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Encyclopedia Xenobiológica

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• Species: Grasskan
• Homeworld: Nathos
• Size: 2.4m tall, 250-300kg
• Color & Markings: Grasskans are among the largest intelligent species ever encountered, alongside Astina males. They are massive, imposing creatures, capable of both incredible speed and incredible feats of strength. With hides that vary from deep reds to rich blacks, they cut a fierce look naked -- though you will rarely see them so indisposed. To put it simply, most Grasskans would never seen [sic] in anything less than theirbest fashions. They are, honestly, fashionistas. Springing from the haute couture of the royal Mareeth family of Nathos, Grasskans generally take an enormous pride in their presentation. This love of style, emenating from the royals, has trickled down to the rest of the Empire: Whatever look the Empress is wearing this year can be found in the smallest provinces in subsequent years.
• Reproduction & Development: Grasskans nest a brood of 1-2 eggs, which hatch warm-blooded children able to walk within 4 hours, and run within 8 hours. Aside from the royal Mareeth family - which is almost dictatorial in its rule - the rest of Grasskan society is remarkably meritocratic. In periods of peace, most Grasskans enjoy a comfortable life, with trading across the 32 worlds of their empire. The resources Grasskans are able to call upon are impressive: Food-stuffs from Wirum, minerals from Tin, workers from multiple species and backgrounds, and highly advanced factories churning out all manner of inventiveness. One item of note, though, is the manner in which they have built their Empire, using the Mareeth-invented FTL drive. There is a noticeable --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - - --- - - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - --- - ---- ------ -- (redacted: Imperial Censor MJK:29 [Clase "Jinyiwei"])
• Diet: Omnivorous.
• Lifespan: 80-130 years.
• Language: Grasskans speak two languages, Tneth and Duvello, both of which have become major trade languages outside their empire. Because the Grasskans mine and trade widely, from Tin to Slaughter to Wirum to Wayward, their language and literature have found a wide audience. Tneth is the traditional lanuage of Nathos and of the Mareeth family, while Duvello was adopted from extensive trade with the mercantilist Consortium of Duvell.
• Social Structure: Grasskans are a matriarchal society organized under the leadership of their all-powerful Empress, who serves as the head of the Mareeth family, the military, and the courts. Both because of their centralized control of FTL travel, and the physical prowess of the Mareeth family specifically, the royals haven't had a leadership challenge in over 200 years. But the matriarchy extends to all aspects of Grasskan life: Families, businesses, and military units are headed up by powerful women, with men operating as second-class citizens. Grasskan females are larger and stronger than males, and, as they would tell you, smarter as well. (Dr. Chatterjee's tests were never able to determine that, but even males will buy in to the narrative.) Grasskans have evolved a uniquely capitalistic and militaristic society that has found a workable balance between those two systems. When not at war with the Continuum of Makers (sources needed) or the Gannath Alliance (sources needed), Grasskans have enjoyed decades of economic expansion at home and in their colonies. But that capialistic expansion is quickly militarized in times of war, with the Empress taking direct ownership of assets to aid in the war effort.
• Intelligence Rating: Extensively tested by Dr. Chatterjee herself, and found to be in the November/Oscar range.
• Interaction with Humans: Though humanity has never been granted an audience with the Empress herself, low-level human contact with Grasskans has been frequent over the last hundred years, in the spaceports of third-party worlds like Wirum, Tin. and Slaughter. Despite repeated ambassadorial delegations being sent from Tierra to Nathos, the Grasskans have brusquely rejected diplomatic recognition or trade with humanity. In fact, most human delegations are sent home the same day they arrive. The one exception being a delegation that included three Fillipods, which stayed on Nathos for 10 days. This is perhaps owning to a poetry recitation by the Fillipods. The subject was the utility of paper towels.
  
  
• FILE AMENDED, FOLLOWING THE GRASSKAN NIGHTFALL: Since the death of the Empress, and the fall of the Empire, the remaining 1-2 million Grasskans are now a diaspora spread across two dozen worlds. Ironically, it is mostly the lowest-class laborers who survived the Nightfall, having long ago shipped out to colonies and trading partners to find itinerant work where they could. Regardless, the end of the Grasskans as an economic and military force means that La Familia's plans to cultivate a wartime alignment are now entirely abandoned.
• FILE AMENDED, FOLLOWING A PETITION FROM GRASSKAN REFUGEES ON SASEET:The empire is currently considering whether to allow 81,000 Grasskan refugees to settle on Saseet under a grant of asylum. The armada is considering a trade of military service for imperial citizenship.

Trivia

• This page is called "Enciclopedia Xenobiológica: Grasskan"
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