Rak'Gol
The Rak’Gol are a vicious xeno race of Marauder pirates found in the Koronus Expanse. The slightest mention of their name makes the denizens of the expanse highly superstitious as it is said to invite the brutal creatures to attack. [1a]
Contents
Physiology
Rak’Gol typically possess eight limbs, while not in pursuit a Rak’Gol will walk upright on four limbs using the other four for various functions. While chasing prey the Rak’Gol can easily alter its body position so that it can use all eight limbs for locomotion. A Rak’Gol’s upper four limbs are adaptable and can change their musculature to use as hands with opposable digits or as grasping feet. A Rak’Gol’s limbs are strong enough that an adult can climb and run upside down. [1b].
Rak’Gol are large creatures that easily dwarf humans; standing at least 2.6 metres tall and weighing 175 kilograms. Rak’Gol are reptilian in appearance with thick stony hides, two eyes deeply set into the skull and tympanic-like membranes for hearing. Other common features include keen senses of smell and sight, and a prehensile tail to assist in balance. [1b].
Society
Little is known about Rak’Gol society, most information about the species has been collected through encounters and various anecdotal tales of their attacks on colonies. Rak’Gol are savage and brutal creatures likened to beasts instead of an advanced xeno race. Within their society there is nothing more important that hunting, and much of it revolves around the kill.[1b] Young Rak’Gol are taught to work together in a pack to support each other’s strengths and weakness’ to accomplish a goal, where a singular Rak’Gol would fail. As Rak’Gol mature they are taught tactics and hunting strategies and set out with a Clutchmaster to be “blooded”, if the Rak’Gol succeeds the Clutchmaster will present the individual with bionics and cybernetics, as the Rak’Gol ages, it gains more and more bionics until it is mostly machine.[1c]
Rak’Gol have an indecipherable language composed of screeching and rasping noises, and they show no interest in communicating with other races further than slaughtering them.[1b] Currently the home planet or system of the Rak’Gol is unknown but are thought to originated from far beyond the known borders of the Expanse.[1b].
Despite their savagery, some Rak'Gol are capable of interacting with other species in a relatively peaceful fashion, with pirates being observed bartering with xenos such as Zygo, exchanging spoils from their raids in return for weapons and bionics.[5]
Castes
There are several “castes” of Rak’Gol have varying levels of command and tasks within a pack.
- Marauders: Marauders are the most common Rak’Gol encountered and can be considered the average foot troop. All Marauders have at least one cybernetic enhancement and each Rak’Gol Marauder has its own unique combination of equipment and weapons. Marauders are formed from packs of between 10 and 20 Rak’Gol who have survived being blooded. In battle they tend to try and overwhelm their opponents with speed and ferocity though they show the ability to use cunning in a situation [1c]
- Clutchmasters: Clutchmasters are the “lieutenants” of a Rak’Gol force and take directions from the Broodmasters above them. They are often the captains of smaller Rak’Gol vessels. [1c]
- Techno-Shamans: Techno-Shamans are the relatively rare example of Rak'Gol psykers. Their powers allow them to psychically manipulate and fuse themselves with technology. Most Rak'Gol appear to avoid Techno-Shamans, but they can often be found leading other Rak'Gol whenever they are hunting for Yu'Vath technology or lore.[4]
- Broodmasters: Broodmasters are the Rak’Gol commanders and lead the attack raids against the other races of the Koronus Expanse. They are distinguished from the lesser Rak’Goh marauders by the large amount of cybernetic enhancements to their body, often resulting in them being more machine than flesh. They use their leadership status to rouse the Marauders into a bloodthirsty mob when preparing to attack. Broodmasters are also capable of utilizing highly bestial tactics in space combat involving attacking a ship and leaving crewman alive to call for help, when help arrives the Rak’Gol pounce on their ships as well. [1c]
- Abominations: Abominations are the leader-caste of the Rak’Gol and also the rarest encountered. Each Abomination is heavily modified with cybernetics and bionics, even more so than the Broodmasters. Abominations also appear to be a sort of spiritual leader to the Rak’Gol, planning there raids positioning all of the warriors across the Expanse. [1c]
Technology
Rak’Gol technology is thought to be primitive to Imperial standards and they seem to favour brutal and efficient technology and weapons.
