Darid Racial Information

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• Character Generation Rules

Physiology

Height and Weight

The Darid are very similar in overall proportions to the Humans from which they are derived. The average Darid male is about 1.9 meters tall and masses about 90 Kg while the average female is about 1.85 meters tall and masses about 85 Kg.

Appearance

Darid skin tones run the full range of Human complexions but tend toward darker colors, especially brown and olive shades. Hair tends toward the darker shades with black, brown and gray being the most common. Shades of blond are not uncommon but red and white are almost unseen. Eye colors similarly tend toward the darker more subdued colors like gray and brown. Green and blue eyes are rare but do appear from time to time.

Like Humans, Darid have a mirror symmetry to their bodies with the left and right halves being essentially mirror images of each other. They have two ears, eyes, arms, and legs and one nose and mouth. Again, like Humans, each arm ends in a single hand with 5 digits. Each leg in a single foot with 5 toes. About 85% of Darid are right handed while about 15% are left handed. Less than 1% are ambidextrous.

Diet

The Darid are omnivorous showing no inherent dietary preferences. Due to their slightly accelerated metabolisms than need to eat more food than a Human and usually include a larger percentage of protein and carbohydrates than in a typical Human diet. Variations in Darid dietary preferences are matters of taste or culture rather than a biological need.

Rest

The natural 'day' cycle for a Darid is 24 hours as with a Human. Their day is typically divided into four 6 hour periods. One for sleep and the other 3 for normal waking activities. The Darid require about 6 hours of sleep per 24 hour period. Failing to get the required amount of sleep has fatigue effects as described in the fatigue rules.

Reproduction

Darid female bear live offspring after a gestation period of 5 to 6 months. Single births are common while multiple births are very rare. There is no tendency towards the child being of one gender or the other.

Darid females are genetically enhanced with respect to carrying and delivering their children. The process of carrying to term a child is much less of a physical strain than for a Human female. Darid females are typically able to remain completely active and virtually unhindered through out most of their gestation period. Childbirth is similarly much less stressful with typical labor lasting less than a few hours at most. Darid females are often fully recovered within 1 to 2 days after delivery. The extra muscle tissue that serves to make carrying and delivering the child easier also provides an extra measure of protection for the unborn child.

Senses

The Darid have five senses: touch, smell, taste, hearing, and sight. Touch, smell, and taste follow essentially the Human norm for those senses. Hearing is slightly superior being a bit more sensitive and have a little better sense of direction. Sight is significantly enhanced covering not only the typical 'visible' spectrum but also includes a significant portion of the near infra-red spectrum affording excellent night vision. In game terms, this results in a +2 to perception under normal conditions and a decreased penalty during low light conditions.

Anatomy

Internally, much as externally, the Darid again are very similar to their Human ancestors. The structure and function of their internal organs are nearly identical to Humans. There are some notable exceptions however. Their hearts are slightly larger and stronger. Their lung capacity is increased somewhat. Their muscle tissue is much denser. These enhancements lead to a higher average strength as compared to Humans as well has a higher average dexterity and endurance.

Darid blood is interchangeable with Human blood and they both share the same range of blood types.

Lifespan

A typical Darid lifespan is nearly the same as a typical Human, about 90 years. Darid growth and development is, however, slight different. Initially, Darid children grow much faster than a Human child by as much as 2 to 3 times the Human growth rate. By two years old, a Darid is physically similar to a 4 - 6 year old Human. By three or four this trend reverses and Darid development slows while the Human child catches up. By the age of 15 - 18, Humans and Darid are once again in sync developmentally and continue to develop similarly for the remainder of their lives. It is conjectured that since the Darid were engineered as a warrior race, this initial growth spurt was designed to reduce the critical dependency period and make the child more survivable should the care givers be killed.

Psionics

Darid have the same range of psionic abilities as any other race. Overall their ability is just slightly lower than the Human average. Speculation by researchers is their cloaking ability is psionically driven. The consensus is by engineering that specific capability, the Elders impacted their ability to perform other psionic feats.

Special Abilities

Darid have a unique cloaking ability. This allows them to bend the light around their bodies so as to blend very effectively with their surroundings. In appropriate settings and when being very still, a Darid can become effectively invisible to the naked eye. When they move, their "cloaking effect" appears as a distortion to the surrounding scenery. This ability has a downside. The more effective it is, the harder it is for the Darid to see. By bending the light, they effectively reduce the amount of light that makes it to their eyes. Additionally, this ability reduces their IR signature which slowly causes them to overheat. The net effect of these limitations is that the ability is effective only for short durations and is usually used for ambush, avoidance, and quick stealth approaches. It is also important to note that while this makes the very hard to detect visually, it has no impact on sound nor scent.

Their cloaking ability can be maintained for upwards of 30 minutes. It takes a small conscious effort to maintain so sleep or unconsciousness will break the effect but distractions and other mental efforts will not.

