Wraith, The

[Akren Garkos]

A vampirous, hive-based species that harvest on the life-force of other beings for nourishment through suckers on their palms. Countless worlds in the Pegasus Galaxy live in constant fear of the Wraith, who return periodically to cull their human herds. The Ancients first encountered the Wraith many thousands of years ago. At that time, the Ancients had established a vast network of Stargates with thousands of worlds in the Pegasus Galaxy, which they seeded with human life. They had never before encountered a race with technology that rivaled their own, until they met the Wraith.

Once awoken, the Wraith fed upon the people on these worlds -- until the city of Atlantis was all that remained untouched. The Wraith attacked Atlantis with their powerful weapons, but the Ancients' shield held. Defeated, the Ancients decided to submerge the city and leave through the Stargate to Earth.

The Wraith have a frighteningly efficient regenerative mechanism in their genetic makeup, allowing their bodies to heal themselves. Even bullet holes quickly seal themselves like evaporating water. Their regenerative abilities are so powerful that it is unlikely that the Wraith ever die from natural causes the way that humans do. The species also has advanced telepathic abilities: they can force their prey to see things that are not there, and can use their mental powers to forcefully interrogate humans.

The Wraith as a collective species go through long hibernation cycles, sometimes lasting centuries. Their massive hive ships contain untold numbers of hibernation pods. During this time only a small number of them move about, enough to keep their victim worlds on edge. The sleeping masses are watched over by the Keeper, one Wraith designated with their care whose death would signal their premature awakening -- as it did when she was killed by Major John Sheppard.

The Keeper interrogated Colonel Marshall Sumner and learned that a plentiful feeding ground -- Earth -- exists elsewhere in the universe, but she was unable to determine where. Upon her death, the entire hive reawakened. Now that the species is moving, feeding on planets throughout the Pegasus Galaxy, no one is safe.

The Wraith use stun weapons to incapacitate their prey, so that they can feed on their victims later. Their ships include the hive ships, which can land on planets during an extended hibernation cycle, and Wraith Darts -- small, fast-moving ships capable of travelling through Stargates and equipped with culling beams for transporting their prey aboard.

[Akren Garkos]

The Wraith are a cold, calculating people; without pity, remorse or compassion. Like the Goa'uuld, they rule through a combination of brute force, fear & intimidation; using their advanced technology to monitor the Human herds on the worlds on which they make their feeding grounds, ensuring that none are allowed to advance to a point where they could harm the Wraith, returning periodically to terrorize their Human victims, a constant reminder of their superiority as the dominant species in the Pegasus Galaxy. Almost as technology advanced as the Ancients, the Wraith consider all other forms of technology - indeed, all forms of life - beneath them (it is hard to have any semblance of decency or respect for something that one considers food). All other sentient beings, including Humans, are considered a potential food source; with little, if anything, else to offer the Wraith, other than to serve as their next meal.

Arrogant, somewhat aggressive & extremely strong-willed, the Wraith think first, last & only of themselves; other species' considerations do not even enter into their thought process - to them, they all are just food sources waiting to be consumed. Individual Wraith can be quite ambitious, hatching plots to raise to power within the ranks of the Hive through great deeds & battles (such as single-handedly capturing a world for Wraith consumption from their enemies, etc); although as a race, they are always focused on the continuance of their people as a species & the maintaining of their resources (no sense in devouring the entire population of the galaxy & having nothing else to feed upon!). The Wraith are particularly interested in Atlantis & the people of Earth whom currently reside there; wishing to obtain it's secrets & learn the location of Earth; the Milkyway Galaxy presenting them with a rich new feeding ground overflowing with potential food sources.

Some Wraith, like Todd - the sometime on/off ally of Atlantis (in particular, team Sheappard) - have shown that they are capable of humor (although it tends to be satyrical, dark & very twisted compaired by Human stabdards) & can be somewhat trusted as allies & taken on their word (as long it suits their own purposes & it is in their best interest to do so); & have shown personality & depth of character that is normally seen as being lacking in others of their kind. Whether this is due to the fact that most Wraith could not be bothered to enguage in what they may see as trival matters with their 'food', is uncertain, although the Wraith certainly don't tend to concern themselves with matters of other species, especially Humans.

All in all, the Wraith are as much of an engima as they are a force of nature, showing great range from the invidual like Todd, to the blindly obdience Warrior-Drone whom serves his Queen & his Hive, to renegades like Michael, & everything inbetween - & whilst their power might have waned, they are still a force to be reckoned with (suffice to say that one should always be well prepared for every eventuality & always be on gaurd whenencountering, or working, with the Wraith!), & will not hestitate to remind those around if the situation requires, or the mood takes them!

[Akren Garkos]

Not much is known about the early evolution of the Wraith, save that they evolved after the Ancients seeded the Pegasus Galaxy with life. Iratus bugs, a native insectoid life-form indigenous to the planet where the Wraith were first encountered by Major Sheppard's team; are believed to be related to the Wraith.

