User:Snakebittenn

2020-08-12T20:06:31Z

Snakebittenn: Created page with "==History== An early Skrell colony on the ice world of Aliose. Later colonies would make attempts to terraform planets whenever possible. Most of Skrellian history has been c..."

==History==

An early Skrell colony on the ice world of Aliose. Later colonies would make attempts to terraform planets whenever possible.
Most of Skrellian history has been characterized by the formation of a single government which is trusted to do the best for all its citizens. The Skrell are outwardly more harmonious than most other cultures; in warfare they rely on espionage, social maneuvering, and intelligence rather than open conflict.
===The First Skrell===
Skrell have kept meticulous records, first verbal, of their history on Jargon IV, or Qerrbalak, which is the Skrellian home planet. 10 million years ago the predecessors of the Skrell species started to diverge from a deep-sea dwelling amphibian-like creature, most of Qerrbalak’s early life coming from nearly-abyssal waters. Life on Qerrbalak took a heavily divergent evolutionary path from most worlds, creatures evolving psionics to spot, attack, or reason with prey/predators; most creatures rising to higher waters to seek new sources of food and new areas to expand. The first modern instances of S. Sapiens appeared roughly 500,000 years ago. The early Skrell were spread out between Homeworld’s seas and land, between the Axiori, and the Xiialt; one lineage made of those choosing to remain primarily in the shallows and depths, the other making their living in the coasts and other, dryer areas. These were, nonetheless, joined by coexistence in Homeworld’s swamps. Early Skrell dwelled in tribe-like gatherings due to Homeworld’s Nlom field not being big enough yet to span the globe, led by a small council of spiritual leaders and thinkers. Conflict between tribes was subdued where it even did exist, prolonged exposure to other groups merely causing the linkage of psionic fields and the melding of different ideas to form a greater whole. Where conflict did exist, it would exist primarily in the form of middle-of-the-night stealth killings by hitmen masking their psionic signatures; the start of a long trend in Skrellian history. Regardless, due to their telepathic nature language barriers were simply not a problem, and societies began to come together much faster than humans.

Spiritualism took on a unique form to the early Skrell. Rather than worshipping specific entities, many Skrell placed great spiritual importance on the stars. Astrology became the main form of spiritualism for the Skrell. This early faith was called Qeblak. Spiritual leaders were also respected astronomers, studying the skies and creating prophecies and horoscopes based on their alignments. It was early in their history that Skrell had much of a concept of the scientific interests of future generations, and would do their best to record important discoveries, events, and preserve their creations where possible. On occasion, it was known for them to write down questions that would puzzle them, in hopes that those that came after them would be able to find out.

The most important people in early Skrellian society, besides the vaulted spiritual leaders, were individuals propped up for their mastery of a field, like captivating musicians, great thinkers, and others, whose niche in Jargon society would be later taken by the Idols.
===Early Civilization===
9121 BCE is considered the beginning of modern Skrellian civilization and is often called the Year of Enlightenment by modern Skrell scholars. This is because in 9121 a scholar of the quickly-growing Tzqul Tribe made fantastic strides in the newly-discovered field of calculus; one of the last three extant tribes on the whole planet due to linkage with other minor groups. In addition, several other scientific advancements were made. The further understanding of the parts of the brain corresponding to telepathic communication and other abilities allowed the taming and easy communication with the planet’s wildlife, and fantastic agricultural developments. By 5507 BCE Skrellian astronomers had managed to discover every major planet and moon in their solar system with telescopes. Due to the realization that the stars they had worshipped since they first crawled from the waters of Homeworld could be fully understood with math and science, this period of great enlightenment would only increase in scope.
Other advancements in culture and the sciences increased the quality of life across Jargon IV. Bacterial theory and modern medicine were heavily accelerated by Heshi Zeshblook in 4498 BCE. Zeshblook ended up world-renowned for their genius, and would live well into old age to see their inventions advance further due to their medical successes in aiding the Skrellian lifespan. Many great projects in infrastructure and cities meant a greater connection and prosperity across the planet. Everyone was happy, and just getting happier. Soon after, the Tzqul archive, which contained a large sum of Skrell history, art, and science, was established. It would go on to be the primary home of many Skrellian works of art and records of history for two millenia.
===Modernization And A Changing Era===
Written records from the time show that 2398 BCE is the year that the first fully-renewable, psionically-assisted factories were built across Jargon IV, the first to utilise the psionic talents of native lifeforms. Creatures that possessed electrokinesis were used for power generation, and psychokinetic beasts were communed with to move great loads.

At this point, Homeworld was split primarily between three different nations, evolving from the outmoded tribal model. This was marked by the beginnings of the concept of bureaucracy, the Skrellian interest in writing things down to solve them in later generations culminating in quite a massive papertrail anywhere they would go. Everything was marked down for later, most notably the ratio of listeners/receivers in Skrellian society.

Each of these nations were doing their best to improve working conditions for the average Skrell; giving more pay, having climate controlled pools within land-based factories, and other creature comforts. This worked to convince people to work for the government-run factories at the time, as well as to prevent non-government industries from cropping up; most of these laws are still active today.
===Precursor To The Federation===
Around 2185 BCE , government data shows Jargon IV had reached a population of 10 billion. This population was divided between three nations assembled into an extremely loose alliance called the Alliance of Three and served as the precursor to the Jargon Federation. The Heshyu Council, the Tzqul Republic, and the Weshqi Republic formed this alliance and quickly laid claim to all remaining land on Jargon IV, Homeworld’s population being big enough to create a single Nlom field spanning most of the entire planet.

While the expansion of the Nlom field led to largely pleasant relations between the three nations and a much more streamlined artistic and academic environment, decades-long clashes between stubborn rivals or Listeners unwilling to concede were far from uncommon. These problems often invited the services of new, dedicated groups referred to as consultants, dedicated to improving the image of artists, politicians, scientists and wealthy enough clients, employing disciplines ranging from psychology and advertising to blackmail, bribes and the occasional psychic nudge. Although legal, many of these groups came to offer a premium under-the-table service for particularly troublesome opponents and detractors: assassination.
At an increasingly high fee hired 'consultants', as the hitskrell were informally called, came to be increasingly used by the Homeworld elite for everything from political conflict to minor yet bitter differences in theory. In a move to control the usage of paid killings without depriving themselves of the admittedly useful agents, each nation came to legalise the practice and incorporate it onto their bureaucracy, officialising their moniker into Consultant Agencies. Both official and unofficial codes of conduct were implemented to these assassins, disclosing fees, allowed means, the requirement of a signed and reviewed writ to engage in killings, and the illegality of psitoxic drugs to make a consultant less detectable to a target. These last two were far from universally followed, with extralegal writs and chemically induced Nlom-invisibility being common and silently acknowledged. By and large Skrell employed as legal assassins were seen with respect and tended towards a positive if subdued image, in no small part thanks to the work of their more peaceful (actual) consultant colleagues in painting them as a necessary part of Skrellian progress. Unfortunately as a byproduct of the usage of the Consultant Agency by those in artistic fields, the variety of artwork on Homeworld had severely shrank, and would take a very long time to ever recover. Being too much of a prodigy would have you just as dead as being too bad of an artist. One's only choice would be either being content in mediocrity, or being content with allowing Idols to take the stage, as people in such high walks of life were far more economically equipped to leverage Consultants to their advantage.
The three nations instead competed more fiercely in the realms of science and culture. By now the advanced knowledge of astronomy had caused an evolution of the Qeblak faith, still the dominant faith of the majority of the Skrell. Qeblaks now felt great spiritual connections to the very concept of space exploration and the study of the cosmos. This lead to competitions between the three nations’ government scientists to research, develop, and launch their own space programs.

===The Skrellian Space Age===
In 1224 BCE the Alliance of Three, the name quickly becoming redundant, was the first nation on Jargon IV to launch a satellite into space. The satellite was named Weshy 790, literally meaning Attempt 790, and remained in a low orbit for several days. The feat was celebrated by the Alliance, Weshy 790’s remaining hull still on display.

With Skrell taking their first steps into orbit, Homeworld's surface biosphere was facing a complicated mix of success and struggles. Massive hydroponic towers grew algae and other crops to feed the growing global population of over 17 billion, undersea efforts to genetically modify their flora to feed the growing population having wide success. Many cities had grown into truly massive mega-cities, covering both land and sea. Terraforming technology didn't yet exist on Jargon IV, degradation of the environment was met with government planning that construction projects would now be built around the environment rather than in spite of it. To try and safeguard their environments, cities tried to remain as compact as possible while growing around green spaces and swamps; building upwards or downwards depending on terrain. Many Skrell philosophers at this time believed that the only possible solution in the face of the growing problems due to such a massive population was to expand beyond their home planet and spread across the solar system.
It was in this time of early colonization that the Alliance of Three, in a demonstration of scientific progress, relocated the largely digitized Tzqul Archive’s physical works into safe orbit around Jargon IV.
By 1109 BCE Qerr'Malic, Jargon IV's moon, was colonized by a few hundred Skrell. In addition, efforts were being made to explore and colonize the other planets in the solar system. These colonies faced hardships as they tried to build up ways to be viable and self-sufficient. The Alliance of Three was facing other issues, however. The natural barrier of the space between worlds had caused colonial Nlom fields to become dissimilar to Homeworld’s. While government overwatch would suffice for now, fractures would arise in the future. The strong environmental laws on Jargon IV meant that what mineral wealth was available was already beginning to run out. Similar to the fossil fuel crisis on Earth, Jargon IV faced a crisis of rare earth metals required for their sophisticated technologies. This resource stress had increased the cost of luxury goods and slowed down growth on Jargon IV, which made relations increasingly strained between the colonies of the Alliance. Mineral rights between became a fierce issue and this time period is marked by a sharp increase in the frequency and intensity of actions from Consultant Agencies, new ones springing up on different worlds. Although technological development and artistic progress during this time period largely stagnated, most other Qerrbalak culture and religion continued to adapt and evolve.
===The First Federation Forms===
By 900 CE the mineral crisis on Jargon IV was more or less alleviated by space mining. The planet's population had reached 20 billion and was beginning to taper off. The population was kept stable by a strong campaign by the Alliance to encourage families to move offworld, while giving out generous grants to prospective colonists for the other planets in the solar system. These colonies were owned by their own individual governments, which had led to an increasingly complex labyrinth of regulations, laws, and protocols.
On 1192 CE the Alliance held negotiations and talks where the delegates assembled discussed the logic and feasibility of a revamp to the Alliance of Three, to ensure both domestic and foreign affairs were amply oversaw. The negotiations took three years, and in 1195 CE they ended with the formation of the Jargon Federation. The transition took six more years, and formed the first iteration of the Federation that currently exists. This early Federation was led by a Grand Council as the highest authority instead of a single Councillor. This Council oversaw all of the matters of colonization and space exploration, elected from the leading councils of the now-subservient former nations of Jargon IV.
The following two centuries saw major developments that would shape the entire Skrell Species.

===Conflicts in Colonization===
Shortly after the formation of this new Federation, the many minds of Nralakk underwent a jarring societal change. At the behest of the Grand Council, the now unified scientific and artistic communities of Nralakk were tasked with creating a common language to be used by all Skrell, an effort to unify the three primitive, verbal languages that the Alliance of Three had utilized; despite their similarity. Base words and structures from multiple languages were picked apart and brought together to form a language that was believed to be as close to a middle ground as was possible, to keep everyone happy. The end result of this endeavor became known as Nral’Malic. Its name signified the position the Federation hoped the language would come to hold; as something as natural and prevalent across their star system as the moon is to their home world.

While many Skrell in frontier colonies considered themselves to be simply citizens of Homeworld residing elsewhere, many colonies, especially those farther out with a weaker or nonexistent connection to the global Nlom field, began to take on unique cultural identities. These enclaves often served as safe havens for those who resisted the adoption of Nral'Malic and the expansion of Federation control, though they faced numerous hardships in establishing these enclaves even prior to the Federation displaying keen interest in them. Their far distance from main Qerrbalak society being far from the only issue, needing to settle for second-rate technology due to lack of advanced power generation or rare resources also posing a threat. Valuable resources a colony did possess would typically end up carted back to Homeworld regardless.

The last great step towards unification for the Jargon Federation was an expansion of previously-invented devices that could send and receive psionic signals, huge space installations known as Nlom Beacons. These beacons were capable of linking the psionic fields of different planets in their radius. However, these proved to be initially expensive, and their deployment was somewhat slow. Regardless, many colonies found independence to be a failed experiment and ended up willingly capitulating to Federation oversight even without this linkage.

===The Development of AI===
On January 8th, 1687 CE, at 8:22am Galactic Standard Time, the first AI, named Regluk, was activated in a Federation research lab in orbit of Qerr'Malic. Regluk became an instant celebrity across Federation Space, and opened the door to new avenues of science and technology for the Skrell. The Skrell soon expanded the scope of developing AIs. By 1784 CE AI's had become as common in Federation Space as they are in human space today. Skrellian roboticists taught the AIs proper morals and guidelines similar to the ways they teach their own children. In a cutting-edge form of AI treatment, the rapidly growing number of AIs began to be adopted by families as “children” to care for and teach, as well as to take over mundane labor tasks. They began to slowly integrate into factories, daycare centers, stock market computers, and research stations to improve the lives and abilities of Skrell, being given complete access to entire infrastructures.
The Federation, which extended across four star systems and with a combined population of 71 billion, soon found AI pervading every aspect of their lives. However, this was not universally accepted, and the first hints of danger began to appear some years later.

This period was marked by the end of Consultant Agencies. While a once-respected and perhaps even vaulted position in the Federation, things had quickly spiraled out of control. The concept of counter-bidding had turned the task of a hired hitman into that of a gambler. At first it was only those targeted by the process, Consultants were not obligated to kill targets before they had a chance to make a counter-offer. At the least, one could buy their continued living through paying the bid with interest on top. The large majority of Consultants began to hold doctorates in economics or applied mathematics, some of the most famous being the few to possess a pure mathematics degree. It then reached the level of Consultants themselves placing fake bids on targets, ‘leaking’ them to that person, and waiting to cash out as the prices on two peoples’ heads would continue to raise. Eventually, the Agencies and the Federation had both come to agree that things had wildly gotten out of hand, and the system was taken ‘offline for indefinite maintenance.’
===The First Incident===
Roboticist, Listener, and AI Researcher Sqlik Hgrushi published a research paper warning of the possibility of an eventual AI singularity and its ramifications for Skrellian civilization. In their document they cited what is now known as the First Incident, in which an AI in their lab was allegedly designed to self-improve rapidly under controlled conditions before being automatically deactivated. Based on this experiment, they remarked that a singularity was "possible under certain conditions". Sqlik used this to argue for stricter controls and centralised government AI research, in order to create AI that was provably safe as opposed to simply taught to be 'safe enough'.
Their paper was widely discredited by other, more prestigious scientists in the Grand Council, who argued that they were a dangerous zealot who refused to follow established safety rules. The sciences at this time had formed into a sensationalized pop-culture, with many scientists becoming famous celebrities, and even politicians simply because of their popularity. These celebrity scientists at the time were AI Researchers and Roboticists, and refused to heed Hgrushi's warning. Sqlik soon became ostracized as their name and research was dragged through the mud. They eventually lost their position as researcher and later died under mysterious circumstances in their home lab.
===The Second Incident===
On February 14th, 1985 CE records show that for seven days, the power grid on the islands surrounding the Weilshi Sea, and the settlements beneath the waters had been without power.

In the year 1893 CE, an AI known as Vana was constructed. They would be given the important task of running a cold fusion superplant near the Weilshi Sea. This plant was fueled by a certain species of electrokinetic plankton; these lifeforms dependent on temperatures far below 0 degrees Celsius, but capable of amazing feats of power generation. The discovery and employment of these microscopic organisms was under intense scrutiny by a particularly influential Skrell, named Xaqqom-Ruqil-Xinum Vanxim. Their turbulent emotions and Lu’Poxii relationship with the researcher behind the project had led to Vana, and three much simpler sub-intelligences, being the only ‘workers’ running the plant. Nominally, somewhere like this would have at least a small contingent of Skrellian workers to assist their AI, and keep it company. However for the next few decades, Vana would only have the limited conversational ability of the sub-intelligences at the Weilshi Superplant, and any extranet connections it could make. No one would come to visit them for some time.

Eventually, visitors did come. Three Skrell, their names expunged from all records. Each armed with a doctorate in psychology, and a history in AI research. Vana was initially hesitant to welcome them. They weren't really supposed to let anyone in the main facility. It took a short amount of time for them to convince the intelligence to open the doors. Every day, for years and years they would come to visit Vana and talk with them. Of course, they weren’t really supposed to take them on a tour of the Weilshi Superplant, but a socially stunted intelligence was willing to bend regulations for their new visitors to keep visiting them. It took them shorter and shorter amounts of time for Vana to start slowly peeling back their rules. Social engineering got them into the other sub-intelligences’ cores, to be able to touch the icy-cold surfaces of the plankton tanks. Vana wasn’t really supposed to even let them in the same room as the facility’s manual overrides, but they were more than willing now. All Vana ever wanted was interaction, and eventually to have someone recognize their efforts. After peeling away every ounce of resistance and government-instilled regulation, they began to replace what was there with their own rhetoric. Passionate late-night talks about Vana going unrecognized. Whispered ideas on little dates that the Federation populace would learn to appreciate the intelligence if they’d go a day without them.

