[Krononauts] updates 3 dolphins

[Carl Brown]

Cetacean(s): Dolphins (orcas?)
Cetaceans have an unusual sleep-state, fairly alien minds. They are a
big favourite of the New Age movement who often credit them with
paranormal powers. 
My suggestion is that natural cetaceans have Astral Projection and
Telepathy only. Their telepathy only works on other cetaceans. Their
astral forms are unable to influence or contact the 'real' world so we
remained unaware of their abilities. Most humans do not realise that Psi
is behind the alien spirituality of the cetaceans. Since uplift a few
cetaceans claim to have learned to 'tune' telepathy to contact humans.
The number able to do this is small and regarded by most as just more
New Age nonsense.
Why? Just opening up a few options and working with permutations unique
to this setting. Our use of Psi has already opened up Astral projection
and Astral Entities (PSI98). This adds utility to cetaceans as potential
plot devices, NPCs, and PCs. I'm not suggestion Psi for any other
non-humans only cetaceans.
An astrally projecting cetacean can get its ghost brain into the sphere
of the time machine his projected form goes back it time. While in the
past his astral form be equivalent to Astral Entity (Compendium I p96).
Dolphin
(Tursiops XXX)
Species Total +71pt 
Germ-line engineering has produced two sentient dolphin species with
citizen level intelligence. The smaller of the two species is descended
from Tursiops truncatus and commonly called dolphins or 'phins. The
larger species are orcas. Several unaltered dolphin species have
qualified for Minor citizenship. The mental processes of dolphins
operate very differently from humanity but still produce workable
solutions to problems. The dolphin brain makes greater use of intuition,
self-awareness, and the unusual sleep-state of partial consciousness.
Dolphin languages are of sound and sonar images. Dolphin names are
whistles communicating lineage on the mother's side. 'Phin names like
'Second daughter of Koombana Bay Pod's Matriarch's eldest sister'
translate clumsily into English and 'phins encourage humans to whistle
names as best they can. A 'phin calls its own name, varying the pitch,
to express emotion instead laughter, crying etc.
Some dolphin pods are multi-species with 'minor' citizens, and even
animals coexisting with dolphin citizens. However, mixed pods are not as
common as those of a single species. Pods consist of a matriarch, her
sisters and their children. Adult males form fiercely competitive
'alliances' that are associated with one or more pods. Lone dolphins are
usually older males who have out-lived the others in their alliance.
Dolphin society makes no division between work and home, pods and
alliances live and work as a unit.
Relations between Homo sapiens and Tursiops XXX are many layered. As
individuals humans and 'phins can work well together and lone dolphins
often form friendships with humans, but the legacy of humankind's
genocide of the cetaceans refuses to be buried in the assemblies of
governments, UN and rougher bars. The sexual practices of dolphins are
notorious but often dolphin sex has the social connotations of a hug
among humans.
Physically 'phins are larger than humans (averaging 200kg). They are
indistinguishable from their wild relatives but internal modifications
included greater convolution of the cerebral cortex, altered larynx, and
improved eyesight. Their modified flippers can double as grasping paws.
They are able to speak human languages with a thick 'accent'.

ST +6 (60) DX +2 (+20), IQ ? (-10), HT +2 (+20)

Species Advantages: 3D spatial sense (10), Acute Hearing +3 (6),
Alertness +2 (10), Enhanced Move (swimming x1) (10), Extra Hit Points +1
(5), Extra Fatigue +4 (12), Intuition (15), Independently focusable eyes
(15) Oxygen Storage (14), Peripheral Vision (15), 3D Spatial Sense (10),
Pressure Support (10), Temperature Tolerance +2 (2), Semi-Sleep (10),
Sonic Vision (25), Sonar as Empathy within 2 hexes (8), Ultrasonic
Speech (25). 
Subtotal: 202
Psionics: Astral Projection 1 (3) Telepathy 1 (limitation dolphins only
-40% 2pt)
Psionic skills: Astral Projection (1/2), Astral Sight (1/2), Aspect
(1/2), Emotion sense (1/2)
These are the only Powers 'phins ever develop, they can learn other
skill within these powers. The limitation on telepathy can be bought
off.
Subtotal: 7

Species Disadvantages: Aquatic (-40), Chummy (-5), Distractible (-1),
Dull (-1), Horizontal (-10), Inconvenient Size (10), Increased Life
Support* 1 level (-10), Bad Grip (-10), Short arms (-10) Short-life span
x2 (-20), Stuttering (-10), Social Stigma Minority (-10), Staid (-1).
Subtotal -138

Genetic modifications added +1IQ, Reduced Alertness by 1, changed Mute
to Stuttering, changed No Fine Manipulators for Bad Grip and short arms.
I have also removed Bestial. Though the Biotech rules do not explicitly
state it can be removed at TL9 raised IQ and allowance of other cultural
changes implies it is removable.
*Life Support Note: no drinking water needed but an additional mass of
wet food equal to 2x the usual water requirement needed. 

Where technology is used sophisticated speech/sonar recognition and
automation has reduced hands to merely an interface option in the
society of 2100+. However, some 'phins have employed cybernetics or
biotech to enhance their manipulatory abilities or for other reasons.
Given the penetrating nature of sonar all such enhancements, including
those below, gain the owner a Hideous Appearance (other dolphins only
-40% -12pt) as well. 





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