Toork

The Toorks (//, singular "Toork") were a mammalian sentient species from Innik, a planet in the.

Biology and appearance
The Toorks were semi-, but immediately distinguishable from other species due to their armor. Their skin was covered with folds of leathery armor, which consisted of keratinized scales in overlapping plates. While Toorks had mobility of their arms and legs similar to Humans, they had less ability to bend forward and backward because of their plates on their backs and stomachs. The armor plates had no nerves of their own, but the flesh beneath could perceive impact against them. Toork armor plates were strong enough to blunt a direct blow from a or Fyaar, although they could crack under repeated trauma. The only areas of Toork bodies not protected by plating with the insides of thighs and upper arms (shins and forearms were fully plated) and faces; Toorks had heads roughly similar to those of Humans, though usually more spherical, with plates starting at the tops of their crania. Toorks usually had plates in shades of brown, although gray, orange, and even black were not unheard of.

Toork hands had opposable thumbs, but all four fingers ended in thick, sharp claws, which, like their armor plates, were resistance to breaking. Toork feet had four clawed digits. Toorks had broad shoulders and backs.

Toorks grew hair on their heads, though it tended to be patchy and sporadic. They had long noses and deep-set eyes, which generally came in dark colors like black and brown. Though their faces had no plates, their skulls were thicker than those of most humanoids, and a Human who struck a Toork in the face with a bare fist was likely to break his knuckles without more than fazing the Toork.

Though they were herbivorous, most Toorks preferred variety roots and fungi particularly.

Toorks reproduced sexually, with females giving birth to live young after eight to nine standard months. Baby Toorks were born with very poor sight and soft claws. Their eyesight improved by a year of age, while their claws hardened within months of birth. Toorks reached full physical maturity around twenty years of age.

Female Toorks' breasts were generally covered by armor plating like male chests, but swelled with milk when they delivered their young and in the months after, temporarily dislodging the armor plating on their chests so their breasts could extend out. When the breasts deflated and armor plates fell back into place, baby Toorks were ready to be weaned.

Society and culture
Due to their evolutionary heritage, Toorks generally preferred to live underground, and their cities which were built above ground often featured buildings with no windows. Toorks were entirely comfortable in confined spaces and almost never suffer claustrophobia.

The individual family unit was the building block of Toork society, and most Toorks favored hands-off government. Individual Toorks tended to be curious by nature and difficult to intimidate.

Most Toorks who were religious practiced a form of animism based on oneness with nature. A minority believed in a single divine presence which manifested itself in a variety of forms as lesser "gods"; exoculturalists and other Toorks debated whether this should be considered monotheism or polytheism.

When the Golden Empire acquired Innik, Toork states featured dozens of languages around the planet, but Klark and Threp were the most common and influential. Most other languages began to die out when the Empire introduced Orhyo, but nearly all Toorks remained bilingual in Orhyo and at least one of their indigenous tongues.

History
Toorks evolved from digging, burrowing ancestors which created warrens for themselves and their young. As they developed sentience, they continued to prefer underground or low-to-the-ground settlements, and advanced excavating and mining technology as a result.

Many Toorks initially resisted the idea of joining the Golden Empire, as it was far more onerous than most governments they preferred. They conceded grudgingly in the face of the Empire's vastly superior military and access to the Empire's resources, but many Toorks quickly took the opportunity to move offworld and experience new cultures.

In the galaxy
Many Toorks, like Selff, found work as miners and construction workers because of their utter confidence underground. A smaller but noteworthy number found employment as bouncers and bodyguards (legitime and otherwise) because of their physical toughness. The female Toork Vaiyani was a Centurion who served as a Royal Guard to Queen Rin Sakaros.

Behind the scenes
The Toorks were heavily and obviously influenced by s.