Skrell Culture

Cultural Normalities

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Naming System

Every Skrell is born with two names, both of them being made up by the Skrell caring for them. These names are not inherited or transferred on marriage - if a Skrell chooses to acquire a surname, they would technically have three names.

Name additions are a common facet of Skrell culture. It is common for a Skrell to add a name or a word to their name at some point in their lifetime. Name additions are added to the end of either name. Skrell traditionally only add one addition to the end of each name. Adding more than one addition to the end of a name is seen as breaking of an almost sacred tradition, as it lowers the significance of all other name additions, and is never authorized by Jargon bureaucrats. However, some Skrell outside Jargon may choose to do so anyway out of spite, simple ignorance, or other reasons.

The significance of such name extensions varies greatly, but the most basic rule governs pronunciation and helps to suggest the connotation of the addition.

Typically a “-” before an addition denotes a feeling of respect. This is often used with names that are meant to pay remembrance to figures, events, or locations. In spoken skrellian, the presence of a - is pronounced by allowing a moment between the Skrell’s original name and the addition. In other words, the dash is treated as if it were a space between two words.

The use of “‘“ before an addition signifies a more personal connection to whatever the addition means to the named Skrell. This is pronounced by simply treating the addition as if it were just a part of the name’s root. It is said as if it were one word. This can be positive or negative.

If a Skrell considers their addition notable enough, they may choose to translate it to Tau Ceti Basic for their work IDs and records in places where Nral'Malic is not widely spoken. This has only been picking up recently, and is somewhat uncommon.

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Idols

Skrell place great importance on social and scientific development, and idolize valuable members of those communities, called Idols. Idols are often propped up by the Federation on government-run social media, encouraging average Skrell to seek personal glory and recognition, as well as rewards. They gain rewards for simply giving a good face to the Federation; Research grants, private shuttles, high-class housing, there are thousands of different rewards for being an ideal citizen that follows laws and regulations, and an even higher pressure to remain that way. If an Idol becomes less-than-ideal for the reputation of the Federation, their rewards can be taken away as well as being given a gag-order on their social media account. Dead Idols often try to reclaim their popularity, but end up shunned for being an inconsistent source of media.

Idols can be from almost any career, as long as they are models of the Federation utopia. Idols are selected for advertisement based on their popularity: An moderately popular Idol would be shown to a town or region, while an extremely popular one would be given a busy city, planet, or system - maybe even the whole Federation! Idols have even begun to have reputation outside of Federation space, with Skrell musicians that play human-made songs being one of the most popular on Solarian and Frontier holonetworks.

A “well-known secret” of the Jargon Federation is that Idols are comprised exclusively of very well Wake-attuned individuals with strong outer influences. Due to the Genophage, however, they seem to dwindle, creating a shortage of idols - prompting Jargon Federation to look into similarities between the Wake and Vaurca’s hivenet - so far with little results; although some C’thur experimentally serve as propaganda pieces.

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Work Ethic

Skrell life is highly dependent on the contribution of less-valued but highly crucial manual labour workers, although Skrell rarely ever want to work in these roles. These undervalued skrellian workers are often pampered by the government to encourage them to keep working these jobs, giving a max 25 hour work week and complimentary pools in the workplace. Before other species were capable of taking the menial labour, the Skrell were in a serious depression due to the lack of workers and fears of automation, however, in 2320 Skrell found the first Dionae pod in space, and after years of study, began incorporating them into workplaces in the late 2360's. This integration has allowed for at least one Dionae to be found in almost every factory, and Skrell co-workers usually give them the less mentally-required tasks to complete. Lately, Skrell have begun outsourcing some of their manual labour to other species such as Humans, Tajara, and Vaurca.

One of the main sources of workers being tested on planets outside Jargon is the C'thur hives' bound workers. The Federation requests bound workers on commission from the hive, although rations it to disallow more than 3 Vaurca per workplace, and they must all be constantly monitored and researched.

