Character Creation Guide

What We Are Looking For
Generally we want plausible, believable characters that would fit in the community well. Your character is basically who you are in our community, so it is our job to make sure that you fit with our other players.

Mary sues and Gary stus kind of characters will be denied. Over the top awesomeness, over the top drama will be denied. We want something realistic and plausible, keep that in mind.

That applies to all aspects of your character; abilities, appearance, history, personality..etc.

For more on the subject refer to those articles:
 * How to avoid making a Mary Sue and Gary Stu
 * Character Appearance in RPG Applications

Getting Started
To get started on your application, download the abilities sheet found here, bonus powers sheet found here and copy the code found here in a document or in a new thread and start filling it out.

Character Speices
There are eight playable species in Fight For The Lost: Asari, turian, quarian, salarian, batarian, drell, krogan and human

Asari
The asari are a mono-gender race, distinctly feminine in appearance, and the most powerful and respected race in the galaxy. They are generally known for their elegance, and biotic talent. Their homeworld is Thessia.
 * Appearance : an asari's complexion ranges from blue to purple. Some individuals may have teal colored skins but that is not common. Some asari choose to have facial markings, similar to tatoos.
 * Height : In FFTL the asari maximum height is like that of a human female, 6 feet.
 * Lifespan : asari live up to a thousand years. They pass three climatic stages in their life:


 * The Maiden stage it begins at birth and is marked by the drive to explore and experience. Most young asari are curious and restless.
 * The Matron stage begins around the age of 350, although it could be triggered earlier if the individual melds frequently. This stage is marked by desire to settle down and raise children.
 * The Matriarch stage begins around the age of 700 or later if the individual melds rarely. They become active in their community as sages and councilors, dispensing wisdom from centruies of experience. Their knowledge and guidance are one reason why Matriarchs are rarely seen outside asari space.
 * Biotic talent : all asari have biotic talents however not all individuals choose to develop them. There is no stigma attached to this, but doing so means they can't serve in the military.

Things to remember

 * 'Pureblood' asari are the offspring of two asari. Being a pureblood is a stigma in asari society, and calling someone a pureblood is considered harsh, or an insult.

Restrictions

 * Your character cannot be an Ardat-Yakshi, as Ardat-Yakshi lead lives in peacful seclusion in asari space and never leave, with the exception of Morinth who, in FFTL canon, will die.
 * If you wish to make an asari matriarch outside of asari space you have to pm a mod about it first. Matriarchs rarely leave asari space, so you have to come up with a logical reason for a matriarch to leave, or you'll restrict yourself to Thessia.

Turian
The turians are a militaristic race, known for their highly disciplined and militaristic cultrue. They are respected for their public-service ethic (they were the ones who first started C-Sec) but are sometimes viewed as rigid by other species. Their homeworld is Palaven.


 * Appearance : Turians typically stand over six feet tall, have two long, proportionately thick fingers and an opposable thumb on each hand, each tipped with talons, and a set of mandibles around their mouths. Males and females do not differ greatly in physical appearance. Female turians lack the crest of horns found in the males of the race.Turians normally wear elaborate facial tattoos marking their colony of origin


 * Height : maximum height for turians in FFTL is 9 feet.


 * Lifespan : Turian life span is similar to that of humans, barely reaching 150 years.
 *  Biotic Talent : Biotic talent in turians is very uncommon. While they're admired for their unique abilities, their motives aren't always trusted by the common soldier. Most biotics are usually assigned to specialist teams called Cabals.

Things to Remember

 * Turians are noted for their strong sense of public service. Ever individual between the age of 15 and 30serves the state in some capacity, as anything from a soldier to an administrator, from a construction engineer to a sanitation worker.


 * The turian military is the center of their society. It is not just an armed force; it is an all-encompassing public works organization. This means every turian serves in the military in one way or another, for example: The military police are also the civic police. The fire brigades serve the civilian population as well as military facilities. The corps of engineers builds and maintains spaceports, schools, water purification plants, and power stations. The merchant marine ensures that all worlds get needed resources.


