Asym

Asym
Base Information
Classification	Omnivore/gatherer
Status	Minor Race
Locomotion	Walker
Terrain
Body Form
Confluence	Non-humanoid
Bio-Identenoid	Mammallianoid
Size	1.4 meters
Weight	75 kg
Culture
Languages
Social Structure
Technological Epoch
Psionic potential	Standard
Origin World
Homeworld location	Artoria
UWP	Starport Error in Starport Decode Size Error in Size Decode Atmosphere Error in Atmosphere Decode Hydrographics Error in Hydrographics Decode Population Error in Population Decode Government Error in Government Decode Law Error in Law Decode Tech Level Error in Tech Decode
Primary Star
Atmosphere
Off-world presence	No
Zoetic individuals
Source
Reference	Marc Miller's Traveller 147.
Canon	Yes
Also see

The Asym of Artoria are a technologically sophisticated Minor Non-Human Race with a non-humanoid appearance.

Description (Specifications)

Asyms are asymmetrical bipeds from omnivore/gatherer stock. To Humans, the most notable feature of the race at first glance is that their upper torso is asymmetrical. They are known, therefore, as asyms throughout the Imperium.

They call themselves the kotch-cho-ba, which translates to "home people" or "people of the guided eye," depending on the region of their homeworld. They are also known colloquially as "pack rats" or "double tails."

Physical sophontology

Adult Asym are typically of 50-80 kg mass, and 1.3 to 1.5 meters tall at rest (with head recessed).

Morphology

In their natural or defensive position, the head rests down into a fleshy cavity in the torso. But when they need to they can extend the "head" with its single large eye and triangulated ears, on a telescoping neck another half meter. The head atop its telescoping neck can itself be used for defense, and contains only cartilage and muscles—the airway and mouth are located within the cavity between the shoulders.

As for the body as a whole, an Asym’s outer skin is like thin leather, while extensive muscle tissue lies within, and its bones are silicate rather than calcium-based.

They have two arms, the left one very powerful and thick, the right very slender and delicate.

They have two prehensile tails, one branching out from the base of the spine just above the legs, the other emerging from mid back. These help in grabbing, pulling, climbing, or hanging.

An Asym’s legs are short and muscular, with broad, flat, tough feet. The "bounding" ability allows Asyms to travel some 75 miles in 10 hours with little conscious intervention.

The small head does not contain the brain, which is instead contained in the torso beneath the "high tail." The single eye can simulate a double pupil, so Asyms have no difficulty with binocular vision, and their triangulated ear structures are more sensitive than those of humanity.

Extensive muscular control allows sheltering of most body mass in harsh environments.

Asyms reach adulthood at 30, with a life expectancy of sixty years or so.

Archaeological sophontology

Very little is known about the Asym history.

Cultural sophontology

Asyms embody every element of curiosity, tinkering, and collecting. They are renowned as creatures of mystique and ritual, concerned with ecology and recycling, ever given to experimentation, and generous and sharing of all they have.

Linguistic sophontology

The Asym native language is harsh and grinding, depending on the snapping of the tongue against the teeth as well as barks and groans developed in the body cavity, but humans can learn to imitate it.

Societal sophontology

Asyms are uncommon in the Third Imperium, and are limited to TL–8.

Government and politics

The Asym homeworld maintains a local constabulary, which keeps law and order

Astrography

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

Homeworld

The homeworld of this race is:

• Artoria

World Listing: 1105

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

No world articles for Asym

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.

• Marc Miller. Marc Miller's Traveller (Imperium Games, 1996), 147.
• Timothy B. Brown. Aliens Archive (Imperium Games, 1996), 5-12.
• Jean Rabe. Journal of the Travellers' Aid Society 25 (Imperium Games, 1996), 14-15.