Quiosi

The **Quiosi**, plural **Quios**, are a equine race of mammalian bipeds native to the planet Quii'est. The Quiosi are well-adapted for warm environments. Quiosi colonies can be found on most desert planets. When threatened, Quiosi can curl up into a ball with their shells and roll up to speed of forty kilometers per hour.

## Biology and appearance

The Quiosi are a equine race of mammalian bipeds native to the planet Quii'est. Like all bombids, Quiosi possess a bipedal stance, with two legs, two arms, and an head. The shorts legs of a Quiosi bend backwards. A Quiosi's tail is made up of many hairs clumped together that hang from a small extension of the spine. The spine reaches outward to form an armored shell, the Quiosi's most notable trait. This shell is a part of the Quiosi's skeleton and is made up of multiple layers that can fold in on themselves. Quiosi are typically 1.2 meters tall, though they can grow up to 1.7 meters and weigh in at 28 kilograms.

The Quiosi's head has a prolonged muzzle with two nostrils and a jaw with 46 flat teeth. The two eyes are wide and can come in many various colors. Quiosi can grow hair on their heads in the form of head hair, eyebrows and facial hair. The two pointed eyes of the Quios slope downwards and face inwards.

The Quiosi's hands have three fingers with rounded nails. The Quiosi's feet are hooves, allowing a steady stance. Quiosi are typically yellow in color, with sharp, burnt orange colorations on the stomach and rounded orange coloring on the legs. The skin darkens to a gold colors on the Quiosi's upper torso. Despite being mammals, Quios have mostly bare skin, with their brown hair growing on their heads, on the tail, and scattered on the stomach area.

Like most species in the galaxy, the Quios have two sexes that are assigned at birth, male and female. Male Quiosi are commonly larger and can grow facial hair. Female Quiosi have larger eyes and ears and two enlarged mammary glands. The exposed parts of the back shell range from brown in color for the males, or red in color for the females.

Quios typically live for 80 years, and give birth to live young that mature at the age of 14. The Quiosi's back shell, stops growing when the Quiosi is twelve, meaning the shell will become smaller as a Quiosi becomes older. When frightened, Quiosi instinctively curl up into a ball in their shell. When in this ball form, Quiosi can roll away from threats at speed of up to forty kilometers per hour. Quiosi are adapted for desert environments, and can withstand hot temperatures.

## Society and culture

The Quiosi are a species that can adapt quickly and effectively. This, combined with their habit of spreading, make Quiosi colonies common on desert worlds. The oldest and largest Quiosi lead their communities, keeping them open or closed off to outsiders depending on if they view them as a threat. Quiosi tend to stay out of conflicts, resolving to stay away and let things handle themselves. This makes the Quiosi have a minimal presence in galactic events.

Quios society has below-average technology levels, meaning they had yet to even develop a planetwide culture, by the time they gained access to the wider galaxy. Quiosi towns are small and focused around bodies of water with most of the land dedicated to farming. Quiosi prefer to have land they call their own, meaning they create colonies on uninhabited planets and avoid corporations and the Oubdis Alliance

The main language spoken by the Quiosi is Howdian, a language of broad terms commonly used in outer galaxy territories.

## History

The Quiosi first evolved on the planet Quii'est, developing sentience and clustering in tribes. They were able to domesticate two native species, the Jorna and the Buzzuck, which have since spread with the Quios themselves. These roaming tribes eventually developed into standing cities after the discovery of farming, leading to the beginning of civilization with the developing trade between countries.

Around 1,751 YBO, the Quiosi were discovered by the OGC during the Western Expansions, upon which they gained membership and discovered space travel. The Quiosi would begin a colonization effort around the western galaxy, creating hundreds of colonies in the matter of decades.

Due to the Quiosi's tendency to stay out of conflicts, the Quiosi have a maintained their minimal presence in galactic politics, with only one Rector in the OGC while avoiding the Oubdis Alliance altogether. Multiple Quiosi groups have been sent into Dead Space as part of the OGC's continued exploration.

## Quiosi in the galaxy

Quios are common in the galaxy, particularly throughout frontier worlds. Quiosi tend to stay out of conflicts, resolving to stay away and let things handle themselves. This makes the Quiosi have a minimal presence in the galactic community. Quiosi are completely absent from the Oubdis Alliance and are most common in the Unclaimed Regions.

Most Quiosi make their living as farmers in their own communities, though some Quios have been known to work in and around Osayr.