Zarthanian

Isolationists

Zarthanins are well known across the galaxy, even if they are not common outside of their home nation. This is because of their high influence in the galactic market.
They are respected craftsmen and technicians. Especially their warp drive technology is widely known to be the best and most advanced.

Appearance

The Zarthanians are bipedal. They have thin bones, but their bodily structures are reinforced by a tough exo skeleton. This skeleton isn't complete, though, and there are some parts that are only covered in thick and tough skin.

Limbs

They walk on their nails, which are thick and curved for grip, and they have three of them on each foot. Their arms are relatively long, and the outside is covered in a thick, ribbed exoskeleton. They have pincers for hands, with one thick "finger" and three smaller ones that can each clamp down independently. To many, they look clunky and useless, but they are actually quite dexterous and versatile.

Their heads are round, and they have two black eyes, made up of many small photoreceptors, which give them very accurate vision in a wide color spectrum. They have sharp teeth and insectoid-looking jaws, which are hidden in law sockets when not used.
These outer jaws are used for grasping food and tearing it apart, but for chewing, they have another set of jaws, further inside their mouth. This inner jaw turns the food into a fine paste, and then it is ingested.

Plumage

They have no hair, but instead, they have feather-like plumes that begin on their forehead and go all the way down to their spine, where they get smaller and end about halfway down. These plumes come in many shapes and sizes, and they may differ greatly among ethnocultural groups.

Generally, males have darker colors, commonly blue, green, black, and brown, while females have brighter colors, red, yellow, and light blue.
There are many shades possible, but they have no actual impact or influence on the individual's personality, other than that which is thought later in life, even if some individuals are convinced that there are.

Plumages differentiate not only in color, but also in texture, there are different types of plumes possible.

Types

Quills: Long strands, which can vary in thickness, and they make for hair-like plumes, or they can look spiky.
Frills: Thin, sheet-like structures, which make for very volumous plumes. They can have multiple colors, and they often have patterns.
Silks: Quill-like plumes, but they have thin, soft attachments on all sides, making them look fluffy.
Bristles: Quill-like structures with harder attachments, making them look like discs, and they can have many shapes and colors.
Crests: Long plumes with various complicated and colorful structures at the end. This type of plumage is only seen among noble and royal families.

Plumalution

Plumes change over time, the general aesthetic remains constant, the colors and types of plumes that an individual has, but the exact composition and placement change. This is because plumes naturally fall out and regrow over time, replacing old and broken ones.

The colors of the plume are constant throughout most of an individuals life, but this isn't always the case. When a Zarthanian reaches puberty, around the age of sixteen, it isn't uncommon for their plumes to change in composition, as a result from the hormones convolved with coming of age.

As a Zarthanian gets older, the colors of their plume fade, turning black.

Physiology

Zarthanians lay eggs, and they do so when they have been fertilized. These eggs hatch over the course of a couple of weeks, and that is how baby zarthanians are born.
In the first stages of life, Zarthanians are very small and helpless, but over time, they grow into the large creatures that Zarthanians are.

Sexual Dimorphism

Zarthanians don't experience much gender dimorphism. Females and males look mostly the same, there are two main differences. The region where the reproductive organs are located is the most vital one, but the most visible difference is in the plumage.

Molting

Zathanians molt roughly once a year. In this process, they shed their old skin and exoskeleton and don a new one, which is how they grow. When not yet mature, this molting happens much more frequently, roughly four or five times a year.
During molting, the plume remains unaffected, even though it is not uncommon for one or to plumes to be plucked out.

Babies are about fifteen centimeters tall, and when they finally reach their maximum size, around the age of twenty-five, they are on average two meters and twenty centimeters tall.

Speech

Zarthanians speak by vibrating their inner jaw structure, causing sound. They can produce a large variety of sounds this way, from low to high frequencies. The exact size and shape of the individuals inner jaw has an effect on the sound, creating distinct voices.

