Zen Whoberis

It is a theme that have been played out time and again throughout the galaxy: one species being driven to the point of extinction by another. Sadly, that is the tale of the Zen Whoberis.

The Zen Whoberis evolved on the planet Zen Whoberi in the Silcan system on the Outer Arm in the Alpha Quadrant. They were a peaceful people from a technological agrarian society. They hadn't yet reached the stars, though they had put some satellites into orbit. They wondered about life on other planets, but had so far not detected any evidence that there were alone in the universe. When they found out the truth, their time was nearly up.

Zen Whoberi was one of the first worlds to fall in the Illithid Invasion. When the Illithids and their forces descended on the people of Zen Whoberi, there was little they could do. Zen Whoberis culture was peaceful. They had little crime and therefore little need for lethal weapons. The people did attempt to stage and defense, but in the end only about half a million of the 3 million estimated Zen Whoberis survived the assault. The survivors were taken captive, tortured, and forced to endure humiliating and horrific experiments...many were also used as food for the brain-eating Illithids. When the invasion was finally broken, only an estimated 50,000 Zen Whoberis were left alive.

After being freed, many Zen Whoberis decided to go back to the Silcan system to try and rebuild their lives and begin the process of healing. However, the Illithids has stripped many of the natural resources from the world, leaving it a planet that would take many thousands of years to be habitable again. Heartbroken, the Zen Whoberis scattered throughout the Alpha Quadrant and beyond in small groups, all promising to find a way to contact each other should one group or another find a suitable home. Many of these groups simply settled with other species on other worlds and adapted to life in a culture far beyond that which they came from. Other groups would wander through the cosmos searching to some place that felt like home only to fall prey to pirates, hazards of space, or their own inexperience in flying starships.

There is an estimated 150,000 Zen Whoberis in the galaxy currently. However, they are scattered with no more than a few thousand living in any one place. They were granted honorary membership into the Galactic Concord upon the formation of the body after the Illithid Invasion, but they do not have membership in the Senate due to not having a homeworld or anything resembling a recognizable government. Most are citizens of whatever nation they live in and have long given up hope of their ever being another Zen Whoberi. Supposedly, there is colony in a small system in the Palomar Sector far out on the Outer Arm on the border with the Alpha and Beta Quadrants made up of some 30,000 Zen Whoberis. This colony is far beyond the borders of the Concord and no one has been able to verify its existence yet, but there might just be hope yet.

Zen Whoberis are a near-human species. They stand around 6 feet tall on average with green skin and hair that is usually dark green or black in color. Zen Whoberis have yellow circles around their eyes, possibly a remnant to an evolutionary trait that has since been lost. They have slight builds which speak to their agility, but otherwise are little different from humans in capability or potential.

Zen Whoberis are a likable species, which has helped their integration with other species and cultures, but they tend to become sullen at times though with each generation this becomes less so. The carry an intense hatred for Illithid. Many Zen Whoberis joined various militarys that made up the Concord defense force after the end of the Invasion for the sole purpose of hunting them down.

Zen Whoberis for Savage Worlds
Agile: Zen Whoberis are naturally agile and start play with a d6 in Agility.
Charismatic: Zen Whoberis are a very charming people and gain a +2 bonus to Charisma.
Racial Enemy: Zen Whoberis carry a deep hatred for Illithids for what they did to them and their homeworld. They suffer a -4 penalty to Charisma and can easily become violent when encountering an Illithid.

Zen Whoberis for Rogue Space
Archetypes: Zen Whoberis can be Scoundrels or Technicians and gain a +1 bonus to either Empathy or Science.
Agile: Zen Whoberis gain a +1 bonus to Fighting rolls made when performing any act requiring agility (vaulting over an obstacle, balancing on a narrow ledge, etc.)
Psionics: Zen Whoberis can become Espers with Commune, Empath, or ESP being the most common powers.