Shar
The Shar are a race of bipedal reptile analogues native to the planet Pok'Riolk. They are poikilothermic (cold-blooded with fluctuating internal temperatures), requiring an external source of heat to maintain body function efficiency.
Basic Information
Anatomy
The Shar are roughly comparable to humans in shape, with two legs, two arms, and one head. Where they differ in basic shape is the long semi-prehensile tail that emerges from their back just above their legs.
Skin - Shar skin is nearly identical to human skin with the exception that it is completely hairless and is covered by scales in various locations (notably on the shoulders, back, front of the thighs, back of the arms and the entirety of the tail).
Hands - The Shar hand consists of four digits (three fingers and an opposable thumb) each tipped by sharp claw.
Legs and Feet - The Shar leg and foot are plantigrade like the human leg and foot structure, with the addition of sharp claws tipping each of their eight toes.
Head - A Shar's head is similarly structured to the human head with the exception that Shar cannot grow hair, instead they grow down feathers. Shar males do not grow beards but usually develop a ridge of scales along their jawline that seems to fulfill the same aesthetic function.
Internal - For the most part Shar have the same internal organs that humans do. One notable exception is that the Shar appendix still plays a function in their digestive process, providing a boost to the dietary immune system, allowing Shar to eat meat items that humans would consider undercooked. Another quirk of Shar biology is that their windpipe and larynx is located behind their esophagus. This changes nothing in their function in comparison to the human windpipe, but adds the interesting consequence that it is much more difficult to strangle a Shar by physical means, and by extension Shar society never developed hanging as a form of execution.
Genetics and Reproduction
Shar reproduce sexually like humans and gestate their young for 8 months internally. Unlike Earth reptiles, Shar give birth to live young and nurture them with milk produced by the female parent. This quirk of evolution has led many scientists to theorize that the Shar species is more similar to the Synapsids (Mammal-like reptiles) that dominated Earth prior to the Permian Extinction Event that led to the rise of dinosaurs.
Growth Rate & Stages
Shar mature at a similar rate to humans, though slightly slower. A shar reaches physical maturity at the age of 22.
Ecology and Habitats
Shar prefer arid locations with higher than average temperatures.
Dietary Needs and Habits
Shar are an omnivorous species, with a greater focus on meat than the average human. Due to their "cold-blooded" nature, Shar are capable of extended periods of fasting between meals, eating every 3-4 days at a large communal meal where an individual Shar can eat up to a third of it's own weight.
Additional Information
Social Structure
The Shar have a similar social structure to humans, with slightly less importance placed upon direct familial relations. To Shar, social responsibility to those of higher rank is paramount. This leads to a society that make slow but consistent gains in technology and social behaviour (such as the abolition of slavery) but with a distinct lack of civil wars.
Facial characteristics
Shar have comparable facial features to base-line humans, tending towards more narrow, angular features. Scale patterns can vary wildly from Shar to Shar, though males tend to have more prominent scales.
Average Intelligence
Shar have comparable intelligence to base-line humans
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
The Shar have comparable senses to the average human with a few differences.
Shar have a muted sense of smell as they lack much of the sinus structure that is prevalent in humans. They can however use their forked tongues in the same manner as snakes and monitor lizards from Earth do, to "taste" the direction of scents.
Due to the vertical-slit pupil of their eyeballs, Shar have better low-light vision than humans. However this greater range of pupil dilation renders Shar vulnerable to extreme changes in light condition (a flashbang grenade can render Shar temporarily comatose from the optic trauma inflicted).
The Shar tongue is forked and approximately twice as long as a human tongue, attaching slightly farther down the throat.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Shar naming traditions involve many extended 'S', 'Sh', and 'Th' sounds and hard 'J', 'K' and 'T' sounds. Shar names are a combination of a given name of two or more syllables and a communal group name taken from the location that a specific Shar calls home. With the advent of space travel the group name is typically anchored to the specific planet or space station they call home.
