Scarran

Scarrans
Skin color:	Varies, pale White to dark gray
Hair color:	Varies, typically black
Feather color:	none
Distinctions:	Reptilian. There are notably three "ranks" of Scarran. Lower, apparently warrior rank, Scarrans have long, scaly faces and large jaws. They also appear to greatly range in height, from average humanoid height to roughly 7'. Mid-rank Scarrans are commonly taller than other ranks and have smoother, smaller faces, an exposed jaw and long, pale necks. Higher ranking Scarrans tend to be flatter, more humanoid in appearance compared to lower ranking Scarrans. It is not known the evolutionary track that cause such divergences within the species.

Scarrans seem to be bipedal with a humanoid body structure, but lizard-style leathery skin and claws. Ranging from pale white to dark gray in skin colour, these creatures are normally quite tall, hovering at least half a foot over most Sebaceans and humans, even occasionally towering over Luxans.

The head of a Scarran is one of the most perplexing things about the creatures - not every Scarran seen thus far has the same style head. It is clear that the Scarran race is split into two classes - the ruling caste and the soldier class.

The head for the ruling chaste, or more rather upper class, appears to be flatter in design, with well formed mouth, eyes, nose and chin (see the subjects Emperor Staalik, War Minister Ahkna, and Captain Jenek, amongst othersHowever, the head on the lower class is more horse-like in design, with an extruding mouth, less developed eyes and slits instead of nostrils, with little or no nose potrusion. In some cases, the jaw differs on lower class Scarrans, with some having just a mouth at the end, some even having holes in their facial cheeks.

The Scarrans have many strengths and few weaknesses. Their main natural weapon is the Scarran heat torture. In this, Scarrans are able to blast large amounts of heat from their hands, redirected from their bodies. This, coupled with the Heat Delirium effect, makes Sebaceans particularly susceptible to this. However, the Peacekeepers have experimented with removing the heat-producing gland in Scarrans, which weakens them, and have also tested new weaponry on them. Perhaps because of this heat torture, a Scarran is able to be killed from the extreme cold caused by ice thrust into an open wound.

The Scarran body is also capable of huge amounts of brute strength, and it is seemingly impossible for a member of any other species thus far known to take one on and live without a clear advantage of some variety. Their thick skin seems to make them impervious to blaster fire shot at the body, though explosives in bodily orifices prove fatal.

This, coupled with the razor-sharp claws on the Scarran's hands, makes them formidable in combat. Yet they are dependant on one thing - the Crystherium plants, which provide their intelligence. Scarrans must consume this plant, else it would appear they would become stupid. This provides a flaw in their military plans, as the Scarran race has to make sure they have a planet capable of growing the crystherium plant nearby before attacking. However, it could be presumed that it is this plant that may mutate a Scarran's features, creating the distinction between upper and lower caste Scarrans. Naturally, the upper caste Scarrans would consume more of the plant, as it isalso one of the race's delicacies.

Another weakness of the Scarrans is their susceptibility to cold. The Scarran body thrives in heat, and also seems to require it to produce the Scarran heat torture effect. However, in cold temperatures, their body heat drops rapidly. What little heat remains is used to ensure the body works as best it can, not allowing any for the heat blast involved in the Scarren heat torture.

The Scarran race is intensely interested in genetics, trying to splice DNA from other species into their own. They often keep their test subjects alive for many cycles trying to discover what possible benefits could be reaped. Scorpius is the only Scarren hybrid met thus far, a combination of Scarran and Sebacean genes. This produced an odd combination. While Scorpius had a body much like a Sebacean, admittedly with skin of a different texture, his head seemed a combination of Sebacean and Scarran, making him seem very much like an upper chaste Scarran. Also, the combination effected his mind, giving him the ability to sense auras around people with which truth could be determined. This is an odd and unexpected effect, since neither species shows any traits which hint at any latent abilities like this.

Technological advancement is something the Scarrans seem particularly good at, with a few devices never seen before. Their method of interrogation involves a device which disrupts brainwave patterns in the subject, making them disoriented and believe they are in an increasingly confusing situation and possibly believe they are being driven into madness. They have also mastered the art of creating replicas of people, known as bioloids. The replicas are given a mission, but do not carry any memories of the original. Furthermore, bioloids can be implanted with electrical devices, such as tracking chips.

The Scarrans also are a space-faring species, using large vessels called Dreadnoughts as the main vanguard of their military fleet. These are at least twice the size of a regular Peacekeeper Command Carrier. From these they can launch Strikers, small but fast attack craft. Strikers also have a propulsion system that is quicker than the Starburst of Leviathans.

The Scarran race carries a long military history. Several thousand cycles ago a peace was made between Sebaceans and Scarrans, overseen by the Priests of Arnessk. However, since then the Scarrans have decided to try to wipe out all other sentient life, and are currently hovering near all-out war with the Sebacean race, and as such the Peacekeeper establishment. There is a buffer state between the Peacekeeper space and Scarran space through which stops the two from reaching each other without passing through another diplomaticstate. This is the area of the Breakaway Colonies, and also consists of the Uncharted Territories and possibly Tormented Space.

It is known to the Peacekeepers that the Scarran military forceout numbers Peacekeepers by a ratio of 10 to 1, favoring the Scarrens (see Episode 3.11 - Incubator). However, while the Scarran forces are technologically advanced, the Peacekeepers are trying to forge ahead with wormhole research for use as a weapon. The Scarrans have only recently found out about this and are eager to acquire the technology for themselves.

The Scarrans are allied with two races, both of which serve them differently. The Charrids are grunt soldiers, serving as advance scout parties or in fast attacks. The Kalish serve as technicians. While the Charrids do not seem to mind being under the thumb of the Scarrens, the Kalish dislike it. A Kalish resistance has been formed, though it's objectives and how they will obtain them are unclear.

However, the crystherium plant proves to be their main weakness, both mentally and militaristically. The Scarrans need to find worlds on which the crystherium plant can grow and spread themselves from there. If a world is lost, or deemed unable to grow the crystherium plant any more, that region of space is denied to the Scarrans unless a replacement nearby can be found.

The Scarrans though have a well thought out social hierarchy. Simply known as The Hierarchy, this is the government body of the Scarrans. Even the Emperor has to answer to and be judged by the Hierarchy, and it is common knowledge that treachery exists within it, by which way people can steal rulership from each other