Requirements: CON 12
Ability Adjustments: CON +2, STR+1, CHA -1
Skill Adjustments: Combat +1, Contact -1, Technical -1
Metabolism: Iron Based
Arcturians are a Federation member species from a densely populated world in the Alpha Boötis system. They’re a militaristic people, valuing unity and discipline above individuality. Beyond military service in the Federation, Arcturian mercenaries serve throughout the galaxy.
Arcturians have reddish gray or purplish gray skin that droops in distinct wrinkles and folds, and deep set eyes. They have two sexes (though they’re often difficult for other species to tell apart), but Arcturians have given up sexual reproduction. Instead, all Arcturians are clones of a select few genetic lines.
Despite their military nature, Arcturians don’t revel in combat. Many display a degree of emotional restraint reminiscent of Vulcans, and they're often stereotyped as a dour people.
It’s unlikely the Arcturians' homeworld is the product of natural evolution: Their star is too metal poor. Federation scientists speculate that it was engineered by some super-advanced civilization in the distant past. Given their clone nature, some have speculated that the Arcturians themselves were engineered by this same race.
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Note: Arcturians just appeared in the background of ST:TMP and have never been featured prominently. They don't even show up in any of the Trek rpgs. What little information has been published about them comes from the costume designers for the film. See Memory Alpha.
This made me think of a background race in B5. I've forgotten the name. But then in one episode JMS created a killer plague and killed them all off. That background race then became some what important as some future plots mentioned them and became plot points when raiders were picking off the bones at the colonies and home world. I have no idea why it made me think of that, but there it is.
ReplyDeleteThe weird-looking (and weird-talking) dude with whom Dr. McCoy tried to work a deal to get back to the Genesis Planet in Star Trek III is apparently also supposed to have been an Arcturian. He had a different, more sophisticated makeup job, but there were definite similarities. Maybe he was from another one of the genetic lines.
ReplyDelete@Tim - Oh yeah. I vaguely remember that, but I can't remember the species name.
ReplyDelete@Deadstop - I saw that a couple of places on the internet, but Memory Alpha doesn't list that notion (nor does Memory Beta for that matter). Any idea where that came from originally? In any case, he certainly could be as you say.
Great choice for a race to stat up. Here's hoping you do some more.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Bill. I've done the "main" TOS/TAS Federation species over on the G+ group, but I plan to stat more of these obscure ones here.
ReplyDeleteHe's a Ballchinian!
ReplyDelete@Tim: I believe you're thinking of the Markab.
ReplyDeletehttp://babylon5.wikia.com/wiki/Markab
Speaking of B5, it's worth noting that the entire population of Earth was almost wiped out by a plague as well.