Dralasite
Encyclopedia
Dralasites are a fictional
extraterrestrial race
that have been featured as player character
options in several role-playing game
s (RPGs). In each incarnation they have been described as short, rubbery, gray amoeboid
creatures capable of changing their form to a limited extent by extending and retracting pseudopod
s.
science fiction
role-playing game published in 1982 by TSR, Inc.
as well as the closely related Alpha Dawn
strategy game that soon followed.
Gogol, a Dralasite child, appeared in the Star Rangers and the Spy installment of Fantasy Forest
gamebooks in the same style as the Choose Your Own Adventure
adventure series. Gogol was one of several compatriots of the juvenile protagonist and was depicted in the book's cover art.
In the 1990s, Dralasites were introduced as part of that same company's Spelljammer
game setting, a somewhat steampunk
fantasy
approach to space exploration
for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
.
In 2004, Dralasites were included in d20 Future
, a science fiction supplement to the d20 Modern
RPG published by Wizards of the Coast
.
Though they are a higher form of multi-cellular life and are approximately as intelligent as human beings, Dralasite have some similarities to amoeba
s in that they have no bones or hard body parts. The Dralasite central nerve bundle (brain
), numerous small heart
s and other internal organs float in a mixture of protein
and organic fluids.
Their skin is a flexible membrane
that is very tough and rough-textured. A network of nerves and veins on the surface of the Dralasite's skin intersects at a Dralasites's two eye spots. They see shapes and light and darkness very clearly, and can see a difference between distinct colors (blue and green, for example) as one being darker than the other, but they do not see actual colors. The most important sense for a Dralasites is smell. They breathe directly through their skin, and the entire membrane is sensitive to odors. Their sense of smell is so keen they can identify persons by smell alone and can recognize familiar smells on objects or persons. The membrane also is sensitive to touch and to vibrations, allowing Dralasites to hear and feel.
As described in the original Star Frontiers rulebook, the keen senses of Dralasites allows them to detect lies told to them 5% of the time, a percentage that can be improved by the expenditure of experience points during a RPG campaign
. While Dralasite in d20 Future retain their heightened senses, they do not have a special lie detection ability in these latter rules.
Because of their physiology:
Dralasite are omnivore
s but lack a gastrointestinal tract
. Instead they consume their food by surrounding it and sealing it inside their body until absorbed. Having no lung
s, Dralasites breathe by absorbing oxygen
directly through their skin and speak by forming a mouth through which air is forced by a mechanism that works like a bellows
. A Dralasite's voice can vary from a soft whisper to a thundering roar and from a bass rumble to a piercing screech. Among themselves, they also use shapes, skin patterns and touch to communicate.
, males release spore
s into the air which drift until they become attached to a female. A young Dralasite then "buds
" off its mother, eventually maturing and dropping off.
Other intelligent races have noted that Dralasite have an over-developed sense of humor:
As for their relationship with other races:
Despite the above generalizations about their personality types, Dralasite have been encountered in a variety of roles, including merchant
s, organized crime
figures, bureaucrat
s, etc.
or movies, Dralasites have remained a fixture for almost 30 years not only in RPG publications, but in the culture of the people who enjoy these games. For example, a website
called "Star Frontiers New Network" offers material such as the following:
Perhaps because of their preferences for corny humor as described in official sources, or because of their blob
-like appearance, the topic of Dralasites has often been treated humorously by fandom
. A list of 100 (actually 46) Dralasite "facts" composed spontaneously composed by the participants in a Star Frontiers chat group
includes items such as "# Drals in a blender
is messy, in the dryer
it really really funny looking" and What do Drals and Jell-O
Pudding Pops have in common? Lick one and tell us."
A fan-author informs us:
The short essay proceeds with detailed discuss of Dralasite eating habits including their "favorite scents, flavors, and foodstuffs". The Star Frontiersman, a magazine published in PDF form and offering "more old school sci-fi goodness" regularly offers Dralasite-related content such as a description of Dralasite martial artists with such character concepts as "Protector of the Oppressed" and "The Angry Blob". Another online source provides a humorous description of an NPC
called Dreebla "The Dralasite Singing Sensation" accompanied by tongue-in-cheek illustrations including one of the creature in question pole dancing
.
Some particular tech-savvy fans are including Dralasites in their Star Frontiers computer game.
While most commonly discussed in the context of officially licensed game settings, Star Frontiers most especially, this distinctive race has also been included in various "home made" game worlds.
