Ithkari

A race for use with Other Suns RPG. Copyright ©1998 J. Kidd, Used with Permission.
Other Suns RPG © 1983, 1998 N. Shapero, published by Dancing Stoat Enterprises

Expected Bonuses:

Brief Background:

The Ithkari are a genetically modified race of bipedal, vaguely caniform mammalians. Their original stock was a (presumed extinct) species of carnivorous, quadruped coursing hunter, similar to the Terran wolf, though they resemble wolves only in the most vague fashion. Omnivores, the Ithkari retain the large canines and carnassial teeth of their stock race but all the rest of the teeth are the flat cutting and grinding teeth of an omnivore. They also retain the blunt, non-retractile claws on hands and feet. Somewhat more unusual is the structure of the legs, which is something of a cross between digitigrade and plantigrade. While the Ithkari foot is not as elongated as most digitigrade species, it is longer than most plantigrade species, and the Ithkari tend to walk on the balls of their feet. In addition, their gait, while upright, tends to be more bounding than in a plantigrade species. Their fur tends to be short and very dense, showing off the exaggerated physique which is legacy of their creation as a weapon of war.

According to their history, the Ithkari were created by a race refered to only as Progenitors. These Progenitors designed the Ithkari to carry out warfare and exploration in their stead. For reasons never explained, the Progenitors eventaully decided the Ithkari were no longer of use to them, and set about eradicating them. A long, bloody war of genocide followed, ending when the Progenitors had been exterminated. The Ithkari themselves were devastated, and their whole culture thrown into a short Dark Age as they reorganized and recuperated. The war is refered to in the histories as ``The War of Dying Stars", and has left the Ithkari with a deeply ingrained racial loathing for the use of weapons of mass destruction, and a frighteningly clinical and unforgiving attitude in regards to the waging of war. Some remnants of their creation still run strong within them, and one of the most common forms of employ for offworld Ithkari is as mercenaries, bodygaurds, and security or police agents.

Because the Ithkari are a relatively young race, their culture is rooted in the militaristic programming and structures that are a legacy of their creation. They have a strictly codified society, based upon clans of huge extended families, and guilds. All Ithkari are members of a Guild, and the insignia and heraldry of the Clans and Guilds are a major component of everyday Ithkari society. Thus, while the Ithkari have no nudity taboos, a certain amount of clothing is considered appropriate, to allow others to determine your position and rank. There is a Guild for every possible choice of career, and an Ithkari is free to choose whatever Guild it likes, with the exception of two: the Assassins' Guild, and the Thieves' Guild. Membership in the Black Guilds is punishable by death. 

Perhaps the most unusual aspect of the Ithkari is their racial philosophy. To the Ithkari, Art is the focus of all life and effort, and mastery of one's art is the ultimate goal. In this instance, ``Art" covers every skill, career and action one makes. Thus, the focus of every Ithkari is to become the best it possibly can at its own chosen Art. Calling an Ithkari artless is the most dire and deprecating of insults.

The Ithkari are an unusually ethnocentric race, and have some bizarre attitudes and ideas when it comes to other races. Basically, to them, everyone is Ithkari, or ``An-Ithkari" (Not Ithkari). However, individuals or species who display properly Ithkari virtues are viewed with approval, and anyone who applies to become an Ithkari is welcomed with open arms. This rather enlightened attitude would appear to mean that, at least to the Ithkari, being Ithkari is more a matter of mindset than of actual physiology. This attitude takes a somewhat odd, dark twist in warfare, however; The Ithkari do not take prisoners in the traditional sense. Instead, captured personnel are transfered to the main homeworld of the capturing unit's clan. They are then issued identification as Ithkari citizens, and released, to fend for themselves. This method has many benefits, in the opinion of the Itkkari. Primarily, it saves them from maintaining highly ``artless" prison-camps, or the unthinkably artless choice of killing all prisoners. Shipping hundreds of enemy personnel to your homeworlds during a war might seem like an excessive security risk; those who have tried to exploit this quirk have found, to their short-lived dismay, that Ithkari justice --while fair-- is swift and staggeringly harsh.

The other area affected heavily by Ithkari ethnocentricity is that of personal elationships. 
Because anyone can ``be" Ithkari, the Ithkari view extra-racial bondings and relationships in the same way they do same-sex bondings: It dosen't make a lot of sense to them, since no children can result, but is otherwise acceptable. In fact, children are about the only ``weakness" the Ithkari could be said to have. The Ithkari adore children , regardless of race, and have a fierce, almost instinctive desire to protect them. Ithkari often adopt children (There is in fact no word in their language for orphan), and the children of a vanquished or killed foe are usually brought into the 
clan of the victor.


