Droyne
Intelligent major race inhabiting scattered
worlds within an area slightly larger than the region of the current Third Imperium. The Droyne are a
small race derived from winged herbivorous gatherers. They vary in
size depending on caste but generally stand one meter tall (large workers
and warriors can be larger than humans). Droyne
appear to be a pastoral, easy-going race with little drive for expansion,
conquest, or conflict.
The location of the Droyne homeworld is not known, and this puzzled sophontologists for some time, but recent
investigations have shown that physically the Droyne and the Ancients are identical, indicating that finding
the Droyne homeworld would mean finding the Ancient's homeworld as well.
The precise relationship between the Droyne of today and the Ancients
of 300,000 years ago -- and thus the history of their evolution -- remains
a mystery.
Droyne society is divided into rigid castes determined when an individual
reaches adolescence. The six castes of the Droyne all serve different
functions within Droyne society. Although identical at the time of
caste selection, caste members develop pronounced physical and mental differences
by maturity. Different genetic programs are awakened by differences
in diet and environment among the various castes. Young leaders, for
instance, experience a nearly 30 percent increase in brain size in the first
year after casting; drones develop sexual organs; and so on. The following
are descriptions and definitions of the castes:
Worker: Manual labor and mundane ordinary activity
are the province of the worker. Workers are not too smart and are temperamentally
suited to contentment with ordinary labor and subservient tasks.
Warrior: Trained for combat and possessing comparatively
well developed muscles and reflexes, the warrior is the security troop, the
soldier, the marine, and the policeman of the Droyne culture. They are
common in frontier bases, and less numerous in civilized areas.
Drone: Drones have a variety of purposes in Droyne
society. They perform a reproductive role which makes them both fathers
and mothers to Droyne young, and they have a role in the ceremonies which
determine caste for maturing young. In addition, drones comprise a
sort of middle management caste, which is responsible for many of the routine
functions in business. trade, and administration.
Technician: This caste is the science-oriented portion
of Droyne society and is concerned with both research and practical implementation
of technology.
Sport: Although the caste system of the Droyne is
rather rigid, the sport is the deliberately accepted exception to caste structure.
Sports are special individuals who cross caste lines to become individual
scouts, messengers, representatives, hunters, prospectors, and to take other
occupations that require individual initiative or separation from Droyne
society for long periods of time. A sport is the most encountered Droyne
away from a Droyne world.
Leader: Leaders are required to manage and direct society.
They are ultimately responsible for everything that the Droyne as a
whole do.
There is little individual freedom in Droyne society, and as a result,
society and government join into one concept. Workers work. Leaders
lead. All of society is dedicated to continuing the existence that
provides all members with food, shelter, and the other amenities that make
life enjoyable. In addition, there is little discord in Droyne society
when things are running smoothly, as each member of society has its own function
to perform. Only when disaster happens is the group forced to strain.
A typical Droyne group consist of a variety of Droyne from the different
castes. There will be many workers, few drones and leaders, and technicians
and warriors based on current needs. Each group will also have several
sports, although they may not be present; instead they may be occupied with
their own solitary tasks.
This is not to say that Droyne are mindless. Leaders are quite capable
and responsible; warriors have strategic and tactical senses; technicians
are inventive and clever. But all accept the central group as a part
of their lives and work for its benefit above their own.
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