S'raak

S'raak
Base Information
Classification	Omnivore/hunter
Status	Minor Race
Locomotion	Walker
Terrain	Plains
Body Form
Confluence	Semi-humanoid
Bio-Identenoid	Reptillianoid
Size	1.5 meters
Weight	100 kg
Culture
Languages	Native Language
Social Structure	Charismatic Oligarchy
Technological Epoch	TL:10-12
Psionic potential	Standard
Origin World
Homeworld location	Khaar
UWP	B5728CE-A Starport B Good: Spacecraft Construction, Overhaul, Refined fuel Size 5 Medium (8,000 km, 0.40g - 0.57g) Atmosphere 7 Standard (tainted) Hydrographics 2 Dry World 20% Population 8 Moderate (800 million) Government C Charismatic Oligarchy Law E Extreme Law (police state) Tech Level A Early Stellar (jump drive)
Primary Star	G0 V
Atmosphere	Standard, Tainted
Off-world presence	Yes
Zoetic individuals	Yes
Source
Reference	HIWG Australia
Canon	No
Also see

The S'raak of Khaar are a Minor Non-Human Race native to Yiklerzdanzh Sector.

• Their homeworld is located within Izellensjdash Subsector.
• Their technological competency is rated as sophisticated.

Description (Specifications)

The S'raak are descended from walking omnivore/hunters native to open plains regions on Khaar, a hot world with a significant sulfur taint in its atmosphere.

Physiology

S'raak are bipedal organisms weighing around 100 kg and averaging a modest 1.5 meters in height. They have a somewhat crouched posture, but can rear up for short periods to a height of around 2.5 meters. They are covered with thick leathery scales in mottled brown and yellow colours, although exact patterns appears to be dependent on clan heritage.

Their body form is summarized as bilateral HBS-T-AN-LN-N.

• Internal skeletal structure
• Ichor fluids
• Scaly hide
• Hand-like manipulators

S'raak are generally considered reptillianoid, though that term is only used to convey their nature in the broadest possible sense.

S'raak are notable for the importance of sulfur within their metabolism. Although they breathe and utilize atmospheric oxygen like many other species, they require a certain percentage of sulfur dioxide within the gas mix, and their body chemistry and metabolism is dependent on sulfur-saturated compounds in order to maintain health. S'raak DNA is configured in a left handed helix rather than the right handed one in Humans, and their DNA repair mechanism is so efficient that they are far more resistant to normally lethal doses of radiation in all forms.

S'raak are thermophilic, ectothermic, and have no circadian rhythm. Instead, their metabolic rate is determined by their environmental conditions. They prefer temperature ranges that would rapidly kill Humans -- around 70ºC is considered ideal -- and are tolerant of a greater range of temperatures. Extended periods of conditions below 40ºC will bring on a catatonic like hibernation state, and temperatures of less than 20ºC will cause hypothermia and death. Temperatures in excess of around 110ºC will cause heatstroke, resulting in permanent damage to the brain and other vital organs and ultimately death. They require 4 hours rest in every forty or intellectual capacity is reduced due to fatigue. They prefer to find somewhere cool and shaded to sleep.

Senses

S'raak have the four basic senses that Humans recognize.

• Vision -- sensitivity to wavelengths of light. They see the Red-Green-Blue color spectrum (relating to the principal wavelengths of light emitted by their systems star) and can perceive the near and far IR spectra. S'raak vision is broadly comparable to that of Humans, though Human eyesight is generally considered a little sharper.
• Hearing -- sensitivity to vibrations. They possess a particular sensitivity to low frequency sound.
• Smell -- sensitivity to volatiles, including a well developed sense of taste.
• Touch -- sensitivity to pressure and texture. S'raak are somewhat less sensitive to touch than are Humans.

Diet & Trophics

S'raak are omnivorous, with an emphasis on a high protein diet.

They consume a wide variety of nutrients to survive, eating everything from roots, fruit, and grains, to insects and animals of all kinds. In recent centuries they have learned to industrially produce food, allowing them to manufacture foodstuffs with very long shelf lives and freeing millions of individuals from a lifetime of agricultural labor. S'raak very much prefer meat, though they can survive on a purely vegetarian diet it if there is no alternative. They employ all manner of cooking and preserving techniques. Humans find S'raak food all but inedible due to the high sulfur content -- most of it smells distinctly like rotten eggs.

