The Kitsune Empire of Xiscapia's Factbook (FT) (3.0)

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 1:17 am

Directory

Main Category:
1. Administration, Government and Politics
1a -Administration: Statistics, Demographics and Miscellanea
1b -Administration: Government Departments
1c -Administration: Political Issues

Main Category:
2. Species Data
2a. Abhumans
2b. Alumina
2c. Asteritaurs
2d. Berrax
2e. Booleans
2f. Dragonian
2g. Drakon
2h. Escan
2i. Humans
2j. Kaynin
2k. Kitsune
2l. Korr
2m. Kreey
2n. Near Humans
2o. Rasthan
2p. Remelar
2q. Sar
2r. Anwar
2s. Xenan
2t. Zillar

Main Category:
3. Territory
3a -The Home Galaxy: The Xiscapian Home System
3b -The Home Galaxy: The Xiscapian Sector
3c -The Home Galaxy: The Free Sector
3d -The Home Galaxy: The Steel Sector
3e -The Home Galaxy: The Boolean Sector
3f -The Home Galaxy: The Postbellum Sector
3g -The Home Galaxy: The Purge Sector
3h -The Milky Way Galaxy: The Alpha Quadrant
3i -The Milky Way Galaxy: The Beta Quadrant
3j -The Milky Way Galaxy: The Delta Quadrant
3k -The Milky Way Galaxy: The Gamma Quadrant
3l -The Milky Way Galaxy: The Periphery

Main Category:
4. Very Important Persons (VIPs)
4a -The Officials: Government Leaders and Diplomats
4b -The Traders: Merchants, Traders and Businessmen
4c -The Dutiful: Xiscapian Imperial Army Soldiers and Officers
4d -The Voidfarers: Kitsune Imperial Navy Spacers and Officers
4e -The Elite: Special Forces Officers and Commanders
4f -The Lawmen: Law Enforcement
4g -The Graysiders: Mercenaries, Bounty Hunters and Paramilitaries
4h -The Underground: Scoundrels, Rogues and Thieves
4i -The Spooks: Spies and Intelligence Agents
4j -The Godstouched: Psions and Psychics
4k -The Civilians: Everyone Else

Main Category:
5. Corporations, Trade and Immigration
5a -Corporations
5b -Import-Export Index
5c -Trade Relations
5d -Civilian Ships
5e -Immigration

Main Category:
6. Criminal Groups and Terrorist Organizations
6a -The Gangs
6b -Pirates
6c -The Syndicate
6d -Terrorist Organizations

Main Category:
7. The Five
7a -The Five
7b -The Skulks

Main Category:
8. Religions of the Empire

Main Category:
9. The Kitsune Imperial Military

Subcategory:
10. The Kitsune Imperial Navy
10a -KIN: Rankings and Organization
10b -KIN: Weapons and Technology
10c -KIN: The Naval Register
10d -KIN: Fleet Deployments
10e -KIN: Supercapital Ships
10f -KIN: Capital Ships
10g -KIN: Subcapital Ships
10h -KIN: Support Ships
10i -KIN: Attack Ships
10j -KIN: Small and Strike Craft
10k -KIN: The VI Fleet
10l -KIN: Fortifications and System Defenses
10m -KIN: Protectorate Vessels

Subcategory:
11. The Xiscapian Imperial Army
11a -XIA: Small Arms and Emplacement Weapons
11b -XIA: Equipment
11c -XIA: Personnel Classes
11d -XIA: Mecha
11e -XIA: Support and Armored Vehicles
11f - XIA: Drones
11g - XIA: Blue Water and Aquatic Vehicles

Main Category:
12. Xiscapian Lore
12a -Lore: Xiscapian Popular Culture
12b -Lore: Customs and Laws
12c -Lore: Slang and Phrases

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:14 pm

Basic Facts:

National Motto: "Futari wa naru mugen" ("Two become infinite")

National Anthem: "The March of the Empire"

Capital World: Xiscapia

Capital City: Rio Casa

Most Populous World: Xiscapia (~43 billion)

Official Languages: Xiscapian, Common, Zillar, Berrax, Necrian, Korr

Species Groups: Kitsune, Boolean, Alversian, Berrax, Zillar, Escan, Korr, Xenan, Drakon, Alumina, Abhuman, Sar, Anwar, Necrian, Kreey, Asteritaur, Rasthan, Kaynin, Olacian, Human, Mixed, Other

Religions:

-Hinekel splain ("worshipping the dead" -escan ancestor worship)
-Xiscapian Dualism (native kitsune religion)
-Followers of Sovereignty (empress-worship)
-The Old Gods (rasthan religion)
-Six Saints of Spacing (a new faith largely based around superstitions and cults of personality)
-The Uplink (machine worship)
-Tigarisophy (Tigarian national religion)
-The Outsiders (Polarian native religion)

Demonyms: Xiscapian, Imperial

Government: Constitutional Monarchy

Emperor: Foxfire Rose
Empress: Jade Rose
Supreme Magistrate: Torii

Size: 75 star systems, 72 inhabitable planets

Population: 531,466,210,000

Currency: Imperial Credit

Date Format: Written as "Year Of Our Ruler (Y.O.O.R.) [ruler's title and name] [ruler's year in office], [birth/death] of the [season], day number [of the season]

Spoken identically except for substituting "Year Of Our Lord" for "Year Of Our Ruler."

Driving Side: Right

Digital Top-Level Domain: .xis

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:17 pm

The Kitsune Imperial government is a large, bureaucratic sprawl that encompasses dozens of star systems across two galaxies. It is headed by a small, efficient organization known as the Imperial Administration, which is led by the Imperial Family. While the ruling Family is elected by the people once each life span of its head member, barring their resignation or impeachment, all lower officials are appointed by the Imperial Family or representatives with powers of the former invested in them. Members of the Imperial Administration inside the Imperial Palace or otherwise working directly in the interests of the Imperial Family are selected by the rulers themselves to form a close organization of officials who communicate the Administration's desires with the rest of the Empire, confer on legislation and execution and advise the Imperial Family. The head of the Imperial Family has all executive and legislative powers reserved, but can grant them to other members of the Family and to lower officials as needed. Traditionally the other members of the Imperial Family serve as special diplomats, mediators and agents for the ruler. If the ruler dies in office then his or her mate stewards the office until a special election procures a new ruler, and if there is no immediate mate then the former Administration's Vanadict or Maladict (Chief Ambassadress/Ambassador) takes the position instead.

Along with executive and legislative powers, the Imperial Administration is also responsible for coordinating between and maintaining harmonious relationships with the other various departments and agencies of the Kitsune Empire, including the Diplomatic Corps, the Kitsune Imperial Military, the Imperial Intelligence Department, the Internal Affairs, the Imperial Governors and many others. One of the only parts of the government that lies outside the control of the Administration is the courts, which form a hierarchy with the Imperial Magistrate at the top with each individual System, Planetary and City or Station Magistrate below. Magistrates operate in an inquisitorial system in which they are responsible for investigating crimes brought before them by questioning witnesses, interrogating suspects and ordering searches for other or further investigations, and finally declaring the verdict and deciding on the penalty. Magistrates are selected by the Board of Inquisitors, which is a government organization made up of reputable legal professionals, retired magistrates and professors of law and invested with the power to independently appoint magistrates and promote them at each level. The Board also handles cases in which the magistrates themselves are accused of wrongdoing by holding their own special tribunals.

Outside of the Imperial Family, the highest appointed officials are the Imperial Governors. Imperial Governors typically rule over a single star system, but the vagaries of different territories means that one may govern only a planet or satellite, or structure as small as a space station or asteroid. This has given rise to specific titles for each kind based on the size of the territory they rule over, such as Imperial System Governor, Imperial Planetary Governor, and so on. Subordinate only to the Imperial Family, Imperial Governors are the bodies of Kitsune Imperial rule from the capital to the distant locales, and have total civil control over their domains bar whatever the Imperial Administration mandates. While Imperial Governors have a great deal of civil power, they exert little influence over the military: garrisons under Imperial Governors obey orders from High Command rather than from the executives themselves. Like the Imperial Family, Imperial Governors hold their positions for life, unless they resign or are forced to step down by the greater government or the people. Military officers are sometimes appointed to be Imperial Governors, in which case their rank as Governor supercedes their military rank and they take direct control of the governorship's military forces as well as civil government. Establishing this manner of dictatorship is a streamlining tactic that is usually used in areas that have been recently conquered or are remote, low in population or otherwise unstable. However, explicitly military Imperial Governors are different from their civil counterparts in that they do not rule for life, but serve at the pleasure of the Imperial Family and can be removed at any time by their will.

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:17 pm

Total Territory:

Systems: 75
Planets: 324
Inhabited planets: 72
Rocky planets: 127
Icy planets: 93
Gas giants: 47
Moons: 3,062

Home Galaxy:

Systems: 29
Planets: 146
Inhabited planets: 29
Rocky planets: 56
Icy planets: 37
Gas planets: 22
Moons: 861

Milky Way:

Systems: 46
Planets: 178
Inhabited planets: 43
Rocky planets: 71
Icy planets: 56
Gas planets: 25
Moons: 2,201

Alpha Quadrant:

Planets: 66
Inhabited planets: 19
Rocky planets: 26
Icy planets: 21
Gas planets: 9
Moons: 708

Beta Quadrant:

Planets: 61
Inhabited planets: 12
Rocky planets: 24
Icy planets: 16
Gas planets: 8
Moons: 1,118

Delta Quadrant:

Planets: 28
Inhabited planets: 6
Rocky planets: 10
Icy planets: 10
Gas planets: 4
Moons: 249

Gamma Quadrant:

Planets: 23
Inhabited planets: 6
Rocky planets: 11
Icy planets: 9
Gas planets: 4
Moons: 126

Overall Population Demographics:

Abhuman: 2,955,217,999 (0.5%)
Alumina: 531,466,210 (0.1%)
Avalan (human): 4,052,030,000 (0.7%)
Alversian: 14,705,235,200 (2.7%)
Archian (human): 2,312,704,500 (0.4%)
Asteritaur: 11,400,320,000 (2.1%)
Anwar 3,604,000,000 (0.6%)
Berrax: 30,701,574,000 (5.7%)
Boolean: 16,771,848,200 (3.1%)
Dragonian: 2,210,000,000 (0.4%)
Drakon: 3,166,084,000 (0.5%)
Escan: 51,870,288,000 (9.7%)
Greali (human): 9,842,929,900 (1.8%)
Human (non-specific): 62,392,404,900 (11.7%)
Karaigan (human): 7,790,000,000 (1.4%)
Kaynin 10,344,000,000 (1.9%)
Kitsune 175,497,275,450 (33.2%)
Korr: 845,000,000 (0.1%)
Kreey: 1,960,000,000 (0.3%)
Mixed: 3,503,318,000 (0.6%)
Necrian: 11,585,112,000 (2.1%)
Neo Kirisuban (human): 2,964,000,000 (0.5%)
Other: 26,482,908,500 (4.9%)
Olacian 11,188,366,000 (2.1%)
Phenian (human): 50,737,240 (0.009%)
Rasthan 1,288,000,000 (0.2%)
Remelar: 5,536,000,000 (1%)
Sar: 2,593,184,000 (0.4%)
Setulanite (human): 7,855,334,800 (1.4%)
Telrosian (human): 36,000,000 (0.006%)
Unclassified/Unknown: 5,536,000,000 (1%)
Xenan: 23,113,000,000 (4.3%)
Zillar: 22,466,181,100 (4.2%)

Home Galaxy Population by Sector:

Xiscapian Sector: 110,018,000,000
Xiscapia: 43,000,000,000
Cholk: 25,000,000,000
Wuin: 24,000,000,000
Dolosus: 18,000,000,000
Celestis: 18,000,000

Free Sector: 52,010,000,000
Nova Max: 22,000,000,000
Laxer: 8,000,000,000
Grux: 10,000,000,000
Pamp: 8,000,000,000
Neo Kirisuba: 4,000,000,000
Keteris: 10,000,000

Steel Sector: 6,030,000,000
Akwia: 4,000,000
Locar: 2,000,000,000
Lagash: 4,000,000
Avalas: 4,000,000,000
Old Xiscapia: 20,000,000

