Difference between revisions of "Tajara"

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The Tajara (Tah-jaw-rah both singular and multiple) are a race of humanoids which possess markedly felinoid traits, that include a semi-prehensile tail, a body covered in fur of varying shades and padded, digitigrade feet.  
The Tajara (Tah-jaw-rah both singular and multiple) are a race of humanoids which possess markedly felinoid traits that include a semi-prehensile tail, a body covered in fur of varying shades and padded, digitigrade feet.  


To apply to be one of the cat-like Tajara, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].
To apply to be one of the cat-like Tajara, apply [http://aurorastation.org/forums/viewforum.php?f=28 here].


Additional information: [[Ahdomai]], [[Tajaran Culture]]
Additional information: [[Ahdomai]], [[Tajaran Culture]]
==Mechanics==
The most common Tajaran language, and the one spoken by most Tajara onboard N.T. stations is Siik’Maas. A language of not just verbal means, but also combining posture,and both tail and ear movement.  In its most basic form, it can be used over the radio.  Use this in-game by typing '''say''' and using ''':j'''.
Courtesy of their thick, insulating fur, Tajara own a nature resistance to cold,  but also due to a lack of hotter environments on their homeworld of Ahdomai, the Tajara lack a natural resistance to thermal energy. Due to a lack of capsaicin-containing flora on Ahdomai, the Tajaran body is ill-suited to ingesting foods that contain it. Severely limiting their ability to consume spicier Human cuisine. As per their digitigrade feet, adorning traditional human-style closed toe footwear is nigh-impossible and highly uncomfortable. Most Tajara in Human space take to the wearing of sandals or other open-toed foot wear. Mostly in-part to their digitigrade nature, in addition to their thicker fur which ensures they overheats easily, and most of all their tail. Human hardsuits are unwearable for the average Tajara. Requiring their own models of modified hardsuits. Made of a Keratin-like substance, the Tajara have a full set of non-retractable claws built into their paws. This both increases their lethality in unarmed situations and makes finer manipulation difficult with untrimmed claws.  These claws also make the wearing of gloves extremely problematic, with most (If not all) gloves requiring snipping off of the fingers to allow Tajara to wear them. The evolutionary ancestors of the Tajara are theorized to have been nocturnal, and as a vestigial remnant of this lifestyle Tajara maintain improved eyesight in low-light situations. Most Tajara haven’t been in N.T.s’ employ long enough to gain a position as head of staff.  Those few that do are often the most efficient and effective in N.T.s staff, as they have had to work twice as hard to reach their position as the average Human. They are however, a rare sight.
===Recommendations for Tajaran Roleplay===
Submissiveness is a acquired cultural trait in certain ethnicities within Tajaran society (Hharar). It is not bred into the genetics of all Tajaran groups. However, older Tajara (those born in the Overseers era) tend to be more submissive, while younger Tajara tend to be less so, and often look upon individualism and pride in a much more positive light than their forefathers. You do not -have- to be submissive, but there IS a reason it is suggested. 
As a species the Tajara are not markedly aggressive, do not ‘look for fights’. Reporting incidents to station security or heads of staff will often end the situation in a better manner.
Aggressive use of ones’ claws is usually frowned upon in Tajaran society as a mark of barbarity.  They can easily kill, do not tend towards their use lightly. 
Tajara fear death just as much as any other species. Don’t go on a spacewalk “For teh lulz” just because you can survive a little longer. Doing so will elicit admin intervention. 
Because of aforementioned factors of a somewhat submissive culture, along with the nature of the Tajaran group of languages themselves.  “I” or “me” are difficult concepts for them to grasp, as such many Tajara use the third person. Though those with significant time spent among aliens may evolve past this. 
As previously mentioned in the mechanics section, spicy foods are horrifically dangerous to Tajara. Make sure the chef isn’t making Mexican today if you’re feeling hungry. 


==Overview==
==Overview==
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*Species: T. Sapiens
*Species: T. Sapiens


===Naming===
===History===


As Tajaran names are usually complicated affairs that are nearly impossible to translate into intelligible Ceti-basic. Most Tajara assume Arabic forenames and surnames simply to allow more efficient, better communication across species. Some Tajara tend to ignore this trend, instead simply deciding to take a name consisting of a string of syllables that they find audibly pleasing, along with being easy for members of other species to pronounce.   Most of the traditional Tajaran clans (most of which are Hharar) are evolved versions of the titles that is most prevalent or most prestigious among its members, such as the Tajaran version of royalty “Ho’ti” or smith “Hadii”
[[File:Adhomai2.png|thumb|alt=The Tajaran homeworld.|Adhomai was ravaged by warfare and more than forty million deaths have been recorded as a result of the Great War.]]


A common trend in Tajara society, regardless of ethnicity, gender or geographic locationIs the taking of titles, these are typically a single word or handful of words that have distinct meaning taken from the actions of the Tajara who brandishes the titleThese are typically dispensed by their community based upon skills and past actions both successful and less than so.  In the ancient Hhar'Tol language which is the linguistic ancestor of all popular Tajaran languages, these titles were taken as identifiers before populations were large enough for unique, individual names to be necessary.   
For as long as most Tajaran care to remember, Adhomai had always been under the rule of nobility. The most dated historical text that still exists in Tajaran possession dates back at least four thousand years and still talks about 'serving their masters', so many historians agree that the trend of blood rule is more deeply-routed in Tajaran existence than was previously considered.
 
   
Once populations had exceeded this limit, and the number of “Tailors”, “Cooks” and “Guardsmen” became larger than could be easily recognized by a single title. These became simple honorifics taken to recognize the accomplishments and failures of individuals of noteTajara typically share their ‘titles’ upon greeting eachother, but these names are not easily revealed to those outside of their own speciesWith these titles only being told to aliens the individual finds particularly trustworthy. Overall, these titles can bring great praise or great condemnation upon their holder based on what their title revealsCriminals, especially kin-slayers and thieves are particularly condemned as these titles are hard to shake, despite how long it may have been since the event which earned it occurred.   
The ancient past of the Tajaran is poorly documented and historical texts are almost non-existant; meticulous combing and destruction of educational material by millenia of harsh rule resulted in total atrophy of most scientific arts in Tajaran society. Even top Tajaran scholars in this day and age have only theories of what life was like in ancient Adhomai.
What is known, however, is that tension had slowly been increasing over a span of thousands of years between the populace and their fellow noble families. Based upon empirical evidence, historians believe that Tajaran were at one point free from the rule of nobility but were a more deeply religious species than now. Ancient relics that survived the annihilation ordered by countless nobles suggest that the current lineage of Tajaran noble families stemmed from religious leaders appointed by primitive clans that were revered as a connection to the Tajaran god, S'rendarr.
   
However, at some point, these religious leaders clashed and either pitted their followers against one another or amicable clans married and bred until the current leadership had spawned from their efforts. Over time, the nobility as it were slowly began to lose their religious inclination and approximately four thousand years ago Adhomai entered a Renaissance period. Religious devotion amongst Tajaran had been dropping steadily in conjunction with the lower influence it had upon their nobility. It was this period that historians believe the overwhelming control of the noble families flourished and solidified into what it was prior to the current day.
Literature was heavily regulated from this point forward following 'enlightened' publications by individuals deemed dangerous to the health of noble rule. Scarce few copies of these texts were preserved in the remains of several noble houses. In the place of novels, many famous Tajaran sculptors, musicians, and artists spawned. However, rather than their works being presented for public viewing, they were collected by noble families and only a handful were shown outside of their 'palaces' for the peasantry to admire.
   
Following this era, tension between the nobility and the peasantry began to steadily increase, believed to have stemmed from increasingly harsh rulers and laws. Thirty years prior to human discovery of Adhomai, the deep-seeded mistrust between peasants and nobles had reached an all time high. The Tajaran species were trapped in a technological bubble forced upon them by their nobility. At the height of their industrial revolution only a few years prior, the leadership at the time became increasingly wary of the unification of many Tajaran workers, seeing themselves in what could be accounted as another 'Renaissance' era and result in more 'enlightened' individuals straining their already crumbling control over the populace.
The realms of education, science, and luxury found themselves under severe restrictions, and your basic Tajaran was forced into almost twenty hour work days with minimal time afforded for eating and sleeping on the job. Analysis of the noble houses proves that during this time in Tajaran history, the nobility had never been worth more in Sol credits than previous. This is largley attributed to the fact that rather than having new inventions published for the peasantry, the nobility had seen fit to confiscate and use these fruits of scientific thinking for themselves.
Automobiles are considered one of the best examples of this. Using a combustion engine much like primitive human vehicles with extra anti-freezing measures and a combination of wheels and tracks, one of the first fully functional automated cars had been produced by a collection of Tajaran engineers and scientists, at the behest of the nobility. These large creations were considered by many older Tajaran to be a symbol of negligence and gluttony by their leaders. Workers were never provided with such things; they were forced to transport themselves through Adhomai's harsh winter conditions on foot or by using specially designed 'snow bicycles', irregardless of how far away their place of work was.
Further restricting the rights of the invididual Tajaran, legislation was introduced against 'workers unions' as well as any sort of illict groups; a permit was required to form anything from hunting parties to agencies. In this whirlwhind of political turmoil, a fresh generation of Tajaran were growing up, deprived of what most humans consider to be 'basic rights'. As they grew older and angrier, the nobility saw fit to continue tightening their control over their subjects until a civil war was almost inevitable. Like a powder keg ready to blow, only a single spark was needed to light the flame.
This came in the form of human discovery. A Sol Union funded expedition into the Tajaran home system discovered the by comparison primitive species and their homeworld of Adhomai. Lush with untapped resources and potential workers, Adhomai was an attractive prospect for many human supercorporations, especially NanoTrasen. Because of their slow technological progress, most of Adhomai's valuable minerals  remained unharmed by mining or drilling. It was due to this that several corporations attempted to insert themselves into the dealings of Adhomai.
   
