Provider

Provider
Base Information
Classification	Omnivore/hunter
Status	Minor Race
Locomotion	Diver
Terrain	Ocean
Body Form
Confluence	Non-humanoid
Bio-Identenoid
Size	3 meters
Weight	600 kg
Culture
Languages	Native Language
Social Structure	Anarchy
Technological Epoch	TL:4-6
Psionic potential	Standard
Origin World
Homeworld location	Delta Retigulii-3
UWP	Unknown Starport U Error in Starport Decode Size n Error in Size Decode Atmosphere k Error in Atmosphere Decode Hydrographics n Error in Hydrographics Decode Population o Error in Population Decode Government w Error in Government Decode Law n Error in Law Decode Tech Level Error in Tech Decode
Primary Star
Atmosphere
Off-world presence	No
Zoetic individuals	Yes
Source
Reference	Aliens Archive 83-89.
Canon	Yes
Also see

The Providers are an aquatic race that dominates their water world. The Providers have developed an advanced form of genetic engineering, and practiced this for hundred of thousands of years. Every life form on their homeworld has been engineered for a specific purpose by the Providers.

Physical sophontology

Providers are large creatures, roughly spherical, between 1.4 and 1.8 meters in diameter. The main body is a mostly transparent sack of gelatin, revealing the various organs and the brain cluster at the base.

They also have dozens of danging tentacles, up to three meters long, which serve as manipulator limbs. The shorter ones extending up to one meter from the base of the body gather food and manipulate objects. The longer ones have little strength but can be extended up to three meters.

Providers have three water jets at the base of the gelatin sack for propulsion.

Archaeological sophontology

Historical record show the Providers appear on their world about 500,000 years ago. There is little archaeological to show their evolutionary path.

Cultural sophontology

Providers are the apex predators on their world, which otherwise lacks large or sophisticated life forms. From this Providers lack a sense of fear and flight. Since the Providers do not require others of their species to reproduce, this also leads to a strong sense of individualism.

Linguistic sophontology

Providers are mute, lacking any sound making organ. They communicate via a sign language using their tentacles.

Societal sophontology

Provider society is an interesting balance between the individualism and the desire to be dominate. When most Providers spawn, they embed a sense of loyalty to their parent in their offspring.

This situation is not stable. The individualism of the offspring grows over time, becoming unrest until a rebellion occurs. This situation breaks out into open warfare, known locally as the Servile wars, every three to six generations in each community. The offspring breed special war animals which assault and kill the parents. The community then disintegrates as the offspring go their separate ways.

Research and technology

Provider technology is based purely in biological forms. They have managed to create a set of organic structures that have limited grav ability. Beyond this their technology is primitive, without fire, metallurgy, or other medical advances. For most technological items, there are specific creatures created to fulfill specific needs or desires.

Astrography

Providers are largely limited to their homeworld. They require special transport facilities to keep them humid, or large holding tanks. They can not use Low Berths, and strongly dislike Jump space travel

References and contributors

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.

• Timothy B. Brown. Aliens Archive (Imperium Games, 1996), 83-89.
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology Maksim-Smelchak of the Ministry of Science