Boolean Sector: 18,000,000,000
Meyos: 6,000,000,000
Athlathon: 10,000,000,000
Rennas: 2,000,000,000

Postbellum Sector: 53,002,000,000
Ranus: 11,000,000,000
Elanth: 40,000,000,000
Yroaupz: 2,000,000,000
Tryxaatz: 2,000,000

Purge Sector: 18,012,000,000
Purge Systems 1-6:
Tetraocus: 4,000,000,000
Gulch: 2,000,000,000
Aubade: 8,000,000,000
Luno: 4,000,000,000
Grayport: 10,000,000
Maya: 2,000,000

Total Home Galaxy Population: 257,072,000,000

Milky Way Galaxy Population by Sector:

Alpha Quadrant: 117,005,200,000
Chalybs: 16,000,000,000
Novus Limes: 200,000
Inritus: 4,000,000,000
New Rastha: 2,000,000,000
Republica: 40,000,000,000
Ghadold: 4,000,000
Talibel: 2,000,000,000
Arel: 2,000,000,000
New Alderaan: 4,000,000,000
Enrust: 1,000,000
Tigerius: 16,000,000,000
Polaris: 6,000,000,000
Terran Systems 1-6:
Akirand: 8,000,000,000 (Kiruria)
Ash: 3,000,000,000 (Dagomei)
Rorrik: 8,000,000,000 (Mayokia)
Bastille: 1,000,000,000 (Korria)
Odnol Rona: 4,000,000,000 (Rusania)
Feymist: 1,000,000,000 (Mistofeyia)

Beta Quadrant: 58,316,000,000
Kawachi: 2,000,000,000
Masaaki: 1,000,000,000
Kana: 300,000
Fudo: 5,000,000,000
Tortuga: 16,000,000
Abaddon: 15,000,000,000
Mammon’s Eye: 25,000,000,000
Davenport Gateway: 10,000,000,000

Delta Quadrant: 37,070,010,000
Phenia: 30,000,000
Beta Anubis: 10,000
Hilda Rein: 14,000,000,000
Alopex: 40,000,000
Cruor: 3,000,000,000
Fel'narsha: 10,000,000,000
Yra'nortara: 5,000,000,000
Alno'kae: 5,000,000,000

Gamma Quadrant: 31,000,000,000
Crucible: 1,000,000,000
Byzantine Systems 1-5:
New Elanth: 10,000,000,000
Nakamoto: 10,000,000,000
Imperio: 4,000,000,000
Ariamis: 4,000,000,000
Betwixt: 2,000,000,000

Total Milky Way Galaxy Population: 243,391,210,000

Xiscapian Periphery Locales:

Miridia: 1,000,000
Roth: 900,000
Durruti: 100,000
Alto Prime: 10,000
Paradise: 5,000
Verdant: 4,000
The Assembly: 2,000
Creatures of Prometheus: 1,000
Daiasari System: 10,000,000,000
Shizu System: 100,000,000
Tamamo System: 10,000,000
Waygate System: 1,200,000

Periphery Total: 10,113,222,000

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:18 pm

The Diplomatic Corps:
-Led by the Imperial Vanadict/Maladict (Chief Ambassadress/Ambassador)
-Appoints negotiators, ambassadors, and diplomats, and handles matters of state and foreign affairs
-Its leader sits on the Imperial Trade Committee and Imperial Administrative Council and has a seat on the board of the National Aid and Outreach Department

Imperial War Council:
-Confirms Joint Chiefs of Staff appointments
-Confirms Quick Reaction Force deployments
-Proposes funding for military branches (Imperial Army, Navy, Customs, and Militia)
-Handles military matters

Imperial Trade Committee:
-Oversees and funds the Imperial Merchant Marine
-Drafts laws and regulations for commerce for submission to the Imperial Administration
-Vanadict/Maladict sits on the committee

Imperial Inquisition:
-Has jurisdiction over all lower Imperial courts and those of certain client states
-Final interpreter of Imperial law
-Independent of the Imperial Administration; Supreme Inquisitors are appointed by the Board of Inquisitors

Joint Chiefs of Staff:
-Advises other departments and councils on military matters, including the Imperial Administrative Council, the Office of the Supreme AXIS Commander, Xiscapian Internal Affairs and the ruling Emperor/Empress
-Do not have operational command authority; purely advisory role
-Joint Chiefs of Staff confirmed by the Imperial War Council

Quick Reaction Force:
-Administration for emergency military forces
-Subordinate to the Imperial War Council
-Perpetually has at least one QRF prepared for immediate deployment

Office of the Supreme AXIS Commander:
-Rotating office between the Big Three (Xiscapia, Alversia, and Setulan) of the AXIS alliance for overall military command during joint operations
-Advised by the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Imperial Administrative Council:
-Council chaired by the Emperor/Empress
-Includes top Imperial advisors, such as the Vanadict/Maladict
-Resolves conflicts between other departments and handles general administrative matters
-Appoints Imperial governors
-Funds the National Aid and Outreach Department and the Scientific Advisory Board

Strategic Intelligence Unit:
-The military arm of the Imperial Intelligence Department
-Subordinate to the Imperial War Council, which it advises

National Aid and Outreach Department:
-Handles foreign aid programs, disaster relief, refugee resettlement, etc.
-Vanadict/Maladict sits on its board

Scientific Advisory Board:
-Handles Research & Development
-Reports directly to the Imperial Administration

Imperial Treasury:

Imperial Commerce Department:

Imperial Energy Department:

Imperial Transit Department:

Imperial Consumables & Nourishment Department:

Imperial Interior & Colonial Affairs Department:

Imperial Health and Services Department:

Imperial Construction and Housing Department:

Imperial Intelligence Department:

Imperial Development Department:

Imperial Labor Department:

Imperial Education Department:

Imperial Department of Veterans and Citizens:

Imperial Department of Security:

Imperial Department of Psionics:

by **Xiscapia** » Wed Dec 02, 2015 2:43 pm

Longevity Treatments: A rising issue in the Kitsune Empire involves the lifespan of kitsune as opposed to other, usually shorter-lived sapients. Xiscapians with good non-kitsune friends, lovers, and partners are coming to realize that they will outlive their fellows, often by a factor of a century or more, given the kitsune lifespan of ~300 years. Longevity treatments past a being's natural lifespan have long been banned in the Kitsune Empire, as they are seen as being a potentially crippling resource drain even for an expanding empire, but Xiscapians are now challenging the laws, typically on behalf of securing treatment for loved ones. Conservative Xiscapians do not believe that longevity treatments should be made available, citing the resource costs of sustaining a longer-lived population and the fear that research could eventually make sentients immortal. Liberals say that the treatments should be legalized and private companies permitted to do research into the subject, as denying it is an infringement upon freedoms. The population is divided on this issue.

Citizenship Standards: There are only two ways you can become a citizen of the Kitsune Empire, which is either military or public service for a certain amount of time. Citizenship grants greater freedom of movement, voting rights, certain tax breaks and the like. This is a relatively new standard, only implemented around the end of the Korr War, but now that the next generation (i.e. the one that isn't almost entirely comprised of soldiers) is coming of age there is a backlash against it. The conservative viewpoint is that it's necessary to keep such standards since citizenship should be something that's worked for to show dedication to the nation, not simply handed out along with benefits just for being born there. Liberals want to bring citizenship more in line with that of other nations, so native-born Xiscapians are automatically citizens and immigrants can take a test and become citizens that way, citing that this will create more patriotism in the population, not less. Older Xiscapians are more conservative on this front, while younger ones tend to be liberal.

Cybernetic Equality: Augmentations are so widespread that they're practically ubiquitous, at least in the core systems and wealthier colonies. The vast majority of kitsune are augmented in some way. The issue is that purchasing cybernetics and their corresponding surgeries is fairly expensive, and access to them isn't available everywhere. Because employers are increasingly expecting applicants to have augmentations, especially in labor-heavy jobs, this disadvantages those without implants. It's generally agreed that this is a problem that should be fixed, but people disagree on what the solution is. Liberals want the government to provide augmentations to those without at a reduced cost through a national fund, while conservatives support the costs being passed on to businesses by enforcing a quota of non-cybernetic workers being hired and augged (essentially, affirmative action). Xiscapians are generally liberal towards cybernetic equality.

Corporations: Xiscapians in general are given to distrusting corporations, and they find situations like with Xenohumanity's Xeno-Tech and its extreme power or Vipra's Novalisk corporation outright invading worlds to be nightmarish. So there is debate about how much power and influence that companies should be allowed to have, a debate that was first started when the Triad Conglomerate started to achieve a monopoly in the arms business and was then broken up by Imperial Decree. Since then corporations have gained considerable power, including extensive privileges to have their own private security including armed starships, and in one case a company gained dominion over an uninhabited planet with KEX oversight. Conservative Xiscapians are alarmed by this and are pushing for the government to limit large corporations more severely, but liberals say that too much government interference will cut into profits and thereby weaken the economy. Xiscapian as well as foreign companies take the liberal viewpoint, but the Xiscapian people trend much more conservatively.

Genetics/Cloning: Part of the reason that the Xiscapians have such a heavy focus on augmentations is because there is a widespread mistrust in genetic tinkering. This goes back to the time of the Korr Wars about 100 years ago, in which a conspiracy was uncovered where a group of scientists led by one Doctor Gaval were practicing their own genetics program in secret, which involved the sterilization and euthanasia of homeless people and mutating others, including Gaval's own family, to study the effects. All of the scientists were arrested or killed (save Gaval, who managed to fake his own death and flee the Empire) but that incident is still burned into the public consciousness. Paired with that is the concept of full-body cloning, which is illegal except under specific circumstances and faces a lot of prejudice from Xiscapians who lived through the conflicts with the clone-happy Calaverians and know the evils of cloning. Conservatives are utterly opposed to allowing genetic modification and full-body cloning because of the potential for abuse, while liberals advocate gene modding as a way to eliminate disease, birth defects, and similar ailments and full-body cloning as a requirement for the aforementioned longevity treatments. Public opinion on the issue is mixed.

Immigration: The Empire gets a fair amount of immigration because while its economy is not the best, nor is it the freest state, there are still many opportunities to forge a better life. Not all Xiscapians are enthusiastic about immigrants given that they tend to be poor and usually don't share the same values or even necessarily the same language as their Imperial counterparts. Migrants do tend to be more common on the frontier and rim colonies than in the core, but immigration, especially illegal immigration, is still a problem in some places. Conservatives want more restrictions on immigration and have even discussed a cap for the number of a given nationality or species that can immigrate each year. Liberals want to open the gates, as it were, and encourage more immigration in order to improve the economy. More Xiscapians are liberal than conservative on the issue.

Machine rights: While thinking machines such as "kitroids" and A.I. are not illegal in the Kitsune Empire, they do tend to be curtailed insofar as they are not afforded the basic rights enjoyed by organic sapients. This is rooted in a deeply held distrust in thinking machines by Xiscapians, as well as the belief that such machines are tools and have only specific functions to carry out. Any given intelligent program is a computer like any other, so owning them is not an issue. Right-wing Xiscapians hold that machines are not, and can never be, people, and therefore they should not be granted rights. Liberal Xiscapians believe that some intelligent machines are in fact eligible for personhood, and should be given the rights they demand. Most Xiscapians have a more conservative view of machine rights.

Environmental Concerns: Most Xiscapian kitsune care little about the environment, considering their home world has had its environment ravaged for centuries due to the Korr War. Industry is generally placed above environmental concerns, particularly on developing worlds. However, many of the people in places that the KEX has colonized or conquered do not feel the same way, and are forming political action groups to defend their ecosystems. They have had some success, including on the Boolean world of Athlathon where nature is prized, so the Empire bowed to the population's wishes to preserve their planet's natural beauty. This is one issue in which traditionally conservative and liberal kitsune both feel that environmentalism does not matter that much, but conquered populations often feel differently and have effected change in the younger generations. As such, environmentalism is considered a more liberal position, and it has a slight majority of support.

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 3:14 pm

The Kitsune Empire began as a homogenous nation composed almost entirely of kitsune, but in the past few decades, it has become a multi-species state. Hundreds of different peoples, ethnicities, and species have been integrated through annexation, conquest, and assimilation. A few have their biological information detailed below. This section should be considered in flux, as new species are often added to Imperial ranks with the Empire's expansion.

