Kamon Vondiranach
Heart in a Jar
Image Credit: http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi/noframes/read/100705
Name: Tesfans
Designation: Sentient
Homeworld: Tesforam
Language: Galactic Standard Basic and Tesforan
Average height of adults: 1.6 meters
Skin color: Black
Hair color: N/A
Breathes: Type III atmosphere standard, requires breathing apparatus in other atmospheric environments.
Strengths: Adapted to subterranean living and at home in space. They eat smaller portions and less often than humans and humanoid species. In this sense they often eat twice a day, but can survive on eating once a day. When they do eat, their portions are around a half pound, or its equivalent depending on the density, of their chosen meat. Physically sound in stature, and brilliant in technological development. They are modest and respectful people. Bodies are capable of withstanding more pressure than that of most species because of its structure, allowing them to delve deep within the planet (doesn't allow them to survive in space or deep water).
Weaknesses: Their appearance is often deemed menacing to many, and people readily avoid them. Heavy light situations cause them a vast amount of discomfort, in some cases if the light is too intense it can cause burning or skin discoloration and loss of sight in the eyes, as their bodies have adapted to living in places with miniscule light. While smart, they aren’t physically strong compared to most species, and heavily rely on machines to do a lot of the manual labor. Alcohol will kill them if ingested.
Distinctions: A spider like species with a wide, angular head and long claws for hands, this species is very much an underground reminiscent species of every child’s nightmares. They resemble a preying mantis that’s been formed to look truly evil. See the picture above for reference.
Average Lifespan: 57 years
Races: There are no physically distinct races amongst their species.
Estimated Population: 2 billion, with roughly 946 million living on their home world and the rest somewhat spread out throughout the galaxy on various other worlds. This spread occurred prior to the plague, and left most isolated. This was also largely due to an expansion initiative meant to preserve the species should anything happen to their home. It was also due to the necessity of securing trade, and then the subsequent growth when their people settled on other worlds.
Diet: Predominantly carnivorous. Some have been known to try various plants, but this always proves toxic to them when it comes to leaves or flowering vegetables. Root vegetables can be ingested by them. Allergic to all forms of alcohol. It will kill them.
Communication: They understand galactic standard basic, but require a translator to speak it because their bodies are equipped largely for a series of clicking and chittering sounds that are associated with their native language.
Culture: They are a monarchy focused on a three tier system, with the working class being the largest tier. The King and Queen are the top tier, and their relatives fill the middle Nobility tier. A governmental system allowing freedoms to the working class is in place, which allows these individuals to pick and choose their occupation within limits of spaces available in the industry. All necessities are provided by the King and Queen, and subsequently controlled by then, though they are generous in their distribution methods.
No deity is worshipped, though there is a species wide mutual respect for the Force and practitioners of it are often granted honorary nobility status.
Celebrations are reserved for births and deaths only.
Militarily they possess a hierarchy similar to most governmental systems. The general and admiral of the armed forces are both members of the Nobility who were appointed to their positions based on strengths and weaknesses as assessed by the King and Queen and their staff. These individuals are given autonomy so that they don't have to get clearance for military movement from the King and Queen when time is of the essence in defensive situations. All offensive situations are discussed at length. The military is a much smaller branch of individuals as they do believe in trying for peace in all situations before war becomes a necessity. They essentially only maintain a defense force for themselves, relying on the Republic to protect them in most cases.
The songs that they sing to one another are more like bards tales. They're singing each other the story of their day: what they did, who they met, how they feel. The only song that is different in a normal day is the morning song, which is a sort of spiritual collection of the minds that is meant to bring their day good fortune. There are two other special songs that are sung. At a birth, the parents sing a song of awakening, meant to open the new Tesfan's eyes to the world. At death, the eldest living relative sings a song of departure that is meant to send the individual on to the next plane of existence as there is no religion amongst their people.
Technology level: The planet would be considered on par to other planets in the galaxy. Its cities would be reminiscent of those found on other technologically focused worlds, albeit underground rather than on the surface. They have ships and weapons, though they don’t possess any major defenses such as shields, defense platforms, or capital ships of their own.
General behavior: This species moves slowly under general conditions, but can react swiftly when the need calls for it. They are methodical in their approach to everything, and don’t make decisions that they don’t think through first. They are generally respectful and friendly to all those that they encounter, though have been known to show animosity towards beings that threaten their way of life, or the safety of their people. Generally speaking, they view friendliness as a sign of respect between individuals. Though they are menacing in appearance, they express themselves with subtle movements of their hands and head. Typical day begins with waking up, a family gathering and breakfast, a parting song, and then their days work. When they return, they gather, eat, and sing to one another the story of their day before retiring for the night.
History: The race is thought to have descended from an insect species that evolved on the world. However they came to be, they have no recollection of it, and respect no authority that may or may not claim to have had a hand in the process.
They are not a young species. They’ve been around for a long time. The great plague wiped out a significant majority of their people. Many of their villages and cities that once thrived now lie abandoned with no populace to sustain them. Still, they managed to recover and thrive afterwards.
In their early years they were ruled by the strongest, often fighting and killing one another until the strongest stepped forward and claimed the right to rule, killing all who opposed. For years and years this right to rule passed down to the strongest until that strongest became recognized as a lineage, and subsequently a monarchy was formed.
Over time the desire to fight was bred out of them as peace was seen restored to the world. The monarchy learned that the best way to control the people was to keep them happy rather than utilize brute force, and as a result, they sought to make people happy and haven’t looked back. This mentality has affected their everyday reactions with outsiders, seeking to obtain the same balance with them as they have with each other.
In a nutshell: they started off killing each other, the strong rose to power, the strong retained power, a new government was formed, the strong realized that in order to survive the weak needed to be happy, and subsequently decided to make them happy rather than rule with fear and strength.
Notable Player-Characters: Nc’thor
Intent: To create a new player species that allows for the freedom and creativity of playing a different, non-humanoid race, while allowing for the freedom of societal explorations on a new world with a new species.
