[color=orange] I'm currently looking for three to five playtesters of a homebrew D10 scifi rpg I've been working on. Games would be on weekends. You can view the FAQ regarding it [url=https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1bIAdMF3cSeDxN2F7T63Fl5CkszzxUbjVQrLY_mFks58/viewform]here[/url], and if you're interested submit an inquiry on the same page. You can also note me directly, but I don't know how much I can tell you that the FAQ doesn't answer.[/color]

The Xythid are a spaceborn hive race with a high degree of genetic reproductive control and dominance. They have only three motivations for anything they do: curiosity, the good of the hive, and survival. Anything that is not new and intriguing, a source of good DNA, or necessary for its continued life, is no better than food in the eyes of a Xythid. They have a genuine superiority complex, and have no respect for non-Xythid life, at least in a way other species can relate to. Given their lack of speech-based language and ability to communicate directly to eachother via thought, Xythid names are extremely abstract concepts, and in general are unfathomable and incomprehensible to a non-Xythid mind.

[color=red]The Xythid have influences from many fictions, but in the end, they are still my own creation. Please do not use them without my permission, as it is very disrespectful. Should someone discover the use of this species elsewhere, I would greatly appreciate bringing it to my attention. Also, the art was commissioned by me through Slugbones. You can find him on FA if you like his work.[/color]

[collapse=Physical Description]
[i][u][b]Head[/b][/u]
A Matriarch's snout and muzzle take on an angular, draconic shape, minus any presence of nostrils or auditory orifices, that extends back into an elongated, expanded, crested brain cavity. Three sets of eyes are tucked into recesses along the smooth sides of her skull, each set forward of the main pair being slightly smaller. The expanded portion of her skull houses the portion of her brain responsible for telepathy, as well as the sensory organ that replaces ears. The largest pair of eyes sees in the normal visible spectrums of light. The middle eyes see in infrared, while the smallest ones are tied to her sensory organ, and allow her to visualize movement and other environmental changes in a manner foreign to humans. All eyes can be used together, which she does by default, or she can focus on specific ones by closing eyes she doesn’t want to use. Lastly, her mouth is home to double rows of long, sharp teeth and a retracting fifteen inch tongue. Her jaws can open to a whopping 135 degrees. She is mute, and does not breathe, so the afore-mentioned telepathy is her only means of communication outside of nonverbal cues. The telepathy is one-way, and takes the form of colors, images, memories, and emotions.

[u][b]Body[/b][/u]
The creature is lean and lithe, having curves only where muscles and armor cause them, creating a loosely skeletal appearance that is only broken up by protective plating. This causes her to appear unattractive to some forms of life, particularly ones that are used to curviness being a sign of good breeding stock. Thick, wide carapace plates overlap in a trail that stretches from just beneath her skull's crest to a half meter from the tip of her tail. Her sides are covered in thinner smaller scaly plates, and everywhere else is covered in scales so small you have to inspect closer to see that they're individual scales. All of these scales and plates are made of sturdy chitin colored a dark, light-absorbing dark black. In addition to creating the [i]appearance[/i] of absorbing light, scales soak up solar radiation which she uses for energy. In the absence of solar light, meat and other high-protein sources can be consumed for eaten (such as people), to store up energy for hibernation. Six legs that end in talons with four primary claws and a pair of dewclaws are evenly spaced along the length of her body.

[u][b]Wings[/b][/u]
Jutting out from underneath her segmented carapace plates are four wings, two on each side. Their webbing is composed of a supremely thin, metallic, translucent material that allows the wings to function as solar sails. Due to the nature of these thin wings, which are designed for space flight, flight is not possible for a Xythid on worlds with more than half a G of gravity, or thick atmospheres. When not in use, the thin, ribbon-like material of the wings splits down the middle thanks to a pair of spines with toothlike structures that latch onto each other. These retract up into the limbs, leaving the wings with the appearance of insectoid legs, with the outer digit being a deadly, scythe-like talon. Though ill suited as ambulatory limbs compared to the strength and gripping power of her legs and their talons, a Matriarch's wings can be nasty weapons with impressive reach when the webbing is retracted.