Reproduction & Ageing

S'raak are hermaphroditic, both receiving and passing on genetic material in a process that is still not at all understood. Foetal development occurs within a specialized reproductive sac over a period of 20 standard weeks, and young are born live through an abdominal urinogenital opening. Infancy lasts for roughly 2 standard years and sees the development of balance and coordination; physical growth and maturation is complete after a further 6-7 standard years, with mental and intellectual maturation some 4-5 years later -- this leaves an adolescent between physical and intellectual maturation very susceptible to suggestion, and organizations and religions actively recruit such individuals. A S'raak is considered an adult at 14 standard years old and generally retires at around 42 standard years old: individuals within this age range comprise the majority of the labor force, serving up to seven terms in their chosen careers. Due to the reactive nature of a sulfur based metabolism, S'raak lifespan is less than that of Humans and mean age at death is 45-50 standard years. There are no known anagathic analogues.

Psychology

The S'raak exhibit recognized characteristics of intelligence:

• Conceptual thought, including abstract language.
• Social structure, including social organization.
• Tool use, allowing environmental manipulation.

S'raak psychology is driven by factors common to many sophonts:

• Acquisition (stemming from the need to gather adequate nutrition),
• Preservation (derived from the need to continue their personal existence), and
• Perpetuation (the urge to continue the species).

History & Background (Dossier)

The S'raak were recontacted by the Zhodani, Talpaku and Meichntid Ibl around the year 1100 –- they had first been contacted around a millennium earlier and their planet declared a Forbidden World almost immediately afterwards. The vast majority of S'raak had no concept of life existing beyond their own world: the 1100 Contact was a defining moment in the race's history.

Centuries earlier, realizing the inevitability of offworld contact and the massive disruption it would cause, leaders from several high-ranking S'raak Clans had put aside their differences and made plans to deal with the impending situation. Calling themselves the Elite Council, they secretly initiated a comprehensive series of development programs and in the late 800s established offworld relations with shadowy interests, who were able to supply them with expertise, training, and materials. They covertly began to build an advanced technological foundation for their world, though the majority of the population continued to live in backward conditions.

The reason that the regional powers made open contact with the S'raak in 1100 was the same in the case of each party -- they understood that the race were a nascent regional power and sought to establish themselves as a partner and ally, with the intent of gaining a strategic foothold in the middle of the (then) neutral Talpaku-Zhodani Demilitarised Zone. The S'raak Clan leaders understood this and extracted territorial promises from each in return for vague diplomatic agreements.

Prior to the 1100 contact, the S'raak remained a savage, aggressive race, locked in continual warfare between warring Clans despite their growing technological competency. The revelation of the existence of offworlders was an utter shock, with the strange aliens seen as abominations, especially in the view of the influential S'raak religions. The S'raak Clans unified as they stood together to face this new foe, coming under the authority of the Elite Council, which had come out of the shadows and assumed power. The population, led by religious figures and ill-informed rabble rousers, declared a jihad to destroy all life not native to their world (a rather ambitious aim, but at that time the general population had little comprehension of the nature of the universe and what this task entailed). However, it served to give the people a greater goal and as such the Elite Council declared its support.

Since the 1100 contact, the Elite Council are openly communicating with all parties, plus various shady trading organizations, and whilst playing each side off against one another, have begun exchanging their abundance of radioactives and heavy metals for additional technological information, upgraded hardware, and further training. They have also instituted a breeding program to raise the S'raak population from levels kept low by inter-Clan warfare, in order to create a massive army.

1105

The Zhodani astrographic databases (and, commendably, the Imperial AAB databases too) hold updated UWP information regarding Khaar:

• Prior to 1100 Khaar had an officially recognized UWP of X57287C-4 Ho Lt Fo
• Following revelation of the Elite Council's preparations the world's UWP was reclassified as B5728CE-A Ho Fo

While Khaar has seemingly undergone an enormous jump in tech level, vast tracts of the world remain primitive and backward, with traditional TL–4 technology and infrastructure only gradually being updated and replaced.

