Monday, September 23, 2013

Caliban Ferox


The Caliban are a humanoid culture found in a torrid, jungle-choked orbital habitat on the border between the Coreward Reach and the Vokun Empire. They're infamous in the popular imagination for their warlike nature and enthusiastic cannibalism.

Appearance and Biology: Interestingly, there is no fauna in the Caliban's habitat larger than a rat of Paleo-Earth that isn't in the same genetic family as the primary Caliban sophonts: there is a group of presophont pack hunters that look like a semi-quadrupedal version of the Caliban, for example. The primary 
Caliban are basically human in bioform, though they exhibit less sexual dimorphism than baseline type. Their faces are heavily wrinkled and shriveled appearance. All the Caliban family lifeforms share this facial appearance. Their skin tones range from a grayish brown to an ashen gray-white. Their teeth are sharpened to points, though this is a modification they make, not their natural form. Their skulls are somewhat small for their body size.


Psychology: It's believed that the extinction of most fauna in the habitat led to the prominence of cannibalism in their culture. In any case, they like to indulge even when other food sources are available. They do not view sapience as a reason not to eat an organism--a trait that lends them a negative reputation among other sophonts. Caliban don't care. They have little empathy for those outside of their kinship group. Those who employ them as mercenaries often insist they take special drugs to induce a pheremonal response mimicking their natural response to genetic relatives. Though this produces more cooperative behavior toward employers and comrades than would be shown otherwise, it will not stop Caliban from consuming their bodies when they die.

No. Appearing:1-6
AC: 7
Hit Dice: 1
Saving Throw: Warrior 1
Attack Bonus: +2
Damage: by weapon
Movement: 30’
Skill Bonus: +1
Morale: 9

9 comments:

Chris C. said...

Just when I think there's little or nothing more frightening than cannibalism, you give us "enthusiastic cannibalism" (shudder).

Brutorz Bill said...

Very cool race! Are they too savage to be used as PC's?

Trey said...

@Chris - Heh. I should have saved it for Halloween.

@Bill - I think they could be. There's always variation within a species.

Brutorz Bill said...

What would you recommend for PC stats/racial traits?

Tallgeese said...

Yikes- people use them as mercenaries!

Imagine a long lost sleeper ship full of these aliens, and the poor hapless crew of a "rescue" ship that awakens them hoping to be of help.

Justin S. Davis said...

A PC could be like Enik from the Sleestaks...an "advanced" ancestor / descendant. Or simply a brainier specimen (mutation?) that's more erudite in his culinary habits.

Who wouldn't want to play Space-Albino Hannibal Lecter?

Trey said...

John - Not good.

@Justin - Good idea!

garrisonjames said...

These make excellent Space-Morlocks! Or degenerate Pallid from Bujilli. Nice work! Bet they have other orbital habitats out there as well.

Trey said...

Good thoughts on all points.