Note: Intelligence Scale versus Sentiency Scale. Intelligence
measures how smart, on an average, a species is while Sentiency
measures how Sentient, on an average, a species is. In the
Confederation, Sentiency is defined by a species reasoning
ability and (more importantly) how a species treats not only
other sentient species but also their planet and the non-sentient
being on it. To find out how various species rank on the Intelligence/Sentiency
Scale, check out this table.
Barborosians
The term Barborosians actually covers a number of humanoid
species, all descended from the same base stock (the common
claim is that this base stock is feline/lupine in nature).
All-Terran (or Rov'r): These Barborosians look very
much like Earth Humans but, as they constantly remind all
Earthers, they aren't Human or anything close to Human.
They are kiddingly called All-Terran because, unlike most
of the Barborosian Races, they can and do comfortably travel
and live throughout the entire planet with all it's climates.
They have excellent eye sight and hearing and are capable
of following scents. By dislocating their hips, they can
run quickly on all fours. They also possess a third lung
that inables them to breath underwater.
Aquatic: The ancestors of the Aquatics left the sea but
elected to return to it. In one ocean, the Selkie developed,
dwelling on the surface of the ocean in floating villages
while on the other sde of the world, Myr created their villages
on the floor of the ocean.
Myr: Myr live deep in the ocean, in villages built on
the ocean floor. While still having the basic biped form,
they have no hair. Instead, both sexes have a frill from
forehead to neck nape (though males tend to be more brightly
colored). Their fingers and toes are long with webbing
between them. Their skin appears to be scaley and coloration
varies. They have gills along their torsos and can remain
under water indefinately. They can leave the water only
for short periods of time.
Selkie: Selkie dwell in ocean-floating villages. They
normally have dark hair, dark eyes, and green or blue
skin. Their lung capacity is very large and they are capable
of staying under the water for an hour or more at a time.
Avian: There are two types of Avians, those with feathered
wings and those with leather wings.
Feathered: The tree-dwelling Feathered Avians have feathered
wings, with feathers instead of hair and talons on toes
and fingers.
Leathered: The mountain-dwelling Leathered Avians have
bat-like wings.
Dwarf: The people who would later develop into the Dwarf
race took to living in a massive cave system. Each generation
was a little shorter then the previous one; now they average
four feet tall. Their eyesight is now more suited for night
vision and they rarely go out during the brightest times
of the day (though many have taken to wearing sun goggles).
Their hearing is more acute then most races but their sense
of smell is distinctly less acute. Due to their short, socky
build, Dwarves are no longer able to run on all fours and
their third lung has mutated into an air cleansing device
to inable them to breathe dusty air easily.
Dwarves are very closely linked to the earth, able to sense
any pollution or poisoning of the land. Because of this,
Dwarves are often hired to survey worlds and are welcome
additions to new colonies. Once a Dwarven colony arrives
on a new planet, select members are sent on a planet-circling
journey of the new world. This journey gives these Dwarves
an intimate knowledge of the world, enabling them to "feel"
things that happen on other parts of the world. (Example:
Thorne, of Rathorn, can tell when an earthquake occurs on
the other side of the planet.) Also, Dwarves are able to
identify where anything from the land (metal, jewels, etc)
comes from. Dwarves make excellent engineers and often work
as ship engineers.
Arctic: Arctic Dwarves are descendants of a band of Mountain
Dwarves who were hired by Arctic Giants to build a bigger
and better city. While still fundumently the same as Mountain
Dwarves, Arctic Dwarves are better able to handle freezing
weather then their desert and mountain cousins. Over the
generations, Arctic Dwarves have gotten taller; the average
height now being 5 foot 3 inches.
Desert: Desert Dwarves are fairly rare with only one
large Desert Dwarven city still in existence. (Most Desert
Dwarves have long since moved back to the mountains.)
Like Arctic Dwarves, they are starting to get taller.
Mountain: The most common type of Dwarf.
Elf:
Giant: The Giant race started appearing in the Arctic;
the Barbrosians living there started getting taller and
taller and developing abilities that help them survive in
the frgid cold. They lost the ability to run on all fours
(though they do remain very limber) and the third lung evolved
into a device that helps filter and warm the cold air they
breathe. Now averaging nine feet tall, the Giants have also
developed the ability to regulate their body heat. It is
not uncommon to see Giants out in the ice wastes wearing
little more then loinclothes.
Treean: Treeans are covered with short fur and possess
sharp teeth, prehensile tails, grasping toes, and claws.
Fur coloring varies from white, tawny, black, deep blue,
gray, etc, etc. Treeans have proven to be accomplished pilots.
By dislocating their hips, they can run quickly on all fours.
They also possess a third lung that inables them to breath
underwater.
Interesting Note: While the Shiketo refer
to Earth Humans as "red-stink-creatures", they
do not use this reference with Barborosians.
Big Badger
The particulars of Big Badger's species are unknown. For
a picture, please see People of Rathorn.
Catlings are humoniod cats, averaging less then 3 feet in
height. They often act as security and are partnered with
Barborosian Wyhr, whom they ride.
