EPLH

EPLH is the physiological classification given to a quasi-mystical spacefaring species native to the Small Magellanic Cloud. An ancient race and already long-lived by nature, their technology has advanced to the point of making them virtually immortal. As a result, they are reclusive, individualist towards their own kind and never reproduce; but are known for being benign and gentle toward aliens.

EPLHs spend most of their unlimited time traveling through space and solving sociological problems of alien civilizations, mostly to avoid boredom. Physically, members of this species are large, massive and vaguely pear-shaped. They crawl around, since they have no ambulatory limbs. Thick layers of skin and fat protect their vital organs. From the upper part of their bodies protrude five muscular tentacles, with five large mouths located below each tentacle. The top of the body is featureless; an osseous dome whose only function is to house the creature's brain. EPLHs are asymmetrical: four of their mouths are filled with teeth and used only for eating while the fifth one contains the vocal apparatus; of the five tentacles, three end in manipulatory appendages, one sports the eyes and other sensory organs and the remaining one ends in a horned club used for attack and defense.

These highly evolved, very civilized and nearly immortal beings are very rare and viewed as mystical god-like entities by the other species of their galaxy. Their long life caused them to get literally tired of each other's company and thus more than one of them are never seen together. Nevertheless, their good-natured spirit resulted in them traveling from world to world, spending centuries on each planet they visit and helping the native civilization to develop into a peaceful and prosperous one. Their increasing fear of death causes them to always travel with an alien personal physician. Their rejuvenation techniques which hold the secret to their longevity are applied even to the brain tissue, resulting in loss of memory. To compensate for this, they always keep extremely detailed ship logs.

Appearances

 * Star Surgeon, by James White (1963)