POSTED ON HARTE'S BEHALF, GIVEN PERMISSION Igrians "Impish and hardy humanoid corporatist miners with a harsh, utilitarian outlook on life." Snapshot: The Igrian species, native to the planet Igris of a distant system in the outer-Fringe, is a race of short, resilient, stubborn, and impish humanoids. Despite their smaller stature in comparison to most humanoids, they are quite dense, both literally and metaphorically. Igrians possess a particularly strong bone structure and dense muscles, giving them strong bodies suitable to their worker culture. Though naturally strong, Igrians are anything but agile, as a result of their weight, which can be heavier than the average Human due to their dense muscle and bone structures. Igrian technology is primitive in comparison to advanced Civilian Space tech. The majority of it is scavenged or cannibalized technology belonging to other civilizations, and the technology Igrians manufacture themselves focuses on durability and practicality over versatility. Igrians possess little artistic vision, preferring to emphasize aesthetics very little in regards to their technologies. Igrian-manufactured tech is very durable, and generally very heavy. This extends even to their starships, which move slowly in comparison to other civilizations' transports, though Igrian vessels possess a durability which allows them to endure many of the physical threats of space travel. Igrian culture is very business-like and bureaucratic, with colonies' main source of profit coming from exporting ores and metals mined from the depths of their core world and colonized planets. They're universally friendly unless engaged in a business dealing or trade agreement, at which point their goals center on their personal profit. As a result of Igrian settlements being individual and generally separated from one another, most are operated independently, with colonies acting as mining operations which accumulate and distribute material at a profit. The business-like nature of Igrian culture has lead to the incursion of several criminal families, who operate outside the public eye in order to attain wealth through illicit methods- stealing materials and tools, controlling the distribution and trade of the drills and machinery necessary for Igrian mining, and choosing who is sold Igrian materials.
Igrian History Igrian Origins: The Igrians were initially surface-dwelling humanoids, shorter than average humans with similar appearances based on region, but from the earliest recorded times that families and groups were established, they would be united under the rule of one determined "toughest" of the Igrians. A custom now lost to time would be performed to determine the Igrian groups' general ruler, consisting of climbing the planet's highest mountains to demonstrate survival skill and resilience. Those that survived the climb and return were deemed to have the greatest skill to keep families alive in the unforgiving mountains of Igris' arid landscape. As time passed and Igris' people became leagues more intelligent, the people of Igris established several surface cities, and began developing into the creatures one would be familiar with in some material trade circles. The Igrian populations' culture evolved as time progressed, with new leaders born into a monarchical system where the eldest of the Igrians' past leader's blood, no matter the relation, would act as leader of the population in the city where they resided. This monarchical system brought about untold internal conflict between family members and their followers, and began to forge the state of modern Igrian government; or lack thereof. Very quickly, the Igrians discovered their talent for tunneling: They had thick, rough skin and strong muscles as a result of many generations of straining mountainous journeys. This talent allowed them to create or uncover massive cave systems beneath their surface cities, and their mining expertise quickly made the Igrian people noteworthy spelunkers. Many even began to favor underground settlements as the dust storms and unforgiving surface weather of the Igrian homeworld led the population to favor cooler cavernous systems. Over time, the majority of Igrians moved into mass cavernous cities, with a very select few staying on the surface as farmers and hunters. Technological development continued on it's course, and over a long period the Igrians managed to build their way to a mass underground industrial revolution. Several large metal columns sprouted from the surface of Igris over time, as more and more machines were built requiring exhaust disposal methods as well as ventilation. The Igrians' technological development severely slowed after their industrial revolution, and their appearance changed drastically from what they once looked like as surface dwellers. In the darkness, and while exposed to the many different minerals and materials they worked with, their skin changed to a dark red or maroon color, and Igrian hair is almost universally black. Surface Igrians, though at a barely noticeable population, generally retained their original appearance: