Mantaran

			Intelligent Lifeform Index

Mantaran
Mantaran.jpg
Four Letter Code	MANT
Federation Status	Allied
Planet of Origin
Encountered	By USS Eagle, Stardate
T/E Rating	T0/E0
Current Tech Level	M
List of Named Mantarans
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Name

• Proper Name: Mantaran
• Pronunciation: Mant'A'ran

Home System

• Quadrant: Alpha Quadrant
• Location:
• Proper Name:
• Pronunciation:
• Star: Mantar Star
• Distance from Star:
• Companions:

Home World

• Proper Name: Mantar Prime
• Pronunciation:
• Diameter:
• Gravity:
• Axial Tilt:
• Orbital Period:
• Rotational Period:
• Classification: M
  • Surface Water: 91% of the surface
  • Atmosphere: 76.08% nitrogen (N2), 22.95% oxygen (O2), 0,97% other gases
  • Climate: Semi-arid. The surface is dominated by heathland: purplish dwarf-shrub habitats found on mainly infertile acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation.
  • Population: 1.5 billion surface-dwelling Mantarans, an unknown number of aquatic mantarans (up to 3 billion)

Government

There is a unified planetary government, dominated by surface-dwelling Mantarans alongside a few token representatives from the aquatic clans. While the government is democratic, most people vote along clan lines, and very few aquatic mantarans are registered to vote.

Description

There are two subspecies of Mantarans which are further subdivided into different clans:

Surface-dwelling Mantarans

These Mantarans have evolved from hunting small game and burrowing holes in the heathland to establishing sizeable cities, which are populated by millions of their kind. Many of these cities are at least partially subterranean, though advanced machinery has replaced claws for the purpose of digging out homes underground. Some of their cities can run for miles underground. These are the Mantarans who have been negotiating actively with the Federation for membership. There are about 1.5 billion surface-dwelling Mantarans, which tend to be highly concentrated in their cities. Many of their leaders are eager for Federation membership, wanting to benefit from the far superior technology of the Federation.

Aquatic Mantarans

Aquatic Mantarans are guessed to be far more numerous than the surface-dwelling clans. Unfortunately, it is difficult to get a precise count, as the Aquatic Mantaran clans are nomadic, hunting after shoals of fish that move with the oceanic currents. While the aquatic Mantarans have developed all the trappings of humanoid culture (language, religion, a bartering system, art), they do not share the passion of the surface-dwellers for technology. While not *against* Federation membership, they appear to be completely apathetic to it, as long as it does not threaten their sacred hunting grounds.

Physiology

Common Traits

Mantarans vary in height from about 3 to 3 ½ feet (91 - 106 cm) and weigh 40 to 45 pounds (21 – 24 kg). They walk upright even though their arms nearly reach their knees. They have a broad nose that sits on a flat face with pointed ears and a wide mouth. Their mouth contains small, but sharp fangs.They have thick skin, and their skin pigment is known to shift in colour. Members of the same tribe tend to have the same 'default' skin colour. Their large, black eyes are highly adapted to seeing in the dark, and bright lights tend to make them extremely uncomfortable. Their hands and feet have four, claw-like digits.

Mantarans are highly intelligent, and have two-lobed brains. They typically do not wear clothes, but they do wear intricate symbols of rank, clan and status. Mantarans procreate by laying small eggs, which mature in about a week. Typical nests have 4-6 children. It is common for these children to feed on each other, and only the strongest survive their early childhood. Parenthood is communal, with the entire society making sure that the young are raised properly.

Differences between Surface and Aquatic Mantarans

These Mantarans look very much like their goblinoid cousins, but their skin tends to be shades of blue. They have evolved gills and are naturally amphibious. Their habitat is in the vast oceans which cover most of Mantara Prime

Religion

Aquatic Mantarans

Aquatic Mantarans have shamanistic beliefs involving the worship of the elements.

Technology

Surface-dwelling Mantarans

Warp technology, orbital satellites, large cities, dilithium mining and processing technology.

Mantaran starships have warp engines that have not been adapted to counter the negative effect of warp flight on subspace. Weapons appear similar to Federation phasers. Their shields are overpowered compared to the capacity of their weapons. The interior of the starships themselves holds the middle between a submarine and a cave. Their corridors are very narrow for average-sized humanoids.

Aquatic Mantarans

Nomadic hunter-gatherers.

Economy

Trawler-based fishing by surface-dwelling Mantarans has been a source of violent conflict in the past, though Mantaran diplomats claim these issues have been resolved.

The surface-dwelling Mantarans have been mining dilithium in their underground warrens. The suspicion exists that an alien race may have traded warp technology in exchange for dilithium mining rights.

Military

Surface-dwelling Mantarans maintain a powerfully organised military organisation on the surface, but their space-borne military is negligible. The few starships they have are technologically inferior to Federation starships. Their orbital satellite network may or may not include a defence grid.

Notes

THIS PROFILE IS BEING WRITTEN BY THE SDC: Species Development Committee.