While you may be familiar with Aslan and Vargr, we haven’t done much with the Amindii. Even though they are native to your homeworld.
Bipedal arthropoid sophonts, a minor race, to the world of Regina (Spinward Marches 1910). Amindii readily serve in civil and military service. They have a significant presence working security at Regina’s starports.
Amindii
The People Of The Forest
Regina’s Indigenous Sophonts
NIL: Amindii [= people of the forest]. Herbi- vore grazers. Gender: EAB. Symmetry: 2. Limb Groups: 4. Vision: GBV. Enhanced Ole-factory. Perception. SDEIES 432222. Size: 2.3.
24% of Regina population.
The Amindii are bipedal arthropoid sophonts native to Regina (Spinward Marches 1910). They average about 2.2 meters in height and mass roughly 110 kilograms when full grown. While they superficially resemble the Terran grasshopper or locust, the Amindii have no wings, instead having four arms and four legs (two of which are vestigial). Despite their insectoid appearance, they have a bony skeleton articulated by muscles and covered by a combination of finely scaled skin and larger chitinous plates. Their coloring is not uniform, and instead occurs in dozens of localized colors and patterns.
Centuries of exposure to the Imperium have allowed the Amindii to travel more widely and mingle with Humaniti. However, the majority hold to their traditional ways, including their division into five different linguistic groups (clans) and dozens of tribes. Descended from herbivore grazers who wandered in small groups through the primeval forests of Regina, the Amindii remain strongly tied to their semi-nomadic hunter/gatherer roots. They hunt for reasons other than food, primarily rites of passage and acquisition of useful materials.
The Walkers in the Forest
Mi*tii The Forests of Ishkis
Tida*ii The Forests of Noncredo Ni*dami Northern Moors of Feni Ka*Tami The Archipelagoes of Makan Idinii The Caverns of Queenland
Tida*ii The Forests of Noncredo Ni*dami Northern Moors of Feni Ka*Tami The Archipelagoes of Makan Idinii The Caverns of Queenland
The Amindii were already spread across much of Regina when the Zhodani first found them sometime during the Imperial Long Night. They had achieved a Tech Level 2 society and begun to develop metalworking and well- organized agriculture. Appreciating the potential of the Amindii, the Zhodani studied the Mi*ti Tribes of the central western woodlands for several decades before finally making contact. The Mi*ti adapted surprisingly well to the idea of non-Amindii foreigners, and helpfully pointed out a few possible spots for the Zhodani to set up camp once their needs were made known. The Zhodani found that while the Amindii were amenable to their strange new neighbors, the trade possibilities proved to be limited. The Mi*ti Amindii simply weren't interested in most of what the Zhodani offered. A low-key trade relationship eventually formed that would carry on for centuries, but had almost no effect on the slowly advancing culture and technology of the Amindii.
When the early Imperium expanded into the Marches, Regina fell under Imperial control. An ideal world for the more settlement-prone Imperials, Regina attracted a colonial effort very quickly. Imperial contact with the Amindii was similar to the experience of the Zhodani. As development continued the Tida*ii of Noncredo showed increasing interest in the works of their Imperial neighbors. At first treated as second class workers, curious savages, or obstacles to development, the Amindii were showing signs of unrest by 640. Over the next generation, this Amindii unrest manifested itself primarily as legal challenges to various injustices; the Ni*dami adopted a variety of relatively sophisticated resistance activities. By about 750, the Tida*ii were essentially integrated into mainstream human society on Noncredo. On the other hand, the other Amindii tribes have been content with parallel citizenship, substantial semi-sovereign territories (some call them reservations).
At the Imperial Millenium, the Amindii are as much involved in Regina’s human society as they desire. The Tida*ii are thoroughly integrated (and their original culture is rapidly becoming a footnote), while the other tribes maintain their cultures and language. Amindii make up only a quarter of the population of Regina (due mostly to the rapid growth of the human population) but comprise nearly 90% of Regina's rural population.
The planetary government of Regina readily accepts Amindii into civil and military service.
