Vegan

Vegan
Base Information
Classification	Herbivore/Grazer
Status	Minor Race
Locomotion	Walker
Terrain	Desert
Body Form
Confluence	Humanoid
Bio-Identenoid	Alien
Size	2.2 meters
Weight	140 kg
Culture
Languages	Wahuaragz, Anglic
Social Structure	Republic
Technological Epoch	TL:13-15
Psionic potential	Standard
Origin World
Homeworld location	Muan Gwi (Solomani Rim 1717)
UWP	A556A86-E Starport A Excellent: Starship Construction, Overhaul, Refined fuel Size 5 Medium (8,000 km, 0.40g - 0.57g) Atmosphere 5 Thin Hydrographics 6 Wet World 60% Population A High (70 billion) Government 8 Civil Service Bureaucracy Law 6 Moderate Law (no firearms except shotguns) Tech Level E High Stellar (anti-grav cities)
Primary Star	F2 V
Atmosphere	Thin
Off-world presence	Yes
Zoetic individuals	Yes
Source
Reference	The Solomani Rim 7.
Canon	Yes
Also see

The Vegan of Muan Gwi (Solomani Rim 1717) are a technologically advanced Minor Non-Human Race with a humanoid appearance.

Description (Specifications)

The Vegans (in their own terms, Tyui, though they commonly accept the Human name) are an intelligent race originating on Muan Gwi (Solomani Rim 1717) and inhabiting the Vegan Autonomous District. They are named by humans after the bright star near their homeworld.

Biology (Physical Sophontology)

Vegans have a number of adaptations to the arid dry region of Muan Gwi where they developed.

Vegans are upright, bipedal, and bilaterally symmetrical, averaging 2.2 meters in height. They are gonochoric (individuals are either male or female), homeothermic oxygen breathers with an average lifespan of over 200 years.

Vegans have the tall, thin bodies characteristic of most low-gravity species. Because of their low-gravity origin, they are physically quite weak, and are unable to live on high gravity worlds. The gravity of Muan Gwi is rated at 0.5 g or half that of Terra, the Human homeworld.

Physiology

A Vegan's tall, thin body is designed for the maximum radiation of heat. The torso is covered with a thick integument, whose convoluted surface is richly supplied with blood vessels. By increasing or decreasing the supply of blood to the integument, heat radiation from the torso can be regulated to optimum effect (more during the day, less at night). This arrangement obviates the necessity for sweating and its consequent water loss. All orifices of the body can be sealed to prevent unnecessary moisture loss.

The head serves both as brain case and as sensory appendage. Auditory organs are located in the collar-like structure around the neck. Despite external appearances to the contrary, Vegans have two eyes, located inside the hood-like fleshy structure which dominates the head.

The paired eyes are covered by a transparent eye-lid-like structure, which acts as a polarized light filter. This structure protects the eyes from glare, like built-in sunglasses, and also serves to keep windblown dust out of the eyes. This filter can be retracted when not needed. The eyes themselves are large, and pick up radiation well into the infrared portion of the spectrum, an adaptation to Muan Gwi's small red sun.

Since the skull is fixed solidly in place, a Vegan cannot turn its head, but the fleshy hood containing the eyes can turn through a large arc.

Vegans are walkers and their legs end in broad, splayed feet, which prevent them from sinking into the soft sand.

Where the forearm and hand would be on a human, Vegans have three tentacles, which serve them as manipulative organs.

The mouth is a vertical slit in the upper thoracic region, with paired breathing/vocal slits on either side of it.

Two mandibles are located inside the upper chest, and grind food between their opposing sets of teeth.

Climate & Ecotope (Environment)

This species holds the following environmental preferences:

• Terrestrial planet
• Cold climate
• Barren and dessert ecotopes
• Low gravity
• Thin atmosphere

Anatomy & Physiology (Phenotype)

Sophontologists studying this species have discovered the following data.

Body Plan (Morphology)

Annelidoid

• Humanoid
• Biltateral symmetry (s-ial)
• Tetrapod (4-ped)
  • 2 limbs used for manipulation "arms"
  • 2 limbs used for locomotion "legs"
• Body consists of three segments
  • Head
  • Torso
  • Abdomen

Biochemistry (Function)

This species has a conventional carbon-water based biochemistry.

Respiration (Reaction)

This species used a conventional respiration cycle consisting of:

• Oxygen-nitrogen inhalant
• Carbon dioxide exhalant

Diet & Trophics (Consumption)

This species survives using the following methods of consumption:

• Herbivore /grazer
• This species favors vegetable and plant-based foodstuffs.

Gender & Sexuality (Reproduction)

This species has the following reproductive characteristics:

• Two genders (male & female)
  • No outward sexual dimorphism
• (sexual reproduction)
  • Conjugal intercourse
  • Varied mating systems (primarily serial monogamy) (1m:1f average)
• Viviparous birth
  • (Iteroparous): Uses K-selection and have few offspring that require considerable amounts of time to raise to maturity.

Vegans are not sexually dimorphic and there are no external differences between sexes.

• The urogenital opening is a vertical slit located ventrally in the lower abdomen.