What is known about the Wraith comes from accounts of their hundred-year-long war with the Ancients:

That the Ancients come across a dark planet where the Wraith sleep, waking them & setting in motion a a course of events that would led to the great war between the two species. The Wraith feed on the worlds of the Pegasus Galaxy like a scourge until only Atlantis was left untouched, which the Wraith besiege for many years; before the Ancients sunk the city beneath the waves, fleeing back to Earth to live out their lives in peace.

Thousand of years later, the people of Earth mounted an exploration of the Pegasus Galaxy, sending a team of diplomats, military & scientific personnel to the Lost City of Atlantis. Exploring the planets of this new galaxy; they, like the Ancients before them, awaken the Wraith, freeing them from centuries of slumber to feed upon the worlds of the Pegasus Galaxy once more. There have been many encounters between the Wraith & their new Human enemies, with victories & losses on both sides.

More information about the history of the Wraith has come to lighting recent years, having been gleaned from various sources; including the Ancient survivors of the Lantean warship Tria, Wraith Worshipers, other residents of the Pegasus Galaxy, the Lost Tribe of Asgard, & the Wraith themselves - in particular the Wraith 'Todd' (although how much of this information can be trusted is up to debate! - including the stunning revelation that the Ancients are, by their own admission, responsible for the emergence of the Wraith as a species!!

Other information obtained by the Expedition (mainly from the Wraith known as 'Todd') includes details on how the Wraith managed to win the war against the Ancients (by stealing ZPM's from ZPM-powered Aurora-class Lantean warships on missions deep in Wraith-controlled territory & using them to clone additional solders for their armies in use against the Ancients in the war), early Wraith evolution, the Ancient Janus' use of the 'end-game' Attero Device to try & turn the tide against the war with the Wraith over 10,000 years ago & it's subsequent de-activation & destruction, their decimation of the more advanced races in Pegasus (including the Lost Tribe of Asgard conducting unsanctioned research on Humans in the Pegasus Galaxy to help solve their cloning problem) & other such interesting pieces of information.

Now, the Wraith continue to feed upon the worlds of the Pegasus Galaxy as they search for ways to find Earth & reach the Milky Way Galaxy; where rich new feeding grounds await them, all the while continuing to terrorize the inhabitants of the Pegasus Galaxy as the on-going war with the Wraith for freedom of the galaxy continues. . . .

[Akren Garkos]

The Wraith are a technologically-advanced, Humanoid species native to to the Pegasus Galaxy.

The Wraith feeding mechanism is located on the right hand, looking like a tiny slit with small pincers (the left hand is totally clean, being devoid of this feature); which is used to puncture the skin of their intended victim & begin the feeding process.

Energy distribution conduits, similar to the endocrine system in Humans, then disperses this nourishing life energy throughout the body of the Wraith.

They have also retained many traits from their iratus bug ancestors (most notably their need to feed on the life force of others); including many insect & arachnid-like habits, such as :

• Cocooning their victims in web-like secretions to immobilize them during feeding.
  
• The ability to leap great heights, similar to some species of spider
  
• Reproductive process via a Queen, similar to ants
  
• Hive-based mentality & social hierarchy, similar to that of bees
  

[Akren Garkos]

The Wraith language is loosely based on the Ancient tongue. Not much is known about the Wraith language other that this, although those whom are proficient in the Ancient tongue can learn to read & write the Wraith language with dedication & practice.

Spoken Wraith(if it indeed exists!) is quite uncommon (as most communication between individual Wraith takes place via telepathy), but not unheard of - although the Wraith usually speak Human English when talking aloud (especially when questioning prisoners) - as most Wraith are acustomed to speaking telepathically with one another unless absolutely necessary. This practice has become somewhat restricted in recent times, with Humans possessing 'the Gift', like the Athosians Teyala Emaggan, her partner Kannan & their child Torren John Emaggan, inflitrating the Wraith telepathic network; forcing them to restrict their telepathic netowrking to individual Hives & rely on spoken communication more often than not.

Some of the more common Wraith words & terminology can be found below:

Abomination: A derogatory term used to describe Wraith/Human hybrids (specifically Michael & his ilk), which many pure-blooded Wraith (especially Queens) consider to be weak, impure & inferior to themselves. The term was also sometimes applied to the now-extinct Asurans (Pegasus Galaxy Replicators) because the Wraith could not feed upon them; being mechanical beings in nature.

Alliance: Term used to describe an alliance, or grouping, of two or more Wraith Hives which come together for mutual benefit, such as to share resources, defeat a common enemy (such as the Ancients or the Asurans), joint-cullings & the like.

Cattle: The Wraith term for the Humans whom reside on the worlds they cull.

