The Katorans, sometimes referred to as the Slave Masters of Akator, were a species of the same racial stock as the Duros, and Nemiodians and were among the most powerful races in galactic history, creating an empire rivaling the empires of the Rataka, Sith, and Palpatine.
Their homeworld was located deep in the Unknown Regions in a medium-sized dwarf galaxy known as the Kator Star Cluster, which they controlled. The Katorans were linked and traded with the Yuuzhan Vong, acquiring much Yuuzhan Vong technology for the slave armies of the Katorans.
Biology and Appearance[]
Katorans were similar to the Duros and Nemiodians, as all three species had lipless mouths, and long thin noseless faces. However, there was where their similarity ended. The Katorans had smooth light green skin, and dark red eyes. Their eyes concealed complex olfactory glands, which were used by the Katorans to smell, and hear. Katorans were considered similar to the human racial stock as well, differing only in their Durosian traits, and their long elongated heads, which distinguished them from every other race in the galaxy. All Katorans were bald, and it was almost impossible to determine the difference between males and females, leading many to wonder whether there were any Katoran females.
The Katoran skeletal system was unique among the races of the galaxy as well, with their entire skeleton made of solid, and pure crystal. Their skeletons were also magnetic, leading them to use organic weaponry, and giving them a distinct advantage over their metal using foes. The magnetic skeletons of the Katorans allowed them to short circuit electronic devices, vehicles, and the ability to attract metal to their bodies.
A Katoran.
The tall, green skinned Katorans had almond shaped eyes. Katorans were extremely intelligent, agile, and were one of the most stubborn races of the galaxy, refusing to surrender against impossible odds. The Katorans had a natural affinity for the Force as well and often made powerful Sith. They also possessed the unique gift of being immune to paralysis and many diseases.
Katorans were virtually immortal, living up to one thousand years and the more powerful possessed the ability to insert their consciousness into their skeletons, allowing them to continue functioning, but restricting them from moving. The Katorans were generally thought to be a hive mind species, while others thought that they were a single being species, much like the humans, and Duros. However, both these theories were in part correct, as the Katorans were both hive minded, and single beings.
The crystal skeletons of the Katorans provided protection from physical impacts, and made them immune to radiation. This race of advanced beings were extremely strong, despite their thin, and frail bodies, and were capable of carving entire cities into cliff faces and building enormous temples in concert. The Katorans elongated heads also provided them with a larger brain. The large brain of the Katorans were what made them such technical, and military geniuses.
Another peculiar trait of the Katorans was their ability to bestow, or share, their knowledge with other beings. A Katoran would allow their knowledge and memories flow through special glands in their eyes, and enter the minds of others, allowing them to know everything that the Katoran knew. However, the Katoran also used this power to their advantage, using it to exert massive mind control over billions of beings, and if too much of their knowledge was imparted to another, the receiver of the knowledge would disintegrate from the sheer force of the knowledge entering them.
Culture and Society[]
Government[]
A Katoran skull, which was the symbol of the Council of Twelve.
The Katorans were governed by the Council of Twelve, which consisted of the twelve most powerful force adepts in the Katoran Empire. The Council of Twelve created the laws, ordinances, and regulations of the Empire, as well as being the heads of religion. The Ayam, or slaves of the Katorans, believed that the Council of Twelve were gods and, thus, they owed their complete loyalty to them, worshiping them, and serving them. Akator was the capital of the Empire, and on Akator the Twelve lived in a massive, palatial temple referred to as the Temple of Sun. The Twelve were the hive minds, and controlled the various slave races through the use of the force, and mind control.
The Ayam were the soldiers, guards, and police of the Katoran Empire. Ayam apprehended, tortured, and killed criminals, spies, and rebels, preserving the "peace" of the Empire. Thus the Council of Twelve controlled the Ayam. The Katoran Empire had a very harsh system of laws, as death was proscribed as a punishment for even the most minor of crimes. This system of laws quickly destroyed troublemakers and allowed the Katorans to ensure and consolidate their control over their vast empire and slave races.
The Twelve also controlled the religion, speaking and conversing with their gods, who inhabited statues within their temples. Katoran religion was very demanding and the Twelve oversaw the complex administration of the state religion, as well as using the Ayam to force the slave races to attend religious ceremonies, round up sacrifices, and guard the temples.
After every war of conquest, the Katoran would use their mind control to brainwash conquered races, and would integrate them into Katoran society. The conquered races; however, were considered inferior to the Katorans, and were forced to perform back breaking labor, and long periods of military service. Though they allowed the conquered races to keep their own culture, they were forced to accept the Katoran religion.
Caste System[]
The Eripam were a race enslaved by the Katorans, and a member of the Kataz caste.
