Talpaku

Starport	A	Excellent: Starship Construction, Overhaul, Refined fuel
Size	7	Medium (11,200 km, 0.70g - 0.94g)
Atmosphere	9	Dense (tainted)
Hydrographics	8	Wet World 80%
Population	9	High (2 billion)
Government	C	Charismatic Oligarchy
Law	8	High Law (controlled blades)
Tech Level	D	Average Stellar (holo data)

Primary Star

K3 V

Atmosphere

Dense (tainted)

Off-world presence

Yes

Zoetic individuals

Yes

Source

Reference

"Contact! Talpaku", Alien Realms Volume 3, Issue 1 (1993): 1-15

Canon

No

Also see

Talpaku Communality

The Talpaku of Talpakuhome (Yiklerzdanzh 0527) are a technologically advanced Minor Non-Human Race with a Non-humanoid appearance.

Description (Specifications)[edit]

The Talpaku (singular Talpak) are covered with short fur, usually a tan, light brown or light grey in colour, mottled by white, darker brown, grey or black. Eyes are larger than those of Humans, and glassy black in appearance. They have 3 fingers and a thumb on each hand, and five toes on each foot.

The translated name of the race is a blend of the Terran talpa and Vilani ilaku, referencing burrowing mammals from their respective homeworlds.

Biology[edit]

Talpaku have small lungs, adapted to the high oxygen taint and dense atmosphere of their homeworld. They can live in a standard atmosphere after an adaptation period, so long as the world in question also has a high oxygen taint.

Cultural Sophontology[edit]

The Talpaku are noted for their strong sense of ownership over their personal belongings. It is often observed that in Talpaku society theft is equated to murder. A Talpak feels violated by theft to the degree that it is an assault on their very sense of self.

Talpaku are gregarious, and will eat and sleep together rather than leave strangers isolated.

Linguistic Topography[edit]

The Talpaku language is comprised of whistles and clicks. These are mostly controlled by the lips and vocal cords, with the tongue having little to do with it. Talpaku and Humans are physiologically incapable of speaking the other's languages, though they can learn to understand each other reasonably well. A Human and Talpak who each knew the other's language would just speak to each other, both using their own language but mutually comprehensible.

Lexicon[edit]

Talpaku words are translated into Galanglic in two ways. Some words are translated according to meaning, since the name carries meaning to the thing (e.g. Broken Promise, Firestar, Salty Tears). Others are translated by the use of an artificial language, replacing particular whistles and clicks with letters.

All vowels are short and pronounced; most consonants are hard and need not be doubled. For instance, the sound "apple" would be spelt "apl". The only exceptions to the consonants rule are the breathed w, wh, hwh (each having more breath than the last) and ch (which is pronounced as in the Scottish loch). The kk initial consonant is pronounced as two k's.

Keplek: A period of time, 1.02 standard seconds.
Ketyeklu: A semi-sapient species closely related to Talpaku. As (non-uplift) chimpanzees are to Humans, ketyeklu are to Talpaku.
Kzawekl: A time period, 64 whagoks (1.16 standard hours).
Takh: A social grouping. The word is both singular and plural as needed.
Tegowa: A colour, beyond the Human visible range.
Whagok: A period of time, 64 kepleks (1.09 standard minutes).
Whahwhiv: Describes the feeling of suddenly breathing sweet, unpolluted air.
Wheda: A time period, six zduptakis (55.75 standard hours).
Whug Kzaki: A popular team sport.
Zduptaki: A time period, eight kzawekl (9.30 standard hours).

The translations of the names of each zduptaki are, in order, Firstdark, Latedark, Rising, Basktime, Homeseek and Cooling. The translations of the seasons are, simply, Summer (the first season of the year) and Winter (the second). Days (and other periods of time shorter than the zduptaki) are simply numbered.

Naming[edit]

A full Talpaku name consists of a physical reference, a matrilineal family name, place of birth, and at adulthood a fourth reference based on personality or career. A short version of the name uses only the first (usually not translated) and the fourth (translated into Galanglic).

