HUMANS & HUMANOIDS

Humans are very similar to the standard Terran model and represent races sprung from common stock during the ForeRunner Period. With the collapse of the great interstellar empires of the ForeRunners, the various planets containing the human races were isolated, and local variations crept into each planetary sub-species. However, all humans are genetically comparable and may intermarry.

Humanoids are representative of human races who evolved away from the basic racial type during the long isolation of the Interregnum between ForeRunner Civilization and the rise of the current starcultures. Because of genetic ‘drift’ and evolutionary adaptations to local environmental conditions, humanoids are no longer genetically comparable with humans and exhibit marked differences in general appearance, physical traits, and mental faculties. Arrangement and even function of infernal organs is different from the parent race; but despite these and other factors, humanoids are still clearly related to human. This very fundamental relationship makes both intense association and violent conflict possible.

Stellar Primary: Type G, with adaptability to Types F and K. Humanoid variants tend to evolve on planets with Type K suns, as radiation (and genetic mutation) levels tend to be higher. Humans tend to be found in star systems with suns of Type G and F.

Home Planer: Humans appear to have evolved on Type I Terran planets with gravity fields in the 1.0 G range, but they can adapt to conditions on most Type 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 planets, with gravity ranging from very low values to 2.5 G. Humanoids are a bit more restricted and seem to appear most often on planets with hot desert or jungle environments, particularly those with extreme or minimal axial tilt and located in optimum or inner edge position in the stellar ecosphere. Humanoid adaptability to low temperature climates is very restricted, and individuals may suffer terribly in truly arctic conditions.

Radiation Tolerance: Humans have a 0.02 - 0.03 rem/week radiation tolerance without having the risk of undue complications. Germ plasma damage may result when background radiation or heavy short-term exposure exceeds 50 - 100 rem over a long term. Radiation sickness may result when short term exposure exceeds 300 rein and is a surety at 500 rem. Humans will likely die from short term exposure to 800 - 1000 rem. Some human races have tolerances +10% to +25% above these limits because of local conditions and racial adaptation. Humanoid races will have +25% to +50% higher tolerance than given for the human norm.

Atmosphere: Humans are oxygen breathers normally requiring 60mm to 400mm i.p.p. of oxygen in the lungs, with lower concentrations bringing a risk of hypoxia (oxygen starvation) and higher concentrations causing oxygen toxicity over a period of days or weeks. Those who have adapted to thin atmospheres can tolerate a range of 40mm to 400mm i.p.p. of oxygen. Those-who have adapted to dense atmospheres can tolerate a range of 90mm to 800mm i.p.p of oxygen. Most humans tend to be rather sensitive to high dust concentrations, especially silicate dust, in the atmosphere; while various contaminants are at the tolerances given in 15.8 Breathable Atmospheres. Humanoids have generally the same tolerances, except that desert planer species have often a high tolerance of dust.

Appearance: All humans and humanoids are manlike bipeds with the standard two arms and legs, with erect stance. Human colour ranges from an almost ivory white through 'flesh' to shades of copper-red, reddish brown, and black, with increasingly darker hues tending to prevail on planets with high illumination and UV levels. Humanoid skin colour is in the copper-red to black range, and skin texture may be significantly different from those of humans. Body hair tends to be minimal in all species, but humans tend to possess a thick mane of white, grey, blond, red, reddish-brown, brown, or black hair on the head while the humanoids tend toward baldness or skimpy hair reminiscent of the 'Iroquois' hair cut. The human will have a characteristically round pupil of blue, hazel, or brown, protected by a single eyelid. Humanoids tend to have oval or even slit-like 'cats eyes' capable of an extreme dilation to accomodate adjustments between brilliant and dim illumination, although night vision tends to be poorer than in humans. Desert planer humanoids may have a nictating membrane to protect the eye against wind-blown dust. All races have a superbly developed thumb and forefinger, although humanoids may possess six lingers rather than the standard five, on occasion. Height and weight tends to range from 155-200 cm and 55-I10 kg in most mates, and 148-185 cm and 38-71 kg in most females. Exceptions will, of course, occur at both the upper and lower ends of these ranges but are atypical. Fit specimens can sprint up to 36 km/h (100m in 10 seconds), with somewhat faster speeds being possible.

Vision: All humans and humanoids evidence a fundamental racial dependence on vision. Races on highly illuminated planets have vision suited to brilliantly lit conditions and tend to have poorer night vision than those races from planets with Terran illumination levels. Those races from planets with significantly lower illumination levels than on Terra (the sun is typically a Type K) will have very good night vision but may find brilliant sunlight a bit painful without some form of protection. All races have the usual two eyes, with excellent binocular vision in the visible light spectrum. Acuity over distance is quite sharp, depth perception is superb, and ability to judge distances accurately is very good to excellent.

Hearing: Since the racial dependence is on vision, hearing is moderately acute but cannot be described as exceptional in any human or humanoid race.

Smell: All humans and most humanoids have a very poor olfactory sense, with most oriented toward scents associated with stimulation of appetite and mating. Some humanoids desert races are very sensitive to the scent of water, however, as are some human types.

General Comments: Humans universally posses iron-based metabolisms, with diet being omnivorous. Adaptability to a wide range of plant and animal foods marks all humans. Humanoids generally have iron-based metabolisms as well, with omnivorous diets, but a few races have copper-based metabolisms and enjoy a much more restricted diet of copper-based plants and animals. Both metabolic types permit consumption of some foods of the other type, but foods which are capable of providing adequate nutrient value are limited in such cases. Life expectancy in advanced races can easily reach 100-125 Terran years, but 'primitives' will rarely survive above 30 - 50 years unless taken into an advanced starculture and given the usual medical support.

All humans and humanoids are capable of extreme emotional ranges, and can be great friends or implacable enemies. All are distinctly warlike in behavior, with competitive cultural patterns being characteristic of even the most innocent and playful activities. This high level of competitiveness is believed to be the result of a basic racial drive toward survival which may have best programmed into the genetic heritage of the humans race by the ForeRunners. It is clear from some ForeRunner records that humans were considered the finest of the T'Shaa or 'Warrior Races' and were carefully 'bred' for their fighting instincts and adaptability.