However, the nobility felt incredibly threatened by what they considered 'intrusions' by humanity and completely refused them diplomatic access to their planet. The Sol Union stepped in and, reluctantly, the supercorporations were forced to abandon their wishes to stake claims on Adhomai's resources - at least in the open. In the year 2416, a group of Tajaran intellectuals - considered rebels by the state - were shuttled off-world by a still unknown entity. Given asylum in the Sol Union, they met and discussed much with human scientists and officials. Tensions between the Sol Union and Tajaran nobility rose after such an event and they accused the humans of harboring terrorists.
   
Eventually, these rebels were returned to Adhomai with supplies and weapons. Fed with new ideals of personal freedom and 'rights afforded to all' by their influential human friends, the seeds of revolution were sowed among the Tajaran populace, spread by word of mouth. Workers, doctors, teachers, even soldiers that were questionably loyal to the nobility were swayed by these promises of freedom and equality. Meetings in the basements of dark taverns or barns were common, and relations between the nobility and their peasants were at the lowest ever recorded in Tajaran history.
It took little more than a year for a formal uprising to be staged. After the nobility had captured one of the original Tajaran that had been shuttled off world, he was sentenced to be publically hung by the neck in front of their peasants to show just how serious they were about keeping control. Ultimately, many historians believe this to be a highly egregious mistake. Rebels in the audience, armed with advanced off-world weapons, proceeded to open fire on loyalist forces and kill a nobleman in the process. This event, called the 'D'as'ral Massacre' (so named for the city it took place in) by the nobility was all the excuse they needed to enact martial law.
   
However, they found themselves in a cornered position. Weapons and supplies were being shipped in off-world by mysterious benefactors, and their collections of scientists and engineers had either fled to safety being noblemen themselves, or took up arms and joined the revolution. Without significant scientific presence to deconstruct or understand these new human weapons or support the war effort, the conflict resulted in a string of rebel victories that drew closer and closer to the capital cities of each providence.
Among the noble families, the largest and nearly the most powerful was a clan called the 'Hadii'. Their castle was amongst the best defended in the region and the battle to take it was waged for six months of non-stop fighting. As it became increasingly clear to them that they were eventually going to be overrun, the Hadii struck a deal with the rebel leader; in return for complete immunity from the war, as well as persecution, they afforded the revolutionaries with unique tools and even blueprints of other families' castles, pointing out weak points and infiltration spots.
It was this turncoating that tipped the revolution in favor of the peasantry. Armed with this new information, they made use of radio systems previously restricted for nobility to methodically and bloodily end their uprising by murdering most of the noble families and whatever soldiers and civilians remained loyal to them. By 2421 the revoltuion had finally come to an end with a total of more than fourty million casualties, of which more than half were loyalist forces. Many Tajaran cities and villages were utterly destroyed by vicious fighting as well as bombardment by uncaring nobles.
Following this total upheaval of Tajaran society, rebel leaders met with Hadii noblemen and discussed how to form a government, given that only the Hadii were experienced with ruling. Human corporations took express interest in this; the Hadii were one of the few noble families that saw profit in human stakes on Adhomai, and many back-room deals were made until ultimately the Hadii were placed at the head of Tajaran government, and ushered in a new federal republic. The Tajaran public was markedly distressed by this turn of the events, and fearing another uprising, human intervention again helped defuse the situation. The Hadii promised that it would not be like it was before.
Now, NanoTrasen, suspected by many conspiracy theorists to be behind the funding and supplying of Tajaran during the war, holds claim to most of Adhomai and has a monopoly over most of the planet's valuables. Collaboration between them, the Sol Union, and the Skrellian Union has resulted in more technological advances in Tajaran society recently than ever before in their recorded historyApproval ratings for the current leadership have risen in response, and for now all is quiet on Adhomai. However, there are many Tajaran who still believe that revolution is needed again to throw off the corporate shackles; from one slavemaster to the next.


===Biology===
===Biology===


To the average Human, the Tajara are a species of ‘space-cats’. Which when looked at from a purely scientific perspective is largely superficial. Unlike terrestrial felines, the Tajara are both omnivorous and bipedal. Their body is almost entirely covered in a thick coat of fur that is extremely good at insulating them from the cold, trapping body heat in a massively efficient manner. There are only a handful general areas where fur is not present, and that is on the palm of their paws, the soles of their padded feet, a number of various orifices and a small area around their eyes.   
To the average human, the Tajaran share many similarities with Earth felines; however, when looked at from a purely scientific perspective, this description is largely superficial. Unlike terrestrial felines, the Tajaran are both omnivorous and bipedal. Their bodies are almost entirely covered in a thick coat of fur that is extremely good at insulating them from the extreme cold of Adhomai. The layer of body fat and fur is designed to trap body heat in an efficient manner. There are only a handful of areas where fur is not present, those being on the palm of their paws, the soles of their feet, and a number of various orifices as well as a small area around their eyes.   


Occasionally, the fur around a Tajaras’ neck is known to grow into a shaggy ‘mane’ of sorts.  Giving them a distinct look, not ultimately unlike a terran lion. This hair tends to be much stronger and a good deal more ‘wiry’ than the rest of the fur on a Tajaras’ body. Some Tajara tend towards monochromatic bodies while other tend towards multi-color and even calico. It largely depends on the genetics of the individual. Some may be utterly incapable of producing multicolor kittens, while others are only capable of such. Patterns of flat colors, stripes, spots and any conceivable combination have been the recorded by scientists both Tajaran and Human. The mean body-weight of a male Tajara is somewhere between 145 cm and 185 cm in height, while the mean body mass is between 55 kg and 90 kg. Females being between 135cm tall and 185 cm tall, their own weight being somewhere between 35 kg and 75 kg. As such, both their body weight and height is roughly comparable to the average Human.
Occasionally, the fur around a Tajaran's neck is known to grow into a shaggy 'mane' of sorts, giving them a distinct look not unlike a terran lion. This hair tends to be much stronger and a great deal more wiry than the rest of the fur on a Tajaran's body. Some Tajaran tend towards monochromatic bodies while others have multicolor or even calico fur patterns. These designs depend heavily on the genetics of the individual's parents, much like hair and eye color. Because of this, some parents are utterly incapable of producing multicolor children. Designs including flat colors, stripes, spots and most conceivable combinations have been recorded by scientists both Tajaran and human. The mean body weight of a male Tajaran is somewhere between 145 cm and 185 cm in height, while the mean body mass is between 55 kg and 90 kg. Females tend to range between 135 cm and 185 cm in height, with their own weight somewhere around 35 kg to 75 kg. As such, both their body weight and height is roughly comparable to the average human.


The Tajara evolved as a predatory species upon their home-planet of Adhomai, as a result they have a pair of fairly large, well developed eyes that are forward-set. These eyes are comparable to those of Humans, but they do have a certain advantage in their night-sight due to their predatory ancestors most-likely evolving as nocturnal predators, hunting for small animals. Tajaran eyes are mounted above a slightly elongated structure similar to a ‘muzzle’ on terrestrial creatures. Their pupils are large and capable of contraction significantly faster than most other creatures, both sapient and otherwise. Their pupils have a thin, refractive layer extremely similar to a tapetum lucidum. Allowing them enhanced night vision, having a side-effect of giving them slightly illuminated eyes in low-light conditions.
The Tajaran evolved as a predatory, cave-dwelling species upon their home planet of Adhomai, and as a result they have a pair of fairly large, well developed eyes that are forward set. These eyes are comparable to those of humans, but they are more effective in low-light situations due to the Tajaran ancestors having to hunt in dark cave tunnels. Tajaran eyes are set above a slightly elongated structure comprised of hard bone similar to a muzzle on terrestrial creatures. Their pupils are large and capable of contracting significantly faster than most other creatures, both sapient and otherwise. They have a thin, refractive layer which, while allowing them their low light vision, has the side-effect of appearing illuminated in the dark.


Tajaran dental structure was clearly once geared for a carnivorous lifestyle, but has since undergone a shift towards a more omnivorous role. Tajara have sharp, needle like teeth in the front which are quite clearly geared towards tearing meat, the further one travels back in the mouth the less sharp and more flat/broad the teeth become, showing their shift towards a more omnivorous existence. Atop their heads, the Tajara have a pair of deft, normally erect ears with a wide range of motion. They are capable of rotation to roughly 90 degrees, even being able to fold back almost entirely into the skull if needed, which is often seen as a display of fear.
The Tajaran dental structure was at one point in their evolutionary history once geared for a carnivorous lifestyle, but has since evolved and shifted towards a more omnivorous role. Tajaran have sharp, needle like teeth in the front of their jaw which are quite clearly geared to tear meat; the further along the jaw line one goes, teeth similar to human molars reside behind the sharp canines, evidence of the change to an omnivorous diet. Atop their heads, Tajaran have a pair of deft, normally erect ears that are capable of a wide range of motion. They can rotate to roughly ninety degrees, capable of even being able to fold back almost entirely onto the skull if needed.


