QuulachC’Than (Ku-lawk(c)Tan)

The QuulachC’Than* are a race of ant-like people from a unique environment and as such need a very specific set of conditions to survive. They possess no magical abilities, but they do have very advanced technology (and you know the saying).

Basic Information

Anatomy

General Info

QuulachC’Than are monomorphic in both phenotype and sex. They have an exoskeleton and their bodies are covered in the tough carapace necessary for surviving in the Gel (otherwise the pressure would crush their organs). Like the Earthen family of animals known as ‘Ant’ or ‘Formicidae’, their bodies are split into three sections: the Head, the Mesosoma and the Metosoma.

The Head

The Head is a ovular shape and has two large, black eyes, two crooked trrantennae at the front, and a small, fanged mouth, with two large, serrated mandibles that move completely independently from each other, which are used as an extra pair of hands and for communication. The respiratory system works purely through the mouth; they have no nostrils.They have two structures for hearing, one on the forehead and one on the neck.

The Mesosoma

The Mesosoma has attached, two fairly short arms with five spindly fingers, and four legs, each ending in a single, hooked claw for gripping into the rocks and dirt. Each limb has two joints (not counting the hands and feet). The lungs and stomach are housed here, and there are holes in the shoulder-blades and mid-back for the Gel to escape through. This section ends in a narrow waist called a petiole where the genitals (which are for the most part, internal) are located.

The Metasoma

The Metasoma is round and bulbous and holds all the internal organs except for the brain, lungs, and stomach. It ends in a small stinger that used to be used for paralyzingly prey, but is now vestigial due to a long history of tool use.

Genetics and Reproduction

It’s pretty similar to humans, except they lay eggs (anywhere from 5 to 10) and are only fertile during a breeding season of about two months. The mother will carry the eggs inside her for 5 days while the shells form and the eggs will hatch after approximately 3 months. In former days, the mothers had to sit on the eggs to incubate them but, due to the invention of Incubation Chambers long ago this has not been necessary for a long time.

Growth Rate & Stages

They grow fairly quickly, becoming adults at around 400 years.

Ecology and Habitats

They prefer to live underground in the dirt and stone, but they do have some above ground structures.

Dietary Needs and Habits

They mainly eat meat, but will also often eat berries and other fruits, bark, and twigs. All food that is hunted or gathered is brought back to the Colonies and shared with everyone.

In recent years, they have taken to cooking their food, as it kills bacteria that could otherwise get them sick, and even prevents deadly molds from growing on it and repels tiny animals from laying their eggs on it. Some have even started shredding up plants and putting them on this cooked meat.

Additional Information

Social Structure

QuulachC’Than have a fairly strict social hierarchy and individuals must obey members of their superior caste.

There are three different groups, or ‘sections’ of QuulachC’Than society: Scholars (scientists), Technologists (engineers), and Medicalists (doctors). Individuals of each group must report any major discoveries or breakthroughs to their Section Chief, which is the highest rank of each section. Higher castes from one section have no power over any individual from a different one. The lowest caste in all sections are known as Assistants who cannot discover any new knowledge on their own, instead helping others in their pursuit of knowledge.

The three Sections Chiefs of each Colony form a group called a Coalition, who are the heads of each Colony and report the findings to each other. These Coalitions in turn must report to the supreme leader of the entire species, known as the Executor, who notifies the other Colonies, and makes the final decisions on how to approach the new knowledge, with input from the experts (Managers) of course.

The caste system is based off of what is considered most important in the section, which as you might guess means that the caste system is subject to change, and in fact does pretty frequently. The caste that is one day considered your inferior could suddenly become your superior at any time, purely at the whim of the Executor or at a Section Chief’s recommendation.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

They have Colonies on Qan-0, -2, -5, -6, -8, and -10.

