Vodyani

The Vodyani are a race of life-essence devouring cyborgs from Endless Space 2.

ORIGINS
Victims of a classic cycle of over-industrialization, the Vodyani were saved by technology culled from ruins of the Virtual Endless. These precursors quickly gained an aura of divinity in the eyes of the Vodyani, and are now worshiped as gods. Clothed in their great black suits of borrowed technology that they refer to as their holy "Cloth", Vodyani leaders pilot their great arks across the star lanes. The Vodyani seek other peoples to convert, control, and consume, as they survive through the simple expedience of draining other peoples of their life forces. While many view this as a grotesque, the Vodyani see themselves as "chosen" by the Endless and deserving of their stature. They are simply higher on the food chain than all other races, and that is that.

CULTURE
The Vodyani owe their continued existence to the remnant Virtual Endless technologies they found on their homeworld. Thus they view the long-dead race as gods with their entire society focused on seeing them as the gods children. Other species to them are regarded as food to sustain their immortality.

THE CHURCH OF THE VIRTUAL SAINTS
Vodyani society is organized as a formal and hierarchical church that worships the Virtual branch of the Endless. As they were saved from extinction by the technology of the Virtual Endless, it is only natural that they in turn worship these all-powerful precursors as gods.

Prayer, recitation, and study are important parts of everyday life, and as study involves ruins, relics, and ancient technology much of their religious activity has pragmatic consequences. Results are carefully monitored, however, and as mechanical control of the "Cloth" worn by every Vodyani is in the hands of the Church, there is little room for independent thought, much less rebellion.

HIERARCH
While there are many sprawling departments and executives within the Church of the Virtual Saints to handle the functions of running a starfaring civilization, there is only one ultimate authority - the Hierarch. This person, drawn from one of the powerful organizations that make up Vodyani society, is the ultimate authority for both religious and secular affairs. The current hierarch is  Isyara St Shaiad, famous for her rigor and intensity. She is also famous for her brother - the heretic  Iskander St Shaiad, who nearly destroyed the society when he led a revolt against his own people.