Thri-Keen
Sandwalkers, Desert Shades, Chitinborn
Thri-kreen have insectile features and two pairs of arms. Their bodies are encased in protective chitin. They can alter the coloration of this carapace to blend in with their natural surroundings.
Although thri-kreen don’t sleep, they do require periods of inactivity to revitalize themselves. During these periods, they are fully aware of what’s happening around them.
Thri-kreen speak by clacking their mandibles and waving their antennae, indicating to other thri-kreen what they are thinking and feeling. Other creatures find this method of communication difficult to interpret and impossible to duplicate. To interact with other folk, thri-kreen rely on a form of telepathy.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Thri-Kreen are insectile humanoids with four arms (two primary and two secondary), an exoskeleton of protective chitin, and compound eyes. Their bodies are built for agility and endurance, with long, jointed limbs that make them swift and nimble. They have antennae for sensory input and mandibles for vocalization, though communication is primarily telepathic.
Genetics and Reproduction
Thri-Kreen reproduce through the laying and fertilization of eggs. A clutch may contain 2-6 eggs, which hatch after an incubation period of several months. Young Thri-Kreen mature rapidly, reaching full adulthood in a few years. Their genetic adaptations include the ability to alter their chitin’s color for camouflage and a physiology that requires no sleep.
Ecology and Habitats
Thri-Kreen thrive in arid, sandy environments where they construct subterranean burrows and settlements like X’zarra’ka. They are adept at surviving in extreme conditions, relying on hunting and gathering for sustenance. They have a symbiotic relationship with the desert, often cultivating hardy plant species to stabilize the dunes around their homes.
Behaviour
Thri-Kreen are pragmatic, communal, and highly disciplined. They are deeply tied to the survival of their group, often acting with a hive-mind-like focus. Individual desires are secondary to the well-being of the community. They view time differently from most sapient species, with little need for sleep and a mindset focused on continuity and survival over fleeting pleasures.
Additional Information
Average Intelligence
Comparable to humans, with a focus on problem-solving and survival strategies.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Thri-Kreen possess excellent night vision (darkvision up to 60 feet) and acute motion detection due to their compound eyes. Their antennae provide heightened sensitivity to environmental changes, such as vibrations and air currents. Telepathy allows them to communicate across species, though they lack the ability to produce spoken words.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Names are often comprised of clicks and tonal shifts, such as Vz’tchla, T’zzrik, or Ka’karza. These names reflect their native tongue and are sometimes simplified for other species using telepathic translations like “Silent One” or “Sandstrider.”
Beauty Ideals
Chitin coloration and patterning are highly valued, with symmetry and vibrancy seen as signs of health and strength. Decorative carvings or etchings into their exoskeleton are also a mark of distinction, symbolizing achievements or lineage.
Gender Ideals
Gender roles are fluid, with a strong emphasis on functional contribution to the community. Leadership, hunting, and craftsmanship are based on skill rather than gender, though broodmothers often hold revered positions as protectors and nurturers.
Courtship Ideals
Courtship involves displays of agility, hunting skill, and the crafting of intricate gifts, such as chitin carvings or desert glass ornaments. Bonding is a practical and emotional union, focusing on compatibility and mutual benefit.
Relationship Ideals
Relationships prioritize cooperation and communal success. Partnerships are seen as alliances that strengthen the group, and bonds between individuals often include shared responsibilities in hunting, defense, or nurturing the young.
Common Etiquette Rules
Offering water is a universal gesture of respect.
Physical proximity is a sign of trust, as Thri-Kreen are naturally wary of others.
Interrupting a telepathic communication is considered rude.
Common Dress Code
Thri-Kreen wear minimal clothing due to their exoskeleton’s protective nature, favoring utility over aesthetics. However, they adorn themselves with woven sashes, jewelry made from desert glass, and intricate carvings that signify rank or role.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Their culture emphasizes survival, communal effort, and adaptability. Oral histories are transmitted telepathically, and their connection to the sands of the Arid Steppe is deeply spiritual.
- The Sandweaver’s Ritual: A ceremony honoring those who contribute to the community’s survival, such as skilled hunters or craftspeople.
- Eggwatch Festival: A communal event where the hatching of a new clutch is celebrated with feasting and storytelling.
- Silent Dawn: A period of reflection observed at the beginning of each new season, symbolizing renewal and adaptation.
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
Festival of the Sandstrider
Date -
The Festival of the Sandstrider is the most revered holiday among the Thri-Kreen people of the Arid Steppe in Astrium. Celebrating survival, adaptation, and unity, it is a time of remembrance for their ancestors and a celebration of the Thri-Kreen’s bond with the desert. The festival takes place annually at the height of the dry season, when the heat is at its most intense and the sun, known as the “Eternal Eye,” watches over them.
Morning Ritual: The Dawn of the Steppe
At sunrise, the Festival of the Sandstrider begins with the Dawn of the Steppe, a communal ceremony where the Thri-Kreen elders gather in the heart of their nomadic camps to honor the spirits of their ancestors. The Thri-Kreen believe that their ancestors guide them through the shifting sands, and as the first light of the sun touches the dunes, they chant in the ancient tongue of their people, calling on these ancestral spirits to bless the festival.
