Gorn

The primary species of the Gorn Hegemony, Gorn range from 1.7 to 2.4m in height for males, with the average being 2.0m. Females can reach up to 3m. Gorn growth is based primarily on nutrition and good care of their eggs during incubation, which means the nobility are notably taller and more muscular than their commoner counterparts. Gorn reproduce via eggs, with female Gorn producing four to six eggs per clutch. Like some Earth reptiles, Gorn can control the gender of their offspring by temperature. As a result of government policy, men vastly outnumber women, mostly as a method of population control. Before Gorn made advances in medical technology, it was rare for more than half a clutch to survive to adulthood, due to predation and lack of adequate healthcare. Even with advancements in fertility technology, usually one egg from a clutch will either not hatch or will produced malformed or weak offspring; these are usually discarded or in some regions, eaten.

Gorn possess impressive regenerative capabilities, able to regrow lost limbs and most damaged organs. This lead to a persistent myth that Gorn could only be killed by removal of their head, but this is incorrect. They are also physically strong, although slow in some colder environments. When warm, however, their agility is highly impressive, and should not be underestimated. Thanks to their powerful regeneration and relatively-slow metabolisms, noble Gorn can live for an incredibly long period of time, with most reaching their 300’s. This occasionally exacerbates Gorn succession crises, as sons wait forever for fathers to die.