Liir
The Liir are an aquatic species that feature in Sword of the Stars.
Contents |
History
The Liir were an air-breathing aquatic species that were native to the planet Muur.
These "cave–Liir" eventually learned to intensify their production of food resources by manipulating their environment in various ways. They selectively altered ocean depth, salinity and alluvial flows to create farming grounds for their preferred agricultural products. They channeled the energy available at volcanic vents for their own uses and began to domesticate other forms of both land and terrestrial life to serve them and provide for their nutritional requirements. Pastoral Liir are still often accompanied by packs of seal–like hunting pets, who protect their stocks of fatfish and other preferred food animals from other predators.
Overview
In appearance, the Liir were an air-breathing aquatic race that were said to resemble the extinct cetaceans of Old Earth. Their forms were sleek and dynamic allowing for fast movement in water. Although they appear completely smooth, their skins are in fact coated with a layer of dense, fine fur. Fur patterns and colors were noted to vary among the individual.
They bear live young. All members of the species are hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female sex organs. The majority of Liir are capable of both fertilizing as a male or bearing young as a female, but only the very oldest Liir can do both at once; it is normally impossible for a Liir to impregnate as a male while carrying an offspring itself. It as noted that their natural reproductive rate was very low and very slow.
The species had a strong pacifistic streak and are inclined to avoid violence. Because of their empathic and telepathic abilities the Liir are always keenly aware of the sufferings of others and they take no joy in causing pain, fear or anger. They revere life and harmony and abhor needless death or destruction. Nonetheless, they also value their own lives and over the past two centuries they have come to embrace survival as a necessary virtue.
Liir who join the navy often do so against the express wishes of their families, friends and elders. Sometimes they are disowned and ostracized entirely. More often, a Liir who decides to become a "swimmer in the black sea" goes through a death ritual before he enters the service. He lies very still in the water; his loved ones circle him, sometimes for hours, singing mournful songs and touching him one last time, as is their habit when a Liir dies. Then the funeral procession carries his unresisting body to the Naval base and he is remanded to the custody of the Black Swimmers.
All Liir, from the greatest to the smallest, have a voice in government. But because Elders are the strongest, the wisest and the deepest among them, their voices are stronger and louder. In addition, each Liir world has one Elder who is the largest, the most ancient and most powerful. In general this Liir is given a title of respect by others upon that world ("Eldest").
Members
- :
Notes
- The Liir were created by Kerberos Productions where they featured in the setting of Sword of the Stars.
Appearances
- Sword of the Stars:
- Sword of the Stars II: Lords of Winter:
External Link
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