Vorcha

Art by Railroad-blues

Though there is some debate among the more xenophobic corners of the galaxy as to whether or not they are truly sapient, the **Vorcha** are an aggressive and short-lived species native to the molten world of Heshtok. Though not themselves a spacefaring race, the vorcha are often corralled from their homeworld by mercenary guilds and crime syndicates to be utilized as cannon fodder to bolster their forces. Without a formal government, their hellish world is truly capable of only being home to those of their kind.

The vorcha as a species no longer evolve as other known species within the Milky Way. With clusters of non-differentiated cells similar to the Planarian Worms of Earth, the vorcha can adapt to live in almost any environment known to the galaxy. Within a week of injury or exposure, these cells can move to the affected region and begin adjustment of the vorcha's anatomy. Areas that have been burned will develop thicker skin or musculature will be enhanced on a high-gravity environment, for some examples. While this natural adjustment technique increases their viability in many environments and makes them nigh-immune to disease, the lack of evolution comes with a drastically small lifespan and DNA that has remained unchanged for millions of years.

## History

The vorcha originate from Heshtok, a small, hostile, overcrowded planet which has been largely stripped of natural resources by successive generations of this fast-breeding, savage species. The lack of resources has resulted in a tight-knit, clan-based society in which rival clans wage constant war against one another for control of scarce resources. Even as their population grows, the vorcha constantly fight each other in fierce competition over basic necessities. This incessant warfare has made each generation of vorcha stronger and more aggressive than that which preceded it, but their continual lack of resources has kept vorcha society extremely primitive.

## Biology

The vorcha are the shortest-lived sapient species currently known, with an average lifespan of only 20 years.

The vorcha are known for a rather unique biology that differentiates them from other known species and which carries with it a striking set of advantages and disadvantages. They have clusters of non-differentiated cells, similar to those found on the planarian worm of Earth. These cells allow the vorcha limited regenerative abilities, as well as the ability to adapt quickly to its environment, such as developing thicker skin after being burned or increased musculature to survive in high gravity. When a vorcha is injured or in distress, these cells move to the affected area and rapidly (~1 week) mature to specialized forms that will alleviate the issue. This also makes the Vorcha immune to almost all disease.

A vorcha that is cut or burned will adapt to have thicker skin. The lungs of a vorcha placed in a barely-breathable atmosphere will adapt to better use the gases there. A vorcha subjected to high gravity will quickly develop stronger heart and leg muscles. Non-differentiated vorcha cell clusters do replenish themselves, but the process is slow. Generally, vorcha can only adapt to a single environment within their brief lives. However, what cells are replaced allow them to heal rapidly, and even to regrow lost limbs over a period of months.

As a consequence of this, the vorcha as a species no longer evolve as other races do. The vorcha equivalent of DNAhas remained unchanged for millions of years. There is no need for them to evolve as a species when they can adapt as individuals.

## Culture

> *"YESSSSSS...WE...NO...DIE!"*- Zreep
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Vorcha society is built around combat. In fact, the vorcha use combat, both individually and in groups, as their default form of communication resulting in their communications being primarily non-verbal. The vorcha are a clan based people who prefer living in communal environments with others of their species to living alone or in the company of alien races. When a clan population grows too large, younger members will depart to start a new clan elsewhere. The vorcha are extremely aggressive, both against rivals of their own species and against any alien who stands in their way. Vorcha who have managed to escape their homeworld have a tendency to occupy uninhabited areas of space stations or larger spaceships.

The vorcha are not themselves a space-faring race, although many have found their way off-world as stowaways on ships visiting their homeworld. The vorcha who escaped their hostile homeworld did so by hiding on the ships of space-faring races that had the misfortune of visiting their planet. Their adaptability and resilience allows them to flourish in the dark and dirty corners of the places they end up.

Seeing the potential of the vorcha's individual adaptability, krogan Blood Pack mercenaries often sweep pockets of vorcha, gathering them up and literally beating them into soldiers. Vorcha "trained" by this ordeal are stronger, faster, smarter, and more resilient than other members of the race. Gaining even a few vorcha gives a mercenary band a formidable advantage; each additional vorcha magnifies the gang's combat ferocity exponentially.

Shortly after the vorcha's discovery, several asari mining corporations adopted vorcha orphans from Heshtok, raising them to live nonviolent lives and employed them in the mining industry on Parasc. While these efforts were at first labeled colonialist, the orphans became minor celebrities when it was discovered that the vorcha habit of using violence to communicate was not completely innate. Several spoke throughout Citadel space on behalf of their species, but their short life spans kept their careers very brief. Even today, companies that want vorcha labor have the poor choice between adopting and educating them as youngsters just to watch them age and die or dealing with autonomous but violent adults.