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Skip Navigation LinksEndless>Playable Races>Kataan
 
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Kataan
HOMEWORLD
Modan
COLONIES
Nuzori Chi, Uglau Theta, Xuki-Des, Varu Zal (independent)
APPEARANCE
Bipedal bilaterally symmetric humanoids with complex bicameral brains and well developed musculo-skeletal structures. They typically have blueish-grey skin, large black eyes without whites, and thick dark hair. They have moderately long lifespans, but do not respond well to life extension technology. Most Kataani are between 6 and 7 feet tall, with some specimens reaching 8 feet. They have sturdy, thick builds. Kataani have no body hair and a thickened epidermis that regulates their body heat without need of sweating, and is also rugged.
Due to parallel evolution Kataani look vaguely similar to humans, and the two races share some physical dimensions, prefer a similar atmosphere and gravity, have similar gender orientations and dispositions, and have other superficial similarities. However, their internal organs are quite different, as are their diets (Kataani are not meat eaters), and other physiological differences. Despite some prurient and sordid vids to the contrary, Human and Kataani cannot interbreed.
DETAILS
NOTE: This section focuses on the Kataan Imperium. However some details are provided under sub-groups below on non-Imperial sects of Kataani.
The vast majority of Kataan in galaxy are organized into the Kataan Imperium. Honor-bound and dutiful, Imperial Kataan society is tightly knit together in a warrior dominated feudal / vassalage system of government oriented around a relative handful of powerful military leaders. However it is a merit rather than heredity driven system, whereby each member of the ruling warrior elite rises or falls on their own merits. Of course some families have a history of producing great warriors, seemingly by coincidence and fostered by the strong Kataani belief that good breeding will show through more often than not. Within the Imperium normal attire amounts to various uniforms bearing specific meaningful symbology for the warrior castes, and utilitarian job-specific attire for low castes.
The Kataani were once a relatively peaceful and strongly unified race that entered space in a spirit of exploration and discovery. However their first alien contact was with the Tassk who tried to enslave the Kataani but ultimately failed due to an upsurgent group of freedom fighters, who in victory became the founding fathers of the current Kataani system of governance and overall warrior culture. The Kataani have declared open war against the Tassk as a people, and visit destruction upon any entity allying itself with them. Things are black and white to the Kataan; issues do not have grey areas. You are either part of the solution, or you are part of the problem. They are quick to judge, and changing their opinions is a grueling and painstaking task. However, counterbalancing their grudge holding tendencies, the strongly hierarchical culture of order taking does mean that as higher ranked Kataani go, so to go the masses; if a Kataani's leige says a thing is so, or to let a grudge go that Kataani is honor bound to comply regardless of what they privately think of the matter.
Every member of Kataan's warrior elite are trained in the archaic combat style known as Uglauti. It is pursued both for its own sake as a somewhat useful fighting art, means of maintaining physical fitness, and for perceived meditative / spiritual benefits, and also as a link to past traditions. Uglauti would be considered a "mixed" martial art by human standards as it features short quick strikes (softening techniques) to create opportunities for finishing moves and bone breaking grappling (Choke Hold, Defensive Strike, Martial Escape, and Martial Throw), while more advanced practitioners also learn to use the Setti, a pole-axe type of weapon with a weighted back end (Weapon Element: Setti, Leg Sweep, Offensive Strike, and Damage Classes).
The archaic version of the Setti has a great deal of symbolic meaning to the Kataani warrior elite, and is used for ceremonial and formal presentations, but more practical versions combined with an effectve blaster rifle called Setti-gar are actually carried in the field. These weapons are heavy, and sacrifice utility both as a HtH weapon and a Ranged weapon (-1 OCV in both circumstances), but many Kataani accept the unweildiness as a fair trade for the comfort of having a Setti in their hands in the heat of battle.