Tan skin and light blonde-brown or black hair. The Igrians' Advancement: Eventually, nearly having exhausted the majority of Igris's natural mineral and fuel deposits while food supply dwindles along with them, the Igrians' progress would gravitate to the stars, and they found themselves seeking to colonize their neighboring worlds as theirs remained an overpopulated husk, devoid of most materials and value. Several Human traders and explorers escaping the law by fleeing to the early pre-war Fringe approached the Igrians, who eventually managed to barter large amounts of gold, silver, and Ferozium material to gain the necessary parts and technology which would be cannibalized to build interstellar traveling vessels of their own. Despite the language barrier, many Igrians persisted and would go on to learn Galactic Common. The Humans who had become the Igrians' favorite traders and allies taught them much about their homeworld, it's history, and it's government. These teachings and knowledge shared would eventually cultivate the Igrians' modern culture. After shifting from surface mountain dwellers to cavern-loving spelunkers, the Igrians eventually found themselves taking to the stars, and new planets. The newly obtained knowledge of space travel caused a massive growth in the Igrian population as well as their wealth and influence influence, with mass mining operations on other planets bringing in untold amounts of wealth to their respective colonies. Archaic customs were quickly forgotten in the storm of gold and affluence that fell into the pockets of the people of Igris. Igrian political influence would quickly became a mere question of wealth and cities would be cut off from each other, effectively ruled over by those who funded mining operations. The authority of Igrian culture works in a bureaucratic hierarchy. Whenever the highest level of the Igrian cultural bureaucracy isn't available to take charge or refuses to, one refers to the next level down. (Drill Supplier holds influence) Operation Chairman V Mine Boss V (Often connected to the Underground) Drill Supplier V Drill Operator V Worker The bureaucratic hierarchy of rule resulted in several internal conflicts, as well as workers attempting rebellion against the less considerate mine bosses. Drill suppliers came into shadier dealings, and large Igrian 'families' quickly formed groups dealing in stolen or malfunctioning drills, even going so far as to refuse to supply a Chairman with replacement drills or fuel if ore is being sold to organizations or businesses in conflict with the family's interests. The working population refer to these criminal trade groups as "The Underground". Generally aligning business decisions and illicit activity with Igrian interests or self-interest, Underground have effectively come to be known as a group of crime families. Currently, though relatively peaceful outside of business conflicts, the Underground have come to be the decision-makers in Igris' business-based, bureaucratic society, effectively using the Chairmen of mining operations as puppets to control the entirety of Igrian colonial economy and politics. No one makes a final decision in an Igrian trade agreement without first consulting with The Underground or their interests. Despite the business-based lifestyle of the majority of Igris' population, Igrians don't have a unified government: Each colony functions similarly to a business or trade organization, run by the operation's Chairman and whichever Underground family has the strongest or most ties to the colony in question. The closest an Igrian can get to rising in authoritative power in a colony is to accumulate wealth, in order to eventually indirectly take control of the colony through illicit means. To take a colony from the Underground, one has to cut the ties of the family in power, or give those who deal with the family enough reason to deal with a new 'business' entity. In summary: Igrians, once a mountain-dwelling society native to the outer Fringe, quickly discovered their talents for excavation during the early days of the species' civilization. Over time, almost the entirety of the species moved underground, leaving a select few surface Igrians to fend for themselves on the surface of Igris. The Igrians bartered for space traveling technology from Human political refugees and eventually took to the stars, where their influence grew due to the colonization of several neighboring planets with rich deposits of ore. Archaic political systems were left behind, and the Chairmen of mining operations started to garner influence over the now-bureaucratic nature of Igrian politics, having the greatest impact financially. However, the leadership of ore-production Chairmen was short-lived. The Underground, a group of criminal families which supplied drills to the miner operations, began to exert control over Igrian colonization and operations as a result of their grip on drill supply. With control over the livelihood of the majority of the Igrian population, the Underground also maintain control of Igrian colony relations, with Chairmen