Species Guide 1: Shaktar/Wraithen is 80 pages of content about the two best-known alien species that work as Operatives for SLA Industries. With species-specific skills, weapons and hardware, your favourite alien has more options than ever, and with plenty of art and all the information you could want about their home worlds, cultures and histories, the first species guide is an essential book for Operatives and GMs alike.
Shaktars are a humanoid reptilian species that came to the attention of SLA industries during the Conflict Era. Unlike the many savage societies that the company encountered at this time, the Shaktar were more interested in maintaining their territory and defending the culture and liberties of the Shaktar Nation. It was during the Conflict Era, that mutual advantage and commercial interests led the Nation to engage in an alliance with SLA industries. This alliance was crucial in ending the conflicts and allowing for both societies to stabilise in the aftermath.
The vast majority of Shaktars are raised as warriors, but this does not mean the people of The Shining Moon Tribes are cruel or barbaric. Their expert knowledge and application of ancient martial and weapon arts are meant to serve and shield the World of Progress.
For all the good that the Shaktar Nation provides SLA Industries, they suffer a dark twin. The Shadow Moon Tribes vehemently oppose the perceived restrictions set down by the Nation and align themselves with White Earth and its Red King. With all restraint removed they indulge in violence and murder, worshipping monstrous Ethereals.
Shaktars are always engaged in battle of some kind, whether it be with daily mundane cruelty and ignorance, their ancient Shadow Moon enemy, or simply their internal struggle to follow the edicts of their faith.
Wraithen are humanoids with physical features reminiscent of both cats and lizards. They are usually between 5 and 6 feet in height and are lightly built and covered in a layer of short fur. On their frozen homeworld, Polo, their fur is usually white in colour and their eyes pale pink, though both darken significantly after a period of time on Mort or other warmer worlds, to a variety of shades of purple. Most Wraithen SLA Ops, as well as Wraithen civilians on Mort, utilise coolant stacks — implanted bioware sitting just above the angle of their jaw — to maintain their core temperature at a comfortable 23 degrees regardless of the environment.
Wraithen generally stand erect and move with a bipedal gait, though are capable of bounding short distances on all fours when sprinting is called for. Their neuronal, muscular and cardiovascular systems are optimised for bursts of high intensity activity, though they are capable of substantial feats of endurance when the need presents itself.
Their spinal vertebrae are connected with muscle instead of the more usual inflexible tendons, giving them remarkable plyometric capacity when jumping and lunging. Some Southern Wraithen have a short, vestigial tail, but this is of little use beyond decoration.
The Wraithen central nervous system is highly dependent on external stimulus for effective functioning. When deprived of excitement, Wraithen tend either to adopt pleasure-seeking behaviours, or, if sufficient excitement is not available, slip into periods of ennui and deep depression, characterised by lack of self-care and accompanied by disregard of obligation and friendships.
