So, I love the Vesk. Loooooove them. However, there's some stuff I really, really want to know. It doesn't even matter to me what the answer is, but I'm one of those players who really develops a LOT of backstory, so it really matters to me that whatever the answers are is incorporated into my backstory.
Are Vesk carnivorous or omnivorous?
Do they lay eggs, or bear live young?
Do their females enter a breeding period, or are they always 'ready to go' like humans?
Do they shed their skin when they grow?
I'd LOVE for these things to be different from humans, just so they are different, but I'd be happy with the race either way. I just want to work out a back story that isn't contradicted later by other materials.
(I could easily see a very lawful society like the Veskarium collecting eggs and incubating them in hatcheries, so that young vesk all get uniform care and upbringing. I could see Vesk having specific breeding cycles and finding spontaneous sexual relations roughly as rude as we view sex in public. I could see a Vesk begging off a date with "I've just started shedding" as a bogus excuse. It doesn't matter whether they are carnivores or omnivores, but it will really matter when we are roleplaying in social scenes!)
None of these things are terribly important one way or the other, but they would really help me (and, I am sure, others) fill out my character as a 'real' person.
A traditional family structure implies live birth, based on Earth animals.
You could assume warm-blooded since that is a trait of higher evolved animals.
To add a question, do they grow throughout their lifespans or do they stop after "Puberty?" If they do stop, would they then stop shedding?
Actually now that I think of it. It's a question of do they shed their skin all at once like snakes, or in pieces like humans? I wouldn't see the "shed at once" to be very evolutionary adaptive since it would leave you blind for a few days.
I'd go with carnivorous since they don't appear to have molars for grinding plant matter.
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A traditional family structure implies live birth, based on Earth animals.
I'd argue against this, actually. It argues for small numbers of progeny rather than something like alligators with hordes of eggs, but one egg at a time, or even small clutches could easily result in a conventional family structure.
The vesk are lizard-folk on roids (am I the only who hasn't noticed the art work is almost the same).
Chances are if it applies to the lizard folk, it applies to the vesk. I'm talking about biology here, how they raise their families and how they act or manage their checkbooks, that's all cultural.
Lizard folk lay eggs (meaning they have a cycle and aren't 'ready to go').
Lizard folk molt.
Vesk are carnivores. See the teeth? Also, carnivores are generally not strictly carnivorous, any carnivore can subsist of vegetation it needs to, they mostly prefer not to. Although capable, the term omnivore isn't used, since the primary preferred diet is meat.
As an aside, who cares of some material comes out later and over rides it. If it's what you want in your game, then that's how it is.
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A traditional family structure implies live birth, based on Earth animals.
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Until official word comes out it's impossible to say for certain. However, the Vesk section of the book mentions they retain the teeth and claws of natural predators, so we know they eat meat. Whether they are obligate carnivores is difficult to tell, as even omnivorous reptiles tend to have sharp teeth. So since there's nothing directly stating that they are carnivores, at this time, I'm inclined to think they are omnivores as one would hope that info would be provided in their description.
Another useful piece of info is that rations and other preserved foods as described in the equipment section are not species specific, and a carnivore is going to have rather different nutrient requirements than an omnivore (and gel feeding matrixes for omnivore and carnivore reptiles both exist here in our world and are substantially different). Of course, this should be taken with a grain of salt as one would think entirely different species would have different nutrient requirements, so make of that what you will.
Of course, the same types of questions could be asked of the other races, as well. What exactly does a shirren like me eat, anyway?
Anything biological that could be used as fuel? lol The Swarm is known to strip worlds of all biological material before moving on.
I think Hartbaine said it best with them being lizard-like since that is what the first sentence of their page. Being predatory means they hunt, so meat is a ja. Also, they lived with a variety of beastmen in their systems, sooo maybe their biology won't be that different from lizardmen from PF. *shrugs*
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Of course, the same types of questions could be asked of the other races, as well. What exactly does a shirren like me eat, anyway?
I heard you can make a Shiren collapse into fits by handing them a 12 page menu and telling them to pick something.
*hands over such a menu, and looks at the stop watch on his tail*
One interesting thing we know about the vesk is that, despite their appearance, they are not reptiles. Note that they do not have the Reptilian subtype.
Subtypes are hardly accurate. Yskoi don't have the vermin subtybe. They're still chipmunks.
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Hey!
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Subtypes are hardly accurate. Yskoi don't have the vermin subtybe. They're still chipmunks.
Lil' chipmunk, lil' trash panda.
Based on the Iconic Soldier's backstory we know that they have a relatively traditional family structure, with parents playing an important role in their children's lives and nepotism existing, but beyond that I don't think we have answers to any of that yet.
Yeah, that's kind of my thoughts, but I know one of the people involved in the Starfinder development of the Lashunta stepped in and gave some awesome clarification before release, so I'm kind of hopeful that some Paizonaut might drop some knowledge on us.
Subtypes are hardly accurate. Yskoi don't have the vermin subtybe. They're still chipmunks.Lil' chipmunk, lil' trash panda.
is that better?
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We're not cold blooded, but we're very stylish when we get cold.
A traditional family structure implies live birth, based on Earth animals.
Dinosaurs, extinct and modern birds want to have a word with you...