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 3:19 pm

As they are referred to in the Kitsune Empire, “Abhuman” does not refer to a specific species or even a specific people. Instead it is a name for two distinct peoples that encompass 14 broad taxonomic families and over 30 individual species. The defining quality is simply humans (or persons with human DNA) who have been genetically altered to form a new species based off of the DNA and traits of non-sapient animals. Thus, the term “Abhuman” is informal and not strictly scientific, nor is it always used as an identifying label by those deemed to be abhumans. However, the term remains a useful shorthand for referring to the group and its members.

There are two peoples in the Kitsune Empire who are commonly referred to as abhumans. The first are refugees from the now-defunct nation known as the Genetic Purity Initiative, or GPI. These people, who sometimes refer to themselves as “Initiates”, are the remnants of that state who fled after it was destroyed due to its own attempts at aggressive expansion, and were resettled in Imperial space. The other is the people of Cruor who originated the term “Abhuman.” They were nearly wiped out by their own creators in the Arvayan Federation before intervention by the Telrosian Dominion saved the abhumans at the cost of utterly destroying the Arvayans. Due to having a much larger population they are the much more common type of abhuman.

There are too many abhuman species to list and detail without exhaustive effort. In lieu of this one of the most common or unusual species from each of the 15 families will be detailed.

Canis

The abhuman Canis example is a mammal-morph closer in size to vulpine than its larger lupine relatives. It is highly adaptable to different environments and characterized by strong leg muscles and bones that give it both speed and stamina in running. They are covered in a fur coat that can include reddish brown, tan, gray and gold hues, typically with mixed colors manifesting as a dark “saddle” on the back of black, gray or dark yellow; the interior of the body includes white or lighter shades of gray or yellow. Albinism is rare but has been reported, and melanistic individuals are uncommon but occur more frequently. Their tails are bushy and may be marked by a black, white or tan tip, and are used for balance like those of kitsune though they lack their prehensile nature. Irises are usually light or dark brown. They tend to be taller and heavier than kitsune but do not usually approach the size of their larger lupine fellows, generally ranging in size between a large kitsune and average human. The species is also characterized by having slender bodies, large ears and long legs.

The jackal-morph is well-adapted to different environments. The species can survive without access to fresh water as long as there is sufficient food, and is capable of withstanding extended exposure to subzero temperatures. The species is also omnivorous, with large, strong canine teeth that allow it to snap bones as well as chew fruits. The jackal-morph sheds (“moulting”) twice a year under typical conditions, which are affected by the amount of light that the individual receives. Records suggest that the Arvayans engineered this particular type for a wide range of needs including as the bulk of the abhuman military force, including battlefield scouting and police muscle and man-hunting, and thus their population is large. Their role and size in the Initiate populations was similar, where they made up much of the military and security forces.

Smilodon

The abhuman smilodon is a mammal-morph that resembles a feline but is only distantly related to them. The species is overall stocky with short but strong limbs, a robust body and exceptionally long upper canines with fine serrations. This pair of canines gives the abhuman Smilodon a relatively weak bite compared to conventional felines, with the trade-off being greater actual penetration with said fangs. These fangs can range in length anywhere from three to twelve inches long depending on the individual, but they are relatively fragile; as they are made for biting through flesh they will fracture or break entirely if bone is bitten. In order to use these front teeth the jaws of the species can open 90 degrees, allowing individuals to bite and tear flesh. Smaller teeth along the inside of the short, broad muzzle are responsible for chewing.

Abhuman smilodon have plain or spotted coats that tend towards dull shades including dark orange, brown, and tan, but may also include white. The species has significant sexual dimorphism, with males being taller, broader, and heavier than the females on average. Though they have low-light vision their eyesight is poorer than most feline morphs on account for their small, recessed eyes. The species are however good jumpers thanks to their powerful legs. In cubs the upper canines grow in at 1.5 years of age, concurrently with adult teeth. Smilodon are known to have been a vanity project by an Arvayan company to prove that they could work with the genetic material of extinct creatures, and as such their population is very low if stable. This also means that this particular species is unique to Cruorian abhumans, though other felidae are found across abhuman space.

Gecko

The abhuman gecko is a reptile-morph, not to be confused with the similar-looking Zillar or Berrax species. Unlike the latter two they have relatively tough hide instead of scales, though like Zillars most have a full head of hair that constitutes the only hair on their bodies. Gecko individuals come in a wide variety of colors, including shades of green, blue, brown, tan, white, gray, red and orange, and their patterns can include speckles and bars of various colors. Some can change these colors at will, though the process is typically time-consuming and generally follows the inborn pattern of the individual. Members of the species also shed their skin periodically. The Arvayan variant was created to act as nature guides, groundskeepers, and general woodsmen, and this along with their ectothermic nature gives them a generally middling Cruorian population. Their Initiate population is low.

Abhuman geckos have movable eyelids but the iris is fixed, meaning that an individual must turn their head in order to directly look at separate points. This allows the iris to enlarge in darkness in order to let in large amounts of light, giving the species excellent night vision. Said vision is also highly sensitive to color, particular in the blue and green spectra and it is also sensitive to UV light. Gecko eyes use a multifocal optical system that allows them to generate a sharp image for at least two different depths. This means that individuals of the species can see colors and objects clearly even in low-light conditions.

Uniquely among Imperial reptilian species, abhuman geckos can lose and regrow their arms, legs and semi-prehensile tails in a process called autotomy. Natural fractures in the joints minimize trauma and rapid vasoconstriction cuts down on blood loss during the severing, though the detaching invariably causes a high level of stress. Since the loss of each limb increases the chances of infection and disease the regeneration process begins immediately; indeed, it is necessary for the survival of any given individual. A regenerated limb often retains similar colors and patterns as the original, but will typically be smoother and initially shorter and bulkier before tapering with length. The tail has been found to regrow the quickest, as it stores vital reserves of fat, while the legs regrow the slowest due to size and complexity. The length of the regeneration process depends on the individual and the limb and number of limbs lost, but can range between as little as a week to as long as a year.

The species is ectothermic, which has several biological and environmental implications. Abhuman gecko individuals naturally favor warm climates, particularly tropical and desert locales, and tend to shun colder ones. While the exact temperature varies based on the hardiness of the individual, gecko abhumans tend to become sluggish at temperatures below 10 C (50 F) and brumation begins naturally at 0 C (32 F). Members of the species are capable of surviving at cold temperatures in shelter for up to a month while in this state, if at much-reduced activity levels. Prolonged exposure after this generally results in death. For this reason members of the species typically travel with external heat packs or internal implants that allow them to manually regulate their own body temperatures.

Because of their ectothermic nature abhuman gecko females have temperature-dependent sex determination, or TSD. More female children are live-born in relatively cool temperatures (about 26–29 °C (79–84 °F)) and very warm temperatures (about 34–35 °C (93–95 °F)). Males are more often produced at the temperatures in-between, 31–33 °C (88–91 °F), and this tends to result in larger numbers of female births. It is considered undesirable for abhuman geckos to give birth to high-temperature females, as these tend to be more aggressive and are often infertile. Though rare, parthenogenesis has been reported at high temperatures as well. Because of this the temperature that an abhuman gecko gestates in is very important.

The species is equipped with small, grasping claws on its toes and fingers which are primarily responsible for its excellent climbing abilities as these dig into surfaces that the subject is scaling. The species has two traits that aid this. The first of these is their specialized finger and toe pads that enable them to climb smooth and vertical surfaces unaided, including indoor ceilings. These pads are adhesive and stick to surfaces when applied with sufficient force. While increased humidity assists in this ability, it has been found not to function if the subject is completely immersed in water. The other is the natural digital hyperextension present in its fingers and toes, allowing an individual to make unconventional movements during climbing to maximize available surface area.

The species is omnivorous, capable of surviving on purely plant material or a mixture of meat and vegetable matter. It is polyphyodont and replaces full sets of teeth every quarter to third of a year, depending on the individual.

Chiroptera

The abhuman Chiroptera is a mammal-morph and the only known family to possess wings. Sprouting from the back or included along their forelimbs in the form of thin membranes, these wings are too small and lack the surface area to make them capable of sustained flight, though with practice individuals can learn to glide short distances using their wings. The membranes of the wings are very sensitive and tear easily, but are also one of the fastest-healing body parts. Most abhuman Chiroptera are further characterized by possessing echolocation, clawed hands and extensive fur coverage across their bodies; all abhuman Chiroptera have good visual acuity so the inclusion of echolocation was engineered into them for the sake of tactical advantage, though they must close their eyes to use it accurately. Their diets are omnivorous in nature, though a small minority is capable of hematophagy. The most common fur color is brown but individuals can come in shades of gray, black, white and gold.

Echolocation is produced through the open mouth via the larynx, producing ultrasound waves that allow them to “see” even in complete darkness. Most echolocation frequencies range beyond 20,000 hertz (the maximum range of the human ear) but can be heard by other species with more sensitive hearing. Frequency ranges depend on species and even individual, and most are capable of consciously adjusting their own frequency as needed; low frequencies of 20-60 hertz are often favored because they give the best range and picture. Ears are important in echolocation as the echoes reflect off of them to assist the individual in judging the elevation of objects detected. When doing a search or otherwise scanning an area individuals will echolocate at a low rate, with intensity increasing as they focus on individual objects that capture their interest until reaching what is known as terminal buzz with click rates as high as 200 per second. High pulse intervals have greater range but update less frequently, providing slower snapshots of the area, while low pulse intervals have lesser range but can provide a continuous picture at close range. Individuals are capable of transmitting echolocation via one of two kinds of signals, either frequency modulated (FM) or constant frequency (CF). The FM signal is used when in close, cluttered environments since it is very precise (capable of distinguishing objects less than half a millimeter apart) and many calls can be transmitted rapidly without confusing overlap. The downside to this is the short range of FM signals, limiting its usefulness in open areas. By contrast CF can be used in wide open environments, allowing acuity at great distances, thanks to the length of the calls that allow them to detect distant movement. CF signals measure velocity more accurately, making it useful for detecting moving targets at long range. Certain kinds of clutter such as rain are known to interfere with the ability of the species to echolocate.

In addition to echolocation Chiroptera species generally have good senses. Their sense of hearing is highly acute particularly in terms of soft, nearby noises like the fluttering of wings. Eyesight is as good as that of a human’s and is often complimented by adaptations to high and low-light vision that provides them with colored sight even in dim conditions. Their noses are also sensitive though they are not capable of scent-tracking as well as many other more specialized species.

While Chiroptera do not experience estrus they are noted to be more sexually active in the spring and under spring-like conditions of temperate climates and abundant resources. Females have the ability to delay fertilization in which semen is stored for up to several months before being released into the egg under favorable conditions; others can fertilize but delay implanting the egg, keeping it free of the reproductive tract, or simply delay the development of the fetus. Birth rate is slow, with typically only one offspring per birth. Like other mammalian species Chiroptera breastfeed their young until they are old enough to digest solid food. Chiroptera largely found places in search-and-rescue teams and in law enforcement, though their echolocation ability made them useful in a wide variety of tasks for their Arvayan masters, and thus their population is relatively middling to high. Their Initiate population is low to middling.

Cervidae

The abhuman Cervidae is a mammal-morph of both size and grace afforded by svelte, compact bodies that are complimented by long and slender but powerful legs. These attributes make them good jumpers and swimmers compared to many mammals. Height tends to be on the taller side, typically breaking 6 foot for both sexes, while individuals are typically lightweight for their size. Fur coloration is typically various shades of brown, most often reddish or gray with white bellies, but they can also be piebald (white-brown spotted pattern) or, more rarely, pure white. Males (bucks) possess antlers while females (does) do not except in cases of hermaphroditic individuals, who often will.

Cervidae are primarily herbivores, eating meat when it is available but typically preferring plant matter. Many individuals favor digestible shoots, various kinds of fruits, and many kinds of fungi and lichens. Bucks tend to favor nutrient-rich diets high in mineral content such as calcium and phosphate in order to grow their antlers. The species does not ruminate and is monogastric with single-chambered stomachs.

All individuals possess a facial gland in front of each eye. This serves as the location for pheromone production, which has a strong musky odor. The pheromones have a range of purposes including scent marking, indicating sexual arousal to nearby members of the same species, and alternatively as a calming agent. The latter effect means that Cervidae individuals will often nuzzle each other during periods of stress and fear since this activates the calming agent. All individuals also have tapetum lucidum, which gives them good night vision to complement their superior hearing.

