thanagarian
Humans may be the dominant sentient species on the planet Earth; they are not at all alone.
Thanagarians are refugees from the Polaris star system that have settled on Earth 1. They live in secret, concealing themselves from humans.
In recent decades, the rise of mutant and appearances of mutate alterations of humans have allowed thanagarians to begin to move among humans without causing a panic. To most humans, a thanagarian is simply a human that developed bird wings with which that metahuman can probably fly.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Thanagarians are bilaterally symmetrical six-limbed upright humanoids, sentient, which appear to be roughly analogous to hair-producing furless mammals based on those physical characteristics it is possible to observe from a polite distance. They breathe in oxygenated air in a mixture close to what humans need, they exhale carbon dioxide, they emit warmth according to passive thermal scans, and their blood appears to be iron-based.
The most obvious anatomical difference between a thanagarian and a human is that the thanagarian possesses a third pair of limbs in the form of a set of feathered wings growing from the "second shoulders" on either side of their upper spine, just below (and closer inset than) the scapulae connected to human-like brachia. These wings are each larger than the length of the thanagarian's main body: when folded into resting position, they arch above the level of the crown of the head, and the ends of the most extreme primaries will hang somewhere between knee level and ankle level of the crura.
Biological Traits
Aside from the prominent wings, thanagarians resemble humans in general physical shape. On close inspection, the average thanagarian will tend to be a bit leaner with aquiline features.
Their wing color ranges from a base gray-brown, to russet or chestnut. But their hair, skin and eye color vary as wide as a human's does.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
- Thanagarian hearing is within the same measured range as humans.
- Thanagarian eyesight is better than is typical for humans due to a natural oil the thanagarian eye ducts secrete over their eyes. It allows for a sharper long range eyesight.
- While they do have slightly better endurance on the average than humans, humans can match - if not surpass - thanagarian raw lifting strength.
Civilization and Culture
History
Thanagarians are a winged human species that started their own evolutionary journey on the planet Thanagar, 100,000 years before humans did on Earth 1. Cultures developed and tribes grew into nations. Eventually, the thanagarian people developed space flight and began to explore other stars.
Then came two events that altered the course of the thanagarians forever.
The first was the discovery of a rare mineral ore they dubbed Nth-metal, a rare substance that acted as a natural superconductor. With this material, thanagarian exploration bloomed as did their culture.
Next was making contact with the Kryptonian Union in 700 B.C.E. (as measured on the modern Earth calendar).
Thanagar's best attempt at a 'world government' was a loose alliance of member states that resembled Earth 1's European Union. When contact was made with the kryptonians, the result was devastating. Though the Thanagarian League attempted peace, the Kryptonian Union brought conquest and war.
The war lasted one hundred years. It ended with the destruction of the Thanagarian League and thanagarian culture on Thanagar. The kryptonians subjugated them, using them as a slave labor force and lower class in the kryptonian caste system.
Refugees fled the destruction on 'world ships' or 'generation ships'. Some of these vessels survived to reach Earth, where they settled in secret to avoid kryptonian discovery.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
It's been many centuries since that rag-tag group of survivors from Thanagar arrived on Earth looking for a new home, a refuge from the Kryptonian Empire. Some settled in the far frozen north, others the far south. Others chose to integrate into the cultures that comprise the hidden city-state of Matumaini in Africa. More recent generations have taken the approach to "hide in plain sight" among humans in locations such as Vibora Bay.
Common Cultures On Earth and Beyond
Historical Figures
There are stories told of one hero of Thanagar, one Captain Fel Kur'Talak, who was a thorn in the side of the Kryptonian forces time and again. The legends relate that Captain Kur'Talak was an able commander and strategist. Those stories tell, time and again, of the captain's various escapades against the megalomaniacal Kryptonian Union general, Tal-Zod.
Over time, stories of Captain (or 'Archon' to the original Thanagarians) Kur'Talak and the legends of the Star League have been retold and embellished over generations. However, these tales have a different focus for each of the current thanagarian cultures alive today!
Scientific Name
Accipiter sapiens sapiens
Lifespan
110 Earth years
Average Height
5'11" - 6'3"
Average Weight
175 - 185 lbs
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
Related Technologies
Thanagarian Species Range
Dexterity
1 - 10 AP
Strength
2 - 6 AP
Body
1 - 7 AP
Intelligence
1 - 12 AP
Will
1 - 12 AP
Mind
1 - 12 AP
Influence
1 - 11 AP
Aura
1 - 8 AP
Spirit
1 - 10 AP
Advantages
Sharp Eye
Powers
Flight (Winged) 4 - 9 APTelescopic Vision 1 - 4 AP
I look forward to seeing what you do with your notes at the end for expanding this one! Lovely work so far!
Necromancy is a Wholesome Science.
Thank you! It's a collaborative effort between myself and my co-author on this one. However, those notes wound up going into the two ethnicity articles for Thanagarains! Seemed to make more sense to have them there.