Salarians

Art by Railroad-blues

The second species to expand into the galaxy at large, the **Salarians** are a short-lived yet highly productive species native to the lush rainforests of the world of Sur'Kesh. Unified beneath the matriarchal government known as the Salarian Union, familial clans and lineages are of the utmost importance to the status and role each individual will play in salarian society.

With a metabolism much higher than any other known species within the Milky Way galaxy, salarians only require one Earth hour of sleep per Earth day. This comes as a double-edged sword however, as the average lifespan of a salarian is much shorter than most other known sapient species. Lacking a sex drive or a concept of romantic love, breeding is highly politicized and negotiated event between salarian clans, involving complex and highly detailed contracts.

Salarians are known for their observational capability and non-linear thinking. This manifests as an aptitude for research and espionage. They are constantly experimenting and inventing, and it is generally accepted that they always know more than they are letting on.

## History

### Ancient Past

Salarians were already thriving on Sur'Kesh 50,000 years before, albeit in a thoroughly primitive state. According to Protheans, the salarians of the time were classified as "lizard people". They used to eat flies, licked their eyes, and their body parts were considered delicacies. In addition to livers, salarian kidneys were apparently best served at room temperature, preferably with the salarian still alive, as its fear added "spice".

When the salarians first came upon satellite mapping, they discovered a large eastern island that had, until then, remained unexplored by the species. When landing, they discovered the Lystheni, an offshoot of their species that must have arrived on the island sometime in the distant past. These lystheni were similar but different to their counterparts. Evolution had taken a different path with them, leading to greater genetic diversity amongst the small island population.

Because of their lesser mental aptitude, many salarians regarded them as a sub-species, classifying them with the rest of the fauna native to Sur'Kesh. Their increased genetic diversity made them incredibly valuable as test subjects, leading to most of their population being removed from the island permanently and sold around the planet as research animals.

### First Colonies

On their first three interstellar colonies, the salarians planted settlements named Aegohr, Mannovai, and Jaëto. These settlements remain at the heart of salarian territory to this day.

### Discovering the Citadel

The salarians were the second species to discover the Citadel, only a few decades after the asari. They opened diplomatic relations at once and became one of the founding species of the Citadel Council. In a gesture of trust, the salarians opened the records of one of their intelligence services, the League of One, but this quickly created problems when the League's members found themselves in danger as a result. The League slaughtered the entire Union inner cabinet, but were later hunted down, leaving only relics behind.

Not wanting another political embarrassment like the League of One, the Salarian Union decided to do something about their genetic ancestors, the lystheni. Although small research teams were beginning to show their similarities and prove that they were, in fact, one and the same race, the Union ceased all research on lystheni individuals and promised them free transit home. Rounding up what few lystheni remained, they filled several transit vessels with the people and left Sur'Kesh. Instead of returning them to the island, they dropped them on the Terminus world of Sepkai with provisions and basic shelter before leaving. Their new home came with another slap in the face as well. The lystheni were no longer welcome in Citadel Space, and any individual seeking passage back into salarian territory would be hunted down and killed. Since then, most all lystheni found breaking that rule have been hunted down by the Special Tasks Group and murdered.

### Krogan Rebellions

The salarians also played a significant role in the advancement of the krogan species. The salarians provided the krogan with advanced technology and a new, tranquil home planet (in order to manipulate the krogan into eradicating the rachni for the Council). The peaceful home planet and better technology put less strain on the krogan as a species; they no longer had to worry about simply surviving on a dangerous planet with primitive technology, as they did before contact with the salarians. This comparatively easy life, combined with their exceedingly high birth rate, allowed the krogan the time, numbers, and energy to spread through Citadel space, aggressively claiming formerly allied planets as their own. In order to end these "Krogan Rebellions," the salarians then provided the turians with the genophage, a biological weapon that effectively sterilized the krogan, resulting in almost all krogan pregnancies ending in stillbirth.

## Culture

> *"Yes Bedig, the wind pushes the sail, which pushes the boat, which carries the people. But what, child, forces the wind?" -* Neydi Jath, Parables for Ponderance
>
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### Naming Conventions

Salarian names are quite complex. A full name includes – in order – the name of a salarian's homeworld, nation, city, district, clan name and given name. For example, a salarian named Gorot II Heranon Mal Dinest Got Inoste Ledra would be called either by his clan name, Inoste, or his given name, Ledra.

