Kvorn

Statistics

Common Attribution: Kvorn

Categorical Attribution: Koru vorakra

Evolutionary Star System: Dejenna System

Star Systems of Prominence:

Lycansis System
Jarrik System
Luthorn System

Population Data: 167 billion

Largest Civilisation: New Kvorn Empire

Civilization class: Type C: Interterrestrial Society

Overview

Kvorn are bipedal rodent-like creatures with a tapered snout, raised ears and small eyes. They are entirely covered in hair that generally begins a light brown and gets darker with age, to near-black. Their lifespan is effectively unknown, as they grow logarithmically to a limit that has so far not been tested; though most are fortunate to live past 2 GY due to merciless competition for survival.

Although not capable of faster-than-light travel by themselves, the Kvorn have a symbiotic relationship with the Shikkar that has allowed them to expand beyond their exile in the Lycansis System.

Evolutionary History

The Kvorn evolved from the large extinct megavermin Korumak, on Hexar. As such they share a common ancient ancestor with the Hexarians, who were at the time of their cohabitation known as Elvan. Like their distant cousins, it has been shown that the Kvorn have genetic material that indicates part Aiju ancestry, although the Aiju theory is controvesial.

Kvorn hearing is even better than that of the Hexarians and their sense of smell more than makes up for generally poor eyesight. The Kvorn have inherited the Korumak's behaviour of digging deep pits in which their young are born, called Spawnpits.

Biology

Kvorn are born in a litter of 4-6 from a pregant female; who will be confined to a Spawnpit along with several other pregant females. After a gestation period of just one quarter GY, the pups emerge. When born from the 'pit, Kvorn are unusual in that they are almost straight away dangerous. Within minutes they are able to move around, on all fours, whereupon they use their animal instincts to kill the weaker of their litter. Typically a third survive, whereupon they will suckle from the mother.

After several days they will double in size, at which point they will be taken from the pit. Often these infantile Kvorn are put to use in armies, herded like vicious dogs, a mass of claws and teeth typically as a first wave of attack. If the individual survives long enough, they will begin to walk on two legs at the age of about 2-3 GY. At this point, females are seperated and trained as workers. They will perform the myriad dogsbody duties of the society: cleaning, carrying, serving food and building. When she reaches sexual maturity, around 12 GY, she may be put to work in the spawnpits to give birth until she dies. These females only live for 15-18 GY. However, in more recent centuries, some promising females have been permitted to assume greater roles.

Males will invariably be taken for war, which they will partake in at every opportunity (often against rival Kvorn clans). Those most distinguished in battle have the honour of passing their genes along in the Spawnpit; while males that do not excel are prohibited from mating. In this way, the Kvorn have cultivated a purified, lethal killer instinct.

The adult Kvorn has a muscular and ponderous frame. They have Hemocyanin blood, but it is almost black in colour as it is very thick. The Kvorn have two hearts with which to pump the viscous liquid around their body.

Psychology

Kvorn mostly operate on instinct and have a fairly underdeveloped cranium. They often follow pack mentality and are well known to flee with the death of a leader. They have no known capacity for psyionic abilities.

Although barely sentient as a whole, an interesting quirk of the race is that roughly 1 in 10,000 will be born with a much higher level of cognitive ability, due to a recurring mutative gene. These individuals were often hard to spot as they were typically average or poor at fighting. However, when found these were taken and groomed for adulthood as a Gohwokker, or Thinker. It was from these that the Kvorn's basic technology and tactics sprang from. Females possessing the mutation were traditionally put to death, although since the days of the New Kvorn Empire they have sometimes been allowed to become Gohwokkers.