Ulvi

ULVUM

The Ulvi (singular is Ulvum) vary so greatly in appearance that attempting to give them a general description is difficult. They range in height from as short as 1 meter to as much as 2 meters (although geographically contained communities tend to be of similar height). They are generally humanoid; however, mutations can cause wild variations in shape--tentacles, wings, and even extra limbs are not unheard of. Most Ulvi are covered by thick skin and completely devoid of body hair, feathers, or scales, though this too is not entirely universal. Skin color also varies widely, even within small communities: common shades are fair white, bronze, greenish-brown, bluish-brown, and reddish-brown.

Role-playing

When first selecting to play an Ulvum character, the player must decide if his character was born on-world or off-world. On-world Ulvi are usually intimidated by advanced technology, although this natural fear can be overcome by an experienced character. These characters are fairly rare, since the native Ulvi have generally been left alone since the first few years after the "First Encounter" with the Darvin. Off-world Ulvi are found in many different segments of Darvin society based on their particular mutation. Many are often found as advisors or bodyguards to powerful Darvin. On-world Ulvi are almost exclusively Combat Specs. Off-world Ulvi can be any profession, although Tech Ops are most rare. No full Mindwalkers are known among the Ulvi, but a tiny fraction of the population are psionic talents (Telepathy is most common).

Special Abilities

Mutations: All Ulvi are mutants to some extent. Ulvi characters automatically possess the "Radiation Tolorance" mutation. In addition, Ulvi characters receive d4+1 mutation points and d4 drawback points (the d4 may be rolled or chosen by the player, but it should be the same number for both mutations and drawbacks). Drawbacks which involve susceptibility to radiation are not permitted for the Ulvi.

Radiosynthesis: All Ulvi have the ability to absorb radiation from the surrounding area and turn it into life-sustaining energy. This gives them a -1 step bonus to all Survival skill checks involving a lack of food or water in at least an R1 environment.

Melee Attack Bonus: (On-world Ulvi only) All Melee Weapon-Blade, Melee Weapon-Bludgeon, and Unarmed Attack skill checks are made at a -1 step bonus.

Primitive Culture: (On-world Ulvi only) When using technology (except for melee weapons) from PL3 or higher, any involved skill checks are made at a +2 step penalty. If the character spends 4 skill points (or achievement points), the penalty is reduced by 1 step, although it cannot be eliminated entirely (for a total cost of 8 points) until the character reaches 6th level.

History

The planet of Ul-Vilyeth is too near to Trinji to comfortably support life, and the "Elders" did not in fact originally plant the seeds of life upon this world. Instead, microbial life traveled from Deladarvin to Ul-Vilyeth via asteroid collisions with the more distant planet. Life managed to evolve and survive even on this harsh world, primarilly due to the incredible rate of mutation.

Up to the point when the Darvin first landed a spaceship on Ul-Vilyeth 117 years ago, the Ulvi were a primitive PL 2 culture living in tribes or small city-states. The Ulvi were primarilly hunters, although there was some agriculture and animal husbandry as well. Ulvi tribes were often at war with each other, predominantly over control of the small amounts of water on the planet. Ul-Vilyeth has no oceans, and the few lakes and rivers are fiercely fought over by all living creatures on the planet. One unusual feature of the Ulvi is their short gestation cycle (only 4 months). Part of the reason for this is that, due to mutations, almost 80 percent of conceptions do not produce live births. This means that the typical female must have at least ten pregnancies in her lifetime just to keep the population constant. The result has been relatively low status for females in native Ulvi society, since they are almost constantly pregnant.

Since the time of the "First Encounter" when the Darvin made contact with the Ulvi, there has been some change in Ulvi culture. Equipment from progress levels up through PL 6 can be found on Ul-Vilyeth (however, anything above PL 2 is rare). Some of this technology has led to very unbalanced and bloody warfare between the Ulvi tribes. The interactions between the Darvin and the Ulvi have generally been quite good. Early on some Ulvi attacled the strange visitors from the sky, but the Darvin soon learned they could always secure peace if they bribed the Ulvi with water gifts. For the most part, the Darvin have left the native Ulvi alone. However, they have taken a sizable number off their home planet, transporting them to colonies on their moon, Amuliadarvin. There, the Darvin employed the off-world Ulvi as workers and studied them to see to what extent they could be taught.

Current Campaigns

The Ulvi born on Amuliadarvin are quite civilized, and they have developed a culture much more like that of the Darvin than that of the native Ul-Vilyeth. Though they are generally less intelligent than the average Darvin, a few of the off-world Ulvi are (due to mutation) as clever as the most intelligent Darvin scientists. The Ulvi who were taken from their world and brought to the Darvin moon originally were awed by their abductors, almost worshiping their advanced technology. However, the herd-animal instincts of the Darvin, as well as the tendency for the Ulvi to have more charismatic personalities than the Darvin, has led to the curious consequence of many off-world Ulvi gaining great influence over the Darvin culture. Some of them are considered criticical advisors to the Darvin leaders.

The cultures on Ul-Vilyeth itself are much more turbulent, and many of the cultures are in open warfare. Though the full range of mutations can be found in every society, it is typical for one or two traits to be especially common in specific tribes. A few of the more powerful and influential ones include...

The Azki are a northern tribe in almost constant warfare with the nearby Pynst tribe. This war for the fertile land between the homes of the two tribes has raged off and on for almost two centuries. The ability to fly is highly prized among the Azki, particularly among their military leaders, and it is one of the reasons why the Azki have been able to repell the assaults of the larger, fiercer Pynst.

The Pynst cherish size and strength. A typical Pynst stands two meters tall, and heights well above this are not unheard of. The Pynst have fought frequent battles with the Azki for the grazing land in between the homes of their two tribes, with neither side able to gain strong advantage.

The Hekrim are another northern tribe whose members tend to have strong personality. They are one of the few tribes on Ul-Vilyeth that have managed to maintain superiority in a relatively peaceful environment (though they have done so often by cleverly pitting two potential enemies against each other). The Hekrim are unified around a single religion as well. The Hekrim believe that they were created and are being guided and tested by an "Elder Tribe" that, if the Hekrim perform admirably, will remove the tribe from their home and transport them to a utopia. After the "First Encounter", many of the Hekrim came to believe that the Darvin were, indeed, this "Elder Tribe".

The Ja-Evet are one of the most secluded tribes on Ul-Vilyeth. They dwell deep within one of the dense jungles that thrive in the wetlands around the planets equatorial region. Ja-Evet warriors are particularly adept at hunting. They tend to be very dexterous and are prized for their natural weaponry mutations.

The Metkel have only recently become a powerful tribe on Ul-Vilyeth. Their cultural characteristics include a heightened intelligence and a strong ability to survive longer periods without water. Until the time of the "First Encounter", the Metkel were a frequently conquered and enslaved people. At times, it was only through their ability to live in the harsh equatorial deserts of Ul-Vilyeth that they were able to survive at all as a culture. The coming of the Darvin, however, has caused an increase in this tribe's status, for they are the only ones who have made an active (and successful) attempt to understand and copy those pieces of technology that have been aquired from the off-worlders. Though the technologies they understand are a strange patchwork of things from PL3 - PL6, this currently gives them a technological avantage over the other tribes of the planet.

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