Each participant places grains of sand in a ceremonial bowl as a symbol of their connection to the desert, reciting the teachings passed down through generations about survival, strength, and resilience. These sands are later scattered to the wind, symbolizing the unity of the tribe and the eternal presence of their ancestors in every grain of sand.
Midday Games: The Trials of the Sandstrider
As the day progresses, the Trials of the Sandstrider begin. These are a series of physical and mental challenges that test the agility, endurance, and strategic thinking of the Thri-Kreen — traits that have allowed them to thrive in the harsh desert environment.
The centerpiece of the trials is the Sandstrider Race, where participants compete in a long-distance race across the dunes, navigating the ever-shifting sands and using their innate psionic abilities to guide themselves and overcome obstacles. The race is not just a test of speed, but of skill, as competitors must read the wind, feel the tremors in the earth, and anticipate the subtle movements of the land to succeed.
Other trials include the Burrower’s Test, a challenge to see who can dig the fastest and deepest into the desert sands, and the Echo of the Mind, a mental competition where Thri-Kreen warriors face off in psionic duels, attempting to outwit each other using telepathy and illusion.
The Feast of the Dunes: Evening Celebration
As the trials come to a close, the Thri-Kreen gather for the Feast of the Dunes, where they share the bounty of the desert, celebrating the land’s ability to provide even in its harshest conditions. The feast includes a variety of dishes made from the sparse but valuable resources of the Arid Steppe, such as roasted desert hares, cacti fruits, and rare herbs found only in the deepest parts of the dunes.
A special dish called Chitinbread is prepared, a hard-baked bread made from crushed insect exoskeletons and desert grains, symbolizing the Thri-Kreen’s ability to find sustenance in places others might overlook. This dish is shared among all as a reminder that survival depends on ingenuity and unity.
The Dance of the Eternal Eye
The festival concludes with the Dance of the Eternal Eye, a sacred and rhythmic movement that mimics the Thri-Kreen’s swift and graceful motion across the desert. As the sun sets and the night sky blankets the land, the Thri-Kreen form circles around large bonfires, dancing in sync to the beat of drums made from hardened carapaces and hollowed-out bones.
This dance serves as a tribute to the Eternal Eye, the ever-watching sun that the Thri-Kreen revere as both a source of life and challenge. It symbolizes their perpetual motion, adaptability, and resilience in the face of the desert’s extremes. The rhythmic steps of the dance echo across the sands, a lasting reminder of their people’s unyielding strength.
The Night of Reflection
The final moments of the festival are dedicated to quiet reflection. As the fires die down, the Thri-Kreen retreat into meditation, using their psionic abilities to connect with the land and their ancestors. This quiet time is known as the Night of Reflection, where each Thri-Kreen seeks personal guidance and strength from within, ready to face another year in the unforgiving yet beloved Arid Steppe.
The Festival of the Sandstrider not only honors the past but also celebrates the Thri-Kreen’s deep bond with their desert home, reinforcing their identity as one of the most resilient and connected peoples in Astrium.
Common Taboos
- Breaking a Telepathic Bond: Severing telepathic contact without reason is deeply disrespectful.
- Wasting Resources: Overusing or squandering water and food is heavily frowned upon.
- Chitin Defacement: Damaging another’s exoskeleton intentionally is seen as an act of grave dishonor.
History
The insectile Thri-keen are one of the newest additions to Astrium, who have arrived 30 years ago when planar travel became more accessible since the outcome of the Overseers demise in Lustrum in 853AD. In an unusualy world where water and greenery is abundant, travelling the world to find dry sandy places they are used to.
Today a small settlement has been formed in the Arid Steppe to ensure that they begin the formative steps to become members of the Astrium council in the near future - while they may fall on the low-priority list, they have hopes they could prove themselves quickly and make waves in the political landscape by adovacating for more planar travel to improve relations outside of the nexus plane.
The Thri-Kreen settlement in the Arid Steppe of Astrium is called X’zarra’ka, which in their ancient tongue means "Haven of the Endless Sands."
X'zarra'ka is a hidden oasis built into the dunes, a sanctuary where the Thri-Kreen thrive despite the harsh desert environment. The settlement is known for its intricate network of underground tunnels and burrows that protect its inhabitants from the scorching heat, and its proximity to rare water sources makes it a vital hub for survival in the unforgiving steppe.
Common Myths and Legends
The Whispering Sandstorm: A tale of a great desert storm guided by ancestral spirits to save a lost tribe.
The First Burrow: A myth about the creation of the first Thri-Kreen community, carved from the heart of a mountain by the claws of their progenitors.
Vz’tchla’s Vision: A revered story of the founder’s dream of uniting the Thri-Kreen under a single banner in Astrium, leading to the creation of X’zarra’ka.
Scientific Name
Chitinosapien thrikenus
Lifespan
30 - 50 years
Average Height
5'2" - 6'
Average Weight
100 - 160 pounds
Average Physique
Lean and wiry, built for speed and endurance rather than brute strength.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Thri-Kreen exoskeletons range in color from sandy beige to dark brown, with occasional greenish or bluish hues. Many have natural patterns resembling their native environments, and scars or etchings from battles or rites of passage are common.
Geographic Distribution
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