Quermian
Species: Quermian
Home Planet: Quermia
Quermian
Quermians were a species from the planet Quermia. The notably bizarre-looking Quermians evolved on world of dense vegetation and dangerous land predators; their long necks evolved so that their grazing ancestors could peer over low-lying vegetation mats to scan for predators while the herds fed. Quermians have no nostrils, instead breathing exclusively through their mouths and using their sense of smell via olfactory organs in their four hands. Quermians are aware of their discocertin appearance, and when traveling among the myriad species of the galaxy, they generally adopt robes under which they can conceal their second set of arms... but other than that, Quermians generally remain nude except for a large cannom collar. The Quermian species apparently had a very large genetic ancestor, because the Quermains still retain an unusual trait handed down from this evolutionary forebear: like large creatures on many worlds, the Quermians still have one brain in their heads, and a second one located in the torso. These two brains work in unison, and provide a slight edge over many species intellectually, although this edge is not as pronounced as it is in true binary-brain species like the Cereans.
Biology & Appearance:
They had long necks for peering over vegetation mats, bulbous heads with a permanently bemused smile, and two sets of spindly arms. Usually, Quermians kept one set of arms hidden. They also had two brains, one located in the chest cavity. Their two brains could cause mental problems when each brain developed a different personality. Possessing no noses, the olfactory glands of this species were found in the hands. Quermians were dedicated to complex philosophical ideas, and many of the galaxy's most prominent diplomats were found among their ranks.
It was widely believed among xenobiologists that Quermians had the ability to communicate telepathically with members of their own species. Their claim was justified by unusual brain activity in Quermians, initially believed to be a result of their genetic manipulation, though it was postulated that it was in fact a natural trait the Xexto would also pick up in time. The Quermians held that their keen ability to read one another's body language was mistaken for telepathy by observers.
History:
Quermians were distantly related to the Xexto, having been genetically modified by Arkanian geneticists around 17,000 BBY. The Arkanians ultimately abandoned their work, fearing legal repercussions, allowing the Quermians to evolve on their own. These two species rediscovered one another when both joined the Galactic Republic, though the Xexto initially denied any genetic link with the Quermians. Even after the connection was proven, Xexto held only grudging respect for Quermians, seeing them as a lower species. Fortunately for the Quermians, this attitude generally changed for the better when members of both species worked alongside one another after joining the New Republic. By this time, the Quermians were known to be technologically advanced.
A Quermian colony was established on the moon Ploo II, after a small group migrated from Quermia. The famed Quermian professor Murk Lundi hailed from this colony.
Due to their latent telepathy, many Quermians became Jedi in the Galactic Republic. Some of the most notable were Loo Raelo, Kindee Ya, Vinian Ska and the High Councilor Yarael Poof. During the time of the Galactic Empire, these natural traits saw Quermians persecuted, forcing many to adopt a life of solitude on Quermia. With the fall of the Empire and the unification of the galaxy during the Yuuzhan Vong War, this isolation came to an end, and saw many Quermians rejoining galactic society.
One individual represented Quermia in the New Republic Senate.
Average Quermian: Dexterity 2D+1, Knowledge 2D, Mechanical 2D+1, Perception 2D, Strength 1D, Technical 2D+1.
Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY: 2D/5D
KNOWLEDGE: 2D/5D
MECHANICAL: 1D/4D
PERCEPTION: 2D/4D+2
STRENGTH: 1D/3D+2
TECHNICAL: 1D/4D
Special Abilities:
Four arms: Quermians have four fully-functional arms with working hands on all of them.Multi-limbed Movement. In moments of physical danger, Quermians can add 2 to their Move rating by
running on all six limbs.Skill bonus. Quermians gain 2D for each 1D spent in the following skills during character creation: Hide, Survival, and Climbing.
Story Factors:
Strange Appearance: Many humanoid races find Quermians eerily disconcerting due to their height and unusual physical construction.
Olfactory Organs: The Quermian sense of smell originates in the fingers, and Quermians often wriggle their fingers in the air when processing smells.
Move: 11/14
Size: up to 3.1 meters tall
Source: Wookieepedia (For the Quermian Description)