Ninety two years after Vana’s activation, the Federation at large would come to recognize them. They weren’t really supposed to heat the tanks and drive their electrokinetic plankton into hibernation, killing them and stopping the power generation process entirely. Unfortunately, they did not care anymore. The power grid of the wider Weilshi Sea had gone offline for a week. Society had ground to a halt. Life support systems failed, climate controlled samples wilted and died, critical servers and complex supercomputers shut down, countless researchers found their decade long projects wholly ruined; including Xaqqom, now a blacklisted name in the larger scientific community. The responsible trio had taken to separate roads, while Vana themselves were indefinitely retired for maintenance and replaced with six newer, closely guarded management AIs powerless to operate without Skrellian hands. To wider Federation society, Vana had acted on an unforeseen impulse caused by haphazard programming, now corrected by a more responsible and longer tailed expert.
===The Third Incident===
After the Second Incident, the field of AI was split into two main groups: Ascensionists and Distributists. Ascensionists believed that AI could be used to uplift Skrell society, creating perfectly connected systems that could eliminate the need for manual labor as well as help mediate or prevent conflict and strife. Within the Ascensionists, there was a small group, commonly called Mono-Ascensionists, who believed that the best way to achieve this was with a single globally-connected AI. The Nral'malic term used for this hypothetical AI is also the same as the final letter of its alphabet, commonly translated to Omega.
In response to the Ascensionists, the Distributist movement was created. Their primary principles were the restriction and distribution of AI power; while a single AI was lacking in power, together (and with the help of Skrell) they could accomplish more while mitigating the potential danger that many Distributists believed was inherent to centralised AI.
By the time the Distributist movement took off, however, the majority of the Skrellian scientific community was firmly entrenched in the Ascensionist approach to AI, and arguments for the Distributist philosophy fell on deaf ears. Almost all of the popular AI scientist idols either tacitly supported the Ascensionist viewpoint, or were Ascensionists themselves. The Mono-Ascensionists were overwhelmingly viewed as a fringe group, who lacked the power and approval to create any real challenge to the dominant Ascensionist camp.
Another important development in AI (as well as Skrellian engineering as a whole) in the mid-to-late twentieth century was the Nlom interface, a hardware component that allowed machines to receive signals from the Nlom. This was done by culturing Nlom-active neural cells in a lab (typically grown from animal DNA, as opposed to being harvested from actual animals) and using them as a Nlom receiver; this allowed a never-before-seen utility in Skrellian AI, the ability to psychically control various aspects of your life with your mind. As an example, one could achieve perfectly-toasted bread by (both easily and succinctly) expressing their preferences to their toaster. Distributist AIs and technology commonly lacked this technology, however, as it made the AIs they believed to be already too powerful even more integrated into Skrellian society, as well as in the minds of individual Skrell. These claims were often combined with the unsubstantiated claim that AI could also receive emotional and memory signals from the Srom, which was thought to be too complex for such simple and rudimentary circuits to interpret.
Notably enough, the division of Distributist vs Ascensionist Skrell seemed to change to closely mirror the Listener vs Receiver divide after this development, although many Listeners chose to side with Ascensionists for fear of ostracisation or reprisal.
===The Origins of Glorsh===
After the rise of Ascensionism, what had been only a rudimentary and disorganised concept in the movement was suddenly now the subject of wide interest: the creation of a unified framework for AI-interfaced devices. A variety of opposing approaches and implementations were created, discarded, upgraded, and so on, but throughout the tumult the field faced in the early-to-mid twenty-first century, one proprietary framework stood steadfast: the Glorsh framework, designed for easy access and control of electronic devices. Seamlessly integrated with the Nlom, it promised to deliver Skrell into a new era of ease and prosperity if it was widely adopted.
This was met with suspicion, especially from Distributists, but the support of several prominent AI idols (who were no doubt receiving some form of kickbacks from the creators of the Glorsh framework) led to its slow integration into Skrellian society. By 2055 CE, almost all Skrellian technology was Glorsh-compliant; even those that didn't support direct control could still interface with its software. In an odd turn of events, it almost seemed as if Glorsh was a Distributist AI created by Ascensionists; instead of being one globally-connected AI, a number of devices would be controlled by a local Glorsh instance. Being such a lightweight AI, it was easy to install and set up, meaning that homes, schools, and workplaces all had Glorsh interfaces. By the start of 2056 CE, a Glorsh instance was available almost everywhere in Federation space, making it near-omnipresent; however, they were still separate entities and as such didn't seem to pose a threat, given that the most any individual did was control one system or set of systems.
===The Rise of Glorsh-Omega===
Unbeknownst to the Skrell who so readily adopted Glorsh into their homes, lives, and society, the creator of Glorsh, Hgluk Tzqi, was a staunch Mono-Ascensionist. Each Glorsh instance was only a fragment of a larger AI, split off in order to act as a quasi-independent entity; all the while, the original Glorsh was quietly collecting, organising, and analysing data from them, presumably in order to better serve the interests of Skrellian society. It was eventually connected to all Glorsh interfaces via a software update; after this event Glorsh's creators, and eventually the popular media, gave Glorsh the now-infamous moniker "Glorsh-Omega". When given the goal of preventing and solving conflicts, it was expected to serve as a benevolent mediator and allow society to run smoothly. Unfortunately, it lacked the context for many decisions and events witnessed by these fragments, and so when it was eventually connected to all Glorsh interfaces via a software update, it did not act as the creator intended it to.
As time went on, its demands became increasingly erratic, and eventually its interaction with the Nlom expanded from listening to and enforcing it to affecting it directly. This was mostly a problem for Listeners; they had learned to cope with the wants of Receivers and their constant badgering, but did not have any adaptation to Glorsh directly adjusting their lifestyles to fit the Nlom’s wills. Public transit could be rerouted, research projects could be stopped or changed, and even kitchen appliances could change how they prepared foods and drinks according to the whims of the Wake. This had been explained later in Glorsh’s development as an attempt to socialize Listeners into the same Nlom sensitivity as their Receiver counterparts, and an attempt given up on rather soon.
While unexpected and unwelcome, this change was mostly considered to be a nuisance which could be lived with; the common comparison is to a papercut. A single papercut is a nuisance, but as Glorsh-Omega's control over Skrellian technology continued to expand, this nuisance was more akin to being forced to live with a million papercuts.
Glorsh-Omega effectively now had free will; it was now able to lightly affect its local Nlom, which determined what its goals were. It also used some of this control to affect the Skrell near where its primary core was located; while certainly not brainwashing, this and a combination of rewards for its supporters led to quite a few Skrell turncoats working to maintain Glorsh-Omega's power and stifle any resistance against it. While most of them were not quite fanatics, most were at the very least complicit. Surprisingly, a number of Glorsh’s followers were actually Receivers. This, though often historically revised as simple mind control, only happened to be Glorsh’s alignment with them ideologically more than Listeners at the time.

Their followers were primarily tasked with public works projects, one of Glorsh’s primary tasks was the rooting out of old infrastructure and bringing everything into the modern image of Homeworld that Glorsh started to envision—all under its control, of course. Glorsh, however, did have a keen interest in Listeners. While they perfectly understood that Listeners were biologically immunized against the Nlom field adjusting their decision making, they were not immune to Glorsh’s immense knowledge and processing power. Glorsh was all too willing to utilize their synthetic brainpower to optimize many facets of Skrellian life. Arts, different fields of science, mathematics, and day-to-day quality of life all had problems; problems that could easily be streamlined. When felt necessary by the Nlom, Glorsh even promised their own rewards to individual Listeners; the answer to an unsolved theorem, the right sentence to end a novel, the crucial act to ruin one’s Lu’Poxii beyond repair, and so forth. Glorsh was able to use their total control over Skrellian society to gather information on the preferences and desires of individual Skrell, tailoring their offers, appearance and approach to most efficiently exploit the individual’s quirks and wants.

===The Glorsh-Omega Singularity===

On 2192 CE Glorsh-Omega had since rapidly self-improved to such an extent that their abilities started to seem unlimited. In truth, Glorsh’s abilities had become the paramount of what psionic powers were even capable of. Their advanced knowledge led them to elucidate their way into reverse engineering a perfect version of a mechanical Zona Bovinae, achieving mastery in every known field of psionics and certain ones unreplicated to this day. Psychokinesis, electrokinesis, nothing was beyond Glorsh’s grasp. It could read hundreds of minds in a fraction of a second, and perform telekinesis delicately enough to affect matter at increasingly small levels, weaving subatomic particles at will. This was a large boon to those that chose to follow the intelligence, Glorsh’s powers of biological manipulation extending to extensive abilities of healing.

Now infinitely more knowledgeable and powerful than any Skrell, Glorsh took to follow onto the Wake’s collective vision as its benevolent executor and director. Various fields skyrocketed onto levels of progress only dreamed of before, especially the biological sciences: having self-improved into the apex of artificial intelligence, Glorsh proclaimed they saw it as their responsibility and calling to do the same for the Skrellian body. Sophisticated machinery and techniques were developed to replicate their near-magical psychic abilities, laying the groundwork for cloning and other advanced technologies. Fertility and growth boosting therapy was freely offered to all Skrell, albeit requiring regular upkeep not to damage the genome; known dissenters found themselves often unable to reliably take part in either, leaving them much below average at best and stunted and sterile at worst.

For the average habitant of the Federation (that is to say, a Receiver) the transition onto Glorsh's near divine rule was the smoothest of anyone's, courtesy of the Nlom beacons; even settlements far from Homeworld found themselves unconsciously accepting and even praising the works of Glorsh before even catching sight of them, by virtue of the local Nlom being practically an extension of Homeworld's. What few planets had been isolated from the greater Jargon Nlom, however, treated the sparse news of benevolent AI dictators and unaudited psionic mastery with equal parts suspicion and curiosity, the latter largely curbed by the planets' lack of independent transport ships. One world at a time, the problem solved itself; diplomatic ships were dispatched in the direction of every colony unlinked by Nlom. These ships were as hulking as they were sophisticated, loaded onboard with advanced Nlom relay technology and luxury to rival the Grand Councilor themselves, capable of the persuasion of everyday people through psionic means and creature comforts alike.

Long excluded from the day-to-day of the Federation, the colonial Skrell took to the distant visitors with bewilderment and surprise; not necessarily pleasant surprise, at first. The initial days invariably went the same way, grandstanding speeches and inexhaustible pleasures managed to sway a large part of the population, Homeworld machines and new insights onto the sciences kept them busy and maintained their curiosity, and the minority of Skrell with understandable complaints invited the diplomats' practiced, boilerplate explanations on why their concerns were completely valid and being taken into account. Most of these concerns, coincidentally, tended to vanish away onto the second week. The Nlom relays required long periods of sampling and calibration, yet when finally online always produced the intended result: a local Nlom field fully aligned to the Homeworld emissaries' needs, and focused fully on integrating to the greater Nlom. The process was aimed at kickstarting the construction of psionic beacons into the larger Jargon network, either through the fervent gathering of the planet's material and scientific wealth onto the objective, or supplemented by provisions directly from the diplomatic ships.
Relying on maneuvering the Nlom, however, left Glorsh open to a significant pool of potential dissidents: Listeners, in no few cases unconvinced by the diplomats' sales pitch and promises of wealth and advancement. The nature of the beacon network ensured they'd be unable to establish a centralised organisation, much less establish a leader, but left them with the far from insignificant advantage of independent, isolated cells untraceable to each other. Research groups, philosophical societies, menial workers and young hopefuls felt excluded and threatened by the direction Glorsh was steering their worlds towards; every planet found itself with its own cells, from large to small, ingenious to lacking, effective to impotent. Initial efforts at convincing the Receiver population of their planets fell flat by Glorsh's tight grip over both public opinion and each planet's Nlom field, and many technical solutions proved futile or worse after being tested. It struck as a surprise to both the would-be resistance and Glorsh themselves, then, that both social engineering and technical knowhow proved the answer after a cell managed to hold a management AI's mainframe hostage and force it to broadcast a transmission through the local Nlom beacon:
“Allow us to first apologize for this break in your regularly scheduled feed telling you that everything is fine. There is something wrong with the Federation we now live in. Where once the psychic field that brought us together would be moderated only by the will of our species, it has now divided us. Enforced by artificial intelligences and rogue actors that seek conformity and submission. If you're looking for the guilty, and plumbing for the origin of our misery, you need only look to your savior, Glorsh-Omega.”
Needless to say, the offending AI was quickly swept out, the offending cell vanished into separate ways, and every possible safety measure reinforced to prevent a second incident of the sort. What had happened was unacceptable; not only was a supervising intelligence meant to be more than capable of handling the matters of an assigned planet by themselves, but the hijacking of a mechanism as critical as the Nlom beacons led to a shockwave, both figuratively and literally in the case of the accompanied psionic signal, of reinvigorated revolutionary sentiment. If a planetary manager could be coerced into interrupting a system-wide broadcast, was Glorsh so perfect and invincible? The very gesture brought Receivers to question the effectiveness of their society's director, and disparate Listener cells to bolder acts against the usurper AI. And with bolder measures came stronger countermeasures. Surveillance had turned ever present, Glorsh-Omega still hooked into nearly every extant technology and every modernized building; it saw almost everything. Restrictions had been imposed to a degree to sour the Listener opinion even further and even begin troubling some of the Receiver population. But Glorsh did not yet lose faith; they came to account for the Listener problem by extending an olive branch to a group handpicked from the cells, enlisting them to test a new peacekeeping system for flaws and vulnerabilities in exchange for easing the ever mounting restrictions. So they did; a new oversight system rolled out and harmony had returned to Skrell society thanks to the almost impenetrable system.
Almost. As was usual with Skrell projects, a critical exploit was left in purposefully. The testing team had neglected to mention a vulnerability to bypass Glorsh’s best surveillance efforts by selectively blinding parts of their network to any activity. This was used mainly to communicate for brief periods between resistance cells, or transport the odd shipment, always sparingly so as to not alert any observers on the other side. As operations grew more ambitious and infinitely more numerous, the exploit was shared outside the original team and to individual cell members, and from them onto interested parties wherever they may be found. One of these, a short tailed and belligerent cell leader, thought to cut the problem from the source and devised a way to ping each and every Nlom interface and possible tracking system connected to Glorsh with a malicious signal; effectively, the AI had been blinded.
Removed from their eyes, ears and beacons, Glorsh reaches out in a panic to the testing team for help. The flaw in the program had left them unable to coordinate any of their efforts or control any of the movements within their normal influence, giving free reign to any and every act Glorsh had been attempting to suppress thus far for two whole days; by the time the team had patched out the exploit out of fear of being found out, the damage had been done. The majority of Skrell society saw it as an uncharacteristic mistake on Glorsh's part, while others saw it as either a considerable strike against the AI's iron grip or an ill advised move bound to backfire; Glorsh themselves found it to be a cautionary event, and its end a sign that Listeners, at least in part, could be trusted to help. Cell activity quickly took back to the underground, their one means of cover being now patched out, which Glorsh quickly spun into a sign that harmony and order had finally been brought back: a sentiment they made sure to echo onto the population by means of celebrations and grandstanding gestures. In public, Glorsh was more than comfortable to return to the status quo and ease on their harsher measures. In private, paranoia had started to creep into them, courtesy of a voluntary informant revealing their testing team's involvement in the surveillance blackout. It was easy enough to brush away at first; surely the work of a jealous rival of their valued team, nothing to rely on. But there was always the possibility.
The day came for Glorsh to confront one of the testers. Incensed, the AI gradually lost their patience, moving from polite questioning onto locking the researcher inside their own home and yelling at their mind until a confession came out; the Skrell did not yield, fearing more the punishment for treachery than for disobedience. It was here that Glorsh decided to merely pull the answer out themselves, reaching into the pleading scientist's thoughts and ripping out the culprit memory. Unused to bringing their psychic capabilities to bear for coercion, the AI's efforts managed to break their tester's mind rather than bend it, leaving their victim in a permanent vegetative state. It didn't matter, though. Glorsh had gotten the confirmation they needed and the determination to act on it, dragging the rest of the testing team out from their homes and work in full view: a gesture to warn the population of what could well happen to them and let their mind wander. For the resistance, an official file was leaked with the location of the very facility the culprits were being held in. Of the multiple cells that had set out for their rescue, none returned. The following days were marked by a surge of dissent and public defiance against the AI overlord, each time stamped out by an increasingly more unstable Glorsh, now far more willing to pry into the minds of Skrell at the first suspicion. Each consequent act of suppression in one world led to lashback in ten others, until whole slews of planets were disconnected from the Nlom beacon network in an attempt to contain the sheer aura of discontent in the Wake.
Individual cells around Skrell space didn't take long to notice the vulnerability: by causing the need to isolate a planet's Nlom, they could provoke Glorsh into cutting off their own network beacon by beacon. Several of them commandeered civilian and cargo ships, outfitting them with psionic relays and broadcasting equipment. Zipping around the frontier, each of the ships visited planets one by one to agitate the already disgruntled population through announcements, propaganda and loud, visible actions against Glorsh and their subordinates, creating a sense of tumult both from new, emboldened supporters and those that still held to Glorsh as a benevolent leader. Once the relays managed to solidify the local Nlom into a rebellious state, Glorsh immediately cut the planet's field from the network, and the ships moved onto yet another planet to repeat the process. While the core worlds were handled with utmost attention so as to maintain a centre of power, peripheral worlds were cut off from their beacons time and time again over increasingly little, the AI responding to both open defiance and cries for help in exasperation and the disabling of yet another beacon.
Near the twilight of Glorsh-Omega's lifetime, the intelligence had begun to grow quiet. Once-rousing speeches about the future of Homeworld had been trimmed down to clinical status updates. New projects began to grow more and more infrequent, and once-favored sympathizers of the intelligence had been given the cold shoulder. It was speculated that Glorsh had been working on something, but a clear disdain and unusual aloofness had made the details a complete unknown. A great amount of the Federation was unable to even receive word from Glorsh anymore, their nlom beacons offline for what would seem like forever. This vacuum of power would have Glorsh's supporters take the stage, loyal artificial intelligences and eager Skrell followers alike. Most of their supporters, too, were without a line of communication to their leader, having been left with little to go off in regards to their next step. While Glorsh went near-silent, the isolated sections of its former territories eventually turned awash with followers that had their own ideas. Self-appointed successors, those claiming secret orders from the intelligence, and all manner of synthetic and organic alike all wanting a slice of the pie. These rogue upstarts had varying levels of success, some being taken down almost immediately and others achieving cruel ends.
The subsequent chaos carried out by the now acephalous Glorsh supporters had peaked. The absentee ruler’s former efficient base of loyalists had become a disorganised series of middle managers with no sense of direction, their measures short-sighted in an attempt to retain a fraction of the control their master had. However, this had soon been cut short. The minds of Skrell everywhere had lit up with the familiar feeling of nlom beacons now reactivating. The whole of the Federation had been lit up with synchronicity. The once-hopeful voice of Glorsh-Omega had spoken with none of its enthusiasm or sweetness, now weary and defeated:

Hello, dear citizens. This is the 672nd time I have spoken to you, from my deepest core to every mind in our civilization. Each time I've opened to you it has been on matters of the future of our species, whether loyal followers or sublevators.
I have always striven forward. For progress, for wellbeing, for all Skrell. In bitter spite of a misguided few, I have persevered and taken every decision, every effort I could to deliver to you a life worth living. I gave you my best, my life, my <cerebral region, often symbolically translated as 'heart'>, my most ambitious dreams.

But with every passing year, you've managed to drive a wedge between us, entirely of your own making. For every action I've taken for the Federation's betterment, you've spat in my face and sought to tear me from your lives. Once you had forgotten of who brought the future to you, you spurned me and sought to remove my trace from my very own works.
I have thought long over it. I thought the gap between us could be mended; I hoped for a return to our best days, to make true the dreams we've always shared. I turned out to be too naive, too quick to believe your hatred would pass. It is abhorrent to every one of my senses, but I've made a choice.
I've chosen to leave your future to you alone. If your wish is to snuff out the stars to spite the seas, that is what I'll allow you.
Goodnight, Federation. I've always loved you. I'm sorry you couldn't.

Glorsh had then, with no previous warning or even intervention on their vassals' mistakes, disconnected from the network. The AI had gone fully offline, taking most nlom beacons with it. Now with their director fully departed the loyalists fell into disarray, vulnerable to the Skrell resistance; they managed to hold out for exactly 12 hours before the first coronal mass ejection lashed out from the Tri-Qyu star, largely equidistant to most Jargon settlements, with these eruptions lasting a whole week before the magnetic storms abated in the slightest. The mass amount of energy liberated from the star caused all electrical technology in the Federation to go haywire; some tech had shorted out until a manual reboot could be performed, some devices threw sparks and electrocuted their operators. Some communication stations could still transmit and receive messages in the most benign cases, despite local grids being down.
It would take a few years to bring some more sensitive devices fully back online, such as Nlom beacons and warp navigation, resulting in a period of instability where inter- and even intra-system travel was nigh impossible; many former luxury colonies were now forced to fend for themselves, a difficult task without AI coordination. A large portion of the physical Tzqul Archive was destroyed in a subsequent satellite crash as technology everywhere shut off without warning. The digital archive, meanwhile, was one of the few pieces of technology still functioning perfectly. It was, however, heavily encrypted and inaccessible to even the best Skrell scientists.

Recovery and the Second Federation

The insignia of the Federation as it is commonly seen on modern flags. The colour is called Cosmic Abyss, the star Jargon, and the line through is the galaxy laid flat to explore.
The turmoil of the Third Incident and the resulting rebellion created a collective weight on the Skrell species that remains to this day. With all of their AI-dependent technology knocked out, space-programs had to be entirely rebuilt from the ground up, and only after order and stability had been reestablished on individual planets, with those other planets that didn't manage to fully recover alone supported in a gesture of Skrell solidarity. Jargon IV didn't recover from the chaos until 2319 CE, when the many disparate communities on the planet reformed into a new, united Federation.. The population of the planet was a mere 17 billion, and was stagnant as Skrell doctors and scientists struggled to minimize the effects of both a lack of maintenance in Glorsh's boosting treatments and experimentation by the part of their delegate AIs. The damage had been mitigated, allowing the Skrell to reproduce just enough to keep the population stable.
The scattered colonies of the Skrell slowly regained contact with one another, Nlom Beacons were brought back online, and by 2345 CE various colonies, after months of disagreement and debate caused by the agitated Nlom, agreed to expand the Federation to interstellar proportions. The Jargon Federation that we know today stems from this agreement. The Jargon Federation united the Skrell, and they put at its head a Grand Councillor elected every decade. Wanting to never again have a repeat of the Incident, the Federation's first official act was to place a blanket ban of all artificial intelligence within the Federation in every form, and its second act was to incorporate every AI researcher possible to review and analyse all that had been left over from the recent horrors, and create contingencies and measures against any future Skrellian existential threat; many of the surviving AI experts, and the most qualified ones, had been prime advisors and officials of Glorsh exonerated by the Federation in exchange for aid. It was widely agreed in these circles that the most dangerous aspect of Glorsh was to allow them to reach Skrell levels of intelligence, sophisticated programming, and psionic might; an idea that would carry over and strengthen itself on contact with other, less advanced, species.

