Quarian

The Quarian are nomadic, bipedal sapients who must wear environmental suits at all times, as living in the sterile environment of the Flotilla has atrophied their immune systems. Many rumors exist as to their race in fact being cybernetic in nature - a perfect blend of biology and technology that allows them to survive in the vacuum of space for a time.

Physiology
Typically they stand a little under six feet, with a slender and thin Humanoid build. though very similar in appearance to humans they only have three digits on their feet and three on their hands (two fingers and a thumb).

Due to centuries of living in a near sterile environment their immune systems are very week, to the point where they are now forced to wear suits with a self-contained atmosphere. Any ruptures in this suit and within minutes the Quarian is very ill or even dead.

Culture
In Quarian society, once a member has come of age they are sent on a pilgrimage, this involves collecting valuable items and then returning to the flotilla and presenting them to a captain of a vessel. If these gifts are accepted then the individual will be accepted into the crew (gifts are rarely rejected as having a larger crew increases a captains standing in the fleet). Quarians are made to do this as it helps with genetic diversity.

Unfortunately this act of pilgrimage and "collecting" things has given the Quarians a bad reputaion, with many seeing them as thieves and vagrants. as a result many business's on the Citadel rufuse to employ them.

Ever since they were driven from Rannoch the Quarians have a deep rooted hatred for the Geth and would happily see them wiped out.



History
Once being the masters of their own world, the Quarians were highly advanced in the field of artificiall intelligence. eventually they created the Geth, a software based construct with limited intelligence that communicated with other units via a server hub. eventually so many were built that they began to think for themselves and rebelled.

A long war ensued resolting in the Quarians leaving their homeworld roughly three centuries prior to 2183AD. leading them to become the nomadic flotilla.



Trivia

 * Of all the Quarians in existent Mass Effect universe, Tali'Zorah was the only one seen in-game in Mass Effect 1. The sequel let you explore the Migrant Fleet.