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Description
The Rhtharians are an alien species from the ringed planet Rhythmar on the edge of the Empire of Many Suns. They were the first species to rebel against Mogg'Theran rule after the destruction of that race's home world about 200 years ago. Once the Empire of Many Suns fell into disarray, the former subject species began fighting over control of the ten jump gates that connected the far corners of the Empire. The Rhtharians control two. They used to control three, but an ongoing war with another alien species, known as the Arnuban, cost them control of one of the gates.
Rhtharians cannot be classified into any animal group with which we are familiar. They are between seven and eight and a half feet tall on average and their bones are a clear cartilage-like substance which protects their major arteries, meaning you have to cut through the tough bone to get a Rhtharian to bleed to death. They are nitrogen breathers, and can survive on any world with at least 50% nitrogen (earth is 78% nitrogen, for example), meaning they can colonize worlds other species wouldn't even consider. Rhtharians also have a high aptitude for psychic abilities, and a small percentage of the population develop powerful pyrokinetic powers that give them control over fire and heat. These are shamanic and political figures known as Flame Keepers who form an almost noble class. Flame Keepers have been known to generate fire and heat so hot that they can melt through the armored bulkhead of a starship given time.
Rhtharians are scientifically advanced and have spread colonies to about a dozen worlds. Two-thirds of those worlds are in the old Empire, the rest are a part of the Imperial Consortium and a full third of all Rhtharians declare allegiance to the consortium, an enemy of all mankind.
Humanity's first contact with the Rhtharians was not a good one. As allies of the Imperial Consortium during the first war with the human race, Rhtharians worked as privateers and raiders, attacking human colonies and destroying convoys. Rhtharian pirates were blamed for some of the worst atrocities during the war. That ended when a human fleet destroyed their home world's shipyards and building facilities. It also formally ended the Rhtharian Dominion's official alliance with the Imperial Consortium, which did not lift a finger to help its "allies" when human forces struck. The Rhtharians who are citizens of the Dominion felt betrayed and since then have tried to form normalized relations with the Terran Protectorate and humanity. But humans have long memories and still bear ill will for their role in the prior war. The fact that so many Rhtharians are Consortium citizens, which is again warring with humanity, hasn't helped.
The Rhtharian Dominion is doing poorly in their war with the Arnuban, are worried that they will be blamed for some of the actions of the Imperial Consortium (since most humans don't differentiate between Rhtharians in the Dominion and those in the Consortium) and fear humans are waiting to take more vengeance against them. This has made them paranoid and insular. Their inability to build capital ships (they never rebuilt their shipyards) leaves them at a military disadvantage.
As a result, the Rhtharians have the most developed intelligence service of any species in known space, using psychic abilities to place agents in numerous empires. Even some humans unknowingly work for them, watching in case the Terran Protectorate or any one else makes a move against them. Their actions sabotaging Arnuban war production and giving them false information is all that is keeping the Dominion on its feet. If humanity could get past its hatred for them and negotiate a peace treaty between them and the Arnuban (the Arnuban are fond of humanity and trade technology with them), they may find they have a new ally right on their enemy's flanks. One with access to a jump gate system that would give them a strategic advantage.

(I redesigned the species with the advantages of the Daz Studio Genesis character and the HFS shapes package, which allows me to make aliens look...alien...but still work with gear, clothing and textures).

Description
The Rhtharians are an alien species from the ringed planet Rhythmar on the edge of the Empire of Many Suns. They were the first species to rebel against Mogg'Theran rule after the destruction of that race's home world about 200 years ago. Once the Empire of Many Suns fell into disarray, the former subject species began fighting over control of the ten jump gates that connected the far corners of the Empire. The Rhtharians control two. They used to control three, but an ongoing war with another alien species, known as the Arnuban, cost them control of one of the gates.
Rhtharians cannot be classified into any animal group with which we are familiar. They are between seven and eight and a half feet tall on average and their bones are a clear cartilage-like substance which protects their major arteries, meaning you have to cut through the tough bone to get a Rhtharian to bleed to death. They are nitrogen breathers, and can survive on any world with at least 50% nitrogen (earth is 78% nitrogen, for example), meaning they can colonize worlds other species wouldn't even consider. Rhtharians also have a high aptitude for psychic abilities, and a small percentage of the population develop powerful pyrokinetic powers that give them control over fire and heat. These are shamanic and political figures known as Flame Keepers who form an almost noble class. Flame Keepers have been known to generate fire and heat so hot that they can melt through the armored bulkhead of a starship given time.
Rhtharians are scientifically advanced and have spread colonies to about a dozen worlds. Two-thirds of those worlds are in the old Empire, the rest are a part of the Imperial Consortium and a full third of all Rhtharians declare allegiance to the consortium, an enemy of all mankind.
Humanity's first contact with the Rhtharians was not a good one. As allies of the Imperial Consortium during the first war with the human race, Rhtharians worked as privateers and raiders, attacking human colonies and destroying convoys. Rhtharian pirates were blamed for some of the worst atrocities during the war. That ended when a human fleet destroyed their home world's shipyards and building facilities. It also formally ended the Rhtharian Dominion's official alliance with the Imperial Consortium, which did not lift a finger to help its "allies" when human forces struck. The Rhtharians who are citizens of the Dominion felt betrayed and since then have tried to form normalized relations with the Terran Protectorate and humanity. But humans have long memories and still bear ill will for their role in the prior war. The fact that so many Rhtharians are Consortium citizens, which is again warring with humanity, hasn't helped.
The Rhtharian Dominion is doing poorly in their war with the Arnuban, are worried that they will be blamed for some of the actions of the Imperial Consortium (since most humans don't differentiate between Rhtharians in the Dominion and those in the Consortium) and fear humans are waiting to take more vengeance against them. This has made them paranoid and insular. Their inability to build capital ships (they never rebuilt their shipyards) leaves them at a military disadvantage.
As a result, the Rhtharians have the most developed intelligence service of any species in known space, using psychic abilities to place agents in numerous empires. Even some humans unknowingly work for them, watching in case the Terran Protectorate or any one else makes a move against them. Their actions sabotaging Arnuban war production and giving them false information is all that is keeping the Dominion on its feet. If humanity could get past its hatred for them and negotiate a peace treaty between them and the Arnuban (the Arnuban are fond of humanity and trade technology with them), they may find they have a new ally right on their enemy's flanks. One with access to a jump gate system that would give them a strategic advantage.

(I redesigned the species with the advantages of the Daz Studio Genesis character and the HFS shapes package, which allows me to make aliens look...alien...but still work with gear, clothing and textures).