Saldrallan

There are two major empires in the galaxy; the Templari rule over
one, while the other empire is ruled—at least mostly—by the Saldrallans. The
two empires are an exercise in contrasts. Where the Templari Empire is racially
homogeneous (for the most part), the Saldrallan Empire is diverse and
cosmopolitan. The Templari Empire is warlike and totalitarian, while the
Saldrallans are pragmatic and egalitarian, if ruthless at times. Indeed, the Saldrallan
Empire contains representatives of every major species and many minor ones, in
various positions of authority.

Saldrallans can be somewhat unnerving to members of other species.
The upper body is a torso with arms, while the lower body trails off into a
snake-like tail. The entire body is covered in fine scales. They have ophidian
heads—complete with poisonous fangs and, in some cases, hoods like that of a
cobra. Lacking eyelids, they never blink, and they sleep with their eyes open.
A Saldrallan also possesses heat-sensing organs beneath their eyes that allow
them to see the heat emanating from living creatures; this gives them the
ability to detect the creatures in the dark and even track short distances by
heat signature. Perhaps the thing that makes Saldrallans the most alien to other
species is their ability to change their gender, seemingly at will; for this
reason, Saldrallans have no preconceptions based on gender, and often can’t even
tell the difference between a different species’ genders.

Despite their somewhat unnerving appearance and mannerisms, most
people find Saldrallans to be fairly agreeable creatures once they get to know
them. Saldrallans are famously pragmatic, so much so that species is rarely a
concern when advancing in the Saldrallan Empire. The Saldrallans are, first and
foremost, concerned with their Empire running efficiently and continuing to
grow. To this end, they make efforts to ensure that members of all species are happy
within the Empire, because a happy citizen is usually a productive one.
Exceptional members of other species can climb quite high on the political
ladder; there have even been a few non-Saldrallan emperors in the past, though
this is the exception rather than the rule.

Despite this apparent acceptance of all beings and creeds, these
policies aren’t motivated by morality. Indeed, Saldrallan morality is a
flexible thing and can be boiled down to the idea that you should always do
that which is most expedient and benefits the Empire (or company, or army, or
other organization) most. The ugly side of this is that those who get in the
way of prosperity and progress often don’t last long. At best, these people are
quietly disappeared; at worst they are made a public example.

### **Saldrallan Names**

Saldrallans have personal names and clan names. Each of the
Saldrallan clans has its own reputation and status that’s well known to other
Saldrallans. When a Saldrallan offers a formal introduction, they’ll always
name their clan, then themself. A Saldrallan introduction sounds like this: “I
was hatched for the Shass clan, I am called Hessien.” Saldrallan names do not
distinguish gender. They can tell by smell what gender another Saldrallan currently
belongs to, and since this is changeable, they don’t find the distinction
important.

PERSONAL NAMES: Hasses, Heshesh, Hesshes, Hessien, Hessnss, Hessshlss, Hessshssk, Hssk,
Sassask, Sasses, Sassless, Shesshesh, Shesslss, Shissien, Shshk, Shsss, Sissik,
Sissnak, Sssiss, Sssk.

CLAN NAMES: Aash, Hash, Hess, Hiss, Husss, Huush, Sess, Shass, Shul, Shuss, Ssesh,
Sssek.