Race

The first thing that needs to be decided is what race of beings everyone will be playing. Of the hypothetical creatures that inherit the earth, only one of those below can rise to sentience for the sake of gameplay. This means everyone will have to play the same race once it is decided on.

Some races start in more harsh environments, so automatically gain the advantage of extra points that they don't have to do anything to earn. Generally, this means they also have some noteworthy disadvantages as well. Some of these disadvantages are evident immediately, while others may be only found through gameplay. Below, the races are ranked not on point values or advantages, but simply by how far they stray initially from humanity. At the time of competition, there are only 3 races. However, if there is a lot of interest in the game, more may be added over time.

No race is given a name, but instead you are left to do so at the start of each game yourself. Don't worry about odd quirks of language much, as anything you said probably has some similar phrase in their own language. Players who want to challenge themselves might try to rework familiar phrases into new ones. An example of this might be taking something like "high five" and making it something like "tentacle slap" or whatever phrases you like. Someone who doesn't support their argument could easily be left "standing on three feet". The sky is the limit.

Beginner

Mammal


Evolved from rodents, they have a body like a very stout elephant. Only as large as pigs, they walk on three toes and express themselves with a blend of vocal language and gestures using their very long fluffy tails. They are visually focused creatures with small ears set far back on their heads and their long noses are prehensile with tiny 'fingers' on the tip that allow finite manipulation. Omnivores, they have a wide selection of potential food sources along the vast area of zone 5.

They have two close cousins initially. One being much larger and capable of much more readily accessing food, so having had no need to develop intelligence. The other is smaller, but with long flat tusks for digging roots. The second species is specialized in root eating and hasn't had any reason to develop tools since they already have them by nature.

Many of the common traits of modern mammals are shared with this species. Body hair, warm blooded, live birth, lactation, etc. Appearance is largely favored in bristly males. Both genders are considered to have greater appeal if their trunks are very flexible and the 'fingers' deft.

Males average 4 feet (1.22m) tall and 350 pounds (158kg).
Females average 4 feet 9 inches (1.44m) tall and weigh 400 pounds (181kg).

Intermediate

Cephalopod


Descended from the highly intelligent Octopus, these beings eventually migrated into fresh waters when the seas became less hospitable. As time passed, they ended up developing in zone 2, where the frequently turgid water caused them to develop a need to find oxygen from the surface. The constant humidity allowed them to begin developing an ability to stay out of the water for extended periods of time until they eventually developed the capability to remain out of water indefinitely as long as they remain moist. The greatest disadvantage is that they are unable to enter very dry or cold regions without advanced protection. The only way for them to enter zone 1 or 6 is with the Sickle card of clothing up to level 3 (environmental suits). They are not deft swimmers, having adapted to land travel, but are respectable climbers and very expressive. Their bodies have two plates of ectoderm (shell) that offer a very limited degree of protection. One rests at the base of their mantle and prevents sharp edges and thorns from tearing their bodies as they move along. The other is a ridged diamond shape set between the eyes and protects the brain from incidental injury.

They make almost no sound, instead relying on expressive body language, slight skin texture shifts and extensive color changes to communicate. They are visually centered, but have a stunted sense of taste and no sense of smell. Taste is done with their tentacle tips. They do not hear in the traditional sense, but do sense vibration along the surface of their hoods, allowing them to feel major shifts in the air movement. When in water, this can be a huge advantage in feeling threats before they arrive. Having lost the ability to remain under water for long periods of time and with the recent development of a weakened beak structure, they must begin finding ways to improve their ability to eat or starve. This is made more difficult by the fact that they are largely carnivorous, able only to eat a limited variety of plant life.

Both genders share an average height of about a foot (0.3m) and a leg span of around two yards (1.83m) if fully extended. Weights are only a matter of 50 pounds (22kg) or less in most cases.

Difficult

Arthropod


Small, by human standards, only the vast period of plant life dominating the planet has allowed oxygen levels on the surface to rise high enough that these insect-like beings are now roughly the size of a medium dog. First appearing in zone 8, rapid changes in their methods of survival have allowed them to develop into sentience. Their brains rest roughly in the center of their bodies and consist of four lobes. Each crosses nerves in an X through their bodies making a strangely efficient tangle. Five eyes on short stalks see only in the most rudimentary way, detecting light, shadow and vague shapes. Along the sides of their bodies, tiny sensors are highly tuned to pick up a very broad spectrum of sound and even some radio waves. Additionally, long feathery antenna probe the world around them and offer up the only sense of touch/taste/smell they have. Most of their world is described through this sense.

Language is auditory, but done through the clicking and tapping of legs and their two large forelimbs that also serve as a means of picking up and manipulating things. Two smaller limbs rest to the inside of these larger ones and allow for finite motor control when needed. Food options are often shifting here and they have become true omnivores, eating just about anything that isn't toxic in their environment. They don't have to have the food preservation Sickle card, but also never gain the benefits from it.

This strange species has three genders. One analogous to male, providing sperm. One analogous to females, providing the egg. The last is analogous to the womb, carrying the eggs inside a special cavity until they hatch. Once hatched, they are considered the parent of the young.

On average, males weigh 100 pounds (45kg) with dimensions of 3 foot tall (0.9m) and 5 feet (1.52m) long.
On average, females weigh 60 pounds (27kg) with dimensions of 2 feet tall (0.61m) and 4 feet (1.22m) long.
On average, carriers weigh 80 pounds (36kg) with dimensions of 2 feet 4 inches (1.71m) tall and 6 feet (1.82m) long.

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