[u][b]Tail[/b][/u]
A Matriarch's tail is long, muscular, and fully prehensile. The last half meter of her tail splits into four triangular petals at will, giving the appearance of a flower with a chitinous exterior, and a pink, fleshy interior. This allows her tail to serve as a hand of sorts, as the the petals have even more fine motor control than her tail and claws put together. The true purpose of these petals is not so benign, though, as her ovipositor is located at the center of this flower. When dormant, it is collapsed into the tail, hidden by a sphincter in the middle of the petals. Tiny curved barbs line the inside of those petals, and can be extended or retracted in varying degrees at the Matriarch's will. This can be to either to anchor her ovipositor to prey, disable or restrain prey for other uses, and even to assist in ripping apart food or foe.[/i]
[/collapse]
[quote][b][color=yellow]”Somehow, I think making a Little Red Riding Hood joke right now would just be...woefully inadequate.”[/color]
-Samantha Einhardt, Former Archeologist.[/b][/quote]
[collapse=Reproduction]
[u][b]Vent[/b][/u]
It is located between her rearmost legs, angled such that rear penetration is easiest, but so that rolling onto her back is still a viable option. It is nestled into a horizontal gap in her scales, which is hard to spy except for when she is aroused and the upper plate is pushed away from her flesh by the rush of blood to her nethers. The fluids it secretes are phosphorescent, yellow, and a bit viscous compared to other species. She has no clitoris.
[u][b]Aedeagus[/b][/u]
Forward of the vent for her feminine genitalia, a Matriarch has a vertical slit that contains a long, prehensile aedeagus. It is tapered, much like a tentacle, and lined on the underside by chitinous plates. Its rigidity is flexible, giving it a wider range of uses, including as a semi-prehensile limb in extreme close quarters. Nubs adorn the dorsal length of the shaft, which house flesh hooks that can be extended or retracted at will. The fertilizing agent it releases is the same color as her feminine fluids, but much much more viscous.
[u][b]Ovipositor[/b][/u]
This is a Matriarch’s primary breeding method. The sphincter in her tail's 'flower' loosens, and out slides a fleshy, semi-prehensile tube. It deposits fist-sized eggs with the help of lubrication and fluid pressure from her feminine juices.
[u][b]Eggs[/b][/u]
Her eggs have a gestation period of about six months, before being ready to be laid. After that, eggs can take anywhere from weeks to months depending on the host's genetic contributions. Matings between Xythid result in eggs that need years to hatch, simply because their metabolisms are so slow, and as a small measure of population control.
[/collapse]
[quote][b][color=yellow]”Ugh. This is the fifth time today. Honestly, do you think of anything else?”[/color]
-Bethrie Rosethorn, Former Street Rat[/b][/quote]
[collapse=Cocooning] When needed, she can curl up into a remarkable formed ovoid. Over time, she excretes a black substance through the gaps between scales, which spreads to encompass her completely and will latch onto nearby objects if there are any, hardening over time into a dense shell of chitin. The excretion of the fluid marks the beginning of her hibernation, but her senses remain partially active to detect changes in the cocoon's condition.[/collapse]
[quote][b][color=yellow]”Under no circumstances should anyone ever approach a cocooned Xythid. They awake hungry, and if their sleep is disturbed, desperately violent. Recommend immolation at range as standard procedure.”[/color]
-Field Report of Private Rickard Mendoza.[/b][/quote]
[collapse=Evolution]
A Matriarch has two options of evolution at her disposal. The first is to absorb DNA from breeding partners, and assimilate it into her body during a cocooned hibernation. This is used for small changes and environmental adaptations. The second is through breeding. Instead of her normal method of laying, she has the ability to produce a clone of herself, taking the form of a single giant egg. It is impossible for her to survive the laying, but it is irrelevant, as at the instant the task is complete her consciousness and memories are transferred to the clone. The latter method still requires dna to use in its creation, but she has more control over the alterations and uses it for massive changes to her physiology.
[/collapse]
[quote][b][color=yellow]”So, you know how we used to use acid bombs to soften them up before a ground assault?”
“If you’re going to say what I think you are…”
“Well, it seems they’re resistant to it now. And apparently spit acid, too.”
“Holy fucking hell! Next thing I know, you’re going to be telling me they found a way to breathe bullets, too!”
“Well…”
“Sergeant, I [i]will[/i] shoot you.”[/color]
-Recorded Exchange between Sergeant Ryan Dallas and Colonel Gerard “Grumpy” Grimes.[/b][/quote]
[collapse=Transformation]
A Matriarch can elevate a brood slave they've taken to, if they so desire, by implanting them with a symbiotic egg. The nature of these eggs is incredibly complex, and normal egg production must be halted for a week in order to produce only one. They are three times the size of a normal egg, and constructed of a more membranous design than the honeycomb style shell variant. Upon implantation in a womb, the egg latches onto the uterine wall with its many flesh hooks. It then slowly secretes a bonding agent that fuses the two fleshes at a molecular level. Once the womb and egg share a common wall, tendrils grow outward from it, some heading for the ovaries, and others growing through the bonded uterine wall.

