Rawl-Kin Fluff

Name: Kharsoth Fleshrippers
Race: Rawl-Kin
DCS Member Species: N

Physical description: Standing at an average of 5’10”, and weighing about 90 pounds, the Rawl-Kin are a birdlike species of bipedal carnivores. They have long since abandoned their homes in the branches of trees, and thus, their wings are mainly vestigial in nature, though they are adept gliders, and can fly for short distances. Their hooked beaks contain rows of tiny teeth, for slicing prey into small pieces. The avians are anisodactyl digitigrades, with each leg having three bones, and powerful muscles, acting as a spring, which is able to propel them forward onto their prey. Their skin is usually dull orange in colouration, with some older Rawl-Kin having grey speckled skin. The only feathers that now exist on their bodies are on their arms, and hindquarters. The top of their elongated heads have crests, which consist of colourful plumage in males, and spines in females. Their arms are fairly human-like, with the exception of the sharp talons that terminate them. The Rawl-Kin have dexterous fingers, each tipped with a razor-like claw. Most stand hunched over, so they appear much shorter than the average human.

Social Structure: Rawl-Kin social structure is merit-based, with the strongest, smartest, and wealthiest rising to the top. They used to exist in tribal groups aboard massive ships and the smaller vessels that accompany them, but after the Enemy attacked, most of the capital ships were wiped out. They have a homeworld: Rawl, which is sacred to them, but most never see it. They exist as marauding bands of pirates, attacking worlds for their mineral wealth and technology, sometimes enslaving the populace. Floating chains of vessels are their homes, and their trappings are scrap and salvage. Spines are common on their ships, as decoration, and as a way to absorb background radiation and convert it into power for the vessel. These spines routinely shoot electricity amongst themselves, crackling with power as they help the already jagged ships of the Rawl-Kin strike dread into the hearts of enemies. Rawl-Kin weapons are charged with electricity from these spines, and power packs condense the energy so much, that the blasts of plasma and electricity that escape their dull, jagged exteriors quickly tears into the air around them, disrupting the local atmosphere on an atomic level, resulting in heavy, hard to breathe air during firefights. The weapons, as a side effect of their effects on the air around them, scream when fired first. As the power pack runs dry, the screaming devolves into a low howl, like that of an anguished animal. Most weapons feature blades or spines for close quarter combat, and are extremely light so that the fragile warriors of the race can move about swiftly on the battlefield. Tribal leaders are known as Kin-Kar, and they wear ostentatious robes to show their status. Most Kin-Kar possessed small fleets back before the Enemy attacked, and the leaders of the tribes would often fight one another for supremacy, but it has become less likely that two leaders would meet each other after recent events wiped out a portion of the race, and most of their fleet.
The Kharsoth Fleshrippers are a fairly typical tribe, led by Baal-Kin-Kar, a greedy and bloodthirsty old pirate. With most of their ships gone the Fleshrippers are looking to claim the spoils of war from poorly defended planets and space stations. They are not above scavenging old hulks for useful materials and components.