Posted by Captain Sam Pennington (Gamemaster Director/ Full Gamemaster) in Species Submission: Lyd Vis

Posted by Abigail G in Species Submission: Lyd Vis

Posted by Robert Archer in Species Submission: Lyd Vis
[snip]

STANDARD NAME OF SPECIES (SCIENTIFIC NAME) Lyd Vis (Pythonomorpha Anthro)
DATE: 2/28/2022
AUTHOR: Abigail G (Fox Tarts)
TYPE: Species
HOMEWORLD: Istrosie
HEIGHT (Hind legs to top of head): 1.6M - 2.0M (5.2’-6.5’)
LENGTH (Top of head to tip of tail): 3.2M - 4.0M (10.4’-13.1’)
WEIGHT: 54.5kg - 81.8 (120lbs-180lbs)
LIFESPAN: 90 - 110 Standard Earth Years
STARFLEET: [ Common | Infrequent | Rare | Never ] (How likely one is to find this species in Starfleet. Non-UFP member races should never be more common than “Rare”, hostile powers should be “Never”.)
CLASSIFICATION: [Canon | Non-Canon | Custom ]

=== As you I think noted in a reply if there is a draft 2 or revisions for final posting make sure the template stuff above is cut out and only the info and its answer remains, so like for example Classification: Custom, etc etc

Sources: None

OVERVIEW --------
Physiology: The Lyd Vis evolved from their reptilian ancestors into the multi-limbed, semi-anthropomorphic, feathered and scaled form they wear today. Serpentine of body with humanoid chest, shoulders, neck, and head. They boast two sets of humanoid arms, the second set roughly a foot and a half below the first set at the shoulders, that end in four-fingered hands. Their fingers have short, but sharp claws. Their hind legs are shorter than the arms but larger, more muscular, and animal-like. Beyond the hind legs is the tail.

=== So a correction/suggestion for the first sentence, in the part where it says ‘scaled form they wear today’, I think it should read ‘scaled form they evolved into by the present day’

Thank you, I was struggling with a better way to word that but came up blank!

=== Another observation, just for the sake of consistency, in the top part of the submission you use primarily first metric system followed by the US system, while just above here for the measurements of the body parts you us just the US system. It’s not a big deal to me but just something to consider maybe either use one or the other? Especially for in the stuff below overview (I do like having both in the info at the top for any world readers!)

=== One last suggestion in the second to last sentence you say ‘more muscular, annd animal-like’, based on the beginning of this paragraph you say they were evolved from reptilian, maybe change the ‘animal-like’ part to ‘reptilian-like’ ? Just a thought

That sounds good to me.

There is little to no sexual dimorphism between males and females. The Lyd Vis are capable of sequential hermaphroditism, meaning they can naturally transition between genders. They are an egg-laying species and the average Lyd Vis can produce up to three eggs within their lifetime. When a Lyd Vis (male or female) reaches physical maturity they often lay several small and sterile eggs.

=== Not a problem really but reading the above makes me chuckle as it reminds me of the first Jurassic Park movie ‘life finding a way’ when all the dinos are female :D

Lyd Vis employs lateral undulation and rectilinear locomotion as their primary means of movement. Their hind legs are capable of pulling a Lyd Vis forward but are utilized more for balance, stabilization, and defense. Mostly muscle, their tails can grip or constrict. Lyd Vis are excellent climbers and can use their tails to secure themselves to any perch that can bear their weight.

They have both scales and feathers. Long feathers similar to strands of hair adorn the crowns of their heads and trail down to the tops of their shoulders and arms and down their backs all the way to the tip of their tails. These feathers are bright and colorful. The patterns and colors are unique to each Lyd Vis, much like the thumbprint of a human. Everywhere else they are scaled. Scale colors are monochromatic and muted but comprise the same chromatic scale as their feathers. Fine scales adorn their face, neck, and arms. The largest scales trail down their throat, to the chest, and down the belly and tail. A Lyd Vis molts their feathers twice a year and shed once a year (this shed always takes place after a molt).

Warm-blooded, Lyd Vis are capable of self-regulating their body temperatures but can utilize radiant heat from outside sources as well. This is often preferred by them since it conserves energy and enjoyable. Lyd Vis eat large meals infrequently and can fast for several weeks between meals if energy expenditure is limited. They are capable of hibernating but only do so when seeking to procreate.

