Tauran & Videni Observations & Quesions

[Jay_NOLA]

A bunch of questions and observations on Taurans and Videni that I noticed and so did some friends while looking at both editions of S&S.

The 1st edition of Starships and Spacemen it says on page 11 (16 of the PDF) that Tauran's are descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes, which is why they often have Yiddish names. (The Jewish connection may have been to try and give in the Starships and Spacemen version of a reason why this race which is similar to Star Trek's Vulcans have a Jewish influences in them like the Star Trek ones. The Star Trek ones got this primarily from Lenorad Nimoy, who added certain Jewish cultural and religious thing into his portrayal of Spock. Nimoy also speak Yiddish too.)

This means that they were originally descended from humans on Terra, but somehow ended up on another planet and had major biological changes don to them via genetic engineering and/or evolution at some point in the past to explain the physiological differences they currently have with humans.

So if they in the in the past have a common ancestry with Terrans does this meant Terran & Tauran half breeds exist now or are possible?

How common is the knowledge that they are descended from Terran humans?

What is the history of how they "evolved" into the Taurrans described, is it commonly known, etc.?

Since the Videni are related to the Taurans more questions crop up.

Did the Videni orginate from Terran humans at the same time the Taurans did?

Did the originate latter from Taurans?

How commonly know is that the the Taurans and Videndi originated from Terran humans by the Videndi?

What is the Videndi relgious beliefs like? Does it have any connection to ancient Terran Judaism?

Are Videndi names Yiddish like Taurans?

Finally, 2nd edition of Starships & Spacemen on pages 52 & 53 (54 & 55 of the PDF) the tusk ape is described as being closely related to Taurans.

How does the tusk ape fit into the origins of the Taurans? We know Taurans are linked to humans from Earth, so are tusk apes linked to earth humans too in some unknown matter?

What do the Taurans know of the tusk ape link?

What do the Videni know and believe about the tusk ape link?

Would be interesting to hear if any others have given any thought to theses questions and any answers they have.

[Goblinoid Games]

Hi Jay, probably not the answer you're looking for, but I think you are reading more into it than is there. I interpreted the Jewish connection in 1e as a nod to the original series, but not intended to be literal for game purposes. At least in terms of by the book, there is no ancestry direct to Earth from the Videni and Taurans.