Post by haseri on Apr 23, 2010 20:12:49 GMT
Well, better get this party started...
The Changri
(Yeah...I'm not a brilliant artist)
Biology
The Changri are an amphibious species in that they operate in water as well as land (although lots better in water). They are native to the arctic regions of their home planet, Byotarlem, where they hunt the various herbivores on land and in the water.
They hunt their prey with swift attacks, propelled by powerful fins, using their teeth or tail to attack their victim. On land, they can throw their weight (what little they have) behind the attack, but the success rate is lower, as they are reduced to slower speeds (they move like seals while on land, albeit faster). They usually hunt alone, but they may hunt in pairs or larger.
From the mouth to the tip of the tail, the average Changri measures about 2 and a half feet, and weighs around 15 lbs. (12 in its native gravity). The proportion of body to tail, due to a bizarre biological quirk, can vary, with some Changri having a longer reach with the tail than others, but it is approximately half the body on average.
As we can see in the picture above, they have 6 pairs of limbs, all used for swimming and to aid propulsion on land. The end of the tail is shaped like an elephant's trunk (in fact, the whole tail is a muscular hydrostat).
To keep out the cold, Changri have thick skin. This has come at a disadvantage to them, as they find the climates around the equator to be uncomfortable, except for those that have adapted over the generations.
The Changri are able to stay under water for a few hours, just enough time to catch food and bring it back to the surface (they can't actually eat under water). They are warm-blooded, and can consciously change the temperature of their skin, in the same we know how to convey emotions (it's pretty much used for the same thing). Growth is done via moulting - a dangerous time where the thick skin just falls off, leaving weak, thin skin to get thicker. This happens less towards the end of the creature's 40 year existence, most growth taking place in the first five years, which is the around the same time maturity is reached.
The way Changri sexes are arranged seems wasteful. There are 4: 2 'male' and 2 'female', with 1 fertile male and female and one infertile male and female. Translated, their names mean 'Growth' (fertile male), 'Seed' (fertile female), 'Protector' (infertile male), and 'Carer' (infertile female). By nature, Changri are solitary creatures, fertile ones forming pair bonds temporarily (for the mating and initial care of the gametes) before going their separate ways. They will mate (by the female releasing the gametes, and the male fertilising them at the same time. Those that aren't fertilised become the infertile ones) in a safe environment, usually a sheltered beach. It will then fall to the infertiles that permanently reside in that spawning site to look after the children for those five years before they go off into the wilderness, maybe coming back to mate. Their job includes feeding and protecting the children, which either gender can do. The vast majority of the children will be fertile, while the small majority will be infertile, to one day take over looking after the spawning ground.
Their main form of communication is via their superb sense of hearing, where they can even hear ultrasonic sounds. Their eyes are designed to see details far away, maybe in murky waters. Then, as said above, they can detect heat via pits below their eyes, which they use to read the emotions of other Changri when not hunting. They also have an acute sense of taste and smell, but a sense of touch comparable to that of a human's.
History
Changri historians are pretty much in consensus regarding what caused society to come about. As the Changri got more intelligent, they learnt where the best spawning grounds were. But their wandering nature meant that they would never settle down enough to begin a civilisation. But around this time, there was an increase in the number of infertiles spawned. Why this was is a matter of debate, but none the less it happened.
With an increase in the number of infertiles at the spawning grounds, and more than one pairs mating at the best sites, ensuring there being a larger number of infertiles than could really be supported. It is unknown where farming started, but we know that the first things cultivated were immobile creatures that lived in the rock pools close to the spawning sites. As methods of farming these creatures grew better, it meant that infertiles could spend less time hunting to provide for the ever-growing number of infertiles and children that lived around the spawning sites, and more time making tools and other things.
But herein lies a significant problem those early Changri had. There was no way of communicating between spawn sites, as it was an abhorrent a thought to an infertile to leave the spawning site as it would be to ask a stable human being to eat his own brother. As such, development was disjointed. The transient fertiles did occasionally spread ideas virally, but they were unreliable, only going to the spawning sites to mate.
Despite this, the Changri thrived. Their single-minded, inventive approaches to problems threw up interesting things. Eventually, money was created. To begin with, meat was used, brought back by the fertiles, which they exchanged for tools to help them hunt, which was then shared around the community. But as mining began, and metals were discovered, like iron and gold, the Changri invented currency to help with trading inside the communities, and (rarely) to others.
And so the Changri continued to grow. Adventurous fertiles spread out across the world, in boats or (later) steam powered cars made by infertiles, creating communities in their wake, which were left to discover things for themselves. Hopefully, the fertiles bought the correct knowledge with them as they crossed the oceans and the land.