The tendrils tap into the ovaries first, given their proximity, and gradually corrupt them to cease production of native hormones. They are replaced with Xythid reproductive and growth hormones, beginning the physical changes. They reach the spine shortly after the ovaries, and tangle in the spinal cord, eventually bonding with it. The more complete the bond, the stronger the link to the symbiote's mind, the more influence it has over the host, and the easier the host can translate Xythid thoughtspeech.

Over the course of several months, as the symbiote matures in its host, it migrates through the uterine wall to latch its entire self onto the spine, thinning out and lengthening to mold less obtrusively to the body. As it grows in intelligence, the changes become more extreme and rapid, until by the end of a year, the creature is decidedly more Xythid than it is its original species. The symbiotes are not miracle workers however, and they cannot make drastic changes to existing things like bone structure and the like. In general, a transformed human looks anything but human, but you still see a bipedal Xythid-esque creature, not a Xythid. It is not uncommon for a creature to die mid-transition; either due to incompatibility, suicide, or pain overload.
[/collapse]
[quote][b][color=yellow]”I saw a Hybrid once. It was strange to see someone who looked like they used to be one of us on the other side of the battlefield. And, she was terrifying.”
“Hehe. Was she hot?”
“Kid, that woman ripped an entire squad into a bloody pile of flesh and bone, just to please her mate, who, by the way, watched the entire thing with a grin. They’re not human anymore, and if you see one, think about putting a bullet in her head, not your dick in her vag. Those things have teeth anyway.”[/color]
-Corporal Marina Tiller to Private Brian Jenkins[/b][/quote]
[collapse=Hive Culture (WIP)]
[u][b]Hierarchy[/b][/u]
As with most hive societies, Xythids are matriarchal. The eldest fit and healthy Matriarch (referred to as the Prime Matriarch) rules the Hive, and is wholly unquestioned by her kin, until she gets too old or frail to lead properly. When this happens, the Prime Matriarch is mated one last time until all of her reproductive capabilities are exhausted to ensure that she has contributed as much as possible to the Hive's gene pool. After that, she is executed and fed to hatchlings, again, to ensure that she has served to her fullest. A new Prime Matriarch is elected through a vicious battle royale between any Matriarchs with the ambition for the position.

There are four categories of Xythid. At the top, you have the Matriarchs. Genetic diversity is high among the species, so there are tons of these in a Hive, not just one or two. A hive is divided into genetic clusters for organizational purposes, and to make quarantine (and summary cleansing by slaughter) simpler should bad genes be introduced into the hive by mistake. While the Prime Matriarch is responsible for governing the hive as a whole, the rest of the Matriarchs are responsible for direct governance of clusters and sub-clusters.

