Kandarrian

Tall of stature and broad of body, the **Kandarrians** are a Core race of bipedal mammals with thick, smooth cartilage covering their bodies in a sort of bio-armor. Native to the planet Kandarr, Kandarrians have the largest fleet in the Core next to the Felisians and the Tyranians. With distinct mandibles, thick scales, and small, reptilian eyes, Kandarrians are very recognizable in the galaxy of Aeos. They have a reputation as stern soldiers and humorless fighters, though this is more a stereotype generated from societal values.

## Appearance

Resembling a cross between raptors and crocodiles, Kandarrians are bipedal reptiloids with smooth, scaly cartilage covering their bodies that is difficult to pierce or cut. They are tall of stature, standing at around 6'2"-6'7" generally and weighing a significant amount in sheer muscle. Their eyes are small, with diamond-shaped pupils and irises ranging in color from grey to yellow to even purple. They have four digits on their hands and three on their feet, with a sickle-shaped clawed toe much like a raptor's.

Their mouths are small and lined with hook-shaped teeth, with a pair of mandibles resting beneath it. These mandibles rest just beneath each side of the Kandarrian's jaw, curving outward similarly to tusks. These can flex outward with the help of thin muscles on the face, allowing the Kandarrian to appear to stretch its mouth in what is thought to be a tactic to deter predators. They move with the Kandarrians' mood and is often an indicator of emotion. Both mandibles end in pointed "teeth" and are used similarly to rip and tear into food before feeding it into the mouth cavity.

## Culture

Kandarrians are a rigid, dutiful people, with a strong commitment to contributing to the effective whole. With a stoic belief system centered around personal freedom and liberty, Kandarrians are nonetheless encouraged from a young age to devote themselves to the whole. The Confederacy, and on a broader scale, the Alliance, are bodies and the Kandarrian people are the lifeblood pumping through them. One cannot exist without the other, and the Kandarrians recognize this.

Strangely for how militant they are, Kandarrians place a great deal of importance on physical and mental health, with access to quality healthcare being a free right to every Kandarrian in the Confederacy. The same is true for education, with the various *Hasann* devoting a great deal of resources toward offering training and avenues of growth for its citizens. While the justice system on Kandarr is considered harsh by Core standards, criminals released back into the public are given access to programs and resources to help get them back on their feet.

Soldiers are deified by the Kandarrians, and a significant amount of resources given to the military is to help pay the substantial salaries of its troops. A Kandarrian soldier is able to retire after a thirty-year tenure in the military, or continue to serve and secure lucrative futures for him/her and his family. Working in the military is seen as a great career choice by most Kandarrians, and students at Kandarrian schools that are pursuing a military career are often afforded a speedier curriculum so as to get them out and in the field quicker.

### Language

Kandarrians speak their native tongue of K'anda - an intricate language relying on a series of clicks and guttural growls - as well as the more common Universal tongue.

### Philosophy and Religion

Kandarrians have very Stoicist views passed down through generations of philosophers and oral historians. Very utilitarian, Kandarrians invest much in their youth so as to proactively ensure their future success, placing heavy emphasis on education and trade mastery. Individuals are taught from a young age the difference between what one controls and what one has no control over, and to use the knowledge of what they have control over to help benefit themselves and their group.

## Economy

For the longest time, Kandarrians exchanged large Sylvite tokens called *Jissat* (Juh-ee-saw-tuh) as payments of services rendered or as ways to secure resources. These tokens were large and considered very valuable as Sylvite was a rare substance on Kandarr.

## Government

The Kandarrian central government is the Dakarr Confederacy, an enduring alliance of the differing Kandarrian *Hasann*, or "States".

## Military

The Kandarrian navy is one of the largest and most formidable military institutions in the Core, serving as the mainstay security and defense force for the Alliance. The fierce Dromonds of the Kandarrians are feared widely by the Core’s enemies, being some of the most well-rounded and defensible vessels in all of Aeos. While sturdy and reliable, their fighters do not hold the firepower of the Felisians, the speed of the Saleluki, or the defensive capability of the Elvaan.

The training and discipline of the Kandarrians has resulted in fighting units of excellent coordination, with soldiers trusting their commanders with their lives and becoming bonded brothers with others in their units. This coordination can be seen in some of the more elite fighting squads of the Kandarrian marines, where captains will issue complex orders through subtle movements of their mandibles and the rest can follow in perfect understanding.

### Navy

The strongest and most versatile of the Alliance Naval forces, the Kandarrian Confederacy commands several fleets of Dromonds, Argosy, and a small variety of fighter craft. The Kandarrian vessels are made to work in tactical groups but Dromonds are famed for being able to hold their own against multiple capital grade warships. Kandarrians are slow to phase out ship designs due to their reliability but many consider theirs to be some of the best in the Alliance.

### Kardann

The equivalent of the URN's colonial marine corp., the Kardann are stationed aboard ships and delivered to Kandarrian colonies or in combat zones to serve as specialist fighters. Unlike the heavily regulated Daronn, the Kardann enjoy relaxed freedoms and variety in training and equipment. The Kardann have a long history of rivalry with the other militaries, most notably the Daronn, though the uniform motto for all three is that at the end of the day, they were all Kandarrian.

## Notable Kandarrians

* Mal'graff Torvyn
* Adan'krel Voros
* Ord'krel Byros