Moorwen

The Moorwens are a race of sentient predators native to the Moorwen Planet.

Due to the bombing of their planet and subsequent hunting down of survivors, they are presumed to be extinct as of the Earth year 709 A.D. However, since at least one of the Moorwens managed to survive this initial extermination attempt, the possibility of a continued existence of a population created by other such remnant individuals cannot be ruled out.

History
Moorwens are a super-predator native to the planet holding the same name. Their planet, being large and naturally hospitable to life, was considered a prime colonization site to a race of humanoids known as the Outlanders. Being of massive proporitons and appetite and proving to be physically tougher than the Outlanders, the Moorwen presence on the world meant that it was impossible to immediately settle the planet. As such the colonizing humanoids, conducted a carpet-bombing of the world followed by a methodical hunt to eliminate any surviving Moorwen.

Once the Moorwen were presumed by the colonists to be eliminated, the world was colonized by a small population of Outlanders. Many of the settlers were family to those who had hunted the Moorwen, and the Outlanders' government had provided security and money incentives to the new residents. For a brief time the colony was successful, but unknown to the Outlanders at least one of the Moorwen had survived. Believing that the Moorwen threat had passed, the settlers' security escort had withdrawn leaving the residents unprotected. The beast eventually attacked the settlement, slaughtering the unprotected colonists. Upon learning of the massacre, the Outlanders deployed a military ship to retrieve the remains of the fallen settlers.

The ship departed the world with the bodies of the slain colonists, but the rogue Moorwen had also managed to board the craft as well. It proceeded to kill all of the crew except for the soldier Kainan, resulting in the vessel crashing in Scandinavia, Earth, circa 709 AD. The Moorwen proceeded to terrorize the local villages, inflicting heavy losses on the indigenous human population's civilians as well as on its brave but outmatched Viking warriors. Kainan, with the help of the remaining Norse soldiers, hunted and killed it along with its offspring. The offspring is confirmed to be dead; the larger individual fell off a tall cliff and into the ocean. As such, its survival status is unknown.

The current status of the Moorwen on its home planet is unknown; the vast majority of the population (quoted to be in the millions) was exterminated in the Outlanders' colonization attempt. However, at least one Moorwen survived this genocide and was able to produce viable offspring (other species native to the planet had survived this carpet bombing as well). Whether or not recolonization was attempted once the non-native population was killed by this survivor is unknown. Therefore, the possibility of the continued existence of the Moorwen species through repopulation by other survivors cannot be ruled out.

Racial Abilities

 * Moorwens can produce bioluminescence in most colors of the visible spectrum, most commonly red. This glowing is used to attract prey and seem also to portray feelings such as anger.
 * Moorwens have thick skin resistant to fire and invulnerable to damage from common metals.
 * Moorwens have long, thin tails sharp enough to cut flesh, skin, bone, and some building materials.
 * Moorwens prefer to live in secluded underground habitats such as caves and rock shelters. This could be one explanation as to how at least one individual managed to survive an extermination attempt through carpet bombing.
 * Moorwens are extremely fast with exceptional reflexes and agility; they can often kill an enemy before it has the time to ready a weapon such as a sword.
 * Moorwens are good swimmers and can hold their breath for a long time.
 * Moorwens pile up body parts from which their offspring feast upon.
 * Moorwens are able to hunt by means of stealth, although they are also very capable of running down prey in broad daylight. They prefer to use a lightning fast pounce to take out their victims, which they store and consume either dead or alive.
 * Moorwens have incredible sight, hearing and smell.