Dhamrin

"The universe provides for those with the serenity to accept."

The dhamrin are descended from an aquatic creature similar to the octopus, but after centuries of adaptation, they evolved into land-dwellers. Among humans, these hexipedal, tentacled creatures evoke both awe and nostalgia because they look the way humans once thought aliens should. Members of other species often use terms such as "ethereal" or "gossamer" to describe them because they appear physically weak, but a dhamrin's ability to heft a heavy load in a single tentacle quickly abolishes such misconceptions.

The typical dhamrin stands between 3-1/2 and 6 feet tall. Its form resembles that of a large cephalopod or amphibian, and its skin color varies from eggshell white to mocha brown. A dhamrin stands on four thick tentacles that sprout from the lower two-thirds of its slimy, sinuous trunk. Its upper tentacles are nearly as thick as its torso, and each ends in two fingers and an opposable thumb. Its ovular head sits atop a long, flexible neck, with the base of the skull resting just behind its short jaw. An indentation in the rear of the dhamrin's skull aligns with the spinal column, and the skull comes to separate rounded points centered on the hemispheres of its brain. A dhamrin's wide eyes may be any shade from deep blue to purple, and the pupils are dilated at all times.

The dhamrin race has two genders, and the differences between them are obvious. A female has breasts as secondary sexual characteristics and for feeding her young. The bicameral split at the back of the head is more pronounced in females than in males, and the female's skull slopes slightly upward along those points, whereas a male's slopes slightly down.

Members of other species are often on edge in the company of dhamrin, primarily because the creatures rarely stop moving -- some part of a dhamrin's body is constantly stretching or undulating. The dhamrin's incredible agility ensures that it is rarely touched against its will, but it also makes the creature appear somewhat skittish to others. In like manner, the hallmark dhamrin traits of tenacity and patience are often misinterpreted as docility and cowardice. Dhamrin speak only rarely, since they prefer to communicate with one another telepathically.

Despite their relatively peaceful inclinations, dhamrin do not hesitate to attack if provoked, though considerable abuse is normally required to provoke them. They mate for life, and both parents are more than willing to kill any creature that threatens their offspring. Typically, a dhamrin attacks by choking a foe's main airway with a single tentacle, though it can attack with two of its tentacles at a time by leaping on a foe larger than itself.

At present, most dhamrin serve the medurr, though a few roam the stars as free creatures. Those that are enslaved inhabit the same worlds as their masters do and appear satisfied with their role as slaves -- in fact, they consider servitude their fate, in accordance with certain ancient prophecies. Thus, the dhamrin serve willingly, approaching their tasks with the unwavering conviction that their state is the right and proper one for them, and that all is as it was meant to be.