Bothans

Bothans are the galaxy's information brokers. Masters of manipulation and collectors of data, Bothans are known to excel both as spies and as diplomats. They are adept at picking up on secrets or seeing things other species ignore, Bothans can be valuable assets in any endeavor - or untrustworthy partners. 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.

Physiology
Bothans are bipedal humanoids that, from a human's perspective, display an interesting mix of feline, equine, and canine traits.

Bothans are extremely effective at picking up the vast diversity of information they instinctively crave with multiple highly-attuned senses at hand. The noses at the end of their tapered snouts can distinguish many smells, and their eyes have a much wider range of focus than the average humanoid. They possess ears double the size of most species and can rotate and bend them to pick up directional sounds.

Standing on average 1.5 to 1.6 meters tall, their small size allows Bothans to often go unnoticed and slip through cracks that would never fit a human.

Their greatest asset is their fur. Bothans 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 generally sport a dangling beard at the end of their snout.

Society
Every layer of Bothan society is based on the acquisition, manipulation, and utilization of knowledge. Sometimes likened to the greedy and devious Hutts, Bothans take such comparisons as an insult. Bothans are, for the most part, ethical beings; prestige, not wealth, motivates them. Their ethics 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.

The Bothan Council governs the Bothan worlds. The major clans all have one representative in the Council, which then elects the Council Chief. Bothans shun outright confrontation. Information is their weapon, and Bothans play secrets like a Corellian plays sabacc: the truth is the ace up their sleeve.

The Bothans operate the most elaborate and extensive intelligence network across the galaxy. This "spynet" works through moles, provocateurs, sleepers, and drop-offs which transfer information down a clandestine web to the Bothan spymasters. Though the spynet hubs on Bothawui are Bothan-run, the majority of its "placed" agents are foreign species.

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 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.

Homeworld
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, including major colonies on Kothlis and Torolis.

Language
The spoken form of the Bothans' language is Bothese, and they refer to their written tongue as Botha. Almost all Bothans are fully fluent in Basic.

They have a third form of communication called Wrendui, which in Bothese means the nonverbal cues and emotions a Bothan can communicate through his fur. Though the base use of such ripples merely conveys emotions, they have developed many forms of Wrendui to communicate in far more complex ways. Well-trained Bothan spies can switch between different forms of wrendui in a single ripple of their fur. Highly placed non-Bothans in the Bothan Spynet are taught a few of these forms, but only a Bothan may know all of them.

Life on the Fringe
Bothans gravitate towards professions in which information is king, and as such they make strong Traders, Scouts, Thieves, and Politicos. They will attempt to ascend the chain of command of their current career and will also funnel knowledge to the Bothan Spy Network to help their clan back on Bothawui.

Special Ability
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.