Whiphid



Whiphids are tall, muscled, furred sentient beings from the planet Toola. They are notable for their great tusks. On Toola, Whiphids live a primitive lifestyle, hunting caraboose and other large animals, such as the motmot - their favored prey. Their language consists of approximately six thousand words. As Whiphids came into contact with more technically advanced races that came to Toola to buy ice, they began to show great curiosity about the rest of the galaxy. Many Whiphids left Toola, supporting themselves as big game hunters, mercenaries, or bounty hunters.

Biology and Appearance
Whiphids average about 2.5 meters and can weigh up to 400 kilos. They are covered by long yellow-white or gold fur and had stubby fur-covered tails. Their faces are elongated, with prominent foreheads and long, bowed cheekbones. A Whiphid's face is furless - apart from a few hairs on the lips and chin. Two large tusks protrude from the lower jaw, and their massive arms end with thick three-fingered hands, the fingers ending in sharp claws. Female Whiphids tend to be slightly shorter and heavier than the males. Their eyes protrude slightly from their heads. Young Whiphids have shorter snouts and far less fur than adults.

Since their homeworld of Toola is a cold planet of ice and snow, the Whiphid's body maintained a thick layer of blubber, which acts to insulate and reduce heat loss. Their thick fur also helps to protect them from the harsh climate and is also covered with natural oil that repelled water and allows them to swim in Toola's frigid oceans. In the warmer periods of the spring and summer on Toola, the Whiphids lose several centimeters of fur and burn off much of their fat reserves. Their hollow cheekbones also widen slightly, since a broader face helps to dissipate heat. These biological changes are induced by warmer temperatures rather than by the cycle of the seasons. Whiphids in the wider galaxy, therefore, are more likely to have less fur and be smaller in size than their counterparts on their homeworld in winter.

Society and Culture
On Toola, the Whiphids live together in tribes of three to ten couples. In the winter the tribes are nomadic and travel across the ice plains of the planet in search of prey. They camp near hunting grounds using round hide tents. In the summer the tribes move to a permanent base that is constructed of stone and covered by animal hides and mud.

Whiphid tribes are a loose associations of individuals, and they do not have attachments to the tribes of their parents. They are a survival necessity and not an ideological construct or family unit. A tribe stays together as long as it is doing well, and individuals of unsuccessful tribes have no compunction against joining another tribe, nor do tribes have an issue with new members.

The tribes of Toola travel across the planet on sleds and load-bearing sledges that were constructed of hide, horn, bone and leather thong. They are pulled by domesticated Tuggles, carnivorous animals native to Toola possessed of great stamina. Six Tuggles are capable of pulling a sledge all day with only a couple of breaks - if properly fed, for several days at a time. The design of the Whiphid sleds ps such that they spread the load over a wide surface area and therefore allow for safe gliding over the icy plains.

Stats & Skills

 * Attribute Dice: 11D
 * DEXTERITY: 2D/4D
 * KNOWLEDGE: 1D/3D
 * MECHANICAL: 1D/3D
 * PERCEPTION: 2D/4D+1
 * STRENGTH: 2D/4D+2
 * TECHNICAL: 1D/3D
 * Move: 9/12

Special Abilities
Claws: STR+1D damage.