Retikan Seadwellers
One of the two dominant species of Ret IV, Retikan Seadwellers are a semi-aquatic race of sentient humanoids.
Basic Information
Anatomy
A humanoid aquatic mammal; two arms, two legs, one torso and one head. Musculoskeletal structure matches the basic makeup of most Milky Way galaxy sentient species, but there is a distinctly denser concentration of muscle fibers in a Seadwellers legs and abdomen compared to their arms and neck.
There is webbing to the middle knuckle between their fingers and completely between their toes, nor do their feet have any arch to them, to aid in swimming. They also possess a dual respiratory system, having both lungs and a two sets of gills. The lungs function as a swim bladder when not in use for breathing. Two gills appear on either side of the neck, and one behind the ears of males. Due to this dual function, the lungs' basic tissue is much sturdier than those of most Milky Way species.
Seadweller blood is typically a rich purple in color, and contains equal portions of hemocyanin (as is found in crustaceans on Earth) and hemoglobin (as found in most mammals on Earth). It makes medical treatment very difficult for non-Retikans, as usually only hybrid species have such blood chemistry.
A Seadweller's vocal chords are also much tougher than most land-based species, as they must be able to speak in both air and water. In air, their voices will take on a deep and rough tone, but in the water, their voices can be quite melodic.
Seadweller's eyes have a secondary lining under their main eyelids, that will close fully in the water allowing them to see in the water as well as the air, when the lining retracts below the lower eyelid.
Seadwellers have small horns on their head, designed both as a defensive system during mating rituals in their early development, but also to channel water into a slipstream as they swim. Seadweller horns are typically a shade of deep blue, the same as their fingernails.
Seadwellers posses an organ that allows them to sense the electromagnetic field of their planet, allowing them to navigate in the waters they live in. This also makes them very effective engineers, able to sense when something is going wrong in their ship. It also makes Seadwellers sensitive to "paranormal" activity or subspace disturbances.
Their skin are typically shades of blue-grey. Lighter shades are found in ethnicities that are native to the more polar regions of the planet, and darker shades to the tropical. Skin tones can change slightly the longer an individual stays in colder or warmer waters.
Hair colors range from jet black to light brown, with shades of light brown being considered unusual or special, like a natural red-head on Earth. The only places hair grows long is on their heads, and their follicles have small semi-voluntary muscles that control them, allowing a Seadweller with long hair to puff it up around them to scare off a predator or, later, intimidate another being, however, this only works effectively in water. The rest of their bodies are covered in a very fine hair that also aids in detecting currents in the water.
Seadwellers typically retain fat stores more so than their landdwelling counterparts, especially so in the colder waters.
Genetics and Reproduction
Retikan Seadwellers are technically oviparous, and reproduce using sexual reproduction. Seadwellers have three biological sexes, instead of two. While the "typical" males (Kese) and females (Pese) are present, most Seadwellers are hermaphroditic (Ashe), and are able to both fertilize and carry a brood of eggs. It should be noted that an Ashe cannot fertilize their own eggs.
A brood of eggs is typically two or three, with four being a rarity. Unlike the eggs of birds and reptiles, the egg's outer shell is more of a leathery material, able to shift and stretch around the still developing fetus at the time they are laid.
The viability of eggs varies on the environment they are nested in after they are laid, but by Earth year 2410, eggs have a 80% chance of being successfully hatched. The eggs take approximately 6 months to develop in the womb of the parent, and are then laid when they are approximately the size of an Earth ostrich or emu egg. From there, they take another four months to finish development and hatch. Upon hatching, the infants are comparable in size and development to that of a 1-year-old-human.
Unlike most humanoid species in the Milky Way galaxy, their genetics make interbreeding with other sentient races nigh impossible. This includes their sister race, the Itakians.
A brood of eggs is typically two or three, with four being a rarity. Unlike the eggs of birds and reptiles, the egg's outer shell is more of a leathery material, able to shift and stretch around the still developing fetus at the time they are laid.
The viability of eggs varies on the environment they are nested in after they are laid, but by Earth year 2410, eggs have a 80% chance of being successfully hatched. The eggs take approximately 6 months to develop in the womb of the parent, and are then laid when they are approximately the size of an Earth ostrich or emu egg. From there, they take another four months to finish development and hatch. Upon hatching, the infants are comparable in size and development to that of a 1-year-old-human.
Unlike most humanoid species in the Milky Way galaxy, their genetics make interbreeding with other sentient races nigh impossible. This includes their sister race, the Itakians.
Growth Rate & Stages
The growth stages of Retikan Seadwellers is comparable to most Milky Way humanoid species, albeit on a longer scale. On average, a Retikan Seadweller lives to around 350 Sol Standard years, or 100 Retikan Solar Cycles.
Below are the age ranges for the life cycle of a Seadweller, in both Retikan Cycles and Earth years
Below are the age ranges for the life cycle of a Seadweller, in both Retikan Cycles and Earth years
| Stage | Ret Solar Cycles | Sol Standard Years |
|---|---|---|
| Infant | Hatching - 2 | Hatching - 7.5 |
| Toddler | 2 - 5 | 7.5 - 17.5 |
| Child | 5 - 10 | 17.5 - 35 |
| Pre-Adolescent | 10 - 13 | 35 - 45.5 |
| Adolescent | 13 - 19 | 45.5 - 66.5 |
| Young Adult | 19 - 30 | 66.5 - 105 |
| Adult | 30 - 55 | 105 - 192.5 |
| Elder Adult | 55 - 80 | 192.5 - 280 |
| Geriatric Adult | 80 - 100 | 280 - 350 |
| Hyper-Geriatric Adult | 100+ | 350+ |
Dietary Needs and Habits
Most Seadwellers maintain a pescatarian diet. Lots of sea-grown plant life, such as seaweed and kelp are staples, as well as shellfish and certain species of schooling fish similar to Earth's tuna or salmon.
