Krogan

The **krogan** were a bipedal, reptillian species native to the harsh world of Tuchanka in the Alpha Quadrant.

## Physiology

Krogan were highly adapted to the unforgiving world from which they originated. Their eyes were set wide, like prey animals, giving them a 240-degree range of vision. They had narrow pupils, and the irises could be a variety of colors including red, green, amber, or blue.

The large shoulder humps of the krogan stored fluids and nutrients, allowing krogan to go extended long periods of time without food or water. Larger humps were seen as a status symbol, indicating that a krogan was skilled at hunting. The thick, scaly skin of the krogan was practically impossible to cut -- leaving them practically impervious to scrapes, contusions, and other mild kinetic damage. They were also highly resistant to environmental dangers, including poisons, radiation, and extreme temperatures. Because of their resistances, the krogan diet included substances that would be dangerous or fatal to other species.

The most amazing feature of krogan biology was their "back up system" -- they had multiple instances of major organs, which activated if the primary organ was too damaged to continue to function properly. They had two hearts, four lungd, and four testicles (which they colloquially referred to as "quads.") They also had a secondary nervous system through the use of neuroconductive fluids, which made it practically impossible to paralyze or numb them. These backup systems were even more comprehensive than the redundant organs found in Klingons and Luxans. When wounded, krogan sometimes secreted a yellow or orange fluid -- one of these fluids was blood, whereas the other is likely to be the neuroconductive fluid.

Krogan sometimes entered a "blood rage" which rendered them completely unable to feel pain -- in this state, they would continue fighting until death, though they lost the ability to think logically or control themselves.

The average krogan stood over 7 feet tall, and generally weighed between 150 and 200 kilos. Some krogan had even been recorded as weighing up to 362 kilos.

Before the genophage, krogan could reproduce and develop at an incredible rate. Females of the species could produce clutches of up to 1,000 eggs over the course of just one cycle. Throughout the years of the genophage, krogan biology slowly began to adapt to the virus -- however, it still meant their reproductive rate was much slower. The odds of producing two females stood at roughly 1 in 2,000.

Young krogan had yellow or green markings on their skin, which naturally darkened to brown as they aged. The plates on their heads were also loose as they were growing, with soft spots in between them. These plates tightened as the krogan grew but the soft spot inbetween never quite went away -- leading to one natural weakness that might be exploited if one had a thin enough knife. The natural krogan lifespan was centuries -- many living even more than a thousand cycles.

It was extremely rare for any krogan to have psionic potential -- when it did exist it was always biotic in nature and due to exposure to Element Zero. Biotic krogan had remarkably strong abilities.

## History

The ancient krogan had a rich culture full of artistic and architectural accomplishments. However, once they became industrialized their population exploded -- far surpassing the limited resources of their homeworld -- wars became common as they fought over resources.

Around 11,000 BCE the krogan developed nuclear technology. Shortly after this, a global war broke out. Weapons of mass destruction were used, turning Tuchanka into a radioactive, post-apocalyptic wasteland. In the nuclear winter that followed, the krogan divided into primitive warring clans. They continued like this until they were encountered by the salarians. The salarians helped to uplift the krogan by giving them advanced technology and relocating them to another planet. The salarians even helped stabilized Tuchanka's atmosphere through use of the Shroud.

The salarians did have another motive for their help -- they wanted the krogan to assist in the war that the Citadel Council was waging against the rachni. This was a success -- within two generations, the krogan had reproduced and created a large enough population boom that they were able to drive back the rachni. The krogan were declared heroes, and the Krogan Monument was built in the Citadel.

But the krogan population continued to grow. Overcrowded and once again running out of resources, the krogan forcibly expanded their territory. Many of the worlds they conquered were already inhabited by species loyal to the Citadel. Eventually the krogan settled on Lusia, an asari colony world -- which proved to be the final straw. A new war began.

