Caitians for Coda

As promised, now that I have the Narrator's Guide in my hands (and it is sweet fellas, excellent work!), I will represent the Caitians, Axanari and Tiburonese. I will also provide the "picks" breakdown for the abilities.

The Caitians as I present them are based on my description of the race, as presented on the TrekRPG website.
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Caitians
Caitians are graceful, cat-like humanoids who inhabit the lush jungle world of Cait. Having few primal competitors or predators, Caitians developed an aesthetic lifestyle and unified early in their history.

Description: Caitians stand slightly shorter than most humans, but weigh about the same as a human of their height. They have lion-like heads, replete with rounded ears, a ridged snout and long whiskers on their upper "lip."

Caitian fur colorings are as varied as human felines (large and small). Their tails are not prehensile, but they do figure prominently in Caitian emotional expression -- the felinoids mirror their Terran cousins in their mannerisms (i.e., ear positions, tail movement, subtle body language, few facial expressions). Caitian tails are about 60 percent as long as a cat is tall.

Languages: Caitian, Federation Standard

Preferred Professions: Any. Caitian interests are broad and diverse, and favored professions are often determined by a Caitian's clan. Many Caitians gravitate toward the Starfleet Officer profession to satisfy their wanderlust and curiosity.

Attribute Modifiers: +2 Agility, -1 Intellect, -1 Presence. Caitians are naturally graceful, but sometimes come across as aloof and simplistic in their views of the world.

Species Abilities
Cat's Grace: Caitians receive a +1 to all Quickness tests, and an additional +2 to all dodge tests (total of +3 reaction on Dodge tests).

Natural Weapons -- Claws: Caitians have sharp retractable claws on their hands and feet. The claws cause an additional 1d6 damage in unarmed combat. Caitians also receive +1 to Unarmed Combat tests with their natural weaponry.

Traditional Weapons: Part of the Caitian artistic tradition includes a personal combat style similar to Terran fencing. This style focuses on the "Rakun" (which is also the name of the style), a matched pair of a thin rapier-like sword (rakgr'n) and a dagger (raksir) that is often concealed in the fur of a Caitian's forearm. All Caitians receive training in these national weapons, earning a rank of 1 in the Armed Combat skill Rakun.

Bonus Edge -- Night Vision: Caitians have superior night vision, and receive the edge at no cost.

Bonus Flaw -- Reckless: Caitians tend to jump in where angels fear to tread.

Artistic: Caitians have a long and glorious aesthetic tradition. As such, they receive a +1 bonus to all Craft or Entertain tests (choose one).

Editors Note: I play a Caitian character in a FFRPG, where I've extensively developed the race's culture. I've added a little warrior-poet mentality to the race, furthering their romantic view of the galaxy (contributing to their -1 Intellect and explaining the presence of their national weapons). I've also produced the Caitian language, which includes a limited vocabulary and even drawings of Caitian letter and number symbology. Feel free to talk to me offline about it.

Point breakdown -- Attributes: 0. Cat's Grace: 9 (combines 2 applications of the Evasion ability and +1 quickness). Night Vision: 2. Reckless: -2. Artistic: 2. Natural Weapons: 3. Traditional Caitian Weapons: 2. Total Picks: 16.

Looks nice, make sure you submit it to Don when he's taking Coda stuff for the main site!

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sea Tyger
This is the first of three races I'll present to the board. I will post the Axanari and Tiburonese later. Of course, this is only a temporary take, as I will rework each race when I receive the NG. :)

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The Caitians are probably the most important of those three, as officially they are not a canon race, being from the Animated Trek. It is possible Axanari and Tibuornese will appear in the Aliens book, although I can see a need for them before then, since some people are running PC's...

On the TAS front, anyone planning on doing the Edoans or Kzinti? :D

Edited and bumped. I updated the Caitian template using the NG rules. :)

Just a short question: Are the Rakun a standard sword and dagger from the rulebooks or are there any differences in damage and/or parry modifier?

Caitian Rakun
The Rakun, or "matched pair," is the traditional weapon of the Caitians. The two blades, called the rakgr'n and raksir, are forged from the same piece of steel, separated, then shaped into the sword-and-dagger combination that forms the core of the Caitian fencing art of Rakun.

