6F09.TXT

HD 6F09  Contact: Tirrils. Updated for TNE
By
Roger Myhre
Ammerudgrenda 168
0960 Oslo 9
Norway


Introduction.
Tirrils are an Avian race native to Tirrokoelaegz (Gvurrdon 1821).
They were first contacted in about year 600 (Imperial.) When the system
was first settled the Tirrils got hunted for their fine colored feathers.
However Some scientist could prove that the Tirrils actually was
sentient. Huntings got disbanded overnight. However Tirrils are still
hunted illegally for their feathers.


Physical description
As and avian race the Tirrils have a light bodyframe. The skeleton
is hollowed to further decrease the body weight. They are about 150
centimetre high and weight about 40Kg. They got a 15cm long seagull like
beak. Their feathers are colored from bright red to deep navy blue. The
chest and abdomen is generally white or silver grey. Some may have a
brown taint on the chest color. Upper back and head and the front edge of
the wings are usually black with a shiny blue taint. Females usually
lacks this taint. And they have also lighter colored beak, which is
yellow. The eyes are mounted on the sides of the head, giving near 360
degrees full vision. Mid-way between the shoulder and the wingtip there
are a set of claws, not unlike a bat, but these claws gives somewhat
better grip, but not much.


Diet.
The Tirrils mainly eat vegetables, fruits or roots, but they may
supplement with small rodents and insects. A few is also eating fish when
they can catch some. Their main diet is the Lummi root. This root comes
from a pest plant that kill other plants for living. The plant in its
self is poisonous, but the root is not. Humans and Vargr find this root
too sweet for taste, but it is edible. The root is protected by law, so
that the Tirrils can get their necessary nutrition supply. Farmers has
tried to fight this law, but in 875 an agreement was met. The Tirrils
would eat off any root they found in farmlands to aid the farmers, so
that their harvest would not be destroyed. Lummi root has with some luck
been exported to other systems. Those systems that has Lummi roots, grows
them in greenhouses that has been carefully sealed off.


Language.
The Tirril language is built up by a complex form of whistling and
chirping sing song. This was the most difficult barrier the vargr
scientist had to break to make contact with the Tirrils. Vargr proves
unable to whistle in the same fashion as humans, when they do not have
the same lip control. However the Tirrils have been quite adept at
learning to speak like Vargr quite well. There is a few sounds that the
Tirrils can't make. Most human languages has proven better. Body stance
is also quite important in the language, but it is more like the body
language of humans when it comes to gestures that underlines some meaning
in a sentence. The body language in itself is performed differently. This
has not made any major problems in cross species communication.

Vargr communicate with Tirrils either with computer or flute.
Tirrils themselves prefer that a flute is used when it produces more
pleasing sound than a computer. Humans may whistle, but again a flute is
preferred. Along with the standard linguistics skill the translator
should also be familiar with the artisan skill that handles flutes.


Technology.
Prior to contact with Vargr Tirrils had an effective TL of 0, which
in most cases would classify them as barely sentient. However their
integrated clan structure and the limited ability to use tools was one of
the things that made Vargr scientist suspicious to their "un-intelligent"
behaviour. It was later found out that the Tirrils had extremely good
understanding of mathematical problems. The most skilled of the Tirrils
are actually able to calculate jump coordinates precisely for distances
up to 1 parsec within 25 minutes. And that without any help from abacuses
or other mathematical tools.

After the contact with Vargr, Tirrils have enjoyed increase in
technology. However the Tirrils do not manufacture anything themselves.
The clans get paid in hardware for different services they do for the
Vargr. The equipment they get varies with the job and the value of both
the job and the equipment. Tools like special made knifes and night
vision equipment are among the most popular items. Waldos are also
available, but the Tirrils usually doesn't use them when they inhibit
them from flying. The most popular item is small long range portable
radios. This makes clans able to communicate with each other over long
distances. Through relays they might also communicate by satellite to
clans on the other side of the planet.


Homeworld.
Their homeworld is Tirrokoelaegz, which is in Gvurrdon (1821). The
planet is a size 4 body orbiting a F4 V star. The star got a M4 D
companion in orbit 2 which gives the planet somewhat distorted season
temperatures at times. The gravity is at 0.47G which makes these rather
large avians able to fly. The Tirrils have proven able to fly in dense
atmospheres on planets with gravity up to 0.76G. The temperatures is
fairly high. Averaging 59°C in the summer (at equator) to 45°C at winter
at the same place.


