Fierce and proud warriors, the Hhrot were forged in the merciless crucible of Precursor war. Their most powerful nations have sought conquest, honour, and glory throughout the ages. Even though the Hhrot have waxed and waned several times, they have never been destroyed.
Even as many Hhrot fled the Pyxis Globula on the ARK Hitoka, a relic of a civilization they battled to a standstill eons ago, their society remains on a war footing. The cynical outlook shared by many Hhrot has not helped relations, and skirmishes involving Hhrot vessels desperately exploring for worlds to colonize and exploit are all too common in the Stream.
Despite their savage and warlike attributes, the Hhrot were found worthy of salvation. Even though they are generally godless, and regard their strange new galaxy's "deities" as merely powerful individuals, they are well aware of the second chance they were granted - for they had never faced an enemy such as the Voidborne, one with an actual shot at winning a total war against the fearsome Dominion.
Even as many Hhrot fled the Pyxis Globula on the ARK Hitoka, a relic of a civilization they battled to a standstill eons ago, their society remains on a war footing. The cynical outlook shared by many Hhrot has not helped relations, and skirmishes involving Hhrot vessels desperately exploring for worlds to colonize and exploit are all too common in the Stream.
Despite their savage and warlike attributes, the Hhrot were found worthy of salvation. Even though they are generally godless, and regard their strange new galaxy's "deities" as merely powerful individuals, they are well aware of the second chance they were granted - for they had never faced an enemy such as the Voidborne, one with an actual shot at winning a total war against the fearsome Dominion.
Physical Description
Hhrot exhibit a weak psionic field around themselves. Their eyes glow in the dark - and can sometimes change colour based on emotion.
(Picture : Stellaris) Hhrot voidcraft such as the Jagged Blade are fast and agile - despite their bulky appearance. They are typically very cramped and utilitarian, and the heat within is often stifling.
(Picture : GalCiv 3) |
The Hhrot are a bipedal race perhaps best known for its redundant organs and extremely high bone density. They possess tendrils and their earlobes are fused to their skull. Their psionic energy is best shown through the glow on their skin, eyes, tendrils and forehead. Their skin is scaly and hard, with elaborate patterns, or birth marks, that help to determine lineage. The Hhrot are warm-blooded and ovoviviparous.
Part of Hhrot resilience comes from redundant organs that "kick in" should primary organs become damaged. This enables them to survive diseases and crppling blows a little better. Hhrot do wear clothes (what civilized, space faring species does not?) - the higher honour a Hhrot has accrued, the more decorated the clothes. Wearing fabrics or patterns not yet earned is a critical offense to a Hhrot. Their clothes often weave armour as part of the design. Sentinels There are many schools of thought even in the rigid hierarchy of the Hhrot. The Sentinels are a notable sub-faction of genetically-engineered Hhrot. Bulkier, stronger, and routinely vat-grown, they were initially designed to be cheap, mass-produced and ultimately short-lived shock troops against the Old Empires. These days are long gone but the Sentinels remain as a fringe sect - sometimes shunned as "artificial" or "markless" Hhrot (vat-grown Hhrot do not have birth marks), but also often relied upon in times of need, such as against Yadi and their Arks or to fend off the Kalimshari Crusades. Helots Most Hhrot have long forsaken any semblance of religion - believing instead in the Law of Cycles - a twisted and convenient take on natural selection. However, the Helots of Gragara are an exception. They praise the Mother of All and thrive on religious sacrifice and bloodsports in order to bring Her glory and ensure that She bestows victory upon the Hhrot. Whilst a minority, their Clergy is very organized and typically a minor force everywhere Hhrot can be found. Sometimes dismissed for their eccentric belief system, their unique way to gain glory and honour often earns them the respect (or the fear?) of other Hhrot. Wayfarers The Hhrot landed in an area poor in natural resources; at such, building a space fleet to expand and exploit further riches became an area of prime interest to the Dominion leadership. The Wayfarers are miners, scavvers, traders and pirates - they are lifers on the ships of the Dominion. As Hhrot ships seldom generate an antigrav field, Wayfarers have adapted to near 0g conditions. Their lifespan is lesser and so is their birth rate, but they are especially nimble, even though they are much more frail than their planetside counterpart. Most mining outposts and forge stations are run by Wayfarers. |
Vital Stats (Starfinder)
Size : Medium
Type : Humanoid Subtype : N/A HP : 6 Average lifespan : 250 Homeland : Tycor (Prime Material Plane) Language : Common, Hhrot Cuneiform Average height : 6′10″‒8′0″ (2.08‒2.4 m) Average weight : 200‒264 lb (90‒120 kg) Skin color(s) : Scaly and usually monochrome, with elaborate patterns across the body Hair color(s) : Usually hairless Eye color(s) : Red/Purple/Orange, glows variably |
Normal Hhrot : +2 STR, +3 CON, -2 INT, -1 WIS
Sentinels : +2 DEX, +3 CON, -3 INT Helots : +2 STR, +2 WIS, -2 CON Wayfarers : +4 DEX, -2 STR Racial Traits Fearless The Hhrot fear no one and bow to nobody. They receive a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against fear effects. Natural Armour Hhrot use armor in a way that complements their uniquely sturdy physiology. When wearing armor, they gain a +1 racial bonus to AC. When they’re wearing heavy armor, their armor check penalty is 1 less severe than normal. |
Homeworld
Hitoka Prime (beneath the Ark Hitoka) is a cragmire of acidic pools and hostile mushroom forests - but it is livable to the hardy Hhrot, and less likely to receive xeno visitors - except as slaves, perhaps.
