Coalition Universe Species

[Sionnach Glic]

There's nothing really like that on Earth.

[Bryan Moore]

More species please =)

[shran]

If you want more species, use spore

[Graham Kennedy]

THE RINAK



Status : Local power

Vital Statistics (100% = average Human male) :

Height : 230 cm
Strength : 250 - 290%
Lifespan : Indefinite
Mass : 158.5 kg
Endurance : 450 - 1210%
Visual Sensitivity : 20%
Aural Range : 7 Hz - 150 kHz
Visual Resolution : 15%
Aural Sensitivity : 198%

Physical :

Roughly conical, the Rinak are eight limbed. Each limb is a thick, powerful organ supported by an extremely dense and strong cartilagenous substance. Each limb ends in a four digit appendage. Under normal circumstances all the limbs serve as legs, with the appendages as feet. However a Rinak is capable of lifting any limb up in the air and using the appendages as hands. In this mode the toes very quickly stretch to about double their length, narrowing in the process. Each of the three forward digits divides into two while the aft one curls around to become a thumb, making the appendage a seven digit hand.

The Rinak have radial symmetry, and no apparent preference for any direction. Any limb can serve equally as hand or foot, with up to four as hands being used at any one time. The sensory organs display the same symmetry as the limbs, giving the Rinak a 360 degree view. The brain is in the upper portion of their body, with the main organs below. A single aperture at the base of the torso serves for the combined functions of eating, excreting waste, breathing, speaking, smelling, and taste.

All Rinak are hermaphroditic and they are capable of impregnating themselves, though pair couplings are much preferred. Little is known about Rinak sexual practice, as the activity is considered extremely private.

The Rinak are effectively immortal; whilst they are very strong and durable, and capable of healing significant injuries, they are capable of being killed if enough damage is inflicted, or through significant sickness. Yet they show no signs of further aging after reaching maturity, and there is no known case of a Rinak dying of natural causes. Rinak individuals reaching thousand of years old are not uncommon, and the oldest known member of their species is claimed to be over ten thousand years old.

The Rinak home planet of Anlahar is comparable to Venus, with an atmosphere largely composed of carbon dioxide, some 90 times thicker than a standard atmosphere, and surface temperatures above 450 C. The planet is permanently cloaked in dense clouds of sulphuric acid. Despite the harsh conditions in which they are comfortable Rinak are almost unparalleled in their ability to withstand alien environments. They have been known to operate in temperatures far lower than their home world, even below those of standard environments. Whilst they do need a supply of CO2 to breathe, they are also able to survive in almost any atmosphere with a simple face mask.

Cultural :

A local power located within the Deep Range, the Rinak are regarded as one of the very few species in the galaxy who could be considered to be actively evil. The average Rinak is, when it can get away with it, aggressive, bad tempered, sadistic and generally obnoxious. Roughly as advanced as the average for the Deep Range, the Rinak are scrupulously careful never to directly challenge any species or group which is more powerful than themselves; they will thus rarely risk confrontation with a powerful species even if they have a heavy advantage in any particular encounter. They are positively obsequious towards Coalition ships, even civilian vessels with little or no armament. Despite this many do believe that the Rinak would attack a more powerful species, if they became truly convinced that they could get away with it.

In general, the Rinak will seek out those less advanced than themselves. Their specialty is in targeting species which have not achieved star flight yet; conquering such worlds is a relatively cheap and easy task for the Rinak. Once in control they will systematically strip a planet of every usable resource, usually smashing the biosphere in the process. Most of the population is forced into slavery, working to destroy their own world. When the Rinak are finished with the planet they will usually remove the population; a fraction will be used as slaves, the rest used as food - the Rinak make no secret of their dietary preferences in this regard. On their own worlds the Rinak are far better landlords, taking great care to protect the natural environment.

