto the ARK and place Shadow back very quietly within her room. (A small but permanent nest of pillows and blankets has been made by Shadow when he was young. Maria didn’t have the heart to untangle it nor let anyone destroy it and so it remains a comforting space. Naptime ensues ^^)

Shadow still has yet to get used to his new body, as although feeling much more powerful (like puzzle pieces just clicked) there were unseen developments he still had to be helped through. Black Arms as stated earlier have a natural shapeshifting ability, they can morph their bodies to fit a task, and although Shadow got a lessened version of this, he still has the bodily urge to shift. The instinct is so terribly strong that it caused him to adapt drastically the first time it happened. Suddenly, some weeks after his Marking, Shadow was full of growing pains and this would happen often. Sometimes he would find wounds he never remembered getting; gaping cuts, split open and cauterizing holes from the heat of his body, bruises which didn't just hurt but physically caved into the skin when touched, etc. One day, before he knew it his body was already splitting delicate muscle and skin and bone apart in a desperate attempt to shift. It tore him open and healed all the same in the span of the minutes it took for scientists to wheel him back to his temporary stasis chamber. Due to the violence of this first transformation Shadow was put to sleep for a moment to allow his body to catch up with the changes he was going through (many moments happened of new wounds and shifting attempts, but all controlled while inside his tube). 

After some days he was let out, body mostly adapted and the next time a shift happened it was much slower (still violent, still somewhat bloody, but better). This adaptation allowed him to shift a little for the most part, breaking it down into pieces:

The 1st - “Deor” [Animal]:

Deor is the first shift that happens before a full change. Shadow's anatomy grows tall/long and he resembles more of a big-cat, lizard mix (Think of a Tiger, Jaguar, and Leopard mixed with a Crocodile Monitor). This form is the “bloat” where his skin blooms outwards like a parachute with many more wrinkles and folds to stretch over new muscle and bone, which tear themselves apart and rearrange (the body becomes very wide and full of tension). He still looks more mobian-ish but with more Black Arms features such as small patches of scales, newly formed sockets for still-developing eyes, and most notably a partially formed egg-sac. (Black Arms all have egg-sacs which differ by gender. Normal Shadow had two malformed egg-sacs of both the Black Arms Female and Intersex variety, but underdeveloped and so unusable.) His red patterns change a little too, now looking more of a green/yellow hue.

The 2nd - “Edsceaft” [Creature]:

This is the second and “final”, mostly-complete form of shifting. Shadow can technically fully-shift to the 3rd stage “Níðgæst” [Alien] where he loses a majority of mobian traits, but is mostly held back by needing extremely specific circumstances (needs a Lunar Eclipse as the lack of being able to photosynthesize and the lessened radiation can kick-start the full form into looking near entirely like a Black Arms. This can only happen though if he's already transforming and is in 2nd stage at least, so no werehog-moon-transformation type thingie). The second form leans more into a lizard-bug-mammal look (Marine iguana + Komodo dragon mixed with a few tiger features as well as Idolomantis). He regains the mandibles he had when hatched, now more developed, is much more scaly and full of spines, and has grown a strange mix of insect/bat-like wings. They are a tangled mess of branch looking structures strung and held together by some layers of membrane. The red patterns have changed little, but have gotten slightly more green/yellow. In the third stage they would have been especially green/yellow with more purply/blue tints.

He is still able to do all the things he could during SxS Generations but these transformations written specifically pertain to abilities and feelings he gained after his Marking!

-~*~-

FUN FACTS:

These are just little things that I didn’t think could fit into normal lore discussion, and were written as little details/add-ons, mostly for physical design or as little crumbs to note! :3

✩ Shadow design wise is based off of a mixture of the Algerian Black Hedgehog and Brandt's Hedgehog!

✩ He has a small, almost deer-like/bobcat sort of tail!

✩ He has two pairs of ears!

✩ Although made to be “Ultimate”, creation of artificial life I imagine is quite hard and so Shadow had small things “imperfect” about him, just to list a few: Left foot has 4 toes Right foot has 5, He was born with a lessened degree of Chronic Pain (mostly due to him having a lot of chaos energy within, being an experiment, and having the Shapeshifting instinct!), and while his Air Shoes were made mostly for the benefit of being more powerful, they are also (in a way) his “Mobility Aids” due to said pain.

