OOC - This is the species of my AOD toon, Charr@sirvanyev. Thought it deserved a write-up.
Charon II is a fascinating subject for geological study. It is a borderline class K/L world located in the far anti-spinward regions of the Alpha quadrant. It is a small, rather dense carboniferous world with a hot iron core and a carbon-silica mantle. It is not tectonically active, but is highly volcanically active.
The most notable feature of the planet is it's spectacular, smoldering atmosphere. The highly viscous mantle powers perpetual volcanic eruptions that turn the molten magma into combustible carbon silicates that dominate the upper atmosphere, blocking out most sunlight. This is the only known world where the atmosphere is constantly, literally burning. The fires in the upper atmosphere are fed by the volcanic silicates and rain down a steady fall of carboniferous ash. The skies are a constant dusky gray with moving ribbons of dull red firelight moving across the skies like aurorae over it's dark gray and ashen soils. There is no liquid water. Volcanic mountain ranges, spawned as under-crust currents slowly move vocanic "hot spots" under the crust, dominate the terrain.
All life on the planet has adapted to feed on the carbon falling from the atmosphere. Many "plants" (actually neither plant or animal, most closely resembling Terran lichens) feed on the ashfall and, powered by the heat of the atmosphere and the ground below, convert the ash into food, excreting gasses that make up the atmosphere, mostly Nitrogen and Argon. Oxygen, hydrogen and other combustible gasses are, of course, absent.
Surface gravity is .7 earth normal. Average surface temperature is 40 degrees C (105F). Length of day (although there is very little difference in the Charon sky) is 14 Terran hours, and the year is 110 Terran days. Surface pressure is 1.2 atmospheres.
Charon II is home to one sentient species, who call themselves the Thuln (thooln). They are middle-height, slender humanoids with several very unusual aspects.
1. Genders and reproduction: The Thuln, despite appearing Female, are of only one gender. Any individual can procreate with any other member of the species. Two Thuln will exchange genetic material packets, kept in special glands in the roof of the mouth, by "kissing"; this is only ever done for the purposes of procreation. Both individuals, thus fertilized, combine the other's material in the same gland. The combined DNA is sent in the form of stem cells to the base of the hair follicles in the "pony tail", where it bonds with and forms an embryonic sac at the base of the hair root. After one Terran month, the sack hardens into an egg and the hair, with it's new egg attached, falls from the back of the skull. The fetus is fed by nutrients excreted into the formation of the hair during it's one month internal gestation at the back of it's parent's head. The egg slowly absorbs the tail until it hatches at six months of age into an infant Thuln. The tail re-grows normally on the parent.
The couple produces and raises both of their offspring at the same time, so every Thuln has one "twin" sibling. Social convention dictates parental relationships are exclusive and last as long as the children require care, usually a period of 9 years until the offspring reach maturity. After the new Thuln are out of care, the partnership ends. Neither the Human concepts of marriage, infidelity or divorce are known to the Thuln.
Thuln can reproduce at will with each other anytime they are not carrying a child, but usually only do so once every 20 Terran years.
2. Feeding and digestion: The Thuln like most other life on the planet, feed mostly from the ash fall itself, supplemented by some of the "plant" life for taste. Thuln can survive on only the ashfall if required, and usually do so when they are offworld. Thuln do not excrete like most humanoids, but instead express waste gasses in their breath, and what little liquid waste in the form of barely-noticible sweat glands on their "horns", where they also vent waste heat. Solid waste is integrated into their "pony tail", which is NOT hair, but a fiber-mineral material made up of undigestibles from the ash. This is transported to the tail root via special canals from the stomach, which has no other outlet.
3. Sensory information: Thuln have slightly less than average eyesight. Their eyes are very close to federation normal, but are hidden behind very thick silica lenses. These natural "sun glasses" protect the eyes from physical damage, variable lighting and falling cinders. The ears are pointed but fairly normal, adapted to a 1.2 atmospheric pressure Nitrogen-Argon atmosphere. As Thuln eat only ash, little is known of their ability to taste, as they can't metabolize non-ash food.
Thuln can sense both heat and some magnetic fields through their bony frills.
4. Other physiology: Thuln bones are very lightweight but strong, being formed of a natural carbon fiber instead of calcium. Thuln skin is thicker and more rigid than human skin, with a "plastic", grainy texture, and is translucent. Their thick black blood shows through the skin's surface. They have a three-chambered heart and a normal circulatory system, although configured to handle their much greater blood pressure. The brain is in four lobes, two on either side of their two-lobed skull. They very slowly grow small black claws from each digit, which must be ground down periodically when not in use gathering ash from the stony soil of the homeworld. They have two semi-circular "teeth" pads, one top, one bottom, devoid of any canine points and used for grinding ash. The single lung is unremarkable, adapted for Nitrogen, which, along with carbon, powers their metabolism. Their bony frills are used to heat and waste dissipation. Thuln can regulate the blood supply to internal vessels in the horns to regulate temperature.
