take me home
QUARIAN. MECHANIC.
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Indie Tali'Zorah of Mass Effect. Triggers present.
WRITTEN BY MURPHY
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Tali hates the connotation tied with Quarians throughout the galaxy; she feels they are used for their loyalty & engineering skills, but still viewed as second-class citizens.
There are two major “religions” followed by the Quarians.
One is the belief in three powers: a synthetic god, & two Quarian gods. This religion, often referred to as ‘The Three Divines’, holds a representation of machines, man, & a higher spirit. The female Quarian, known as ‘The Mother’ (which is often related to the central Goddess of the Asari religion), had a son, who created a synthetic life. This is the only solid knowledge of the religion all Quarians share, as there are different stories about each which different clans & ships adopted. Now mostly a dead religion, most refer to The Mother, who was seen as an almighty creator & a balance between organic & synthetic life, in prayer while in battle or working.
The second religion, a much rarer occurrence in Quarian culture, involves the idea that every synthetic being has an essence, or soul, which came from an organic life sacrificing itself (usually represented as a female) for the sake of saving the galaxy, in turn, due to the orangic’s purity, giving everything a soul that makes everything capable of several principles & the ability to follow a set “code” made by the sacrificial being. This religion was mostly practiced before the creation of the Geth, though some, who believe in peace with synthetic life, still practice it. There are set principles & a moral code that must be followed, but specifics are unclear. It is believed that the sacrificial organic had several prophets that built temples on Rannoch, & are reborn within each generation. Due to this, followers of this faith are eager to return home to further investigate.
Mostly, however, Quarians do not follow a set religion or philosophy, but share a basic desire to be loyal & learn. There are other religions of course, or variations of the major two. Some Quarians revert to other religions of the galaxy, specifically the Asari religion, as it closely resembles their own. However, religion has impacted their culture, as purple & red are seen as sacred colors, & genders represent a role in their core beliefs: females are creators while males are warriors, but they are both equal. Females are seen as pure, powerful, & mysterious. Males are seen as protective, moral, & peacekeepers.
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The Quarian race prohibits homosexuality, so Tali grew up believing it was unnatural. However, another taboo of the race – interracial couples – enticed her, & she grew up with a secret wish to meet someone of another race who she could fall in love with.
When it comes to sex Tali relies mostly on what she’s seen in videos or read in transmissions, & is thus very awkward. Due to being isolated to her envrio-suit she is also extremely insecure about her body, which she feels is below average compared to other female Quarians; she often makes comments about seeing other female Quarians & how they look in comparison to her.
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Tali was modifying weapons in her teens, which started when she called out an error made by a weapons engineer on the Rayya. Up until then Tali was soft spoken, but afterwards she grew compassionate for engineering, focusing wholeheartedly on mechanics & weapons. Before her Pilgrimage she was already known by several throughout the fleet for her genius; this enabled her to gain an apprenticeship under an engineer on the Rayya a few years before she left the fleet.
The Quarian culture is something not easily understood by outsiders, & due to their virtual isolation on The Migrant Fleet their lifestyle & culture has developed uninhibited by other races. As their first priority is the survival & efficiency of the Fleet, homosexuality is viewed as a taboo, but can be pardoned by the Admiralty Board. Still, the general outlook of it is negative. However, in recent years, due to a mild population decrease, homosexuality has been the cause of multiple exiles in the Fleet. Also considered a taboo is relationships crossing biologic boundaries, such as with Humans or Geth. Though much more rare considering their isolation, in recent years, due to exposure to new groups in the galaxy, it has become more common.
Families are permitted one birth, & are typically close-knit. Relationships between Quarians are based on a loose set of courtship boundaries; male Quarians must have fulfilled their Pilgrimage & have a place on a crew, so to support their family, while female Quarians must have their father’s consent (seeing as there is always a risk the mother will die in childbirth) before initiating a relationship. This consent is held in high esteem, & couples rejected by the female’s father usually live in outcast compared to other couples, but due to the closeness of the Quarian community disowning is rare, & usually only happens when a child is exiled or doesn’t return from their Pilgrimage. Other courtship rituals include linking enviro-suits & sharing family stories. Quarians must be “joined” before committing to a sexual act, but Quarians often discuss their future child & family during courtship to create stronger ties.
The final process of courtship is to be “joined”, which involves the trading of goods between the couple’s families (usually involving tools or weapons). The female’s family gives a weapon to the male, & the male’s family gives a tool to the female. Then both families unite as one to give the couple their first quilt for their living space. After this the couple joins enviro-suits, & the process is complete. Afterwards there is usually a small celebration involving dance & food & storytelling, which the families are part of, as well as the crew of the ship.
Polygamy is an uncommon occurrence in Quarian culture, & is usually frowned upon as it evokes the idea of disloyalty between the two of the couple. However, Quarians are permitted ‘brothers’ & ‘sisters’, which represents a solid, almost extreme, platonic relationship between Quarians. This is similar to courtship, but is usually only conducted during childhood, before a Pilgrimage is taken. Both families must consent to the ‘sibling’; usually the ‘siblings’ have already bonded & most likely have grown up together. The reason for ‘sibling’ bonding is to strengthen family communication, & overall, ship relations, but also improve the thought loneliness of a single Quarian child. After their Pilgrimage Quarians join their new ship, & due to the closeness of siblings & families, once again regain contact with them. This improves ship relations. Siblings are rarely found once in adulthood, as it is believed Quarians grow out of the desire to have a personal platonic bond, & must then focus on finding a mate.
