Trafulha

Created by: Garry Stahl
Appearance: Starbase 600 game: "The Toniera Problem"
Number of Members: 300,000,000
Nature of Members: Humanoids with black glossy skin and green hair. Hair covers their heads across the forehead and down the nose, and there is a narrow strip of hair from the bottom of the ribs to the crotch on both genders. Both genders typically cut the hair on the nose and forehead short or even shave it. Trafulha have four digit limbs and walk plantigrade. Other than skin color their faces differ in the long slit nostrils to the side of their broad noses, and eyes with horizontal slip pupils. Trafulha are otherwise typical humanoid mammals in most respects.
Trafulha wear clothing from modesty and for style and status display. Most cultures in the colder areas have a strong nudity taboo. This decreases as the weather gets progressively warmer the closer to the equator you get. In the warmest climates the taboo can be nearly absent. Textiles require a great deal of effort and are considered a mark of status in every culture. To have new dyed clothing is a mark of wealth. To be able to afford such clothing that heavily drapes is a sign of great wealth.
Organization: Varies. The Trafulha are at tech 3 for the most part. The equivalent of the Terran medieval period. They have a great many nation states of usually small size with overblown opinions of their importance in the world. 99% of the population never leaves their home village, and most could not tell you with certainty what lies over the nearby hills. Monarchs, clan chiefs, and petty princes are the norm. No one has a world policy as no one knows the entire world. Maps with "here be dragons" along the edges are to be found throughout the world.
The religion of "The One" is a major influence in the conquered area. Other religions do exist both mono and polytheistic in nature. All of course claim to be the One True Way, and Trafulha are not above killing each other over matters of belief.
Game Role: Victims of aggression.
World Role: That life thing happening.
Relative Influence: Pre spaceflight world, no influence.
Public or Secret?: Open secret.
Publicly Stated Goal: No unified goal.
Relative Wealth: Single ununified planet. Poor as dirt.
Group advantages: Relatively open minds for their tech development. To their advantage the Trafulha so far encountered will drop a view that has proven to be wrong in favor of one that is demonstrated to be correct. No one has yet challenged religious beliefs however. 
Special Abilities: None
Technology: The vast majority of Trafulha is Tech 3. This would be the equivalent of the Earth Medieval era. Iron and steel, poor transportation, animal, water and wind power. Thinking is provincial. People do not consider the "rest of the world" as for them it does not exist. "The world" is your village, perhaps a distant place the King lives.
The one curious development of the Trafulha is that the entire world is in this state. While a few highly isolated populations are at tech 2, they are not the norm.
Those who favor them: They are currently Federation protectorates.
Those opposed to them: Save the Toniera, who's opinion is not requested, no one.
Area of Operation: Mot, "the world" located in the Toniera sector.
Headquarters Location: Mot
Public Face: Trafulha have yet to develop a public face as a race.
Notable Members: The Speaker of the One: He gives no name being known only by his title. This religious leader has proven to be open minded in most respects.
History of the Organization: Trafulha have been present on their planet for 250,000 years. The exact development is still under question as archeology has never been practiced on this world. The leisure for science is rare and scientific method is not well known, but is known. 
Until the attack by the Toniera the Trafulha have been feeling their way forward. The affected area is thoroughly disrupted. Government is virtually nonexistent. The priests of "The One" have stepped into this vacuum and declared that the Toniera were a punishment from the One for the sins of the Princes in making war on each other. The arrival of the Federation is the result of the mercy of The One on the people. It is a naked power grab by the dominate religion.
Due to the request of the Trafulha and the fact they are disrupted the Federation has agreed to a contact office in the affected zone. So far said office has maintained a polite distance. They do get bombarded with science questions. The Trafulha are seeking answers to the existence of other worlds that their current cosmology does not allow for. To their credit they are asking the questions, and accepting the answers. No effort is being made to advance the Trafulhan technology. However, no stumbling blocks are being placed in their way either. 
Category:Races
Category:Far Sector
Category:Epiphany Trek