Tajaran extremities, specifically their hands and feet have five digits, and are generally the same shape as Human extremities. Though they are slightly stubbier in appearance, though still dexterous enough to be useful.
Tajaran extremities, specifically their hands and feet have five digits, and are generally the same shape as human extremities. However, they are slightly stubbier in appearance, though still dexterous enough to be useful. Tajaran employed in more professional roles such as engineers, architects, or other occupations that require dexterous manipulation often find themselves with filed down claws, reduced to a smooth end in order to allow easy usage of standard human based technology. This is a task that Tajaran tend to do relunctantly, given that cutting too short is incredibly painful and will expose nerves to the air. Normally, these claws are non-retractable and grow from the fingertips, usually measuring around on


Tajara employed in more professional roles such a engineer, architect and some other roles that require dexterous manipulation often find themselves with filed down claws, reduced to smooth end in-order to allow easy manipulation of standard human-based technology.  As such, most Tajara in the more professional roles would find themselves lacking pointed claws, at least on their dominant hand. This a task that most Tajara do reluctantly, as claws are considered a part of oneself and it is ‘untajaran’ to remove them. Tajaran claws are non-retractable and grow from the fingertips, usually being around one inch in length in most cases.  They are continuously growing to ensure suitable length despite damage, chipping or other trauma.
The sleep cycles of the Tajaran species are one of their most scientifically curious features. A normal waking period is somewhere between thirty six and fourty eight hours, with a subsequent twenty to twenty eight hours of sleep. Normally, the waking period is spotted with three to four fifteen minute naps in order to keep the Tajaran refreshed and alert. This is universal on all worlds with Tajaran living upon them. Tajaran are capable of great feats of intelligent, dedicated work but this is physically exhausting, which renders them utterly mentally and psychologically exhausted. Those that do not enter their sleep cycle properly may find themselves groggy, aggressive, paranoid and disoriented until their circadian rhythm is righted.


Tajaran sleep cycles are one of their oddest features, a normal waking period being somewhere between 36 and 48 hours. With a subsequent 20-28 hours of sleep. Normally, the waking period is spotted with 3-4 15-30 minute naps in-order to keep the Tajara refreshed and alert.  This is universal on all words with Tajara living upon them. Tajara are capable of great feats of intelligent, dedicated work but this is physically exhausting.  Which utterly mentally and psychologically tires them to the extreme, making them groggy, aggressive and paranoid until they enter their rest cycle.  While few and far-between, these long stretches of alertness make Tajaran researcher brilliant and valued by the galaxy at large.
In comparison to most other known species, the Tajaran body is designed to specifically be more flexible, lithe and slender despite their thick insulation. A handful of Tajaran ethnicities do not exhibit these traits and instead manifest increased muscle size, strength, or bulk. Tajaran are sexually dimorphic; females have more elongated muzzles, shorter ears, as well as more petite forms, and their distribution of body fat is entirely different than that of a male. Females do not exhibit visible breasts until pregnancy, at which point they swell in order to provide for young. Males are in general taller, have broader shoulders, bigger hands and feet, and more pointed ears.  


In comparison to Human, Skrell or Unathi. The Tajaran body is generally a great deal more flexible, lithe and slender in most cases. Though a handful of ethnicities do exhibit outlier traits of higher muscle mass/increased bulk and strength.  They are not sexually dimorphic other than a slight variance in height. With the only real difference being the obviously different genitals and the presence of internalized mammary glands in females, which swells during pregnancy and for some time afterwards to form a “breast” for ease of feeding the child. Unusually, the Tajaran have a gastrological, cardiovascular and lymphatic system with marked similarities to Humanity and other creatures from Earth. As such, most medical equipment requires only extremely minor modifications to be capable of successfully diagnosing and treating Tajara.
Tajaran are built for the extremely low temperature environments that are incredibly common on Adhomai, giving them remarkable cold resistance. However, this gives them a tendency to overheat in more mild environments. To avoid this, most Tajaran will dress lightly in warmer environments such as those on human installations or tropical worlds. Forgoing the usual layer-like clothing, these Tajaran resign themselves to thin clothing. Those who find themselves confined to  bio suit or radiation suit for extended periods of time will end up feeling extremely uncomfortable and perspiring heavily.


Tajara are built for the extremely low temperature environments that are so common on Adhomai, giving them their remarkable cold-resistance.  However, this gives them a tendency to overheat in more mild climates.  To avoid this, most Tajara will dress lightly in warmer environments such as on space-stations or more tropical worlds.  Often only wearing underwear, a tank top and pants/lower coverings.  A Tajara wearing a heavier suit such as a Bio Suit or radiation suit will often find himself or herself extremely uncomfortable and perspiring heavily. 
===Fashion & Cuisine===


===Behavior===


While the largest and most widespread ethnic group (The Hharar) have a cultural trend towards loyalty, cooperation and submissiveness. This is by no means the standard for the species as a whole even within the Hharar ethnic group there is growing resistance to the traditional methods. As such, younger Tajara tend to be a great deal more individualistic, prideful and expressive than those who suffered under the overseer regime. This is largely compounded by the massive educational gap between the current generation and the one before it. 
[[File:Sillytajdoodle.png|thumb|alt=An example of Tajaran fashion.|An artist's representation of typical Tajaran fashion.]]


Tajara are by no means emotionally stifled as a species, they are infact quite passionate. They may or may not be more reluctant to share these emotions with others, especially aliens and those outside of their cultural group, as due to the paranoia of the Overseer era. Many Tajara have been discovered to have trust issues stemming from a myriad of sources in their recent history.  Neurological studies have revealed that they feel the exact range of emotions that Humanity does, and while there are some rather shady and dubious reports to the contrary, this is widely accepted by the galaxy at large.  Tajara also react to stimuli in a comparable way to Humans, Skrell, Unathi and Dionaea.  Though, as a species the Tajara have tended to be apathetic to the galaxy at large, due in part to a blatant lack of curiosity suppressed by decades of oppressive rule and also due to a species-wide focus on modernizing and uplifting their people, in addition to rebuilding their homeworld.
Throughout Tajaran history, fashion has remained relatively simple. Extravagant vestments fabricated from silk and other high-quality animal hides were restricted exclusively to the nobility, and your standard Tajaran never really cared much for floofy dresses anyway. Given the hardships of Tajaran life and the constant need to do work by hand, the peasantry came to favor practical, well insulated clothing rather than fanciful designs; they were also cheaper to weave, which made things easier on the weaver.


While it is not a species-wide trait, many Tajara are somewhat submissive in comparison to a Human for example and Nanotrasen command often encourages staff to make use of this mindset.  N.T. however, is not blatantly xenophobic but, many within the command structure are reluctant to reward even promising Tajara as they as a species, are untested.  Tajara who are extremely capable and eager to server may rarely be promoted to a head of staff position, but due to prejudice and a generally unsureness in regards to their worth and abilities as a species, a captain promotion for a Tajara will not likely be seen for decades to come.
Tajaran typically wear many layers of clothing to protect themselves from the freezing winds of Adhomai. Underwear is long-sleeved pants and a shirt typically woven from thick animal furs and plant fibers and is used as the inner most insulating layer. Then, a Tajaran will overlay multiple garments to create several layers of insulation to stop the loss of body heat. Thick, full-length skirts, pants, and shirts were favored by the peasantry, all in dark colors to retain heat better. Typically pre-discovery and even post-discovery modern clothing consist of thermal underwear, pants for men or long, heavy skirts for women, with thick sweater-like shirts and fur cloaks.


===Clothing and Style===
Similarly, due to the cold temperatures of Adhomai, Tajaran favor warming or hot food that can be consumed quickly before the freezing winds can cool the meal off. Porridges, soups, and chowders consisting of diced meat and vegetables for flavor was the usual meal of a working class Tajaran, coupled with some bread and water or ale.  Pre-industrial Tajaran used to have community meals around bonfires to keep their food from cooling off too much.


It is an unquestionable truth that a uniform provides a sense of unity and cooperation among N.T. employees, however due to acute biological differences between the Tajara and Humanity, exactly identical uniforms are a distinct impossibility. As such, Tajara are authorized to forego the use of certain elements of employee dress. Such as footwear and gloves, though sandals and fingerless gloves are available in most areas via cargo shuttle delivery.  While the shape of Tajaran ears makes ear-mounted headsets uncomfortable to wear for long-periods of time, they are capable of wearing them and as such no alternatives are to be provided. Tajara crewmembers are excused from any duty that would require extended contact with high-temperature environments as that would cause significant harm due to an increased susceptibility to thermal injuries.
However, with the introduction of new technologies - such as higher quality insulation and home heating systems - Tajaran cuisine is being experimented with by chefs who are no longer restricted to compensating for the naturally low temperatures of Adhomai. Historically, culinary creations were reserved only for the nobility, who had better heated homes than the peasantry and more leeway was offered towards not having your meat turn blue in front of you.  


