Muttans

## "Those who are not embraced by their home will burn it down to feel its warmth" -Muttan proverb, adapted from a Terran proverb.

### Description:

Muttans are a subspecies of the Canians that, after becoming a minority amongst the Canian tribes, were forced off of their homeworld some few centuries ago. They can live on most worlds that humans can, and are scattered far and wide throughout the galaxy as a result of their previous banishment. Muttans stand at an average of 7-feet tall, and weigh upwards of 275 pounds on average. Muttans are naturally muscular and possess excellent metabolisms despite their larger size, making it easy to obtain and maintain an athletic physique.

Muttans can have black, gray, green, or brown eyes. Their hair, which covers a large majority of their body, can be black, brown, navy blue, or gray in color, with their skin usually being a pinkish shade underneath the short fur; Muttans take extreme measures to ensure that their hair stays very short, to prevent it from getting caught on clothing, objects, or enemies.

Muttans are seen as hulking brutes by most other races, and are outright hated by normal Canians for their larger size and strength.

Muttans possess the same average level of intelligence as a human, which often makes them smarter than normal Canians for their acceptance of advanced technology and nomadic lifestyle. Muttans can make use of any technology that a human can, although their equipment needs to be specially made for their larger size. Muttans are solitary beings who often come off as being very wise in the ways of the world, preferring to remain alone and wander the stars as they wish than settle down somewhere and adopt a more stable job or way of life; Muttans rarely turn down an intelligent conversation, and can be quite philosophical when it comes to things like warfare and violence.

Muttans reproduce sexually, and often produce a litter of 2–4 pups with each birth. Muttans enter a state of hyper-arousal in a similar manner to other canines and Canians, but are known to have a far better grasp on their emotions than their more common counterparts and rarely succumb to their hormones. Muttan reproduction is rare, as Muttans do not settle down in any one place for very long, and relationships among Muttans are between mother and child and nothing else; intercourse for Muttans is a means to an end to ensure the continuation of their species, but is not an indicator of love or longterm connection. Muttan pups follow their mother until they reach biological maturity, at which point they go their separate ways and begin conducting their life as all other Muttans do; Muttan pups spend their early years observing and learning from their mother.

On average, Muttans live around 50 standard Terran years, although their maximum lifespan is upwards of 70–80. Their lifespan can be extended through cybernetic augmentation, but this is an incredibly expensive process for such a large and physically-active creature that it is rarely used.

### Personality:

The life goal of every Muttan is simply to live as they wish, to be as free as possible as much as possible. They are often solemn individuals that tend to live solitary lives in order to avoid any situation that might burden them and limit their freedom. Due to the poor treatment by their Canian counterparts, Muttans are constantly aware of their situation as permanent outcasts, and as such tend to be very quiet, calm, isolated, and disciplined. They live philosophical lives as they travel the stars, seeking freedom in its most perfect form—a worthy death.

Muttans are humble creatures that do not have large egos, and are often quite timid towards those they do not know or do not trust. They ensure to keep a constant handle on their emotions to prevent the violent outburts that caused the trouble with their Canian counterparts. This self-discipline leads Muttans to appear very calm and tranquil.

Muttans do not take slaves, and detest slavery in all of its forms, believing it to be the greatest sin against a person's freedom. Muttans treat everyone of all races equally, except for Canians, whom they despise.

Similarly, Muttans detest hedonism and excess. They see such things as a waste of resources that could otherwise be used to aid in the personal freedom of others that do not yet have such a luxury. Hedonism does not fit well with their strict diets and constant training regimen. Muttans use tattoos, ritual scarification, war paint, and sculpting as their primary means of artistic expression.

Muttans are generally calm creatures that tend towards trust if the other party reflects those attitudes. They are not particularly paranoid due to their control over their own emotions, but are distrusting of others and immediately hostile towards normal Canians.

### Abilities:

Muttans possess incredible strength, allowing them to throw people around like ragdolls, hoist suits of power armor over their head, and punch through steel plating with ease. Their agility is proportionally lower than their Canian counterparts, but this does not make them slow by any means; Muttans can still run at the speed of a normal human, sometimes faster for short periods of time. Muttans possess keen senses of smell, sight, earing, and taste akin to Terran canines.

Muttans possess weather-resistant fur that keeps them cool in the heat, dry in the wet, and warm in the cold. Their skin is tough and resistant to most normal melee weapons, but is not tough enough to stop bullets.

## Culture

Muttan culture is one of isolation, freedom, travel, and discipline. Muttans believe in a common philosophy but lack a religion, having rejected the religion of the Canians upon their expulsion.