=== Ok I think I need a clarification to that last sentence, you say they are capable of hibernating but only do that when they want to mate? That seems at odds to me unless I forget my biology classes lol, how do they mate and hibernate actively?

I drew inspiration from snakes. During winter they go into brumation which isn’t quite the same as hibernating (though I used the term hibernation because that is more easily recognized and understood). Not only does it help them survive the winter but it also kickstarts the reproductive process. Once snakes are out of brumation they are ready to seek a mate and lay eggs. So in this case, if a Lyd Vis wants to reproduce, they must hibernate for a period of time (I’ll say two months) during which their bodies undergo the changes necessary to reproduce. Once their hibernation is over they are ready to mate and reproduce.

tl;dr : they hibernate to prepare for reproduction, and they procreate after they come out of hibernation

Psychology: The mind of the Lyd Vis does not readily employ itself to advanced intelligence, but this shortcoming is compensated by a deep and natural curiosity. It will take time and effort for them to understand a subject, they are determined and patient learners. This is also offset by advances in Lyd Vis psychology and education which lead to incredible intellectual enlightenment and what finally brought them to the stars.

=== I might like to see this section expanded a bit, you note that they are slow learners, but that they have incredible intellectual enlightenment. Again this seems a little to me at odds with each other, is it they are slow learning cause they are less intelligent then say an average human? Or is it due to them just slow to adapt and change as their tech/cultural did so? Maybe a bit of a blurb about something explaining that could help flesh this out a bit, not just for GMs but also as cues for GMs and players to roleplay them

They are slow learning and generally less intelligent than the average human, but as their knowledge advanced and their understanding of their own mental capabilities expanded, they developed ways to overcome their intellectual setbacks. Not completely overcome them, but it allowed them to progress faster. Like how we’re constantly learning about how our brains learn, and then use that information to adjust our learning habits. The Lyd Vis figured out how their brains worked and utilized that information to learn new information faster. This is what lead to their intellectual awakening. Their biology did not change, but they were able to use that biology to learn new things more efficiently. I hope that explains it a little better.

They lack the emotional range of humans and are not capable of the same emotional highs or lows. This does not mean that they do not have emotions, or that they work to suppress them as Vulcans do. Lyd Vis do not see any shame in emotion, and individuals capable of greater depth of feeling are highly respected within their society. The Lyd Vis are often fascinated by powerful emotions.

Humans often feel that the Lyd Vis lack compassion, empathy, and social tact. The Lyd Vis put understanding the truth before feelings. They do not have the complex intricacies of social interactions that humans have, causing many socially advanced species to perceive them as overly blunt and rude. Lyd Vis psychological evolution did not rely so heavily on social evolutions as a means of survival. Primitive Lyd Vis society did not require it.

=== As per the last sentence, why did the primitive society not require heavy social evolution to survive?

My inspiration was I wanted to create a race quite different from humans since humans are highly social and rely on social skills daily. I drew inspiration from reptiles again, trying to create this species that didn’t need to develop the social skills that humans relied upon.

They possess a reptilian focus and drive, blessed with endless patience and an ability to hone their focus to a fine and potent point. There is almost nothing that can disrupt the intensity of that focus and many species of the galaxy find it unnerving. A Lyd Vis can maintain this focus for days without rest or break.

=== Ok so give this bit I think it reinforces my request for more information to be included in the submission for why their culture and intellect is stunted compared to say an average human

I wanted to give them something to make up for a typically below average intelligence. My thinking was that their primitive ancestors didn’t need to be smarter than their prey, but more patient. Sort of like a tortoise and the hare where patience and steady progress wins in the end.

Culture and Society: Lyd Vis society is equitable, rational, and simplistic. Changes in Lyd Vis society can be easily traced to scientific progression and advancements in technology. The connections are so clear and well documented that it has attracted the fascination of many a Star Fleet anthropologist. It helps that the Lyd Vis were excellent record keepers and have many accurate and unbiased accounts of their history. There is only one language but this language has several dozen dialects though many Lyd Vis are proficient with multiple dialects. Generally those of the regions surrounding their region of birth.

