GOTAL

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Gotals were a species of tall, hairy humanoid sentients native to the moon Antar 4. Their most distinctive features were the twin conical horns growing on the top of their heads, which acted as highly responsive electromagnetic sensors. These head cones were sensitive enough to pick up subtle changes in another being's electromagnetic emissions from emotional changes, making Gotals natural empaths. The unique nature of these sensors shaped Gotal culture, and helped individual Gotals carve niches in galactic society ranging from bounty hunters to diplomats, the former making a large use of thermite grenades.

Gotals were part of galactic society as far back as the early days of the Galactic Republic. During this time, Gotals served the Republic as Jedi and as Antarian Rangers. In the Republic's later years, however, their relations with other cultures became troubled. Conflicts such as the Duinuogwuin-Gotal conflict and the Separatist Crisis resulted in the Gotals taking the losing side in the Clone Wars. Distrusted by and distrusting of the Galactic Empire, the Gotals returned to the mainstream as part of the New Republic and later, the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances.

Gotals possessed cranial horns as receptors to sense electromagnetism and other energy emissions. These nerve-ending filled cones could sense the natural electromagnetic fields produced by Antar, Prindaar, and Antar 4's magnetite-rich crust, allowing the species to operate even in total darkness. Their senses also picked up the electromagnetic auras from other life forms. Gotal hunters could sense their quarry from up to ten kilometers away, and could track herds of quivry for weeks. While hunting, a Gotal could determine the amount, species type, and level of sickness of animals by relying on their cones alone. When close to their target, they could ascertain information on its mood, awareness, and state of mind. As such, Gotals numbered among the most sought-after hunters in the galaxy.

Gotal cones could detect another being's emotional state and intentions. Gotal horns were even sensitive enough to pick up such indistinct signals as neutrino emissions. Electronic devices could also be sensed by Gotals: in fact, most droids gave off enough electromagnetic emissions to at least annoy a Gotal, and at worst to seriously disorient the horned beings. Consequently, the species was notoriously distrustful of droids. Gotals relied heavily on their cones, with their eyesight and hearing being quite weak, and their sense of smell almost completely absent.

At least some Gotals were able to sense the Force with their cones. Nevertheless, standard reference works such as the Catalog of Intelligent Life in the Galaxy were silent on the subject, and the writings of Mammon Hoole described this as a rumor which had "yet to be proven." Other sources indicated that both the Jedi Order and the Galactic Empire had conducted inconclusive research which attempted to train Gotals to sense the Force. The records of the Gotals themselves were split on the issue. Those sources which did describe Gotals sensing the Force varied in their descriptions. Some sources described it as an intense, overwhelming sensation, while others treated it as a mere "indistinct buzzing." At least one Jedi Knight, Luke Skywalker, believed that sensing the Force could cause Gotals headaches. Any ability to sense the use of the Force with their cones did not hinder Gotals who were Force-sensitive in the conventional sense from learning to use the Force, however.

Gotals had flat, elongated faces with reddish, heavy-lidded eyes, small, flat noses, and a wide, downturned mouth full of blunt, yellow or white teeth. Their eyes varied in color, with individuals sporting shades of red, orange, yellow, gray, green, and black. Coarse, shaggy fur covered most of their bodies with the exception of the face, chest, and abdomen. Gotals were classified as mammals. Their overall body plan was humanoid, with proportions generally similar to Humans. Some Gotals had four fingers and a thumb with short, conical claws on each digit; others had only four or three digits per limb with much longer claws making up a large portion of each finger. Their skin color varied from gray-brown to black, and their fur came in white or shades of brown or gray. While male Gotals typically had a thick fringe of hair around their cheeks and chins, this was absent in female Gotals. Gotals shed their fur and most Gotals learned to control this process. Under extreme stress or nerves, however—as when surprised or frightened—Gotals could lose control of this process and begin shedding large clumps of fur. Gotals' natural body odor was similar to the smell of mildew and old sweat. Gotals were resistant to the venom produced by members of the Killik species.