Katoran society was run by a caste system. The highest caste, the Katorans themselves, considered the other castes inferior, and controlled them through their use of mind control, and the force. The remaining castes consisted of the various races, and species that had been enslaved by the Katoran Empire's drive of conquest in the Kator Star Cluster. Each race was assigned a caste, where they were grouped with other races that shared a similar culture. If a race had a militaristic culture, than they would be assigned to the warrior caste, or the Kataz caste.
The highest caste was the Katorans themselves, who controlled all of the other castes through the use of their mind control, and the Ayam.
The Kataz caste was the scientific class. All enslaved races with a technological society were assigned to this caste. Under the direction of the Katorans, the Kataz invented, developed, and constructed new technology to be used by the Ayam, and Kagon castes in war, as well as developing technology to be used for the betterment of Katoran society. Kataz served in the Katoran fleets as well in the capacity of mechanics and engineers. This caste was one of the more important castes, because of the advantage they gave the Katorans in battle, and were rewarded with more freedom, and better accommodations. In Katoran philosophy, these races were the closest to attaining the perfection of the Katoran race.
The Vogii were a warlike race from the Kator Star Cluster that was later a member of the Katoran Kagon Caste.
The Ayam caste was a caste containing warriors. This caste's member races were the soldiers, guards, and police of the Katoran Empire. Ayam apprehended, tortured, and killed criminals, spies, and rebels in the process of preserving the peace of the Katoran Empire. Ayam were strictly controlled by the Council of Twelve, and were used to enforce the religions, as well as the laws, among the peoples controlled by the Katoran Empire.
The Kagon caste served as the warriors of the Katoran Empire as well. The Kagon, unlike the Ayam, were not specialized, and were the infantry of the Katoran armies. Kagon were the most numerous of the classes, as the Kator Star Cluster was inhabited by a vast number of militaristic races. Members of the Kagon were trained by Katoran weapon masters, and Ayam from an early age to fulfill their role in Katoran society. These warriors wielded organic technology, and would fight to the death for their Katoran masters.
The Mange caste was the caste that contained the ordinary workers, servants, and slaves of the Katoran Empire. This caste was one of the more numerous classes as well. Mange were the enslaved races who had a lower level of sentience than the other enslaved races, and were treated accordingly. Katorans and their enslaved races treated the Mange with contempt, and were allowed to kill them without a whim. Though, sometimes this was taken to extremes, and the Katorans were forced to take measures into account in order to protect their workers.
Society[]
The average Katoran was a very taciturn person, preferring to be left alone; though, there were a few exceptions. Katorans were a race of avid spacefarers, and thus enjoyed exploring the galaxy, as well as sailing through space in their warships during their frequent drives of conquest. The Katoran were believed as well to be the first race to invent the hyperdrive, using it, and other advanced technology to conquer the other races of the Kator Star Cluster. Katoran brains were especially suited for space travel, as they were larger, their brains gave them superior astro-navigational skills.
The Katoran capital planet of Akator was the most inhabited planet in the Kator Star Cluster. With many of the enslaved races of the Katorans being taken, and forcibly settled on the planet to serve, and protect their new masters. Akator was also very defended, being surrounded by twenty large space stations, and several Katoran fleets.
Under the Katoran Empire, vast shipyards were constructed on and above the surface of Akator as well. The Katoran government, the Council of Twelve, controlled these shipyards using their mind control abilities, allowing the Katoran profits to soar because of the large workforce of the Katoran Empire.
It was generally thought that the Katorans originally resided in "The Galaxy", and after interbreeding with other species formed the Duros and Neimiodians, who are descended from a similar racial stock. Though these new species that were created by the Katorans were virtually different, the Katorans had a role in guiding them to their rises in the period of time before the Republic's formation. Eventually; however, the Katorans abandoned the Duros, and Neimiodians, declaring them racially inferior, and a failed experiment, leaving "The Galaxy" for the Kator Star Cluster.
Similar to the Duros, the Katorans laid eggs, usually in "nest buildings" which contained large numbers of eggs so that once they had hatched they could be molded into their future role in Katoran society. After the young Katorans had hatched, they were raised, and educated by their parents; although some Katorans rejected this, and instead raised them within the "nest buildings" as a group.
Religion[]
Language[]
The Katoran language was very complex and flowed at an extremely rapid pace, far too quickly for the minds of most species in the galaxy to comprehend. Preventing them from speaking, or understanding the language. Likewise, a Katoran could not speak many other languages because, in their minds, those languages were too simple. They operated much too slowly for the Katoran to be able to understand. The minds of Katorans moved much too quickly, and learning a language spoken by many of the other races would force them to slow down their thought processes.
