Kotrulians
An alien species from my Verum series
What classification of animal or creature do they resemble? (e.g., mammal, reptile, amphibian, fish, bird, etc.)
/ Reptile
How would you describe their appearance? What's their skin like? How tall are they? Are they slim or stocky? Do they have hair or fur? Do they have scales or wings?
/ Kotrulians are covered in green scales, their stomach, palms of their hands and feet are often yellow.
Often between 190cm - 210 cm. 2m being about the average height.
They're often muscular, but not bulky. If not muscular, then they are thin. They can become overweight, but that is rather rare since they naturally get a lot of physical exercise in their daily life.
They have a long and thick tail that is always a little longer than their height. They use it to communicate, to aid them while climbing and to protect themselves.
They also have rather sharp claws on their 4 fingered hands.
Their eyes are green with a black sclera.
How do they move about? Do they have two legs like us or are they different?
/ They walk on two legs when standing on solid ground. But Kotrulians are arboreal creatures, therefore they climb a lot,
How do they speak? Do they have their own language? What's their voice like?
/ Similar to us, they have something like vocal cords, the right shape of the mouth and a tongue to speak. They form words that humans can replicate, but the other sounds (and their voices) are probably not something that humans can mimic.
Kotrulians main language is Kotrulian, But like humans they have many others too.
Example: "Ak Orta ke pe ano Dertekta",
Meaning: "There's a medkit in the ship"
Inspired language: German (Im schiff hat es einen Erstehilfekasten)
Their voices are deep. I imagine it sounds like two balloons rubbing against each other, just much deeper (and slower), not unpleasant to the ears. The ending of some words is much higher pitched. They roll their Rs for like two seconds and then end them with a purr like sound. Their word for yes is Rrr, but as in a purr.
Where do they live? What's their habitat?
/ Kotrulians have evolved on a planet that's a little hotter than ours, they're comfortable somewhere between 30 to 50°C. They come from a heavily forested area that is rather humid. Like a jungle.
Like mentioned earlier, they are arboreal. In modern days they still live in the trees and have their cities built into them. They usually only ever go onto the ground to commute to and from far places. Big branches on the trees are used for roads, which are much calmer than the ones on the ground. Ground roads are comparable to highways, while branch roads are more like calm town roads.
Are they the dominant race in their habitat? Are they an apex predator like us or are they hunted?
/ They are, but there are also the Tapzians, their closest relatives. Kotrulians are apex predators, but the Tapzians are too. They're the most dangerous ones for the Kotrulians.
Is their race well-respected in their society or are they often discriminated against for who they are?
/ From their origins: There were only the Kotrulians and Tapzians, who have always been natural enemies.
In the Galactic Confederation: They're a valued member and one of the oldest ones there.
What's the general nature of their race? Quiet and peaceful like Hobbits and Elves, playful and close-knit like Dwarfs or evil and barbaric like Orcs?
/ Kotrulians are peaceful and highly intelligent, but they do know how to fight when necessary. Their biology has much more benefits in a fight than the one of humans.
Do they wear clothing or is it acceptable for them to live without clothes?
/ They do wear clothes, though during leisure time they like to have on as little as possible. Full nudity is seen as something unacceptable in their society, that's why they always cover their abdomen at least.
Kotrulians never wear shoes, since their claws are too long and it would disrupt them from walking normally.
Are they solitary beings or do they prefer to live in groups?
/ They are very social creatures. They form tight bonds with family, friends and lovers. They mate for life and can get extremely depressed if their mate dies or is too far away for too long. Kotrulians are more social than humans
Are they religious? If so, do they worship one god or do they believe in multiple like the Ancient Greeks?
/ In the past they did. But when a species advances, they naturally stop believing. Some of course still do, but most are atheists.
How do they think the universe began?
/ Big bang
What's the climate like in their habitat? Does it change all the time or does the weather stay the same all year?
/ The jungle’s climate barely changes and the weather is pretty much always humid or rainy. Kotrul does not have such a big axial tilt like the earth does, nor does the slightly elliptical orbit around their star matter (too much). The only cold places are the poles, but Kotrulian society stays far away from the north and the south.
