Quarren



The Quarren, are one of several aquatic sentient species from the planet  Dac - called by off-worlders Mon Calamari.

Biology and Appearance
Quarren are aquatic humanoids with squid-like heads, at least four tentacles on their faces, and leathery skin. Quarren tentacles are prehensile, and they are able to manipulate food with them. Quarren have small mouths, with two fang-like teeth jutting from their faces on either side, and a long, thin tongue sticking out in between. Quarren have two long protrusions that extend from either side of their faces. In these protrusions are several gill-like structures that are actually aural structures, used for hearing instead of ears. Quarren also have holes on either sides of their neck that are used for breathing. Most curiously of all, Quarren have two sac-like organs that hang from the back of their heads, the purpose for which is unclear.

The species is also able to change skin coloration during mating rituals. Most Quarren have orange skin, although some Quarren have gray-green skin, this trait, however is extremely rare. All Quarren also have two shimmering blue eyes. Being aquatic in nature, Quarren must keep their skin moist in order to stay alive, although clawed Quarren seem to need less moisture than other Quarren. The average Quarren lifespan is 79 standard years.

There are three different types of Quarren, although the only difference lays in their hands. Some Quarren have suction-tipped fingers, either with three or five fingers. Other Quarren have thick fingers that lacked suction cups on the tips of their fingers, yet had sharp claws instead. Whether these three groups were actually distinct subspecies is unknown.

Having evolved in the depths of Mon Calamari, Quarren can descend to depths of 300 meters without any breathing or pressure apparatus. However, when descending to 50 meters or deeper, they have to spend as much time decompressing as they spent under 50 meters of water to allow their bodies to readjust to the lower surface pressure.

Society and Culture
In sharp contrast to the Mon Calamari, the Quarren are far more conservative and practical in their thinking. While the Mon Calamari look towards the future, the Quarren remember yesterdays. Also, while the Mon Calamari often travel throughout the galaxy, the Quarren are far more isolationist, staying, for the most part, in the depths of the oceans of their homeworld. However, some Quarren follow suit after the Mon Calamari, and make their living in the galaxy as business managers and accountants.

While the Mon Calamari manufactured starships in orbital shipyards, the Quarren diligently mined metal ore for their brethren from the deepest parts of the ocean. The Quarren also helped build massive floating cities for the Mon Calamari. While most Mon Calamari live on the few scattered islands on Dac, or on the upper levels of their floating cities, the Quarren live in their own cities, deep beneath the waves, or in the lower levels of the cities, for the cities stretch far below the surface, and the Quarren love the dark far more than did the Mon Calamari.

The Quarren also speak their native language more frequently than Galactic Basic, in contrast to the Mon Calamari who speak Basic far more often, in order to deal with off-worlders, which the Quarren seldom do.

Stats & Skills

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

Special Abilities
Aquatic Survival: At the time of character creation only, characters may place 1D of skill dice in swimming and survival aquatic and receive 2D in that skill.

Aquatic: Quarren can breathe both air and water and can withstand extreme pressures found in ocean depths.