Extraterrestrial life in popular culture
In popular cultures, "extraterrestrials" are life forms — especially intelligent life forms— that are of extraterrestrial origin .-Historical ideas:-Pre-modern:...
extraterrestrial race
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
that have been featured as player character
Player character
A player character or playable character is a character in a video game or role playing game who is controlled or controllable by a player, and is typically a protagonist of the story told in the course of the game. A player character is a persona of the player who controls it. Player characters...
options in several role-playing game
Role-playing game
A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting, or through a process of structured decision-making or character development...
s (RPGs). In each incarnation they have been described as short, rubbery, gray amoeboid
Amoeboid
Amoeboids are single-celled life-forms characterized by an irregular shape."Amoeboid" and "amœba" are often used interchangeably even by biologists, and especially refer to a creature moving by using pseudopodia. Most references to "amoebas" or "amoebae" are to amoeboids in general rather than to...
creatures capable of changing their form to a limited extent by extending and retracting pseudopod
Pseudopod
Pseudopods or pseudopodia are temporary projections of eukaryotic cells. Cells that possess this faculty are generally referred to as amoeboids. Pseudopodia extend and contract by the reversible assembly of actin subunits into microfilaments...
s.
History
These aliens first appeared as part of the Star FrontiersStar Frontiers
Star Frontiers is a science fiction role-playing game produced by TSR beginning in 1982. The game offered a space-opera action-adventure setting.- Setting :...
science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
role-playing game published in 1982 by TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc.
Blume and Gygax, the remaining owners, incorporated a new company called TSR Hobbies, Inc., with Blume and his father, Melvin Blume, owning the larger share. The former assets of the partnership were transferred to TSR Hobbies, Inc....
as well as the closely related Alpha Dawn
Star Frontiers
Star Frontiers is a science fiction role-playing game produced by TSR beginning in 1982. The game offered a space-opera action-adventure setting.- Setting :...
strategy game that soon followed.
Gogol, a Dralasite child, appeared in the Star Rangers and the Spy installment of Fantasy Forest
Fantasy Forest
Fantasy Forest is the name of a series of ten Choose Your Own Adventure style gamebooks, published by TSR, Inc. from 1983 to 1984. They are aimed at younger readers and mostly take place in the fantasy world of the popular Dungeons and Dragons role playing game, except for two which are set in the...
gamebooks in the same style as the Choose Your Own Adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure
Choose Your Own Adventure is a series of children's gamebooks where each story is written from a second-person point of view, with the reader assuming the role of the protagonist and making choices that determine the main character's actions and the plot's outcome. The series was based on a...
adventure series. Gogol was one of several compatriots of the juvenile protagonist and was depicted in the book's cover art.
In the 1990s, Dralasites were introduced as part of that same company's Spelljammer
Spelljammer
Spelljammer is a campaign setting for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, which features a fantastical outer space environment....
game setting, a somewhat steampunk
Steampunk
Steampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, and speculative fiction that came into prominence during the 1980s and early 1990s. Steampunk involves a setting where steam power is still widely used—usually Victorian era Britain or "Wild West"-era United...
fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
approach to space exploration
Space exploration
Space exploration is the use of space technology to explore outer space. Physical exploration of space is conducted both by human spaceflights and by robotic spacecraft....
for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
.
In 2004, Dralasites were included in d20 Future
D20 Future
d20 Future is an accessory for the d20 Modern role-playing game written by Christopher Perkins, Rodney Thompson, and JD Wiker. It facilitates the playing of campaigns in the far future, using elements such as cybernetics, mecha, mutations, robotics, space travel, starships, and xenobiology...
, a science fiction supplement to the d20 Modern
D20 Modern
d20 Modern is a roleplaying game designed by Bill Slavicsek, Jeff Grubb, Rich Redman, and Charles Ryan. It was published by Wizards of the Coast in November 2002, and uses the d20 System...
RPG published by Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
.
Basic physiology
Dralasite are about 1.3 meters tall and 1 meter wide. They weigh about 65 kg and have a body temperature of 30°C. Their average life span is 250 years.Though they are a higher form of multi-cellular life and are approximately as intelligent as human beings, Dralasite have some similarities to amoeba
Amoeba
Amoeba is a genus of Protozoa.History=The amoeba was first discovered by August Johann Rösel von Rosenhof in 1757. Early naturalists referred to Amoeba as the Proteus animalcule after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his shape...
s in that they have no bones or hard body parts. The Dralasite central nerve bundle (brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
), numerous small heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
s and other internal organs float in a mixture of protein
Protein
Proteins are biochemical compounds consisting of one or more polypeptides typically folded into a globular or fibrous form, facilitating a biological function. A polypeptide is a single linear polymer chain of amino acids bonded together by peptide bonds between the carboxyl and amino groups of...
and organic fluids.