Thuln live for an average of 180 Terran years. They are very resilient, so disease and infant mortality are almost unknown. Their thick skin and simple physiology make them naturally resistant to physical and fire damage.
Thuln have no traditional intestines, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, bladder, gallbladder, appendix, rectum or genitals (other than the mouth gland and the base of the pony tail).
Thuln do not traditionally sleep but undergo 15 hours of torpor each Terran week, all in one session. They do not dream. They can speak Federation standard, although in a voice that sounds like a female low register with a raspy accent.
Native Thuln language is very terse, economical and highly percussive, with short words, simple sentence structure and hard consonants. Every Thuln has one name.
5. Cultural notes: At last count, there are approximately 1.5 million Thulns on Charon II. Thuln culture is a constitutional meritocracy, divided into civil units. Each unit, starting with settlements and on up to planetary government, is run by an elected official. Each official serves until a bi-yearly vote of confidence fails, when a new leader is selected. Planetary government is run by a three-person council, elected every ten Charon years. A representative body, made up of members of each settlement, the number of representatives set by population, brings business from their constituency to the body, where laws are writen and approved by the ruling council.
There is very little physical violence or crime on Charon. Thuln value honesty, economy and plain speaking. They do not lie, but are known to stay silent when a comment would not serve their cause. They have almost no social "niceties", and communicate only when necessary and only the bluntest form of truth. Thuln art and literature are limited to historical re-tellings of accomplished indivduals. They do not not understand abstract art, dance or music at all. This has earned them the nickname "The Grumps" among some Federation species. They wear only earth tones and shades of gray. Thuln architecture is brutally utilitarian. They make decisions quickly, consider wordy people untrustworthy and consider lying criminal and beneath contempt.
History: The Thuln had developed impulse-driven shuttlecraft and warp power generation when first contacted by the Federation starship USS Montenegro. Possible contact with either Pakled or Ferengi tradrs before this is possible, but the Thuln have not disclosed this or how the technology was developed. Other than this, the Thuln are known as experts in metalurgy and organic chemistry.
Charon II applied for Federation membership within an hour of their meeting with the crew of the Montenegro, seeing there was no conflict between their ruling documents and the Federation charter, therefore no downside. Their membership has been approved by the Charon ruling body and they are awaiting Federation approval. Federation member species are welcome to visit (providing they bring an environmental suit), but few have.
Thuln have very little external variation between individuals:
Captain Charr, USS Akula:
Lieutenant-Commander Ethein, USS Illustrious:
Lieutenant Vazhra, USS Arcadia:
Charon II is a fascinating subject for geological study. It is a borderline class K/L world located in the far anti-spinward regions of the Alpha quadrant. It is a small, rather dense carboniferous world with a hot iron core and a carbon-silica mantle. It is not tectonically active, but is highly volcanically active.
The most notable feature of the planet is it's spectacular, smoldering atmosphere. The highly viscous mantle powers perpetual volcanic eruptions that turn the molten magma into combustible carbon silicates that dominate the upper atmosphere, blocking out most sunlight. This is the only known world where the atmosphere is constantly, literally burning. The fires in the upper atmosphere are fed by the volcanic silicates and rain down a steady fall of carboniferous ash. The skies are a constant dusky gray with moving ribbons of dull red firelight moving across the skies like aurorae over it's dark gray and ashen soils. There is no liquid water. Volcanic mountain ranges, spawned as under-crust currents slowly move vocanic "hot spots" under the crust, dominate the terrain.
All life on the planet has adapted to feed on the carbon falling from the atmosphere. Many "plants" (actually neither plant or animal, most closely resembling Terran lichens) feed on the ashfall and, powered by the heat of the atmosphere and the ground below, convert the ash into food, excreting gasses that make up the atmosphere, mostly Nitrogen and Argon. Oxygen, hydrogen and other combustible gasses are, of course, absent.
Surface gravity is .7 earth normal. Average surface temperature is 40 degrees C (105F). Length of day (although there is very little difference in the Charon sky) is 14 Terran hours, and the year is 110 Terran days. Surface pressure is 1.2 atmospheres.
Charon II is home to one sentient species, who call themselves the Thuln (thooln). They are middle-height, slender humanoids with several very unusual aspects.
1. Genders and reproduction: The Thuln, despite appearing Female, are of only one gender. Any individual can procreate with any other member of the species. Two Thuln will exchange genetic material packets, kept in special glands in the roof of the mouth, by "kissing"; this is only ever done for the purposes of procreation. Both individuals, thus fertilized, combine the other's material in the same gland. The combined DNA is sent in the form of stem cells to the base of the hair follicles in the "pony tail", where it bonds with and forms an embryonic sac at the base of the hair root. After one Terran month, the sack hardens into an egg and the hair, with it's new egg attached, falls from the back of the skull. The fetus is fed by nutrients excreted into the formation of the hair during it's one month internal gestation at the back of it's parent's head. The egg slowly absorbs the tail until it hatches at six months of age into an infant Thuln. The tail re-grows normally on the parent.
