Tarshamans

The natives are under 3’ tall, but have very long, powerful arms (similar to chimpanzees).

The male & female of the species are very close in size.

Tarshamans are light and agile, largely due to their hollow bone structure.

Origin:

Tarsham.

Planet Size:

2.1 Earths.

Planet Population:

30 million – 97% native, 3% off planet species

There are 5 large port cities: Gluttonville, Pigany, Boarland, Havolino, Chupacaberg.

Tarshamans are communal creatures, and quite friendly to outsiders, but it can be uncomfortable for some species to get used to Tarshaman ways.

Most natives live in communal caves with up to 300 other individuals, and the concept of personal space is a bit foreign to them.

Their cities are often nothing more than a group of these cave structures in close proximity to one another, perhaps sharing a resource such as a lake.

Contact with other species has led to some adaptation, as the cities have developed new accomodations for foreign business interests, tourists and immigrants.

Outside of the cities, distance between cave dwellings is so vast that most Tarshamans use Glyder Hawgs for travel.

Representative councils are the preferred method of governing for communities of all sizes.

Tarsham is rich in most mineral goods and the whole society works together to get these goods to the port cities – while also acquiring the subsistence goods necessary for their remote cave dwelling communities.

They have established a huge circuit of Glyder Hawg based shippers to transport goods across the planet.

To utter the words “when pigs fly” on Tarsham would not have the same significance as it does on earth.

Glyder Hawgs are indigenous to the planet and are abundant throughout.

They grow to about 10’ long and have up to an 18’ wingspan.

They look like a giant wild boar with veiny reptilian-looking wings.

It is a rite of passage for a Tarshaman to catch and domesticate their own Glyder Hawg upon reaching the age of 7 years old.

Adolescent Glyder Hawgs are caught and domesticated to live a symbiotic life with their master.

As is the case with most animal mounts, most Tarshamans prefer to get saddles and other accessories (ex. personal saddle bags) for their Hawgs.

Both Glyder Hawgs and Tarshamans usually live around 40 years.

There is a subspecies of Glyder Hawg that can grow to be 5 times the size of an average Glyder Hawg.

These UBER-Hawgs, as they are called, are used for mass trade, and it requires great skill to master flight with them.

A UBERHawg Pilot is an extremely prestigious occupation, and families work very hard to groom future pilots within their numbers so that they can continue to enjoy the benefits this prestige provides.

Although the Glyder hawgs are not endangered on Tarsham, there is black market for them, and it is strictly forbidden for a Glyder Hawg to be shipped off planet.

Therefore, the nefarious act of ensnaring and smuggling Glyder Hawgs is quite profitable – especially with Hawglets (under 1 year old)

Glyder Hawg racing is THE sport on Tarsham. People from all over the planet and many off-worlders catch the big races.

On rare occasion a Non-Tarshaman will make it through qualifying rounds, and there have been 5 that have actually raced in the Annual Hawger Cup.

Caalo Xan is actually one of the 5 that has made it to the finals and finished 13th out of 20 racers.

The races and race paraphernalia provide 10% of the planet’s annual income, and is always a HUGE boon over a 3 week festival of qualifying rounds leading up to the big race.

The Pigg racing family is known throughout the galaxy.

The current 3-time Hawger Cup champion, Chimy Pigg, has cult status on planet, and is respected off planet as well.