Nathracch

The Nathracch are a fungoid race extant to the Delta Sector. Though they vary widely in both size and color, and some members of the species spell and pronounce their own name differently (Nathrachch and Nathracchh), all Nathracch have the same overall genome and are all a single species. They are a mid-level Metal Era species with a strongly developed sense of mysticism. Since they aren't in possession of any advanced technologies and have an incessant belief in what many consider to be utter nonsense, their world isn't visited that often by traders (except those that frequent the Circle Route), despite their otherwise friendly nature.

## Basic Characteristics

* *Type*: Fungoid
* *Durability*: 2
* *Learning Rate*: 5
* ***Science***: Poor
* ***Navigation***: Poor
* ***Tactical***: Poor
* ***Engineering***: Average
* ***Communication***: Average
* ***Medicine***: Good
* *Genders*: 2
* *Life Stages*: Adolescent at 4 years. Adult at 13 years. Middle Age at 18 years. Old Age at 33 years. Venerable Age at 41 years.
* *Lifespan*: 45 + 5d5 years.
* *Height*: 0.68 meters; 0.56 + (2d5 \*0.04) meters.
* *Mass*: 30 kilograms; 22.5 + ((2d5 from height) \* 1.5) kilograms.

* *Niche/Symmetry*: Omnivorous Radial Consumer
* *Speed/Transit*: Multiped, 6 m/rd (4 kph)
* *Volume*: 0.03 m^3
* *HD*: 48/45/53
* *HP*: 20
* *Unarmed Damage*: 0 NHP
* *STV*: 30 MU (1,000 MU/m^3)

## Physical Description

The Nathracch are a race of ascomycete fungi similar in structure to other members of the genus *Morchella*, to which the species belongs. They exhibit a clean, hollow stipe and an ascocarp with multiple sponge-like infundibuliform apothecia fused to form their pileus. As with most species of *Morchella*, Nathraach are highly polymorphic in appearance, exhibiting variations in shape, color and size; to date Interstel crews have cited encounters with no less than sixty different variations of the species. The major variations between individuals are largely determined by the number of apothecia that form during an individual's growth, as well as the number and shape of rhizomes that eventually form at the base of the stipe. The apothecia perform several different functions for the Nathracch. First and foremost, they are spore-bearing bodies as with all other morels. Nathracch have the unique ability to both send and receive sound vibrations via their apothecia, enabling normal auditory communications. They also have structures built in that allow reception of light not unlike the cones and rods in Human eyes; the location of these organs in the apothecia gives a Nathracch 360 degrees of vision. Likewise, the rhizomes perform several different functions. First, they act as the major gustatory structures. They are also fully prehensile, giving individuals motor and propulsive capabilities. How fast an individual can move is a function of how many rhizomes they develop. Typically, the fewer rhizomes an individual develops, the thicker and stronger the individual rhizomes are. While exhibiting no natural weaponry *per se*, Nathracch do have a natural toxin in their structures that can cause renal and liver failure if they are consumed. Nathracch typically have a greenish external coloring, though red and purple individuals are also common amongst their populace. As previously mentioned, Nathracch vary wildly in both mass and size; some individuals are only half a meter in height with a mass of around 15 kilograms, while others are up to two meters in height and have a mass of around seventy-five kilograms. Nathracch have fairly soft bodies that cannot withstand a great deal of physical damage, though they are capable of regenerating any damaged apothecia or rhizomes as needed. They possess a modest level of intelligence, though they lack advanced reasoning capabilities, which may explain their tendency towards magical thinking. Nathracch are detritivores. Like other morels, their physiology favors the consumption of woody plants, though such plants are rare on their volcanic homeworld. The only requirement they have before eating something is that it is dead; this can, if need be, include hunting prey. While they have been known to risk their lives in order to kill one of the local Brass Harpooners for food, Harpooners are difficult for Nathracch to digest. Nathracch typically are inactive for a period of roughly four hours each day. Reproduction can occur both sexually and asexually via sporing. Once released from an apothecia, spores settle into the ground. During this time, the spores gain nutrition through a sub-surface mycelial mat that covers portions of their homeworld. One out of every thousand spores that attach to the mat grows to become Nathracch; the remainder are absorbed into the mat. Nathracch uproot their rhizomes from the mat upon reaching the age of adolescence.

## Space Units

*Not Applicable: Species is Non-Starfaring.*

## Ground Units

This gives a general listing of the vehicles available to the given race. Engaging the ground units of a species in combat will have the same general effect on the player's relations with the species as engaging their units in space. The mineral composition of ground units will be the same as that listed for space units, though the amounts will be somewhat lessened. Indication of "turrets" for a ground unit allow the unit to fire a weapon in any direction; otherwise, the unit must face their target before they may attack another unit. Ground units always include a very generic description of how the unit will appear. Ground Units in general use the same ratings as space units, but have a few additional properties as outlined below:

* *Still need a response on energy.*
	+ *Melee*: An attack that can only be delivered when that object's collision area is touching the collision area of its target.
	+ *Flat*: The speed/efficiency the unit travels on flat land.
	+ *Mount*: The speed/efficiency the unit travels on steep mountains. This will likely be determined by rapid changes in planetary elevation, though the exact amount of elevation change necessary has not yet been determined.
	+ *Liquid* The speed/efficiency the unit travels on a liquid surface (possibly also including ice and cooling lava.)

*No Data Available at this time.*

## Territory

The Nathracch are a non-starfaring race. They can only be found on their home planet, located at δ181x197, p3, which is located towards the Upspin and Outward edges of the Ng-Kher-Arla sphere of influence. Divination and prognostication is something at which their culture specializes. These forecasts are collected, recorded, and sold to the Humna Humna as Important Secrets. This production cycle places the Nathracch on the Circle Route. Nathracch will pay handsomely for Brass Harpooners, which they use for a variety of different purposes. The Nathracch have a sparse population density, which is not surprising considering how much of the planet's surface is covered in lava. There are very few places where the Nathracch have been able to put down cities, and often must compete for the spots with the local Brass Harpooner population.

