Sharpheen

The Sharpheen are a species of semiamphibious reptiles native to Berro's World.

## Physical Description

Sharpheen are large humanoids, standing well over 2 meters in height. They possess reptilian characteristics - hard, greenish scales, a long, heavy tail, elongated snout, and multiple horns. A double row of short spines runs from snout to tail. Their front teeth are conical, transitioning to serrated cutting teeth in the back. The eyes are dark, beady, and deep set. Males are smaller and slimmer than females.

## Homeworld

Berro's World, traditionally known as Saxshisst, is a hot, swampy planet orbiting a Class F star. Most of the planet is covered by a shallow ocean, with vast archipelagos of low-lying islands dotted across it. It is poor in resources and produces little of value. The United Stellar Confederacy maintains a military outpost in the system to monitor traffic through the Keyhole Nebula.

## History

The sharpheen evolved into a semiamphibious lifestyle of hunting and fishing along the shallow waters and marshlands of their homeworld. From humble nomadic ambush predators they were able to hone their skills into truly exceptional trappers, and developed a rich culture of approximately late Bronze Age/early Iron Age technology prior to first contact.

Saxshisst was discovered by Confederate Navigator Rei Berro in 2527 PC. While noting that the native population was primitive and the planet poor in mineral resources, it was in a prime location to spy on the nearby Keyhole Nebula, and so it was quickly colonized as a Confederate military outpost. The sharpheen offered some resistance, but lacking any substantial technology more advanced than spears and snares, were brought to heel within three solar years. Confederate diplomats were able to establish friendly trade with the natives some time after that. While the sharpheen had little to offer, trade was seen as an important way to normalize relations. The sharpheen were officially granted Confederate citizenship in 2643 PC, though they have not been granted a seat on the ruling council.

In the two hundred years since the sharpheen have become accustomed to Confederate technology. Their innate cunning and curiosity, coupled with a natural aptitude for mechanics, has seen a number of sharpheen drawn to careers in engineering and piloting. Roughly half their population now lives offworld, scattered in small pockets among the stars. They are nonetheless a rare sight in Confederate space. Sharpheen are an interesting mix of the old and the new, often maintaining traditional tribal dress and weaponry alongside wristcomps and implants. Traditional superstitions are also widespread, and most individuals maintain a small shrine to their ancestral clan-spirits within their homes and quarters.

## Culture

As mentioned, the sharpheen are an odd and ecclectic mixture of tradition and invention. Much of the tradition they cling to is centered around the hunt; hunting is considered a deeply spiritual experience which defines them as a people. All sharpheen will make time where possible to partake in a ritual hunt on whatever world they happen to be on. This is done using the traditional tools - the *battle tooth*, a long, bladed spear, or a *chinook*, a bladed flail-like axe weapon - as well as hand crafted snares and traps. Many also utilize wrist-launched darts or discs, and more modern weapons are also considered acceptable so long as the traditional ones are respected. The role of such weapons is, in truth, ceremonial moreso than practical.

Sharpheen are predators and think like predators. They exploit weakness, they search out advantage, and they plan their words and actions carefully. That isn't to say that they are aggressive or combative. Indeed, they have a pack mentality in which their friends and allies, regardless of species, are considered kin.

A sharpheen is loyal to himself and his kin above all else. Outsiders - even others of their own kind - must prove their worth. They try to obey human law, but more out of practicality than out of any real respect for rules or order. Where matters of honor are concerned, a sharpheen feels more than justified in taking matters into their own hands, and anyone who stands against them is disrespecting their traditions.

## As Player Characters

**Attribute Bonuses:** +1 Body, +1 Talent

**Skill Bonuses:** +1 Athletics, +1 Thievery

**Special Abilities:**

* **Amphibious (Buff, Passive):** You can swim at your full movement rate, breathe underwater, and are not affected by pressure at extreme depths. While submerged in water, and for 10 minutes after leaving it, you gain a +1D6 bonus to all attribute checks, skill checks, and attack rolls.
* **Cunning Trapper (Buff, Passive, Trap):** You have Resistance to damage from traps and mines and gain a +1D6 bonus to disarm them. Traps and mines you set deal extra damage equal to your level plus your Talent.
* **Ambush Predator (Trap):** Once per scene you can deploy one or more homemade traps. Deploying a trap in an adjacent space is a Standard action. You may set one trap per scene this way for every 5 levels of experience, rounded up. Enemies who enter trapped spaces take 2D12 damage (plus additional damage from your Cunning Trapper ability) and are Stunned until the end of their next turn. You are assumed to construct these traps during your downtime from scavenged materials at no cost.