Kanten

The **Kanten** are a sentient mammalian humanoid species native to the planet Kanten.

## Biology

Kanten can easily be identified by their three eyes and their goat-like snout. Female Kanten also have three breasts. Kanten are also able to sense one another's emotions and disposition by noting subtle changes in body heat and skin color. The Kanten have excellent vision, able to resolve more colors than most species, and even able to see into the infrared. Kanten have two stomachs, having evolved from herbivorous grazing animals who lived in herds on the mountains and highlands of Kanten. Kanten chew and digest their food quite slowly, savoring the flavor carefully. A single meal could take almost an entire day to finish, but a Kanten would often not need to eat for several days afterwards.

A recessive genetic mutation sometimes causes some Kanten to suffer from misshapen extremities, with hands and feet swelling to abnormal sizes. While not affecting the individual's ability to do finer work, the handicap nonetheless often resulted in social isolation. Kanten scientists intently studied the trait to attempt to find a cure

## Culture

The peaceful nature of the Kanten society was a reflection of their homeworld, Kanten. Kanten boasts large and rolling grasslands and highlands, a dense and beautiful forest, and one of the longest and clearest rivers in the galaxy. The beauty of this planet, and the need for primitive Kanten to band together for defense against predatory animals, helped the Kanten develop strong bonds of home and family in their society (once they became a civilized species, the Kanten set aside fenced nature preserves for the carnivores which once threatened them). Kanten also mated for life, forming such strong bonds that they generally died within days of a mate's death. It was rare for any Kanten to leave his or her planet of origin once they had taken a mate.

The Kanten were also very protective of their families, and were some of the most devoted parents in the galaxy. This was because of their very powerful and sensitive sight, which could sense the emotions of their mates and their children. Kanten society maintained its balance by setting up strict career quotas, and making sure young Kanten were educated for a specific job that best served his or her talents. While other species who value freedom tend to criticize such a rigid social system, to the Kanten it was both logical and essential.

Kanten have a strong need for companionship—a Kanten left alone for too long would go insane or die of loneliness. Generally, they needed other Kanten for companionship, but some Kanten were able to form sufficiently strong bonds with others outside their species. The most feared punishment among the Kanten was exile. Lone, outcast Kanten, often wearing black to avoid painful memories of the colorful cities of their homeworld, were generally given a wide berth by the experienced. Kanten isolated from Kanten society were often unreliable, easily bribed, and easily addicted to drugs and liquors, though they were shrewd and often under-estimated. Conversely, Kanten within their society were peaceful and amiable, with a keen sense of their place in society, and unselfish instincts putting the greater good ahead of their individual wants.

With such close bonds formed throughout the Kanten community, it was unsurprising that they concentrated their cities into very small areas, so they were never out of touch with their many relatives. These cities, while hosting a majority of the population of Kanten, also hosted the small government of the Kanten. The government was a loose group of delegates from the major Kanten families who usually controlled different aspects of Kanten society. One delegate was selected randomly every three and a half standard years to be the leader of this group. It was only due to the very peaceful sensibilities of the Gran race that this system worked at all. Indeed, the only known major conflicts between Kanten took place very early in Kanten's history. Even these wars resulted from matters of survival, rather than strong emotional conflicts between the Kanten or rival nations.

### Government

The Kanten maintain colonies of the planets Hok and Alchera.

### Religion

Kanten religion revolves around the worship of the goddess Doellin.