The Cathamari are a relatively young race who achieved interstellar travel roughly one hundred years ago. The Catharmari themselves are a cold-blooded reptilian species. Mature male specimens can reach over two meters in height, although the average male stands shorter at one point eight meters. Their bodies are covered with natural armor in the form of sturdy scales and are very muscular. Their six-fingered hands conceal sharp claws, and they have similar claws on their feet. They also have a long thick tail that they can also employ as a weapon.
It is also worth noting that they are inherently aggressive predators, and this has shaped their culture. The male is physically stronger, and more imposing than the female, and as such Cathamari females fill a lower caste role in their society. In their cultural view, the strong dominate the weak. A view that also plays into their interstellar policies, and they are rarely at peace because of this. Their empire is well known for taking slaves and operates heavily on slave labor.
Technologically their race has focused heavily on brute force solutions to problems. The Cathamari are particularly good at finding new ways to kill. Their weapons design is crude by the standards of other races, but remarkably potent. Being such a war-focused race they also understand the value of defensive technologies. As such when the opportunity presented itself they stole shield technology from another race that had the misfortune of being not far from their homeworld. That race was the Gari’ma. They achieved space travel at roughly the same time as the Cathamari, but their technology took a somewhat different route.
Today the Gari’ma homeworld is yet another conquered planet in the empire, and her people slaves. Well, those unfortunate enough to remain on the colonies or the homeworld. A number of ships did escape carrying refugees to other worlds. Their story unfortunately is not unique. Quite a few other races suffered the same fate to the Cathamari, but there were a few words that managed to resist the Cathamari.
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Most notable of those races was the Di’kra Confederation, who were the greatest rivals of the Cathamari Imperium. At least they were until about ten years ago. Roughly ten years ago, the Cathamari developed a new weapon the Concussion Plasma Cannon. It gave them a decisive firepower advantage over their rival and allowed them to destroy several key fleets. Those key victories allowed them to conquer the Confederation, and unfortunately for many worlds ended up freeing much of their fleet. In recent years they have begun expanding into new sectors, seeking new enemies to conquer. Among the worlds that became victims of this new wave of expansion and conquest was Earth, the homeworld of the human race.
Internally the Cathamari Empire is ruled by the warlords, with the Grand warlord standing at the top. Being a male-dominated species, leadership positions are filled solely by men. They believe only the strongest and most capable warriors should lead, and this is reflected in their rights of succession. It is also played why the Empire isn’t the most stable civilization in the region. Largely playing into why they didn’t reach Earth sooner or conquer the galaxy yet.
Succession in the Empire is determined by the warlords, and their sons vying for dominance often through battle to determine the succession. They must either kill or subdue all other challengers for the throne before they can take the mantle of Grand Warlord ruler of the Empire. Since the Empire reached the stars there have been seven large scale civil wars, and nearly ten successions. Something the Di’kra often took advantage of, and played into how they managed to avoid being conquered for so long.
Of course, in addition to frequent civil wars, the Empire is also plagued with the occasional slave revolt. Unfortunately for the slaves, they have never succeeded in being more than a minor nuisance. Still, even minor nuisances can have an effect. These revolts have often impaired their impressive war machine. In many respects, its a miracle the empire has stood as long as it has.