✩ Although I imagine he wouldn’t care much to label himself, if he did I think this would be the general breakdown (somewhat) = Non-binary + Neutrandrogyne | Panalterous + Arofog (Uses He/Him for simplicity, but I don’t think he’d care for what pronouns are used)

✩ Technically Trans and performed his own top surgery not only because of gender but also because scientists placed a failsafe chip into his chest just in case if he were “stolen” by enemies in war, which would trigger his hearts to forcefully stop after three days of being on Earth and away from his “owners”. He can be “remade” after all. (Was made without reproductive organs/digestive system + reproductive system was removed on ARK). His scars look strange though since Black Arms don’t heal the same as Mobians (Hardened False-Scale/Quill mixture cover the “wounds” and after a while grow pale, soft, and peel off like a snake shed.)

✩ Shadow was made mostly with Female and Intersex Black Arms DNA due to them not only being very defensive, but being more social. (Couldn’t have an uncooperative experiment, right?)

✩ Shadow, while made a war weapon, was also made to be Maria’s Assistance Animal, and so was given some things to be more welcoming to her. (Soft Paw Pads and being fluffy for sensory and calming, Naturally smelling of calming Lavender Smoke and Old Books, Able to apply general tactics such as Pressure Therapy, Having knowledge of general and advanced medical things, etc.)

✩ He grows a winter coat more akin to non-quill, fur-having mammals.

✩ Mostly sharp teeth. (Mostly an Omnivore, but slightly Mesocarnivore)

✩ When normal, his eyes are a deep copper-brown color.

✩ Has an Inverted-Triangle/Rectanguar body type. (Somewhat lean, but more tanky/box-like)

✩ Only “Hedgehog” who can retract his hooked claws, which are less like cat-claws and more like the thick claws of a reptile. (Can’t cut his claws with normal human nail-cutters, uses a tool akin to a mixture of bolt-cutters and crop-shears)

✩ Due to being a furnace inside, he sometimes releases puffs of green-yellow smoke if overexerted.

✩ His Inhibitor Rings help with holding back the transformation urge.

✩ He has a slight Transatlantic accent (mostly picked up through movies he and Maria watched as well as some ARK personnel)

✩ His body is full of scars, literally and metaphorically.

✩ Shadow is fluent is nearly all languages!

✩ Due to having nearly all organs removed, as time passed, the chaos energy in his body “recreated” fake, non-functioning organs that are only barely corporeal (Too much jostling will have them dissipate back into energy. They are really only a visual addition). The feeling of something missing was too great.

✩ He will occasionally hoard in secret, not of purpose but more so out of grief of his memory being tampered with as well as instinct to create a nest. His lack of control throughout his life drives this mostly, a sickening feeling of need which he resents having. He wants to want something to the fullest degree. This often ends in hoards being destroyed later on, which he repeatedly silently mourns each time he tears them down. Bad habits. (I imagine Gerald also had a hoarding problem, one which Shadow unknowingly mimics)

✩ He dislikes “doing” without purpose and so most activities he finds himself tangled in will always have some sort of greater reason in the back of his mind (Random Example. “I’m only tending to these plants because they will have the soil become healthier for future growth and betterment.”)

✩ Rouge purchased him a set of actual mobility aids (both a Walking Stick and a Rollator), but he often refuses to use them. (He still keeps them close, or uses them in private when hes having exceptionally bad days)

✩ He bites. (Be careful)

✩ Although with a distaste for doing without reason, he does enjoy mastering activities he is unfamiliar with, imagining this will only add to his “greatness”.

✩ He cares for a small remote wild garden “off-grid”, a sort of “forever promise” to both Maria and himself though small acts to aid the Earth.

✩ He admires Super Sonic and even Sonic himself (but would not admit that fully in normal conversation).

✩ He cares. A lot. And he is learning how to not entirely ignore that in favor of thinking logically.

✩°｡⋆. More to Come! .⋆｡°✩

INTRO: .⋆｡°✩ The black comet was a piece of a much larger being, the first Black Arms and Queen of their hivemind, “ᛁᛏᛚᛁᛋ᛫ᚾᛁᚴᚼᛏ” or the “Endless Night” (or sometimes referred to as The Mother). It's said that her body grew from pieces of stray chaos energy in space allowing a wish for a piece of void (dark matter) itself to become corporeal. From then on, she only grew and grew until her looming shadow was cast upon planets and stars and moons. Along with her body so too did her power grow, an ability, a limited future vision blessed upon her mind. She would use this new power to aid her creations, to be their guide in the darkness of space, a forever burning star for her children. Here, in deep space, she began her empire. -~*~- The Black Arms are a strength-focused Radiotrophic/Photosynthesizing alien species. They live on The Mother who has grown so large she has become her own moving, semi-dormant planet. They are also somewhat Nomadic, travelling to a few conquered systems every 25 Earth years. Using their dark jet-black scales, they absorb nutrients from the light and radiation of neighboring stars, as well as the rare bit of chaos energy. 