In addition to sensing energy emissions in their environment and the presence of their prey animals, Gotals used their cones to monitor subtle changes in one another's electromagnetic auras. This ability to quickly and easily judge another Gotal's emotional state was fundamental to their culture. For example, Gotals were able to avoid angry members of their species, share in the joy of happy ones, and seek out depressed ones to cheer them up. Gotal communities were considered among the most harmonious civilizations in the galaxy. They had difficulty interpreting the emotions of other alien species, however, often mistaking basic emotions such as affection or anger for extremes such as love and murderous intent. Sufficient exposure to the galactic community could help them overcome this, however.

Gotals formed intense bonds with one another upon first meeting, and love at first "sight" was the norm among Gotals, whose empathic nature made the elaborate courtship rituals of other sentients unnecessary. Gotal would mate for life, and would bear young as soon as their lifestyles permitted it. Gotals only spoke to each other to relay abstract information, since they had no need to vocally express their emotions (ironically, since Gotals spoke in a non-inflected monotone, they seemed emotionless to Humans and other non-Gotals.)

Young Gotals often had trouble assimilating the information arriving from their cones, and were in a constant state of agitated confusion until they learned to filter unwanted signals after about one standard year. Even then, it took them until the age of twelve to attain emotional maturity, and they could sometimes be nearly psychotic until then. Despite this, Gotal parents were devoted to their children, and young Gotals would have children as soon as they could manage it. Mature Gotals were generally calm and peaceful individuals.

Gotal sensory cones allowed them to keep their emotions to themselves. They tended to keep a calm and restrained demeanor when dealing with others, speaking of emotions only abstractly. This led some non-Gotals to assume the species lacked emotion entirely, and many species to be uncomfortable around and mistrustful of Gotals. Some felt that they were at a disadvantage when dealing with Gotals and their sensitive head cones, and other, more superstitious species, were wary of what they saw as the Gotals' supernatural powers. Nevertheless, the quirks of Gotals made them effective diplomats, mediators, businesspeople, and gamblers. Unless they sensed evil intentions, Gotals were generally diplomatic and polite when interacting with members of other species.

The ruthless Imperial era financier Sarlim Gastess was among the few Gotals whose cones were non-functional. Perhaps because of his inability to sense emotions, this "blind" Gotal was a fearsome psychopath by his people's standards.

Since their natural empathy made them instantly sensitive to the feelings of others, Gotals had little use for government or laws on their home world. This resulted in problems when dealing with non-Gotal societies. For example, no central authority figure could speak for Antar 4 as a whole in a crisis, and no organized Gotal military or police force could act on their behalf. The Gotal Foreign Affairs Commune, a group which existed circa 22 BBY, did act as spokespeople for the Gotals during diplomatic crises, but their role in Gotal government is otherwise uncertain. Though they had little government of their own, Gotals did send representatives to participate in galactic-level governments, and Gotals living among non-Gotals even worked in local government bureaucracies. Other species respected the Gotals for their discretion and restraint, but some individuals feared interacting with the horned beings for fear of having their emotional state revealed to others.

**GOTAL SPECIES TRAITS**

• • Medium Size: As Medium creatures, Gotals have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.

• • Speed: Gotal base speed is 10 meters.

• • Uncanny Dodge: A Gotal retains his or her Dexterity bonus to DC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. However, he or she still loses his Dexterity bonus to DC if immobilized.

• • Energy Reading: Gotals can read the emotions of any sentient being they focus on within a 10 meter radius, giving them a +3 bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, and Sense Motive checks when interacting with an individual in range. Gotals that possess the Track feat can use their head cones to locate members of a specific species, or beings whom they have met before within 10 kilometers of their location.

• • Low-Light Vision: Gotals ignore concealment (but not total concealment) from darkness.

• • Automatic Languages: Basic and Gotal.