Runt

"Name's Rrukksa Uerraelaz. And yeah, that's my Corsair in Hangar 2. Well, I want to join the Merchants Hvaek. I want her to go legit."

 

[The Pakkrat]

Zo: "Keep your paws in sight, feed me no lines, and there won't be any-...accidents."

Iz: "I thought your skymaran would be bigger."

Thirzar: "Tell me when you're really ready to go legit!"

 

[The Pakkrat]

"Hey cub, wanna have a look inside a real Corsair?"
"Wow! Is it a Sorrgheg-class Reaver?"
"Well no b-"
"How 'bout a Rrazaghz-class?"
"Mine's an Ueknou-class an-"
"Then no thanks, mister."

Runt!
Coming Soon(TM)

 

[The Pakkrat]

Thirzar: "Why so short?"
Rrukksa: "Please don't."
Zo: "Don't tease the Medic who someday may save your life."
Crew of the Ulfheðnar.

 

[Jame]

I thought that Vargr were about Human sized?

 

[Commander Truestar]

I thought that Vargr were about Human sized?

Vargr Are Human sized if you go by GDW Published data
Of course, those who have their own Universes can make up what they want
But here is the comparison provided in Alien Module 3 from GDW

 

[TamsinP]

I thought that Vargr were about Human sized?

Maybe it's like one of those old paintings where the size of the figure reflects their importance or social status? If so, the size here reflects their CHA.

 

[The Pakkrat]

It is true that most subspecies of Vargr are equal to or are slightly smaller than Humaniti. Their height changes depending on stance choice. Their space ‘box’ is wider and deeper due to digitigrade leg structure, tail and gait. Having claws also means that natural weaponry is held slightly away from the main torso.

Smaller than Humans, (smallest to largest):

Kokasha of the Trae Aggregation
Irilitok of the Julian Protectorate region
Aekhu found in Deneb and surrounding sectors
Gvegh widely found across Gvurrdon and surrounding sectors
Logaksu centrally positioned about Lair, Provence Sector, and surrounding sectors
Suedzuk found generally in the Vargr Enclaves with holdouts in Empty Quarter and wanderers. (Most hated by Humaniti, see Sack of Gashikan)

Larger than Humans:

Urzaeng, described as massive enough to take on an Aslan. (Staunchly refuse to double-occupy any stateroom on a starship.)

Unknown mass (assumed equal or smaller):

Akumgeda of Ksinanirz Sector region
Nakagun of Listanaya Sector region
Roth Thokken of distal Vargr Enclaves

The three Timberwolf pelt Vargr pictured are Urzaeng from Gzaekfueg, Meshan, and sectors further coreward around the Windhorn Rift and back to Lair. Iz on the far left of the image is only age 18, the youngest of this crew. She is a Barbarian with only one term. The Irilitok on the right named Zo with only two terms of Rogue comes from a Vargr subspecies that was deliberately bred during enslavement years during the Long Night to traits that appealed to Humaniti treating them more like pets in trade for the most integrated interstellar society.

The Human Medic is a Vilani / Solomani mixed ethnicity. Dr. Arx “Ourksdorrfaeg” Doorfeal was not blessed with great height, but enjoys the Vilani longevity and attention to meals preparation.

Vargr Charisma can have a say on how much larger a ‘box’ an individual fills. Proud go-getters will stand tall, beaming with confidence, wider with claim over personal space, daring intrusion. Lesser underlings in regard to Charisma will be reserved, contained, fill less space, be efficient in where they step, and generally not get in the way of others. And everyone else in between those extremes.

In conclusion, one can only generalize Vargr so much before their traits and Diced Characteristics, diverge. Since Traveller has been so humanocentric from the beginning, we use Humaniti as the yardstick. How strong are the Vargr? How dexterous are they? Are they more intelligent? How does Social Standing compare to Charisma? Their nature of a loping gait is a morphology of digitigrade stance, making the Vargr appear more bestial, allowing Humaniti the privilege of judging Vargr as such and thus as lesser. Read the history of the Vargr race and find that the Vargr in some ways took to the stars far earlier than Solomani of Terra.

In Runt! All of the Vargr pictured are Charisma 3 or less as this is an underdog story and solo-play log. Though the Captain-Owner stands tallest and most confidently, he’s only CHA 3 with the others equal or less. Rrukksa is also the eldest with one Corsair term and four Merchant terms. Being the youngest of six siblings didn’t help him. It is my intention to explore the uphill climb that Charisma presents. I’ve done so before with a Charisma 1 Imperium Irilitok character.

