Player Race: Harque

The Harque are a type of cyborg-like creature. They appear humanoid, their thighs a milky white color down to the knee, where metal plating has been fused to their skin. Their legs below the knee are cyborg-like, the feet being metal bird-like talons. Their torsos are humanoid, being covered by advanced lightweight armor. Their arms are humanoid as well, the bicep is like the thigh, the skin uncovered and a bleach white. The elbow and forearm are covered by the same metal plating (fused to the skin) as the feet. Metal claws adorn the fingers of the "glove". The forearm plates also contain the Harque's main weapon. During battle a Harque can 'summon'a blade of energy from each forearm. The blade is crescent-like, stemming from the plates on the forearm. The blade is not tangible, but rather made out of pure energy. It is as deadly as a blade of steel, though the energy blade will never dull. The head is humanoid, with no nose, ears, nor mouth, only eyes. The creatures possess no hair. Upon maturity the Harque's head is encased in a metal helmet, which attaches where the mouth would be. The front of the helmet is in the form of a thick beak. The mask extends around the cheeks, the outer edges of the eyes, and arcs up over the eyes to form a peak between the center of the eyes. The entire skull is encased in the metal plating which is then fused to the creature's flesh. The decorum adorning the mask (be it designs or other) is related to their family. The helmet is a family crest of sorts. Large metal wings are fused onto their skin and tapped into their muscular and nervous systems, allowing them voluntary movement of the wings, as well as flight. These suits sustain them with the necessary nutrients to survive.

Without the armor fusing and technology, the Harque are a very plain creature. Males and females have humanoid genitalia. Gestation is 9 months, 1-2 young are born at a time, and they have a lifespan of up to 125 years. The young mature at an average rate and are fused with the cybornetic feet and arms at a very young age. Young Harque, who have not yet been fused with their suits, live off of the baby fat which was stored within the mother's womb until they are fused with their suits. They speak through the audio equipment built into their suits. Their brainwaves transmit the thoughts into the mask, which in turn makes and audible voice. Thus, young are unable to speak until they are fused with their suit.

The Harque are experts at flight combat. While not overly strong or dextrous they are nicely balanced with both. They are well adapted to life in the air and on land. Water means death however. With the heavily equipment fused to their person a Harque would easily drown in deeper water, sunk to the bottom by the weight. Even extracting themselves from water, or soggy ground is immensely difficult.

The Harque live in clans, stationed on the cliffs overlooking the barren wastelands. They make their homes in the shallow caves that snake through the mountainsides. The clans are governed by one leader, though the clans are not united. They trade freely with the other races of Pratos, mainly energy cells which power their suits.

Written by: Hobsyllwin