Government.
The Tirrils do not have any ruling on the planet, but they are
protected by law against hunting and other acts of destruction. The vargr
population on the planet is rather small (510,000) compared to the
Tirrils (2,890,000). However the more influential clans of the Tirrils
have the opportunity to voice their opinion on different things. The
ruling body on Tirrokoelaegz is rather small. The interstellar government
that encompass this world is ruled by a tight elite. The Vargr
population is divided between Equals and Non-Equals. Only the Vargr that
has been rated Equal may take ruling position in the government. This has
made some problems with the Tirrils. So the planet government had to come
up with a simple solution. After much bickering an agreement was met.
Only the elders in a clan would be rated equal, and thus have the
opportunity to voice their opinion.


Clans.
The Tirrils are organized in family clans. A clan ranges from 20 to
a few hundred individuals. The head of the clan is the elders. That is
those who are at least 22 years old. There is no distinct clan head, but
the elders form some sort of council. The different clans can be
distinguished from each other by the clan marking that is on the throat
and upper part of the chest. When two clans is merging into one, or a
group of Tirrils break out from a clan the markings change to the new
clan that has been formed.

There is little fighting between the clans. Some confrontation do
exist when the clans needs new territory. However any outright war is
extremely rare. However after the Vargr arrived some clans have not
forgiven the Vargr for the hunting of fellow Tirrils. Thus these clans
are mostly outright hostile to Vargr. This has also lead to a few messy
confrontations between pro- and con-vargr.

The clans usually moves from place to place depending on season and
how well the land around can feed them. Their "homes" are everything from
a dug out hole in the ground to a copse of trees that gives good
protection. In the cities there is built special clan houses that varies
is size. These clan houses are free for use by any clan that is on visit.


Clan Economy.
As a lot of Tirrils are in employ of various Vargr and a few human
patrons, the clan gets payment in form of credit or equipment for these
services. The credits are put into an account that the elders administer
for the welfare of the clan. Equipment are usually personal to the
recipient until that one dies. Then the equipment is handed over to the
elders for reassignment to a new user. The account with credits are
usually used for covering repair of broken equipment or new computer
programs. The money is also spent on other things that will help the
clan. A few clans have specialized on trading with other worlds in
Society of Equals and beyond. To these worlds there is sent emissaries.
The emissary group is usually built up by a few elders and claners to
provide for them. Sometimes Vargr do accompany these groups for support.


Tirrils as characters or NPC's
having Tirrils as character can give a party some problems. At high
G worlds they will be unable to fly properly if at all. Neither is there
easy to get vacc suits for them. Filter masks and such do not exist at
all. A Tirril is fairly short lived. They start their career at an age of
2 years (standard), when they reach the age of 10 they start to feel the
age on their shoulders. And that more severely as humans. At the age of
22 they will usually return to their clan to take the position of an
elder. Most Tirrils doesn't get older than 30 odd years.

Many Tirrils has taken up careers in the armed forces of Society of
Equals, the Vargr interstellar government that rules the local space.
These position are usually navigators or recon jobs. Other careers are
valets or entertainers on taverns or merchant ships. The latter use them
also for navigation.

Stats         Roll
-------------------
Strength      2D-4
Agility       1D+3
Constitution  1D+3
Intelligence  2D-1
Education     1D
Cha           1D to a max of 15
Soc           na

Note: Tirril Cha works much in the same way as Vargr Cha. That will say that
a Tirril with high Cha will have better social status in the pecking order.
DM's for homeworld has been taken into account.

The base weight is 45Kg

For the Imperial equivalent of social status use a fixed stat of 5.
There is possible for a Tirril to take a career in a Vargr career.
These careers are: Navy, Scouts, and Entertainer.

Use the career lists in the rulebook, but adjust the requirements down so
that the character may enter it early on.

Navy:        Int 8+; Note that Tirrils do not get ship DM's
Scout:       Int 6+; Note that Tirrils do not get ship DM's
Entertainer: Cha 5+

Tirrils get few money for their service rendered. The reason for this is
that Tirrils lives in a low technology community, and is content with that.
However the little they earn fall back to their clan. This does not mean
that the Tirril will be left without money, but just that it will have far
less spending money than a ordinary character. Give the Tirrils character
100 cred per term, this is what she gets to keep.

There are two main careers which are native to Tirrils that they can enter.
One is hunter/caretaker, and the other is Elder.

