(The Zethra was originally by Ed Greenwood and the original artwork was either by Roger Raupp or Marilyn Favaro.
I only made two minor changes to the text below and colorized the artwork. Full text can be obtained from Dragon #84 - The Dragon Archives)
Average Size: 1.5 metres diameter
Average Mass: 60 kg
Average Lifespan: Unknown; thought to be 400+ years
Reproduction: Hermaphroditic, Budding
Body Temperature: 34 C; wide tolerance of changes in environmental temperature
PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND STRUCTURE
Zethra are rubbery, ball-like creatures with high elasticity and durability, possessing a number of tentacle-like appendages. Six of these are retractile, strong, dextrous arms, capable of manipulating both large, heavy objects and tiny, intricate controls or items; their length varies from 1-4 meters. These project from the body in a ring about its widest circumference. A ring or "crown" of four small (.5m long) sensory tentacles projects from one end of the ball, parallel to (but separated from) the ring of arms.
Zethra are a mottled greenish-gray with a few orange patches, but they can alter the pigmentation of their skin cells by rearranging internal supplies of chemical substances, to blend with their surroundings. Although they are able to match all color hues exactly, they cannot alter their low reflectivity or the soft texture of their skin, and so cannot gleam or become rigid.
Of the major spacefaring races, Zethra most closely resemble Dralasites internally, due to the amorphous nature of their body parts. A Zethra' brain is located beneath its crown; feelers from the brain's green, oval mass extend down throughout the rest of the body like countless tiny threads, directing body activities and supplying necessary energy. Energy storage nodes, resembling star-like clusters of green threads, are located about a Zethra's body. They can be moved by the brain to avoid loss, if particular body areas are threatened or injured. Zethra move by rippling and rolling their ball-like bodies, pushing themselves along, or pulling at their surroundings for propulsion.
Zethra are hermaphroditic. They mate by tentacle contact, and one or both partners may give birth by budding. A "bud" grows in a bubble-like shape from the skin wall of the parent, until at length it breaks free to become a miniature, independent, and fully capable Zethra.
SENSES
Zethra sense heat, light, and electrical energy, and can distinguish variations in the same with great sensitivity through their four "see-feelers" or "seefers" (as Humans call these organs). They can also sense vibrations and energy fluctuations through parts of their bodies, but entirely lack a sense of smell. Like Dralasites, they also lack the ability to see or appreciate colors, detecting them only as differences in shade.
SPEECH
Zethra have no audible speech, instead using a rapid, complex language of electrical energy pulses with which they communicate with other Zethra through any good conductor (e.g., ferrous metals), or through direct seefer contact. Zethra can communicate with the major SF races through a code-like series of "clicks"; they "hear" sounds in return by sensing and interpreting air vibrations.
Zethra create "clicks" by silently tapping someone with a tentacle, or by banging on a surface with a held object. They may also pass electrical pulses or mild shocks through conductive materials (a painful form of communication!), or cause a machine to emit sounds by the use of electrical pulses. Any Zethra who has practiced with a polyvox can cause it to emit a message through the use of energy pulses. They appear to comprehend unfamiliar languages rapidly and with ease.
SOCIETY AND CUSTOMS
Zethra appear to be very self-interested and amoral. Rare in the extreme, they seem to lack any organized society or racial goals, although they will readily cooperate with their own or with other races for rewards. Zethra desire supplies of energy, or organic matter with which to produce it.
Zethra also like information, and appear fascinated by trivia from all races and planets: odd bits of poetry, music and lyrics, catch-phrases, rumors, and apparently inconsequential facts. Such information is used for personal enjoyment and to achieve some unknown goal or future scientific development, but they will divulge nothing of their personal plans or preferences. All information can be retained perfectly for later recall and use.
The few Zethra encountered have readily joined Frontier life. As noted above, they appear to have come from a planet in an unidentified sector, spreading through space by using a derelict spacecraft built by Vrusk, which they found, studied, and then piloted by use of their special abilities. They do not appear to have had the materials necessary to construct their own spacecraft.