Rakun hilts are always inlaid with a stone or wood that identifies the owner's clan. Members of Clan Fekiista Kalir (Karlinarsti's clan), for instance, can be identified by their flint-handled Rakun. Honored offworlders are allowed to have a sword made, using a jade-like stone that is native to Cait.

Rakgr'n
Specifications: 75-80 cm long, 1.5 kg
Description: A traditional Caitian fencing weapon, the rakgr'n is often seen matched with a raksir.
Parry Modifier: -1 (+2 when used in conjunction with a raksir in the Rakun fencing art)
Damage: 2d6+2

Raksir
Specifications: 20-23 cm long, 0.1 kg
Description: A traditional Caitian fencing weapon, the raksir is the second weapon of the Rakun "matched pair." This weapon is often concealed in the fur of a Caitian's forearm
Parry Modifier: -2 (+2 when used in conjunction with a raksir in the Rakun fencing art)
Damage: 1d6+2

Armed Combat -- Rakun
Rakun is a fast-moving, flowing art similar to Terran fencing. Always performed with the rakgr'n and raksir (also called the Rakun when used together), the art emphasizes thrusts, feints, parries and ripostes and flourishes of steel and fur that are designed to confuse an opponent's defense. Two Rakun masters engaged in swordplay often appear like a blur to the untrained eye.

When a Rakun practitioner has both his raksir and rakgr'n free, he receives a +2 parry modifier, instead of the modifiers of the individual weapons.

I see you have really put some work into this. Great stuff! :cool:

How about some more info on Caitian culture next? My characters background includes a Caitian roommate from the academy and I always wanted to flesh her out a little more. What you have here might be just the sort of information I would need for that.

BTW, maybe you can edit the original post again to include an average length for a Caitians tail.

You asked, I performed. :) Got the Caitian tail thing on the original post.

I'll try to get something out this weekend on Caitian culture. :)

As I'm writing this in the morning, still trying to wake up, I thought I'd mention that, yes, Caitians have developed a fondness for Terran coffee, and have adapted the word to their language...kafe, anyone? ;)

Khytanun ta Kayt: The Children of Cait
The planet Cait offered no real predatory competition for ancient proto-Caitians, which allowed them to concentrate less on survival and more on culture. They developed their civilization early, and nations were forged around the clans on the southern jungles and northern deserts of the tropical world. (Also note that Caitians seriously dislike the cold. They can tolerate it -- hey, they have fur, you know :) -- but they certainly will avoid it when possible.)

Their territorial nature produced many conflicts, although Caitian history is also littered with examples of nations uniting to form vast empires that covered the globe under one leader. The last war was fought hundreds of years ago, and have purposefully never been named. The death toll of the war was catastrophic; nearly a third of the population died in the thousand-day-long conflagration.

The survivors were so devastated by the effects of the war, they immediately began a process that resulted in the unification of the entire planet under a single constitutional monarchy, and in a generation (which is about 15 years on Cait) had brought about a peace that lasts to this day.

Every one thousand days, Caitians follow a day-long ritual called Uhar Kirokar, the Blood Atonement. It is sometimes called the Day of the Blood Sun, as legend states that the Caitian sun (also called Cait, btw) shone red on the last day of the war, as Mother Cait wept for the loss of so many children.

On the Blood Atonement, a Caitian is not allowed to eat or speak from sun up to sun down. At sundown, they meet with others where the sunset can be clearly seen and recite a ritual prayer of confession to Mother Cait. Once the sky is completely dark, the clans go home and prepare a spartan meal, always setting an extra plate for their deceased ancestors.

Government
Caitian still have the same parliamentary system developed after the last war. The leader of the Royal clan is considered the Head of State, but has few real powers. The government is led by a Prime Minister, who heads the Clans Assembly, but is selected from the ranks of the CA by the monarch (although the assembly has veto power over the Royal selection). Each of the 326 clans are represented in the Assembly, and have one vote each. Clan power is often measured by their influence in the Assembly. Only the monarch can accept or expel clans in the assembly. The procedure involves a lengthy judiciary review to determine the validity of the application or charges.

Local and Provincial governments follow the same model, with local clans within the region participating in the legislature. A provincial leader is called a Governor, and local leaders are called by a number of titles, depending on local traditions.

Cait has been a Federation member since 2260, and many Caitians serve in Starfleet both in the TOS and TNG eras.

Culture
As I've stated above, Caitians are a peaceful people, bordering on hedonistic, with an often optimistic view of the universe around them. They follow the romantic ideals of "warrior-poets," and many leave Cait to satisfy their innate curiosity and wanderlust.

