Alimbic

The Alimbic are a race of beings in the game Metroid Prime Hunters. They fulfill much the same role in this game that the Luminoth do in Metroid Prime 2: Echoes and the Chozo in most other games in the series. Most of the information on the Alimbic is gleaned from lore scans in Metroid Prime Hunters.

Alimbic Physique
The Alimbic people have a unique exoskeleton that has enabled them to survive the harsh environments of planets Alinos and Arcterra. The Alimbics have enlarged forebrains that have helped them avoid situations that could have led to the destruction of their race. Alimbics appear to have two arm appendages, and possibly have three legs upon observing the Alimbic-mimicking Gorea. The race has a floating head with a single eye, but seem to lack a mouth. In this way, they resemble Trace. It may be possible that the Alimbic people speak telepathically to one another.

History
The Alimbic had lived in the Alimbic Cluster of the Tetra Galaxy for a long time, probably having originated there; all that is known about their early years is that they underwent a "harsh genesis". They were a peaceful race, but that changed when they were attacked by an unspecified enemy. The attack caught them off-guard, something they swore they'd never be again. They rapidly advanced in weapon technology, including bioweaponry, and created weapons such as the Slenches and Cretaphids.

Enjoying a newly-earned peace, the Alimbic nevertheless remained ready for future invasions; however, they also began improving their already powerful minds, developing telepathy, telekinesis, and extradimensional exploration. Unfortunately, despite their ever more lethal weapons, their pride left them unprepared for what happened next.

''"The peace of ancient ALIMBIC tribal culture was shattered by a deadly extraterrestrial invasion. The survivors vowed never again to be caught unprepared." -History 03 lore entry''

''"We focused our resources on military science and quickly developed weapons and defenses that surpassed the technology of our enemies." -History 04 lore entry''

''"For generations our superior military capability deterred all enemies. A renewed sense of peace allowed us to return to our natural philosophical pursuits." -History 09 lore entry''

''"Through science and technology we increased our already formidable mental skills. Significant advances were made in the areas of TELEPATHY, TELEKINESIS, and EXTRADIMENSIONAL EXPLORATION." -History 10 lore entry''

''"We continued research to improve our defense systems. Eventually we became so proficient in the art of war that we believed ourselves invincible." -Alimbic Pride 01 lore entry''

''"Our pride was a veil over our eyes. We did not see the danger until it was upon us." -Alimbic Pride 02 lore entry''

Alimbic Technology
The Alimbic people were one of the most technologically advanced races in the universe. They were the creators of several mechanical combat organisms including: the Psycho Bit, the Voldrum, the Alimbic Turret, the Guardian, the Slench, and the Cretaphid. They are the makers of two space stations, the Celestial Archives and Vesper Defense Outpost, which hold their knowledge and their interplanetary warheads respectively. The Alimbics also constructed the Oubliette, an interdimensional prison, and the Alimbic Cannon, capable of ripping a gateway to the Infinity Void. The Alimbics are able to send messages across the universe via the communication devices in the Helm Room of the Celestial Archives. The Alimbic race developed nanites for morphing weapons and created a Clone Engine. The race also has several ships, including: heavy-cargo starfreighters, medium-range transports and passenger carriers.

Alimbic Society
The Alimbics were a war-like and peaceful civilization depending on the violence of the universe around them. When there was violence, the Alimbics would build up their war technology until it surpassed their enemies. In peace, the Alimbics would enhance their mental talents and became highly prosperous.

The Alimbics appreciated and recognized the achievements of their people. Alimbic crests celebrated the achievements of major Alimbic tribes. Alimbic emblems were made as a memorial to dead Alimbic heroes. The leadership of the Alimbic Order of Elders and their accomplishments were celebrated by the large ceremonial emblem, the Alimbic Insignia.

The Alimbics, despite their wars, strove for peace in their society as well. The Alimbics created panels that are found in the Celestial Archives that were designed to calm the senses of Alimbic people and create an ideal location for meditation. The Alimbics also made special peace ornaments called Ceremonial charms. These charms are designed to enhance harmony within the Alimbic Cluster.

''"Each of these ornate crests celebrates the accomplishments of a major ALIMBIC tribe." -Alimbic Crest object scan''

''"This emblem commemorates fallen ALIMBIC heroes." -Alimbic Emblem object scan''

''"A large ceremonial emblem of the ALIMBIC ORDER, celebrating their victories and leadership. Solar-cycle counter dates its creation after ALINOS first came under attack." -Alimbic Insignia object scan''

''"Alpha waves emanate from this architectural structure. It appears designed to calm the senses and to create an environment ideal for meditation." -Alimbic Panel object scan''

''"ALIMBIC ornaments designed to enhance harmony." -Ceremonial Charms object scan''

Alimbic War
The Alimbic War lasted for three galactic months in the regions of the Alimbic Cluster. Alimbic strongholds were wrecked by the attacks of "the cancer", as evident by the many structural ruins found in the Alimbic territories. The Alimbic War was the last known war that the Alimbics fought in, and involved their great stuggle against the horror known as Gorea...

Gorea came to the Alimbic Cluster from an unknown location, landing on Alinos and emerging in the form of a gas. However, it soon took on a physical form, one mimicking that of the Alimbics themselves. The Alimbics' weapons were useless against it, and eventually, Gorea took the weapons into its form and used them against their creators. It drained the life energy from its victims, leaving them as empty husks, while growing more powerful itself. The Alimbic knew that unless they stopped Gorea there, it would continue on to devour all sentient life in the galaxy.

