Bengradi (Savage SDF)
Physical Description
The Bengradi are a species of tailed felinoid bipeds that look like a humanoid version of a terrestrial Bengal Tiger, with orange with black stripe pelts, feline ears and tail. They are a genetic-off-shoot of the Halogai’, gengineered by the Sathars in an attempt to breed a warrior slave race out of the Halogai’ genetic stock. Physiologically and socially, they relate well to the Halogai’ in almost everything. The female is usually taller, for instance, although the males do not have manes. The males are usually between 100 cm and 220 cm tall. The females are usually between 110 cm and 230 cm tall. They are purely carnivorous, eating raw meat as often as possible. The Bengradi are praised for their amazing quickness in learning.
Average Size: 1.9 m (males), 2.0 (females)
Average Mass: 58 kg
Average Life-span: 190 yrs
Reproduction: Heterosexual, viviparous
Body Temp: 38 degrees C
Historical Detail.
The Bengradi were genetically engineered by the Sathars from the Halogai’. After the war with the Halogai’, the Sathars left the system bruised. They admired the feline warriors and sought to create a warrior slaves with the same ferocity. Through experimentation with the few prisoners of the war, the Sathar developed the Bengradi.
The Sathar developed the Bengadi on young world called Grahza Ertas, on the single continent in underground facilities. When the near destruction of the Sathar presence in the region, this world was abandoned and the thousands of Bengradi in stasis were thought dead. But they weren’t. Over several years, the stasis fields died. The Bengradi awoke on a tectonically violent world populated with ferocious proto-life forms similar to Terran dinosaurs. To them, genetically engineered warriors, it was a place to be conquered. They conquered, settled and built their own homeworld. Since then, they have been contracted by various races within the Frontier and the Rim for trade.
Senses
All the Bengradi’s senses are highly developed. They have natural night vision, like Yazirians.
Speech and Languages
The Bengradi have no problems with common languages. The Bengradi language, Soloc, is an array of hand movements and short phrases.
Attitudes
The Bengradi are similar to the Halogai’ in society and customs. Of all the races in the sector, however, the Halogai’ are the most despised by the Bengradi because they were genetically manipulated to hate them. Yazirians and the Humma are seen as fellow warriors. Any sign of of the Sathars set the Bengradi off in rage, until it is destroyed. They are seen as a devil figures in their religion.
Social Structure and Standards
The Bengradis’ basic social unit is a nuclear family, with the male as the supposed leader and the female making the decisions (like in the Halogai’ society). The families all gather in prides, similar to the Torani packs, where the Elders rule. The Bengradi government on the home planet is presently based on a feudal system, with a king and queen ruling. The Bengradi are only just starting to colonize their new homeworld, after trading mining rights on the home system with the Rim races. The Grahza system is an extremely mineral rich system, with an inner and an outer asteroid belt and several mineral rich worlds.
It is a common tradition among the Bengradi to pay tribute to their dead friends through their Ritual of Passage. Also the Bengradi never take a weapon from a dead victim, even if he killed it. The dead are sacred to them. This has been a tradition for many centuries among the Bengradi. It is also tradition for all Bengradi to carry their Family crest of their weapons.
There is a movement within the Bengradi society called The Lost Brothers from Coladia, that see the Halogai’s as the Bengradi’s lost cousins. A pseudo-religious movement believes that neither race will be delivered from their pains of the past until the make peace with each other. They use specific meditation methods to overcome their genetic programming to hate them.
Racial Abilities
Low Light Vision (+1): The Bengradi ignore penalties for bad lighting in all but pitch darkness.
Keen Senses (+1): The Bengradi have a keen sense which gains them +2 to Notice.
Natural Weapons – Claws (+1): STR+d6 damage. He doesn’t count as an unarmed defender.
Edge: Scholar or Jack of All Trades (+1): The Bengradi gain either the Scholar edge or the Jack of All Trades Edge because of their quick learning.
Racial Enemy (–1) – Halogai’: Bengradi suffer a –4 Charisma when dealing with the Halogai’. Unless fettered by other authorities or common goals, individuals of the two races typically attack each other on sight.