Clan ties are all important, as they often determine a Caitian's career and standing in society. (i.e, Members of Clan Fekiista Kalir of Vastayn Province are traditionally engineers and technicians, and are one of the most prominent clans in Starfleet. One Fekiista Kalir clan son was one of the first Caitians in starfleet and served on James Kirk's USS Enterprise in the 2260's and 70's. Originally a security officer, Karlinarsti eventually rose to the rank of Admiral in the 2290's, commanding Starfleet's Frontier Exploration Command at the time of the Enterprise-B incident.)

Part Two to follow, focusing on Caitian philosophy and physiology, planetary geology and system astrography, and a quick look at a day in the life in the capital city of Rorgr'zz.

Physiology
Average male and female Caitians stand about 175 cm, and weigh 80-82 and 60-62 kg respectively. An average Caitian's tail is about 60 percent of his/her height, or about a meter long (although a certain utlra-religious clan in northern Ssalat Province bob their tails at birth). Caitian skin is covered by fur, the color and length of which is as broad and diverse as Terran domestic and great cats.

Caitians have lion-like heads and manes; male manes encircle the face, while female manes do not cover the jaw and chin. Caitians style their manes in a variety of ways, although the "flat-top" has only become popular since Caitians entered Starfleet.

They have retractable claws on their hands and feet, which they use in unarmed combat with lethal efficiency. A Caitian is never truly considered unarmed. Their legs are digitigrade, with the tarsal bones extending up a third of the length of the Caitian's leg (like a Terran cat's hind legs). This contributes to Caitian agility and quickness; when sprinting, Caitians often drop to all fours. This is a natural thing that most Caitian's don't even think about.

Also, many Caitians have an innate aversion to arachnids of all kinds. Many believe that this is because the only creature proto-Caitians truly feared was a rare 10-legged, six-meter high "spider" that hunted them. The creature has been extinct for several millenia.

Caitians are born in small litters; it is common for a Caitian to be a triplet or quadruplet, and quints are not rare at all. An average Caitian family has between eight and 12 kittens in two to three litters. Caitians reach the age of majority at 15, and have a life expectancy of just under 90 years.

Caitians have different sleep patterns from most humanoids. They still get in 6-8 hours a night, but it is broken up into a main sleep period and a few "cat naps" throughout the day.

Philosophy and Religion
Caitians follow a nature-based religion. Mother Cait is their sole deity, and is represented as "star and planet, earth and sun, life and death, body and spirit. She is within the rock we stand on, and in the air we breathe. Her voice calls to us on the wind, and her tapestry guides us at night. And it is our duty to take care of her as she takes care of us."

All Caitians are considered equal, regardless of career, clan or gender. The more prestigious and influential clans are always considered "first among equals," which is probably the only remaining tie to the ancient caste structure.

Caitian life revolves around the tenets of their faith; cities are built as part of the surrounding ecology, not in place of it. There are no great farms cutting a swath across the land. What is grown is grown within the existing natural landcape. Homes are often built in the steel-like trees of the jungles themselves -- almost literally grown -- virtually invisible from above and below, but spacious and comfortable wihin the canopy.

The nucleus of Caitian life is the clan and the family. Clans are often tightly knit, with regular assemblies and get-togethers to share stories, enjoy feasts and decide the clan's political strategy in upcoming votes. "The individual family is the bond that holds Cait herself together," an ancient philospher once said. While kittens attend public schools for their academic learning, all of the "important" learning is done at home. Respect, loyalty, clan history and equality are all passed down from parent to kitten

As the clan is such a strong part of a Caitian's identity, she always wears clan colors or emblems on her clothing (although Caitians in Starfleet are not required to do so, since they have essentially made Starfleet their "adopted" clan for the length of their service). Formal clan outfits are reserved for special occasions, and are always very colorful (and sometimes mesmerizing to off-worlders). Semi-formal occasions (like the Blood Atonement) require the wearing of the clan sash.

As Caitians have always been predators, "The Hunt" is a quasi-religious experience. All Caitians hunt, although never for sport; everything a Caitian kills, he uses (even bones are bleached and ground down, to be used for various purposes). However, the hunt is part of the bonding between parent and kitten, and is often used to teach the younger lessons that can be used later in life.

