As'lan

Created by: Traveller game. Adapted by Garry Stahl
Appearance: Starbase 600 game
Number of Members: Billions
Nature of Members: Their name for themselves is Fteirle, which translates as "The People", very common. "As'lan" is the name the Anglish used on encountering them.
As'lan average 2.0 meters in height and weigh about 100 kg. They are descended from, bipedal ambush predators (non obligate) originally adapted to an arboreal existence. They walk digitigrade on a fleshy paw well equipped with claws best suited to climbing. they have like claws on their hands. As'lan have a single highly specialized dewclaw under each thumb which folds back jackknife fashion into a horny covering in the base of the thumb and palm. They are covered in a fine tan fur. Color can vary considerable from a near white to a dark brown.
As'lan are placental mammals. the females having pectoral breasts typical of humanoids. Sexual anatomy on both genders is neatly tucked away unless in use. Crack your nuts on a tree branch enough times you learn to carry them inside. Gestation is 50 weeks. The young are capable of hanging onto their mothers from birth. As'lan reach maturity at the age of 16 years. Lifespan averages 90 years. Galactic level medical technology can extend that to almost 150. 
Government: Clan and super clan. As'lan from a major political block in the Trantorian Empire. They have the third highest number of First Peers after the Toda.
Game Role: The disturbingly loyal Imperials.
World Role: Major interstellar player.
Relative Influence: Major within the Empire. recent events have thrust them ito prominence.
Public or Secret?: Public by all means.
Publicly Stated Goal: Rule the Empire
Culture: The As'lan are a warrior race, proud, noble, and devoted to those in authority above them. They geek very heavily to us vs them. An individual As'lan is usually a member of a family of from 2 to 12 individuals under a patriarchal leader. Several families will combine into a pride with one family dominant. A number of prides form a clan, again with a top pride. Aside from military organizations and the ruling council (within the Hierate), the clan is the highest social-political organization among the As'lan.
A deep-seated territorial instinct causes the As'lan to have an inordinate (from a human standpoint) concern with land. For male As'lan owning land is a major goal in life. An As'lan's stature is determined by the amount of land he (or her husband) controls, or by the amount of land owned by any higher lord the As'lan may be vassal to. The lowest classes of As'lan are landless, and provide the farmers, laborers, craftsmen, and factory workers. A holder of a large territory will often grant authority over it to vassals (usually sons, brothers, or male relatives by marriage) who administer the land in his name.The sexes have very different roles in As'lan society. Males (in all but the lowest classes) are concerned mostly with military operations, acquisition of territory, and political affairs. Females are concerned with trade, industry, and the accumulation of knowledge. Upper class males have little concern for the idea of a budget or the value of money and are uninterested in the functioning of finances. It isn't fashionable, well below their pay grade to worry about pay. They are thus seldom encountered without the "supervision" of a wife, mother, or other female relative or employer who is concerned about the money.
For instance, a typical As'lan mercenary unit will be organized by a wealthy married female, who will then assign its operation, for a share of the proceeds, to an unmarried female relative. The battle commander and most of the troops will be unmarried males (many of them also relatives) hired with the promise of land grants (and the opportunity to gain honor and reputation in combat); however, staff, operations, supply, and intelligence officers will generally be female.
The extremely deadly nature of any combat between As'lan has led to a rigid, ritualized pattern of behavior designed to reduce conflict. As'lan are very polite, and while most have learned to be patient with non-As'lan, accidental fights still occur. Disputes between individuals are handled by the patriarchs; disputes between families are handled by the pride leader; disputes between prides are handled by the clan leader. 
Relative Wealth: Major. A goodly area of the Empire is under As'lan rule.
Group advantages: They are a tighter group. The As'lan are running an Empire within the Empire, and most bureaucrats don't realize it.
Special Abilities: The Secret Police are badly hampered in As'lan territory. As'lan will not turn on As'lan to someone not an As'lan. Ergo Imperial intelligence has a poor idea of what is really going on. Worse, under Spirtius Capuus they lied about it.
Group disadvantages: Said territorially can work against them. An As'lan with his back against his wall will defend that wall to the death, even if retreating and retaking the wall would be a better tactic. 
Special disadvantages: A twitchy sense of honor and not entirely flexible where other peoples' customs are concerned. They do not do as do the Romans. Males are worse for this than females.
Imperial Relations:
*!zzr -- As'lan don't interact much with !zzr. They treat them well when encountered. They don't understand them.
*Anglish -- A love/hate relationship. On one hand the Trantorian Empire has boosted their economy, but it also tries to keep them from getting too far ahead and the Anglish are the main reason for this. Play nice and plot.
*Iwak -- A race of hard fighting primitives that have not been easily conquered. The Anglish houses have thrown them to the As'lan as a ball of thorns. The As'lan are staying back and studying the situation. There is a way to conquer anything, and applied force is not always the best way.
