Work In Progress MM4

[Darth Moskvin]

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

• Intent: To Create A New Species
• Image Credit: XX
• Canon: N/A
• Permissions: N/A
• Links: N/A

GENERAL INFORMATION

• Name: Nepharas
• Designation: Non-Sentient
• Origins: Unknown Regions
• Average Lifespan: Ten Years
• Estimated Population: Inter-Planetary
• Description: A quick glance, and the Nepharas scream nightmare. They are a tall and lengthy predatorial species, who crave flesh; living or dead. They have blood-red eyes, while the top of their carapace has two arms that stroll down into two massive sickle-like claws and ten legs on the bottom front; whilst they have twelve more legs that run from just a bit from the middle of their stomach to the back end of their carapace. They have a tail at the end, that has two vine-like antennas attached at either end. They have a gaping maw that is filled with sharp, razor teeth designed to rip through flesh.

PHYSICAL INFORMATION

• Breathes: Type I, Type II
• Average Height of Adults: 2.5 meters (8 feet) - Males, 2 meters (7 feet) - Females
• Average Length of Adults: 4.5 meters (15 feet) - Males, 4 meters (13 feet) - Females
• Skin color: Grey with patches of ebony
• Hair color: Black with red streaks
• Distinctions:

1. Males: The male species tend to be taller and have a lengthier body than their female counterparts. The hair atop their head is much longer and the red streaks brighter; the latter for attracting the ultimate mate, the Queen. The male Nepharas are much more aggressive in nature than the females.
2. Females: The skin on the females are a darker shade of grey, while the ebony patches are darker. The red eyes of the female shine brighter, whilst their teeth are longer than the males.

• Races: N/A
• Force Sensitivity: No

Strengths:

• Night Vision: The Nepharas are a nocturnal species, and as such they possess a natural night-vision sight. The spectrum in which they can see is similar to walking into a heavily lit room; making their sight as if one was standing in the light of day.
• Speed: Nepharas are extremely fast, utilizing all their limbs to their advantage. They have been clocked running up to a speed of eighty kilometers (fifty mph).
• Advent Climbers: Utilizing the two massive claws and their clawed feet and other appendages; the Nepharas are amazing climbers.
• Strength in Numbers: The Nephara live in hives, and as such, when they attack or hunt, they do so in overwhelming numbers. They will attack relentlessly, sacrificing themselves to get to their ultimate goal. However, it has been observed to see them in solitary fashion; but it's safe to remind observers that other Nepharas are usually skulking by.
• Acidic Saliva: There are several glands in their maws that produce a highly acidic solution that is in line with Fluroantimonic Acid, thus making their saliva highly corrosive that can eat or breakdown away almost all known materials (steel, plastic, nylon, etc.).

Weaknesses:

• Hive Mind: The Queen, if one suspects one exists, controls and dominates the minds of each Nephara. Once a Nephara is brought under the spell of the Queen, her commands override their own personal senses; essentially turning them into a zombie-like creature that no longer is in control of themselves. Each Nephara will continue to do the Queen's bidding until succession or death.
• Daylight / Bright Lights: Though the ultraviolet rays, artificial or natural, has no direct physical harm to them; it does however compromise their vision. Because they are nocturnal, they have night-vision that allows them to see perfectly in the dark. Under bright lights or daylight sunbeams, they are absolutely blind in the light.
• Carapace: Thier carapace is not as hard as other species with the same physical make-up. Thier carapace is soft and flexible, allowing them for the speed in which they run and their ability to climb with utter efficiency. However, with such a soft carapace, they are vulnerable to damage from weapons (mele and ranged) and other tools, devices, or high falls that can destroy their carapace bodies; thus, killing them.