The Black Comet was sent to Earth during one of their travels, after seeing the Kuiper Belt and finding interest in the few *cold planets nearby. This especially became of interest when they discovered a *habitable planet already teeming with life. With life, comes potential and energy.

*Cold Planets are important to the Black Arms for some of their rituals/customs. *Habitable Planets, with or without fully sapient life, can be used for their minerals to aid in “Evolution” (Grównes), having The Mother absorb them then produce stronger Black Arms infused with certain, but limited properties of the mineral. (ex. Heat Resistance, Tougher Scales etc.) -~*~- LARVAE: All Black Arms larvae start out completely red and "flesh-like" with a sort of false-down-coat of hard yet flexible skin coating their bodies. As they develop within the “Womb Chambers” of Endless Night the larvae slowly gain their black scales. These scales will develop in specific patterns, and determine what “Court” of Black Arms they will be assigned to. Due to the hivemind nature of the species, Endless Night will peek into their developing minds while still in their eggs and decide which Court they will go to. Although all Black Arms work together as a species, the Courts are in place to assign their main role in their overall society. -~*~- COURTS: There are four courts: The Scar (Dolg) The Ring (Beag) The Eye (Eage) The Scale (Sciell) Although Shadow was made in the image of being a balance between the courts, he was ultimately “Baptized” underneath Dolg due to his markings and the plot of Black Doom to take over Earth.

Dolg, or “The Scar Court” focus on being/becoming the hidden weapons of the Black Arms. Although their culture is filled with a focus on strength and a massive army, the Black Arms believe to be the strongest is to have balance between many areas of strength and that includes strategizing. Those a part of the court are, in a way, “secret weapons”, similar to our own weapons of mass destruction, they serve the purpose of total eradication, especially in times of great need.

Beag, or “The Ring Court” focus on regulating the comets Endless Night sends out, distributing groups to scout and search systems, as well as powerful attack fleets. They mostly search for habitable planets and (tangible, non gas-giant) cold planets to siphon energy, continue their rituals, or simply to spread their galactic influence (conquering more planets, and increasing their population on more planets).

Eage, or “The Eye Court” focus on relaying information whether it be of enemies during war or simply having The Mother be constantly informed though the hivemind. They are also the ones who keep track of the Black Arms history. They inspire constant faith in the Endless Night for both old and young, even taking part in teaching new hatchlings. (Oftentimes leading/building the majority of temples and announcing/holding rituals. These are by far the most docile group of Black Arms (of course, still violent, but more focused on religion and worship. These are also the biggest advocates for conquering other planets!). Sciell, or “The Scale Court” are the “Planet Makers” or Terraformers, in a way. They aren’t seen much outside of Endless Night, and are often the group that stays on The Mother for the longest. They help adapt planets to be more suitable for Black Arms, whether it be a planet used for rituals, religion, or just as another “home” for more Black Arms to create civilization on, they modify and recreate under The Mother’s guidance. Due to them being on Endless Night, they are also the designated protectors of her. Although she is very powerful on her own, it is rare to have her full body and power be entirely active as she is simply so vast and strong, it risks the chance of harming Black Arms through the hivemind, breaking their minds and stealing their bodies (Think of it like the effect of a normal person looking at an eldritch being, and by how just glancing can warp their minds, but in a breaking-then-parasitic-takeover kinda way. This does not have an absolute 100% chance of happening, but the risk is so high that it’d be more worth it for her to stay mostly dormant as a “Planet”. She cares for her children.) -~*~- Although Shadow was never fully integrated into Black Arms society (such as never joining the hivemind since he was artificially created), the Black Arms still honor him as one of their own and as a “bridge” between the worlds of science and themselves, and so have him join in some of their rituals for the young. -~*~-

✩°｡⋆. More to Come! .⋆｡°✩

LMK what you think so far, and what questions you have! (use asks!) This is only the first part, but tell me which you'd like to see more of for the next post first SHADOW or BLACK ARMS headcannons/lore :3