Canine
Contents
General
Canine humanoids appear to have descended from stock related to hunting dogs or wolves. They have evolved into a general bipedal shape, but still exhibit many physical traits and behaviors of their ancestors.
Appearance
Canines have a humanoid bipedal form and stand erect, their four-footed locomotion lost through evolution. Canine paws have developed into reasonably efficient hands, permitting fairly precise manipulations, especially with tools designed for their shape. They compare favorably In size and mass to humans, and develop about the same turn of speed. Full body hair remains, with a wide variety of colors and lengths in evidence. The Canine tail also remains, and it is still used as a means of communicating emotional states.
Senses
Canines senses have evolved immensely, yet are still related to the stock from whence they came.
Vision
Canines have 2 eyes with binocular vision, often in black and white but sometimes in color. Depth perception is good, while visual acuity over distance is good to excellent. It is not, however, the equal of human vision. Some nocturnal races and races in conditions of low illumination have good night vision.
Hearing
Canine hearing is very acute and extends into frequencies far higher than those audible to humans. Generally, hearing is comparable to that of the common dog.
Smell
Canine olfactory senses are again comparable to that of the common dog or wolf. Canines can often track by scent and also judge the mood of people by their odor. Smell is no longer depended on as much as vision, but it remains a dominant sense for all Canines. Unfortunately, sensitivity renders Canines somewhat vulnerable to particularly strong and unpleasant odors, and also to some toxic atmospheric contaminants.
Overview
Canines are ‘pack-oriented,’ like their ancestors, and value loyalty to one’s friends and trusted associates as a major virtue. Disloyalty and treachery will bring extreme contempt and often violent reprisal, if possible. The races show their greatest strength in the skills of woodcraft, as Canines can readily revert to the cunning and wild expertise of their ancestors in a natural setting. Some of the finest Scouts come from the Canine races as a result. While they are capable of dealing with fairly high levels of technology, they do not love machines and electronic gadgets over much, preferring natural environments and lifestyles in which an individual can exercise his powers and talents.
Canines are carnivores and exist on an exclusively meat diet. Metabolic systems tend to be iron-based, but copper-based metabolisms are also known, Life expectancy of advanced races can reach 100 years, while primitives rarely survive beyond 25.
Known Canine Races
Canine races are quite common in the Terran Union, therefore many strains, related and unrelated, exist.
