Treana'ad

Sociable, Fun loving insects, Treana'ad appear to be goofy and obsessed with Ice Cream. However, without birth control, their society turns violent and requires massive quantities of resources to sustain. The Treana'ad are staunch allies of the Terrans.

Description
The Treana'ad resemble the Mantid, but this is believed to be an example of convergent evolution. They are larger than Mantids, with more equity and less emphasis on biological castes, although a caste system did exist in the past. A large male can be as large as a terran warborg, standing 3 meters tall. Coloring and size were also important in determining social rank. The Treana'ad biologically have a very high rate of reproduction and require birth control for population stability. This issue was extreme enough that Treana'ad refer to their historic rates of reproduction as the "tyranny of the birthing pits."

A female who is caring for hatchlings is a matron. Matrons try to urge calm, and carry hatchlings on their backs.

Physiology
Treana'ad are large insects. They have vestigial wings, blade arms, and triangular heads like Mantids. Nitrogen smells sweet to them. Treana’ad molt, and appear shiny after doing so. After reaching maturity, females have strong instincts that can drive them to sexual cannibalism. Treana'ads eat meat, and enjoy it cooked like Terrans. A Treana'ad warrior caste male can reach 3 meters in height. They eat ice cream frequently, and smoke to cover up pheromone emissions - this does not seem to be carcinogenic for them. Like Terran mantises, Treana'ad who are exerting themselves may open or flutter their wings; instead of lungs, they have holes through which they take in air. Treana'ad require a high atmospheric nitrogen content, which may explain why they are able to grow so large compared to Terran insects.

Treana'ads have two brains, one located in the head and one in the upper abdomen. The two brains split memories and personality between each other through a dedicated nerve bundle, and a Treana'ad can live up to two hours after the loss of the upper brain. The upper brain deals with processing sight, taste, and their antennae, while the lower brain manages reflexes, pheromone processing, and sexual drive.

Culture
Treana'ad had a largely matriarchal society in the past, controlled by females who decided who was desirable. While they could live quite a long time, desirable males were often eaten during copulation. In modern times, this is still common but more controlled, and only a few thousand males have their heads eaten per week in any one city. Treana'ad brood mothers were the controlling factor in society. They were organized into clutches. After the Terran - Treana'ad war, the Terrans introduced smoking, birth control, and ice cream, which helped restructure society by making pheromones, controlling hormones, and smoothing emotions and instincts. Treana’ads are working to move beyond the caste society culture, but this process takes time and effort. Matrons are still highly respected in Treana'ad society. Art and poetry are valued in their society, as is wordplay.

The Treana'ad have a cheerful disposition and seem to be lighthearted, but are often found in the Confed Navy. Treana'ad society mimics many elements of Terran historical society, especially 1950s Diner / Ice Cream Parlor culture. Bladearm Dueling has been replaced with arm wrestling and verbal debate - the loser may be taken home and 'comforted' by a young / hungry female. Duels, or challenges, are rare, but not banned. A male challenges another male to an arm wrestle where arms are locked and blade arm strength is measured. Treana'ad adopt and raise Terran children on occasion. P'thok is a cultural hero, having brought them ice cream and negotiated peace with the Terrans. His birthday is celebrated every year with a three day ice cream bacchanalia that can leave the Treana'ad gestalt with a hangover. There are over 85 trillion Treana’ad.

Smoking is a Terran habit that has become widespread among Treana'ad. Both cigarettes and vapes (powersmoking) are common. This serves the purpose of masking pheromones and allowing intelligent discourse to overcome instinctual behavior. This is especially important with newly molted young Treana’ad girls, who are more liable to eat a male’s head.

Ice Cream and Copulatory Suicide
Ice cream is one of the most valuable substances for the Treana'ad. For the female it releases massive amounts of the equivalent of endorphins and dopamine of pleasure hormones comparable to eating a male's head during copulation. Ice cream is a powerful and addictive narcotic for them, which creates a sugar high that can give them delusions of grandeur, additional energy, and acts as an aphrodisiac. Coming off of this high, they can feel depressed, paranoid, and get headaches. In combination with hormone regulating birth control and pheromone masking cigarettes, Ice Cream helps the Treana'ad control their base instincts.

Copulatory Suicide, where a male is killed by a female during sex, is an extremely common issue in Treana'ad society. Similar to how a female spider or mantis would kill and eat a male in the wild on old earth, Treana'ad females may kill and eat a male during sex, especially intelligent, large, and strong males. This is pleasurable for the females, and the male having their head eaten experiences unutterable bliss. This was historically acceptable, but with birth control and contact with the terrans, Treana'ad society and culture has progressed, this has come to be viewed as regrettable, although some 'traditionalists' feel pride. It can be compared to the Terraan concept of a regrettable hookup after intoxication, and Treana'ad society generally wishes to move beyond it. Signs based on Terran Drunk Driving or Overdose prevention campaigns warn against uncontrolled emotions and Some Treana'ad call it "The P'Thok Liberation" when they refer to the advent of Treana'ad birth control, as well as "The Tyranny of the Birthing Chamber" for pre-birth control society. Individuals dying in this manner are commonly stereotyped in this manner as foolish and believing their skulls to be stronger than they are.

The Treana'ad kink scene features this, and brave males may wear a helmet to copulate with females. Otherwise, males are advised to provide ice cream to prospective mates and only mate with mature females who have good self control. Terrans generally view deaths in this manner to be regrettable, but are hopeful that, given time, the Treana'ad will successfully eliminate it as an issue.