Unveiling a New Starfinder Race: The Vesk!

Ashanderai wrote:

Matthew Shelton wrote:

I wonder why aren't the male Vesk the gender that has the natural colorings, similar to how the males of some species like peafowl, mallards, guppies, and mandrills are more brightly colored to stand out and 'impress' the females. So that a male Vesk may 'strut his stuff' or even exaggerate his colorings as a show of intimidation against other male Vesk or to show off in front of the ladies, even if these behaviors don't impress non-Vesk or even make sense.

Having this flipped around makes the race feel more anthropocentric, and less alien.

I would argue the contrary; having them be more like animals on earth makes them seem less alien to me. Being alien means that they do not have to conform to what you might expect.

Okay, so let's tell a biological story:

Once upon a time, on the Vesk homeworld, there were these terribly clever lizards, the species that becomes the Vesk. They're fast and smart and strong but their eyes are terrible, they see movement and color and that's about it. Now normally this isn't much of a problem but the lizards live separately with males in one social group and females in another social group with their kids. The males are really territorial and they protect what's theirs from rival troops of males. But wait, how do you determine who is the mother of your child/potential mate and who is an interloper drinking from the streams around your land. All of those bright stripes instantly told these rival lizards that the person currently foraging for food was a female who might help you pass on some genes if you're nice to them. Bright colors got a fast pass to come and go as they pleased. Now millions of years later, the eyes have improved and the social structure has changed but lady reptiles with bright, sexy skin is still very much something that Vesk males really, really like. Some "less bright" females now use skin creams to shine up their scales.

This is an example but just one of many possible ways evolution could work this out.

Although if your species isn't the top predator, making the gender that's most important for reproduction easier to see has some significant disadvantages. So in this case, females aren't heavily involved in reproduction, instead they wander through any territory that suits them laying unfertilised eggs in suitable locations. Brightly coloured females are more noticeable when doing that, and the males know where to go to fertilise them. Plainer females don't reproduce as often, hence selection encourages brighter colours in females. Territorial and sedentary males bring up the young in their territory, females largely ignore them.

Or maybe their entire species evolved a bit reversed from ours, and the males guard the nest and raise the young, while the females needed bright colors and displays to compete for a mate.

Who knows man *insert ALIENS! meme picture here*

Man, I thought it said, "Vrusk" and was thinking of these guys...

Man, I thought it said, "Vrusk" and was thinking of these guys...

No, those are the shirren in Starfinder, but with fewer legs. I've already said that my first Starfinder Society PC will be a shirren named Vrusk.

Although if your species isn't the top predator, making the gender that's most important for reproduction easier to see has some significant disadvantages. So in this case, females aren't heavily involved in reproduction, instead they wander through any territory that suits them laying unfertilised eggs in suitable locations. Brightly coloured females are more noticeable when doing that, and the males know where to go to fertilise them. Plainer females don't reproduce as often, hence selection encourages brighter colours in females. Territorial and sedentary males bring up the young in their territory, females largely ignore them.

Hmmmm....this makes a lot more sense actually.

Man, I thought it said, "Vrusk" and was thinking of these guys...

You have mispronounced my name and offended me I now owe you one blood debt...