Well, my traveller group has been threatening to post character
background and generation rules on Raccoonids. We'd love to get
some feedback on this. We've tried very hard to make raccoonids
real aliens with an alien mindset, and not funnly little people in
fuzzy suits. We've been running two raccoonid character in play for
over five years, so we think we've got something going that's a
viable minor race.
Enjoy!
Catie Helm, Jim Kellerer and Kinene Barzin
[email removed] _or_ [email removed]
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RACCOONIDS
_or_ The Importance of Fish in Government
In 612, imperial scouts mapping in the newly established Domain of
Deneb discovered the Raccoonid Race on Dentus (2201 C979500-A) in the
Regina Subsector. The scout service named the new minor alien race
after a species of mammal common throughout solomani space.
Raccoonid Physiology
Raccoonids range between 0.8 and 1.6 meters in height, though a
raccoonid over 1.3 meters is rare. They weight between 30 and 50
kilos. They are capable of bipedal or quadrupedal motion, depending
on what's convenient under the circumstances. They are plantigrade
like humans, not digitigrade like Vargr or Aslani. Both feet and hands
have non-retractable claws, enabling them to climb almost anything
including porous masonry. In appearance, they look like overgrown
solomani "raccoons." Their fur consists of an outer coat of guard
hair, a middle coat of water-shedding hair and a fine undercoat which
they shed seasonally.
Compared to humans, their eyesight is shifted into the infrared and is
deficient in the violets and blues. Their hearing is very sensitive,
even exceeding that of the Vargr. Raccoonids are omnivorous, though
they favor a protein-rich diet. On their native planet of Dentus,
they eat primarily a diet of fish, shellfish, various domestic fowl,
roots and tubers.
Gravity on the surface of Dentus is 1.55 G's; as a result, raccoonids
have large bones and are surprisingly strong for their size. Compared
to the human races, however, raccoonids are not as strong. Dentus is
also a very tectonically active planet, with over 20 tectonic plates,
and an abundance of volcanoes. The atmosphere of Dentus is tainted
with sulfureous and carbonaceous gases from volcanic activity.
Raccoonids have evolved respiratory aoli which are capable of
filtering these contaminants from air prior to oxygen/CO2 exchange of
the blood. Raccoonids have an average lifespan of 60 imperial years.
The revolution of Dentus takes 27.4 hours. Dentus is a cool planet,
since the amount of particulates in the atmosphere filter much of the
solar radiation prior to its absorbtion by the planet's surface. 30%
of the planet's surface is glaciated. Raccoonids live on the northern
half of one of the two large land masses, in a narrow strip of
temperate zone south of the northern ice sheet. There are slightly
less than 1,000,000 raccoonids living on Dentus. The few who leave
the planet have usually been recruited into the imperial scouts.
Raccoonid Psionics
All raccoonids are clairvoyant to some degree. Their clairvoyance is
a trait that probably evolved in response to detecting predators.
Some very few raccoonids are also pre-cognizant. Imperial researchers
have failed to identify the psionic abilities of raccoonids, due to
ignorance of xenopsionics, and also to the general imperial bias
against psionics.
Imperial researchers have mis-attributed raccoonid clairvoyance/pre-
cognizance to the greater sensitivity of raccoonid hearing, touch, and
sense of smell.
Raccoonid Origins And Anthropology
Imperial researchers are divided on the possible origins of the
raccoonid race. Due to their truly remarkable resemblance to the
raccoons found in solomani space, many genetic anthropologists have
argued that raccoonids are an engineered race, like the Vargr. Other
researchers have argued that racoon-like creatures have evolved
independently in many different places in the galaxy, and that the
raccoonids are merely the most evolved of a common mammal-type. A
large, probably ursoid, predator is a common theme in raccoonid
folklore, which the evolutionists argue was a catalyst for raccoonids
to evolve into a truly sentient race.
It is extremely unfortunate for researchers involved in raccoonid
studies that there is no raccoonid archeological record. Raccoonids
scavenge and recycle everything, thus leaving no recognizable
archeological artifacts. In addition, prior to discovery by the
imperium, raccoonids had no written nor oral history. The raccoonids,
however, did (and still do) have a large onus of oral tradition and
folklore, dictating their form of very loose government and social
behavior. The argument over the origins of the raccoonids will
probably never be solved, since there is no evidence which clearly
supports either academic position. Raccoonids themselves find the
whole controversy rather trivial, very amusing and "so terribly
human."
Raccoonid Society And Culture
Compared to humans or aslani, raccoonids have a poorly developed sense
of property. Land is not something that can be owned. Other objects,
like houses, tools, and art are "owned" by whoever is using them at
the moment. If an object is left alone for even a small amount to
time, it may be appropriated by some other raccoonid. Many of the
debates of raccoonid "fishflings" revolve around the ownership of some
tool which the "prior" owner put down for only a minute so he could
fetch his lunch...
