Karith

The Karith are mammalian humanoids who inhabit the planet Thraksis and consider themselves consummate earth-workers. They are well fed and provided for by the Thrassi, the planet's other sapient humanoid, and come into little direct contact with the avian species, and so do not truly consider the Thrassi their overlords. They are quite pragmatic: they would rather mine than hunt for food and make clothes, and as the Thrassi are providing for them in order to do what they love, they have no reason to question the status quo. They have no flight capabilities whatsoever,as they consider the subterranean their home, and have no wish to stay above ground for any length of time. The Thrassi have not allowed prolonged contact with the Karith, so relatively little else is known about them. What follows is what the Thrassi were willing to divulge.

Physiology

Karith are warm-blooded humanoids covered in a light coat of fur, which grows at right angles to the body. This way, it is never pushed “against the grain,” so maneuvering in tight spaces causes them no discomfort. They possess four limbs, each having four blunt-clawed digits; only the hands have opposable thumbs. The outer two fingers on each hand have only two finger joints, the latter much shorter, from each of which comes a large claw. These are used for digging, though the Karith now use them sparingly, usually only when delicate work is needed, such as around fossils and small deposits of soft metals. The first finger and thumb are more sensitive and used for manipulating objects. The arms are extraordinarily long, while the legs are short; the tips of the fingers are level with the knees. Their faces are vaguely humanoid, with eyes set diagonally forward and mobile, mouse-like ears. The thick-lipped snout contains many teeth of varying sizes, and eat fish (cooked, dried, or smoked), grubs, roots, tubers, and other subterranean organisms.

The average lifespan is unknown, but the Thrassi have them working in the mines from ages 10 through 60. Their breeding cycle, brood size, and other reproductive information is also unknown, though the females are known to have four mammary glands that swell during the receptive period, and then more dramatically during pregnancy and lactation. This is the only outward difference between males and females.

The Karith are short and squat, with strong musculature. They are typically between 4 and 5.5 feet tall. Their necks, legs, and hips are short, while the upper torso and arms are long. The fur is usually brown or grey, but within those parameters there is much variation. They are highly photosensitive, and in order to come above ground during the day, they must wear tinted goggles to protect their eyes. Standard issue sets of goggles typically have two sets of lenses, one transparent and one tinted. They are also fond of scarfs, bandanas, and other wrapped clothing types.