Gebs

Gebs are a fictional sapient species created for worldbuilding and speculative fiction. They inhabit the Geb Highlands on the continent of Neldor, a region characterized by temperate forests, limestone caverns, and geothermal activity. The name Gebs derives from the Geb Peaks, the central mountain massif that anchors their homeland.

Physically, Gebs stand about 1.0–1.3 meters tall and have a compact, furred build with large luminous eyes adapted to dim light. Their hands are dexterous, and their dentition reflects an omnivorous diet that includes fungi, tubers, small invertebrates, and cultivated crops grown in cave gardens.

They reproduce sexually, with extended parental care, and communities favor long childhoods for skill transmission.

Socially, Gebs organize into kin-based clans that cooperate in shared resources rather than rigid hierarchies. Decision-making occurs through assemblies that include elders and representatives from each clan. Their language is polysynthetic and features a rich system of body signaling; most communities also use carved stone and luminous fungi to convey information.

Technology and economy emphasize sustainable adaptation to geothermal warmth. Gebs employ stone, bone, and copper tools, and cultivate subterranean farms that minimize surface disruption. Energy sharing is central to social life, with 'frees' and 'keeps' serving as informal units of labor contribution rather than currency.

In fiction, Gebs are often depicted as curious mediators in regional diplomacy, scientists who map subterranean ecosystems, and guardians of memory hubs that preserve oral histories and ecological data.