*Karacol -- They eye each other a lot. Frankly the cultures have little in common. The lotus eating philosophers are a touch disgusting to the As'lan, if a source of advanced technology. It does not help that clueless Humanoids lump them in as "all cats". 
*Kinar -- Not much contact even within the Empire. Another race.
*Naraped -- The extremely peaceful Naraped are rare and ignored. Not a good move on their part. they utterly fail to see the psionic threat.
*Tolgar -- Another minor race of little consideration. They as of yet have no political will in the empire.
*Toda -- The Toda are seen for the weak, honorless dogs they are. They are treated with only as much as reason and diplomacy demand.
*Tinten -- At the other side of the Empire they don't have much contact. As'lan keep it cool. Those Tinten that are Imperial are firmly so. Those that are not even more firmly so. Tinten are seen as a strong people.
 
Outside Relations:
*Federation -- The As'lan recognize a separate relationship with the UFP. A moderately friendly one. This does not always go down well on Trantor.
*Kurr Association -- The Kurr evoke a good deal of head scratching. The As'lan have a hard time wrapping their heads around the Kurr ethical approach. It is clearly honorable, but they are not sure exactly how. Defending your own from invasion they do understand and respect.
*Norg Republic -- An issue in development. Once considered pirates and outlaws the Federation has engaged the two parties in communication. the As'lan have not given up on the idea of conquest, but they have a better idea of how costly that would be. Norg ships are ton for ton every bit as good and a touch tougher.
*Zak -- The Zak are clearly in conflict with the Empire. Less so since the Kurr Association "overran" them. Zak are honorable foes to some extent. They are not treacherous, but are duplicitous. The Zak habit of eating sentient creatures disgusts them. Fight hard and never surrender. Unreformed Zak are considered traitors and killed on sight. As'lan have no traffic in traitors.
Military: As'lan military units tend to be "last years models". There is a deliberate policy among the Anglish controlled Star Service to see that they do not get the latest ships or the best weapons.
That said the As'lan are adaptive and inventive. They refit older ships with new weapons and civilian grade better engines. They fight their vessels intelligently and aggressively. In spite of being handed the dregs of the Star Service the As'lan fleets are a force to be reckoned with. A matter that came to prominence in the latest civil war that saw them as an important block in securing the throne.
With a strong voice in the Imperial halls the As'lan are forcing a change in Imperial policy to see they have first rate ship yards and first rate ships.
Area of Operation: The coreward and antispinward quadrant of the Trantorian Empire. Roughly 1 to 4/-29 to -31
Headquarters Location: Kuzu -- the As'lan homeworld.
Other Worlds: A listing of the worlds of the First peers of the As'lan:
*Aktifao -- Ruled by Kimbar. He has made a point of annexing Imperial worlds he considers mismanaged. 
*Hlaklio -- Lonitus 20 years ago this was not a As'Tan holding. Lonitus took control from a dissipated Toda House and improved the world. By the time Trantor got the news no one local cared.
*Iwahfuah -- As'larta In hard contact with the Norg Republic. 
*Karleaya -- Fearius A young lord. He has been watching the success of Lonitus and Kinbar and looking for such opportunities.
*Kuzu -- Under Simban. This lord has an understanding with the Federation. Ergo all the As'tan have an understanding with the Federation
*Simbar -- The Frontier holding under Ki'tar. They had first contact with the Federation of the As'tan.
*Uistilrao -- Fento Also in hard contact with the Norg. 
*Waroatahe -- Gumpar Oldest of the As'tan lords and the least adventurous. He too is in contact with the Norg. His eldest son has been looking for a fruit peel.
Public Face: Honorable and stoic warriors.
Notable Members: Simban -- First Peer of Kuzu. He was instrumental in Putting Erryba Aquaarrous on the Trantorian Throne and has treated with the Federation starships. He is moving and shaking. Not always in directions the Anglish like. Simban has the unacknowledged (By the Empire) position of being the Most First Peer of the As'lan. the Grand Patriarch. 
History of the Organization: The As'lan where taken into the Empire by economic means. The Anglish in encountering the As'lan Empire realized they could not conqueror them and remain a stellar power themselves. The As'lan were in the early stages of Galactic technology, but even then had strong defenses. When you don't want to fall back, the lack of fast warp drives is not an issue. They altered tactics and bought the As'lan.
What the Anglish didn't expect was the As'lan would totally buy in. They not only wanted to be part of the Empire, they want to be an important part. The As'lan frankly have an eye on the Imperial throne itself. That "land" thing happening.
As'lan have not only pushed the borders of the Empire outward they have pushed their own borders inward. They have turned the tables on the Anglish and bought out or conquered (by coup) several first peers on their own border.
Category:Races
Category:Trantorian Space
Category:Groups
Category:Epiphany Trek