Since they have no oceans, only huge lakes, they don't have to worry about catastrophic natural disasters like destructive tornadoes or tsunamis. Though flooding can happen.
Do they need to work to keep their society going? If so, what jobs do they have?
/ Similar to humans, Kotrulians also have to work or go to school.
Does their society have schools, colleges and universities? Do they have to train in combat?
/ Kotrulians are a society that is very much focused on their intellect, that's why school and studying is a big part of their life.
Kotrulians have a huge military (as all members of the GC do), though duty is not mandatory. You either participate in society, or in the military. Changing your mind is always allowed.
Is there a monarchy or a government that runs the kingdom? Are they pure or corrupt?
/ They belong to the Galactic Confederation, which is a mostly pure government. As for Kotrul, they are run by the same system and also mostly pure.
Do they walk everywhere or is there some form of transportation? Carriages? Chariots? Horses? Cars?
/ Modern Kotrulian vehicles, ships and aircrafts usually don't have a steering wheel or control panel at all. They're steered by the drivers/pilots/captains mind by a chord that they plug into their neck.
As mentioned earlier, they also climb a lot.
What's their main flaw as a species? For example, are they greedy? Easily corruptible? Distrustful of others? Selfish?
/ Since Kotrulians are so social, it can also easily go backwards for them. They can get attached to another person really quickly and then be absolutely mentally destroyed if they betray/hurt them.
The same goes for groups of people.
Like mentioned before, they mate for life. And if their partner dies or leaves them, it can easily kill them too. Their mate is always the most important thing in their life and they would do absolutely anything for them. It is a natural part of their biology and they cannot help but follow those instincts.
Are there different classes in their society? For example, lower, middle and higher class? Do they keep slaves or do they have to work as servants?
/ Kotrulians live in a peaceful society where everybody is seen as an equal, as mandated by the Galactic Confederation. Rich and poor still exist, but that doesn't make them any better or worse people.
Are there any crucial points in their history that should always be remembered?
/ The everlasting war against the Tapzians.
The eleven ancient “empires”/”kingdoms” of Kotrul.
The Singularity.
Kotrulians and Tapzians reaching space.
Kotrulians becoming a member of the Galactic Confederation.
If they're a magical race, how does their magic system work? Are there rules or laws? Can magic be learned or are they born with it? Do they need a staff or wand or can they cast spells with their bare hands? Are there any restrictions? (technologically advanced species in this case)
/ Kotrulians are leading in the field of mind-controlled modes of transportation and ship AIs. Other than that, GC members always share their technology. Therefore, the Kotrulian species is one of the most advanced species of the entire galaxy.
How long do they live? If they're immortal, is that indefinitely or can they still die in battle?
/ Like any other species of the GC, they are not immortal, but amortal. They don't die of diseases or age, but they can die of too much physical damage. But their consciousnesses are ------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do they eat and drink?
/ Kotrulians have evolved to eat hard, yet not too dense food. Examples are Kotrulian hardshell animals (similar to insects or crustaceans on earth) and hard fruit/nut-like plants. Therefore they are omnivores.
They can eat soft foods too, but it has to fall apart easily, since they don't have teeth like humans and other earth animals. Their mouths evolved to crack open hard surfaces, not to tear apart flesh.
Kotrulian teeth are just parts of their skull that protrude out in their mouth. Therefore they only have four “teeth”, none in the front. Since their mouths are very wide, stretching from one side of the face to the other (ending underneath their earholes), they have no problem with breaking apart bigger food. The tongue is also important for “chewing”, since it is used for breaking apart smaller, softer pieces.
As for drinking, that is something that they have in common with humans. Water is also very important to them, not just for drinking, but also for reproduction.
Are they herbivores, omnivores or carnivores? Do they have allergies? Are there any foods that could poison and kill them?
/ omnivores.
Thanks to modern technology, allergies can easily be healed. But they were common in the past.
Poisonous flora and fauna does exist on Kotrul.
Do they wear socks? May sound strange, but imagine an elf or dwarf wearing socks…
/ They have claws on their toes. Anything on their feet would make walking uncomfortable. Since they're made of scales, the thick soles of their feet are shoe enough. When shoes are necessary for whatever reason, they can wear toe-less shoes or wrap fabric around their feet.
