Ronite
The ronites are a group of (predominantly) four species, only one, the greys, were naturally evolved on the planet Xara’an, being the 5th planet of the Elkowan System, two are probably provolves, and the fourth, the yidi, a neogen created over 60,000 years ago. Although they come in four varieties, the xorg are by far the most numerous and are what other sophonts picture, when they think of them. The ronites go by so many names, but the most common are the nighters, the darks, or a bit less politely, the roaches. The name ronite, is itself, a contraction of orgleronian, a name given to them by humans, when it was supposed that they originated in the Orgleron System.
Ronites have the senses of touch, taste, smell and hearing, but they do not see like humans do. They have magnetoreception, which means they see light in the form of magnetic fields as well as all other sources. As much solid matter is permeable to magnetic fields, the world looks translucent to them. The magnetoreception organ is a cross- shaped structure inside their skull: their lack of eyes make them appear somewhat unsettling to humans.
Ronites thus don’t pick up on so many physical cues as humans do in recognising their friends, they recognise each other’s so-called glow, and can understand their mood in the same way as humans see various non-verbal cues.
Ronites appear truly alien, although they have a bipedal and bilateral symmetry, like humans, that is pretty much where any similarity ends. In terms of terran biological kingdoms, ronites bear the most similarity to fungi, but this belies their appearance. Most ronites are black and all lack an all-encompassing skin or carapace, rather they have a silicate exoskeleton, through which muscles and tendons operate.
The head and thorax are the only parts that are encased. This unusual arrangement is common to the order crypto-skeleta of Xara'an. These differ from all other fauna on Xara’an by having a carapace that has been partially internalised as a skeleton. The articulated and thorny look, combined with being black in colour is part of the reason the roach name stuck. The vast changes made to Xara’an’s biosphere have confused the palaeontological record, however, it is well understood that the yidi are a neogen, and there is some evidence that the xorg and the smalleon’s are provolves, leaving the grey as possibly the only naturally evolved form.
Grey Ronite
The grey are the oldest of the extant orgleronian (ronite) races and are now quite rare. Their name comes from partly the fact that they are more grey in colour than black, but also the fact that they bear an uncanny resemblance to the greys of UFO fame.
Being the oldest of the ronites, greys are native to the Elkowan System. The greys were the rulers of the First Eukhalion until the emancipation, some 200,000 years ago, when the xorg and the smalleons rose up and overthrew them.
Greys have all the crypto-skeletal appearances of their robust cousins, but differ markedly in size, are fully upright and lack a tail. Their elongated heads look over-sized for their bodies, which appear rather frail, and they do not have the extra articulation in the legs for running. Greys also differ in diet in that they are vegetarian.
The greys have the strongest psionic ability amongst the ronites, and have the strongest psionic ability amongst the ronites.
Greys are too few in number to form any large societies and typically live in small communities of a few dozen individuals, or they are integrated as enclaves in one of the larger xorg eukhalions.
Category: mod-gen (Orgleronus sapiens gracilis)
Aspects: Biochem-Ammonia, Biology-Ronite, Tech-Ronite, Tech-Modern
Senses: 20|1(magnetosense), 1(olfactorsense), 1(audiosense)
Traits (resource): small|3(size), 1(hardness), 3(HX), 2(EX), 2(FX), 1.2(height), 40(weight), 0.5(reach)
Traits (physical): 8(speed), stock(walk), quarter(crawl,climb,swim), hardiness, vuln(radiation, poison)
Traits (defensive): 2(resist,cold)
Traits (personality): Calm, Deliberate, Pessimist, Reliable, Any alignment
Skills (bonus): +3(Health, Energy, Focus), +3(Perception, Society), +2(Insight, Investigate, Persuade), +1(Stealth, Antiquities, Science, Deceive Perform, Survival, Cbt-Tactical), +2(Cybernetics, Genetics, Machinery, Materials, Medicine, Munitions, Neuronetics, Robotics), +2(Telepathy)
Age: 60 years at start, 400 years lifespan
Languages: speak, read, and write the language from enclave
Natural weapons: Fist (main-action, bonus-action) 1d2(hp,frc), -6(Str,min)
Smalleon
From their earliest days back on Xara'an to the present day, throughout the orgleronian diaspora, the smalleons have played in the margins of society, never taking centre stage. This reflects their disposition cautious, patient, adaptable, prone to lightning quick action, when the moment arises. The smalleons maintain various secret societies and networks throughout their host societies. This was true during the first Eukhalia, when the xorg used the smalleon networks to get information around and plan insurgencies against their grey rulers. It is true in the third Eukhalia, throughout Xeran and Xanna alike, and its true throughout the various human nations and freen collectives.
