Post by Vasemmasti on Nov 13, 2011 15:19:24 GMT -5
Species Name: Kozwelk Dwarf, Jelly Dwarf, Var Khugene
Species Type: Humanoid
Planet of Origin: Kozwelk
Average Maximum age: 133
Age of Maturation: 20
Average Height: 146cm
Average Weight: 74kg
Notable biological features: The kozwelk dwarf's most immediately notable features are its short height and stout build, as well as its gelatinous outer covering about a centimeter thick. This outer covering is opaque and generally either Red, black, white or any shades of grey. The red shades range from the approximate color of an apple to darker shades, though never to lighter shades. Due to the gelatin covering their faces, Kozwelk Dwarf facial expressions are generally quite difficult to read, making kozwelk dwarves good at identifying even subtle expressions. The kozwelk dwarf's eyes are narrow and set deep into its skull, and the gelatin covering has a slight gap where its mouth and eyes are, as it would not be able to see or eat if it were not so. However, it can breathe through the gelatin, and its nose, which is barely even a visible protrusion, is completely covered.
The gelatin conducts heat extraordinarily poorly, which is both a blessing and a curse. On the other hand, kozwelk dwarves are largely safe from lesser extremes of heat or cold, being able to comfortably exist in temperatures from -40 celcius to over 100 celcius with no protection. On the other hand, they are very slow to release internal heat, and as such cannot be relied on for constant activity, as they would literally overheat were they to do so. They can release heat by panting, like many other mammals that are unable to sweat. This is not very efficient in their case however. For the same reasons, kozwelk dwarves are quite cold to the touch.
Despite these handicaps, kozwelk dwarves are by no means weak physically. The gelatin functions as a shock absorber, and their heavy weight compared to their height is mostly the result of being backed up by serious muscle. As such, the average kozwelk dwarf is stronger than the average human, as well as more resistant to damage. However, they tire out much faster. They also have limited resistance to blaster fire due to their outer shell, though the immense heat of plasma bolts mean that even the gelatin will be burned out. The skin under their gelatin has a keen sense of touch, and as such can feel things even through the ablative gelatin. A Kozwelk dwarf can also compress their gelatin on a surface. While this does not mitigate its insulating properties, it reduces its ability to ablate impacts, and thus makes it easier to work with finesse if the gelatin in one's hands is compressed.
Kozwelk dwarves never have hair, and they are born without gelatin. However, they develop the crucial gelatin covering within the first 2 months of their life.
Number of limbs and Type: 4 Limbs. 2 arms and 2 legs.
Culture: Cultural variety has died a slow death on Khugene. Cultural homogenization has run its course through multiple armed invasions, and finally Union City. All that remains from the old ways is terminology and names for places.
The ancient Sarrothai used to have a very planet-centric view of the world. They considered themselves subjects of the planet, and everything around the planet a simple decoration for it. The Kozwelk Dwarves' own name for themselves comes from this. Old religions tended to focus on this, but when the solar system was charted and the nature of universe as being filled with millions of places like Khugene was confirmed, the old religion slowly faded away. Over time, the Var Khugene became largely secular, though a rare few have since adopted belief systems from elsewhere in the galaxy.
Force sensitivity is rare among Kozwelk Dwarves, and thus any reports of supernatural things done by the rare few force sensitive Kozwelk Dwarves were generally dismissed as a load of crock. This is also why the Rakata never found them. They never used the force in any significant amounts, and while a few Kozwelk Dwarf jedi now exist, most Kozwelk Dwarves now feel detached from systems like the jedi. Such has never been a part of their society.
Kozwelk Dwarves use a representative democracy to decide matters. The various nations have a degree of independence, but most consider themselves simply citizens of Kozwelk, and laws are largely uniform across the globe. The semi-independent nation-states system is simply a matter of practicality so Union City officials do not get swamped by things.
Kozwelk Dwarves seem to have a loose attitude towards violence from an outsider's eyes. Fistfights between youths are practically ignored, and fights with small knives are treated similarly to fistfights elsewhere. This is simply because punching someone covered in jelly with a fist covered in jelly rarely does any real damage, while small knives tend to only cut the jelly, though there is a risk of actual skin damage. Due to this, the unarmed martial arts of Var Khugene never focus on strikes, instead preferring grapples and throws. In general, a Kozwelk Dwarf will have a small knife at minimum. Sometimes, they also fight with items similar to knuckle dusters. Due to these attitudes and physiological facts, outsiders are warned not to get involved in a fight on Kozwelk because they will get a knife pulled on them.