Quarians are very close-knit & based on loyalty & trust. Crews often share the accomplishments or woes of a single Quarian; they celebrate births & joinings, & grieve deaths. Quarians enjoy this part of their culture, & embrace it as the basis of their people. Treason (disloyalty to the crew or family unity, but mostly just to crew) can be reason for exile. Turning on one’s own people is viewed as the ultimate sin, & even if the accusation is revoked, Quarians still have a negative outlook of the accused. Most who are accused commit suicide in their dishonor.
Besides being an avid watcher of romance videos, Tali is an immense lover of techno/trance & rock music. Her tastes range from galaxy classics like RUSH & Dream Theater to ‘underground’ artists like Egypt Central & Starset. More than that, she enjoys novels, specifically mystery or thriller books, plus romance. Overall, she loves media & tries to get as much of it as she can.
BUILD
Tali stands about 5′4″, with a thin frame that is covered in lean muscle. Her abdomen has prominent muscle, as do her arms & legs. Her body is hourglass shaped, with broad shoulders and wide hips, & a small core. Her thighs are petite but muscular, & her back is straight. On her back above her hips there are three bony ridges, almost like gills, that lead into her spine in an upward fashion, shaping an upside down v. Below that is colored a grayish-yellow until meeting her butt, which is small. Instead of breasts she has a small but wide ridge of bone on her chest, before going down into her abdomen. She lacks a navel, but like on her back has three softer ridges angled upward, once again like an upside down v. Her arms are loose & shorter, bent slightly backward at the elbow, with her hands handing backs away from her, her thumb beside her leg.
EYES
Tali’s eyes are white, with a light grayish-silver iris & a white pupil, both of which glow softly. Her eyes are almond-shaped, angled slightly down towards her nose, but also curved, with an underlying arc. Her eyelashes are short & curved. She blinks less than a human, & her tear duct is smaller than the average human. Her eyebrows are thin & arched above her eyes, which are considerably sunken under the bony area for her eyebrows.
HANDS
Tali’s hands are medium sized for a female Quarian, & surprisingly rough for being contained inside an exosuit. Her fingers are long & thick, without nails. The back of her hands have a delicate lavender tint, while her palms are a pale yellowish gray. Her palms & fingers have soft pads, almost like a dog. Dark purple, almost black, designs spiral down her arms & over the backs of her hands & fingers; when using tech-based abilities the designs glow a soft lavender or blue.
HAIR
Tali’s hair is a dark purple, which appears black in most light, & is cut in a bob framing her face. It is straight, & comes out behind a short crown of horns that rise out of her forehead. The crest is colored with a lavender tint, edged in a grayish-yellow; the crest is hard like bone, with a soft yellowish underside that gives away to her hair. The underside, like the palms of her hands, has a rough “pad”, like that of a dog or cat. Her hair is soft & light, & is not prone to static or stray hairs. Her arms & legs lack hair, though it does grow down the back of her neck in the shape of a v, & is a lighter shade of purple. Her exosuit is programmed to treat her hair with a growth stopping hormone that keeps it at its current length, in the style of a bob.
FACE
Tali’s face is soft & heart shaped. The skin is colored a grayish-yellow, with a lavender tint, & is soft & considerably layered over her skull. Her cheeks are full & freckled (the freckles are a dark purple), with high cheekbones & a sharp, small jaw. Her nose is small & square, smooth, without pores, & is close to her face, with small nostrils that are almost triangular. Her nose appears almost flat against her face, & is not as sharply pronounced as a humans; her nostrils are plain on her face, & from the side her nose appears a triangular curve coming out of her face. Her ears are small compared to a humans, which is smooth within; her earlobes are nonexistent, & the tips are close to her skull, connected by skin, but still lightly pointed. Her ears curve lightly into her skull, where it connects to her ear canal. Her forehead is wide, with a crest of bone at the top before giving away to her hair. Her eyes are small & sunken slightly under arched bone, which is covered with an eyebrow, colored dark purple & is composed of fine hairs. Her lips are a darker lavender color, & are smooth compared to a humans; they are small & thin, & her teeth beneath are smooth & white, square near the center before gradually giving away to sharp canines & fang-like teeth.
Tali was born on the ship Rayya in 2161, & was the only child of Rael'Zorah, a member of the Admiralty Board. Her mother died due to infection shortly after her birth, & due to her father often being busy as an Admiral, she grew up among other Quarian children & families. Growing up she noted that some treated her differently due to her father’s place on the Board, but she brushed it off & lived with freedom & passion. Tali often had sleepovers with her friends, & enjoyed romantic movies, dreaming of having an interspecies relationship. Growing up she loved mechanics, & collected scraps from the engineers to create her own “toys”. She still carries around several of her favorites, which she calls her “friends”.