Average Intelligence

Very high.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Sight

Unlike the ‘insects’ we have on Earth, they don’t have compound eyes, but they do have a large, albeit fish-eyed, range of vision, and unlike real ants they do not have ocelli. They also have the ability to see in infrared, though this is usually switched off. They possess Tapetum lucidum as light does not make it through the Gel as easily as air.

Smell and Taste

They have a pretty acute sense of smell, and have the ability to tell many things about other individuals through it, such as general age and their sex. As they all look the same, this is also how they tell each other apart (well, that and their clothes). For QuulachC’Than, taste and smell is the same sense.

Symbiotic and Parasitic organisms

Nothing different from what a Human could have (ie. tapeworms).

Civilization and Culture

Major Organizations

Administration

QuulachC’Than society is lead by a group called The Administration, which has its Headquarters on the main Planet of the Cluster, Qan-0. The Administration are the few QuulachC’Than that don’t have an active role in the Discovery of Knowledge, instead their duties are bureaucratic in nature.

Ranks

Executor: The Executor is the ruler of all the QuulachC’Than in existence. It is the one who makes all the final decisions for the Colonies, including the levels of castes and an individual’s place within them, and punishes rule-breakers and decides their sentences. The position of Executor is given to the individual who has been deemed to have discovered either the most knowledge of everyone, or if an extremely groundbreaking discovery has been made, the most interesting or important piece of knowledge, in the event of the death of the previous. The current holder of this position is Executor Szetzelter, sometimes known as The Arisen due to its rather humble beginnings. The current candidates for this position are Retztelki, the Machinist who accidentally discovered the first alien planet, Einiskia, the inventor of the Life Support Network, and Nixtolka, who encountered the first Human.

Managers: Managers are the seconds in command to the Executor and are the advisors to it. They are made up of former Section Chiefs who had held the position for centuries, or even millennia and so hold much diverse knowledge in their particular section, thus they can give the Executor expert advice so as to make the most beneficial decision to the Colony and the Pursuit. They are also in charge of extra-species relations. There are always three Managers, one Scholar, one Technologist, and one Medicalist.

Messengers: The Messengers are the ones who relay the Executors decrees to the other Colonies. The Messengers are made up of the fastest in all of the Colonies; all children are judged on their speed when they near adulthood, and all who can reach a certain speed are inducted into the caste. This is actually a very coveted position, at least amongst the youth. The also are send general messages as well. Of course, these messages have to go both ways, and as such a few can be found living in other Colonies.

Wardens: The job of the Wardens is to carry out sentences, and guard and take care of lawbreakers. Each smaller Colonies also has around 4 or 5 Wardens who act as a police force. The position is given to Servitors who go above and beyond the call of duty if they choose to accept it.

Servitors: The Servitors are the lowest caste in the pure Administration. They are in charge of things like cleaning, and doing whatever the higher castes tell them to, thereby making sure things work smoothly and making them sort of the Administration’s equivalent of Assistants. However, just because the Servitors are custodians and servants does not mean that they hold no power, they are still Administration and as such are still a higher caste than those in the Sections. In fact, offending a Servitor is one of, maybe even the highest offences. Also, it is important to note that Servitors are also extremely adept warriors trained in many forms of combat, for in addition to their above duties, one of their most important functions is that of bodyguards to the Executor and Managers. The Servitor forces make up the majority of the population of Qan-0. Unique among the QuulachC’Than the position is open to all who wish to serve, and they can leave at any point they choose. It is a very popular position for those interested in the combat arts.

Section Chiefs: Section Chiefs are counted as both part of the Administration and the Sections. Because there are three Section Chiefs in each Colony and six Colonies in total there are eighteen Section Chiefs at a time. They are in charge of overseeing all the projects that go on and bringing new discoveries to the attention of the others.

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Sections

Scholars

The Scholars are in charge of discovering how the world works and how objects or living beings interact with their environment. They have to have good linguistic and penmanship skills, because they need to keep records. They have large vocabularies and typically speak in long words that confuse outsiders. They also tend to love to talk for some reason. Some Scholars have made it a personal project to figure out why this is, often enlisting the help of Neurologists to run tests but so far no one has been able to figure out the answer.