Of all ronites, smalleons bear the most resemblance to the xorg, but are much smaller and slightly leaner. This reflects their own disposition away from raw power to speed and ambush. Their heads are more elongated, but also have the oversized mouthparts suiting their carnivorous diet.
Category: provolve (Orgleronus sapiens smallensis)
Aspects: Biochem-Ammonia, Biology-Ronite, Tech-Ronite, Tech-Modern
Senses: 30|1(magnetosense), 1(olfactorsense), 1(audiosense)
Traits (resource): medium|4(size), 1(hardness), 4(HX), 2(EX), 2(FX), 1.7(height), 80(weight), 1(reach)
Traits (defensive): 2(resist,prc), 4(resist,sls), 2(resist,cold)
Traits (physical): 12(speed), stock(walk), quarter(crawl,climb,swim), hardiness, vuln(radiation, poison)
Traits (personality): Paranoid, Secretive, Spontaneous, Any alignment
Skills (bonus): +3(Health,Energy,Focus), +4(Perception), +3(Agility, Society), +2(Insight, Investigate, Stealth), +1(Strength, Deceive, Survival, Cbt-Melee, Cbt-Ranged, Cbt-Tactical)
Age: 50 years at start, 200 years lifespan
Languages: speak, read, and write the language from enclave, and language from xorg clan and eukhalion
Natural weapons: Fist (main-action, bonus-action) 1d2(hp,frc), -6(Str,min)
Xorg
Category: provolve (Orgleronus sapiens robustus)
Aspects: Biochem-Ammonia, Biology-Ronite, Tech-Ronite, Tech-Modern
Senses: 20|1(magnetosense), 1(olfactorsense), 1(audiosense)
Traits (resource): large|5(size), 1(hardness), 5(HX), 2(EX), 2(FX), 1.7(height), 80(weight), 1(reach)
Traits (defensive): 2(resist,prc), 4(resist,sls), 2(resist,cold)
Traits (physical): 15(speed), stock(walk), quarter(crawl,climb,swim), hardiness, vuln(radiation, poison)
Traits (personality): Paranoid, Secretive, Spontaneous, Any alignment
Skills (bonus): +3(Health,Energy,Focus), +4(Perception), +3(Agility, Society), +2(Insight, Investigate, Stealth), +1(Strength, Deceive, Survival, Cbt-Melee, Cbt-Ranged, Cbt-Tactical)
Age: 50 years at start, 200 years lifespan
Languages: speak, read, and write the language from enclave, and language from xorg clan and eukhalion
Natural weapons: Fist (main-action, bonus-action) 1d2(hp,frc), -6(Str,min)
Yidi
Category: neogen (Orgleronus sapiens smallensis)
Aspects: Biochem-Ammonia, Biology-Ronite, Tech-Ronite, Tech-Modern
Senses: 20(magnetosense), 1(olfactorsense), 1(audiosense)
Traits (resource): medium|4(size), 1(hardness), 4(HX), 2(EX), 2(FX), 1.7(height), 80(weight), 1(reach)
Traits (defensive): 1(resist,frc), 1(resist,prc), 1(resist,sls), 2(resist,heat), 1(resist,corr), 1(resist,psn), 1(resist,rad)
Traits (physical): 10(speed), stock(walk), quarter(crawl,climb,swim), drought, vuln(radiation, poison)
Traits (personality): Paranoid, Secretive, Spontaneous, Any alignment
Skills (bonus): +3(Health,Energy,Focus), +4(Perception), +3(Agility, Society), +2(Insight, Investigate, Stealth), +1(Strength, Deceive, Survival, Cbt-Melee, Cbt-Ranged, Cbt-Tactical)
Age: 60 years at start, 400 years lifespan
Languages: speak, read, and write the language from enclave, and language from xorg clan and eukhalion
Natural weapons: Fist (main-action, bonus-action) 1d2(hp,frc), -6(Str,min)