The Lyd Vis never developed religion, but there is a sense of spirituality and faith. Ever patient and contemplative, the Lyd Vis find spiritual fulfillment in harmonious living with each other and the environment around them. Much of Lyd Vis philosophy and spirituality surrounds themes of reducing suffering and conflict and increasing comfort and security. They are largely communal and freely share resources, luxuries and possessions. Lyd Vis are not materialistic and often struggle to grasp the concept of money and money-based economies.

Lyd Vis create art and decoration to enhance the world around them and love to decorate their homes and cities in a variety of color, texture, and shape. They appreciate the shine and luster of gold and are fond of jewelry. Their cuisine is simple and plain in comparison. Since they require large but infrequent meals, they prepare food with little ceremony or fuss. Instead of gathering around the table, they gather in large forums to perform music together. Lyd Vis music is chaotic and free, with players taking turns building off melodies or starting new ones.

=== LOL don’t take this the wrong way but as a former professional cook/baker I kind of take offense to the idea that cuisine is not artistic in its own right :P as for the Lyd Vis, well to each their own I guess haha!

HISTORY --------
Lyd Vis civilization bloomed from a singular point, the Lyd Vis naturally grouped together to overcome the dangers of their homeland which kept their potential limited for many thousands of years. As they advanced their society advanced with them but largely stayed centralized. Any group that split off or left were unable to find footholds elsewhere and either returned to mainline society or died out.

=== First correction to note, the last sentence, ‘dieted out’ i assume should be ‘died out’ lol

=== Another thing to note above you note that Lyd Vis do not rely on social evolution to evolve, but if they remained quite centralized to overcome dangers and such isn’t either one above or here countering the other? Something to think about for the next draft I guess

The way I see it is if the group is kept together anyways by the environment then they didn’t need to develop social resons to stay together. There’s no in-groups or out-groups. Or an Us vs Them rationality. It’s simply all Us. With the sub-groups stated below I believe they still work. The sub-groups are not so different form the larger society as to create tension or inter-group conflict. Different regions of their continent have different resources, geography and thus require different skills or lifestyles. Which lead to the development of said sub-groups.

But since the Lyd Vis naturally do no seek conflict amongst each other and as a society have always freely shared resources and goods, there wasn’t a need to develop social skills to facilitate trade and cooperation. The Lyd Vis work and live together because it allows them to survive. It’s the rational, logical choice for their continued survival.

What I’m trying to say is I’m hoping they come off as a race that didn’t need social skills. That they have a natural compulsion to stick together and do so because why fight amongst each other when the environment around us can kick our butts if we don’t work together.

They call this dominant culture the Lund Un Da, translated as All Home. To use a human example, Lyd Vis society would be if the humans of Earth were completely restricted to the African continent for the vast majority of their history. Though there are many sub-cultures within Lyd Vis society, the Lund Un Da helped create cohesiveness within their society and gave the Lyd Vis a potent shared identity. The need to survive in a hostile environment promoted cooperation.

=== Again to me this seems at odd to what is stated further above

Wars were short-lived and small in scale as they cost unnecessary life and resources. The Lyd Vis chose mastery of their environment over dominance of each other. Their society and science progressed at a slow but steady rate, taking thousands of years longer than the humans of Earth to reach the same milestones of advancement. Slow and steady wins the race, and eventually, the Lyd Vis explored the entirety of their planet and finally moved their gaze to the stars above.

When the Lyd Vis reached the stars and uncovered the secrets of warp travel, they soon encountered the United Federation of Planets. It took little convincing for them to join and the Lyd Vis are eager to learn more about the universe and space travel.

=== For reference by GMs and players I would like an general date of when first contact occurred and then later when they formerly joined the Federation. This would provide some important context to GMs and players on how ‘old’ the race is within canon lore. A bit more detail of how that first contact went in some manner would be good too!

The review period for this submission will run from 3 March to 17 March 2022, please keep any and all comments constructive.

-Sam

Since this seemed to have been lost in all my copy/pasting this custom species can be found around the Federation but they are rare in Starfleet itself.

Abigail G

Placeholder reply for me to review this tonight or so!

Robert Archer

=== Hope this review is helpful to you Fox! Nice work so far overall!

Robert Archer

Hope I answered some questions! I’ll get to work on the second draft here soon.

Abigail G

With the notes Rob provided, I’m looking forward to the next draft. For now we’ll consider this returned for revision.

-Sam

Bounces around!!! So when we getting draft 2 here Abigail?!?!?!?!? lol

Robert Archer