Rumsha (AKA Labyrinthine, Mazies)
Physical:
The rumsha are a Nocturnal, subterranean people. They have a mammalian leg and arm anatomy, and generally walk on all fours. They have a fat hump that allows them to go for a long time between meals and water. All rumsha have a spiny, scaly underbelly that lets them climb almost any stone surface with ease, though the Warrior’s weight prevents them from much climbing.
Bound by a strict caste system, they have evolved different body types for each societal role. There are four castes: Worker, Warrior, Nurse, and Royalty. Only one in ten rumsha are female, and their caste is that of Nurse. Workers are approximately human height, but more burly. Warriors are monstrously large and instinctually fierce when any social protection is triggered. (Such as mentioning women or children) Nurses are fairly small with many teats for feeding nurseries. And Royalty are the size of small adult humans, and generally stand erect.
Social:
Only the Nurse and Royalty castes are educated. Workers and Warriors only know enough to do their jobs. Obviously, there are no nuclear families in rumsha society. Mating is highly organized and ritualized, serving to perpetuate the caste system. This makes their society, religion, philosophy, moral code, etc. dramatically different than that of humans. Many rumsha societies are propelled by the concept of a Cosmic Joker, who has hidden Nirvana somewhere underground.
It’s not uncommon for other races take advantage of this, by directing rumsha colonies towards valuable deposits. Then they trade the minerals and gems for paltry returns. As the rumsha are focusing on the goal of finding paradise, the material they remove on the way is of little interest to them.
This unique disposition makes them naturally friendly and almost pacifist since they rarely compete for resources and are more than happy to relocate to uncontested territory to further their search.
Rumsha wear little or no clothing with the exception of some leather armor for the Warriors and fancy clothing for the Royalty. Rumsha Royalty (referred to as Surfacers) are not technically royal, they are simply the interface between rumsha society and the rest of the world, and they try to emulate whatever race they are working with. This usually includes clothes, jewelry, and walking upright. They also go to great lengths to minimize their unique rumsha features such as whiskers, climbing barbs, and fat humps.
The Royalty stay up to date and are competent in the latest technology, doing mining, smelting, leather working, etc.
History:
Rumsha were brought to Talifar on the Shepherd Ark from a system threatened by a supernova.
Statistics:
| Worker | Warrior | Nurse | Royalty | |
| Height | 6’ | 9’ | 4’ | 5’ |
| Weight | 200 lbs. | 600 lbs. | 100 lbs. | 140 lbs. |
| Strength | 8 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Speed | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Intelligence | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Dexterity | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Toughness | 6 | 8 | 5 | 4 |
| Vision | 1(light) 3(dark) | 2(light) 4(dark) | 2(light) 3(dark) | 3(light) 4(dark) |
| Hearing | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 |
| Smell | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
| Taste | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 |
| Age | 25 | 20 | 30 | 30 |
| Reproduction | NA | NA | 20/year | NA |
| Population | 200 million | 100 million | 400 thousand | 1 million |
| Group Size | 1-5 million | .5 – 2.5 million | 2,000 – 10,000 | 100-500 |
| Diet | Insects, legumes, mold, moss, lichen, mushrooms, occasional meat | Insects, legumes, mold, moss, lichen, mushrooms, occasional meat | Meat, milk,
insects, legumes, mold, moss, lichen, mushrooms |
Meat, milk, grains |
| Regions | Subterranean in most zones | Subterranean in most zones | Subterranean in most zones | Subterranean in most zones |
| Politics | Communism | Communism | Communism | Communism |
| Religions | Monotheism | Monotheism | Monotheism | Monotheism |
| Special Abilities | Can climb on most surfaces, long times between meals, lives well in the dark. | Size and strength, long times between meals, lives well in the dark. | Can climb on most surfaces, cares for many young at once, lives well in the dark. | Can climb well, lives well in the dark. |