The Rinak achieved starflight in the early 26th century, circa 2510. At the time they were ruled by a hereditary monarchy, a government which was peaceful and sought to expand their possessions through colonisation and co-operation with others. In 2815 the government was overthrown by a popular revolution and a pure democracy put in its place - it was at this point that the Rinak embarked on their campaign of terror throughout the Deep Range. There are Rinak who oppose their people's goals and methods and seek to overthrow the government and re-install the monarchy. This rebel movement is completely covert, as the Rinak are utterly ruthless when they uncover them. Although great effort has been made to stamp out the royal family over the years, it is rumoured that the lineage survives and a Rinak still exists who has direct claim to the throne should it ever be reinstated.

In 2842 they invaded more than a hundred Fellenar worlds. Although initially successful, the war turned heavily against the Rinak when the Fellenar hired the Gelch to fight for them. This defeat was a large factor in causing the Rinak to turn their attention towards less developed worlds. The Rinak penchant for attacking pre starflight civilisations is directly against one of the major galactic conventions, and several major powers argued over intervention in the late 2800s. The debate dragged on, delays helped by the Rinak withdrawing from several of their more notable crimes and offering public apologies and promises of improved behaviour, which they subsequently broke.

When the Coalition was formed in 2906 and began to assume an active role in policing the Deep Range, one of the first actions taken was to push the Rinak back significantly on several fronts, freeing several of their slave species. Although technically in accord with the galactic conventions, the Coalition's role was seen as pre-empting some much older, more powerful civilisations. It was this action which marked the beginning of the Coalition's notoriety as an "upstart" power with some. An unfortunate and unintended consequence of this bungling was that the Rinak started to get considerable support from some of the Coalition's opponents, and it is largely this which has enabled them to continue to operate as they do with limited intervention against them.

The Rinak currently occupy some ten thousand worlds within the Deep Range.

[Tsukiyumi]

Finally, some flat-out bad guys.

Very cool.

[Graham Kennedy]

As a rule I'm not keen on evil bad guys. I prefer enemies to be made through circumstance, clashes of philosophy or culture or competition for resources, etc.

But what the hell, in a diverse universe there's bound to be SOMEBODY out there who happens to have a view on life that's just plain evil by our standards!

[Tsukiyumi]

As a rule I'm not keen on evil bad guys. I prefer enemies to be made through circumstance, clashes of philosophy or culture or competition for resources, etc.

But what the hell, in a diverse universe there's bound to be SOMEBODY out there who happens to have a view on life that's just plain evil by our standards!

Agreed, and agreed. That's how most of my stuff goes.

[Mikey]

Even in this case, I'd guess that the Rinak consider their activities "natural" rather than "evil."

However, it's nice to see - especially since they can beat the tar out of a human.

[Teaos]

I enjoy the politics of your universe the most I think, the technology ect is interesting but the cultures are the best.

[Monroe]

I like it

One thing though shouldn't they be considered an upstart too? Only around since 2500 AD and they have 10,000 worlds? That's some pretty wicked sick advancement.

[Graham Kennedy]

They aren't a major power at all. More a mid to high end regional power. They would need to be several times their current size and significantly more advanced than they are to be even a low end major.

If you want an analogy, think Iran.

(Only unlike Iran, I think the Rinak probably have booze and strippers.)

[Mikey]

9.5. Excellently placed, slightly unexpected, but all in all a well-done and not at all gratuitous use.

Umm... would a hermaphroditic race have strippers, though?

[Graham Kennedy]

I have the happy thought that most species have booze, and strippers.

[Monroe]

9.5. Excellently placed, slightly unexpected, but all in all a well-done and not at all gratuitous use.

Umm... would a hermaphroditic race have strippers, though?

Lesbians and gays go to strippers of the same gender. So I would assume so.

[Reliant121]

9.5. Excellently placed, slightly unexpected, but all in all a well-done and not at all gratuitous use.

Umm... would a hermaphroditic race have strippers, though?

Lesbians and gays go to strippers of the same gender. So I would assume so.

So says you