 

[Rupert]

In conclusion, one can only generalize Vargr so much before their traits and Diced Characteristics, diverge. Since Traveller has been so humanocentric from the beginning, we use Humaniti as the yardstick. How strong are the Vargr? How dexterous are they? Are they more intelligent? How does Social Standing compare to Charisma? Their nature of a loping gait is a morphology of digitigrade stance, making the Vargr appear more bestial, allowing Humaniti the privilege of judging Vargr as such and thus as lesser. Read the history of the Vargr race and find that the Vargr in some ways took to the stars far earlier than Solomani of Terra.

I always find it amusing when texts tell us that the Vargr are unstable and can't form large or long-lived polities. It's canon that a rector-sized state was formed around their homeworld that lasted for centuries. That's much bigger than any empire Earth's seen to date (in Real Life), and just as long lasting. Vargr governments and polities are really only small and short lived by the standard of the Zhos, the Vilani, and to an extent the Third Imperium.

I think there's a case to be made that the Humans of the TU are not actually the same as Real Life Humans - TU Humaniti does 'stable' much better than we do!

 

[The Pakkrat]

I

I always find it amusing when texts tell us that the Vargr are unstable and can't form large or long-lived polities. It's canon that a rector-sized state was formed around their homeworld that lasted for centuries. That's much bigger than any empire Earth's seen to date (in Real Life), and just as long lasting. Vargr governments and polities are really only small and short lived by the standard of the Zhos, the Vilani, and to an extent the Third Imperium.

I think there's a case to be made that the Humans of the TU are not actually the same as Real Life Humans - TU Humaniti does 'stable' much better than we do!

I think it can be said that the Vargr rebrand their polities which gives the appearance that their states are shortlived. Charisma is mutable and the Vargr like it that way. Change is what the Vargr do best. They bounce back the quickest from Rebellion, Hard Times, Virus, New Era, and the Empress Wave, (though not necessarily in that order). This rebranding means that borders may change only a little, local Governments alter as quickly as Charisma, Law Levels and Tech Levels following suit.

In Dicing for Raen and Yonder Subsectors of Meshan Sector 1122 through 1128 in the Opposition Alliance, just before Archduke Brzk and his entire cabinet and family were assassinated-...damn the Empty Quarter - I found that no new emerging polities formed, that Governments outside the warzones and black warzones felt the reverberations of Hard Times but surfed those waves with aplomb and a spirit to rebuild. The same can be said for the 11 years any Vargr world may suffer from the Empress Wave. The Vargr Extents have the privilege too of being struck by the Wave first, recovering first, recovering faster than the Zhodani who knew it was coming long before anyone else. In short, the Vargr pride themselves on being mutable, taking hits, getting back up from ruination, and rising to any occasion. Low Charisma Vargr have only upward to climb. It is the middling and high Charisma Vargr who have the more difficult balancing act. It is so very easy to lose Charisma, so the task of holding what one has while keeping face becomes a daily choice to improve, degrade, or hold steady.

 

[Jame]

Vargr Are Human sized if you go by GDW Published data
Of course, those who have their own Universes can make up what they want
But here is the comparison provided in Alien Module 3 from GDW
View attachment 6505

Yes, about human sized.

 

[kilemall]

I

I think it can be said that the Vargr rebrand their polities which gives the appearance that their states are shortlived. Charisma is mutable and the Vargr like it that way. Change is what the Vargr do best. They bounce back the quickest from Rebellion, Hard Times, Virus, New Era, and the Empress Wave, (though not necessarily in that order). This rebranding means that borders may change only a little, local Governments alter as quickly as Charisma, Law Levels and Tech Levels following suit.

In Dicing for Raen and Yonder Subsectors of Meshan Sector 1122 through 1128 in the Opposition Alliance, just before Archduke Brzk and his entire cabinet and family were assassinated-...damn the Empty Quarter - I found that no new emerging polities formed, that Governments outside the warzones and black warzones felt the reverberations of Hard Times but surfed those waves with aplomb and a spirit to rebuild. The same can be said for the 11 years any Vargr world may suffer from the Empress Wave. The Vargr Extents have the privilege too of being struck by the Wave first, recovering first, recovering faster than the Zhodani who knew it was coming long before anyone else. In short, the Vargr pride themselves on being mutable, taking hits, getting back up from ruination, and rising to any occasion. Low Charisma Vargr have only upward to climb. It is the middling and high Charisma Vargr who have the more difficult balancing act. It is so very easy to lose Charisma, so the task of holding what one has while keeping face becomes a daily choice to improve, degrade, or hold steady.

In a sense, the Vargr are the ultimate meritocracy. Canis office politics FTW.

