Skrell Roleplay Guide

The Skrell are a species of amphibious humanoids hailing from the world of Qerrbalak, a hot, humid planet with numerous swamps and jungles. More technologically advanced than humanity, their ancient society is now stagnant and threatened by the fast growth of their new allies.

The following is a bullet pointed roleplay word soup to help you understand Skrell, how they are, how they act, and so on. It is not exhaustive. Skrell are diverse and complex people.

Tips and bits, and how not to behave like Human+

• In a human environment, Skrell may sometimes avoid making use of their psionic abilities due to laws or simply because it may be shocking and offensive to other aliens. Similarly, they do not have a desire to 'show off'. They understand that they are gifted and that this is not a reason to dick-wave other species
• SDTFs today always have a large influx of volunteers due to the benefits that being in one entails and getting approved for one is a difficult process. As a result, most skrell will spend their whole lives outside of one, and the ones who are approved will ALWAYS be very experienced, knowledgeable individuals. Although age does not come in account when deciding whether or not a skrell will make it through the application process, there will almost never be any skrell under the age of 30 working in an SDTF. Similarly, Qrii-Mog skrell may still be approved for one, but Qerr-Mog skrell will definitely have an advantage.

• Skrell value society over the individual as a whole, especially when it comes to the progress of the sciences and work. They do, however, value individuality of the person on a creative and personal level, especially where more recreational and hobbyist pursuits are concerned. This can be to a lesser or negligent degree with some castes (Kanin and Raskinta.)

• Skrell politics is dissimilar to human politics. There are not true "activist" Skrell because Skrell tend to accept that by their caste based system each drifts toward that at which they are competent. There is little drive for mass change in the general population as a result. However, there is constant debate, legislation being put forward and change and politics at the academy level, the true home of a city-state's political machine. While the monarch may rule, the academy is often where the law of the land comes forth, and the scientist-politicians engage in endless debate, political machinations, and the occasional assassination to keep their city-state on the cutting edge of power and prominence. This does not mean that the monarch (The Qerr-Skria) and the academy are separate, however, and is quite the opposite, as it is important to remember that the Qerr-Skria is the ultimate authority of the city-state, and embodies the executive, administrative, judicial powers of state. They hold great sway and influence over the academy, with its director typically serving on the monarch's Qerr-Koal.

• Skrell are, contrary to belief, highly emotional. They feel their emotions much more deeply and much more keenly than humans, and how they express that is the main differing factor between Humans and Skrell. For humans, the expression of emotion utilises facial expressions as much as other body language. Skrell, having rather bland faces in comparison with fewer muscles or other attributes for expression, do not. This can result in a Skrell seemingly just staring when they are, infact, expressing emotion. Skrell express emotion through body language and the spoken word. Whereas humans may go quiet when highly emotional, Skrell talk. They explain their emotions, how they feel, and their body language supports that. With humans, however, they acknowledge that attempting to explain their emotions during conversation is not typically useful, or necessarily even worth the time, as attempting to convey those feelings through alien languages can seem pointless. Thus, Skrell dealing with humans will instead mostly express emotion with body language.

• Apart from body language Skrell also use a variety of vocal or other audible cues of various pitches that indicate how they're feeling. Pitch and timbre modify the meaning of each sound, as in their language in general. Warbling is essentially the catch-all, all-purpose noise that Skrell make; it can fit nearly any indication depending on tone. Trilling will usually represent sadness or happiness in lower and higher pitches respectively, whilst croaking would be curiosity or anger. A Skrell might hum when bored, eager, or otherwise searching for something to do. More sounds exist, such as cooing, but are not as strictly defined in meaning.

• Skrell are able to learn how to express themselves with emotion on human languages, as well as how to use body-language more intensively. This obviously requires years of practice and fluency, and they might still lack a certain 'Je ne sais quoi' that humans have. Similarly, Skrell can attempt to mimic smiles and other facial expressions, but they will look incredibly eerie and odd due to the different muscle distribution in their face.

• Skrell society has long achieved a good social safety net and general equality of opportunity (within what is acceptable for a caste, of course). All Skrell get basic living and habitation provided to them (Somewhat above average by human standards), though this can vary from caste to caste, with the Qerr-Katish having relatively good facilities from the get-go to Raskinta instead living in communal barracks with only those more aged, senior and less-militarily involved Raskinta living in more private quarters.

• While Skrell tend to retain the basic systems across worlds and city-states (Monarchy political system, castes, etc) the individual culture and minutia of the way of doing things tends to vary drastically from one city-state to the next.