For Hunter/Caretaker use the Hunter/Guide on page 47 of the rulebook with
these exceptions:

 - Exchange Vehicle with Flying
 - Technological skills are not available beyond one level per term.
 - Skills that require fine manupilations as surgery are not available.
 - Exhange Economics with Waldo.
 - Technological skills may not be higher than skill in Waldo use.
 - Starship DM's are not available.
 - Money is not earned.

Elders do never travel, so as characters they fit badly, so I won't give a
full character generation listing just a few skills they acquire as Elders.
All Tirrils that are out travelling will return home to their clan, or form
their own to become an Elder when they reach the age of 22.

Effects of becomeing Elder:
 - Charisma is increased with 2 the first term.
 - Education is increased with 1
 - On terms after the first the Charisma is increased by one.
 - Elders do not get money.

Elder skills:
 - Interaction
 - Charisma
 - Determination
 - Perception
 - History
 - Psychology

If a PC Tirrils reach the age of 22, the character will cease to exist, and
will become a NPC. The PC's may later use this Elder as an source
ofinformation later on if necessary.

At the start of 6'th term the Tirril becomes automatically an elder.
Clan refers to a character than lives and work for his or hers family
clan.


New Skills:

Math: This skill makes a Tirril able to calculate the jump
coordinates up to one parsec without any tool for help. The numbers
however must be then put into a computer. The Skill is governemd by
Intelligence.

To calculate one parsec jump.
Difficult Math

Referee: this task does not substitute the navigational task, but
can be useful if the nav computer is down and the ship has to make an
emergency jump.

Flying: This gives the Tirril better ability to maneuver in the sky.


Aging table.
Term    Age      Str      Agl      Con      Int
----------------------------------------------------
 2      10        Y        -        -        -
 3      14        Y        Y        -        -
 4      18        Y        Y        Y        -
 5      22        Y2       Y        Y        -
 6      26        Y2       Y2       Y        Y
 7      30        Y2       Y2       Y2       Y
 8      34+       Y3       Y2       Y2       Y

Yn means that the stat are reduced with n levels.


Psionics.
Tirrils are fairly well adapted in psionics, but very little
training is available. To measure Psionics strength roll 2D. Subtract one
for each term beyond 2.


Tirril custom made equipment.
-----------------------------
Waldos.
These are strap-on arms. However a Tirril will need help to strap
one on, unless it got a specific stand to help him with that. Depending
on TL the waldos can do different things that the Tirrils are not able to
without these tools. However spite of the inherit str and dex of the
waldos the Tirril will not be able to carry items heavier than its basic
carry ability. Low TL waldos are controlled by control leads that are
connected to the three claws on each wing, making it somewhat cumbersome.
A Tirril wearing waldos is not able to fly.

TL   Weight      Str   Dex    Duration    Control      Noise     Price
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
10   10Kg         8     8        3Hrs     Wire         Whine     1000Cr
12    9Kg         8     9      3.5Hrs     Wire       Soft Whine  1200Cr
14    8kg        10     9        4Hrs     Neural       Silent    3000Cr


Sensor helmets.
Scouts and Recon Tirrils are issued these items in their tour of
service. A few is also lucky to be given such equipment when they muster
out. The helmet is a typical half helmet with visor that can be lowered
and raised. Several types of visors are available. The helmet in itself
is standard for all types. The visors are interchangeable. Plain helmet
cost 500Cr and weight about 500g. The helmet may be connected to a
communicator and a computer. This is valuable for forward observers that
can relay the information by datalink to an artillery battery.

TL  Visor                     Weight      Duration       Price
---------------------------------------------------------------
 9  IR + Image enhance          400g       3Hrs          1000Cr
 9  Low Light + Image Enhance   400g       3Hrs          1200Cr
12  IR + LL + IE                500g       4Hrs          2000Cr
 9  Laser range finder add-on  +100g       -10%          +500Cr


Weapons.
There is a limited range of weapons available to Tirrils. Partly
because firearms requires waldos to wield them. And that the Vargr is
afraid that unfriendly clans are going to use the weapons against them.
Thus the Vargr will not repair any firearms that Tirrils use if they
become broken. However this is not the case with Tirrils that are in
active or semi-active military service. If Tirrils use weapons not meant to
be controlled by waldoes, increase the difficulty with one level. Weapons
are usually in the 5 to 7mm range. An odd laser carabine may also be
encountered, but most usually then in military service.

Bladed weapons come in a wide variety, but most common are wing spurrs, and
beak daggers. Threat both as dagger according to the rules in TNE.