Gurvin

Starport	A	Excellent: Starship Construction, Overhaul, Refined fuel
Size	9	Large (14,400 km, 1.03g - 1.33g)
Atmosphere	4	Thin (tainted)
Hydrographics	6	Wet World 60%
Population	8	Moderate (500 million)
Government	2	Participating Democracy
Law	3	Low Law (no automatic weapons)
Tech Level	B	Average Stellar (large starships)

Primary Star

F9 V

Atmosphere

Thin (tainted)

Off-world presence

Yes

Zoetic individuals

Yes

Source

Reference

Hivers 12-13.

Canon

Yes

Also see

Hive Federation, Gurvin Interstellar Democratic Republic

A Minor Race native to Ofilaq (Folgore 0305). The Gurvin are a hexapodal semi-humanoid species of omnivore/hunter stock, which bear a superficial resemblance to Terran otters or mink. They have long been associated with the Hive Federation.

Physiology & Environment (Ecology)[edit]

Derived from hexapedal omnivore/hunter stock, Gurvin are equipped with two legs, two arms, and a middle pair of limbs which can be used as either at need. They are 1.75 meters in length from muzzle to tail.

Gurvin prefer to run using their intermediary limbs and legs, giving them a bounding gait. When stationary, they squat on their haunches and use all four hands for manipulation. The tail is used to assist in balance.

To smell, Gurvin use their tongue to sample the air and then slide it across an olfactory nerve in their mouth. This gives the impression of the Gurvin frequently licking their lips.

Having evolved under a bright sun, Gurvin protect themselves from UV damage by producing UV-absorbing oil from glands in the pits of their arms and intermediary limbs. The oil is spread across the fur through grooming, with either the hands or a grooming tool.

Reproduction[edit]

A female Gurvin comes into heat once an Ofilaq year. During this period, she gives off pheromones which indicate her readiness to reproduce. They do not come into heat again until the young are weaned. The reproduction organs of Gurvin are completely internal in both sexes. The genital opening is located between the legs.

Gurvin have a gestation period of around 11 months, resulting in the birth of two to four young.

Psychology & Philosophy (Mindset)[edit]

Gurvin are stereotypically money-oriented, and seem to have a cash fixation. They rarely do anything out of altruism, and are famous for demanding the price they expect to be paid for their efforts. Their culture adapted fairly readily to Hiver standards; though the Gurvin exhibit aggressive behavior, their aggression has long been channeled into economic pursuits.

Culture & Society[edit]

Gurvin females are roughly twice as intelligent as the males. This biological difference between the two Gurvin genders greatly structures the nature of Gurvin society.

Gender[edit]

Females, handicapped by the burdens of carrying, bearing, and raising young, were forced to develop intelligence for security. Civilization was but an extension of this. Females, acting as child bearers, also engage in far more creative and curious thought than males. Females write poetry, study science, ponder philosophy, and otherwise engage in most of the conceptual and abstract thought in Gurvin society. Females also serve as the leaders of Gurvin government. Females crave adventure and range far and wide across the Hive Federation. They are most frequently encountered as merchants and business executives, but are also common in the Federation Development Agency serving as explorers.

Males, though sophont, are decidedly lacking in creativity or reasoning ability. Traditionally, Gurvin males have been hunters, relying primarily on instinct rather than intelligence. Gurvin males are rarely found away from Gurvin settlements. Males look upon themselves as providers, and maintain the Gurvin home and hearth. Males provide food, shelter, and the basic needs of life.

Social Organization[edit]

Gurvin society is very much structured upon gender distinctions, with a definite biological basis to the practice. The Gurvin are interesting in that, of the two sexes, the females are roughly twice as intelligent as the males.

Females gain status through success in business and finance. They are infamous for their pursuit of profit and apparent obsession with payment for all services rendered. Males earn female favour through provision and by providing companionship; dancing to attract or entertain a mate is an essential social skill for male Gurvin.