Are females and males equal in their society?
/ Kotrulians don't have male or female in their society, since Kotrulians evolved without different sexes. Therefore yes, everybody is equal.
What do they use as medicine? What would be in their first aid box?
/ In the present, they have a special cream that heals wounds in minutes. Their natural healing process is already rather quick, but the cream makes it quicker. It is only made for Kotrulians. If the cream would touch human skin, it would damage it badly. Probably with nerve damage. That's also why there's always a special glove next to the cream, so others can help when necessary.
How do they measure time? Do they have clocks and watches? Do they watch the sun? How many days/weeks/months are there in a year?
/ Galactic Time Standard: 100 Tics (sec) = 1 clic (min) / 100 clics = 1 Zik (h) / 15 ziks = 1 mek (d) / 10 meks = 1 mok (week) / 200 moks = 1 cycle (y). (The GTS is an invention of the Ikratons. The names derive from their own language).
A GTS cycle and a Kotrulian solar cycle have different lengths.
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Are they nocturnal?
/ No, they quite like the warm day
Can they climb, fly, swim?
/ As mentioned before, they evolved for climbing, but also have no trouble walking upright or on all fours. They have very long arms and therefore have no trouble with being on all fours. They can run like that very fast, but only for a short amount of time, since it is very exhausting.
How fast can they move?
/ When sprinting they can reach an average of about 30 km/h (18.6 mph). When climbing they have an average of about 15 km/h (9.3 mph).
How fine-tuned are their senses, and which is the strongest?
/ Kotrulians have evolved with infrared vision, but meanwhile many have a chip in their head, which allows them to switch between light spectrums. Therefore, sight must be the strongest sense.
It might appear at first that Kotrulians don't have good hearing, since they have no earshells, but that is a wrong assumption. Like some animals on earth, Kotrulians also have internal structures in their ears, which lets them hear better than one might think.
Their sense of smell and taste is better than the ones in humans. They can taste and smell stuff that humans might not pick up on.
Kotrulian scales are much less sensitive than human skin. Their thickness causes them to have much less nerve endings on the surface than internally, in their softer layers of flesh. Therefore their sense of touch is weaker than the one in humans.
Which temperatures or biomes are they found in, and why?
/ Kotrulians have evolved in hot jungles, 30 C to 50 C (86 F - 122 F) is comfortable for them. This is what Kotrul has mostly been like since their last ancestor walked the planet.
How long do they sleep for?
/ They need at least seven to nine hours. They also like to take naps in warm places.
Do they have any predators?
/ While Kotrulians are apex predators at the very top of the food chain, so are the Tapzians.
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Do they mate for life, or have different partners each time?
/ As mentioned before, they mate for life and suffer greatly if their partner dies. Kotrulians have special talent in finding the perfect partner, that's why their separation rates are very low.
Do they give live birth, or do they lay eggs?
/ Kotrulians reproduce in water, the fertilisation happens externally. The ejaculated cells swim around the water and mix, forming something like a soft egg, in which the embryo forms. This process is explained in more detail in the book.
How long does it take the embryo to develop?
/ The “eggs” hatch after about an earth year.
How many babies or eggs would they have at one time?
/ One baby grows in each egg blob. Twins or more are possible, but rare. As for the blobs, they need a certain amount of cells to successfully form an embryo and to keep it growing for a year. Therefore, Kotrulians can not just keep on making blob after blob. Like human males, their body needs a certain amount of time to produce enough cells again.
Do they care for their young like humans, or simply send them off into the world like fish?
/ Kotrulians live in tight knit communities, where the whole family takes care of the children. Even after reaching adulthood, they still prefer to be close to their family and will only start to separate more once they find a mate. They still prefer to keep in touch with their family even then.
What role does each parent play in child-rearing?
/ Since they're the same sex, both do the same.
How long does it take for babies to reach maturity?
/ About 25 human years (legal age)
How many children is one parent likely to have in a lifetime?
/ The natural lifespan of a Kotrulians was more or less 150 human years. Most Kotrulians breed one to five times in their life. That number sank though, since very advanced societies like theirs reproduce much less.
Masterpost
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