In addition, the Duke of Regina maintains a regiment of Amindii Lift Infantry trained and equipped to Imperial standards. This 4519th Lift Infantry Regiment (Regina’s Own) is comparable to the Duke’s Human-trooped 4518th.
Biology Of Regina
Much of the native animal life of Regina, including the Amindii, developed from a common ancestral form that reproduced using three genders. Two of the genders supply the genetic material, while the third provides the womb. Many species are seasonal and require the three genders come together in a short span to successfully reproduce. While this is mostly the case with the Amindii, the Bearers, as the third gender is called, can potentially hold an egg for up to a week before fertilization. In many Reginan species the Bearer is drabber in color than the other two to provide better concealment during the most vulnerable stage of pregnancy. Among the Amindii, a color change is the first observable sign that a pregnancy has begun, but each of the nations' Bearers change in different ways. The Ni*dami of the northern moors actually get more colorful, for example. Gestation takes about ten standard months for the Amindii, and most births are of single children, with a small chance of twins.
While the genders of the Amindii are, in most cases, very similar externally, they do carry the remnants of gender- specific traits still seen in other Reginan life. Surviving through the frequent ash falls and other volcanic events of recent Reginan pre-history has been possible due to a form of hibernation. More common in species downwind of the great volcanos, this ability still echoes through much of the land-based life of Regina, suggesting that periods of apocalyptic ash fall have occurred. The Amindii are no different, though only the Bearers retain conscious control over their hibernation ability. It is thought by xenologists who study the Amindii that they developed sentience and tool use as a response to the volcanic activity, and shed the ability to hibernate when it was no longer needed. Amindii of all genders retain an affinity for tool use, a tendency only strengthened by their often creative approaches to finding food prior to developing agriculture. All Amindii also retain a trace of the hibernation gene, and even those who cannot trigger it consciously find that Imperial Low Berth technology holds less risk for them than it does for Humaniti.
Amindii Culture and Language
As the Amindii spread across Regina they formed five distinct linguistic groups, now identified by nation. Four of the five language groups combine vocalization and posture, hand and foot-hand gestures, and antenna
Transmissions from the Empire
position to express ideas completely, while the fifth, the Idinii, spent a portion of its history underground and depends much more on vocalization with inflection. An Amindii-Galanglic pidgin is also in wide use among the rural tribes who do business with Humaniti.
Amindii voices are not commonly used to express emotion, instead conveying just the basic ideas. Nuance is typically expressed in posture, which each of the Amindii nations interpret differently. This makes Amindii speech seem flat and emotionless to those not familiar with it.
Amindii are community oriented, while at the same time encouraging individual prowess. They feel that a strong community is made up of strong individuals, though they make allowances for the aged and the debilitated. Amindii hunt, farm, and raise children communally in most parts of Regina.
Because of their control over the mating patterns, Bearers wield significant social and political power. The Idinii show this most extremely as the Bearers generally rule their tribes and retain considerable influence even in tribes where they don't rule. The other four nations follow a variety of less extreme social models.
Senses
Amindii vision is acute, centered on the Green-Blue- Purple range. though sensitive to specific wavelengths relating to Regina's sun and the colors commonly reflected by both food and dangerous predators. Similarly, their sense of smell is somewhat better than Human average.
Their skin and nerves are not optimized to allow a fine sense of touch, and their hearing is slightly less sensitive to discerning details than Human average due to structural differences. They compensate for this with a form of whole- body hearing that is sensitive to certain frequencies, most of which are well below Human hearing thresholds.
Finally, Amindii have a sense of Perception and its associated ability to sense the presence of life and emotion, often at great distances. Although they also have Poice, it has not developed into language.
Most rural inhabitants of Regina are Amindii. In their sovereign territories, they predominate; in other regions, they are share both producer and consumer roles with humans. Most construction and public accommodation is built to be hospitable to both species.
In urban settings, they are most commonly encountered as members of the bureaucracy (customs inspectors, enforcers, and security) and in industrial jobs (from air/raft mechanics to fabrication specialists). They rarely take menial or servant positions.
