Skrell
The Skrell are a species of amphibious humanoids, distinctive for their green-blue gelatinous appearance and the tendrils on their head. They originate from the world of Jargon 4, known as Qerrbalak in skrellian, the native tongue. A planet with a humid atmosphere, Jargon 4 features a wide array of swamps and jungles. The skrell people are currently more technologically advanced than humanity, emphasizing the study of the mind above all else.
Additional Information: Jargon 4
Mechanics
- Skrell language is known as Skrellian, which can be used in game by typing say ":k
- Due to their tendrils, a large amount of headgear designed for humans or other species causes stress on their head tails and can be uncomfortable to wear. Hardsuit helmets not designed to facilitate skrell physiology however are impossible to wear.
- Skrell are similar to humans in most ways, and have little physical disadvantages or advantages compared to them.
- Skrell are able to breathe underwater.
Physiology
Biology and Appearance
Standing at about 1.7 meters with females being slightly taller, Skrell appear as opaque, gelatinous humanoids with moist, pliant skin covered in a layer slime due to a constant secretion of moisture and acts as a respiratory membrane. Their flesh is generally a green-blue color, though they are capable of other hues. They possess large, black eyes with nictitating membranes for eyelids and are capable of potent vision underwater, which suits their amphibious nature and excellent swimming skills. Their noses are nothing more than slight bumps on their faces with two vertical slits next to each other. While capable of breathing air, these nostrils are more akin to gills, heavily folded within a complex respiratory system that filters dissolved oxygen from water, allowing them to breathe in their natural aquatic environments. Their amphibian brain is highly evolved and bears some similarities with a salamander's.
One of the primary physical aspects of a skrell are their three head-tresses, sometimes referred to as head tails. These are long, translucent tendrils that extend from their scalp and are of varying lengths, with female tails tending to be longer, though this is not always the case. They possess no musculature and as such are not capable of any independent movement, serving various biological purposes for the skrell.
One of the oldest and more traditional uses for these tails is to facilitate reproduction. Skrell do not possess exterior sex organs and fertilization is instead performed by the male on eggs that the female has secreted from her body beforehand. These eggs must be stored in a safe, moist environment, of which the areas underneath each tendril as they meet the head a ripe area to protect the unborn young and to provide a proper environment until hatching. As skrell society and technology evolved, some skrell tend to use artificial means to store their fertilized eggs, which range from specially made habitation contraptions to a simple pail of water. Another use of these tails is typically used to attract a willing partner. Practiced by both sexes, this tendency has evolved to decorating a skrell's tendrils with various paints, jewelry, and cloth made of a non-absorbent material native to Jargon 4.
Growth
A skrell clutch usually contains about 50 eggs and when fertilized, hatches after a period of three months into larvae similar to a tadpole and are no more than a centimeter long upon hatching. These larvae inhabit a completely aquatic environment and feed on vegetation in the environment, their motor skills unable to function outside of water. Of the 50 larvae hatched, natural causes typically reduce the number to about 5. These causes typically consist in the form of genetic defects, immune deficiencies, and other factors. In the more rural parts of Jargon 4, predators are still a factor. While during this cycle, a larva is not officially considered to be a child due to the high mortality rate after hatching. Despite this, however they are specially protected by various legal bounds and the deliberate killing of them is considered a grave offense, being one of the highest crimes in skrell society with the punishment being exile. This larval period lasts eight months, in which the larvae will grow and develop legs as well as the cognitive functions equivalent to a human toddler. It is this point in which a skrell is considered to be a sentient being in the eyes of the law.
A skrell child stands at about 50 centimeters and will continue to grow until adulthood. Most children will retain the tail of their larval stage for several months after the development of legs until it will naturally fall off. Skrell children develop skills and basic cognition similarly to a human, though higher standards of education in skrell society typically has the equivalent of a fourth grader learning calculus as basic curriculum.
Diet
Skrell are herbivores, and as such their nutritional diet consists of vegetation, with a preference typically leaning towards various native fungi. While a skrell is capable of consuming meat, they recieve little to no nutritional benefit, and can lead to gastrointestinal problems. Regularly eating meat over a long period of time can pose serious health risks. Most skrell additionally have difficulty processing alchohol and as such beverages consisting of such can have adverse affects, the most common being inebriation far sooner then expected, which has given them a reputation as being a species that is "Unable to hold their liquor."
Lifespan
Normal life expectancy for most Skrell is 100 human years. However, through technological enhancement, some may live upwards of 135 years old. A skrell who reaches the age of 20 is considered an adult. A Skrell year is measured at roughly 1.5 human years.
