S'Kra Mur Physiology

Appearance

S'Kra Mur are not mammals. Therefore, they do not have hair, breasts, or nipples. They do not have external ears but merely holes in the sides of their heads. S'Kra Mur, like the other sentient races, have red blood.

Height: S'Kra Mur range in height from 5.25 to 6.25 feet. On average, females are slightly taller than males.

Skin and Scales: A S'Kra Mur's skin is covered in small scales. (Wealthy S'Kra Mur often buff and polish their scales to a fine sheen.) The largest and thickest scales cover the area around the spine. The smallest scales are on the face, which allows for a greater range of expression. A S'Kra Mur's scales do provide some protection but are not able to take much more damage than human skin.

S'Kra Mur do not molt like snakes. Rather, old scales continuously flake off and are replaced by new scales. In an unhealthy S'Kra Mur, the rate of shedding may outpace the rate of growth, resulting in a patchy appearance.

• Possible colors: grey, sorrel, brown, green, green-grey, olive, black, green-brown, golden, silver, white, mottled, speckled, camouflage, dark gold-edged, red-gold, blue-green (seen on one NPC; not available to PCs)

Snout: The length of one's snout usually depends on whether he is descended from mainland or island stock. Mainland S'Kra tend to have longer snouts and tails. Island S'Kra have flatter faces. (Legend has it that Hav'roth blessed the island S'Kra by flattening their faces, which made them more tolerant of heat and better swimmers.)

The growth of the snout can be stunted by injury.

A S'Kra Mur's nose is not malleable like a human's. It cannot be wrinkled in disgust. However, it has a small degree of flexibility and can be pointed in the air.

• Possible variations: pointed, striped, speckled, dappled, standard, slender, narrow, elegant, straight, squared, long, upturned

Eyes: The S'Kra Mur's eyes have slitted pupils.

• Possible colors: blue, gold, crystal blue, sapphire, turquoise, blue-green, emerald, green, moss-green, leaf-green, crystal green, jade, hazel, topaz, milky blue, amber, ale-brown, brown, dark, dark brown, black, silver, clear-colored, milky white, steely grey, stormy grey, grey, blue-grey, violet, red
• Possible shapes: almond-shaped, tilted, crinkled, gold-flecked, silver-flecked, wide-set, close-set, deep-set, limpid, sparkling, crossed, twitching, red-veined, beady, bulging, standard, absent, original

Mouth: The teeth reflect the S'Kra Mur's carnivorous origin. They are sharper and more slender than the teeth of other races. Between the two primary fangs in the front of the mouth are four identical incisors. Behind each fang are four more interlocking "demi-fangs." Behind these demi-fangs is a gap followed by a row of interlocking molars. With the exception of the two primary fangs, which are only in the upper jaw, all of these teeth are matched on the lower jaw.

The fangs of a S'Kra Mur do not look the same as those of a snake, and S'Kra Mur are not venomous.

The S'Kra Mur's forked tongue is slender and highly maneuverable, rather than thick like a human's.

Limbs: S'Kra Mur have ten fingers and ten toes, which are capped with short claws. A S'Kra Mur's claws are somewhat blunted. (To sharpen one's claws is taboo.)

Tail: A S'Kra Mur's tail is long and slender but not prehensile. (It cannot be used to grasp things.) Nor is the tail suitable for whipping. However, the tail is flexible, and its movement and position are often indicative of the S'Kra Mur's emotions. The tail is sensitive, and to touch a S'Kra Mur's tail without permission is extremely rude. (The tail is the most private part of a S'Kra Mur's body.)

If severed, the tail can slowly re-grow, but it may be kinked at the site of the injury. If the tail is severed too close to the base, it will not re-grow. (This can be done intentionally in the smozh ceremony.) The permanent loss of one's tail is not only humiliating but results in sterilization. (The reproductive organs extend part-way into the tail.)

• Possible variations: slender tail, crooked tail, long tail, stubby tail, thick tail, kinked tail, straight tail, curving tail, original

Senses

Vision: S'Kra Mur have full color vision. In fact, they experience a deeper and more varied level of color than other races. However, this richness is counterbalanced by a weakness in focus in the eyes of both the very young and the very old. (It is not uncommon for elderly S'Kra Mur to be blind.) S'Kra Mur may have enhanced night vision.

Hearing and Touch: A S'Kra Mur's hearing and sense of touch seem to be interrelated. In addition to perceiving sound as we know it, they also perceive vibrations with both their ears and their skin. This gives them a heightened sense of proximity when listening.

Taste: The S'Kra Mur's sense of taste is neither better than nor worse than that of other races. However, they prefer spicy foods, and they do not enjoy sweets or heavily prepared foods. (They may view cakes as too sugary yet bland.) S'Kra Mur have also demonstrated a heightened ability to distinguish the freshness of raw fish, and this ability may translate to other raw meats.

Smell: S'Kra Mur have a poor sense of smell, even compared to humans.

Thermoregulation

There is conflicting information about whether S'Kra Mur are warm-blooded or cold-blooded. Being reptilian, one might assume that S'Kra Mur are cold-blooded. The official description on Play.net refers to non-S'Kra Mur as "those with warmer blood." It is common knowledge that S'Kra Mur are more tolerant of heat but more susceptible to cold. Some sources have gone so far as to say that S'Kra Mur "have no means to regulate their own temperature."

However, GMs Ellerina and Porlock refer to S'Kra Mur as "cool-blooded" or even warm-blooded. In their view, the S'Kra Mur are warm-blooded but are still more sensitive to cold and more tolerant of heat than the other races. It is generally agreed that the S'Kra Mur, though they can regulate their own temperature, may not be able to do so as efficiently as the other races.

The modern view of thermoregulation is a continuum, rather than in terms of either/or categories like "warm-blooded" and "cold-blooded." Therefore, it is quite possible that the S'Kra Mur are neither "cold-blooded" nor "warm-blooded." Rather, this species might have a metabolism that is different from -- and in some ways intermediate between -- those of modern cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals.

Reproduction

S'Kra Mur do not lay eggs; the mothers give live birth. The average period of gestation is eight months.

Although the mechanics of the reproductive act have (thankfully) not been described, GMs have stated that S'Kra Mur are physically and reproductively identical to other Squamata (scaled reptiles).

Interracial couples are shunned by mainstream S'Kra Mur society. S'Kra Mur do not have mammalian genitalia and cannot interbreed with other races. If an interracial couple has a child, the couple has either adopted, or one partner has conceived outside of the relationship.

Life Span

S'Kra Mur can live (naturally) up to 100 years, but their average life expectancy is 75 years. S'Kra Mur develop and age in step with the Human norm. However, like the other bestial races, their age is often hard for other races to discern.

S'Kra Mur

Normal	Longevity	S'Kra Mur See	Others See
0 to 14	0 to 14	a child	a child
15 to 20	15 to 20	young	young
21 to 34	21 to 34	an adult	young
35 to 44	35 to 64	in his prime	young
45 to 53	65 to 94	middle-aged	young
54 to 62	95 to 112	mature	young
63 to 70	113 to 130	venerable	elderly
71 to 77	131 to 148	elderly	elderly
78 to 86	149 to 166	aged	elderly
87 to 93	167 to 184	wizened	elderly
94 to 100	185 to 200	ancient	elderly
101+	201+	archaic	elderly

Sources

• An Introduction to S'Kra Anatomy
• Histories of the Lohogi'hhs'ur
• GMs Ellerina and Porlock (S'Kra Mur Race Champions)
• Play.net