Havros

Havros are an ungulate species hailing from the planet Havros.

The Havros have managed to keep to themselves… well, nowadays anyway. Their home system lies beyond the Shroud of Mok, a highly corrosive gas nebula that has long been a deterrent to travelers. The Havros were thus left alone for most of their development, able to grow and evolve without the attacks and invasions that so many other beings have dealt with. 

Well… kind of.

The Havros were not always so insular. In the ancient past, the so-called ‘Year Zero’ and beginning of the “Era After Opening” (a.k.a. EAO), the Havros went on the attack. There’s not a lot known about why, or even how they did so - the Havros lacked faster-than-light technology and had no contact with outsiders. But the seductive machinations of the Anathema - witches of the Dim - led them down a path of violence and conquest. Thus begin the Havros War Marches, and the tenuous reconnection of galactic civilizations.

That is all very much in the past. While stories and legends abound, there’s almost no record of what occurred over twenty-thousand years ago. Some ramifications are still visible: the Havros largely retreated to beyond the Shroud. The development of FTL. The more successful conquests of the Elravian Empire. Even then name the third month of each year: “Warmarche.”

Despite the mystery surrounding their home territory, Havros merchants, adventurers, and mercenaries can be found across the galaxy. They’re easily distinguished by their enormous antlers and giant size... usually. There have been records of Havros that are roughly the same height as most other anthropoid species, but those seem to be few and far between. Most Havros you’re likely to encounter are just plain big. 

Beyond that, Havros society so-far remains a mystery.

***

Most Havros encountered out in the open galaxy speak one of the Baseline dialects, although generally with a notable quirk: Havros speech is direct, truncated down into the minimal amount of words possible. There is no purple-prose, and definitely no pleasantries. 

While perhaps this does not endear them to most, such minimalist brevity is highly valued in some circles - especially ones where intimidation is a key skill.