Here is a new race that I developed for a campaign I was in.
Llamiya: (-2ST,+2DX,+3EN,2d(number of segments {typically six})IN,1d6SS)
Natives of Pichal.
The Llamiya are often described by humans as a cross
between a shark, a snake and and a worm. They have a
cartilaginous skeleton and outer skin very similar to a
shark, their method of movement is snakelike, and they are
shaped and organized interiorly like a worm. Adults
average 12 feet long and are about as thick as a man's
thigh (they mass similar to a man).
The most noticeable thing about them is the head.
The head has five appendages each 8-10 inches long. The
top appendage is shaped like a four fingered hand and
contains the eyes and ears. The other four appendages are
two fingered hands (spacing is even giving a pentagonal
effect to the whole head). All the fingers are coated in
the same type of skin that coats the bottom of the body
giving them a griplike surface and the hands are double
joined cartilage making them very flexible (skin is
considered equal to jack armor). The arms surround a
softer area containing the mouth, and the sex organs (two
small (2cm across) openings centered two inches apart and
two inches below the mouth). The mouth itself is
surrounded by short cilia used for taste and smell (they
give the mouth a goatee appearance). The face can be
protected by closing the arms together.
The adult body is organized into six segments (which
are not noticeable from the outside). Each segment is
self-sufficient (actually each can support two allowing it
to grow new segments) as regards circulation and digestion
(i.e. each has a heart, lung and stomach). They are not
self-sufficient as regards food ingestion, air ingestion
or waste disposal (i.e. if separated from the head they
will die, but it may take a couple of days while stored
fat is digested). Each segment contains a portion of the
brain as well (the first segment containing the "Central
Processing Unit" and important storage the rest the memory
storage. Loss of segment = loss of memory. A Llamiya can
withstand the loss of all five anterior segments without
medical attention, but unless the segments are surgically
reattached within two hours the Llamiya suffers non-
recoverable amnesia. It takes a Llamiya about one year to
grow a segment. The multi-segment lung structure also
gives them the ability to filter air without external
devices, but causes them to have problems with thinner
atmospheres.
Llamiyas are born as first segments prototypes,
develop into a full first segments and grow them selves
out to adults. Only the first and anterior segments are
specialized. The first contains the thinking section of
the brain, the head and reproduction systems. Destruction
of the first segment results in death of the being. The
last segment contains a prehensile hand (similar to the
ones on the head) and the waste disposal organs. Loss of
the last segment is recoverable without a doctor.
Memories are stored from the tail to the head (recall is
good, but slow), with some important things duplicated in
the first segment (i.e. training, etc.) and or other
segments. A six segmented Llamiya has an intelligence
equal to man's, Llamiyas of more than six segments are
generally knowledge seekers and must be on a special diet
since the Llamiya mouth can only accommodate six segments
easily. Llamiya are omnivorous and their diet is close to
Human. Llamiya are asexual and reproduce by "kissing"
while exchanging genes through their sex organs. Both
partners can get pregnant from a single contact. Llamiya
with medical help can clone by mating with themselves, but
this is viewed as socially unacceptable behavior by the
rest of the race. Permanent liaisions between two Llamiya
are rare.
Llamiya are surprisingly human like in their
emotional range, tastes and actions. They are able to
speak many tongues easily, without accent and are
frequently used as translators, because they have such
good recall. Their social structure is very matrilineal
as there are few permanent liaisions. Llamiya divide all
other Llamiya into four categories carriers (maternal
line), children (the Llamiya you have given birth to),
clan, and everybody else. Llamiya give their allegiance
to their carrier, expect allegiance from their children,
expect help from the clan and are wary of all others. The
clans are the social structure within which interbreeding
isn't done (prevents inbreeding). A Llamiya's clan is
defined at his birth or his Brood Mother's death (a
Llamiya's Brood Mother is his oldest living ancestor).
Clan splits occur when there are more than one candidate
for Brood Mother. Any problems with splitting clans are
solved by quick adoptions to make things work out right
(i.e. a Brood Mother may be an ancestor only by adoption).
Llamiya live very long lives by human standards
(partily because they can regenerate segments at will i.e.
there bodies don't go into decay) and generally (barring
disease and dismemberment) die after about three hundred
years and a short bout of senility. Dismemberment,
especially in older Llamiya, has a tendency to bring on
death earlier. Llamiya's take about the same time to
reach maturity as a human (18-20 years), then need five
more years to grow the rest of their segments and it is
generally protected by its Mother or Brood Mother during
that time, but adoption by a sibling is also a common
practice. Llamiya are referred to as "he" until they have
a child and "she" afterwards.
The Llamiya and Homo Sapiens get along very well race
to race (individual humans seem to have grave problems
though, snakes and spiders etc.). The Llamiya find
violence distasteful (mainly because they are so poor at
it), but when necessary will carry and use weapons. They
prefer to use shorter weapons like pistols and carbines.
They dislike blades (dismemberment is their inherent
fear), but because they are so dexterous they are very
good with them. They are also surprisingly good with pole
arms, because they have the prehensile hand (i.e. don't
melee with one using a bayonet). Llamiya generally are
members of the scout service as this seems to suit them
best. They are virtually unknown in the Marines. They
are rare in the army or other services (when they are
inducted here they will almost always be a special
technician). They are occasionally found in the Merchant
service (any position) or the Navy (if in the Navy they
will never be officers and almost always will be some kind
of special technician). Llamiya have little or no Psionic
ability, but because of their dispersed mind are immune to
Psionic attack (i.e. to Psionically attack a Llamiya would
require a Psionic Llamiya, of which there aren't any).
Non Cuniculus Est!!!,
Tom H.