Anse Baenshaol
Gleefully Drinks Life In
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
The Lopar Aiolous were so named after their first and only volunteer test subject. The scientist Gene Marks was fascinated with the force and the beings with transformative abilities and sought a method that would allow others to be bestowed such abilities. The first subject did not survive the torturous experiment and so Marks had to find another means to generate subjects for tests. Criminals, slaves, outcasts, anyone who would not be missed were gathered along with the races with the genetic traits and suitable animals.
For five years Marks labored and killed dozens upon dozens in his quest for success. Military were interested for intelligent animals might blend in and so received funding from a number of different places, rumor even has it the Sith of the time were interested as well. The participation of an unknown force user however turned the tide on the experiment and once a Gurlanin was captured his dna was used to replicate offspring with hopes those children would not be limited to just a canine form. Most of the resultant children did not survive past their first year, but four did who had the desired traits. From there it was a matter of further breeding and testing to create more variety for cloning.
About the time they had about one hundred specially trained individuals, the funding dried up. A cheaper, faster and productive method was found. Marks, who allowed his subjects enclosures out in the wild outside the lab had the thought that one day he might return to finish. So, he unlocked the enclosures, packed things up and left them behind, like unwanted pets left at the roadside. At first there was confusion, but then they started to establish bigger territories, make allies and form the basis of a hierarchy, often fighting till eventually things settled.
For about fifteen years the Lopar settled and thrived, till it was discovered that they didn't simply die out. Teams were sent in to slaughter this outcropping of mutants, but they ultimately failed. The Lopar staged the means to escape their world sized petry dish, the adults dressed as the masked soldiers, blending in and smuggling out their offspring. From there they scattered, moving constantly and creating hidden clans, they slowly became part of the galaxy as a whole.
Marks himself never saw his experiments again, dying in the war against the Republic and Empire on one of their massive planet destroying bases. His only legacy lay in a people who take the form of animals.
- Intent: Wasn't satisfied with the race I chose, decided I wanted to do something about it and add something of my own to the board spinning from the slate I started with.
- Image Credit: N/A
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Gurlanin
- Name: Lopar Aiolous
- Designation: Sentient
- Origins: Created as part of a set of experiments that worked to create an ability to shape the body into another form through a blend of science, sorcery and shaping with the Force. They used prisoners and an array of predators to this end in the hopes that their experiments could change and pass on this ability.
- Average Lifespan: Four Hundred
- Estimated Population: Scattered
- Description: Can be mistaken for any run of the mill human, unless one has an uncommon hair color or eye color. Those that choose to mix with people tend to do their best to blend in and not cause too much trouble. Their age however is a a factor, along with their ability to change form into predatory animals. All in all they can live in most any place, with most any people. When gripped with strong emotions their eyes tend to change to the color of their eyes as an animal. Depending on the colors the change may or may not be noticeable.
- Breathes: Oxygen, type 1 atmosphere
- Average Height of Adults: 6'6" - 6'8" (2.0m - 2.07m) for males in their humanoid form, 6'0" - 6'3" (1.8m - 1.9m) for females.
- Average Length of Adults: 8" (2.4m) from nose to tail for males in their animal form, 6" (1.8m) for females.
- Skin color: Caucasian to the various other shades, fur colors tend to be what is natural for their species.
- Hair color: Often reflective of their coat as an animal, but this is as common as having any color of hair.
- Distinctions: As humanoid they look fairly run of the mill unless their hair colors reflect their animal coat color. Their height, their weight and everything down to their internal organs are human standard. As an animal their size and intelligence betrays them for their animal is two times the size and length of their natural counterpart. Lopara females will often shift close to term to have their offspring in their animal form. Those children with a Lopara mother have a base form that is their animal instead of Lopara born from say a humanoid mother. As a result there are two class of Lopara, the human base and animal base, though neither usually think themselves better than the other.
- Races: Any bipedal animal of average human weight or bigger as animal variety and any human racial variant.
- Force Sensitivity: Standard
- Strengths by Design.
