Introduction
It is generally believed that pursuing their lust for killing and maiming was the only spur which enabled the early Skarrite race to evolve a social structure more sophisticated than primitive tribalism. Cities, agriculture, techology and knowledge facilitated the conflict of which Skarrites are so fond and thus their civilisation arose out of an intrinsic desire to bestow violence.
Once the technology of an arms race began it was inevitable that Skarrites would evolve space travel, provided they did not annihilate themselves first. Ironically, it was their acquisition of space travel which ultimately led to the destruction of their home world of Skarr.
The nascent Skarrite interstellar domain shared a border with the Zhekhlan Dominion. Relations between the two races had been poor from their first contact and reached a crisis in 2243 when the Skarrites attempted to invade part of the Dominion. Their initial successes were soon repulsed by the Zhekhlans, whose own approach to war gave the no qualms about pursuing the Skarrites back to Skarr and reducing the surface of the planet to a charred, radioation-soaked hell by nuclear bombardment in 2244.
After their defeat by the Zhekhlans the remnants of Skarrite civilisation gravitated into the Arlosian Empire where the Arlosians were able to find assorted niches for mercenaries under the guise of offering respite to a defeated people.
Anatomy and Physiology
Skarr is a high gravity world and the Skarrite physique reflects this. Their average height is a little less than for a human female but their physical strength is considerably greater than the mean for a human male and their build can be described as stocky.
Evolution from a violent, predatory carnivorous species endows the Skarrites with two distinctive physical traits. Their hairless skulls bear a prominent crest, which is an exaggeration of the carnassial ridge. Flushing of the blood vessels in the ridge is a manifestation of Skarrite anger. A large ridge is believed among Skarrites to portend prowess as a warrior.
In addition to the crest, Skarrites possess two short tusks in their lower jaw, one on each side, which jut upwards.
Somewhat incongruously, Skarrite irises are a soft blue and are flecked with brown. Their skin is a light grey.
Physical strength and endurance are similar between male and female Skarrites. However, Skarrites are placental mammals and their gestational period is ten months. Skarrite children require around fourteen years to reach physical maturity and independence so child-rearing demands considerable resources and investment of time. It is an indication of the Skarrite obsession with fighting that a delayed first pregnancy is a marker of a skilled female warrior. Nevertheless, Skarrite culture holds a duty among their best female fighters to ensure that they do reproduce in order to continue the warrior bloodline. In early Skarrite civilisation this concern with producing the next generation of skilled fighters resulted in polyandry being practised among the elite female warriors. The choice of mates rested largely with the female and was motivated primarily by selecting the best male warriors.
Language
Skarrish is an extremely guttural language which eschews vowels. The human larynx is incapable of generating many of the necessary sounds and any attempt by a human to pronounce a Skarrish word, which can be unavoidable when using proper nouns, results in the introduction of superfluous vowel sounds.
Bladed Weapons
Skarrites manifest a particular delight in fighting with bladed weapons. Among the myriad at their disposal, two constitute the mainstay.
The trag-no-Lokr is a J-shaped scimitar that is ideal for dismemberment, decapitation and disembowellin and is the most popular of all Skarrite bladed weapons. Lokr was a creature of Skarrite mythology whose role was to punish transgressors in the afterlife; trag-no-Lokr means horns of Lokr. The element of Skarrite religion in which Lokr was prominent has faded to a minority cult, but Lokr's name had become inextricably linked with the eponynmous weapon.
Typically found in the possession of any Skarrite who wields a trag-no-Lokr, is the kn'ra dagger. This is preferred in situations of grappling, stealth ambushes and for delivering finishing blows.