The
Darvin evolved from hexapedial (six-legged) herd animals. They are
typically about 1.5 meters long. They walk with their four rear legs
and manipulate objects with their front "arms". The Darvin are typically
gray in color, although their hard shells are capable of changing shade
to blend in with natural surroundings.
Herd Mentality: All Leadership-Command skill checks involving a Darvin (or groups of Darvin, but not mixed with other species) are made at a -1 step bonus. Furthermore, all Interaction skills used on a Darvin NPC receive a -1 step bonus.
Natural Reflexes: Darvin characters automatically
receive the Reflexes perk for free; this does count toward the character's
limit of three perks total.
Deladarvin is a cold planet, and only the most equatorial regions are capable of comfortably supporting life. Using modern technology throughout the past several centuries, the Darvin have been able to construct colonies on the ice caps in the northern and southern regions of the planet, but the vast majority of the Darvin population still lives within one thousand kilometers of the equator. The Darvin have also begun to colonize their planet's only moon, and by the contemporary era there are approximately 100,000 Darvin living there.
The Darvin are a PL 6 culture and have been for well over a century now. Since encountering new species with PL 7 technology some advanced equipment has begun to appear on Deladarvin, but most of the Darvin are cautious and reluctant to use such items. The one exception to this is PL 7 cybertech equipment, which is plentiful enough on Deladarvin at this point that it can be purchased by anyone willing to pay triple the usual price. The Darvin have made it a point to try to acquire some of the cybertechnology discovered by the Rappkor Bakorians.
Due to their herd-animal evolution, the Darvin are an easily provoked race: they are easily angered, easily won-over, and easily led. The Darvin are a peaceful species when dealing with each other, and there has never been a war among the Darvin in recorded history. This does not, however, mean that the Darvin have never developed weapons. In fact, throughout their history the Darvin have been ruthless in their destruction of every slightly threatening predatory species on their planet. The last land predator capable of killing a Darvin was eliminated over a thousand years ago in one of the very first world-wide efforts by the species--a feat that is still celebrated to this day.
The Darvins' fear of predators might have spelled disaster for the Ulvi
had they been more technologically advanced when they were discovered.
Before the "First Encounter" there were even a few calls for the extermination
of the Ulvi, but Darvin leaders chose instead to remove a small number
of the new race from their planet and see how well they adapted to life
in Darvin culture. So far they have adapted well; so well, in fact,
that many of the transplanted Ulvi hold positions of substantial power
in the Darvin culture.
Prior to the coming of the Iersians, the Darvin had explored all of
their own star system. They have extensive colonies on the moon Amuliadarvin
and have built small bases on the moons of Kepelya, hoping to learn how
to mine the resources of the gas giant--an effort that has so far proven
fruitless.