Lupine

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## Sub-Races

*Acceptable avatars for the races are linked. Natural-looking texture mods are also acceptable. (No commission or monetary gains are made from the marketplace links.)*

## Language

**Tivuq** (*'tē* vuk) - a guttural sounding language consisting of sharp consonants and barely audible vowels. The closest comparison would be applying meanings and inflection to the sounds of earth dogs barking and growling. The language contains a few phonemes that the Earth language English doesn’t have. Likewise, English has some phonemes that Lupines are incapable of pronouncing.

## Native Planet

Senkarth - roughly 1.2 times the size and gravity of Earth. Senkarth is a tidally locked planet, with climates varying depending on region.

## Physical Characteristics

### **Height**

Average of 168cm (5ft 6in) with some minor variation.  Largest known was 168cm (6ft 6in)

### **Muscular & Skeletal Structure**

Anthropomorphic with slightly hunched posture

Similar torso to humans

Similar legs to humans with the exception of having digitigrade legs/feet

Similar arms and hands to humans, though the opposable thumb is less developed.

Skull structure similar to wolves of Earth, only larger to accommodate a larger brain

Much more muscular build than humans but due to height and many generations being born and living in space, their strength is on par with humans.

### **Coloration**

Dependent on region

Desert lupines are usually earthy browns ranging from chestnut to light tan

Dark lupines tend to be either white to blend in with the snow, or black to blend into the shadows, depending on the group they belong to in that region.

Twilight lupines have the largest variety of colors due to sharing borders on both the light and dark side.  Interbreeding has occurred and twilight lupines could range anywhere on either side, as well as grey and other earthy tones.  Twilight lupines can be distinguished from their bordering cousins by a lighter belly than the rest of their coat.

## Government

### Politics

Each region has at least one clan, no single voice for the race as a whole.

Each clan has a council

5 Member council including one Grand minister

Grand minister oversees the rest of the council while being a tie breaker during votes.

Each clan contains multiple tribes

Clans are structured like countries while tribes are like towns and cities within.

### Military

#### Structure

Maqukge [Ma-koo-geh] (Council)

Mopa [moe-pah] (General)

Sagure [Sah-goo-reh] (Captain)

Faqi [Fah-kee] (Sergeant)

Achuge [A-shoo-geh] (Private)

#### Technology

##### Void Ruptures (WMD)

Large bombs capable of tearing a hole into unstable regions of the void, leading to large cities being engulfed in, and quickly obliterated by void plasma.  Millions of lives would be destroyed before they even knew there was an attack.

##### Void Guns

“Firearms” that fire bolts of plasma ripped directly from those same unstable locations of the void, causing severe burns and radiation poisoning.  More often than not, the superheated plasma rips right through the target and is devastatingly efficient and deadly.  As the void is endless, the only limit to the rifle’s ammunition reserves is the power supply it houses for accessing said plasma.  This technology branches out into multiple directions, including pistols, rifles, cannons and gatling guns.

##### Phase Blades

Knives/Swords that work in a similar fashion to light sabers from star wars, these weapons are far less glamorous.  The hilt houses an extremely small sample of superheated plasma from the void being held in a blade shape by a powerful electromagnet, powered by a micro fusion reactor.  When ignited, the plasma surrounds a plasma resistant metal blade that can be used with or without the plasma, though its effectiveness is greatly increased with it.  This weapon, although the smallest and shortest range is considered to be the cruelest weapon in their arsenal.  The plasma cauterizes wounds as soon as they’re made, making all but intentional killing blows survivable, but intensely painful.  Some of the more sadistic Lupines have taken to preferring this weapon because it allows them to extend the amount of torture they inflict on their victims before granting them the sweet mercy of death.

##### Armor

Lupine soldiers tend to prefer armor and clothing that allows for mobility.  They wear armor that consists of a carbon fiber mesh with a DiYttrium TriCobalt weave for under clothing and VERY minor plasma resistance, while the armor itself is a series of plasma resistant materials formed into plates and form fitting components that facilitate better mobility, with many joints being exposed because of the inflexible nature of the material.  Heavy soldiers that carry the cannons and gatling guns are usually armored head to toe with this armor plating, considering they’re already slowed by the weapon they’re carrying so mobility is already compromised anyway and a need for protection for a slower soldier is warranted.  Helmets are constructed from the same material as the armor plates and provide complete coverage for the user’s entire head, ears included.  It has a dark, polarized, Yttrium infused glass that protects the user’s eyes from bright lights (due to their increased sensitivity).  The helmet usually has a spotlight for cases of low-light combat, though some of the more modern helmets have an internal HUD with an array of UV & Thermal imaging arrays instead.

The typical soldier’s gear would include:

* Under clothing
* Armor plating & Helmet
* One void rifle with a spare charge pack
* One void pistol with its own spare charge pack
* One phase blade
* A lightweight backpack containing a medic kit, food ration kit, communications equipment and any other easily portable equipment they might need in survival conditions

NOTE: Plasma resistance is NOT the same as immunity.  It does provide some protection but it won’t last forever.  The plating is ablative armor, consisting of layers of a DiYttrium & TriCobalt alloy (Y2Co3) dust held together in a Carbon based ceramic.  The armor takes on a dark blue hue due to the Cobalt and Carbon, while the Yttrium lends to its luster.  The Cobalt provides strength of structure while the Yttrium accounts for the plasma resistance.  As plasma comes into contact with this compound, one or more layers of it will burn off and nullify the effects of the plasma.  Eventually cracks and holes can form, decreasing the integrity of the armor and creating weak points.

## Culture & History

Unlike popular misconceptions, the lupines do not live in a pack society with “alpha” males.  They live in a family central tribal society with deeply rooted religious views.  Instead of worshipping any single higher power, they venerate their ancestors, believing the cosmic scale energies of generations past are what keep the engine of their world turning.  The Lupines believe every life in the universe, no matter how big or small, sentient or not has a place and purpose in the grand scheme of things.  This belief does not stop their tendencies towards war.  While not inherently violent, they are extremely territorial to those who have not gained their trust.

Like any species, their goal is always to expand their territory, believing it to be the key to their survival.  Generations of Lupines warred with each other for territory after the planet became tidally locked, causing severe climate changes on a global scale all across Senkarth.  The differences in geography and clan borders caused drastic changes to the different tribes, both physically and mentally.  Some of the tribes shied away from the others and for eons were considered extinct, only to appear for a time, then disappear again.  Others were very widespread, warring with other large populations of the planet due to land disputes.

During peacetimes which could last several generations, advances would be made in technology for the race and things would flourish for a time before another conflict arose.  After the discovery of FTL travel via void tech, and over the course of a few generations, thousands of years ago, they sent out expeditionary missions to survey the cosmos, looking for possible planets to colonize.

One such mission brought them to Earth, where they encountered primitive humans.  Through interaction and inevitable conflict, the humans of Earth, not understanding the concept of life outside Earth, developed several tales about Lupines.  These tales evolved into what we understand today as the legends of the werewolf, the wendigo and several others.  Lupines were viewed as monsters and demons and it became clear that peace would not be possible.  Rather than waste resources eradicating the species for their territory, the Lupines left Earth and never returned until recent times when the humans had evolved to where they are today.