Ancient Weapons of the Ithkari

As a created race, the Ithkari have no Ancient weapons, per se. However, there is one weapon which is traditional to the race as a whole; the Saik, or ``Grace-blade" is a single-handed, single-edged knife, ranging from 0.3 to 0.5 meters in length, of the ``bolo" style . The Saik is presented to an Ithkari at his or her Adulthood ceremony, and he/she will wear it always, except to sleep, until the day they die. All Ithkari are expected to have at least a basic level of skill with this weapon, since in addition to its role as a method of ending the misery of a fallen comrade or foe, it is also the traditional duelling weapon used to settle disagreements.

The Saik is a Class B1 dagger (S/T) with 25 HP, causing 1D6+1 damage. Training costs are as follows: 75/175/375/575/750. Saiks cannot be purchased: they can only be acquired by Adulthood Rite, or by killing the possessor of one (Possession of a Saik marks the bearer as Ithkari, regardless of racial background).


Names Among the Ithkari

Ithkari names are --in general-- long, and gutteral: consisting of rank, title (guild), clan, and personal name. The Clan name is usually left out in day-to-day conversation, but any further shortening of the name denotes familiarity, superior rank, or contempt. The suffix ``-sha", attached to the personal name, is a familiar dimunitive, applied to small children or lovers. The Ithkari also have a somewhat perverse love of Human and Khromatai nicknames, which are acceptably used by friends and aquaintances.


Ithkari Languages

The main Ithkari language is Ha'rka, a patois used to communicate between Clans and Guilds. It is also the main language of diplomacy. The Ithkari have over three hundred major Guild and Clan languages and dialects, and hundreds more minor ones.


The Ithkari Outlook

1) There is a passion for art in ALL of its forms (they are pragmatic and are polygamous by nature).
2) The 7 cardinal virtues are: wisdom, knowledge, patience, determination, persistence, honour and pride of self.
3) Honesty and a sense of justice are also considered important.
4) Only these virtues justify power over another intelligent life form.
5) Virtue is both a means to an end and rewarding in its own right.
6) There are no basic ``natural laws" governing all intelligent life.
7) However, individuals and races who strive to become equal to others can do so, and be treated as equals on that level.

Ithkari Psychological Characteristics

Attitudes of the Ithkari

`Human' equality is a fallacy.
World View is pragmatic (hedonist)
They consider dignity a virtue .
Poverty is a punishment.
National Memory is long.
'World' Domination is pointless.
Power evokes respect .
The greatest political force is the Guilds.
Most great individuals receive admiration.
Hero image is the master Artist.
Individualism is exalted.
Primitive masses are to be enlightened.
Sophisticated, educated aliens evoke interest.
Ambition in others is expected.
Their greatest weakness is over-specialization.
Attitude toward others' culture is fascination.
Dilettantism is frowned upon.
Leisure is a confusing concept.

Ithkari Physical Characteristics

(1) Gravitational Norm and Tolerance Range: 1.03 g, 0-4 g, max 7g.
(2) Atmospheric Norm and Variation Tolerance: 60-400 mm Hg Oxygen, 10-25 mm Hg.Water vapor, 1.00 atmospheres.
(3) Temperature Range Norm and Tolerance: -5 to +25 degrees C mean; -20 to +40 degrees daily.
(4) Electromagnetic Range(s) Tolerated: 0-30 lumens per square centimeter; wavelengths greater than 300 Angstroms.
(5) Size Range: 4.75' to 9.3' tall
(6) Chemical Base: Carbon
(7) Particle Radiation Tolerance: Less than 0.05 rem steady state (per week), less than 120 rem short term.
(8) Sensory Types, location, and sensitivities:
(8A) Electromagnetic:
Coarse: 7,000-10,000 Angstroms; skin
Fine: 4000-8000 Angstroms - color vision; eyes
(8B) Pressure Differential: 
Remote: 20-20,000 cycles; ears 
Contact: skin, muzzle hairs
(8C) Chemosensing: 
Coarse: Depends on substance; skin, tongue 
Fine: Nasal cavity (more sensitive than human), tongue
(8D) Damage Detection: 
Corrosion: skin 
Other: internal electromagnetic nervous system
(8E) Texture Sensing: skin
(8F) Psi Senses: Ithkari have only one ``ability": they are completely psionicly null. Psionically probing an Ithkari is like scanning a black-hole: all information must be inferred from what is not perceived. Akin to the Skiltaire ability to `grey out', only for the Ithkari this greying out is always on.
(8G) Other: 
(9) Substances absorbed: Oxygen, other creatures, plants, water, miscellaneous trace elements. Omnivorous.
(10) Substances emitted: Water, Carbon Dioxide, miscellaneous solid, liquid, and gaseous organic compounds. 
(11) Reproductive Methods: Typical mammalian; gestation period 210 days (single birth, twins not uncommon). 
(12) Body Shape and Natural Weapons: Tailed Biped; hands, feet, finger and toe nails, teeth.
(13) Periodic Functions: 24-30 hour day/night sleep cycle, cathemeral; 20-40 day menstrual cycle. Females between 15 and 20 years of age tend to have a very strong urge to mate, at the peek of their menstrual cycle.
(14) Non-sensory Psi Functions: none.