AMCO
I'm Sorry Dave
- Intent: Snazzy new Sithspawn for
Darth Empyrean
- Image Credit: Daily Works - Week 15 & Week 4 by Veli Nyström
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: ApexTech Industries (see Contracts & Approval)
- Links: Commission | ZW-001 'Ifrit' Pattern Heated Vibroweapon & Zaradium
- Species: Sithspawn | Devaronian & Mustafarian
- Name: Tnikatah, roughly translates to "the Flame-Forged" in an obscure dialect of ur-Kittât.
- Designation: Sentient, but generally not free-willed.
- Origins: Darth Prospero
- Average Lifespan: 60 years
- Estimated Population: Rare
- Description: Fearsome warriors and masterful metalworkers alike, the Tnikatah have a fearsome reputation as flame-wreathed demons out of legend, a reputation only strengthened by their tendency to "imprint" upon powerful Darksiders, serving them with a fervent zeal so deeply ingrained into their essential nature that even mind tricks struggle to turn them against their masters.
- Breathes: Type I, II, and III
- Average Height of Adults: 1.9 metres (Carvers) | 2.2 metres (Hammerers)
- Average Length of Adults: N/A
- Skin Colour: Tones of red, grey, and brown.
- Hair Colour: N/A; horns and claws are obsidian black.
- Distinctions: More diabolic-looking than even male Devaronians, Tnikatah resemble demons out of legend, though in truth they are as much flesh and blood as any human. While not sexually dimorphic, reproduction still requires two, only one of which forms an egg inside their body post-conception. The most visible sign of age is a hardening of the skin - at first this is useful as it makes them even more resistant to harm, but by their early forties it will begin to slow them down, ending in complete petrification after a few decades more.
- Senses: The Tnikatah are sharper eyed than humans, being able to see more detail at greater distances and using broader spectrums of light, but their sense of touch is somewhat muted and their sense of smell entirely absent.
- Races: Tnikatah society is divided between three distinct groups, described below, the first two of which are visually and biologically distinct and the third of which signifies the apartness of their Force Users; the first art depicts a Carver and the second a Hammerer.
- Carvers (Nasosûtirchi): Smaller and slimmer than the Hammerers, the Carvers are famed for their agility and precision, whether in combat or when crafting intricate items. They are still very strong by human standards, but not extraordinarily so.
- Hammerers (Kitsana): Tall, thick, and sturdy, the Hammerers are the brutes of the Tnikatah species, though they are not necessarily any less intelligent than their smaller cousins. They often work the forges and are roughly as strong as Wookies.
- Shapers (Tutki): While not a separate race, per se, Tnikatah cease to be considered Carvers or Hammerers if they display Force Sensitivity, instead being uplifted to a vaunted "shaman caste" of sorts, should they survive certain rituals. Serving as the spiritual leaders of the Tnikatah, the Shapers tend to display a strong proficiency for Telekinesis and Kro Var Fire Shaping, but generally lack the breadth of a Jedi or Sith; those with an aptitude for Sith Alchemy are typically the most well-respected of all.
- Force Sensitivity: High
- Children of Fire: The Tnikatah are incredibly resistant to heat to the point where a few are even able to "swim" in lava; not merely a matter of protection, specialised organs in their torso allow them to "drink" thermal energy, converting it to usable energy - these same organs are used to superheat atmospheric gases and convert them into a napalm-like substance which the Tnikatah can spit up to twenty metres!
- Primal Might: Physically formidable regardless of race, the Carvers are stronger than humans and far more agile and the Hammerers roughly equivalent to Wookies in both categories; both are sturdily built and somewhat resistant to blasterfire due to their extreme heat resistance.
- Unbreakable: The Tnikatah do not feel fear as strongly as a human would and are naturally strong-willed, affording them some degree of protection from mind tricks - this turns into true resistance, but not immunity, when attempting to force them to act against a Darksider with which they have bonded, so strong is the loyalty ingrained into their very being.
- Hypothermia: Their resistance to heat is a double-edged force, for this unique adaptation also makes them highly vulnerable to the cold; even small bursts of CryoBan is likely to kill an unshielded Tnikatah and they fare poorly in cold environments, which makes them lethargic and forces them to consume vast amounts of foodstuffs to maintain their unusually high body temperature.
- Unusual Biology: Heads sporting massive horns and feet curved claws, many types of equipment must be specially modified to suit Tnikatah and even then achieving a full environmental seal is difficult, moreover, their high body heat makes them easy to spot using thermal sensors.
- Tainted by the Dark: Intrinsically linked to the Dark Side of the Force, Tnikatah are highly vulnerable to Force Light and the like and the Force Users among them would find tapping into the Light to be almost impossible, if theoretically achievable with incredible dedication.
- Diet: Carnivore; Tnikatah are unusual in that they are able to sustain themselves entirely on heat, sort of - they still need vitamins and small amounts of other substances their bodies are unable to create. In a temperate environment, they would need to consume roughly twice as much energy as a human to sustain their internal temperature and in cold conditions around six times as much. Much like Devaronians, the Tnikatah are able to use sulfur as a stimulant to enhance their speed and strength, though long-term can be dangerous.
- Communication: While named in ur-Kittât, the languages they actually speak will largely depend on the environment in which they are raised; most are likely to speak both Sith and Basic, though they often struggle to pronounce softer sounds, their powerful yet flexible throat muscles making them better suited for inhumanly loud shouts and warbling battle cries meant to inspire dread in prey.
