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Biology:
Barallians are a race of large, repto-mammalian primates native to the planet Baral. Standing between 2.1 and 2.6 meters in height, Barallians are covered in a mixture of coarse white fur and scaly gray skin. Their arms hang down to their ankles, and end in tridactyl hands with long, retractable claws. Their legs are far shorter and lack any sort of digits, instead sporting three sharp, fixed claws. All of their limbs are incredibly muscular, and combined with their claws, Barallians are incredibly skilled climbers. In addition, Barallians possess three large, black eyes, and can only see in the infrared spectrum. This allows Barallians to locate prey based on body heat even through their planets violent snow storms. They also have large, pointed ears which are able to catch noises that other species might not be able to detect, as well as being able to produce a wide range of sounds at varying pitches and volumes. Force sensitives are rare among Barallians.
In terms of sexual dimorphism, female Barallians have more hair than males, and can produce milk. Males often have more patches of scales, and sport small horn-like growths on their heads and shoulders.
Barallians have been shown to be susceptible to both albinism and melanism. While albinism only causes a reddening of the eyes and slight vision problems later in life, melanism has a non-biological, but devastating effect on Barallians. Due to the black fur and scales caused by melanism, many Barallians with the condition are unable to blend in with their surroundings, making them easy prey for both predators and slavers.
Breeding:
Barallians reproduce sexually with intercourse between males and females. Despite mating pairs being completely monogamous, most Barallians will take a new mate if theirs is killed in order to create more life. Barallians are often born in pairs, although larger and smaller groups aren’t unheard of. Infant Barallians, referred to as Tuftlings, lack both the thick skin and claws of their parents, making them completely dependent on them for protection. Tuftlings will spend the first year of their life clinging to their parents’ backs. Once their scales and claws come in, they are considered children, hitting puberty at ten and reaching maturity at seventeen, with a lifespan of around eighty years.
Strengths:
Barallians have immense physical strength, on par with species like Houks and Trandoshans. Since they also live in mountainous regions they are surprisingly agile climbers. They have incredibly strong senses of hearing and see in the infrared spectrum. Their thick skin offers some protection against melee attacks, blunt or bladed. They are also extremely well adapted to both the cold and high altitudes. Their claws can also be used very effectively as weapons.
Weaknesses:
The Barallians’ large, clawed hands and few fingers limits their manual dexterity, and makes handling certain pieces of technology difficult. Their bulk and bright, white fur can also make stealth difficult. They possess a high metabolism, and require large quantities of food to function. Since their physiologies are geared toward colder environments, they also tend to suffer in warmer climates. Their powerful sense of hearing can be overloaded with enough noise, and they suffer drawbacks from seeing only in infrared.
Diet:
Barallians are omnivores, however their planet is primarily arctic meaning their diet is composed mainly of meat. Since the frigid climate of their world is not conducive to most flora, plants are considered a delicacy among the Barallians.
Behavior/Temperament:
Among members of their own species and trusted friends, Barallians are caring, friendly, and boisterous. However, they often show extreme xenophobia and mistrust of strangers. Barallians display particular hatred for both droids and ectothermic species like Trandoshans.
Communication:
The Barallian language consists of a variety of animalistic hoots, barks, roars, and whistles at various volumes and pitches, some of which are impossible for humans to detect. They are also capable of reading subtle changes in emotion based on body heat. Since they only see in infrared, they have no sounds for color, but dozens for different temperatures.
Barallians can learn to speak other languages like Basic and Huttese, although they tend to speak with an odd accent.
Culture:
Barallian culture revolves almost entirely around one unique survival adaptation, their ability to see in infrared. Due to their homeplanet’s extremely low temperatures, heat is seen as a sort of sacred, spiritual force in the galaxy. On Baral, heat equals life whether that is warming fire, a source of geothermally heated water, or potential food. There are two deities in their mythology, the sun which they referred to as Mohkagi (Great Provider), and the moon which they call Hooni (Little Thief). Their creation myth holds that Mohkagi is the source of all life and warmth on Baral, which he spreads over the planet each day. At night however, the jealous Hooni tries to steal as much heat as he can so one day he can be the chief god of the universe.
