Vrith

The Vrith are a race of sapient beings native to the planet of Lupadyos. They have a presence in the Core Zone.

External
Adult Vrith measure about 3 meters in length and 2 meters in height with all external appendages retracted (and excluding the tail). They have eight limbs in total, with four arms held off the ground and four legs used for locomotion.

The head of a Vrith tapers to a point at its front end, and sits upon a short but broad neck. Five compound eyes are supported by mobile eyestalks on the dorsal surface of the head, arranged roughly in a circular shape. These eyes are well developed, and can detect both "visible light" as humans perceive and ultraviolet light. The full visual capabilities of Vrith are yet to be studied, and it is unknown what other forms of electromagnetic radiation they can perceive.

Vrith also have two tentacular appendages that extend from and retract into the head. The first is located at the very front of the head. Its appearance varies between sexes, and is used for reproductive purposes. The other is located on the bottom of the head, and is divided into two "branches". The top branch is equipped with several smaller tentacles used for manipulating and consuming food, while the bottom branch resembles a tube and is used for suctioning up liquid water.

The first pair of a Vrith's limbs is just below the neck. They are muscular, and end in a four-fingered hand. They consist of an opposable thumb and three digits, the outermost of which is especially long and covered in feather-like integument. This finger is used in personal communication between individuals.

The second pair of limbs tapers into a bladelike structure, which was originally used for defense and intraspecific competition. The "wrists" on these limbs are reinforced with a bony structure similar to a human patella. They can strike at great speed, and are still used in scenarios such as warfare.

The third and fourth pairs of limbs are used for walking and running, and are less specialized than the Vrith's arms. Earlier in their history, Vrith had arboreal tendencies, and so the hallux of each foot was extended and opposable in order to grapple tree branches. This feature is still present but is gradually starting to atrophy.

The tail of a Vrith is long and muscular, although relatively light due to the fact that it is supported solely by flexible cartilage and not bone. It possesses a large tail fan that is capable of changing color through an array of specialized chromatophores. This is used for communication.

Language
As the Vrith have no organs for speech, they communicate entirely through visual and tactile means through the use of their tail fan and front limbs. The colors of an individual's tail fan can change rapidly, and many complex patterns have been documented. This has made translation of their "language" difficult.