Velacheem

### Inherent Skills

Water breathing, Psychic Discipline (2), Energy Medicine, Telepathy, Encounter Suit

## Description

The Velacheem are an multi-limbed, invertebrate species from Velacha. They usually have green, brown or grey mottled skin, two large eyes and a small beak-like mouth. They grow to be about 2 to 3 feet across. Since encountering the Terrans, when they travel outside of the water, they pilot an 'Encounter Suit' that is essentially a mobile fish tank.

The general consensus is that the Velacheem are a merchant people.  A more accurate statement is that the Velacheem are a deal making people.  As such, they've shown a remarkable skill as diplomats, ambassadors, and any Career requiring an aptitude for negotiation. When haggling is considered a form of small talk, folks learn how to pro a con without conning a pro.  A Velacheem could know someone since childhood, but unless a deal has been attempted, that person is a complete stranger.  This deal doesn't have to be for anything important or valuable or permanent.  In dire circumstances, even the swapping of information is enough to qualify.  Plenty of Velacheem make it a point to carry a collection of small trinkets with them while traveling just in case they encounter someone new.  As natural pacifists-- it's really difficult to trade with someone actively trying to murder you-- the Velacheem were a bit leery about joining the special club of the clearly not-pacifist Terrans.  But the Velacheem knew a good deal and a good market when they saw it.

Underwater living does have its drawbacks.  For example, not having weird inner bone armor is great for deep water pressure, but not so great for taking a punch.  While Velacheem do have something like gills, most of their oxygen intake has to happen through their skin, which puts them at a much higher risk of absorbing poisons and toxins.  Also, without air or hard surfaces, it's difficult to create sound in water.  Velrari is a hybrid language that's a combination of telepathy (all Velacheem are naturally psychic) and beak clicking though the importance of body language should not be underestimated.

The Velacheem have come a long way from the primitive days when mating was a looming death sentence.  Nowadays, coitus, mating, and breeding are considered three different acts that don't necessarily have to have much to do with each other. (Velacha is rumored to be as sexually free a planet as Abor, though that's mostly because scandalous foreigners make fun gossip.)  Part of the guild fees can be paid in... reproductive components, which get mixed together in a decidedly unsexy process that would bore even the most hopeful lecher. Nearly all Velacheem grow up in guild orphanages and are expected to pay off the debt for their upbringing once they become an adult.  Most, however, are adopted out early by guild members that purchase the debt.  Usually, the child becomes an apprentice. The debt is slowly paid off during journeyship.  It is considered paid in full upon delivery of a masterpiece, which could be anything from the manufacturing of an encounter suit to helming a trade negotiation.  The Velacheem is then able to apply for guild membership themselves.