Beneath the Matriarchs are the Warriors. Their reproductive capacity is more limited than a Matriarchs, but they make up for it in being much deadlier in combat. It is their job to guard the hive, patrol their borders, direct Workers, guard workers on expeditions, and carry out attacks as ordered by the Prime Matriarch. They have the authority to command workers within the orders given them by a Matriarch, but even in battle a Matriarch leads them.

At the bottom of the Xythid totem pole are the Workers. They still get the same breeding rights as other Xythids, but they are ill suited for much else other than their function. Workers have massive storage capacities for liquefied chitin, resources, and eggs through a series of large multi-purpose bladders that comprise most of their elongated physiology. It is their duty to dig new tunnels for the hive, coat them in chitin, and build whatever structures may be needed out of different variations of the substance. When food or supplies are needed, it is they that forage for it. Workers are not built for combat at all, and their only defense is that they can produce many parasitic eggs that perform similarly to a symbiotic eggs, only faster, more violently, and less effectively.

The lowest tier of creature in a hive are the brood slaves. Whether they've been transformed or not, they are not Xythid, and don't have any rights. they're treated like the vermin the Xythid consider them to be. Better behaved ones are allowed to move about instead of being trapped in a chitinous breeding prison for eternity, but it is extremely rare for them to be allowed beyond their chamber, let alone sub-cluster. On the rarest of occasions, an infested slave may prove to assimilate perfectly into Xythid culture, and upon being mated to a Matriarch high enough up in the hierarchy, can be granted honorary status as a Xythid. Even then, they are still seen as lesser than a worker to generally all but the Xythid that picked the slave as a broodmate. Non elevated slaves are fed to hatchlings once their usefulness has come to an end.

[u][b]Language[/b][/u]
The primary forms of communication that Xythid use in their telepathy are images (whether it be an exact copy pulled from memory or a rough estimation of something that hasn't happened), and a complex language of colors. Below is a chart that explains how this language works, to an extent.
[img=146454]XythidLanguage[/img]
By rapid-firing combinations of colors and images, Xythid can communicate an entire conversation that would take verbal speech minutes to accomplish in a manner of seconds, and a Matriarch can issue excessively specific orders in combat near-instantaneously.

[u][b]Breeding[/b][/u]
Put bluntly, Xythids breed worse than rabbits. Their libidos are massive, and their drive to grow as a hive only makes it worse; even when they're not horny, they're breeding for reproductive purposes. For the most part, any Xythid can breed with any Xythid within their sub-cluster, and it's not uncommon for complex orgies to occur between even Xythids that are directly related. The exception is when a pair, or group, claim eachother as broodmates. Any attempted breeding with someone in a broodmating is seen as infringing on the territory of another, and punished harshly. If excessive force was used to accomplish such a mating, the punishment is usually death (there's plenty of Xythids to go around, after all).

Slaves are often bred relentlessly, as the entire purpose of them is to increase the amount of egg storage available and increase the Hive's genetic diversity. Xythid genes are dominant, but the recombination that occurs by using other species in the breeding pool keeps it refreshed and results in fewer defects. Often, a slave's DNA will be used to intentionally alter the resulting offspring in order to aquire the traits of the slave's species. It is for this reason that clusters and subclusters exist, because even with the Matriarch guiding the gene coding, accidents happen, and abominations need to be able to be purged as quickly as possible to prevent gene pool contamination on a wider scale.

[u][b]Technophobia[/b][/u]
Like many species that advance through biological evolution and perfection, Xythid are extremely technophobic. This stems partially from it being so alien and incomprehensible to them, that their lack of understanding incites fear and distrust. The other part, however, is that any potential there may have been to be willing to learn about such things has been eradicated by the means with which other races attack them. Between bombs that vaporize hives, flamethrowers, and other weapons they are vulnerable to, they now view any technology as an abomination, and a threat to be destroyed. They're still intelligent, however, and approach different circumstances as necessary. For instance, when raiding an unarmed vessel, they understand that destroying the vessel while good prey is inside will kill said prey. Instead, if they have to deal with for an extended period of time, they will cover its interior and exterior with chitin, so as to hide the offending materials. On the other hand, should a protocol android be brought along with a diplomatic envoy, it would be destroyed instantly.