Native Tajaran clothing is geared towards resisting the unforgiving environment that exists upon Ahdomai as it is a tundra-like arctic planet.  Most traditional clothing among their species are heavy-duty utilitarian designs, though cloaks are quite common.  Most of their clothing has split back as to allow freedom of tail movement.  Pants and skirts of a uniquely Tajaran design are also somewhat common in the more modernized areas, but these would look odd to the Human eye as they are distinctly puffy and wide-cut to accommodate a Tajara without being uncomfortably restrictive to their fur.  Skirts are somewhat common and are widely distributed among the working class females, boots are also dispersed though they are of a open-toed design to accommodate their unique physiology. 
===Culture===


For the upper class and more wealthy Tajara, sashes, waist clothes and loose, puffy clothing made of expensive imported silks, along with some  of the rarer native materials are the standard. These are usually dyed rich, vibrant colors to display their wealth, especially purple and light blue as the dyes for these colors are rare and exorbitantly pricedGolden/silver embroidery of a gaudy and extremely decorative sort is also fairly common among the most wealthy Tajara.
Of all arts, music is one of the most highly valued by Tajarans. Stemming from the long-standing ban on most literature in their society, song and dance remained one of the only ways for Tajaran to express themselves through words. Composers and musicians were traditionally held in high regard amongst Tajaran, and in place of books the fanciful song-stories of traveling bards were one of the few ways the public could remove themselves from their lives.
Theatre was also equally important in the life of a pre-discovery Tajaran. Given that, with the lack of books, there was little to keep your usual worker entertained, the ability to watch and enjoy a riveting drama or hilarious comedy was heaven. Theatres and performing halls can be found in almost every Tajaran village, and are often constructed to rival even the main seat of town council or government in architectural beauty. For example, the D'na'tel Hall in the Tajaran capital was one and a quarter larger than the seat of government prior to human sanctioned expansions. Dating back to the late Renaissance Era, it was constructed from high quality marble and many sculptures of characters and scenes from various popular Tajaran plays were meticulously hand-carved into the walls by sculptor Nasir Ka'nira.
   
However, literature itself - that is to say novels - have never been looked kindly upon by the Tajaran public. Though this closed way of thinking is starting to shift with the greater introduction of literacy amongst Tajaran as a whole, many elders still harbor bitter feelings about books in general. They were almost universally considered a symbol of oppression and luxury by pre-revolution Tajaran, given the fact that only the nobility were taught en masse how to read, and that every family had it's own private expansive library that even learned peasants had to pay out of pocket to access. This led to a widespread destruction of much of historical Tajaran text following the uprising, as revolutionaries took it upon themselves to purposely gather and burn whatever books they could after taking a noble stronghold.


Despite social class and financial situation, layering is an important aspect to the clothing of all Tajara.  Typically a Tajara would wear a layer of underwear consisting of a thick, insulating set of long-underpants and a tank-top, then a more traditional shirt and pants set, and finally a thicker jacket, scarf and cloak.  This makes the average Tajara warm in even the coldest corner of Adhomai. 
===Politics & Religion===


===Language===
There are a handful of faiths on Adhomai, but the majority religion is the worship of S'rendarr and Messa, the names of both suns in the Tajaran home system. Ancient Tajaran were believed to worship the suns as gods, believing their light to be the only thing keeping the planet from freezing over entirely. Over time, this faith matured into a system of beliefs suited to the peasantry; looking down upon the acts of betraying your fellow worker and attempting to foster unity and understanding amongst its followers. It is believed by many that S'rendarr is the god of life and the day, as the bigger of the two suns, and he is associated with good happenings and is most often prayed to. Contrastingly, Messa, the blue sun, is the goddess of the night and death; whenever she eclipses S'rendarr, all followers partake in religious rituals that ask Messa to spare them from whatever ill tidings she may bring.
Despite being the majority religion, there exist several others. Namely, the second largest religion is the worship of the Snow God Ma'ta'ke, which dates back to ancient Tajaran times. A figure of legend, Ma'ta'ke is believed to have been the head of a hardy clan of mountain dwellers that regularly came to the aid of another clan who was constantly plagued by bandits and wild animals. He is revered as fierce warrior capable of fighting a platoon of men by himself, but also as a kind soul, for the records of his dealings with other clans show understanding and kindness. Similar to the followers of S'rendarr and Messa, those who believe in the Snow God preach unity and understanding for the betterment and longevity of Tajaran as a species.
At one point, a religion was established heralding the nobility themselves as gods by certain devout loyalits, but this faith has all but been completely erased following the uprising. Individuals who were recorded to believe in or are suspected of being a member undergo persecution and even in some cases death sentences. With most loyalists either in hiding or killed during the uprising, and all places of worship destroyed, any intelligent Tajaran would never admit to being, or attempt to defend, a member of this faith.
Due to the Tajaran's history as an oppressed species, they have grown to be more open minded and liberal with each other than other races, like humans. Homosexuality amongst Tajaran is as a majority a non-issue, and racial or gender descrimination is mostly nonexistant. Historically, the peasantry made due by uniting themselves as a workforce which has bred an intimate inter-person relationship amongst the families of most villages, towns, and cities. Irregardless of the size of the population, pre-uprising Tajaran were often well acquainted with families that may have lived on the other side of town. Arranged marriages were extremely common and were ways to improve relationships amongst families. However, this traditional practice has met with extreme criticism following post-uprising debates.
As a whole, the Tajaran could be described as a communistic species, given their history of oppression. Proponents of revolution are still present on Adhomai following the puppet government that has been set up, and tensions are still high and heated amongst some prominent factions and the federal government.  However, the Hadii are a clever bunch and have ensured to appease Tajaran not only by entirely overhauling the legal system to bring it in line with other species', but to pass edicts and other bills that play to the Tajaran's desire for fair and equal treatment. There are three major political parties on Adhomai; the Loyalist party, which is made up of Hadii members as well as other politicians that support and agree with the federal government, the People's Party, who contrastingly oppose the federal government due to its overarching nature and liken it to previous times under the nobility, and then Humanist Party, who want to give humanity a greater role in Tajaran politics and even allow them to govern the planet as part of the Sol Union.


As with all other species who work in Human-centric environments. Tajara are expected and required to have passed a prerequisite test to test their comprehension of Tau-Ceti basic, the operating language of N.T. and most transstellar corporations, in addition to most major sovereign entities.  Admittedly the passing levels of these comprehension tests are quite low, but are high enough to ensure basic conversation between what will likely be a multi-species crew.  However, private communication in Siik’Mas or Siik’tajr is not forbidden by N.T. regulations and is often used to hold conversations between Tajara on the crew. 
===Language & Naming===


Though there are a variety of languages used by the Tajara, among the foremost of this vast plethora of languages is Siik’mas and Siik’tajr.
Native Tajaran names are usually difficult for humans and other species to pronounce properly; as such, older Tajaran prefer to take names (whereas young Tajaran are given them at birth) that they find they themselves are able to pronounce and are also phonetically pleasing. For many, these are names derived from Arabic or Russian backgrounds, as they are the easiest for their inhuman mouths to pronounce. Traditionally, Tajaran names included their clan name, and some Tajaran carry over this tradition and have their 'middle' name be their clan name.


Siik’maas began as a dialect of Hhar'Tol centuries ago as the Overseer regime took power.  It began purely as an administrative language to ensure that even if state secrets leaked out to the resistance, that few would be capable of understanding themWith hopeful few details surviving the translation.  Eventually, it shifted to being taught as the primary educational language among all ethnicities and classes across the globe as the Overseers focus shifted from dominating the Tajara as a species to uplifting them forcefully, ignoring cultural traditions and practices that slowed them down. Justifying their actions as “Necessary” for the greater good of the species.   
As with all other species who work in Human-centric environments. Tajara are expected and required to have passed a prerequisite test to test their comprehension of Tau-Ceti basic, the operating language of NanoTrasen and most transstellar corporations, in addition to most major sovereign entitiesAdmittedly the passing levels of these comprehension tests are quite low, but are high enough to ensure basic conversation between what will likely be a multi-species crew.  However, private communication in Siik’Mas or Siik’tajr is not forbidden by NanoTrasen regulations and is often used to hold conversations between Tajara on the crew.   


Capable of being spoken by a learned Human, the tongue is Siik’mas is not as  reliant on body-language as Siik’tajr or many of the other, smaller languages native to Adhomai.  But, as Tau-Ceti basic is difficult for many Tajara to master, so is Siik’mas to many Humans, as many inflections are nigh-impossible to perform correctly.  And though it focuses on spoken word more than many others, body-language still takes up a good deal of the vocabulary and those parts are challenging for many Humans to grasp  and even when they do. They are normally a great deal more sluggish than the comparable Tajara. Even the most capable Human ends up sounding quite stilted and somber while speaking Siik’maas, as do any Tajara speaking the language over the radio.  Siik’maas is the lingua-franca of the Tajaran species in the post overseer era in the same way that Tau-Ceti basic is for Humans.  Though many  small regional prides groups are attempting desperately to revive older languages such as Nal’rasan, Devahhi, Ya’ssa, Resheha and ‘pure’ Hhar’Tol.
Though there are a variety of languages used by the Tajara, among the foremost of this vast plethora of languages is Siik’mas and Siik’tajr.   
 
Siik’tajr is the opposite of Siik’mas completely. As while Siik’mas was the prime language of those who accepted and supported the rule of the Overseers, Siik’tajr was the de-facto language of most resistance cells and their supporters.  Primarily used for its subtlety and extremely complicated nature which ensured most translation attempts were unsuccessful.  Though Siik’tajr itself originated within Siik’Maas combined with old Nal’rasan.  Though the language is normally not used within family life due to its complexity, it is often used as a secondary language,especially by those within the seedier elements of Tajaran society. 
 