Regina A788899-C
1910 Regina A788899-C A Ph Pa Ri Sa An Cp 703 Im (F7 V +DM) [M3 V]
Regina (Lusor-4arr [ F7 V +DM ])
Regina is the capital of the Regina subsector, literally on the Imperial border of the Spinward Marches sector. It is also
Regina is the capital of the Regina subsector, literally on the Imperial border of the Spinward Marches sector. It is also
the mainworld of the Regina system. It is a medium-sized world with a standard atmosphere. The planet has a human population of 46 million, and a native population (the Amindii) of 17 million. It is governed by an impersonal bureaucracy with restrictive weapon laws. It has an average interstellar technological level.
SYSTEM INFORMATION
The Regina system is a triple star system. The primary Lusor and its brown dwarf companion Speck form the major system, while dim Darida orbits at a distance of 5,000 AU. Regina is one of seven worlds which boast a breathable atmosphere, and one of four habitable planets in the life zone of Lusor, in orbit around the gas giant Assiniboia. There are three stars, eight planets and 17 satellites in the system.
World Statistics
Seas of water cover 82% of the world's surface. The planet has a 26.4 hour day and is 2.2 AU from its central star. The local year is about 1,066 standard days. Being a satellite of a gas giant, it has no appreciable eccentricity. Its axial tilt is 22 degrees. Slightly less dense than Terra, its gravitational pull is only 88% as strong.
Starport
The Orbital Complex is a mesh of warehouses, fuel depots, commerce centers, high-value corporate offices, very-high-value residences, and bases. Shuttles and barges of all sizes move people, goods, and fuel to the surface, to orbit, and to all points in the system. Fuel stations process hydrogen skimmed from Assiniboia, and provide an endless supply of refined and unrefined fuel.
About the same size as the orbital starport, the naval base sprawls in orbit, about sixty degrees ahead of Regina, around Assiniboia. The scout base, which includes the system's xboat station, holds a position above the “north” pole of the gas giant.
The Luck Gibson World Starport Nexus is an A-class Orbital Complex with several downports, primary of which is Credo Down. A number of ancillary downports serve local and corporate traffic, whereas Credo proper takes care of typical interstellar traffic and has the industrial infrastructure for ground-based shipbuilding. It is near the Regni loop- megalopolis on the equatorial continent of Noncredo. Its gravitic control tower can be seen from a hundred
kilometers away, a giant sphere floating near the landing fields. Maglev runs from the starport to Startown, and thence to the megalopolis ring city of Regni.
Startown is a 30-minute complementary maglev ride from Credo Down. Unlike seedier startowns, Credo Startown is home to many subsector corporate headquarters and trade centers. The downtown district consists of square kilometers of sleek towers, arches, and stilted grav-globe buildings, all lined up along strongly enforced low-altitude flight corridors.
If you’re in a hurry, you can get to Startown by grav taxi in ten minutes flat. Be prepared to negotiate the price – haggling should start at Cr100 per person. And if you value your life, don’t take a grav taxi driven by Amindii. They drive crazy.
E. Dinsha, crew, Beowulf.
Terrain and Climate
Seven small continents and six large islands are scattered across the face of Regina. Three continents -- Noncredo, Ishkis, and Madzaki -- cross the equator. Three islands host the three notable volcanoes on Regina. Berg Island, in the extreme north, is the flooded caldera of a super-volcano which blew 10,000 years ago; an active vent there has since grown to a large volcano in its own right. Mount Iuda formed off the coast of Noncredo, 3,500 km southwest of Regni, about 200,000 years ago. Cogito's shield volcano, at least five million years old, is active but not under substantial pressure.