Cull, Culled, to (be) Cull: A term (used by Wraith & Human alike) to describe the process of kidnapping the people of a world by the Wraith for feeding.

Hunter(s): Specialist Wraith whom are trained, & live only, to track & hunt Runners. Whether this is done to hone combat skills or for sport is unknown.

Earth: Regarded by some Wraith to be the 'promised land', Earth is the stuff of legend; presenting a rich new feeding ground vastly superior in numbers & population to any feeding grounds the Wraith have possessed over the last 1,000 years (since at least the last Great Culling). Getting to Earth, establishing a foothold & claiming it as a new feeding ground is a major goal considered enviable of the Hive that may some day attain it.

Feeding, Feed, to Feed: The process whereby a Wraith absorbs the life-force of another sentient being in order to continue it¡¦s own survival. To feed, a Wraith must place it's hand on the exposed skin of a victim (most commonly the chest); whereby it's claws dig into the victims flesh for grip, & the sucker on their hand pierces the skin of the intended victim, injecting an enzyme into their bodies, paralyzing them, & preparing their body for feeding. A Wraith must be conscious in order to feed upon the life-force of another. The feeding process literally drains the life of a person, aging them in the process; & is almost always fatal.

Feeding Ground: A word used by the Wraith to describe a planet which falls into their culling regime; from which they obtain 'cattle' for consumption.

Gift of Life, The: Also known as 'reverse feeding', the Gift of Lifei s reserved for their 'brothers' & the most devout Wraith Worshippers, & is sometimes used for torture purposes as well (in order to extract information as well as convert an individual into a Wraith worshiper/informant). This process is the same as feeding, although it restores a person's life/health - & in some instances can even make them younger than what they were before-hand (as in the case of Colonel John Sheppard) - draining the Wraith in question as it does so. This is normally undertaken after the Wraith has already fed, & is considered a gift by Wraith Worshippers; whom can become addicted to the feeding process & the benefits that the Gift of Life can confer.

Great Culling, The: An Athosian term referring to the time when the Wraith collective would wake up & cull almost their entire civilization, taking them to their mammoth hive ships; where they would feed on them at their leisure. The last Great Culling was roughly 100 Athosian years ago (Earth year 1900 A.D. used as a reference date).

Human: The Wraith word for the species of the same name; specifically, the Humans from Earth whom now dwell in the Lost City of Atlantis.

Impure: A term (used with some distaste we might add!) for those Humans whom have been administered, &/or otherwise survived Michael's unleashing of the Hoffan anti-Feeding drug throughout the Pegasus Galaxy; & has since become immune to feeding by the Wraith. These individuals cannot be fed on, & will kill any Wraith which tries to feed on them (thus leading the Wraith to refer to these people as 'impure', or tainted, food sources). Individuals found, or deemed, to be tainted with the Hoffan drug are of great concern to the Wraith - being feared & despised by pure-blooded Wraith the galaxy over - & are hunted down & eradicated with extreme prejudice by Hives all over the Pegasus Galaxy as soon as they are found, before they can breed to pass on this immunity to others.

Lantian (pronounced 'Lan-TEE-an'): The Wraith word used to describe the Ancients of Atlantis.

Male: A term used to describe any male Wraith which is not a Warrior-drone; such as a Hive Commander, Wraith scientists, etc.

Primary, The: The 'head' Queen in charge of an Alliance. This Queen is seen as the nominal head, or leader, of an alliance; to which all other Queens & their Hives are sub-serviant/remittant (although individual Queens still retain automany over ther individual Hive(s)).

Queen: A female Wraith whom is responsible for the procreation of the species, & whom also runs the Hive ship(s) aboard which she lives. Female wraith are rare, being vastly out-numbered by their male counterparts; & are essential to the continuation of the Wraith as a species. Wraith Queens normally have vastly superior intellects & more powerful minds/telepathic abilities than that of male Wraith, & considered by many to be essential - if not vital - to the running of a Hive.

War, The: The Great War with the Ancients, which ended in the 100-year (1st) Seige of Altantis. The War is possibly the only exmaple of the entire Wraith species working co-operatively together in the history of their race, their combined efforts resulting in the defeat of the Ancients & their subsiquently sinking of, & fleeing from, Atlantis roghly 10,000 years ago.

Warrior: Also sometimes referred to as a drone, these truely gruesome beasts make up the vats majority the Wraith armies & warriors on their Hive ships. Most are reproduce using a single Warrior as a genetic template, which is then cloned again & again to produce a mass of Warriors, ready to do the bidding of their Queen & serve the Hive in any manner they see fit.

