Xurgaths

A Devious and mysterious species of disturbing slug-like creatures that have thoroughly established themselves throughout the entire Northwestern Quadrant since the dawn of known history. The race has earned a dreadful reputation as ruthless, meticulous slavers along with being known for their vast trade of one of the most important resources within the whole renegade quadrant, information.

## Physiology

The majority of the encountered Xurgath specimens seems to stand at an average height of 2.5 to 3 meters tall and process a bulky build with two, long and narrow arms that end with 2 fingered hands. Their skin is pale white and has a tough, leathery texture, their blood color is a pure black and has an almost ink-like consistency to it.

Oddly, their most unusual features are their total lack of visible mouths, eyes, or sensory organs of any kind. Yet, despite their observed abstinence, all encountered Xurgath examples display having sight, hearing and audio abilities. More disturbing is the fact that they all contain a thick, black sludge that resides within their bodies. It believed to be their physical equivalent to organs.

These unnatural oddities can be explained by the fact that the Xurgath race itself has undergone extensive amount biological augmentation. With much of the evidence pointing to the fact that the entire Xurgath race has nearly completely removed any traces of their natural evolution.

## Culture

Much of the Xurgath's society is centralized within the Xurgath Syndicate, a loose bands of varying cabals and sects within a region of Xurgath only space known as the Obsidian Veil that surrounds the Baal'rok system. This area of space is fiercely held by Xurgath's hands and no non-Xurgath has ever left the Veil alive or with their mind still in one piece.

While much of the inner workings of the Xurgath's society remains hidden from prying eyes with a relatively small number of Xurgath are seen outside of the Veil, the Xurgath that have been encountered have universally displayed a severe lack of empathy towards have others and process extreme sociopathic tendencies, only holding any sense of real compassion and respect towards either themselves or other members of their race.

For members of others races, Xurgath either treat with caution or with restrained glee as many Xurgath see other races as inferiors and seek to profit off of them through tricks and underhanded deals with the victim often suffering a terrible fate.

Xurgath individuals often process an high intellect and are very calculating, setting out various plans and schemes to gather resources and whatever else is needed for their own rise in power within their hierarchy.

As their hierarchy seems to place the traders, the most commonly seen and encountered caste by outsiders, in the middle class while craftsmen and crewmen both sit in the lower brackets with their enforcers at the bottom. And of their society's higher classes are still mostly unknown.

However, even their enforcers seem to live in relative luxury. For the Xurgath are a technologically advanced and efficient Species, processing a wide array of various exotic and powerful devices. This is shown in their highly potent Phased-Matter based weaponry and their Dark-Energy based teleportation and travel.

A notable and odd exception to this is the lack of any recovered or recorded instance of a digital intelligence within their ranks or even any sign of advanced computing systems within any of there star vessels and stations. Instead, they utilize synthetic organics and Xurgath technicians to accomplish tasks that require such skills.

The Xurgath also process a massive number of slaves with that seemly being the main goal of their various conquests and trades throughout the renegade quadrant and into civilized space. However, besides trade, there is no other known reason for such large and extensive captures of living sapient creatures. For the Xurgath have shown to be almost entirely self-sufficient. Exclusively using their vast array of synths to complete whatever assignment that is needed, however menial and dangerous it is.

But besides their frequent use in trade, this enormous, continuous accumulation of slaves has left many puzzled and other than their theorized use as bio-material for their synth stocks, the truth remains unknown. Countless more bizarre and theoretical reasons for these mass gathering are often speculated but no clear evidence has been found to support any claim.

But what is known of the Xurgath's slave processing paints a terrible picture, with the recounting of numerous horrible and highly sadistic methods that are employed by their new owners to break the will of even the most strongest of individuals within months leaves a ghastly and nightmarish image of the Xurgath as a whole.

## Media

Humans • Kanads • Khergians • Sanghvi • Ayr • Upyri • Cuvish • Ra'locs • Latarius • Ascetics • Vanapods • Vak-Saun • **Xurgaths** • Torgg • Turstan • Fishmen • Phiri • Tetrians • Lirya • Serek • Zon-Lo • Nymku • Drykai • Mrall • Gorn'ki • Tavissians • Trindrel • El'uth • Brixi • Oxioni • Ursataari • Thaurians • Grell • Yukarii • Rakeed • Turstani
**Extinct**
Precursor-K