Make your own species?

[adza]

I recently did a "Special Guest Director" appearance in our game, and had come up with an interesting idea for the crew to meet a new non-canon species. i could have just left it as it was, giving the crew a description of what they looked like, but a new NPC had to be introduced that would link this episode to my next episode that i will be "Guest directing" soon. so i used the rules in the narrators guide to make a new species. Has anyone else done this, and not just to make a new UBER villain?

Oh, and here is the species:

Species Profile: Belarans.

Personality: Belarans are similar in mindset to humans, running the gamut of peaceful to violent, calm or reactive, in fact any personality type. What truly unites them as a species, however, is a belief that they must band together against the threats of other species. Most Belarans will readily take the side of another Belaran in a conflict, as long as it does not offend their individual sensibilities, over that of friend. It is this dichotomy of personal freedom and species unity that typifies a Belaran. Unfortunately, Belarans are culturally conditioned to mistrust psionic beings, and usually refuse to associate with them.

Physical Description: Belarans are a felinoid species smaller than humans (around 150cm tall) and are also of thinner build. Due to their feline ancestry, their eyes appear similar to Terran felines, and their canine teeth are long and needle sharp. Their teeth make it difficult for them to make sibilant “s” sounds, usually turning them into “SH” sounds. Also, Belarans are capable of resting even if they are not tired, so are rarely fatigued. They are usually garbed in a singular cloth outfit known as a Jisha, which is similar to a toga or Indian sari.

Homeworld: Ghind, a beautiful, semi arid world, seventh planet orbiting the star Ghelmanos, a bright, yellow white star that releases a unique form of metrion radiation.

Culture: Belaran culture is extremely relaxed and believes in personal freedom for its citizens. Like the Federation, they abolished currency and the ethos of the acquisition of wealth, and Belarans are encouraged to pursue whatever career and pastime will bring them happiness. Family is a somewhat amorphous entity in Belaran culture, since monogamy is an alien concept to them. Children are raised by whichever parent or relative is capable of doing so at the time, and this can change on a monthly basis. Surprisingly, this does not stunt the concept of deep and abiding love and attachment in Belaran society. People are encouraged to love deeply, but also to realize when the feeling is no longer there. Belaran mistrust of psions is deep and pervasive in their society, and the rare times a psion is uncovered, the family keeps it quiet until the government takes the discovered psion away. Most Belarans do not know what happens to these people.

Languages: Belaran.

Common names: Like Many cultures, Belarans have two names the first is their birth name, and the second is a name of their own, chosen at the age of 15.

Male names: Ashtronil, Bikar, Demash, Ghem, Gonosh, Hokar, Loshem, Ror, Shim, Toma, Zorash.

Female names: Arillia, Agroniana, Casha, Einia, Imaine, Jillara, Kimrino, Moruva, Wurvia, Xyina.

Chosen names: Ashto, Binu, Feran, Inarm, Inoro, Kint, Nomek, Nosta, Shato.

Favored Profession: Rogue, Security officer, Soldier. With their quick reflexes, Belaran’s are excellent in frontline situations. With their keen senses, they make efficient and speedy investigators. Some shadier Belarans have left their homeworld and found a successful life of crime, a few even joining the Orion syndicate.

Species Adjustments: +2 Agility.

Species Abilities:

Adrenal Glands: Belaran adrenal glands are much larger than those of other species, and located under the brain. This gives them extremely quick reaction times, possessing the edge (Alert).

Keen Senses: Due to their predatory feline ancestors, Belarans have extremely keen senses. They possess both Skill focus (Keen hearing) and Skill focus (Keen sight).

Intolerant: Belarans have long mistrusted psionics, and this has been reinforced by most aspects of Belaran culture. Belarans possess the flaw Intolerant (Psions). Some Belarans have managed to overcome this prejudice, but they are usually those who have left their homeworld for some reason.



Notable Belarans

Casha Nosta was the woman who negotiated the peace between the fractious Belaran governments when their sun began to release deadly Metrion radiation in 2071. Due to her tireless efforts to save her people, she quickly became somewhat of a legend in her own time. She died in 2103, due to metrion radiation poisoning.
Komar Nomek was a simple man who became a great military leader. He personally led the conflict against a now unknown aggressor, saving the Belaran race from annihilation. Although the details of this war are lost, the name Komar Nomek lives on.

[IceGiant]

Nicely Done

[Mazza]

And kudos for giving me a week off, special guest director! I love narrating, but sometimes it is nice to see it from another perspective. The Belarans were great.

[CaptainVarne]

Very nice species write-up! I frequently create new species in my series, since I'm in the process of trying to populate an entire sector. Not all of them are uber villains. Some are just average joe schmoes.

[adza]

Any good Examples to post, captain Varne?

I was thinking of compiling a lot of these species, so they could be used for new narrators who need some ideas. sometimes an interesting species can be an episode idea in itself.