Keeper:[/i] A specialist female Wraith (possibly a Queen) whom is charged with the gaurdianship of all the Hives & the Wriath as a species in the Pegasus Galaxy during their extended hibernation periods (usually between one Great Culling & the next). This stewardship is maintained by the Keeper & a handful of Warrior-drones whom watch over the other Wraith as they sleep; ensuring their strictly-controlled feeding & culling schedules are kept in check; maintaining a perfect balance between the number of Wraith the galaxy over & the availability of their Human food supplies. When then-Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard killed the Keeper - herself a dead-man's switch - he prematurely awoke the entire Wraith species; setting in motion a chain of events which as, over the years, led to the current in-fighting amongst the Wraith & the dramatic shift of the overall landscape of the Pegasus Galaxy in recent years.

Runner: A captured sentient (mostly Human) whom has a tracking device implanted in their body (normally fused to the spine & lower brainstem) & is let loose int othe wider Pegasus Galaxy, whom is then tracked & hunted by the Wraith for training &/or sport. Runners are extremely rare, with only about 1,000 Runner being active at any one time across the galaxy.

[Akren Garkos]

The Wraith have a hive-based culture, similar in effect to the behavior of bees from Earth.

Each Hive is run by a Queen, a female Wraith responsible for the running of the Hive; including reproduction (via genetic contribution, similar to eggs laid by a queen bee), leading them into war, entering into diplomatic relationships with other Hives (including alliances, if any) & choosing which worlds to cull next. Most Hives fear being without a Queen to guide & direct them, although a few have been known to exist (as in the case of Todd, the some-time ally of the Altantis Expidition or as required for mission purposes, etc).

Wraith are normally aggressive & highly territorial (both indvidiually & collectively), working together on occassion for mutual benefit & forming alliances - & breaking them just as easily! - only when the mood suits, or to overcome a common enemy (such as the Ancients & the Asurans [Replicators]). Civil wars & territorial disputes are common during lean times when food sources are sparse, with those Hives whom possess rich &/or safe feeding grounds gaurding them jealously.

Politicing & power-plays are not uncommon, with inviduals using a mixture of subterfuge, skill & sometimes outright violence, in order to claw their way up the Hive heirarchy. Consorts, advisors & military commanders close to Queen of the Hive are particularly astute at recognizing & uncovering such acts of duplicity & deception; as they have normally done a fair ammount of it, in addition to possessing valuable skills, talents & proving their mettle - in order to attain their current position, & must be constantly on the ball if they are to keep themselves alive!

Queens of multiple Hives participating in an alliance must be particularly careful, as the Primary (Hive Queen whom rules/leads the alliance) is always under threat of unsurption from an ambitious Queen from a rival Hive; whom may threaten to claim her throne & take over leadership of the alliance, particularly if it is a fairly successful &/or powerful group over which the Primary presides.

Other than relaying on their leaders & Hive Queens for direction & purpose, most individual members of the Hive are free to come & go about the ship & do as they please, answering only to their superiors, or the Queen herself (touger regimes are, of course, expected of the Hive's military contingent). Whilst this autonamy is tolerated & accepted - within reason of course - most Hives still have fairly structured, organized heirarchies; with everyone knowing their place & no-one over-stepping their boundries (aty least not whilst getting caught!); ensuring the Hive functions like a well-oiled machine.

[Akren Garkos]

It is unknown whether or not the Wraith practice any religion or hold any spiritual beliefs at this point in time; although it is probably safe to assume that it would not be geared towards the more peaceable aspects of the divine!

[Akren Garkos]

What is thought to be the original evolutionary homeworld of the Wraith is a dark & dreary place; heavily forested & covered in mist. It is home to both the Wraith, & iratus bugs (to which they are believed to genetically related); but not much else in the way of animal life, the various animal species of their homeworld having been all but annihilated over the centuries.

Atlantis Designation: Classified.
Official Name: Unknown.
Stargate Co-ordinates: Classified.

[Akren Garkos]

+2 str, -4 charisma,+ 2 con, -2 Wis. The wraith are a scourge to the Pegasus system, they are known for thier ferocious strength and incredible health. Only during their culling periods are they ever seen, and as they seem unstopable and limitless thier terror knows no bounds throughout the stars. The Wraith are also known for lack of tactics, as there strength comes from having incredible technologies & seeming unlimited numbers, & as such; many races are able to out-smart them on many levels when they are in the harvesting (culling) time.

Disease Immunity: The wraith seem to be immune to all dieseases as their body is able to heal at even a more alarming rate than anything known in the universe.

Longevity: The Wraith do not have inhabiting protiens in their cells like other sentient species have (such as Humans, Serrakin & the like); effectively retarding the aging process & haulting it in it's tracks. For the purposes of aging, a Wraith is considered to be ageless once it reaches the age of maturity (adulthood); effectively making them immortal, allowing them to live practically forever (unless they die of arteficial means, such as war, feeding on someone with the Hoffan anti-feeding virus, etc).

