Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: Faxaturian Prosperity and Advancement Foundation

Sci-Fi Worldbuilding: Faxaturian Prosperity and Advancement Foundation

GURPS Space says that chlorine-breathing aliens are common in science fiction works, but I only know the illensians from J. White's Sector General. I've tried to generate a chlorine-based species using the tables found in GURPS Space and ended up with intolerant, suspicious, and racist carnivores who just want to be left alone, but are forced to deal with the aliens because of overpopulation. I'm not sure if this makes any sense, but I can always say "We do not know much about them, because they do not welcome aliens". As a racial template, the faxaturians are quite expensive and exotic. Telescopic Vision 4 should make them good at ranged combat.

Faxaturian Prosperity and Advancement Foundation

Capital World: Faxatur III.

Major Species: Faxaturians.

Languages: Faxaturian.

Culture Groups: Faxaturian.

TL: 10.

Faxatur III is a garden world orbiting a hot blue star. Its atmosphere contains large amounts of chlorine as is deadly toxic and corrosive to most non-native lifeforms. As chlorine is heavier than air, it pools in caves and depressions in the land, reaching concentrations that might kill even native life. An advanced civilization of faxaturians arose in the mountains, where concentrations of chlorine are the smallest.

The civilization was a loose alliance of republican states, until several large corporations started gaining more influence than the governments. Among them, Faxaturian Prosperity and Advancement Foundation (FPAF) was the largest corporation that dealt with space flight research and genetic engineering. Their most significant project was the terraforming of Faxatur IV with simultaneous genetic modification of potential colonists.

Many years later, the project was complete, and the faxaturians have established their first extraterrestrial colony, and the FPAF gained access to vast untapped resources. The first contact happened when a MonoTech exploration vessel entered orbit around Faxatur III. The humans, seeing as the faxaturian society is de facto controlled by a megacorporation, wanted to become allies, but was met only with hostility. There was no armed conflict, but the humans were forced to depart the system. The faxaturians, being intimidated by the towering humans, wanted only to isolate themselves from alien contacts and be left alone. Despite that, overpopulation forced them to spread slowly among the stars.

It took almost one Earth century for the faxaturians to recover from their first traumatic alien contact and accept the inevitability of interspecies relations. Now, the agents of FPAF can be found in many regions of the galaxy, but they only deal with aliens if it is very profitable for them, and only if they initiate contact. The faxaturians do not welcome aliens, especially larger ones, in their society, and often attack them on sight.

FAXATURIAN [45] Attribute Modifiers: ST-2 [-20]. Secondary Characteristic Modifiers: SM-1. Advantages: 360° Vision [25]; DR 5 (Includes Eyes, +10%; Includes Internal, +20%; Limited, Corrosion, -40%; Tough Skin, -40%) [13]; Extra Arms 3 [30]; Extra Legs (Five Legs) [10]; Metabolism Control 2 [10]; Scales [1]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Telescopic Vision 4 [20]. Disadvantages: Hard of Hearing [-10]; Restricted Diet (Chlorine Flesh; Occasional) [-30]; Unusual Biochemistry [-5]. Natural Comfort Zone: 10°C - 40°C (50°F - 105°F), 0.8 atm., 1.2g, chlorine atmosphere. Faxaturians are hermaphroditic aliens with five-sided radial body symmetry. Their conical body rests on five flexible legs and is covered in thin scales. Five eyes on the bulbous head allow them to see all around themselves. Even though they have five arms, only one of them is primary. Their vision is very sharp – faxaturians make good snipers even with no scopes or other optics. It is known that the faxaturians have evolved from trapping herbivores, and vestigial organs suggest that in the ancient times they could secrete very sticky liquid to trap prey. Even nowadays, the faxaturians are chauvinistic loners, preferring to avoid contact with the unknown. Such mental disadvantages as Intolerance and sometimes even Paranoia can be encountered among the faxaturians. Sample Universal Names: Tuxafan, Oxotal, Furaxel, Tuffax.