• Skrell do not get tattoos. This is because their Skin is a sensitive organ and still retains a tertiary respiration trait allowing Skrell to "breathe" through their skin. Thus, Skrell are very protective of their skin as it can be easily damaged when dry and a Skrell can have immediate issues in air with generally toxic properties as their rate of absorption is much higher than it would be for a human. On the flip side, many Skrell medicines are developed to be ingested via their skins cutaneous breathing function, with what appear to be simple poultices having excellent healing potential on a Skrell. Skrell take care of their skin, is the point. Furthermore, Skrell do not scar - why would a creature that breathes through their skin evolve to scar?

• Many Skrell do not work directly for human corporations. They are "on loan" to them via exchange programs with Skrell companies and organisations, lending their skills, expertise and experience in exchange for valuable trade or connections between organisations while giving the individual Skrell the opportunity to experience alien culture and also acquire human currency.

• The Skrell justice system is different to humanities myriad of ones. The judiciary is not independent, and is woven into the monarchy and law enforcement arm of a city-state. Guilt is established before the trial by the investigating Raskinta. There is no way to protest guilt once at the trial stage. The trial instead exists to determine how to proceed with the offender. In some cases, due process is skipped entirely and a Qrii-Skria may simply have someone assassinated.

• Skrell do not use whacky things like supermatter, and instead rely on highly advanced super-efficient fusion reactors, solar panels, and so on.

• Skrell FTL technology relies on advaced psionic-fed drives that convert influence over the 'Investiture' to motion.

• Contrary to belief, not all Skrell are allied, or even friendly, with humanity, with some being warily distant to others being subtly,but not directly, hostile. This lack of cohesive friendliness from the Skrell is often lost on humanity, who do not tend to realise just how decentralised they are.

• Skrell typically do not take offence to insults given to them by humans. Baseline insults or insults relating to physical appearance are typically ignored. There are of course, notable exceptions. Skrell tend to be more offended when their skill in a particular discipline is insulted in a non-constructive manner, related to their chosen career. A Raskinta who is called a poor team player or combatant, a Qerr whose diplomatic skills are called into question, a Malish whose scientific method is criticised, and so on.

• Skrell do not have the same insults as humans, and do not say "fuck" in skrellian, for example. They tend to be a bit more creative, with their insults being something uniquely crafted for the situation or a more generic utterance of "stars above," rooted in Vallis Qall. Other expletives are often drawn from belief systems. The exception to this are Ue-Katish Pirates, who often seek to insult through shock value.

The Castes

Qerr Katish

• The Qerr Katish are generally a little more aloof then the rest of the Skrell, partly a result of job function, partly as a result of upbringing. Qerr are typically taught and raised very separately from the other castes, which may school together up to a certain point, or even share multiple classes depending on their education.

• Qerr value social ability and diplomacy above most other things, and tend to be more graceful and careful with their words.

• They can take a paternalistic view toward other Skrell, especially those of the same city state.

Malish Katish

• Malsih tend to be the least socially adept of the castes, though this is typically a result of their focus on higher theoretical learning to such a point that other skills suffer.

• Perhaps more than other castes, and often to their own detriment, Malish Katish enjoy complexity and problem solving and tend to bore easily when they do not have something to focus on solving.

Kanin Katish

• Kanin tend to be practically minded people with a focus on pragmatism above strict adherence to procedure, though this usually translates to them being more willing to sacrifice personal health and safety in order to get a job done rather than a willingness to compromise on mechanical safety in order to gain efficiency. That is, while you will see a Kanin go out of their way to skip a number of personal safety measures in order to handle something in an efficient manner, you will not see them push a reactor to nearly explode just to squeeze extra power out of it.

• Family people, above all else, is a good way to view Kanin. They have large families, are community minded and generally care deeply about the concerns and wellbeing of their peers.

Talum Katish

• Independently minded in the extreme, especially compared to the other castes. Talum like to get the most out of life. They are free thinkers, travellers, artists, musicians. Some Talum even take a bardic approach to life, traveling, performing, writing, learning. For a Talum, whatever they decide to do is an art. A performance to be put on display for others, or a personal challenge within which they must excel. They tend to be less inhibited by the pressures of social norms and go on progressive ventures.

Raskinta Katish

• Close knit and communal, Raskinta are always about the whole over the individual. They barrack together, eat together, train together, work together, socialise and sport together. There is no facet of a Raskinta's life that can be considered wholly individual, especially when young. Older Raskinta tend to be more independent, though this is often a result of the burden of command or the necessary distance between them and subordinates, though they still participate in much of the communal activity that the others do. Raskinta are trained from their youth to be a warrior.