Accelerated Healing: The Wraith seem to be able to heal tremendously faster than any life form experienced, they some how are able to instantly recover from even the most serious of injuries. (Mechanics) The wraith may spend temp points of CON to recover or repair thier bodies. When ever a wraith has lost all his vitality & begins to take wound damage or suffers from wound damage the player may spend 1 point of Temp CON to recover 1d6 wounds, 3 CON for 2d6, and 5 Con for 2d8. While the wraith are capable of healing extreme damage they become fatigued as they seem to have to feed shortly thereafter or retreat to thier hives to feed on the hive store of humans.

The Abysmal Hand: The abymsmal hand is how the wraith feed off of their prey. The feeding is a requirement all Wraith posess, & without feeding they will die out. Within the palms of thier hands the wraith have teeth-like pincers that once attached to any living being is capable of draining the life force out of it. As the being is being drained s/he suffers immense pain, & seemingly is paralyzed from the absorbstion (Mechanics) The player makes an unarmed touch attack. With a successful hit, the target is paralyzed for as long as the absorption is kept up. Each round the victim is paralyzed by the abysmal hand attack, they take one temporary con. The player may spend vitality points to increase this damage. 3 vitality will increase the damage to 1d4, 5 will increase it to 1d6, 8 will increase it to 1d8, 15 will increase it to 1d10, and 30 will increase it to 1d12. These increases last only for one round. If his Con reaches zero, he dies shrivieling up as a dried husk. Once released from the absorption, lost Con returns at the rate of 1 point per hour. All points are restored after 8 hours of sleep. When ever damage is succesfully dealt the wraith gains temp CON back equal to the damage done to the victim.

** If the victim carries the Hoffan anti-feeding / culling virus(the only known virus that hurts the Wraith, preventing them from feeding & food-poisoning them as well), the Wraith will release his grip after the first damage roll, & inadvertingly recieve damage equal to the damage he would have dealt to his own CON. If the damage done to Wraith is equal to, or greater than, his own CON score; the Wraith dies.

The Gift of Life: Reserved for the Wraith's most devoute worshipers - & their brothers - the Gift of Life undoes the damage caused to a victim by Wraith feeding. In laymans terms, a Wraith may reverse the effects of their feeding (or the damage done by the feeding process by another Wraith) on a victim by placing their hand on their chest; not that much disimiliar to that of the abysmal hand (see above). The Wraith may spend vitality &/or CON points to restore a being to health, reversing the effects of the abysmal hand (basically the above process, but in reverse); 'gifting' the individual with life & youth that may have been stolen from them during the feeding process.

Life Sense: The Wraith have developed the ability to sense thier prey, making it easier for them to locate those that would hide from the hunter. Normally a Wraith may detect freely any life forms within 50 ft of himself.

Hibernation: Hibernation is how the wraith manage to sustain themselves without feeding. When hibernating a wraith does not suffer from the feeding syndrome as fast. Although once in a hibernation the wraith cannot sense any living being with thier life sense, and are prone to attacks much easier in this state. A hibernation lasts as long as the player denotes before he begins, for example steve the wraith plans on hibernating for 5 hours to conserve his strength and will not awaken until the time has passed.

The Feeding Syndrome: Feeding is what the wraith must do in order to survive. In order for thier massively supieror bodies to function they must feed on the life force of other beings non-stop. When a Wraith is not hibernating, he begins to lose 1 point Vitality for every 1 hour not feeding. Once a Wraith exhaust his Vitality he begins to Lose 1 point of Temp CON every hour. Once he reaches half his CON in temp loss he begins to have a need to feed & will begin to lose himself to the culling. At this point the Wraith must make a Willpower save at a DC10 + Lost CON otherwise frenzy and attack the nearest living being. When a Wraith is reduced to 0 CON in this Matter he effectively dies of starvation & will shrivel up into a dried husk like the many victims of the Wraith.

Vulnerability: Salt water (Unconfirmed. The SGA season 1 episode '38 Minutes' shows that a Wraith parasite is hurt by salt water. Also my belief is that the ancients sank atlantis knowing that the wraith are weak to salt water & would never try to go to atlantis). (Mechanics) A Wraith suffers 1d4 points of damage directly to their vitality points for every round they are exposed to salt water. If the wraith's vitality points reach zero, then their CON socre is reduce by 1d4 points per round until their CON score is zero (0), at which point the Wraith dies as a shrivilled up husk, not that disimmilar to their prey. A Wraith may spend points to reverse & heal this damage as necessary (see Accelerated Healing, above).

Favored enemy: at 1st level a wraith gains the +1 favored enemy bonus against humans, & this bonus increases by +1 at 5th level & 5 levels gained thereafter. The wraith are a persistant & vicous when they are harvesting their food and have such studied human weakness and strengths making them easy prey.

