Overview[]
Quinlans are natives of the planet Quin, the second planet of Eta Leporis. After apparently destroying their homeworld, the survivors are moved to the Heaven's River topopolis, which was constructed around their star for exactly this eventuality.
Physiology[]
Quinlans are about four feet tall and furry. The Bobs compare them to Terran animals like weasels, otters, and beavers.
Their face resembles that of an otter, but with a more beak-like mouth with teeth. The Quinlan word for this snout is houra.
Quinlan eyes move independently and are spread more widely on their face than human eyes, allowing Quinlans to see backwards without turning their heads.
They have webbing between their arms and torso, and a tail that fans out like that of a beaver, making them exceptional swimmers. They live on land, but spend much of their time in rivers. They move more quickly and efficiently on all fours, like the Pav, but they also walk on their hind legs.
Rubbing their jaws back and forth is the equivalent of a smile.
They are such talented singers that a Quinlan can sing two melodies at the same time; and Quinlan hearing is more acute than human hearing, so Quinlans can discern multiple melodies at once.
Biology[]
Quinlans babies, known as Juniors, are able to take care of themselves very soon after birth, but they don’t develop language or personality until about five years old. Until that age, Quinlan young resemble animals more than adults. Their young are kept penned up in a crèche until they become sentient, so that an adult can watch them at all times. For this reason, Quinlan families are large because it takes a lot of resources and personnel to manage the children.
The adults have a mating season.
Their diet consists mostly of fish, with some plants and land animals. They do farm, and grow vegetables, but are not nearly as omnivorous as humans.
Temperament[]
Quinlans are quick to anger and are bellicose. They are social and in groups they are talkative and exuberant, but if a fight breaks out in a group, it can quickly turn into a riot.
Economy[]
In the Heaven’s River topopolis, the economy is based on agriculture and trade. It is an Iron Age society with a capitalist structure.
Money is used, in the form of metal coins with names like “copper(s)" or "Iron(s)."
Society[]
They are excellent singers and musicians. They are not good dancers, due to their stocky build and short legs. They value art highly, and every object – from ordinary buildings to personal effects – displays some level of artistic expression. For example, all their public spaces are adorned with sculptures and murals.
Most Quinlans use only first names, and only the elites use last names.
Most Quinlans don’t wear clothes, although most of them wear a small backpack to make up for the lack of pockets and purses. Clothing is mostly used as adornment, and/or as a status symbol. For example, police officers wear ornate sashes and a sword. And the rich wear clothing to show that they can afford to not swim.
They use canals and streams for transportation, in the same way that humans use sidewalks. When they exit the water, they “updive” (the word in Quinlan is poot) in the same way a penguin does.
Young Quinlans (mostly males, but some females) go on a type of walkabout or sabbatical when they reach puberty. They travel in groups of four, called a Sabat. They explore different areas, looking for a new place to put down roots. The motive appears to be related to increasing genetic diversity.
Their society is controlled by Anek, who limits their ability to organize politically or to develop new technologies. The two major factions of society that are mentioned are the Crew, who work for Anek, and the Resistance.