Kayt-no-Kayt: Heaven and Earth
Cait is a lush, tropical moonless planet that is the second in orbit around the star of the same name. Slightly smaller than Earth, Cait is dominated by a single super continent, with two small island continents, and a variety of island chains dotting the rest of the ocean.

Gravity is Earth normal, and the oxygen rich atmosphere is also very similar to Terra.

The supercontinent covers almost the entire longitude of the planet in one hemisphere. The central area is a super-tropical region that is dominated by sweeping jungles teeming with life.

A massive mountain chain rises up along the west coast of the continent, just south of the super-tropical region. The Caitian capital of Rorgr'zz sits at the base of inland side of the mountains, near Karn't, the tallest mountain on the planet (some 9,000 meters high). Just northeast of Vastayn Province (where Rorgr'zz sits) lies a tropical savannah and desert region that forms the bulk of Utsat Province. The southern sub-tropical zones are dominated by light jungles, giving way to forests and great plains in the polar "antemperate" zone.

The northern part of the continent includes a vast inland sea that dominates the western half of the tropical and subtropical regions; savannahs and scrub plains in the east give way to a great temperate desert in the polar region.

A Day in the Life of Rorgr'zz
Rorgr'zz is a bustling city that would be considered a mid-sized metropolis on 23rd Century Earth. It is the largest city on the planet, boasting a population of seven million Caitians and alien residents, and is the center of commerce and entertainment.

The average Caitian awakes just before dawn, hops in the sonic shower (a Caitian invention from the early 2230's -- water is for drinking, not dowsing oneself in....at least that's what civilized beings think :) ), spends about a half-hour grooming himself, then heads off to town.

On the flitter ride into town, he is greeted by the merchant district, the shopowners selling their wares inside buildings that are colored in a special electrosensitive paint that allows the owner to program his own personal designs in. As Caitians see motion better than color, the paint schemes are often swirls of impossible combinations of colors that spin and dance about, catching the Caitian's eye...it's enough to make a human ill just looking at it (and enterprising merchants make good money at the spaceport selling goggles that tones the images down into something not so stomach churning for off-worlders).

The Caitian passes into the Corporate District, the nerve center of trade and commerce for many Caitian and several interstellar corporations. From some of the taller buildings, he could look over at the Assembly District and the government at work.

Further to the Southwest and some 6,000 meters above the canopy of the jungle, priests and monks of the First Temple of Cait look down upon the city. Off-worlders would have a hard time distinguishing the city from the surrounding jungle, and the Caitians prefer it that way. The monks go about their business of caring for the ancient temple, including the breathtaking balcony that sits "on top of the world." From this vantage point only 1,546 meters from the summit of Karn't, the Caitian is reminded of how close he is to Mother Cait as he stands "between Heaven and Earth." Of course, to climb any higher would cause the Caitian to be burnt by the Mother's glory, according to ancient legend.

The balcony is reached by a long, ancient staircase. The stairs themselves have a religious significance, and the Caitian ascending them sings an old prayer asking for clarity of vision to find what he seeks when rising to "meet Cait." At the top of the stairs, a priest sprinkles holy water on the visitor, which is an oily compound that also serves to counter the effects of the high altitude.

About three times a day, the city comes to a standstill as Caitians take hour-long "cat naps" at mid-morning, just after lunch, and mid-afternoon. Caitian's generally head home about an hour before sunset to prepare for the evening.

Rorgr'zz by night is just as busy, as artistic exhibits and performances dominate evening activities. Many Caitians will often take in an exhibit just before dusk, then head off to dinner in one of the many specialty restaurants and take in a theatrical or holo-vid performance, or finding their way to the arena for the nightly Rakun competition (they use blunts on the end of the blades to prevent injury....it's not a bloodsport by any means) or other sporting event (baseball became popular on Cait in the mid-2360's, brought over from Cestus III, and the first planet-wide league started up in 2374). The evenings end just before midnight as most Caitians head to bed for their lengthy sleep period, although, naturally, after-hours clubs cater to the night owls.

There it is, as comprehensive of a write up on Caitians as I can come up with in 3+ hours. Feel free to use it for your campaigns, although if anyone puts it onto a website, please credit Davy Jones. Thanks. :) Also, if anyone wants the lastest version of my Caitian Language write up, please PM me with your email addy and I'll be happy to send it out.

