 February 10, 2014 - 7:43am | OK, I finally found the original Thyrann article from the defunct Star Frontiers 654 website. The theme of that site (and its creator's campaign) was a future Frontier, many years from the "present" Frontier. So the Thyrann can theoretically be added to any existing campaign as a species beyond the boundaries of the known Frontier. I have played them in my own campaign for years. I'll post the article first, then scan in the illustration when I get a chance. |
February 10, 2014 - 8:56am | Thyrann Physical Appearance and Structure The Thyrann have been classified as bipedal lizard men. Although several similarities exist between lizards and Thyrann, they are no more bipedal lizards than a Vrusk is an intelligent insect. The average Thyrann male stands 6'10" tall, weighing around 230 lbs. The average female stands 7'2" tall, weighing around 265 lbs. Their skin is a tough scaly hide that protects them from harm. The Thyrann bone structure is more porous and pliant than standard Human or Yazirian bones. The pliancy of Thyrann bones allows them to exert more force on their skeletal structure without breakage. Because of these two facts, Thyrann appear to be able to endure an inhuman amount of punishment in combat. Thyrann hands are three fingered claws with one opposable thumb. Their hands are much larger and stronger than human hands. Because of this, some Thyrann cannot use certain items made for the Frontier races. They must have them specially enlarged for their grip, or use their own technology. Thyrann mathematics is based on a base 8 octi-decimal series, and they view numbers in patterns of eight. Thyrann have developed a fine art for genetics, although they do not believe in genetically engineering or changing life. They have discovered how to raise their own natural immune system above normal. This has proven to be their saving grace when the Blue Plague swept through the Thyrann Empire. Senses The Thyrann can see in the infrared spectrum. A gift long passed down through the ancestors and used primarily to hunt at night is now an incredible tool that they have at their disposal. Unfortunately, where they gain in the ability to see in that spectrum, they lose a great deal of range in vision, and anything over 250' away becomes blurred to a complete blur at about 500'. Thyrann have a nictating membrane over their eyes. This is a shieldingto protect their eyes from the harsh environment they live in. This membrane also serves to nullify the effects of infrared sensory overload due to the hot climate of their homeworld. Additionally, their sense of smell is very acute as well, and they can actually pick out scents within 50' if properly familiar with that scent. Their hearing is standard. Society and Customs The Thyrann Empire of 16 planets (within 6 systems) lies just outside the Frontier. They have several, less intelligent, subject species within their empire. Thyrann come from a matriarchal society. Standing taller than their male counterpart, female Thyrann easily became the dominant gender. Early families honored the mother, and the mothers usually did fighting between families. The family of a dead mother was adopted into the new mother's family and treated the same as if the mother had sired the children herself. This often led to bitter sibling rivalry, but never any hatred between mother and children. Thyrann live in family groups called shaslans. Shaslans consist of a marriage between six to eight adults, and their children. There is always an equal number of males and females in a shaslan. All children are reared and taught by all parents. This helps Thyrann learn the value of cooperative living. Most Thyrann develop a deep loyalty to the shaslans they belong to. This loyalty carries over to any group that the Thyrann is part of for any length of time. Thyrann self-sacrifice is common when defending the safety of the shaslans, but is often interpreted as suicidal by most other races. A council of 16 females rules the Thyrann Empire. Each female is responsible for a single planet in the empire. They in turn appoint 8 females to rule over various sections of the planet. The females perform all the bureaucratic duties on a day to day basis in the Thyrann Empire. Males perform menial labor. From birth, males are taught the ways of the Bulch-Ra, translated as "Ancestral Warrior". Although only 10% of males actually become Bulch-Ra, all Thyrann respect the caste, and will fight to defend any slight against the honor of the Bulch-Ra. The most powerful and spiritual 1% of Bulch-Ra are selected to become Bulch-Sala ("Enlightened One"), and are considered the epitome of Bulch-Ra. As sacred warriors who combine physical and spiritual strength, the Bulch-Sala are reported to have great intuition and willpower. Although most Thyrann disdain the use of cybernetic enhancement, a few warriors have chosen to have some type of cybernetics installed in them. This is to give them a better advantage against the Sathar. Thyrann often mistake alien individuals with obvious cybernetic enhancements as warriors, and in combat will attack these individuals first. Tough Hide Thyrann have a thick, leathery hide which provides them with good protection. Blunt impacts and hand-to-hand strikes do only half damage. For all other damage, treat the hide as a light armor. |
