The unique signature created by the star collision in the Verkalium system became an irresistible bait for sentient species in the galaxy. The promise of wild richness was too much to be ignored even by the most content of races capable of interstellar travel. Of course, this special appeal was precisely what drew humanity to strive for the refuge of the Verkalium System, so it is unsuprising that its call would also tempt other civilisations. The surprise is the sheer number of alien races that sought to make Verkalium their new home…

None of the Alien Races were indigenous to Verkalium – they were all from different homeworlds within the galaxy, but all eventually came to view the new Planet in a similar way: an untapped, rich and untamed world worthy of colonization by their species. For our storyline, only one or two had set foot on Verkalium ahead of Humans, but the rest would soon follow.

From silver-skinned, swift Velocri to bear-visaged Mornath builders, Verkalium teems with wildly different minds and bodies. You’ll encounter prismatic Resonati and shadow-hungry Vaporati, mischievous Shoo and the sweet-scented but toxic Carcinum, limbless Segmenti with flukeworm mouths, and the gentle, food-growing Olivanti. Amphibious, tri-pedal Filtrati share shores with frost-hard Frigidi, while deserts swarm with heat-seeking Skahh. Watch in fascination as the living-architecture Mechani transform structures from within and sky-ruled Kanari patrol the airways—alongside ever-improvising Humans. Each race brings its own strengths, weaknesses, and agendas to the frontier. Click on the images to dive into their full profiles.

The Velocri

The Velocri were not the first alien race to notice the fragrance of Verkalium’s galactic bait-trail, but they were the first to arrive at the planet, due primarily to their adeptness at faster-than-light space travel. Their starships, though not comparatively spacious, were fitted with forcewave space engines that loosened the threads of spacetime just enough to enable them to travel marginally faster than contemporary technologies. Over the vast distance of lightyears, this accumulated to quite an advantage. On the downside, the Velocri people found actual colonization of planets difficult, as their ships had smaller cargo holds and were stripped of many of the niceties that allowed most races travel in style. The Velocrium starfleet was built for speed, not comfort.

The Mornath

The Mornath was a race that evolved on the giant planet of Mornathus. Each Mornathi was larger and stronger than the average galactic citizen, and they were well equipped to stand the rigors of colonial life. Mornathi could survive without rudimentary basics such as food and shelter for longer than other races, which was a blessing while constructing new colonies, buildings, and establishing new supply chains. However, each individual needed a period of convalescence following times of exertion, in order to recover their strength and fortify fatty reserves. This downtime severely hampered the efficiency of new colonies until the recovery period had passed. Their ships were bulky and well equipped, if a little sluggish in terms of FTL travel.

The Resonati

The Resonati were a race of people who evolved on a planet close to a quasar, and thus had been subjected to uncommon levels of electromagnetic radiation. This had become a central feature of their DNA, and they’d developed unique physical traits that replicated their environment. Their skin would flash with many colors of light, making them impossible to ignore but hard to pinpoint in physical confrontations. Their affinity with light, frequency and vibration made them masters of electronics and shielding technologies. Their starships were capable and stealthy.

The Vaporati

Vaporati people on the other hand, were stealthy for a different reason. This race had evolved in a system near the massive black hole at the center of the galaxy, where light and time were pulled apart by the overpowering force of gravity. Surviving and eventually pulling away from the galactic dark center, this wilful race learned determination and persistence. They hunger for new homes, and have a never-ending thirst for light. Their bodies and ships are colored vanta black, making them difficult to spot in the darkness of the night sky.

The Shoo

The Shoo are a race of nimble opportunists. These mischevious imps travel through space on small, zippy ships fitted with an array of hi-tech, often stolen equipment and systems that normally keep them one step ahead of other races. Ill-suited to hand to hand combat the Shoo prefer to strike while the iron is cold using deception and underhand tactics.

The Carcinum

The Carcinum are a race of beings that leave a toxic residue wherever they go. The sweet smelling slime attracts then subdues would-be attackers, turning the hunters into the hunted. While individually each Carcini is generally kind-hearted and civil, collectively and genetically they are slippery killers. Their ships are easily tracked but close contact can contaminate pursuing vessels, negating even the most advanced cloaking systems.

The Segmenti

The Segmenti are a sentient race of wormlike beings who evolved in the dark caverns of a rocky planet called Culturus. Living on a diet of rock and bacterial ooze they are hardy and relentless. Their breeding is convoluted and slow, with each Segmenta growing their offspring inside their segmented bodies, which drop off when new individuals reach maturity. Their starships are a marvel of biology as much as they are technological, and new colonies become difficult to defeat, once established.

The Olivanti

The Olivanti are a hybrid race of vegepods that exist at the crossroads of plant and animal life. Upright, mobile and capable of conversation with other sentient species, the Olivanti grow food that resemble small green fruit from their limbs and other body parts. Their unique ability to photosynthesize under many forms of light gives them an advantage when it comes to farming and food production, although they are physically slower and less adept at wartime maneouvres.

The Filtrati

The Filtrati are a race of sentient beings who breathe via gillvents, extracting nutrients and life gases from almost any type of atmosphere or oceanic environment. Their bodies develop according to the local environment, using the available minerals to grow limbs, membranes and internal organs. Sometimes this leads to advantages in terms of speed, mobility and ruggedness, and sometimes not.

The Frigidi

The Frigidi evolved on a stark world where the super-salt ocean never froze despite the blistering cold temperatures. Their furry coats and blubber layers protect them not only from the sub-zero climate of their homeworld but also against the coldness of deep space. They will usually avoid steamy jungles and arid deserts but beware around polar caps and cold ocean crevices where they lurk for easy prey.

The Skahh

The Skahh come from a homeworld located far too near their star than most other races could endure. These highly intelligent beings are therefore of hot environments, and prefer to colonize in deserts and volcanic regions. Drawn to intense heat and light sources they are always on the search for the hottest star systems which provide a richness of minerals and solar energy.

The Mechani

The Mechani are a race of beings whose unique talent is constructing dwellings and equipment from any locally available resources, with individuals often becoming part of the structure they build around them. In appearance they resemble garden slugs as seen on Earth, but they are highly intelligent and purposeful, despite their slow mobility. Every building or factory with an in-situ Mechani will be more efficient than buildings without them.

The Kanari

The Kanari are a race of birdlike creatures who evolved on a low-gravity world. Their society functions on a strict pecking order, with fight or flight being their modus operandi in military situations. Adept at traversing the skies they are expansionistic, but their colonies are prone to infiltration by other races more willing to occupy the lowlands.

Humans

The Human Race come from dubious lineage on their homeworld of Earth. Thin skinned, somewhat treacherous and prone to groupthink, Humans talk about diplomacy but usually with ulterior motives. Their origins probably include genetic tampering from another alien race, Humans are largely based on Earth Primates, although are less physically strong, with higher intelligence and cunning.