Asari

''They're semi-flexible cartilage based scalp-crests that grow into shape. And they don't 'flop around'.''

-Liara T'Soni talking about her head tendrils-

The first race to discover the Citadel, founders of the Citadel Council and considered by many to be the most influential and respected sentient species of the universe.

A mono-gender race, the Asari are distinctly feminine in appearance and possess maternal instincts. Their unique physiology, expressed in a millennium-long lifespan and the ability to reproduce with a partner of any gender or species, gives them a conservative yet convivial attitude toward other races. Favoring compromise and cooperation over conflict, the Asari were instrumental in proposing and founding the Citadel Council and have been at the heart of galactic society ever since.

Biology
Resembling Humans in basic skeletal structure, Asari are unique from Humans in that they are a mono-gendered race, meaning all members of their species are female. Typically blue skinned, some Asari have markings or patterns adorning their skin, helping to distinguish them from other members of their race. In place of hair, Asari have semi-flexible cartilage based scalp crests that form into a shape similar to hair. Thanks to a robust cellular regenerative system, Asari are able to live for close to 1000 years, making them one of the longest living species in the universe. They are unique throughout the universe in that many species find them attractive, some thinking it's a biological feature of the Asari that can change the perception of other races to perceive them as similar to that species. So if a Human sees an Asari, they will look more Human, but if an Amphibiosan sees the same Asari, they will see them as more Amphibiosan. Aside from looking like Humans, they are very much different from the apes of Earth. For starters, since Asari are a mono-gendered race, they need to reproduce with other species, and are able to do so with almost any other species, regardless of gender. However, Asari reproduction is very different from other forms of sexual reproduction. An Asari provides two copies of her own genes to her offspring, one of which is passed on unaltered. The second set of genes is altered in a unique process called melding, also known as the joining. During melding, the eyes of the Asari initiating the meld dilate as she consciously attunes her nervous system to her partner's, sending and receiving electrical impulses directly through the skin. A common phrase used before melding is "embrace eternity", presumably to help focus the partner's mind. Effectively, the Asari and her partner briefly become one unified nervous system, sharing memories, thoughts, and feelings. The offspring is always an Asari, regardless of the species or sex of the "father" and in the case that the offspring is of two Asari, the father is the one who does not give birth.

Culture
Thanks to their long lifespans, many Asari have a more "long view" in everything they do, which isn't very common among other races. When they encounter a new species, they often times opt for a long period of observation before approaching. They are a more passive race, rarely choosing violent options unless absolutely no other options are available. They traditionally choose to spread their influence through diplomatic and cultural exchanges. Because of their natural sensuality and ability to mate with any species, Asari are sometimes rumored to be promiscuous. These rumors are mostly a result of misinformation (or wishful thinking). In fact, Asari have to accept that if they mate outside their own species, they will almost inevitably outlive their partner. Therefore, they have had to apply their philosophical "long view" to relationships as well, savoring the time they spend with their partners rather than focusing on their inevitable loss.

Their Place in the Universe
The Asari are the pinnacle of the Citadel, having founded the current government structure and helped to keep it afloat since its inception. They are the political backbone of the Citadel and the Government, helping to identify other races for potential inclusion within the Intergalactic Alliance.

The Asari abhor violence, rarely choosing violent acts in any situation that can be helped. Some Asari are exceptions to this rule, however, and thanks to their native ability to use Biotics, those who are exceptions to the no-violence life style often times use these Biotics in violent situations to gain an upper hand over their adversaries.

The Asari are some of the best negotiators and politicians in the Universe, with almost every major governing body on planets having at least one Asari member. The Citadel Council, which is comprised of seven members of different races, almost always has had an Asari member, often times they becoming the unofficial leader of the group due to their long lifespans and their more passive, political nature.