Meridor
Overview
Home planet: Photoris VII
They are a highly physical race of eight-legged lizards who believe that everything you gain you should get by yourself; gifts are considered an insult, but information is shared freely. They communicate by flashing their eyes different colours at each other. Males and females are almost identical save for their reproductive organs and certain minute aesthetic differences. They usually stand on four legs and use four as hands, but their arms are identical so other configurations are possible.
Biological Data
Biological Classification:
The Meridor resemble eight-limbed lizards with long, snaking necks and very short tails. Evolving as the dominant predator on their planet, they have many adaptations appropriate for hunting; their teeth are sharp and jagged, their skin has variable pigments (as a chameleon, though not as pronounced) and their night vision is excellent. They have no external ears, though they can sense vibrations in the ground with small patches of extremely sensitive skin on their palms. Their eyes, unlike their skin, change colour very quickly; this is their primary method of communication.
Childhood
The most important of the Meridor's values is that of "earning one's own". When children are very young, they are taught to make basic tools, and using those tools, they make progressively more refined objects, specializing more and more until they have an entire toolbox made by themselves, ready to take on whatever scientific, military, or cultural challenges currently face their society. There tends to be a large 'coming of age' ceremony where the young man or woman displays his or her skill and puts his or her tools to use, showing close relatives and such that they are truly worthy. This is one of the very few occasions where the exchange gifts are sanctioned; little things, such as pretty knives or powercells are given to the budding Meridor, while he or she may prepare a particularly spectacular meal or give everyone a fine handcrafted weapon.
Economy
Free trade is outlawed; in fact, even a small gift to another Meridor outside of a ceremony is a major cultural taboo and grounds for exile (which usually leads to death, since the other two superregions are inhabited by equally xenophobic races). The sharing of information, however, is highly encouraged and the withholding of pertinent information can be equally illegal; if a biologist was bustling about a physicist's lab-clearing while the latter was working, the physicist wouldn't be obligated to answer questions, but if said physicist were to make a startling discovery, he would be required by law to report his findings to any other physicists nearby.
Religion, Mythology, etc.
The Meridor, on the whole, believe that there were formerly several thousand deities, comprising the matter in orbit around the planet as well as that which has been absorbed into the planet from the former sister star. They stay away from the Neutronium pits on this principle, though if they did go near they'd get radiation poisoning.
There are thousands of religious stories, none of which are documented properly and all of which are told by the old to the young. Many of them detail catastrophic stories of socialism in which people gave up everything for other people and received nothing in return.
((more?))
Society
Their culture is surprisingly refined. They have a complex social structure based on either the combat skill and experience of a soldier or the knowledge and insight of a scientist, since few other professions exist. Art is considered a branch of the psychological sciences - pictures, being composed of colours, can contain spoken words.
There is no caste system or anything in place; rather, people who are particularly charismatic will be more likely to be well-liked, but a particularly grumpy or irritable individual will find sanctuary in the depths of a forest or a deep burrow.
Overview
Home planet: Photoris VII
They are a highly physical race of eight-legged lizards who believe that everything you gain you should get by yourself; gifts are considered an insult, but information is shared freely. They communicate by flashing their eyes different colours at each other. Males and females are almost identical save for their reproductive organs and certain minute aesthetic differences. They usually stand on four legs and use four as hands, but their arms are identical so other configurations are possible.
Biological Data
Biological Classification:
- :arrow: Animalia
- :arrow: Chordata
- :arrow: Reptilia
- :arrow: Squamata
- :arrow: Araneae
- :arrow: Venatoridae
- :arrow: Meridorinae
- :arrow: Venatoridae
- :arrow: Araneae
- :arrow: Squamata
- :arrow: Reptilia
Arms: 8
Opposable thumbs: Yes
Tails: 1, stubby
Fingers per hand: 2 + thumb
Heads: 1 - :arrow: Chordata
The Meridor resemble eight-limbed lizards with long, snaking necks and very short tails. Evolving as the dominant predator on their planet, they have many adaptations appropriate for hunting; their teeth are sharp and jagged, their skin has variable pigments (as a chameleon, though not as pronounced) and their night vision is excellent. They have no external ears, though they can sense vibrations in the ground with small patches of extremely sensitive skin on their palms. Their eyes, unlike their skin, change colour very quickly; this is their primary method of communication.
Childhood
The most important of the Meridor's values is that of "earning one's own". When children are very young, they are taught to make basic tools, and using those tools, they make progressively more refined objects, specializing more and more until they have an entire toolbox made by themselves, ready to take on whatever scientific, military, or cultural challenges currently face their society. There tends to be a large 'coming of age' ceremony where the young man or woman displays his or her skill and puts his or her tools to use, showing close relatives and such that they are truly worthy. This is one of the very few occasions where the exchange gifts are sanctioned; little things, such as pretty knives or powercells are given to the budding Meridor, while he or she may prepare a particularly spectacular meal or give everyone a fine handcrafted weapon.
Economy
Free trade is outlawed; in fact, even a small gift to another Meridor outside of a ceremony is a major cultural taboo and grounds for exile (which usually leads to death, since the other two superregions are inhabited by equally xenophobic races). The sharing of information, however, is highly encouraged and the withholding of pertinent information can be equally illegal; if a biologist was bustling about a physicist's lab-clearing while the latter was working, the physicist wouldn't be obligated to answer questions, but if said physicist were to make a startling discovery, he would be required by law to report his findings to any other physicists nearby.
Religion, Mythology, etc.
The Meridor, on the whole, believe that there were formerly several thousand deities, comprising the matter in orbit around the planet as well as that which has been absorbed into the planet from the former sister star. They stay away from the Neutronium pits on this principle, though if they did go near they'd get radiation poisoning.
There are thousands of religious stories, none of which are documented properly and all of which are told by the old to the young. Many of them detail catastrophic stories of socialism in which people gave up everything for other people and received nothing in return.
((more?))
Society
Their culture is surprisingly refined. They have a complex social structure based on either the combat skill and experience of a soldier or the knowledge and insight of a scientist, since few other professions exist. Art is considered a branch of the psychological sciences - pictures, being composed of colours, can contain spoken words.
There is no caste system or anything in place; rather, people who are particularly charismatic will be more likely to be well-liked, but a particularly grumpy or irritable individual will find sanctuary in the depths of a forest or a deep burrow.