February 10, 2014 - 9:57am | My own comments: I do not know the name of the original author. This is not from a printout or photocopy of the original. Back then, I simply typed what I read on that web page into my own computer. This was many years ago, and I am not sure what changes I may have made as I copied it. I am certain I corrected for spelling and grammar, but beyond that I simply do not know. So, my apologies to the original author. As you can see, there were no stats provided in the article. My copy does not have any. I suspect that this was because they were listed in a different link, perhaps with many species all together. It could also be due to the fact that I normally use the Alternity system myself, and had translated the stats. I leave it to the reader to use their own judgment and come up with their best guess as it suits their own game. Regarding Thyrann size, the original article states that they are too big to use Frontier items at all. However, their size is easily within human norms, and so I changed the wording to "some" Thyrann cannot use "certain" items. I assume the author meant that their fingers are too large to use human guns. However, I could see them being able to use most Dralasite or Vrusk weapons just as easily as a human can. I do remember that the author had originally said that Thyrann would have no trouble using Eorna items. I found this difficult, and I can remember changing it, because an Eorna is 2 or 3 feet taller than a Thyrann, whereas a Thyrann is almost the same size as a human. Again, maybe Eorna guns would fit a Thyrann hand, despite the size difference. I mention it here to let the reader decide for themselves. It is important to note that the Bulch-Ra are not their only warriors. 90% of all warriors you meet are going to be females, and not Bulch-Ra. In fact, despite their childhood training, most males are treated as menials, and are usually seen doing grunge work. They are at home with the kids, or doing jobs that we once considered "women's work", such as being nurses, teachers, secretaries, etc. Males are never leaders, and have a low status in Thyrann society. Thyrann have an empire. They've annexed other species. They have slaves. Despite this, they are not really aggressive conquerors. The other species they have annexed are primitive like the Lokokku, Wypongs or Yernoids. They have never conquered any species they consider their equals. In their own eyes, this makes them very civilized. They believe they are helping uplift these other species into a more civilized state, and regard them as children. Yeah, OK these "children" wait on them like slaves. In my own campaign, most other species regard Thyrann slavery as deplorable, and it is a major point of contention between them. For the most part, the Thyrann get along with the other species of the Frontier. They respect power and authority, and anything that looks impressive. They see humans & Yazirians as smart, capable warriors, and see Vrusk as competent and intelligent. They tend to look down at Dralasites as frivolous, but cannot deny their scientific accomplishments. They respect Saurians and have no problems with S'sessu. Thyrann despise the Sathar just as much as everybody else. The article makes no comment about whether Thyrann are cold-blooded, like the reptiles they resemble, or warm-blooded, like Saurians. In my own campaign, they are cold-blooded, to distinguish them from Saurians, and because there weren't any other cold-blooded species in the Frontier. Thyrann use genetic manipulation as a form of medicine, to cure birth defects, blindness, deafness, and to prevent the rejection of organ transplants. Despite their skill in this science, they have a cultural taboo against using it to alter the fundamental nature of a species, as the Sathar and Eorna have done. Thyrann disdain the use of robots. Instead, the kinds of jobs that robots would have performed are done by males or alien slaves. Thyrann objects, structures, vehicles, weapons, etc. have a certain elegant, predatory look to them. They have a sweeping, swirling quality, implying motion frozen in place, as if they are about to strike. Thyrann disdain objects that are merely plain and functonal. I think the Thyrann should get published in one of the magazines, to put them out there as they used to be, but I will leave that to someone else. |
 February 10, 2014 - 10:53am | They sound a bit more lizard-like than I was imagining, which tends to limit how much play there is with regard to depicting them. I was planning on making them somewhat more weird, but maybe they can still look a little odd... |
 February 10, 2014 - 11:45am | It's not canon of course, but I tend to update the Eorna to something like a modern reconstruction of a segnosaurus without the Freddy Kruger hands. Most of the extra height would then come from a long neck (more substantial to hold the large brain they'd have) and they'd have larger hands than humans but not overly so. |
 February 10, 2014 - 12:23pm | A nice read. I have always like writing about saurian rooted species. This race has some features I have never given much thought into. |
February 10, 2014 - 12:50pm | Sorry, my scanner is not up & running today!  I'll have to run out and scan the illustration as soon as I am able.To give you a vague idea for now, the torso is long compared to the legs, which are proportionately shorter. The hips are lower on the body. Kind of like a komodo dragon standing upright. The legs do not have the kind of "bow-legged" reptile look, but are straight like human legs. The neck is short, but the head is long like a monitor lizard. The head and body are smooth, not ridged or bumpy. They do not seem primitive at all, but seem very sophisticated and civilized. The one in the original picture is wearing something that looks like a watch (a chronocom, maybe?), and is wearing a bag over its shoulder. It is not dressed as a warrior, but seems to be a civilian. Its expression is calm and relaxed. It is walking beside a human, who is about a foot shorter. The article says the Thyrann are to lizards as Vrusk are to insects. So maybe they are as far from lizards as we are from chimps & monkeys. Hope this helps until I get my hands on a scanner. |
February 10, 2014 - 2:03pm | As a side note, in my game the Thyrann are allies of the Jakar. The Jakar are mentioned here in this site, as well as on Ragnarr's website. When they met, the Thyrann found the Jakar to be physically impressive, since Thyrann average 7' tall and the Jakar are 8'-9' tall and all muscle. The Thyrann wanted them as allies rather than enemies! |