In the past, Skrell valued synthetics for they simply took all this out of their hands and let them live in the perfect society where any Skrell could commit to whatever career they wanted. Now, however, if a Skrell feels they could complete the job that a synthetic is trying to, they will try.

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Holidays

Qu'qyu-Poxii

Generally unofficial events, but sometimes planned, Starlight Gatherings were the periodic observation of meteor showers. Members of the community gathered on the highest natural peaks of their region and spent a few nights observing the various comets that fly through the sky. Some Skrell enjoyed this recluse into nature for a time, but others found it distracting and unnecessary.

This behaviour has changed in the modern-day, becoming an official Federation-sponsored holiday that occurs every year, as it used to, typically in moist environments with plenty of natural scenery. These are called Starlight Gatherings. Skrell across the Orion Spur meet up at these, partaking in food, games, but primarily looking for a potential Qu'Poxii. Existing Starlovers and their Quya also come to these, whether for fun or to strengthen their bonds with each other. It is known for even the most reclusive scientists to occasionally appear at these, normally under the guise of ‘searching for suitable lab assistants.’ Some Listeners are known to appear here, whether pressured enough by their Receiver counterparts, or coming all on their own whether biological reasons or otherwise. In the end, hardly anyone refuses to show up, the intense romantic feelings rippling through the Nlom in planet-spanning proportions. It occurs annually on June 14th.

Nioh'Quvuqi

As creatures of the sea, Skrell have an innate connection to the tides, and as such, the moon. Bi-annually, during the equinoxes, Skrell will prepare a celebratory dinner privately in their homes. This is viewed as a time for families to come together and bond, and generally isn’t a publicly enjoyed holiday. An important staple of this holiday is the preparation of Aqoliz, a type of soft sea-mollusc, to be enjoyed. The Skrell are expected to give praise to the notable moons within the Jargon Federation, mostly Qerr'Malic, during the dinner. The celebration has been tracked as far back as seven millennia ago, making it one of the oldest holidays still celebrated within the Jargon Federation.

Nral'viq

Nral'viq is one of the most important celebrations throughout the Jargon Federation as it commemorates its reunification. Whilst the holiday only occurs on one day, it is not unheard of for Skrell to celebrate days before and after. A very public holiday, the various planetary governments will organise parades that typically end in large fireworks. There is an important aspect to this holiday; ‘Origin’ is an important milestone in the life of a Skrell. It is the compelling pilgrimage from their planet or city to the beaches of Qerrbalak, where aeons ago, Skrell walked from the sea onto land. It is a significant reflection for some Skrell, some coming from the pilgrimage changed and focused. Some other Skrell find it a waste of time, and focus on more practical endeavours. However, Origin is crucial to some tourist attractions in Qerrbalak.

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Different Eras of Skrell

Weeping Era (400+ years old)

The older Skrell who lived before the 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 reformation of the Federation after the Tri-Qyu Supernova. It was a time of little 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 shuttles 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 (...-71 years old)

This era marks the 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. Supposedly, the original code of a skrellian artificial intelligence was 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...

Skrellian Arts

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Music

Originally, when Skrell were in their primitive stage, their music was primarily vocalization. Water, being a convenient medium for noise, served well for long-distance singing and harmonization. These songs were typically featuring very short notes (similar to human plainchant), due to sound travelling faster. Eventually these vocalizations began to be accompanied by percussion, various seascapes around the waters of Qerrbalak offering a great range of noises to accompany this. As their songs travelled far through the water, overlapping different vocal performances became quite difficult; skrellian choruses eventually merging together and reaching very large numbers of vocalists and percussionists, synced up quite well through a combination of pure skill and the Nlom. Many centuries later, this trend would still continue, with long songs featuring bands with tens of numbers, each member having a very specific, yet very crucial role.