All that changed when the telegraph was invented. At great expense, these lines were erected, following coastlines, finally connecting communities. No longer would the cleverest infertiles have to keep their knowledge within their community, or hope that a fertile would remember what they learnt while they were at school, they could share it with the world! Soon, technological marvels were being created every year, like the steam train, which carried books filled with knowledge to the most remote places (only the most adventurous infertiles journeyed to these places themselves).
Cars and planes soon followed, with more or less the entire world connected. Only the fertiles stayed outside, keeping to their nomadic existence as they had done for millennia. But even they were beating nature now, often stopping in a town or city that had once been just a place for mating, but had now grown beyond that.
Next time, I'll examine the Changri's more recent history, mostly concerning their foray's into space.
Society
What one has to understand about the Changri is that they see these communities (the largest being the size of a small city) separated only by distance. It was never really the case that they were seen as different nations. The fact that they had fertiles coming and going meant that they never really divided themselves up into ethnicities or nations, or any of the problems that come with that.
As such, wars are uncommon, due to this way of thinking and the fact that soldiers are in short supply: yes, infertiles are certainly capable of doing it, but they see their place as protectors and carers at all times. But it would be far to utopian of me to think that they leave in some flowery world without bloodshed. Sometimes, a group of fertiles would band together and attack a community, which would lead to the advancement of weapons technology. War machines like tanks and huge guns never really took off, as there was little application for them. Instead, they focus on small, effective weapons designed to protect.
There are other ways to fight though. The Changri thinking themselves as one huge collective means that 'fads' catch on fast, and stick around for a while. What grows and what doesn't seems to rely on luck rather than any skill. So cultural wars are fought constantly between communities, each offering their own technology, sports or art, in the hope it will become universally loved.
The split between fertiles and infertiles is about 90:10, with an almost 50:50 male:female ratio in each. You'll have no doubt noticed that there has been very little mention in the difference between males and females. The easiest answer is that there isn't really one. The biggest differences are between the fertiles and the infertiles.
Most exploration was done by what is referred to as 'half-fertiles'. These are infertiles, but they have decided that they aren't going to settle down at a spawn site, but explore the world. These are the Changri most outsiders will meet.
More recently there has appeared 'sediments'. These are fertile Changri who have chosen to stay near their children until they are mature, or have to decided to stay with the infertiles that taught them, in much the same way a student may continue working with a university professor even after his or her course has ended.
Sorry if we weren't supposed to post our creatures yet.
The Changri
(Yeah...I'm not a brilliant artist)
Biology
The Changri are an amphibious species in that they operate in water as well as land (although lots better in water). They are native to the arctic regions of their home planet, Byotarlem, where they hunt the various herbivores on land and in the water.
They hunt their prey with swift attacks, propelled by powerful fins, using their teeth or tail to attack their victim. On land, they can throw their weight (what little they have) behind the attack, but the success rate is lower, as they are reduced to slower speeds (they move like seals while on land, albeit faster). They usually hunt alone, but they may hunt in pairs or larger.
From the mouth to the tip of the tail, the average Changri measures about 2 and a half feet, and weighs around 15 lbs. (12 in its native gravity). The proportion of body to tail, due to a bizarre biological quirk, can vary, with some Changri having a longer reach with the tail than others, but it is approximately half the body on average.
As we can see in the picture above, they have 6 pairs of limbs, all used for swimming and to aid propulsion on land. The end of the tail is shaped like an elephant's trunk (in fact, the whole tail is a muscular hydrostat).
To keep out the cold, Changri have thick skin. This has come at a disadvantage to them, as they find the climates around the equator to be uncomfortable, except for those that have adapted over the generations.
The Changri are able to stay under water for a few hours, just enough time to catch food and bring it back to the surface (they can't actually eat under water). They are warm-blooded, and can consciously change the temperature of their skin, in the same we know how to convey emotions (it's pretty much used for the same thing). Growth is done via moulting - a dangerous time where the thick skin just falls off, leaving weak, thin skin to get thicker. This happens less towards the end of the creature's 40 year existence, most growth taking place in the first five years, which is the around the same time maturity is reached.
The way Changri sexes are arranged seems wasteful. There are 4: 2 'male' and 2 'female', with 1 fertile male and female and one infertile male and female. Translated, their names mean 'Growth' (fertile male), 'Seed' (fertile female), 'Protector' (infertile male), and 'Carer' (infertile female). By nature, Changri are solitary creatures, fertile ones forming pair bonds temporarily (for the mating and initial care of the gametes) before going their separate ways. They will mate (by the female releasing the gametes, and the male fertilising them at the same time. Those that aren't fertilised become the infertile ones) in a safe environment, usually a sheltered beach. It will then fall to the infertiles that permanently reside in that spawning site to look after the children for those five years before they go off into the wilderness, maybe coming back to mate. Their job includes feeding and protecting the children, which either gender can do. The vast majority of the children will be fertile, while the small majority will be infertile, to one day take over looking after the spawning ground.
