Zarkhator

The Zarkhator are a militaristic and expansionist race native to the planet Taris. Known for their violent and warlike nature, the Zarkhator have risen as a dominant force in galactic politics and are feared by many throughout galactic space.

The Zarkhator are known for their unique culture and society. Zarkhator society is meritocratic. Zarkhator move up through their society through achievement and merit. Despite their violent nature Zarkhator do not directly attack others of their kind. They often take out their violent nature on alien races however. Many Zarkhator join the military as an easy way to advance in their society and as such the Zarkhator are frequently at war with aliens, for the sole purpose of allowing Zarkhator the chance to be promoted in their society.

Biology
Zarkhator are reptilian like aliens that stand at about three meters tall. They have four arms ending in three clawed digits and a thumb. They have two powerful legs ending in feet with three clawed digits. They have wings on their back that enable them to fly. On their homeworld they can only fly short distances, but they can fly much longer on planes with lower gravity. They have black and red skin covered in thick scales. Some of these scales protrude into large spikes.

Zarkhator under go periods of metamorphosis as they age. When Zarkhator are first born they appear as a small simian like creature with two arms and legs. Soon this creature metamorphoses into a larger form with more muscles and a toothed mouth. They stand at a little over a meter tall. Within a few years the Zarkhator will mature into a larger creature with scales. It sports two extra retractable arms and a tail. At this point in their lives Zarkhator are considered adults. Their fourth form has a long snout full of teeth. It is this form where Zarkhator gain their horrifying ability to shapeshift. They stand about two meters tall. Their final form has wings and fully developed arms. Zarkhator in their final form seem to be much more intelligent than other Zarkhator. Zarkhator reach their final form after about 50 years and can live up to 300 years.

Zarkhator are capable of shape-shifting their bodies to match any form, as long as it is similar in size to their previous form. How they are able to do this is completely unknown.