Setti-Gar
14 Multipower, 45-point reserve, (45 Active Points); STR Minimum 15-17 (-3/4); all slots OAF Durable (-1), Side Effects, Always (-1 OCV; -1/2)
1u   1)   Integrated Blaster:  RKA 3d6 (vs. ED), 16 Charges (+0) (45 Active Points); STR Minimum 15-17 (STR Min. Cannot Add/Subtract Damage; -1 1/4) [16]
1u   2)   Integrated Pole-Axe:  HKA 2d6+1 (vs. PD), Semi-Armor Piercing (+1/4) (44 Active Points); STR Minimum 15-17 (-3/4) 4
1u   3)   Haft:  HA +6d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), Does Knockback (+1/4) (45 Active Points); STR Minimum 15-17 (-3/4), HA (-1/2) 2
17 Total Real Cost
SUB-GROUPS
In a general sense, the large majority of Kataani in space are part of the ruling warrior / military caste of the Kataani Imperium, but they are part of ships crews and are rarely encountered individually. Kataani encountered on their own or in small groups are almost certainly either not part of the Imperium or else are one of a very few exceptions to this general rule, as detailed below.
Garusaal                  Varudaal                  Argavaal                  
Kataani Garusaal
Garusaal are (usually) young but promising Kataani that have done very well in their early careers and have been entrusted with a good deal of autonomy to go forth and represent their leige (and their leige's leige, and so on), look for opportunities, suss out the Tassk, report intelligence, and of course hone their skills in the crucible of spaces byways. The unstated idea is that those that come back alive are likely fit to lead, while those that meet their ends were either not good enough, unlucky, or brave to a fault and got into something over their head. This is seen to be a dangerous but fast track to higher position by Kataani.
The duration of a Garusaal's tenure is open ended; essentially when a Garusaal feels like their deeds are sufficiently impressive, they return and are awarded based upon their accomplisments; correspondingly some never quite feel their accomplishments are good enough and continue to wander for quite some time before returning. Some give up and effectively become disgraced self-exiles. Others dive head first into impossible odds, manage to survive it somehow, and return home immediately thereafter. Many, of course, just manage to die.
The Divine Technocracy refers to these young Kataani as Archons and counsels its members to be careful in their dealings with them. NeoVics on the other hand refer to them as Bluebooters and generally find them to be good companions and allies for a space faring gentleman adventurer. Fringers have had far more contact with them, call them by their proper name, and recognize them for their potential danger and frequent touchiness.
NOTE: Some Garusaal have their own ships. To model this a player should invest points into their Vehicle Resource Pool and purchase an appropriate vessel.
NOTE: This Package can also be used for Kataan warriors that have gone AWOL or been disgraced and cast out. Simply take an appropriate 5 point Social Limitation as a personal Disadvantage (not part of the Race Package) to reflect this state of affairs.
PACKAGE DEAL (Kataani Garusaal)
HERO Designer Character Template: (hdt)
HERO Designer Export Template: (hde)
0 POINTS TO SEED RESOURCE POOLS: 5
0 KATAANI WARRIOR ELITE / PRODIGY: 1
3 Strong: +3 STR (NCM Max 23)
2 Tough: Damage Resistance: 2 PD / 2 ED
3 Tech Access Level 2
5 Tactics +1
2 KS: Any one Naval related topic of choice (GEN)
2 Combat Piloting: Space Fighter
3 WF: Setti, Blasters, Ships Weapons
20 Uglauti:
  • 4 Choke Hold
  • 5 Defensive Strike
  • 4 Martial Escape
  • 3 Martial Throw
  • 3 +1 OCV w/ Uglauti
  • 1 WF: Setti
0 TF: Space Fighter (comes with Combat Piloting)
  Kataan Everyman Skills
0 Lang: Kataani (Fluent)
0 AK: Home World 8-
0 Climbing 8-
0 Concealment 8-
0 Conversation 8-
0 Deduction 8-
0 Interrogation 8-
0 Paramedics 8-
0 PS: Garusaal 11-
0 Shadowing 8-
0 Stealth 8-
40 SUBTOTAL
-10 PsyLim: Kataani Honorable Code of Conduct: Uncommon, Strong
-10 Rivalry: Forever War vs. Tassk (Harm / Kill, As Powerful, Aware)
20 TOTAL
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