TheMothMan
the man, the myth, the moth
Species name:
General Appearance:
Biology:
Notable Abilities:
Culture:
Description of Home Planet:
General Appearance:
Biology:
Notable Abilities:
Culture:
Description of Home Planet:
Nahualoc
General Appearance: Nahualoc do not have a uniform appearance thanks to the extreme divergent evolution which occurred as certain populations migrated towards the surface of the water, and then onto land. Thus, it is very difficult for an outside observer to identify Nahualoc on physiognomy alone. More often than not, the Nahualoc share the following features:
- ovoid eyes with black sclera
- relatively flat noses with thin, slit-like nostrils
- gills along the neck and torso, sometimes additional gill sacs that can store air or water for later use.
- smooth, somewhat moist skin, sometimes with extant growths mimicking the texture of corals, sea flora or exoskeletal ridges.
- fins of some type, even if they are merely vestigal
-arms of some type, ranging in number from two to twelve.
Biology: Despite their differing features, Nahualoc are alike at the cellular level. They are not biologically compatible with many species because of their differing organ and tissue structures. For example, a Nahualoc-human hybrid would have to be engineered into existence, and the genetics cobbled together to such a degree that the resulting hybrid would be of a completely different species entirely. This, unfortunately, has not stopped the production of many a salacious romance novel.
The average Nahualoc lifespan is 120 years with a natural cause of death, but many do not survive to half that age if put through Imperial Service or into the enigma called the Fabricantory.
Nahualoc have gills at birth, developing lungs at 24 months.
Notable Abilities: All Nahualoc are excellent swimmers; diving into the darkest parts of the sea with ease. Nahualoc capable of sustained land-based travel generally belong to families of note, whose surnames they inherit from their mothers.
The Nahualoc can show aptitude in the following: Art, Music, Business, Medicine, Chemistry, Aquaculture, Biotech, Genetics, Military Sciences, etc.
Certain Nahualoc may have one of the following natural abilities:
Sonic Suggestion, Paralyzing Shock, Poison Barbs, Exoskeleton/Carapace, and _
Culture: The Nahualoc caste system, maintained for centuries before the Empire's existence, divides their people according to the depth of the ocean at which they dwell. The Shorebound, who live predominately on land, are held in high regard as influential, erudite persons and afforded every right and luxury available. At the other end of the spectrum are the Bottomfeeders, who, much like their name implies, live and eat at bedrock level of the ocean and rarely see the sky. Bottomfeeders rarely surface, let alone interact with Nahualoc of higher classes. Their career options are very limited; only a visit to the Fabricantory could make them fit for off-world travel or military service. The levels between these two extremes are not very well-defined and hotly debated in the wake of imperial colonization.
At the local level of government, the Nahualoc still operate as a fiefdom, as most regions below surface are difficult for non-nahualoc to access. However, the Empire makes the laws and controls major components like mass production of common goods, imports and exports, military resources, and even capital punishment centers. Generally, relations with the Empire are tense - some of the Shorebound and the middling classes are pro-Empire, seeing a chance to elevate their own social clout or financial prospects even higher. The High Queen, Senantzintli, is the only one authorized to initiate intra-planetary war, but that seems to be enough to stave off revolution.
Description of Home Planet: Tlaloc is a terrestrial planet. Its surface is 90% water, and most land is swampy wetlands. Due to the scarcity of land, most surface property is reserved for the rich and influential families. The indigenous people of this planet are varying degrees of aquatic & amphibious, though since joining the empire many different species from a variety of planets have immigrated to Tlaloc due to its bustling trading economy. The largest Nahualoc cities are built from the sea floor up, half emerged in the ocean, half above surface. Traditional Nahualoc Biotech and foreign, electronics-based technology live side by side, one often haphazardly tacked onto the other by hopelessly optimistic researchers. As for natural resources, salt and water are plentiful - they can be separated from the oceans thanks to the Desalination facilities dotting the seascape. Attempts to terraform Tlaloc have been successfully blocked thus far, but land-space has been recently added in the form of flotilla colonies - home to more foreign species than Nahualoc, and mostly considered a nuisance to all but the most liberal-minded sea-dwellers.