The Krogan Rebellions continued for almost three hundred cycles. Eventually the Citadel Council turned to the Turian Hierarchy. Ultimately, the turians unleashed a plague that the salarians had engineered -- the genophage. This quelled the numbers of the krogans -- only one in every thousand births resulted in live offspring. The krogan were forced to surrender.

The krogan population continued to decline for a thousand cycles, as they were ravaged by the genophage. By 2985 CE, the krogan seemed to be evolving against the genophage -- though the possibility of their extinction still hung over them. In order to prevent the devastating population boom from before the genophage, Mordin Solus introduced a variation of the plague that allowed for a viable population but still kept things under control. It soon became clear that the real reason the krogan population continued to dwindle was not the birth rate but that they were convinced that they were headed to extinction and so spent much of their time seeking out fights -- fatalism was killing the krogan.

In 2986 CE, Commander Shepard helped to cure the genophage in order to convince the krogan to help the turians defend their homeworld against the Reapers. Following the Reaper invasion, the krogan set to rebuilding on their homeworld of Tuchanka.

## Culture

The krogan respected strength, self-reliance, and independence. In disagreements, they would sometimes go so far to headbutt each other to assert dominance. Krogan were highly territorial and had trouble sharing quarters aboard starships.

The worst insult krogans had was to call someone "not worth killing."

As a result of the genophage, krogan were incredibly fatalistic. They felt they had no future, and therefore were willing and eager to charge into virtually any fight. With the genophage cured, this attitude changed dramatically as the krogan worked together to rebuild Tuchanka.

Female krogan rarely left their homeworld. Especially during the years of the genophage, they focused on breeding to prevent the species from dying out. Krogan children were kept with their mothers, only occasionally sent to males for training. A krogan male could claim their offspring by requesting the right of parentage but this was very rare.

Naming a young krogan was a unique tradition -- the krogan males got drunk on sovak juice and had belching contests. Whatever belch sounded like a word was chosen for the young krogan's name.

### Religion

Krogan were not typically religious, though they did have ritualistic burial grounds which they called Hollows. In these places, the skulls of their ancestors were displayed. Violence was forbidden in the Hollows. Krogan did believe in an afterlife -- they believe after death they went into the Void, except for the most honorable warriors who entered Kruban.

If a krogan commited suicide, they were left for scavengers to feed on. Otherwise, funerals typically involved a funeral pyre.

Ancient krogan did worship some deities, including Vaul.

### Rites

Despite not being religious, there were many rituals in krogan culture. When a krogan was born, they suffered through the Rite of Life. When they come of age, they underwent the Rite of Passage. To be considered for breeding, a krogan had to go through the Rite of Honor. When facing a new enemy, they engaged in the Rite of Firsts. When two krogan fought each other, the Rite of Union could be used to end the quarrel and bind them together. One could usurp the leader of a krogan clan through the Rite of Authority.

Most rites had to be conducted by a clan's shaman. The shaman could be of any sex but had to undergo lengthy and torturous rites to achieve that status.

### Government

Krogan leadership was fractured -- especially following the Krogan Rebellions. Each warlord generally had no more than a thousand warriors at their command. Following the genophage's cure, one of the primary goals of the krogan was to unify.

One of the many nation-states on Tuchanka was the Republic of Ghurst.

There were large number of krogan clans -- including:

* Clan Bragus
* Clan Dahmbra
* Clan Drau
* Clan Forsan
* Clan Ganar
* Clan Gatatong
* Clan Graken
* Clan Gulnaz
* Clan Hailot
* Clan Jair
* Clan Jorgal
* Clan Jurdon
* Clan Kariss
* Clan Khel
* Clan Kohrr
* Clan Kormer
* Clan Korten
* Clan Nakmor
* Clan Quash
* Clan Raik
* Clan Ravanor
* Clan Talyth
* Clan Thax
* Clan Urdnot
* Clan Weyrloc
* Clan Wik

## Notable Krogan

* Eve
* Grunt
* Nakmor Drack
* Urnot Wrex

## Source

The krogan are derived from *Mass Effect*. For canon information, please visit:

* Mass Effect Wiki