Chiblgewhekh Climber-of-Mountains
Giwhe Low Laughter
Kazka Eyes of Fire
Whakipl Measured Pace
Whukikaka Quickfingers
Yichewhuya Quicksilver

History & Background (Dossier)[edit]

The Talpaku Communality, 1105

Timeline[edit]

circa -5100: The Zhodani reach the Talpakuhome system and briefly observe the primitive Talpaku.
circa -4700: The southern continent on Talpakuhome is united for the first time, though only briefly. The Talpaku reach TL–2.
circa -4600: The southern continent is balkanized again, but remains relatively peaceful. The Talpaku reach TL–3 during this period.
circa -4400: An eccentric technological genius -- Kazka Eyes of Fire -- takes society from late TL–3 to full TL–5 in one lifetime. Zhodani radio signals are detected and a reply is sent.
circa -4340: First Talpaku manned space flight.
circa -4300: Talpaku reach TL-6. The first permanent colony is established on the moon of Kitilku. Probes are sent to all worlds in their home system.
circa -4119: Competition for ownership of ore bodies through the entire home system results in what come to be known as the "Ore Wars". TL reaches 7 (early TL-8 in some cases) as competitors strive for advantage.
circa -3995: Xenophobia begins to unite the Talpaku against "unknown hostile aliens". Interstellar missions are planned, and space defenses against interstellar invasion begin to be established.
-3915: Full TL-8 (and TL-9 for space technology) is reached. The first interstellar colonisation ships are launched from Talpakuhome. Steady, planned interstellar colonisation begins.
-3000: Five systems have now been settled (including the home system). The Talpaku interstellar state, the Talpaku Communality, is declared.
-2700: Full TL-10 is reached. A Zhodani interdiction station is discovered, and automatic defences are accidentally triggered. The result is even greater xenophobia.
-1792: A Zhodani merchant ship wanders into a Talpaku system and is captured. The Talpaku learn the secret of the jump drive.
-1750: A Zhodani task force returns and is overwhelmed. The Zhodani change tack and send scout ships to determine the extent of Talpaku space.
-1685: The Zhodani return in force and symbolically occupy a single Talpaku system to prove a point. The Talpaku retake the system and invade the Zhodani Consulate, unaware of just how vast it truly is. The war goes well for the Talpaku initially, but they are driven out once the Zhodani have fully mobilized. An indefinite ceasefire is called.
-1680: The Zhodani begin making serious surveys of Yiklerzdanzh Sector. The Meichntid Ibl contact the Talpaku and explain things; the Talpaku are distrustful but agree to enter into an alliance with this fellow Consulate-fearing polity.
-1595: The execution of a Zhodani ambassador for psionics use triggers the Second Talpaku War.
-900: Talpaku xenophobia finally begins to ebb and some diplomatic ties to the Zhodani are formed.
-120: An Izrats Kriezhlas Unity "Talpaku Mission" succeeds, and large scale trade with this polity begins.
300-420: The First Survey charts the worlds of the Communality.
995-1065: The Second Survey charts the worlds of the Communality.
1065: The Second Survey is published.
1100: The Talpaku achieve TL–D.

Astrography[edit]

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

Yiklerzdanzh Sector
- String of Pearls Subsector
- Talpaku Subsector

Homeworld[edit]

The homeworld of this race is:

Talpakuhome (Yiklerzdanzh 0527)

World Listing: 1105[edit]

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

32 of 32 World articles in Talpaku

Afar • Bayou • Broken Promise • Candlelight • Chaos Fallen • Dark Tower • Exile (Yi 0130) • Fair Deal • Fairwater • Fantasia • Firestar • Gale • Glass Sea • Haven (Yi 0626) • Heaven's Scent • Icy Cold • Longnight • Pebble (Yi 0426) • Pieflip • Plenty • Poison • Quatrain • Salty Tears • Shallowwater • Swarm • Takiwhibl • Talpakuhome • True Omen • Twinstar • Whahwhiv • Zdemedre • Zhieotlizhikl •

startbacknext(32 listed)

References & Contributors (Sources)[edit]

This article is missing content for one or more detailed sections. Additional details are required to complete the article. You can help the Traveller Wiki by expanding it.

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.

Gary L. Thomas. "Crack Troops: The Imperial Guard." The Travellers' Digest 09 (1987): 19.
Grant Sinclair, "Contact! Talpaku", Alien Realms Volume 3, Issue 1 (1993): 1-15 via HIWG