The Rekuilla

A race created for a PbeM Game

by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

System: Doradus

Real Data;

Star Data: Doradus is a Binary Star system 48.59 light years from Earth. It consists of a young and active K1 111p late-type Flare star and a smaller Red Dwarf M8 class companion. This system is estimated as being only some fifty million years old, thus should not have evolved intelligent life at this early time. As both stars have the same estimated age it is unlikely that one is a captured rogue star. Currently no planets have been detected in this system.

Fictional Data;

Orbiting Doradus C is a rather oddball of a planetary system. A Jupiter Class Giant (Jx3 mass) labeled Doradus C-1 with one large moon (labeled Doradus C-1a) has somehow fallen into a stable if somewhat eccentric orbit about this Red Dwarf. C-1a is slightly smaller than Earth, has a breathable atmosphere and near standard gravity. Gravitational tugs between the Jupiter class giant and Doradus C have caused this world to be more geologically active than Earth, though the planet remains habitable.

Doradus C-1a is inhabited by a rather advanced race. This fact was at first unbelievable until after investigating the races records it was discovered that their worlds (DC-1 & 1a) had originally orbited a rogue G3 star. G3 stars are of course somewhat cooler than Earths G2 sun Sol. A close approach, determined to have happened nearly twenty-three thousand years ago, had torn DC-1 and its companion moons from its parent star. In the following catastrophe all but DC-1a were lost due to orbital disturbances.

This unknown parent star will have moved from nineteen to twenty lightyears by now, though in which direction is not known. Currently there are some five possible G3 targets within twenty-three light years of the Doradus system.

To the natives DC-1 is known as NIEVLAH. Nievlah is a typical Gas Giant at first glance, until one looks closer. This world is still recovering from the forces that tore it away from its birth mother. It is estimated that Nievlah lost a third to half of its mass during the cataclysm. Of all its original attendant moons only the one survived. It now has several ‘moons’, these being fragment most likely captured after the cataclysum. Several are extremely large, of pure nickle-iron and may have once been the core of a planet.

DC-1a is odd in many respects. It is small for an inhabited planet. It has little fossil evidence of life and unlike all other inhabited worlds where an intelligent live evolved its name does not translate to Mother, Dirt, Home or Father. Instead its name, REKUILLA, translates to New Home. Although further research is required it appears that Rekuilla was a colonized would, that the real homeworld will be found either still orbiting that missing G3 star or floating frozen in space. If it survives at all. There is also the possibility that the missing homeworld now resides within Nievlah, Doradus A or C. There is simply not sufficient data at this time to determine that worlds fate, nor which way their home star eventually vanished. Nor have the current inhabitants any information of what did happen, other than ‘There was a great battle between the stars. We alone survived.’

(Writers note: The home planet was torn away from her parent star and sent Z-Negative (to the South of the galactic plane.) It is drifting dark and alone in space. Quite frozen now there are no surviving life forms upon that planet, no stasis boxes, no suspended animation systems, no cyborgs, no AIs, nothing. There were no survivors though a great wealth of archeological data is available. Technology stopped at about 2170 Earth level.)

The Rekuilla

Physical:

Rekuillan’s are a small race, averaging about a meter and a half, or a little over four feet nine inches height. As with all races such heights vary, from a low of one and a quarter meters to a high of a meter and three quarters. Females and males are about the same height, with females usually being the taller.

Rekuillan’s are a hominoid class rodent based race, appearing to have evolved from an animal much like the Terrian Chinchillula. Through evolution they have lost their long teeth, their faces have flattened considerably as intelligence and evolving eyes demanded a larger skull. They do retain their fur and furred tail. Due to the low light levels of their world Rekuillan’s have physically larger than expected eyes. They see in infrared much better than humans while having no ability to see any color much above the shade of a shade of blue called Cornflower. This means also that a Rekuillan will have no trouble seeing in what humans consider darkness, yet equally bright lighting, say that of a noontime sun is blinding to them without special eye protection.