acting as puppets for their form of illicit leadership. Igrian Culture and Tech: In their earliest recorded years, the Igrians were a race of hunters and farmers, who lived in the numerous desert regions of their homeworld, which was primarily arid wasteland, dotted with the occasional oasis, or even more rarely, lakes. Their early culture hinged mainly on the act of climbing the rocky faces of mountains to test the strength and survival skill individuals, serving as both a rite of passage and measure of power. Over time, however, as cities formed and the Igrian population came to be less nomadic in nature, the race would forget such ideals and instead favored the aggregation of wealth through excavation and trade. Gemstones, in particular, are sought after by most native Igrians. The nigh-extinct Igrian of the surface is less partial to such things, and instead chooses to maintain a simpler life of farming or hunting to survive, while occasionally selling products and supplies to miner Igrians. Life inside an Igrian subterranean city consists primarily of sleeping, eating, or working a shift inside the mines or operating machinery, with the occasional opportunity to travel or relax. Igrian cuisine is generally extremely simple, and a meal usually only requires three to four ingredients and a short amount of time to prepare. Unseasoned meats and the like are very common foods as they are cheaply produced and easily distributed. However, Igrians generally also love a lot of fast food, and are especially partial to cheap Human cuisine. Igrian furnishing and bedding, as well as most decorations, are simply built with metal material and sometimes draped or cushioned with cheap cloth, or finer products in the case of those who can afford them. Clothing worn or made by Igrians almost always looks a bit secondhand due to the amount of physical work they do, and consists of tough cloth with the occasional set of heavier gloves and heavy boots for working. Some Igrians are also known to use mesh material armor very similar to Human-made equipment when engaged in combat, as those who can afford it favor its lighter weight and flexibility in comparison to heavy power armor or plate. However, plated or otherwise heavy equipment is most widely favored when it is available due to the nature and cost of its production. Most Igrians aren't directly equipped for fighting during typical daily activity, but possess powerful weapons in the form of their own muscles, and the mining tools they nearly always carry on the job. Some Igrians will also wield heavy hammers or club-like weapons to fight with blunt force. Igrians very rarely use guns unless in a pinch, and only those with the necessary wealth can afford to wield high-quality firearms. Due to the majority of the Igrian populace working as miners or factory operators, very few can afford these luxuries. Igrians are generally not adapted to combating any foe who uses technology beyond that of a standard powder-based firearm, and their more powerful forms of 'armor' are actually heavy drilling suits built to withstand cave-ins. Igris's people are a hardy sort, and as such, many bear scars from wounds treated by Igris' basic medical technology. Igrian medicine is notoriously simple, quick, and cheaply performed, typically no more advanced than bandaging and suturing in the case of laceration. A common quick-fix to a broken limb consists of a splint, with these simplistic procedures ironically performed even by the more advanced automatic medical facilities cannibalized from more advanced CivSpace technology. Igrian medical tech generally stretches to basic auto-docs based on technology attributed to more technologically advanced societies, and little else. Despite their stature, Igrians are quite resilient to disease, but will succumb to any sickness threatening enough. They can also be affected by any given chemical weapons, if at a slower rate than more sensitive humanoid species due to the density of their muscular structure and durable nature of the Igrian body. Space travel technology used by Igrians is usually simple, even primitive in comparison to most widely used transport ships. An Igrian vessel is usually equipped with the following: Standard issue FTL drive (occasionally functional), heavily plated hull, standard issue teleporters, low-grade communication systems, and in the case of a prospector's ship, a set of heavy drilling or demolitions attachments. Their ships are lumbering, heavy, and famously slow, but can withstand moderate asteroid bombardment and some weaker forms of ship weaponry. Plasmic or more powerful armor-piercing conventional weaponry, however, can tear through an Igrian hull with ease. A modified Igrian prospector/drilling vessel. Igrians are extremely serious when it comes to completing any profitable business deal, and are willing to fight tooth and nail (Figuratively or literally) in order to hold up an agreement they want completed. They have a strong desire for gold and silver as materials, as well as potent alcohol. Gemstones are also extremely valued, and can often be often