Bothan
bothan
Special Abilities: Bothans begin the game with one rank in Streetwise. They still may not train Streetwise above rank 2 during character creation. They also start with one rank in the Convincing Demeanor talent .
Masters of manipulation and collectors of data, Bothans are known to excel both as spies and as diplomats. Though it is perhaps unfair to universally characterize them as untrustworthy, it is generally unwise to forget that most Bothans are raised believing their own interests are genuinely paramount.
Averaging 1.5 to 1.6 meters tall, Bothans are bipedal humanoids that, from a human's perspective, display an interesting mix of feline, equine, and canine traits. With multidirectional and oversized ears, keen olfactory senses contained in their tapered snouts, and eyes capable of a much wider range of focus than the average humanoid, Bothans are extremely effective at picking up the vast diversity of information they instinctively crave. Thanks to their diminutive stature, they are capable of getting into places barred to human-sized (and larger) beings. Bothans also possess a unique manner of communication that involves rippling their fur in patterns decipherable by other Bothans. Though capable of wearing footgear, Bothans have hooves instead of feet, and both males and females sport a dangling beard at the end of their snout
Though the planet of Bothawui is officially neutral in the conflict between the Empire and the Alliance (and, in fact, there are plenty of Bothans who play both sides for their personal gain), the upper echelons of the Alliance know the galaxy-spanning Bothan Spynet is working actively to further Alliance interests. Nonetheless, the leadership of Bothawui plays the game with both sides very carefully, and somehow it works; both Alliance and Imperial intelligence operations use the planet for clandestine purposes and keep it out of the line of fire in the conflict.
Despite reputations for being as greedy and devious as Hutts, Bothans are, for the most part, ethical beings. Their ethics, however, derive from a code of behavior they call "The Way," which teaches that the pursuit of power and influence is right and necessary. For Bothans, money is only a means, not an end; ultimately, the capacity to influence matters to reflect their goals is the prize which must be sought. Bothans may well select a cause—a noble one, at that—to champion. They simply prefer manipulation and scheming to gain victory for the cause, rather than resorting to violence.
Bothawui is a Mid-Rim world, temperate in climate and varied in terrain. Cosmopolitan and developed, Bothawui is rich in natural resources, agriculture, and industry. It is also the center of a Bothan-dominated sector of planets.
The spoken form of the Bothans' language is Bothese, and they refer to their written tongue as Botha. They have a third form of communication called Wrendui, which is based solely on the rippling of their fur. Though the base use of such ripples merely conveys emotions, they have developed many forms of Wrendui (which can be switched at will with the simplest of cues) to communicate in far more complex ways. Highly placed non-Bothans in the Bothan Spynet are taught a few of these forms, but only a Bothan may know all of them.
Not surprisingly, Bothans are both drawn to and encouraged to undertake roles capitalizing on their capabilities with knowledge, data, and manipulation. Diplomat and Spy are ideal career choices for many Bothans, with Duties like Intelligence, Counter-intelligence, and Political Support favoring their nature. Most Alliance leaders understand that Bothans are likely to take whatever they learn and share it through the Spynet; these Rebels accept this as a fair price for gaining access to that same resource.