 

[The Pakkrat]

Iz: "Do you-...do you think Zo is pretty?"

Rrukksa: “Pretty? Iz, Zo is beautiful, radiant, gorgeous especially up there on the stage and in her favorite activity, karaoke. She has a beautiful voice too singing on stage. But what you have to remember, Iz is that the Irilitok are pretty because they were bred that way.”

Iz: “Bred?”

Rrukksa: “Long ago during the Long Night, the Irilitok people were enslaved for more than a thousand years. In that time, Humaniti bred them like beasts for traits they found desirable, beautiful, pleasurable, controllable, obedient. In trade, the Irilitok were put to work, and work they did. They worked so well that they learned the ropes, learned what they had lost. The Irilitok became shrewd bankers, masterful financiers, making credits grow and investing in their own people when no one was looking. In time, Iz the Irilitok were so numerable and wealthy on so many worlds that the Humans had to accept them in integration into their society. To this day, the Irilitok enjoy the most compatibility with Humaniti long after they were emancipated and treated as equal citizens. So yes, the Irilitok are beautiful. But remember that they were made that way. Next time you want to compliment or congratulate Zo, Iz tell her how you admired her skill, or were inspired by her quick thinking, or that you envy her stealth. You will win a friend for life.”

 

[Grav_Moped]

Iz: "Do you-...do you think Zo is pretty?"

I'm assuming Iz here is a human. Vargr notions of "pretty" are different from what humans see as pretty; indeed, different Vargr subspecies have different ideals of attractiveness. (As do subcultures within species, of course.)

 

[The Pakkrat]

In the group crew image, Iz the Barbarian is the young, primitive female Urzaeng with the sword. Incurably curious and naive, Iz is only 18 years old after a single term of Barbarian where she excelled as a “Hunt Leader” on a TL-2 world of swords, bows, crossbows, and dangerous fauna. Originating out of a tribe of only 200, Iz was taken from her home by a starship and trafficked to Raen and Yonder Subsectors. Wide-eyed and seeing other ethnicities and races of Charted Space new to her, Iz has degraded use of Vargr languages though she can still read, write and crunch simple numbers. In her abduction, Iz has come into contact with Thirzar Kha the fellow Urzaeng and Belter and Zo the Irilitok Rogue.

In the dialogue and as a younger Urzaeng, Iz asks Rrukksa a third Urzaeng what he thinks of Zo. Is she ‘pretty’? Her vocabulary is stunted as a low-tech Barbarian. She is curious as to what males think of other Vargr ethnicities. What is beauty, attractiveness, or favorable traits to develop in finding a mate? Rrukksa proceeds to educate Iz in that Irilitok beauty was crafted by Humaniti. Without saying so, he is telling her that beauty comes in many forms.

Of the crew, Iz has the highest Charisma of 4, (may have been higher back on her primitive homeworld). She was promoted to “Hunt Leader” in her tribe of throwback Urzaeng Red Zoned at TL-2 and deemed dangerous. And Iz, she is dangerous with Blade, Sword, and learned that Handguns are arrow-shooters like hand crossbows. Seeing higher technologies in her travels, Iz has so many questions like many teenagers trying to find their way in a wider universe.

Rrukksa hopes that Iz wil pick up at least one shipboard skill in that she was a package hire for Thirzar Kha with Zo. Until then, Iz acts as security guardian, and cargo deckhand. To him, it was worth taking on Iz when she comes with a Belter 3 and a Rogue 2. After five terms of his own, Rrukksa is their elder and Captain-Owner of the Corsair gone legit, and he sees room for improvement while gleaning off Iz’ Charisma and rough charm. By normal parameters, only Rrukksa the Corsair/Merchant and Thirzar Kha the Belter should be crewing a midsize vessel such as a 400-ton Ueknou-class Corsair. This story is the coming together of low-Charisma misfits aboard an aging failure vessel and the climb up the Charisma ladder to Self-Actualization.

Races and ethnicities found in Raen and Yonder Subsectors include but are not limited to: Vilani, Solomani, Vilani/Solomani mix, Urzaeng, Ovaghoun, Logaksu, and a trickle of Irilitok from trailing.

Hope this helps flesh out Iz. More to come as I continue with portraits of each of the crew.

 

[The Pakkrat]

Iz: "Rrukksa gifted it to me. It's called a wristwatch and it tells me the time and date."

 

[The Pakkrat]

Iz: "I will send you to ERZIKH DHADH!"

 

[Grav_Moped]

Hope this helps flesh out Iz. More to come as I continue with portraits of each of the crew.

Definitely! Thank you.

