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Ubese

Introduction

Hundreds of years ago, the Ubese were an isolated species. Uba's inhabitants led a peaceful existence as a highly sophisticated culture on their lush planet.

Then due to off-world traders, who brought new technology to their planet, an obsession awakened within the Ubese. They hoarded whatever technology they could find, and traded whatever possible to obtain more technology.

Initially, this technology brought better productivity, improvements within health conditions, which in itself brought about the colonisation of several other worlds.

However, the Ubese society began to pay the price for their rapid technological growth. Within a few decades, the Ubese became intensely interested in creating their own technology. Their need to acquire new technology led the Ubese to a power-hungriness and the need to conquer other civilisations to spread their power and influence.

The Ubese began to manufacture weapons which had been banned ever since the formation of the Old republic, but local sector observers discovered this and realised they had to stop the Ubese from becoming a major threat. The sector council, driven by fear and misinformation, decided upon a pre-emptive strike that would reduce the Ubese's influence in the region.

Unfortunately, the strike set off many of the Ubese's large-scale tactical weapons, obliterating Uba I, II and V. When Uba III detonated it shattered the planet's crust, the forces tearing the world apart, scattering the remains into Uba's asteroid belt.

Survivors were only reported on Uba IV, the Ubese homeworld. Sector authorities were ashamed of their actions, so much so they refused to offer aid to Uba IV and wiped any reference to the Uba system from all official star charts and placed the system into quarantine. The cover up operation was so well executed that news of the devastation didn't reach Coruscant.

Billions died in the orbital strikes, the survivors of which scratched out their tenuous existence from the ruins. They evolved into a race of savage nomads, scavenging whatever they could from the wreckage in small clans.

Some Ubese were relocated to Ubertica - a nearby system. The survivors on Uba (known as the True Ubese) know those relocated by well-meaning activist groups within the system as Yrak Pootzck, a phrase, which implies impure parentage and cowardly ways. Whilst the Yrak Pootzck slowly propagated and found their way into the galaxy, the true Ubese struggled for survival on their homeworld.

A few millennia later the Ubese found a way off Uba IV and many became mercenaries, bounty hunters, slave drivers and bodyguards. Particularly vengeful Ubese hunted down the Yrak Pootzck as part of the millennia-old bloodfeud. Savax, a true Ubese warlord, rallied several clans and bombarded the Yrak Pootzck settlements on Ubertica. Fortunately, for the rest of the sector, Imperial forces intervened and vaporised Savax and his ships, but not before Ubertica's urban areas had been laid waste.

Very few free-traders visit Uba IV, those who do have a habit for disappearing suddenly, as Ubese raiders tear apart their ships for scrap.

Very little is known about the Ubese and their culture. But they are generally of slight build and wear protective clothing, which enables them to live on Uba IV. They rely on a variety of machines to keep them alive, such as specially tuned breath masks or filters to process the atmosphere. They use voice modulators and wrap themselves head to toe in combat armour, flowing robes and rugged survival clothing, as a result nobody knows what they truly look like anymore. They still carry their species' obsession with technology.

The Ubese appear to be loyal to one another, despite their dislike of any other members of the galactic community. Away from their homeworld, Ubese care little for other societies' laws and customs. They are nomadic warriors, wanderers who hide their secrets and agendas, just as they hide their own faces behind their helmets and breath marks.

Naming Conventions

Traditionally Ubese only have one name, which is partially derived from their parents' name. They can also be referred to by their Clan as well - e.g. Lavaz à Guan, meaning Lavaz of Clan Guan.

A male's name made up of a 'derived' portion and a 'given' portion. The 'derived' portion is made up of the first three letters of his father's name. Whilst the 'given' portion of his name is given by the parents - e.g. Trazel is the father of Tralak, the 'Tra' is derived, whilst 'lak' is given.

A female's name is created in a similar manner except that the 'derived' portion of their name is made up of the first three letters of their mother's name.

While this method of naming is traditional a number of Clans don't always follow this method, most notably Clan Malex, which is known for it's non-traditional views.

Letters more commonly used: A's, H's, L's, O's, U's and Z's.

Example names: Savax, Bousshh, Zulla, Araz

Some words:

À - of
Á - is
Teal - Hunter
Vell - Warrior
Vellux - Clan Chief (literally means Warrior Chief)

Some Notable Clans:

Guan - Recently enslaved by pirates and taken off world
Malex - Non-traditionalists
Zalth - Have a very strong dislike to strangers
Culaz - Has possibly the largest contingent of Warriors
Kurat - Probably the wealthiest tribe

Some more examples:

Lavez á Vell à Zalth - Lavez is a warrior of Clan Zalth

Vellux Trazel à Culaz - Chief Trazel of Clan Culaz

Roleplaying a 'True Ubese'

When playing a Ubese remember that they are:

- Obsessed by technology;
- Not seen outside they're armour;
- Have little interest in Galactic matters;
- Usually Mercenaries, Bounty Hunters, Bodyguards or Slavers;
- Usually cold and calculating;
- Generally quite reserved;
- Survivalists;
- Lovers of the open road and like to wander;
- Sometimes vengeful when Yrak Pootzck are involved.

 

Attribute Dice: 12D

DEXTERITY 2D/4D+2
KNOWLEDGE 1D/3D
MECHANICAL 1D/2D+2
PERCEPTION 2D/4D+2
STRENGTH 1D/3D
TECHNICAL 2D / 4D

Special Abilities:

Survival: 'True Ubese' get a +2D bonus to their Survival skill.
Technical Aptitude: At the time of character creation only, 'True Ubese' characters receive 2D for every 1D they place in technical skills.
Type II Atmosphere Breathing: 'True Ubese' require adjusted breath masks to filter and breathe Type I Atmospheres. Without the masks, Ubese suffer a -1D penalty to all skills and attributes.

Move: 8/11
Size: 1.75/2.25m

The introduction is a summary of the information in the 'Shadows of the Empire' Sourcebook, as is the racial stats for 'True Ubese'

   
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