Koormaks

Koormaks are a fictional designation used across science fiction and fantasy works to describe non-human entities. The term does not refer to a single canonical species; rather, different authors have used it for diverse beings that share a loose set of themes and motifs.

In some settings, koormaks are imagined as hive-minded creatures with centralized cognition that links individuals through a neural network. In other portrayals, they are autonomous beings with advanced biotechnology and the ability to alter their form to suit environments.

Common features across depictions include high adaptability to extreme environments, and a focus on technology, biology, or symbiotic relationships with other species. Some koormaks emphasize telepathic communication or collective decision-making, while others foreground individual agency and personal motive.

Koormaks are depicted inhabiting a wide range of habitats, from frozen moons to subterranean networks or spacefaring habitats. Social structure varies, from egalitarian collectives to hierarchical orders led by elites or scientists.

In narrative use, koormaks appear as antagonists, allies, traders, or enigmatic powers. They are often employed to explore themes such as otherness, the tension between the group and the individual, and questions of cooperation versus coercion.

Because koormaks appear in disparate works by different authors, there is no single canon or definitive description. Details are defined by the narrative and world-building choices of each author.