Their strengths really depend on the animal. A Lopar with a cat form would have night vision, better balance, able to jump further along with better smell and hearing. Someone with a wolf would be able to run at a steady pace faster than others, have a keen nose and keen hearing. Someone who could turn into a seal would have better talents at aquatics as well as good hearing and smell. However in terms of those that might be physically stronger, their strength in their human forms caps at twice the human average in strength and reflexes. This was the limits of their bodies otherwise they might do irreparable harm to themselves.
- Fluid Changing.
Their ability to shape change happens in the span of a few heartbeats because of the nature of the Gurlanin. It isn't quite as effortless as the original race, a lucky shot at a Lopar mid-change can undo them resulting in their dissipation much like a shower of sand. As long as their clothing is made from natural fibers, leather, plant based textiles, they don't necessarily become naked in their human forms. Changing leaves them a bit winded and breathless, it also makes them ravenous making them eat enough for three per person.
- Longer lives.
Like the Gurlanin, it is said the eldest among the originals lived a handful of centuries, around three hundred years.
- Absolute Candor.
Perhaps because of their dual natures the Lopara tend to be quite open about their intentions, their emotions, their drives and this can cause problems as much as it can benefit. They know the value of lies and will lie, but if they trust you or don't think you a threat, very little will be hidden about what is on their mind.
- Blood Never Lies.
Because of the way they were created, Lopara always breed true. Meaning they could mate with say a Gurlanin, but the offspring would be Lopara. Their nature cannibalizes the weaker genetics. When offspring result multiples are not uncommon, though identical twins are rare.
- Late to arrive.
Birthrates are low for Lopara, it takes effort and planning to have children. The odds are one in twenty, if caught on the right cycle. As a result males that are wanderers tend to sow their oats far and wide whereas in a clan its simply about patience.
- Nature of the beast.
Lopara have dual natures and it isn't or even often the case that their natures are in balance and don't fight for dominance. In fact, if the human side is of lesser personality than their beast, they tend to live as beasts instead of humanoid. This results in a deep root of stubbornness and more dominant tenancies, whereas those who are not in spiritual conflict tend to not care who is in charge. The flip side to this is, if one falls unconscious, the other takes their place. Even with more complexity mingled from their human counterpart, a beast is still a simple creature and abstract thinking or even grasping the human tongue is oft not a skill. It is said that to kill a Lopara, they must in essence die twice or they will take their opponent with them.
- Injuries Make Poor Bedfellows.
Changing forms while injured is a game of russian roulette because where it is in one form, it may not be in the other. Wearing a collar, bracelet or ring will force them to stay in one form if the material is made of metal. This is as much to save their own lives and the lives of those healing that restraint of such a nature is necessary.
- Sensory Overload.
The Lopara who have been gifted with heightened senses due to their animal also can get overwhelmed. As children this over-stimulation results in tantrum like fits that end with something like narcolepsy. As adults while they have better control, their tempers can become short. The worse it gets, the more things deteriorate to the point where they might claw at the places that are getting assaulted. Eventually they pass out and very well could die if they are not taken to a place of low stimulus to recover. Depending on the range of damage they could even become blind in the senses that were attacked so severely.
- Whether we can weather.
Depending on their animal extreme conditions can bring its own problems. A seal-type might be perfectly fine at a beach, but can overheat faster than say a wolf in a desert. Some may be good in the heat, but grow colder faster, whereas some may not be great with heat yet good with deep cold. Temperate climates tend to be what they favor as it is more predictable.
- No Party For the Hungry.
They must have a diet that is mostly protein to keep their energy up to change forms. Shifting after a meal is preferable to changing on an empty stomach so it is not uncommon to see them snacking the whole day on dried meat strips. In more predictable environments they have massive meals for themselves heaped with meat or large bowls of meat based stew. Low energy results in sleepy lethargy, quick temper and an increased risk of transformation as their animal nature will seek to eat anything close at hand.
- A Bite Says a Thousand Words.
Because of the infectious nature in which the sorcery and the force were used to infuse and twist their predecessors, a life endangering bite can weaken the body enough that it can't fight off the magics. The sign of it taking root is confusion, hallucination, psychotic episodes and fever. Followed by incredible weakness and fits of consciousness till eventually it subsides leaving the host weak, but alive. They find themselves host to a new set of experiences along with feeling as if they are not alone in their skin. Within a few days of recovery however, if powerful enough emotion is triggered, the first change comes upon them. It is a painful harrowing experience that can kill the new Lopara by dissipating their bodies into minuscule and mushy fragments. The left behind puddle like splatter the only remnants that a Lopara could have been. Upon changing they are disoriented, confused and usually under assault from their other nature and the battle for control happens.
