From publisher blurb:
Six Lineages
Neithe. A species whose true forms are composed of nothing but pure consciousness - psionic energy. They are looked upon as all-knowing guardians by some of their neighboring sentient peoples, while others view them as ruthless overseers who must be opposed at all costs. They seem to have been caretaking this system for a long time, using its denizens as both inspiration and raw materials for engineering their physical forms.
Othollu. An “uplifted” lineage engineered from a once-endemic aquatic species in this system. They have long been monitored and improved by the Neithe, but due to an inherent streak of curiosity, some of them have begun to outgrow their creators and choose their own path.
Myrmicath. An invasive insectoid species that nearly always appears in numbers. They have no advanced technology that can be considered their own, and prefer to commandeer the inventions of others when it comes to leisure and spacefaring. Their closed mental connection amongst each other has made them especially resistant to the influence of the Neithe.
Selkiin. A mammal-like people who have learned to survive in the most inhospitable reaches. They worship a nameless entity they say can be heard in the sounds of shifting ice, and wish for all to hear its song. Generations of conflict with the Othollu have strengthened both lineages.
Aki-Skaan. Short, sharp creatures with a sharper intellect and a mind for machines. Aki-Skaan are born scavengers, taking advantage of their size and deftness to traverse unseen across any system they enter. They prefer to travel without others of their kind, and frequently scavenge, buy or build single-pilot “tugboat” style shuttles to transport their finds.
Drek. Discarded experiments of the Neithe. To be Drek is less to be of the same species, and more of the same origin. Countless generations of different creatures have been “uplifted” by the Neithe, only to then be abandoned when they were found wanting. Those who were not destroyed outright have formed a collective, now abandoned by their once-gods.