Species - S'kytri

By Nytwyng, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

Been tossing it around for a while, but here's my take on the S'kytri, introduced in the Marvel's original Star Wars Annual #1. It's my first go at hashing out a player species for this system, so thoughts and feedback are welcome.

Brawn 2
Agility 3
Intellect 2
Cunning 2
Willpower 2
Presence 2

Wound 8 + Brawn
Strain 10 + Willpower

Starting XP 85

Special Abilities -
Wings (S'kytri use aerodynamic principles such as lift to stay aloft. They ignore difficult or impassable terrain as long as they can reasonably stay above it, and ignore the penalties for moving through water.. However, they have to maintain at least some speed to stay aloft, and thus while flying must spend one maneuver every turn to move (they can actually change position, or just circle or wheel in place and effectively remain where they are). Most flying creatures can move faster than hovering or ground creatures, and could move from long range to short range using a single maneuver.)

Arrogant (S'kytri receive 1 setback to all social skills with non-S'kytri)

S'kytri_G1.jpg

The S'kytri (meaning the Windborn in their language) were a sentient species of winged Near-Humans indigenous to the planet of Skye, also known to the Galactic Empire as Marat V. They were normally tall, muscular and thin, which is why they were regarded as one of the most beautiful species in the galaxy. Throughout history, the S'kytri had built up a reputation of noble warrior bards.

Physiology: The S'kytri from Skye were a species of tall, sentient mammals. In many respects, they looked similar to Humans, the most common species in the galaxy: they had humanoid bodies with two arms ending with five-fingered hands, two legs with five-toed feet, and a face that featured a mouth, a nose and two forward-facing eyes. The rest of their features, however, set them clearly apart from their distant Human cousins. The most striking differences were their large, apparently membranous wings, their decidedly non-Human skintones and their towering height. While the average Human only grew to 1.70 meters, many S'kytri surpassed two meters, and those under 1.80 meters were considered short.

As they were a flying species, the S'kytri regarded excessive body weight as both impractical and dangerous, which is why they were all thin and brawny. Additionally, their skeletons were hollow, much like a bird's, which allowed them easier flight. Because of that and despite their exotic features, they were deemed beautiful by many other species in the galaxy.

While most mammals gave birth to live young, the S'kytri hatched from eggs. Female S'kytri were born with green skin while males were born with blue. Any egg that was perceived to have a female with blue skin or a male with green was perceived as an abomination, and was thus immediately killed. Their hair color ranged from moonlight blond to jet black, and their eyes from dark blue to light silver and every other color in between.

They started adolescence at twelve years of age and were considered biologically mature at seventeen. Beginning at around forty years, a S'kytri entered middle age, with seniority being reached at sixty-five. A S'kytri's life expectancy was about seventy-five standard years, while those above that age were held to be venerable.

Society: The S'kytri were grouped into clans, which were themselves divided in two groups, the Lowland and the Highland Clans. The members of each group bore distinctive markings. Those clans dwelled in cities built in the mountains and were governed by a Supreme Council. The position of Patriarch, leader of all the S'kytri, was awarded alternately to the leader of either Councils. Once given the position, a clan's leader would hold it for a 22-year-long term, after which they were required to hand the title to the other clan. In the normal course of events, the Windborn disapproved of violence, but they proved to be able and courageous warriors when necessary. A strong tendency to be arrogant was present in their mentality. Because of the many possibilities their wings offered, the S'kytri regarded species that were incapable of natural flight as inferior. That cultural trait was strongly marked in the behavior of the young adults, who also tended to be disobedient and bold. The S'kytri were fiercely independent, relying upon other civilizations as little as possible.

During the Clone Wars, the S'kytri pledged an oath of loyalty to the Jedi when a trio of Jedi rescued the planet from impending doom. Upon the Republic's transition to the Empire, this oath was transferred to Darth Vader. Because of the newly-formed Empire's nominal speciesism and because of the strong relationship they had maintained with the Jedi, the S'kytri were condemned to servitude. The female named Kharys, who had witnessed the Jedi intervention at the age of thirteen, allied herself with the Empire and was placed in charge of her people by Darth Vader, the armored right-hand man of the Galactic Emperor Palpatine, who trained Kharys in the ways of the Force, including lightsaber combat. Under the rule of that new Majestrix Kharys, who inforced the Imperial doctrine, the Windborn endured long years of slavery.