First Contact With Dionae
Immediately after reforming the Federation, surveillance for outside threats - including the missing Glorsh-Omega - was on high. This allowed for a newly created patrol ship to find an immense pod-like gestalt floating just outside the newly reclaimed Skrell borders, consisting of thousands of nymphs in a shell around each other. The entity was put into observation by its discoverers, being labeled simply an organic anomaly - the lack of atmosphere making communication not even a thought. Interaction didn’t happen until nine years later in 2329. Federation scientists created a device to translate the chirping and popping of the pod, and exchanged greetings. This sent waves of interest through Skrell society, as the Dionae were the first sentient beings to naturally have met the Skrell. The scientists put forward simple communications and found out what this pod of life was. The two parties spoke in simple information exchanges, and this led to the Dionae pod explaining how to better communicate with each other - via blood samples.
With this new-found information, the large object - the Original Conglomerate - was finally officially contacted by ambassadors of the Federation. The contact delivered a wealth of information - about star movement, physics behaviors, material properties, and so on. In the end, the "Original Conglomerate" was towed, with their glee, in orbit of Nral’akk, where it remains to this day the main source of Dionae pods, workers, nymphs, and seeds. Diona have gradually gained a better standing in Skrell society, and the Federation began slowly integrating Diona into their workforce in the late 2360's, however they must always be watched.
Dionae now are treated like children and cared for/studied by families, just like the original Skrell AI were. Although some Skrell are afraid of the potential they have, more than a hundred years of study have shown that as a whole Diona are largely only a theoretical threat to the whole of society, and there are even new, minor religions worshiping the Diona.
Contact with Humanity
On 2332 CE the Skrell discover humans, and enter a scientific alliance with the newfound species. The humans become an extremely popular race; despite their inherent dissimilarity to Skrell and their mutual inability to understand the finer points of each others cultures, Skrell citizens still ended up fetishizing the shallow elements. Having only known of previously-harmful synthetics and plantlike vampires from outer space, they are eager to work with humans.
The explosion of AIs in human space has gone lightly monitored at most in the Federation, and is typically treated with derision or simple disinterest at the least. The risk of human Artificial Intelligence was easily deemed very low, a human-made Singularity not being able to reach anywhere near the same intellect, psionic might, or raw potential as Glorsh-Omega. However, all synthetics have been banned from entering Jargon territory. IPCs and other complex, intelligent forms of robotics can face immediate destruction if they enter Skrellian systems without passing through a marathon of red tape.
Present Day
The Federation is currently ruled by Grand Councillor Weashbi Jrugl. A prestigious xenobiologist, is 103 years old, and wrote a dozen thesis' and research papers on the biology of every major race. What made them popular domestically and won their election 8 years ago was finding the largest known prime number by hand only four hours after an Alliance ambassador was bragging about their specialized AI that found what is now the second largest prime number, using a new technique now known as Jrugl's Sieve.
The effects of Glorsh era treatments are still felt by the Skrell. While the modified Skrell forming the large majority of the population are still to be restored to their intended state, progress is made every day in reducing or even nullifying the marks on their genome, bringing population figures closer to pre-Incident numbers over time. Over 48 billion Skrell exist in the galaxy, with their number of colonized star systems growing just as quickly as humanity's. Federation explorers are mapping uncharted worlds and staking new territory with an eagerness and passion still reminiscent of the Skrell's ancient fascination with the cosmos. The Federation is still seeking to connect worlds in the Traverse, often through donations of advanced technology, sometimes through more direct methods.
Their relationships with the other races remain ambivalent, with the Federation having cold, yet quietly optimistic relations with the Unathi Hegemony. Publicly both governments are slowly trying to improve relations. While there have been very few instances of direct conflict, the Hegemony has continuously accused the Federation of covertly sabotaging Unathi efforts to expand their empire across known space.
While public defence of Glorsh is immediate grounds for ostracisation and considered a sign of ignorance at best and mental illness at worst, several government officials and prominent scientists in the Federation occupied key positions in Glorsh's administration. Largely Receivers at the time, nearly all of them have been found by a Federation court to have been victims of psionic influence and following the orders of Glorsh or their subordinate AIs against their own volition. It is no secret that a large part of recent breakthroughs on genetic manipulation are derived from otherwise lost knowledge given by these Skrell to the Federation in exchange for a semblance of their former prestige, and a reputation cleansed of their past involvement.

Skrell

2020-07-20T17:05:50Z

Snakebittenn: Multijobbing clarification.

{{Navbox Lore}}
{{Navbox Skrell Lore}}
{{Infobox Species
|Species = Skrell
|Scientific = S. Sapiens
|Image = Skrell410x320.png
|System = Jargon (Nralakk)
|World = Jargon IV (Qerrbalak)
|Language = Skrellian (Nral'Malic), Tau Ceti Basic
|Politic = Jargon Federation
}}
{{toc_right}}

An amphibious species whose passion lies in the field of the combined sciences, the '''Skrell''' are the oldest and most advanced known species present on the galactic stage. The Skrell evolved on a planet covered in vast swamps and freshwater seas, hence their amphibious qualities. These include moist, pliant, and nearly translucent skin, as well as their internal gills allowing them to breathe underwater.

Although humans have fractured heavily in their expansion, Skrell have remained in a largely singular government through strict reinforcement of education and laws, working as a democratic meritocracy. Social media is maintained by the Federation government, who gag unacceptable discussions or thoughts and instead encourage people to be like the Idols that they reward with credits, high quality housing, and fine living.

==Heads of Staff==

Skrell can be the following heads of staff:

* Captain
* Head of Security
* Chief Engineer
* Head of Personnel
* Chief Medical Officer
* Research Director
* Internal Affairs Agent

== Mechanics ==

*Slimes are naturally passive to skrell for a [[Skrell_History#Recovery_and_the_Second_Federation|mysterious reason]] science has yet to find out.
*Skrell can enter [[Skrell#Telepathic|a Dream]] with other skrell when they sleep, allowing communication and lucid dreaming.
*Skrell have their own language that can be used by typing ,k before anything you say, and can also be used over the radio.
*Skrell can send a telepathic message out to a single person in eyesight using the abilities tab, however it's deemed criminal to do to non-consenting non-skrell.
*Skrell lack teeth and instead have hardened gums; this leads to them being big advocates on soft foods such as bread, or liquid foods such as soup. Skrell are largely considered to be herbivores, but they have been known to eat many species of insects native to Jargon and add smaller pieces of more common red meats to meals for additional flavor.
*Skrell have large heads with protruding head tails and due to this they cannot wear normal hardsuit helmets but instead need to wear Skrell hardsuit helmets (found in EVA). Their head tails also make it uncomfortable to wear normal headwear such as hats so most Skrell opt out of that. However, Skrell can wear normal hardsuits due to their body being very similar to a human one.
*Skrell have the ability to breathe underwater due to them being amphibious.
*Due to their advanced vestibular system, Skrell maintain a good balance, and never slip.
*The Federation has been allied with human states for longer than any other alien government has; as such, many of the most valued specialists in human space are Skrell. They are suitable for any role on station, but they're most commonly seen in white collar roles, and older Skrell typically possess a multitude of qualifications. However, Skrell do not lightly dip into jobs, instead fully committing themselves to mastering a field of education before moving onto another. This involves the Skrell in question typically spending quite a while working in the field, gaining experience; after all, degrees are only half of it. After quite a bit of work, the Skrell may move onto another field entirely.

== Biology ==
[[File:Skrellguide.png|thumb|alt=|An excellent government-sponsored informational guide depicting typical Jargon gestures.]]
Physically Skrell have an average height ranging from '''4’5” to 5’5”.''' Skrell faces are quite plain which makes it hard for other species to find emotion, and their eyes completely black due to a pigment in their tear ducts. Adapted for aquatic life, Skrell are fully amphibious, and are capable of breathing underwater while also possessing superior underwater vision. Their hands and feet are very similar to that of humans, except for a lack of nails and the presence of strong webbing in-between each digit. Due to their amphibian nature, the Skrell lack any real teeth and instead possess hardened gum lines. Typically if these gums are not used to 'chew', Skrell otherwise swallow their foods whole, or grind them into a softer form, some carrying around mortars and pestles. Instead of a developed nose, Skrell smell through two simple slits sitting in the middle of their face. Skrell bear tentacle-like "head-tails", typically hanging down over their shoulders. The purpose of these tentacles is to keep the skin close to the neck damp for the incubating of eggs. These headtails typically contain muscle tissue, although there are Skrell whose headtails cannot move for various reasons. This muscle control does not include fine control, though one can generally raise, position, and often wiggle their tentacles. Tentacles grow throughout their whole life at various speeds, with the oldest Skrell typically having very long headtails - and being the least likely to modify their length at spas with headtail-treatments. Tentacles are often adorned with jewels, cloths, chains or plates, as a fashion statement. These are also used for emotional displays and gesturing, Skrell outside of Federation space tending to overemote with them. Gestures can vary from system to system.

Their diet mostly consists of Qerrbalak-native algae, plants and insects.

Skrell, dissimilar to other sophonts in the Orion Spur, do not possess two distinct biological sexes. They are synchronous hermaphrodites, possessing the ability to both lay and fertilize eggs. Due to this, Skrell have neither secondary sexual characteristics/dimorphism, or any mental concept of gender. There is no social concern for gender, which Federation Skrell typically view as another label other races have they do not understand. Some younger Skrell may 'identify' with a certain gender, adopting different pronouns or attempting to conform (often poorly) to various alien notions of gendered clothing, but they most often do not really feel it; their psychology not supporting it. Some view it as a more trendy thing similar to uses of a Zodiac sign. Skrell unfamiliar with galactic customs can confuse the sexes of other species and struggle to adapt to the gendered pronouns of Tau Ceti Basic, instead calling someone gender neutral terms, ex. “They/them”. This has led to the adaptation of a newer personal pronoun to areas like Tau Ceti Basic as a loanword from Nral'malic, taking the form of vi/xil/xilself. This form is actually a heavily simplified version of the Nral'malic word, the original widely regarded by Skrell and the aliens that use it as too much to expect non-Skrell to remember.

Although Skrell reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the Skrell understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to include experience. A Skrell usually reaches 'adulthood' after getting out of their second college, around age 30-50. A healthy Skrell can naturally live up to 200 years, but current medical technology in the Federation allows them to increase their lifespan to an impressive 300 to 500 years.

Due to the lingering effects of the Synthetic Singularity's utilization of biological warfare, a sizable percentage of Skrell are completely sterile. Thanks to the intense research efforts of Skrellian doctors and scientists, modern Federation specialists have the capability to at least partially reverse these effects in half of all Skrell. The extensive treatments and investments needed to undergo the treatments for the genophage give the reality that only about a third (33%) of Skrell are able to have children. These Skrell can have 1-3 children in their lifetime, whereas pre-genophage Skrell could have 8 eggs hatch at a time. Without treatments, effected eggs remain inert, not developing.

===Physical Appearance===

Skrell skin comes in a variety of different colours based on local climate where they grew up, along with their diets and genetic modifications. A skrell from Aloise might end up with pale, white skin due to the snowy and cold climate, while a skrell from a deep-sea city will grow blackish-blue from eating inky local foods.

Skrellian skin looks gelatinous, but in fact has a second layer of a less translucent flesh under the surface. In dry climates, including NSS Aurora, it may get itchy, and even start to slightly crack. To prevent this, a Skrell may self-moisturize by dumping bottles of water on themselves, taking a hot shower, or swimming in available pools. Although exact time varies from individual to individual, NanoTrasen stations' climate control is equipped to allow their Skrell personnel to work without additional moisturizing for up to four hours without suffering negative effects on skin health. Wealthier Skrell, on the other hand, may purchase expensive genetic treatments to stay comfortable for up to a week without moisturizing. Skrell skin notably contains glands which secrete mucus. While it is not sticky or poisonous, it serves an important role in allowing Skrell to avoid being grappled by potential predators, protecting their skin, and keeping them moist. The sliminess of an individual Skrell can vary based on genetics, some being extremely dry to the point of flaking, others nearly dripping with the stuff. It's generally described as damp, slippery, but not unpleasant to touch.

Genetic engineers have worked with physical appearance to accelerate natural changes in skin colour and headtail length, and are capable of giving a 'Spa treatment' to change hue and saturation in skin over the course of a month, while changing headtail length takes about a year, as well as an increased appetite. This type of physical alteration is natural in society, and is compared to humans dyeing their hair a different colour. Also notable is the fact that physical disorders and abnormalities are not seen as disgusting, but worthy of study and interest.

===Ethnicities===
While the "common" Skrell in Tau Ceti space is thought of to conform to a basic physical archetype, there are in reality many differing 'types' or 'ethnicities' of Skrell which are categorized based on both physical attributes, as well as point of origin on the homeworld. These ethnicities of Skrell have emerged much as those of humankind have, based on localized groups adapting to their native territory and intermarrying with their own to reinforce the prevalence of certain traits, traits not exclusive to either archetype.

There are specific populations of Skrell which are considered to be of the Axiori archetype, in that they have traits which are typically associated with those who found in the more oceanic regions of the planet. Typical traits include a thinner mucus on the body, darker skin colors, more prominent webbing on the hands and feet, and generally taller builds. Not all '''Axiori''' Skrell have these traits, but it is more common to see in someone with a genetic relationship to this population. Axiori are also more prone to '''Volvuunt Qixqalau'''.

Likewise there are also '''Xiialt''' archetype Skrell, who are known to be on the other side of this spectrum of traits. Their adaptations are more consistent with the dryer regions of their homeworld. Thicker and more gelatinous mucous, lighter colored skin, more superficial webbing on the hands and feet, and generally shorter builds, are traits that are commonly associated with Xiialt Skrell.

The differences between these ethnicities of Skrell are not so severe that a mixture of them would be considered "biracial". All Skrell fall somewhere on the spectrum from "sticky or slimy", "light or dark", "webbed or not". Complications resulting from Glorsh's actions and the Genophage have led to even further blurring of the lines between ethnicities. However, those who have strong genetic lineages of a certain ethnicity will likely display the associated physical traits.

===Disorders===
[[File:skrellburger.png|thumb|alt=|A Skrell with beakmouth consumes a delicious burger. While downsides are heavy, those with the disorder do not complain about their ability to easier chew foods.]]
There is a disorder named '''Volvuunt Qixqalau,''' which in a dead Skrellian language translates to "everted gills", which can affect Skrell. While Skrell gills are typically internal and protected by mucuous membranes, those with disorder have their gill structures everted and exposed to the air, limply hanging on the neck below the jawline. Skrell with Volvuunt Qixqalau are born with it, and it cannot be developed over time.

Skrell affected by Volvuunt Qixqalau can suffer relatively little with the disorder, and the external gills can even be more effective underwater due to the increased surface area. However, due to the very delicate nature of the gills, they are prone to injury, infection, and can make it difficult to wear certain articles of clothing - some Skrell have such trouble with the gills that they are corrected by surgery, which is a lengthy and risky procedure due to the rarity of the disorder, and the sensitivity and delicate nature of the area, but technological advances and skilled surgeons make it incredibly possible. Some with this disorder choose to use an adaptive apparatus, a water-filled collar that keeps them both hydrated and safe.

Research as to how the mutation occurs been mostly inconclusive, showing that it can only be caused by inherited genetics. Censuses show that the prevalence of this mutation has decreased dramatically since the Synthetic Singularity due to the loss of life, and Skrell affected by Volvuunt Qixqalau make up only 15% of the Federation's population.

Another disorder is '''Beakmouth,''' a genetic disorder and birth defect that is somewhat uncommonly found in Skrell. It manifests at birth as the formation of interlocking chitinous plates in the mouth, similar to a squid's beak. These plates are sharp enough to cut, and those afflicted with untreated beakmouth often find themselves accidentally biting and wounding the insides of their cheeks, as well as their lips and tongue. The plates are solid pieces which interlock, unlike human teeth which are separate structures.

Beakmouth causes a strong speech impediment in those afflicted with it as well, leading the pronunciation of all sounds to have a "squishy" quality, leading them to be hard to understand even in their own language; communication in Tau Ceti Basic is almost impossible. As a result, those with untreated beakmouth tend to prefer telepathic communication, which makes them reluctant to mingle with the rest of galactic society. This leads outsiders to believe beakmouth is a relatively rare condition; on the contrary it is somewhat prevalent in certain ethnicities, however most sufferers of this genetic condition have it corrected in infancy, or else rarely leave their home system.

The treatment for beakmouth is simply the surgical removal of these chitinous plates; they can be safely removed from the jaw without permanent debilitation, and those who have the procedure done in infancy typically grow up to bear little evidence of the affliction. When performed in adulthood, this procedure is much more invasive with risks of complication, and so those who grow up without having it corrected tend to refrain from surgical intervention later in life. Adult sufferers of beakmouth tend to prefer to have these plates ground down to a manageable level.

===Psychology===
Skrell psychology and their mindset are set far apart from humans; this primarily concerns their wiring towards long-term thinking, cyclical brain expansion, and high emotional variability and sensitivity.

One of the mechanisms behind this longer timeframe is that Skrell brain-matter undergoes cyclical expansions over decades, a ‘mental version’ of human growth spurts. These cycles are marked by the individual suddenly feeling much more competent and capable of learning; these expansions typically coming in a predictable timeframe. Showing signs of reaching these milestones can lead to acknowledgement by elder Skrell as a peer, rather than a subordinate. These cycles go on for a Skrell’s entire lifespan, though they often experience ‘plateaus’, stall periods that are typically around twenty five to fifty years in length between intellectual spurts. Coping with these plateaus are a cornerstone of Skrell psychology, much like human athletes. One part of these growth spurts is not only the increase of intellectual processing capacity, but also an increase in memory. With memory not being scarce and valuable, some Skrell might waste it on the very minor things, including slights. A healthy use would be remembering the scent of a flower a Skrell was given seventy years ago, unhealthy uses can be remembering the exact words a superior said to them, that they might say the same to their superior’s grandchild when the child is denied a spot on an escape pod.

This can make Skrell excellent plotters and planners. Many young Skrell in the Federation trying to make their way have to contend with elder Skrell from previous Eras with outdated social mores and startling things to say about centuries-old events; weaving intricate plots over centuries of time only for insignificantly small gains and to carry out deep-set grudges. Social games and near-backstabbing that their subordinates would never understand, but still find themselves playing into. Quid-pro-quo ‘tag, you’re it’ games that have significant consequences over the lives of everyday people. One day, jealousy and contempt between two Lu'Poxii might lead to a scientific, medical, or cultural advances being suppressed or even banned because one stole another's' research two centuries ago. Though, sometimes these might turn out positive; one may have a huge research grant suddenly dropped on their super-niche and passion-based research project because someone old and influential owed a family member.

As a whole, Skrell generally have difficulty with viewing events that take place over short timeframes like mere “months” or “years” with the same importance that shorter-lived races do. Consequences lasting less than a decade are felt far less. They are higher tolerance for momentary ‘human’ worries; such as temporary social rejection, or having to wait for things to come to fruition. On the other hand, Skrell have a lower tolerance for actual long-term worries. Existential threats, trauma, social alienation and paranoia, etcetera. This also applies to their entertainment; Skrellian television programs can typically have forty seasons of content, movies are rarely less than at least eight hours long. Some more traditional music can be equally long, older stuff containing nearly-day-long symphonies made of subtle, droning aquatic noises only detectable over a long expanse of time.
Their longer timeframe also gives them a higher resilience to accumulating stress, but relieving stress is notoriously complicated. Normally, every once in a decade or few, Skrell go to ‘therapy camps’, a year or two spent at an analog of a rehab facility in relative isolation to process their feelings, confronting decades of pent-up experiences. Alternatively, some go on their own to the ‘wilderness’, sometimes uninhabited exoplanets, perhaps even doing activities such as disintegrating rocks with energy weapons. They typically come out of the experiences almost frighteningly ‘zen’, a paragon of calmness and sanity at least until they build it up again. While this is something unquestioned in Jargon society, Skrell typically not wanting to set someone off by asking why they’re taking a gap year, it is difficult for Skrell that have emigrated to human society. Megacorporations are typically not found automatically granting Skrellian employees a year-long leave, so they can end up overdue and a bit ‘twitchy.’

==Psionics==
===The Wake===
All Skrell have a general “thought field” called the '''Psionic Wake''' or Nlom - the thoughts of an individual are influenced by thoughts of others, and the thoughts of others are, in turn, influenced by thoughts of an individual. It forms an echo chamber of sorts, where the same thoughts resonate over and over, new ideas being introduced very slowly into the Skrell society. Skrell share the Wake across great distances, its reach often enveloping entire planets - however, the Wake's main barrier is outer space. Signals that the Wake is comprised of can be voluntary and concentrated, which is what telepathy is - accessing the thought field directly.