Apart from antlers on hermaphrodite does or small stubs on natural does, only bucks grow antlers. The antlers themselves are a spongy tissue covered in skin called velvet. During spring cycle or under similar conditions the velvet will calcify and harden into rigid bone; once the velvet is shed the dead bone is bared. Fall cycles and similar conditions will cause the antlers to become brittle and naturally break. Antler growth and size is motivated by testosterone production and bucks with large antlers relative to their bodies are generally perceived as attractive since the ability to grow them is considered a sign of overall good health and especially resistance to disease. Antlers will generally grow to be longer, thicker, and sprout more points as the buck ages, though this is not always true. Symmetry is typical but asymmetry or single antlers are not unheard of. The presence of these antlers contributes to a kind of dueling unique to abhuman Cervidae in which males will lock horns and wrestle for dominance.

Under spring-like conditions and/or periodically during the yearly cycle does will experience estrus. While they are capable of sexual arousal and fertilization during non-estrus periods, arousal is particularly intense while does are “in heat” and the rate of successful fertilizations is greatly heightened during this time. Gestation typically lasts for 9-10 months. Young are known as fawns. A doe will typically bear one or two fawns at a time, though triplets occur rarely. Cervidae were engineered and bred by the Arvayans in order to harvest a unique chemical compound from their antlers that was prized in genetics research, resulting in every laboratory having their own stock of them. This gives them a middling population, though they are also known to exist among the Initiates in large numbers.

Hyaenidate

The abhuman Hyaenidate is a mammal-morph notable for several odd biological traits. From a genetic standpoint members of the family have more in common with felines than canines, but appearance and behavior still aligns closely with that of the latter. The claws on their hands and feet are large but relatively blunt and not retractable like most canines, but their instincts lend them to grooming and scent marking typical of felines. This can make them relatable to canine and feline species but keeps Hyaenidate unique.

All members of the Hyaenidate have striped or spotted coats, which tend to be shades of brown, gray, and sometimes yellow with black or brown stripes or spots and occasionally black “gloves” and “booties” along the wrists/hands and ankles/feet. Short torsos give them generally stocky builds with features reminiscent of lupines including sheer size though they also possess an additional pair of ribs. Their skulls are among the largest and heaviest among the abhuman families and this gives them relatively smaller facial features, and the tail is typically about a third of the total height. It is common among both males and females to naturally grow hair in a “Mohawk” fashion, though it can be styled into different hairdos. The arms are long compared to the legs and so lend credence to “knuckle-dragging” stereotypes and this, combined with short necks, a penchant for aggressive behavior, and the adoption of the Mohawk style by antisocial elements means that casual prejudice often makes the common Hyaenidate out to be a thuggish brute. The fact that members of the species have an extremely powerful bite that is capable of crushing bone without even breaking the skin only adds to this.

Sense of eyesight, hearing and especially smell are all exceptional in the Hyaenidate family. These senses are generally on par with those of the various kitsune subspecies and can hear shouts and the breaking of bones up to 10 kilometers away under the right conditions. Both males and females possess perineal sebaceous glands; these glands excrete no liquid but instead emit a strong, musky odor generally said to smell soapy in males and smoky in females. This can be used in scent marking and is also a sign of sexual arousal that serves as an aphrodisiac to members of the same species. A very large heart (constituting 1% of the overall body weight) gives members of the species great endurance for distance running.

The family is omnivorous, with preference depending on individual. Their capacity for eating and digestion is highly robust. Members of the species are capable of breaking apart bones with their teeth, eating them including non-marrow parts, and digesting them fully with any inorganic matter excreted. Hyaenidate members also need very little water to survive, estimated at less than a quarter of a liter per day.

The species experiences sexual dimorphism favoring the females, who are larger, stronger, and overall more aggressive than the males of the species. Female Hyaenidate are often referred to as hermaphrodites, but this is incorrect. Though their genitalia closely resembles that of their male counterparts, the female “penis” is in fact an external clitoris (or pseudopenis) with a false scrotum to match which is full of fatty tissue instead of testicles. It is thicker and slightly rounder at the head than the male’s true penis. The clitoris is formed like a penis and is capable of achieving erection upon sexual arousal, and the female urinates, ejaculates, copulates, and gives birth through it due to a lack of external vagina. During Arvayan times breeding programs forced coupled pairs to mate and produce offspring in this way; in addition to being horribly painful for the female, giving birth would distend and split the clitoris to change it permanently. The mother would die 15% of the time, while only 40% of cubs would survive the experience. Since then the “natural” way of copulating and giving birth has largely been abandoned in favor of artificial insemination and C-section births among Hyaenidate couples.

Hyaenidate cubs have a gestation period of 10-12 months but are born in litters of 2-4 individuals and mature rapidly. During pregnancy the fetuses are exposed to high levels of androgen, thought to be responsible for the masculine nature of female members of the family. Females who are dominant and sexually active will have dominant and sexually active cubs upon the latter’s maturity, linked by the aforementioned high levels of androgen. At birth cubs uniformly have soft, brown-black fur, open eyes and already-erupted teeth. A cub’s permanent fur colors and patterns will come in at 2-3 years, with puberty hit at 9 and full maturity reached at 16. Hyaenidate were intended to replace Canis in Arvaya as the security and military mainstay, but the project failed in large part due to the eccentricities of the matriarchal project manager. Their population is middling to low among both the Curorian and Initiate abhumans.

Lagomorph

The abhuman Lagomorph is a mammal-morph that was genetically engineered for adaptability and breeding capacity. One of the Lagomorph’s most outstanding features is their large ears, which average between a quarter and a third of an individual’s total height (43-56 centimeters (17-22 inches) based on average Lagomorph height). These “perk” to their full extent when the individual is alarmed, surprised, or otherwise attentive and are capable of swiveling independently of each other but otherwise tend to be folded down one’s back since their height and size can make them inconvenient. Their range of hearing is 360 hertz to 42,000 hertz, and they are capable of detecting relatively loud noises like rushing water or vehicles engines from as far away as 3.2 kilometers under ideal conditions. Sense of smell is likewise acute (with capacity about eight times that of a human’s), with individuals able to detect scented items buried underground, and eyesight is good and includes nocturnal vision.

Abhuman Lagomorphs are digitgrade but lack the paw pads of many other abhuman species. Their paws include five toes but they have sharp nails instead of claws on both hands and feet. The legs of Lagomorphs are powerful for their size and give them both natural agility in running and a hard kick. The fur is extremely soft and tends to be long. Grays, browns, and yellows are among the most common fur colors but blacks and whites also exist along with stripes and white bellies. The tail is a very small plume that is not significant in terms of assisting balance. Females are somewhat larger than males.

All Lagomorphs are herbivores and are incapable of digesting meat products. Instead plant matter is favored, including a number of types and species indigestible to other abhuman species including very bitter greens and poisonous plants like toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy). These are often considered a delicacy in Lagomorph communities. Lagomorph females have a tendency to have a high rate of impregnation thanks to the fact that they ovulate during copulation. When combined with birthing relatively high numbers of offspring (average of 3 per birth) and a relatively short gestation period (4 months), this gives abhuman Lagomorphs awesome reproductive capabilities. In Arvayan the Lagomorph species broadly replaced Rattus as the primary industrial workers when they were introduced, and as such their population is high. Thanks to their biology, the same is true among Initiate abhumans.

Macropod

The abhuman Macropod comes from the Macropodidae family from the larger class of marsupial. They are commonly called kangaroos. As the family and genus name suggests the species is distinctive thanks to its large feet which are adapted for jumping and powered by extremely strong legs. Other signature characteristics include a long, muscular, and non-prehensile tail and a relatively small head. Females of the species carry their young in a belly pouch after birth, where they continue development until they are ready to walk on their own.

Because it uses hopping as a means of locomotion the Macropod is considered to be unusual even by other abhumans. Instead of muscular motion the hopping is performed via large elastic tendons in the legs which snap forward to produce a spring action that allows the Macropod to sustain the motion without tiring quickly. Thus it is easy for a Macropod to increase their hopping speed with very little effort. This is used as a replacement for more conventional running and provides the Macropod with great speed; the average comfortable rate is 20–25 km/h (12–16 mph) over good terrain and a speed of 40 km/h (25 mph) can be maintained for 2 km (1.2 mi). Top speeds as high as 70 km/h (43 mph) can be reached over short distances. The tail is extremely important to the Macropod’s ability to move quickly in this way, so damaging, crippling, or severing it retards their ability to hop. When slower speeds are needed the Macropod walks conventionally but is incapable of running. These same features also make them superb jumpers, as individuals are capable of leaping 8–9 m (26.2–29.5 ft) in a single jump while rising as high as 1.8–3 m (5.9–9.8 ft).

As a marsupial the Macropod has a unique adaptation to assist with the development of offspring. Single young are born long before they are capable of surviving outside the womb –after about 7 weeks in development- and the fetus is kept in the mother’s pouch to suckle on a teat there for roughly 9 months before it begins leaving the pouch for progressively longer periods of time. After about 7 months it will leave the pouch for the last time. In order to give the mother’s pouch some relief during this time she is also equipped with a pair of more conventional mammalian breasts that she uses to breastfeed her young. The milk produced by the upper breasts is of a different type meant for more developed young than the pouch teat, which allows a nursing mother to feed a pouch-bound offspring and an older sibling simultaneously.

Macropods experience sexual dimorphism in which the male is larger than the female. Members of both sexes can have several different fur colors, including brown, gray, red and yellow. All Macropods are herbivores and cannot digest meat. In Arvayan Macropods were designed as athletes to provide entertainment in sporting events, though they also found some work as runners and on-foot couriers; their population is low. It reaches middling levels among the Initiates.

Mephits

The abhuman Mephit is a mammal-morph designed for beauty and aesthetic pleasure. Despite the foul smell of the animal of origin it was highly regarded among the Arvayans for both its allure and grace, and their genetic engineering blessed members of the species with thick and luxuriant fur and bushy tails. The species can typically be identified by a common (though not exclusive) fur pattern that includes either one thick stripe across the back and tail, two thinner stripes across the same, or a series of white spots and broken stripes in the same area. Most typically the main body will be black while the back and tail are white with the stripes being black. Colors also include brown, gray and cream.

Most abhuman Mephits are middling in terms of height and weight with short, muscular legs and arms. Their retractable claws are particularly long and sharp for their size. Their sense of hearing and smell is keen, comparable to most other abhuman predator species, but their eyesight is only about as good as an average human’s. Abhuman Mephits are omnivorous. Gestation periods and births are relatively standard among abhumans and average two offspring per birth. Unusually among abhumans, they have plantigrade feet. They lack the ability to “spray” as with their animal of origin. Their Cruorian population is low but they have higher numbers among the Initiates.

Mustelidae

This abhuman mammal is an example is of the Lutrinae family. The species is aquatic by nature and characterized by tall, slim bodies with relatively short limbs with fur that is almost invariably a shade of brown, though gray and tawny is occasionally reported. Their hands and feet are webbed, which assist greatly in swimming, as do their long, muscular tails which are about a third of their height. All individuals have sharp claws on their hands and feet. The fur is very soft and insulated, which keeps individuals warm and relatively dry even in cold water. For this reason they also have a high metabolic rate and thus tend to eat frequently.

The abhuman mustelidae has several adaptations for living aquatically. Upon submerging in water an individual’s nose and ears will close to prevent water from entering it. The ears are small and short to cut down on drag and the eyes are protected by nictitating membranes. Short, powerful legs with webbed toes and a tapered tail for stability give individuals excellent mobility in the water but limited agility on land. The sense of hearing and smell are acute, and individuals are capable of tracking scents underwater. Additionally the trachea is much shorter than that of most abhumans, which improves air exchange and increases lung ventilation for diving purposes. A typical individual can remain submerged for 4 minutes without difficulty, swim at speeds of 11 km/h (6.8 mph), dive as deep as 20 m (22 yd) and swim 400 m (440 yd) while submerged on a single lungful of oxygen.