Culture & Society (Ethnology)

Vegan society is divided into hundreds of different tuhuir, which might be roughly translated as culture, philosophy, or tao. Each tuhuir has its own customs and traditions and its own interpretation of the proper way to live. The civil service which governs the Vegan District is a tuhuir which oversees and mediates among all the other tuhuir. Although rare, heretical and rebellious tuhuir do exist.

Archeology shows that the tuhuir were once separate societies, each associated with a particular geographic location, like countries on ancient Earth. Now, however, they are mixed together in complex patterns. Tuhuir are not hereditary; when a Vegan nears sexual maturity, he or she enters a period of search, which may last for many years. Eventually, the individual chooses a tuhuir; once made, the choice is for life. In practice, about 50% of all Vegans enter the tuhuir of their parents (the exact percentage varies with each tuhuir); about 0.5% find that they enjoy the search as a way of life and never join a tuhuir.

Language

The primary shared language is Wahuaragz.

History (Archaeological Sophontology)

The Vegans received the Jump Drive about -6000, from Vilani-influenced Geonee traders, and colonized several nearby worlds before being absorbed by the First Imperium in -4404. The Consolidation Wars were brutal on the Vegan Polity, with the complete annihilation of society on Muan Issler; Muan Gwi itself surrendered when it became clear that the Vilani were prepared to go to such extremes. They were severely restricted under Vilani rule, as were all races who resisted being integrated into the rigid Vilani culture. Because of this, they welcomed Terran victory in the Interstellar Wars and the advent of the Rule of Man.

The Vegan Polity prospered under the Rule of Man and survived the Long Night largely intact. However, with the advent of the Third Imperium, Vegan space was broken into individual planetary states in accord with Imperial policy; non-humans were treated as full citizens but, in order to cement Imperial authority, no multi-world governmental units were allowed.

Under the Solomani, the Vegans were again restricted. Human colonies were founded on many Vegan worlds to maintain Solomani influence there, and Solomani governors were installed on all Vegan worlds.

After the Solomani Rim War, the present Vegan Autonomous District was formed as a counterweight to the Solomani.

Government & Politics (Leadership)

The worlds of the Vegan Autonomous District are under a single, centralized government often classified as a Democratic Republic, a type of Unitary State. State power is contained in a civil service, chosen and promoted by competitive examinations. Before the Vegan Autonomous District, the Vegan government was known as the Vegan Polity.

• See Vegan Autonomous District and Vegan Polity for more information.
• See Order of Muan Gwi

Astrography

This race is primarily located in the following areas:

• Solomani Rim Sector
  • Esperance Subsector
  • Vega Subsector

Homeworld

The homeworld of this race is:

• Muan Gwi (Solomani Rim 1717)

World Listing: 1105

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

32 of 32 World articles in Vegan

Ahhunsal  •  Ashtagz Tyui  •  Asterr Tyui  •  Bellerophon  •  Duikin Tyui  •  Dzadwahtyan  •  Dzim Zhia Gwi  •  Ewmiak  •  Flanders (SR 1517)  •  Gwathui   •  Hariksiat  •  Hokchor  •  Hsivyu  •  Hsuarrdzan  •  Hsuilzish  •  Hsuishlesh  •  Khalikkam  •  Merganser  •  Muan Gwi  •  Muan Ialour  •  Muan Irrzudh  •  Muan Issler  •  Muan Kwoyen  •  Ninshien  •  Orruiltan Tyui  •  Shulgiasu  •  Sithuan Hsarr  •  Tsamis  •  Tunshaon Tyo  •  Tyudhuar  •  Umieh  •  Wanish Tyo  •  

startbacknext(32 listed)

Vehicles

Vessels and VITs

Vegans are known to utilize 60-ton "Vegan Interface Transport" ships, also known as VITs. VITs are highly modular and can carry labs, mining gear, passenger accommodation, or simply open space for cargo. Some consider them wasteful of space, but they are comfortable for passengers.

Being smallcraft, VITs must be transported by a larger vessel, such as the Khylduar. These "Vegan Carriers" are 1,600 tons and carry about 14 VITs, allowing a single large ship to carry a sort of small tuhuir with them for a given project. This spirit of collaboration is also shown through the use of Endeavour Chambers, specialized shipboard workspaces which help crewmates communicate and collaborate more effectively on a given project.

Other Considerations

As a side note, the Vegan Carrier / Khylduar is effectively about 50% launch ships by volume. If a planet happened to have a high tax (or restriction) on Jump-capable ships, a cunning captain might use this ship to move their cargo into the 14 VITs and sell the the goods from there.

References & Contributors (Sources)

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.

• John Harshman. The Solomani Rim (Game Designers Workshop, 1982), 7.
• John Harshman, Marc Miller, Loren Wiseman. Library Data (N-Z) (Game Designers Workshop, 1982), 28-29.
• Marc Miller. Imperial Encyclopedia (Game Designers Workshop, 1987), 44-45.
• Kevin Knight. "The Vegans." Traveller Chronicle 11 (1996): 36-38.
• Jon F. Zeigler. Rim of Fire (Steve Jackson Games, 2000), 31-33.
• Paul Drye, Loren Wiseman, Jon F. Zeigler. Interstellar Wars (Steve Jackson Games, 2006), 86,145.
• Martin Dougherty. Solomani Front (Mongoose Publishing, 2021), 69.