Created by: Jay Hailey, Garry Stahl
Appearance: ST-OM, Starbase 600 Game
Number of Members: 6 billion
Nature of Members: Youn are humanoid mammals averaging 1.7 meters in height. Youn have a broader than average flat nose and eyes that have a horizontal slit pupil. Their jaws are heavy holding the large grinding teeth typical of the species. They also have a cranial ridge that attaches the heavy jaw muscles. A Youn bite is powerful and can crush nut shells easily. A Youn has a skull that resembles a cross between a Neanderthal and an upland gorilla. They have large heads for their body size by human standards. Their faces are wreathed in whiskers that once had the same function as cat whiskers, and still do function. A Youn with its whiskers cut off is twitchy. The sensory function has become secondary, and they primarily function in Youn society as part of Youn body language. The whiskers are highly mobile from the aggressive full forward to sleeked back against the head in surprise or fear. Their heads are also covered in hair with the males having beards. Most Youn males wear a beard with the difficulty in cutting your beard and not cutting your whiskers. A Youn with a clean shaven face is the mark of a successful man that can afford a careful barber.
Youn have a five digit hand. It is noted for the fine pads on the palm and fingers much like the pads of a cat. They have narrow and some times sharp fingernails. They walk plantigrade and have similar pads on their feet and toes.
Youn are omnivores with a preference for veggies and the ability to digest cellulose. To that end they have a larger than normal gut, and to a person look potbellied. It does mean that Youn can eat nearly anything animal or vegetable, and in extreme circumstances will.
Youn have a 10 month gestation giving birth usually to twins. The babies are small but well developed. Females have pectoral mammaries with four teats.
Organization: Guild. While the Youn have a separate civil government from the Youn Independent Merchant's Guild, it is an open secret that what the Guild wants the Guild gets. Real power rests in the election of the Guild officers and everyone knows it.
Game Role: A source of characters and or problems.
World Role: Live their lives.
Relative Influence: Major. Youn are one of the charter powers signing the Zantree Alliance and have a great deal of influence on that body until it was dissolved. They did not join the Federation.
Public or Secret?: Public
Publicly Stated Goal: Make money and friends, in that order.
Relative Wealth: Great. Youn own 65% of the cargo carrying capacity in the Zantree Alliance.
Group advantages: Diplomacy and trading. Most Youn, most, can talk a snake out of its skin. Those Youn that do not hone this skill or take it for granted are known by a special and disgusting word; 'poor'. On the principle that you get more flies with honey than with vinegar Youn have a dozen ways to say "yes, but almost" and "no, but might be yes if you give a little". Exacting races like the Kee consider them prevaricating and dishonest. Direct races like the Tabooists find the talk-around tiring. Say what you want and get it over with. To the Youn it is all part of the game.
Special Abilities: Youn are sensitive to subsonic air vibrations due to their whiskers.
Group disadvantages: Youn are known as money grubbing capitalists, and that doesn't sit well in all places. Their positive trading reputation can work against them in certain circles.
Those who favor them: People with goods to move, places to get, or being paid by them.
Those opposed to them: Socialists, merchants that are not part of their Guild, Ferengi, Orions.
Area of Operation: The Zantree alliance, Oz node, Balmorian Federation, edges of the Klingon Empire and the implosion zone.
Headquarters Location: Tilayoun
Public Face: We have it, you need it. You have it, we want it. Will buy, sell, and trade.
Notable Members: None as of yet.
History of the Organization: The Youn have experienced the usual ups and down of any species in the pre warp years. It wasn't until they moved out among the stars that the Youn specialty of trading developed. True, being a Trader was the glamour profession that seldom if ever equaled the fantasy around it. But it was one trade among many.
Once the Youn moved into space Trading became the consuming passion. The Youn hire the Kee as accountants, the Poong to do the computer programming and so forth. They now have a field wide open enough to indulge the universal desire to be a Trader.
The signing of the Zantree Alliance put the Youn in the driver seat where trading was concerned. The recent Kliges'chee Troubles have wiped out those concessions, but the arrival of the Federation on the scene has tossed the door wide open.
On the positive side, the end of the Kliges'chee problem has meant an opening of new and unexpected markets. The only clouds are the Ferengi and Orions, if anything races more money grubbing that Youn. Perish the thought. The opening of Oz has meant a gateway to the markets of the Balmorian Federation and the Kogari Region (It annoys them that the Aneilogs a near socialist nation controls Reminiscence Station.
The Youn grumbling about the loss of the Concessions was one of the principle wedge issues that drove the Zantree Alliance down. The Poong, Kee and Olympians joined the Federation, as did a number of lessor members like the Minar. The Tabooists drifted back to whatever they do. Any chance of concessions died with the Alliance. They tried to hold the Federation up for concessions in exchange for their all important membership and where told to "go fish".
The Youn-Orion trade war continues at a low key level. There is little shooting as that causes expenses. The Ferengi noped out of the whole process. Announced it and will call for Starfleet if they get shot at. There is an understanding that if the Ferengi do not start it, they will be aided, for a price. The two eye each other at Oz and keep the peace, or else.