The Stellar Cloak galaxy was colonized literally millions of years ago by the Terra'ssar, an advanced race of saurian beings that were possessed of godlike delusions. The Terra'ssar seeded the galaxy with literally millions of races. These races were encouraged to serve specific functions or simply worship them as gods. The Terra'ssar themselves have largely fallen to extinction but the majority of their former subjects have gone on to form complex civilizations of their own.
To give a complete list of all the races in the Stellar Cloak galaxy would require several volumes of text but a number of species have risen to especially important prominence. An important thing to remember is that the setting of Black Hole is a cosmopolitan one. Every major star port will have strange and surreal beings of every shape and size when visited. Player characters should learn to expect the unexpected in their dealings.
Bathas
A race of short and stunted corporate raiders who were the former slave-keepers of the Terra'ssar. One of the most advanced and influential species in the Stellar Cloak Galaxy, the Bathas prefer to rule behind the scenes rather than actively engage in conquest on their own terms. The masters of the Interstellar Merchants Guilds, the Bathas are always looking for new opportunities to expand their power and wealth. A small few, however, discover religion and become technological priests of the Machine God.
Bionoids
The most advanced development in artificial intelligence yet. Bionoids are almost impossible to distinguish from their human counterparts and able to engage in all manner of lifelike functions. Unfortunately, for these robots, this is all too true and they are possessed of free will. Broken as slaves and treated as property, many Bionoids go "Rampant" and attempt to pass themselves off as living beings or seek sanctuary on worlds that treat them as living people. The Interstellar Merchants Guilds will pay a bounty for every captured or dead Bionoid however, no matter what local laws say.
Evarri
The immortal and hyperintelligent Evarri are a race of superior beings that once had sole untested dominion over the stars. After several defeats by the technologically inferior but more numerous human empires surrounding them, the Evarri have been forced to join the rest of the galaxy. The Evarri are generally considered to be peacemakers and diplomats who want what is best for everyone. In fact, they are a manipulative race that desires to ensure the long term survival of their race above all other things.
A small number of Evarri are either outcasts or the descendants of outcasts. Ostracized as Darklings, these often degenerate from their enlightened and lofty states to become amongst the most savage beings in the galaxy.
GeneMod Aliens
The most visible relics of the Terra'ssar's experiments. Literally ten thousand individual species of humanity crossed with everything from mammals to fish. The GeneMod aliens are a scattered and divided group of cultures that wield little power in the galaxy. GeneMod aliens are customizable by player characters who want to play something "unique."
Humans
The most numerous and influential race in the galaxy, for the time being. Humans dominate the Galactic Unity and the Confederacy of Allied Worlds. Unfortuantely, they are violently and bitterly divided over irreconciable political differences. Almost all of the major human powers are engaged in wars of conquest to 'unite' the disparate colonies of mankind into a single race, but this has only doomed mankind to neverending warfare. It is likely that a final war will soon either unite humanity or doom it to destruction at the hands of a neighboring species.
Janissary
The cloned super-soldier legions of the Galactic Unity. Janissary are literally born in a test-tube, educated via cybernetic implants within their growth accelerators, and then released upon the galaxy to fight the wars of the Machine God. For the most part, Janissary are surprising loyal to the Galactic unity and fiercely defend the honor of their empire even after being discharged from service. Other Janissary hate and loathe the Unity for the exploitation that they endured before they were even born.
Slythin
Once a powerful and awesome race of galactic conquerors, the Great Slythin Horde poured across the cosmos and conquered tens of thousands of worlds. A united stand of the galaxies races defeated the Slythin and then forced them into slavery. A broken warrior people, the surviving Slythin exist as the dregs and flotsam of the galaxy. Many speak of prophecies and portents, however, that they will someday rise again.