The particulars of the Hoag-Tash's species are unknown.
Earth Humans: Earth Humans come from the planet Earth and
are considered a separate species from Confederation Humans.
Furless dog-like creatures with long-fingered hands capable
of using tools and weapons. They are very intelligent and
came to the planet with the Tazs (though
they may not be from the same planet as the Tazs). They are
white with dark eyes and beak-like mouths. They sometimes
serve as mounts to the Tazs and often play the "dumb
animal" routine. Hunds can speak several languages, including
English and Taz.
The Kirien are very much a mystery (at least to Earthers
and that's the way it will remain for quite a long time).
They appear to be humanoid Rathorns. They stand anywhere from
7 to 9 feet tall and are humanoid in appearance, with horse-like
hind legs and a horse's head with the Rathorn armor. Like
the Rathorns, females have the nasal tusk, males the "unicorn"
horn. Like Rathorns, males are rarely seen. Their favored
weapon is a double-bitted axe. They are able to teleport to
any place they have been before, no matter what the distance.
Select Kirien are able to open teleport gateways (similar
to the Rathorns but Kirien can set them up between planets).
The only sentient species known to be endangered. It is illegal
to harm a Minotaur (yes, they are humanoid bull-like creatures)
in any way. It isn't unusual for Minotaurs to end wars by
simply walking into the thick of battle and they often travel
on ships going into war-torn areas. No species is stupid enough
to attack a ship or planet with a Minotaur on it. Every sentient
species even remotely connected with the Confederation knows
that such an action will end with the Confederation attacking
them. There is probably one visiting Rathorn.
Rathorns are the native sentient species of the planet. They
resemble an Earth horse but with a natural ivory armor that
grows to form breast/belly plates, foreleg greaves, flank
armor, and head plating. The ivory grows throughout their
entire lives and will eventually entomb them. Females have
a nasal tusk, males have a "unicorn" horn. They
are very intelligent but hampered by their inability to use
tools. Up until 19 years ago, they used mainly body language
to communicate with others. Now they are capable of using
computers to communicate with the other species now inhabiting
their planet. By holding a specially-designed device in their
mouths, they can type out their responses. It can be tedious
so they have worked out a shorthand language. Rathorns are
meat-eaters and will kill and consume beings who are not supposed
to be on their planet, regardless of whether they are sentient
or not. Females are very much the majority. Male Rathorns
are rarely seen. Rathorns can open teleport gateways that
enable them to travel swiftly across the planet (but not off
the planet. . .at least not yet).
Rathornians: The 279 In Vitros left behind by the Mining
Company and their descendents are known as Rathorians.
  Also
called "Chigs". Not inhabitants of the planet but
regular visitors. They have four (possibly five) sexes: male,
female, both (Herma), neuter. (Male and herma Shiketo are
referred to as "he" while female and neuter Shiketo
are referred to as "she"). The Rathorns' total opinion
of the Shiketo is that "they're not edible so why bother
with them". Many of the regular visitors to Rathorn have
acquired decorative "Cats" armor and often use the
names of their Cats counterpoint. At first the Shiketo were
simply going along with this now they actually seem to enjoy
it. Some have gone so far as to assume some of their Cats
characteristics. (For example: Cori and Tanto are rarely apart
from each other and often move and act in perfect synch.)
The Tazs are a space-faring military/mercenary race who have
been looking to settle on a planet for decades. They are offered
a place on Rathorn in exchange for their services as a security
force. The Tazs are small humanoids with white skin, pink
eyes, sharp pointed teeth, and long arms. They are fairly
hard to tell apart so the individuals are often called just
Taz and, since it's difficult to tell male from female, all
are referred to as "she". They don't seem to mind.
Due to a severe difference in vocal arrangement, they cannot
speak English but do understand it. They often perch on the
shoulders of taller species and tend to travel in the trees.
The latter gives them an unique advantage over the other species.
. .the Rathorns can't reach them in the trees so they can
travel safely outside the "Safety Zone" without
fear.
Two shiploads of Tazs have settled on Rathorn. A third shipload
is in negotiations to move to the planet.
Timnor are wolf-like humanoids, some of whom have migrated
to Rathorn.
Non-Sentient Species
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Small, two-legged forest-dwelling lizards. Their bite
is poisonous enough to bring down a Gigantalope; they
usually bring down prey by darting into large groups
and biting their chosen prey. They will then retreat
and wait for the victim to fall and the herd moves on
so they eat at their leisure.
Tazs are immune to Campo poison so they usually take
the outside when traveling through forests that hold
Campo populations. They also consider Campos a delicacy
and are probably the only species Campos are actually
afraid of.
Campos migrate heavily throughout the rainy season and
is one of the reasons Rathornians retreat to underground
dwellings during this time. |
Gigantalopes are huge creatures, some are larger then
the Hoag-Tash. They serve as the primary meat source
of Rathorns, Rathornians, the Hoag-Tash, and Big Badger.
Because of their size, only a few are killed each year.
The horns are valuable off-world.
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