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A random thought: an obligate carnivores tend to be rare because of the amount of meat they need to consume. This means that it could be harder for them to reach larger numbers required for developing a labor-specialization-based civilization that would be basis for a spacefaring empire. Unless they managed to conquer (or otherwise gain services of) another race early on that would act as their labor force...
Or found a way around the problem of limited sources of food (but most of solutions would require enough population for specialization in the first place)... Clearing large amounts of land for vast herds of cattle-substitute? Having enormous fishing fleets? Focusing on large amount of easily breed insects?
Early invention of robots or constructs to do their scut work for them...
Early invention of robots or constructs to do their scut work for them...
Would explain why under the Android entry, it is mentioned they strongly dislike Vesk, whom they see as slavers.
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Early invention of robots or constructs to do their scut work for them...Would explain why under the Android entry, it is mentioned they strongly dislike Vesk, whom they see as slavers.
That's one bit of my own personal 'head canon'. Androids see the Vesk ruling over vassal species, and hate them as slavers. The Vesk see subjugated races ENTIRELY differently from Androids, and don't get the big deal.
Vassal species have been conquered and are allowed to exist with servitude as a condition for their lawful surrender. ("If you were so determined to be free, you could have fought to the death.")
The Vesk view Android subjugation as dishonorable and weak, as an intelligent species was created to be slaves. Now, if the Androids had achieved sentience, rose up, and been honorably conquered and accepted servitude, then that would be different.
Nothing in Starfinder to back that one up, but it's one way I can see a lawful but not good society as having a nuanced view on slavery.
Try to imagine someone telling you not to bang your can opener when it doesn't work and you have why the vesk are confused about "android rights"
To the point that they'll steal your can opener, shoot you over it, or blow up walmart for selling can openers.
Find me a single egg laying species on Earth that has a family structure and I'll believe your argument. Essentially I see you twisting biology simply to disagree.
A traditional family structure implies live birth, based on Earth animals.I'd argue against this, actually. It argues for small numbers of progeny rather than something like alligators with hordes of eggs, but one egg at a time, or even small clutches could easily result in a conventional family structure.
Plenty of dinosaur species, both living and extinct, IIRC.
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Find me a single egg laying species on Earth that has a family structure and I'll believe your argument. Essentially I see you twisting biology simply to disagree.
A traditional family structure implies live birth, based on Earth animals.I'd argue against this, actually. It argues for small numbers of progeny rather than something like alligators with hordes of eggs, but one egg at a time, or even small clutches could easily result in a conventional family structure.
Penguins along with many bird species :)
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Find me a single egg laying species on Earth that has a family structure and I'll believe your argument. Essentially I see you twisting biology simply to disagree.
Almost all birds. No, really. Any bird species that has nests and takes care of the chicks in pairs has a pretty 'normal family structure'. Plus penguins, as mentioned, plus several other examples.
Monogamous pair bonding is much more common in birds than in mammals, really. And putting a great deal of effort into caring for their young is at least as common.
Also, as noted, many dinosaurs appear to have had these traits, though that's admittedly based on fossil records alone.
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Pretty much anything warmblooded requires a 'family structure'.
Warmblooded creatures burn energy way too fast to grow to self-sufficiency from stored energy. They need a parent to provide them with additional food and protection while they grow.
Crocodiles and alligators if we want to stick to reptiles.
Actually, crocodiles and alligators take almost no care of their young. Eggs, yes, but after they hatch they escort them to the water and then leave them to their own devices.
The mother defends the nest from predators and assists the hatchlings to water. She will provide protection to the young for about a year if they remain in the area. -wiki
That cute baby crocodile squeeking noise they make? It means "MOM! COME MURDER THIS THING!"
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Find me a single egg laying species on Earth that has a family structure and I'll believe your argument. Essentially I see you twisting biology simply to disagree.
A traditional family structure implies live birth, based on Earth animals.I'd argue against this, actually. It argues for small numbers of progeny rather than something like alligators with hordes of eggs, but one egg at a time, or even small clutches could easily result in a conventional family structure.
Penguins
A traditional family structure implies live birth, based on Earth animals.I'd argue against this, actually. It argues for small numbers of progeny rather than something like alligators with hordes of eggs, but one egg at a time, or even small clutches could easily result in a conventional family structure.
In fact, real world dragons are very protective of their family. And by real world I mean «totally invented fantasy world»
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Popplers?
Platypus.
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The platypus doesn't count.
No one knows what it is. It's a what... but hardly a something... it's like a... y'know...
The requirement was "a single egg laying species that has a family unit."
The platypus qualifies on all accounts.
It lays eggs.
It has a family unit.
It's a species... of some sort.
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Also, why is "traditional family structure" predicated on being mammals? Many mammals don't have what is perceived as a traditional family structure. In fact, humans are considered something of an aberration as one of the minority of mammals that engages in a pair-bond long-term raising of its young.
Besides, another thing to consider is what sentience does to "structure." It's perfectly plausible that early humans might have functioned very differently, but through cultural variation...we vary pretty widely. Once you have a sapient species, their family structure becomes rooted more in culture and less (but not entirely divorced from) biology.
There are examples of egg-laying creatures with family bonds in real life, but the more important thing here, the key, is that Starfinder (or pathfinder, for that matter) is not real life.