Post by Sporky on Mar 19, 2011 9:35:25 GMT -5
Species Name: Nordikann
Species Type: Anthropomorphic canid
Planet of Origin: Dynn
Average Maximum age: 90
Age of Maturation: 14
Average Height: 6'7
Average Weight: 240lbs
Notable biological features:
(Picture not entirely accurate)
The Nordikanns are anthropormrphic canids. Their ancestors were carnivores and predatory, and this shows in their current state. Though their rear teeth are flat, the majority of their teeth are sharp and suited for tearing into meat. Along their long muzzles, a few teeth poke out past either lip, though the 'pattern' is not uniform, and varies between each individual. The fur of the average Nordikann is predominantly white, with random tints of blue and blue stripes. Like their teeth, the pattern of these stripes and tints is not uniform, and varies between each individual.
Each Nordikann possesses arms that reach down to their thighs, which end in five-fingered paws, which in turn possess short, wide black claws. Fossil evidence of their ancestors show claws that were much longer and wider, but as they evolved into sentience, the need for such large claws lessened, and they evolved to better grasp and manipulate tools.
The legs of a Nordikann are somewhat short, and widest in the thighs, and end in four-digit plantigrade feet. At one point after contact with the rest of the galaxy, these were referred to as 'footpaws', though that term has largely faded from use, and most Nordikanns now consider the term pointless, redundant, and plain stupid.
Nordikann clothing has no set style, and tastes really vary from individual to individual. One thing common to most Nordikann, however, is an appreciation for hats. Though somewhat uncommon in most of the galaxy in recent times, if you see a Nordikann, more often than not, a hat will be perched atop their head.
Contact with the rest of the galaxy naturally led to Nordikanns attempting to breed with other canid species. Most hybridizations do not produce viable offspring, but the child of a Shistavenan and a Nordikann will carry to term, though the children often have severe spinal or nasal complications.
Number of limbs and Type: 2 arms, 2 legs
Culture:
Nordikann society is capitalistic and democratic, with each individual being allowed to amass as much wealth as he or she can, and political leaders being chosen by mass voting. Each village, town, or city has an elected mayor, and the leader of the planet is known as a Premier.
The two things most prevalent in Nordikann society other than political leadership and wealth are fishing, particularly of the Tobin, and music.
When the Nordikanns first developed the technology for deep-sea fishing, they were astounded by the size and meat content of the Tobin. Each individual fish could last a family of three for three full meals, and they were easily caught using various methods, mostly Longline and purse seine. The fishing industry soon became the largest on Dynn. Smaller fishing communities centered around smaller lakes were given incentives by the global government to relocate to larger cities based around the ocean ponds, and now many ghost towns dot the shores of lakes and bays.
Nordikann music is a simple affair, containing comparatively few unique melodies and songs, instead placing an importance on the artist making their own interpretation of an already-existing melody. This practice was called 'tuneage' by the Nordikann, and matches the somewhat recent practice of 'remixing' adopted by the galaxy at large.
Both fishing and the relocation colored Nordikann music heavily, and it was during the boom of the industry that many new songs were crafted, some of which became famous throughout the galaxy. In particular, the sea shanty known as Excursion around the Bay has become a major hit Republic-wide, and it's not entirely uncommon to hear it sang by politicians, military personnel, and mercenaries alike.
Nordikann language, referred to as 'Nordas', is similar to Basic in most respects, though it places emphasis on short words and quick communication. This is apparent when a Nordikann speaks basic, and they will often shorten words, such as 'tomorrow' being 'mar'. Phrases are also shortened, such as 'Do you have any plans for tomorrow night?' becoming 'What you goin' at mar night?' and 'What are you doing?' becoming 'What ya at?'
Nordikann names are similar to human names, with a given name and a family name, some individuals possessing one or two middle names. There are camparatively few unique family names compared to other species, though, and most smaller communities are predominantly populated by one family name. Planetwide, the most common family names are Kippin, Chant, Bond, and Coley.
Though the age of physical maturation for a Nordikann is 14 years of age, they are not considered an adult until they are 19. When a Nordikann turns 19, they are 'screeched in', a ceremony that involved them kissing a Water Gel, then drinking strong (50%) homemade alcohol, named 'Screech', where the ceremony gets its name, from an old tankard. This is often done by the parents and is a private affair, though many off-worlders go through the ceremony at their own whim, which is done more publicly. In the public ceremonies, however, a practical joke is played on the recipient, and an old rubber shoe is used in place of an old tankard.
History:
The Nordikann evolved from large, predatory canines that roamed the forests and tundras of Dynn millions of years ago. They subsisted mostly on the ancestors of the Abkani, who even then were large by non-sentient lagomorph standards. These ancestors have been named the Beothuk by modern Nordikann, and fossil records show they were about the size of a juvenile Bantha.
When they first gained sentience, the Nordikanns gathered together in small communities, with the strongest and oldest of both genders hunting the Abkani. Children were taught how to hunt at an early age, though when they weren't learning how to hunt, their task was collecting wood for the large firepit that every community was centered around.
