Kzin

A non-human species commonly found in Scolopendra as well as some other places.

[A Scolopendran Kzinret in Business Attire]

Background History and Genetics

Extracted from the Tibetan Highlands in the Tibetan Extraction Campaign to save them from the oppression of Confederate SouthEast Asia, the Kzinti share no apparent genetic connections to Terrestrial biology despite their resemblance to Terrestrial tigers. Theories concerning this are generally shrugged off as conjecture, but the most popular schools of thought are that they are an extrasolar species that found itself isolated on Earth or else were the first indication of The Break.

Physical Description

Physically, Kzinti are bipedal felinids, standing about two and a half meters tall on average with a noticable slouch, with retractable claws on both their hands and feet, fleshy ears resembling bat-wings and long, prehensile segmented rat-like tails, normally naked (although a short coat of fur is an uncommon genetic variety). They have long or short coats of fur ranging from pale yellow-oranges to bright red-oranges, all with stripes of some sort ranging from brown to black. Body coloration does tend to follow the pattern of Terrestrial tigers with lighter-colored muzzles, fronts, hands, and feet. They can walk comfortably either on two or four feet, and have very flexible spines which allow them surprising flexibility. Their faces have far more complex musculature than a terrestrial cat, allowing a kzin to match most human facial expressions but smiles remain notoriously difficult (flapping or twitching ears is an equivalent gesture).

Body Language

Kzin have adapted to human culture while maintaining their identity, having absorbed almost all human body language except, most notably, grins. Exposed teeth are a traditional threat among kzin and while there have not been any incidents due to it since The Break grinning at the kzin is still not recommended--for that reason, most Scolopendrans tend not to grin, and especially do not around kzin. As mentioned previously, flapping or twitching movements of the ears is equivalent to the smile, and gently sniffing the air with neck stretched is a sign of mild confusion equivalent to a raised eyebrow.

Genders and Psychology

A male kzin is a "kzintosh" and female kzin is a "kzinret," and to a non-Scolopendran they look extremely similar; kzinrets usually have a slighter build and are best identified by a smaller shoulder-to-waist size ratio and the possible existence of a single pair of (relatively) small "athletic" breasts (kzinrets have two pairs of nipples but, never having litters exceeding two, two of those are unattached to any mammary gland past the rudimentary kind found in males). Human Scolopendrans have no trouble distinguishing kzin gender; scientists believe that Scolopendran humans have been trained to pick up on the same physical cues that kzin do. Psychologically, they tend to be (baseline) more aggressive and impulsive than humans, but they make up for this with almost plodding nature, thinking methodically. The Break acted as an unnatural culling, leaving those who were the best at anger-management.

Indigenous Culture

Culturally, all kzin are members of the Kzin Patriarchy (only currently called the "Patriarchy" due to its male head) which is responsible for maintaining kzin culture. Only the Patriarch has the ability to grant names, and this is based on merit. Due to the historic high mortality rate of kzin children (no longer a concern due to the change in circumstances), they are not given names as most other children are at birth; instead, they take on the name of their parent with the suffix -Child and are constantly renamed through life to match their profession. Half-names and full-names, random (and thus personified) syllables assigned as recognition for meritorious service by the Patriarch, are high honors. Full-names can only be granted by the leader of the Hierarchy him or herself.

Lots of thanks and apologies to [Larry Niven]