Veran

Raptorlike aliens hailing from the fringes of the Sanguine Tower. Verans are the founding species of the Sidereal Legion, though the vast majority are a factionless diaspora throughout the Scutum-Centaurus arm, left behind after the collapse of the original Legion's holdings.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Verans are avian theropods with two wings, two powerful legs, and a long tail ending in a tuft of feathers. Their legs are digitigrade and end in scaly podotheca, each with an extra digit bearing a large curved talon. Veran hands have five "fingers," but only three digits are usable for manipulation; the remaining two fingers are elongated and form the rest of the wing structure. Veran heads are dominated by a long beak covered in dark scaly skin, behind which is a slightly enlarged head bearing two pairs of eyes - one pair forward-facing, one pair side-facing.
The wings of a modern veran are much smaller than those of their avian ancestors, but they are still useful for controlled descents and quick bursts of lift. A strong enough updraft could allow for sustained gliding, but it would be very physically taxing.

Biological Traits

Verans are ambush predators, and are essentially hardwired for extreme alertness; all the better to be ready to fight at a moment's notice. Anxiety is very common among verans, and many are subject to nervous fits and outbursts - flapping, squawking, and sometimes kicking when surprised or overwhelmed.

Genetics and Reproduction

Verans are oviparous, and lay clutches of 2-3 eggs at a time. Eggs are commonly grouped together into larger clutches of 10-12, and the hatchlings are raised communally.
Unlike smaller avians, Verans eschew cloaca for more traditional reproductive anatomy - though non-avians find the corkscrew shape more than a bit odd.

Ecology and Habitats

Originally from a boreal terra world whose name is lost to history, Verans are most comfortable in cooler climates, but are capable of adapting to other median environments. Extreme cold is manageable, but extreme heat can be debilitating.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Verans are obligate carnivores with a preference for small mammalian prey. In addition to the serrated teeth visible in their beaks, Verans have a second set of teeth on their tongues, similar to terrestrial geese. Image reference has been omitted out of respect for the reader.

Additional Information

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Egg.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The combination of front-facing and side-facing eyes grants Verans an extremely wide field of vision, as well as superior spatial awareness.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

As the founding species and primary demographic of the Sidereal Legion, Latin-sounding names are very common, and typically end with the masculine "-us"/"-io" or the feminine "-ia." Surnames are derived from the names of one's parents, but an individual born under one of the eight Houses will usually refer to themselves with their House name instead.

Major Organizations

Though they no longer have holdings or political power, the eight Houses of Legion antiquity still exist as "extended families."

Gender Ideals

Physical traits once considered gendered have, over time, drifted somewhat and are largely judged on their own merits. A veran with colorful plumage is not necessarily a man, nor is one who can lay eggs necessarily a woman, but an impressive mating display and a healthy clutch are both desireable.

Common Dress Code

Veran fashion is Legion fashion, and vice-versa: togas, tunics, little shoulder-capes, armor with pteruges, etc. Verans also have very little in the way of a nudity taboo, and merely find nakedness to be gauche unless you're doing something that would require it - like bathing with strangers, or participating in a sport in front of hundreds of spectators.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Attitudes toward mammalian sapients remain... awkward. If you subsisted entirely on cheeseburgers your whole life, and then met a race of giant sentient cheeseburgers that wanted to be your friends - and some more than friends - you'd feel pretty weird about it too.

Vessia and Velenus Tesserus, veran Centurions.

Known Individuals

Aurelio Constans

Velenus

Vessia

Average Height

~6' standing

Average Weight

150-175lbs

Average Length

~9' nose to tail

Average Physique

Despite the species' low average body weight compared to their size, Veran muscle tissue is extremely powerful and specialized towards burst strength - kicking, throwing, slashing & thrusting, etc.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Apart from the beak, hands, and feet, Veran bodies are covered by multiple layers of feathers - long and sturdy on the wings, spreading out to become decorative plumage on the head and chest, and finally thinning to a layer of downy feathers on the underside.