Ranks

Xenobiologist: One of the two newest castes, they’re job is to study alien biology. They work in tandem with the Biomechanics on the illustrious Homunculi Project as consultants.

Nutritionist: Nutritionists are what, in any other society, would be called ‘cooks’. They make-up new foods and are always looking for new, interesting ways to put ingredients together. Sometimes however, they go to far putting different things together, and as such, not all of what the make tastes good, and most of that is obvious at first glance to anyone not caught up in the joys of creation (read: every non-Nutritionist). Unfortunately, due to the Nutrionist’s high social standing, many Scholars are forced to eat these anyway. Though even those, fitting the nature of QuulachC’Than, are of course, still nutritious.

Faunabiologists: They study the various primitive species that exist at home on the Cluster. The high level of this caste is mostly due to the fact that many of these species could potentially be new food sources. They will also sometimes study the other sapient species when they will let them, which they are always trying to get permission for, especially, for some strange reason, when it is inconvenient much to the consternation of many a guest or ambassador. The Faunabiologists had a field day during the Quulach-‘Toid War, as they had many new (dead) Stigmatoid bodies to study.

Physicists: Just like Earth Physicists, they study non-visual concepts, such as energy, motion and force.
Geoscholar: Because the Colonies are mostly underground, QuulachC’Than find it important to study the things that can be found far underground. They study rocks, gems, and even glasses, and, of course, the magma said glasses can be found near.

Florabiologists:

Gender Ideals

Though QuulachC’Than do have binary sexes, they do not think in gendered terms at all. The composition of their bodies is only relevant in the context of reproduction and role during sex. They don’t use any pronouns at all, instead referring to others by a unique (series of) click(s), or just with their name. They are usually referred to as ‘It’ by outsiders (and in narration).

Common Etiquette Rules

• It is seen as rude to bring up another’s sex outside of mating contexts; often considered a form of sexual harassment 
• It is, of course, proper to greet your superiors with a salutation and a nod
• Even those beneath you should treated with respect, until they do something that deserves contempt
• Everyone’s ideas have merit, even the lowest assistant or youngest child; no one should be ignored

Common Dress Code

They wear long red robes and, away from their home sector, an extensive network of tubes and machinery that acts as life support and gives them an appearance similar to your average high-ranking Tech-Priest from Warhammer 40,000.**

Tech-Priest by Games Workshop

Culture and Cultural Heritage

QuulachC’Than are a race of scientists, doctors and engineers. Every QuulachC’Than is either a scientist, engineer, or doctor of some kind, or an assistant to them. On the Cluster of Qan, if you want something built or researched, chances are you’re going to a QuulachC’Than Colony.

Common Taboos

They have a very strict nudity taboo, hence the robes.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Opinions on Other Species

The have an intense love and curiosity for other species, especially ones that are very different from themselves and other species from their part of the Universe. This interest has even made them go as far as to make living copies of these fascinating species to gain further knowledge of their biologies than mere observation would allow. They are especially interested in Humans.

Others Opinions on Them

Due to the strange and enigmatic appearance they give off most species outside of where they can survive on their own are scared, or at least freaked out by them. But even so, most have high opinions on them as they are a benevolent and friendly people.

Amongst others in their sector, they are well-liked and respected. Many of these peoples also find them an extremely beautiful race.

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*The C’Than part may or may not have come from the C’Tan

**Speaking of Tech-Priests, I’m pretty sure I subconsciously based them off the Adeptus Mechanicus. Oops.

Lifespan

Approximately 5000 years

Average Height

5 - 6 feet

Average Weight

130 lbs

Average Length

Metasoma is 0.5 - 1 meters long

Average Physique

Lean.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Carapace: Carmine

Underbelly and Antennae: Light coral

Geographic Distribution

• The Cluster of Qan