Ethcroi


The Ethcroi are the most powerful of the races making up the Chakh Empire, an alliance of former Imperial races that Rulduk has released from his control for reasons known only to him. The Ethcroi have always been enemies of the Yaeger, and now that their powerful imperial allies (and many of their most powerful warships) are gone, they fear destruction by the resurgent Yaeger nation. Standing around 1.6 meters tall, the Ethcroi are somewhat reptilian in form, with a pebbly brown hide, a rectangular, earless head, and a long and non-prehensile tail. They are quadrupedal, with their torso rising from the middle of a table like lower body that is very powerful and efficient. They have two arms, tipped with large, non-retractable, curved claws that are used primarily for combat. They also have a large number of long, thin horns on their head and upper back, but these are used mainly for display, and break off quite easily.
The Ethcroi are ruled by an aristocratic caste. It is possible for a lower caste Ethcroi to win an appointment to the noble caste through military prowess, but only to the lowest ranks of that nobility. They produce hundreds of children in each birth, but only one child is allowed to survive each litter, with the children fighting over a decreasing supply of food, until only one survives, who is then allowed out of the birth creche. This system assures that only the strongest survive, and as a pair of Ethcroi tends to produce up to three litters a year, that still leaves large numbers of surviving children within each family. These children also fight somewhat of a war amongst themselves, because as soon as one of their parents dies, the other parent, and all but the child designated heir are put out without any possessions, leaving all to the heir. There are several way to avoid this fate. The first is to secrete possessions around the home, and hope to reach them before the sun of Chakh (their homeworld) destroys them. The second is to make sure that you are the child designated as heir, through whatever means necessary. Finaly, the other method commonly employed is to gain a name and a territory of their own, through military service.
This constant battle for position and survival made the Ethcroi naturals for advancement in the Imperial Military, where many still remain, despite the falling out of their government from Moff Rulduk's favor. It has also made them a rather grim and humorless people, who view death as the only thing that can sustain life. It has also given them an acute sense of paranoia, and they will always assume that there are many plotting to kill them. The acid laced brine of the oceans of Chakh is quite poisonous, as are all beverages made from those waters. However, the Ethcroi produce Gh'jukuk'raal'kri, a beverage of that type, and consume it regularly. It is poisonous, dehydrating, and foul tasting, tending to steam at room temperatures or below. It is also phenomenaly intoxicating, with an inebriation factor 11X greater than pure alcohol. The long term effects of the drink are just as deadly as the short term effects of too much, but they drink it anyway, Gh'jukuk'raal'kri meaning "the death that makes life sweet".

Stats

Attribute Dice: 12D
Attribute Min/Max
DEX: 2D+1/4D+2
KNO: 2D/3D+1
MECH: 1D/4D+1
PER: 2D/4D
STR: 3D/5D
TECH: 1D/3D+2
Move: 15/20

Special Abilities:

* Heat Adaptation: Chakh is a very, very hot world, with surface temperatures regularly reaching 70ø C. Because of this, the Ethcroi are very well adapted to high temperatures, while not being so well adapted to cold. Their normal range is from 50ø- 90ø, and they view cold and hot based on those standards. In addition, they need to drink no liquid water, as they are capable of surviving off of the water naturally provided by the foods they eat.
* Natural Weapons and Armor: The hide of the Ethcroi gives them a +1 bonus vs. energy attacks, and a +2 bonus vs. physical attacks. Their claws inflict STR+2D damage, and can be used in conjunction with melee combat skills.

Story Factors:

* Reputation: The Ethcroi are known for their treachery and tenacity in combat, and few are those that would cross and Ethcroi. However, there are also few that would trust an Ethcroi, and their race's warlike history has banned them from many of the worlds of the Yaeger Sector
* Resistance to Disease: Due to the culling process that young Ethcroi go through, those that survive are usually remarkably healthy specimens, and Ethcroi are therefor far less likely to contract diseases than just about any other known race.
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