If you've ever read Cherryh's Chanur novels then you know who these guys are, basically dark furred orangutans. Here is a description of them suitable for use in a Traveller game:
Description: *
A tall species, tending to ranginess and length of limb, the mahendo'sat have fur ranging from sleek sheened black to curly brown, with all gradations in between. Their claws do not retract, and are more a tool of utility than a weapon. They are omnivores, native to Iji, from which they control a considerable territory.
The mahendo'sat have more than a hundred languages native to Iji. Their own lingua franca is chiso, which not all mahendo'sat speak; and very many mahendo'sat have never succeeded in learning even the simplified pidgin that they popularized during their contact with the Third Imperium. Ironically, this species which pursues both art and science for its own sake and which is continually engaged in research of all kinds, cannot translate either into or out of its own set of languages with any degree of accuracy, which some might suspect indicates more apparent idiosyncracies in psychology as well as physiology.
As for the inner workings of the mahen culture, even the species name exists in some uncertaintly. Mahe is generally singular, sometimes plural; and mahendo'sat actually seems to stand for the species collective mentality, or the species as an entity, or for some concept which refuses translation as nation or species.
Mahendo'sat are often collectors, which they have in common with Humaniti; but mahendo'sat are most interested in natural objects and make elaborate gardens. They are devoted to design and derive philosophical meaning from the growth patterns of their carefully tended trees. Mahendo'sat also keep pets, a trait shared with some other species, but they are likely to keep difficult ones and to lavish care on exotics.
The history of the mahen species is one of pocket kingdoms, continual religions ferment, mysticism, leaders with self-claimed credentials rising to some purpose and then vanishing in what may have been a tradition of such vanishments. They are greatly concerned with abstracts and courtesies, symbol and hidden meaning.
Moder and ancient mahen authority rests on Person, involving dignity and charismatic appeal, and interlinking Personages in an elaborate chain of command in which one appoints the next, but in which a higher personage may be brought down by the malfeasance or error of an appointee. Mahendo'sat set great store by this indefinable quality and esteem it where found, to such an extent that they likewise choose to honor or ignore members of other species with complete disregard of those species' own concepts of authority.
Personages are of either of the mahendo'sat's two genders, usually of mature years. They come in many ranks and levels of authority, but all are attended by a Voice, a person usually of the opposite gender whose apparently self-appointed task is to represent the Personage and to utter unpleasantness which the Personage is to serene to deal with.
The mahen social unit is complex, revolving around personage: mating is at apparent random, but Person has a great deal to do with it. Young are traded about with apparent abandon, but this also has to do with the bonds of Person, and the desire to expose the young to good influence or superior instruction.
The mahen government currently rests with a Personage at Iji whose serenity is untroubled; but in the fashion of mnahendo'sat, this and the
entire form of government are subject to change without notice.
* Modified from the encyclopedia entry at the back of Chanur's Venture.
T20 Attributes:
A mahendo'sat character has the normal 9 ability scores of a Traveller character, with the addition of a "Prestige" score, which works the same as the Vargr one.
</font>
Description: *
A tall species, tending to ranginess and length of limb, the mahendo'sat have fur ranging from sleek sheened black to curly brown, with all gradations in between. Their claws do not retract, and are more a tool of utility than a weapon. They are omnivores, native to Iji, from which they control a considerable territory.
The mahendo'sat have more than a hundred languages native to Iji. Their own lingua franca is chiso, which not all mahendo'sat speak; and very many mahendo'sat have never succeeded in learning even the simplified pidgin that they popularized during their contact with the Third Imperium. Ironically, this species which pursues both art and science for its own sake and which is continually engaged in research of all kinds, cannot translate either into or out of its own set of languages with any degree of accuracy, which some might suspect indicates more apparent idiosyncracies in psychology as well as physiology.
As for the inner workings of the mahen culture, even the species name exists in some uncertaintly. Mahe is generally singular, sometimes plural; and mahendo'sat actually seems to stand for the species collective mentality, or the species as an entity, or for some concept which refuses translation as nation or species.
Mahendo'sat are often collectors, which they have in common with Humaniti; but mahendo'sat are most interested in natural objects and make elaborate gardens. They are devoted to design and derive philosophical meaning from the growth patterns of their carefully tended trees. Mahendo'sat also keep pets, a trait shared with some other species, but they are likely to keep difficult ones and to lavish care on exotics.
The history of the mahen species is one of pocket kingdoms, continual religions ferment, mysticism, leaders with self-claimed credentials rising to some purpose and then vanishing in what may have been a tradition of such vanishments. They are greatly concerned with abstracts and courtesies, symbol and hidden meaning.
Moder and ancient mahen authority rests on Person, involving dignity and charismatic appeal, and interlinking Personages in an elaborate chain of command in which one appoints the next, but in which a higher personage may be brought down by the malfeasance or error of an appointee. Mahendo'sat set great store by this indefinable quality and esteem it where found, to such an extent that they likewise choose to honor or ignore members of other species with complete disregard of those species' own concepts of authority.
Personages are of either of the mahendo'sat's two genders, usually of mature years. They come in many ranks and levels of authority, but all are attended by a Voice, a person usually of the opposite gender whose apparently self-appointed task is to represent the Personage and to utter unpleasantness which the Personage is to serene to deal with.
The mahen social unit is complex, revolving around personage: mating is at apparent random, but Person has a great deal to do with it. Young are traded about with apparent abandon, but this also has to do with the bonds of Person, and the desire to expose the young to good influence or superior instruction.
The mahen government currently rests with a Personage at Iji whose serenity is untroubled; but in the fashion of mnahendo'sat, this and the
entire form of government are subject to change without notice.
* Modified from the encyclopedia entry at the back of Chanur's Venture.
T20 Attributes:
A mahendo'sat character has the normal 9 ability scores of a Traveller character, with the addition of a "Prestige" score, which works the same as the Vargr one.
</font>
- +2 Strength, +2 Charisma, -2 Wisdom.</font>
- Mahendo'sat base speed is 9 meters.</font>
- Medium-size. Mahendo'sat receive no bonuses or penalties due to their size.</font>
- Eyesight is better than human sight, with the ability to see a greater spectrum of light. They have low-light vision and receive a +2 on all Search checks.</font>
- Automatic languages: One native Iji dialect (Galanglic is not automatically received).</font>
).