The continental mountain ranges on Noncredo and Madzaki are quite tall, creating eastern deserts in their rain shadows. Mountain climbing requires breathing apparatus for the tallest elevations there. Eastern Noncredo is a dry tropical desert, with some regions looking like the central African savannah and others like the deepest Sahara. Heat prostration and dehydration are dangers when traveling in the open. Seasonal dust storms reduce visibility and can clog air-breathing engines. Rare thunderstorms in the
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deserts bring flash flooding. Western Noncredo is lush jungle, wringing moisture from the eastbound clouds over more than a thousand kilometers of forest (originally) and cropland, only to have the last dregs removed as the air mass lifts over the Transcredo Range. The seasons alternate between calm, dry weather and strong rainstorms. Regina is a temperate world, with an average temperature of 14 C and little variation through the course of the year. Daytime temperatures in the tropics rise to around 36 C. Due to the long day length, the temperature at night drops to as low as 11 C. Overall temperature decreases by 25 C from 42 degrees latitude, and decreases another 25 C at the poles. Temperature decreases by 10 C for each 1000m in altitude.
Regina has a strong magnetic field, which shields it from Assiniboia’s radiation belt. The interaction between it and Assiniboia’s magnetic field with solar radiation produces spectacular auroras in the atmosphere, more energetic and widespread than on Terra.
Cities and Government
Credo is the planetary capital. As with many capital cities, Credo is largely an administrative center, designed and established for the purpose of governing Regina. As a result, most work in Credo is governmental. The city itself is laid out in a sparse pattern based on the concept of gravitic
Transmissions from the Empire
transport: buildings are separated by tended parks and wildernesses. All bureaus have their main offices in or near Credo.
The Regni Loop, near Credo Down, is a perfectly circular ground transport complex surrounded by industry, commerce, and residences, forming a metropolitan community of over 20 million people, including Humans, Vargr, Amindii, and others. The center of this massive Loop is hundreds of square kilometers of parkland, managed through the Loop Park Management Service. Service personnel, informally known as “Loops” or “Ringers”, maintain law and order in the Loop Parks, as well as oversee maintenance.
Norris' ducal seat and fief is at Corona, where the weather is typically favorably mild. The seat has been at Corona for generations and Norris’ predecessors encouraged industrial development of the region.
On the other hand, the temperate island of Caranda is the ancestral ruling family's estate. Acquired by Duke Caranda in 629, it was originally named Darkhanan, and was given its current name in 1089 when Norris assumed the duchy from his father. Unlike Corona, most of the island was protected from development by an Imperial intercession.
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A Brief History Of Regina
The Zhodani surveyed Regina before the Imperium and at one time had a base at Princeps. Princeps is acknowledged as the first city on Regina, despite having been built by what is now considered the enemy. The restored city center with its rustic architecture is a popular tourist destination.
Regina was originally settled in 75 by an expansion wave of the Third Imperium. Having the best conditions, satellite Regina was settled first and dominated the system. It soon became a trade center within the Spinward Marches, and established itself as capital of the subsector by the time it declared allegiance to the lmperium in 250.
Additional settlements after the Second Frontier War (circa 620) occurred in two waves. The first, a naval occupation and counter-colonial effort was spearheaded by Vilani traditionalists who promptly re-named all of the land masses. Right behind them came a second group with Solomani roots and enough population that the Vilani names were drowned out by the new usage.
The remote Darida system proved actively hostile and has been only minimally exploited. It boasts a military outpost and a few small settlements devoted to marginally profitable mining.
ARRIVAL
The bright blue flash of the Paradise's entry into normal space faded. We spent hours fussing with our baggage, our allotted 40 kilos each that represented our entire past lives. After weeks and weeks and weeks, we were finally here, the frontier where our new life awaited, the Imperium now parsecs behind us.
Through the master vision port, the blue globe of Regina highlighted against the swirling clouds of Assiniboia, a hypnotic jewel beaconing us. After a while, the klaxon signaled assembly; time to get ready for our disembarkation. I gathered Sylvia and Julie to me and headed for the muster hall.
The hall was bustling with activity, marines preparing their weapons; we had heard stories of the native Amindii, the grasshoppers, a vicious insectoid race. Countless cargo pallets were being loaded into the launches in preparation for our disembarkation. I saw the purple lights of our station and headed across the hall to our designated assembly point. I waited as my name was called “Maqulam, Gordon, Engineer?”
