Haradath: Origins, anatomy and life cycle

Proto-Haradath - an early offshoot of
 the modern Haradath species, now extinct.

The Haradath are a minor species whose homeworld is Udcapin, a small world in a close orbit to its red giant star. This is a wet, humid, low gravity world, with extensive tropical swamplands, and many archipelagoes linked by shallow lagoons often clogged by huge trees with vast, arched, interlocking roots. It was these swamps and lagoons that acted as the cradle of the race, the place where they evolved and which shaped their anatomy.

Physical Structure: Evolving from a six-tentacled snake-like amphibious ancestor that was at home swimming in warm shallow water, or clinging above the water among the uplifted tree roots, the Haradath have retained some key characteristics from their primal past. Standing slightly shorter than the average human they stand at about 1.5, but ranging from just over a meter to a little under two meters.

They have six limbs, two adapted for walking - long (disturbingly so to the human eye) legs, and two arms with large, developed shoulder muscles - the Haradath are as at home climbing as they are walking, and can run on all fours for speed. The third pair of limbs, located to either side of the mid-torso are slender compared to the 'legs' and 'arms', and mostly tucked away under the much bigger 'climbing arms' for protection, but they are effectively the Haradaths hands. Whilst each limb terminates in six 'digits that were once smaller off-shoot tentacles, these have adapted to their respective functions. Those forming the 'feet' are robust and toe-like, two pointing forward, two back, and one to each side. The climbing arms terminate in six 'fingers' which still maintain their tentacular qualities (good for wrapping around grips and holds to provide support). The 'hand arms' by contrast terminate in six highly flexible fingers that can operate machinery with fluency and ease.

It should be noted that the major nerves transmitting information from the 'hands' to the brain run up either side of the neck, and constitute a vulnerability. That is why, whereas some species protect their face or genitals, the Haradath will always protect their neck.

The skin of the Haradath is tough and leathery and has evolved to be essentially waterproof, providing a degree of protection against attack. Vents running around the neck and down to the chest open when the Haradath is in a moist environment, aiding rapid hydration, and also allowing the creature to breathe beneath water.

Vision, language and psionics: Haradath are mono-ocular, having just a single eye. The single eye provides a visual impression of the creature's surroundings but gives little sense of distance. The Haradath have, however, developed echo-location skills capable of use in the air or underwater - retained from early evolutionary phases, and this gives them an acute awareness of their surroundings provided by a 'mental radar'. The squeeking clicking and occasional booming of echo-location forms the basis of their language, but this is un-masterable by other species and translation devices are required.

The Haradath also have well-developed psionic powers that specifically give them power over small mammals, birds, fish, and insects of varied forms - though other manifestations of psionics are rare. Starting as a hunting technique, the Haradath have learned to use this skill to manipulate small creatures around them, and this ability forms a major part of their technology.   

Environmental preferences and tolerances: The Haradath are most at home in humid, wet environments with gravity on the low side, reflecting the natural conditions on Udcapin. Haradath can tolerate cold conditions, though it tends to make them sluggish at temperatures from five degrees and below, though can withstand substantial sub-zero conditions without harm. What Haradath cannot tolerate are hot, arid conditions. Even temperatures as comparatively low as 20 degrees if humidity is low, will cause discomfort. Physically, and in terms of ambient conditions, Haradath are usually at home in most standard human environments.

Life Cycle:  Haradath have three genders, male, female, and hermaphrodite. They are born either predominantly male or predominantly female and spawn as frogs do. The spawning is a biologically determined event for both males, females and hermaphrodites, over which the Haradath have no control, and is timed to occur as the seasons turn on Udcapin, the weather becoming damper and warmer as planetary 'summer' beginnings. The long orbital period of Udcapin means that this occurs roughly once every three years (standard time). 

Spawning must occur in suitable wet and warm conditions or the spawning will fail - and under poor conditions, it is quite common for a Haradath to eat its own spawn mass rather than simply let it die. A full spawning requires male and female to achieve genetic mixing, however, both male and females have the ability to 'self spawn', and many do so out of choice, or, if in small isolated communities, out of necessity. They enter the hermaphrodite state and spawn as a female would. Such spawn masses are smaller, and produce only genetic clones of the parent, making such populations potentially vulnerable to disease, and increasingly high levels of infertility in the offspring. A creature that has spawned is severely weakened for a period of weeks afterward - spawning is a great strain on the individual.

There is no parental bond between an individual hatchling and its mother/father. The parents strive to create a healthy environment for any given clutch of young, each spawning giving rise to between 20 and 30 young. In early times it was rare that more than two or three young survived until the next spawning time, at which point the young's psionic abilities start to develop and the parents recognise them as individuals. However, in more modern times with modern medical support, nutrition, and advanced technology it has become common for more than half of any given swarm to survive, and it is not unheard for them all to reach maturity. This has led to population pressure and a growing movement in favour of sterilisation (see politics and culture).