A Rekuillan’s blood is Aluminum based. It is completely incompatible with any known species off their world. An advantage of aluminum based blood chemistry is that they are much less affected by radiation than humans. A disadvantage is that at lower levels of oxygen they tend to suffocate faster than humans. Human ships standard atmosphere has sufficient oxygen for a Rekullian to operate normally. However where a human would be having difficulty breathing, a Rekuillan would be in sever distress. Likewise, in higher percentage oxygen levels where a human would become intoxicated, Rekuillan’s are unaffected. Carbon Monoxide has no discernable effect upon a Rekuillan.

Though they can eat most human foods, their preference is for plant based foods. Yet off foods such Vienna Sausages and any very sour food/candy is a delight to them. (Gods only know why.) Alcohol affects them as it does humans, but only at twice the dosage. Which means if a Rekuillan wishes to get drunk, they really have to work at it.

Their over large ears allow better hearing than humans at the cost of hearing from only one direction at a time, thus the reason that their ears tend to ‘flick’ occasionally. Their fur, though not thick, tends to reduce their heat loss while making sensing heat and cold more difficult for them, as well as surface features. They have a lower body temperature than humans, having an average body temperature of 92 degrees F.

Rekuillans have normally shaped hands, in the manner of four fingers and an opposed thumb, but these hands are longer than expected. Their bones are also more delicate than humans. For example it is possible for the average human to dislocate or break bones in a Rekuillan’s hand simply by squeezing too hard. They have an excellent sense of touch with their hands, easily equal to that of humans. Their tails are also sensitive, especially at the underside it its base, but is not capable of being used as an extra limb as Terrian monkeys use theirs.

Their sense of smell is a little better than humans, yet not enough to really matter. Like all evolved species many sense advantages were lost in order to obtain that massive mound of nerve clusters called a thinking brain.

Rekuillans are not cross fertile with any known race. They have a maximum natural lifespan of 105 standard years.

Technology:

When originally discovered by the Brax, Rekuillan’s had a consumer technological level equal to Earth around the year 1950 C.E. with a scientific technology around 1990 C.E. As one would expect in a system such as their own, they did have limited space flight. Although Nievlah had lost all but one of its original moons, over time several very large asteroids had been captured since. These proved impossible for the average Rekuillan to ignore, as they have an high level of curiosity.

Brax military units easily defeated the Rekuillan’s as they had almost no military. A truly peaceful race at the time, their military technology, both equipment and tactics, that was equal to Victorian Europe at best. It is known that their defeat required but half a standard day. All space going ships were blown up where they were found as were the three small research stations.

Evidence of a much higher technology has been located in shattered museums, technology beyond the present day Rekuillan. This technology has been dated back to when the stars crossed and would be equal to Terrain technology around 2125.

Researchers note: Just to think, with only another hundred years of advancement they might have escaped destruction completely.

Religion:

Rekuillan’s believe in about anything and everything. Though there are two major religion’s, one based upon Ancestor Worship, the other on Gaia style beliefs, there is no single ruling church. Current estimates are some sixty-seven thousand Gods, Goddess’s, Spirits, Watchers and Guardians world wide. At least that still remained after eleven years of Brax stewardship. Basically, Rekuillan’s don’t care what you believe as long as you let them believe what they want to believe.

Brax though. Brax are now the Great Evil of their beliefs. It is, this writer thinks, not really a place one wants to be.

Society:

Rekuillan society is slowly returning to normal at this writing. Families are being reunited using DNA technology, homes are being reclaimed or rebuilt and a government is already in place. Once a peaceful people, the Rekuillan’s want nothing more than to watch as the last Brax bleeds to death in front of them. Thus they quickly applied to join the Confederation once they understood what it was.

There is not much difference between society of China in 1000 AD and Rekuillan society other than the government is a Democracy with a hereditary Emperor or Empress.

Families are of the extended style, with sexual parings being unimportant and unremarked upon. For example a single husbands may have two wives, a co-husband or simply one wife (or more.) Life on Rekuilla is extremely hard, survival of the species requires a large family. Bigotry, racism and the such died out rather quickly as those professing it found themselves unwelcome in pairings, thus unable to reproduce.

Survival of the fittest in its purest mode.