Tezcat

Tezcat
Base Information
Classification	Carnivore
Status	Minor Race
Locomotion	Walker
Terrain	Forest
Body Form
Confluence	Humanoid
Bio-Identenoid	Felidoid
Size	1.7 meters
Weight	65 kg
Culture
Languages	A'Prur
Social Structure	Dictatorship
Technological Epoch	TL:10-12
Psionic potential	Standard
Origin World
Homeworld location	Aum-rhar (Reft 1907)
UWP	A857948-C Starport A Excellent: Starship Construction, Overhaul, Refined fuel Size 8 Large (12,800 km, 0.80g - 1.08g) Atmosphere 5 Thin Hydrographics 7 Wet World 70% Population 9 High (8 billion) Government 4 Representative Democracy Law 8 High Law (controlled blades) Tech Level C Average Stellar (robots)
Primary Star	K9 V
Atmosphere	Thin
Off-world presence	Yes
Zoetic individuals	Yes
Source
Reference	Alien Races 4 116-123.
Canon	No
Also see

The Tezcat are a minor race native to Aum-rhar (Reft 1907). Their location left them untouched by the flow of general history. Their own history is one of oppression, liberation, and a burning zeal that combines nihilistic religion with strong social cohesion.

Physiology & Environment (Ecology)

Tezcat are dwellers in the Great Rift, evolved from forest-dwelling predators with chameleon skin and poison fangs.

The Tezcat are a warm-blooded, upright bipedal carnivore. They are smaller and shorter than humans, but come equipped with a flexible tail and higher metabolism. Their four-fingered hands end in sharp claws and their front fangs contain a neurotoxin lethal to small oxygen breathing animals, though it will only sicken an adult human.

A series of quills sprout from a Tezcat's head. Clothing is worn but is minimal, since colour change of the skin is a part of communication and a natural part of instinctive hunting tactics.

History & Background (Dossier)

The Tezcat evolved in the dense forests of their homeworld around 40,000 years ago, and developed slowly into a civilized species. They were one of two races on their world to develop simultaneously, the other being the amphibious reptiles called Varaku. The Varaku achieved dominance, with Tezcat either enslaved or forced into the inhospitable northernmost regions where they struggled to survive. Eventually, a series of revolts, religious crusades, and bitter struggles saw the Tezcat topple Varaku dominance and in time exterminate their hated rival.

Eventual colonization missions to nearby Zamoran (Reft 2108) led to encounters with one of that world's Droyne societies, and the xenophobic Tezcat were repelled at the aliens' Varaku-like appearance. War was declared by the Tezcat on the Droyne. A unified multinational Tezcat fleet was outfitted and these warships began raiding Zamoran. As their intensity increased to the point of genocide, the Oytrip of Zamoran declared Otritsyu'a and annihilated a good portion of the Tezcat who had come to Zamoran.

The survivors were driven into the wilderness by vengeful Droyne troops. However, ever more Tezcat were arriving, especially now that they had copied the Droyne jump drive, and the Droyne were pushed back from parts of the world that were now claimed as a Tezcat conquest.

Human colonists arrived in the region from Deneb Sector in 964 and established contact with the Tezcat, who would end up claiming parts of six Great Rift star systems.

Psychology & Philosophy (Mindset)

A pleasure loving species, Tezcat prefer to live for the moment.

Tezcat are playful and often relieve stress through impromptu games of chase or dancing.

Culture & Society (Ethnology)

They are remarkably gregarious, and form group marriages that are notably egalitarian. Tezcat are xenophobic, though its degree is limited by the amount of perceived differences that exist between them and an encountered species. A bipedal humanoid such as human and Aslan are close enough to be tolerated; Droyne, K'kree and Hivers are likely to be attacked.

Language

A'Prur

Social Organization

Tezcat tend to form small polygamous family groups that also act as the primary political and economic unit of their society.

Government & Politics (Leadership)

The Tezcat are governed by an unusual set of religious traditions that tend to mirror their hedonism with a peculiar brand of nihilism that makes them fatalistic and obsessive.

Most notable is their Shaper cult, which worships a void-filling god known as the Shaper, or the Absolute. Places of darkness and vacuum are the natural domicile of this diety, and black holes are often venerated as being doorways into its lair. Transmigration is an alien custom to the religion, and the dead are ritually eaten by relatives and friends to ensure that the souls and essence of the deceased are preserved by the community.

Astrography

This race is primarily located in the following areas:
Charted Space:

• Reft Sector
  • Two Little Subsector

Homeworld

The homeworld of this race is:

• Aum-rhar (Reft 1907)

World Listing: 1105

Significant communities of this race are known to dwell within the following systems and worlds:

3 of 3 World articles in Tezcat

Aum-rhar  •  Gordon  •  Zamoran  •  

startbacknext(3 listed)

References

This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Far Future Enterprises or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• Steve Jackson, Loren Wiseman. Alien Races 4 (Steve Jackson Games, 2001), 116-123.
• Darren Bulmer. Aliens of Charted Space: Volume 4 (Mongoose Publishing, 2023), 179.