In the modern age, skrellian music had not changed in structure much, however, the process of creating it, and displaying it, had become far more complex. Members of the top contemporary skrellian bands would train for years to have the best voices, the best moves, and the finest outfits and implants. These songs would typically preach skrellian values, conformity, relying on ones’ social structures, but would include massive audiovisual elements. In some concerts, one receives a tab lulling them into a half-awake state where the music would be accompanied by a big, shared, psionic hallucination. Lasers, special effects, and holograms would be common sights. This would be where Idol groups would begin. Musical subcultures in typical Skrell society are very homogenous, a Skrell must stick to the styles and behaviours of their subculture, or be seen as ‘only here temporarily.’

For every-day pop music, skrellian artists have taken big inspiration from human trends, some artists sampling chopping and screwing human music to create catchy Sol Common hooks, others taking human genres and putting them through a krellian lens. Other homemade genres have sprung up, such as moisture wave, currently rocking the alternative scene. This genre is typically denoted by a low-resolution, electronic production, with a relatively fast tempo. Shorter songs are generally popular in the right-now, a combination of sound travelling faster through water and electronic music being simple to create leading to higher-tempo and higher-pitch 'sound bites' lasting no longer than two minutes. Imagine nightcore.

Skrell also possess a notable counterculture, one similar to human punk rock circles. These circles are typically out of the way of polite society, concerts generally staying in underground places. Listeners tend to enjoy these musical circles more, receivers generally not straying far from the pop. These are rife with hallucinogens being passed around, strange alien liquors splashed on fans’ gills, and heavy audience participation. These songs are typically in extremely vulgar Nral’malic, retaliating against Federation values and urging their generally young audiences to find their own voices; fans typically being listeners or listener-leaning receivers. This can lead to very 'unsightly' outfits and even some venues demanding the audience be blindfolded Despite their ironic, often sarcastic and even humorous messages, they tend to be quite provoking. Many former idols end up in this counterculture, such as the former Idol group Nral'akk Deluxe 1597, now known as ‘GLORSH YOU ASSHOLE.’ Fans of the music generally live in a perpetual state of anxiety owing to the existential dread of Receivers finding a band. A group a Skrell has been listening to for well over 200 years can disappear into the vast sea of 'ooh what’s this' before they even know it, either completely changing or disappearing into nothingness. Many former Idols end up here, and many band members are accidentally made into them. It used to be the case that possession of a data crystal containing these songs alone was a crime, however the Federation government has elected to assimilate these groups and attempt to 'socialize' as many fans as possible, knowing banning them will only fuel it. To prevent this, a few bands have sternly refused to make any public announcements about tours or gatherings, relying entirely on word of mouth and guerilla t-shirt stands.

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Fashion

Ox Fashion

Almost purely utilitarian, Ox fashion often consists of brown, grey, and beige jumpers that often extend up past the neck, covering the gills. This takes the form of longer cloaks, shoulder capes, or ponchos. Headtails are sometimes tied back. Most working-class Skrell carry a satchel or duffle bag with them, usually mismatched against their clothing, in order to carry their belongings and tools for the workday. A staple of this wardrobe are dark or brown work boots and gloves. Rugged materials are used to resist tearing and piercing when working on labour-intensive tasks. When relaxing, they generally wear similar or the same outfit around their dwelling. While these outfits are designed for purpose, they are often comfortable to allow for longer working hours.

Ix Fashion

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A federation-standard jumpsuit, usually depicting the area of work a Skrell does via colouring. The colourations tend to transfer across articles of clothing

The average fashion often alters with celebrity influences or changing tastes. Average skrell have the means to change with the times, and their wardrobe is somewhat put together with these trends in mind. When working, these Skrell wear business-casual jumpers, often with high collars, and wear decorative headtail coverings or simply tie them back. Patterns are encouraged, and the average Skrell will wear varying patterns that are similar to coral reefs, swirling maelstroms, and other ocean-iconography. It’s customary for Skrell shoes to be worn for purpose and most Ix will wear comfortable fitting flat shoes, but some Skrell will opt to go barefoot. At home, these Skrell will wear more casual fitting clothes that may not always be fashionable, exchanging popularity for more agreeable outfits.