ATTITUDES
Zethra are not allies of any particular race, and refuse to cooperate with either the Sathar or any UPF organization, such as the Star Law rangers, the Pan-Galactic Corporation, or the smaller interstellar companies. Their true feelings are difficult to identify, but they seem to get along with all creatures who do not hinder their activities. Zethra do not appear to understand humor on the part of any creature. Rarely offended by the words or deeds of others, they are commonly thought of as emotionless. They can, however, become the friends or enemies of individuals of other races.
New Colorized Version of the Zethra Mugshot
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Zethra can, at will, consume organic matter and convert it to energy, using it for continued activity, healing, and rejuvenation. This is done by some inexplicable natural process which remains a mystery to Frontier scientists of all races, even after exhaustive physical and field examinations. Zethra can store such energy in internal battery-like organs, using or releasing it when necessary to move, think, act, manipulate items, or as a weapon against other creatures.
An adult Zethra can store 220-440 SEU in its body, and requires approximately 20 SEU daily for movement, thought, and functional stability. Prolonged combat, complex mental effort, and the healing of injuries can double a Zethra's daily
energy consumption. Zethra can heal minor wounds by resting in the normal fashion, or by expending energy (50 SEU will restore one lost hit point). This represents a return to body stability.
Lost limbs or body organs will regenerate very slowly; a tentacle, for instance, takes 3-6 months to be replaced, and a seefer 1-4 months. Given enough time and food, a Zethra can always rebuild itself so long as most of its brain and at least one "storage-star" cell cluster survives. It will patiently absorb all organic matter around it until able to regrow the damaged parts of its body.
It must be emphasized that Zethra can only absorb organic matter, and will convert it entirely to energy with few by-products. Different materials will, of course, yield different amounts of energy (live intelligent creatures seem to yield the most energy, per given amount of mass, though Zethra will refrain from ireatingln companions or obviously intelligent beings unless such beings are enemies).
Zethra can also transmit energy by contact, with great precision, releasing up to their current total SEU, minus 25, in any turn. These pulses can activate or deactivate computers, security systems, and robots. The pulses will duplicate the effects of throwing the "on" switch, or of giving certain command words; they may also simply blast or jolt the machinery past the point of its safeguards. Unfamiliar equipment and large computers often cannot be knocked out in such a manner, but a Zethra can always cause a robot to malfunction by a discharge of 100+ SEU. A Zethra who is familiar with a scanner, security lock, or related device will not hesitate to disable it if it is so inclined, regardless of the wishes
of other creatures.
A Zethra discharge is less potent than a beam weapon, doing 1d10 damage per 2 SEU expended. They can elect to put more energy into a given attack, so that a cornered Zethra could well slay half a dozen or more opponents. Zethra discharges must be by direct contact or through a metal conductor (which reduces damage by -2 points per meter of conductor separating Zethra and victim). A Zethra can expend 2 SEU to stun as an electrostunner does, but if a target appears to be protected by an anti-shock implant the Zethra may increase its next attack jolt to 14 SEU, sufficient to both overcome and destroy the implant. A gauss screen can stop a Zethra jolt, but will usually fail under repeated attacks; Zethra cannot burn out such a defense, but know their limited power supply.
Zethra are immune to all electrical and radiant energy (i.e., laser) attacks, and can drain a powerclip, beltpack, or backpack at the rate of 10 SEU per turn.Laser, electrostunner, stunstick, and shock glove attacks all provide Zethra with energy, rather than damaging them. They absorb 10 SEU per turn given to them by the weapon attacks, conducting away what cannot be absorbed. Fire and sonic attacks do half-damage to them. Electrical creature attacks (such as those of the Rogue Crystals found on Volturnus) do no damage, and are absorbed in the same way weapon attacks are. Physical attacks do full damage.
For example, if three Star Law marksmen with laser rifles shoot a Zethra with their dials set on 20 SEU, they would do no damage to it, but would instead give it 10 SEU of additional energy (the rest being channeled away). The Zethra could conduct the excess energy to the marksmen or another target through a metal floor, while engaging in some other activity. Zethra can also serve as a power supply for beam weapons, defensive screens, and machinery wielded by themselves or others. Contacting the necessary powercords with the tips of their tentacle-like arms, they will often recharge the equipment of encountered strangers in return for food and gossip.