[CaptainVarne]

Sure! We had the same idea on the Decipher boards awhile back. Well, actually, it was for a Worlds online supplement, but most of us included native species (I always do a system and planet when creating an alien race). Here's a link to it. I have another race that I've been working on, but I'm at work right now (always taking time away from my play time).

http://forums.decipher.com/viewtopic.php?t=2633

When I get home, I'll try to post my newest race from the Neguyen Sector, the Sopari.

[CaptainVarne]

Here is my latest addition. System, planet, species, and sample ship of the species.


System Name: Kithican
System Type: A4 IV
Affiliation: Zabral Empire; Delta Quadrant, Neguyen Sector
Inhabited Planets: Zabral 4 (Class M)
Other Planets:
-Zabral 1 (Class D)
-Zabral 2 (Class D)
-Zabral 3 (Class Y)
-Zabral 5 (Class M, terraformed)
-Zabral 6 (Class K)
-Zabral 7 (Class L)
-Zabral 8 (Class T)
-Zabral 9 (Class G)
Other Stellar Objects: Oort Cloud, Kithican Nebulae
Artificial Objects: Krobaan (military space station)

The Kithican system is the center of the Zabral Empire. Presently, this system has not been discovered by any Federation starship, but the effects of this system can be felt throughout the Neguyen Sector. The entire system is hidden inside a deep nebulae, masking the system from long range sensors.

Planet Name: Zabral 4
Class: Class M
Moons or Rings: Ring system, Zabral 4a (Class D), Zabral 4b (Class G)
Gravity: 1.1g (14,000km diameter, Earth-like density)
Climate:
-Atmosphere: Standard
-Temperature: 0c
-Hydrosphere: 70%
Demographics: 400 million Sopari
Civilization:
-Motives: Aggression
-Tech Level: 7
-Government: Senate (300 members)
--Voted by election, but limited by religion
Resources:
-Agriculture: Plentiful
-Anti-Matter: Very plentiful
-Dilithium: Very plentiful
-Industrial Goods: Rare
-Latinum: Plentiful
-Medicines: Common
-Metals: Rare

Zabral 4 is the governmental seat of the Zabral Empire and home world of the Sopari. The planet is surrounded by a minor ring system and two moons.


Sopari

Personality: The Sopari are a very proud and deeply religous people. Every Sopari firmly believes that he or she is entitled to everything that they can see. As a whole, the species believes they are the center of the universe.
Physical Description: Average height between 1.5m and 1.7m. Average weight is between 41kg and 82kg. The Sopari have a very pale skin color, but their hair color has a full range. Their eyes are always a deep emerald green. Bone ridges fan down below each eye along the cheek bone.
Culture: While the Sopari are a very religious people, there seems to be no formal center to their beliefs. The Sopari family structure is formed around small clans. Members of a clan are always related, but the extended family does not go farther than first cousins. Clans that grow beyond this point eventually split off into new clans.
Languages: T'Koth (Sopari)
Common Names:
Male - Vorin, Antar, Baloth, Zorin
Female - Maritha, Pherin, Katara, Titha
Clan Names - Dorthar, Callok, Nandar, Hathi
Favored Profession: Soldier. While many Sopari can be found in other professions, the majority of the species goes into the military.
Species Adjustments:
+1 Vitality due to the cold temperature of Zabral 4
-1 Presence because of their cultural beliefs
Species Abilities:
Camoflage - Sopari have pale skin with a light green tiger pattern all over their body (-3 to observe tests in cold environments)
Clan - All Sopari belong to a clan offering +1 courage. Those without a clan are considered dishonored and lose this bonus

The USS Spector made first contact with the Sopari just outside the Coraxna system in June of 2380. They discovered that this species is aggressive but not unyielding. The captain of the Sopari ship extended good will to the crew of the Spector and invited them to explore the Neguyen Sector. However, he has yet to tell them where the Sopari homeworld is.


Sopari Warship

Production Data:
Class and Type: Mazareth-Class Battleship
Year Launched: 2368

Hull Data:
Structure: 50
Size/Decks: 10/30
Length/Height/Beam: 870m/750m/350m
Complement: 300

Operational Data:
Transporters: 5 standard, 5 cargo, 5 emergency
Cargo Units: 30
Shuttlebay: 2 aft-dorsal, 1 aft-ventral
Shuttlecraft: 9 size 2 shuttles
Tractor Beams: 1 fore-ventral, 1 fore-dorsal
Atmosphere: None
Seperation System: None
Masking System: None
Sensor System: Class 3 (+3/D)
Operations System: Class 3 (D)
Life Support: Class 3 (D)

Propulsion Data:
Impulse System: Type V (.75c) (D)
Warp System: Type VI (6/7/ (D)

Tactical Data:
Pulse Type-I Phasers (x6/D)
Penetration: 7/7/6/0/0
Type VI Torpedoes (x6/D)
Penetration: 9/9/9/9/9
Class 7 Deflector Shields
Protection/Threshold: 17/5

Miscellaneous Data:
Maneuver Modifiers: +2C, +2H, +2T
Traits: None

By: Chris Wilson AKA CaptainVarne