Wraith gene: Certain specific items of Wraith technology require the user to possess Wraith DNA, in order to function; much in the same that Ancient technology requires the user to have the Ancient gene, &/or requires ATA activation, to be used properly. Pure-blood Wraith may use any & all items of Wraith technology requiring the Wraith gene with no penalty.

Psionic Abilities: As mentioned previously, Wraith possess advanced mental (psionic) abilities. The following is a list of the more common mentla abilities which have been developed by the Wraith over the centuries:

• Telepathy:
  
• Illusion: The Wraith have the ability to make their prey see things which are not there.
  

Wraith Base Classes:

Explorer: This is not a common class amongst the Wraith, & those whom indulge in 1 or more levels as an explorer tend to act as gatherers of information & lost lore, or wind up as rogues, unaligned with a particular Hive. Wraith explorers are oftne knowledgable about ancient technologies & history (particularly the Wraith-Ancient War).

Guardian: Wraith guardians tend to be mystical warriors & students of the oldest known Wraith fighting traditions. They are also likely to bond more closely with soliders under command due to their willingess to join the fray alongside their subordinates.

Pointman: Wraith pointmen are commonly Hive leaders & trusted advisors due the class's leadership skills & ease of customization. While quite capable on their own, these characters are at their finest when backed up by their hordes of drones.

Scientist: Wraith scientists maintain the Hive's technology & study the activities of the Wraith's enemies & their Human herds. Some Wraith gain 1 or more levels as a scientist to improve their personal knowledge of the arsenals at their command.

Scout: Wraith scouts are the rarest of the base classes. They are usually encountered as spies who sepcialize in inflitration & manipulating terrain to their advantage; usually in anticipation of a major military offensive or culling. Many Wraith scouts often end up specializing in tracking down runners & other wayward prey, becoming Hunters later in their careers.

Solider: Some Wraith become modern weapon masters, skilled with the armor & armaments fielded by their legions. These soliders often possess special standing with their generals, & may even hold high rank within their associated Hive.

Wraith Speciality Classes:

Wraith Warrior (Drone):[/i] Wraith drones are truly grotesque creatures, bred for the sole purpose to serve the Hive. Most are clones, created from a single genetic template; with limited intelligence & communciation abilities (they cannot speak, possessing no vocal cords, but they can use telepathy), although they make up for this with increased physical strength (even for a Wraith), total, utter obdience & blind loyalty to their superiors (unlike Soliders, whom have free wills own their own & can think more creativity than their drone subordinates). Their sheer numbers (they vastly out-number other Wraith castes by 3 to 1) means they make excellent shock troops, & are often found piloting darts during a culling & the amongst the first wave, or front line, of almost any & all military conflicts.

+4 str, -5 charisma, + 2 con, -3 Wis (this replaces the STATS mentioned above in 'shared species traits').

Frightening Visage: A Warrior-drone without it's face mask on is a truely horrifying image to behold; striking terror, revulsion & disgust into the hearts of all those whom see it. Any time a Warrior-drone is seen without it's mask on, the character seeing it's face must make a Will check with -2 penalty. If failed, the character is rooted to the spot in terror, shaking uncontrollably & barely able to move as the Warrior-drone advanced upon them!

Wraith (Hive) Queen:[/i] Normally limited to one per Hive, Wraith females are extremely rare in that they are out-numbered by their male counters by almost 10 to 1. Whilst not all female Wraith rise to the rank of Hive Queen, it is a role filled exclusively by female Wraith alone.

+1 str, -3 charisma, + 2 con, -2 Wis (this replaces the STATS mentioned above in 'shared species traits').

Crushing Will: Wraith Queen's are known for their amazing mental abilities & powerful minds, which often exceed the already formible will-power of ordinary Wraith, allowing them to mentally crush the minds of their victims & pry into the deepest, darkest corners of their minds to uncover their most intimate secrets. When using the full power of their mind to interrogate that of another, a wraith Queen may add 2 to the resulting score against their victim's Will score, & if the attempt is successful; the victim must answer one (1) question asked of them truthfully, as the Queen prys the information - literally - from their mind.

Immmunity to Wraith Retro-virus: Wraith Queens are completely immune to the Wraith retro-virus engineered by the Atlantis Expidition which turns Wraith into Humans (N.B: They are not immune to the Hoffan anti-feeding drug); & are not effected by the drug at all.

Mother of All Wraith (Special Qaulity): Wraith Queens are responsible for the progeny of the Hive & for continuing on the Wraith species, just like queen bees of Earth. They are particularly important in the creation of Wraith Warriors (drones) - which are created through the donation of genetic material in vast cloning labs on worlds occupied by the Wraith - as only they can provide the unique DNA strands required to produce them.

Bonus Feat: Persuasive. All prerequisites for this feat – including minimum skill ranks – are waived.

Bonus Feat: At 3rd level the Queen gains +1 bonus to all skill checks when using the Bluff or Intimidate feats. This bonus increases to +2 at 5th level, & by a further +1 for every 3 levels gained thereafter.

