Prell

[Blue]

Prell Pilot Species from Farscape Peaceful Crab People Name • Prell Type • Arthropod, crustacean Home World • Bor'kan Influence • Though mostly sedentary, a small number have spread to other worlds with similar properties as their own, or undergone the surgery to allow them to travel at their leisure Ethos • Learn, create, encourage peace and co-operation of sentient life. Allies • Both the Republic and Jedi Order have found staunch allies in the Prell, as mechanical, biomechanical, and architectural engineers in the former, and powerful (albeit few in number) Force sensitives in the later. Enemies • Though as a race they do their best to find diplomatic and peaceful solutions, their alliance with the Republic and it's galactic war have left them with a major enemy in the form of the Empire Rivals • The Prell have no real rivals on their homeworld or in the wider galaxy; they have few natural predators and rarely do anything to provoke others, preferring to work together with others rather than in competition. Ecology Fully mature Prell are quite large beings. Often standing seven foot when resting on their six legs (though they are more commonly in a sitting position in hoverchairs or exo-rigs) and broad in stature, they hit an average weight of two hundred and sixty pounds in adulthood. This is in no small part due to their exoskeleton, which is notoriously thick. There is little obvious difference between a male and a female of the species; the headplate is somewhat flatter at the peak and the groove patterns on their frontal carapace is flared slightly more upwards for a female. They possess four claw like appendages in addition to their numerous legs, one large and long pair set at the back of the shoulder, and another smaller pair at the front. The larger pair are immensely strong, easily capable of crushing shells, carapace, or flesh as required. The fore-claws are far weaker but more nimble, with two small "fingers" rather than a single pincer dactyl, allowing the Prell some small measure of manual dexterity. Altogether, however, Prell are not particularly physically capable at delicate tasks and require tools and other such devices designed to allow their unusual physiology to perform intricate works. Their brain development allowed them to utilise their numerous limbs effectively in catching food (usually small fish and other sea creatures), a trait that carries over into modern society and making them easily capable of performing complex multitasking. They also have nictitating membrane, which allowed them to see comfortably under water. Prell have remarkable regenerative capabilities, able to even re-grow lost limbs and damaged or removed organs if given enough time. This property could account for their longevity; if they remain in their homeworld environment, the average Prell can live upwards of two millennia. Their long lifespan also means a slower growth into maturity; it takes approximately one hundred years for them to reach a point of physical independence, and even then they are still considered children mentally and emotionally. At one hundred and forty years, Prell are considered fully matured adults. The reproductive cycle of Prell occurs once every decade. Each fertilised batch of eggs produces one to three offspring and of these number, less than two percent develop Force sensitivity (and it is not unheard of for no Force sensitive children to be born at all for several generations). Due to the limited time frame for reproduction and longevity of the species, mating is carefully structured to ensure that the race does not risk under or overpopulation. The Prell language, Murlash, is mainly made up of rhythmic clicks, claw motions, subtle movements of the facial muscles, and sounds not dissimilar to whale song. Since this is complicated for non-Prell to understand, a simpler trade language was created that utilises typical vowels and constants. However, as Prell do not have the required vocal cords to produce such sounds, all Prell undergo surgery while in their developmental stage to allow them to do so. As a result of this procedure, Prell speaking voices have a flanging effect. While it is possible for Prell to survive outside their oceanic environment for short periods of time, they would quickly suffocate if not allowed back into the water regularly. In addition, their legs did not evolve to carry their full bulk constantly without the help of water buoyancy, and so most Prell who stay on land for prolonged periods of time rely on hoverchairs or exo-rigs to remain mobile. A Note on Prell Outside Their Homeworld There is a surgical procedure that a Prell can undergo that allows them to exist indefinitely outside of the water. It is a complicated biomechanical surgery that involves changing and adding to the internal makeup of the Prell involved to allow them to utilise several sets of respiratory organs, similar to a branchiostegal lung, to effectively extract oxygen from the air as well as from water. However, the major side effect of this procedure is that it significantly shortens their lifespan; on average, Prell who have this surgery do not live long past eight hundred years old. Culture Early Years The first one hundred years of a Prell's life is spent in the nursery colonies, heavily defended buildings created for the sole purpose of ensuring the young can physically grow without interference or complications. The young are overseen by teams of doctors that perform regular checkups to make certain that each hatchling has no medical complications while they mature to full size. Near the end of these one hundred years, the mind of the Prell starts to develop, and teachers help them begin their basic education. The names of the Prell are formed from the year of their birth, the name of their clutch (traditionally the female's given name), and then an individual name given by the nursery staff. Beyond the name of the clutch, bloodlines mean very little to the Prell; the biological parents have nothing to do with their offspring after mating. The rare exception to this case is if a particular Prell performs some spectacular achievement, in which case the clutch name of their offspring is traditionally named after them from that point forth, so that