• The world's UWP listing rates it as TL–A.
• This new technology is primarily seen in personal and heavy military equipment, communications gear, and space transport technology.
• The network of technologically advanced regions of the surface are former Clan territories and holdings that were developed in secret for more than two centuries. They were heavily guarded and off limits to almost everyone.
• Most other scientific fields such as medicine are significantly less advanced.

Naval Forces

Many of the vessels in the S'raak's small interstellar navy were built using locally constructed hulls, fitted with imported jump drives and equipment. The primary source of these major shipboard systems were pirates, based in the Wyld Worlds Subsector, and shady interests of which little is known. Other jump capable vessels were "acquired" from a variety of other sources.

Society

The unification of S'raak Clans occurred in 1101 due to an overwhelming xenophobic response to contact with offworld powers. The basic administrative unit is still the traditional Clan, with each Clan sending representatives to the Administrative council, who deal with day to day tasks. Two other councils exist; the Military Council and the Technological Research Council. All three councils report solely to the Elite council, comprised of Clan elders from the strongest Clans.

Little detail is known about S'raak social structure. It is known that virtually all S'raak are members of the military in some way. The S'raak Empire maintains a standing army under the direct control of the Military council, however each clan also maintains its own military forces which are under the direct control of the Clan elders. In theory the Military Council may draw forces from the Clan military forces, however inter-Clan politics often causes problems with this procedure. Since the creation of the S'raak Empire much of the specialised labour and manufacturing tasks has been taken over by slaves on Khaar itself and non-S'raak serfs on the worlds conquered by the Empire.

The only known S'raak custom is that the bodies of slain Warriors and Elders are ritually consumed at a feast so that the soul of the dead will remain with their tribe and aid it in times of great need. Many researchers have referred to this custom as evidence that the S'raak are a race of uncivilised beings who have obtained advanced technology much too soon and for which they are incapable of responsible use.

The Empire

(Chart sourced from Traveller Map)

The S'raak have seized control of a number of isolated worlds and declared them to be the S'raak Empire.

Prior to this, the region was a demilitarized zone lying between the Talpaku Communality and the Zhodani Consulate, filled with barren worlds.

Various Clan leaders on Khaar had been in contact with shadowy offworld interests since at least the late 800s with the view to preparing the world for its eventual emergence onto the interstellar stage.

• They negotiated training for promising individuals, in order to provide a foundation of competence in a variety of technical abilities.
• They constructed hidden port and support facilities in remote areas
• Stockpiles of sophisticated equipment were gathered
• A fleet of small starships was assembled

By 1100, tacit "understandings" had been negotiated with the Zhodani, the Talpaku, and the Meichntid Ibl, who were all eager to see the emergence of the S'raak for their own interests. By the end of the eleventh century the leadership of the world had prepared itself as best it could both for the public revelation of a vast interstellar society, of which they were a tiny, insignificant part, and their ability to interact with it.

In 1098 and 1099 various offworld powers openly presented themselves on the world, and the S'raak people became aware of a greater inhabited universe -- this became known as the "1100 Contact". As expected, it triggered a massive xenophobic reaction with accompanying unrest and paranoia-fueled violence. The Clan leaders implemented their carefully laid plans and unification rapidly occurred, largely ending the traditional balkanization of their world. A governing authority, the Elite Council, emerged and took charge.

Its first act was to declare Holy War and "strike out" against it's enemies, conquering a number of barren neighboring systems and proclaiming the S'raak Empire in 1101. This act, agreed upon with the other interstellar states in the region, served to pacify the S'raak population and instill a sense of purpose, pride, and shared identity within them, an important factor in a society still deeply entrenched in petty Clan politics.