Wraith Hunter: Normally drawn from the Scout class, Hunters are specialists, highly trained & experienced in tracking Runners.

Bonus Feat: Track. All prerequisites for this feat – including minimum skill ranks – are waived.

Bonus Feat: At 4th level, the Hunter gains one bonus basic or unarmed combat feat, with the same restrictions.

Mantle of Fear: At 6th level, the Hunter cultivates a reputation as a highly dangerous predator, such that other beings are unnerved by his very presence. He gains a competence bonus with all skill checks made as part of a threaten combat action equal to his class level, & the durations of all effects inflicted by a successful threaten action are doubled. For more information on the threaten combat action, please refer to page 377 of the SG SG-1 core rule book.

[Akren Garkos]

Like everything concerning the Wraith, not much is known about the exact specifics of their technology, although it known to be bio-mechanical in nature (meaning that it is a blend of mechanical parts & living tissue). Technologically speaking, the Wraith are at a similar level of technology as the Asgard, with a level of advanced technology to rival that of the Ancients (the reality is somewhere in-between).

Unlike Earth & Goa'uuld weaponry, Wraith weapons & technology are designed to track, stun, paralyze & capture their assigned targets; victims being too valuable as a food source to constantly or casually kill, such as in the manner of the Goa'uuld.

Another feature is that their ships (thankfully) do not have inter-galactic hyperdrives. More surprisingly, however, is the fact that they do not possess shields, instead relaying on the ships bio-mechanical nature for the ship to regenerate itself & effect self-repairs. Whilst this does have it's advantages, it also makes their ships that much more vulnerable to enemy fire - in particular Asgard plasma beams & Ancient drones - as well as the harsh radiation of hyperspace; forcing them to making frequent stops on journeys through hyperspace - normally allowing them to cull adjacent worlds which fall within their flight path, as well as to plan the next leg of their journey.

What is known of Wraith technology is that it is grown using bio-mechanical nanite polymers; often using a host organism to complete this process via infection or exposure, either deliberat or accidental. Most of the time, this is deliberately done to slaves, victims & Wraith worshipers held by the Wraith & under controlled conditions. Human exposure to such pathogens & mutation of the host into the desired bio-tech form is how the Wraith create their Hive ships & cruisers. Other vessels & structures, such as Darts & ground-based facilities; are grown or engineered as required using materials available.

The more complex & dangerous Wraith technology requires neural interaction by someone with the Wraith gene - such as Teyla Emaggon, Wraith/Human Hybrids, or the Wraith themselves - & seems to be based on a similar technological innovation to Ancient technology activation used by the Ancients (Wraith Hive ships in particular, need someone with the Wraith gene whom has a strong will & powerful mind in order to control & fly the ship).

Like Ancient technology; other forms of Wraith technology need only be initialized or switched on in order to access & activate the controls.

[Akren Garkos]

The product of two-&-a-half years of intense research & genetic manipulation by the renegade Wraith Michael (considered by many to be the original Wraith / Human hybrid); Wraith / Human hybrids combine the best of both species - Wraith & Human - whilst eliminating the biggest, & what is perhaps the only, weakness of the Wraith: the need to feed.

Michael originally intended to use his ever-expanding army of Hybrids to conquer the Pegasus Galaxy & eliminate the Wraith - whom he sees as betraying him - & Humans (whom shun & fear him) alike; although plan was foiled when he was killed by Teyla Emmagan during an unsuccessful raid on Atlantis to kidnap Teyla's son Torran in order to perfect his research. Following his demise, those surviving Wraith/Human hybrids whom wish to remain as they are were set free to join their brethen, taking the first steps to become a true race in their own right.

Shared Species Talents

+1 Str, -2 Char, + 1 Con, -1 Wis, +1 Int. - Wraith / Human Hybrids, whilst not are strong as their Wraith cousins, are nonetheless physcially stronger, of sounder body & mind, & possess immune system that are still superior to that of most Humans.

Disease Immunity: Hybrids seem to be immune to all diseases, as their body is able to heal at a greater rate than that of ordinary Humans, comparable to those blended with a symbiont (although this is still not as fast as a full-blooded Wraith).

Long Life : For the purposes of determining aging effects, you're considered to be half your current age; rounded up.

Accelerated Healing: Wraith/Human hybrids, whilst unable to heal anywhere near as fast as pure-blooded Wraith, nonetheless still heal faster than Humans; regaining wound points & recovering from damage at twice ( x 2) the normal rate.

Impure (Feeding Immunity): Michael's hybrid's only come from the strongest, healthiest & hardiest stock whom survived his spreading of the modified Hoffan anti-feeding / culling virus (the only known virus that hurts the Wraith, preventing them from feeding & food-poisoning them as well). Any Wraith that feeds on a Hybrid releases his grip after the first damage roll, & inadvertingly recieve damage equal to the damage he would have dealt to his own CON. If the damage done to Wraith is equal to, or greater than, his own CON score; the Wraith dies.


