Tarridan

The Tarridan are a short-lived insectoid race that has been uplifted by the Magdoran Conglomerate, following the discovery of their presence on Jura, their homeworld. The Tarridan are highly militaristic and colony-based, and have quickly earned a reputation for their mercenary work.

## Biology

The body structure of a Tarridan is similar to that of a Lans-Amaralla Magdoran, however with a consistent blend of chitin plates and fur on their bodies, antennae- which are used in place of more traditional noses and ears, to an exceptional degree,- and two pairs of wings. Tarridan also always have a second pair of arms, located below their main pair,- which are generally weaker, though can be used to the same degree as their main pair,- and a tail akin to an abdomen on a lesser insect, which itself has been observe various forms of equipment, such as spinnerets and stingers.

One more noticeable physical difference between Tarridan and Lans-Amaralla, though, is their colouration- And more specifically, the bio-luminescence of the Tarridan. An individual will typically have a limited range of colours on their body, such as dull blues and reds, with their chitin and fur often taking different tones of these same colours. Their glow, meanwhile, can take on a wider range of colours, and will form unique streaks across their body, typically focused on their chest, limbs, and eyes.

An individual Tarridan will often only live for a maximum of 20 years, but mature within three to four years.

## Forms

Tarridan individuals can fit into a small number of categories, much like other colonial insects, that correlate to their body structure and duties in a colony. Outside of any mythical forms, these categories are:

* Soldier, the generic "jack-of-all-trades" category. Members of this category have no exceptional traits about them, and are generally considered unimportant.
* Brute, the raw muscle category. Members of this category have significantly higher muscle strength, height, and overall mass, compared to the other forms.
* Inquisitor, a rather rare breed, known for their uncanny ability to command members of their colony, and others. Inquisitors are of average size and body mass, but have far more bioluminescent regions than their Soldier counterparts- to the point of having their insides and antennae feathering glowing as well.
* Brooder, a rare, but well-tended breed. Members of this breed exist primarily to produce more Tarridan, with their own genetic recessiveness allowing the genes of the best Tarridan to spread unabated.

## History

Though the details have been lost to time, it is a well-known fact- both from the Tarridan's own record of their history, and the archaeological finds on their homeworld, that they were, at some stage, modified by the Titans, in what appears to be an effort to produce a race of cheap and self-managing soldiers. They were eventually abandoned by the Titans for unclear reasons, though it is believed that they failed to meet whatever standards they were being held to.

## Reproduction

Tarridan reproduction is an efficient, and oftentimes emotionless affair. Being hermaphrodites, any two members of the species are capable of bonding and producing offspring- and, in the modern day, this extends to members of other species too, seemingly thanks to the Titan's manipulation. When this occurs, the mother produces a clutch of small, jelly-like eggs, which must be submerged in fluids in order to begin incubation.

While incubating, these eggs will absorb necessary nutrients from the fluids they are submerged in. While this does limit the amount of places a Tarridan could safely leave their brood, this fact is taken advantage of in the vast spawning facilities that exist on their world. Given the rarity of emotional involvement with the procedure, this has allowed for a controlled, almost factory-like environment, in which modern Tarridan are bred and raised.

To hatch an egg, however, a special enzyme is required, and once applied to a mature egg, a newborn Tarridan will soon hatch from it. This enzyme is usually produced by the mother roughly the same time as the eggs are supposed to hatch, however they can be artificially synthesized, and often are, in the larger hatching facilities. If an egg does not receive this enzymes however, they will continue to develop the hatchling inside, up to the point of early puberty- taking what would have been three years, and compressing it down into roughly 5 months. This, however, is only done when absolutely necessary, as those hatched this way will suffer from severely limited mental capacities.