The Horde

At some point in the past, an alien race made a visitation to another world. The 'Tall Ones' as they came to be known were intent upon bringing the planet into a benevolent galactic organisation, but were unprepared for the reaction they received.

The race, which mankind would come to know as The Horde, called themselves the 'Va-Shakk'. They were a planet bound warrior society who had scoured and scarred their world in both wars and the search for resources. The Va-Shakk welcomed the visitors with violence, killing them and taking their highly advanced technology. No longer were the Va-Shakk a planet bound Tech Level 7 society. In a momentŐs bloodshed they had been elevated to Tech Level 9 starfarers . . .

The Va-Shakk actually have access to technologies beyond TL9, but beyond their simplifying of the controls of the space ships so that their warriors can understand and operate the equipment, they have done nothing to investigate the technology. Va-Shakk warriors eschew the sciences and engineering.

Since the arrival of the Tall Ones, the Va-Shakk have left their home planet far behind, becoming nomad barbarians plundering and raping fertile worlds. Their procedure is always the same. The FTL ships will arrive in the system, and establish a safe orbit around a planetary body on the outer edge of the system. Leaving the women and children of The Horde behind, the warriors take the non-FTL capable ships and enter orbit around the inhabited planets. War and plunder, of course ensues.

Not all of the planets that the Va-Shakk have attacked have been as easy pickings as the Earth prior to the creation of Strikeforce: Morituri was. Afanomoe, Maghrebinia and Groustark have all successfully resisted the Horde, though Groustark was reduced to an atmosphereless ball of slag. Where the assaults have been successful, the defending races have been subjugated and enslaved, many of them unused to the high gravity that is the norm for the Horde fleet. Notable conquered races include the Mellidar, Translators, Healers, Bozhukoi, Kkel and Yllahandri. Indeed the Earth is the best planet the Horde have discovered for at least a thousand years. The Horde population has been dropping because they have been living off their wastes for all that time.

The Horde has established a position over the Earth dominating orbital and atmospheric operations. This is combined with a planet side command headquarters based in Cape Town, South Africa. There, the Horde's 'First in the Field' commands. For the first three years this was Dread Eagle, but he was killed by The Black Watch. The remainder of the fleet currently orbits Jupiter.

They regularly raid for all kinds of resources. This includes foodstuffs (chocolate is a favourite), materials, cultural products such as movies, and slaves. The slaves are used and abused with contempt, indeed their most callous actions to date have been the dumping of recently taken slaves straight into the high atmosphere for them to die on burn up. The 'High Dive', as this is known, has made Mankind hate the aliens even more.

Va-Shakk government is tribal in nature, reflecting their nomadic origins, with warriors belonging to clan-like organisations known as tents. Warriors are highly loyal to their tents and the race as a whole.

They are led by 'The First of The Horde', who until the members of Strikeforce: Morituri attacked their ships in orbit and killed him, was 'Stark Fist'. Thundercrush of the Chasm Tent succeeded him.

As a warrior advances in Va-Shakk society, rivalry and jostling for position grows in importance. Members of the Council that advises the 'First of The Horde' and governs on a day to day basis, constantly scheme and feud with each other.

Description:

Physically each member of the Va-Shakk race is a seven to eight feet tall, uniformly salmon pink and hairless humanoid. They are thin, but highly muscular, which is enhanced by Earth's low gravity - the Va-Shakk originally come from the equivalent of a 1.9G world.

A Va-Shakk has four clawed digits on each foot and hand - the latter actually being made up of three fingers and a thumb. The most notable differences between Va-Shakk and humans are facial. The lower face is dominated by large throat sacs and strong pointed teeth. The throat sacs are actually a breathing aid necessitated by the high gravity of the Va-Shakk homeworld. Ageing Va-Shakk run to fat, though this becomes obvious only in their heavy stomach. This increased weight upon the torso does not make breathing more difficult as the throat sacs also grow.

The nose is broad and consists of multiple folds of cartilage. The overall effect of the jaw, offset by throat sacs, is to give the face a dog-like appearance. The eyes are black with white pupils that are shaped like vertical ellipsoids. The eyelids actually have this ellipsoid shape cut into them, making it impossible for a Va-Shakk to fully close their eyes. Their ears are close to their heads, and are very similar to humanŐs.

Va-Shakk dress relatively lightly, but cover their groin and wear heavy metal bands around their arms and legs. Of particular importance to every Va-Shakk is the headgear, which is often ornate and is a measure of their own personal status. The knocking off of the headgear is seen as a personal insult.

Other symbols of personal status are trinkets plundered from the cities of the Earth. The Va-Shakk are fond of coins, buttons or badges, medals and so on.

In attitude, the Va-Shakk are proud and self-centred, caring for their own race and no other. They are extremely contemptuous of any other races they encounter or attempt to conquer. Whilst they show great loyalty to their race and their tent-mates, they are highly aware of their personal status and position in the Va-Shakk hierarchy.

Living by a warrior code, each Va-Shakk usually disdains technology beyond knowing how to operate it. Amongst themselves, prowess in hand-to-hand and armed combat are highly valued. Favoured weapons include spears, polearms, glaives, halberds, and a weapon that is a combination of a flail, morning star and glaive. The Va-Shakk flail is capable of inflicting impaling, cutting or crushing damage, depending on what part of the weapon is used. It is unlikely that a human could effectively wield a Va-Shakk flail, unless they were someone who had undergone the Morituri Process.

Va-Shakk

Advantages: Acute hearing +2 (+04), Claws (+15), Combat Reflexes (+15), Damage Resistance +5 (+15), High Technology TL9 (+20), Night Vision (+10), Sharp Teeth (+05), Strong Will +2 (+08).

Disadvantages: Appearance (Hideous) (-30), Bad Temper (-10), Bloodlust (-10), Bully (-10), Callous (-06), Code of Honour (Va-Shakk: Never betray The Horde, Always avenge an insult, Settle matters of Honour with a duel) (-05), Dull (-01), Inconvenient size (-10), Intolerance: Racial (-05), Odious Racial Habit (Arrogance) -2 (-10), Overconfident (-10), Sense of Duty (to The Horde) (-10), Stubbornness (-05), Self Centred (-10).

Quirks: Fascinated by medals and trinkets (-01), Loves chocolate (-01)

Racial Skills: Brawling at DX +2 (4), Armoury (personal weapons) at IQ, Beam Weapons/TL9 at DX +2 (1), Va-Shakk Flail at DX+2 (16), Spear at DX +1 (4), Polearm at DX +1 (4), Staff at DX (4), Va-Shakk Ritual and Ceremonies at IQ +3 (10).

A Va-Shakk warrior usually eschew technical and scientific skills, but will learn enough so that they can operate the technology that they have stolen.