Ubese: "Yrak Pootzck"

Sample Image of Ubese

Species Data

Attribute Dice: 12D (+6D for PC)
DEXTERITY: 2D/4D
PERCEPTION: 1D+2/4D
STRENGTH: 1D+2/3D+1
KNOWLEDGE: 1D+1/3D+2
MECHANICAL: 1D/3D
TECHNICAL: 1D+1/4D
Size: 1.8 - 2.3 meters
Move: 8/12
Homeworld: Uba III

Description:
Millennia ago, the Ubese were a relatively isolated species. The inhabitants of the Uba system led a peaceful existence, cultivating their lush planet and creating a complex and highly sophisticated culture. When off-world traders discovered Uba and brought new technology to the planet, they awakened an interest within the Ubese that grew into an obsession. The Ubese hoarded whatever technology they could get their hands on - from repulsorlift vehicles and droids to blasters and starships. They traded what they could to acquire more technology. Initially, Ubese society benefited - productivity rose in all aspects of business, health conditions improved so much that a population boom forced the colonization of several other worlds in their system.

Ubese society soon paid the price for such rapid technological improvements: their culture began to collapse. Technology broke clan boundaries, bringing everyone closer, disseminating information more quickly and accurately, and allowing certain ambitious individuals to influence public and political opinion on entire continents with ease.

Within a few decades, the influx of new technology had sparked the Ubese's interest in creating technology of their own. The Ubese leaders looked out at the other systems nearby and where once they might have seen exciting new cultures and opportunities for trade and cultural exchange, they now saw civilizations waiting to be conquered. Acquiring more technology would let the Ubese to spread their power and influence.

When the local sector observers discovered the Ubese were manufacturing weapons which had been banned since the formation of the Old Republic, they realized they had to stop the Ubese from becoming a major threat. The sector ultimately decided a pre-emptive strike would sufficiently punish the Ubese and reduce their influence in the region.

Unfortunately, the orbital strike against the Ubese planets set off many of the species' large-scale tactical weapons. Uba I, II, V were completely ravaged by radioactive firestorms, and Uba II was totally ruptured when its weapons stockpiles blew. Only on Uba IV, the Ubese homeworld, were survivors reported - pathetic, ravaged wretches who sucked in the oxygen-poor air in raspy breaths.

Sector authorities were so ashamed of their actions that they refused to offer aid - and wiped all references to the Uba system from official star charts. The system was placed under quarantine, preventing traffic through the region. The incident was so sufficiently hushed up that word of the devastation never reached Coruscant.

The survivors on Uba scratched out a tenuous existence from the scorched ruins, poisoned soil and parched ocean beds. Over generations, the Ubese slowly evolved into survivors - savage nomads. They excelled at scavenging what they could from the wreckage.

Some Ubese survivors were relocated to a nearby system, Ubertica by renegades who felt the quarantine was a harsh reaction. They only managed to relocate a few dozen families from a handful of clans, however. The survivors on Uba - known today as the "true Ubese" - soon came to call the rescued Ubese yrak pootzck, a phrase which implies impure parentage and cowardly ways. While the true Ubese struggled for survival on their homeworld, the yrak pootzck Ubese on Ubertica slowly propagated and found their way into the galaxy.

Millennia later, the true Ubese found a way off Uba IV by capitalizing on their natural talents - they became mercenaries, bounty hunters, slave drivers, and bodyguards. Some returned to their homeworld after making their fortune elsewhere, erecting fortresses and gathering forces with which to control surrounding clans, or trading in technology with the more barbaric Ubese tribes.

Personality: The Ubese and the yrak pootzck share their hatred for other species. They thus pick professions where their hate can be beneficial, like bounty hunters or mercenaries. They don't bother to hide their attitudes.

Physical Description: Few know what Ubese really look like, for they are hardly seen without their masks. Ubese are slighlty build and look almost frail, usually with fair skin and dark hair. Their eyes are colored in bright green or blue, with few exceptions. There is no facial or body hair. Their faces tend to be narrow and they have high cheek bones. Usually their eyes appear much too large for their faces.

Language: Ubese. As their vocal cords do not produce sound save a rasping whisper, They have a well developed sign language (Ubeninal) used to communicate with other Ubese. Most of them understand Basic.
Example names: Arcuse, Savax, Ourulos, Jorsu’un, Wurran
Age in years: Child 1-10, young adult 11-15, adult 16-55, middle age 56-70, old 71-80, venerable 81+.

Special Abilities:
Increased Stamina: Due to the relatively low oxygen content of the atmosphere of their homeworld, yrak pootzck Ubese add +1D to their stamina when on worlds with Type I (breathable) atmospheres.
Voiceless: Yrak Pootzck cannot produce the sounds of most languages. In addition, they are shunned by most races including True Ubese, thus having severe problems gaining language training. They can approximate those sounds with much training, requiring 8 times the normal skill points to learn spoken languages. (A payment of double normal cost still allows them to understand the language but not speak it).
Written Lore: To compensate for their lack of spoken communication with outsiders, the Yrak Pootzck have developed a very strong feeling for the concepts of written languages. Any Yrak Pootzck knowing to read and write at least five languages can slowly (two hours per page) decipher the basic meaning (but not the details) of any written text regardless of language.
Galactic Outcasts: Yrak Pootzck cannot learn the Diplomacy skill at all.
Acquisition of Status: An Yrak Pootzck acquiring Equites status overcomes the racial stigma, gaining +2 to Knowledge, +1D+1 to Persuasion and losing the Galactic Outcasts racial feature.