Their languages have many frequencies, tones, and vibrations, their music and song is highly melodic, and often uses overtones, as they are able to use both their sides of their inner jaw to create different or opposing sounds.

Diet

Zarthanians are omnivores, sustaining themselves with both plant and animal matter, although they lean more towards carnivores than herbivores.

Life

Babies are nurtured by their parents until they are able to speak. At this point, they are brought to the communal children's house, where all children are raised together by caretakers.
These care houses are very large, and include many recreational activities for the children. At this point, the parents might come by now and then to check on their offspring, but the truth is that Zarthanians are not very active parents.
The children mostly raise themselves, but much more importantly, in these carehouses, is education. The children are thought in all basic forms of dedication, from maths to language, to physical education, and much more. When they reach a certain age, they graduate from basic education, and at this point they are expected to choose a master.

Apprenticeship

There are masters in all fields, crafts, technologies, diplomacy, administration, and everything you can think of. There are yearly conventions where youngsters can look for a master, and masters look for apprentices.

Choosing a master is a big step for a child, masters are very picky when it comes to picking students, because once an apprentice and master agree to be together, there is no way to end this apprenticeship, until it is over.

The master takes on many responsibilities, mainly, housing and feeding their apprentice, and teaching them everything they know. Masters want apprentices, because they provide basically free labour, and this labour can be molded and taught to do whatever they want. Students want a master, because without one, there are not many future job opportunities left for them.

Masterless

Those who are unsuccessful in finding a master might still be able to go to college if they work hard enough. Colleges have living spaces for such students, and the government pays for those, but if they fail, they fail, and they are only left with one final option: the military.

The army is always an option, some choose it from the beginning, not wanting to study under a master, others are forced into the choice because they struggle to find a master. The military isn't picky, they will accept anyone because the army can always use more bodies, smart or not, driven or not. Anyone can fire a gun or mop the deck of a military cruiser. Despite this often being a last resort, many end up serving in the military.

Advanced Schooling

At the same time, they are still expected to continue advanced schooling, which can be adjusted to fit their chosen masters teachings much better. This advanced education lasts another six years, and if they graduate, they can choose to continue to a college.

Colleges are very valuable for those under complex apprenticeships, because they can add vital and important skills and information to their abilities, making them much better at their craft.

Colleges

All education is sponsored by the government, but colleges are independent, and they are only reimbursed if a student finishes a course. The college is therefore very picky with who they accept, and only those who pass the entrance exam with sufficient magins, have a chance of being accepted.
Then, there is the starter course, which is often quite short, and this is meant to further ascertain a students abilities and drive to achieve.

Whether a student passes or not is not decided by the college, but by the Ministry of Education, which sends examiners, who make sure that students are not being allowed to pass, just so the college can get its money.
If you fail this starter course, there is no continuing, and even if you succeed, you depend on the faith of your teachers to be allowed to continue.

Noble Houses

The only ones who are not raised in this system are the children of noble families, who are raised in special care facilities under the guidance of their parents. Here, they are taught and groomed for future leadership. Most individuals maintain contact with their parents, but most don't live with them past the age of three, except for nobles, who stay with their parents throughout their life.

Mastery

It is because of a lifelong dedication to study and learning that the Zarthanians become so good at whatever they do. They spend their whole lives perfecting their craft.
Often, they stay with their masters many years after they finish their apprenticeship, and become self sufficient, because there is always more to learn, and connections to make.

Guilds

It is also the master who introduces them to their respective guild. Each craft, or collection of crafts, have guilds, and it is in these guilds that the craftsmen show their works and their talents, and when they reach an adequate level of skill, they are granted the title of master, and at this point they are allowed to take apprentices and open their own stores and workplaces, all of which is sponsored by the guild. In return for this sponsorship, they pay membership fees.

Guilds play an important part in the Zarthanian economy, they ensure that everyone gets a fair opportunity, but also that all products live up to a certain standard of quality.