Because of this belief, the Barallians see all life on Baral as kin, and seek to preserve as much life as they can to spite Hooni and gain more favor from Mohkagi. Hunting is done sparingly and with reluctance, taking only what is needed and using all of the animal. The hot springs that run below ground are considered sacred places of sanctuary and worship. Fires are kept alive as long as possible, and mourned when they are put out. A more recent addition to this belief system is that any creature that shows signs of life, movement, speech, thought, but shows no heat is an abomination created by Hooni as a mockery of life. This belief comes from interactions with ectothermic species, droids, and heat sinks used by the Hutts to hunt and capture Barallians.
Since high winds and massive snowfalls make permanent settlement nearly impossible without advanced technology, Barallians are a nomadic species. Their tribes are composed of groups of families which travel together along a specific, predetermined route, usually following certain animal patterns and visiting sacred sites along the way. There are certain spots like cliffs and cave openings where the icy winds of Baral will not reach and tribes will meet on their journeys, allowing them to intermingle and share resources. Something else that occurs during these meetings is funerals. Barallians refuse to leave dead bodies lying in the snow, so they will often wrap them in furs and carry them with the tribe until they reach a sacred site where they are cremated as an offering to Mohkagi. During these rights, all in attendance will often engage in violent and extreme displays of emotion, both to show Mohkagi their grief and Hooni their rage at the loss of life.
There are only two firm positions in a Barallian tribe, since tribe members can usually perform multiple different roles in the group. The tribe’s leader is the eldest member of the tribe, male or female, referred to as the Firebearer. Firebearers are charged with making decision that affect the entire group and ensuring the survival of the tribe. The second definitive rank is the Touched, always held by a Force-sensitive, since the Force is seen as a strong connection to Mohkagi. They are responsible for advising the Firebearer on spiritual matters, communing with Mohkagi via trances and visions, and overseeing weddings.
Despite their generally jovial demeanors, Barallians have surprisingly harsh laws regarding conduct. Hunting for sport or excess, wasting parts of a kill, and harming another Barallian are all considered social taboos, met usually with exile. Exiles are usually identified by a missing part of their body, such as the tips of their ears or a finger. Doing this creates a unique heat silhouette that is easy to notice and unlikely to happen naturally. Before the arrival of the Hutts, most exiles died in the biting snowstorms of Baral, but now many will sell themselves into slavery or become slave hunters themselves.
History:
Barallians evolved from a species of social, repto-mammalian primates on the planet Baral. The planet was covered in towering mountains, massive glaciers, and plunging gorges, all of which were swept by near constant snowstorms. In order to stay alive, primitive Barallians had to stay mobile, chasing herds of animals and finding new sources of liquid water. Eventually packs turned into tribes, and the tribes began to form the modern Barallian mythology. As lerger tribes began to move farther and farther, they came into contact with other tribes, which they openly embraced.
The relative peace of the Barallian people was shattered around a hundred years ago, when Hutt-backed surveyors located their planet in Hutt space. While the planet had no real unique natural resources, the range of bizarre flora and fauna present on Baral could be profitable. Particularly, the jovial native tribesmen, who cautiously but warmly greeted the initial landing party. The Barallians were met with lethal force as the Hutt lackeys tried to press these apparently primitive creatures into slavery. The initial round of invaders was warmblooded, their bodies, weapons, and tools standing out easily in the snow. The native tribes were able to repel them, although not without cost.
Any sense of victory was short lived, as the Hutts learned quickly from their past mistakes. They now knew the Barallians saw in infrared, and adjusted their plans accordingly. They employed robotic and ectothermic hunters, used heat sinks to hide their ships, and fought with less heat-based weaponry. Unprepared for such tactics, many tribes were either captured or wiped out, with the rest fleeing north into the planet’s polar regions. Modern Barallians are divided into two groups, those still struggling in tribes on a Hutt controlled world, and those who have been sold off into the galaxy as slaves.
Planet:
Barallians are native to the ice planet of Baral, located in Hutt controlled space. Baral is primarily covered in arctic tundras, massive glaciers, and snow-capped mountains. Most sources of liquid water or flora are found in geothermally heated pools below ground.
Technology:
The Barallian’s are at a tribal level of technology, although some tribes have begun using stolen or scavenged technology from Hutt-backed slavers.
Intent:
My intent with the Barallians was to not only provide an interesting species with unique biology and customs, but to look at an interesting galactic scenario, a tribal species interacting with a more technologically advanced group.
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