CULTURE

• Diet: Carnivore
• Communication: They communicate through a series of clicks from their mouth (teeth)
• Technology level: N/A
• Religion/Beliefs: N/A
• General behavior:

1. Hive Mind / Life: Though it has never been confirmed, for it would be foolish for anyone to traverse into one of their hives, but it is believed based on other hive-minded species there is a Queen that maintains the order of the hived Nepharas. As such, the Queen controls the minions that inhabit the hive; and each hive separate from another has its own monarch to rule over them.
2. New Generations: If such a Queen exists, and there is high proof that one does since it's been documented that the females are practically baren, that only the Queen can lay new eggs, and a new egg for a future Queen, through procreation with the males. And when newly formed eggs are created, it's the females that guard them and, upon hatching, tend to their growth.
3. Nocturnal: Though the light has no effect on them outside making their vision near obsolete, the species is completely nocturnal; hunting and active only in the dark hours of the day.
4. Pack Hunters: To call them pack hunters is a gross miscalculation, more like a swarm of hunters. The Nepharas move in a way that is similar to a swarm, overpowering their prey or targets with sheer numbers.

HISTORICAL INFORMATION

It is unsure in the Unknown Regions where the origins, or planet, the Nepharas came from. The species is spread-out through several planets in the Unknown regions. There are some planets where they are the dominating and fearsome apex predator, answering to no other creature, feasting on those they desire. While on other planets, despite their swarm mentality, they are fodder for other more dominating species. Regardless of what planet they are on, the Nepharas are a threat and a danger to all who come in contact with them.

The first discovery of the Nepharas species was on the planet Durace in 668 BBY, by a mining outfit hired to negotiate the landscape of the planet in search of rich resources. The planet, environmentally hostile already, made the expedition difficult, forcing the group to make camp. It is unclear what happened, as the only survivor of the twenty-man mining exploration team was nothing more than a babbling fool, who could only speak of monsters. Later, a journal was discovered among the ruined campsite, and inside the journal were entries supporting the crazed man's testimonies. Weeks later, the Nepharas began to be seen more often at night, and the areas where they were located were deemed hazardous and dangerous.

In the year 625 BBY on the planets of Rhand and Thearterra, on two seperate occassions, the species Nepharas were discovered; on Rhand by space pirates and on Thearterra by Chiss scientists, the latter giving the species the name Nepharas. In the years 597 BBY and 456 BBY, the species was discovered to inhabit the planets of Zakuul and Cattamascar. By the year 67 BBY, the species now lived on the planets of Odessen, Giaca, and Batuu. It is unclear how the species, with no knowledge of space travel, ended up on eight different planets in the Unknown Regions. There are many theories and speculations surrounding the mystery.

One theory, and though it doesn't hold much merit in the scientific and zoology circles, is that during the time before the Unknown Regions were being settled, before the Chiss held dominance at one time, there was by certain accounts a collector of rare and odd artifacts and such by the name of Johyn Lokey that traveled in the Unknkown Regions. According to pages in his journal, he and his entourage stumbled upon a species that was unlike any other seen before. Within these pages, he mentions, and to those that have studied the Nepharas species both living and dead find it difficult to accept, that he captured several eggs from different locations, what these locations exactly where only can be described as hives by those that have studied the species.

It is unclear, if the journal holds any truth to what is written, that Johyn Lokey and his group travelled to several different planets, though it fails to mention or give an explanation to 1. what became of the eggs and 2. if the eggs somehow were separated on several different planets, then what infected Johyn Lokey to commit such an act. Both explanations potentially contradict themselves, but nobody knows what became of these mysterious eggs for the exception of Johyn Lokey and his group. It is documented that the remains of a ship were discovered on the planet of Giaca in the year 34 BBY, and within inside were several human skeletons beyond any attempts of identification. Even the name of the ship, Holister, could not be found on any manifests. Whatever was written in that journal has led some to believe that it was just one eccentric man with too many credits to his name trying to swindle the history of the galaxy. However, that still offers no explanation how the species wound up on eight different planets.

Today, the species is constantly being studied, and yet there are even questions, or mysteries, surrounding the species today. Because the species is so dangerous, there is little that can be studied regarding what lives in the hives, such as a Queen, or what hive life is down there for the Nepharas; most of the studies in the wild are conducted from a safe observation post. Most zoologists and other scientists that have worked with the species all agree they are a hive-minded species, but what controls them collectively is unsure.