Dun'lyre

Dun'lyre are nomadic sentient humanoid scavengers from the planet Lyre Six.

Biology and appearance
Dun'lyre have physical characteristics that are very similar to humans. Their main distinguishing features are facial characteristics. They have three cranial horns; from individual to individual, these horns vary in size, color, texture, and location. They also have razor sharp teeth visible from behind their receding lips. Their ears are jagged and pointed, completing a rough and angular appearance. Other than that, Dun'lyre wear tattoos or facepaint to represent their clans or identify themselves, and this can often betray their species even if other unique facial features are covered.

Dun'lyre have a major biological difference from all other humanoids. They're one of the only known poikilothermic mammals. Their internal temperature is low, and changes are a consequence of a variation in ambient environmental temperature, so they are thermoconformers. Their metabolism favors reserving energy to use it steadily over longer periods of time, versus the output of a typical mammal that is higher but for a shorter period of time. They do not heat or cool themselves internally, so total energy requirement over time is low and only necessary for bodily function.

Dun'lyre are typically found in warmer climates or drift colonies, wearing heavy clothing due to their shifting body temperature. They've developed special fabric to aid in maintaining a more consistent temperature. Dun'lyre clothing, which often includes hooded coats and long pants, is resistant of extreme heat but also holds in warmth in colder environments. Their hoods and masks also help hide their distinguishing features and protect their eyes. Dun'lyre eyes have slitted pupils for better night vision, which helps with their nighttime scavenging but also makes them more sensitive to light.

Society and culture
Not many people know about the Dun'lyre culture, as the species keeps to themselves. They don't like speaking to "outsiders," but it's not unheard of. They are aggressive, but rarely get violent or even interact unless provoked. They are nomads, never staying in one place for long. They roam in search of ancient technologies and artifacts, and can be found amid the aftermath of large wars, scavenging.

Dun'lyre implement guerrilla warfare tactics in everyday life, preferring to sit back, observe, and strike when most effective. They maintain the element of surprise with all potential threats. Over time, they developed a system of subtle gestures and non verbal communication to silently interact with each other without being noticed. Such intense attention to minute expressive details enabled them to more easily read the body language of others to determine their emotions and intentions with amazing accuracy. They became one of the universe's best mimics, able to imitate a wide variety of  mannerisms and voices via their extraordinary observational skills, even those of many non-Humans.

Dun'lyre live in small clans consisting of ten people at most, and members adopt the clan name as a surname. Clans are very tight-knit groups, biological relation or not, all Dun'lyre clan members are treated as blood family. Each clan has one appointed leader, called a Durai. The Durai handles all important decisions, though the whole family has a voice. Dun'lyre society is patriarchal, and most Durai are males and are rarely seen away from the clan's ship or temporary home base. Females are the more agile and cunning of the species, so they are the ones who are sent out on missions or scavenging tasks.

At birth, a child becomes a part of the clan of his or her parents. At age fifteen, young Dun'lyre are considered adults and have the option of joining another clan or staying within their birth clan. A special ceremony welcomes the new clan member into the family, but varies based on the clan and reasoning for the change. They are then able to start wearing face paint with clan markings, indicating they are an adult but not yet married.

Often times, new clan creations were a result of a romantic union between two Dun'lyre, though they had the option of remaining with one of their original clans. The couple is tasked with choosing a clan name and creating new clan markings, which are typically a combination of both old clans, honoring the roots of the clan founders. During the ceremony for a marriage, females typically wear a short dress ending around their knees; the patterns on the dress vary depending on the clan. They also wear a veil made from Fiotorian silk. The males wear finer dress clothing, normally black in color. During the ceremony, the Durai of both clans stand with the couple at the altar and wish them a good life, along with a successful beginning of their own clan. The two newly-weds, who only wear face paint up until they commit to marriage, then get permanent facial tattoos representing their new clan.

The Dun'lyre are prone to giving gifts. They believe it conveys care for a person, so they often give personal possessions or items gained through their scavenging runs. This tradition extends to proposals, which last three days and are carried out by the female when she has decided she is ready. The female gives a gift of Tythar roses on the first day and a preserved Hydrolocan crystal, found on their homeplanet of Lyre Six, on day two. Finally, on the third day, a necklace made of bright red and purple jewels varying in origin is given.