The Sleestak

[TWTP]

is it me or do the Sleestak look reminiscent of the Droyne? or is it the other way around?

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Sleestak preceded the Droyne -- the original "Land of the Lost" TV series premiered in 1974. Traveller was first published in 1977.

Yes, Sleestak do look something like wingless Droyne.

 

[Seriayne]

Hrrm. Sleestak - wingless low tech Droyne.

Who live in a pocket universe with wraparound horizons, magical pylons controlled by strange little crystal keyboards.

One of the Grandchildren's 'hidey holes' to escape the final war?

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

Maybe Grandfather's "Hidey-Hole" of last of the Droyne equivalent of Neanderthals -- an offshoot race, now extinct.

"Droya Neanderthalis" == Sleestak

I like it.

 

[BlackBat242]

Well, here's a start:

Droya Neanderthalis

The Species:

Sleestak are a race of reptilian creatures that evolved into first the Chirpers, then into the Droyne.

These creatures are covered in scales that are green in color except for their yellow bellies, having large, black eyes, no fingers (thumbs and four fingers grouped into two claws as part of the hand), and webbed feet. They also emit a hissing sound when agitated. They have a small mouth and a little horn on top of its head. Their huge black eyes are sensitive to bright light. Sleestak are slow-moving (except in hot climates), due to their metabolism being exo-thermic (cold blooded). Young are hatched from eggs.

The Sleestak are violent and absent-minded.

The Sleestak have accomplished the arts of building, forging, and hunting.

They make crossbows and nets to hunt. These crossbows are no larger that the size of a Sleestak's forearm. The nets are made to catch either the Altrusian Pig, or the Altrusian Moth, which come from the Altrusian Mountains.

The Sleestak Wiki had no entries on the Altrusian critters or the mountains.

 

[Ran Targas]

One of my favorites shows as a kid. I used the Sleestaks as devolved, feral Ancients for a dungeon crawl into an Ancient bio lab used to modify transplanted species; seemed appropriate and I really liked the hissing as a cue to the players that bad things were about to happen. Even included the Library of Skulls but my players never got that far. The Pakuni were represented as well but I don't think anyone in the game realized the connection.

I agree that the Sleestak can be crammed into the whole Droyne/Ancient mythology. And the Sleestak are the devolution of a once advanced race, the proud Altrusians. Enik made it very clear that his race once ruled the pocket universe of the Land of the Lost (but they weren't the only ones) and understood how to use the pylons that controlled it. I'm not sure if it was ever made clear who actually made it.