Akkar

The Akkar are a species of nonapod aliens possessing a hybridised insectoid-mammalian biology. Zir are the native species of the planet Akkai.

Description
The Akkar are nonapods, possessing 4 arms (two primary, humanoid arms and two secondary, insectoid 'arms') and 5 legs (all mammalian). Zir primary arms terminate in hands with three, clawed, digits. They are able to manipulate objects such as weapnary and technology with these hands. Zir secondary insectoid arms are reminiscent of the Earth insect, the preying mantis. These arms protrude from zir midsections and are more rudimentary, with only one digit for complex object manipulation. Zir are able to hold objects with these arms, however, and the Akkar have found ways of developing weaponry that fits over the limb, manipulated from the inside by the single digit.

The Akkar are genderless until zir prove zirs worth by exemplary behaviour in combat or in science. If an Akkar proves zirself a mighty warrior, ze can claim zirself to be a Warchief, and may mate with a Queen to fertilise her eggs. If an Akkar proves zirself a valuable scientist, engineer, or scholar, ze can claim zirself to be a Queen, and may conversely mate with a Warchief to have zir eggs fertilised. It is currently unclear if an Akkar undergoes a physical change to allow for reproduction to occur.

Zir breathe air that is at least some part sulfur, meaning that Akkar operating outside zirs home planet wear helmets that act as life support modules, supplying them with an adequate air supply. Very little is known about what lies beneath the helmets the Akkar wear, but it is assumed to be a fly-like head with large eyes. Akkar possess a range of skin tones that run from ruddy ochre to taupe.

The Akkar tend to exhibit disciplined, warlike tendancies. Zirs society is arranged around hive hierarchies, with a Queen and a Warchief leading zir hive to success in social and military matters respectively. Little is known about the societal aspects of the Akkar aside of this.

Culture
The Akkar exhibit an advanced level of material culture, with a variety of objects such as clothing, armour, weaponry, jewellery, sculpture, and technological artefacts all having importance to the species.

The traditional Akkar weapon is a hooked polearm with a sharp blade, similar to a Human guisarme.

History
The Akkar came to sapience around 60-80,000 years ago. In that time, zir have primarily lived under the surface of zirs homeworld, Akkai, in caverns and warrens. Zir are a factional species, with divisions based along hive lines. The Akkar have been at war for much of zir existence, internal conflict and combat providing a means of finding new a new hive Warchief if one dies or is killed.

The Akkar live underground for the most part. The warrens and cave systems beneath the surface of zir homeworld Akkai allowed the Akkar to shield zirselves from the barrage of meteoric activity, and zirs civilisation developed along faction based lines undisturbed for thousands of years. At some point the Akkai stretched to the stars, launching their first spacecraft around 300 BR, despite having technology the equivalent of early 20th century Humans.

The Akkar build spacecraft from mined asteroids, carving long cuboid shapes and hollowing them out to be used as vessels. One such example is Arc Zabaton's warbarge, Herald.

Notable Akkar

 * Arc Zabaton - Arc Zabaton, a warchief server the New Order is an Akkar.