T'Zhalo

The T’Zhalo are a cold-adapted, bipedal species originating from the glacial world of Nith’kaa, a planet defined by harsh climates and a thinning atmosphere. Over generations, the T’Zhalo underwent both natural and engineered biological evolution, developing dense, insulating musculature, multi-lobed lungs for high-altitude respiration, and polarised light-sensitive vision capable of tracking movement and contrast in whiteouts and storms.
  Their skin ranges from pale grey-blue to white, often mottled, while their eyes are wide and low-light optimised. Ornamental whisker-like fur runs along key sensory zones of the face, neck, and arms, serving as both a tactile communication tool and an environmental sensor. These tufts contain photosensitive chromatophores, capable of subtle shifts in tone or glow, allowing for an additional unspoken language layered over their already complex tonal speech.
  Once a technologically capable people on their homeworld, the T’Zhalo’s advancements leaned toward genetic resilience and adaptation rather than artificial augmentation. Engineering efforts were focused on long-term survivability, passing down traits that buffered against environmental collapse and biological failure in extreme cold. While not cybernetic, their engineered biology sets them apart.
 

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