Dude I am so impressed I am going to create an award and give it to you :)

Great stuff!

I was never altogether taken with the Caitians, Davy, but I have to agree with Aslan here. This is some wonderful work, and even if I never plan to use them in my game, I think it would be just plain wrong not to tell you what a fine piece of kit this is.

Superb! :)

with the permission of Davy Jones, the CoDA Caitians is "On-LINE" at

www.simsherbrooke.com/strpg in the "Close encounter section"

A 4 pages document with arts and Lcars design ... ready to print :D

Theko

This is great work Davy, but just curiously; have read any of the current ‘New Frontiers’ work by Peter David? In one novel (STAR TREK: Gateways Book#6 New Frontier "Cold Wars") he brought ‘back’ Lt. M’Ress (I say ‘back’ as, how do you resurrect a character that the ‘big P’ says is non-continuity anyway?). In the same, we find out more interesting stuff w/Caitains: they’re fickle (they’ve joined and quit the UFP several times during the time that M’Ress was missing ‘in time’). And they HATE cat references (“I haven’t been killed by my curiosity, my native form of self-defense is not ‘cat boxing’…”…read the book, it’s hilarious :D). We also learn about their life span (can’t recall it off the top of my head…it’s comparable to humans though).

I've always had Caitians in my game - and this is great stuff.

For our first PC Caitian we needed a little something extra to give a new player (and character) a crutch in the game, so she got a free "trivia role" - a chance that the character would have read/heard/seen/etc. something about whatever had the PC's stumped.

Turned into a great narrator tool and a hillarious running gag as she always got *something* when she rolled - just not always something really useful. Sort of grew into a Cait-trait of them being a bit flighty socially - always after the next "really popular" thing/movie/etc. then moving on to a new hobby/passion the next day.

Played as very, very, very (did I say very) loyal to their clan/crew mates and sought after shipmates though.

And when faced with an upset Caitian - JUST DON'T RUN!

Modem: No, I haven't read any of the New Frontier novels...nor any book that didn't include RPG rules, Machiavelli or Harry Truman in the last few years. Kinda sad really, except for the fact that I've learned some really neat gaming systems in the last couple of years. :rolleyes:

I actually based the Caitian lifespan off of FASA info...they listed the critical age for Caitians as 45, about 10 years less than humans. Another reason for it was to play off of the "nine lives" thing. It's entirely possible that Caitians have a name for each decade of their lives...things might be expected of them in society at each stage.

The way I play Karlinarsti is that he uses a lot of Cait-centric references (and he curses regularly...being in his 40s and having been part of Starfleet for over a quarter-century -- started out enlisted). Kayt-no-Kayt, in the treatise above, is a phrase that referrs to the fact that Mother Cait is in everything (there is not a creature who falls to the earth without the Great Mother guiding its spirit into the afterlife). Literally, it means "heaven and earth," but modern Caitians use it in the same respect as Judeo-Christians use "Oh, my God!"

In general, he replaces "man" with "cat" in his thought and speech, and uses "kitten" to refer to anyone who's younger than he is. And when someone pulls a cat reference from Terran slang, he usually just rolls his eyes...even when it's true.... ;) I did try to include a lot of feline traits in Karlinarsti (aloofness, grace, curiosity), including his purring when experiencing something intense (like a back rub...Karl loves backrubs, but purring isn't limited to pleasure...recent studies have stated that cats also purr in negative situations, like pain). Of course, Karl purring sounds like two deckplates grinding together, but that's something else entirely. ;)

I'll write Karl up (and set him in the 2370s...the game I play him in is set in 2414). If anything, it'll be a good excercise in starting off with an enlisted character.

And no, I don't call Caitian martial arts "kitty-kwon-do." ;)

toadkiller: The trivia thing fits perfectly with my "romantic" worldview of Caitians. I had thought about including something similar to that in the racial abilities, but decided instead to go with the "Artistic" ability and leave the rest to roleplaying.

Some people, though, may have a hard time not running when a Caitian brandishes her claws... ;)

PS -- Thanks to everyone's interest and kind thoughts on my work. I was glad I could share it with you all. :) I plan on posting much of the stuff I create with the Decipher rules, and I always enjoy discussion and constructive criticism. Look for Karl here in the next week or two.

Child -- 1-7
Young -- 8-14
Adult -- 15-55
Old -- 56-85
Very Old -- 86+

Aging effects are described on Table 8.2, p. 145 of the PG.