To stop what they called "the cancer," eight Alimbic elders came together in the Alimbic Order, and created the Seal Sphere. The Alimbic people used the process of essence transference to put their telepathic essences in the Seal Sphere. This enabled them to trap Gorea in the Seal Sphere, which was then placed aboard the Oubliette, and sent to a formless dimension of antimatter called the Infinity Void by way of the Alimbic Cannon. The elders of the Alimbic Order then transferred their essences into the eight Octoliths, which were sent to the Stronghold Void and guarded over by the Slenches and Cretaphids.

Alimbic Order of Elders
Formed by the Alimbic general and war hero Almiiak, this group of eight elders was created to stop Gorea from destroying the entirety of the Alimbic civilization. Their final and most significant plan involved the security and mechanics revolving around the Seal Sphere. They decided to trap Gorea in the Seal Sphere, as no weapon could defeat the creature. The elders designed the Octolith keys that not only provide power to the Alimbic Cannon, but also contain a spirit of an elder. The elders placed two of the eight Octoliths in each of their four most defended territories. Each Octolith is guarded by either a Cretaphid or Slench, as well as a large arsenal of the Alimbics' other biomechanical creatures such as Psycho Bits, Voldrums and Guardians.

''"There were EIGHT ELDERS in the ALIMBIC ORDER." -Alimbic Order 01 lore entry''

''"You will not find all EIGHT of the OCTOLITHS. They have been scattered, hidden in FOUR of our most heavily defended territories." -Alimbic Order 02 lore entry''

''"There are never more than TWO OCTOLITHS hidden on any planet or space station." -Alimbic Order 03 lore entry''

''"Within each OCTOLITH is a spirit, the transferred ESSENCE of an ALIMBIC ELDER." -Alimbic Order 04 lore entry''

''"Reunite all EIGHT OCTOLITHS in the CANNON CONTROL ROOM to open the doorway to GOREA." -Alimbic Order 05 lore entry''

Important Alimbic Characters
General Almiiak-- A fierce Alimbic general who founded the Alimbic Order of Elders and lead the Alimbic people to victory in the Tetra Border Wars two thousand years ago. It is suggested that his essence may be one of the ones that were transferred within the Octolith keys.

Arctherus-- Like Almiiak, Arctherus is also buried in a tomb at the High Ground area of the planet Alinos. He has received credit as the Alimbic who discovered neurogenesis which lead the Alimbics into a modern era, a time where peace and prosperity came to the race.

Trivia

 * The Alimbic language found on glyph patterns and wall scrolls on Alinos, looks similar to the written language of the Chozo.
 * The Alimbic Octolith system is similar to the Temple Key system used in Dark Aether during Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and the Chozo Artifact system used to seal the Impact Crater in Metroid Prime.
 * The Alimbic people are the creators of the Quadtroid, an organism with similar abilities to the Chozo's Metroid.
 * The name Alimbic may have come from the word alembic, meaning anything that refines or purifies.
 * The Alimbics have been involved in two wars: the Tetra Border Wars and the Alimbic War.
 * The Alimbics have likely served as an active trading race in the Tetra Galaxy as several Tetra Trade Maps are found within the Celestial Archives.
 * The Alimbics may have welcomed immigration to the Alimbic Cluster as shown by the large area known as the New Arrival Registration in the Celestial Archives.
 * After the Alimbic War, the Alimbics were physically destroyed; however, they were immortalized as the telepathic essence.
 * The Alimbics may have been the creators of the sub-weapons Samus obtains prior to venturing off to the Oubliette, as several Alimbic mechanisms use the different sub-weapon technology throughout the Alimbic Cluster such as the various Psycho Bit and Alimbic Turret versions.
 * On Alinos, the Alimbics had dedicated an area to Alimbic plant life known as the Alimbic Garden. This may suggest that the race had appreciated nature on Alinos, perhaps prior to the planet's core exploding. The Alimbics also showed appreciation to the planet's nature by using its natural ultra-high temperatures to provide power to an Alinos city.
 * In several locations on Arcterra, there are structures hanging from ceilings that resemble the head of an Alimbic. Similarly, the Chozo also made structures that resembled their body in various regions of worlds they had inhabited.
 * There are various tunnels in the Alimbic territories that link areas together, this possibly suggests that the Alimbics had some type of compacted alternative form that they were able to morph into similar to Samus's Morph Ball to get from place to place. They also may have been access tunnels for robots like Voldrums.
 * Dozens of teleporting portals are located in the Alimbic Cluster further showing just how advanced the Alimbics were in extradimensional exploration.
 * The Universal Ammunition may have been created by the Alimbic people, as the form of ammo has only appeared in the Alimbic Cluster.
 * Although Samus has her Missile Launcher, she has no missiles when she arrives to the Alimbic Cluster. At the Celestial Archives, Samus defeats a Petrasyl and acquires missile ammunition. However, these missiles are much different from those she gains in other games. This may suggest that the Alimbics created their own missile weapon, that is capable of being charged.
 * The Alimbics use Power Beam technology in their Guardian sentinels. This may suggest that they once traded with the Chozo.
 * The Alimbics may have been involved with races such as the Enoema, Krikens, Space Pirates, Vhozon, Diamonts, Chozo and possibly the Galactic Federation as all the races share a weapon common to ones used in the Alimbic Cluster's technology.
 * The Alimbics could have observed humans, made their own literature, used political measures in their society, delved into science of the Alimbic Cluster, studied medicine and other remedies as they have constructed hubs in the Celestial Archives dealing with each subject.