Lithkind

Starport	A	Excellent: Starship Construction, Overhaul, Refined fuel
Size	8	Large (12,800 km, 0.80g - 1.08g)
Atmosphere	6	Standard
Hydrographics	7	Wet World 70%
Population	9	High (3 billion)
Government	9	Impersonal Bureaucracy
Law	4	Moderate Law (no light assault weapons)
Tech Level	D	Average Stellar (holo data)

Primary Star

G0 V

Atmosphere

Standard

Off-world presence

Yes

Zoetic individuals

Yes

Source

Reference

Alien Races 3 132-142.

Canon

Yes

Also see

The Lithkind of Izyme are a technologically sophisticated Minor Non-Human Race with a semi-humanoid appearance.

Description (Specifications)[edit]

The Lith Kindriu a-Izyme evolved in the tree branches of their planet Izyme's southern land masses. When climactic changes threatened this habitat, the Lithkind became nomadic hunters. They developed fire, clothing, tools, and weapons, and tamed the fierce Crimson Snakebat that came up out of the frozen south. When the ice retreated, the Lithkind returned to their trees, but developed vast arboreal cities, domesticating many varieties of fungus, animal, and insect. With cities came science, industry, and eventually, the stars.

Key to Lithkind culture is their unusual reproductive biology. Among Lithkind, mating is fatal (immediately to the male, and following birth for the female). Some Lithkind discovered that the urge to mate (see "reproduction", below) could be delayed if males and females avoided contact, thus increasing lifespans and allowing individual communities a greater measure of reproductive control. In turn, the ritual control of inter-gender contact became the basis of Lithkind religions and social structures. This led directly to the development of societies based around separate but cooperating male and female communities.

Physiology[edit]

Standing only 4' and weighing 60-90 lbs., the Lithkind are among the smallest of sophont races. Their faces are similar to a delicate-featured Human's, save for large, slit-pupiled emerald green eyes, pointed ears, and a total lack of eyebrows or facial hair. Concealed by their thin lips are multiple rows of needle-like teeth. A Lithkind's smile can be a shock.

Aside from their small size, their most exotic feature is their "hair", a mass of rippling blue and green pencil-thick tendrils that reaches halfway down their back. Their skin is smooth and hairless, usually coloured blue. Their limbs are Humanlike, although their legs are a trifle longer in proportion to their bodies, and fingers and toes have an extra joint. Lithkind are slim for their height, and possess a long, prehensile tail.

Lithkind have two sexes, with the females slightly larger. They are not mammals, and neither male nor female Lithkind possess breasts. Lithkind reach their full physical and mental growth after 13 Imperial years. They are then socially adults and have reached their full growth, but they don't achieve puberty until 35 to 40 years old.

Senses[edit]

The Lithkind are nocturnal. Their eyes can see well in anything but total darkness. Their color vision distinguishes fewer shades then Human eyes. For a Lithkind, yellow, green, and blue blur together, as do red and orange.

Lithkind have very sensitive hearing.

Reproduction[edit]

The Lithkind must mate at the appropriate age, or suffer a fatal buildup of hormone-like chemicals. As these hormone-analogs begin to surge through its body, a Lithkind will feel an increasing desire to mate. A Lithkind who does not do so by age 40 suffers insanity followed by death through painful convulsions.

When Lithkind mate, both partners are consumed by a raging desire, but the female's strength will be artificially enhanced by adrenaline-like chemicals. Courtships are violent affairs. They end when the female rips open her husband's stomach and devours his spore-pods and then the rest of his body. The now-fertilized (and bloated) female collapses into a deep sleep lasting several days. Afterward, a pregnant Lithkind is listless and quiet. Any threat is met with a berserk defense.

The Lithkind digestive tract (and those of other animals on their world) do double duty as a reproductive vessel. Eating the male provides both the male genetic material needed for reproduction and the initial nutrients for the fetuses that grow inside her own stomach. As the female's own digestive tract converts to its reproductive role, she gradually ceases to eat.

