Species
Pfhor
The primary species of the Empire is that of the Pfhor, being the most numerous and by far the most powerful of all its constituent races.
Physically, the Pfhor are tall, vaguely insect-like humanoids, their hands possessing three thick fingers, and their feet two even thicker toes. Their skin tone varies from nearly sheet-white tinged with yellow to a swampy green coloration, the most common color being a pale yellow. They do not grow hair of any sort, nor do they possess what humans would identify as a nose, though they do have two nostril-like slits roughly where they would be on a human. They likewise lack prominent external ear structures, and possess very thin lips. Their most distinctive physical feature are their three eyes, arranged in a triangle formation pointing up, which glow faintly in the dark. Practically all Pfhor naturally have red eyes, but genetic defects can cause them to be of almost any other coloration, most commonly green.
The Pfhor tend to prefer slightly lower gravity than Earth standard, but they are not especially hampered by it either. Likewise, they naturally breathe air with a slightly higher oxygen content than humans do, but can survive with some initial mild discomfort in Terran air.
Nar
The first and oldest of the Pfhor client races is that of the Nar. Unlike more recently conquered races, the vast majority of the Nar have long learned how to live as a part of the Empire, with some even rising to become planetary governors and members of the Archcovenant - an honor the speciesist Pfhor have not bestowed on any other of their client races. Still, there exists a large Nar separatist movement, ranging from requesting increased autonomy within the Empire to outright independence. These latter activists, however, have a worrying tendency to disappear in the night.
The Nar themselves are stocky, broad-shouldered, rodent-like humanoids. Their technology is unique in that many of their devices, such as their starships, run off what superficially resembles steam power, although it is capable of feats real steam power could not possibly manage. Their language, meanwhile, is almost entirely composed of metaphors, with many Nar who learn other languages carrying their odd modes of speech to their new tongues.
Their native sector is that of Narsky, and most Nar still live there, although they are by far the most widespread of the client races.