Wraith gene: Hybrids possess the Wraith gene which is needed to operate certain specific items of Wraith technology. In this instance, it works similar to the Ancient gene in Humans (refer ATA & Ancient geen description for further info).

Psionic Abilities: Wraith/Human hybrids possess limited psionic abilities, a trait bequeathed them by their Wraith DNA. Whilst nowhere near as developed, or as powerful, as those of pure-blooded Wraith; a Hybrid can still learn to use these latent abilities given time, training & practice :

• Telepathy:
  
  
• Sense Wraith / Hybrid: This ability allows the hybrid to sense when Wraith or other hybrids are nearby.
  
  
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Pay Grad: While working with the SGC, the character may choose to be paid as an officer or a specialist (see page 283 of the SG SG-1 core rulebook). Near-Human characters are often transplanted to Atlantis in the Pegasus Galaxy while they work with the SGC.

Languages: Wraith (a derivative of the Ancient language) is a native language for the character.

Technology: Hybrids are trained in the use of Wraith technology (as this the primary technology that they use), as well as other various technologies found throughout the Pegasus Galaxy.

[Akren Garkos]

There are three known sub-species & one lifeform related genetically to the Wraith besides Wraith-Human hybrids; all results of Michael's research into perfecting his experiments to combine Wraith DNA with that of other species.

Stalkers:

So named because of their ability to stalk their prey, always keeping to the shadows, this was Michael's first attempt to combine Wraith DNA with that of other species. Like Hunters, Stalkers cannot feed in the traditional sense a Wraith feeds, & instead rely on a more traditional, carnivorous diet. A giant bug some 8 feet tall, Stalkers are fast, aggressive, & incredibly strong. Without a sentient mind to guide & instruct them, these creatures are little more than giant insect-like predators whom live for nothing more than to hunt, breed & devour their prey.

Like all Michael's creations, they are susceptible to Michael's influence (mostly like via telepathy & genetic modifications to make them sub-servant), & do his bidding without question.

Some Stalkers are assigned to hybrid units in the field, at those times they will obey orders from their hybrid commanders; although Michael always maintains overriding control of his Stalkers at any given moment. Although Michael seems to have abandoned this line of research in favor of perfecting his already relatively successful Wraith-Human hybrid research; he nonetheless still may have many thousands of Stalker still available at his disposal.

Human-form Iratus Bug:

The result of using Dr. Carson Beckket's untested retrovirus on the Wraith female, Ella, this culminated in Ella transforming a Humanoid form of the iratus bug; enhancing her insecticide traits rather than dampening them (as was originally intended). The resulting creature became extremely aggressive, very dangerous & highly infectious; even infecting Lt. Colonel John 'Shep' Sheppard at one point.

Noted traits & characteristics of this sub-Species are enhanced strength, smell & hearing, the ability to heal & regenerate faster than normal, a heightened sense of aggression, an extreme aversion & sensitivity to light, the secretion of iratus bug hormones, the ability to 'wall crawl' (adhere to surfaces such as walls, ceilings, etc), & an instinctual need to feed on the life force of other beings in order to survive..

Mutant Hunters:

Deemed a complete success, the results of this particular experiment were nonetheless abandoned by their creator after Michael learned that not even he could control his creations

Iratus Bug:

The genetic ancestor of the modern-day Wraith. Native to many worlds throughout the Pegasus Galaxy, the Iratus Bug feeds off the life-energy of other organisms to survive.

They have a strong aversion to salt water (it is currently the only known deterrent, although this does not stop an iratus from feeding. The insect will only cease its life-sucking if the life form it is attached to is dead), which may or may not have been passed on to the Wraith, & prefer damp, dark places, such as caves, in which to make their nests. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands of the bugs can exist in extremely close proximity to one another, sharing large nests. They are known to exist on at least two worlds, including the planet presently classified as the Wraith homeworld. The creatures are capable of spinning & dangling from sticky, spider-like webbing, which they may use to ensnare their prey in order to feed.

The species maintains the eggs of their young in enormous sacks that dangle from the ceilings of the caves they inhabit. One sack can hold hundreds of eggs, & support the weight of a 150-pound man, without breaking & falling to the ground. The exterior casing is thick & resilient; & is resistant to being cut with a knife.

An iratus is like a Wraith in that it has very fast regenerative capabilities. It can withstand several direct assaults by an Earth handgun & still maintain itself long enough to eventually attack again. It is known to assault its prey by burrowing like a tick into the neck of human flesh, wrapping its short, claw-like legs around the neck. The victim quickly loses motor control in the extremities, his vital organs shut down soon afterwards.