Talk:Aresia

Aresian Fauna

In contrast with the Earth, a significant amount of Aresian fauna are saurians that resemble 20th century conceptions of dinosaurs, with thick scaly hides and a ponderous tread. As life on the planet seems to have sidestepped their possibility, the ecological niches occupied by birds as pollinators and insect hunters are filled by genuine flying reptiles and larger insects or arid-dwelling cephalopods. Other than the Aresians themselves, most mammalia are limited to vermin and a handfull of pets and hunting animals kept in the cities of the poles, where ecosystems were partially preserved by by the advanced technology of the polar Yellow Aresians.

It is incredibly likely that the planet lost most of its original species due to climactic shifts, just as the increasing hostility of the biosphere led to the isolation of large caches of technology that surpasses that of current Aresian society.

Translation conventions and the relatively uniform linguistic culture of the Aresian people leads to most livestock having simple names based on the form and function of the animal, free of foreign loanwords. Working animals such as the 'broadback' and 'dragtail' resemble their namesakes, while some species that were only discovered due to the intervention of outsiders, such as the evocative and exotic 'sylph' and the fearsome 'lion-snake', carry names that are anomalous to the standard nomenclature of the Aresian language.

Broadback

Broadbacks are massive, placid creatures used by the Aresians of the equator as pack animals. They resemble eight-legged ankylodons or monitor lizards with massive flat backs that allow them to carry large amounts of cargo on their back, though their swaying gait makes them unsuitable to carry valuables such as earthenwares. Because of their low, squat profile, they do not get penalties to stealth and are not easier to hit than normal targets unless the attacker or sentry has a notable height advantage.

Red Aresians occasionally use Broadbacks to tow or carry light ray cannons into the field, though being on the move adds a +1 dif penalty to attack rolls. If the Broadback is at a dash, the weapon crew receive a +2 difficulty penalty due to the animal's gait and high running speed.

Physical Attributes: Strength 9, Dexterity 3, Stamina 8

Abilities: Brawl 1, Might 5 (Carrying +2, Dragging +1), Athletics 1, Stealth 1, Endurance 2, Resistance 2

Social Attributes: Manipulation -, Charisma -, Appearance 1

Abilities: Intimidation 1 (Stomp +2)

Mental Attributes: Perception 4, Intelligence 1, Wits 2

Abilities: Survival 2 (Grazing +2), Awareness 1

Willpower: 2 Body Modifications:

Multiple Legs [2] (+10 Dex for Speed)

Environmental Adaptation, Desert (Double starvation and thirst intervals.)

Broadened Diet [5] (-5 dif to eat anything other than plant life.)

Nictating Membranes ([1] success to resist blinding and eye irritants.)

Filtration System (+2 to resist any toxins or diseases.)

High Density Tissues [2] (+3B/+2L natural soak.)

Hyperdense Skeleton [2] (+3B/+2L bodymod soak, triples safe fall distances. Bones unbreakable. +d2L unarmed damage.)

Dermal Plating (+2B/4L armored soak.)

Regenerator (Reduces healing times by one category.)

Health Levels: -0 x2/-1 x4/-2 x3/-4 x2/Incapacitated/Dead

Soak: 0A/12L/12B (7L/10B natural)