 * Turians have 27 citizenship tiers, beginning with civilians (client races and children). The initial period of military service is the second tier. Formal citizenship is conferred at the third tier, after boot camp. Higher-ranked citizens are expected to lead and protect subordinates. Lower-ranking citizens are expected to obey and support superiors. Promotion to another tier of citizenship is based on the personal assessment of one's superiors and co-rankers.


 * Throughout their lives, turians ascend to the higher tiers and are occasionally "demoted" to lower ones. The stigma associated with demotion lies not on the individual, but on those who promoted him when he wasn't ready for additional responsibility. This curbs the tendency to promote individuals into positions beyond their capabilities. Settling into a role and rank is not considered stagnation. Turians value knowing one's own limitations more than being ambitious.

Restrictions

 * PM a mod first if you want to make a biotic turian. As biotics are very rare in turians, you must come up with a logical, plausible reason for your character to have acquired biotic talent (similar to what happens with humans) and why he or she is out of turian space, as someone with biotic talent will be invaluable to the turian hierarchy and would most likely stay in turian space. Otherwise, you'll be restriced to Palaven.

Quarian
Quarians are a nomadic race, known for their excellent skills with technology and synthetic intelligence. Since their home-world Rannock was conquered by the geth, the quarians live aboard the Mirgrant Fleet, a huge collection of Starships that travel as a single fleet.


 * Quarian_2.jpg Appearance : Quarians are generally shorter than humans and asari. Aside from hands and legs, their general body shape and sexual dimorphism is similar to humans. Due to their extremely weak immune system, all quarians wear hightly sophisticated enviro-suits to protect them from disease or infection if they are injured.
 * Height : The maximum height for a quarian female is 6 feet and for the male 6' 2" feet. However, quarians generally are under 6 feet tall.
 * Lifespan : Roughly equal to that of humans and turians, around 150 years, but prone to be less if the individual suffers from infection breaks in the suit.
 * Biotic talent : Extremely rare, almost non existent due to the rarity of eezo and it being a precious mineral, as well as the unlikliness of being exposed to eezo dust, with them wearing their suits most of the time, and the dangers on their health from being exposed.

Things to Remember

 * Quarian biotics aren't allowed in FFTL, because as explained; it's almost non-existent.
 * Your history has to include the name of the ship, if your quarian has already done his/her pilgrimage and what s/he brought back to the flotilla.

Drell
A reptile-like race that was rescued by the hanar from their dying world, the drell have remained loyal to the hanar and are now a part of the galactic civilization.


 * Drell.png Appearance: Drell appearance is very similar to asari and humans, but their muscle tissue is slightly denser, 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 range. They also have two sets of eyelids, like crocodiles. Drell possess the ability to shed tears. Their skin can be any shade of green.


 * Height: Like humans and asari, drell maximum height for Male is 6 feet 3 inches and for female 6 feet.


 * Lifespan: Drell have an average life span of 85 years, however such span can be shortened drastically by diseases like Kepral's Syndrome.


 * Biotic Talent: like humans, biotic talent can be found in drell.

Things to Remember

 * 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, they have integrated themselves into every level of hanar society as respected, productive citizens.
 * Those who leave Kahje tend to be adventurers. These 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.
 * Some drell grow a close, personal relationship with the hanar. So much so that the hanar will even tell the drell their "Soul Name". Drell have adapted to communication with hanar by getting implants in their eyes to allow them to observe the bioluminescense the hanar use for communication. They are able to see ultraviolet light as a silvery color, though might lose differentiation between colors at the opposite end of the spectrum, such as the difference between dark red and black.
 * The drell possess eidetic memory, an adaptation to a world where they must remember the location of every necessary resource (vegetation, drinkable water and prey migration paths) across vast distances. The memories are so strong that an external stimulus can trigger a powerful memory recall. These recalls are so vivid and detailed that some drell may mistake it for reality.This process can be involuntary.
 * Because 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. The leading cause of death for drell on Kahje is Kepral's Syndrome, caused by cumulative long-term exposure to a humid climate. This syndrome erodes the ability of drell lungs to take in oxygen, and eventually spreads out to other organs. It is noncommunicable, and there is currently no known cure, though leading hanar scientific authorities are working on creating a genetic adaptation.

