Arsene

## Summary

   The Arsene are hirsute mammals known for their speed and keen senses of smell and hearing. They are considered friendly by the galactic community.

## Overview

Hailing from Grotta, Arsene stand between five and seven feet tall. They excel at both short and long distance running and can maintain a state of alertness for hours on end. This makes them common choices for security personnel and transporters, both for on foot and vehicle based deliveries. Arsene have earned a reputation as friendly. This is in part due to the deemphasis their nation places on assisting others on a personal level, instead emphasizing putting effort towards helping the state. This means it is easy to impress an Arsene with a gesture of goodwill. However, this also causes them to not offer up such gestures freely themselves, except to return a favor. This can make them appear rude to some.

## Culture

The culture of Grotta revolves around celebrating and propagandizing the war between the Taraka and the Arsene. The disunity between the two races is the unity of the Arsene. They view the Taraka as cowardly sneaks who are needlessly prolonging a war they lost centuries ago. Devotion to the cause of the war and to the advancement of the state is the measure by which Arsene are judged. Soldiers, farmers, and factory workers are among the most respected. Free thought is discouraged in favor of a blind loyalty.

Those who dare to venture off the planet are seen as too weak to have survived on it. Without extenuating circumstances to explain their absence, they would be shunned upon returning to their world. This is of minimal concern, however, because very few who leave Grotta ever feel a need to go back. Off world, Arsene often find a new authority figure to follow with the loyalty they no longer feel their nation deserves. Others still have become disillusioned with the idea of loyalty in general, preferring self reliance.

## Physiology

Arsene are warm blooded bipeds with short fur and tails. They can live to be seventy Federation years old, which is fairly long considering their rapid metabolisms. They are very high energy in youth, slowing down to more normal energy levels in their later years. Many forgo footwear, as their paw pads are durable enough to prevent discomfort on most surfaces.

Arsene are evolved from predators, but have since adapted to be more omnivorous. Regardless, they maintain many of their ancestral hunting abilities. Their eyes are well attuned to tracking motion and they are capable of hearing a very wide range of frequencies. Their sense of smell is keen enough to detect traces of an animal and track it down. Once they spot possible prey, they can sprint after them at speeds of up to seventy-five kilometers per hour. Their teeth are sharp and their jaws are powerful enough to crush bone. Their claws are well adapted to gripping prey, as well as digging.

Arsene create and shed fur at an alarming rate. This process aids with temperature regulation, allowing them to shift between coats of different thicknesses for different seasons. However, shedding occurs at all times of year as the hairs that make up their undercoat damage easily and are not robust enough to withstand consistent wear and tear. This can lead fur management to become a nontrivial part of cleanup in sealed environments, such as spacecraft.