Saurian

A sentient race of bipedal reptiles native to planet Sauria. Note that both “Sauria” and “Saurian” are Human translations; the Saurian name for their species translates exactly as “people”, and so to Humans they are lizard-people: Saurians. Members of the United Federation of Planets, the Saurians are best known for producing Saurian Brandy , the most popular alcoholic drink in the known galaxy. It is their primary export.

Saurians evolved in the tropical rainforests and swamps that cover much of their world, and they prefer a hot, humid environment with plenty of water. Their skin comes in several colours, from deep green to muddy brown to red, with purple being the rarest. They have oval shaped, bald heads, slightly leathery skin, and nostrils and mouths mounted upon a small snout. The large, wide-set protruding eyes, yellow in colour, offer extra peripheral vision but are ultra-sensitive to light, as Saurians are nocturnal. They have two pairs of eyelids, a vertical outer pair and a horizontal inner pair that enable them to see in infrared. In fact, infrared is part of their normal visual range at all times, but the eyelids filter out everything except infrared to let them focus more specifically on that range of the spectrum, perhaps because its lower-energy emanations otherwise tend to be drowned out by visible light. The wide eyes and upturned mouths of Saurians give them a permanently cheerful expression, and Humans find it difficult to get an accurate read of their feelings. They have nasal, rasping voices.

Saurian hands feature talons positioned above bulbous and sensitive finger tips. The feet are broad, leathery and webbed and also feature claws. Starfleet has gained much from the presence of Saurian officers within its ranks, as they have several biological advantages over most other species. Saurians can swim well, and hold their breath for a considerable length of time; they have no difficulty manoeuvring underwater. They possess great physical strength, and the ability to breathe almost any combination of gases (an adaptation to the noxious fumes naturally occurring in the rainforests of Sauria). Saurians have four hearts, giving them impressive stamina, and most of their organs are paired with emergency back-up systems, allowing for limited function even when the individual in question is severely injured; this allows them to move to safety or find help before succumbing to their wounds. Their sense of smell is also excellent. The average Saurian life expectancy is 180 years. Despite all these physiological strengths, however, they have one major weakness: bright lights. Their large, ultra-sensitive eyes are adapted for night vision and cannot handle the sunlight. When serving aboard Starfleet vessels, which feature bright lighting, Saurians must wear filtered contact lenses or sunglasses.

Saurians tend to be quite intelligent, and many privately think Humans are below-average in terms of intellect. They seem to enjoy using and manipulating Human humour, however. The Saurians have a nudity taboo, but for very different reasons to Humans: it is actually considered proper to appear naked at formal social functions, and so to appear undressed during your day-to-day activities is to fail to show proper respect for ceremony. Saurians rarely wear shoes, however, having little need for them. They can move faster and more efficiently on their clawed feet. They show respect or thanks to others by bowing.

Saurians have a rich history replete with competing religious and political systems that slowly coalesced into their current global government and singular faith. Their strong faith in a living, sentient universe is widely accepted throughout the Federation. There are several Saurian dialects, but Aulia is the most common, a complex language that employs heavy tonal qualities. It is extremely difficult to learn. Saurian script makes use of thick symbols which are vaguely square shaped and feature many straight lines. These symbols are typically reproduced one after another in a straight horizontal line.

Saurians have large, extended families. Because their hatchlings develop very quickly (reaching the size and intelligence of a 20-year-old human adult in five years), "nuclear families" tend to be short-lived. Education and socialization of the hatchlings are handled within each clan, or svik, which may consist of hundreds of individuals living within the same general area. Svika may compete with each other over business or personal matters, but violent crime among them is almost unknown.