Lorkan

The **Lorkan**s are a humanoid species native to the planet Vartas.

## Biology

The Lorkan are a bipedal, generally humanoid race that can be distinguished from other races by their saurian-like features. Of particular note are their thickly armoured heads, torso (more pronounced in males than females) and their very stiff and hairless brown shaded skin. Like humans, Lorkan posses two five-fingered hands and two feet, though their feet have only two toes each.

As natural burrow dwellers, Lorkan are very adept at squeezing themselves into very small spaces and can see very well in the dark, while bright light greatly impedes their vision.

Lorkans reproduce like many other species through sexual coupling of males and females. Fertilisation of a female Lorkan is achieved much the same was as with humans, with a male phallus and female vagina (both also used for expelling body waste) located in the crotch area. The act of coupling itself takes about 2 hours as it is subject to a complicated mating ritual involving a seductive courtship dance and some foreplay that by human standards may seem rather violent.

Once impregnated, the female will carry the developing embryo for the equivalent of 5 earth months before giving birth to 2 to 6 infants through a birth canal located in the groin, again, much like that of humans.

## Culture

Lorkans do have an equivalent of marriage and once joined, mates are known to be very loyal to one another and while both male and female Lorkan are considered equals, there are nonetheless great disparities in social class, delineated along lines of wealth and power. At the top of the social structure is a small number of the wealthy elite, whose finances render them immune to Vartas's frequent power changes and so are relatively stable. Below the elite exists a large middle class and an even larger lower class, between which many Lorkan will often shift depending on the rise and fall of their group's power and influence. These power shifts mean that there are equally frequent skirmishes between rival factions that can sometimes escalate into full-scale war, which is particularly complicated given the nature of the interlinking allegiances that form the power base of a given faction. Indeed, because of the constant infighting among the Lorkan, soldiering is one of the most steady professions and as such many Lorkan will opt to serve in the military of one group or another.

Lorkan are notorious for their strange, almost pack-rat like quirk of collecting things. The intrinsic value of a given item is often irrelevant as Lorkan are simply attracted to items that interest them and will often simply take whatever may appeal to them if it can be done without obstacle. Theft is not considered a crime on Vartas and a Lorkan caught in the act of stealing from another Lorkan will simply give back the item with no further ado. Because of this species quirk, Lorkan have developed a well deserved reputation among other races as thieves, though for their part they simply don't see it that way and in their defense, they seldom steal an item for profit but to simply have it.

For all their various oddities, quirks, and combativeness, the Lorkan paradoxically get along passably well with other races and as individuals can be surprisingly good companions. Nevertheless an angered Lorkan can be very fierce and formidable.

### Religion

Lorkan faith centers around the worship of Morta and has three main branches:

* **Morta Ja**, or "Father Morta", casts the godhead as a stern and vengeful patriarchal figure.
* **Morta Efa**, or "Mother Morta", casts the godhead as a nurturing goddess of both creation and destruction.
* **Morta Na**, neither male nor female but an all-powerful neutral and mysterious "other".

Lorkans within a given area generally follow whatever branch supports the most powerful local faction and will gleefully change their choice of worship in line with the shifts in power. As such shifts are frequent within Lorkan society, an individual Lorkan will change his or her religion numerous times throughout their lifetime, seeing religion as little more than another form of power bloc.