Nirien (Neer-Ee-Ehn)

Nirien are a mainly mammalian species. This means they give birth to live young and they breast feed, however their bodies don't have hair, and even their eyelashes are thin “fins”. Instead their skin is soft and sleek, somewhat similar to that of a dolphin. Because of this they mostly prefer tropical or humid environments, though they have been seen in many other climates.

They are also equipped with two horns on the top of their heads, two small tentacles in their lower jaw that drape over their shoulders and one large tentacle on the back of their heads along with a tail. The sizes of these elements can change and sometimes their horns can be long tentacles like the ones in their jaw instead. Another one of their features is their “elephant-like” feet with a flat bottom and three large nails in front. These are softer, similar to that of a goat’s, meaning they are great climbers, able to cling to the slightest surface. Their bodies are also more resilient than many species in the galaxy thanks to them having a degree of elasticity in their bone structure and skin.

Their faces are very memorable, having no eyebrows or nose and instead having 4 small infrared eyes in their foreheads. These eyes have small slits next to them, this is linked to their respiratory system, working as air intakes. Speaking of their breathing, their lungs also have thin organs just above them that work as filters, processing most gasses in the atmosphere of a planet into breathable air.

When it comes to their coloration, Nirien are a very colorful species. They will have one main color for their skin and it’ll often be fairly saturated, along with white markings above and around their eyes as well as black markings along their horns, tentacles, tail and limbs. These markings are organic looking, coming in either blob, sharp or spotted shapes.

When it comes to the offspring, normally the child will be born with the color of the mother, the father, an analogous color to theirs or something between them. For example a yellow mother and a pink-ish red father can have a child who is purple, orange, or red. Despite the sexual activity and compatibility of Nirien compared to the other species, they can only have children with another member of their species.

When it comes to genetic mutations, the more prominent ones are Albinism and Hyperpigmentation. While albinism is extremely rare, it being a 1 in 5,000 chance to happen, Hyperpigmentation is more so and seldom seen. An albino Nirien is often seen in their society as “sun touched” and are revered. They will often be given high positions in their government or industries, thinking they have been chosen for great things.

Nirien Society is very equitable, with both men and women found in important roles. This is further represented in their picks for the 16 members of their ruling body, the High Council, of which there are 8 male and 8 female members. The High council has representatives of the main districts of Paxilion and they are in charge of every important decision for their people, from commerce, diplomacy and military.

Each member is elected by officials in their district, who then build their political cabinet to help them in their tasks. Each district also has their representative logo and color that their members always dress in for formal gatherings. Oftentimes you’ll see a High Councilor surrounded by a few members of their group, these elements make them feel more like royal houses than simply political groups. Another element that adds to this, is the fact that when all are taking part in a meeting they wear long sleek robes and they convene in a chamber with low gravity, so they are often floating, their long clothing trailing their movements, making them seem regal.

The Nirien are also one of the founding members of the Therean Union of Systems. Their contributions to the Union make them a highly valued and protected species.

Their open minded nature also influences their relationships, because of this its common seeing Nirien being part of same sex, heterosexual, monogamous and polygamous relationships. They are very passionate and loving, meaning all flavors of love are on the table for many of them, while of course individual preferences may differ between people.

The Nirien are a highly advanced space fairing species with a great mastery of tech and an equal respect for their environment. Their tech tends to be sleek, almost liquid looking, the hulls of their ships looking like they were sculpted from clay or by a master glassblower rather than an engineer.

Because Nirien have been exposed to many cultures across the galaxy as part of the TUS, their fashion reflects many different styles, however the main outfits in Paxilion are sleek, clean and futuristic with a minimalistic design, often with neutral colors and detailed with saturated ones.

Oftentimes these outfits will leave gaps or be revealing enough to show off their bright coloration and patterns. Lately a fashion movement in the planet has been leaning towards more ancient styles of clothing, using twisting metallic filigree, sheet and soft silks. This style has been gaining popularity in the younger bolder Nirien, especially those returning to the planet from the greater galaxy.

Nirien are very curious and open minded, this brought them to develop high quality means of interstellar travel and spread across the galaxy, so it will be common to see them in a large number of planets. This inquisitive nature also helps them make quick connections to other species, giving them an even higher chance to comfortably settle down in other worlds.

While Nirien are fairly light on religion, choosing any religion they fancy at a time for the most part, they do have an official one. Fallinism is the belief that the twin gods of light and darkness watch over and judge them. Their members built a Grand Temple for this belief and it is located in the capital city of Novenhall. Members of Fallinism have an order of light and an order of shadow, with their members dressing in pearlescent white and oily black respectively, both wearing short veils that cover their eyes or full faces.

The high priests dress with a mix of these black and white outfits and have silver detailing to their ritual robes. While they may look somewhat somber, because the religion revolves around being judged, they are often working to better the lives of the people around them. They are active in charities and medicinal practices across their planet and even on neighboring ones.

Nirien are a friendly and curious species, making them a favorite for interaction by other more open species, however they are passionate and will defend their own, which has brought them into conflict with more violent species like the Aarakan in the past.