[Aliens]"...solitary giant predator caterpillars. Civilization wasn't easy for us"

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

In preparation to my space campaign (90% based on Star Control 2/3), I'm trying to convert the race description into a GURPS template (with minor changes for playability where absolutely necessary). The title is a paraphrased and shortened quote regarding the race's physiology, ecological niche and history. I'm trying to fit them into GURPS Space terms, and I'll be noting my success so far. If anybody's interested in commenting on the possible corrections, additions and/or possibilities, I'd be glad to hear it (including any possible answers to the questions in the post).

Chemical Basis: While there doesn't seem to be much explicit proof, this being SC, it is reasonable to assume that lifeforms with no 'exotic' basis mentioned are water-based.

Habitat: Their manner of hanging upside down in their spaceships seems to indicate a brachiating or similar locomotion capability, which in turn suggests a Jungle, Woodland or some sort of cave environment. Since by their accounts, the local lifeforms were plentiful and aggressive, I suspect Jungle might be the best guess available.

Trophic Level and Strategy: They're canonically carnivorous, compared to the Hawaiian carnivore caterpillars in this aspect (I assume that means 'refuses to eat foliage even if starving'). Again, their manner of hanging on to something seems like a hint towards Trapper or at least Pouncer. Trapper also seems to fit well with their territoriality. Hijacker is likely an occasional alternative, but definitely not the primary, given the mention of even larger/stronger lifeforms. They get Restricted Diet, right?

Mobility: They're definitely climbers to some extent. I suppose, given that they have no less than 4 pairs of limbs, and no less than 3 of those pairs can be used as legs of sort, that they can walk like terran caterpillars, though they prefer climbing. Brachiator, or even Clinging seems to be highly appropriate. If they're Trappers, though, Super Climbing seems to be a waste. Are there any more reasons choosing one way or another?

Size: Human descriptions put them at 10 yards long / 2 yards wide, but I think this can be written off as an exaggeration and/or misremembering one's moments of great fear. I think SM+0 to SM+2 is more manageable (Racial ST bonus in a space campaign? Looks like a waste of points to me, though I understand there are exceptions).

Symmetry: Definitely bilateral.

Number of limbs: 4 arms on the front-most segment (there seems to be some claim that 2 of them are occasionally used as supports, not manipulators); 4 legs (maybe more - it is not quite clear) on the rear-most segment. Gets a bit complicated by not having much more than a portrait in the official sources. Should this reduce Control Room Multitasking Penalties?

Tails: none found or mentioned.

Skeleton: either Hydrostatic or Exoskeleton seem more appropriate.

Skin/Covering: Skin or soft exoskeleton seem appropriate, based on pictures. There is a mention of some sort of 'retractable sheath', but no detail beyond the mention of those two words in a sentence (it is implied that this sheath of some sort retracts when they experience fear or pain - what can it even be?).

Breathing: Lungs of some sort, though I suppose they could be duplicated in larger numbers than in humans, distributed throughout the segments; there also doesn't seem to be any reason to assume their breathing tracts go through the mouth, aside from the almost explicit statement of panspermia in the setting.

Temperature regulation: it seems that with a size of anywhere between 2 and 10 yards (i.e. anywhere from the 'reported' length to the 'playable' one), one can get away with being cold-blooded (and not being GURPS Cold-Blooded). Are tropic (warm) jungles the only plausible habitat where climbing is a primary method of locomotion (and thus we can assume yearly temperature to stay relatively high)? What other evolutionary reasons exist for higher likeliness of warm or cold blood?

Growth: pretty much any is likely. Metamorphosis fits with the caterpillar theme (though they definitely do not have a butterfly adult form as the end goal), and is a bit more likely if they have an actual exoskeleton. Molting, likewise. No reason for not having continual growth. And, finally, presence of segmentation allows for the idea of growth adding segments.

Reproduction:
Sexual arrangement: canonically, they definitely have sex. There also is a statements which puts them into the two sexes group of species. Also, it seems like Sex Appeal is their most handy social skill, since they are explicitly stated to originally interact between each other almost exclusively for sex and reproduction. See below.

Gestation:
I assume that mention of 'reproduction' being listed as the other of the two most common social interactions (the other being sex), should be read as implying a K-strategy of some sort. In fact, I have a difficulty envisioning a civilization of loners maintain its civilization if they don't spend much time upbringing and teaching their children. So, Spawning is right out. Live-bearing or egg-laying both seem reasonable, though people seem to prefer egg-laying. Are there objective reasons why we might exclude or prefer one of the two?

Strategy: As I mentioned above, a strong or moderate K-strategy seems to be implied. While completely not grounded in canon, I'm considering the idea of always having 2 children, one left with the male, one with the female (the race doesn't seem to have a concept of pair-bonding).

Primary Sense: being carnivorous and climbing, as well as having 6 eyes (3 large, 3 small) just on the head (not sure about the rest of the body) strongly implies that vision is the primary sense.

Vision: being carnivorous climbers is an incentive for good vision; Normal Vision seems the most obvious choice. They have eyelids of some sort, but given their pictures, it is unclear if they have faceted eyes and/or nictitating membranes over their eyes - they don't look like they have the human differentiation between pupil/iris/white. It is unclear if them being predators predisposes them to Infravision. Right now I'm about to leave them with Normal Vision, but what are the possible reasons for having either of the two options, and the consequences faceted (insectoid) eyes for large creatures?

Hearing: no much evidence either way, nor any modifiers, so left at Normal.

Touch: trapping carnivore (+1), but possibly with an exoskeleton (possible -2). Leaving at normal too, though I suppose Vibration Sense (without Acute Touch +4) might have been handy in their hunting days. Wonder why Space doesn't allow Vibration sense without Acute Touch normally.

Taste/Smell: trapping carnivore and sexual reproduction cancel each other out. Normal, I guess.

Special Senses: reasonable candidates seem to be Night Vision, Detect Heat/Infravision (mentioned above), and, surprisingly, Perfect Balance.

Special abilities: claws/talons and poison are a possibility, with the mention of 'oozing talons', though there isn't a canonical mention of actual use of either, so it might be an exaggeration (like calling human fingernails claws).

(continued in next post)