used to sway the thinking of the average Igrian. Bribery is a common practice among Igrians. The estimated number of Igrians in the galaxy is unknown as a result of their disorganization, but their population is certain to be easily in the hundreds of thousands within their colonized borders. The harshness of the Fringe has cut their numbers down over time, but their hardiness has allowed the strongest of them to persist. Igrian Biology: As with typical mammalian races, Igrians can be born either male or female. Igrians are born naturally through male and female pairs, and Igrian pregnancies last approximately eleven to twelve months. The extended time is generally assumed to be due to a modern Igrian's naturally dense bone structure, which takes longer to form than that of a Human. Additionally, Igrians have a rather uncommon form of blood chemistry, utilizing coboglobin as an alternative to hemoglobin. Because of this, their blood takes on a vivid orange color when oyxgenated in the arteries, and is entirely transparent when deoxygenated and passing through the veins. One unique trait imparted upon the Igrians as a result of this is their immunity to CO poisoning, as this protein cannot be destroyed in the same manner as hemoglobin is through exposure to it. One downside, however, is the increased requirement for cobalt intake relative to our own iron intake, as the compound does have a shorter lifespan before it is rendered incapable of acting as an oxygen carrier. Tunnel Igrians: The majority of the Igrian population. The average Tunnel Igrian is approximately four feet tall, with some rarer cases reporting Igrians can grow up to five feet . They are naturally quite muscular and densely built, having surprising weight for their height, and all possess red or maroon-colored skin. The majority of Tunnel Igrians also have black hair, though it's not unseen for Tunnel Igrians to have other hair colors. Male Igrians can also grow facial hair if they choose, though it is generally uncommon for an Igrian to let facial hair grow. As they age, their hair grays and eventually thins, much like Humans. Their skin is generally rough and thick, and each of their four digits on all four limbs are tipped with a well-rooted and durable nail evolved for digging or climbing, and can be used as weapons in a pinch. The ears of an Igrian are slightly pointed, usually crooked, and lacking lobes. They are also larger than an average Human's, and allow for more effective hearing to better suit their darkened subterranean homes. Igrian eyes are generally a pale yellow color with circular pupils. Igrians can see just as well in dim spaces as they can in a well-lit one, but aren't capable of seeing in pitch blackness. They are also easily blinded by bright lights, as most are not accustomed to living outside of subterranean homes. The average Tunnel Igrian has a rather dense bone structure thanks to the reliance on strength and durability their culture has fostered over time. Their bones are thick, quite solid, and much harder to break than that of most humanoids. One particularly powerful musculo-skeletal system in tunneler Igrians are their powerful set of jaws and teeth. Evolved to be able to reliably chew up the dense roots and tough meat and shells of cave-dwelling creatures that became a staple of subterranean Igrian diets, Igrians possess a powerful bite, able to exert around seven-hundred pounds of force, fourteen-hundred at usual max exertions in flight-or-flight scenarios, compared to the average 171 pounds of a human. The term "Dense" can be almost ubiquitously applied to Igrians, as they are thick-skulled quite literally and metaphorically. An example of male and female Tunneler Igrians. Surface Igrians: Although the population of surface Igrians is incredibly meager compared to the amount of their underground-loving cousins, surface Igrians have been able to find a niche in the establishment of agricultural colonies on Class III and Gaia worlds, where they have been able to use the generations-old techniques of farming and animal husbandry that allowed them to tame the unforgiving landscape of their homeworld to turn great profit and sustain a good lifestyle in the much friendlier soil of these hospitable worlds. Compared to tunnelers, surface Igrians are marginally taller, ranging from 4'7" to 5'6", though still stockier than most species due to the intense gravity of the world they evolved on. Compared to the dark-red hues of tunneler Igrian skin, surface Igrians are swarthy, resembling humans of Middle-Easterner descent to an extent. Ears are still pointed, though not as long as their underground cousins, and are rather sensitive, able to pick out the faint sounds of unwelcome pests rummaging through their crops. Hair are darker colors, and naturally run the gamut of deep walnuts to black. Eye colors have evolved from dark brown hues to ranges of yellows due to breeding between Tunneler and Surface populations, though rarely "old" eye colors re-emerge through genetic chance. A portrait of a female surface Igrian farmer, dressed in traditional clothing.