Though some more pro-Human groups within Tajara society have repeatedly attempted to push Cyrillic/Latin characters as ‘easier to use’. The vast majority of Tajara use the old Siik alphabet which has been used for centuries, though it has gone through some modifications since the fall of the Overseers in-order to remove an amount of their influence.  Usage of other alphabets is seen in the more remote and ‘stubborn’ local regions that insist upon using their own older alphabet and languages
 
Tajara as a rule tend to roll the “R” sound, extending it.  They also tend to refer to themselves in the 3rd person perspective instead of the traditional 1st person ( “He has completed his work instead of “I have completed my work) though Tajara who have spent a large amount of their lives in space/ among other species may overcome this trait with great difficulty.  Most Tajara will only speak to someone in the 1st person if it is someone they trust substantially.  The occasional “slip up” can still be expected however, as being surrounded by a mostly Human crew can occasionally confuse them into using 1st person.
 
==Background==
 
Across even their relatively short history, the Tajara have proven to be a fractious people disinclined to unity even more than Humanity.  While Humans had at least been willing to deal with one another, the Tajara rarely conducted diplomacy within their subspecies, let alone across the entire species.  Roughly five centuries ago however, when Adhomai was at a level of technological sophistication similar enough to early 20th century with primitive ballistic weaponry and basic communication devices, an event occurred that would change the fate of the Tajaran race drastically. 
 
In the land now known as the eastern highlands, the Hharar kingdoms which were many and feuding.  Found themselves sitting at the table of peace, forced there by the joining of the Ho’ti and Nul’ri clans by marriage.  These two realms were the most powerful in the region, and all knew that if they wished to.  Taking the rest of the highlands would prove no challenge for their massive armies.  The other lands bent the knee to the king and queen of the Ho’ti-Nul’ri kingdom, swearing themselves to their service.  The Ho’ti and Nul’ri were learned folk, as scholarly and intelligent as any ruler on Adhomai in those days, and they knew that if their people continued the path upon which they walked, they would suffer untold horrors at eachothers hands. They resolved themselves and their clans to the service of all Tajara, whom they swore they would come to rule over, by fire and sword if need be. 
 
Vast armies were gathered, alliances signed with those who agreed with them, war declared on those who opposed them.  And, at the head of their great armies stood their noble king and queen.  With their leadership, the Etari archipelago fell within months, the M’sai of the caves just years afterwards and all others not soon after.  At the end of their lives, only the Zhan-Khazan had escaped their rule, hiding up in their snowy mountains. 
 
With their king and queen dead, and with no offspring to continue their name. A council of all Hharar clans, along with a handful of M’sai and Njarir’Akhan representative was formed. They would rule collectively in the stead of a king or queen, and they would be known as the Overseers. And for many generations, many centuries they would rule fairly and justly. 
 
Time forced its toll upon even the most selfless Tajara  eventually. As the centuries passed and the sacrifice of their ancestors was forgotten, the Overseers lost their noble purpose, the immense power they held corrupting their intentions beyond recognition. Their once noble humbleness fell to pointless pride, as they felt they alone deserved to lead their people, care for their brothers and sisters became twisted into envy as some despised the burden thrust upon them by their long-dead forefathers, the slightest complaint from those they ruled over brought immeasurable wroth from their crack legions.  Where once one could enter the ruling palace and deliver a complaint to the Overseers directly, attempting to even approach the palace would earn one a spot on the chopping block in these days. 
 
Cruelty aside, the Overseers had proven brutally efficient leaders.  Ones dedicated to drag all Tajara kicking and screaming into the future no matter the cost.  Their perspective had shifted in all these centuries, from seeing their charges as equals. To ignorant children in-need of guiding, in need of education and teaching.  They regarded their people as primitive barbarians, ones who could never achieve real progress without their stern yet loving guidance. 
 
Half a century ago, an explorer mission funded by the Union of Sol discovered Overseer ruled Adhomai.  The team spent half a decade on its surface, immersing themselves into the rich culture of the Tajara, learning their language and otherwise becoming familiar with the Tajaran people. All the while being shepherded away from the horrific class disparity and poverty raging rampant on most of Adhomai.  Eventually, the exploration team left the system and returned to the Union with their findings and tales of Tajaran life. 
 
Adhomais’ unique and untapped mineral resources and biodiversity did not go unnoticed.  Many transstellar corporations saw the value of exploiting the Tajara and their world.  Missions in disguise of “Aid” were dispatched by multiple companies and set-up across the world, offering free medical supplies and education to gain the trust of the Tajara.  In the next decade, these missions covertly surveyed the planet geologically for mineral wealth, biologically for floral and faunal diversity, and economically for the exploitation of the Tajara and trade.   


Nanotrasens involvement with the Tajara was slightly different than the other corporations, N.T. Corporation believed that the Overseer government was a good deal too strong to influence with economic or technological means.  And thus, many revolutionaries were smuggled off-world.  One of them became vitally important to the liberation of the Tajara and though his true name has since been forgotten, he is remembered as Harimah Ranjiira.
'''Siik'maas''' is theorized to have been the ancient language of Tajaran, the 'religious' language shared between most Tajaran from their onset as a species. Despite Tajaran society evolving to a point where religious devotion became less encouraged, the universal service language used in all churches and worship sessions became the most common for Tajaran and almost every Tajaran knows how to speak it. It has been taught as the primary educational language amongst most Tajaran ethnicities since the Renaissance era and continues to be the most prevalent language on Adhomai since.  


Harimah, with the help of N.T., managed to escape the oppression that Overseer rule on Adhomai had become. He lived among Human laborers on the N.T. operated trade station near Adhomai known as “N.S.S. Opportunity” .  It was here that he realized that the wellbeing of all Tajara could and would be improved through cooperation and real collaborative effort . Over the years, Harimah wrote a manuscript that would come to be known as “Gazing upwards”.  Which was slowly distributed to those few non-Overseer Tajara that were literate, who then spread its’ content by word-of-mouth.
It is capable of being spoken by a learned human, as it is not as reliant on body language as Siik'tajr or the other native languages on Adhomai. However, just as Tau Ceti basic is difficult for Tajaran to master given their muzzle structure, Siik'maas is the same to humans, since they lack the proper biology to perform certain inflections properly. Despite it focusing more on spoken word than others, some of the vocabulary requires subtle body movements that are challenging for humans to grasp, no less perform. Even if one were to learn these movements, they tend to be sluggish and slower, giving the speech a sort of 'drunken' feeling. Tajaran speaking this over the radio often find themselves in similar positions.


In weeks, dozens of clans across the surface of Adhomai were in open revolt. And the armies of the Overseers marched to face them, only to find them equipped with Human weaponry that vastly exceeded their own.  Still, the disciplined forces of the Overseers managed to hold out just well enough, as they themselves had their own Human supporters.
Siik'maas is the federal language of the People's Republic of Adhomai. However, several groups of Tajaran ranging from scholars to traditional followers of the old ways are attempting to revive older languages such as Nal'rasan, Devahhi, Ya'ssa and other such languages.  


One single clan however tipped the balance of power towards the rebels however. Clan Hadii, convinced by Harimah himself, turned coat on the Overseer forces. Opening a massive hole in their lines and allowing the rebellious forces to overwhelm and obliterate them. While still not fully trusted by the vast majority of other rebellious clans, victory without Hadii would not have been possible.
'''Siik’tajr''' is the opposite of Siik’mas completely. A recent construction, it has seen more use recently following the overthrowing of the plutocracy. It was birthed from the necessity for a language that was difficult for law enforcers to understand, enabling revolutionaries to converse privately without having their conversations monitored or overheard. Revolutionary radicals have been a part of Adhomai's history for a long while, but were always small; however, when the Great War broke out, Siik'tajr saw widespread use by rebel forces during military operations similar to Navajo radio operators. It is a combination of Siik'mas and the more body language inclined Nal'rasan, a language traditionally used by farmers. It is not normally used in daily life due to its complexity, it is often maintained as a secondary language, especially for families who fought in the Great War.


A provisional government was propped up by Nanotrasen and their allies, which has since evolved into a (relatively) stable coalition government.  Modeled on the original Overseer council, though with significantly reduced powers, with checks and balances in-place.  Clan-alliances are still however, extremely important, fracturing often and easily these alliances reshape the face of Tajaran politics every several months.
Pro-human groups within Tajaran society have repeatedly attempted to push Cyrillic or Latin characters as 'easier to use' rather than the native Tajaran alphabet. However, the vast majority of Tajaran use the old Siik alphabet and it is the federally enforced alphabet taught in schools, the original alphabet learned Tajaran have been using for centuries. It has undergone certain modifications since the Great War to remove the influence of the plutocracy, and has made a widespread comeback with increasing literary levels amongst the Tajaran public.


Other transstellar corporations have largely been ousted by the Tajaran government. Leaving N.T. in a strong position of influence, with installations across Adhomais’ surfaceThough N.T. rarely intervenes directly in Tajaran politics as it would likely cause an upheavalAnd it is rarely needed, as most clans who they supported now sit upon the governing council, and they largely remember N.T.s aid in their time of need.   
Tajara as a rule tend to roll the “R” sound, extending it. They also tend to refer to themselves in the third person perspective instead of the traditional first person ( “He has completed his work instead of “I have completed my work) though Tajara who have spent a large amount of their lives in space or among other species may overcome this trait with great difficultyMost Tajara will only speak to someone in the first person if it is someone they trust substantiallyThe occasional “slip up” can still be expected however, as being surrounded by a mostly Human crew can occasionally confuse them into using first person.
   