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The Hhrot left the Globula behind when half of their empire (and, by that point, most of their galaxy) had already been consumed by the Voidborne. This was a traumatic time, as the Hhrot had never been challenged on their home planet before by any other race, and they had never truly lost a war to such a catastrophic extent.
They settled first on the Ark Hitoka. While other races can only marvel at the lost creators of the three Arks, the Hhrot still bitterly remember the galactic conflicts they led against them. To commandeer an Ark and turn it into the capital of a new, glorious civilization is a point of pride - victory, even in defeat. The Ark is nonetheless kept in working order, for the Hhrot intend to return home someday, and somehow. In the meanwhile, they have settled on Hitoka Prime - an acidic hell planet, just barely livable, with sulfur pools for rivers. Nonetheless, the Hhrot are hardy and adaptable, and have made it their home. While some might construe that as a fancy, the reality is that the Hhrot's Ark landed in a lifeless part of the Stream, and with most other life-bearing worlds (to their standards) snatched up, they had little choice. The tiny moon of Aakta 3b has a thin atmosphere and is being used as an agroworld. Many Hhrot are fine living on ramshack space stations across Dominion space, however. |
Society and Alignment
The owners of the Ark Hitoka quickly set themselves to become the new centralized government of the Hhrot. Thus was the Council of the Dominion born. Hhrot society is extremely centralized and organized according to a strict military hierarchy. Whilst divided into 10 Legions - they are led by the Susuda, the leader of the Council. The Legion genuinely is the unit of life in Hhrot society. Children are born into them, and must train according to their ways. Adult Hhrot seldom see their children again, for they are often taken to be trained in another camp, ship, or station of the Legion. Nonetheless, each legion must be able to assemble readily, and so they are never overly spread apart.
Hhrot society is effectively a militarized meritocracy. Within one's own Legion , individuals rise, fall and perform according to their station in life. Legions have fighting units called Platoons or Voidfleets, depending on their particular sphere of influence, as well as auxiliary units. There is no shame in being demoted for most reasons, since it is seen as finding one's true place for the betterment of greater society. However, enslaved xeno are effectively outside of this rank system, since they cannot ever rise.
It is extremely hard to be kicked out of one's Legion. The old or disabled are often afforded low-ranking non-combat roles, though all are expected to serve in some capacity. The criminal, workshy and cowardly often end up in penal platoons but remain a part of the Legion. Often they are tasked with menial, punitive tasks away from the rest - effectively a form of exile, albeit with a chance at redemption. Serious crime and dereliction of duty is punishable by death, usually during public executions. Some Legions are more ruthless than others.
Above the Legion, there is the Conclave. Topped by the Council of the Dominion, the Conclave hierarchy is made up of senior officers and exceptional individuals promoted in order to lead the Hhrot war machine as a whole. Their skills and worth, in and out of battle, is thought to best serve the entirety of the Dominion above any one particular Legion. As an extension of the Legion ranking system, it is a rare and significant honour to be promoted beyond one's home Legion. Such great individuals will typically be "cast out" of their Legion in an elaborate ceremony, a reminder that the Conclave is impartial and works for the betterment of the Dominion over any one single Legion.