their name lives on long after their passing. Career Paths Though most Prell have a reputation for being excellent engineers and builders, it is by no means the only path they are allowed to take. There are almost as many artists, theoreticians, poets and philosophers as there are those dedicated to the more practical sciences. Curiosity is a trait that is actively encouraged in young Prell, and the discovery of new things or improvements of the old are just as celebrated as achievements in engineering. Government The Prellian Governing Body is a council of the species' most distinguished representatives in various fields. To be elevated to the position of Counciller, a Prell has to be voted for unanimously by a collection of his or her senior peers. This provides the PGB a wide scope of valuable thought that can be used to solve any number of issues facing the Prellian people. Each Counciller usually has their own entourage of advisors to aid them in their deliberations. Philosophies While not an overtly spiritual people, the Prell are nevertheless a gentle and patient species. They dislike violence and aggressiveness, preferring to act in cooperation and in a spirit of goodwill to find peaceful solutions and advancements. This is mostly seen in the technology they produce: shields (both personal and larger), harvesting equipment, medical supplies, and others along a similar vein. They rarely produce lethal weaponry, save for the use of the nursery colonies that house their young. The closest thing the Prell have to a religion is their belief in the cycle of life; birth, growth, life, death, decay, consumption, and then back around as their physical essence allows for other creatures to go through their own cycle. As such, the natural end of life holds little fear for the Prell, as they know who and what they are will permit other creatures to flourish and grow. When a Prell dies on their homeworld, the traditional service is to wrap their remains in light silk and then eject them in a biodegradeable pod to the ocean floor, so that they may return to the waters that birthed them. Common Murlash (Trade Language) Words and Phrases J'karra: Welcome, hello; a greeting. Shilia: Farewell. Dakr: Yes, an affirmative. S'unt: No, in disagreement. Se'arn: Thank you. Taro'cha: Teamwork, a squad, group of people working towards a singular goal Kai'aun jikta: Used when wishing someone well, equivalent to "safe journey" or "good luck". Se'ehn che sha: Translates as "by the great lighting of stars". Spoken when pleasantly surprised, relieved, or in wonderment. Vash'yar y'he: Translation does not accurately track into Basic, but it is spoken in times of frustration, anger, and surprise, and is considered rude to say in company. An expletive. Ru'v mar te'ea por: Loosely translates to "Go now to the sea", equivalent to "rest in peace". History Early on in Prellian civilisation, they reached the peak of what they were able to achieve. While their minds dreamed up amazing new feats of technology, their bodies were ill-equipped to make them a reality, as they lacked the dexterous digits that other species evolved with. However, exploratory vessels discovered Bor'kan and made contact with the Prell, and one of the first transactions between these two peoples was a trade of ideas; the Prell would devise machinery that would allow them to advance their technological vision, and the visitors would help construct them. It was not long before the Prell were able to perform delicate tasks thanks to these new tools, and their engineering abilities came along in leaps and bounds after that. And so Bor'kan became a part of what would eventually become the Republic. The relationship was largely beneficial for both parties; the Republic gained access to the Prell's substantial engineering capabilities, and the Prell not only became able to create these things, but get a taste for life outside of their planet. The Jedi Order also discovered potential allies in the Prell, though the number of them that were Force Sensitive was quite low. At the time the alliance with the Republic was struck, only a handful of Prell were capable of using the Force, and they remained unable to travel independently without the assistance of bulky environmental life machinery if they wished to leave their homeworld. This situation vexed the ever-curious Prell, and a great call went out for every engineer and scientist to find a solution that would result in the Prellian people being able to travel the stars without the aid of giant mobile tanks of water. Eventually, a group of doctors found a way; an ambitious surgical procedure that would allow a Prell to break down oxygen from both air and water. The Prellian Governing Body were not wanting in volunteers willing to undergo this experimental medical procedure, but as eager as the entire species was to explore new worlds the PGB was forced to limit the numbers down to but a few, so as to control how many might potentially die from the untested surgery. In the meanwhile, there was one Prell who proved to be extremely powerful in the Force: a female by the name of T'olku. With only rudimentary training, she was able to perform feats well beyond her level of experience. She was even able to project a bubble of water around herself constantly, and levitate her entire body using only her mind. As a result, she was the first Prell able to leave their planet for extensive periods of time, as well as the first Prellian Jedi. In time, science was able to catch up and the experimental surgery was announced as safe, albeit with a major downside: it would cut the life expectancy of any Prell that underwent it significantly. There were still no small number of people who wanted to travel the galaxy, but the Prellian Governing Body decided to place a limit on the amount of those who were given it to prevent endangering the species as a whole. In today's galaxy, Prell are a rare sight on other planets, though there have been a few Prellian colonies set up on other water worlds. Most of those that travel are diplomats, scientists, and explorers, discovering new things and feeding their never-ending curiosity. Legacy Clause • Go forth, and create all the peaceful Crab People [Yes, open for all, forever]

[Neology]