Pahtra
Pahtras are adapted to life on their home planet of Pulonis, a world wracked with magnetic storms and inhabited by titanic flora and wildlife. To rise to these challenges, pahtras took a different path from many galactic species: unconventional technology and ironclad traditions focused on combat. Their conquest by the vesk and subsequent exposure to the Galactic Alliance has caused a social revolution of sorts, with younger pahtras rejecting the paths forced on them by pahtra elders. The legacy of the past still holds strong however, and the pahtras most people encounter are those soldiers who have access to the intense physical conditioning required to venture into a universe where everything weighs twice as much.
Pahtras raised on Pulonis tend to be tall and lanky with wiry musculature that reads as too thin to many other species. A typical Pulonis pahtra stands six to seven feet tall and weighs 150 pounds. Their bodies and limbs are elongated, and many of their bones aren't entirely fused, causing their joints to be looser than those of most creatures that reside on higher gravity worlds. This aspect of their anatomy gives them an extended range of motion and incredible flexibility but sharply limits how much force they can exert, as a pahtra who strains the limits of their strength finds their body distorting more readily than their environment does. As pahtras have expanded into the universe however, they've discovered their physiology is remarkably adaptable—a pahtra raised on a world with heavier gravity grows to a similar height but develops the stockier musculature of a large predatory cat.
Pahtras' most extraordinary sense isn't consistent across the species. Each pahtra has a cluster of subdermal sensory organs arrayed across their face, and the organs' primary function varies by the individual with several common types. Harmonic sensitivity is the most common function, allowing the pahtra to feel sound and frequencies—often contributing to pahtras' perfect pitch and natural affinity for rhythm and harmony. In others, the organs anchor long whiskers that can register the presence of nearby creatures. While these whiskers are useful survival tools in the wilderness, their hypersensitivity tends to make them uncomfortable in high winds and crowded urban environments. A third group's facial organs have specialized olfactory functions that sense when a familiar creature smells off, indicating an infection or illness. Finally, some pahtras are especially sensitive to magic, not just sensing local auras but also orienting in relation to trace magical energies in Pulonis's powerful magnetosphere.
Most pahtras exhibit one of these functions strongly, and their facial organs have reduced sensitivity to one or more additional stimuli. For example, many pahtras can't sense ambient magic but do exhibit a response known as “the twitch” when exposed to enchantments, likening it to a jolt of sudden suspicion that helps them shake off mind-affecting effects. The exact sensory array seems to develop randomly in infancy regardless of the parents' senses. The prevailing theory is that pahtras evolved to have a communal sensory array, with at least one member of each group able to sense an important stimulus and alert others to its presence.
Pahtras are well-versed in cooperating to survive their extreme surroundings, but youths and seasoned veterans alike strive to excel in their chosen fields and distinguish themselves from their many peers. Pahtra nation-states recreate this rivalry on a grand scale, displaying their latest breakthroughs or triumphs in a relentless drive for prestige. Most pahtras consider this friendly opposition to bring out the best in each other, though the process burns out or outright kills numerous pahtras each year as they strive for recognition. Not every pahtra starts off on even footing either; tradition dictates that the patterns of a pahtra's fur determine their character and potential, as interpreted by a pahtra mystic shortly after birth. Pahtra youths have begun to rebel against this predestination, even choosing to leave the planet just to escape the expectations thrust on them by others. Many pahtras still consider their ancestral traditions of the highest importance.
At 15 years of age, every pahtra is expected to participate in a coming-of-age ceremony, where they're sent into the wilderness to compete against both their peers and the environment. These ancient rites of battle and survival last several weeks and claim several lives every year, but a pahtra's performance in the ceremony often shapes their social and career prospects for the near future. The trials typically involve races, collecting rare hunting trophies, and survival in harsh environments with little equipment—all while skirmishing with other youths who compete for the same resources and accolades.
Origin/Ancestry
Forerunner
Lifespan
80+3d10 years
Average Height
6-7 ft.
Average Weight
140-190 lbs.
Related Organizations
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