There were very few Katorans who could slow down enough to do this. Some of the more flexible Katorans could change the speed of their thought processes, allowing them to learn other languages.
History[]
Formation and Early Years[]
Before the unification of the Katoran by Rivan Katora, after whom the species was named, all of Akator was in chaos. The primeval protocontinent had split, and the Katorans, being driven steadily northward by the encroaching waters of the ocean, were not united, and unsophisticated. The Council of Twelve had not been formed at this point, and the Katoran were divided into kingdoms, and ruled by petty dictators, and military commanders. As Rivan Katora began to gather support among the people, these false rulers fought back, but they were disorganized, and relenting. The armies of Rivan Katora easily swept them aside and unified Akator. The unified Katoran kingdoms were declared the Katoran Empire, and the Katoran people were at peace for the first time in their history.
For hundreds of years, Rivan Katora ruled supreme. The Katoran chronicles of the time glorify it, praising it as a "lawful, pious, and glorious age, when justice was known to all". When Rivan Katora finally died, the Magi of the Katoran conjured up thunderstorms which ravaged the world for nearly a decade in remembrance of what he had done.
After Rivan Katora's death, the Katorans degenerated into civil war, until Belzedar the Prophet revealed that he had received a vision from the gods telling him to form a council of twelve priests, which would rule the Katorans. Not wishing to anger the gods, the Katorans quickly gathered the priests, and after a heated debate, and vote, twelve were selected to rule. The Council of Twelve had been formed.
The Council of Twelve proved to be as strong and resolute as Rivan himself had been, and the Katorans could have experienced a continuation of the golden age, but; unfortunately, a deposed warlord, hoping to throw Akator back into the "Dark Ages", hired the Catar Assassins to assassinate the entire Council of Twelve. The Catar succeeded, and it looked as if the warlord's wishes would come true, but a new Council of Twelve took over, and reinstated their control over Akator.
The following years were prosperous, and many new technological achievements were developed. As the years passed laws were made, and many independent organizations, and corporations began to develop on Akator, strengthening the economy of the Katoran Empire. Unfortunately, a wave of blight, disease, plague, and insurrections interrupted this period of growth, and technological advancement.
Civil war became more and more frequent, and peace never lasted long. A new Council of Twelve was soon elected, and they proved to be as strong, and resolute as the second, ending the period of civil war, and discovering hyperspace technology. The Conquests of Akator began, with the Katorans conquering many races, and all of the planets within the Kator Star Cluster.
Unfortunately, the Infinite Empire discovered the Star Cluster at this time, and the Kator Star Cluster was plunged into a horrible, and bloody war, consuming the lives of many on both sides of the war. The slave masters of Akator only barely managed to repulse the Infinite Empire, and only due to a freak electrical storm in space, disabling many of the Ratakan warships.
The weakened Katoran Empire was no longer possessed the strength it had before the invasion; however, and the conquered races took advantage of this, rebelling, and declaring themselves independent. Using stolen technology from the Katoran bases on their planets, the Slave Union coordinated three separate attacks against the Katoran Empire.
The first attack occurred on Orellana. The entire Katoran garrison was massacred and the planet began to be prepared as a forward staging point for the forces of the Slave Union during their invasion of Katoran territory. The second attack was on a series of strategically important Katoran fortress planets along the Rivan Trade Route. One member of the Council of Twelve died defending these forts, along with many Katoran soldiers.
The third, and final attack was an assault on Akator itself, occurring after the Council of Twelve had split up the armies to attack the two enemy controlled portions of the Kator Star Cluster. The weakened government had little defense against the enormous armies of former slaves attacking them, and Akator soon fell. The Slave Uprising had begun.
Era of War[]
For nearly six galactic standard years, the Slave Uprising continued to be waged across the Katoran Empire. With the combined efforts of the remaining members of the Council of Twelve; however, many races were persuaded to turncoat, only to be instantly enslaved again, and placed under maximum security. The remaining races were eventually reconquered.
Another member of the Council of Twelve; however, was killed before the war could end. Captured during a crucial end battle of the war, he was being taken to the King of the Vogii, when his ship was attacked by the remnants of several species that had been decimated by the war, and quickly destroyed.
The Council of Twelve collapsed, and a new one was elected. By all accounts, the men who were elected were kind, and intelligent, but the wars of this period were continuous, and not a single year of peace existed during their thousand year reign.
Behind the Scenes[]
The Katorans were created by Darth Storm. Darth Storm first conceived of creating the Katorans on November 15, 2008, after watching Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. He decided to base the Katorans on the w:c:Indianjones:Extra Dimensional Being:Extra Dimensional Being that ruled the Ugha during the movie.