The ceremony also serves as a reminder that whilst Legions will almost always look after their own, no matter how low their rank, it is very possible to "fall off the bottom" of the Conclave hierarchy and out of Hhrot society : a Legion does not necessarily welcome the demoted officer back into their fold. This is thought to push more accountability onto senior officers.
When Hhrot do not fight against xenos, they stage lifelike war-games against other Legions. This practice, the Way of the Blade, was allowed and effectively encouraged by former Hhrot leaders, and is being revived by the Council. Indeed, it is often believed internecine warfare drives technological levels, toughens the troops, culls the lazy and cowardly, and keeps population levels reasonable. Most warfare is permitted, so long no permanent damage (i.e. nuclear weapons) is done. War between Legions is often declared for various reasons - including political maneuvering and to clear one's honour in the face of a perceived slight. However, if war were to be rung against an enemy of the Hhrot, all Legions would instantly support each other in protecting their Ways. Legions are often split into several Warbands and Voidfleets, and named after some abstract element of Hhrot cosmology. Legions are fiercely independent of one another - they have their own land, strongholds, and cities. Of course, some analysts might argue it merely gives Hhrot something to do...
Hhrot are highly industrious. Their forges and industries surpass that of every other civilization. However, because of a lack of resources, their industrial power remains limited and many cities are intolerable hellholes of factories and shacks. Hhrot care little for aesthetics, and many cities are therefore utilitarian by design. In addition, while their technological proweess in affairs of war instills fear in other civilizations, their single-minded focus means that many other aspects of their economy are often left wanting. Shortages of food and basic amenities is often common (and often leads to skirmishes between different warbands.) Trade is often done by the Wayfarers, who might be Legion-less and therefore low on the social ladder, but also occupy the crucial position of delivering trade goods and securing supply lines within and without the Dominion.
Most Legions keep order ruthlessly, and are well organized. They have no need for religious authorities and will instead put their highest officers into the limelight. Criminals and cowards alike are often sacrified in their name, even if their sentence was not death. This is done to instill fear and authority and to keep populations compliant. When a new officer takes charge of a Legion or significant Platoon or Voidfleet, it is very common for them to assert their power by sacrificing dozens of prisoners at once, or make them joust in gladiatorial fights. The Council can call upon the Hunt in order to raise morale. In this case, a planetary starport on a dune planet from the very early days of Ark colonization, called the Proving, is used in order to stage giant battle royales using prisoners and even exhalted volunteers looking for thrill and glory.
Hhrot were once known for their widespread use of Sentinels. These vat-grown soldiers are given very little in the way of rights and respect - in fact, they are lesser than enslaved xenos and Hhrot without warbands - until they have earned respect from their superiors, usually by charging into a hopeless fight against the enemy. It is unknown where their name comes from; Hhrot are not known for keeping accurate archives. Since the Great Jump, less Sentinels have been produced, as there is relatively little war to conduct, and Legions do not employ Sentinels against each other - that would be dishonourable, and to be reserved for genuine emergencies.
Whilst most Hhrot have forsaken religion, the Helots of Gragara continue to worship. They are a semi-secretive sect, their churches often found hidden in seedy back alleys. They are believed to hold no allegiance to any Legion, but instead to seek to accrue power for themselves. They are known to hold several rituals, including the Ritual of the Sun God or the Ritual of the Blood Legion. The frequent element of sacrifice and torture involved in these religious outpourings is probably connected to the Helots' interest in controlling prison-industrial complexes across the land.
In terms of alignment, Hhrot sport a wide variety, but the trends usually weighs towards Evil or Lawful (with a significant portion of Lawful/Neutral) - their civilization is far too orderly to tolerate wanton and gratuitous chaos, though they never quite have the welfare of their own, let alone other races, at the forefront of their minds.
Hhrot society is effectively a militarized meritocracy. Within one's own Legion , individuals rise, fall and perform according to their station in life. Legions have fighting units called Platoons or Voidfleets, depending on their particular sphere of influence, as well as auxiliary units. There is no shame in being demoted for most reasons, since it is seen as finding one's true place for the betterment of greater society. However, enslaved xeno are effectively outside of this rank system, since they cannot ever rise.
It is extremely hard to be kicked out of one's Legion. The old or disabled are often afforded low-ranking non-combat roles, though all are expected to serve in some capacity. The criminal, workshy and cowardly often end up in penal platoons but remain a part of the Legion. Often they are tasked with menial, punitive tasks away from the rest - effectively a form of exile, albeit with a chance at redemption. Serious crime and dereliction of duty is punishable by death, usually during public executions. Some Legions are more ruthless than others.