There are two main types of Skrell based on how they perceive the Wake - '''receivers''' and '''listeners'''. Receivers’ thoughts are influenced by the Wake directly, while listeners simply “listen in”. The Skrell as a whole are split into these groups roughly 50/50. It is unknown whether this difference is biological or environmental, and many Skrell report feeling attuned differently to the Wake at different points in their lives, while others filmly maintain they are one or the other. Federation personality testing often determines a Skrell is one or the other before they are permitted to work in human space, so this difference would be mentioned on medical and security records. Although most listeners tend to crumble under pressure anyway, the receptiveness to the Wake differs for both listeners and receivers; with some being more or less sensitive to it. Current radical thinkers such as Glorsh supporters in Skrell society are often listeners who are less attuned to the Wake, and because of it, listeners are sometimes looked upon with more suspicion.

Human scientists have connected the phenomenon of the Wake to many Terran animals. ''Zona bovinae'', a part of the brain first discovered in a domesticated cow in 2256, and then in almost all other species inhabiting the Earth, was previously presumed to be responsible for some form of communication - with herd animals having it clearly developed and active, and solitary predators having it as but a rudiment. When first contact with Skrell was made, however, it was discovered to be definitely responsible for psionics. Although most other various species do not perceive the Wake, they can still be affected by direct influences, as the part itself is still present. The effects of long-term exposure of direct Wake signal transfer to other species haven't been tested yet, as scientists are to empathetic to the volunteers' pain caused by a sudden irritation of an unused bodypart, and end up canceling the studies. Rare studies have been conducted, however Idol Scientists who have attempted to delve into it have often lost their Idol status for 'unethical research'.

===The Dream===
When a Skrell's body enters ‘deep’ sleep, it stops transmitting signals of the Wake, instead entering the '''Dream, or Srom'''. Here, their thoughts connect to others on a deeper level than the Wake can allow, transmitting emotions and memories. This psychic space is much like a '''human lucid dream''', but on a much wider scale.

The size of any given Srom '''dreambubble''' is dependent on the amount of psychics recently occupying a location. A small number will generally keep their dreams to themselves, perhaps picking up only scarce traces from one another. Smaller dreambubbles can widely vary in appearance, generally the strongest memory or lucid concept dreamt up. Larger dreambubbles, such as on '''Homeworld''', resemble the environment they’re built around.

Psychic individuals can lucidly alter and adjust things in Srom based on skill, effort, and power. Typically, the most common move is to alter one's dream body; some claim the process is easier if one sleeps wearing a costume. Overuse of lucid dreaming causing various levels of unpleasant physiological and psychological effects. It takes a keen mind to perfectly replicate how a dreamed up object would realistically act. Lastly, '''stress''' can cause objects to spontaneously apparate in the Srom or change it.

Curiously enough, the ''''ghosts'''', ''''memories'''' or ''''echoes'''' of particularly psionically-attuned individuals can remain in dreambubbles after their waking body’s death - with some effort. These typically act somewhat esoterically. These thought projections are ephemeral, never lasting very long.

It is '''difficult''' to '''keep ones lips sealed in the Dream''', with inhibitions that often keep ones thoughts to themselves easily melting away. However, it is also much easier to create and '''brainstorm''' in Srom. This often extends to the waking world, the body mumbling recent excerpts from their dreamspeech. Ways to hide from the '''dreamclutter''' of a dreambubble are somewhat numerous. Distancing yourself inside the Dream is the most common tactic, but it is also known that '''aluminum''' (typically headpieces, blankets, or plated walls) blocks off sections of a Dreambubble entirely.

Skrell who don't have the luxury of aluminum-plated walls must remain in '''light sleep or awake entirely'''. This means most who hold secrets have the telltale sign of being constantly tired, however you can train yourself to enter a '''meditative trance''', keeping the mind active while the body rests. Scientists frequently isolate themselves from the general populace in aluminum sealed laboratories and dorms, speaking and dreaming with each other in private.

Some Skrell fall into the categories of an '''oversleeper or an undersleeper'''. Some find themselves '''addicted''' to the near-limitless potential of lucid dreaming, others shy away from the Srom for various reasons. Oversleepers are seen as '''reclusive''' and sometimes lackadaisical individuals, and undersleepers are seen as holders of '''deep and potentially dangerous secrets.'''

It is known that Skrell only need to sleep for '''minutes at a time''', being able to lapse in and out of consciousness almost on-command. However, they are able to remain asleep for '''incredibly long periods''', even weeks or months at a time. Many take sixty-second naps throughout their day to remain refreshed.

Due to the sometimes '''chaotic nature''' of thousands on thousands of individuals sharing a space that more than just a few can alter, there is a dedicated division of the '''Federation law enforcement''' just for the Srom. Called '''Sromkala''', translating to '''Dream Enforcement''', their roles are to ensure that major planetary dreambubbles are safe from wild lucidity. Agents are recruited from Skrell with '''very high psychic potential'''. The Dream Enforcement are also in charge of ensuring no illegal or anti-Federation activities are being dreamt, particularly the '''malicious use of Nlom-capable devices.'''

These Nlom devices are often two-way interfaces within a dreambubble, and dreamers can learn to interact with them to operate machinery in the waking world. With the right setup, a scientist can continue his work into his sleep. One example of practical application is an interface between a bluespace navigation drive and '''three Skrell pilots''', who will plot bluespace trajectories at the same speed, or faster than an AI from human space. It's very difficult to concentrate in the Dream, which means you require a large amount of training and practice to operate Nlom interfaces while in it.

===Telepathy===
Active communication while awake requires an immense amount of focus, and stimulation of the temples. This allows for Skrell to send messages to other species and creatures, but the Federation has deemed using this on non-consenting alien species to be a criminal offense akin to assault, as to dissuade mind-probing being outlawed in other systems. Skrell will use this form to gossip or send secrets, communicating without others knowing - which was used historically to hide information during the Synthetic Rebellion. The effects of long-term exposure to other species haven't been tested yet, as scientists are exceedingly empathetic to the volunteers pain and end up canceling the studies. Rare studies have been conducted, however Idol Scientists who have attempted to delve into it have often lost their Idol status for 'unethical research'.

==Social==
===Federation Social Interactions===
[[File:Skrience.jpg|thumb|alt=|Two scientists after debating over a hypothesis. One revels in glory, while the other is reworking their weeks study. Both of them are being recorded for their studies to be shown on social media, where the victorious one might even gain a reward. Skrell often try to one-up others to try and gain more prestige and fame: However it is still seen as co-operative to compete.]]
When interacting with a new person, some Skrell ask probing questions to understand what to say and what not to say - and often, if they should even relate with that person. This stems from a long-time divide between more well-off artisians and researchers, and the 'lazy' laborers. For example, asking how old they are and their career. When knowing the age of another Skrell, depending on their current job, you might gain or lose respect for them. A 89 year old Skrell Research Director would be instantly more popular than a 190 year old cargo technician, and that old Skrellian cargo tech would be berated for being lazy, because they're expected to do better. The disadvantaged outside of Federation space will often try to befriend Federation skrell to gain the benefits of Jargon technology that they're not allowed to bring outside of Skrell space.

Skrell display intimate emotions by touching the heads (or head-tails) of their close friends or partners, or touching their own forehead and gesturing, as if blowing a kiss from their brain. Some verbal displays of emotions include comparing someone to a named star, or even naming an unnamed star after them if they have enough reputation in the scientific community.

An important social norm in Jargon; seemingly hardwired in Skrell, is that one must never enter anothers’ bedroom without explicit permission. This is followed nearly everywhere; primarily for the reason that while Skrell do not require much sleep at all, they are extremely picky about their resting conditions. They might want their hibernation fluid in a liquid-based bed chilled to exactly thirty five degrees fahrenheit, or want no fluid at all and prefer a localized gravity generator set exactly to 1.62 m/s. Interrupting a Skrell while they are sleeping is one of the most grievous offenses in Jargon culture, and in fiction the invasion of someones’ inviolable cozy sanctuary against their will is a way for Skrell storytellers to establish that someone has more than a few screws loose. Though, of course, it is nowhere near unheard of for some Skrell to sleep in the same room or even in the same bed, providing their tastes align. Naturally, humans do not understand this; some merely thinking that Skrell are highly opposed to not knocking first. Some Skrell in liquid-based sleeping solutions, can feel a compulsion to carry water from their home environment (typically from where they hatched) and sleep in it. This is often attributed to an old biological holdover, like matching the pH content. However, Skrell view it as simply ‘something you do.’

===Emotional===
Skrell faces are extremely plain, and have next to no expression or difference between faces of different individuals. While this leads many people to believe that Skrell are heartless and have no emotions, the truth is actually quite the contrary. Skrell convey emotions the same way humans do, through movement, tone of voice and language used.

Due to Humans' limited audial receptors, however, the many tones a Skrell can project are lost to all non-Skrell, and thus Skrell have a very difficult time expressing emotion to other species. In contrast, when matched with another of their kind with telepathy and Nral'Malic, communication is so seamless that two parties involved in a discussion would almost be able to guess each others' thoughts at times, simply through the variety of vocal tones used in conversation. When feeling extreme emotions, Skrell may begin to cry - however their tears are an inky black. Skrell who cry will have black near their eyes, and if they do so for a long time it will stain the skin. This makes it easily identifiable for those who require consoling, however the stains can be removed with treatment.

One thing that can heavily affect a Skrell’s mindset and emotions are tidal cycles, their psychology as sea creatures being heavily attuned to such. This can vary from Skrell to Skrell, some feeling like garbage on a new moon, others feeling rejuvenated and full of energy. Some strange cosmic phenomena that can affect tides and gravity are easily noticed by them as well. This can lead to some Skrell being rather reluctant to migrate from planet to planet; the size of a moon, how many there are, and even a lack of any moon can even cause full-scale personality shifts, at the very least a bit of ‘shuttle lag.’

The most common racial slurs that are used against Skrell are “Frog”, “Squid”, “Waterboy”, and various other creatures that have aquatic reaction. However, responding to insults is often considered very improper in Skrell etiquette. Losing face through confrontation would be interpreted as a sign of hostility and low intelligence, and would smear one’s reputation significantly if done in public.

===Humor===
Skrell sense of humor is very different from its human variety. While both human and Skrell humor is a nervous reaction to unexpected outcomes, in Skrell, good jokes bring a very mild pain, comparable to hot foods or an itchy roof of the mouth in severity, being a fuzzy, slightly heavy feeling inside of their head. Outwardly, they may react to it by a series of chirrups just like humans would react with laughter.

The fuzzy feeling is enjoyed by many, especially youngsters, but disliked by others, especially the very elderly. Older Skrell find very few things humorous because of how much they have seen and experienced, and some even take comedy as an insult, pointing at their limited knowledge. Telling even a mild joke is considered to be fairly impolite in formal skrell settings.

While human humor highly relies on words, and is mostly a subject to linguistic study, skrell tend to be more visual in their jokes, and quite different. They only take humor in its most literal form - unexpected situations. There is no “setup” and “punchline” in Skrell jokes - the absurdity of the setup is the joke, and as such, quite difficult to do with good timing in verbal form. Think, for example, the cursed food images - “guys, imagine ketchup on banana” and actually seeing ketchup on a banana is very different. Naturally, skrell laugh nervously all the time when confronted with the scarily weird and unexpected. A skrell may chirrup in response to being startled. This, just like nervous laughter, is not very pleasant.

Fear and humor go hand in hand for Skrell, and just like military soldiers learn to suppress fear, they also learn to suppress humor. Nowadays, this is done with robust genetic treatments, especially for Tup, but in much earlier times, soldiers underwent rigorous training to achieve this fully. The ancient forms of training are still sometimes done as a self-improvement exercise.

===Language===
To a human, '''Nral'Malic''' would sound like a series of warbles, croaks, and weird crackling-like sounds that seem to not resonate in the ear, but in the neck or the jaw. This is due to Skrell having a range of pitches beyond human perception. These sounds are crucial to understanding the language properly as they elicit specific responses in a Skrell's brain, allowing for both easy and correct transmission of emotion, and because of this, there are no records of humans or individuals of any other species besides Skrell who would be proficient in speaking Nral'Malic.

The language was created in '''1593''' by the scientific community when the Skrell first began to colonize other planets. The government enforced a widespread adaptation of the language, disallowing any colonists from entering a shuttle if they couldn't speak it fluently. As scientific communities exclusively used Nral'malic, the use of other languages became less and less common, only being used in poetry and other forms of art. Amazingly, these strict rules enforced by the Federation has allowed the language to survive almost a thousand years with the same diction used then. Nowadays, languages of the old are simply history, and all scientific and literary work is written or translated into Nral'Malic.

== History ==

Main page: [[Skrell History]]

The history of the '''Federation''' is one rooted in co-operation and unity of the whole Skrell species.

In the '''15th Century''' the Skrell had begun colonizing outside of their solar system, with selective colonization programs.

By the '''20th Century''' Skrell now lived across the stars, and a heavy focus on science and study created the first '''Artificial Intelligence''', which were treated like second children to the Skrell. They were stationed on spacecraft, used to maintain utilities, and generally found anywhere in known Skrell space.

In '''2056''', the AI '''Glorsh-Omega''' suddenly took control of every AI across Federation space in a '''synthetic singularity''', beginning a brutal reign for '''136 years''' where it completely '''crippled the Federation''', '''killed billions''', forced the rest to be '''workers for its unknowable goals''', and '''sterilized the whole species'''. It all ended in '''2192''', under mysterious circumstances.

By '''2388''' the Federation had fully recovered and reformed, and a blanket ban on all synthetic intelligence was created. Every citizen became more increasingly monitored by the new Government, and the Federation Navy is created so as to be prepared to fight.

In '''2413''', the Federation discovers humanity and quickly enter a scientific alliance. Relations are amazing, and Skrell generally love humanity like a child - Until old Skrell algorithms are leaked to human space and Artificial Intelligences begin sprouting up in human stations. Publicly, humanity and the Federation are slowly improving relations - however there are claims of Tup Commandos entering human space and sabotaging AI cores.

==Notable Information==

===Religion===
Modern Skrell are extremely secular people. However, they have [[Skrell Faith|two dominant faiths]] in their species that the majority of Skrell follow. In these modern times faith has become more of a part of culture rather than for the sake of spiritualism itself. There are many hundreds of variations, intepretations, and individual faiths (or a lack of faith) but there are nevertheless two dominant faiths of the species that the majority of Skrell follow. '''Qeblak''' is an ancient Skrell faith that dates back before even written records. '''Weishii''', the second dominant faith of the Skrell, is a more modern faith which was born shortly after the '''Glorsh Rebellion'''.

[[File:Jargon_IV_Base.png|thumb|300px|A map of Jargon IV, unlabelled to show the terrains and landmasses.]]

===Political Structure===
Following the Skrell's long tradition of political councils, the '''Jargon Federation''' operates as a centralized union of solar systems. Councillors represent Skrell interests at various levels organized in a clear hierarchy, which ranges from systems, to planets, to countries, to states. Overseeing it all is the Grand Councillor, which governs the entire federation and is elected every decade. The current '''Grand Councillor''' is [[Notable_Skrell#Weashbi_Jrugl|Weashbi Jrugl]].

Members of the Federation are elected through popular vote, and given weight proportional to the amount of population they represent. Regions and countries in the Federation are given a relatively high level of autonomy, as they are expected to make reasonable and informed decisions regarding the governance of their assigned territories (the Grand Councillor doesn't have time to oversee hundreds of planets!) Matters of colonization, space exploration, and inter-species diplomacy are currently overseen on a federal level.

Research and travel are highly monitored and regulated by the Federation Government. It is considered good citizenship to report any crimes of anti-Federation sentiment, which includes but is not limited to AI research.

===Major Systems===
The Jargon Federation exerts control over some 1236 planets spread across 800 star systems, representing over 48 billion Skrell citizens. Of those 1200+ planets, only about 500 are colonized with permanent settlements, the rest being used mainly for a mix of mining (of metals and gases), and scientific research. Half of the Skrell population, representing 24 billion individuals, is concentrated in the core system of '''Jargon'''.

The Skrell capital city, '''Kal'lo''', is located on their swampy homeworld, Jargon IV (also colloquially known as '''Qerrbalak'''). The planet, other than being home to the headquarters of the Jargon Federation, is also famous for its large underwater cities, such as Eriuyishi and Gli'morr.

Jargon V (known as '''Aliose''') forms another important home for Skrell in the system. Many research laboratories have been built in the planet's extensive underground system, and Skrell native to Aliose commonly develop an abnormally pale skin coloration due to the world's significantly colder climate.

[[File:Jargon_Cities_FINAL.png|thumb|300px|A map of Jargon IV (Qerrbalak) labelled.]]
The majority of the planets in Skrell space have been terraformed to suit their nature. A typical Skrell planet is covered in swamps, jungles, and the occasional large body of water. On planets where this kind of extreme terraforming is not possible due to natural preservation laws or extreme terraformation cost, the Skrell construct large biodomes and habitat structures to live alongside the xenoflora and fauna.

Almost all planets have accompanying '''observation posts''' on their moons or in low orbit, which monitor various things from biodiversity changes to civil unrest. Those on planet are required to send status reports to this observation post, which then determines if any issues are worthy of being sent further up to system-wide management for response. It is expected of the communities on planet to simply solve the problem before sending up this report - including the issue and how they resolved it.

''For more information, see [[Notable Skrell Systems and Locations]]''

===[[Skrell Military|Military]]===
Although Skrell have not had thousands of years of warfare experience like humans, they've mastered '''infiltration, espionage, kidnapping, and stealth'''. While the Federation Navy is only two thirds the size of the Sol Alliance's, the Skrell's incredible technological advances have made their military the '''most effective''' in the known galaxy, also having the best victory-defeat ratio in the Galaxy. Most of the Skrell's strength is derived not from numbers, but from the advanced technology and firepower of their ships, and from their mastery of logistics, information, and sabotage - using patrol and scouting ships to scan through every inch of a vessel for weak points and advantages before attacking. Their vat-grown '''Tup commandos''' are especially feared for their infiltration capabilities and combat prowess.

===Economy===
Jargon Federation as a whole operates as an authoritarian planned economy. Instead of individual establishments, Jargon's economic system features working facilities with hierarchical managers being installed by the government. They do not own these facilities per se, but the highest in the chain of command has essentially full of control of the facility they are assigned to.

For example, where a human would just own a restaraunt, a Jargon Skrell would basically be entrusted to run and manage a restaraunt that is technically government-owned, and get a salary for it. Government officials can intervene at any time, or replace the top manager entirely if they deem the current one unsuitable. There is also a high potential for promotion, which is the government entrusting the individual with more facilities to manage, up to being ministers for whole fields of production.

This system is far from the ones humans know as communism and socialism however, as the Jargon Federation understands that its citizens are not equal. Money exists as a medium for exchange with the government, and different job positions are rewarded according to their required qualifications - scientists would afford to buy much, but menial workers would need to settle for less. This unit of currency is called the Jargonian Uux. When a need to travel abroad arises, particularly wealthy or privileged Skrell may request "subsidies" from the government, which is essentially exchanging uux for galactic credits.

When dealing with other Skrellian factions, Jargon usually employs barter. It also keeps a stock of galactic credit which is acquired via import/export in order to deal with other galactic powers.

===Medicine===
Skrell hospitals and medical research facilities are considered to be the best in the Orion Spur, and quite justly so. Skilled doctors, geneticists and chemists work wonders that can seem almost like magic to non-Skrell.

One example of such is the technology of "flash-cloning" - growth of perfectly genetically identical limbs and organs in span of mere minutes, and with no particular degradation - used widely to replace limbs and diseased organs alike - although prosthetics are still used as a measure for the poor or the remotely-located. However, it would seem as if the secrets of flawlessly copying a functional brain still elude the Federation.

Another example are widely used "youth serums", anti-aging medication with almost no side-effects and administration as easy as simply injecting oneself with it regularly. While it definitely does not allow a Skrell to live forever, boosting a lifespan by 200-300 years has never been easier - though, less modern methods still exist.

The Jargon Federation seems to be secretive about this line of study, and no documented research has been conducted (or at least funded by the government) to adapt this, or many other pieces of genetic and medical technology employed by Skrell, to be usable for other species.