==Adhomai Today==


With Nanotrasen assistance, the Tajaran government has significantly increased literacy to levels unseen in Tajaran history, and have even boosted local technological knowledgeN.T. is even currently assisting with the creation of the first extrasolar Tajaran colony on the world of Harimah.
The Tajaran homeworld has suffered plenty in the only three decades since the end of the revolution. With the sudden injection of advanced technology into their relatively simple life, the discrepancy between modernized cities and outlying areas could not be more obvious. While the Tajaran capital boasts the most modern developments with sleek skyscrapers, advanced connections and phone lines, as well as hospitals and schools, the further you get from the larger cities, the more apparent it is that things are not quite so flashy.
Many Tajaran villages and even some cities show remnants of war; where many buildings and monuments once stood, rubble and artrillery craters are all that remain. Landmines scattered throughout the wilderness are still active and provide dangers to hunting parties or travellers, and abandoned bunkers and artillery emplacements litter the countryside. Trenches and battle sites are still being discovered, and every other week you hear a rumor about how someone had their leg blown off after stumbling into a mine field.
There is a steady stream of money being fed into the Tajaran government. NanoTrasen, as per it's agreement with the president, have set up mining and logging operations on Adhomai using the local work force for the most menial of tasks. In return, company funded clinics and schools are slowly being spread out and build in the needy areas. Tajaran resource operations are now all but nonexistant; the buildings that were once part of the nobility's small gathering efforts have now been refurbished and are being used by NanoTrasen.
Literacy has risen to its all time high on Adhomai, and with the assistance of the Alliance, teachers have been brought in from off world to educate the younger generation of Tajaran. Special estbalishments for older students have also been constructed to assist the elder generation in being brought to the same level of education, but NanoTrasen has not expressed significanti nterest in this; these people make up the brunt of their low-paid workforce and they want to ensure that they are kept that way.
   
There are still several proponents of revolution that oppose the current government, but in the light of the previous, incredibly bloody war that rocked Adhomai, no armed conflict has been reported as of yet. Calling themselves the 'Followers', this group of revolutionaries are made up of Tajaran from almost every walk of life. Opposing corporate claims on Tajaran soil and citing mismatched development and governmental negligence as the fault of humanity, they aim to 'free Tajaran from the new shackles imposed upon them by the corproate overlords' and return Adhomai to a 'free, prospoerous planet like our ancestors dreamed of'.


[[Category:Species]]
[[Category:Species]]

Revision as of 00:09, 7 October 2014

The Tajara (Tah-jaw-rah both singular and multiple) are a race of humanoids which possess markedly felinoid traits that include a semi-prehensile tail, a body covered in fur of varying shades and padded, digitigrade feet.

To apply to be one of the cat-like Tajara, apply here.

Additional information: Ahdomai, Tajaran Culture

Overview

  • Cunabula: Ahdomaris
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordate
  • Class: Mammalia
  • Subclass: Eutheria
  • Order: Primacreodonta
  • Family: Coetidae
  • Genus: Tajara
  • Species: T. Sapiens

History

The Tajaran homeworld.
Adhomai was ravaged by warfare and more than forty million deaths have been recorded as a result of the Great War.

For as long as most Tajaran care to remember, Adhomai had always been under the rule of nobility. The most dated historical text that still exists in Tajaran possession dates back at least four thousand years and still talks about 'serving their masters', so many historians agree that the trend of blood rule is more deeply-routed in Tajaran existence than was previously considered.

The ancient past of the Tajaran is poorly documented and historical texts are almost non-existant; meticulous combing and destruction of educational material by millenia of harsh rule resulted in total atrophy of most scientific arts in Tajaran society. Even top Tajaran scholars in this day and age have only theories of what life was like in ancient Adhomai.

What is known, however, is that tension had slowly been increasing over a span of thousands of years between the populace and their fellow noble families. Based upon empirical evidence, historians believe that Tajaran were at one point free from the rule of nobility but were a more deeply religious species than now. Ancient relics that survived the annihilation ordered by countless nobles suggest that the current lineage of Tajaran noble families stemmed from religious leaders appointed by primitive clans that were revered as a connection to the Tajaran god, S'rendarr.

However, at some point, these religious leaders clashed and either pitted their followers against one another or amicable clans married and bred until the current leadership had spawned from their efforts. Over time, the nobility as it were slowly began to lose their religious inclination and approximately four thousand years ago Adhomai entered a Renaissance period. Religious devotion amongst Tajaran had been dropping steadily in conjunction with the lower influence it had upon their nobility. It was this period that historians believe the overwhelming control of the noble families flourished and solidified into what it was prior to the current day.

Literature was heavily regulated from this point forward following 'enlightened' publications by individuals deemed dangerous to the health of noble rule. Scarce few copies of these texts were preserved in the remains of several noble houses. In the place of novels, many famous Tajaran sculptors, musicians, and artists spawned. However, rather than their works being presented for public viewing, they were collected by noble families and only a handful were shown outside of their 'palaces' for the peasantry to admire.

Following this era, tension between the nobility and the peasantry began to steadily increase, believed to have stemmed from increasingly harsh rulers and laws. Thirty years prior to human discovery of Adhomai, the deep-seeded mistrust between peasants and nobles had reached an all time high. The Tajaran species were trapped in a technological bubble forced upon them by their nobility. At the height of their industrial revolution only a few years prior, the leadership at the time became increasingly wary of the unification of many Tajaran workers, seeing themselves in what could be accounted as another 'Renaissance' era and result in more 'enlightened' individuals straining their already crumbling control over the populace.

The realms of education, science, and luxury found themselves under severe restrictions, and your basic Tajaran was forced into almost twenty hour work days with minimal time afforded for eating and sleeping on the job. Analysis of the noble houses proves that during this time in Tajaran history, the nobility had never been worth more in Sol credits than previous. This is largley attributed to the fact that rather than having new inventions published for the peasantry, the nobility had seen fit to confiscate and use these fruits of scientific thinking for themselves.

Automobiles are considered one of the best examples of this. Using a combustion engine much like primitive human vehicles with extra anti-freezing measures and a combination of wheels and tracks, one of the first fully functional automated cars had been produced by a collection of Tajaran engineers and scientists, at the behest of the nobility. These large creations were considered by many older Tajaran to be a symbol of negligence and gluttony by their leaders. Workers were never provided with such things; they were forced to transport themselves through Adhomai's harsh winter conditions on foot or by using specially designed 'snow bicycles', irregardless of how far away their place of work was.

Further restricting the rights of the invididual Tajaran, legislation was introduced against 'workers unions' as well as any sort of illict groups; a permit was required to form anything from hunting parties to agencies. In this whirlwhind of political turmoil, a fresh generation of Tajaran were growing up, deprived of what most humans consider to be 'basic rights'. As they grew older and angrier, the nobility saw fit to continue tightening their control over their subjects until a civil war was almost inevitable. Like a powder keg ready to blow, only a single spark was needed to light the flame.

This came in the form of human discovery. A Sol Union funded expedition into the Tajaran home system discovered the by comparison primitive species and their homeworld of Adhomai. Lush with untapped resources and potential workers, Adhomai was an attractive prospect for many human supercorporations, especially NanoTrasen. Because of their slow technological progress, most of Adhomai's valuable minerals remained unharmed by mining or drilling. It was due to this that several corporations attempted to insert themselves into the dealings of Adhomai.

However, the nobility felt incredibly threatened by what they considered 'intrusions' by humanity and completely refused them diplomatic access to their planet. The Sol Union stepped in and, reluctantly, the supercorporations were forced to abandon their wishes to stake claims on Adhomai's resources - at least in the open. In the year 2416, a group of Tajaran intellectuals - considered rebels by the state - were shuttled off-world by a still unknown entity. Given asylum in the Sol Union, they met and discussed much with human scientists and officials. Tensions between the Sol Union and Tajaran nobility rose after such an event and they accused the humans of harboring terrorists.

Eventually, these rebels were returned to Adhomai with supplies and weapons. Fed with new ideals of personal freedom and 'rights afforded to all' by their influential human friends, the seeds of revolution were sowed among the Tajaran populace, spread by word of mouth. Workers, doctors, teachers, even soldiers that were questionably loyal to the nobility were swayed by these promises of freedom and equality. Meetings in the basements of dark taverns or barns were common, and relations between the nobility and their peasants were at the lowest ever recorded in Tajaran history.

It took little more than a year for a formal uprising to be staged. After the nobility had captured one of the original Tajaran that had been shuttled off world, he was sentenced to be publically hung by the neck in front of their peasants to show just how serious they were about keeping control. Ultimately, many historians believe this to be a highly egregious mistake. Rebels in the audience, armed with advanced off-world weapons, proceeded to open fire on loyalist forces and kill a nobleman in the process. This event, called the 'D'as'ral Massacre' (so named for the city it took place in) by the nobility was all the excuse they needed to enact martial law.

However, they found themselves in a cornered position. Weapons and supplies were being shipped in off-world by mysterious benefactors, and their collections of scientists and engineers had either fled to safety being noblemen themselves, or took up arms and joined the revolution. Without significant scientific presence to deconstruct or understand these new human weapons or support the war effort, the conflict resulted in a string of rebel victories that drew closer and closer to the capital cities of each providence.

Among the noble families, the largest and nearly the most powerful was a clan called the 'Hadii'. Their castle was amongst the best defended in the region and the battle to take it was waged for six months of non-stop fighting. As it became increasingly clear to them that they were eventually going to be overrun, the Hadii struck a deal with the rebel leader; in return for complete immunity from the war, as well as persecution, they afforded the revolutionaries with unique tools and even blueprints of other families' castles, pointing out weak points and infiltration spots.