Above the Legion, there is the Conclave. Topped by the Council of the Dominion, the Conclave hierarchy is made up of senior officers and exceptional individuals promoted in order to lead the Hhrot war machine as a whole. Their skills and worth, in and out of battle, is thought to best serve the entirety of the Dominion above any one particular Legion. As an extension of the Legion ranking system, it is a rare and significant honour to be promoted beyond one's home Legion. Such great individuals will typically be "cast out" of their Legion in an elaborate ceremony, a reminder that the Conclave is impartial and works for the betterment of the Dominion over any one single Legion.
The ceremony also serves as a reminder that whilst Legions will almost always look after their own, no matter how low their rank, it is very possible to "fall off the bottom" of the Conclave hierarchy and out of Hhrot society : a Legion does not necessarily welcome the demoted officer back into their fold. This is thought to push more accountability onto senior officers.
When Hhrot do not fight against xenos, they stage lifelike war-games against other Legions. This practice, the Way of the Blade, was allowed and effectively encouraged by former Hhrot leaders, and is being revived by the Council. Indeed, it is often believed internecine warfare drives technological levels, toughens the troops, culls the lazy and cowardly, and keeps population levels reasonable. Most warfare is permitted, so long no permanent damage (i.e. nuclear weapons) is done. War between Legions is often declared for various reasons - including political maneuvering and to clear one's honour in the face of a perceived slight. However, if war were to be rung against an enemy of the Hhrot, all Legions would instantly support each other in protecting their Ways. Legions are often split into several Warbands and Voidfleets, and named after some abstract element of Hhrot cosmology. Legions are fiercely independent of one another - they have their own land, strongholds, and cities. Of course, some analysts might argue it merely gives Hhrot something to do...
Hhrot are highly industrious. Their forges and industries surpass that of every other civilization. However, because of a lack of resources, their industrial power remains limited and many cities are intolerable hellholes of factories and shacks. Hhrot care little for aesthetics, and many cities are therefore utilitarian by design. In addition, while their technological proweess in affairs of war instills fear in other civilizations, their single-minded focus means that many other aspects of their economy are often left wanting. Shortages of food and basic amenities is often common (and often leads to skirmishes between different warbands.) Trade is often done by the Wayfarers, who might be Legion-less and therefore low on the social ladder, but also occupy the crucial position of delivering trade goods and securing supply lines within and without the Dominion.
Most Legions keep order ruthlessly, and are well organized. They have no need for religious authorities and will instead put their highest officers into the limelight. Criminals and cowards alike are often sacrified in their name, even if their sentence was not death. This is done to instill fear and authority and to keep populations compliant. When a new officer takes charge of a Legion or significant Platoon or Voidfleet, it is very common for them to assert their power by sacrificing dozens of prisoners at once, or make them joust in gladiatorial fights. The Council can call upon the Hunt in order to raise morale. In this case, a planetary starport on a dune planet from the very early days of Ark colonization, called the Proving, is used in order to stage giant battle royales using prisoners and even exhalted volunteers looking for thrill and glory.
Hhrot were once known for their widespread use of Sentinels. These vat-grown soldiers are given very little in the way of rights and respect - in fact, they are lesser than enslaved xenos and Hhrot without warbands - until they have earned respect from their superiors, usually by charging into a hopeless fight against the enemy. It is unknown where their name comes from; Hhrot are not known for keeping accurate archives. Since the Great Jump, less Sentinels have been produced, as there is relatively little war to conduct, and Legions do not employ Sentinels against each other - that would be dishonourable, and to be reserved for genuine emergencies.
Whilst most Hhrot have forsaken religion, the Helots of Gragara continue to worship. They are a semi-secretive sect, their churches often found hidden in seedy back alleys. They are believed to hold no allegiance to any Legion, but instead to seek to accrue power for themselves. They are known to hold several rituals, including the Ritual of the Sun God or the Ritual of the Blood Legion. The frequent element of sacrifice and torture involved in these religious outpourings is probably connected to the Helots' interest in controlling prison-industrial complexes across the land.
In terms of alignment, Hhrot sport a wide variety, but the trends usually weighs towards Evil or Lawful (with a significant portion of Lawful/Neutral) - their civilization is far too orderly to tolerate wanton and gratuitous chaos, though they never quite have the welfare of their own, let alone other races, at the forefront of their minds.