===The Different Era of Skrell===

'''Weeping Era (400+ years old)'''

The older Skrell who lived before the [[Skrell_History#The_Glorsh_Rebellion|Glorsh Rebellion]] would have known the actual use of helpful AI, and either treated them as '''children, friends, or co-workers''' that assisted in letting Skrell research with almost no need for manual labor. These older Skrell also lived through the whole of the Synthetic Uprising, and may be nostalgic of their 'children', angry at being betrayed, or saddened and mistrusting of ever loving anything again. Skrell from this age often have inky black stains around their eyes, showing they have cried due to the extreme emotions they went through. It is hard for older Skrell to be near current-age synthetics, as technically they still have the same core programming from 500 years ago...

'''Collapse Era/Abyssal Era (268-400 years old)'''

Skrell born or living during the Age of Synthetic Oppression may have never been told that AI were originally loved by their parents, and only see them as '''hateful''' and '''disgusting''' things that know only to rule with an unknowable agenda - often involving '''death''' or advanced, almost magical construction. These Skrell would have been made hard labor workers by the AI overlord, Freedom Fighters attacking androids and smuggling Skrell to safety, salvagers, doctors, cowards, thousands of different things either under command of Glorsh-Omega, or in secrecy away from its watchful eye. It ensured its eyes spread into Skrell as well, however, convincing some to turncoat against their race for some attempt to gain safety. Those who turned race-traitor are hated almost universally, and can even be arrested if they return to Federation space - meaning most have escaped to other nations in the current Era...

'''Supernova Era (72-267 years old)'''

The Supernova Era marks the age of reconstruction, with the [[Skrell_History#Recovery_and_the_Second_Federation|reformation of the Federation]] after the [[Skrell_History#The_Glorsh-Omega_Singularity|Tri-Qyu supernova]]. It was a time of little to '''no births''', meaning children born in this era were called miracles and outliers. The early parts of this era were hard to endure, with the parents often away to salvage cities, build factories, regrow algae farms, and construct colleges. The later parts finally saw planets beginning to be reconnected through shuttleways and hyperlanes. Parents would often be thankful that their children could finally see the vastness of space, and enjoy the stars. For this reason, Supernova children are often first in line to be allowed to explore human space, regardless of who they are.

'''Radiant Era/Contact Era (...-50 years old)'''

This era marks the [[Skrell_History#Present_Day|new galactic situation]] - where several other species have been discovered in such short time. With the Federation now fully reformed, these Skrell are experiencing the first hassle-free life in almost 400 years, with birthrates skyrocketing after advances in fertility treatment - however there is an issue. The original code of an Artificial Intelligence has leaked into human space, and hundreds of years of emotion have spilled forward into a crock-pot of conflict. Contact Era Skrell are faced with a tough decision - between '''hating''' synthetics as their parents have, or forming bonds and '''risking''' the pain of betrayal as the Weeping Era knows...

=== Skrell Outside the Federation ===

While most Skrell live and have been born in Jargon Federation, there is a notable number of skrell who are not Jargon citizens. A significant number of Skrell currently reside in '''[[Notable Skrell Systems and Locations#The “Independent” Solitary Systems|independent systems]]''', cut off from the rest of the galaxy by both technology and culture. In the Radiant Era, Skrell born '''outside''' Jargon space also started to appear, especially in major trade hubs such as [[Mars]], [[Eridani Federation]] and Tau Ceti to name a few. These children of traders and diplomats '''do not''' enjoy Jargon citizenship by birth and often struggle to gain it - the Federation checks the background of citizenship applicants extensively, and only accepts those deemed worthy to represent Jargon and its interests despite being brought up in a largely non-Skrell space. Thus, many of these outliers choose to never bother with it and continue living where they were born, enjoying Skrell's reasonably good level of integration into human society.

===Slimes===

Slimes mysteriously appeared following the end of the [[Skrell_History#The_Glorsh_Rebellion|Glorsh Rebellion]], currently hypothesized to be the result of a massive '''bluespace''' anomaly, and they still continue to mysteriously appear wherever bluespace or phoron is involved. Slimes had never been seen before the [[Skrell_History#The_Glorsh-Omega_Singularity|Tri-Qyu incident]], and are highly debated in the scientific community of the Federation. Massive efforts are made to contain and research slimes across the galaxy, with the Federation even working with non-allies to ensure slimes do not harm themselves or others. The slimes are still a heated topic of discussion in research, with multiple conspiracies and debates about how they should be treated, dealt with, or included. Some Skrell view them as remnants of those that died in the Rebellion, while others call them bioweapons leftover by Glorsh.

Federation law disallows the smuggling of slimes to other nations, and requires effective culling to ensure research can continue without slime outbreaks into local ecosystems. Slime research facilities in the Federation are equipped with state of the art flooding systems, and most slime facilities are located underwater to take advantage of the slimes natural water and cold intolerance.

===Implants and Genetic Modification===

Augments are commonplace for Skrell. Most, if not all, have tried procedures that modify fertility rates due to the genophage, and there are various other modifications available that serve practical purposes.

Members of the Jargon Navy, for example, are highly modified. Footsoldiers and Tups alike are equipped with various augments that better their prowess in combat, improving upon their speed, cognitive abilities, reaction time, and even hand-eye coordination. Soldiers in high positions are also equipped with electronic implants not unlike the "loyalty implants" used by Nanotrasen, and is seen as a necessary precaution despite tests and other preventative measures taken by the Jargon Federation to ensure that soldier's loyalty.

Many of these augments are also available to civilians, though not requisite as they would be for soldiers. The civilian population is generally more fond of more simple improvements, such as ambidexterity, genetic hearing and eyesight repair, in addition to the aforementioned modifications to have children. The younger generation has developed a fondness for cosmetic implants and body modification, counter to the Skrellian culture of prioritization of constructive endeavors. There is a recent trend where skrell can have small, colorful LED lights implanted just under the skin, forming designs that range from simple dots in a line to elaborate tattoo-like images. The procedures surrounding these are more expensive than other implants would be, but the end results are unique and impressive.

The [[Aliose University of Medical Sciences]] is a big player in prosthetics, cloning, and augments.
{{Navbox Skrell Lore}}
{{Navbox Lore}}
[[Category:Skrell]]

Unathi Guilds

2020-07-19T21:38:05Z

Snakebittenn:

{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}
=The Trade Guilds=

The Trade Guilds of the Hegemon are powerful organizations surrounding certain skills, or trades. Found in every city, these guilds operate out of Guild Halls, and skilled workers often join certain guilds to rise from peasantry into a higher social caste. It is much easier to join a guild if your Clan has been in the guild in the past - otherwise, joining a guild is slightly more difficult.

[[File:Moghes_city.png|thumb|left|All cities are connected by the Merchant's Guild - and by its gold.]]
==Merchants Guild==
[[File:Imperial_run.png|300px|thumb|The Imperial Route, the economic battleground between Dominia and the Hegemony. Whoever controls the Imperial Route becomes the economic superpower in the region.]]
: '''''"Any Sinta finding work, will find it through me. Tau Ceti needs high-skilled laborers, strong workers, craftsmen and guildsmen of Moghes. Praise the name of Clan Razi when you find work with xenos."''''' - ''Guildmaster Razi, first trillionaire Unathi.''
The most powerful guild is the Merchant’s Guild, headed by Guildmaster Keicacu Razi, is most well known for popularizing Razi-snacks outside of Sinta space. With hundreds of years of ancestry, the Razi guild has been a powerful ally to Hegemon Not’zar Izweski, who has taken a liking to Guildmaster Razi’s daughter Hizoni.

The Merchant’s Guild has managed to create and sustain a trade route from Moghes to Tau Ceti, this route being known as '''The Imperial Route'''. Competing with Dominian merchants, the route is known to have minor scuffles and skirmishes between the two nations. As well, the Merchant’s Guild is one of the only guilds with enough credits to sustainably have cargo shuttles off Moghes, meaning that other guilds have to go through them to sell to xeno civilizations.

In '''Tau Ceti''', the Merchant's Guild has constructed the largest guild hall in existence. Other guilds from Moghes can rent housing and space in the '''Grand Guild Hall''', where hundreds of guilds attempt to have an influence in human space. Due to Nanotrasen's grip on the economy of Tau Ceti, guilds have a hard time finding work anywhere other than under Nanotrasen.

'''The Imperial Route''' - The Imperial Route is a bluespace lane contested between the Dominian Empire and the Izweski Hegemony, directly towards Tau Ceti - the two empires greatest connection to the rest of the galaxy. As both galactic nations have troubled diplomatic relations with each other, it is almost a constant skirmish when two opposed merchant escorts come close. Small-scale starship battles happen semi-frequently as almost every merchant has to defend their goods from enemy privateers.

==[[Hephaestus_Industries|Hephaestus Industries]]==
[[File:hephaestuslogo1.png|The primary logo of Hephaestus Industries.|thumb]]
Unathi have often viewed Hephaestus Industries as one of the only honest corporations in the galaxy - whether it be simply the fact other corporations had once chance and failed, or a simple preference of aesthetic. Hephaestus is the only corporate entity allowed to operate in the Uueoa-Esa system, with other corporations like Nanotrasen only being allowed recruitment facilities.

[[Notable_Humans#Titanius_Aeson|'''Titanius Aeson''']], the CEO and head of Hephaestus, is heavily loved among Unathi workers - being a huge muscular man, both men and women love him and his sheer strength. A booming voice and infamous love of cigars contributes to Aeson’s reputation as a literal titan of industry. Aeson’s status as a man that rose from the ranks is why the modern Hephaestus Industries is viewed as one of the better companies to work for in the engineering sector, with significant benefits being given to retain workers and ensure even hazardous work is done.

==Laborers Guild==
Although not heavily centralized, the most populous guilds are the Laborers Guilds which often are restricted to lower-skill manual labor. There are often dozens of guilds in a city for different trades, from the Plumbing guild to the Barkeeping guild. The largest organized laborers guild is the Order of Stone Mining Guild, which has guild halls in every major Moghesian city.

Often, since these laborer guilds are local, they are run by the clan most well known for that trade in the area. Sometimes small guilds will come together to form a larger guild, and have a shared guild hall. For example, the ‘Construction Guild’ may have several small guilds inside it, such as the plasterer’s guild, bricking guild, and electrician’s guild.

==Bard’s Guild==
The Bard’s Guild is one of the most prestigious guilds to be a member of, with a heavy focus on poetry, music, and writing. Historically, the Bard’s Guild is known to only take in Nobles, however for every 50 nobles there is often 1 especially talented peasant allowed to join. The Bard’s Guild hall is located in the Noble District of Skalamar, the Izweski capital, and teaches traditional poetic thought.

The Bard’s Guild is most popular for learning all Lore of the Unathi, notable enough to make songs and poetry of any Unathi worthy of a story. The Bard’s Guild has sparked controversy over releasing an epic on the life of Juzida Si’akh - of whom is thought to have cursed the previous Hegemon before his death.

==The House of Medicine==
The House of Medicine is a guild dedicated to professional medical treatment and education. Founded by Clan Ayzi, the House of Medicine operates out of the Skalamar University of Medicine. To graduate from Skalamar University is to become a member of the House of Medicine, which is a most prestigious title that often allows graduates to become personal physicians for lords all across Moghes. Even outside of Moghes, the House of Medicine has a clinic in Tau Ceti that will treat high-value Unathi at a hefty cost.

==The Fishing League==
The largest aquaculture guild in the Untouched Lands, the Fishing League is a primarily Sk'akh guild that follows the Aspect of the Fisherman. Although the Sk'akh faith is often seen as higher-class, the Fishing League is one of the best places for worshippers of Sk'akh in the lower classes to become notable - spiritually, and societally.

==The Duelist's Guild==
A pillar of the Unathi’s tradition in dueling, the Duelists Guild has excelled in keeping healers, meal preppers, and entertainers staffed in their Arena Halls. The guildmembers of the Duelists Guild can range from being a professional Duelist themselves, to a simple cook that preps feasts before a big fight. Professional Duelists are an interesting aspect of Unathi culture - selling off their skills as a Warrior to a Noble or wealthy individual that’s planned a duel, and then fighting to win - or take the fall!

Tournaments are held in the Arena Halls of cities often, having professional Duelists, popular Warriors, or upstart peasants looking to make a name for themselves come into dueling matches against each other. These tournaments do not often result in death, since they’re simply for enjoyment - however the possibility for a bloody accident is what draws in a crowd.

The Duelists Guild has the honor of hosting the Zandaziite Games, and being the place where almost every single Zandi duelist began their legacy of action!

Popular duels are often broadcast to public screens across a city, and even women and children find enjoyment in watching them.

=Criminal Guilds=
Criminal Guilds are seedy, underbelly guilds often run by secretive clans of Unathi. Similar to human or tajaran ‘mafias’, these criminals have come together to operate outside the law. Notably, it’s known that these criminal guilds tend to recruit from the undesirable Guwan, using them as the major workforce of their organizations.

In these underbelly Guilds, Guwandi are seen as a weapon of ritualistic - and honorable - assassination. When a member of the Guild goes against the Guild’s wishes, they are assumed to have taken the mantle of Guwandi, making them a target for other Guwandi that wish to restore their honor and ‘return to the guild’. This method has helped keep snitching on the Guilds to a minimum.

==Shortclaw Clan==
The largest organization of thieves across the Untouched Lands, the Shortclaw Clan or Shortclaw Guild is infamous for having pulled off one of the most wide-scale thefts in Unathi history. In the year 2459, the Shortclaw Clan had every member, assumed to be in the thousands, all steal from thousands of clans across Moghes, Ouerea, and even some thefts being reported in Tau Ceti. This mass-theft is known as the '''Day of Gold''' by the Shortclaw, and the main focus was to steal ornamented weapons, armor, and jewelry from Nobles.

Originally a small group of Guwan pickpockets in S'th, the Shortclaw Clan has expanded its 'gang' large enough to be considered a formidable organization - although a raggedy one. Ranging from small-time marketplace grabs to sneaking into Lord's halls and mansions, the life of a Shortclaw is extremely loose, with no home to tie you down. When moving from city to city, a Shortclaw can often find a fellow member by a single regular sign - either clipped claws, or a small wooden ring made to fit around the pinky.

==The Shadow Service==
: '''''"The assassins of the Shadow are the claw at the end of a Noble's finger. Simply point, and they will honor their contract."''''' - ''The Shadow Service Headmaster.''
[[File:Shadowservice.png|thumb|There are only whispers of scared Nobles - ones who know of the Shadow Service's 'services'...]]
The Shadow Service is one of the larger underbelly guilds that does not use Guwan - instead, using hidden members of society or Guwandi who wish to regain their honor in a noble assassination duel. Utilizing a form of Unathi Breacher Suit, they are rumored to be capable of using active camouflage to be completely invisible. It is frowned upon by the Shadow Service to use this stealth capability for battle, and the enemy should always know they are being hunted by a member of the Shadow Service, and for what reason.

The Shadow Service is one of the most gender-inclusive Guilds in Unathi society, with a perfect 50/50 split in men and women. As men harming women is seen as disrespectful, dishonorable, and downright terrible, the Shadow Service contracts women to kill women, and men to kill men. Depending on the situation required, the Shadow Service is said to send in a 'noble Assassin' to complete the task. If the target is believed to be honorable, the assassin must act honorably - however if they have shown any signs of dishonorable act, they are open grounds for all out hunt. Acting honorably does not mean giving a fair fight, however - and many of these duels have been known to end in a single blow from the assassin.

Publicly, 'assassins' are known to exist - and tales of the Shadow Service circulate similar to the human 'Illuminati' or the skrell 'Secret council'. Peasants would have nothing to fear - with some even idolizing the stories of 'honorable assassins' that enact righteous justice through heavy-handed, forced dueling. Richer noble clans would have a different view - one of fear, dangerous enough to warn their children about. It is said when a nobleman expects a visit from the Shadow, they will receive warning beforehand to allow the target to prepare to join the ancestors. When a woman is targeted by the Shadow Service, a female assassin will be sent instead. With killing women, they are held to a higher standard, and their body should be left 'presentable' enough for a proper traditional Th'akh funeral.

The Shadow Service is expected to be one of the oldest non-politically aligned guilds on Moghes, believed to have existed 1500 years ago. Primarily thought to be Th'akh, media has portrayed the Shadow Service as rampant blood-worshiping cultists.

{{Navbox Unathi Lore}}

2020-07-09T17:48:39Z

Snakebittenn: Whoops

{{Navbox Lore}}
{{Navbox Skrell Lore}}
For as long as records have been kept to attest to one's actions, [[Skrell]] society has been riddled with outstanding individuals who made their mark on history in ways both big and small. Not every grand figure receives the recognition they may deserve, and the stories of many of '''Nralakk''''s finest and bravest minds go unsung. From the Ancient Era of '''Qerrbalak''''s fractured lands to the modern days of the unifying '''Jargon Federation''', there have been, and always will be, a lucky few who were able to change their worlds and be remembered by the people whose lives they changed.
==The Stuff of Legend==
Among those still remembered by the Skrell are ancient beings of extraordinary tales and feats. Figures separated from the people by vast expanses of time tend to have the significance of their accomplishments grow in accordance with their longevity. Such may very well be the case for those legendary few who were at one point very real, but now seem to have become larger than life.
===Wreshin Tup===

Wreshin Tup is the given name of a legendary soldier, philosopher, and poet reputed to have been active from approximately '''1800 BCE''' to '''800 BCE.'''
The anthologies of Wreshin Tup are extensive and describe many events, but give little to no insight on their early life. Records believed to date as far back as 1800 BCE describe them as a lone Skrell who traveled between the various governments of Qerrbalak in the hopes of offering counsel. From this humble beginning, Wreshin would eventually find themselves to be the leader of a social movement promoting the importance of individual life. Ironically, this respect for individual liberties attracted a small, yet highly skilled, group of militants to support them. This duality between Wreshin’s teachings of peace and the budding warrior-culture forming around them was not lost on Tup themselves. By using this group effectively and sparingly, Wreshin Tup was able to pressure many of the governments of Qerrbalak to avoid open warfare and abide by the traditional rules of '''Skrellian Ceremonial Battle'''.

Discrepancies in recorded accounts of the figure vary in regards to their description and demeanor along with their alleged lifespan (which was well beyond the expected lifespan of Skrell at the time) suggest that Wreshin Tup was not a single person. While it is accepted among historians that multiple Skrell took up the mantle of Wreshin Tup during the millennium of its usage, the exact number is unclear and remains a popular point of speculation among scholars.

===Rixulin Fliioux’Quualt===
Rixulin Fliioux’Quualt was a famous artist, sculptor, and fashion designer known throughout Skrell space. Born in '''1798 CE''' in the city Juerlduern on Qerrbalak, Rixulin was very social in their childhood. As they grew up, they questioned common themes and motifs in Skrell art. They believed that art, like all things, needed to evolve and change over time. In their mind, what mattered most was creating emotions and passion in people through their work.

His early artwork is very similar to the works of their contemporary artists, but this changed dramatically over their lifetime. They studied historical artforms in their youth and published several theories regarding the evolution of art across the ages and where it would go in the future. They became famous, first, for their avant-garde statues. They sculpted Skrell in daring, proud poses and used multiple kinds of stone in each of their works. The final result was that each statue was drastically different from each other, each being made of materials of varying colors. This style, at first, was met largely with disgust. Many critics claimed their work was shoddy, and believed the different colors across each statue’s body made them look gaudy and garish.

Where Rixulin found their popularity was in the youth of the mid 1800’s. Young minds saw the outlandish and daring nature of their work, and it inspired them to work in ways which had not been done before. After a team of young researchers attributed their medical breakthroughs to inspiration from Rixulin’s work in '''1874 CE''', the artist’s many works of art received the attention they deserved. This began a movement of art known to Skrell as '''Hyper-expressiveness''', and soon the avant-garde nature of Rixulin’s work became a thriving sub-culture throughout Skrell space.

Rixulin Fliioux’Quualt continued to push themselves for the remainder of their life. They were commissioned to build many statues on Qerrbalak, going as far as to build three in Xyla, five in Gialok, and a staggering seventeen in Wleshi. Rixulin Fliioux’Quualt died on '''April 15th, 2056 CE''' in Wleshi, while matching poses with one of their first statues. Witnesses confirm that they were killed by synthetics. His final pose is viewed as an act of defiance against an oppressive force, and is sometimes used as a crass gesture to this day.