In addition to droids, Kozwelk Dwarves are also known for knives. They have an amazing variety of them, though the average Kozwelk Dwarf typically carries one similar to a Mora-knife, often with decorated and patterned hilts. Knives of that type are popular presents for Kozwelk Dwarves approaching adulthood.
Many Kozwelk Dwarves are still wary of outsiders, on account of them seeming overly emotional. This is because kozwelk dwarves have more vague expressions, and as such, the gestures of other species seem overblown. Such attitudes do not prevent trade, but there are many who dislike the concept of outsiders on their planet. Those attitudes are mostly confined to older Var Khugene though.
Droids are nearly ubiquitous on Kozwelk. Most households own at least one, and every industry has a veritable horde of simply labor droids. However, Kozwelk Dwarves do not like to use droids of high intelligence, and in general, industries function with the strength of droids and machinery, but are supervised and operated by Kozwelk Dwarves. Droid engineers are quite common on Kozwelk, and manual labor is rarely done by the Var Khugene themselves. They do like to keep themselves in shape, but a Kozwelk Dwarf cannot keep more than a light training regimen.
On the battlefield, those Kozwelk Dwarves that still practice the profession are known to make short work of most any opposition. They are excellent shock troops, and they generally use battle droids as support. Mercenary troupes of Kozwelk Dwarves have entered the galaxy, on employ for a variety of pursuits.
While Kozwelk had a caste-system before, it has largely evaporated, though people from rich beginnings still find it much easier to get ahead. Learning and study are generally much appreciated in Kozwelkian society. They also have an affinity for comfort, and many Kozwelk Dwarves like taking baths in boiling water, as at those temperatures, they start being able to actually feel the heat.
History: While not much is known about ancient Var Khugene due to the environmental conditions having deterioriated the vast majority of any record of them. Nevertheless, some facts remain.
While for a long time, different groups of Var Khugene were nomadic hunters, population sizes gradually made a nomadic lifestyle less ideal, causing the Var Khugene to settle down. This developement came simultaneously to when they began practicing animal husbandry in significant amounts, likely as a way to get around their lack of ability to work for extended periods due to their inefficient internal heat regulation.
Ruins of ancient cities have been found all over the planet, but the ones in Erc Throam tell the most about the ancient Var Khugene. The people of Erc Throam built their cities partially underground and surrounded their cities with gardens and farms. There were more animals than Var Khugene in the settlement, and the creatures were extensively used for heavy labor. Researches have found evidence of similar practices elsewhere, especially since Var Khugene make very poor slave labor.
Eventually the expansionist civilizations of Sarozac and Okekhe began gaining hold over the planet in general, spreading their cultures with their waxing and vaning empires. This conflict filled time approximately 6000 years ago is estimated to be a major reason for the many ruins that date back to the times before that. While the Okekhean and Sarozac empires were unable to keep their territories, their attempts melded many cultures together and forever extinguished others.
Once the golden ages of the Sarozac and the Okekheans faded away, the time of trade could begin. 800 years of invasions, cultural integration and general intermingling had left the peoples surprisingly close to each other, culturally. While there were hundreds of clans, kingdoms and other little slices of civilization, there was relative peace. People had progressed, and many inventions from the imperialist ages had stayed. Ships, roads and wheels. Architecture and city design. The power of Okekhe and Sarozac had been borne of progression, and their advances did not go anywhere, even if their power did.
However, their fall made people conservative with territory. People were not too willing to stray far from their ancestral lands. The islands to the south were left to their own devices, and the next major change came from them.
"The vessel of steel" it was called. Considered the first effective machine in the history of the Var Khugene. Great ships that ran with grinding gears and cauldrons. The Arrkorans crossed the Tarokahrt directly to Krezhe, and they began invading. History was repeating itself. The empire had returned.
Again was the world held under one power, and again did the power break. It wasn't sustainable, but the Arrkorans were more effective than the Sarozac and Okekheans had been. Arrkoran wouldn't quit quietly though. War followed again, leaving infrastructures shattered. The Arrkorans had quickly undone whatever progress they brought.
Then, 3700 years ago, it was Sarrothai's turn. They were willing to take their time, but slowly they extended their influence throughout Sarakhot. Sarrothai became a power that was acknowledged without further conquest, and many wished to curry favor with them. People were not particularly eager to go to war. And while it took a long, long time, most of the world eventually accepted Sarrothai's supremacy. This, in turn, enabled further technological advancement, and machines became commonplace, though still not nearly as common as they are now. Different provinces gradually became autonomous and independent, but the cultural ties had been forged, and they have yet to be broken.