The couple produces and raises both of their offspring at the same time, so every Thuln has one "twin" sibling. Social convention dictates parental relationships are exclusive and last as long as the children require care, usually a period of 9 years until the offspring reach maturity. After the new Thuln are out of care, the partnership ends. Neither the Human concepts of marriage, infidelity or divorce are known to the Thuln.
Thuln can reproduce at will with each other anytime they are not carrying a child, but usually only do so once every 20 Terran years.
2. Feeding and digestion: The Thuln like most other life on the planet, feed mostly from the ash fall itself, supplemented by some of the "plant" life for taste. Thuln can survive on only the ashfall if required, and usually do so when they are offworld. Thuln do not excrete like most humanoids, but instead express waste gasses in their breath, and what little liquid waste in the form of barely-noticible sweat glands on their "horns", where they also vent waste heat. Solid waste is integrated into their "pony tail", which is NOT hair, but a fiber-mineral material made up of undigestibles from the ash. This is transported to the tail root via special canals from the stomach, which has no other outlet.
3. Sensory information: Thuln have slightly less than average eyesight. Their eyes are very close to federation normal, but are hidden behind very thick silica lenses. These natural "sun glasses" protect the eyes from physical damage, variable lighting and falling cinders. The ears are pointed but fairly normal, adapted to a 1.2 atmospheric pressure Nitrogen-Argon atmosphere. As Thuln eat only ash, little is known of their ability to taste, as they can't metabolize non-ash food.
Thuln can sense both heat and some magnetic fields through their bony frills.
4. Other physiology: Thuln bones are very lightweight but strong, being formed of a natural carbon fiber instead of calcium. Thuln skin is thicker and more rigid than human skin, with a "plastic", grainy texture, and is translucent. Their thick black blood shows through the skin's surface. They have a three-chambered heart and a normal circulatory system, although configured to handle their much greater blood pressure. The brain is in four lobes, two on either side of their two-lobed skull. They very slowly grow small black claws from each digit, which must be ground down periodically when not in use gathering ash from the stony soil of the homeworld. They have two semi-circular "teeth" pads, one top, one bottom, devoid of any canine points and used for grinding ash. The single lung is unremarkable, adapted for Nitrogen, which, along with carbon, powers their metabolism. Their bony frills are used to heat and waste dissipation. Thuln can regulate the blood supply to internal vessels in the horns to regulate temperature.
Thuln live for an average of 180 Terran years. They are very resilient, so disease and infant mortality are almost unknown. Their thick skin and simple physiology make them naturally resistant to physical and fire damage.
Thuln have no traditional intestines, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, bladder, gallbladder, appendix, rectum or genitals (other than the mouth gland and the base of the pony tail).
Thuln do not traditionally sleep but undergo 15 hours of torpor each Terran week, all in one session. They do not dream. They can speak Federation standard, although in a voice that sounds like a female low register with a raspy accent.
Native Thuln language is very terse, economical and highly percussive, with short words, simple sentence structure and hard consonants. Every Thuln has one name.
5. Cultural notes: At last count, there are approximately 1.5 million Thulns on Charon II. Thuln culture is a constitutional meritocracy, divided into civil units. Each unit, starting with settlements and on up to planetary government, is run by an elected official. Each official serves until a bi-yearly vote of confidence fails, when a new leader is selected. Planetary government is run by a three-person council, elected every ten Charon years. A representative body, made up of members of each settlement, the number of representatives set by population, brings business from their constituency to the body, where laws are writen and approved by the ruling council.
There is very little physical violence or crime on Charon. Thuln value honesty, economy and plain speaking. They do not lie, but are known to stay silent when a comment would not serve their cause. They have almost no social "niceties", and communicate only when necessary and only the bluntest form of truth. Thuln art and literature are limited to historical re-tellings of accomplished indivduals. They do not not understand abstract art, dance or music at all. This has earned them the nickname "The Grumps" among some Federation species. They wear only earth tones and shades of gray. Thuln architecture is brutally utilitarian. They make decisions quickly, consider wordy people untrustworthy and consider lying criminal and beneath contempt.
History: The Thuln had developed impulse-driven shuttlecraft and warp power generation when first contacted by the Federation starship USS Montenegro. Possible contact with either Pakled or Ferengi tradrs before this is possible, but the Thuln have not disclosed this or how the technology was developed. Other than this, the Thuln are known as experts in metalurgy and organic chemistry.
Charon II applied for Federation membership within an hour of their meeting with the crew of the Montenegro, seeing there was no conflict between their ruling documents and the Federation charter, therefore no downside. Their membership has been approved by the Charon ruling body and they are awaiting Federation approval. Federation member species are welcome to visit (providing they bring an environmental suit), but few have.
Thuln have very little external variation between individuals:
Captain Charr, USS Akula:
Lieutenant-Commander Ethein, USS Illustrious:
Lieutenant Vazhra, USS Arcadia:
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