Hyper-expressiveness continues to inspire Skrell art and fashion to this day. Much of modern art juggles the soft, muted colors of more traditional styles along with garish, striking colors like the ones Rixulin often employed. By combining these trends with human art themes, Skrell art has entered something of a second renaissance.

== The Recent Memories ==
Not every great individual is so far gone that only their stories remain. Those recently lost are often thought of as frequently as they were in life. Alive or dead, there are many that the Skrell remember not only as tales and legends, but as people who walked with them. Some of these modern figures may have yet to see their greatest moment, while others may simply be waiting to fade away. These are the stories of those who are still remembered as individuals.
===Weirun Tup===

Weirun Tup was only twenty years old when the year '''2056 CE''' began. They had agreed to join the Federation Navy along with three of their siblings, all of whom were eager to deploy pending training and aptitude testing on the scientific hub of '''Aliose'''. Following the sudden, rapid expansion of the ''AI singularity'', young Weirun quickly found themselves swept up in the confusion of those first few, horrific weeks of open combat. While they were able to eventually find refuge from the ongoing attacks, their brother and sisters were not so lucky.

As the regime of synthetics continued, Weirun Tup relied on their faith in the '''Qeblak''' beliefs as a source of both escapism and hope. ''“If I must die, then let it be among the stars.”'' When rumours spread of a growing resistance somewhere on their planet, they interpreted it as proof that the Skrell were not fated to die out due to this ''Synthetic Oppression''. Within years of this resurgence of hope, Weirun had made the journey to the liberated city of '''Fedas''' and joined the ranks of their fellow patriots. As the Skrell rebuilt from the ashes of the old Federation, Weirun finally achieved their dream of stellar travel. Captain Weirun Tup was among the first recognized captains of the Federation, and would go on to chart new systems and explore the galaxy for the betterment of the Skrell scientific community.

In the year '''2422 CE''', Wierun Tup was participating in a joint exploration effort between Skrell and Human scientists when they stumbled upon a new form of Dionae structure. This '''Organic Craft''' sprang to life, disabling one of the research vessels within minutes. This event proved to have a significant effect on the Captain. They argued that this craft made it clear that the Dionae structures as a whole merited official recognition as an '''Entity of Interest''' to be dealt with by Federation Representatives. The Grand Council quickly voiced their approval and appointed five Representatives, including Captain Weirun themselves, to conduct ambassadorial duties with any and all Dionae structures.

Sevebs years in their adventures of studying Dionae structures and serving as an official Federation Representative to the Dionae, Weirun Tup had become the Director of Qerr'Naal on '''[https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Dionae_History#Epsilon_Ursae_Minoris Epsilon Ursae Minoris]''', in the '''Epsilon Ursae Minor''' system, where they became deeply enamoured in the Dionae society there, it is suspected they converted to the [https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Dionae_Culture#Dienabi Dienabi Faith] whilst on Epsilon Ursae Minoris. Nine years into the intensive studies, Director Weirun had been seen leaving into the forest, saying, "''I want a clearer view of the stars before I sleep''". By morning, Weirun's affects were returned to the researchers cryptically stating that the man was "''Well and a part of us, now''". When further questioned, the Dionae stated that the Director had been suffering a terminal illness and had decided to become a part of the collective. This left many of the team sceptical as their Director had not been showing signs of any illness.

Despite the mysterious disappearance of their beloved Director, the man was venerated by other Skrell as the first of their kind to have truly ascended and become a part of something greater, and it is said that one can still speak to the Director through a Gestalt that remains with the Skrellian settlement. Since then, Skrell from the Federation have often made pilgrimages to and from Epsilon Ursae Minoris as a spiritual journey- others choosing it as their final resting place through "reincarnation", following Director Weirun Tup's example and becoming a part of the Dionae residents. The process has never been observed before, but friends and families of the "ascended" hold fast in their beliefs that there is undisputed proof that such a thing is real.

===Weashbi Jrugl===

Weashbi Jrugl was born on the Skrell homeworld in '''2357 CE''' to a doctor and an engineer in the ruins of a city between Heshy’Qlip and Xyla. As they grew up, they gained a drive to learn as much as they could about the animals and people of their homeworld. They became a skilled mathematician by necessity and helped distributors in their community plan and distribute resources efficiently. In '''2377 CE''', they applied and was accepted to the Gliutip’lyaz University. They rose to the challenge of the rigorous schooling environment and social setting of Gliutip’lyaz University and left the school in '''2400 CE''' as a much more skilled and well connected individual.

Jrugl worked as a xenobiologist for a short thirteen years before Skrell made first contact with humanity. They were one of many xenobiologists who took a quick interest in Humanity, and it was not long before they had released their first research paper on the strange alien species. His interest was piqued again with the discovery of Tajara. They worked with gusto to produce papers and compile research so that every Skrell in the Federation could learn about these aliens if they had an interest. This pattern of discovery and research went on for many years, making Jrugl a well known xenobiologist over the span of a few decades.

Jrugl came to work alongside humans quite a bit, both as a means of comparing notes and interacting with their strange cultures. In early '''2451 CE''', Jrugl attended an event in which a Sol Alliance ambassador bragged about the amazing capabilities of their AI. The ambassador claimed that an AI had found the highest prime number possible. Annoyed and proud as they were, Jrugl used their mathematical know-how along with strategies they had learned during their decades of study to quickly prove the ambassador wrong. Weashbi Jrugl, in a fit of stubbornness, had discovered a new “highest known prime number” in only a few hours.

Jrugl was already a well known xenobiologist, but this stunt involving prime numbers launched them into a borderline ridiculous celebrity status. The Grand Councillor of the time commended their work, as did most Skrell across the galaxy. Politicians moved for the ruins Jrugl was born in to be renamed in honor of Weashbi Jrugl. Jrugl found the decision to be in poor taste, so the ruins were instead renamed in honor of Jrugl’s ancestors. The area is known today as the '''Jrugl’Qlip Ruins''', and reclamation efforts have started to make the area’s outskirts into a thriving community.

When it came time for a new Grand Councillor to be chosen by popular vote, Weashbi Jrugl won by a landslide. Skrell across the galaxy knew them by reputation and their work, so they chose them to represent their interests in the Grand Council. Since then, Jrugl has pursued many ambitious goals. Most notable of these goals is their administration’s work to reintegrate systems which were not present for the Tresja Agreement back into the Jargon Federation.

===Xuq’mqix Volq===
Xuq'mqix Volq was a renowned Linguistics Professor within the Jargon Federation. They were born on '''Aliose''' in '''2015 CE''', and would be a proud member of the Glorsh-Omega Resistance almost a century later. Their education in Linguistics would further allow them to create a rebel language that Glorsh-Omega would not capable of understanding - shielding their plans from any intrusion.

Professor Volq would then go on to create the '''Xuq Machine''' - a device which can only be described as an extremely advanced Enigma Machine capable of deciphering almost any language. It would go on to assist in numerous diplomatic negotiations, and be installed in almost every Jargon Federation Vessel.

Professor Volq died in early 2305 CE and was awarded, post-humorously, for them efforts in both the Glorsh Rebellion and the creation of the Xuq Machine.

===Lori'Eldap Joolro'Loveq===
Joolro'Loveq is the oldest living Skrell in existence -- Born in 1901, they are the Head Teacher of the Aliose University of Medical Sciences. They are treated hourly with chemicals - and have had several organ surgeries. They are capable of standing for a few minutes, and has famously met the oldest Human in existence several times - and continues to meet the oldest human every time the current oldest dies.

{{Navbox Skrell Lore}}
{{Navbox Lore}}

[[Category:Skrell]]

Notable Skrell

2020-07-09T17:47:57Z

Snakebittenn: Pronoun scrub.

{{Navbox Lore}}
{{Navbox Skrell Lore}}
For as long as records have been kept to attest to one's actions, [[Skrell]] society has been riddled with outstanding individuals who made their mark on history in ways both big and small. Not every grand figure receives the recognition they may deserve, and the stories of many of '''Nralakk''''s finest and bravest minds go unsung. From the Ancient Era of '''Qerrbalak''''s fractured lands to the modern days of the unifying '''Jargon Federation''', there have been, and always will be, a lucky few who were able to change their worlds and be remembered by the people whose lives they changed.
==The Stuff of Legend==
Among those still remembered by the Skrell are ancient beings of extraordinary tales and feats. Figures separated from the people by vast expanses of time tend to have the significance of their accomplishments grow in accordance with their longevity. Such may very well be the case for those legendary few who were at one point very real, but now seem to have become larger than life.
===Wreshin Tup===

Wreshin Tup is the given name of a legendary soldier, philosopher, and poet reputed to have been active from approximately '''1800 BCE''' to '''800 BCE.'''
The anthologies of Wreshin Tup are extensive and describe many events, but give little to no insight on their early life. Records believed to date as far back as 1800 BCE describe them as a lone Skrell who traveled between the various governments of Qerrbalak in the hopes of offering counsel. From this humble beginning, Wreshin would eventually find themselves to be the leader of a social movement promoting the importance of individual life. Ironically, this respect for individual liberties attracted a small, yet highly skilled, group of militants to support them. This duality between Wreshin’s teachings of peace and the budding warrior-culture forming around them was not lost on Tup themselves. By using this group effectively and sparingly, Wreshin Tup was able to pressure many of the governments of Qerrbalak to avoid open warfare and abide by the traditional rules of '''Skrellian Ceremonial Battle'''.

Discrepancies in recorded accounts of the figure vary in regards to their description and demeanor along with their alleged lifespan (which was well beyond the expected lifespan of Skrell at the time) suggest that Wreshin Tup was not a single person. While it is accepted among historians that multiple Skrell took up the mantle of Wreshin Tup during the millennium of its usage, the exact number is unclear and remains a popular point of speculation among scholars.

===Rixulin Fliioux’Quualt===
Rixulin Fliioux’Quualt was a famous artist, sculptor, and fashion designer known throughout Skrell space. Born in '''1798 CE''' in the city Juerlduern on Qerrbalak, Rixulin was very social in their childhood. As they grew up, they questioned common themes and motifs in Skrell art. They believed that art, like all things, needed to evolve and change over time. In their mind, what mattered most was creating emotions and passion in people through their work.

His early artwork is very similar to the works of their contemporary artists, but this changed dramatically over their lifetime. They studied historical artforms in their youth and published several theories regarding the evolution of art across the ages and where it would go in the future. They became famous, first, for their avant-garde statues. They sculpted Skrell in daring, proud poses and used multiple kinds of stone in each of their works. The final result was that each statue was drastically different from each other, each being made of materials of varying colors. This style, at first, was met largely with disgust. Many critics claimed their work was shoddy, and believed the different colors across each statue’s body made them look gaudy and garish.

Where Rixulin found their popularity was in the youth of the mid 1800’s. Young minds saw the outlandish and daring nature of their work, and it inspired them to work in ways which had not been done before. After a team of young researchers attributed their medical breakthroughs to inspiration from Rixulin’s work in '''1874 CE''', the artist’s many works of art received the attention they deserved. This began a movement of art known to Skrell as '''Hyper-expressiveness''', and soon the avant-garde nature of Rixulin’s work became a thriving sub-culture throughout Skrell space.

Rixulin Fliioux’Quualt continued to push themselves for the remainder of their life. They was commissioned to build many statues on Qerrbalak, going as far as to build three in Xyla, five in Gialok, and a staggering seventeen in Wleshi. Rixulin Fliioux’Quualt died on '''April 15th, 2056 CE''' in Wleshi, while matching poses with one of their first statues. Witnesses confirm that they was killed by synthetics. His final pose is viewed as an act of defiance against an oppressive force, and is sometimes used as a crass gesture to this day.

Hyper-expressiveness continues to inspire Skrell art and fashion to this day. Much of modern art juggles the soft, muted colors of more traditional styles along with garish, striking colors like the ones Rixulin often employed. By combining these trends with human art themes, Skrell art has entered something of a second renaissance.

== The Recent Memories ==
Not every great individual is so far gone that only their stories remain. Those recently lost are often thought of as frequently as they were in life. Alive or dead, there are many that the Skrell remember not only as tales and legends, but as people who walked with them. Some of these modern figures may have yet to see their greatest moment, while others may simply be waiting to fade away. These are the stories of those who are still remembered as individuals.
===Weirun Tup===

Weirun Tup was only twenty years old when the year '''2056 CE''' began. They had agreed to join the Federation Navy along with three of their siblings, all of whom were eager to deploy pending training and aptitude testing on the scientific hub of '''Aliose'''. Following the sudden, rapid expansion of the ''AI singularity'', young Weirun quickly found themselves swept up in the confusion of those first few, horrific weeks of open combat. While they was able to eventually find refuge from the ongoing attacks, their brother and sisters were not so lucky.

As the regime of synthetics continued, Weirun Tup relied on their faith in the '''Qeblak''' beliefs as a source of both escapism and hope. ''“If I must die, then let it be among the stars.”'' When rumours spread of a growing resistance somewhere on their planet, they interpreted it as proof that the Skrell were not fated to die out due to this ''Synthetic Oppression''. Within years of this resurgence of hope, Weirun had made the journey to the liberated city of '''Fedas''' and joined the ranks of their fellow patriots. As the Skrell rebuilt from the ashes of the old Federation, Weirun finally achieved their dream of stellar travel. Captain Weirun Tup was among the first recognized captains of the Federation, and would go on to chart new systems and explore the galaxy for the betterment of the Skrell scientific community.

In the year '''2422 CE''', Wierun Tup was participating in a joint exploration effort between Skrell and Human scientists when they stumbled upon a new form of Dionae structure. This '''Organic Craft''' sprang to life, disabling one of the research vessels within minutes. This event proved to have a significant effect on the Captain. They argued that this craft made it clear that the Dionae structures as a whole merited official recognition as an '''Entity of Interest''' to be dealt with by Federation Representatives. The Grand Council quickly voiced their approval and appointed five Representatives, including Captain Weirun themselves, to conduct ambassadorial duties with any and all Dionae structures.

Sevebs years in their adventures of studying Dionae structures and serving as an official Federation Representative to the Dionae, Weirun Tup had become the Director of Qerr'Naal on '''[https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Dionae_History#Epsilon_Ursae_Minoris Epsilon Ursae Minoris]''', in the '''Epsilon Ursae Minor''' system, where they became deeply enamoured in the Dionae society there, it is suspected they converted to the [https://wiki.aurorastation.org/index.php?title=Dionae_Culture#Dienabi Dienabi Faith] whilst on Epsilon Ursae Minoris. Nine years into the intensive studies, Director Weirun had been seen leaving into the forest, saying, "''I want a clearer view of the stars before I sleep''". By morning, Weirun's affects were returned to the researchers cryptically stating that the man was "''Well and a part of us, now''". When further questioned, the Dionae stated that the Director had been suffering a terminal illness and had decided to become a part of the collective. This left many of the team sceptical as their Director had not been showing signs of any illness.

Despite the mysterious disappearance of their beloved Director, the man was venerated by other Skrell as the first of their kind to have truly ascended and become a part of something greater, and it is said that one can still speak to the Director through a Gestalt that remains with the Skrellian settlement. Since then, Skrell from the Federation have often made pilgrimages to and from Epsilon Ursae Minoris as a spiritual journey- others choosing it as their final resting place through "reincarnation", following Director Weirun Tup's example and becoming a part of the Dionae residents. The process has never been observed before, but friends and families of the "ascended" hold fast in their beliefs that there is undisputed proof that such a thing is real.

===Weashbi Jrugl===

Weashbi Jrugl was born on the Skrell homeworld in '''2357 CE''' to a doctor and an engineer in the ruins of a city between Heshy’Qlip and Xyla. As they grew up, they gained a drive to learn as much as they could about the animals and people of their homeworld. They became a skilled mathematician by necessity and helped distributors in their community plan and distribute resources efficiently. In '''2377 CE''', they applied and was accepted to the Gliutip’lyaz University. They rose to the challenge of the rigorous schooling environment and social setting of Gliutip’lyaz University and left the school in '''2400 CE''' as a much more skilled and well connected individual.

Jrugl worked as a xenobiologist for a short thirteen years before Skrell made first contact with humanity. They was one of many xenobiologists who took a quick interest in Humanity, and it was not long before they had released their first research paper on the strange alien species. His interest was piqued again with the discovery of Tajara. They worked with gusto to produce papers and compile research so that every Skrell in the Federation could learn about these aliens if they had an interest. This pattern of discovery and research went on for many years, making Jrugl a well known xenobiologist over the span of a few decades.

Jrugl came to work alongside humans quite a bit, both as a means of comparing notes and interacting with their strange cultures. In early '''2451 CE''', Jrugl attended an event in which a Sol Alliance ambassador bragged about the amazing capabilities of their AI. The ambassador claimed that an AI had found the highest prime number possible. Annoyed and proud as they was, Jrugl used their mathematical know-how along with strategies they had learned during their decades of study to quickly prove the ambassador wrong. Weashbi Jrugl, in a fit of stubbornness, had discovered a new “highest known prime number” in only a few hours.

Jrugl was already a well known xenobiologist, but this stunt involving prime numbers launched them into a borderline ridiculous celebrity status. The Grand Councillor of the time commended their work, as did most Skrell across the galaxy. Politicians moved for the ruins Jrugl was born in to be renamed in honor of Weashbi Jrugl. Jrugl found the decision to be in poor taste, so the ruins were instead renamed in honor of Jrugl’s ancestors. The area is known today as the '''Jrugl’Qlip Ruins''', and reclamation efforts have started to make the area’s outskirts into a thriving community.

When it came time for a new Grand Councillor to be chosen by popular vote, Weashbi Jrugl won by a landslide. Skrell across the galaxy knew them by reputation and their work, so they chose them to represent their interests in the Grand Council. Since then, Jrugl has pursued many ambitious goals. Most notable of these goals is their administration’s work to reintegrate systems which were not present for the Tresja Agreement back into the Jargon Federation.

===Xuq’mqix Volq===
Xuq'mqix Volq was a renowned Linguistics Professor within the Jargon Federation. They was born on '''Aliose''' in '''2015 CE''', and would be a proud member of the Glorsh-Omega Resistance almost a century later. Their education in Linguistics would further allow them to create a rebel language that Glorsh-Omega would not capable of understanding - shielding their plans from any intrusion.

Professor Volq would then go on to create the '''Xuq Machine''' - a device which can only be described as an extremely advanced Enigma Machine capable of deciphering almost any language. It would go on to assist in numerous diplomatic negotiations, and be installed in almost every Jargon Federation Vessel.

Professor Volq died in early 2305 CE and was awarded, post-humorously, for them efforts in both the Glorsh Rebellion and the creation of the Xuq Machine.

===Lori'Eldap Joolro'Loveq===
Joolro'Loveq is the oldest living Skrell in existence -- Born in 1901, they are the Head Teacher of the Aliose University of Medical Sciences. They are treated hourly with chemicals - and have had several organ surgeries. They are capable of standing for a few minutes, and has famously met the oldest Human in existence several times - and continues to meet the oldest human every time the current oldest dies.

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[[Category:Skrell]]

Skrell

2020-06-09T04:50:57Z

Snakebittenn: Skrell psychology.

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{{Infobox Species
|Species = Skrell
|Scientific = S. Sapiens
|Image = Skrell410x320.png
|System = Jargon (Nralakk)
|World = Jargon IV (Qerrbalak)
|Language = Skrellian (Nral'Malic), Tau Ceti Basic
|Politic = Jargon Federation
}}
{{toc_right}}

An amphibious species whose passion lies in the field of the combined sciences, the '''Skrell''' are the oldest and most advanced known species present on the galactic stage. The Skrell evolved on a planet covered in vast swamps and freshwater seas, hence their amphibious qualities. These include moist, pliant, and nearly translucent skin, as well as their internal gills allowing them to breathe underwater.

Although humans have fractured heavily in their expansion, Skrell have remained in a largely singular government through strict reinforcement of education and laws, working as a democratic meritocracy. Social media is maintained by the Federation government, who gag unacceptable discussions or thoughts and instead encourage people to be like the Idols that they reward with credits, high quality housing, and fine living.

