Race: Furonian

Homeworld: Furona

Appearance:

Males stand an average of 4 ft. tall; females are considerably smaller at
3 ft. 6 inches. They have an elongated torso, their arms and legs being
much shorter in comparison to the elongated body, with slender hands and feet.
Furonians are covered with a silky fur that can be any variety of colors.
Their faces are somewhat oval with a muzzle full of sharp pointed teeth.
They have small, rounded ears that sit high above their shiny black eyes.
Furonians prefer to wear flowing robes that flatter their elongated
torso.

They have thick padding on the bottom of their feet, not requiring
footwear. They wear bracelets and anklets to accentuate the slender lines of 
their hands and feet.

Physiology:
 
Resembling Terran ferrets, Furonians are covered head to toe with a
silky coat of fur that comes in many variations or combinations of white,
sable, black or silver. They have strong muscles lining the spine to support
their elongated torso. The arms and legs are quite short in comparison to the
length of the torso. They have slender hands and feet and sharp claw-like
nails at the end of the fingers and toes. The M'os Clan tend to keep
these nails trimmed, while the Tela Clan use them to their advantage in
hunting. (Please see Civilization and History to learn more about the two clans.)

They have a tail that extends from the base of their spine that hangs to
just above the ground. The tail is also covered with the silky fur. When
they are placed in unfamiliar surroundings or are frightened, the fur of
the tail will stand on end, giving the tail a bushy appearance. They eat a
diet rich in protein. The Furonian digestive systems cannot process milk
solids beyond infancy.

Technology:

Furonian technology was originally learned from stolen ships. Although the
technological advances started from dubious means, it has since been
studied and improved upon by the more curious of the species, so they no longer
steal the technology from other races.

Civilization:
 
Furonians are split into two definite different cultures (or clans) with
different beliefs and practices. There are the more "civilized" M'os Clan
and the less "civilized" Tela Clan. All Furonians are excellent hunters,
but the M'os Clan hunt as a means of occupation or sport, while the Tela Clan
hunt as a means of survival. The elite of the M'os Clan have declared a
vegetarian lifestyle, but many of the M'os Clan still eat prepared meat.
The Tela Clan will eat what they kill, while the M'os Clan will not - but
they will eat something that another has killed and prepared for them.

Means of Livelihood:
 
Furona is rich in metal ores, gems and minerals. Furonians are very
comfortable working through tunnels to mine these ores and minerals. They
have become well known in the system as traders of these natural
resources. A few are also well known for their artisan skills, particularly for the
jewelry that they create from these metals and gems. Those who trade with
the Furonians must be careful to discern the difference between the M'os
and the Tela traders. The M'os are known for being fair in their dealings,
but the Tela will do everything in their power to cheat or even steal when a
deal is struck. Many Tela are easy to tell from the M'os by the way they
smell. All Furonians are born with a gland that gives off a definite
odor. The M'os have this gland removed from their young immediately after
birth, while the Tela will not. However, some Tela traders will have this gland
removed in order to pass for a M'os.

History:
 
All Furonians started as Tela at one time. A few of the more curious and
cunning of the species pushed for a more peaceful civilization, while
many of the elders preferred their current way of life. These two points of
view continued to grow into two distinct groups: the M'os Clan who continue to
search for a civilized, peaceful existence; and the Tela Clan that prefer
to follow their baser instincts.

General Personality Traits and Social Notations:
 
In general, the Furonians are a playful species. The females and
children are generally more fidgety than the males. This attribute makes the males
more likely to hold positions of power in their society. But as the race
ages, they tend to become more docile, leading to some older females
holding esteemed positions in society along side of the younger males.

All Furonians (M'os or Tela) have a natural tendency to steal. M'os have
mastered a certain amount of self control over this impulse, even though
they are not always perfect. If a M'os finds the desire to have an object
overwhelming enough, they will be bound to try to take it. The Tela,
however, do not even attempt to control or hide this natural impulse.
Children in the M'os clan are not as good as the adults at controlling
their impulse to steal, since the ability to control the urge is learned over
time. As a result, they need to be looked after very closely by the M'os
adults.

Another note of interest regarding the clans - they keep an affiliation
with the Clan that they are born into for their entire lives. There is no
other factor that determines what Clan they belong to, but very few ever switch
from one clan to another during their life time.



Race created and documentation written by Theresa Goble