Nasaran

"Courage, loyalty, dependability, maturity, and creativity are just a few of the important traits I expect of a fellow Nasaran. Anything less and they are not my brother or sister."

- A Nasaran commander speaking of his people

The Nasaran were a species native to the planet of Nasara in the. They were known for their staunch militaristic and judicial culture, and maintained a colonial empire of seventy-five worlds known as the Unified Nasaran Federation. They were recognizable for their archaic white tattoos which covered parts of their face and their bodies, denoting their rank and age in Nasaran society. They were known thoughout the galaxy as soldiers and mercenaries, and rarely succumb to greed or selfishness thanks to their martial culture which demanded integrity and dependablity.

The Nasaran people joined the in 3,596 BBY, seeking to gain profit and knowledge from their larger neighbor, and served with distinction in many of the Republic's wars, including the. They readily joined the in 19 BBY, and served the Empire loyally as shocktroopers and terror troopers. Countless Nasaran joined the Empire as infiltrators, spies, interrogators, and secret police, viewing the Empire as a pillar of law and order, two of the foremost traits they revered.

As developers of weapons technology and warships for most of their history, their worlds were used as military shipyards and training centers, for which they were rewarded by with maintaining their nominal independence from direct Imperial control. The Nasaran routinely produced, some of whom joined the , but later joined the who promised stability and justice in the galaxy. As a result, hundreds of Nasaran joined the, and fought the remnents of the and the.

Biology and appearance
The Nasaran were a near-human species standing approximately 1.8 to 2.1 meters in height. Their blood was black and oily in texture, and was known to be slightly acidic when exposed to the outside air. The race was immune to toxins which allowed them to mass-produce chemical weapons, and ingest foods that were usually poisonous to other species. Male and female Nasarans were equal in most regards, and with the exception of appearance and reproduction, few differences were notable. The race as a whole shared a sameness in appearance, with nearly all members of the race looking like each other. Such was their appearance that many outsiders mistakenly took them to be clones, while only the Nasaran themselves could tell the difference.

Nasaran bodies with extremely flexible and agile, with their weight typically less that 50 kilograms, thanks to their unusually hallow yet durable skeletal systems. Also, their muscle density was higher that normal for other species of the same build, and thus they possessed above average strength and endurance. Their fast metabolisms were responsible for the lack of obesity in their species, and their increased stamina allowed the race to push itself further without losing too much in the way of energy. They also possessed superior reactions, allowing them to dodge many attacks. They had razor-sharp teeth, which were very predatory in appearance. Their internal organs were black, and women were noted for their black lips which produced an oily-substance that left residue similar to lipstick.

The Nasaran maintained a very youthful appearance, with the age concealed almost seemlessly, with their age only revealed in their twilight years. Their eyes came in deep blue and purple, usually changing colors on their own or on command by the Nasaran individual. Their hair was jet black, but possessed a certain iridescence, with the reflection seen in their hair changing a multitude of colors. Also, their hair consisted of a strange gossomer-like substance that made it extremely light, yet as smooth and durable as silk. The Nasaran did not speak of their ages, but of their ranks and honors instead, finding the former to be irrelavent knowledge.

Their minds were highly developed at a very young age, and their combat-based society often demanded that they develop their skills as early as possible. Nasaran were known being natural military commanders, and some even technological masterminds, with members of the race bordering on almost brilliant. The Nasaran could learn at paces considered inhuman by other species, allowing them to assess a situtation quickly and develop a strategy around the issues and problems they encountered. Practicality influenced much of their designs and weaponry as a result, and many of the species became suberb engineers and architechs because of this skill.

Society and culture
"The Nasaran are the greatest warriors for two good reasons; because we must and because we can. And yet of the two forces the second is the greater; we fight because we choose to do it."

- A Nasaran general

The Nasaran were extremely militaristic, viewing combat as reverance of their species and the art of war. They found beauty in the order, majesty, and flexibilty of warfare, and worshipped it through their actions and way of life. Their lack of physical difference made it easy to develop a society based aroud militarism. The lack of physical looks between individuals of the race eliminated competitions of appearance, and the problem of individuality was removed of the species as a whole. Brotherhood and comradery were the cornerstones of Nasaran civilization, and loyalty to one's race and nation are the foremost traits that the Nasaran uphold.

The race's fanatical and relentless dedication to fitness, physical conditioning, endless combat training and diet resulted in much of the superior physicality they possessed, and their obssession with war fueled much of the drive that maintained their desire to push on in areas most others would have given up. Though warriors first, the Nasaran did believe that one could not fight if they were dead, and understood the notion of retreat to preserve precious manpower and experience. To the species, never surrendering simply to win an unwinnable battle was a pointless and stupid endeavour that only fools embarked on. If a battle could not be won, and being a race known for winning the unwinnable at time, the Nasaran would be the first to order a withdrawal.

The notion of "personal property" did not exist amoungst the Nasaran people. The idea that something they believe should be share with their people could be jealously guarded for the pursuit of personal gain would be meet with extreme violence on the Nasarans' part. However, this belief only extended as far as their species. Once the Nasaran had something, their considered it their own, and refused to allow it to part with them. This too went hand-in-hand with their militaristic culture. If you can take it, it's yours. If you lost it, you didn't deserve to have it. This often showed well when with other species whom the Nasaran had warred with. Their mercies and patiance were limited when dealing with the ignorant or selfish.

On a personal level, the Nasaran were considered aloof and very formal in their actions and deeds, showing respect to high-ranking members of another species, while treating members of lower rank with contempt and disregard. Often believed to be emotionless and without empathy, Nasaran keeping their emotions and expressions thereof to themselves, never smiling without cause or around members of other species. Feelings of anger or frustration were kept low, though they did have a number of swear words that were highly descriptive of the issue they encountered. Despite this, the Nasaran never let their emotions show unless it was with those whom they trusted, and in their society, trust was an important gift not shared lightly.

As brotherhood and family were important aspects of Nasaran society, exile was a horrible fate to befall a member of the species. Execution was reserved for higher ranking members of the race, as it was considered an honor to die for a cause, no matter who's side or whatever reason it was for. In terms of their mindset, the Nasaran were tactictians by heart. They thrived in unpredictable enviornments were they sought to overcome the unexpected, and rise to the top in situtations were many others should have failed. Each new day brought new challenges and every year filled with a thousand different battles. Their minds were always ready to resolve puzzles, and such could be seen in their individual lives.

The Nasaran firmly believed in rank, order, and justice. They were taught to respect the position held, and not the holder of the position. Because of their strict lives and codes of conduct, they also believed in law and order, and when a certain place or person was deemed unorderly, they moved into action to remedy the situtation, often using force. Finally, justice was a pillar of their society, where they believed without a strong judicial system, order would be pointless and their precious system of rank and file lost to chaos. While not a peaceful race per say, the Nasaran did believe that sometimes war was not the most viable option to consider, and that sometimes peace was neccessary for the war that wanted to take place on their terms.

Because of their vast ability to absorb information, Nasaran had a natural talent for collecting intelligence, often serving as high-level spies, especially for species seeking an alternative to the vast. A trained Nasaran was able to detect discrepencies in body language, tell the difference between an authentic item from a near flawess forgery, and see through even the most peerless of disguises. Their belief that knowing what to encounter before they engage it was one of the important tenents of their ideology, though many of their race still preferred to fight the unexpect just to prove themselves to others.

Technology
The Nasaran developed their technology seperate from the galactic community, as the enveloping dark nebula hide their civilization away from the galaxy for countless millennia.