Males are slightly larger than females. The species is omnivorous but tends to prefer meat. Gestation and birth are typical of abhumans and typically result in 1-2 offspring. Large kidneys in the species allow it to derive fresh water from seawater and thereby drink saltwater and excrete concentrated urine. As created they were useful in pearl and shellfish farming/harvesting as well as other coastal industries in the Arvayan economy, giving them middling population numbers. The same is true for the Initiate mustelidae.

Procyonidae

The abhuman Procyon is a mammal morph of middling size that seems to have been created by the Arvayans as a somewhat hardier worker alternative to the Lagomorph type and indeed at their demand to do jobs that the Lagomorph individuals did not want. Members of the species have gray or sometimes brown fur and bushy tails and are distinguished by white faces with mask-like black fur around the eyes, which serves to reduce light glare, and light and dark rings along the tail. The tail ranges between a quarter and a sixth of the individual’s total height. The species is plantigrade, which is unusual for abhumans. Their legs tend to be short compared to their compact torsos.

Abhuman Procyon see well, particularly at night, and have acute hearing on par with other predatory abhuman species. Their auditory range is relatively broad and extends to 50–85 kHz while being equally sensitive to softer noises including nearby subterranean movement. One of the strangest and most useful senses in the abhuman Procyon’s sense of touch, which is aided by unique vibrissae located above their retractable claws. By using these natural probes an otherwise blind member of the species can instantly identify an object without needing to see or otherwise perceive it. This trait functions even in extreme conditions like harsh heat or cold or after being submerged in water for extended periods.

The species is omnivorous and is in particular known for having an “iron gut” that allows its members to digest things most other species would find inedible. Males tend to be somewhat taller and heavier than females. Unlike most abhuman species Procyon have the ability to sweat as well as pant to regulate their temperature. Births of 3 offspring are the average but Procyon lack the short gestation period of abhuman Lagomorphs, which relatively limits them. Their population is middling to low among both Cruorian and Initiate abhumans.

Muridae

The abhuman Rattus is a mammal morph that was genetically engineered to serve as a primary working class in Arvaya before they were replaced by the superior Lagomorphs. Rattus are medium sized and typically have large, round ears, pointed snouts and white, black, brown or gray fur coats, sometimes with a lighter coloring over the front. The tail is hairless and tends to be as long as the individual is tall. Their hearing is acute and allows them to listen in to ultrasound ranges. Sense of smell is similarly highly developed and is comparable to many other abhuman species.

Rattus are omnivorous and like the abhuman Procyon are known for their ability to digest almost anything. Gestation and number of offspring are likewise similar, with 3 children to a mother common. Males are larger than females. The species has the unique trait of being able to vocalize in ultrasound, though this capacity is limited to short durations, making it more useful for signals and single words than extended conversations. Their Cruorian population is middling but their Initiate population is high.

Ursidae

The abhuman Ursidae is a large, powerful mammal-morph. They are characterized by their bulky size and robust physique, with the males being larger than the females. Their fur is long and shaggy to enable them to withstand very cold temperatures and ranges in color from tawny to black, including white, gray, and most commonly brown. Their ears are rounded and they have powerful non-retractable claws on both their hands and their plantigrade feet. Their sense of smell is excellent, among the best of the abhuman species, allowing them to detect living creatures up to 1.5 kilometers away even when buried in the ground or submerged in water. Their hearing is moderate, the upper limit being 30 kHz. All members possess a tail, but this is very short and considered vestigial.

Ursidae are omnivorous. They have an extremely strong bite that averages over 1,000 psi. Compared to other abhuman species Ursidae have a lengthy gestation period of 12 months and a low birth rate, with single cubs common and only occasionally including twins. Among the Arvaya Ursidae were engineered and bred in small numbers to fight as gladiators for their entertainment, and also found limited work in law enforcement and military work. Their numbers are low among Cruorian abhumans, but reach middling levels among Initiates.

Vulpine

The abhuman Vulpine is a medium-sized mammal morph designed by the Arvaya for exceptional scent-tracking abilities. With their flattened skull, triangular ears, pointed snout and bushy tail they strongly resemble Imperial kitsune but have a number of significant differences. Primarily, their sense of smell is even more acute than that of Imperial kitsune and is the best among the abhumans, necessary for their role in tracking (though this trait is not present in Initiate stock). They are overall larger than their Imperial counterparts, including greater height and mass to correspond to the size of the average human, and experience sexual dimorphism in favor of the female. Unlike kitsune their tails are not prehensile and members of the species are not naturally born with more than one.

Also contrary to kitsune, abhuman Vulpine have semi-retractable claws, rather than fully retractable. Their natural circadian rhythm gives them a nocturnal pattern in which they sleep through the day and are active at night, though this can be altered by changing conditions and habits. Most significantly abhuman Vulpine experience estrus during the spring or spring-like conditions, which is often signified by the belly fur on the vixen turning bright red. Their pheromones do not have the unusual cross-species effects of kitsune ones, but still affect abhuman Vulpine as well as kitsune, and are said to smell of violets. Their population is middling to low among Cruorian abhumans but strongly moderate among Initiates.

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 3:24 pm

Alumina are the native species of the planet Alumi and were the dominant species of the Aluminan Pridelands prior to its annexation into the Alversian Republic. One of the most noticeable things about alumina is that there appears to be a large deficit in numbers between males and females. The exact split is roughly 65%/35% in favour of females, making it much more common to see aluminan females compared to males. Although they are more likely to have female children than male, the main reason for the difference is the aluminan casualties suffered in the first Danaversian wars. Their life expectancy is around 300 to 500 years old. The oldest alumina ever recorded was over 700 years old.

In terms of physical appearance, alumina are a feline race, resembling anthropomorphic cats. They are tall beings, with the smallest over seven foot one inch in height and the average weight being 270 pounds. Older alumina tend to be toned as a result of compulsory military service while the younger have generally conformed to Xiscapian cultural expectations to stay fit. Regardless female members of the species are invariably very well endowed. The species is covered in a thin fur which comes in a variety of colours and patterns; the most common are tawny, grey, golden, cheetah and leopard; with colours such as black and white being much rarer. They also have hair on their crowns which is distinguishable from fur by its length and consistency. Alumina have much more variable hair colours than Alversians, ranging from black and red to colours like green and pink. Their eyes are feline and range in colours from blue and green to yellow and orange. One marked difference between alumina and regular felines is their lack of whiskers, which alumina have evolved without, relying on other senses to compensate for their absence. They also have long, slender tails which are extensions of their spine, growing out of the base of their back, which are fully flexible. Aluminan males tend to be more muscled and angular in appearance and typically sport large manes. It is also noted that Alumina, when content or happy, are also capable of purring like many felines.

Aluminan senses are heightened, with large dish-like ears on top of their head which are flexible and capable of rotating, allowing for more sensitive hearing while their eyesight is superior to humans and their sense of smell significantly better. Alumina also have nocturnal vision and can see well in low-light conditions. As natural predators they have powerful jaws and long, sharp claws used for cutting up meat. Their stomach acid is powerful enough to digest gristle and even bone, allowing alumina to eat raw meat and whole creatures easily. They also have no gag reflex, allowing them to consume large chunks of meat at a time. They are carnivores and their diet consists entirely of meat. Typically an adult Alumina will only need to eat once every three or four days and can survive on two or three hours of sleep a night.

Alumina are faster and stronger than humans due to their taller frames and denser muscles. All alumina are naturally psychic, able to use telepathy to communicate without the need to speak, as well as telekinesis.

At birth, all alumina are uniformly white furred and blue-eyed. A pregnant female will gestate for ten months before birth but will usually only produce one off-spring every fifty years. When Alumina reach the age of 10, their fur will begin to darken into their adult colours and also thin out so it is the sleek fur of an adult rather than the more fluffy fur of a child. It is at this age that their hair also begins to grow and their eyes change colour. It is also at this time that males will begin to grow their manes. Alumina typically reach puberty at the age of twelve and at the age of eighteen are considered adults.

A unique phenomenon that Alumina females experience is known as heat. It typically occurs one or two in a year and is a period in which the female gains a powerful desire to mate. The desire increases until it reaches a point where it becomes unbearable. There are limited suppressants available. During this period, there is a higher chance of pregnancy for the female. A female will usually not experience heat until they are in their late teens or early twenties.

Alumina are highly intelligent, with the ability to learn skills and languages at an exceptional speed and retain the knowledge indefinitely thanks to powerful eidetic memories. The species is also digitigrade in movement which means the species are much faster than the average human.

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:25 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:25 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:26 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:26 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:27 pm

Drakon-Xeno
Homo Draconis Xeno

The Drakonian genotype is partially reptilian, but the phenotype is almost completely mammalian due to the inclusion of a secondary genome to combat against viral weaponry and oncogenetic mutation. They stand on average 2 to 3 feet taller than most humans, and easily hundreds of pounds larger thanks to dense bones, larger muscle groups, and redundant vital organs.

With sleek, semi-conductive scales covering their bodies, they seem like lizards with casual observation, but have body structures and physiological similarities with mammals, with exothermic bodies, live births, and hominid reproductive and digestive structures. Other indicators include clawed, 5-fingered hands, 3-toed feet ending with sharp toe talons, and occasional occurrence of a bone-like “crest” at the back of their long, triangular, reptilian skulls that only form ‘horns’ with congenital mutation (associated with the Pairbond Sequence elaborated on later) or aesthetic gene-modification.

Wingless and tailless in contrast to the Dragyn of Todularian myth, they are not based off of any pre-existing organisms or species, being truly original beings. Coded in computers, drawn up from raw genetic material and born in vats in Eccalsiarchy laboratories.

Visual:

Drakonian sight is binocular and generally forward-facing, but the capacity for vision can extend up to 270 degrees if the eyes are turned to the sides as far as possible. This extended vision is more peripheral and loses considerable detail, but military gene-fixing removes this easily, making Drakon deceptively aware of their surroundings. Average visual acuity stands at 20/14 due to purpose-built optical tissue refinements in the retinal tissues that allow far better resolution adjustment when presented with objects of varying distance. This gives Drakon supreme distance judgment and hand-eye coordination, another gift from the Todularians to make them natural-born gunmen.

Auditory:

Rather than ears, Drakon use genetically modified tympanums, or external eardrums to hear. An array of 6 small tympanums on each side of the head are located behind the eyes, each one made of durable, flexible skin-like material and ringed with hardened cartilage. When sound strikes the drum, vibrations on the drum are transmitted to small tissue rods that stir material in the inner-ear tubes of the Drakon. This stirring moves nerve-hair which transmits the motion into crystal clear sound.

When the Todularians designed the Drakonian Tympanum, they also incorporated a brilliant failsafe found in most frogs. Drakonian lungs also contain sensory tissues to pick up sound, transmitting any sonic waves that strike or enter the lungs directly to the tympanum systems and converting them into sound. This not only allows extreme air pressure and sound pressure to be safely equalized through the lungs, but allows for pin-point accuracy in finding the source of a sound, as comparing the pressure between the cranial ears and the lung sensor-tissues allows for accurate distance and direction measurement.

The system, as it is merely a simplification of hominid hearing systems, does not detract from the frequency range and hearing distance of the Drakon. Lab studies have found a gene-fixed frequency range of 5 Hz – 20,000 Hz, with greater perception at the lower bandwidths. Due to the resilience of the tympanum tissues, regenerative inner-ear tissues, redundant nerve connections, and pressure-reactive bio-analgesics, Drakon can handle long-term sound pressures of approximately 115 dB without sustaining hearing damage, and have been shown to have a threshold of pain of an astounding 160 dB, making them naturally resistant to stun grenades and concussive sensory injury.

Tactile-Sensory:

Drakonian ‘scales’ are extremely deceptive, for they are in fact a cutaneous plating over a dermal tissue wrap, making them more like dense fingernails than anything else. Even then, due to their small size, they are barely noticeable, giving Drakon a sleek, moist shine rather than a gem-like glimmer. Semiconductive to electricity by design, the Todularians gave Drakon a natural affinity to mechanical augmentation, allowing their skin to serve as a much better neural connector than additional wiring. However, this does mean that Drakon are more likely to be harmed by static discharges and electrical accidents, meaning that a few Drakon are gene-fixed and ‘rubber-skinned’ to reduce this conductivity to a minimum.