600 years ago, various nations had joined a central global authority, with a city in Sarakhot renamed Union City as a symbol to this. Societally, the Var Khugene could not have been better. The quality of life had skyrocketed everywhere, and industries were at an all-time high. The farthest reaches of their solar system hd been reached. Little did they know that their actions were finally beginning to take a toll on the environment, something that had never been a problem before.
While it took too long for different nations and people to acknowledge it, the environment needed fixing. Agriculture reported reduced output, and pollution had become a serious public health issue. However, people were not filling to change their ways. So they decided to throw more technology at the problem until it went away.
The pinnacle of technology at the time, the Metadrone was designed as an outside influence to the environment, manufacturing chemicals, jettisoning others into space and generally fixing the situation. It was to function entirely on solar power, and thus its orbit was carefully fixed.
To the surprise of many, this worked, and things began improving, though it would take hundreds of years to the environment to fully recover.
However, the Metadrone brought something else with it. The galaxy as a whole had happened to notice the construction in Kozwelk's orbit, and Irla Kozwelk, a xenobiologist, went to research the situation. In effect, the construction of the metadrone led to first contact for the Var Khugene. Once the communication barrier was breached, Union City authority agreed to join the republic, though they wished to retain full independence in internal matters.
They got their wish, and contact with the galaxy brought them interstellar travel and a technological leap, though many of their old tricks are still surprisingly relevant. Most Var Khugene stayed on the planet, but many of them can now be found elsewhere, especially as droid technicians, as their automatons were almost as good as the droids in the galaxy as a whole when they were found.
The species now has three names, two of them official. The Kozwelk Dwarf, Var Khugene, and the Jelly Dwarf, the last of which is typically considered a speciesist slur. They also have an unfair reputation for barbarism and violence due to warnings to tourists not to join a bar fight on Kozwelk. Generally, Var Khugene are quick to bring out knives. They are also sometimes known as a lazy species due to their inability to withstand prolonged physical exertion.
Kozwelk Dwarf soldiers are also appreciated for their ability at shock warfare, and some find work as mercenaries. However, out of everything, outsiders know them best for the droids traded on Metadrone Station.
Species Type: Humanoid
Planet of Origin: Kozwelk
Average Maximum age: 133
Age of Maturation: 20
Average Height: 146cm
Average Weight: 74kg
Notable biological features: The kozwelk dwarf's most immediately notable features are its short height and stout build, as well as its gelatinous outer covering about a centimeter thick. This outer covering is opaque and generally either Red, black, white or any shades of grey. The red shades range from the approximate color of an apple to darker shades, though never to lighter shades. Due to the gelatin covering their faces, Kozwelk Dwarf facial expressions are generally quite difficult to read, making kozwelk dwarves good at identifying even subtle expressions. The kozwelk dwarf's eyes are narrow and set deep into its skull, and the gelatin covering has a slight gap where its mouth and eyes are, as it would not be able to see or eat if it were not so. However, it can breathe through the gelatin, and its nose, which is barely even a visible protrusion, is completely covered.
The gelatin conducts heat extraordinarily poorly, which is both a blessing and a curse. On the other hand, kozwelk dwarves are largely safe from lesser extremes of heat or cold, being able to comfortably exist in temperatures from -40 celcius to over 100 celcius with no protection. On the other hand, they are very slow to release internal heat, and as such cannot be relied on for constant activity, as they would literally overheat were they to do so. They can release heat by panting, like many other mammals that are unable to sweat. This is not very efficient in their case however. For the same reasons, kozwelk dwarves are quite cold to the touch.
Despite these handicaps, kozwelk dwarves are by no means weak physically. The gelatin functions as a shock absorber, and their heavy weight compared to their height is mostly the result of being backed up by serious muscle. As such, the average kozwelk dwarf is stronger than the average human, as well as more resistant to damage. However, they tire out much faster. They also have limited resistance to blaster fire due to their outer shell, though the immense heat of plasma bolts mean that even the gelatin will be burned out. The skin under their gelatin has a keen sense of touch, and as such can feel things even through the ablative gelatin. A Kozwelk dwarf can also compress their gelatin on a surface. While this does not mitigate its insulating properties, it reduces its ability to ablate impacts, and thus makes it easier to work with finesse if the gelatin in one's hands is compressed.
