Zaalan

The Zaalans are a bipedal, humanoid species found across Tau Elpis, though they originate from a world in the Pyxis Globula. They are quite stocky, and somewhat larger than a Boshaari (though still smaller than a Mewei), with white ethereal scales, resembling crystal, covering much of their reddish or purplish patterned bodies. Their sight is generally quite poor, and the Zaalans rely on their sense of hearing more than other species. This makes them suited for life in the black, where they barely need any lighting. Horn-like appendages growing out of the forehead, and require constant trimming; many spacer Zaalans keep them as short as possible as a matter of practicality.   It it widely known that the Zaalans, in their folly, unleashed the Oberon Incursion which eventually destroyed civilization across the Pyxis Globula. Nowadays, the Zaalans cling together as a disparate diaspora, often seeing other species with suspicion - a feeling all too commonly reciprocated. Nevertheless, there are many who seek to challenge the negative stereotypes their people face on a daily basis, going to great lengths to restore their species' honour. Others, however, seek to live outside of mainstream society, content with having been allowed on board for the Great Jump.  

Origins

  The Zaalans were once a proud warrior-people, splintered in assemblies of clans known for their expansionnist approach and their exotic Dive Drive, which followed premade wormholes in Hyperspace to achieve FTL apparent speeds. Their culture revolved around the Dawn-Mother, and her temple was built on the Zaalan homeworld, on top of a strange font of raw Arcanic Energy which fueled their ambitions and their drives. They often clashed with the Hiderid and the Mewei, as their wormholes often ended deep in these species' respective space.   Scapegoated at the onset of the Oberon Incursion, which destroyed their worlds first, the Zaalans were presumed lost. A few made it to the Ark where they were allowed, after much debate, to embark for the Great Jump. Many ended up marginalized in the Hiderid Coalition of Stars or drifting across space.  

Mindset

  Zaalans are defiant, independant, sometimes resentful towards other species for their scapegoating and unfair prejudiced views towards them. Despite that, many Zaalans only seek to live out peaceful and productive lives, whether in the Coalition, another polity, or as part of the Zaalan Free Tribes.  

Culture

  There is no real unified Zaalan culture : there is no dedicated Zaalan colony, and many simply live along other species, in spite of mutual mistrust. Most Zaalans are Coalition citizens, and their culture has become a strange blend of ancient Zaalan precepts mixed with the Coalition's obsession with capitalism and materialism. A few Zaalans run the Embassy Ark; others live as semi-nomadic in the lawless wastes of Hakaria or Planetfall. Zaalans form a large proportion of the spacer community : many are space truckers or mine belters - the backbone of the workforce across the Hestian Trojans.   Despite these differences, many Zaalans tend to see themselves as part of a broader diaspora, with a shared heritage that is preciously kept and told through elaborate stories. Many speak undercommon when amongst each other, code-switching as appropriate when facing other members of their community. The Zaalan Free Tribes seek to build a Zaalan colony, but their ambitions go further : they seek to create a Zaalan polity-state on equal standing with the other major factions in Tau Elpis, but their methods and rhetoric are sometimes deemed extreme by the rest of the system, and their nomadic fleet is often kept at bay.  

Xenotypes

 

Heavies

  Zaalan physionomy is particularly susceptible to changes in gravity - more than the bodies of other species. Conscious of that fact, heavies are those Zaalans who elected to stay planetside or live on the rings-below of Embassy Ark , where gravity kept their bodies fit.  

Skinnies

  Skinnies are Zaalan spacers who, despite their especially sensitive physionomy, refused a planetary lifestyle under the heel of the Coalition. They eke out a living out of dingy ships or asteroid bases, which often must operate with limited gravity control due to the ships' age and to their dive-drive's usual lack of maintenance.  

Statblock

 

Size	Medium
Lifespan	80-90
Magic Ability	5 to 7% of the population show an ability to perform Spellweaving. The spacer lifestyle unique to some Zaalan tribes also seems to trigger more cases of Psionic Metadisease, leading to an emergent Psionic underclass.
Crownworld	Hakaria, Embassy Ark. Zaalan spacers are mostly found in Teroshe or on the many moons of Hestia
Major Faction	Zaalan Free Tribes; Hiderid Coalition of Stars
Language	Zalani, Hakari
Average height	5′4″‒6′0″ (1.63‒1.8 m)
Average weight	130‒170 lb (59‒77 kg)
Skin colour	Teal to ethereal purple, often adorned with crystalline-hued patches of scales.
Hair colour	Dark brown, autumn orange, mossy green, deep gold
Eye colour	Large black pupils surrounded by a slim crescent of violet or blue.

 

Racial Bonus

  Heavies : +2 CON, +2 STR   Skinnies : +2 DEX, +2 STR  

Racial Foci

 

Will of the Kin

Zaalan horns and natural empathy allow them to sense when a nearby comrade needs help. Once per day, as a free action, a Zaalan with this trait can select an ally within 10 feet. The chosen individual can reroll one attack roll or skill check and take the higher result.  

Born Hunters

Thanks to their natural grace and innate tenacity, dating back to their stone age on the steppes of their original homeworld, Zaalans are among the best hunters of any race. They gain a +1 level bonus to Sneak, Notice and Survive checks when tracking, hunting, or otherwise pursuing another creature.  

Names

  Zaalan names generally depend on the culture in which they live. Most will generaly pick a Coalition-specific last name (see the Hiderid article) but keep a Zaalan first name. Zaalan spacers tend to simply state which ship or station they are a crew of (Tomor of the Invincible; Ezra of Embassy Ark).  

Male Names

  Tomor   Olziy   Iriq   Eadwynn  

Female names

  Ajaie   Khachie   Jamie   Nomolyn

Adventurers

There are a few reasons for Zaalans to wander :   They have become disillusioned with their world and decided to strike it out on their own or as a Bogwynne. They are a mercenary or a scavenger, part of a growing diaspora. They are treasure hunters, here to loot the Stream's endless troves of lost tech They are whitescales looking for a solution in the stars to heal their community They are an agent of some tribe, looking to strike an alliance to secure precious tech