Virushi

With a length of nearly three metres, standing close to 180 centimetres at the shoulder and massing close to 1,000 kilograms, the Virushi are among the largest intelligent races known to the Imperium. Virshash is a Size A, dense atmosphere world in Reaver’s Deep; atmospheric density notwithstanding, the planet is heavily irradiated by the more distant of the world’s two suns. These factors of high gravity, dense atmosphere and heavy radiation have shaped the Virushi, guiding their evolution into the awesome form of today.

The Virushi are squat, massively built creatures, covered by overlapping plates of leathery armour. They walk – and can run, with surprising speed – on four tree-thick legs and are capable of extraordinarily delicate manipulation with two sets of arms. The arms of the lower pair are heavily muscled and extremely powerful; the upper pair seem withered by comparison but are amazingly dextrous.

Their semi-erect posture has led some humans to call the Virushi ‘centaurs with tank blood’ or ‘intelligent bulldozers’. They are immensely strong but this strength must be set against poor sensory equipment. Their eyes, nearly buried beneath massive brow ridges, work well in brilliant sunlight but are not at all good for seeing in poor lighting conditions; they are almost useless in darkness. Their ears are evolved for hearing sounds transmitted in the dense atmosphere of their homeworld. Normal sounds in a standard atmosphere are near their lower threshold of hearing.

SOCIETY

As the Virushi progressed towards civilisation, an unusual social unit – called the ‘cooperative’ by sophontologists – came into being. Individual Virushi had to eat a great deal, and range over a wide area, to feed their massive bodies. The tendency, then, was towards a highly individualistic, even solitary existence. However, those individuals who cooperated in building shelters, making tools, tending fire and, of course, raising families had a better chance of survival. The resultant culture today is semifeudal. Obligation and duty are complex and interwoven; the individual’s love of freedom is carefully balanced against a feeling of responsibility towards others. The concept of coercive government is inconceivable – and incomprehensible – to these people. They give freely of their own abilities and services, and expect a minimum of outside interference in their lives. A Virushi will work in voluntary cooperation with others but cannot be ordered to do something it does not want to do.

Although they appear frightening to humans, the Virushi are a gentle race, largely because they are of such great size and strength. As one of the larger lifeforms on their homeworld, they were not forced to aggressively dominate their environment and cultural units never evolved past the cooperative stage. Organised states, large governments and large-scale warfare never came into being. A lack of drive has tended to keep the Virushi from becoming anything more than what they have always been; a contented, pastoral, almost utopian culture. Many individuals, however, do possess an urge to leave their homes, see the universe and try to serve others as they have always served their own cooperatives.

Virushi found off their homeworld are most likely to be engaged in a career that stresses service to others; others are found in work that caters to their highly individualistic way of life. Their great dexterity makes them excellent doctors – indeed, a Virushi surgeon was recently elevated to the emperor’s personal medical staff. An extreme dedication and fervour to help others characterises such Virushi encountered in jobs of this kind. 

Because they will not take orders, Virushi do not join the military despite the fact that their great size would make them fearsome fighters. Many an Imperial drill sergeant has been heard bemoaning the fact that such perfect fighting machines are also pacifists who do not even understand the concept of war. In their chosen fields, however, the Virushi have distinguished themselves on many occasions.

EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES

Virushi hands are close to human in terms of shape and articulation but they prefer equipment built to cope with their size and bulk – human gear tends to get crushed or come apart far too easily. As a result, an item built for Virushi will be more robust, heavier and costs one and a half times as much as the human equivalent. A Virushi using human equipment can do so without undue risk if they have time to be careful. Under stress, such as combat, there is a straight chance of 12+ on 2D that the item will be broken when used.

Environment is also a factor. Accustomed to dense atmospheres, Virushi treat a standard atmosphere as thin and a thin atmosphere as very thin. They tend to make jokes about their vacuum-breathing friends, while humans in Virushiconditioned rooms often complain of drowning in the thick soup Virushi like to breathe.

VIRUSHI TRAVELLERS

Virushi are gentle, compassionate and do not indulge in aggressive speech or behaviour. Extremely polite and soft-spoken at all times, the Virushi voice is naturally rather quiet and weak, due to differences in atmospheric pressure between their own world and those of humans.

Virushi will fight, particularly when the lives of friends or charges are threatened. They do not, however, seek conflict. They rarely carry weapons and prefer negotiation to combat. Placid in the face of threats, and largely indifferent to pain, the Virushi never become angry. They will tend to be concerned, even apologetic, if forced to cause damage or pain.

Virushi will not give orders, although they may make suggestions and offer advice in a diffident fashion (which sometimes inspires a quick obedience from those around who feel that the awesome body, rather than the gentle mind, should be obeyed in every whim!). Equally, they do not take orders, although they may be persuaded to do something for the common good. Virushi expect this same behaviour from others but are more amused than troubled by the alien (to them) lack of harmony and cooperation found among other species. Attempted coercion and threats do not move or anger them. At first, Virushi will be amused by, and then ignore, such gambits. Reason and negotiation will be attempted for as long as possible but finally, if all else fails, they will humbly and apologetically deal with their antagonist using as much violence as necessary.

Limitations on Virushi senses should be kept in mind at all times. Soft sounds are inaudible to Virushi and peripheral vision is very limited. Responding to anything behind them requires a ponderous turn, making them slow to respond to threats from their rear.

Psionic powers are not uncommon among the Virushi but, like all other

Imperial citizens, their development and use are suppressed.

More than anything else, their philosophy of non-violence colours

everything the Virushi do. They may spend hours trying to persuade non-

Virushi comrades of the benefits of peaceful negotiation, reason and

discussion, and might need to be persuaded of the need to carry out a

plan involving violence even if there is absolutely no alternative.

Characteristics
STR and END are both determined by rolling 1D+10. These characteristics can be improved by later modifications earned during the Virushi’s career to as high as 20.

DEX is determined by rolling 2D+2.

SOC is determined by rolling 2D-2. Virushi SOC does not improve as a result of service; any increase gained during a career is applied to EDU instead. The Virushi do not care about the intricacies of society and do not fit in well; they simply do not share the same concerns about status as most races do.

Traits
Virushi Travellers all possess the following traits.
Weapons Aversion: Virushi have little knowledge of or aptitude for using weapons. The first skill earned in either Gun Combat, Gunner, Heavy Weapons or Melee is always at level zero, after which the skill is increased as normal.

Walking Tank: All Virushi have Protection 4 from their natural armour and can make two attacks with natural weapons (tail lash or stomps) per combat round. Each attack uses Melee (natural) and does 2D damage. (The two attacks count as one significant action)

Poor Senses: Virushi suffer DM-2 on all Recon and Survival checks when using their natural senses outside their normal environment. The modifier would not apply to vision in very bright light or hearing in a dense atmosphere, for example, but under ‘human-norm’ conditions a Virushi is at a disadvantage.

Careers
Virushi cannot enter any organised military career such as Army, Navy and Marines.
Virushi receive DM+1 on enlistment checks to join the Scouts, as their way of life appeals to Virushi individualism. Virushi also receive DM+1 on checks to enter professions that require self-reliance and/or involve helping others. The most obvious examples are the medical profession and service aboard a free trader, but a case can be made for others.