Homeworld : Skye, designated Marat V by the Galactic Republic, was a terrestrial planet in the Outer Rim Territories and the home of the S'kytri people. Remaining isolated from the wider galaxy, the world attempted to gain admittance into the Council of Neutral Systems during the Clone Wars but was interrupted by an invasion led by Zeta Magnus.

The mountanous terrain of Skye was ideal for development of an airborne species like the S'kytri.

Language: S'kytric was the native language of the S'kytri species. It had been considered a dead language until it became the basis of a folk revival due to its use by musicians and artists.

Most S'kytri were fluent in both S'kytric and Basic, although they were only literate in their own language.

Edited by Nytwyng

So far as I know, there are no official FFG races that get a 3 in one attribute without at least one attribute that gets reduced to 1.

Other than that, I don’t see anything that immediately leaps out at me.

I don't know if there is a reason for ag 3. Just because they can fly? It seems more like a 3 In presence if anything, however flying plus a Bonus to charm sounds more fitting then any particular char bonus.

I don't know if there is a reason for ag 3. Just because they can fly? It seems more like a 3 In presence if anything, however flying plus a Bonus to charm sounds more fitting then any particular char bonus. Especially since flying is a big bonus.

5 hours ago, bradknowles said:

So far as I know, there are no official FFG races that get a 3 in one attribute without at least one attribute that gets reduced to 1.

Other than that, I don’t see anything that immediately leaps out at me.

Sakiyans have a 3 and rest 2s. Starting XP 80.

So for this species, I'd say no more than 80 XP, even with the setback die, the flight ability, a 3 and no 1 ... I'd consider 75 starting XP.

I'd be tempted to drop their Willpower to 1 otherwise seems ok.

Possibly need some flight time limitations?

Why the 8 Wound and 10 Strain? If anything I would reverse those, 10 Wound and 8 Strain. I'd consider too that they aren't very tech advanced, but are very physically capable, so increase in Brawn and decrease in Intellect would not be unwarrented. Submitting to slavery under the Empire suggests a lower Willpower as well. I would try to balance it more since the flying ability for them is quite powerful. A player would certainly be within their right to argue a lot of advantages there, mechanically speaking and narratively.

As someone who will allow a lot, that is too overpowered. Flight I'd say uses strain and they must spend strain to remain airborn. That seems a fair compromise.

I'd also drop there brawn to 1 representing hollow bones

39 minutes ago, Nevermind said:

Why the 8 Wound and 10 Strain? If anything I would reverse those, 10 Wound and 8 Strain. I'd consider too that they aren't very tech advanced, but are very physically capable, so increase in Brawn and decrease in Intellect would not be unwarrented. Submitting to slavery under the Empire suggests a lower Willpower as well. I would try to balance it more since the flying ability for them is quite powerful. A player would certainly be within their right to argue a lot of advantages there, mechanically speaking and narratively.

28 minutes ago, April said:

As someone who will allow a lot, that is too overpowered. Flight I'd say uses strain and they must spend strain to remain airborn. That seems a fair compromise.

I'd also drop there brawn to 1 representing hollow bones

The lower wounds are meant to represent the hollow bones, while keeping Brawn at 2 as they're presented as fairly muscular and (no pun intended) brawny.

The flying ability text is straight RAW from the CRB (EotE CRB p 202).

I can see dropping a characteristic down to 1, though.

Your referring to rules for machines and Mynocks right?

A flying monster is very different to a player race.

I really like new species. In fact I really want offical rules for Sand People, Jawas and Mirikula. They are cool, don't get me wrong however having a player race that doesn't have a big minus for a huge positive just seems off.

Making them use strain shows it requires a fair bit of effort to do. But ultimately it's your rules and I commended you for bring them into the game.