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Cetacean(s): Dolphins (orcas?)<br>
Cetaceans have an unusual sleep-state, fairly alien minds. They are a big favourite of the New Age movement who often credit them with paranormal powers. <br>
My suggestion is that natural cetaceans have Astral Projection and Telepathy only. Their telepathy only works on other cetaceans. Their astral forms are unable to influence or contact the ‘real’ world so we remained unaware of their abilities. Most humans do not realise that Psi is behind the alien spirituality of the cetaceans. Since uplift a few cetaceans claim to have learned to ‘tune’ telepathy to contact humans. The number able to do this is small and regarded by most as just more New Age nonsense.<br>
Why? Just opening up a few options and working with permutations unique to this setting. Our use of Psi has already opened up Astral projection and Astral Entities (PSI98). This adds utility to cetaceans as potential plot devices, NPCs, and PCs. I’m not suggestion Psi for any other non-humans only cetaceans.<br>
An astrally projecting cetacean can get its ghost brain into the sphere of the time machine his projected form goes back it time. While in the past his astral form be equivalent to Astral Entity (Compendium I p96).<br>
Dolphin<br>
(Tursiops XXX)<br>
Species Total +71pt <br>
Germ-line engineering has produced two sentient dolphin species with citizen level intelligence. The smaller of the two species is descended from Tursiops truncatus and commonly called dolphins or ‘phins. The larger species are orcas. Several unaltered dolphin species have qualified for Minor citizenship. The mental processes of dolphins operate very differently from humanity but still produce workable solutions to problems. The dolphin brain makes greater use of intuition, self-awareness, and the unusual sleep-state of partial consciousness. Dolphin languages are of sound and sonar images. Dolphin names are whistles communicating lineage on the mother’s side. ‘Phin names like ‘Second daughter of Koombana Bay Pod’s Matriarch’s eldest sister’ translate clumsily into English and 'phins encourage humans to whistle names as best they can. A ‘phin calls its own name, varying the pitch, to express emotion instead laughter, crying etc.<br>
Some dolphin pods are multi-species with ‘minor’ citizens, and even animals coexisting with dolphin citizens. However, mixed pods are not as common as those of a single species. Pods consist of a matriarch, her sisters and their children. Adult males form fiercely competitive ‘alliances’ that are associated with one or more pods. Lone dolphins are usually older males who have out-lived the others in their alliance. Dolphin society makes no division between work and home, pods and alliances live and work as a unit.<br>
Relations between Homo sapiens and Tursiops XXX are many layered. As individuals humans and ‘phins can work well together and lone dolphins often form friendships with humans, but the legacy of humankind’s genocide of the cetaceans refuses to be buried in the assemblies of governments, UN and rougher bars. The sexual practices of dolphins are notorious but often dolphin sex has the social connotations of a hug among humans.<br>
Physically ‘phins are larger than humans (averaging 200kg). They are indistinguishable from their wild relatives but internal modifications included greater convolution of the cerebral cortex, altered larynx, and improved eyesight. Their modified flippers can double as grasping paws. They are able to speak human languages with a thick ‘accent’.<br>
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ST +6 (60) DX +2 (+20), IQ 𔂿 (-10), HT +2 (+20)<br>
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Species Advantages: 3D spatial sense (10), Acute Hearing +3 (6), Alertness +2 (10), Enhanced Move (swimming x1) (10), Extra Hit Points +1 (5), Extra Fatigue +4 (12), Intuition (15), Independently focusable eyes (15) Oxygen Storage (14), Peripheral Vision (15), 3D Spatial Sense (10), Pressure Support (10), Temperature Tolerance +2 (2), Semi-Sleep (10), Sonic Vision (25), Sonar as Empathy within 2 hexes (8), Ultrasonic Speech (25). <br>
Subtotal: 202<br>
Psionics: Astral Projection 1 (3) Telepathy 1 (limitation dolphins only -40% 2pt)<br>
Psionic skills: Astral Projection (1/2), Astral Sight (1/2), Aspect (1/2), Emotion sense (1/2)<br>
These are the only Powers ‘phins ever develop, they can learn other skill within these powers. The limitation on telepathy can be bought off.<br>
Subtotal: 7<br>
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Species Disadvantages: Aquatic (-40), Chummy (-5), Distractible (-1), Dull (-1), Horizontal (-10), Inconvenient Size (10), Increased Life Support* 1 level (-10), Bad Grip (-10), Short arms (-10) Short-life span x2 (-20), Stuttering (-10), Social Stigma Minority (-10), Staid (-1).<br>
Subtotal -138<br>
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Genetic modifications added +1IQ, Reduced Alertness by 1, changed Mute to Stuttering, changed No Fine Manipulators for Bad Grip and short arms. I have also removed Bestial. Though the Biotech rules do not explicitly state it can be removed at TL9 raised IQ and allowance of other cultural changes implies it is removable.<br>
*Life Support Note: no drinking water needed but an additional mass of wet food equal to 2x the usual water requirement needed. <br>
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Where technology is used sophisticated speech/sonar recognition and automation has reduced hands to merely an interface option in the society of 2100+. However, some ‘phins have employed cybernetics or biotech to enhance their manipulatory abilities or for other reasons. Given the penetrating nature of sonar all such enhancements, including those below, gain the owner a Hideous Appearance (other dolphins only -40% -12pt) as well. <br>
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