Raharrs:Races

Three raharrian races. From left to right: Riykian, Rrirkhean, Kekhohirr

Excluding various mixed-race groups, the raharrs have three main races, or ethnicities. Those three groups are divided further into numerous subgroups, but those often differ only culturally. Anybody that is inexperienced in interactions with the raharr people can assume that the main and only difference between their races is simply the amount of pigmentation, but that's not the case. Races tend to stay more or less localized on the homeworld and on a few colonies, but usually the population of off-world settlements is mixed and multicultural. As a result, practically all raharrs that were born outside of the homeworld are mixed to some extent.

Rrirkheans

The largest race of raharrs, which contains roughly 70% of the entire population. They originate from the subtropical Rrirkh Cradle. Among the raharrs, rrirkheans standards of beauty reign supreme and the rrirkheans themselves are considered the most attractive. This is also, as a consequence of their spread, the most diverse group of raharrs, with a fairly blurred definition that sometimes even includes mixed-race groups as well. Rrirkheans can almost always be distinguished at least by their characteristic square-like shape of the head.

Riykians

These raharrs originated in the Riyk Cradle, located on the Riyk peninsula. The Riyk Cradle is located in the more cold regions compared to the Rrirkh Cradle, so the riykians needed to adopt to the colder climates, which influenced their appearance. Their skin contains the most amount of pigmentation, allowing them to absorb warmth from the suns more easily. They are the tallest of the raharrs and their height can reach two and a half meters, or even more. Besides their color and height, riykians can be distinguished by the shape of their head - their mouth characteristically has a pointy slope. Riykians are capable of withstanding colder climates compared to other raharrs, but they still can be considered tropical or subtropical by the standards of other species. Even before the Realization, riykians were fairly calm, calculating, and patient by nature. Riykians have the longest claws and teeth, so they often cut their claws down to avoid troubles with everyday life. In the past, because of their isolation, riykians were the subject of many stereotypes, which sometimes led to open racism - because of their long claws and dark skin pattern, they were perceived as deceivers and liars. Their long-upheld self-isolation didn't really help the situation. Echoes of these stereotypes sometimes resurface to this day.

Kekhohirrs

This raharr race, also known as "Desertfolk", does not have their own Cradle, which is most likely due to separating from the rrirkheans in prehistoric times and settling in the desert regions near the equator of the planet. They are the most resilient and tough raharrs, but they're also the shortest. Their pigmentation is very weak, leaving only thin gray stripes and patterns. The tail fin is tightly packed with capillaries and veins, which makes it richly red in color. It is thicker and larger than the tails of other raharrs, and is basically turned into a radiator that helps the kekhohirr stay cool in blazing heat of the deserts, where the air temperature can reach 60 degrees Celsius. Desertfolks are very protective of their tails, not only because it is their means of surviving in the desert, but also because of the high density of capillaries and veins that can result in massive blood loss from almost any trauma, which can lead to exsanguination. Kekhohirrs have poor eyesight and smell because their eyes and nostrils are reduced in size to cope with desert storms. They also have short and wide claws. Kekhohirrs are not very talkative and do not like to travel much. It is the most warmth-liking race even by the standards of other raharrs. However, if you manage to befriend a kekhohirr, you can be sure that you obtained yourself the most loyal and unyielding friend, ready to follow you to hell and back without hesitation, but they also expect the same from you as well. Out of all raharrs, desertfolk are the slowest to accept inventions and changes, preferring to live by the traditions that their fathers and grandfathers lived. Some subcultures to this day do not look fondly on the philosophy of the Ancients. It is rare to see a kekhohirr outside of deserts, though they can be easily identified by their size and custom to wear traditional clothes even when they're traveling in space. Their strength, resilience, and sedentary lifestyle became a stark codifier of their culture, to the point of being a stereotype.

Trivia

• Amongst the webcomic characters, Gharr Neht Ra is a typical rrirkhean, Zane Htrua Sha is a desertfolk, and Hekaht Ruhane Kr is a mixed-race of rrirkhean and riykian origins.