 

[G. Kashkanun Anderson]

I thought that Vargr were about Human sized?

Vargr Are Human sized if you go by GDW Published data
Of course, those who have their own Universes can make up what they want
But here is the comparison provided in Alien Module 3 from GDW
View attachment 6505

No, they are not. Most are actually quite small.

What you are showing here is most likely an example of bad art (I mean, look at the hands on that guy!), or possibly -- and more charitably -- a depiction of a 'typical' (Imperial) human compared to an example of the bulky Urzaeng subspecies of Vargr, as they are the only ones who are even remotely comparable to the average human in size. Most Vargr are, as numerous texts have stated, 'physically unimpressive'.

I think part of the problem is that the height and weight measurements for Traveller races are typically rendered in metric, something that most Americans know and understand, but don't really 'feel'. So, in the interest of clarity, I am going to give the heights and weights of some of the Human and Vargr species/subspecies in Freedom Units.

Let's start with the humans:

The average Vilani man is around 5' 7" and 155 pounds, according to V&V. The Traveller Wiki makes them a little taller and heavier, at probably 5' 9" and 165 pounds. The average Vilani woman is about 5' 3" and 145 pounds, according to V&V. Add maybe an inch and five pounds for the Wiki version.

The average Solomani (no sex given) is about 5' 11" and ... uhhh ... 220 pounds(?!), according to the Wiki (note to readers: this is probably an example of American writers not having a 'feel' for metric measurements). Fortunately, V&V provides an out for this, noting that Solomani typically weigh about 38kg/m, which translates to about 150 pounds. Considering the numbers given, we can safely assume that these are for men. Typical Solomani women would then probably be around 5' 6" and 135 pounds, give or take.

The average Imperial, then, is somewhere in-between. Let's say 5' 9" and 152 pounds for men, and 5' 5" and 140 pounds for women.

The average Zhodani is just about 6' 5" and 200 pounds, according to Mongoose. Again, there is no sex given, so I am going to assume that is for men, and napkin-calculate the women to be about 6' 2" and 180 pounds.

The average Geonee is about 4' 11" and 160 pounds, according to GURPS, with no difference between the men and women. The Wiki has them much lighter in weight, about 145 pounds, but I think I side with GURPS on this, given their high-G homeworld.

Now for the Vargr

The main ('wild type') Vargr male (about 67% of the race, according to Mongoose) is about 5' 3" and 130 pounds. Females average about 4' 11" and 120 pounds. These numbers also likely apply to the spotted-furred, extra-psionic Akumgeda (8% of all Vargr), and the weird, hyper-psionic Roth Thokken (3% of Vargr). So almost four out of five Vargr fit this morphology.

The outcast, strongly psionic Nakagun (about 3% of Vargr) average about 5' 1" and 120 pounds, both males and the females.

The brainiac Kokashan ('nearly extinct', according to Mongoose) are about 4' 9" and 110 pounds for the males, and 4' 7" and 100 pounds for the females.

The big, dumb Urzaeng (around 17% of Vargr) are about 6' 1" and 155 pounds, apparently both the males and females. Note that statements that they can go toe-to-toe with an Aslan are not due to them being comparatively equal in size or strength (they are definitely not, as a typical Aslan male is 6' 7" tall and 220 pounds), but rather due to the fact that the Urzaeng are almost as strong as them and much, much quicker. The typical physical UPP for an Aslan is 957, while one for an Urzaeng is 897; that's an average four point difference in dexterity in favor of the Urzaeng!

Whooooosh! "Whoah, is that a dewclaw I see?" Whooooosh! "Tough luck, Simba!" Whooooosh! "Can't hurt what you can't touch, big guy!"

At any rate, the only Vargr that could conceivably tower over an average human -- or even see eye to eye -- is an Urzaeng, and even then it would not be that overwhelming to the human, as weight-wise Urzaeng appear to be of more gracile build than most humans (in fact, all Vargr come off that way, regardless of height). Only a Geonee would have to consistently look up to any Vargr (but clearly not all!), and considering the extra 30+ pounds of bulk a Geonee would also be sporting in comparison, I do not think they would be very intimidated by the experience either.

What the Vargr do have over humans are quickness, speed, and occasional superior psionic ability, with up to one-seventh of them capable of mustering mind-powers that would even make the Zhodani stand up and take notice!

Heh. Maybe they should be the rulers of the Consulate.

 

[Vargr Breath]

Supplement 11, Classic Traveller, 1982-page 26/27
Physically, the Vargr are not very impressive. The typical Vargr is about 1.6 meters in height and weighs approximately 60 kilograms.
That's 5.25 feet and 132 lbs.