Culture

Tulsans have a rich and diverse culture reminiscent of the human Victorian age. Gender roles play an important part in daily life, and unfortunately misogyny is widely accepted by both genders as the norm. In fact, Tulsans consider segregation and intolerance a sign of complex and advanced societies. Because of this, the two main races or subspecies of Tulsans are highly segregated. The more sophisticated, condescending Reds [placeholder name] (represented by the adult female) consider themselves more civilized, refined, and intelligent than the more ruff-and-tumble Blues [also a placeholder] (represented by the adult male). The Blues were in fact enslaved by the Reds for centuries if not millennia before Tulsans became spacefaring. The two races are still highly opposed and separate (side note: they aren't really that genetically different. Any Tulsan can reproduce with any other Tulsan.)

While condescending to other "uncivilized" races, Tulsans are actually amicable and friendly. They prefer avid debate over actual physical conflict.

Government

Tulsans were, according to all accounts, the first sophont to become spacefaring. They first encountered the Humans, who were also divided into two groups. The wealthy, elite Reds allied with the overbearing Terran Humans against the poor, rough Blues and even rougher Martian Humans in a long war, which involved other races as well.

The Tulsan Empire (Reds and Terrans), ruled by a monarchial dynasty restricted slightly by a parliament, spread across the galaxy discovering other races and attempted to “civilize” and assimilate them. (This included the passive Kin and the adamant warrior Tellurians.) Assimilation was usually as non-violent as possible, as Tulsans saw it as “helping an inferior race” to become more educated. Thus their freely-gifted but with strings-attached technology was adapted by many races, especially the Voltians and Humans.

The Martian Confederacy (Blues and Martians) won over other species (or factions of species) that were unwilling to have their culture systematically wiped out or suppressed.

Currently there is peace between the Tulsan Empire (Reds and Terrans) and the Martian Confederacy (Blues and Martians), yet as the two largest and most powerful political forces in the galaxy, there is still a lot of tension over who governs what.

Biology

Tulsans are humanoid amphibians and can survive in liquid fresh or salt water (depending on the environment in which they hatched). They begin life as an egg laid by females after about 4 months after fertilization, a process almost identical to human fertilization. Babies hatch 3 months after being laid, as small, limbless pollywogs. They grow arms and then legs as they mature, and lose their tales and gain the ability to breathe out of water at puberty.

Their bioluminescent patches don't develop until puberty and only glow when they experience strong emotion.

Tulsans have rough but slimy skin which requires a moist environment, thus they keep to densely humid habitats that are oppressive to other races. That being said, they can survive in human and Aggregate atmospheric conditions with only mild discomfort for several weeks before dehydration sets in. The average lifespan for a Tulsan is around 90 human years.

Reds have short shouts and warmer color schemes, while Blues have longer shouts, cooler color schemes, and scales on various parts of their bodies.

The following is additional, extra, slightly unnecessary lore ;)

Diet

Tulsans pride themselves in their devotion to delicious, exotic foods, and can eat a surprising variety of cuisines, from Human to Kin and even Aggregate sustenance. Thus they are omnivores, with meats typically being a side dish or delicacy.

Relationships

Tulsans form strong friendship bonds between members of the same gender. However, these bonds don’t extend very deep; Tulsans rarely make themselves verbally vulnerable. Tulsans do make friends with members of other species, even if they consider the race as a whole inferior to theirs.

Males are attracted to females and court them over a period of several months, getting to know the female’s family. These courtships are often arranged by parents, and marriage lasts for life. Divorce is shameful, and while females are excommunicated from society for the rare infidelity, males can often get away with it when unfaithfulness does occur.

Homosexuality/bisexuality are the only sexual/gender deviations from heterosexuality that occur, although such individuals make up a ridiculously minute if not non-existent portion of the population. When it does occur, such individuals are ridiculed, shunned, suppressed, and in rare cases, executed as abominations.

Technology

Tulsans are probably the most advanced race technologically, at least in applicable technology. They were the first to develop space faring ships, terraforming technology, and sentient AIs. They developed, with the help of the Kallians (a relationship often denied by Tulsan historians), gateways connecting vastly separated locations, allow for faster-than-light travel and communication. (These gateways fold 3 dimensional space using the/a 4th spatial dimension. While it still takes time, usually days to months, to travel between the two gates, it drastically cuts down the billions of years needed to cover such distances normally).

Tulsans also possess rarely used but devastating weapons capable of destroying the surface of an entire hemisphere, along with * science words * high-tech firearms.

This species also has advanced medical technology that has largely eliminated Tulsan pathogens, and includes advanced prosthetics and gene editing. Life prolonging technology is generally frowned upon since “everyone meets their death”, so why not meet it like a gentleman at a natural time.

Ok hopefully that wasn’t *too boring :) Feel free to ask any questions and offer cc or suggestions!*