Devout worshippers of the Sun Mother and bound by their shared faith in the House of Tides, the Zaalan have never managed to form a unified government. Dozens of Zaalan tribes congragate around the Dawn Throne, bickering and fighting amongst each other, every day spiraling further into war.
Even though the Voidborne's attacks on their space proved devastating, some survivors on Ark Hakar escaped to the Circinus Stream. Soon breaking free of the Hiderid yoke, they settled new worlds, only to fall to infighting and abject poverty. 150 years after their arrival, only a handful of idealists, the Bogwynne, are still out there, fighting a hopeless battle just to keep their splintered civilization from giving up on the skies.
Overlooked by most, exploited by many, the Zaalans remain a proud, yearning race whose collective sacrifice before the Great Jump - in the line of fire to buy the Coalition and the Mewei more time to launch their Ark - has already gone forgotten.
Even though the Voidborne's attacks on their space proved devastating, some survivors on Ark Hakar escaped to the Circinus Stream. Soon breaking free of the Hiderid yoke, they settled new worlds, only to fall to infighting and abject poverty. 150 years after their arrival, only a handful of idealists, the Bogwynne, are still out there, fighting a hopeless battle just to keep their splintered civilization from giving up on the skies.
Overlooked by most, exploited by many, the Zaalans remain a proud, yearning race whose collective sacrifice before the Great Jump - in the line of fire to buy the Coalition and the Mewei more time to launch their Ark - has already gone forgotten.
Physical Description
Zaalans are typically grey-skinned with dark scales and protruding horns.
A typical Bogwynne voidcraft, soaring far above the skies, the last protector of the decaying Zaalan colony worlds.
(Placeholder - Picture : GalCiv 3) |
The Zaalans are a race of horned humanoids, with scales that covers part of their thick, hardened skin. Both males and females can reach towering heights. The keratin-based horns grow over time, and require constant maintenance. They also connect with a Zaala's auditory system, easily allowing them to perceive sounds including low ultrasounds. Their blood appears near-black due to a higher concentration of hemoglobin than in other Presursor-typed races.
Their bodies are made for combat as well as stealth, but they make especially poor psionics. Of note is their ability to stay underwater without breathing for 10 minutes at a time. Zaalan marines have often made use of that ability in warfare, attacking from the sea and using their horns for navigation. Eye colour varies but will typically be anywhere from teal to red. Zaalans sport a variety of dress styles, but eschew tight clothing as it interferes or catches their scaly skin. Thus do typical Zaala sport catchy but bulky clothes of the finest fabrics. Zaalans often sport the markings of their tribe on their face as a habit and point of pride. Bogwynnes Looked upon with some disdain by their planetside brethrens, Bogwynnes are born miners and scavengers, but also sky mercenaries. They are not more organized than any other subset of Zaalan society, but they resent the downward spiral of Zaalan colonies and the apathy of their leaders. They want to fight tooth and nail to keep their people space-borne. Of a shorter but stouter frame due to living on the higher gravity environments of Teroshe, Bogwynnes are hard workers who put special significance on hierarchies as well as on the acquisition of tech. They are typically found working ships or space stations - or putting their extra strength to good use as brawlers, mercenaries or treasure hunters. Bogwynne ships are usually a patchwork of hastily recommissioned voidships, with cramped interiors and rough conditions. There is a lot of antagony between Bogwynnes, who usually want to uplift their race back into space, and normal planetbound Zaalan clans. Whitescales The Whitescales are characterized by their white scales, whereas most Zaalans sport black ones. Believed to possess the blood of angels or spirits, they wandered amidst the other tribes rather than form one of their own, and they were commonly employed as mediums, shamans, healers, or religious guides in many ancient tribes. The most blessed of Whitescales also exhibit mild psionic ability. Many Whitescales have left New Xionia in recent cycles, in search of new answers that could help heal their community. |
Vital Stats (Starfinder)
Size : Medium
Type : Humanoid Subtype : N/A HP : 4 Average lifespan : 80-90 Homeland : Doth'Ur (Prime Material Plane) Language : Common Average height : 5′4″‒6′0″ (1.63‒1.8 m) Average weight : 130‒170 lb (59‒77 kg) Skin color(s) : Lightly tanned to dark brown, featuring scales on some of the body which range wildly in colours, but is typically dark. Hair color(s) : Dark brown, autumn orange, mossy green, deep gold Eye color(s) : Blue, green, brown. |
Normal Zaalan : +2 DEX, +1 STR, -2 WIS
Bogwynne : +2 DEX, +2 STR, -2 WIS, -1 CON Whitescales : +2 WIS, +1 CHA, -2 STR Racial Traits Natural Grace The lithe Zaalans are naturally graceful. They gain a +2 racial bonus to Acrobatics and Athletics checks. Will of the Spirits The Zaalan horns and their natural empathy allow them to sense when a nearby comrade needs help. Once per day, a Zaalan with this trait can select an ally within 10 feet. The chosen individual can reroll one attack roll or skill check and take the higher result. Born Hunters Thanks to their natural grace and innate tenacity, dating back to their stone age on the steppes of Doth'Ur, Zaalans are among the best hunters of any race. They gain a +2 racial bonus to Perception and Stealth checks when tracking, hunting, or otherwise pursuing another creature. |
Homeworld
The new Zaalan homeworld of New Xionia is a steppe world - not unlike the one Zaalans evolved on. (source)
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When the Zaalans arrived in the Stream, they refused to stick with the Coalition. Instead, they ran their own scans, in the hopes of finding a habitable planet. As luck has it (unless it is more than mere coincidence...) the systems of the Stream are bountiful with life, and ripe for the taking.