It was this turncoating that tipped the revolution in favor of the peasantry. Armed with this new information, they made use of radio systems previously restricted for nobility to methodically and bloodily end their uprising by murdering most of the noble families and whatever soldiers and civilians remained loyal to them. By 2421 the revoltuion had finally come to an end with a total of more than fourty million casualties, of which more than half were loyalist forces. Many Tajaran cities and villages were utterly destroyed by vicious fighting as well as bombardment by uncaring nobles.

Following this total upheaval of Tajaran society, rebel leaders met with Hadii noblemen and discussed how to form a government, given that only the Hadii were experienced with ruling. Human corporations took express interest in this; the Hadii were one of the few noble families that saw profit in human stakes on Adhomai, and many back-room deals were made until ultimately the Hadii were placed at the head of Tajaran government, and ushered in a new federal republic. The Tajaran public was markedly distressed by this turn of the events, and fearing another uprising, human intervention again helped defuse the situation. The Hadii promised that it would not be like it was before.

Now, NanoTrasen, suspected by many conspiracy theorists to be behind the funding and supplying of Tajaran during the war, holds claim to most of Adhomai and has a monopoly over most of the planet's valuables. Collaboration between them, the Sol Union, and the Skrellian Union has resulted in more technological advances in Tajaran society recently than ever before in their recorded history. Approval ratings for the current leadership have risen in response, and for now all is quiet on Adhomai. However, there are many Tajaran who still believe that revolution is needed again to throw off the corporate shackles; from one slavemaster to the next.

Biology

To the average human, the Tajaran share many similarities with Earth felines; however, when looked at from a purely scientific perspective, this description is largely superficial. Unlike terrestrial felines, the Tajaran are both omnivorous and bipedal. Their bodies are almost entirely covered in a thick coat of fur that is extremely good at insulating them from the extreme cold of Adhomai. The layer of body fat and fur is designed to trap body heat in an efficient manner. There are only a handful of areas where fur is not present, those being on the palm of their paws, the soles of their feet, and a number of various orifices as well as a small area around their eyes.

Occasionally, the fur around a Tajaran's neck is known to grow into a shaggy 'mane' of sorts, giving them a distinct look not unlike a terran lion. This hair tends to be much stronger and a great deal more wiry than the rest of the fur on a Tajaran's body. Some Tajaran tend towards monochromatic bodies while others have multicolor or even calico fur patterns. These designs depend heavily on the genetics of the individual's parents, much like hair and eye color. Because of this, some parents are utterly incapable of producing multicolor children. Designs including flat colors, stripes, spots and most conceivable combinations have been recorded by scientists both Tajaran and human. The mean body weight of a male Tajaran is somewhere between 145 cm and 185 cm in height, while the mean body mass is between 55 kg and 90 kg. Females tend to range between 135 cm and 185 cm in height, with their own weight somewhere around 35 kg to 75 kg. As such, both their body weight and height is roughly comparable to the average human.

The Tajaran evolved as a predatory, cave-dwelling species upon their home planet of Adhomai, and as a result they have a pair of fairly large, well developed eyes that are forward set. These eyes are comparable to those of humans, but they are more effective in low-light situations due to the Tajaran ancestors having to hunt in dark cave tunnels. Tajaran eyes are set above a slightly elongated structure comprised of hard bone similar to a muzzle on terrestrial creatures. Their pupils are large and capable of contracting significantly faster than most other creatures, both sapient and otherwise. They have a thin, refractive layer which, while allowing them their low light vision, has the side-effect of appearing illuminated in the dark.

The Tajaran dental structure was at one point in their evolutionary history once geared for a carnivorous lifestyle, but has since evolved and shifted towards a more omnivorous role. Tajaran have sharp, needle like teeth in the front of their jaw which are quite clearly geared to tear meat; the further along the jaw line one goes, teeth similar to human molars reside behind the sharp canines, evidence of the change to an omnivorous diet. Atop their heads, Tajaran have a pair of deft, normally erect ears that are capable of a wide range of motion. They can rotate to roughly ninety degrees, capable of even being able to fold back almost entirely onto the skull if needed.

Tajaran extremities, specifically their hands and feet have five digits, and are generally the same shape as human extremities. However, they are slightly stubbier in appearance, though still dexterous enough to be useful. Tajaran employed in more professional roles such as engineers, architects, or other occupations that require dexterous manipulation often find themselves with filed down claws, reduced to a smooth end in order to allow easy usage of standard human based technology. This is a task that Tajaran tend to do relunctantly, given that cutting too short is incredibly painful and will expose nerves to the air. Normally, these claws are non-retractable and grow from the fingertips, usually measuring around on

The sleep cycles of the Tajaran species are one of their most scientifically curious features. A normal waking period is somewhere between thirty six and fourty eight hours, with a subsequent twenty to twenty eight hours of sleep. Normally, the waking period is spotted with three to four fifteen minute naps in order to keep the Tajaran refreshed and alert. This is universal on all worlds with Tajaran living upon them. Tajaran are capable of great feats of intelligent, dedicated work but this is physically exhausting, which renders them utterly mentally and psychologically exhausted. Those that do not enter their sleep cycle properly may find themselves groggy, aggressive, paranoid and disoriented until their circadian rhythm is righted.

In comparison to most other known species, the Tajaran body is designed to specifically be more flexible, lithe and slender despite their thick insulation. A handful of Tajaran ethnicities do not exhibit these traits and instead manifest increased muscle size, strength, or bulk. Tajaran are sexually dimorphic; females have more elongated muzzles, shorter ears, as well as more petite forms, and their distribution of body fat is entirely different than that of a male. Females do not exhibit visible breasts until pregnancy, at which point they swell in order to provide for young. Males are in general taller, have broader shoulders, bigger hands and feet, and more pointed ears.

Tajaran are built for the extremely low temperature environments that are incredibly common on Adhomai, giving them remarkable cold resistance. However, this gives them a tendency to overheat in more mild environments. To avoid this, most Tajaran will dress lightly in warmer environments such as those on human installations or tropical worlds. Forgoing the usual layer-like clothing, these Tajaran resign themselves to thin clothing. Those who find themselves confined to bio suit or radiation suit for extended periods of time will end up feeling extremely uncomfortable and perspiring heavily.

Fashion & Cuisine

An example of Tajaran fashion.
An artist's representation of typical Tajaran fashion.

Throughout Tajaran history, fashion has remained relatively simple. Extravagant vestments fabricated from silk and other high-quality animal hides were restricted exclusively to the nobility, and your standard Tajaran never really cared much for floofy dresses anyway. Given the hardships of Tajaran life and the constant need to do work by hand, the peasantry came to favor practical, well insulated clothing rather than fanciful designs; they were also cheaper to weave, which made things easier on the weaver.

Tajaran typically wear many layers of clothing to protect themselves from the freezing winds of Adhomai. Underwear is long-sleeved pants and a shirt typically woven from thick animal furs and plant fibers and is used as the inner most insulating layer. Then, a Tajaran will overlay multiple garments to create several layers of insulation to stop the loss of body heat. Thick, full-length skirts, pants, and shirts were favored by the peasantry, all in dark colors to retain heat better. Typically pre-discovery and even post-discovery modern clothing consist of thermal underwear, pants for men or long, heavy skirts for women, with thick sweater-like shirts and fur cloaks.

Similarly, due to the cold temperatures of Adhomai, Tajaran favor warming or hot food that can be consumed quickly before the freezing winds can cool the meal off. Porridges, soups, and chowders consisting of diced meat and vegetables for flavor was the usual meal of a working class Tajaran, coupled with some bread and water or ale. Pre-industrial Tajaran used to have community meals around bonfires to keep their food from cooling off too much.

However, with the introduction of new technologies - such as higher quality insulation and home heating systems - Tajaran cuisine is being experimented with by chefs who are no longer restricted to compensating for the naturally low temperatures of Adhomai. Historically, culinary creations were reserved only for the nobility, who had better heated homes than the peasantry and more leeway was offered towards not having your meat turn blue in front of you.

Culture

Of all arts, music is one of the most highly valued by Tajarans. Stemming from the long-standing ban on most literature in their society, song and dance remained one of the only ways for Tajaran to express themselves through words. Composers and musicians were traditionally held in high regard amongst Tajaran, and in place of books the fanciful song-stories of traveling bards were one of the few ways the public could remove themselves from their lives.

Theatre was also equally important in the life of a pre-discovery Tajaran. Given that, with the lack of books, there was little to keep your usual worker entertained, the ability to watch and enjoy a riveting drama or hilarious comedy was heaven. Theatres and performing halls can be found in almost every Tajaran village, and are often constructed to rival even the main seat of town council or government in architectural beauty. For example, the D'na'tel Hall in the Tajaran capital was one and a quarter larger than the seat of government prior to human sanctioned expansions. Dating back to the late Renaissance Era, it was constructed from high quality marble and many sculptures of characters and scenes from various popular Tajaran plays were meticulously hand-carved into the walls by sculptor Nasir Ka'nira.