- Technology Level: Roughly analogous to Galactic Standard; generally have access to modern technology but advanced scientific knowledge is rare; that being said, they have a very strong aptitude for metalworking generally and metallurgy specifically.
- Religion/Beliefs: A recent addition to the galactic stage, the culture of the Tnikatah is still in its formative years, though trends have already begun to emerge - as a whole, they tend to value skill in battle and as an artisan in equal measure and their innate bond with Darksiders often results in them worshipping the Sith to which they are bound or an abstraction of the Dark Side. Status is usually marked by the intricacy of their equipment and they are often found to ritualistically consume their dead.
- General Behaviour:
- Birthed and Bound: Following conception, it takes roughly two weeks for a Tnikatah egg to form and another six months for it to hatch; the eggs must be kept in permanently heated areas with a temperature of at least 100 celsius, though they may survive brief exposure to temperatures above zero. Even when fully formed, a Tnikatah will only hatch when imbued with Dark Side energies; those hatched by Darksiders will form a nearly unbreakable bond of subservience with them while those hatched by a Shaper will either form such a bond with the Shaper's master or, if the Shaper is itself free, be born with no bond whatsoever.
- Post-Hatching Bonds: It is possible, but very difficult, to break this bond - as it strengthens with age, attempting it with anything older than a young adult is very close to impossible. If the Darksider to which they are bonded is killed, the bond will begin to fray, but will not necessarily dissipate. As an added note, it is possible for the unbonded amongst them to imprint upon a Darksider, usually a very powerful one, though these bonds are not necessarily as solid as those established during a hatching.
- Formative Years: When they emerge from their eggs, Tnikatah are roughly the size of a human four-year-old; as they lack the capacity to digest large amounts of meat, they should remain primarily in very warm areas until their second or third year. Developing faster than most, they are considered teenagers by the age of four and adult around the age of six - adulthood is determined by Trials, not age, but those who have yet to achieve the status by ten are generally expected to return a worthy member of society... or not at all.
- Social Structure: Given their tendency to be found in the service of powerful Darksiders, their social structures will often reflect the qualities of this individual - when left alone they tend to form a vaguely tribal hierarchy with the three most important individuals being the finest artisan, the greatest warrior, and the most powerful Shaper; all three positions are open to challenges from any member of a Tnikatah social group - the exact trial, test, or contest varies, but is rarely lethal, as that would deprive the group of one of its finest.
- The Twin Pursuits: Tnikatah society is heavily centred around the Twin Pursuits (or Great Pursuits) of Artifice and Warfare; while some chose to dedicate themself to one or the other, all receive training in both and are expected to use said skills for the good of the group. When left alone, social groups often survive by trading expertly made metalwork to traders and/or serve as mercenaries or marauders.
- Naming Conventions: Among the Tnikatah, names are earned, not given - most commonly such names are descriptors in the language of the Sith, e.g., "Flaming Sword", "Breaker of Chains", "Headtaker", "Little Spark", "Carver of Swirls", "Bathes in Lava"; Tnikatah are at times named by the Darksider which they serve, with such names being highly treasured and a sign of heightened social status.
- Birthed and Bound: Following conception, it takes roughly two weeks for a Tnikatah egg to form and another six months for it to hatch; the eggs must be kept in permanently heated areas with a temperature of at least 100 celsius, though they may survive brief exposure to temperatures above zero. Even when fully formed, a Tnikatah will only hatch when imbued with Dark Side energies; those hatched by Darksiders will form a nearly unbreakable bond of subservience with them while those hatched by a Shaper will either form such a bond with the Shaper's master or, if the Shaper is itself free, be born with no bond whatsoever.
According to their own legends, the first Flame-Forged were born from obsidian infused with fire stolen from the heart of a star by Darth Prospero...
... though in truth, their kind originated from a side project in which the then Sith Knight spliced the genomes of Devaronians, Mustafarians, and more in order to create fire-breathing monsters... only for it to be put on ice after he came up with the idea of giving his Karza'Arana flamethrowers.
Years later, the project was revived following a commission from
Darth Empyrean
- which, along with various other Sithspawn, was sufficient to secure the then Sith Lord one percent of the InterGalactic Banking Clan's shares - though various changes were made to the template, both to better suit Maliphant's needs and to put to full use any improvements in Vandiir's technique.Perhaps most interesting of these changes were alterations made to the creatures' hatching process and neural patterns, alterations which made it possible (and often necessary) for these beings to form nigh-unbreakable bonds of subservience with a specific Darksider, ensuring their absolute loyalty under all but the most extreme of circumstances - just as Maliphant had requested.
Satisfied at last with what he had created, a small contingent of adult Tnikatah were charged with delivering a significant shipment of eggs to Darth Maliphant alongside recommendations for how to artificially accelerate their ageing process post-hatching, for few Sith were sentimental enough to wait six entire years simply to give their minions a "natural" childhood.
Aside from this shipment, Vandiir kept a small number of eggs and the knowledge for how to (with some effort) create more for himself. Moreover, certain early hatchings free of any bonds were simply left alone on the distant lava worlds in which the project's final stages had taken place, though Vandiir continued to watch and to a lesser degree interact with these scattered tribes - all in the name of science, of course.
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