Kraeth

A mammalian hominid species, hailing from their eponymous home world.

For a time, the Kraeth seemed doomed: centuries of in-fighting left them fractured into nation-states, constantly on the verge of self-destruction. The adoption of faster-than-light technology, as well as sophisticated terraforming equipment, allowed for expansion beyond their home. At first, this seemed to resolve the issue, factions spreading out and apart. But old animosities die hard, and soon war broke out between the worlds. Pre-emptive strikes led to all-out war, and the specter of mutually assured destruction loomed large.

Then they encountered the Thrakians.

The two species were at a similar stage of cosmological development, both in the early days of extra-system colonization. But while the Kraeth were at each other’s throats, the Thrakians were homogeneous in their expansion efforts. Each species quickly realized the threat of the other, and war began. Divided, one-by-one the Kraeth colonies fell.

But conflict had led the Kraeth to innovate, especially in their methods of killing and maiming. Facing an apocalyptic rout, they consolidated their forces, came to their mutual aid, and launched a stunning counterattack. Their armies surged across the void, retaking fallen worlds, capturing new ones, and smashing the Thrakian fleet to pieces. The grind took years, but within a decade, the tip of the Kraeth spear was pointed firmly at the home world of Thrakcik.

The story of the Thrakians may have ended there were it not for a miraculous intervention: the emergence of the Ultra Magi, a power sentient super-AI. The Ultra Magi was not only mentally and philosophically advanced beyond anything the galaxy had seen, but held technical mastery over the very weapons with which both sides waged war. 

Startled by the sudden irrelevance of their militaries, combat ground to a near-halt. The Ultra Magi reached out, appealing to both their morals and the practical matter of how much destruction they had wrought. And it came with another warning: the Kraeth and Thrakian losses were counterproductive, leaving them ill-prepared to face down older - and much worse - enemies that awaited them in the darkness of space. The Magi argued that, by combining their efforts, perhaps there was still a chance at salvation for them all. 

Not everyone agreed; indeed, had it not been for the sacrificial interference of a group of Thrakian Wraiths, the peace talks would have ended in disaster and death due to the misguided actions of hardliners. But the gambit worked, Kraeth and Thrakcik signing a peace treaty that would hold for centuries, eventually forming the basis of the Civil Concordance itself. 

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Physically, Kraeth are not the sturdiest species in the galaxy; they lack the size of the Havros, the raw strength of the Thrakians, or the agility and heightened-senses of the Almorians. However, they make up for it with ingenuity and propagation. There are a lot of Kraeth, spread over thousands of colony worlds, both in Kraeth-controlled space, and beyond. The Kraeth have also proven to be excellent co-minglers, with a shocking amount of the galaxy’s population having at least some amount of Kraeth genetic heritage. Much has been made over their unusual genetics, impossibly compatible with species supposedly evolved in isolation, but that remains a scientific mystery that perhaps will remain without an answer.

The Kraeth have managed to craft some of the most innovative technology known to the galaxy. These inventions range from the productive - such as the massive terraforming devices that have given birth to thriving colony worlds - to the destructive, as their powerful army has repeatedly shown. The Kraeth have helped numerous civilizations expand their reach, but also form the backbone of the Concordance’s military, the Department of Allied Militaries (DAM). 

Kraeth-built ships dot the spaceways, from small patrol craft to monstrous orbital carriers, from passenger landers to long-range bulk freighters. While contributions come from all member civilizations, it is the Kraeth who make up the core of the Concordance’s fleets, military, scientific, or otherwise.

On the ground, Kraeth implements provide the backbone necessary to support agri-worlds, keeping society fed. Their army is legendary, millions of soldiers protecting both Kraeth and Concordance interests throughout the Galactic Core. These soldiers are equipped with battle-tested armor and weaponry, making them a formidable fighting force. 

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Kraeth itself is an unremarkable planet, mostly rocky with large oceans. Kraeth has gone through periods of pollution and decay, but as the species spread outwards, its atmosphere and oceans have recovered. Much of the planet is set aside as wilderness preserve in modern times, with any heavy industry and most agriculture occurring off-world.