TRAVELLER LIBRARY DATA: SIMIOIDS

LIBRARY DATA:

SIMIOIDS

a.k.a. Gorilloids, Squatches, Ape-men

Terran experimentation with uplifting animals to sentience is well known, and when the Spinward Marches was first being colonized many of the Solomani human settlers were accompanied by sentient animal colonists. The famous, and terribly annoying talking dolphins of Loneseda are among the most widely known group of such uplifted animals in the Marches, but not the most widespread. The most commonly encountered uplifts are actually the Simioids, a race created by Old Earth scientists by modifying the DNA of the Great Apes of Earth. While Simioids have been created from Gorilla, Chimpanzee and Orangutan DNA sources, they generally favor the gorilla in general appearance; there is only one species of Simioid in the Marches, 

The Simioids average 10% taller than human average and 30% greater in mass, and are often amazingly strong. However, they are noticeably dim and have trouble in social situations, especially when dealing with groups more than a dozen or two. They look like slim gorillas with a man-like bipedal posture. Most are covered with black or black and grey hair, although some have been known to have reddish hair (indicating some Orangutan ancestry). 

There is no planet in the Marches where the Simioids are the majority species. They tend to live in villages in the mountains or forests of various planets with breathable atmospheres. Simioids often live at a tech level below that of the rest of the world. Simioids can also be found in some major cities of low and middle tech worlds, where their great strength is in high demand for physical labor. While Simioids occasionally can be found in any of the career common to galatic travelers, they are only very infrequently seen on Naval vessels or in the various government bureaus or diplomatic offices.

The rumor surfaces now and again that the Simioids were created by direct or assisted crossbreeding between humans and gorillas, often citing documented projects by the old Earth dictator Josef Stalin to attempt such a cross breed. However, DNA analysis shows that the gene sculpting of great ape DNA is the more likely route.

(Game Stats: simioids gain +4 Strength, +2 Endurance, -2 Dex, -2 Int, -2 Social and ignore the effects of a “Graze” result in combat)