When the imperial scouts first logged the initial survey results on
the raccoonid race, they reported that there was no legal system or
government among the raccoonids. They were wrong. Due to the scouts'
incomplete understanding of raccoonid language (which sounds like
percussive purrs, clicks, and chitters to other races), the scouts
missed that the raccoonids conduct a loose form of representative
government. Raccoonids have no word for government, but they do have
a word for their local community meeting, though it has eluded
translation. For convenience, imperial researchers have nicknamed the
local community meeting as "the fishfling."
Every raccoonid community, never larger than a few hundred raccoonids,
has it's local "fishfling." The fishfling is a meeting in which every
adult raccoonid has a vote and the right to speak. The fishfling is
conducted by semi-professional "jurists," who set up the meeting
place, recognize speakers, keep order, tally votes, and sweep up the
considerable mess afterwards. The business of the fishfling is
anything considered appropriate according to tradition, and many human
researchers have voiced the opinion that raccoonid tradition is
remarkable fluid (though raccoonids will vocally refute that
position). The best that can be said about fishflings is that they
are boisterous. Raccoonids will bring a pail of small fish to snack
on during a fishfling, saving the fish carcasses to throw at speakers
they disagree with. Observers have noticed that favorable motions in
the fishfling produce very few flung fish, and that unpopular motions
bring a veritable downpour of fish.
Pre-imperial raccoonid culture was TL1. Prior to discovery by the
imperium, the raccoonids pursued a simple life of mostly eating and
sleeping. Most industry was geared toward food preservation, small
tool manufacture and trade. For hobbies, raccoonids pursued various
crafts such as beadwork or wood carving. Most entertainment took the
form of oral recitation, either of traditions or of fables.
raccoonids are very social beings and early raccoonid society was
cooperative and highly integrated. Due to the adverse climatic
conditions, food production was a community effort in order to
maximize preserved foodstuffs for the disproportionately long winter.
(Needless to say, the necessity of community cooperation in order to
survive is one of the arguments of the evolved-sentients school of
thought among imperial researchers.)
Due to the small geographic area which raccoonids occupied, the less
than 1 million raccoonids spoke the same language (accounting for
regional dialects) and shared the same culture and oral tradition.
Local customs existed, but visitors to an area were expected to adapt
for the sake of fitting in and maintaining peace. Aberrant or violent
raccoonids were ostracized from society, an extreme and rare
circumstance. An ostracized raccoonid either attempted to survive
alone or moved to a new community far away to start afresh. Very few
raccoonids have ever survived alone - the prospects for an ostracized
raccoonid were usually grim.
The Impact Of The Imperium On Raccoonid Culture
The initial reports on the planet Dentus recommended isolating it, so
as to preserve such a peaceful, idyllic, and pastoral culture. The
scout service and subsequent imperial anthropologists discovered that
such preservation was not possible. The raccoonids, they discovered,
were not only intelligent, but extremely curious. A few scanners
disappeared, which caused some concern. However, when the local
raccoonids appeared several days later, wanting to know what they did
wrong in putting it back together, concern turned into large-scale
consternation.
Despite attempts to prevent further incidents, more equipment
disappeared, and more raccoonids arrived asking pointed questions.
The situation deteriorated. Raccoonids, lacking a basic understanding
of personal property, took whatever they wanted. Also, it evolved
that even sophisticated security precautions were insufficient to
prevent a determined raccoonid from appropriating what he or she
wanted. To add insult to injury, the same raccoonid would appear
usually within the week, with the appropriated article, full of
curiosity and more questions.
In 627, an imperial research vessel was disabled and almost halfway
dismantled by the locals before rescue arrived. After this incident,
imperial authorities made an unprecedented decision; they decided that
regardless of the primitive technology of the raccoonids, raccoonids
could receive whatever technological training they desired, on the
condition that no technological devices would be introduced into
raccoonid culture by imperial citizens. This was presented to the
raccoonids in several different locations, and through the trade
routes the imperial decision spread to all raccoonid communities. As
a result, the amount of oral tradition governing raccoonid society
increased an estimated 50%, and by year 700, there were approximately
10,000 raccoonids in the scout service or attending imperial schools
and universities.
A trend established itself: the most adventuresome raccoonids either
joined the imperial scouts or sought schooling off-planet. After a
period of time, these raccoonids would return to Dentus, full of ideas
and with money in the bank. Many fish were flung as returning
raccoonids attempted to introduce new concepts into raccoonid society,
but by the year 1000, the raccoonids owned two domestic fusion power
plants, a blossoming tourist trade, and a small spaceport.