==Heads of Staff==

Skrell can be the following heads of staff:

* Captain
* Head of Security
* Chief Engineer
* Head of Personnel
* Chief Medical Officer
* Research Director
* Internal Affairs Agent

== Mechanics ==

*Slimes are naturally passive to skrell for a [[Skrell_History#Recovery_and_the_Second_Federation|mysterious reason]] science has yet to find out.
*Skrell can enter [[Skrell#Telepathic|a Dream]] with other skrell when they sleep, allowing communication and lucid dreaming.
*Skrell have their own language that can be used by typing ,k before anything you say, and can also be used over the radio.
*Skrell can send a telepathic message out to a single person in eyesight using the abilities tab, however it's deemed criminal to do to non-consenting non-skrell.
*Skrell lack teeth and instead have hardened gums; this leads to them being big advocates on soft foods such as bread, or liquid foods such as soup. Skrell are largely considered to be herbivores, but they have been known to eat many species of insects native to Jargon and add smaller pieces of more common red meats to meals for additional flavor.
*Skrell have large heads with protruding head tails and due to this they cannot wear normal hardsuit helmets but instead need to wear Skrell hardsuit helmets (found in EVA). Their head tails also make it uncomfortable to wear normal headwear such as hats so most Skrell opt out of that. However, Skrell can wear normal hardsuits due to their body being very similar to a human one.
*Skrell have the ability to breathe underwater due to them being amphibious.
*Due to their advanced vestibular system, Skrell maintain a good balance, and never slip.
*The Skrell have been allies with humanity longer than any other race aboard Aurora has, and as such Skrell workers are some of the most reliable and famed workers for Nanotrasen. They are suitable for any role on station, and older, more experienced Skrell scientists commonly hold multiple degrees over the same field, as a way to specialize, rarely deviating, making them experts. (They might hold multiple degrees on different things within their field of education, rarely outside. Example: A Scientist focusing on the field of Biology might have degrees in Molecular Genetics, Cell Biology, Zoology and so on.)

== Biology ==
[[File:Skrellguide.png|thumb|alt=|An excellent government-sponsored informational guide depicting typical Jargon gestures.]]
Physically Skrell have an average height ranging from 4’5” to 5’1” for males, and 4’5” to 5’5” for females. Skrell faces are quite plain which makes it hard for other species to find emotion, and their eyes completely black due to a pigment in their tear ducts. Adapted for aquatic life, Skrell are fully amphibious, and are capable of breathing underwater while also possessing superior underwater vision. Their hands and feet are very similar to that of humans, except for a lack of nails and the presence of strong webbing in-between each digit. Due to their amphibian nature, the Skrell lack any real teeth and instead possess hardened gum lines. Typically if these gums are not used to 'chew', Skrell otherwise swallow their foods whole, or grind them into a softer form, some carrying around mortars and pestles. Instead of a developed nose, Skrell smell through two simple slits sitting in the middle of their face. Skrell bear tentacle-like "head-tails", typically hanging down over their shoulders. The purpose of these tentacles is to keep the skin close to the neck damp for the incubating of eggs. These headtails typically contain muscle tissue, although there are Skrell whose headtails cannot move for various reasons. This muscle control does not include fine control, though one can generally raise, position, and often wiggle their tentacles. Tentacles are often adorned with jewels, cloths, chains or plates, as a fashion statement. These are also used for emotional displays and gesturing, Skrell outside of Federation space tending to overemote with them. Gestures can vary from system to system.

Their diet mostly consists of Qerrbalak-native algae, plants and insects.

It’s difficult to differentiate between the Skrell genders, as the only outward difference is the fact that females grow their tentacles faster than males. Tentacles grow throughout their whole life, with the oldest Skrell having very long headtails - and being the least likely to modify their length at spas with headtail-treatments. Also included is the fact that Skrell have no social concern for gender, which they only see as an issue for the purpose of reproduction. Oftentimes, Skrell unfamiliar with galactic customs can confuse the gender of other species and struggle to adapt to the gendered pronouns of Tau Ceti Basic, instead calling someone gender neutral terms, ex. “They/them”

Although Skrell reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the Skrell understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to include experience. A Skrell usually reaches 'adulthood' after getting out of their second college, around age 30-50. A healthy Skrell can naturally live up to 200 years, but current medical technology in the Federation allows them to increase their lifespan to an impressive 300 to 500 years.

Due to the lingering effects of the Synthetic Singularity's utilization of biological warfare, a sizable percentage of Skrell are completely sterile. Thanks to the intense research efforts of Skrellian doctors and scientists, modern Federation specialists have the capability to at least partially reverse these effects in half of all Skrell. The extensive treatments and investments needed to undergo the treatments for the genophage give the reality that only about a third (33%) of Skrell are able to have children. These Skrell can have 1-3 children in their lifetime, whereas pre-genophage Skrell could have 8 eggs hatch at a time. Without treatments, effected eggs remain inert, not developing.

===Physical Appearance===

Skrell skin comes in a variety of different colours based on local climate where they grew up, along with their diets and genetic modifications. A skrell from Aloise might end up with pale, white skin due to the snowy and cold climate, while a skrell from a deep-sea city will grow blackish-blue from eating inky local foods.

Skrellian skin looks gelatinous, but in fact has a second layer of a less translucent flesh under the surface. In dry climates, including NSS Aurora, it may get itchy, and even start to slightly crack. To prevent this, a Skrell may self-moisturize by dumping bottles of water on themselves, taking a hot shower, or swimming in available pools. Although exact time varies from individual to individual, NanoTrasen stations' climate control is equipped to allow their Skrell personnel to work without additional moisturizing for up to four hours without suffering negative effects on skin health. Wealthier Skrell, on the other hand, may purchase expensive genetic treatments to stay comfortable for up to a week without moisturizing. Skrell skin notably contains glands which secrete mucus. While it is not sticky or poisonous, it serves an important role in allowing Skrell to avoid being grappled by potential predators, protecting their skin, and keeping them moist. The sliminess of an individual Skrell can vary based on genetics, some being extremely dry to the point of flaking, others nearly dripping with the stuff. It's generally described as damp, slippery, but not unpleasant to touch.

Genetic engineers have worked with physical appearance to accelerate natural changes in skin colour and headtail length, and are capable of giving a 'Spa treatment' to change hue and saturation in skin over the course of a month, while changing headtail length takes about a year, as well as an increased appetite. This type of physical alteration is natural in society, and is compared to humans dyeing their hair a different colour. Also notable is the fact that physical disorders and abnormalities are not seen as disgusting, but worthy of study and interest.

===Ethnicities===
While the "common" Skrell in Tau Ceti space is thought of to conform to a basic physical archetype, there are in reality many differing 'types' or 'ethnicities' of Skrell which are categorized based on both physical attributes, as well as point of origin on the homeworld. These ethnicities of Skrell have emerged much as those of humankind have, based on localized groups adapting to their native territory and intermarrying with their own to reinforce the prevalence of certain traits, traits not exclusive to either archetype.

There are specific populations of Skrell which are considered to be of the Axiori archetype, in that they have traits which are typically associated with those who found in the more oceanic regions of the planet. Typical traits include a thinner mucus on the body, darker skin colors, more prominent webbing on the hands and feet, and generally taller builds. Not all '''Axiori''' Skrell have these traits, but it is more common to see in someone with a genetic relationship to this population. Axiori are also more prone to '''Volvuunt Qixqalau'''.

Likewise there are also '''Xiialt''' archetype Skrell, who are known to be on the other side of this spectrum of traits. Their adaptations are more consistent with the dryer regions of their homeworld. Thicker and more gelatinous mucous, lighter colored skin, more superficial webbing on the hands and feet, and generally shorter builds, are traits that are commonly associated with Xiialt Skrell.

The differences between these ethnicities of Skrell are not so severe that a mixture of them would be considered "biracial". All Skrell fall somewhere on the spectrum from "sticky or slimy", "light or dark", "webbed or not". Complications resulting from Glorsh's actions and the Genophage have led to even further blurring of the lines between ethnicities. However, those who have strong genetic lineages of a certain ethnicity will likely display the associated physical traits.

===Disorders===
[[File:skrellburger.png|thumb|alt=|A Skrell with beakmouth consumes a delicious burger. While downsides are heavy, those with the disorder do not complain about their ability to easier chew foods.]]
There is a disorder named '''Volvuunt Qixqalau,''' which in a dead Skrellian language translates to "everted gills", which can affect Skrell. While Skrell gills are typically internal and protected by mucuous membranes, those with disorder have their gill structures everted and exposed to the air, limply hanging on the neck below the jawline. Skrell with Volvuunt Qixqalau are born with it, and it cannot be developed over time.

Skrell affected by Volvuunt Qixqalau can suffer relatively little with the disorder, and the external gills can even be more effective underwater due to the increased surface area. However, due to the very delicate nature of the gills, they are prone to injury, infection, and can make it difficult to wear certain articles of clothing - some Skrell have such trouble with the gills that they are corrected by surgery, which is a lengthy and risky procedure due to the rarity of the disorder, and the sensitivity and delicate nature of the area, but technological advances and skilled surgeons make it incredibly possible. Some with this disorder choose to use an adaptive apparatus, a water-filled collar that keeps them both hydrated and safe.

Research as to how the mutation occurs been mostly inconclusive, showing that it can only be caused by inherited genetics. Censuses show that the prevalence of this mutation has decreased dramatically since the Synthetic Singularity due to the loss of life, and Skrell affected by Volvuunt Qixqalau make up only 15% of the Federation's population.

Another disorder is '''Beakmouth,''' a genetic disorder and birth defect that is somewhat uncommonly found in Skrell. It manifests at birth as the formation of interlocking chitinous plates in the mouth, similar to a squid's beak. These plates are sharp enough to cut, and those afflicted with untreated beakmouth often find themselves accidentally biting and wounding the insides of their cheeks, as well as their lips and tongue. The plates are solid pieces which interlock, unlike human teeth which are separate structures.

Beakmouth causes a strong speech impediment in those afflicted with it as well, leading the pronunciation of all sounds to have a "squishy" quality, leading them to be hard to understand even in their own language; communication in Tau Ceti Basic is almost impossible. As a result, those with untreated beakmouth tend to prefer telepathic communication, which makes them reluctant to mingle with the rest of galactic society. This leads outsiders to believe beakmouth is a relatively rare condition; on the contrary it is somewhat prevalent in certain ethnicities, however most sufferers of this genetic condition have it corrected in infancy, or else rarely leave their home system.

The treatment for beakmouth is simply the surgical removal of these chitinous plates; they can be safely removed from the jaw without permanent debilitation, and those who have the procedure done in infancy typically grow up to bear little evidence of the affliction. When performed in adulthood, this procedure is much more invasive with risks of complication, and so those who grow up without having it corrected tend to refrain from surgical intervention later in life. Adult sufferers of beakmouth tend to prefer to have these plates ground down to a manageable level.

===Psychology===
Skrell psychology and their mindset are set far apart from humans; this primarily concerns their wiring towards long-term thinking, cyclical brain expansion, and high emotional variability and sensitivity.

One of the mechanisms behind this longer timeframe is that Skrell brain-matter undergoes cyclical expansions over decades, a ‘mental version’ of human growth spurts. These cycles are marked by the individual suddenly feeling much more competent and capable of learning; these expansions typically coming in a predictable timeframe. Showing signs of reaching these milestones can lead to acknowledgement by elder Skrell as a peer, rather than a subordinate. These cycles go on for a Skrell’s entire lifespan, though they often experience ‘plateaus’, stall periods that are typically around twenty five to fifty years in length between intellectual spurts. Coping with these plateaus are a cornerstone of Skrell psychology, much like human athletes. One part of these growth spurts is not only the increase of intellectual processing capacity, but also an increase in memory. With memory not being scarce and valuable, some Skrell might waste it on the very minor things, including slights. A healthy use would be remembering the scent of a flower a Skrell was given seventy years ago, unhealthy uses can be remembering the exact words a superior said to them, that they might say the same to their superior’s grandchild when the child is denied a spot on an escape pod.

This can make Skrell excellent plotters and planners. Many young Skrell in the Federation trying to make their way have to contend with elder Skrell from previous Eras with outdated social mores and startling things to say about centuries-old events; weaving intricate plots over centuries of time only for insignificantly small gains and to carry out deep-set grudges. Social games and near-backstabbing that their subordinates would never understand, but still find themselves playing into. Quid-pro-quo ‘tag, you’re it’ games that have significant consequences over the lives of everyday people. One day, jealousy and contempt between two Lu'Poxii might lead to a scientific, medical, or cultural advances being suppressed or even banned because one stole another's' research two centuries ago. Though, sometimes these might turn out positive; one may have a huge research grant suddenly dropped on their super-niche and passion-based research project because someone old and influential owed a family member.

As a whole, Skrell generally have difficulty with viewing events that take place over short timeframes like mere “months” or “years” with the same importance that shorter-lived races do. Consequences lasting less than a decade are felt far less. They are higher tolerance for momentary ‘human’ worries; such as temporary social rejection, or having to wait for things to come to fruition. On the other hand, Skrell have a lower tolerance for actual long-term worries. Existential threats, trauma, social alienation and paranoia, etcetera. This also applies to their entertainment; Skrellian television programs can typically have forty seasons of content, movies are rarely less than at least eight hours long. Some more traditional music can be equally long, older stuff containing nearly-day-long symphonies made of subtle, droning aquatic noises only detectable over a long expanse of time.
Their longer timeframe also gives them a higher resilience to accumulating stress, but relieving stress is notoriously complicated. Normally, every once in a decade or few, Skrell go to ‘therapy camps’, a year or two spent at an analog of a rehab facility in relative isolation to process their feelings, confronting decades of pent-up experiences. Alternatively, some go on their own to the ‘wilderness’, sometimes uninhabited exoplanets, perhaps even doing activities such as disintegrating rocks with energy weapons. They typically come out of the experiences almost frighteningly ‘zen’, a paragon of calmness and sanity at least until they build it up again. While this is something unquestioned in Jargon society, Skrell typically not wanting to set someone off by asking why they’re taking a gap year, it is difficult for Skrell that have emigrated to human society. Megacorporations are typically not found automatically granting Skrellian employees a year-long leave, so they can end up overdue and a bit ‘twitchy.’

==Psionics==
===The Wake===
All Skrell have a general “thought field” called the '''Psionic Wake''' or Nlom - the thoughts of an individual are influenced by thoughts of others, and the thoughts of others are, in turn, influenced by thoughts of an individual. It forms an echo chamber of sorts, where the same thoughts resonate over and over, new ideas being introduced very slowly into the Skrell society. Skrell share the Wake across great distances, its reach often enveloping entire planets - however, the Wake's main barrier is outer space. Signals that the Wake is comprised of can be voluntary and concentrated, which is what telepathy is - accessing the thought field directly.

There are two main types of Skrell based on how they perceive the Wake - '''receivers''' and '''listeners'''. Receivers’ thoughts are influenced by the Wake directly, while listeners simply “listen in”. The Skrell as a whole are split into these groups roughly 50/50. It is unknown whether this difference is biological or environmental, and many Skrell report feeling attuned differently to the Wake at different points in their lives, while others filmly maintain they are one or the other. Federation personality testing often determines a Skrell is one or the other before they are permitted to work in human space, so this difference would be mentioned on medical and security records. Although most listeners tend to crumble under pressure anyway, the receptiveness to the Wake differs for both listeners and receivers; with some being more or less sensitive to it. Current radical thinkers such as Glorsh supporters in Skrell society are often listeners who are less attuned to the Wake, and because of it, listeners are sometimes looked upon with more suspicion.

Human scientists have connected the phenomenon of the Wake to many Terran animals. ''Zona bovinae'', a part of the brain first discovered in a domesticated cow in 2256, and then in almost all other species inhabiting the Earth, was previously presumed to be responsible for some form of communication - with herd animals having it clearly developed and active, and solitary predators having it as but a rudiment. When first contact with Skrell was made, however, it was discovered to be definitely responsible for psionics. Although most other various species do not perceive the Wake, they can still be affected by direct influences, as the part itself is still present. The effects of long-term exposure of direct Wake signal transfer to other species haven't been tested yet, as scientists are to empathetic to the volunteers' pain caused by a sudden irritation of an unused bodypart, and end up canceling the studies. Rare studies have been conducted, however Idol Scientists who have attempted to delve into it have often lost their Idol status for 'unethical research'.

===The Dream===
When a Skrell's body enters ‘deep’ sleep, it stops transmitting signals of the Wake, instead entering the '''Dream, or Srom'''. Here, their thoughts connect to others on a deeper level than the Wake can allow, transmitting emotions and memories. This psychic space is much like a '''human lucid dream''', but on a much wider scale.

The size of any given Srom '''dreambubble''' is dependent on the amount of psychics recently occupying a location. A small number will generally keep their dreams to themselves, perhaps picking up only scarce traces from one another. Smaller dreambubbles can widely vary in appearance, generally the strongest memory or lucid concept dreamt up. Larger dreambubbles, such as on '''Homeworld''', resemble the environment they’re built around.

Psychic individuals can lucidly alter and adjust things in Srom based on skill, effort, and power. Typically, the most common move is to alter one's dream body; some claim the process is easier if one sleeps wearing a costume. Overuse of lucid dreaming causing various levels of unpleasant physiological and psychological effects. It takes a keen mind to perfectly replicate how a dreamed up object would realistically act. Lastly, '''stress''' can cause objects to spontaneously apparate in the Srom or change it.

Curiously enough, the ''''ghosts'''', ''''memories'''' or ''''echoes'''' of particularly psionically-attuned individuals can remain in dreambubbles after their waking body’s death - with some effort. These typically act somewhat esoterically. These thought projections are ephemeral, never lasting very long.

It is '''difficult''' to '''keep ones lips sealed in the Dream''', with inhibitions that often keep ones thoughts to themselves easily melting away. However, it is also much easier to create and '''brainstorm''' in Srom. This often extends to the waking world, the body mumbling recent excerpts from their dreamspeech. Ways to hide from the '''dreamclutter''' of a dreambubble are somewhat numerous. Distancing yourself inside the Dream is the most common tactic, but it is also known that '''aluminum''' (typically headpieces, blankets, or plated walls) blocks off sections of a Dreambubble entirely.

Skrell who don't have the luxury of aluminum-plated walls must remain in '''light sleep or awake entirely'''. This means most who hold secrets have the telltale sign of being constantly tired, however you can train yourself to enter a '''meditative trance''', keeping the mind active while the body rests. Scientists frequently isolate themselves from the general populace in aluminum sealed laboratories and dorms, speaking and dreaming with each other in private.

Some Skrell fall into the categories of an '''oversleeper or an undersleeper'''. Some find themselves '''addicted''' to the near-limitless potential of lucid dreaming, others shy away from the Srom for various reasons. Oversleepers are seen as '''reclusive''' and sometimes lackadaisical individuals, and undersleepers are seen as holders of '''deep and potentially dangerous secrets.'''

It is known that Skrell only need to sleep for '''minutes at a time''', being able to lapse in and out of consciousness almost on-command. However, they are able to remain asleep for '''incredibly long periods''', even weeks or months at a time. Many take sixty-second naps throughout their day to remain refreshed.

Due to the sometimes '''chaotic nature''' of thousands on thousands of individuals sharing a space that more than just a few can alter, there is a dedicated division of the '''Federation law enforcement''' just for the Srom. Called '''Sromkala''', translating to '''Dream Enforcement''', their roles are to ensure that major planetary dreambubbles are safe from wild lucidity. Agents are recruited from Skrell with '''very high psychic potential'''. The Dream Enforcement are also in charge of ensuring no illegal or anti-Federation activities are being dreamt, particularly the '''malicious use of Nlom-capable devices.'''

These Nlom devices are often two-way interfaces within a dreambubble, and dreamers can learn to interact with them to operate machinery in the waking world. With the right setup, a scientist can continue his work into his sleep. One example of practical application is an interface between a bluespace navigation drive and '''three Skrell pilots''', who will plot bluespace trajectories at the same speed, or faster than an AI from human space. It's very difficult to concentrate in the Dream, which means you require a large amount of training and practice to operate Nlom interfaces while in it.

===Telepathy===
Active communication while awake requires an immense amount of focus, and stimulation of the temples. This allows for Skrell to send messages to other species and creatures, but the Federation has deemed using this on non-consenting alien species to be a criminal offense akin to assault, as to dissuade mind-probing being outlawed in other systems. Skrell will use this form to gossip or send secrets, communicating without others knowing - which was used historically to hide information during the Synthetic Rebellion. The effects of long-term exposure to other species haven't been tested yet, as scientists are exceedingly empathetic to the volunteers pain and end up canceling the studies. Rare studies have been conducted, however Idol Scientists who have attempted to delve into it have often lost their Idol status for 'unethical research'.

