Large, sentient predators capable of spinning webs, known as Rakaans, originated from Rakaa IV. A defining characteristic was their unique five-stage life cycle, featuring sequential shifts in sex. While Rakaans primarily inhabited land, they also demonstrated proficiency in swimming. Their physical form consisted of segmented bodies, displaying mottled green or dark-brown coloration, supported by ten limbs. The foremost limbs functioned as arms. Their heads, equipped with four segmented eyes, breathing apertures, and auditory canals, were positioned atop elongated, flexible necks. Unusually, their brains resided within their abdomens, and their mouths were situated on their ventral surfaces. Inhabiting the balmy forests and jungles of Rakaa IV, Rakaans entered a state of hibernation when exposed to freezing conditions.
A Rakaan in the andro phase caring for eggs.
As predators, Rakaans employed webs spun from their abdomens to ensnare their quarry. Typically, these webs would degrade in strength after two hours; however, the addition of Rakaan saliva mixed with nergk root juices created a preservative extending their lifespan to weeks. Conversely, other glands within their mouths produced a substance capable of dissolving the webs. These durable webs served to encase prey for consumption at a later time. In confrontations, Rakaans could project their webs or inflict bites utilizing their fanged mandibles.
Rakaans originated from eggs. Their existence began in a juvenile phase, lasting approximately thirty years. However, certain Rakaans might only spend five years as juveniles, while others could remain in this stage for up to sixty years before reaching maturity. On average, juvenile Rakaans measured only half a meter in height.
Upon concluding their childhood, they underwent a period known as the "Transition". The culmination of the Transition resulted in a Rakaan assuming one of four distinct sexes: male, female, neuter, or "andro". The distribution of these sexes was contingent upon the environmental conditions of a given Rakaan community. During periods of scarcity, a greater proportion of Rakaans would become neuters. Conversely, when the Rakaan population experienced a decline (such as during a hive war), a larger number of Rakaans would undergo the Transition to become male, female, or andro, thereby augmenting breeding rates. Throughout their lifespan of 160 years, Rakaans would experience the Transition multiple times. Typically, a Rakaan would undergo at least three Transitions, spending anywhere from three months to eighty years in any one sex. During the Transition, Rakaans were frequently aggressive and exhibited an insatiable appetite.
Rakaan crime boss Lud Chud with an alien bounty hunter.
Rakaan males attained a height of approximately two meters and possessed heightened sensory capabilities compared to other sexes. Females represented the largest Rakaans, reaching heights of up to three meters. They also featured an extended abdomen, enabling them to carry and nurture fertilized eggs for a period of three months. Subsequently, they relocated their eggs to nesting chambers, where andros provided care. Andros exhibited slower movement compared to other adults and possessed the capacity to generate a nourishing paste, which they applied to the eggs. The final Rakaan sex, the neuters, did not participate in reproduction. Instead, they served as guards, hunters, and warriors within the Rakaan community. Standing at only 1.5 meters tall and possessing a more efficient metabolism, their nutritional requirements were lower than those of other Rakaans.
Despite its pivotal location within the galaxy, Rakaans seldom ventured far from their homeworld.