Asari

The **Asari** are a sentient species native to the planet Thessia. During the time of the Citadel Council, the Asari were the most influential species in the galactic politics of the Milky Way. Favoring compromise and diplomatic solutions, they helped to found the Citadel Council. They are renowned for elegance, beauty, and an aptitude for psionic and biotic abilities.

Unlike many races, the Asari have only one gender -- which is considered to be female by most of the other species found in the galaxy. Though gendered words have no meaning to the Asari, the insistence of other species to label the members of this race as "she" has led them to often use female-gendered pronouns for themselves.

## Physiology

Asari typically have skin that is shades of blue or purple. Some Asari also have naturally occurring patterns on the skin of their faces.

The Asari do not have hair, but their heads are adorned by crests of semi-flexible cartilage that grows into shape. This cartilage is rigid, and does not flop around in the way that hair does. Despite the lack of hair, Asari do other qualities of mammals -- including live birth, as evidenced by their navels. The Asari also develop breasts as they age.

Though Asari do not heal faster than other species, their cells regenerate in such a way that it is common for them to live to be roughly 1,000 cycles old.

The Asari are considered attractive by nearly every sentient species. Some believe this is because of the wide variety of similarities they have to other races -- the humanoid shape they share with numerous species, the fringe on their heads similar to those of the turians, and the skin color similar to numerous species like the Delvians, salurians and saltici. Others theorize that there is a neurochemical compound which causes Asari to attract admirers from any race. It is known that krogan sometimes seek Asari as a means of having children who will not be effected by the Genophage.

### Reproduction

Asari have a unique means of reproduction which allows them to mate with any member of any gender of any species. Their method of reproduction is not sexual or asexual in nature but involves melding, or "embracing eternity", with a partner. The Asari provides two copies of her DNA for her offspring, one of which is unaltered. The other set is altered while melding. During this process, the Asari's eyes dilate and she consciously attunes her nervous system to that of her partner. As the two become, essentially, one nervous system that shares memories, thoughts, and feelings the Asari seeks out desirable attributes to pass onto the offspring and to "map" genetic randomization. Because no genetic material is actually extracted from the partner, the offspring is always Asari. In cases of two Asari melding, the one who does not carry the offspring is considered the father.

However, the drawback of this process is that some Asari become Ardat-Yakshi. This trait appears only in pureblood Asari, those with two Asari parents. With the Ardat-Yakshi, their mental powers overtake their partners during the melding and destroy the partner's mind.

The Asari are capable of melding for the sole purpose of transmitting thoughts and not to reproduce -- similar to the Vulcan Mind Meld.

### Life Stages

The Asari life cycle is marked by three critical periods or stages.

* The Maiden Stage - beginning at puberty, young Asari are driven by a need to explore and experience the universe. It is not uncommon for Asari to work as mercenaries during this time.
* The Matron Stage - though this stage can begin early due to life events, it typically begins around the 350th cycle of an Asari's life, and is marked by a drive to settle down and raise children.
* The Matriarch Stage - like the Matron Stage, this stage can begin early depending upon an Asari's habits. Asari in this stage seldom leave Asari space and are frequently councilors and advisers, dispensing wisdom based upon centuries of experience.

## History

*See also: Asari History*

Asari evolution was guided primarily by two things: the presence of Element Zero on their homeworld of Thessia, and the intervention of the Protheans under the guise of Athame. This deception allowed the Protheans to rapidly excelerate the growth of the Asari. The Prothean influence continued to aid technological development for many years even after the Protheans had left Thessia. The Prothean influence, however, is a closely guarded secret known only to the most important, influential leaders of the Asari.

Largely due to this outside influence, the Asari were among the earliest post-Prothean species to develop interstellar travel, and were perhaps the first to discover the mass relay network. They discovered the Citadel and colonized it, sixty cycles before the salarians discovered the station.

## Source

The Asari are derived from *Mass Effect*.