Drakonian sub-skin is generally grey, white, or black. The color of the scales themselves can be greatly variable, covering the ‘chromatic spectrum’ in accordance with Todularian color-catechism. Reds, blues, whites, blacks, and greens are all common-place, with gene-modification allowing for pinks, greys, and purples as well.

Digestion:

Todularians were self-hating people at times, and their Drakon were designed to facilitate flagellant penance and humility when eating. Therefore, the Drakonian digestive system is durable, high-capacity, naturally anti-toxic, and suited to break down nearly anything it faces. With extremely strong stomach and intestinal muscles, diverse and genetically engineered floral and faunal colonies in the digestive tract, and extremely efficient waste removal systems, everything from rocks to urine can be consumed with relatively minor consequence. Artificial poisons still effect Drakon negatively, but raw meat, contaminated food, and rot toxins have been found to do little to dampen Drakonian health.

Sexuality:

Drakon were born to be warriors, and an unfortunate reality of the Todularian perception of that role was aggressive military sexuality, often at the expense of others, now referred to by XenoIntel propaganda as a literal ‘rape culture’. While gene-fixing exists that moderates the hormones responsible for aggression and sexual drive, it is usually administered only as a punitive measure to civilian sexual criminals. Due to the loosening of public morality after the Civil War, open cultural exchange with progressive and liberal nations, and hormonal surpluses, Drakon are very forward about their needs and wants, and ‘double-talk’ and innuendo are seen as deceptive and dangerous. Immunosuppressive aptitudes towards negating STIs and venereal blights combined with gene-fixing administered in-utero bring the risk of negative repercussions of base physical activity to a minimum.

Female Drakon maternalize hormonally during gestation, making pregnancy the only time ‘at-a-glance’ gender distinctions arise. Mammarial tissues begin to multiply in preparation for a hungry infant and muscle mass decreases as it is catalyzed into nutrition for the unborn, continuing over the course of the 30 weeks of pregnancy. Drakon children are almost always single births, with twins the result of a congenital mutation that the Todularians referred to as ‘Pairbond Sequences’ and are of interest to psionics and biotics researchers, due to their uncanny aptitude for biotic and psionic implants.

Drakon were genetically programmed to birth their young quickly, and to grow up with the same speed. While born a pale white and with no teeth erupted, the full set break within 4 weeks and the skin and scales colorize within 6 months. Breast milk is weaned out of the diet after a year, and physical maturation continues at an accelerated pace until the age of 8, when puberty proper begins, finishing at around age 15.

Biotics and Psionics:

The Drakon were intended to exist as soldiers, and the Todularians held psionics and other metaphysical capacities as a hallmark of the ruling class. This was codified into the Drakonian double-genome as a natural ineptitude for hyper-mental ability, high rejection rates for biotic and psionic implants, and notable mental vulnerability to psychic influence. While the majority of Drakon feel they have lost little, and those who do find solace in extensive mechanical and nano-augmentation, there are a select few who are born with the capacity for power beyond scientific reckoning.

Theories abound in regards to the true origins of the Pairbond Sequence; cult conspiracies, midiclorian mutation, neurotoxic gene-venoms integrating into cellular systems, and even foreign infiltrators tampering with modern medical gene-fixes. However, the true nature of the P.S. is unknown. What is known is that it exhibits itself exclusively in twin births, with approximately 80% of such births resulting in phenotypic Pairbonding. Physically, the hides of the twins are always a dull grey, with reduced muscle-mass, lean limbs and increased general joint flexibility, which has most civilians to simply refer to those exhibiting the phenome as ‘lanks’ or ‘chameleos’. Psychologically, the twins are co-dependent, forming their identity together rather than on their own; some go so far as to abandon individual names and identify as a pair constantly. However, this psychological disturbance is far outweighed by the utility of the physiological alterations.

The Pairbond Sequence mutation manifests itself as a nervous system mutation that results in levels of neurological efficiency and signal capacity several orders of magnitude greater than the average Drakon. With secondary sub-brains along the side of the spinal cord, self-correcting neural nets, increased conductivity of the skin and scales to facilitate nerve activity, and a natural generation of static electricity, higher-level brainwaves, and phase-space energy. This stew of fields, known as ‘Strange Magnetism’ and harnessed outside of the Phenome by bio-technologial exo-brains and expensive micro-digital integration into a generator unit, is generated from this enhanced CNS functioning properly and magnified by the presence of properly functioning biotic or psionic implants.

Pairbonds without psionic or biotic augmentation are discomforted by their naturally high energy levels, manifesting in numbness and motor tics. This, combined with their high-capacity neural systems, makes them viable candidates for such augmentation. When operating together, a pair of P.S. mutants can easily overpower most police forces, and this knowledge results in most pairs being drafted into military service for public safety.

At our conclusion, certain terms should be clarified. Biotics are implants that utilize Strange Magnetism in order to modify space-time and classical mechanics on a local level. Also known as ‘Force powers’, biotic manifestations are known for their kinetic magnitude and ease of application in a military setting. This contrasts with Psionics which use Strange Magnetism to alter the electro- and neuro-chemistry of other living things, often through psychological influence or mechanical body control alteration (such as seizure induction or black-out shocks). Both utilize the same basic mechanics, but use different training protocols and implant firmware to facilitate actualization.

Rumors and whispered nothings regarding the 'Unreal Sequence' that fringe scientists blame for Drakonian psionic difficulties, and its full expression resulting in 'anti-psionics' are openly mocked and derided by XenoScience officials as the ravings of the under-funded.

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:33 pm

Escan are a species of bipedal lupines who are native to the Home Galaxy with old populations in the Milky Way Galaxy as well. They have non-retractable claws on their hands and digitigrade feet and a long tail, with fur across the body and a head of hair, both of which come in a variety of colors. Escan are adaptable and can survive in most environments, including extremes such as deserts and tundra as well as lush jungle and the tropics. There are two known escan subspecies, escan domo and escan timo, and they are thought to be genetically related to the lupine rasthan people native to the Milky Way Galaxy. Both escan subspecies are capable of breeding with each other as well as a variety of other species.

Physically escan are slender but powerful beings with broad hips and shoulders and heavily muscled arms and necks. Both subspecies have long legs built for endurance running and moving through deep cover such as underbrush and snow. The average healthy escan can run a kilometer in one minute and maintain that speed for at least 20 minutes, slowing to a gait of 8-9 kilometers per hour that can last for hours. On a smooth, flat surface a sprinting escan can quickly reach speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour with the capability of leaping up to five meters horizontally. Their average tail length is about 30% of their height.

Their large, heavy heads have long muzzles that contain powerful jaws with teeth that can crush the bones of most sapients and megafauna. The molars also have flat chewing surfaces to break up vegetable matter as both species are omnivorous. In addition to meat escan are known to enjoy eggs, lily of the valley, apples, pears, nightshade, melons, and various kinds of berries. Research has concluded that escan are designed as pack hunters to track, chase down, and kill prey much larger than themselves. Sexual dimorphism favors the males in both subspecies, with the males standing at about six inches taller than their female counterparts for escan domo and about two inches for escan timo.

The traits of an escan’s coat vary with climate, becoming denser and fluffier in the cold and more sparse and light in warmth. It is highly effective at trapping warmth, allowing a nude escan to survive in temperatures as low as -40 degrees. Older escan develop white hairs along their snouts, foreheads, and tail tips as well as graying or whitening hair cover in most. Colors include blond, cream, ochre, gray, brown, and black, with no differences between the sexes or subspecies.

Escan have keen senses that assist them in both hunting and keeping track of threats and their fellows. They possess acute sight including nocturnal vision for hunting at night. However, their greatest sense is that of smell, which is only slightly less sensitive than that of a kitsune: under good conditions the average escan can detect scents from up to three kilometers away. Their hearing is even more sensitive, able to pick up sounds from 10-16 kilometers away depending on conditions in a frequency range of up to 80 khz. Scent also plays an important role among escans, as each escan’s scent is unique and just by smelling it one can tell things such as sex, age, and sexual arousal. Like kitsune escan have anal sacs which produce pheromones including aphrodisiacs, particularly when in heat, but unlike kitsune these have not been observed to have cross-species effects with the exception of rasthan and some canine abhumans.

Female escan enter estrus in late winter, with older mothers experiencing it 2-3 weeks earlier than the younger females. After conception gestation lasts for about 8 months, after which a litter of 2-4 pups is born. They come into the world blind and deaf, beginning to see and hear after 18-24 days with teeth erupting after 1-2 months. Cubs hit maturity at 10-11 and reach full adulthood at 17-18, with a typical lifespan of about 350 years.

There are only a few but significant differences between the escan domo and escan timo species. Escan domo are the larger of the two, standing at an average of 6’8 for domo males and 6’2 for domo females, and 6’2 for timo males while timo females average at 6’0. While domo are robust timo exhibit more feminine traits among both sexes, including narrower muzzles, foreheads, and shoulders, thinner necks, more slender limbs, wider hips, and slightly longer legs. Domo are noted for their stronger crushing bite, while timo have longer, sharper claws, reflecting different styles of hunting between the subspecies.

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:34 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:34 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:37 pm

In Vulpes Vulpes kitsune the body is molded and shaped to be more fox-like than human. The body is covered in fur, and the visage ends in a muzzle complete with a long, tapering snout, with carnivore's teeth. Vulpes Vulpes kitsune retain the humanoid, erect posture and form, with human-like hands that include opposable thumbs and digigrade pawed feet, both with retractable claws. For reasons which are unclear both races have heads of hair differentiated from their main coats which come in a wider variety of colors, including blue, green, white, pink, purple and otherwise. Vulpes Vulpes tails are long, bushy, and prehensile.

The basal metabolic rate of the average kitsune is proportionally much higher than that of other species; in one case study two individuals with the same lean body mass of 43 kg, one kitsune and one vulpine (abhuman) humanoid, had BMRs of 1790 kcal/day (7.5 MJ/day) and 1075 kcal/day (4.5 MJ/day) respectively. This difference of 715 kcal/day (67%) is equivalent to the kitsune subject completing a 10-kilometer run every day, resulting in quick-burning fat and increased hunger. Related to this, kitsune have robust livers which are responsible for high levels of glucose and red blood cell production, resulting in relatively high levels of energy, and sophisticated drug metabolism that is extremely effective at detoxifying most substances. This enhanced liver also gives them better protection against disease due to storing abundant substances (glucose, vitamin A/D/B12/K, iron, copper, etc.) and an enlarged mononuclear phagocyte system responsible for immunological effects.

Visual:

Both kitsune phenotypes have binocular vision, with sight geared towards reacting to movement; the pupils are oval and vertically oriented. Nictitating membranes are present, but move only when the eyes are closed. Average kitsune eyesight is superior to average human eyesight, 20/6 (where average human eyesight is within the 20/16-12 range) and complemented by natural nocturnal vision, allowing kitsune to see accurately in low light conditions. The kitsune eye tends to be amber or auric in color, though all kitsune are born with blue eyes which change color with age; rare mutations have also given kitsune green, blue and violet irises. Unfortunately, kitsune eyes tend to be more sensitive to changes in the light spectrum than those of a human, following that kitsune actually prefer low light conditions to high ones.

Auditory:

As with sight, the auditory perception in the average kitsune is highly acute, superior to that of the average human. Kitsune are capable of hearing and accurately tracking quiet sounds at extreme distances; trials have shown that a kitsune subject can hear music playing from the headphones of a personal device at one hundred meters, running feet at six hundred meters and the flight of birds at up to fifteen hundred meters, under ideal conditions. When perceiving an auditory signal, the kitsune ears often perk and twitch in the direction of the signal in order to capture the sound waves more carefully. They are capable of locating sounds to within one degree at 700-3,000 hertz, though less accurately at higher frequencies. This sensitivity to noise can lead to auditory damage in loud environments, necessitating protective measures.

Olfactory:

While the senses of kitsune in other areas can be marked as significantly better than those of the average human, the olfactory sense of the average kitsune is multiple magnitudes more sensitive and nuanced than that of a human, up to one million times better in some cases. Where humans rely on their sense of sight, kitsune count sense of smell as one of their dominant senses. Because of the distinctive shape of each kitsune's nose and the unique organs and tissues that make it up a nose print is used in place of a finger print in the Kitsune Empire for identification purposes (which is a boon, since Vulpes Vulpes kitsune do not have finger prints). Using this sense kitsune can detect both the makeup and direction of the smell, allowing them to easily identify foods, chemicals, plant and animal life, each other and more from multiple kilometers away under ideal conditions. The sense of smell is, and will continue to be, one of the kitsune's greatest tools.