Playing a Hhrot
Hhrot likely…
Other species likely…
- ...see other races as weaker, especially the craven Hiderid and the warlike but disorderly Zaalans
- ...seek chances to prove themselves in combat, or exceptional duty if unable to fight
- ...have a great sense of honour, pride, and propriety,
- ...have an even greater sense of duty and self-sacrifice
- ...dislike social change and different ways of life, especially non-warlike or cowardly ways.
- ...have deep emotional bonds with their platoon as well as with close friends, especially their former foes, the Kalimshari
Other species likely…
- ...find your history, culture and even shape intimidating,
- ...assume you see them as weak and worthless, and react accordingly,
- ...assume you know nothing beyond war and are interested in taking their land,
- ...find your deep friendships surprising, especially when children barely know their actual parents,
- ...respect your strength, not just for what it is but especially compared to other Ark species.
Relations
Hhrot relations are usually poor due to their bloodthirsty and domineering attitude towards other races. However, whilst Hhrot see other races as generally inferior, they also know to behold particularly brilliant examples of military strategy and respect them as they would one of their own. Often have Hhrot offered a defeated general or particularly valiant xeno force a home within their culture, and some key Hhrot generals have historically not been Hhrot at all.
They mostly value honour and propriety. Of the Pact Worlds, they value Vesk and strangely enough Lashunta as similarly strong and minded, albeit they disapprove of what they think is needless cruelty on behalf of the reptilian race. They especially dislike Ysoki, and find Androids and Shirren especially jarring. Of Ark species, they dislike the frivolous Kalimshari but respect them for their ability to hold off a full-scale Hhrot attack. They also have a surprising affinity for the Mewei. They find the Zaalans a much weaker version of themselves, and more than one Hhrot general has openly wondered whether the children of Doth'Ur should be better suited as a permanent slave caste to the Hhrot...
They mostly value honour and propriety. Of the Pact Worlds, they value Vesk and strangely enough Lashunta as similarly strong and minded, albeit they disapprove of what they think is needless cruelty on behalf of the reptilian race. They especially dislike Ysoki, and find Androids and Shirren especially jarring. Of Ark species, they dislike the frivolous Kalimshari but respect them for their ability to hold off a full-scale Hhrot attack. They also have a surprising affinity for the Mewei. They find the Zaalans a much weaker version of themselves, and more than one Hhrot general has openly wondered whether the children of Doth'Ur should be better suited as a permanent slave caste to the Hhrot...
Names |
Adventurers |
Hhrot names are typically a combination of a guttural first name and a Clan last name, which includes the Legion's name within :
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There are a few reasons for Hhrot to wander :
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Classes
Here are some possibilities for Hhrot of each of Starfinder's core classes :
- Technomancer : Hhrot are a psionic race and have a knack for technology, however ancient it looks; thus many voidships employ Technomancers as natural operatives.
- Mechanic : Hhrot are masters of clockwork and precise engineering. Hhrot mechanics are highly valued across the entire Stream.
- Solarian : The strange ways of the Solarian have lured many a Hhrot. Through personal Revelation, several honoured warriors seek glory by wielding the power of the Suns themselves.
- Soldier : The most natural fit for most Hhrot, and their natural state of being.
- Envoy : Hhrot do very little diplomacy, but they still require traders and bureaucrats. Envoys are seldom found topping popularity lists, however.
- Mystic : Even though most Hhrot are very happy with their limited psionic powers, some do decide to become enlightened Mystics, and train in shoddy temples or Helot shrines.
- Operative : When brute force doesn't do the trick, the Legions are keen to send operatives to do the dirty work. However, they would never admit to it, for to undermine your enemy is dishonourable - until you've won, and it wasn't.
- Biohacker : Many a doctor or healer in Hhrot society have worked with Sentinels, or even were Sentinels themselves. The path of the Biohacker is not a stray one for these types of tinkering Hhrot.
- Vanguard : Sentinels are born Vanguards, bred in tanks to unleash walls of sheer Entropy and devastate troops at close range. Many a scouting party are made of a Vanguard or two, a Biohacker and an Operative.
- Witchwarper : There are very few Hhrot Witchwarpers, and the few who would have followed that path may have defected to the Kalimshari to seek stellar guidance.
Known Hhrot NPCs
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