### Salarian Clans

* Clan Aehann
* Clan Beelo
* Clan Beilor
* Clan Bensin
* Clan Bido
* Clan Brina
* Clan Caessa
* Clan Capum
* Clan Daysi
* Clan Deskin
* Clan Ganto
* Clan Guta
* Clan Heplorn
* Clan Inoste
* Clan Jiahe
* Clan Jondum
* Clan Kirao
* Clan Ludo
* Clan Malin
* Clan Martius
* Clan Menos
* Clan Menrin
* Clan Mytel
* Clan Nerin
* Clan Olan
* Clan Ostar
* Clan Plessani
* Clan Padok
* Clan Saelen
* Clan Sizan
* Clan Solus
* Clan Tesik
* Clan Tikba
* Clan Velinn

### Fashion

* A *Koyjoen* is a piece of traditional salarian garb that has all but gone extinct in recent centuries. Hailing back to a time when striking out against clan wishes and searching for the concept of love was privately seen as a worthwhile endeavor, these male-worn suits add several layers of lightweight padding to the chest cavity, giving the wearer a more bulky silhouette.

## Further Salarian Lore

### Governments

* Salarian Union
	+ Drinum Vada

### History

* Salarian Colonization Timeline (List of Salarian worlds)

## Physical Data

### Eye Colors

* Black
* Orange
* Red
* Yellow
* Green

### Distinctions

* Two "horns" on the top of their head, can be conjoined
* Concave chest
* Massive eyes

## Cultural Data

### Homeworld

* Sur'Kesh (Original)
* Sepkai (Transplanted)

### Major Languages

* Trade
* Talat Menron
* Keneshal

An offshoot of the baseline salarian race, the **Lystheni** are considered by many salarians to be a separate race entirely. They differ mainly in genetic variation, allowing the Lystheni subgroup to cover a wider variety of heights, appearances and genetic dispositions than their baseline counterpart.

Being more genetically diverse has led to downsides as well. Unlike baseline salarians, the typical lystheni can only expect to live to around 30 years. They have an increased risk of developing spontaneous cancers and contracting illness, and along with that have a greater biotic potential then their counterparts. Their mental aptitude, while still higher than most sapient species, pales in comparison to their brethren.

## Lystheni History

### Ancient Lystheni History

A subgroup of salarians split up by 20,000 years and many kilometers of sea travel, the Lystheni diverted from the mainline salarian evolutionary path as a result of the massive Element Zero deposits on their home island of Jaecan. It was here they remained secluded from salarian society until the first satellite mapped the planet.

### First Contact

When first contact was made, the Lystheni were welcoming to their bretheren species. While they too noted the differences, they were not inhospitable because of them. Within a decade, however, the baseline salarians had noted their massive genetic potential and began enslaving the lystheni, forcing them off the island and shipping them around like lab animals to be tested until they died.

### A Second Betrayal

It wasn't until the salarians discovered the Citadel and created the Council alongside the asari in 500 BCE that the lystheni situation was changed. Not wanting another political embarrassment like the League of One, the Salarian Union decided to do something about their genetic ancestors.

Although small research teams were beginning to show their similarities and prove that they were, in fact, one and the same race, the Union ceased all research on lystheni individuals and promised them free transit "home". Rounding up what few remained, the Union filled several transit vessels with the people and left Sur'Kesh. Instead of returning them to the island, they dropped them on the Terminus world of Sepkai with provisions and basic shelter before leaving.

Their new home came with another slap in the face as well. The lystheni were no longer welcome in Council Space, and any individual seeking passage back into salarian territory would be hunted down and killed. Since then, most all lystheni found breaking that rule have been hunted down by the Special Tasks Group and murdered.

### Exile to the Terminus

Since then, what few lystheni remain squeeze out desperate livings in the Terminus. Sepkai is the only colony with a population enough to reproduce, and even that is in decline with the constant threat of pirate raids and lack of a central government to support them.