Physical Description: The Xintnu are a large reptilian
race and average 2.4 meters in height. They are bipedal (two arms,
two legs). Their heavy skin is gray-green in color and the large
head has powerful jaws which are meant for chewing woody vegetables.
The eyes are large and expressive and contained under deep ridges
on the front of the forehead. The species has two sexes. Females
are somewhat smaller than males and the young are born from eggs
which were historically buried in warm sand (modern Xintnu mothers
make use of high-tech incubators).
History: The Xintnu were originally native to Nect-II,
but their civilization was destroyed and their species almost
totally exterminated when their homeworld was attacked by spores
from space millenia ago. All known current members of the race
are derived from the sole survivor, Xatxact, who was discovered
in a cryogenic container beneath the surface of Nect-II.
"The pods came from the sky one day... burning down through
the atmosphere to come to rest near Yxactguu. They were burnt
and blackened from their passage, yet as the scientists watched,
they cracked open and new life sprang forth... terrible life...
consuming everything that it touched. Our warriors fought the
growth with bombs and flame but each time they drove it back in
one place, it would spring forth in another until all the flame
was spent and all the bombs were used up. Yxactguu was consumed
and the people fled from the country thereabouts. Years passed
as the people fought the growth. Many died and were consumed.
The atmosphere grew thinner as even it was taken from us to feed
the voracious life. The warriors fell back and in despiration
began to use their most fearsome weapons... those based on the
atom. They wreaked terrible devastation on the advancing growth,
and drove it back for a time, but at such a cost. Finally the
atmosphere was all but gone. Only a few of the people were left.
The scientists tried to save a few to live on for the future as
they prepared some final bombs. I was one of those to sleep. I
entered my coffin and that is the last that I saw of my people."
- Xatxact
Society: The restored race has adopted the culture of their
human rescuers. All of the Xintu race are classified as techs.
The XN techs are great with tools and have a knack for indoor
gardening houseplants, hydroponics, that sort of thing. They are
good mechanics. Combat factor is 2 or so (they're civilians) for
city or settlement defense only.