Taking a bit longer then expected, so here's my nearly finished race, I'm hoping to finish this tomorrow along with a character. :D

[hider=Lanun]
[center][h2]Lanun[/h2][/center]

[b]Home Planet:[/b] Lanuria

[b]Brief Summary of their Home Planet:[/b] Lanuria is a terrestrial world, slightly smaller then the Earth. Like Earth it has a nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere, but unlike Earth about 85% of the surface is covered in ocean, with wet environments on rough terrain like rainforests and marshes covering most of the land. Scientific evidence suggests that the planet once had greater land coverage and was in fact home to another species of similar intelligence to the Lanun which went extinct when the oceans grew to cover most of the planet for unknown reasons. Despite the lack of space, the amphibious Lanun have developed the technology to build sprawling urban centers on both land and sea, many of which serve as cultural and cosmopolitan trade hubs throughout the galaxy.

Lanuria possesses a thriving ecosystem, with most of the deeply diverse wildlife being amphibious or entirely aquatic. Among the more famous animals inhabiting Lanuria are Sokacs, predatory amphibians described as something of a cross between a wolf and a shark, and Yeronids, a strange amorphous creature that exist both in the wild and as domesticated house pets. Objectively the most famous animal on Lanuria, however, is the [url=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vN2DlGb6NQ/TmwOz0L5r7I/AAAAAAAAAE0/hd1s2jBKc6w/s1600/water_dragon_by_alphapower-d47riai.jpg]Losynek Drake[/url], a draconic sea creature well-regarded for its grace, beauty, and intelligence. The Drake is held with such high regard by the Lanun that it has come to serve as a symbol not just for the planet but for the Lanun people as well. Using advanced eco-friendly technology, the Lanun have been able to build a civilization on their world that coincides peacefully with the myriad of wildlife that inhabits their world.

[b]Empires This Race Belongs To:[/b] Most Lanun fall under the banner of the Lanurian Collective.

[b]Member of the Galactic Federation?:[/b] Yes!

[b]Number of Colonies:[/b] 16

[b]General Appearance:[/b] Hailing from an aquatic world, the diminutive and lithe Lanun share similar biological and physical features with aqautic creatures across the galaxy. They are warm-blooded amphibians who lay clutches of eggs, often up to a dozen, rather then having live births. Typically standing around five feet tall, the Lanun have smooth, sleek skin that comes in cool, aquatic colors, with retractable flaps under their arms and on the sides of their necks and shoulders that come in more vibrant shades. They have slim but wiry musculature, and their four fingered hands are webbed and end in claws, while their digitigrade legs end in three-toed cloven hooves. 

A capacious set of lungs among other features allow them to hold their breath underwater for nearly an hour at a time, and their four eyes, normally colored in the same vibrant shades as their arm flaps, can see incredibly well both below and above the waves. The Lanun also have pointed horns on their head, and while they are omnivores most Lanun prefer high-energy diets of meats and starches. They are also built for wet environments, and need special treatments in order to survive for long periods of time in arid or dry regions. Males and females are sometimes difficult to distinguish from one another, though males usually have more pronounced horns then the females and a slightly more top-heavy build.

[b]Average Life Span:[/b] They have a similar life span to humans.

[b]Galactic Rarity:[/b] The Lanun are quite common in the Galaxy, especially in wet or terrestrial worlds.

[b]Primary Governmental Structure:[/b] The Lanurian Collective is what can best be described as undergoing the transition from an imperial monarchy to a constitutional monarchy. Due to efforts both inside and outside of Lanurian society, a powerful head of state is being phased away in favor of elected councils and sub-councils who can better manage planetary affairs then a singular ruler. For the most part the Councils are the de facto heads of state for the Collective, though the royal family does tend to dictate the direction in which the Collective is going, so to say.

[b]Brief Description of Culture:[/b] The Lanun are great believers in the power of change, harmony, and innovation. Always looking to the future, they tend to view the world around them in a state of flux, and that rather then fight the chaos it is best to take things as they come and to keep an open mind. It's not uncommon for Lanun to have wildly different views on how society and morality functions, and while the Lanun generally shun anything they believe would lead to oppression and stagnation, the only constant thing about Lanun culture is that it's not constant at all. [i]To ebb and flow is to be Lanun[/i], one popular saying goes, [i]and there is no greater crime then to fight the tide[/i]. 

[b]Special Traits/Racial Abilities:[/b]
-Highly dexterous, natural swimmers and climbers.
-Very good endurance, able to survive without oxygen for an hour.
-Highly energy efficient, can run and perform physical activities for much longer then most species, including humans.
-Excellent eyesight both above and below water.
-Vulnerable in dry environments without special treatment.

[b]Race Age:[/b] Roughly 250,000 years old.

[b]Brief History of the Race:[/b] One of the younger races of the Galactic Federation outside of the humans, the Lanun had only just begun exploring planets when they made first contact with the Federation, leading to a veritable explosion of technology that allowed them to quickly ascend to the galactic stage. Thanks to a high population growth and their obsession with change and innovation, the Lanun quickly established themselves as one of the major races in the galaxy, if not the most stable one.

[b]Major Technological Innovations/Inventions:[/b] While it is not a uniquely Lanurian innovation, the Lanun are considered pioneers in the creation of highly efficient, eco-friendly technology, with their innovative architecture, inventions, and city designs being used by races and empires all across the Federation to create strong, productive colonies and settlements. They are also highly regarded for their work in modern cybernetic augmentation, and are credited with the invention of the Ladovir Neural Interface, which has made both advanced and generic cybernetic augmentation much safer and efficient.

[b]Expanded Cultural Overview:[/b](Here you can go all out, cultural holidays and traditions, customs, the works. Perhaps put this and the below category in hiders if they get long.)

[b]Expanded History:[/b] (Now you can tell the complete story.)

[b]Other:[/b](Seriously, if there is anything else you want to add that wasn’t applicable above, add it here. We want these races as detailed and developed as possible.)
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