Farn (Preserve)

The Farn are a species of humanoid amphibians native to the planet Covalis. There were two distinct races of Farn: the rarer Ankura, and the more common Otolla. The average Otolla Farn had a tall, muscular body with long arms and short legs, and could exist on either land or in the water. Their heads were crowned with a pair of large, frilled ears known as haillu, that could be extended when frightened. Their eyes sat atop short, thick stalks. The Ankura Farn grew incredibly large, to the point where their immense weight began to compact their skeletons, and their eyes were hooded with heavy brows instead of sitting atop short stalks. Ankura Farn also had green skin, where the Otolla Farn had reddish skin. All Farn were hatched from eggs, and both parents shared in the rearing of their offspring. They had flexible skeletons formed from cartilage instead of bone, and a set of compound lungs allowed them to breath air or water. During much of their existence on Covalis, the Farn took great pains to avoid contact with their human neighbors, and even built huge underwater cities to escape contact. However, fringe elements of both species realized that they couldn't survive without the other, and specialized trading relationships were set up. While these relationships were not officially recognized by either government, they were vital to the survival of each species. The Farn have a distinct concept of the life debt. Any Farn who is saved by another being must submit to the life debt or be punished by their gods. Despite their amphibious appearance, Farn are quite technologically advanced. Their immense bubble cities are found in the depths of Covalis' seas, and are made up of groupings of round force-fields. The fields are permeable only to slow-moving objects, and can be penetrated by a Farn walking through them. However, the force-fields hold back the incredibly pressures of the water that surrounds them. The Farn also had an advanced shielding technology which they applied to small, hand-held shields as well as huge hemispheres that protected an entire army. Like the bubble fields, these shields were only permeable by slow-moving objects, and they absorbed energy like a sponge.