Rakin
–Climate–
The planet of Rakin is primarily a desert. However there is a wealth of minerals and valuable natural products just beneath the barren surface.
Agriculture flourishes throughout the northern plains almost unnaturally.
The most unique feature of the planet, however, is the ‘black’. Surrounding the planet is a dead zone, where communications and other surveillance gear simply fails.
This is suspected to be caused by the low frequency light that the sun gives out.
Not only does the black create a perfect natural defense, it also gives the planet a distorted appearance, allowing only the most skilled pilots to land on the surface.
–Physical Appearance–
Rakins are generally tall and muscular, the species seems built for war.
Their skin colors are usually dark reds and purples with some blues and oranges thrown it, they also are speckled with white.
Rakins have a large, sloping, brow and no noticeable eyebrows (though they do have fine hairs where the eyebrow would normally be); their hair colors vary from silver to gold and they usually have a lightly metallic sheen.
Rakin bones are super dense, stopping even the most powerful blades and projectiles, their ribcage is made out of dozens of bones tightly knit together, like a snake.
A Rakin’s heart is placed low in the chest and is surrounded by thick bone with only small holes allowing blood flow.
Their vein placement is nearly identical to a human, the neck and wrist are susceptible to fatal injury.
Their lungs have also adapted to their home world’s low oxygen content and they can survive without air for over six minutes comfortably and an two hours if unconscious.
Rakins live longer than Velkins, but not by much, generally passing on in their eightieth or ninetieth year.
The warrior race has always preferred to die in battle, just as the Velkins, but many Rakins don’t wait for old age.
Choosing to die with honor at a young age has become a troubling trend.
–Early History and Early Culture–
The Rakin race has a brutal culture, territorial and defensive, the species divided into thousands of small clans.
Clans would make short term alliances in the interest of attacking a larger clan, however after their purpose is served the alliance would deteriorate. Some ended as soon as the battle was won.
Ritual sacrifice only stopped in the last few hundred years, the Rakin people of old had many different gods and it took a large body count to keep them merciful.
Rakins used their warrior nature for war, unlike the Velkins who used it to unify their people.
During the later part of 1600 a prophet was born on Rakin, he claimed he was the son of the war god Kayooshen.
The prophet conquered his neighboring clans and rumors of his divinity began to spread, he was soon flooded with followers.
The Kayooshen is said to be immortal and he claims to have lived for four hundred years. GASP regards this as a falsehood, but lacks real evidence to the contrary.
After coming into power The Kayooshen brought peace to his world and in 1660 Rakins gained short ranged space travel.
–The War–
Rakin was one of the original founders of the Trader’s Alliance, but when the Velkins and Zargonians began to push for a universal government The Kayooshen thought that he should be instated as the ‘king’.
The other founders disagreed.
The Kayooshen began plastering the Versnet with religious rhetoric claiming that everyone who didn’t agree with him would burn.
Shortly thereafter Rakin was politely asked to leave the alliance.
The Kayooshen acted to circumvent the newly formed GASP by creating The Brotherhood…which started to gain popularity when Airosia entered into talks to join them.
Sadly the talks with Airosia eventually disintegrated and The Kayooshen made a preemptive strike against the planet, killing most of the inhabitants and officially starting the War.
–Current Events–
Rakin is carefully controlled by a Theocracy with The Kayooshen at its head.
Recently only the privileged few have actually laid eyes on The Kayooshen, causing some dissention in his ranks.
Some suggest that their leader is long dead.
The only appearances he makes recently are video in nature and only his outline is visible.
After Roto’s death murmurings have begun that the ‘son of god’ may not be as powerful or as righteous as he claims.