* **Patrol**:
	+ *Alpha Sector*: None
	+ *Delta Sector*: None
	+ *Beta Sector*: None
* **Space**:
	+ *Alpha Sector*: No Sphere of Influence
	+ *Delta Sector*: No Sphere of Influence
	+ *Beta Sector*: No Sphere of Influence
* **Star**:
	+ *Alpha Sector*: None
	+ *Delta Sector*: None
	+ *Beta Sector*: None
* **Worlds**:
	+ *Alpha Sector*: None
	+ *Delta Sector*: Nathracch (181x197, p3)
	+ *Beta Sector*: None

## Status

As with most of the non-starfaring races in the Delta Sector, the Nathracch have a neutral relationship with almost every other race in the Sector and almost no relationships with Alpha Sector races whatsoever (excepting Interstel crews). The race they have the most contact with is the Humna Humna, who largely see them as a quaint, somewhat backwards race. There are a few of their number, however, who take their prognostications seriously enough to want to purchase them (which provides the Nathracch with a specialty trade good, Important Secrets). Nathracch don't wear a lot of clothing, but what they do wear usually is made of Mip Fur, so they generally try and stay on good terms with the Aeoruiiaeo. Nathracch also use Dreamgrids as a form of entertainment, but they don't often receive very many of these from outside traders as the nearby Aeoruiiaeo place an even higher level of importance on them (*read: are willing to pay more for them*). As might be expected due to their desire for Dreamgrids, they also have a rapport with the Kher, though not nearly as strong as that between the Kher and the Aeoruiiaeo. The Ng and Arla generally leave them alone. Occasionally, a G'Nunk expedition might wander as far upspin as the Nathracch world to hunt Brass Harpoooners, though in most cases their world is too far distant to guarantee a safe return to G'Nunk territory.

* **Ally**:
	+ *Initial*: None
	+ *Final*: None
* **Enemy**:
	+ *Initial*: None
	+ *Final*: None

## Economy

* **Economic Status Levels**:
	+ *(Nathracch)*: Level
* **Specialty Trade Goods Purchased**:
	+ Dreamgrids (Nathracch; δ181x197, p3)
	+ Mip Fur (Nathracch; δ181x197, p3)
* **Specialty Trade Goods Sold**:
	+ Important Secrets (Nathracch; δ181x197, p3)

## Supplemental Information

Nathracch are an open people, generally friendly towards visitors to their communities and always eager to make lasting friendships. They have a tendency to be pacifists, though they can be fierce combatants when the situation warrants violence. Nathracch are mystics and maintain a very strong belief in magic, in particular spell-casting and prognostication. Their major religious belief is not unlike the Wiccan tradition of Old Earth, the major exception being a belief in a single deity known as the "Great Fungus" (as opposed to worship of a separate god and goddess). This belief in magic permeates every aspect of their culture, from trading to travel to simple everyday tasks such as eating. Nathracch are very social. They are typically practitioners of what would be considered "white magic". They have an almost unhealthy curiosity about their world and how it works, and will sometimes go to extraordinary lengths to figure it out (sometimes with tragic results). They typically devote one to two hours a day to simply gather together in order to fellowship and to cast or renew joint spells. The most important of these spells to the Nathracch as a species is the Protection Against Cheating spell, which ostensibly curses anyone who attempts to cheat a Nathracch in trade with bad fortune, poverty and poor health (a "three-fold" curse). Nathracch are very careful to warn outsiders of this curse every time they are about to engage in trade, and to prevent outsiders from falling into temptation and receiving the curse, they will refuse to bargain while conducting trade. While members of the species don't travel often, they usually form groups when travel is necessary, casting a spell of protection before setting out. Nathracch use travel as an excuse to form new friendships. The species is also a little obsessed with finding an effective spell to prevent a prophesied apocalypse wherein the entire species is squashed to death by gigantic, mustachioed humanoid wearing red and speaking with a thick ethnic accent. Finally, it should be noted that despite the (largely accurate) belief by other races that Nathracch magic is bogus, the species does have some latent esper ability, particularly in the field of clairvoyance, allowing those who exclusively practice prognostication to genuinely see the future. One Humna Humna colony (the Best Prices colony at δ237x41, p4) has realized the genuine nature of these predictions and pays good money for them.

Nathracch are largely content to stay in their communities and perform whatever magical services they believe will serve their community best. Nathracch will only leave their communities in order to learn the magical traditions and techniques of other communities, in order to incorporate that knowledge into the local society. They might also leave their communities voluntarily in order to practice some new or particularly dangerous technique out in the wild, testing it before it is incorporated (though such solo forays are extraordinarily rare). Nathracch are by and large not interested in the affairs of the universe, unless one of their number has had a premonition of portentous events involving other species. At that point, personal involvement in those affairs might be warranted; even then, the only Nathracch ever found off of their world are those wealthy enough to afford passage. While there have been some Nathracch who have gone out into the universe to study the magical techniques of other races, most come back within two years time (and are generally a little disappointed in the whole journey, given the attitude of most species towards magic as opposed to science).

## Importance

The Nathracch serve no purpose within the game aside from being a trading partner; they are thus a potential revenue source for the player.

## Communication Text

*As a non-starfaring race, the Nathracch had no comm text in SF2 (aside from their greeting message in trade), and will likewise have no comm text in SF3. All text for this species will be handled by the Trading and Commerce Module.*

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