I had to shout to make myself heard over the din of preparations “Here”
“Launch seven, third wave.” with that, we were assigned our fate and ignored
I felt the oppressive pull of gravity as the launch plunged through the veil of Regina's life giving atmosphere. Oxygen,
“Launch seven, third wave.” with that, we were assigned our fate and ignored
I felt the oppressive pull of gravity as the launch plunged through the veil of Regina's life giving atmosphere. Oxygen,
nitrogen and carbon dioxide, you take it for granted until it's not there. Sylvia and Julie huddled to me as the hull of the launch groaned under the stress. I could see the rainbow colors of re-entry plasma as we plummeted through the atmosphere. My hands gripped the armrests; Julie’s fingers gripped my arm, and I could see Sylvia’s fingers gripped Julie’s. We would have bruises later today.
We waited, myself, Julie and Sylvia.
Finally, the hatch hissed open. Our carefully purified air was replaced by the crude native air mixture that was Regina. The smell was different, alien, slightly acid. Julie wrinkled her nose and said aloud, “That smell,” and meant “That stink.”
As our names were called, I said, “No, darlings, that’s the smell of freedom.”
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Transmissions from the Empire
Desert Encounters
Bemaalaran: Quilled hunter-gatherer (2D), Size 4,
Bemaalaran: Quilled hunter-gatherer (2D), Size 4,
22 kg, Speed 3, Str 100, End 6, AV 10, 8 A5, Asymmetric HS-TB-LN-NN-T.
Zirgaaran: Stingered Pouncer (DxD), Size 4, 13 kg, Speed 6, Str 92, End 5, AS AS+, HBS-T-LL-LN-N.
Demmak: Quilled Basker (2), Size 5, 130 kg, Speed 6, Str 50, End 1, AV 6, Trilateral HBS-T-LL-LN-T.
Three animals are interesting denizens of the deserts in Noncredo and Madzaki.
First is the Bemaalaran, a hunter-gatherer with extraordinary strength. Though its meat provides no nutritive value to humans, its flavor and texture is exquisite and highly desired. Killing these animals is tricky, since they are extremely strong, but are also bristling with quills. The Madzaki-continental variant female’s quills are covered in a resin that irritates the skin of humans and amindii alike.
Next is the Zirgaaran, a pouncer in the same phylum as the Bemaalaran, with a similar size and great strength. Its primary attack is via a long spiky stinger, with which it penetrates past the quills of the Bemaalaran. Unlike the Bemaalaran, its meat has food value, though not as tasty.
Third is the Demmak, an innocuous basker occasionally encountered on the illuminated side of dunes and hills. It too has quills, but they cover a thick, protective carapace.
FLORA AND FAUNA
Regina boasts its own native life systems, repeating a widespread evolutionary pattern of predictable ecological niches based on unique biochemistries.
Forest Encounters
Dasa Fly: Horned Intermittent (DxD), Size 4, 13 kg,
Dasa Fly: Horned Intermittent (DxD), Size 4, 13 kg,
Speed 3 (flying), Str 52, End 3, AV 7, F8 A5, HBS-T-WL- WW-N.
A bothersome pest: the Dasa Fly is a giant, horned fruit fly. Having poor vision but a keen sense of smell, they are attracted to open containers of food.
Ikekenik: Stingered Chaser (DxD), Size 4, 18 kg, Speed 4, Str 68, End 1, AV 3, A9 F7, N-TBS-LL-MM-N.
The carnivore chaser Ikekenik hunts in packs ranging in number from 2 to 12. Groups of six or more have been known to attack people.
Mountain Encounters
Saadarsi: Stingered Pouncer (3), Size 6, 10,000 kg,
Saadarsi: Stingered Pouncer (3), Size 6, 10,000 kg,
Speed 6, Str 36, End 4, AV 4, AS AS+, Asymmetric N- TBS-LL-LN-N.
A so-called king of the mountain, the Saadarsi is a distant relative of the amindii. It is as tall as the trees around it, and faster than many vehicles, though not agile. Most victims die before realizing that it has attacked them. A few crazed enthusiasts find hunting this creature enjoyable; its meat is gamey, but edible, and one kill can feed several Amindii families for a month.
This is all copyright by Far Future Enterprises and is for use in my game only under fair use. Some details have been changed to suit my purposes.