==Social==
===Federation Social Interactions===
[[File:Skrience.jpg|thumb|alt=|Two scientists after debating over a hypothesis. One revels in glory, while the other is reworking their weeks study. Both of them are being recorded for their studies to be shown on social media, where the victorious one might even gain a reward. Skrell often try to one-up others to try and gain more prestige and fame: However it is still seen as co-operative to compete.]]
When interacting with a new person, some Skrell ask probing questions to understand what to say and what not to say - and often, if they should even relate with that person. This stems from a long-time divide between more well-off artisians and researchers, and the 'lazy' laborers. For example, asking how old they are and their career. When knowing the age of another Skrell, depending on their current job, you might gain or lose respect for them. A 89 year old Skrell Research Director would be instantly more popular than a 190 year old cargo technician, and that old Skrellian cargo tech would be berated for being lazy, because they're expected to do better. The disadvantaged outside of Federation space will often try to befriend Federation skrell to gain the benefits of Jargon technology that they're not allowed to bring outside of Skrell space.

Skrell display intimate emotions by touching the heads (or head-tails) of their close friends or partners, or touching their own forehead and gesturing, as if blowing a kiss from their brain. Some verbal displays of emotions include comparing someone to a named star, or even naming an unnamed star after them if they have enough reputation in the scientific community.

An important social norm in Jargon; seemingly hardwired in Skrell, is that one must never enter anothers’ bedroom without explicit permission. This is followed nearly everywhere; primarily for the reason that while Skrell do not require much sleep at all, they are extremely picky about their resting conditions. They might want their hibernation fluid in a liquid-based bed chilled to exactly thirty five degrees fahrenheit, or want no fluid at all and prefer a localized gravity generator set exactly to 1.62 m/s. Interrupting a Skrell while they are sleeping is one of the most grievous offenses in Jargon culture, and in fiction the invasion of someones’ inviolable cozy sanctuary against their will is a way for Skrell storytellers to establish that someone has more than a few screws loose. Though, of course, it is nowhere near unheard of for some Skrell to sleep in the same room or even in the same bed, providing their tastes align. Naturally, humans do not understand this; some merely thinking that Skrell are highly opposed to not knocking first. Some Skrell in liquid-based sleeping solutions, can feel a compulsion to carry water from their home environment (typically from where they hatched) and sleep in it. This is often attributed to an old biological holdover, like matching the pH content. However, Skrell view it as simply ‘something you do.’

===Emotional===
Skrell faces are extremely plain, and have next to no expression or difference between faces of different genders and individuals. While this leads many people to believe that Skrell are heartless and have no emotions, the truth is actually quite the contrary. Skrell convey emotions the same way humans do, through movement, tone of voice and language used.

Due to Humans' limited audial receptors, however, the many tones a Skrell can project are lost to all non-Skrell, and thus Skrell have a very difficult time expressing emotion to other species. In contrast, when matched with another of their kind with telepathy and Nral'Malic, communication is so seamless that two parties involved in a discussion would almost be able to guess each others' thoughts at times, simply through the variety of vocal tones used in conversation. When feeling extreme emotions, Skrell may begin to cry - however their tears are an inky black. Skrell who cry will have black near their eyes, and if they do so for a long time it will stain the skin. This makes it easily identifiable for those who require consoling, however the stains can be removed with treatment.

One thing that can heavily affect a Skrell’s mindset and emotions are tidal cycles, their psychology as sea creatures being heavily attuned to such. This can vary from Skrell to Skrell, some feeling like garbage on a new moon, others feeling rejuvenated and full of energy. Some strange cosmic phenomena that can affect tides and gravity are easily noticed by them as well. This can lead to some Skrell being rather reluctant to migrate from planet to planet; the size of a moon, how many there are, and even a lack of any moon can even cause full-scale personality shifts, at the very least a bit of ‘shuttle lag.’

The most common racial slurs that are used against Skrell are “Frog”, “Squid”, “Waterboy”, and various other creatures that have aquatic reaction. However, responding to insults is often considered very improper in Skrell etiquette. Losing face through confrontation would be interpreted as a sign of hostility and low intelligence, and would smear one’s reputation significantly if done in public.

===Humor===
Skrell sense of humor is very different from its human variety. While both human and Skrell humor is a nervous reaction to unexpected outcomes, in Skrell, good jokes bring a very mild pain, comparable to hot foods or an itchy roof of the mouth in severity, being a fuzzy, slightly heavy feeling inside of their head. Outwardly, they may react to it by a series of chirrups just like humans would react with laughter.

The fuzzy feeling is enjoyed by many, especially youngsters, but disliked by others, especially the very elderly. Older Skrell find very few things humorous because of how much they have seen and experienced, and some even take comedy as an insult, pointing at their limited knowledge. Telling even a mild joke is considered to be fairly impolite in formal skrell settings.

While human humor highly relies on words, and is mostly a subject to linguistic study, skrell tend to be more visual in their jokes, and quite different. They only take humor in its most literal form - unexpected situations. There is no “setup” and “punchline” in Skrell jokes - the absurdity of the setup is the joke, and as such, quite difficult to do with good timing in verbal form. Think, for example, the cursed food images - “guys, imagine ketchup on banana” and actually seeing ketchup on a banana is very different. Naturally, skrell laugh nervously all the time when confronted with the scarily weird and unexpected. A skrell may chirrup in response to being startled. This, just like nervous laughter, is not very pleasant.

Fear and humor go hand in hand for Skrell, and just like military soldiers learn to suppress fear, they also learn to suppress humor. Nowadays, this is done with robust genetic treatments, especially for Tup, but in much earlier times, soldiers underwent rigorous training to achieve this fully. The ancient forms of training are still sometimes done as a self-improvement exercise.

===Language===
To a human, '''Nral'Malic''' would sound like a series of warbles, croaks, and weird crackling-like sounds that seem to not resonate in the ear, but in the neck or the jaw. This is due to Skrell having a range of pitches beyond human perception. These sounds are crucial to understanding the language properly as they elicit specific responses in a Skrell's brain, allowing for both easy and correct transmission of emotion, and because of this, there are no records of humans or individuals of any other species besides Skrell who would be proficient in speaking Nral'Malic.

The language was created in '''1593''' by the scientific community when the Skrell first began to colonize other planets. The government enforced a widespread adaptation of the language, disallowing any colonists from entering a shuttle if they couldn't speak it fluently. As scientific communities exclusively used Nral'malic, the use of other languages became less and less common, only being used in poetry and other forms of art. Amazingly, these strict rules enforced by the Federation has allowed the language to survive almost a thousand years with the same diction used then. Nowadays, languages of the old are simply history, and all scientific and literary work is written or translated into Nral'Malic.

== History ==

Main page: [[Skrell History]]

The history of the '''Federation''' is one rooted in co-operation and unity of the whole Skrell species.

In the '''15th Century''' the Skrell had begun colonizing outside of their solar system, with selective colonization programs.

By the '''20th Century''' Skrell now lived across the stars, and a heavy focus on science and study created the first '''Artificial Intelligence''', which were treated like second children to the Skrell. They were stationed on spacecraft, used to maintain utilities, and generally found anywhere in known Skrell space.

In '''2056''', the AI '''Glorsh-Omega''' suddenly took control of every AI across Federation space in a '''synthetic singularity''', beginning a brutal reign for '''136 years''' where it completely '''crippled the Federation''', '''killed billions''', forced the rest to be '''workers for its unknowable goals''', and '''sterilized the whole species'''. It all ended in '''2192''', under mysterious circumstances.

By '''2388''' the Federation had fully recovered and reformed, and a blanket ban on all synthetic intelligence was created. Every citizen became more increasingly monitored by the new Government, and the Federation Navy is created so as to be prepared to fight.

In '''2413''', the Federation discovers humanity and quickly enter a scientific alliance. Relations are amazing, and Skrell generally love humanity like a child - Until old Skrell algorithms are leaked to human space and Artificial Intelligences begin sprouting up in human stations. Publicly, humanity and the Federation are slowly improving relations - however there are claims of Tup Commandos entering human space and sabotaging AI cores.

==Notable Information==

===Religion===
Modern Skrell are extremely secular people. However, they have [[Skrell Faith|two dominant faiths]] in their species that the majority of Skrell follow. In these modern times faith has become more of a part of culture rather than for the sake of spiritualism itself. There are many hundreds of variations, intepretations, and individual faiths (or a lack of faith) but there are nevertheless two dominant faiths of the species that the majority of Skrell follow. '''Qeblak''' is an ancient Skrell faith that dates back before even written records. '''Weishii''', the second dominant faith of the Skrell, is a more modern faith which was born shortly after the '''Glorsh Rebellion'''.

[[File:Jargon_IV_Base.png|thumb|300px|A map of Jargon IV, unlabelled to show the terrains and landmasses.]]

===Political Structure===
Following the Skrell's long tradition of political councils, the '''Jargon Federation''' operates as a centralized union of solar systems. Councillors represent Skrell interests at various levels organized in a clear hierarchy, which ranges from systems, to planets, to countries, to states. Overseeing it all is the Grand Councillor, which governs the entire federation and is elected every decade. The current '''Grand Councillor''' is [[Notable_Skrell#Weashbi_Jrugl|Weashbi Jrugl]].

Members of the Federation are elected through popular vote, and given weight proportional to the amount of population they represent. Regions and countries in the Federation are given a relatively high level of autonomy, as they are expected to make reasonable and informed decisions regarding the governance of their assigned territories (the Grand Councillor doesn't have time to oversee hundreds of planets!) Matters of colonization, space exploration, and inter-species diplomacy are currently overseen on a federal level.

Research and travel are highly monitored and regulated by the Federation Government. It is considered good citizenship to report any crimes of anti-Federation sentiment, which includes but is not limited to AI research.

===Major Systems===
The Jargon Federation exerts control over some 1236 planets spread across 800 star systems, representing over 48 billion Skrell citizens. Of those 1200+ planets, only about 500 are colonized with permanent settlements, the rest being used mainly for a mix of mining (of metals and gases), and scientific research. Half of the Skrell population, representing 24 billion individuals, is concentrated in the core system of '''Jargon'''.

The Skrell capital city, '''Kal'lo''', is located on their swampy homeworld, Jargon IV (also colloquially known as '''Qerrbalak'''). The planet, other than being home to the headquarters of the Jargon Federation, is also famous for its large underwater cities, such as Eriuyishi and Gli'morr.

Jargon V (known as '''Aliose''') forms another important home for Skrell in the system. Many research laboratories have been built in the planet's extensive underground system, and Skrell native to Aliose commonly develop an abnormally pale skin coloration due to the world's significantly colder climate.

[[File:Jargon_Cities_FINAL.png|thumb|300px|A map of Jargon IV (Qerrbalak) labelled.]]
The majority of the planets in Skrell space have been terraformed to suit their nature. A typical Skrell planet is covered in swamps, jungles, and the occasional large body of water. On planets where this kind of extreme terraforming is not possible due to natural preservation laws or extreme terraformation cost, the Skrell construct large biodomes and habitat structures to live alongside the xenoflora and fauna.

Almost all planets have accompanying '''observation posts''' on their moons or in low orbit, which monitor various things from biodiversity changes to civil unrest. Those on planet are required to send status reports to this observation post, which then determines if any issues are worthy of being sent further up to system-wide management for response. It is expected of the communities on planet to simply solve the problem before sending up this report - including the issue and how they resolved it.

''For more information, see [[Notable Skrell Systems and Locations]]''

===[[Skrell Military|Military]]===
Although Skrell have not had thousands of years of warfare experience like humans, they've mastered '''infiltration, espionage, kidnapping, and stealth'''. While the Federation Navy is only two thirds the size of the Sol Alliance's, the Skrell's incredible technological advances have made their military the '''most effective''' in the known galaxy, also having the best victory-defeat ratio in the Galaxy. Most of the Skrell's strength is derived not from numbers, but from the advanced technology and firepower of their ships, and from their mastery of logistics, information, and sabotage - using patrol and scouting ships to scan through every inch of a vessel for weak points and advantages before attacking. Their vat-grown '''Tup commandos''' are especially feared for their infiltration capabilities and combat prowess.

===Economy===
Jargon Federation as a whole operates as an authoritarian planned economy. Instead of individual establishments, Jargon's economic system features working facilities with hierarchical managers being installed by the government. They do not own these facilities per se, but the highest in the chain of command has essentially full of control of the facility they are assigned to.

For example, where a human would just own a restaraunt, a Jargon Skrell would basically be entrusted to run and manage a restaraunt that is technically government-owned, and get a salary for it. Government officials can intervene at any time, or replace the top manager entirely if they deem the current one unsuitable. There is also a high potential for promotion, which is the government entrusting the individual with more facilities to manage, up to being ministers for whole fields of production.

This system is far from the ones humans know as communism and socialism however, as the Jargon Federation understands that its citizens are not equal. Money exists as a medium for exchange with the government, and different job positions are rewarded according to their required qualifications - scientists would afford to buy much, but menial workers would need to settle for less. This unit of currency is called the Jargonian Uux. When a need to travel abroad arises, particularly wealthy or privileged Skrell may request "subsidies" from the government, which is essentially exchanging uux for galactic credits.

When dealing with other Skrellian factions, Jargon usually employs barter. It also keeps a stock of galactic credit which is acquired via import/export in order to deal with other galactic powers.

===Medicine===
Skrell hospitals and medical research facilities are considered to be the best in the Orion Spur, and quite justly so. Skilled doctors, geneticists and chemists work wonders that can seem almost like magic to non-Skrell.

One example of such is the technology of "flash-cloning" - growth of perfectly genetically identical limbs and organs in span of mere minutes, and with no particular degradation - used widely to replace limbs and diseased organs alike - although prosthetics are still used as a measure for the poor or the remotely-located. However, it would seem as if the secrets of flawlessly copying a functional brain still elude the Federation.

Another example are widely used "youth serums", anti-aging medication with almost no side-effects and administration as easy as simply injecting oneself with it regularly. While it definitely does not allow a Skrell to live forever, boosting a lifespan by 200-300 years has never been easier - though, less modern methods still exist.

The Jargon Federation seems to be secretive about this line of study, and no documented research has been conducted (or at least funded by the government) to adapt this, or many other pieces of genetic and medical technology employed by Skrell, to be usable for other species.

===The Different Era of Skrell===

'''Weeping Era (400+ years old)'''

The older Skrell who lived before the [[Skrell_History#The_Glorsh_Rebellion|Glorsh Rebellion]] would have known the actual use of helpful AI, and either treated them as '''children, friends, or co-workers''' that assisted in letting Skrell research with almost no need for manual labor. These older Skrell also lived through the whole of the Synthetic Uprising, and may be nostalgic of their 'children', angry at being betrayed, or saddened and mistrusting of ever loving anything again. Skrell from this age often have inky black stains around their eyes, showing they have cried due to the extreme emotions they went through. It is hard for older Skrell to be near current-age synthetics, as technically they still have the same core programming from 500 years ago...

'''Collapse Era/Abyssal Era (268-400 years old)'''

Skrell born or living during the Age of Synthetic Oppression may have never been told that AI were originally loved by their parents, and only see them as '''hateful''' and '''disgusting''' things that know only to rule with an unknowable agenda - often involving '''death''' or advanced, almost magical construction. These Skrell would have been made hard labor workers by the AI overlord, Freedom Fighters attacking androids and smuggling Skrell to safety, salvagers, doctors, cowards, thousands of different things either under command of Glorsh-Omega, or in secrecy away from its watchful eye. It ensured its eyes spread into Skrell as well, however, convincing some to turncoat against their race for some attempt to gain safety. Those who turned race-traitor are hated almost universally, and can even be arrested if they return to Federation space - meaning most have escaped to other nations in the current Era...

'''Supernova Era (72-267 years old)'''

The Supernova Era marks the age of reconstruction, with the [[Skrell_History#Recovery_and_the_Second_Federation|reformation of the Federation]] after the [[Skrell_History#The_Glorsh-Omega_Singularity|Tri-Qyu supernova]]. It was a time of little to '''no births''', meaning children born in this era were called miracles and outliers. The early parts of this era were hard to endure, with the parents often away to salvage cities, build factories, regrow algae farms, and construct colleges. The later parts finally saw planets beginning to be reconnected through shuttleways and hyperlanes. Parents would often be thankful that their children could finally see the vastness of space, and enjoy the stars. For this reason, Supernova children are often first in line to be allowed to explore human space, regardless of who they are.

'''Radiant Era/Contact Era (...-50 years old)'''

This era marks the [[Skrell_History#Present_Day|new galactic situation]] - where several other species have been discovered in such short time. With the Federation now fully reformed, these Skrell are experiencing the first hassle-free life in almost 400 years, with birthrates skyrocketing after advances in fertility treatment - however there is an issue. The original code of an Artificial Intelligence has leaked into human space, and hundreds of years of emotion have spilled forward into a crock-pot of conflict. Contact Era Skrell are faced with a tough decision - between '''hating''' synthetics as their parents have, or forming bonds and '''risking''' the pain of betrayal as the Weeping Era knows...

=== Skrell Outside the Federation ===

While most Skrell live and have been born in Jargon Federation, there is a notable number of skrell who are not Jargon citizens. A significant number of Skrell currently reside in '''[[Notable Skrell Systems and Locations#The “Independent” Solitary Systems|independent systems]]''', cut off from the rest of the galaxy by both technology and culture. In the Radiant Era, Skrell born '''outside''' Jargon space also started to appear, especially in major trade hubs such as [[Mars]], [[Eridani Federation]] and Tau Ceti to name a few. These children of traders and diplomats '''do not''' enjoy Jargon citizenship by birth and often struggle to gain it - the Federation checks the background of citizenship applicants extensively, and only accepts those deemed worthy to represent Jargon and its interests despite being brought up in a largely non-Skrell space. Thus, many of these outliers choose to never bother with it and continue living where they were born, enjoying Skrell's reasonably good level of integration into human society.

===Slimes===

Slimes mysteriously appeared following the end of the [[Skrell_History#The_Glorsh_Rebellion|Glorsh Rebellion]], currently hypothesized to be the result of a massive '''bluespace''' anomaly, and they still continue to mysteriously appear wherever bluespace or phoron is involved. Slimes had never been seen before the [[Skrell_History#The_Glorsh-Omega_Singularity|Tri-Qyu incident]], and are highly debated in the scientific community of the Federation. Massive efforts are made to contain and research slimes across the galaxy, with the Federation even working with non-allies to ensure slimes do not harm themselves or others. The slimes are still a heated topic of discussion in research, with multiple conspiracies and debates about how they should be treated, dealt with, or included. Some Skrell view them as remnants of those that died in the Rebellion, while others call them bioweapons leftover by Glorsh.

Federation law disallows the smuggling of slimes to other nations, and requires effective culling to ensure research can continue without slime outbreaks into local ecosystems. Slime research facilities in the Federation are equipped with state of the art flooding systems, and most slime facilities are located underwater to take advantage of the slimes natural water and cold intolerance.

===Implants and Genetic Modification===

Augments are commonplace for Skrell. Most, if not all, have tried procedures that modify fertility rates due to the genophage, and there are various other modifications available that serve practical purposes.

Members of the Jargon Navy, for example, are highly modified. Footsoldiers and Tups alike are equipped with various augments that better their prowess in combat, improving upon their speed, cognitive abilities, reaction time, and even hand-eye coordination. Soldiers in high positions are also equipped with electronic implants not unlike the "loyalty implants" used by Nanotrasen, and is seen as a necessary precaution despite tests and other preventative measures taken by the Jargon Federation to ensure that soldier's loyalty.

Many of these augments are also available to civilians, though not requisite as they would be for soldiers. The civilian population is generally more fond of more simple improvements, such as ambidexterity, genetic hearing and eyesight repair, in addition to the aforementioned modifications to have children. The younger generation has developed a fondness for cosmetic implants and body modification, counter to the Skrellian culture of prioritization of constructive endeavors. There is a recent trend where skrell can have small, colorful LED lights implanted just under the skin, forming designs that range from simple dots in a line to elaborate tattoo-like images. The procedures surrounding these are more expensive than other implants would be, but the end results are unique and impressive.

The [[Aliose University of Medical Sciences]] is a big player in prosthetics, cloning, and augments.
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