Drell

Drell



The drell are a race of reptile-like humanoids that appear in Mass Effect 2.The drell ancestors emerged from dry, rocky deserts on the barren world of Rakhana. Rapid industrial expansion and overpopulation produced disastrous results 800 years ago, when the already arid planet began the descent to lifelessness. At the time, the drell lacked interstellar flight capacity and faced certain doom until first contact was made with the hanar. Over the next ten years, the hanar transported hundreds of thousands of drell to the hanar world, Kahje. The remaining billions left on Rakhana perished on their dying planet, warring against each other for diminishing resources. The drell now thrive co-existing with the Hanar and have been a part of galactic civilization for roughly two centuries.

Most drell are content to live on Kahje. They are afforded every opportunity to thrive by the hanar, yet some outsiders and even some hanar regard the drell as second-class citizens. However it is quite the opposite, as they have integrated themselves into every level of hanar society as respected, productive citizens. A few, solitary drell travelers often seek out new species elsewhere, and in turn adopt that species' culture. Such drell number in the thousands, and are scattered across the galaxy, tending towards quiet, integrated lives.

Drell are omnivorous reptile-like humanoids with an average lifespan of 85 galactic standard years. Drell appearance is very similar to asari and humans, but their muscle tissue is slightly denser than that of humans, giving them a wiry strength. Many of their more reptilian features are concealed, however one unique characteristic is the hyoid bone in their throats, which allows them to inflate their throats and produce vocal sounds outside of the Human rage. Since the drell ancestors emerged from arid, rocky deserts, the humid, ocean-covered hanar homeworld of Kahje proved tolerable only when the drell stayed inside a climate-controlled dome city. A significant number of drell, including Shepard's teammate Thane Krios, suffer from a condition called Kepral's Syndrome. The illness is caused by the inability of drell physiology to adapt to long-term habitation in conditions more humid than their native world. While the hanar are funding a search for a cure, the illness is fatal and incurable during the course of the games. Every Drell possesses an Eidetic Memory, to which they are able to recall any past events in outstanding detail.