Their skin is a flexible membrane
Biological membrane
A biological membrane or biomembrane is an enclosing or separatingmembrane that acts as a selective barrier, within or around a cell. It consists of a lipid bilayer with embedded proteins that may constitute close to 50% of membrane content...
that is very tough and rough-textured. A network of nerves and veins on the surface of the Dralasite's skin intersects at a Dralasites's two eye spots. They see shapes and light and darkness very clearly, and can see a difference between distinct colors (blue and green, for example) as one being darker than the other, but they do not see actual colors. The most important sense for a Dralasites is smell. They breathe directly through their skin, and the entire membrane is sensitive to odors. Their sense of smell is so keen they can identify persons by smell alone and can recognize familiar smells on objects or persons. The membrane also is sensitive to touch and to vibrations, allowing Dralasites to hear and feel.
As described in the original Star Frontiers rulebook, the keen senses of Dralasites allows them to detect lies told to them 5% of the time, a percentage that can be improved by the expenditure of experience points during a RPG campaign
Campaign (role-playing games)
In role-playing games, a campaign is a continuing storyline or set of adventures, typically involving the same characters. The purpose of the continuing storyline is to introduce a further aspect into the game: that of development, improvement, and growth of the characters. In a campaign, a...
. While Dralasite in d20 Future retain their heightened senses, they do not have a special lie detection ability in these latter rules.
Per d20 Future rules:
- Scent (Ex): A Dralasite gains the scent ability.
- Skill Bonus: Due to their inscrutable facial expressions and their uncanny knack for reading others, Dralasite gain a +2 species bonus on Bluff and Sense Motive checks.
Because of their physiology:
Dralasite do not normally wear clothing, because it makes breathing difficult and interferes with their sense of smell. They usually carry their equipment on web belts. When they must wear clothing to protect themselves, they use special materials that let air reach their skin.
Dralasite are omnivore
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
s but lack a gastrointestinal tract
Gastrointestinal tract
The human gastrointestinal tract refers to the stomach and intestine, and sometimes to all the structures from the mouth to the anus. ....
. Instead they consume their food by surrounding it and sealing it inside their body until absorbed. Having no lung
Lung
The lung is the essential respiration organ in many air-breathing animals, including most tetrapods, a few fish and a few snails. In mammals and the more complex life forms, the two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart...
s, Dralasites breathe by absorbing oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
directly through their skin and speak by forming a mouth through which air is forced by a mechanism that works like a bellows
Bellows
A bellows is a device for delivering pressurized air in a controlled quantity to a controlled location.Basically, a bellows is a deformable container which has an outlet nozzle. When the volume of the bellows is decreased, the air escapes through the outlet...
. A Dralasite's voice can vary from a soft whisper to a thundering roar and from a bass rumble to a piercing screech. Among themselves, they also use shapes, skin patterns and touch to communicate.
Limbs
Dralasite usually travel with triped locomotion by forming three short legs, but bipedal and quadrupedal motion are possible as well. Dralasite typically form one or two manipulative limbs (arms with mitten-like hands) for any given task. Being approximately as dextrous as human beings, the formation of more than two or three hands simultaneously rarely benefits the ease at which a task may be accomplished.Reproduction
All Dralasite go through male, female and asexual stages during their lives. These phases can be controlled with medicines. In order to reproduceBiological reproduction
Reproduction is the biological process by which new "offspring" individual organisms are produced from their "parents". Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; each individual organism exists as the result of reproduction...
, males release spore
Spore
In biology, a spore is a reproductive structure that is adapted for dispersal and surviving for extended periods of time in unfavorable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many bacteria, plants, algae, fungi and some protozoa. According to scientist Dr...
s into the air which drift until they become attached to a female. A young Dralasite then "buds
Budding
Budding is a form of asexual reproduction in which a new organism grows on another one. The new organism remains attached as it grows, separating from the parent organism only when it is mature. Since the reproduction is asexual, the newly created organism is a clone and is genetically identical...
" off its mother, eventually maturing and dropping off.
Society
As described in the original Star Frontiers rulebook:
Dralasite are philosophicalPhilosophyPhilosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
and thoughtful. Their communities are small, and many Dralasite prefer to live alone. Dralasite do not care about wealth, power or status symbols. They judge themselves by the quality of their ideas and their ability to discuss important ideas wisely. Dralasite often hold large public meetings to discuss new ideas. Discussions and debates are among their favorite ways to relax. Steam baths are another favorite Dralasites recreation. They mix perfumePerfumePerfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and/or aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces "a pleasant scent"...
s and intoxicants with the steam. These affect Dralasite the same way alcohol does a Human...