The Zarthanian League

Population

Total: 2700 Trillion
Zarthan: 2350 Trillion
Diaspora: 350 Trillion

Other

Home World: Zarthan
Life Expectancy: 160 Years

Trade

Despite of their low opinion of other species, they are happy to engage in trade with them, as long as it benefits them more then the outsiders. They import valuable resources, but refuse to export them. They are happy to sell warp drives to foreign markets, but not the best ones.

Culture

Zarthanians, as mentioned, are isolationist, and they truly believe that they are the galaxies supreme creatures, seeing other species as soft-bodied and soft-minded. They engage in trade and even minor diplomatic relations, but behind closed doors, other species are often made fun of, particularly for their lack of plume, but there are many other popular alien jokes.

Plume Culture

Plumes have a large impact on Zarthanian society, they are what truly makes you, you. This is why they spend a lot of time tending to their plume and making sure it is presentable. Having a more aesthetically pleasing plume makes you instantly more attractive to other Zarthanians, whether you are male or female.

Even though any single type of plume isn't more or less common in females than in males, unlike colors, frills and silks are generally considered more feminine than the others, and regular quills, are considered masculine, making life for those who do not fit this gender expectation, ever so slightly more difficult when it comes to finding a romantic partner.

Royal Plume
Crests are seen as a status symbol, and this trait is mostly seen only in noble and royal families. However, there are non-royals who bear a crest, in these cases usually only one or two, who are naturally assumed to have noble lineage, and are therefore favored in society, making it easier to get jobs, and other things.

Fake Plumage
Some individuals, who might not be happy with the state of their plumes, opt to get plume replacements. This replaces your original plumes with fake ones, like a wig. This is not permanent, and it requires the periodic removal of naturally regrowing plumes.
This is widely considered to be shameful, and those who are found out are shunned by society.

Plume Cutting
For certain criminals, whose crimes are deserving of public shaming, there is a special punishment available: the cutting of their plume.
This means the permanent removal of Plume follicles, meaning that their plume will never regrow.

Partnership

Zarthanina marriage is a formal affair, it is a contract of partnership in life. It is meant to ease the burdens of living, pooling resources, and producing offspring. There is no concept of infidelity in Zarthanian society, because they don't get as attached to sexual rights as other races, nor do they get as attached to each other.
It is also impossible to accidentally get pregnant, because it is very clearly apparent when a female has eggs ready to be fertilized.

These partnerships are not usually made for life, but for periods of ten, fifteen, or twenty years, after which they either split up, or renew their partnership contract.

Dedication

Zarthanians are naturally inclined towards the path of Dedication, and this can be seen in the way they work. They are vigorous and perfectionist in all their endeavors, which is why their crafts and products are desired across the galaxy.

Magic

Many Zarthanians are capable of magic, but this isn't seen as something very special, simply a useful skill that can be used in life. There is no Zarthanian magical organization. Mages can be found in all fields of labour, but many are recruited into the military, where they receive special status and are treated extra well.

Faith

Zarthanians don't believe in a benevolent god that watches over them, but they do believe in natural forces that can bless or curse an individual. Magic is seen as a favor from these forces.
This faith is very unorganized and not very dogmatic, and most other species see it as nothing more than unguided superstition. The Zarthanians think the same of them.

Alien Visitors

When other species come to Zarthanian space, they are treated as lost pests. They are confined to hotels unless in the presence of a guide, and they are not allowed to stay for prolonged periods of time. They must also adhere strictly to foreign laws, which are based around polite behaviour, not wandering around unsupervised, and it is strictly prohibited to joke about or make fun of Zarthanian plumes.
Breaching any of these laws can result in imprisonment.

Heroic Defenders

The army, while maybe not the first choice for many, is revered with honor and respect, as they are the ones who keep Zarthan pure and safe from outsiders.

Democratic Sentiment

There are three Zarthanian republics that reject monarchism as an ideology, as well as crests as a source of nobility. This is seen as an outrage by most of the rest of the league, but according to league law, they are allowed to do what they want.