February 10, 2014 - 4:31pm | I think that's a good idea. Rather than having them focus on gender, have them assume that the larger members of a species or group are in charge. I'd think about those weights. They're very close to the ideal weights you'd get for humans. Ideal weights are generally a bit low and people near them tend to be rather thin. If that's the intended build, ok, but they could probably be 60-100 pounds heavier and look strong. Choi Hong-man is 7'2" and 350 pounds. Also, please don't make them "cold-blooded." They can have lower body temperatures but it's very hard to imagine a creature that can't control its body temperature developing a brain large enough for person-level intelligence. |
February 11, 2014 - 1:27am | I agree about ditching the cold-blooded aspect - it seems to be too lizard-like. |
 February 11, 2014 - 4:49am | heres some inspirations from DA http://shimmering-sword.deviantart.com/art/Commission-T-sau-Minuteman-254854286 I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
February 13, 2014 - 4:41pm | Or maybe something like this?: http://70sscifiart.tumblr.com/post/76443577187/wardbcasefiles-artist-wayne-d-barlowe |
February 13, 2014 - 5:06pm | They actually look more like this: It is from an article in the Star Frontiersman. It was drawn to represent the Eorna, but it looks more like the original Thyrann illustration. Anyway, this is the closest I seem to have to the original picture. Hope it gives people a point of reference. |
February 14, 2014 - 1:58am |  I finally got it scanned, and here it is. This is the original image that accompanied the Thyrann description above. |
February 14, 2014 - 4:40am | Hmm - looks like a sort of gila monster. It might be better to have them looking a little more alien, rather than simply a bipedal version of something from our world... |
February 14, 2014 - 1:06pm | Maybe something between the two different images above. Bear in mind we are not creating something new here... we are simply coming up with a better quality image of something people have already been playing for years. We aren't going to reinvent Yazirians, Vrusk or Dralasites, so let's not reinvent other races people have enjoyed as is. We are not asking for them to be "reimagined" here, I simply wanted to make them available for others to play as the original author intended. I am trying show respect for their work, not throw it out and start over. |
February 14, 2014 - 2:04pm | They actually look more like this: It is from an article in the Star Frontiersman. It was drawn to represent the Eorna, but it looks more like the original Thyrann illustration. Anyway, this is the closest I seem to have to the original picture. Hope it gives people a point of reference. Structurally speaking this one looks more alien than the other as the other simply looks like a costume that a human would wear to entertain children. i think this image would be good to build off of. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 February 14, 2014 - 8:16pm | I actually like the Gorn-looking one, particularly the aligator legs and the short fingers on stocky arms. I find it to be a unique chimera and looks to me like it would have cold blood. The artist really brought across intelligence in the eyes. For those who don't know, I'm the one who did the Eorna image. To me, both images are animal-based, but is that so foreign to a game with a chimpanzee, a grasshopper and an amoeba as the main races? Or with dwarfs, kangaroos and Eorna robots as secondary races? The most original alien made for this game was the Osakar and most people hate them because they can't identify with them. If you want original, Star*Drive is likely the only game that I've ever seen with truly original races. Most everyone looks to the animal kingdom, plant kingdom, fungal kingdom, single-celled kingdom, ignious/sedimentary scenery and/or mankind for inspiration. I also like this one from AnimuX:  There's also this from KRingway:   View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
February 15, 2014 - 2:42am | Okay, if we go with the komodo dragon-type approach, here's a few quick scribbles done whilst slurping my first cup of tea this morning: |
February 15, 2014 - 3:29am | Okay, if we go with the komodo dragon-type approach, here's a few quick scribbles done whilst slurping my first cup of tea this morning: I think I like this better than the 70's godzilla or the chicken look I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
February 15, 2014 - 4:44am | Here are a few more quick doodles: |
February 15, 2014 - 5:25am | And another quick doodle showing the overall body shape (although I think this needs a lot more tweaking): |
February 15, 2014 - 7:05am | Here's one with a different body shape: |
February 15, 2014 - 6:36pm | So the real question is can you do a dinosaur with hair like the eorna.? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
February 15, 2014 - 6:53pm | Isn't that just going to turn the Thyrann into an Eorna? They look a tad too similar already  |
 February 15, 2014 - 8:19pm | I like the original pic the best. Kringway, those head sketches are good alternates, but I like the sleek bulkiness in the original. You do capture that in a few of the sketches though. Thanks for sharing bossmoss. |
February 15, 2014 - 11:07pm | My pleasure, Karxan. I wouldn't mind a new Eorna pic, since we only have one official pic that I know of. We should look at it and figure out what an Eorna is supposed to look like, according to TSR. Who has a copy of the original Eorna counter? |
February 15, 2014 - 11:12pm |  Oops! Looks like I did! Here's an Eorna, folks! And here's another!  Although I admit this one looks a bit anorexic. After all, it has been sitting in a Sathar fridge for about 10,000 years. |
February 16, 2014 - 4:13am | I like the original pic the best. Kringway, those head sketches are good alternates, but I like the sleek bulkiness in the original. You do capture that in a few of the sketches though. But then we're left with a giant walking Komodo dragon... Which is okay, but could potentially be played with. Do you chaps instead want me to do a version of that? |
February 16, 2014 - 1:32pm | Until now, I had not heard of the thyrran before and have no real opinion on what it should be other than to say I like picture X over picture Y. I was primarily following this thread to see if some interesting pictoral reference turned up to inapire me for an eorna picture. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