Biological Cycle
The biological cycle of a Retikan Seadweller is comparable to most humanoid Milky Way species, albeit on a longer than usual scale. (3.5x longer than that of a Human, and 2x longer than an Itakian)
Additional Information
Social Structure
Matriarchal aristocracy prior to industrialization, then matriarchal hierarchy until space travel achieved, then gender norms start to even out.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
By Earth year 2410, most Retikan Seadwellers live full-time in the coral reefs of the Oceans or in the Lake-Sea complex. There is a slightly higher population density in the tropical regions of the Ocean Reefs than the Polar Reefs.
Average Intelligence
As of Earth year 2410, Retikan Seadwellers intelligence spectrum is comparable to most Milky Way species.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
Hearing: A Seadweller's hearing is fairly average compared to most Milky Way species, even in water.
Sight: A Seadweller's sight is average for a humanoid species when on land, but in water, it is far more acute, being able to see as well as human would in the air and able to determine a light source in the water up to 10 Earth kilometers away.
Smell: A Seadweller's sense of smell in the water is nearly as acute as an Earth shark's, able to detect a disturbance within a 10 Earth kilometer range. In air, it is slightly less effective, but only because smells are so plentiful above water that they are often overwhelmed.
Taste: A Seadweller's sense of taste is linked to their sense of smell, which makes it difficult for them to eat inordinately spicy foodstuff from surface worlds.
Touch: A Seadweller's sense of touch is average compared to the majority of Milky Way species.
Navigation: The prominent ridge on their foreheads and nose contains an organ called the Tehna nerves that allows for them to sense electromagnetic fields so they can navigate the waters in which they live. This organ can be damaged, and results in a disabling condition called Tehnaokis. With this condition, they are unable to swim properly even for short distances without the use of visual aids or traveling with other Seadwellers. It is considered as disabling to a Seadweller as blindness.
Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms
None
Civilization and Culture
Beauty Ideals
Beauty ideals are not overly standardized socially in Seadwelling culture, but many individuals find that the stronger the muscles, the more attractive the individual. This stems from their animal development where if an individual had visibly defined muscles, then it they were typically better survivors.
Longer hair is also considered more attractive by some as it symbolizes an individual's want for peace in their life.
Gender Ideals
By Earth year 2410, there are very few gender norms and ideals that prevail in Seadweller society. The only case where gender really matters is during reproduction, and even then it's more to do with biological sex than identity.
- Males are referred to as "Kese".
- Females are referred to as "Pese".
- Non-Binary individuals are referred to as "Ashe". This includes individuals who identify both as no gender or a combination of either gender.
Ashe is the most prevalent gender identity in Seadwelling culture by Earth year 2410 at 84% of the population, followed by Kese and Pese each at approximately 8% each.
- Heterosexual individuals often refer to themselves as "Shave-onme" (literally, 'love other').
- Homosexual individuals often refer to themselves as "Shave-pun" (literally, love same')
- Bisexual or Pansexual individuals often refer to themselves as "Shave-kas" (literally, love all)
Shave-kas is the most prevalent sexual orientation in Seadwelling culture by Earth year 2410, at 76% of the population, followed by Shave-onme at 15% , then Shave-pun at 9%.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Retikan Standard: The language that is used for trade and conversations between the Seadwellers and Landdwellers; a sort of pigdin between the two major languages, Tropical Seaspeak and Itakian. Originally called "Landspeak" by Seadwellers, then over time, "Tradespeak". Didn't officially become "Retikan Standard" until they made contact with other FTL-capable species. This is the language used when speaking with other sentient species and is programmed into most Alpha and Beta Quadrant Universal translators.
Tropical Seaspeak: Often just shorted to "Seaspeak." Primarily used by Seadwellers residing in the tropical regions. This develops into the 'standard' Seadweller language, as most Seadwellers are taught this in schools and is the standard of communication from Seadweller to Seadweller.
Polar Seaspeak: A secondary, offshoot language used by Seadwellers living in the polar regions. Considered more guttural and gruff than Tropical Seaspeak, or badly accented. Polar Seaspeak also incorporates more words from now dead languages; similar to how American English is an offshoot of British English and has more words from other languages on Earth.
Lifespan
100 solar cycles (350 Sol Standard Years)
Average Height
1.8 - 2.3 Earth meters
Average Weight
- 60-147 Earth Kilograms (total weight distribution, including unhealthy weights, accounting for height range)
- 64-122 Earth Kilograms (healthy weight distribution, accounting for height range)
Average Physique
"Swimmer's Physique" - well defined leg and and abdominal muscles, with a healthy layer of chub distributed evenly around the body. Arm muscles are typically leaner and less defined as leg and abdominal muscles. Seadwellers in the tropical regions are typically leaner than those in the polar regions.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
- Light blue-gray to dark-gray. Underbelly and neck are typically a little lighter than their backs and limbs.
- Horns and fingernails are normally dark blue
- Eye color are normally shades of purple or blue.
- Hair is normally shades of black or dark brown, with light brown being a rarity.
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
Related Myths
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