Example Male Names: Therjan'Kasss, Kerttiss'Sherth, Jerran'Ti
Example Female Names: Sethiss'Ti, Therssa'Kasss, Shalla'Bek
To refer to a Shar by their given name only is considered very informal and rude if spoken by someone other than a close personal acquaintance such as a close friend or direct family member. One of the most intimate things to a Shar is for another to refer to them by a single syllable "pet" name.
Major Organizations
The overarching government organization of the Shar is know as "The Shar Meritocracy".
Beauty Ideals
Due to their close similarity to humans in physical appearance, Shar have comparable views on beauty that humans do, with increased value placed on males that appear healthy and well build with musculature, and on females that appear slim with enhanced secondary sexual characteristics.
Gender Ideals
Due to their slower speed but greater power and bulk, male Shar are viewed as conservative and defensive, traditionally associated with engineering, conscript soldiers, and bureaucratic administration staff.
Due to their faster speed and quicker reflexes, female Shar are viewed and progressive and ambitious, traditionally associated with artistry, hunting, professional soldiers, and politicians.
Courtship Ideals
As a strange hold over from when males would compete in courtship ritual fights for mating rights, modern male Shar are known for hiring a "rival" to challenge them to a competition when trying to impress a female, though this is less like the popular joke in human culture and more of a tradition like the presentation of flowers and chocolate.
Relationship Ideals
Due to the more impartial approach for family that the Shar have, less emphasis on monogamy and male involvement in parenting is a prevalent feature of Shar society. However, all mature male Shar are required to pay a tax known as "The Blood Investment" that is used to help cover the cost of child rearing of any female Shar that is currently raising any offspring. A male Shar is exempt from this tax only if he can provide proof that he is directly contributing to any and all females that he has progeny with, provided that progeny is under the age of majority, 22 years old.
Average Technological Level
The majority of Shar space has Tech Level 4 as a minimum standard with their homeworld and oldest colonies being classified as Tech Level 5.
History
Due to their more rigid social structure in comparison to humans, with less emphasis on individuality, the Shars' history has been similar to humanity's history but stretched out over a longer period of time. While humans progressed from basic agriculture to extensive space travels over the course of approximately 11000 years, it took the Shar approximately 27000 years to achieve the same.
One notable period of Shar history is the Saur'rok Empire, which is roughly culturally equivalent to the Roman Empire of Human history.
Scientific Name
Homo Sapiens Reptilis (Reptilian Wise Man), honorary designation given upon contact with Humans
Origin/Ancestry
Reptilian
Lifespan
150 - 180 Years
Average Height
1.7m - 2m (5'7" - 6'6") for Males, 1.5 - 1.9m (4'11" - 6'3") for Females
Average Weight
70kg - 105kg (154lbs - 231lbs) for Males, 44kg - 82kg (97lbs - 181lbs) for Females
Average Physique
Shar have comparable physique to base-line humans, though the males tend to be of a bulkier build while females tend to be of a leaner build.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
Shar have skin tones comparable to base-line humans, ranging from Mediterranean "olive" tan to nearly pitch-black. Scale colouring includes shades of green, muted yellows, and warm browns.
Geographic Distribution
+1 Strength
+2 Constitution
+1 Charisma
-1 Intelligence
-1 Wisdom
Alien Starting Focus - Useful immunity - Shar are particularly resistant to poisons, diseases and other toxins. Player Characters can roll two d20s and use the highest for any physical saving throws to resist being affected by poisons, venoms, diseases, and other toxins, provided they are not specifically designed to affect Shar biology.
Environmental Native - The Shar homeworld is known for its environmental extremes, which have guided the evolutionary path of the Shar towards rugged survivability. Shar Player Characters can go for a weeks worth of in-game time without eating or drinking while operating at moderate effort, and can survive for one month of in-game time without eating or drinking provided they operate at minimal effort. Additionally Shar Player Characters can climb surfaces as if they were equipped a climbing harness (Stars Without Number Corebook Pg 75).
Comments