Awesomesauces! I just ran across this thread by happenstance. I never expected fanart to materialized this long after. Thanks muchly, speaker-to-trolls!
As an addendum for any interested parties (hope springs eternal): Truth be told, way back when I started the series, I did write up a physical description of the Mulkari, but I left it out, since there was no real good place to put it in. Anyways, here and now's as good a time and place as any, I suppose.
Mulkari Physiology wrote:Biologically, the Mulkari species is carbon-based and breathes an oxygen/nitrogen mixture common to many of the inhabited worlds in the galaxy. Examination of the bodies of crew and passengers of destroyed sleeper fleets has revealed intriguing facts about the Mulkari species: their lower torso could best be described as that of a ‘centaur’, with four muscular legs, each ending in a splayed, clawed foot. Their hides are covered with a layer of small, smooth scales, with dentata so fine that it gives them the appearance of having fur. These dentata appear to function similar to whiskers in Terran mammals, allowing the Mulkari to sense the disturbance of air currents caused by the presence of prey species.
Situated low – just above where the ribcage would be on the ‘human’ part of a centaur’s body – are two short, stubby hands. Despite their size, these limbs are quite strong and appeared designed to hold struggling prey and, despite their short reach, can be used as manipulatory appendages.
The Mulkari head is oval, with a pair of deep-set eyes ideal for binocular vision. By all accounts, Mulkari eyesight is excellent. Their mouth is located on the underside of their skull, much like a shark’s, and operates in much the same manner; when biting, the Mulkari will tip their heads back and jut their mouths forward, to sink their teeth into their prey. However, this appears to be an ancestral behaviour trait; when not attacking prey animals, they will use the four pairs of tentacles that bracket either side of their jaws to hold food or manipulate eating utensils.
These tentacles are the Mulkari’s primary method of manipulating their environment and in some specimens, can be up to three feet long. They are also incredibly strong, easily capable of matching the human arm. Mulkari have been seen holding and firing pistols and even rifles with their tentacles, though larger weapons with greater recoil must be braced against their torsos. They might appear comical, but a Mulkari soldier is just as great a threat as their human counterparts can be.
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- PeZook
