Lupari

Basic Information

Anatomy

The lupari consist predominantly of canids that closely resemble wolves found on Earth, with some taking on the appearance of coyotes due to a recessive gene. Fur colors range from grey and black to red, tawny, and white. Essentially any color a wolf could be on Earth.
The only common identifier of one difference in the species is the term ‘Alakek’ for those with the ‘coyote’ gene. This term roughly translates to ‘little one’ from an ancient, now dead, lupari language. In the modern sense, it is simply a descriptor of appearance and carries no scorn when said, though for some it may be a term of affection. It is not meant to identify a subspecies, as the lupari do not identify any and have not for a millennia before joining the UTO.
Fur patterns for the lupari often follow a trend of darker fur on their backs and heads with lighter fur on their fronts. The exact nature of the intricacies of the patterns varies like wolves on Earth. Their eyes are most often amber, brown or gold, though they can be gray, yellow, and green. Unlike Earth wolves, their eyes can be blue into adulthood, a trait as common as the latter three colors.
The wolfish lupari are larger and stronger than their coyote kin, though that is the extent of their differences between them. The Alakek are simply several meters shorter, about Tordenchi size, and are more slim. Their pointed, sensitive ears are capable of a wide range of movement and are very important for emotional expression. Their five fingers and four toes are each tipped with claws as well.

Genetics and Reproduction

Males and females are the only two naturally occurring and healthy genders for the lupari. However, in-utero therapy allows for healthy hermaphrodites, which make up approximately ten percent of the population. Their gestation period lasts approximately four months long and typically leads to one or two puppies. All females, but not the hermaphrodites, go through a heat every other year, and for some it cannot be easily suppressed with drugs. This fertility often results in four to five children over time, after which the female’s heat weakens to the point of not even requiring drugs.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

As with most species, the lupari have exemplary senses of smell and hearing. Their noses are arguably more evolved than other predators, however, as the lupari are more sensitive to slight changes in pheremones from mere emotional shifts in every known intelligent species so far. However, this may be attributed to them subconsciously being more alert of them. Most species, with adequate training, could identify emotional change through scent as well as a Lupari. However, the lupari are often described as having a sixth sense, which is their sense of emotion and ability to perceive what it means, then react appropriately. For more information on this, see psychological data.

Civilization and Culture

History

Despite evolving from a predatory species, the lupari are often considered the most consistently pleasant species in the entire alliance. This is due to a powerful innate empathy. The typical lupari is constantly observing and assessing another’s emotions and is capable of understanding even the most complex emotional states. As a result, they often strive to see a person made happier and more content. It is nearly impossible to have a bad relationship with a lupari, as they see and mend problems in a relationship whenever they see them, often without the other even realizing it. Mental illnesses and psychological problems among the lupari are treated with the utmost care. Many non-lupari go to lupari worlds simply to intern themselves at the finest institutions in UTO space.
Like the falashai, the lupari adore physical contact. Hugs and pressing the sides of each others’ heads together is the typical greeting for two strangers, and then rubbing the sides of their muzzles together is how they would say goodbye to the very same stranger.
Despite this intense empathy, the lupari are not pacifists. They are fully capable and willing to harm and kill others when the need arises. However, there is rarely malice in what they do. Enemies are eliminated with maximum efficiency to minimize suffering, may it be subduing them in a fight or taking their lives. This mentality extends to hunting. A lupari always respects their prey, animal or person. Even among the non-religious, prayers are often said for the slain.
Unfortunately this empathy can lead down darker paths. A lupari with a sadistic streak is a terrifying thing. Their enjoyment of another’s suffering is considered worse than a falashai’s potential to block themselves from feeling for a person in pain, as the sadistic lupari easily senses what is the worst for a person. From the physical suffering to mental suffering, these lupari revel in it.
A sadistic lupari fits in among friends as well as any other, as they are still perfectly capable of feeling the same as any other. They do not wish harm to come to friends. However, they become visible when in a fight, where they may carry out unneeded harm or continue to assault a fallen enemy.
While the average lupari may resent what a sadistic lupari enjoys, there isn’t scorn for them so long as they keep their desires in check. Additionally, due to a lupari’s ability to feel another’s emotions, sadism is difficult to manifest at all. These lupari have their medical profiles clearly marked, and which often eliminates them from certain occupations and encourages some to try to hide this part of themselves. It is estimated that approximately 0.023% of lupari develop sadistic feelings, with 0.003% hiding it from others.
The Lupari were the second species to be encountered by the UTO, after a falashai military patrol received a distress signal from a Lupari border outpost. It was a small, domed installation on an asteroid that was rapidly losing oxygen after a catastrophic docking accident. Despite not understanding the language, the UTO cruiser Noatahk was able to make it there in time and rescue the crew.
The lupari very quickly showed their eagerness for the idea of joining an alliance of species. If not for resistance from the Neishor, the lupari could have been made a member species within a year of first contact. However, pushes from the equines for investigations into the species delayed that.
These investigations found nothing particularly unsettling about the lupari as a whole species. It revealed a past of racism and oppression against the alakek, to the point of them formerly being cast out from society. Prevalent racism within a spacefaring species is considered a bad aspect, as a species that could not accept itself was not considered a good candidate for a coalition of completely different species. However, this was a dead mindset. Modern alakek were accepted readily, and identification of subspecies was even considered an obsolete practice.
It was also revealed that the lupari were a prevalently matriarchal society. Any kind of gender imbalance, even though the different species were still few, was seen as very odd for a spacefaring race. Further investigation into the matter revealed it as a matter of a perceived notion that the female gender had a stronger sense of empathy. At the time, this was actually proven false, and merely a holdover from a past when the females typically stayed home and cared for their pups. This seeded a belief that the females sensed emotions better, and as a result would make better leaders.
This voluntary matriarchy was already in its death throes, as the general public steadily abandoned those ideas. Within the second year after contact, the lupari became the second member species to join the Union. The UTO reformed its investigative procedures for potential members, and the lupari reform towards true gender neutrality accelerated to the point of inequality being wiped out within two generations.

Home System: Pellanech
Homeworld: Lupin

Origin/Ancestry

Wolves

Lifespan

127 years (earth)

Average Height

1.75 valen (21.57m) (70.77 ft)

Average Weight

75.288 kilofaarir (141.12 metric tons) (155.56 tons)