The Zaalans quickly took to building a camp on a world they called New Xionia- named after an ancient warlord. This new world is dotted with tribal capitals, for the Zaalans have one more resisted any call to unite. NeXi is not an easy world - it is dry and cold, with little in the way of vegetation. The "capital" is the city of Hoh-ot, built around the largest House of Tides shrine in the Stream. Nonetheless, for the very same Zaalan people who prizes introversion and a semi-nomadic culture, it feels just like home. |
Society and Alignment
Before the Great Jump, the many tribal states that made up the Zaalan civlization were at least nominally united in times of wars through an organization called the Assembly of Clans. Now, it is difficult to talk about a typical Zaalan society, for even after the Great Jump, the Tribes remain as splintered and diverse as ever. Perhaps the one thing that truly unites the Zaalan people, other than their renewed faith in the House of Tides, is their stubborn tendency to reject authority beyond a certain threshold. It is intriguing to note, then, that most Tribes are centered around a single Chief, usually the strongest warrior. More than 78 Tribes now dot the three worlds earmarked for Zaalan purposes by the Coalition Resettlement Committee. Most colonies are on New Xionia, which also houses religious authorities.
Zaalans are no longer quite as aggressive as before the Jump. Perhaps because most fiercer warriors died fighting the Voidborne, more emphasis was placed on cooperation - and espionnage, for Zaalan competitiveness never really died down. Nonetheless, blood sports and arenas such as the Daharkl remain popular spots for Zaalan youth.
The only semblance of an existing planetwide authority is the House of Tides, the main religious body, keeps shrines and new holy sites across all three worlds. It is often staffed by Whitescales. Traditionally, the House is not partisan - it does not weigh in favour of any one tribe, but is instead tasked with keeping the natural order of things and the traditions that keep Zaalan culture alive.
One would think that a more cooperative and competitive Zaalan civilisation could easily grow to become a healthy space nation yet again. However, things are not going well. Births are rare, industries routinely fail, infrastructure laid from the Ark more than a hundred years ago is falling apart, and tribes seem more happy to plot to take each other down. Worse, many Zaalans display shocking apathy at their world's downward spiral,. Longing after the ancestral steppes, some even outright refuse moder tech. Coalition and Kalimshari analysts agree that if nothing changes, Zaalans may practically lose FTL technology within two generations.
Not everyone accepts such a fate. The Bogwynnes, dismayed that their people might allow themselves to slip into a lesser age, dwell on fleets and scour the endless skies, scavenging and trading all they can find to preserve some measure of technological expertise across the tribes. Their efforts are often causing them grief and in some tribes they are greeted with sheer hostility.
Other groups are rising up and the geopolitical situation is changing fast. The Children of the Dawn, a New Xionian alliance of progressive tribes, oppose the downward state of things. Fearful of losing space capability, they call for economic integration instead of the system of dozens of colonies trying to do their own thing. Some tribes follow their progressive teachings, though it remains to be seen how the situation develops. In the East, the Exhalted Horde rises, seeking to bring all tribes under its oppressive banner. In between, industrial and regressive tribes alike are caught and must soon take sides. The House is happy to stand by and watch, though they are feared to be falling into direct Grand Coalition control. The drums of civil war are beating again...
Alignment wise, Zaalans come under many different flavours, but most tend towards Neutral or Chaotic. Self reliance and traditions rooted in warlike animism remain core values, as is individualism.
Zaalans are no longer quite as aggressive as before the Jump. Perhaps because most fiercer warriors died fighting the Voidborne, more emphasis was placed on cooperation - and espionnage, for Zaalan competitiveness never really died down. Nonetheless, blood sports and arenas such as the Daharkl remain popular spots for Zaalan youth.
The only semblance of an existing planetwide authority is the House of Tides, the main religious body, keeps shrines and new holy sites across all three worlds. It is often staffed by Whitescales. Traditionally, the House is not partisan - it does not weigh in favour of any one tribe, but is instead tasked with keeping the natural order of things and the traditions that keep Zaalan culture alive.
One would think that a more cooperative and competitive Zaalan civilisation could easily grow to become a healthy space nation yet again. However, things are not going well. Births are rare, industries routinely fail, infrastructure laid from the Ark more than a hundred years ago is falling apart, and tribes seem more happy to plot to take each other down. Worse, many Zaalans display shocking apathy at their world's downward spiral,. Longing after the ancestral steppes, some even outright refuse moder tech. Coalition and Kalimshari analysts agree that if nothing changes, Zaalans may practically lose FTL technology within two generations.