I love this stuff!

Well done, that man :D

One minor niggle, you state that the government is a parliamentary-style democracy and the leader can order new elections, then imply that the Clans get a vote each in the Assembly. Is it their representatives that are elected? Do Clans tend to split themselves on political lines or unite behind one candidate? If the latter, is an election actually relevant?

You're right, it's a little contradictory, isn't is? Well, I've never let a little contradiction stop me... ;)

The clans are made up of a number of families, and yes, some hold elections. Each clan is allowed to choose the way they select their representatives, within guidelines established by the CA.

It is innacurate to say that the constitutional monarch can call for new "elections." What I should have said (and what I meant) is that the monarch can dissolve the Cabinet and force the CA to hold new elections for the Prime Minister and his/her Cabinet. Again, this hasn't happened in nearly 200 years, since the CA is pretty good at dealing with wayward PMs and Cabinet ministers. ;)

On a side note, I have Karlinarsti finished, and will post him within the next couple of days....one, note, though: I created him using the rules I settled on for enlisted characters, including a couple of promotion-like edges I created (and will post on the Enlisted rules thread). Stay tuned! :p

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sea Tyger
You're right, it's a little contradictory, isn't is? Well, I've never let a little contradiction stop me... ;)

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'Fraid I always take close note when a non-Brit says "the system is like that of England" or something similar. Our system is a little more complicated than it looks, and people in this country frequently get it wrong!

For reference, this isn't very close at all - unless the Assembly and Parliament are separate institutions. If so, perhaps the Parliament might be elected on a constituency basis (by region), and the Assembly appointed by clan heads? Dissolutions and re-elections would only apply to the Parliament.

Incidentally, the British Queen can't dissolve Parliament, only the Government (Prime Minister and cabinet), thus forcing the re-election of the Prime Minister by the House of Commons (a Vote of Confidence). Usually the PM chooses to go to the country for a General Election to reinforce his mandate at that point.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sea Tyger
The clans are made up of a number of families, and yes, some hold elections. Each clan is allowed to choose the way they select their representatives, within guidelines established by the CA.

It is innacurate to say that the constitutional monarch can call for new "elections." What I should have said (and what I meant) is that the monarch can dissolve the Cabinet and force the CA to hold new elections for the Prime Minister and his/her Cabinet. Again, this hasn't happened in nearly 200 years, since the CA is pretty good at dealing with wayward PMs and Cabinet ministers. ;)

On a side note, I have Karlinarsti finished, and will post him within the next couple of days....one, note, though: I created him using the rules I settled on for enlisted characters, including a couple of promotion-like edges I created (and will post on the Enlisted rules thread). Stay tuned! :p

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I look forward to it all!

Name: Karlinarsti (Clan Name: Fekiista Khalir)
Species: Caitian, Gender: Male, Age: 43
Ht.: 173 cm, Wt.: 66 kg, Eyes: Green, Mane: Dk. Brown
Pers Development: Engineering Brat, Pro Development: Enlisted Crewman
Profession: Enlisted, Elite Profession: Starship Engineering Officer
Advancements: 40

Attributes (rolls: 10, 10, 9, 9, 7, 4, 4, 4, 3)
Strength 9 (+1) Agility* 12 (+3) Intellect* 9 (+1) Vitality 9 (+1) Presence 4 (0) Perception 7 (0)

Reactions
Quickness +4 (+6 Dodge) Savvy 0 Stamina* +3 Willpower +2

* favored attribute or reaction

Initiative +4 Defense 10 Courage 6 Renown 4 (0/+7)^ Health 11

^ +7 renown bonus for Starfleet personnel and others who understand the significance of Karlinarsti's commendations

Species Abilities
Cat's Grace, Natural Weapons (claws), Traditional Weapons, Artistic (Craft), Night Vision edge, Reckless flaw

Professional Abilities
Rounded (Science, Armed Combat/Rakun), Engineering Expertise (Propulsion Engineering, Impulse Systems Specialty, +5 bonus), Engineering Certification, Jury-Rig, Miracle Worker, Technophile, System Overhaul, R&D Specialist (Construct/Repair, +5 bonus or half time)

Edges
Curious (pers dev), Commendation 1 (x5), Commendation 2, Innovative (Rounded x2, Technophile, R&D Specialist), Chief Petty Officer (x2), Famous Event (USS Axanar incident), Commission, Ally (Lt. Cmdr. Elise Dalmore), Promotion 2 (Lieutenant), Command 1

