Meet the Gelidians

Today we take a peek into the upcoming comic 'The Ice Gorillas of Gelida VI'

Hey everyone. Hope you are all well. While I have been working on the script for my next comic ‘The Ice Gorillas of Gelida VI’. I have been fleshing out the main race that live on the planet we visit in the issue.

After sending the idea over to Dan Harris the comics artist. He sent back the concept art over which you can see below.

In this post you will see the encyclopaedia entry of the UUA archives for this location. If you like to see more of these for other races and places in the UUA, please do reply to this post and let me know.

All the best
- Aaron

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Location

Sector: 92831-04-Z2
System: Gelida
Planet: Gelida VI
Distance: 46.5 Million Light Years From old Earth.
Planetary Description

Gelida VI is made up primarily of a vast ice sheet covering the planet. Underneath this sheet is a vast ocean with mountains protruding from it, these are the only land masses available. These masses at the very peek are dotted with very fast growing tree like plants that all come in variations of the following colours; black, white, silver and sky blue.

The planet is on an orbit around a sun which results in the surface only getting 20 days full light for each cycle. However when the sun is in direct contact it is extremely dangerous. The suns rays will scorch the surface of the planet and kill everything on it comes into contact with. The planet will then take a further 423 years before it completes another rotation.

The History Of The Gelidians

The Gelidians where first discovered by the UUA during a routine anomaly detection investigation. The anomaly was a burst of unknown energy emanating from the planet for only a few seconds. Effectively acting as a beacon across space. Upon arrival of the planet designated Gelida VI. Captain Shorden and his crew aboard the UUA-I21 completed a low fly of the planet in a small craft and discovered a small tribe of primitive natives. These natives where to become known throughout the UUA as The Ice Gorillas of Gelidians or Gelidians for short.

The Gelidians are a race of old Earth Gorilla looking individuals. They are all over 7 feet tall, have 3 times the strength of any human, can work and walk for days without sleep, are blue in colour. They have not proven to be the smartest of a species and most are only capable of doing what they are shown to do.

At first the UUA kept their distance from the primitives while they hunted on the surface for the source of the beacon. But the ever shifting ice shelf across the planet was interfering with their equipment and searching had to be by visual only. After a few days searching a cavern was discovered in the side of a mountain and inside was what the UUA call a colour mine. The mine on Gelida is that of a purple mine.

Brief description of a colour mine from the UUA Encyclopedia.
Two colour mines have been discovered so far in the UUA territory. The mines appear to have no source that has been found so far and inside are rock with colourful veins.

Both mines are the most valuable resource to the UUA as when the rocky veins are harvested and crushed into powder they are used as the fuel for the fleets far range travel engines.

Sector A where tasked with keeping the mine safe and most importantly secret. In respond the Sector A started to work the local population giving them the tools to protect themselves and have a better chance at surviving the frost. The frost happens on the planet every 622 Earth days. The planet becomes so cold that everything across the whole planet freezes for 50 days. This traps the Gelidians under the surface of the planet cut off from food and fresh water making a dynamic in the days leading up of fighting and the deaths of one another. With the tools provided the Gelidians have been able to survive and thrive into a multitude of tribes across the surface and in return they work the mines producing the powder fuel.

This relationship between the Gelidians and the UUA has been strong for over 200 years. Some Gelidians have also been taken off world to be apart of the wider UUA alliance as Heavy lifters and dock workers at ports although these individuals have lost their blue skin and now brown and black similar to the old Gorillas of Earth.

Getting to know the tribes

If you are to visit Gelidia, it would be worth noting the individuals that make up a tribe. They are as follows:

Leader Of The Tribe (Chieftain)

The leader wears a more a very elaborate overcoat with a big ceremonial belt, head dress and necklace. When ever you visit a tribe, no one will interact or talk with you until you have met and been welcomed. It is advised to greet the Leader with their name and if you are a male or bigger than the leader. You must get down on a knee to show respect.

Tribe Members

Tribe members are mainly made up of females and kids. They gather food during the day and work to keep the other tribe members fed and warm.

The Tribal Guards

Every tribe has their own version of guards. They wear some armour on their chest and carry a staff weapon These are there to be used on other members of their race if they try to attack another tribe. However the tribes that work the tribe, they also have an alliance issued blaster for when something more powerful is needed. This was given by the UUA as a way to try and keep order amongst the tribes and the mine running freely.

The Mine Workers

The mine workers are noticeable from the other tribe members as they do not wear any clothing outside of some rugged shorts. They wear only have helmets and hand tools that the alliance have provided them for their mine work.