[u][b]Territoriality[/b][/u]
Xythid inherently consider anything withing the telepathic range of their Hive to be their territory. Their telepathic fields are stronger the more numerous they are, so this is a very subjective measurement, and difficult to gauge; the larger a Hive's population, the greater their collective telepathic range, and thus the larger their perceived territory. Though pinpointing this visually is difficult, the further one ventures into Xythid territory, the more obvious it becomes. When in such large numbers, their cumulative telepathic presence is very noticeable, even in those with not psychic talent at all. Those with such talent are capable of detecting this presence early, and are able to warn ships they occupy.

Any planet or vessel within Xythid space is considered free game to them. They will raid at will, and if it is an armed vessel (which admittedly can take them some time to confirm if they have never seen its technology before), destroy it without mercy. It is inadvisable for those with organically based vessels to enter Xythid space, as they are especially good at affecting, and/or co-opting such technologies. Doing so, in fact, is how they learned to breed their own hive ships.

[u][b]Spaceflight[/b][/u]
While individually capable of spaceflight, and en-masse, attacking smaller vessels, the Xythid have always struggled against well armed, large vessels. To combat this, they learned from other organic-based technologies to breed hive ships. These ships, unlike most other designs, are actually massive, heavily modified versions of a Xythid. Each is a sentient being in its own right, bearing an unmistakable resemblance to its smaller kin. They are, however, more subservient and primitive, akin to a Worker. Their libidos, as well, are drastically reduced, causing them to spawn other ships only when ordered to do so by their commanding Matriarch. A hive ship is roughly 2,500 meters long, and capable of supporting approximately ten thousand Xythid.

Each vessel possesses powerful telekinetic abilities not yet possible in the minds of most Xythid, and are its primary method of engaging in long-range combat. A single vessel's telepathic roar is equal to millions of Xythid simultaneously crying out, and is always the first move whenever they attack, just like a Xythid. Before closing in, they will often use debri or even other, smaller enemy ships as projectiles against their targets.Their serpentine bodies are equipped with six grasping limbs along their serpentine lengths, with hollow bones that allow their claws to breach a vessel and pour Xythid into the gaps. Their scales absorb solar radiation most efficiently, and in massive quantities, which is then used for sustenance and propulsion through a multitude of thermal vents. As a last ditch weapon, they are capable of emitting a concentrated beam of solar energy from their mouth. It is, however, an entirely new concept for the Xythid, and in addition to requiring a massive amount of energy, is damaging to the vessel firing it.
[/collapse]
[quote][b][color=yellow]”If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the limited intel our probes have been able to transmit from within hives, its that the Xythid are as intelligent as they are vicious and brutal. Their society is deceptively complex, and yet built around less than a handful of simple doctrines. We could stand to take a lesson from their culture, if we survive this war.”[/color]
-Dr. Alice Young, Xenobiologist[/b][/quote]

[collapse=Theoretical Combat Ability]
This is not using any particular system, but designed to give an at-a-glance frame of reference. All values are based on a scale of 1-10. It's safe to assume that 2 is about that of an average human, and 10 would be somewhere around superhuman levels akin to a vampire. I loathe to make the comparison, but it is at least an easy one to visualize. In regards to this area in particular, I am open to constructive criticism.