Surprisingly, the peaceful and social nature of raccoonid society has
not changed. The structure of fishflings has evolved, however; all
fishflings are still small, but each fishfling can elect to send one
of its jurists to the regional fishfling. The one hundred and three
regional fishflings each send a member jurist to what the raccoonids
call "the Far Fishfling," mostly due to the distance that members must
travel to attend. The Far Fishfling makes decisions on items of
planetwide importance, like the bank account (all raccoonids share the
same bank account), inter-planetary trade, and who gets stuck with
being ambassador to the Imperium.
Raccoonids Interactions In Imperial Culture
Most imperial citizens will never have met a raccoonid. Raccoonids
are rare, and only turn up in significant numbers in the scouts. A
raccoonid or two may be seen on the city streets of university towns
on Regina or Mora, or downstation from scout bases. Most imperial
humans will encounter raccoonids in the Domain of Deneb. Due the
fracturing of the imperium, most raccoonids not within the Domain are
probably desperate to get home.
When not at work, raccoonids will either spend a lot of time looking
for good seafood restaurants, or visiting parks. Raccoonids out
looking for seafood will either go as a group of raccoonids, or
lacking other raccoonid company, will enlist as many non-raccoonid
friends as possible. Eating, after all, is a social event to a
raccoonid. A solo raccoonid will be very insistent, often past the
point of human tact and patience, in finding company for a meal.
Raccoonids frequent parks, woods and forests whenever possible.
Climbing up and down trees, and playing skill games of toss are common
activities. Raccoonids are easily annoyed by small human children who
tend to think of them as something they would like to have for pets.
Raccoonids have been seen on Regina lecturing mothers about the
manners of their children on more than one occasion.
Raccoonids are communal creatures, and have only a fuzzy concept of
personal property. A raccoonid on a ship with a crew of various other
sentients will "borrow" an item or two occasionally, and then return
it when finished. Raccoonids who have been in the scouts have
developed the good sense not to use the property of others, but they
will tell the casual inquirer that these proprietary instincts in
other races are absurd at best, and anti-social at worst. Raccoonids
who have had less exposure to other cultures will have problems. At
universities and institutions, newly arrived raccoonids are required
to live communally with more experienced raccoonids until they have
acclimated to imperial concepts of property.
Raccoonids find it difficult to communicate by speech alone; their
body language is very expressive and an integral part of their
communication. Most of the body language (tail puffs, fur ruffling,
and ear motions) will be familiar to anyone with experience with other
races like the Vargr or Aslani. Anyone without previous vargr,
aslani, or raccoonid experience, however, will miss a lot.
Raccoonids are very curious, more curious than even humans.
Raccoonids can get into a lot of trouble just by wondering what was on
the other side of a door or hatch, because the urge to investigate is
very strong. The raccoonid tendency to investigate, however, is
tempered by innate raccoonid clairvoyance. In the scouts, a raccoonid
who doesn't want to investigate something is usually always listened
to.
Raccoonid Character Generation
When rolling up a raccoonid character, make the following
modifications:
_Initial Character Generation_
Strength: divide 2D6 by 2, and round UP.
Dexterity: multiply 2D6 by 2, and round DOWN.
Education: 2D6. In addition to whatever formal education a raccoonid
may pursue off of Dentus, education reflects how much of the lexicon
of oral tradition a raccoonid can recite, understand and interpret.
Social Standing: 2D6. Social standing reflects the influence any
individual raccoonid has in his or her local community, particularly
in the local Fishfling. Some raccoonids have been knighted for their
service in the scouts, but imperial knighting has no impact on
raccoonid social standing on Dentus. (Rules on knighting a raccoonid
are including in the rules modifications for mustering out, below.)
Psionics: raccoonid characters must roll for psionic strength.
Raccoonids are only eligible for clairvoyance and pre-cognizance. Use
the rules in the MT players manual for determining the strength of
these psionic skills.
_Basic Raccoonid Skills_
All raccoonids will have the following basic skills by default:
Wilderness Survival - 1
Reconnaissance - 1
Scrounger - 1
Intrusion - 1
_Skills Not Available to Raccoonids_
Energy Weapons, Equestrian, FA Gunnery, Fusion Gun, Gambling,
Guard/Hunting Beast, Heavy Weapons, Leader, Legal, Mass Driver, Meson
Guns, Recruiting
If you use the character generation tables from the Player's Manual
then the list of prohibited/modified skills can be summarized as
follows:
Vice: no gambling (add scrounging instead)
Guncmbt: no energy weapons
Inborn: no leader
Special Cmbt: no FA gunnery, heavy weapons, high energy weapons
Interp: no interview, no steward
No Recruiting
Economic - no legal (add scrounging instead)
Environ - no animal handling (pack animals only), add scrounging.
