Ruun

THIS SPECIES HAS NOT YET BEEN MIGRATED TO R²
The Ruun are a humanoid race from the planet Kas in the solar system Hylon. Hardened by their planet's icy environment, they are devoted to the expansion and protection of the Helix Alliance.

Physiology
Standing between six and seven feet tall, the Ruun are broad and muscular. Their skin is thick and tough, serving as an insulator against their homeworld's icy conditions. Although they have three arms, their neurology means that they are always more dexterous and proficient with their left two arms. This caused their right arm to grow larger and more muscular, partly to counteract the weight of their two left arms, but also to serve as a weapon against natural predators as well as a tool for digging, climbing and hauling objects. Their skin tone varies from dark navy blue to white. Their internal organs aid in surviving on their homeworld, since they have an auxiliary heart that helps pump warm blood around the body increasingly quickly in times of extreme cold or danger. Although they are omnivores, Ruun require a significant amount of protein to maintain their musculature and to stay healthy. The average lifespan for a modern Ruun, given medical technologies, is approximately 50-60 years, though this is offset by a rapid maturation period of 10 years from newborn to fully mature adult.

Reproduction
Ruun reproduce sexually and thus have two genders, although the casual observer would find it difficult to distinguish between them. The female Ruun, when impregnated, enters a hibernation state for the 4 month-long gestation period, before ejecting the single offspring from her gullet. In ancient times, the male would stockpile meat and other foods before the end of the gestation, as both the mother's and child's appetite is voracious following birth, to speed up the process of muscle and fat building after the hibernation. Ruunic females on average have about 4-6 offspring during their lifetime, depending on a number of factors including health, wealth (richer Ruun are expected to have large families to increase their family's prestige and power) and position (females in the Helixic Fleet are banned from conceiving during active duty).

Early History
Given the frozen dark side of Kas, the Ruun developed on the sunward, largely temperate side of the planet. Although temperatures could still lower to dangerous levels, the planet provided enough sustenance for the species to advance through the Advancement Scale, although many wars raged between different emerging states. However, an object in the night sky always fascinated the Ruun, a verdant world likewise orbiting the gas giant Gahux. During an extended period of peace orchestrated by the ruling families of Kas, a space shuttle containing two Ruun was launched at what is now called Fayis, the verdent world that had enticed the Ruun so long.

Contact with the Tassir
Although the Ruun had suspected the existence of another species on Fayis, the orbits of the two moons led to only brief glimpses of one another before they were eclipsed by the gas giant. As such the first Ruunic astronauts had very little idea about what they would find. The shuttle unfortunately crash landed on Fayis due to a miscalculation, heavily injuring one of the Ruun on-board, a male named Vasko. His co-pilot, Ranac, was able to eject before impact however. The two wandered through the humid jungles of Fayis, wondering at the decreased gravity, lush landscape and giant fauna. Allegedly, the pair came across a Tassir mining operation just as it was being attacked by a vicious predator. The Tallir's Robotic defenses failed them, and they looked doomed before Ranac charged at the beast, weaponless. Nevertheless, as the story goes, he beat the beast to death with his hands, but soonafter died of his battle-wounds. The grateful Tallir, who had long known about the existence of the Ruun from their underwater observatories, nursed Vasko back to health. Vasko, himself a noted scientist, realised the Tassir had been sending messages to Kas for decades, but that their technology was incompatible with Runnic receivers. Five years later, when the moons were once again close, he sent a message to his homeworld informing his species of his story and his discovery. A frantic conversation ensued, and promises of technological and material trades were made, as soon as the technology had developed to conveniently and safely transport good and people between the moons. Fifteen years later, the first Ruunic city was founded on Fayis, named Ranac after the hero from decades before, who is largely credited with opening dialogue between the races on a positive, uniting note of sacrifice.

Politics
While a partner with the Tassir in the Helix Alliance, Kas maintains its own government and legislation. Largely a product of their ancient histories, combined with the leap in material wealth following industrialisation, the Ruun of Kas are ruled by a small number of elite families, who maintain their own agendas while keeping peace across the planet. These families are extremely large and incredibly wealthy, and while their direct political jurisdiction may end at the atmosphere, their influence is felt all across the Helix worlds.