Auilaini

Auilaini in Air-suit

The Auilaini are a species of bipedal icthyoids native to the water world Auilai. Their skin is similar to that of an amphibian. Their large eyes are adapted to the dark waters of the bottom of the sea and do not function well out of water. Their hands and feet have long webbed digits which enhance their swimming capability. Auilaini are completely aquatic, breathing through gills located behind their jaw, and are unable to breath atmospheric gases.  Auilaini that must leave the sea wear special water recyling apparatuses that constantly pump oxygenated water into their mouth and out of their gills.

Auilaini are sexually dimorphic. Females tend to be slightly bigger than males and have longer, flowing fins . Males have highly contrasting coloration that comes in many different forms (i.e. spots, lines, etc.) to make them stand out to potential mates while females have more muted coloration for better camouflage. There are no obvious secondary sex organs to differentiate male from female.

Auilaini are a ritualistic people with a deep grasp and oneness with the natural universe. They feel a deep connection with a universal life force they call the "Aqua Vitae" or "Water of Life".

Auilaini are oviparous, fertilizing eggs through internal copulation. Auilaini females choose their mates from competing males. The mates then perform a ritualized mating swim among underwater flora that ends in fertilization. Females lay a small clutch of two to four eggs seven months after fertilization.  The fertilized eggs are then laid in an ancestral Sacred Grove Pool. The eggs incubate for a period of 7-8 weeks, watched over by female Water Shapers known as Guardians of the Pools. Auilaini mate for life and will produce 2 to 3 clutches of eggs. If a mate dies, the other will not seek a new mate.

There are thousands of Sacred Grove Pools, their use going back hundreds of thousands of years.  Each pool holds great sacred significance and are used to commemorate marriages, births, and esoteric religious rituals. In ancient times, females were expected to return to the pool of their mothers. Modern auilaini society has become more permissive and it is now acceptable for females to choose an alternative pool that is more convenient or better protected.

Auilaini possess a technologically advanced culture. During their golden age, they built great cities of domesticated coral shaped by powerful force fields. Their technology is powered by geothermal taps and the currents of the sea.

Auilaini are xenophobic and isolationist. When humans colonized the islands of Auilai's surface, the auilaini retreated further beneath the surface and turned their force fields towards defense. This defense provided no protection against a plague that struck their people ten years ago.  The Galactic Empire offered the only source of medicine. In exchange for the medicines needed to save their people from the plague, the Auilaini were forced into slavery working the underwater ulcault mines. In addition, they were forced to surrender their isolation, dissolve their native government, and submit to the authority of the Empire and their proxies.

A few auilaini resist their oppressors. Thanks to the help of the nautolan physician Myr Chandor, they were able to obtain a small amount of medicine through extralegal means. These cured auilaini have formed a small but growing resistance movement with the goal of one day overthrowing the Imperial occupation.

Auilaini

DEXTERITY 1D/3D+2 
KNOWLEDGE 1D+2/4D+1 
MECHANICAL 1D+1/4D 
PERCEPTION 1D+1/4D 
STRENGTH 1D+1/4D 
TECHNICAL 1D+1/4D 
Special Abilities: 
Swimming Ability: Auilaini gain a bonus of +3D to their swimming skill.
Water Breathers: Auilaini cannot stay out of water for more than an hour at a time, unless they employ special rebreather gear that allows them to do so.
Poor Vision: When out of water, Auilaini are unable to see very well (Perception dice pools related to sight are halved). Their rebreather gear, however, compensates for this as long as it is worn.
Move: 10/12 (14/16 in water)
Size: 1.6-1.8 meters tall

Note: Auilaini are essentially Iskalonians from the Marvel comics, so I have adapted their abilities from the Alien Stats fan sourcebook by Thiago S. Aranha.