Conali

Conali (singular: conali) are a strange and exotic lifeform comprised of a metallic hexagonal bipyramid core and a projection of water surrounding their core. They've reached interstellar travel as part of the SESA alliance.

Biology
Conali have very strong yet very precise magnets in the centers of their cores that allow them to control water and magnetic objects around them telekinetically. They feel the feedback from objects in their magnetic field, and sense any differences in the water they control. They can hear via sensing vibrations in the water, and generate sound via vibrating sections of their water at specific frequencies. Conali have very blurry 360 degree thermal vision via detecting the change in properties water experiences when heated up by nearby light. Conali can detect and move water and magnetic objects within a certain radius of their core, which is directly proportionate to the size of their core. For an unknown reason, conali have little influence over the water in living beings, or the cores of other conali individuals. Conali can discard and collect more water without much trouble, as long as the water doesn't contain foreign contaminants.

Conali "eat" via sifting minerals out of soil and sand, and allowing the minerals to pass through a sort of open circulatory system, where the core automatically uses them for repairs. The filters used can get damaged by too many foreign contaminants or large particles, but conali can manually sift these out by controlling their water currents and discarding the leftover contaminated water. Conali don't have a natural maximum lifespan, and they usually live several centuries. Their main causes of death are dehydration, mineral starvation, or filter damage. Conali can survive being frozen for a certain period of time until they starve. Conali do not need to sleep. Conali reproduction is asexual, and more similar to "constructing" a child, where the parent subconsciously assembles a new core out of excess minerals over the course of a few years. Conali, after activation, do not need time for their brains to develop, but do still require time to learn things as they're not built with innate knowledge past instincts.

Conali don't have any set body plan for their projected image with their water, and how the appear is completely dependent on their self image, and may change over time. They're capable of shapeshifting their water, but they subconsciously revert back to their self image if they lose concentration on this shapeshifting.

Prehistory
The prehistory of conali is a mystery.

Written History
Conali only invented writing after being discovered by the tebalts, and were uplifted from pre-civilization society to an interstellar spacefaring species in a few decades. The transition was harsh and rough, but the conali make up the second ever SESA species, and the tebalts' first interaction with extraterrestrial life.

Culture
Conali are typically somewhat isolative, and have small, tight knit friend circles. Although not necessary, conali often also have one or more partners to help with raising children, for protection, or for companionship. Due to how big the protection aspect is, agreeing to partner with the right individuals can be even more important in conali than in other species. Conali usually don't divorce, since due to these views on relationships, choosing a partner who is unwilling to protect you could be a death sentence. Conali sometimes take upwards of a decade seeing someone before agreeing to partnership. Partners often change schedules and lifestyles to be with their partners more often due to the intimacy of relationships, and it's common to see partners work in the same shifts at the same workplace.

Physical contact is considered dangerous to conali, as any contaminants that go unnoticed could end up damaging or shutting down the digestive system. Partners or highly trusted friends are usually allowed to perform physical contact, as the individual trusts them enough to know they decontaminated or sanitized or similar beforehand. Similarly, tossing water at them or attempting to drink from their water without permission is seen as dangerous.

Conali's concept of gender is purely social, as they have no biological sex. Exotic varieties of gender not typically found in sexually reproducing biological species are present in conali.

Reach
Conali have control over their home system, the Vidzona system, and all planets and celestial bodies found within. As a member of SESA, they have some input as to what SESA does with other systems which contain no homeworlds.

Conali's SESA representatives are Representative Vivila, Representative Zadzou, and Representative Awitsi.

Languages
Conali typically speak Waterspeak, a sort of manual language involving moving around water in ways nearby individuals can sense and decode. They can use verbal communication with some trouble though.

Timpo is the official SESA language, and most conali traveling between systems learn this as a common tongue.

Modern Conflict
[REDACTED]

Noteworthy Individuals

 * Dziewanna
 * Tsilia
 * Representative Vivila
 * Representative Zadzou
 * Representative Awitsi