Sensory:

Among the most distinctive traits of kitsune is their fur, whether it is confined to ears and tail or fully covers the body. In Vulpes Vulpes kitsune the exact length, texture and displacement of the fur depends on environment; in the winter or otherwise cool conditions the fur is dense, soft, silky and relatively long, which is shed and traded for shorter, coarser summer for in warm conditions. Kitsune unconsciously shed in response to environment, and when fearful, stressed, nervous or otherwise tense. During lactation, the belly fur of lighter colored females may turn bright red. Kits are often born with black fur, which usually changes color with age.

A number of color palettes exist for kitsune. The most common is a rusty orange/red color, followed by alabaster, tawny, sable, gray and finally brown. Alabaster, sable and gray kitsune tend to be single solid colors, or small mixes of similar hues, while orange, tawny and silver kitsune are often blended, having a line of dark stripes down the spine, with flanks, throat, chin, lower lips and the front of the chest colored lighter with the remaining body a darker shade. In these cases the upper limbs are generally mottled, while the paws or hands are black, the backs of the ears are brown or ruddy and the insides are white. The top of the tail tends to be lighter than the flanks while the underside retains the same approximate color; a dark spot appears at the base of the tail around the supracaudal gland, while the tail tip is almost always black or white, contrasting with the main body color of the kitsune.

Gustation:

Reputedly, the kitsune sense of taste is quite different from that of a human, and could possibly be described as being inferior in range of possible sensations, though such a conclusion is debatable. The palate of most kitsune is better adapted to carnivorous consumption than herbivore, hence the preference of the majority of kitsune for a partially or all meat diet. Kitsune appear to lack certain taste buds that humans possess, replacing them with buds in different areas, so what a kitsune tastes, and what a human tastes, in the same food item could be drastically different. Certain substances, such as caffeine, nicotine and certain types of alcohol, have only a negligible effect on kitsune, while other substances, including THC, olfactory-dependent chemicals and specific kinds of alcohol, have a much greater or different affect on a kitsune than on a human. This leads to some kitsune ingesting or inhaling certain substances purely for the sake of smell or taste, rather than any psychological effects it might have, which are usually imperceptible.

Scent glands:

Like many species, Vulpes Vulpes kitsune possess scent glands which can excrete hormones, usually pheromones. These are produced in a pair of anal sacs lined by sebaceous glands, both of which open through a single duct, acting as fermentation chambers in which aerobic and anaerobic bacteria convert sebum into odorous compounds, including aliphatic acids. The oval shaped caudal gland is an erogenous zone, and is said to smell of lilacs. Sebaceous glands are present on the angle of the jaw and mandible; when the three glands work in concert they release odor signals to other kitsune in the area to convey sensory information, usually of a sexual nature. Glands are also present on the feet in deep interdigital cavities, which are tinged red and smell strongly, though unlike the caudal and sebaceous glands these are not usually considered erogenous.

Tail:

One of the most important anatomical features, the kitsune's tail is a significant limb for the body. The tail tends to be over half the kitsune's total height, 70% of the head and body on average, though shorter or longer limbs are possible. This limb is long, fluffy and reaches to the ground when the kitsune is in a standing position; it is often called a plume. The kitsune tail provides for balance, and assists the kitsune in running, jumping, swimming and (artificial) flight, keeping their gravity centered and allowing them to alter their course when in the air, submerged in water or moving through a zero-gravity environment. Apart from natural uses the kitsune tail is also surprisingly dexterous, kitsune can be trained to pick up items, move them and even manipulate simple machines with their tail. Most kitsune are born with one tail, multiple tails are extremely rare and is considered a mark of divinity in some circles.

Sexuality:

Through a combination of biological urges, social liberation and institutionalized encouragement, most kitsune tend to be very sexually active. Unlike feline species and some more canine races kitsune do not go into heat or have anything like a mating season; if any such thing exists it is for a minority of genetically engineered kitsune. Venereal diseases are almost non-existent among the kitsune and those which do exist are easily treatable by modern medicine. One unique aspect of the kitsune race is that most members are pansexual, with divides existing only with individual preference, though minorities with a preference purely for one sex or the other do exist. It is accepted as scientific fact that pansexuality is a natural state of being brought on by biology.

When a female kitsune (or vixen) is impregnated the effects begin showing about four weeks after conception. Gestation typically lasts for about fifty two weeks, during which the female undergoes a range of physical and psychological changes. Birth naturally occurs through the vagina, though modern medicine makes other options available to expectant mothers. Vixens always give birth to at least twins, and triplets, quartets or higher numbers of siblings are common. A kitsune child is called a kit.

When the kit is born they are blind, deaf, toothless and black furred. A kit's eyes will open after about two weeks of life, first blue in color but usually changing to amber in four to five weeks. Teeth erupt and ears open at about the same time. Coat color, if there will be any change, begins at about three weeks. During this time the ears become erect and the muzzle (on Vulpes Vulpes) begins to elongate. Kits typically feed on breast milk for about one year, after which they can switch to artificially produced milk until they are sufficiently developed to ingest solid food.

While fertile offspring between different Vulpes Vulpes kitsune has long been known to be possible, new research and firsthand accounts are finding that the Xiscapian reproductive methods and process are compatible with a number of other races. When offspring are produced between a kitsune and a member of a non-kitsune race the result is known as a "Halfbreed", or, more rarely, a "Hybrid." In some pairings kitsune genes are dominant, resulting in an alien version of a kitsune, while in other races the kitsune genes are recessive, producing a kitsuneized version of the non-kitsune parent. Due to a quirk in biology, genes may be recessive in one child but dominant in another, even if they came from the same mother and were born at the same time. Known Halfbreed pairing include kitsune and humans.

Diet:

All kitsune are capable of living on a pure carnivore, pure herbivore or omnivore diet. It should be noted that some substances which are acceptable for a kitsune to ingest, and may even be considered seasonings or spices in food, but may be poisonous to humans; therefore prospective alien diners should take care before consuming kitsune delicacies. Because of their digestive system it is safe for kitsune to eat raw meat, and as their jaws are powerful enough, and teeth sharp enough, to break bone it is possible for them to capture, kill and eat animals naturally. Metabolic rates tend to be quick in kitsune, leading them to require food more frequently but ingest less of it per sitting than the average human. Most kitsune maintain an omnivorous diet.

Body Language:

Kitsune body language consists largely of the movements of the ears, tail and posture. Because it can be difficult for non-kitsune to interpret kitsune body language, one may erroneously read a kitsune as being calm or even unemotional when he or she is actually very surprised, fearful or angry. One area Vulpes Vulpes body language is lacking in is facial expression, which is the biggest contributor to human indicator of emotion and inversely can be almost negligible when dealing with kitsune. It is possible for a kitsune to learn to make approximations of human expressions, but this is usually only done through unconscious imitation. Conversely, it is thought to be conventionally impossible for a non-kitsune to accurately read kitsune body language beyond extremely simple identifiers.

An inquisitive, curious or alert kitsune will often perk and rotate his or her ears and flick them often in response to auditory stimulation, usually combined with a subtle sniffing of the air. One variation on twitching the ears can be interpreted as being playful, while others signal intentness, caution or desultory scanning. Lowered ears can signal fatigue, inactivity, a negative emotion or simply a motion used to scan closer to the ground. Flattened ears usually indicate aggression, fear, anger or hostility. A single twitch of the ear on either side without corresponding rotation can be interpreted as an approximate equivalent to a human raising an eyebrow.

When a kitsune approaches with muzzle held high, looking down the snout, as it were, the posture means much the same as it does in humans; pride, confidence, arrogance or attention. When the muzzle is level with that of the other, insofar as such may be possible, it is generally a sign that a kitsune is approaching another as an equal, though it may also be so the kitsune can keep a careful eye on a potential opponent. When the muzzle is lowered in relation to the face or appropriate appendage of the other it is a sign of submission, deference, sadness or acceptance. Generally, a kitsune directly facing another is treating him or her cordially, while one facing sidelong is expecting an attack or confrontation. Kitsune officials will often draw all limbs except for their heads into the recesses of their clothing, as a sign of readiness for procession, while military personnel usually stand with their hands clasped behind their backs just above their tails to indicate detachment, and kitsune teenagers like to keep their hands in their pockets; none of these should be taken a sign of a kitsune going for his or her weapon.

Perhaps one of the most profound of limbs used to communicate is the tail. When the tail is simply raised it can be a sign of submission, alertness, uncertainty or simple stretching. If the tail is lowered it may be a sign of sadness, aggression, attention or wariness. Where the tail curls it is often a sign of inquisitiveness, uncertainty, intentness or unease. When the tail lashes from side to side it is almost always a signal of aggression, agitation, anger or passion. Upon sitting, if there is no tail hole in their seat, a kitsune will often wrap his or her tail around their legs or waist to conserve space. Not to be ignored is the "tail language" which kitsune can use nonverbally to actually communicate thoughts and ideas, albeit in a limited fashion, to each other through deliberate and specific motions in and along the tail.

Ethnicities:

There are six main species of the kitsune genus. Though they share many of the same overall qualities the species have subtle differences as well. It is thought that this is due to their original habitats on Old Xiscapia, with the variations in subspecies accounted for as adaptations to their given biomes.

Vulpes Kasai

The Vulpes Kasai species can be identified by their orange fur pattern, which is often mixed with shades of white and black. This orange can range in shade from ruddy to rusty-colored and sometimes dips into red, with white and black accents that usually manifest themselves along the ends of limbs and extremities. Vulpes Kasai are sometimes thought of as being representative of all kitsune, but they are in fact no more common than the other species. They are however thought to be the most basal of the genus. Tests have borne out that Vulpes Kasai have slightly higher nominal body temperatures than the other kitsune species, and this higher critical temperature gives them more endurance. Compared to the other species their blood contains higher levels of plasma with reduced blood viscosity and increased cardiac output, and their heart rates are slower than average. This makes oxygenation more efficient. Levels and size of mitochondria, myoglobin and oxidative enzymes are all increased as well, and their muscles have better glycogen and fat storing capabilities, making them more efficient and resistant to fatigue. Vulpes Kasai are thought to have originated in the forests of Old Xiscapia.

Vulpes Yama

The Vulpes Yama species can be identified by their grayish fur pattern. This often includes black, particularly in stripes along the back and tail and at the tail tip, though the shading can vary from very light gray to silver to nearly black. Vulpes Yama are noted for their very strong claws and exceptional balance even by kitsune standards, lending them surefootedness that allows the species better natural climbing abilities than others. That same sense of balance makes Vulpes Yama natural gymnasts and the most graceful of all kitsune. Because of this they also tend to be more daintily-built than other species, with proportionally longer arms and legs. Vulpes Yama seem to have come from the mountains and highland forests of Old Xiscapia.

Vulpes Seishin

The Vulpes Seishin species can be identified by their usually white fur pattern. Along with their Vulpes Kukan cousins they are most likely to have coats that are one solid color; when they do have multiple colors they are most often in shades of gray or black. While the bodies of most Vulpes Seishin adapt quickly to changes in temperature, very swift or unexpected changes, or extreme stress, can cause the kitsune’s fur to temporarily turn brown or steely blue-gray. This can result in Vulpes Seishin being mistaken for kitsune of the Vulpes Chikyu or Vulpes Kukan types. Testing has also borne out that Vulpes Seishin have on average the quickest reflexes of any of the kitsune species.

The bodies of Vulpes Seishin tend to be rounder than those of other kitsune species. This was to originally prevent heat loss, but in modern practice tends to lend more muscle mass to its tods and more voluptuous body types to its vixens. Additionally Vulpes Seishin fur tends to be very thick and lush, which has multiple layers and provides excellent insulation. A sophisticated system of countercurrent heat exchange in the furred paws of the species, along with generally compact bodies and shorter muzzles, legs and ears, gear the species towards retaining heat and maintaining a regular core temperature. They are also capable of walking across ice barefoot without ill effect. As a result Vulpes Seishin have a very high tolerance for cold and do not even begin to shiver until temperatures reach −70 °C (−94 °F). The species is hypothesized to have originated from the poles and extreme regions of Old Xiscapia.

