Enciclopedia Xenobiológica

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Species: Gannath

Homeworld: Opta (Latterly: The Brasília-like "new city" homeworld of Nath.)

Size: 2.5m at full extension, 1.8m at standing height, 1m in attack posture.

Color & Markings: The Gannath are the only sentient arachnoid species in the known galaxy. Third party photos and holos seem to show the six-legged Gannath as having a yellow-and-black hide of unknown, hair-like filaments, which seem to act more like cilia or flagellum. Four prominent black eyes dominate their "face", such as it is, but they are nearly impossible to read for emotion, tone or tenor. Reproduction & Development: Much like how evolution on Tierra has made and remade crabs at different points over the past 250 million years, the planet Opta seems to have independently produced convergent evolution of non-terran "spiders". From what can be gathered in Grasskan texts, the Gannath do seem to share many features with spiders, including venom, extruded silk, hydraulic limbs, and a spider-like diet. But there are also wild differences, such as multi-chambered hearts, live births, and a long lifespan.

Diet: Hematophagous/Carnivorous

Lifespan: 180-200 years

Language: Hatar

Social Structure: Everything about Gannath daily life, family life, and community life are complete mysteries to the Empire. We know next to nothing. From the reports of other species, it appears that the organizational name of the "The Gannath Alliance" is a massive misnomer. In the tradition of names like "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea" (20th C), "The Direct Democratic States of the Arabian Peninsula (22nd C), or "The Holy Roman Empire" (9th C), there is no "Alliance" to be found in the planets of "The Gannath Alliance". They are a pure fascistic state under the rule of one authoritarian leader for the past 120 years. And while no humans have been able to give first-hand reports, traders in Grasskan and Duvell ports tell tales of a police state ruled by cruelty.

Intelligence Rating: Unknown. Untested by the Chatterjee Institute.

Interaction with Humans: The Gannath Alliance is known to humanity mainly through second-hand accounts of spacefarers, the written histories of other species, and exceedingly rare interactions in third-party spaceports and cities. In the early decades of the Cruz drive, familia adventurer Dr. Flavio Cruz (nephew to the first Emperor Conrado Cruz), was granted an exploration drive ship to "explora y amplia el conocimiento de la Familia". After discovering Tin and Slaughter, his ship sent one last slow-wave message home indicating an excited arrival in Alliance space. He was never heard from again.