[color=red][u][b]Attributes[/b][/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Strength:[/color] 6
[color=yellow]Endurance:[/color] 6
[color=yellow]Speed:[/color] 8
[color=yellow]Agility:[/color] 4
[color=yellow]Intelligence: [/color]3
[color=yellow]Perception: [/color]10
[color=yellow]Willpower:[/color] 8
[color=yellow]Charisma:[/color] -10

[color=red][u][b]Armor[/b][/u][/color]
[color=yellow][u]Carapace Plating (Skull, Dorsal, Joints)[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Rating:[/color] 8
[color=yellow]Resistances:[/color] 80% Energy, 60% Temperature, 60% Kinetic, 20% Chemical, 0% Biological

[color=yellow][u]Body Plating[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Rating: [/color]7
[color=yellow]Resistances:[/color] 60% Energy, 40% Temperature, 40% Kinetic, 10% Chemical, 0% Biological

[color=yellow][u]Chitinous Scales (Lower Legs, Digits, etc)[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Rating:[/color] 6
[color=yellow]Resistances:[/color] 40% Energy, 20% Temperature, 20% Kinetic, 0% Chemical, 0% Biological

[color=red][u][b]Weapons[/b][/u][/color]
[color=yellow][u]Bite[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Classification: [/color]Natural, Kinetic
[color=yellow]Accuracy/Reach Rating: [/color]1
[color=yellow]Damage Rating: [/color]8
[color=yellow]Armor Penetration: [/color]20%
[color=yellow]Special Effects: [/color]Bleeding +2

[color=yellow][u]Rending Talons[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Classification: [/color]Natural, Kinetic
[color=yellow]Accuracy/Reach Rating:[/color] 2
[color=yellow]Damage Rating:[/color] 5
[color=yellow]Armor Penetration: [/color]40%
[color=yellow]Special Effects: [/color]Bleeding +1, Sundered

[color=yellow][u]Scything Talons (Wings)[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Classification: [/color]Natural, Kinetic
[color=yellow]Accuracy/Reach Rating:[/color] 4
[color=yellow]Damage Rating:[/color] 5
[color=yellow]Armor Penetration:[/color] 80%
[color=yellow]Special Effects: [/color]Bleeding

[color=yellow][u]Flesh Hooks (Tail Petals)[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Classification: [/color]Natural, Kinetic
[color=yellow]Accuracy/Reach Rating:[/color] 4
[color=yellow]Damage Rating: [/color]Material Dependent
[color=yellow]Armor Penetration:[/color] 0%
[color=yellow]Special Effects:[/color] Bleeding

[color=yellow][u]Silent Scream[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Classification: [/color]Telepathic, Willpower Based
[color=yellow]Accuracy/Reach Rating: [/color]6 Aura, 10 Targeted
[color=yellow]Damage Rating: [/color]N/A
[color=yellow]Special Effects:[/color] Disorients, Stuns on Critical Failure

[color=yellow][u]Wave of Dread[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Classification: [/color]Telepathic, Willpower Based
[color=yellow]Accuracy/Reach Rating: [/color]6 Aura, 10 Targeted
[color=yellow]Damage Rating:[/color] N/A
[color=yellow]Special Effects:[/color] Fear, Incapacitates on Critical Failure

[color=yellow][u]Suggestive Influence[/u][/color]
[color=yellow]Classification:[/color] Telepathic, Willpower Based
[color=yellow]Accuracy/Reach Rating:[/color] 6 Targeted
[color=yellow]Damage Rating:[/color] N/A
[color=yellow]Special Effects:[/color] Variable, Context Dependent
[/collapse]
[quote][b][color=yellow]”So, what you're saying is...my men shouldn't get close.”
"Son, the moment that Xythid is aware of your existence, it is closing the distance, and in the meantime, it's going to wrap its telepathic claws around your mind."
"So some will ambush them, while others snipe at extreme range."
"You can't ambush a Xythid, and sniping is a gamble against one; futile against a group."
"Then what are you saying, Sir?"
"I'm saying, the only sure way to win against a Xythid ground force is to bombard the fuckers from orbit.
"That tactic only works in a handful of situations. Most of the time we're engaging on our own colonies."
"Congratulations, Colonel Obvious. You've figured out why we're losing this war. Have a fucking cookie."[/color]
-General "Grumpy" Grimes to Colonel Lawrence Tavish [/b][/quote]