Lithkind females develop three to six pairs of matched male and female fetuses. The exact number depends on the age at which mating takes place (the older she was, the fewer children) and her own health. As the fetuses grow they absorb nutrition from the mother's body, much of it initially provided by the body mass of the devoured father. However, developing Lithkind fetuses also compete fiercely in the womb. When food is scarce the largest fetuses may use the smaller as food (much the same fashion as terrestrial hyenas or sharks).

Normally, one to four pairs will survive. As the fetuses develop, more and more of the mother's own nutrients are also consumed. Their birth means the mother's death. The baby Lithkind eat their way out of their mother's stomach.

Diet[edit]

Lithkind are omnivorous, raising a variety of animals and plants for food, with the preference being for eggs, small grubs, and insectoids. Tree-dwelling "bugs" are considered a great delicacy, especially when cooked with fat pseudo-fungi that thrive in the lower reaches of their homeworld's forests. Much Lithkind food is poisonous to Humans.

History and Background[edit]

At the heart of the Lithkind belief system is faith in reincarnation. When a child claws its way from the mother's womb, it is assumed to be the reincarnation of its father (if male) or mother (if female). When the litter is larger, it is assumed that the souls have "split" among the children -- this is a good sign, showing that the parents' souls have grown in strength.

Because of their belief in reincarnation, Lithkind have been known to continue blood-debts and blood-feuds that last centuries. In an effort to regulate bloodshed, a justified blood-feud (known as an ariseth) is legally recognized if registered with local government bodies. Law emphasizes settlement between individuals and clans rather than state authority.

Politics[edit]

The interstellar Lithkind government is the Sha Elden Lith Kindriu.

Culture[edit]

Lithkind literature and drama are rich, but the cultural allusions and fragmented abstract styles make them almost impenetrable to many aliens. An exception is the Hivers, many of whom find Lithkind works fascinating or amusing.

Xyastra is a "magic" system that this superstitious race takes seriously. Hriu, a form of malicious ghost, is a key religious concept.

Language[edit]

Jethra is the most common major language.

Lithkind voices have similar pitch and timbre to Human voices, with a notable "click" in most accents. They can learn Human languages with little difficulty. Lithkind body language includes their writhing hair. A Lithkind whose hair is in motion is usually content; one whose hair stops moving is likely to be confused, agitated, or upset.

Naming[edit]

Among Jethrac speakers, male names are usually four syllables and end in an "en" or "ah" sound, e.g., Jedikirah or Fileetwaken. Female names are two syllables, and end in a "k" or "a" sound, e.g., Ystrack or Quilla. All names are accompanied by job and clan (Eld) titles. These tend to be florid. For example, Prisslock, Walker in Light for the Legion of Death, Captain of Sixteen Sixteens, Ninth of Shadow in the High Trees Eld, is a female Lithkind serving in the military's battledress infantry branch (to this nocturnal race, "walker in light" implies something daring) who leads a battalion-sized military unit. She is from the Eld -- clan -- called Shadow in the High Trees. As the "ninth" she is ninth in line for the position of Ozelda, or clan-head.

Astrography[edit]

This sophont species can primarily be found in the following areas:

Homeworld[edit]

The homeworld of this race is:

Izyme (Gzirr!k'l 0231)

World Listing[edit]

The following systems and worlds are associated with this sophont species:

40 of 40 World articles in Lithkind

Adith • Dazak • Dazkat • Dek Lek • Din Rash • Dyzlast • Filazah • I-Dek • Izyme • Janerj Diadem • Jindash • Jithrast • Kemyze • Kendyth • Kenlish • Ketharah • Lashrin • Lishyn • Odak-Kest • Om Desh • Oram-Jith • Ozlish • Pashec-Daz • Pezial • Pindash • Quilak • Racyze • Raslest Diadem • Resyme • Retha • Sharan (Gz 0833) • Shimjan • Shyneth Diadem • Wakash • Wesha • Xyith Diadem • Yoir • Zast-Dan • Zathrim • Zikarah •

startbacknext(40 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.

Dave Nilsen, David L. Pulver, Andy Slack, David Thomas. Alien Races 3 (Steve Jackson Games, 2000), 132-142.