Masgai
Masgai are a race of tall, spindly, locust-like insectoids hailing from a forgotten world in the multiverse of Dungeons & Dragons. They were introduced in Dragon Magazine #244 for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 2nd edition, and have not appeared since.
The masgai are an ambitious, powerful race, dedicated to building an empire that stretches across the multiverse, linked by a network of portals that allows them to draw upon all the fruits of their conquest. Though short-lived, they are rapid-breeding, and this constant drain on their natural resources drives them to continually expand in order to be able to sustain their empire. Their original capital, Rig-Veda, is hidden at the very heart of their empire, and they do everything they can to hide it with both mundane and magical means.
Physically, a masgai resembles something akin to a humanoid locust. Tall and lanky in build, their thin arms extend almost to the knees of their spindly legs. Their entire body is covered in dark chitin, which acts as natural armor plating, whilst their faces are elongated, with two wide-set eyes and a prominent jaw for a mouth full of sharp teeth. Though they are wingless, the race has some mysterious ancestral connection to air elementals, allowing them to fly by merely willing it.
Though they resemble locusts physically, the masgai mentality is arguably closer to an ant's - or maybe a wasp's. They are builders of the highest order, living in vast cities that are built with magic they have tamed for domestic use. Since they can fly, masgai choose sites that are easily defensible and of little value to creatures who can’t fly. They use sophisticated agricultural techniques to produce large yields from their fields, and they create immense transportation networks to bring supplies from outlying regions.
War is central to the social structure of the masgai. A military hierarchy wields economic and political power, and all citizens are expected to serve at least two years in the standing army of each masgai city. The response of most masgai warriors to the strain of constant war-making is a fierce adherence to a strict code of honor that stresses personal service to the state above all else. This strict warrior code has led to the establishment of various military orders, membership in which is the measurement of social status in the masgai hierarchy.
Unlike some warrior races, masgai wage war as an extension of their political power; they do not waste resources without the prospect of some type of gain. They see conquest as a means to gain riches and power, planning immense campaigns for the annexation and consolidation of power. They are ruthless and terrifying in battle, as their way of life of has created exemplary warriors. They are disciplined in battle, responding flawlessly to a hierarchy of commanders and sub-units. Attacks are coordinated and well-planned. Their assaults are always carried out for a very specific purpose.
The Masgai do not form rigid battle lines or commit themselves irrevocably to attack. They usually approach in a loose, flexible formation, trying to attack opponents at their weakest points. The front ranks of Masgai attackers usually carry 12’ spears that are used to thrust at non-flying warriors, and secondary ranks are typically armed with both bows and short swords. If strongly resisted, the Masgai withdraw, hoping to coerce the enemy into breaking ranks and overextending themselves to counterattack. Once an opponents discipline has broken down, the Masgai mass to attack isolated groups, engaging in melee combat only when the battle is clearly in their favor.
As you might expect, the masgai have gotten the art of conquest down to a T, developing and refining a systematic approach to establishing dominion over other worlds. They begin by establishing trading enclaves in the most powerful cities of each world, entering into trade alliances that give them both financial and political power. When they determine the time is right, they establish a minor settlement on the edge of the frontier, helping the indigenous races keep any humanoid, giant or monster populations at bay. Once they have been accepted, they slowly increase the size of their settlement until they can challenge for political, economic and military supremacy.
Despite their short lives, masgai are perfectly content to wait for centuries for their plans to come to fruition. They prefer to establish control without military conquest, but they engage in battle without hesitation whenever necessary.
But this is not the only dichotomy. Whilst masgai society is a strict and disciplined militaristic culture on the surface, at the heart of it all, masgai are fiercely individualistic. Their culture has even adapted to this dichotomy; advanced within masgain society is often based on personal achievement, and one of the fastest ways to rise to the ranks of the powerful is to be either financially or militarily successful outside the borders of the empire. Those individuals able to strike out on their own and make a name for themselves are rewarded with a heightened position in masgai society when they return. Those that fail in the outside world, though, fail completely. They are never able to regain their position in masgai society.
Masgai are quick to make friends and allies; however, most relationships are viewed as temporary conditions that can swiftly change as circumstances change. Masgai are opportunistic and rarely risk themselves personally without the chance of a significant gain. If they perceive a specific goal as worthwhile, though, they pursue it with all the means at their disposal.
Masgai work well with others, and — although arrogant — are quick to grasp and follow orders. They respect power and authority and take pains not to break local laws. When they are given authority themselves, they expect complete obedience and have little patience for dissension and debate. Add in that that masgai look freakish and, on some worlds, may well be preceded by their reputation as relentless conquerors, and it's always a hard balancing act for an adventuring band to decide if including a masgai is worth it.
There is one element where the masgai's author screwed up. Reading all the stuff about their reliance on magic and portals, you'd expect masgai to be pretty hot stuff when it comes to magic, right? Well, you'd be wrong; masgai cannot use clerical magic at all, and their potential as wizards caps out at a mere 4th level. So, you have a culture which can't actually exist because its creator decided to arbitrarily cap wizard levels in the name of "balance".
Even by AD&D standards, that's pretty fucking dumb... except it gets worse; you read that part about how masgai have short lifespans? That's actually contradicted by their PC statblocks, which says they can live to be up to 200 years old - the longest lifespan of the four races in the article!