It is then upon either success or failure that they either right themselves to their original form or the animal takes control from that point forth. If they resume their human form they must learn to master their emotions and their new duality else their form will frequently change without warning. Those animal bound might only ever return to human form if the animal was knocked unconscious, startled badly enough or even injured badly enough. Only those who find balance find themselves freely sharing their respective skins to their soul-bound counterpart.
- Litters of Kittens.
Female Lopara have the strong urge to change to their animal forms a few weeks before they give birth. The urge to find a safe den for their offspring can often drive Lopara women mad, especially if they cannot shift. To this end a clan might build within their home an area that is safe to den in to help make sure they are close to home in case trouble arises. The shift of forms also means easier feeding of multiple offspring. Those offspring change to their human forms about the time they start walking in their human forms, but because of the age span that animals have they end up being almost two years old in growth. They then fumble around changing forms at random eventually mastering it by the time puberty hits, though flares of emotion can trigger changing.
CULTURE - Diet: Omnivorous, to mostly carnivorous
- Communication: As human they follow the galactic standard or whatever language they grew up with. As animals they speak telepathically or through vocalizations and with their bodies.
- Technology level: Galactic Standard
- Religion/Beliefs: No specific religion, tends to be a matter of personal or familial choice and how one is raised.
- General behavior: The general philosophy for the Lopar is adapt and blend in. For a race of experiments to do otherwise invites a chance for those that might seek to kill them to do so. Above all they generally do not seek to stand out in any way. They can come from all walks of life, be in any position of government, military and all other structures. They just keep their dual nature secret. Most choose to wander the galaxy doing jobs that allow them to pick up and leave at will. Those that wander generally don't form groups, unless its parent and offspring. Males will raise their male offspring and females will keep their female offspring. Once the children are grown, they might choose to disperse and repeat the cycle. Those that do settle somewhere choose a more natural environment away from the noise of heavily populated areas. It is then that they establish clans and any wandering clansman will send their offspring back home to be raised by their clan instead of wandering with them. They are a peaceful enough people like the rest of the galaxy, they only push back if what they consider theirs is threatened.
The Lopar Aiolous were so named after their first and only volunteer test subject. The scientist Gene Marks was fascinated with the force and the beings with transformative abilities and sought a method that would allow others to be bestowed such abilities. The first subject did not survive the torturous experiment and so Marks had to find another means to generate subjects for tests. Criminals, slaves, outcasts, anyone who would not be missed were gathered along with the races with the genetic traits and suitable animals.
For five years Marks labored and killed dozens upon dozens in his quest for success. Military were interested for intelligent animals might blend in and so received funding from a number of different places, rumor even has it the Sith of the time were interested as well. The participation of an unknown force user however turned the tide on the experiment and once a Gurlanin was captured his dna was used to replicate offspring with hopes those children would not be limited to just a canine form. Most of the resultant children did not survive past their first year, but four did who had the desired traits. From there it was a matter of further breeding and testing to create more variety for cloning.
About the time they had about one hundred specially trained individuals, the funding dried up. A cheaper, faster and productive method was found. Marks, who allowed his subjects enclosures out in the wild outside the lab had the thought that one day he might return to finish. So, he unlocked the enclosures, packed things up and left them behind, like unwanted pets left at the roadside. At first there was confusion, but then they started to establish bigger territories, make allies and form the basis of a hierarchy, often fighting till eventually things settled.
For about fifteen years the Lopar settled and thrived, till it was discovered that they didn't simply die out. Teams were sent in to slaughter this outcropping of mutants, but they ultimately failed. The Lopar staged the means to escape their world sized petry dish, the adults dressed as the masked soldiers, blending in and smuggling out their offspring. From there they scattered, moving constantly and creating hidden clans, they slowly became part of the galaxy as a whole.
Marks himself never saw his experiments again, dying in the war against the Republic and Empire on one of their massive planet destroying bases. His only legacy lay in a people who take the form of animals.
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