+++The Ancient Slann+++

History

Of all the races in the galaxy the Slann claim to be, and may actually be the oldest. The days of their bright empire are waning, but still they remain amongst the most enigmatic creatures of known space. The Slann evolved, matured and spread throughout the galaxy many hundreds of thousands of years ago. During the heyday of their empire they discovered and nurtured many primitive creatures, encouraging the evolutionary process on coutless worlds, eradictaing or moving dangerous species, and seeding many planets with promising stock. For millennia they experimented and played with the galaxy, possibly creating many of the races of modern times in the process. But their empire dwindled, the pace of their civilisation slowed, and their genetic experiments were largely abandoned. The Slann retired from an active role in galactic affairs, falling into a long dream of indolence and introspection. They do not seem to have suffered from any physical conflict, there are no records of destructive wars or disasters. Instead their racial motivations appear to have undergone a sudden and drastic change, so that have lost interest in material conquest and power. Perhaps the Slann discovered something yet unknown to other races, some secret of the universe, a spiritual truth or supreme mystical insight. In therealms of psychic-philosophy and mystic-technology the Slann certainly have no equals, fulfilling themselves by study of spiritual life-forces and secret powers of other realities.

The Slann originally evolved from amphibian stock, and even today traces of their ancestry are not hard to distinguish. Their hands and feet are long and webbed, their skins cool and moist, their heads large with protruding eyes. They are quite at home in the water, and are capable of breathing oxygen from water (or other poorly oxygenated atmospheres) directly through their skin.

Slann vary in colour a great deal - green and blue are common, yellow is fairly well represented, and there is a scattering of other, rarer colour morphs as well as albino and melanistic forms. Brightly pigmented Slann are often extrovert, talented or especially noteworthy in some way. Skins are sometimes mottled, striped or otherwise marked. On some Slann worlds, and especially among primitive Slann, these markings represent tribal divisions. Height is fairly constant, with adult Slann reaching 2 metres, females are slightly larger and bulkier.

The Slann inhabit an area to the north of the galactic pole, living upon a number of proximate, prosperous worlds. The society remains closed to other races, but appears to be homogenous throughout, with a similar technical base, language and culture on each planet. Exceptionally, groups of Slann live as primitive savages on a number of worlds beyond Slann space, including planets of the Imperium. Strangely enough, these primitve Slann are scattered throughout the galaxy, and probably comprise the remnants of what was once a much larger pattern of Slann settlement. These primitives have little or no contact with their technologically advanced kin. The Slann are a curious people, rarely trading with other races and unpredictable when dealing with territorial disputes or any form of rivalry. There is little that the Slann want or need, and traders often get the feeling that they are being watched and studied, and that the exchange of goods is of no importance to the Slann.

Organisation

Slann warriors are called braves, and a number of braves plus a leader makes up a warband. The number of warriors in a band varies, but is usually between 6 and 8, although it can vary between 2 and 12. A senior officer called a warleader commands a group of warbands. Where armies are large large it will have many warleaders, all of whom will meet before a battle to make plans and exchange ideas with experienced warleaders, chiefs and mages. The warleader in overall charge is the warchief - selected from and by the other warleaders. The greatest and most respected individuals in Slann society are the Great Mages. Their aid would be sought in battle, for their knowledge of magic, philosophy and the arcane sciences are formidable. The Great Mages remain aloof from society, although their advice is constantly sought by the social leaders. Slann society is tribal, and the leader of each tribe is known as the Mage Chief. Except among primitive Slann, tribes never fight each other and tribal relations are peaceful. A schematic diagram of Slann society is reproduced below.

1. Great Mages
2. Mage Chiefs and other social leaders
3. Warchiefs
4. Warleaders
5. Warband--|
            |
Leader-------Braves

The concept of the the warband is important to the Slann attitude to life. Every Slann is expected to live its life according to a strange, mystic and largely unfathomable ritual, as part of which the individual passes through life-stages. The calling to a life-stage would seem a real and almost unstoppable thing to a Slann, and can happen at any time, so that a peaceful technician may become a wanderer, a warrior, a hermit, etc. Once a Slann feels the call to become a warrior it joins one of its tribe's warbands, or forms a warband of its own. Because of this unpredictable recruiting method, warbands change all the time.