Also, given a choice, no sane raccoonid will take admin as a skill.
_Raccoonid Careers_
The following is a list of appropriate raccoonid careers.
Jurist: A raccoonid jurist can be anything from the semi-professional
administrator/clerk of the local Fishfling to an ambassador. Off-
planet duty as a diplomat is considered a hardship. Ambassadors,
negotiators and counsels are appointed from the membership of the Far
Fishfling by a consensus of the Far Fishfling. Use the diplomat
character generation tables to generate Jurist raccoonids. Note:
Jurist raccoonids are not likely to leave Dentus unless they have
sufficiently high social standing to sit in the Far Fishfling.
Scrounger: Use the Raider/Rogue generation tables.
Scout: use the scout tables in the Player's Manual
Scientist/Researcher
Doctor
Belter
Hunters: These characters will never leave Dentus unless by special
contract to some wealthy trophy hunter.
Merchants: These characters are not likely to go beyond Dentus's
spaceport. raccoonids are not travelling merchants, and Dentus has no
fleet of merchant ships.
Artisans: Professional raccoonid artisans do not leave Dentus.
Mechanics: Usually found as repairmen at the Dentus Spaceport.
_Character Details_
Terms of Service: 4 years per term.
Survival: similar to human.
Commissions, promotions, and successes: similar to human.
Special Duty: see Player's Manual.
Skills and Training: Add scrounging skill.
Reenlistment: similar to human.
Retirement: 4 terms maximum.
Mustering out and Retirement: all benefits immediately (in terms of
money or Traveller's Aid Memberships) or eventually (in terms of
possessions) accrue to the Planet of Dentus planetary account.
Imperial Knighthood is now a mustering out benefit from scouts only
(available on a roll of 7). Knighthood is the only mustering out
benefit which accrues to the individual raccoonid instead of to
Raccoonids as a whole. Knighthood does not add to a raccoonid's
social standing on Dentus.
_Other Details_
Names: Real Raccoonid names can't be translated into Galanglic.
raccoonids will take on a name that suits them for use with imperial
citizens. The player is therefore free to give raccoonid characters
whatever names seem fitting.
Character Titles: "Elder, youngster, cousin, friend." Raccoonid
society has no social hierarchy.
Aging and anagathics: raccoonids don't use anagathics. The use of
anagathics is anti-social behavior and punishable by ostracism.
Raccoonid Archetypes: the clever raccoonid, the raccoonid who works
for the communal good, the raccoonid who takes in the less fortunate.
Raccoonid Clothing: Raccoonids dislike clothes, and will habitually
wear nothing. For formal occassions involving other races, they well
wear handmade vests, elaborately embroidered and beaded in bright
colors.
Raccoonid Proverbs (of which there are thousands!):
"Many good ideas have flung many fish."
This proverb underscores the raccoonid process of argument towards a
community consensus. The concept of an individual taking action as an
agitator or leader in a community is unknown to raccoonids.
"A tale without an audience is lonely."
This proverb shows the very social nature of raccoonid culture.
Raccoonids hate to be alone, and will search out company at every
opportunity. This is also used between raccoonids as a veiled insult,
when one raccoonid accuses another of hoarding some desired object or
foodstuffs, instead of sharing it when it was needed.
Miscellaneous:
Raccoonids are not innately aggressive, but will also have no problems
defending themselves. Raccoonids are great "team- players."
Raccoonids are not martial - you will not find a raccoonid in the
army, navy or any other armed force. Raccoonids speaking galanglic
are occasionally difficult to understand, and the "l" sound is almost
impossible for them to articulate. Raccoonids are naturals at
breaking and entering, and they can dismantle almost anything. (Many
unfortunate raccoonids died when the scouts first landed on Dentus,
because they didn't know enough yet to distinguish between harmless
appliances and high voltage power supplies, for example...)
Raccoonids have no word in their language for dignity, and usually
fail to recognise it in other races. Also, they have none themselves
- - dignity and decorum are not concepts they can assimilate. "You can
dress them up, but you can't take them out to dinner" applies to the
racoonid race.
Scout Base: The Imperial Scout Service has a base/recruiting station
on Dentus. In the shattered imperium, the Domain of Deneb has elected
to keep the scout base on Dentus open.
Players' Notes: raccoonids are not funny little people in fuzzy suits.
Players may think, in fact some imperial citizens may think that
raccoonids are very silly. Raccoonid behavior toward property, and
the raccoonid inability to take rank seriously is commonly
misinterpreted as childish or foolish by human standards. Raccoonids
themselves actually take matters of social consensus, social equality,
and shared property very seriously, and think that alien attitudes on
these matters are the root of most of the disagreement in the universe
(Raccoonids are probably right...).
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