K.TXT

      Kaagilraan's Syndrome: A rare blood disease that can lie dormant for

years, then flare up suddenly. It is incurable, but medication can control it.

The medication's short shelf-life requires replacement every few months.



      Kaaribilanidin (Vland Club): Kaaribilanidin is less violent than many

pro-Vilani societies. The group is not strictly anti-Terran, but believes that

Vland, because of its historical status as the capital of the First Imperium,

should have more direct control over political decisions in the Imperium.

      Kaaribilanidin was founded on Vland in 654, shortly after the Civil War.

It was instrumental in influencing Emperor Zhakirov to reject the Solomani

Movement's basic positions and to sympathize with Vilani nobles.



      Kaarike University: on Vland, part of AAB.



      Kaenguerradz: "racial superiority." Most Vargr believe that their

special origin makes them more important than other races. "High kaenguerradz"

reasons that the Ancients had specimens of all intelligent races of the time,

and would have been foolish not to produce one that was better than any other.

      "Low kaenguerradz" propounds that the Vargr were the original sapient

race on Terra. Humans were genetically manipulated to produce intelligence. To

keep the pre-existing Vargr from interfering in the experiments on the humans,

the Ancients exterminated the Vargr on Terra after transferring a small

breeding stock to Lair.



      Kankurur: a large bird of prey native to Vland. Capable of carrying up

to 20 kg in its talons, the bird was trained and used like the Terran carrier

pigeon. The kankurur could carry small cargos as well as paper messages.



      Karunii: The heads of the three Vilani megacorporations, the "Petit

Emperors" of the Ziru Sirkaa.



      Kellacyn: A tranquilizer used to slow heart and respiration activity.

Normally used for subduing large animals, and not intended for use on humans.



      Kesternet: plant which grows only on St. George/Vland. A important

ingredient of anagathic drugs.



      Kforuzeng: The most powerful Vargr corsair band in Gvurrdon sector. from

1105 to 1107, it virtually monopolized all corsair activity along most of the

length of the Domain of Deneb border. It remained the largest band even after

severe decline. Its growth is surging again amidst the chaos of the Rebellion.

The Kforuzeng has a reputation for extreme ruthlessness.



      Khu Su'Ikh: Aslan sector-wide corporation. Khu Su'Ikh maintains a

benevolent monopoly of rift passage service through the Riftspan Reach sector.

Its name, which means Five Shields, refers to the five major worlds across the

rift.

      Its fleet includes large cargo carriers capable of jump-5. The company

makes its profit from repair and supply services on world within the rift. It

provides navigation information for other ships crossing the rift. Its even

handed treatment makes rift crossings relatively safe.

      Soon after the jump-5 route was discovered in -1044, the Wahtoi clan

staked a claim to many worlds in the sector. Naturally enough, a trading

company tied to the Wahtoi soon monopolized trade across the rift. About -750,

the Aroaye'i established itself as the dominant clan on Aulryakh, the route

terminus. After several years of clan warfare, the Wahtoi accepted the

Aroaye'i as partners. The two clans are equal partners today.



      Kian (Psuedostruthio gigas): Large herbivorous grazers native to

Prilissa/Trin's Veil. Due to their hardy nature, they were exported as beasts

of burden, and are now common in the coreward reaches, both domesticated and

in the wild.

      The kian is a large biped with a large neck, short tail, and no other

limbs. Their legs are powerfully muscled for fast movement over long

distances. Hearing and eyesight are extremely good. They are thickly furred,

their coats showing distinctive color patterns of brown, gold, lemon-yellow,

and black.

      They are plains dwellers, travelling in herds of 10-60. A closed

circulatory system and a high metabolic rate requires they eat 30-50 kilograms

of vegetable matter daily. Two stomachs allow

the animal to break down the toughest plant life into digestible matter. A

thick layer of fat insulates in cooler climes, and protects from venomous

bites or stings.

      When attacked or frightened, kians will usually flee. If cornered, they

can deliver deadly kicks with either hooved foot. The large claws projecting

from the backs of the feet are present only in the male: they seem to be used

solely for ritual combat between males before mating.

      The sturdiness of their frames has made them a frequent choice for use

as mounts or pack animals. Kians can carry up to 250 kilos comfortably, but

will refuse t move if overloaded. They cannot tolerate thin atmospheres, and

require a special filter/muzzle (cr50) for tainted atmospheres.

   Number & Type  Weight  Hits    Armor  Wounds/Wpns  Reactions

    10-60 Grazer   400kg  25/10    Jack   10 hooves    F9 A4 S3



      Kidulans: Minor race from Kidulaar (Fornast 0819).



      Kilati: Vilani musical form.



      K'kree: Major race descended from six-legged herbivore/grazers native to

the world of Kirur (Ruupin 1315), K'kree are among the most massive of the

major races, and are the only major race descended from herbivores. The adult

K'kree stands about 1.5 meters tall at the shoulder, and another meter from

the shoulder to the top of the head. Weight averages about 550 kilograms.

      K'kree have two sexes: male and female. Males average about 15 to 20

percent larger than females by mass, while both sexes have dense black hair

covering the head, neck, and upper back. The hand on the front limb - a

complex arrangement of bone, ligaments, and cartilage - permits the K'kree

fingers to telescope out of the way when the hand is used as a weapon.

      Smell is the sharpest of all the K'kree senses, and their works of art

concentrate on olfactory rather than visual or auditory elements. A K'kree

with experience in dealing with another race (such as humans) can detect

certain basic emotions (fear, hunger, anger) from scent alone.

      K'kree are extremely gregarious, as befits their descent from herd

animals. A lone K'kree is either terminally ill, has been exiled to die, or is

dangerously insane. The K'kree word for "my", traa, refers to a possession of

the individual's family, not to an individual.

      K'kree are strict vegetarians, and they have an instinctual hatred of

meat-eating creatures. Even the smell of dead or dying animals causes them

considerable distress. When the K'kree encounter a carnivorous race, their

first instinct is to convert the race to a vegetarian way of life. That

failing, they exterminate the uncooperative carnivorous race.

      Wars of extermination - where they annihilated carnivorous intelligent

races that refused to change - fill K'kree interstellar history. They fought

the most spectacular of these wars from -2029 to -2013 with the neighboring

major race, the Hivers. The Hivers quickly gained the upper hand, and they

forced an armistice that has stood for three millennia.



      Knouksarrgh Ong: Vargr corporation in Provence sector that created and

manufactures the Utovogh. Electronic goods from Naasirka and entertainment

goods from Makhidkarun have cut sharply into market share.



      Kolzair: Minor race on Wimorel/Anakod (Vland 3129).



      Kung-fruit: tropical fruit.



      Kuzu: Aslan home world. (Humans sometimes spell it `Kusyu.')