Qomarat

> *A fierce people, they either fail to grasp, or refuse to accept the sorry state they find themselves in. They will fight to the bitter end if it means even the slightest hope of preserving their kind. A respectable race we could find some measure of kinship with, regardless of our differences."*
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> *- Xivix, Chief Xenobiologist*
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## **Overview**

These curious mammalians were once counted among the great "precursor" races, though the only evidence of their glorious past are the ruins they eke out their now relatively primitive existences in. Tentatively classified as the dominant lifeforms on their planet, mostly due to their complete withdrawal from the surface, they inhabit the vast underground ruins of their civilization. The true extent of these ruins remain unknown due to the, admittedly unexpected, presence of the Qomarat themselves. Though the first clue of their presence we encountered was the massive amount of orbital debris clouding the low orbit of Qomar. Our projections indicate that this debris field used to be much larger, to the point where the planet was isolated from the rest of the universe. We believe it to be the ruins of an old orbital ring, possibly with accompanying chandelier cities, judging by the composition of the debris and sheer volume. Likely initiated sometime before the complete collapse of their empire and the ejection of Qomar from it's home system, it is possibly the greatest cataclysm experienced by the Qomarat and is leagues worse than what most sentients have faced. Yet, here they remain, though for how long is ultimately up to them.

## Taxonomy

We have not been able to uncover much on the evolutionary history, or distribution of the Qomarat species. The extensive ruins interfere with any efforts in paleontology, and lend to the theory that the Qomarat themselves dug up their planet's history or destroyed it in the process of building their great underground arcologies. What is clear to us is that they had developed Qomarat to what they viewed as it's maximum and from texts uncovered in the ruins revealed that they had taken similar measures with every planet of their home system. While we are still refining our translation techniques, one planet is mentioned consistently, a gas giant that appeared to be their main base of operations for interstellar operations, with Qomar acting more as a system hub. While the exact extent and location of the Qomarat Empire are unclear to us at this time, we know it contained at least five systems, including the possibility of several more satellite systems of low importance. Archeological progress is slow, owing to both the ruins themselves and the deep freeze of the planet, future updates to follow.

## Description

The Qomarat are very instantly recognizable, being large, thick furred, and bipedal with very distinctive white markings on the head and tail that are unique to the individual. Heavy set and broad, males weigh an average of 170-220 kg and females weigh an average of 150-170 kg, with size and weight being the only visual distinctions between the two sexes. A total of six limbs extend from their large bodies, a set of stocky legs supports their bulk with four pairs of arms located further up the torso. Their legs are plantigrade in structure and while appear to be able to support the full weight of the Qomarat, can tolerate quadrupedal locomotion with no issues, in fact quadrupedal movement is primarily used while running. As for the two sets of arms, the superior set is much larger and more muscular, with the inferior set - located further down the torso than the superior set - being smaller and more dextrous. It is clear to us that the inferior set were the results of genetic engineering, as is the case with the species' long lifespan, upper limit estimated to be somewhere around 800 standard years. Regardless of the origins, the inferior set does not serve much use outside of fine motor control, as a great deal of their instruments have been observed to be very delicate. We have also uncovered numerous devices thought to help elevate the dexterity issues of the superior limbs. The Qomarat also possess a large, flat tail. Observed to be mostly a defense mechanism for the young, it is later adapted into a fat reserve in adults, their tails also bear the distinctive patterns this species has become known for. Finally, there is their expansive heads. Supported by a short, thick neck, their head is "tear-drop" shaped. This has the effect of limiting the binocular vision of these visual creatures due to their massive foreheads, as well as giving them a permanent "scowl" as it would be termed by other more expressive species. Snout dentation supports an omnivorous diet, while the snout itself holds their sensitive noses. However, their bite strength is recorded at being far weaker than what would be expected of such large creatures, a measly 658 psi. This reduction of bite force accommodates their large cranium, and the accompanying brain expected of a space faring species.

### Coloration:

Fur coloration ranges from black, to light brown. The patterns observed on the heads, and tails of this species are almost always either white, or grey. While the fur itself appears to play no great role sociatally, it appears that these patterns are used to identify individuals. The same as how some species have distinctive facial features, the Qomarat have distinctive markings.