Religion[edit]

Religions of note among Gurvin include the following:

Kree Drikak au Wani[edit]

"Celestial Office of the Divine Mogul"

This faith is thousands of years old, and has absorbed at least three other religions during its long history. This religion is highly focused on the accumulation of wealth. Worship is directed towards members of the Celestial Office:

Kan-Welky: Goddess of clearing obstructions to building wealth
Nea-Leld: Goddess of attracting money through sound decisions
Raa-Spul: Goddess of rightful inheritances
Spe-Wratha: The Divine Mogul, Chief Executive of the Pantheon
Tra-Pankif: Goddess of successful business ventures

Koo oeo Tramup ea[edit]

"The Way of Divine Ascendance"

This religion states that the Divine Mogul created the universe and all life. The Gurvin are the Divine Mogul's 'chosen' but other sophonts may join the ranks by adhering to the faith. Wealth in life is used to purchase a place in the Vixaklim Tohee, or Celestial Board. The poor instead wind up in Kanskeu Raspuul, the Floors of Labour.

Oo Giphlan Dia[edit]

"Children of the Star God"

An outlawed cult dating from soon after Gurvin-Hiver first contact. It held that Hivers were direct agents of the god Maslanuud, the cosmic manipulator.

Government & Politics (Leadership)[edit]

Gurvin worlds are generally governed by a matriarchal representative democracy. The species' core territory in Folgore Sector is under the administration of the Gurvin Interstellar Democratic Republic.

Corporations[edit]

The following are among the most prominent Gurvin businesses:

Idigu Shipping: A corporation specialising in the transport of passengers and freight. They subcontract to other shipping companies or ship owners to carry cargo and passengers under their flag.

Lamuskshaash: A firm that manufactures avionics, computers, robots and information retrieval systems.

Mugimgu-Shikhegdi: Once two separate companies -- Mugimgu Shipyards, which manufactured starships, and Shikhegdi, which fabricated heavy vehicles. Mugimgu-Shikhegdi specialises in manufacturing heavy machinery, including starships, vehicles and space habitats.

Moteton Mining: Starting on Iilregon (Folgore 1404), now interested in all forms of mining, from strip mining to hydrogen mining. Moteton has a reputation for aggressively protecting their interests and they are known to undertake hostile takeovers of companies they see as standing in their way.

Phlotlalu Agronomics: A company that specialises in supporting agriculture in all its forms. They operate farms, provide agricultural education, and manufacture agricultural vehicles and robots.

Language & Letters[edit]

Most of the common names applied to subsectors and planets in the Hive Federation are derived from the primary Gurvin language, which, like the Hiver written language, is ideographic in nature and so fairly easy to translate into Hiver language patterns.

National Language: Various
- Primary Written: "Hiver Glyph"
- Primary Spoken: "Gurvin": A trade language designed for clarity of meaning. Now also the common language of the Hive Federation as a whole.

Technology[edit]

Gurvin spacecraft designs include the following:

Etruskauae-class Merchantman: These are either owned and operated by larger companies or subsidised by a corporation for the use of independent traders.
Luaxwraua-class family trader: As common in the Hive Federation as free traders are in the Third Imperium.
Nawryne-class trade scout: These can be found as part of larger Gurvin trade fleets or operated as an individual concern.
Noau-class small freighter: A common sight within the Hive Federation, carrying cargo along fixed trade routes.

Astrography[edit]

This race can primarily be found in the following areas:
Hive Federation

Homeworld[edit]

The homeworld of this race is:

Ofilaq (Folgore 0305)

World Listing: 1105[edit]

The following systems and worlds are associated with this race:

14 of 14 World articles in Gurvin

Ackih • Agbashku • Armin • Ataof • Eloqim • Epertionan • Iilregon • Nicke • Nokune • Ofilaq • Otuna • Phliino • Spakaem • Zojaa •

startbacknext(14 listed)

References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]

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 Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

J. Andrew Keith, Marc W. Miller, Loren Wiseman. Hivers (Game Designers Workshop, 1986), 12-13.
Dave Nilsen, Loren Wiseman. Aliens of the Rim (Game Designers Workshop, 1995), 16.
Dave Nilsen, David L. Pulver, Andy Slack, David Thomas. Alien Races 3 (Steve Jackson Games, 2000), 28-30.
Darren Bulmer. Aliens of Charted Space: Volume 4 (Mongoose Publishing, 2023), 142.