Vulpes Kukan

The Vulpes Kukan species can be identified by their black fur pattern. Like the Vulpes Seishin type their coats are typically solid without variation or secondary colors, though they can have secondary hues which typically manifest as whites and grays. Vulpes Kukan tend to have shorter legs than the other species, coupled with smaller ears, stronger jaws and more robust body types. The presence of a unique haemoglobin protein in the blood of Vulpes Kukan enable them to tolerate higher levels of carbon dioxide than other species and indeed many non-kitsune, allowing them to reuse already-inhaled oxygen. This, along with naturally-occurring thermographic vision while in complete darkness, give credence to theories that ancient Vulpes Kukan made their homes deep underground.

Vulpes Sanda

The Vulpes Sanda is a species that can be identified by their tawny fur pattern. The coat of this type has some of the widest variations of any kitsune; colors range from tawny to rufous, frequently with black, white or silver markings, but are often creamy, gold or otherwise sandy in hue. Kitsune of the classification do not need any free water to survive, and their sense of balance and climbing abilities rival those of Vulpes Yama. Like Vulpes Seishin their paws are furred, which accounts for less traction on flat surfaces but allows them surefootedness on unstable ones and the ability to walk barefoot over burning sands. Their ears are the largest of any of the kitsune species, and help dissipate heat as well as give them the best hearing of the kitsune types.

Trained individual Vulpes Sanda have proven to be highly adept at finding water by smell, including aquifers belowground. Similarly, they can detect subterranean movement with their ears alone. Strong leg bones and robust muscles mean that individual Vulpes Sanda are capable of jumping up to twice their height upwards and four times that in any direction if given a sufficient running start. Vulpes Sanda are also the only kitsune subspecies who make feline-like purring noises when they are content, in pain or attempting to appear non-threatening. They are thought to have inhabited the desert and steppe regions of Old Xiscapia.

Vulpes Chikyu:

The Vulpes Chikyu species can be identified by their brown fur pattern. Exact shade and hue vary widely, from earthen to mocha-colored. While they can be solid-coated the subspecies has a tendency towards mixing colors; white or creamy colors sometimes appear on the interior of the body, reddish markings can often be found around the ears, eyes and legs, and agouti fur is common. Melanism is rare but has been reported, resulting in confusion with the Vulpes Kukan species.

The coat of the Vulpes Chikyu is thinner than that of most other species, including guard hairs over down, as well as increased body fat. Uniquely, they are capable of using the muscles in their noses and ears to close off those passages to the flow of water. Members of the species have a high tolerance for lactic acid and carbon dioxide, enabling them to work effectively while holding their breath. Their tolerance for pressure at depth is similarly higher, with collapsible lungs and rib cages and limited nitrogen absorption. Chikyu have specialized kidneys that produce urine that is high in salt content, as they are capable of surviving on salt water. These adaptations, along with a strong, thick tail and smaller, more oxygen-efficient lungs with high blood volume levels, have led scientists to speculate that the Vulpes Chikyu dominated the coasts of Old Xiscapia and may have fished via swimming in the world’s cold seas.

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:44 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:45 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:45 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:46 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:46 pm

Reserved

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:47 pm

Sar are a group of bipedal amphibians sometimes classified as a variant example of anthropomorphic Selachimorpha/Selachii. They are characterized by five limbs including two arms and two legs that each end in clawed fingers and toes, and a tail, with a spinal fin on the back and one or more along the tail and sometimes on the others limbs, five to eight gills along the sides of the neck, hairless bodies excepting for the head, and robust builds. Sar are well-adapted to many kinds of environments and can survive in salt, fresh, and brackish water as well as on land in climates ranging from tropical to polar. Four different but closely-related species of sar exist. All species are obligate carnivores and experience sexual dimorphism favoring the females.

Sar have smooth, hairless skin that generally has a somewhat rubbery texture. Beneath the outer dermis each species has a layer of blubber that helps give sar a relatively bulky look, with the thickness depending on the local climate. Sar with the thickest blubber live in the coldest polar climates, but even tropical sar have use for their thinner blubber reserves to assist with buoyancy, provide an amount of protection for the organs and bones beneath, and can be consumed for energy during extended periods without food. Each species also has an internal bone structure that keeps them from being crushed under their own weight while on land. Contrary to popular belief, they also have teeth affixed directly to the jaw rather than simply embedded in the gums, and thus do not often lose teeth in adulthood as they cannot naturally replace them.

When submerged in water sar can breathe by pulling oxygen out of the fluid when it passes over their gills. The water is taken in through the mouth, enters the pharynx, and is expelled through the gills. A secondary method uses an orifice behind the eyes called a spiracle which opens to the mouth and acts similar to an internal gill structure albeit with only a small opening. This allows the sar to breathe while submerged without opening their mouth, an important adaptation for hunting on sea beds and anywhere with contaminants. Sar also use two different mechanisms to move water over their gills. While swimming the sar uses the passive method of collecting oxygen known as ram ventilation, in which water is forced through the mouth or spiracle and out the gills. When a sar is treading water, sleeping, or otherwise inactive they switch to buccal pumping, which involves its buccal muscles actively working to pull water through in a more energy-consuming fashion.

A sar’s tail helps to provide thrust and somewhat controls speed and acceleration while swimming. The shape of the caudal (tail) fin depends on species, with different ones corresponding to different environments. Tails with large upper lobes are better adapted for slow cruising and quick flashes of acceleration and maneuverability, making them the adaptation of the agile “sprinters” of the sar’s underwater world. By contrast large lower lobes provides for sustained acceleration over longer periods, making them useful for keeping up with fast-swimming fellows and prey. A third kind, with a large, elongated upper lobe, can be used as a weapon both in and out of water as a swing of the thick appendage can stun prey or attackers. Similar to many land-dwelling species, the sar also uses its tail for balance while walking and running out of the water.

To maintain body temperature sar are homeothermic, making them warm-blooded. This means that they maintain higher body temperatures than the surrounding water thanks to aerobic muscle that generates this heat, which is kept from dissipating into cooler water thanks to countercurrent exchange. The blood of sar is isotonic to the surrounding water to allow them to be in osmotic balance with it, but certain adaptations allow them to be diadromous, or easily able to pass between salt and fresh water. These include the presence of organs that help maintain a healthy balance of water and salt, including the kidneys, liver, and gills themselves as well as a rectal gland; in saltwater this helps to excrete excess salt, but this function is reduced in freshwater to preserve balance, while the kidneys produce larger amounts of dilute urine and the gills increase the intake of vital sodium and chloride from freshwater.

Outside of water Sar have a poor sense of smell compared to most species, but in water it is quite keen, with members of the species able to detect a single part of anomalous liquid (such as blood) in one million parts of seawater over a range of kilometers. Eyesight out of water is slightly worse than that of a kitsune, but in water it is significantly better and includes nocturnal vision and the ability to dilate and contract pupils based on the amount of light available. Sar have eyelids which function normally on land but are not used while submerged as the passage of liquid cleans the eye; their nictitating membranes expand over the eyes when attacking prey or fighting to help protect the organs. Hearing is sharp in the water but only marginally better than that of a human on land, mainly assisted by their upstanding ears which can rotate similar to a kitsune’s.

In all environments but especially aquatic ones, sar utilize unique sensing organs called electroreceptors across their bodies to detect the electromagnetic fields that most living things (and machinery) produces. This allows them a seemingly supernatural awareness of their surroundings, particularly when they sense something out of their line of sight that nevertheless is detected by their electroreceptors. Not needing direct line of sight to pinpoint electromagnetic fields allows sar to locate the origin of electromagnetic fields even across great distances and through solid objects such as walls. Additionally, currents in oceans and other large bodies of water produce electromagnetic fields that sar can use for orientation and navigation. A lateral line, a sensing organ that runs the length of the sar's body, also helps them detect movement nearby in the water, though it does not work on land.

Sar can sexually reproduce on land or in the water, and have live births. Their young are born helpless and subsist off milk for the first 6-12 months of life before they can begin consuming and digesting meat. Rarely, female Sar may have a type of asexual birth known as parthenogenesis, in which the offspring is a half or full clone of the mother. The precise reason for this is unknown, but may be an innate biological response to a perceived lack of mates. Offspring are typically born in small numbers with mothers producing single children but rarely twins. Maturation is reached at fourteen years, with a typical life span of eighty.

In all cases a sar’s diet is made up entirely of meat due to their carnivorous nature. In hunting sar are capable of chasing down prey and ripping it apart with their claws and teeth, a tactic that is effective on both land and water. Another technique sometimes used in underwater ambush involves ram feeding, by which a sar swims with an open mouth until a prey creature draws near, at which point it lunges with its head and produces suction by inhaling water before securing it with its claws and devouring it. Sar can swallow smaller fish whole by using only the ram feeding method. A similar tactic can also be employed from concealed ambush.

There are four species of sar in existence. These have generally minor differences between each other and are sexually compatible and capable of breeding with each other. In their own languages sar do not have words for the species as they have not recognized the concept until recently, instead referring to tribal groupings based on geographical location which may lump different species of sar together due to proximity. Because of this the four have Xiscapian names, being the Sar Ookii, the Sar Tora, the Sar Kuroi, and the Sar Ao. The Sar Ookii and Sar Kuroi species ranges throughout the land and water of the homeworld, while Sar Tora is grouped mainly around the equatorial belt and Sar Ao range the closest to the poles.

Sar Ookii is the physically largest and most robust of the sar species. Height averages at about 8’0 with males several inches shorter. They are characterized by their more conical snouts, evenly balanced upper and lower tail lobes, and countershading in color pattern (darker on the back and lighter on the front) with shades that include grays, blues, and browns. The electroreceptors of the Sar Ookii are very sensitive, and in close quarters they can detect the heartbeat of even an immobile, otherwise hidden creature. Eyes colors include red, violet, gold, green, blue, and orange.

Sar Tora is the second largest and heaviest sar species after Sar Ookii at about 7’6 feet tall. Coloration has a range of hues from blue to light green on the back with white or whitish-yellow on the belly, displaying countershading similar to the Sar Ookii. Rarely they exhibit bright shades including red, corresponding to the colors of coral reefs found around their evolutionary homes. Sar Tora also frequently display dark spots and stripes, and members have more wedge-shaped heads. Though they are not as strong as Sar Ookii, Sar Tora are adapted to be faster and more agile thanks to the shape of their tail and size and placement of their fins. Their digestion is known to be particularly robust, and combined with being highly resistant to most toxins, members of the species can eat almost any creature. Eyes colors include red, violet, blue, and gold.

Sar Kuroi is the third largest of the sar species with an average of about 7’0 feet. Countershading is sometimes but not always present in the species, and colors can include brilliant metallic blues and darker grays and blacks. The snout is cylindrical and the tail is vertically elongated. Similar to Sar Ao, Sar Kuroi is slim and fusiform and built for quick “sprints” of great speed; a perfect balance of size and adaptations make it the quickest of the sar species. Eyes may be orange, red, gold, violet, green, or blue.

Sar Ao is the smallest and lightest of the sar species at just an average of 6’6 feet tall. Also like the other species they display countershading with various shades of blue on the back and white on the front. Their limbs are longer and their bodies slenderer than those of the other sar species, and their fins and tails tend to be longer as well. With these traits combined their bodies are adapted for long, slow cruising speeds with quick bursts of energy that make them the second swiftest sar. Members of the species tend to prefer colder and deeper waters than their fellows and are less likely to move about on land. Eye colors include red, gold, blue, and green.

by **Xiscapia** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 4:50 pm

Reserved

The Kitsune Empire of Xiscapia's Factbook (FT) (3.0)

The Kitsune Empire of Xiscapia's Factbook (FT) (3.0)

0: Introduction

1: Administration, Government and Politics

1a: Administration: Statistics, Demographics and Miscellanea

1b: Administration: Government Departments

1c: Administration: Political Issues

2. Species Data

2a. Abhumans

2b. Alumina

2c. Asteritaurs

2d. Berrax

2e. Booleans

2f. Dragonians

2g. Drakon

2h. Escan

2i. Humans

2j. Kaynin

2k. Kitsune

2l. Korr

2m. Kreey

2n. Near Humans

2o. Rasthan

2p. Remelar

2q. Sar

2r. Anwar

Who is online