Brigan
Small crustacean-like aliens, Brigan communicate through a sign-language but often prefer to link via the Vāk. Brigan history is hard to pin down, some sources indicate that they came to Dyane with the Strigo hidden aboard their ships. They form close bonds with childhood friends and often perch on the shoulders of fellow Whai.
Physiology
A very small terrestrial crustacean species that may resemble a hermit crab. They have ten sets of legs and arms (20 total); four of which are long walking legs with hardened claws for gripping the ground, four more sets are slender appendages used for manual dexterity, another much larger pair are used for intensive physical tasks and self defense, and one set of smaller hidden appendages on the back of their abdomen hold on to their protective shell. The Birgan have hardened carapace on their legs, head, and thorax. The abdomen lacks hardened exoskeleton, and is instead covered in thick skin. To protect their vulnerable abdomen, Birgan use a carved protective shell.
Birgan are very small, only a few centimeters at birth, but can grow to up to 2m long and weigh over 30kg in their old age. However, the average Brigan is roughly 50cm long and don't exceed 5kg (not including shell weight). Birgan have long lifespans, and can easily live to 150 years without any medical intervention. They grow continuously during their lifespan, molting their carapace every couple of months, and reach their average weight in around 30 years, after which their growth slows down significantly.
General Behavior
Due to their mandibles, Birgan are unable to vocalize, and have developed a sign language as their historic form of communication. After installing their Vāk, most Birgan communicate primarily via Gam, but Birgan sign language is taught to most children in communities of the Tahora Whai as the primary non-Vāk language, which allows for communication between species.
Birgan are calm minded people, good at problem solving and calculations. A Birgan can work on a task for hours on end without the need for food or other distractions. Because of this, and their excellent manual dexterity, they often work as engineers and crafters. Their small size makes them invaluable for maintenance on ships. Birgan are taught to craft from an early age, as they carve their own protective shell, called a tōrire, out of Tahora bone. This shell is constantly re-carved over a lifetime, as they outgrow their tōrire. Tattoos of a Birgan are set into the carapace, and carved into their tōrire.
Birgan are quite maneuverable in zero-g environments, using their long legs to move across surfaces. In full gravity environments, they are much less maneuverable, and have to drag their bodies across the floor. Because of this Birgan often ride on the shoulders and backs of others. Juvenile Birgan take great pleasure in sitting on the shoulders of others, and often form long lasting relationships with their childhood friends and colleagues. For many Tahora Whai, having a Birgan on your shoulder is a sign of respect and honour, and shows that you are a trustworthy individual. Birgan support their carriers by giving advice and working as a team in their daily routines, and many carriers greatly value their Birgan friends' calm and objective outlook. The Whai often say that if you have the choice between a handheld computer, and a Birgan friend, you would pick the Birgan every time.
Organisation
TBD
Culture
TBD