Not everyone accepts such a fate. The Bogwynnes, dismayed that their people might allow themselves to slip into a lesser age, dwell on fleets and scour the endless skies, scavenging and trading all they can find to preserve some measure of technological expertise across the tribes. Their efforts are often causing them grief and in some tribes they are greeted with sheer hostility.
Other groups are rising up and the geopolitical situation is changing fast. The Children of the Dawn, a New Xionian alliance of progressive tribes, oppose the downward state of things. Fearful of losing space capability, they call for economic integration instead of the system of dozens of colonies trying to do their own thing. Some tribes follow their progressive teachings, though it remains to be seen how the situation develops. In the East, the Exhalted Horde rises, seeking to bring all tribes under its oppressive banner. In between, industrial and regressive tribes alike are caught and must soon take sides. The House is happy to stand by and watch, though they are feared to be falling into direct Grand Coalition control. The drums of civil war are beating again...
Alignment wise, Zaalans come under many different flavours, but most tend towards Neutral or Chaotic. Self reliance and traditions rooted in warlike animism remain core values, as is individualism.
The Tribes were somewhat different 2000 cycles or so ago... |
Playing a Zaala
Zaalans likely…
Other species likely…
- ...put great importance on their tribal roots, and their independence from other tribes or xeno factions,
- ...get sensitive about the state of their colony,
- ...look for the chance to prove themselves in combat or in trade, and find enjoyment in competition,
- ...relish reasons to preserve and maintain tradition, or teach their ways to new people,
- ...have a stubborn sense of honour and loyalty to those they call friends,
- ...tend to keep their word, though many are not beneath treachery.
Other species likely…
- ...find Zaalans full of contradictions (authoritarian but individualist; survivors of a galactic purge only to run their colony with absolute apathy),
- ...assume that Zaalans are truly a recently uplifted species of the Coalition rather than the proud and independent spacefaring nation they once were,
- ...respect Zaalan honour, crafts, and handiwork, while at the same time noting their less advanced technology and deceptively frail bodies,
- ...seek to take advantage of Zaalans, usually under-estimating a Zaalan's affinity for competition, flair and battle.
Relations
Zaalan love for conquest may have been quenched, but they continue to regard other races with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. They respect strength and honour, as well as self-reliance. Since they've made contact with the Pact Worlds, they especially respect the Vesk (and envy them somewhat); they do also enjoy the company of Lashunta and Kasatha. They abide less by the Shirren, whose communality they pity, and they dislike the chaotic and obnoxious Ysoki.
Within the Stream, relations with the Coalition are strained somewhat. Indeed, Bogwynnes have accepted the gift of the Drift Engine, whereas the Coalition has sworn never to make use of it.
Within the Stream, relations with the Coalition are strained somewhat. Indeed, Bogwynnes have accepted the gift of the Drift Engine, whereas the Coalition has sworn never to make use of it.
Names |
Adventurers |
Zaalans only really sport one name - for their 'last name' is effectively their Tribe's name, when they belong to one. Zaalan names are typically written using a very specific subscript.
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There are a few reasons for Zaalans to wander :
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Classes
Here are some possibilities for Zaalans of each of Starfinder's core classes :
- Technomancer : A Bogwynne with latent psionic abilities from being exposed to the Drift may well decide to dabble with the combination of their newfound skills and scavenged technology. The B.V Sondrya is often in need of skilled technomancers - if one can first find it.
- Mechanic : Mechanics are in short supply on New Xionia, and infrastructure is fast collapsing. However, the arts of engineering and fixing things are not completely lost.
- Solarian : Some Zaalans have been intrigued by this strange form of combat - and adopted it. The Rumet Tribe specializes in training Solarians.
- Soldier : Zaalans enjoy battle, and the Soldier is a natural fit for these dexterous warriors.
- Envoy : Tribes need diplomats, Whitescales need answers, and the Boywynne need tech brokers.
- Mystic : Some non-combatant Whitescales are Mystics. They typically wander from tribe to tribe on behalf of the House of Tides. They may also be ship chaplains, or tend to the religious needs of one particular Tribe as a township shaman.
- Operative : Zaalans plot against each other, in many spheres of life. With direct and outright war a prospect few tribes relish, special ops has become a way to conduct more troublesome acquisitions.
- Biohacker : The Zaalans may well no longer put much stock in technological advancement, but Bogwynnes and Whitescales alike eschew more regressive medicine and take on the mantle of the Biohacker - often key crew members aboard Bogwynne vessels.
- Vanguard : Some psionic Bogwynnes like to fight head-on, in cramped spaces, as Vanguards. They block ship corridors and tend to rely on controlling the battlefield - and the timeline within.
- Witchwarper : Very rarely, a Mystic may decide to become a Witchwarper seer - if they can seek an audience with the Ruby Ladyship that leads prayer at the far-flung Iso Shrine. Witchwarpers often reside and meditate in the House of Tides itself.
Known Zaalan NPCs
Edited from FFXIV
Background images on this page were taken and edited in FFXIV (C) Square-Enix 2010-2020