Kozwelk dwarves never have hair, and they are born without gelatin. However, they develop the crucial gelatin covering within the first 2 months of their life.
Number of limbs and Type: 4 Limbs. 2 arms and 2 legs.
Culture: Cultural variety has died a slow death on Khugene. Cultural homogenization has run its course through multiple armed invasions, and finally Union City. All that remains from the old ways is terminology and names for places.
The ancient Sarrothai used to have a very planet-centric view of the world. They considered themselves subjects of the planet, and everything around the planet a simple decoration for it. The Kozwelk Dwarves' own name for themselves comes from this. Old religions tended to focus on this, but when the solar system was charted and the nature of universe as being filled with millions of places like Khugene was confirmed, the old religion slowly faded away. Over time, the Var Khugene became largely secular, though a rare few have since adopted belief systems from elsewhere in the galaxy.
Force sensitivity is rare among Kozwelk Dwarves, and thus any reports of supernatural things done by the rare few force sensitive Kozwelk Dwarves were generally dismissed as a load of crock. This is also why the Rakata never found them. They never used the force in any significant amounts, and while a few Kozwelk Dwarf jedi now exist, most Kozwelk Dwarves now feel detached from systems like the jedi. Such has never been a part of their society.
Kozwelk Dwarves use a representative democracy to decide matters. The various nations have a degree of independence, but most consider themselves simply citizens of Kozwelk, and laws are largely uniform across the globe. The semi-independent nation-states system is simply a matter of practicality so Union City officials do not get swamped by things.
Kozwelk Dwarves seem to have a loose attitude towards violence from an outsider's eyes. Fistfights between youths are practically ignored, and fights with small knives are treated similarly to fistfights elsewhere. This is simply because punching someone covered in jelly with a fist covered in jelly rarely does any real damage, while small knives tend to only cut the jelly, though there is a risk of actual skin damage. Due to this, the unarmed martial arts of Var Khugene never focus on strikes, instead preferring grapples and throws. In general, a Kozwelk Dwarf will have a small knife at minimum. Sometimes, they also fight with items similar to knuckle dusters. Due to these attitudes and physiological facts, outsiders are warned not to get involved in a fight on Kozwelk because they will get a knife pulled on them.
In addition to droids, Kozwelk Dwarves are also known for knives. They have an amazing variety of them, though the average Kozwelk Dwarf typically carries one similar to a Mora-knife, often with decorated and patterned hilts. Knives of that type are popular presents for Kozwelk Dwarves approaching adulthood.
Many Kozwelk Dwarves are still wary of outsiders, on account of them seeming overly emotional. This is because kozwelk dwarves have more vague expressions, and as such, the gestures of other species seem overblown. Such attitudes do not prevent trade, but there are many who dislike the concept of outsiders on their planet. Those attitudes are mostly confined to older Var Khugene though.
Droids are nearly ubiquitous on Kozwelk. Most households own at least one, and every industry has a veritable horde of simply labor droids. However, Kozwelk Dwarves do not like to use droids of high intelligence, and in general, industries function with the strength of droids and machinery, but are supervised and operated by Kozwelk Dwarves. Droid engineers are quite common on Kozwelk, and manual labor is rarely done by the Var Khugene themselves. They do like to keep themselves in shape, but a Kozwelk Dwarf cannot keep more than a light training regimen.
On the battlefield, those Kozwelk Dwarves that still practice the profession are known to make short work of most any opposition. They are excellent shock troops, and they generally use battle droids as support. Mercenary troupes of Kozwelk Dwarves have entered the galaxy, on employ for a variety of pursuits.
While Kozwelk had a caste-system before, it has largely evaporated, though people from rich beginnings still find it much easier to get ahead. Learning and study are generally much appreciated in Kozwelkian society. They also have an affinity for comfort, and many Kozwelk Dwarves like taking baths in boiling water, as at those temperatures, they start being able to actually feel the heat.
History: While not much is known about ancient Var Khugene due to the environmental conditions having deterioriated the vast majority of any record of them. Nevertheless, some facts remain.
While for a long time, different groups of Var Khugene were nomadic hunters, population sizes gradually made a nomadic lifestyle less ideal, causing the Var Khugene to settle down. This developement came simultaneously to when they began practicing animal husbandry in significant amounts, likely as a way to get around their lack of ability to work for extended periods due to their inefficient internal heat regulation.
