Shikrai
A collection of closely related avian subspecies, the Shikrai inhabit a scattered clutch of worlds trailing the Ordinian nebula. They prefer arid and windswept planets, and although their original homeworlds are galactic curiosities (see Atharal Gas Torus), they can thrive on any planet that does not have excessive gravity.
The Shikrai are tall and thin bipeds covered in a thick plumage in a range of different colors and sporting sharp beaks and taloned fingers. Their feathers tend to grow larger on their heads, forming a crest of distinctive plumage. They do not naturally have wings, having lost that particular trait to evolution eons ago. However, they maintain a superior agility and spatial awareness that makes them excellent pilots and highly coordinated combatants. Their societies tend to organize themselves into loose confederations or social “flocks” based on particular goals, and individual Shikrai may shift from one flock to another freely.
Why Play a Shikrai?
The Shikrai are a species focused on Agility, at which they are very good, and its linked skills. In addition, their Avian Agility ability can almost guarantee success on one Agility-based check per session. This makes Shikrai excellent pilots, exceptional stealth operatives, and crack shots with most ranged weapons.
While Shikrai from the Argent Flight are often characterized as quasi-religious zealots obsessed with the return of the Mahact kings, plenty of Shikrai from other societies are scattered across the galaxy, leaving you plenty of leeway to build your own character. If you want to play a daredevil pilot prone to dazzling displays of skill, a committed crusader determined to defeat an ancient evil, or a wide-eyed farmer from the galactic fringes, a Shikrai is the choice for you.
Names of the Shikrai
Shikrai naming conventions may vary depending on the society of their birth, but many societies follow a similar basic convention. A Shikrai starts with a birth name, but when they reach adolescence, they receive instruction from an older individual. When their instruction is complete, they add the elder’s birth name to their own, prefaced by the word Aun, which roughly translates to “shaped by this person.”
The cultures linked to the Argent Flight expand on this. As a Shikrai proceeds through life, they add additional words prefaced by the word Aul, which means “shaped by the event.” The event or accomplishment tends to be represented with highly abbreviated words that have evolved specific meaning; for instance, Orak means “lonely vigil” and can refer to any task that required patience and independence, Zazik means “artisan” and can refer to artistic accomplishments or invention, and Akarun means “fight” and can refer to any major battle or war. Shikrai names tend to avoid “e” and “y” vowels, and they have a lot of harsh “k” sounds.
Some examples include:
✦ Sakora Aun Navori Aul Orak Aul Akarun✦ Trilossa Aun Mirik Aul Zazik
✦ Mirik Aun Sissiri Aul Akarun Aul Akarun Aul Tori Aul Akarun
✦ Trrakan Aun Zulok Aul Akaran (the subtle spelling difference refers to someone who wages war with words, or a diplomat)
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