Weaponry
- Rak'Gol Razor Gun: The Razor Gun is a weapon that fires barbed slugs that spiral through flesh causing huge amounts of damage.[1d]
- Rak’Gol Hand Flamer: Functionally equivalent to the Imperial variant.[1d]
- Rak’Gol Heavy Stubber: Functionally equivalent ot the Imperial variant.[1d]
- Razorstorm Pistol: A short-ranged, semiautomatic pistol that can tear through unarmoured enemies.[3b]
- Howler Rifle: Chain-fed, tri-barrelled weapons that can fire thousands of rounds per minute.[2]
- Rad-Beam Cannon: Massive, heavy weapons that fire great blasts of radiaton.[2]
- Mono-blades: Heavy blades grafted onto the forearms of a Rak’Gol, they have sharpened edges perfect for puncturing armour.[1d]
- Chainblades: Implanted into Rak'Gol warriors in a fasion similiar to mono-blades, these weapons function as a chain weapon equivalent.[3b]
- Yu'vath Crystalblades: Force weapons claimed from scavenged Yu'vath technology and only available to the higher ranking castes. Used in a similar manner to Mono-blades.[1d][4]
- Rak'Gol Rad Axe: A massive polearm that spews out radiation.[2]
- Rak'Gol Intimidator: A handheld Shock Weapon, used more as a mark of status and torture than as a weapon.[2]
- Frag Grenades [1d]
- Krak Grenades [1d]
Implants and Bionics
- Implanted Ceramic Plates: These plates form a crude patchwork of armour. [1d]
- Bionic Respiratory Systems[1d]
- Implanted Vox [1d]
- Photo-visor: Advanced lenses to give the owner vision in even the lowest lighting conditions.[1d]
Starships
All Rak’Gol vessels are unique, but many are similar enough in size and shape that they can be given a single broad classification; the Rak’Gol Marauder. These ships are believed to have between 20,000 to 30,000 Rak’Gol crewmen aboard. [1e]
Marauders are shoddily put together, and like their weaponry, are considered primitive. The ship is built around a core of weapon spines and a navigation core, while the hull is bristled with barbs, fins and turrets for short-range defence; these macrobatteries are called Howler Cannon after the sound they make when the ammunition impacts an opposing ship’s hull and release dozens of high velocity shells to rip apart an enemy ship. The larger and rarer Rak’Gol Mangler ships typically have a large lance weapon called a Roarer Beam that runs completely down the centre of the ship. [1e][6c]
Rak’Gol Marauders have a unique Stutter fission-pulse drive for propulsion. These engines release high-energy blasts of radiation that push the ship forward at great velocities, but make the ship fall short on manoeuvrability. It is unknown if the radiation created by the engines affects the Rak’Gol crew inside the vessel. [1e]
Other Rak'Gol ship classes include:
- Rak'Gol Butcher: Heavily armed transport ships with landing bays for attack craft. Butchers are rarely seen alone & most often utilized in planetary assaults. [6a]
- Rak'Gol Mauler: Frigates with boarding torpedoes as their primary weapon, in addition to Howler Cannon batteries. Like Marauders, Maulers typically operate independently. [6b]
- Rak'Gol Mangler: A class of Light Cruiser with a spinal Roarer Beam among other weapons. Manglers are rare, but typically seen leading groups of Butchers or Maulers. [6c]
See Also
Sources
- 1: Rogue Trader: Edge of the Abyss
- 2: Rogue Trader: The Koronus Bestiary, pgs.85-91
- 3: Rogue Trader: Stars of Inequity
- 4: Rogue Trader: The Navis Primer, pgs.133-135
- 5: Fabius Bile: Primogenitor (Novel), Part One, Chapter 8
- 6: Rogue Trader: Battlefleet Koronus