Ruins of ancient cities have been found all over the planet, but the ones in Erc Throam tell the most about the ancient Var Khugene. The people of Erc Throam built their cities partially underground and surrounded their cities with gardens and farms. There were more animals than Var Khugene in the settlement, and the creatures were extensively used for heavy labor. Researches have found evidence of similar practices elsewhere, especially since Var Khugene make very poor slave labor.
Eventually the expansionist civilizations of Sarozac and Okekhe began gaining hold over the planet in general, spreading their cultures with their waxing and vaning empires. This conflict filled time approximately 6000 years ago is estimated to be a major reason for the many ruins that date back to the times before that. While the Okekhean and Sarozac empires were unable to keep their territories, their attempts melded many cultures together and forever extinguished others.
Once the golden ages of the Sarozac and the Okekheans faded away, the time of trade could begin. 800 years of invasions, cultural integration and general intermingling had left the peoples surprisingly close to each other, culturally. While there were hundreds of clans, kingdoms and other little slices of civilization, there was relative peace. People had progressed, and many inventions from the imperialist ages had stayed. Ships, roads and wheels. Architecture and city design. The power of Okekhe and Sarozac had been borne of progression, and their advances did not go anywhere, even if their power did.
However, their fall made people conservative with territory. People were not too willing to stray far from their ancestral lands. The islands to the south were left to their own devices, and the next major change came from them.
"The vessel of steel" it was called. Considered the first effective machine in the history of the Var Khugene. Great ships that ran with grinding gears and cauldrons. The Arrkorans crossed the Tarokahrt directly to Krezhe, and they began invading. History was repeating itself. The empire had returned.
Again was the world held under one power, and again did the power break. It wasn't sustainable, but the Arrkorans were more effective than the Sarozac and Okekheans had been. Arrkoran wouldn't quit quietly though. War followed again, leaving infrastructures shattered. The Arrkorans had quickly undone whatever progress they brought.
Then, 3700 years ago, it was Sarrothai's turn. They were willing to take their time, but slowly they extended their influence throughout Sarakhot. Sarrothai became a power that was acknowledged without further conquest, and many wished to curry favor with them. People were not particularly eager to go to war. And while it took a long, long time, most of the world eventually accepted Sarrothai's supremacy. This, in turn, enabled further technological advancement, and machines became commonplace, though still not nearly as common as they are now. Different provinces gradually became autonomous and independent, but the cultural ties had been forged, and they have yet to be broken.
600 years ago, various nations had joined a central global authority, with a city in Sarakhot renamed Union City as a symbol to this. Societally, the Var Khugene could not have been better. The quality of life had skyrocketed everywhere, and industries were at an all-time high. The farthest reaches of their solar system hd been reached. Little did they know that their actions were finally beginning to take a toll on the environment, something that had never been a problem before.
While it took too long for different nations and people to acknowledge it, the environment needed fixing. Agriculture reported reduced output, and pollution had become a serious public health issue. However, people were not filling to change their ways. So they decided to throw more technology at the problem until it went away.
The pinnacle of technology at the time, the Metadrone was designed as an outside influence to the environment, manufacturing chemicals, jettisoning others into space and generally fixing the situation. It was to function entirely on solar power, and thus its orbit was carefully fixed.
To the surprise of many, this worked, and things began improving, though it would take hundreds of years to the environment to fully recover.
However, the Metadrone brought something else with it. The galaxy as a whole had happened to notice the construction in Kozwelk's orbit, and Irla Kozwelk, a xenobiologist, went to research the situation. In effect, the construction of the metadrone led to first contact for the Var Khugene. Once the communication barrier was breached, Union City authority agreed to join the republic, though they wished to retain full independence in internal matters.
They got their wish, and contact with the galaxy brought them interstellar travel and a technological leap, though many of their old tricks are still surprisingly relevant. Most Var Khugene stayed on the planet, but many of them can now be found elsewhere, especially as droid technicians, as their automatons were almost as good as the droids in the galaxy as a whole when they were found.
The species now has three names, two of them official. The Kozwelk Dwarf, Var Khugene, and the Jelly Dwarf, the last of which is typically considered a speciesist slur. They also have an unfair reputation for barbarism and violence due to warnings to tourists not to join a bar fight on Kozwelk. Generally, Var Khugene are quick to bring out knives. They are also sometimes known as a lazy species due to their inability to withstand prolonged physical exertion.
Kozwelk Dwarf soldiers are also appreciated for their ability at shock warfare, and some find work as mercenaries. However, out of everything, outsiders know them best for the droids traded on Metadrone Station.