Their main form of communication is via their superb sense of hearing, where they can even hear ultrasonic sounds. Their eyes are designed to see details far away, maybe in murky waters. Then, as said above, they can detect heat via pits below their eyes, which they use to read the emotions of other Changri when not hunting. They also have an acute sense of taste and smell, but a sense of touch comparable to that of a human's.
History
Changri historians are pretty much in consensus regarding what caused society to come about. As the Changri got more intelligent, they learnt where the best spawning grounds were. But their wandering nature meant that they would never settle down enough to begin a civilisation. But around this time, there was an increase in the number of infertiles spawned. Why this was is a matter of debate, but none the less it happened.
With an increase in the number of infertiles at the spawning grounds, and more than one pairs mating at the best sites, ensuring there being a larger number of infertiles than could really be supported. It is unknown where farming started, but we know that the first things cultivated were immobile creatures that lived in the rock pools close to the spawning sites. As methods of farming these creatures grew better, it meant that infertiles could spend less time hunting to provide for the ever-growing number of infertiles and children that lived around the spawning sites, and more time making tools and other things.
But herein lies a significant problem those early Changri had. There was no way of communicating between spawn sites, as it was an abhorrent a thought to an infertile to leave the spawning site as it would be to ask a stable human being to eat his own brother. As such, development was disjointed. The transient fertiles did occasionally spread ideas virally, but they were unreliable, only going to the spawning sites to mate.
Despite this, the Changri thrived. Their single-minded, inventive approaches to problems threw up interesting things. Eventually, money was created. To begin with, meat was used, brought back by the fertiles, which they exchanged for tools to help them hunt, which was then shared around the community. But as mining began, and metals were discovered, like iron and gold, the Changri invented currency to help with trading inside the communities, and (rarely) to others.
And so the Changri continued to grow. Adventurous fertiles spread out across the world, in boats or (later) steam powered cars made by infertiles, creating communities in their wake, which were left to discover things for themselves. Hopefully, the fertiles bought the correct knowledge with them as they crossed the oceans and the land.
All that changed when the telegraph was invented. At great expense, these lines were erected, following coastlines, finally connecting communities. No longer would the cleverest infertiles have to keep their knowledge within their community, or hope that a fertile would remember what they learnt while they were at school, they could share it with the world! Soon, technological marvels were being created every year, like the steam train, which carried books filled with knowledge to the most remote places (only the most adventurous infertiles journeyed to these places themselves).
Cars and planes soon followed, with more or less the entire world connected. Only the fertiles stayed outside, keeping to their nomadic existence as they had done for millennia. But even they were beating nature now, often stopping in a town or city that had once been just a place for mating, but had now grown beyond that.
Next time, I'll examine the Changri's more recent history, mostly concerning their foray's into space.
Society
What one has to understand about the Changri is that they see these communities (the largest being the size of a small city) separated only by distance. It was never really the case that they were seen as different nations. The fact that they had fertiles coming and going meant that they never really divided themselves up into ethnicities or nations, or any of the problems that come with that.
As such, wars are uncommon, due to this way of thinking and the fact that soldiers are in short supply: yes, infertiles are certainly capable of doing it, but they see their place as protectors and carers at all times. But it would be far to utopian of me to think that they leave in some flowery world without bloodshed. Sometimes, a group of fertiles would band together and attack a community, which would lead to the advancement of weapons technology. War machines like tanks and huge guns never really took off, as there was little application for them. Instead, they focus on small, effective weapons designed to protect.
There are other ways to fight though. The Changri thinking themselves as one huge collective means that 'fads' catch on fast, and stick around for a while. What grows and what doesn't seems to rely on luck rather than any skill. So cultural wars are fought constantly between communities, each offering their own technology, sports or art, in the hope it will become universally loved.
The split between fertiles and infertiles is about 90:10, with an almost 50:50 male:female ratio in each. You'll have no doubt noticed that there has been very little mention in the difference between males and females. The easiest answer is that there isn't really one. The biggest differences are between the fertiles and the infertiles.
Most exploration was done by what is referred to as 'half-fertiles'. These are infertiles, but they have decided that they aren't going to settle down at a spawn site, but explore the world. These are the Changri most outsiders will meet.
More recently there has appeared 'sediments'. These are fertile Changri who have chosen to stay near their children until they are mature, or have to decided to stay with the infertiles that taught them, in much the same way a student may continue working with a university professor even after his or her course has ended.
Sorry if we weren't supposed to post our creatures yet.