Flaws
Slow Healing

Skills
Armed Combat/Rakun 4 (+6), Athletics 2 (+3), Computer Use 5 (+6), Construct** 9 (+9/+14), Craft 1 (+4), Propulsion Engineering (Impulse Systems) 12 (+18), Systems Engineering 11 (+12), Structural Engineering 6 (+7), Gaming 2 (+3), Culture (Caitian) 3 (+4), History (Caitian) 3 (+4), Religion (Caitian) 3 (+4), Specific World (Cait) 3 (+4), Language/Caitian 4 (+5), Language/Federation Standard 2 (+3), Observe 1 (+0), Persuade 3 (+3), Energy Weapons 3 (+5), Repair** (Impulse Systems) 12 (+12/+17), Physical Science 9 (+10), Survival 3 (+3), System Ops 9 (+9), Unarmed Combat/Caitian 4 (+7)

**Number after the slash reflects bonus, if taken, given to Construct and Repair for R&D Specialist professional ability

Background
Karlinarsti was born to Niraolo and Kiranarsti of Cait in 2335, the third kitten in a litter of four. Niraolo was an enlisted engineering specialist in Starfleet (eventually retiring at the rank of Warrant Officer), and Karl followed in his father's footsteps in 2351 when he joined to become an impulse propulsion specialist.

His first assignment was to the Constellation-class exploratory cruiser USS Richtofen, where he gained some notoriety 2353 when he led a group of crewmembers in painting the ship bright red. Karl was officially reprimanded, but the captain kept the paint scheme until hostilities broke out with the Tholians later that year.

Midway through the Tholian War, Karl was transfered to the Merced-class light escort USS Samuel Gompers. He served as assistant chief engineer in a department led by a chief petty officer. The small warship, with a crew of 50, performed admirably during the war, and Karl eventually earned his engineering officer certification. He was promoted to Chief Petty Officer in 2362.

The following year, Karlinarsti transfered to the venerable Excelsior-class heavy cruiser USS Hood. His reputation as an engineering specialist grew, and Karl was commended further when his expertise helped the chief engineer repair the engines in a skirmish with Orion pirates.

Promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer, Karl transfered to the Intrepid-class criser USS Axanar in 2371. The Axanar saw a lot of action in the Dominion War, and Karl flourished in the combat environment. When the Axanar was being pummeled by Breen and Dominion warships in one of the closing battles of the war, Karl and a small group of engineers held the ship together under withering fire, long enough for most of the crew to evacuate before they set the warp core to explode.

Karl was rewarded with a commission, and an assignment to Starfleet's newest Akira-class cruiser, USS Montana. Karl has since been promoted to Lieutenant and serves as Chief Engineer.

Advancement Notes
2351-2352 2 advancements
2353-2360 16 advancements
-- 2355: Commendation 1, 2358: Commendation 1
-- 2359: Starship Engineering Officer Elite Profession
2361-2366: 6 advancements
-- 2362: Chief Petty Officer 1, 2366: Commendation 1
2367 2 advancements
2368-2372 5 advancements
-- 2371: Chief Petty Officer 2, 2372: Commendation 1
2373-2375 6 advancements
-- 2374: Commendation 1
-- 2375: Famous Event, Commendation 2, Commission
2376-2378 3 advancements

Quote:

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Originally posted by Imagus
...snip...

Incidentally, the British Queen can't dissolve Parliament, only the Government (Prime Minister and cabinet), thus forcing the re-election of the Prime Minister by the House of Commons (a Vote of Confidence). Usually the PM chooses to go to the country for a General Election to reinforce his mandate at that point.

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Ah, my mistake. I probably inserted Parliament in my mind when I learned about the monarch's powers. My apologies. :)

Being second generation from England and a self-proclaimed Anglophile, you'd think I'd know better. :p Obviously, I need to go back and study the British parliamentary system a little more... :D

Back on subject, there is no separate parliament from the Clans Assembly; the CA is the legislative government and chooses the Prime Minister. Much of the politics is in coalition building. Smaller clans will align themselves with larger and more influential ones, and the cabinet will have a similar look to the various voting blocks that develop within the CA itself.