Other intelligent races have noted that Dralasite have an over-developed sense of humor:
They love old jokeJokeA joke is a phrase or a paragraph with a humorous twist. It can be in many different forms, such as a question or short story. To achieve this end, jokes may employ irony, sarcasm, word play and other devices...
s and punPunThe pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
s that make Humans groan. Many human comedianComedianA comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
s who could not find work in Human cities have become rich performing on Dralasite worlds.
As for their relationship with other races:
Dralasites are very fond of Vrusk, because they think Vrusk have funny shapes. They get along well with Humans but are careful not to upset Yazirians, who they consider too violent.
Despite the above generalizations about their personality types, Dralasite have been encountered in a variety of roles, including merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
s, organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
figures, bureaucrat
Bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy and can comprise the administration of any organization of any size, though the term usually connotes someone within an institution of a government or corporation...
s, etc.
Fandom
While probably never having crossed over to televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
or movies, Dralasites have remained a fixture for almost 30 years not only in RPG publications, but in the culture of the people who enjoy these games. For example, a website
Website
A website, also written as Web site, web site, or simply site, is a collection of related web pages containing images, videos or other digital assets. A website is hosted on at least one web server, accessible via a network such as the Internet or a private local area network through an Internet...
called "Star Frontiers New Network" offers material such as the following:
There was a Dralasite's Rights protest at Port Loren about 10 days ago as the Dralasite Equality Foundation has been trying to raise awareness of the plight of Dralasite discrimination across the frontier...Many of the crowd and their supporters had hoped that having the protest this close to the upcoming elections would help to have the Dralasite problem heard.
Perhaps because of their preferences for corny humor as described in official sources, or because of their blob
Blob
- In biology :* Blob , sections of the visual cortex where groups of color-sensitive neurons assemble* Globster, an unidentified organic mass that washes up on the shoreline of an ocean or other body of water...
-like appearance, the topic of Dralasites has often been treated humorously by fandom
Fandom
Fandom is a term used to refer to a subculture composed of fans characterized by a feeling of sympathy and camaraderie with others who share a common interest...
. A list of 100 (actually 46) Dralasite "facts" composed spontaneously composed by the participants in a Star Frontiers chat group
Chat room
The term chat room, or chatroom, is primarily used by mass media to describe any form of synchronous conferencing, occasionally even asynchronous conferencing...
includes items such as "# Drals in a blender
Blender
A blender is a kitchen appliance for chopping or liquefying food.Blender may also refer to:Media:* Blender , a music-themed magazine* Blender , a free and open-source software program for 3D modeling, animation, and rendering...
is messy, in the dryer
Dryer
A dryer most commonly means:* Hair dryer* Hand dryer* Clothes dryer, also known as a tumble-dryer* Belt dryer* Cereal dryer, for food preservation* Desiccant, a substance that absorbs or adsorbs water...
it really really funny looking" and What do Drals and Jell-O
Jell-O
Jell-O is a brand name belonging to U.S.-based Kraft Foods for a number of gelatin desserts, including fruit gels, puddings and no-bake cream pies. The brand's popularity has led to it being used as a generic term for gelatin dessert across the U.S. and Canada....
Pudding Pops have in common? Lick one and tell us."
A fan-author informs us:
Dralasites are a restaurateur's favorite client, as they tend to eat almost anything, as long as it is scented and seasoned to taste: "It all ends up at the same place, anyway," as the famous Dral philosopher Otuumbagee once said. Despite their willingness to swallow anything which has been flavored properly, there are some foods which Dralasites savor and some which they often despise.
The short essay proceeds with detailed discuss of Dralasite eating habits including their "favorite scents, flavors, and foodstuffs". The Star Frontiersman, a magazine published in PDF form and offering "more old school sci-fi goodness" regularly offers Dralasite-related content such as a description of Dralasite martial artists with such character concepts as "Protector of the Oppressed" and "The Angry Blob". Another online source provides a humorous description of an NPC
Non-player character
A non-player character , sometimes known as a non-person character or non-playable character, in a game is any fictional character not controlled by a player. In electronic games, this usually means a character controlled by the computer through artificial intelligence...
called Dreebla "The Dralasite Singing Sensation" accompanied by tongue-in-cheek illustrations including one of the creature in question pole dancing
Pole dance
Pole dance is a form of performing art, a combination of dance and gymnastics. It involves dancing and performing acrobatic tricks with a vertical pole and is an increasingly popular form of fitness and dance, practised by many enthusiasts in gyms or dedicated dance studios...
.
Some particular tech-savvy fans are including Dralasites in their Star Frontiers computer game.
While most commonly discussed in the context of officially licensed game settings, Star Frontiers most especially, this distinctive race has also been included in various "home made" game worlds.