Oqi Fashion

As exceptional workers, Oqi often find themselves at an interesting crossroads between fashion and utility. While valued for their valuable work, these Skrell are frequently within the eyes of the public, and are pressured into wearing the latest fashion. However, fashion trends have given them the ability to wear designer lab coats with flared collars, patterned disposable gloves, lab-safe accessories, tailored suits, and other specific items. Most will wear pins denoting their professional prestige, such as length of employment, most prestigious degree obtained, or other rewards. Some individuals in this class will also show off their importance with wearable technology, like wristbound computers or inner-ear radios.

Iqi Fashion

The highest echelon of professional Skrell society, Iqi are generally the trendsetters and fashion icons of Skrell pop-culture, along with being influential for their advancements in varying fields. As fashion rapidly changes among the elite, Iqi Fashion changes frequently, though common staples exist. For example, a popular trope is the production of outfits that are based off of sea creatures, such as dresses that have eight different flares (to resemble octopus-like creatures), purses that are shaped like molluscs, and decorate ties to resemble sea serpents.

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Artworks

Paintings

Skrellian paintings originally were considered quite bland - using various greys, blacks and whites in order to depict certain imagery. It wasn't until Rixulin Fliioux’Quualt that additional colours were introduced, as well as another concept of art. Hyper-expressionism quickly took hold of the Skrell, who began implementing it everywhere; homes, offices, labs and even public spaces quickly became retrofitted in order to convey this evolution of skrellian culture. Thousands, upon thousands, of murals can be located throughout the Jargon Federation with this key theme in mind - some even stating that its the only theme worth painting in regards about. Hyper-expressiveness continues to inspire Skrell art and fashion to this day. Much of modern art juggles the soft, muted colours of more traditional styles along with garish, striking colours like the ones Rixulin often employed. By combining these trends with human art themes, Skrell art has entered something of a second renaissance.

Sculptures

Sometime in skrellian history, the species began to deviate from hyper-realistic sculptures and commenced investing their efforts into creating abstract forms - with various shapes, colours, forms and gestural marks that are combined to create what skrellian sculptures are today. In bygone periods, these sculptures would have etchings of Nral'Malic which would tell the stories woven into them by the sculptors. In the present day, the tradition continues to exist but slightly altered. Sculptors now record the stories on nlom recorders, which transmits the tale behind the sculpture when interacted with. It also will describe the feelings and reasonings, inputted by the sculptor, on why the sculpture is what it is.

Examples

Paintings

Sculptures

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Architecture

Interior Architecture

Skrellian interior design has remained roughly the same for millennia, with little alterations here and there but mostly retaining the same characteristics. Compact, and utilitarian, are the core tenets for skrellian architects who will utilize a variety of methods to accomplish such. The lack for the species to undergo long periods of sleep has factored into this, and has seen most skrellian abodes devoid of any designated sleeping areas; instead finding in replacement that studies have been implemented. Walls are usually various shades of grey, white and black - however, their furniture will usually be dazzling hues. This juxtaposition of colours first originated after skrellian artists turned to hyper-abstract versions of their art, which quickly became popular.

External Architecture

Skrellian architecture has evolved for thousands of years, mostly keeping to the traditional designs found across Qerrbalak. It is believed that ancient Skrell had first devised their housing units as domes in order to deflect strong winds and torrential rain experienced during the colder months of the year. Whilst millennia ago they were likely constructed of flora found on their Homeworld, they have since transformed into carbon-fibre meshes that are extremely durable and lightweight.

Alongside the spherical structure of skrellian engineering, most will find various implementations of "windcatcher towers" that aim to provide continuous ventilation within skrellian abodes. The heat flows up, and leaves through the large windows, whilst the cold air seeps in. They are usually constructed alongside fountains in order for water to cool the air even further. The windows hosted within the towers are also able to be closed should a Skrell wish for it.

Aquatic structures will typically find themselves made similarly, but instead outfitted with glass in order to allow observation of the water surrounding the facility. They will usually be equipped with various designs to allow both Axiori and Xiialt to survive reasonably comfortably beneath the waves of a planet. Some may find these structures interconnected through the use of glassed hallways that further branch into residential sections.