Creshian & Ecreshian
Generic Science Fiction Star-faring Races.
Physiology
The Creshian were once a great race of amphibious arthropodic crustacean-like creatures; evolving from a creature similar to a terran octopus. Their race flourished in the same physical form, until the wars with the Krowl began. The Krowl, because of the nature and general warfare tactics, genetically designed the subrace, Ecreshian, by modifying a few Creshian prisoners and force-propagating them into a race.
The Creshian are tall humanoid arthropods, standing on a set of three tentacular legs. Their torso and arms are much like humans. Their head and neck are consist of a stout crania, with a set of muscular organic tube that extend out from their chin area, looking much like a diver’s helmet; this is a special external breathing system used in their unique body pressure control ability. The Ecreshian are a more slender version of the original race, with a more elongated head, and muscular structure. Originally designed to be superior to the Creshian, the Ecreshian lost their advantages over their racial enemies due to poor genetic engineering, on the Krowl’s part.
History
The Creshian evolved centuries before man and had developed a substantial stellar empire before man was able to reach the stars. However, due to the immense wars that erupted between the Creshian and the Krowl ( … and subsequently the Ecreshian), their empire crumbled; but not without taking the Krowl race with them.
The Krowl were a very secretive but violent and dominating race. They preferred to attack using genetic modifications of their enemies that they would create, and genetically code as an enemy to their original race. This would allow the Krowl to attack in secrecy, waiting for the perfect chance; waiting for the enemy to approach the brink of collapse, and step in at that moment to force an assured surrender.
Thus the Ecreshian were developed. However, before the new subrace could become a significant threat, the Creshian were able to discover the Krowl invasion. The Creshian quickly and viscously retaliated at the Krowl, inflicting major loses. This war went on for centuries, nonstop. however, when the Ecreshian finally arose as a power, the war for the Creshian began to look dim. The Creshian were able to crush the Krowl to near-extinction, but not before their empire was destroyed and their society knocked back into a stone age. The Ecreshian, who ended up warring with both sides, also entered into an age of severe decline.
Recovery for the Creshian, because of certain circumstances, came relatively quick. After several centuries of hard times, they were able to reestablish a new stellar empire, and peacefully encounter other races. When the Ecreshian, who were an another separate planet (a former Krowl colony), the encountered each other with flaring violence. Before another war of extinction could erupt, however, the Creshian and the Ecreshian agreed to a Pact of Covert Aggression; a war that was fought with honor and in the shadows; one that wouldn’t be quite as devastating.
According to this Pact, if a member of each race were to meet in any situation, a challenge must be issued within 38 hours of the meeting (38 hours being the day of the Creshian Homeworld, Cret). The two are to meet in combat, weapons chosen by the challenger’s opponent. The Pact also allows for assassinations, and the like. The Pact strictly forbids the interference by outside races.
Social Standards
The Creshian have a strong Feudal Democracy government rule over their empire, where the Ecreshian have a strong hive-minded society. the Ecreshian have a strong psionic link among their race. Both societies now strictly live by the Pact, violator being hunted down by special team of enforcers. Violators are labeled outcasts, and are hunted by both sides.
Attitudes
The Creshian are a strong and honorable race, respecting loyalty to a code of life, whatever code that may be. They admire strength in will, endurance of hardships, and overall strong personalities.
The Ecreshian feel that they are a superior race, and respect submissiveness to the will of the race. They respect strength among their own, and seek weakness in all others. If they don’t find that weakness, they feel threatened, and seek the destruction of the strong.
Racial Abilities
Both races are able to control their body functions, especially their body pressure to extreme lengths. They are able to go to extreme depths in oceanic areas, far deeper than any normal human.
The Creshian have a keen sight and agility that allows them to sight specific targets in ranged combat without penalty, no matter what range or size of target.
The Ecreshian haven endurance that out does their counterpart, and this allows for higher damage threshold.