As technology progressed from stone and wood tools to metal, so too did Nordikann society. Communities became larger, often completely absorbing smaller ones, and the Abkani were bred and farmed. It was around this time when the Nordikanns first discovered the concept of seasoning by squishing berries onto Abkani meat.
Given the abundance of metals in the fingers of rock, technology advanced somewhat quickly for the Nordikanns, and it was only a few thousand years between the age of small tribal villages and the age of large cities. With refrigeration and high-tech cooking implements being invented repidly, Abkani meat started lasting much, much longer, and hunting became less a necessity and more a tradition. Because of the reduced strain on them, the Abkani slowly grew bigger.
The most significant event in Nordikann history was the the invention of deep sea fishing technology. Fishing in shallow lakes, and near the shallow waters of the shores of the ocean ponds had been going on for some time, deep sea fishing introduced the Nordikanns to the Tobin, a large species of fish. Each Tobin could feed a family of three Nordikann for three full meals, and was delicious to boot.
Understandably, the fishing industry boomed upon the discovery, and nearly every town that had access to Tobin-rich waters soon became a fishing community. However, it was apparent that fishing from the ocean ponds was much better than the smaller lakes, and so, the global government offered incentives for entire communities to move to the much larger cities around the ocean ponds. Life for the Nordikanns continued as such for thousands of years. Fishing for Tobin became the focus of their culture, and many songs were written about the Tobin and their importance.
It was during this 'golden age' that Dynn was discovered by the galactic Republic. The Nordikanns were tentatively exploring and colonizing the rest of Dynndas when they were happened upon by a Republic survey ship. It took a few generations, but Basic soon became a common language worldwide, being taught alongside the similar Nordikann language.
The Tobin could not last forever, though, and around 3800 BBY, it was discovered that they were dangerously close to extinction. The planetary government announced a global moratorium that banned the fishing of Tobin until they could replenish themselves enough for mass fishing to begin again. Obviously this would take thousands of years, and a lot of Nordikann were not happy about this, some not even believing that extinction was possible. The Tobin had been around for thousands of years, why were they suddenly in danger? Protests led to riots, and riots led to a full-blown civil war. This civil war raged for five years, before the galactic Republic put a stop to it with a large force of armed soldiers. But it was not the threat of soldiers that stopped the conflict. No, like many other conflicts throughout galactic history, it was the intervention of the Jedi that put an end to the war, when they made the fishermen see reason and believe that the Tobin were genuinely in danger.
The resolution wasn't easy on everyone, though, and many Nordikanns left their home planet for other watery worlds, such as Wroona and Pantolomin, to continue fishing. Those who stayed after the war found all manner of other jobs across the planet, and Nordikann culture is now as varied as any other.
Species Type: Anthropomorphic canid
Planet of Origin: Dynn
Average Maximum age: 90
Age of Maturation: 14
Average Height: 6'7
Average Weight: 240lbs
Notable biological features:
(Picture not entirely accurate)
The Nordikanns are anthropormrphic canids. Their ancestors were carnivores and predatory, and this shows in their current state. Though their rear teeth are flat, the majority of their teeth are sharp and suited for tearing into meat. Along their long muzzles, a few teeth poke out past either lip, though the 'pattern' is not uniform, and varies between each individual. The fur of the average Nordikann is predominantly white, with random tints of blue and blue stripes. Like their teeth, the pattern of these stripes and tints is not uniform, and varies between each individual.
Each Nordikann possesses arms that reach down to their thighs, which end in five-fingered paws, which in turn possess short, wide black claws. Fossil evidence of their ancestors show claws that were much longer and wider, but as they evolved into sentience, the need for such large claws lessened, and they evolved to better grasp and manipulate tools.
The legs of a Nordikann are somewhat short, and widest in the thighs, and end in four-digit plantigrade feet. At one point after contact with the rest of the galaxy, these were referred to as 'footpaws', though that term has largely faded from use, and most Nordikanns now consider the term pointless, redundant, and plain stupid.
Nordikann clothing has no set style, and tastes really vary from individual to individual. One thing common to most Nordikann, however, is an appreciation for hats. Though somewhat uncommon in most of the galaxy in recent times, if you see a Nordikann, more often than not, a hat will be perched atop their head.
Contact with the rest of the galaxy naturally led to Nordikanns attempting to breed with other canid species. Most hybridizations do not produce viable offspring, but the child of a Shistavenan and a Nordikann will carry to term, though the children often have severe spinal or nasal complications.
Number of limbs and Type: 2 arms, 2 legs
Culture:
Nordikann society is capitalistic and democratic, with each individual being allowed to amass as much wealth as he or she can, and political leaders being chosen by mass voting. Each village, town, or city has an elected mayor, and the leader of the planet is known as a Premier.
The two things most prevalent in Nordikann society other than political leadership and wealth are fishing, particularly of the Tobin, and music.
When the Nordikanns first developed the technology for deep-sea fishing, they were astounded by the size and meat content of the Tobin. Each individual fish could last a family of three for three full meals, and they were easily caught using various methods, mostly Longline and purse seine. The fishing industry soon became the largest on Dynn. Smaller fishing communities centered around smaller lakes were given incentives by the global government to relocate to larger cities based around the ocean ponds, and now many ghost towns dot the shores of lakes and bays.