However, literature itself - that is to say novels - have never been looked kindly upon by the Tajaran public. Though this closed way of thinking is starting to shift with the greater introduction of literacy amongst Tajaran as a whole, many elders still harbor bitter feelings about books in general. They were almost universally considered a symbol of oppression and luxury by pre-revolution Tajaran, given the fact that only the nobility were taught en masse how to read, and that every family had it's own private expansive library that even learned peasants had to pay out of pocket to access. This led to a widespread destruction of much of historical Tajaran text following the uprising, as revolutionaries took it upon themselves to purposely gather and burn whatever books they could after taking a noble stronghold.

Politics & Religion

There are a handful of faiths on Adhomai, but the majority religion is the worship of S'rendarr and Messa, the names of both suns in the Tajaran home system. Ancient Tajaran were believed to worship the suns as gods, believing their light to be the only thing keeping the planet from freezing over entirely. Over time, this faith matured into a system of beliefs suited to the peasantry; looking down upon the acts of betraying your fellow worker and attempting to foster unity and understanding amongst its followers. It is believed by many that S'rendarr is the god of life and the day, as the bigger of the two suns, and he is associated with good happenings and is most often prayed to. Contrastingly, Messa, the blue sun, is the goddess of the night and death; whenever she eclipses S'rendarr, all followers partake in religious rituals that ask Messa to spare them from whatever ill tidings she may bring.

Despite being the majority religion, there exist several others. Namely, the second largest religion is the worship of the Snow God Ma'ta'ke, which dates back to ancient Tajaran times. A figure of legend, Ma'ta'ke is believed to have been the head of a hardy clan of mountain dwellers that regularly came to the aid of another clan who was constantly plagued by bandits and wild animals. He is revered as fierce warrior capable of fighting a platoon of men by himself, but also as a kind soul, for the records of his dealings with other clans show understanding and kindness. Similar to the followers of S'rendarr and Messa, those who believe in the Snow God preach unity and understanding for the betterment and longevity of Tajaran as a species.

At one point, a religion was established heralding the nobility themselves as gods by certain devout loyalits, but this faith has all but been completely erased following the uprising. Individuals who were recorded to believe in or are suspected of being a member undergo persecution and even in some cases death sentences. With most loyalists either in hiding or killed during the uprising, and all places of worship destroyed, any intelligent Tajaran would never admit to being, or attempt to defend, a member of this faith.

Due to the Tajaran's history as an oppressed species, they have grown to be more open minded and liberal with each other than other races, like humans. Homosexuality amongst Tajaran is as a majority a non-issue, and racial or gender descrimination is mostly nonexistant. Historically, the peasantry made due by uniting themselves as a workforce which has bred an intimate inter-person relationship amongst the families of most villages, towns, and cities. Irregardless of the size of the population, pre-uprising Tajaran were often well acquainted with families that may have lived on the other side of town. Arranged marriages were extremely common and were ways to improve relationships amongst families. However, this traditional practice has met with extreme criticism following post-uprising debates.

As a whole, the Tajaran could be described as a communistic species, given their history of oppression. Proponents of revolution are still present on Adhomai following the puppet government that has been set up, and tensions are still high and heated amongst some prominent factions and the federal government. However, the Hadii are a clever bunch and have ensured to appease Tajaran not only by entirely overhauling the legal system to bring it in line with other species', but to pass edicts and other bills that play to the Tajaran's desire for fair and equal treatment. There are three major political parties on Adhomai; the Loyalist party, which is made up of Hadii members as well as other politicians that support and agree with the federal government, the People's Party, who contrastingly oppose the federal government due to its overarching nature and liken it to previous times under the nobility, and then Humanist Party, who want to give humanity a greater role in Tajaran politics and even allow them to govern the planet as part of the Sol Union.

Language & Naming

Native Tajaran names are usually difficult for humans and other species to pronounce properly; as such, older Tajaran prefer to take names (whereas young Tajaran are given them at birth) that they find they themselves are able to pronounce and are also phonetically pleasing. For many, these are names derived from Arabic or Russian backgrounds, as they are the easiest for their inhuman mouths to pronounce. Traditionally, Tajaran names included their clan name, and some Tajaran carry over this tradition and have their 'middle' name be their clan name.

As with all other species who work in Human-centric environments. Tajara are expected and required to have passed a prerequisite test to test their comprehension of Tau-Ceti basic, the operating language of NanoTrasen and most transstellar corporations, in addition to most major sovereign entities. Admittedly the passing levels of these comprehension tests are quite low, but are high enough to ensure basic conversation between what will likely be a multi-species crew. However, private communication in Siik’Mas or Siik’tajr is not forbidden by NanoTrasen regulations and is often used to hold conversations between Tajara on the crew.

Though there are a variety of languages used by the Tajara, among the foremost of this vast plethora of languages is Siik’mas and Siik’tajr.

Siik'maas is theorized to have been the ancient language of Tajaran, the 'religious' language shared between most Tajaran from their onset as a species. Despite Tajaran society evolving to a point where religious devotion became less encouraged, the universal service language used in all churches and worship sessions became the most common for Tajaran and almost every Tajaran knows how to speak it. It has been taught as the primary educational language amongst most Tajaran ethnicities since the Renaissance era and continues to be the most prevalent language on Adhomai since.

It is capable of being spoken by a learned human, as it is not as reliant on body language as Siik'tajr or the other native languages on Adhomai. However, just as Tau Ceti basic is difficult for Tajaran to master given their muzzle structure, Siik'maas is the same to humans, since they lack the proper biology to perform certain inflections properly. Despite it focusing more on spoken word than others, some of the vocabulary requires subtle body movements that are challenging for humans to grasp, no less perform. Even if one were to learn these movements, they tend to be sluggish and slower, giving the speech a sort of 'drunken' feeling. Tajaran speaking this over the radio often find themselves in similar positions.

Siik'maas is the federal language of the People's Republic of Adhomai. However, several groups of Tajaran ranging from scholars to traditional followers of the old ways are attempting to revive older languages such as Nal'rasan, Devahhi, Ya'ssa and other such languages.

Siik’tajr is the opposite of Siik’mas completely. A recent construction, it has seen more use recently following the overthrowing of the plutocracy. It was birthed from the necessity for a language that was difficult for law enforcers to understand, enabling revolutionaries to converse privately without having their conversations monitored or overheard. Revolutionary radicals have been a part of Adhomai's history for a long while, but were always small; however, when the Great War broke out, Siik'tajr saw widespread use by rebel forces during military operations similar to Navajo radio operators. It is a combination of Siik'mas and the more body language inclined Nal'rasan, a language traditionally used by farmers. It is not normally used in daily life due to its complexity, it is often maintained as a secondary language, especially for families who fought in the Great War.

Pro-human groups within Tajaran society have repeatedly attempted to push Cyrillic or Latin characters as 'easier to use' rather than the native Tajaran alphabet. However, the vast majority of Tajaran use the old Siik alphabet and it is the federally enforced alphabet taught in schools, the original alphabet learned Tajaran have been using for centuries. It has undergone certain modifications since the Great War to remove the influence of the plutocracy, and has made a widespread comeback with increasing literary levels amongst the Tajaran public.

Tajara as a rule tend to roll the “R” sound, extending it. They also tend to refer to themselves in the third person perspective instead of the traditional first person ( “He has completed his work instead of “I have completed my work) though Tajara who have spent a large amount of their lives in space or among other species may overcome this trait with great difficulty. Most Tajara will only speak to someone in the first person if it is someone they trust substantially. The occasional “slip up” can still be expected however, as being surrounded by a mostly Human crew can occasionally confuse them into using first person.

Adhomai Today

The Tajaran homeworld has suffered plenty in the only three decades since the end of the revolution. With the sudden injection of advanced technology into their relatively simple life, the discrepancy between modernized cities and outlying areas could not be more obvious. While the Tajaran capital boasts the most modern developments with sleek skyscrapers, advanced connections and phone lines, as well as hospitals and schools, the further you get from the larger cities, the more apparent it is that things are not quite so flashy.

Many Tajaran villages and even some cities show remnants of war; where many buildings and monuments once stood, rubble and artrillery craters are all that remain. Landmines scattered throughout the wilderness are still active and provide dangers to hunting parties or travellers, and abandoned bunkers and artillery emplacements litter the countryside. Trenches and battle sites are still being discovered, and every other week you hear a rumor about how someone had their leg blown off after stumbling into a mine field.

There is a steady stream of money being fed into the Tajaran government. NanoTrasen, as per it's agreement with the president, have set up mining and logging operations on Adhomai using the local work force for the most menial of tasks. In return, company funded clinics and schools are slowly being spread out and build in the needy areas. Tajaran resource operations are now all but nonexistant; the buildings that were once part of the nobility's small gathering efforts have now been refurbished and are being used by NanoTrasen.

Literacy has risen to its all time high on Adhomai, and with the assistance of the Alliance, teachers have been brought in from off world to educate the younger generation of Tajaran. Special estbalishments for older students have also been constructed to assist the elder generation in being brought to the same level of education, but NanoTrasen has not expressed significanti nterest in this; these people make up the brunt of their low-paid workforce and they want to ensure that they are kept that way.

There are still several proponents of revolution that oppose the current government, but in the light of the previous, incredibly bloody war that rocked Adhomai, no armed conflict has been reported as of yet. Calling themselves the 'Followers', this group of revolutionaries are made up of Tajaran from almost every walk of life. Opposing corporate claims on Tajaran soil and citing mismatched development and governmental negligence as the fault of humanity, they aim to 'free Tajaran from the new shackles imposed upon them by the corproate overlords' and return Adhomai to a 'free, prospoerous planet like our ancestors dreamed of'.