Society and Culture
The skrell are a socially advanced people with a varied and colorful culture. Jargon 4's vast swamps facilitated many independent communities to form without much contact with each other, as such, practices and norms can vary widely from region to region. Gender equality is also a commonly accepted and unspoken norm to the point that most skrell have been confused by the tendency of humans or other species to even reference one's gender, especially in business. To a skrell, gender only matters in reproduction, and both sexes are equally capable of achievement. This is further facilitated that male and female skrell are physically similar, and are difficult to tell apart. Most relationships in Skrell society compared to other species is described as open. A female will usually have multiple male partners to help facilitate a large number of fertilized eggs.
Skrell have a long history involving the arts in addition to their scientific pursuits. Skrell literature and paintings are typically very cerebral and focus on the mind. Recent movements even emphasize the mind's influence of that around it. Skrell martial arts are also not unheard of and are typically focused on disabling and self-defense. Skrell society is also very involved in the interstellar community, and frequently works with aliens not only for scientific collaboration, but to observe alien species and immerse in their culture, which has likely contributed to many interesting skrell trends along the years.
Home Planet
Skrell come from the world of Jargon 4, known to the them as Qerrbalak. It is a planet with a humid atmosphere and has vast swaths of jungle and swamps along the planet's surface. The skrell homeworld is filled with cities that have been considered architectural feats, as entire districts can be stilted over kilometers of marshland.
History
Skrell history possesses large amount of conflict until about six hundred years before present day. However, technological progression soon followed a space race after contact with an alien lifeform. The Skrell later unified their efforts, and eventually, their governments as they began to interact with the interstellar community. Sometime after meeting the humans as they began to enterprise along the cosmos, Skrell scientists and doctors have left to human governments and work in their fields while many others have taken human colleagues in their fields with the intention of observing this new, interesting species.
Despite their current state of technology, they have historically made slower progress in innovations in a span of time versus humans. By Earth year CE 1950, Skrell were at the technological level they are today while humans have made similar advancements in nearly 50 years. The reasoning for this is that Skrell scientists have their products go through extensive testing and observations. It's in addition to this, due to a large amount of skrell population has pursued fields such as neurology and psychology, as observing interstellar planes have made the focus of skrell society a focus of the mind. They also spend much of their efforts observing the minds and goings on of the other sentient aliens as well.
Language
The Skrell language can be best described as a series of hums, warbles, or croaks that linguists have difficulty deciphering. Much of this difficulty is attributed to the range of emotion and tense a skrell is able to convey compared to most human languages. Due to the dissimilar aspects of the two languages, the vocal structure of a skrell is intrinsically different than that of a human, and as such, when learning a language such as human English, they typically adopt the accent of their tutor.
Skrell have trouble expressing emotion through simple words and body language when speaking a human language such as English due to its limitations, but are naturally more capable than a human in the arts if they were to sing or play an instrument due to their use of tone when speaking their native language. However, how different emotions are expressed between different species often differ.
Derogatory terms used to refer to Skrell have included 'Frog', 'Salamander', 'Squid head', and various other amphibious creatures. Skrell are typically not very offended by such remarks and consider them to be the musings of a less developed people.
Military
Skrell military forces typically have multiple tiers with a caste system. Each group has their own specific function in relation to each other which makes for a swift and responsive military force. Due to their more humanitarian nature, their tactics usually involve enemy surrender in as few casualties as possible for both them and the enemy. They have a completely modern force and are known for their famed warships and hardened infrastructure.
Relations with other Species
Historically, skrell are accepting of other species, although they do tend to treat those with inferior technology or intellect in the same respect that one treats a child. In most cases, this is not out of any true prejudice. The skrell additionally are a people who are intrinsically curious of other species, and work to insert their scientists in the research of others so that they may learn more of their culture and people.
Human Relations
Humanity and the skrell have enjoyed a peaceful relationship since their first contact and are known to trade technology and intellectuals. Many skrell scientists have found success among human business and government just as many humans tend to travel to Jargon 4 due to its facilities and the hopes to work with influential colleagues.
Diona Relations
The skrell and dionae pose what can be construed as artificially symbiotic between the two species. Having established first contact with the primary diona gestalt over 300 years ago in the Epsilon Ursae Minoris system, they have reached a series of mutually beneficial agreements. For the dionae, the skrell have agreed to spread the seeds of the gestalt to other systems to propagate their species and in return, the dionae have allowed skrell researchers to create habitats on the gestalts so that they may harvest the rare elements they produce.
Grey Relations
Since their foray into the interstellar community, skrell and grey societies have built their relationship upon years of scientific cooperation. Both being societies that prize intellect, the skrell and greys have the distinction of being a collaborative force in the name of science. The only real strain between the two people's is the grey's deadly weakness to water. This prevents a grey from being able to be exposed to the humid atmosphere of Jargon 4 for any period of time and the constant secretion of moisture from a skrell has warranted extra precautions during any kind of physical interaction.