The Caitian monarch, then, reflects the British monarch in his ability to dissolve the sitting Cabinet, forcing new PM elections within the CA itself. The rules are more parlimentarian in that respect, in that elections can be called earlier than the PMs term in office (which is not the case in the US...the US government has a set line of succession should the president resign or be removed from office against his will {death, impeachment, incapacitation}...the new president would be sworn in for the remainder of the term, and the next election cycle would begin on time).

Edited the character and bumped. Karlinarsti reflects my house rules on enlisted crewman characters.

Jump to: http://forum.trek-rpg.net/showthread...&threadid=4485 for my enlisted rules.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sea Tyger
Being second generation from England and a self-proclaimed Anglophile, you'd think I'd know better. :p Obviously, I need to go back and study the British parliamentary system a little more... :D

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No offence taken - just trying to make a confusing system clearer :) I have the advantage of having a friend who works as an assistant/adviser to one of the more controversial government ministers...

Incidentally, I made a mistake too - I kept substituting Parliament for House of Commons. Parliament is both the Commons (equivalent to the House of Representatives) and the House of Lords (mostly hereditary aristocracy, althought that's changing as we speak). In most republican systems the Assembly/Senate (appointed or elected by individual states/regions) takes the place of the Lords. In ours, all the real power technically lies in the Commons, but is wielded by numerous House Committees appointed from various MPs and Lords.

Re: the Caitians - I love it all! I think one option might be for the Monarch to select a PM from the CA representatives. With veto power in the hands of the Assembly, this could lead to some interesting politics as the PM attempts to balance between the desires of the Monarch and the Clans. The coalition-building would still be there, but would be much more likely to form along old alliance lines, with new mutual interest lines forcing a lot of fluidity in the balance. This is similar to our system about three hundred years ago!

Quote:

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Originally posted by Imagus
Re: the Caitians - I love it all! I think one option might be for the Monarch to select a PM from the CA representatives. With veto power in the hands of the Assembly, this could lead to some interesting politics as the PM attempts to balance between the desires of the Monarch and the Clans. The coalition-building would still be there, but would be much more likely to form along old alliance lines, with new mutual interest lines forcing a lot of fluidity in the balance. This is similar to our system about three hundred years ago!

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Excellent idea, Imagus! I've edited the government section of Caitian culture (page 1 of this thread) to reflect that.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sea Tyger
Excellent idea, Imagus! I've edited the government section of Caitian culture (page 1 of this thread) to reflect that.

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Bows...

You're welcome! :)

I still rankle at the idea it's very similar to the UK though! :D

Somehow, I managed to not see this thread back when it was new. Great stuff, Davy, my compliments. I may have to print out this entire thread to and add it to my TrekRPG files.

Only quibble I have is that 0.1 kg seems awfully light for a parrying dagger, even if it is only 20-23 cm, especially compared to a 1.5 kg sword. Unless the dagger is made out of some exotic high-strength light-weight material, I'd adjust it to about 0.5 kg. That would put it in the same ballpark as the parrying daggers used in SCA rapier duels.

BTW, if you want to do some real world research on rapier-and-dagger combat, you could go to http://www.sca.org and see if there's a group that practices near you.

Quote:

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Originally posted by Sarge
Only quibble I have is that 0.1 kg seems awfully light for a parrying dagger, even if it is only 20-23 cm, especially compared to a 1.5 kg sword. Unless the dagger is made out of some exotic high-strength light-weight material, I'd adjust it to about 0.5 kg. That would put it in the same ballpark as the parrying daggers used in SCA rapier duels.

BTW, if you want to do some real world research on rapier-and-dagger combat, you could go to http://www.sca.org and see if there's a group that practices near you.

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Looking at that description, it doesn't look right. That might have been a typo...I'll check that out. :)

As far as the real-world research goes, I don't have the perception or agility of a Caitian, so I'll stick to my fencing. :D

(Sarge, dou know that your sig looks like it was written by Yes? ;) )

Nothing wrong with fencing; that's the first form of swordplay I ever learned. I still have a foil that I pick up and play with occasionally. It's unbelievably light and fast compared to a rapier, and about an order of magnitude faster than a rattan broadsword. I have to admit I preferred epee and sabre, but all of us were expected to master the foil before moving on to the fun weapons.

Sig by Yes? No, sig by Sarge.

Hmm... Sig by Sarge. Sounds like my own private line of designer sigs. Maybe I should copyright that phrase.