Provisional Timeline

Major events that have affected this race and the wider region that they inhabit:

• circa -150,000: The S'raak emerge as a sophont species on their homeworld.
• circa -950: The S'raak achieve TL–1, beginning an age of cultural and scientific advancement.
• -300: Zhodani scouts discover the budding S'raak Civilisation -- Khaar is rapidly declared a Forbidden World. The Talpaku and Meichntid Ibl agree and also declare the system to be off limits. Over the years the offworld contact is forgotten by the S'raak population, being regarded as myths and legends.
• circa 170: The S'raak homeworld reaches TL–2, beginning an age of physics and chemistry. Firearms and explosives become commonplace.
• circa 720: The S'raak homeworld reaches TL–3. Primitive but effective steam machines are used in a variety of industrial and agricultural roles.
• late 800s: Clan leaders establish contact with offworld interests and begin covert preparations for a future public first contact situation.
• circa 1030: The S'raak homeworld reaches TL–4 -- Clan authorities on the world have a covert functioning TL–8. The world undergoes a massive industrial revolution, with powered machinery replacing physical labor in a wide range of industries.
• 1090s: Clan authorities on Khaar have a covert functioning TL–A, hidden port facilities equivalent to a Class B Starport, outposts on other worlds within their system, and a small fleet of jump-capable vessels crewed by their own personnel. The S'raak population are unaware of this, still exiting at TL–4.
• 1098: The Zhodani openly recontact the S'raak as part of a plan to use the race for their own purposes, revealing their existence to the S'raak population at large. The Zhodani keep this new contact from attention among other states in the sector.
• 1099: Talpaku and Meichntid Ibl interests independently hear rumors about the Zhodani-S'raak contact and, after investigation, also recontact the S'raak.
• 1100: The multiple offworld contacts trigger a massive xenophobic reaction in the S'raak population. Clan Unification rapidly occurs, bringing the end of large-scale balkanisation, and an Elite Council governing the world is formed. The Elite Council pretend to go along with all parties to gain additional technical and material assistance. As part of a larger plan they side with the population and declare Holy War against all offworlders.
  Khaar's UWP rating is updated from X57287C-4 to B5728CE-A.
• 1101: The S'raak seize a number of barren systems, establishing outposts and bases and founding the S'raak Empire.
• 1102: A massive breeding program is instigated by the Elite Council to create an army for the upcoming Holy War.
• 1103: Nefarious traders begin exchanging very advanced military hardware for S'raak heavy metals and radioactives.
• circa 1110: The hinterlands of the S'raak homeworld reach TL–5. Internal combustion engines become commonplace and aircraft become widespread.

Later Historical Eras

In 1160 the S'raak launched an invasion of the Zhodani Consulate and the Talpaku Communality and raided systems in the region near to their homeworld. The war initially went well for the S'raak, who achieved several noted victories through a combination of surprise and a willingness to accept very heavy casualty rates. In time however, the S'raak were pushed back into the area of the old Talpaku-Zhodani DMZ. Due to troubles at home the various enemies of the S'raak did not crush them but agreed to a ceasefire. The ceasefire was later confirmed by a treaty which allowed the S'raak to keep those systems in the old DMZ that they currently occupied. The Second S'raak Empire, essentially the same as the first in terms of the territory it occupied, was officially founded in 1162.

Astrography

This race is primarily located in the following areas:
Charted Space:

• Yiklerzdanzh Sector
  • Izellensjdash Subsector

Homeworld

The homeworld of this race is:

• Khaar, a tropical world with a standard, tainted atmosphere.
• The S'raak metabolism depends on airborne sulfur.

World Listings

Comprehensive survey data for all systems and worlds with significant communities of this race is available.

• The primary source material for all data is Traveller Map.
• Other sources may contain contradictory or incorrect information.

8 of 8 World articles in S'raak

Bridgeworld  •  Enz  •  Jelobrzech  •  Khaar (Yi 0221)  •  Pezeibifiench  •  Piaplripref  •  Tietliejdia  •  Yenzhshiavr  •  

startbacknext(8 listed)

Note that some Second Survey data, though only 40 years old, is likely to be out of date.

• Data is occasionally updated as new information becomes available.
• Scouting missions gathering reliable, verified data can receive substantial payment.
• Verified updated data is constantly sought.

References & Contributors (Sources)

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This list of sources was used by the Traveller Wiki Editorial Team and individual contributors to compose this article. Copyrighted material is used under license from Mongoose Publishing or by permission of the author. The page history lists all of the contributions.

• External Link: Contact: S'raak
• Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master Scout Emeritus Adie Alegoric Stewart of the IISS