Psychology

Honor

The Darid place honor among their most important quality. Their honor is derived from the deeds of their ancestors, their immediate family, and themselves. This sense of honor can manifest itself in many ways. For example, Darid seek to avoid harming non-combatants; an enemy prisoner is treated with respect, fed, and given proper medical care and shelter; a defeated enemy warrior who fought well and bravely may be spared, even freed; no wounded are ever left behind, sometimes even the dead are retrieved for proper burial. Other aspects of honor include honesty, integrity, and loyalty.

Darid despise the dishonorable. Thieves, con-artists, murderers and the like are not tolerated. Those who would lead such dishonorable existences are often put to death if they do not see the error of their ways. The execution is usually performed in such a way as to prevent any dignity. The dishonored is usually isolated and hidden from public view, rendered unconscious with depressants, then bound gagged and dropped into water to drown. This virtually eliminates any chance at an honorable death, no chance to appear brave to the watching crowd, no chance to give a death cry or speak any final words, and, most importantly, no warrior is taking your life.

Family

Next to honor, probably one of the most important aspects of a Darid's psyche is their sense of family. Darid take pride in the lineage and can often recite the greatest accomplishments of their ancestors. Every Darid feels the need to not only enhance his or her own honor but also the honor of their family.

The Protector

The Darid were engineered to be warriors and protectors. Each Darid feels a strong need to fulfill that function. Since the Elders are no longer around to serve and protect, the Darid must seek other ways to satisfy that need. This is often done by serving in the armed forces but also by serving a bodyguards, security personnel, mercenaries, law enforcement, or other, similar, protective roles. Another, less common, way they fulfill this need is by choosing a cause or person or a group to champion.

Society and Culture

The Family

The basic building block of Darid society is the family. The family gives a sense of belonging. It also serves more practical needs such as child rearing. While the younger adults are off fighting, the older Darid raise the children. Those that survive their time as warriors return home to assume more traditional jobs and to raise the next generation while their children are off in combat.

The Government

The Darid government is military based. A council composed of five members function as the highest body of the Darid Government. The highest ranking member of the Darid Navy has one seat, another is held by the highest ranking member of the Darid Army, the third by the highest ranking member of civilian protective services (law enforcement), the last two are elected by the general populace from those not currently serving actively in any service. This Council of Five can enact laws directly but most often only ratify proposed laws generated in the General Assembly.

The General Assembly is a body of elected officials. The Assembly has 100 members elected by the general populace. The Assembly is normally tasked with the day-to-day operations of the government. It prepares laws and budgets, assigns projects, and prepares treaties and agreements. It can create or dismantle various bureaucracies and governmental departments. All of its decisions must be ratified by the Council. Because of the enormity of that task, the Council allows the General Assembly to treat any activity to be automatically ratified if not acted upon by the Council within 90 days. The Council can, of course, overturn any action taken by the Assembly if desired and any action contrary to the Articles of the Government (the Darid Constitution) is also prohibited.

For practical reasons, the Council generally allows the Assembly to run things and only steps in when the issue is sufficiently far reaching or controversial as to warrant their attention. Only a few times in Darid history has the Council had to take control from the Assembly for misuse of the leeway granted them. Needless to say, many members of the Assembly were ejected from their position by the Council for Abuse of Authority.

Given the military nature of Darid life, political service is generally taken very seriously. Few of the elected put political parties or personal agendas ahead of the good of the people, and those few that have tried are generally impeached and stripped of rank and authority.

The final, separate part of the Darid Government is the Judicial Authority. The JA serves to monitor the activities of the government for illegal activities. The JA is the only body capable of impeaching a Council member. The JA is composed of investigators, lawyers, and judges who run the court system at all levels. The Darid High Court is the highest court in the system and typically only considers cases that have been passed up from lower courts or those which bare directly on the Articles of the Government or involve members of the Council of Seven.

Religion

The Darid people are not religious in the traditional sense. Unlike most other races, they know who their creator was with certainty. The were derived from the Human species via genetic manipulation by the Elders. Darid were engineered to be warriors and protectors for the Elders. Loyalty and a desire to protect the Elders is a fundamental part of the Darid mind. With the Elders gone, presumed extinct, and direct contact with their masters lost, the Darid have elevated their creators to a pseudo godlike status. The great powers attributed to the Elders are well known. The Darid, over time, have begun to believe the Elders still exist, perhaps on a different plane or in a different reality. They believe the Elders watch them and judge their lives upon their deaths. Those deemed worthy will, upon death, be taken to this new existence to resume aiding and protecting the Elders. Those not worthy will be lost for all time.

Darid priests are call Guides and are intended to help guide you along a path in life that will lead you to a lifestyle that will please the Elders so that you may be called to them in the end. Darid don't worship at churches or temples but instead attend Readings wherein the Guides read from and explain the philosophical and historical writings of some of the greatest Darid minds. These writings explain, as often through epic stories as through factual accounts or philosophical discourse, how to choose the correct path through life to lead, in the end, to a new life in the new plane of existence with the Elders.