The tide must turn. The season must shift. So must we.

Core Concept

The Valen are a species whose very being is a testament to the sanctity—and the suffering—of change. They are a living embodiment of cyclical transformation, a people who have collapsed the distinction between biology and philosophy. Their dimorphism is not sexual, but seasonal, a profound metamorphosis that reshapes their bodies, their minds, and their society in a constant, sacred rhythm. Their history is a story of a people at war with their own nature, a society fractured by a single, agonizing question: is the Great Cycle a divine gift, or is it a biological prison?

Physiology & Biology (The Vessel)

The Valen body is a marvel of adaptation, a vessel designed not for a single state of being, but for a continuous journey between two poles.

• Core Morphology: [Humanoid]. The underlying blueprint is familiar, but it is host to a unique and defining genetic component.

• The Cyclical Hypertrophy Gland: At the heart of their biology is this unique organ. Governed by the subtle shifts in their homeworld’s seasons, this gland orchestrates a total-system metamorphosis, shifting the Valen between their two forms.

• The Sun-Season (Builder Form): In the long, bright summer, the Valen are in their “Builder” form. They are physically robust, with increased muscle density and heightened stamina.

  • Mechanical Expression: The [Cyclical Hypertrophy Gland] grants a significant positive influence on Strength and Constitution attributes. The Incarnation’s Vessel generates powerful Needs for Productivity and Community, driving them towards communal labor and construction.
  • Appearance: Their skin might be thicker, their frames broader, their movements filled with purpose and energy.

• The Shade-Season (Dreamer Form): As the world cools and darkens, they undergo their metamorphosis. Their bodies become slighter, more energy-efficient, and their sensory organs become more attuned to subtle stimuli.

  • Mechanical Expression: The Gland now grants a positive influence on Intellect and Resonance. The Vessel’s physical needs diminish, replaced by powerful psychological Needs for Contemplation, Silence, and Narrative Coherence.
  • Appearance: Their forms become slender and graceful, their movements quiet and deliberate. Their eyes might take on a deeper, more reflective quality.

Psychology & Society (The Psyche)

The Valen mind is a mirror of their body, a consciousness defined by a fundamental, unresolved schism. Their entire society has fractured along the fault lines of their own biology, resulting in two competing Factions, each with its own definition of the proper way to live.

• The Orthodox Faith: “The Cycle is All” (The Tide-Faith). The traditionalist Valen see their metamorphosis as a sacred gift. Their culture is structured around two biologically-linked Social Role Schemas:

  • The [Builder] Role: Assigned during the Sun-Season, this role is tagged with [strength], [community], and [labor]. Its Social Expectations value construction, public works, and communal defense.
  • The [Dreamer] Role: Assigned during the Shade-Season, this role is tagged with [contemplation], [intuition], and [solitude]. It values artistry, storytelling, and spiritual reflection. To the Tide-Faith, a complete life is one that has masterfully performed both roles, seeing the transition between them as the ultimate expression of a balanced self.

• The Heretical Faith: “The Cycle is a Curse” (The Still-Form). This revolutionary movement rejects the old ways. They see the Great Cycle not as a sacred dance, but as a biological prison. Their highest spiritual goal is not to endure the cycle, but to end it. To them, the forced, seasonal reassignment of Social Roles is an intolerable violation of an individual’s right to a stable identity. They seek to create a new society where a Valen can choose to be a Builder or a Dreamer, forever.

Gameplay Hooks & Tensions

• The Inherited Schism: Playing as a Valen means being born into this civil war of the soul. Your first and most defining choice will be where you stand. Do you embrace the traditional path of the Tide-Faith, living a life of rhythmic change? Or do you join the rebellion of the Still-Form, embarking on a desperate quest for a “cure” that will grant you stability at the cost of your heritage?

Gameplay Hooks & Tensions

• The Inherited Schism: Playing as a Valen means being born into this civil war of the soul. Your first and most defining choice will be where you stand. Do you embrace the traditional path of the Tide-Faith, living a life of rhythmic change and deep connection to your world? Or do you join the rebellion of the Still-Form, embarking on a desperate quest for a “cure” that will grant you stability at the cost of your heritage?

• The Amaranthine Temptation: The external conflict with the Amaranthine is now a deeply personal one. The Amaranthine, with their obsession with permanence, are not just a threat; they are a temptation. They offer the Still-Form exactly what they crave: the technology and ideology to achieve a single, “perfected” form. This transforms the Amaranthine from simple conquerors into the potential, dangerous saviors of a heretical movement, creating a complex and morally gray political landscape.

• The Unseasonal: An Incarnation born “Unseasonal”—a Builder in the Shade-Season or a Dreamer in the Sun-Season—is a potent wild card. Are you a tragic mistake of biology, shunned by both sides? Or are you a prophet, the first of a new kind of Valen who can bridge the two worlds and heal the great schism?

Eidos Generated

• [fluidity]
• [adaptation]
• [cyclical_time]
• [the_politics_of_the_body]
• [harmony_in_duality]
• [resistance_to_self]

Design Notes

• The factional schism between the Tide-Faith and the Still-Form provides the species with a rich and immediate internal conflict, resolving the previous lack of a strong factional dynamic.
• This central conflict is a direct, emergent consequence of their unique biology, making their story feel organic and deeply personal.
• The Amaranthine now serve a more complex narrative role as a source of temptation and a potential catalyst for the Valen civil war, adding layers of moral ambiguity.