Nordikann music is a simple affair, containing comparatively few unique melodies and songs, instead placing an importance on the artist making their own interpretation of an already-existing melody. This practice was called 'tuneage' by the Nordikann, and matches the somewhat recent practice of 'remixing' adopted by the galaxy at large.
Both fishing and the relocation colored Nordikann music heavily, and it was during the boom of the industry that many new songs were crafted, some of which became famous throughout the galaxy. In particular, the sea shanty known as Excursion around the Bay has become a major hit Republic-wide, and it's not entirely uncommon to hear it sang by politicians, military personnel, and mercenaries alike.
Nordikann language, referred to as 'Nordas', is similar to Basic in most respects, though it places emphasis on short words and quick communication. This is apparent when a Nordikann speaks basic, and they will often shorten words, such as 'tomorrow' being 'mar'. Phrases are also shortened, such as 'Do you have any plans for tomorrow night?' becoming 'What you goin' at mar night?' and 'What are you doing?' becoming 'What ya at?'
Nordikann names are similar to human names, with a given name and a family name, some individuals possessing one or two middle names. There are camparatively few unique family names compared to other species, though, and most smaller communities are predominantly populated by one family name. Planetwide, the most common family names are Kippin, Chant, Bond, and Coley.
Though the age of physical maturation for a Nordikann is 14 years of age, they are not considered an adult until they are 19. When a Nordikann turns 19, they are 'screeched in', a ceremony that involved them kissing a Water Gel, then drinking strong (50%) homemade alcohol, named 'Screech', where the ceremony gets its name, from an old tankard. This is often done by the parents and is a private affair, though many off-worlders go through the ceremony at their own whim, which is done more publicly. In the public ceremonies, however, a practical joke is played on the recipient, and an old rubber shoe is used in place of an old tankard.
History:
The Nordikann evolved from large, predatory canines that roamed the forests and tundras of Dynn millions of years ago. They subsisted mostly on the ancestors of the Abkani, who even then were large by non-sentient lagomorph standards. These ancestors have been named the Beothuk by modern Nordikann, and fossil records show they were about the size of a juvenile Bantha.
When they first gained sentience, the Nordikanns gathered together in small communities, with the strongest and oldest of both genders hunting the Abkani. Children were taught how to hunt at an early age, though when they weren't learning how to hunt, their task was collecting wood for the large firepit that every community was centered around.
As technology progressed from stone and wood tools to metal, so too did Nordikann society. Communities became larger, often completely absorbing smaller ones, and the Abkani were bred and farmed. It was around this time when the Nordikanns first discovered the concept of seasoning by squishing berries onto Abkani meat.
Given the abundance of metals in the fingers of rock, technology advanced somewhat quickly for the Nordikanns, and it was only a few thousand years between the age of small tribal villages and the age of large cities. With refrigeration and high-tech cooking implements being invented repidly, Abkani meat started lasting much, much longer, and hunting became less a necessity and more a tradition. Because of the reduced strain on them, the Abkani slowly grew bigger.
The most significant event in Nordikann history was the the invention of deep sea fishing technology. Fishing in shallow lakes, and near the shallow waters of the shores of the ocean ponds had been going on for some time, deep sea fishing introduced the Nordikanns to the Tobin, a large species of fish. Each Tobin could feed a family of three Nordikann for three full meals, and was delicious to boot.
Understandably, the fishing industry boomed upon the discovery, and nearly every town that had access to Tobin-rich waters soon became a fishing community. However, it was apparent that fishing from the ocean ponds was much better than the smaller lakes, and so, the global government offered incentives for entire communities to move to the much larger cities around the ocean ponds. Life for the Nordikanns continued as such for thousands of years. Fishing for Tobin became the focus of their culture, and many songs were written about the Tobin and their importance.
It was during this 'golden age' that Dynn was discovered by the galactic Republic. The Nordikanns were tentatively exploring and colonizing the rest of Dynndas when they were happened upon by a Republic survey ship. It took a few generations, but Basic soon became a common language worldwide, being taught alongside the similar Nordikann language.
The Tobin could not last forever, though, and around 3800 BBY, it was discovered that they were dangerously close to extinction. The planetary government announced a global moratorium that banned the fishing of Tobin until they could replenish themselves enough for mass fishing to begin again. Obviously this would take thousands of years, and a lot of Nordikann were not happy about this, some not even believing that extinction was possible. The Tobin had been around for thousands of years, why were they suddenly in danger? Protests led to riots, and riots led to a full-blown civil war. This civil war raged for five years, before the galactic Republic put a stop to it with a large force of armed soldiers. But it was not the threat of soldiers that stopped the conflict. No, like many other conflicts throughout galactic history, it was the intervention of the Jedi that put an end to the war, when they made the fishermen see reason and believe that the Tobin were genuinely in danger.
The resolution wasn't easy on everyone, though, and many Nordikanns left their home planet for other watery worlds, such as Wroona and Pantolomin, to continue fishing. Those who stayed after the war found all manner of other jobs across the planet, and Nordikann culture is now as varied as any other.