Salarian
Salarians are the second species to join the Citadel. They are native to the planet Sur'Kesh. Salarians possess a hyperactive metabolism; they think fast, talk fast, and move fast. They are also known for their exceptional observational capability and non-linear thinking. This manifests as an aptitude for research and espionage. They are constantly experimenting and inventing. 
 * Appearance: The salarians have a tall, elongated bodies suited for their high metabolism. Their skin varies in color, it is more common for it to be a shade of blue or grey. However, this does not apply to all salarians, as some are brightly colored, ranging from light red to green. Salarian eyes are large, oval and have thin membranes in place of eyelids. They blink upwards, rather than downwards as humans do. The irises while not always visible vary in color.
 * Height: Salarians are generally a tall specie, more like turians that humans. Maximum salarian height in FFTL is 8 feet.
 * Lifespan: Due to their high speed metabolism, which allows them to function on just one hour of sleep a day. Their minds and bodies work faster than most sapient races, making them seem restless or hyperactive. The drawback of this active metabolism is a short lifespan of around 40 years.
 * Biotic Talent: Biotic salarians are quite rare. Those with such talents are almost always assigned to intelligence services rather than serve in the military, due to their rarity.

Thins to Remember

 * The salarians are amphibian haplo-diploid egg-layers; unfertilized eggs produce males and fertilized eggs produce females. Once a year, a salarian female will lay a clutch of dozens of eggs. Social rules prevent all but a fraction from being fertilized. As a result, 90% of the species is male.
 * They also possess a form of psychological ‘imprinting’, tending to defer to those they knew in their youth. Salarian hatching is a solemn ritual in which the clan Dalatrass (matriarch) isolates herself with the eggs. The young salarians psychologically imprint on her and tend to defer to her wishes.
 * During the hatching of daughters, the Dalatrasses of the mother and father’s clans are present at the imprinting. This ensures the offspring have equal loyalty to both, ensuring the desired dynastic and political unity.
 * Salarian sex drive and reproduction appear to differ from that of humans. It is not controlled by hormones, sex is for purely reproductive purposes.

Restrictions:

 * PM a mod first if you want to make a biotic salarian. Such individuals are very rare, and usually work in intelligence services. Unless you want to be restricted to the Salarian homeworld, you must come up with a logical, plausible reason for your character to be away from the Salarian homeworld.

Krogan
The krogan are native to the planet Tuchanka; a world of harsh enviroment, scarce recources and vicious predators. The Krogan managed to survive this world and thrived, until the nuclear age. Battles escalated into full scale global war. Weapons of mass destruction were unleashed, transforming Tuchanka into a radioactive wasteland and the krogan were reduced to primitive warring clans struggling to survive a nuclear winter of their own creation.




 * Appearance: Krogan have large shoulder humps which store fluids and nutrients, enabling them to survive for extended periods without food or water.In krogan society the bigger the hump, the higher the statue of the individual. It shows how successful an individual krogan is at hunting. Their thick hides are virtually impervious to cuts, scrapes or contusions, and they are highly resistant to environmental hazards, including toxins, radiation, and extreme heat and cold. Consequently their diets can include food and drink which would prove very dangerous to other species. Younger krogan have yellow or green markings on their hides. These markings darken to brown or tan over time, showing their age. Female Krogan tend to be smaller in size however


 * Height: Krogan typically stand over 7 feet tall. The maximum Krogan height in FFTL is 10 feet.


 * Lifespan: It's typical for Krogan to live over 1000 years. However, due to their usual line of work as pirates and mercs, as well as extremely harsh conditions in their homeworld, many krogan die even before they reach half that age. A krogan who does however, is respected and revered for his strength and wisdom.


 * Biotic Talent: Biotic individuals are rare, though those who do possess the talent typically have strong abilities.

Things to Remember

 * Urdonot Wrex is leader of clan Urdonot and he is working constantly to unite all clans under his rule.
 * Fertile females are rare and NEVER leave the krogan homeworld, Tuchanka. Other females are also a rarity and are rarely seen outsode of Tuchanka.

Restrictions

 * You cannot make a fertile female, as fertile females do not leave the female clan camp, and krogan are extremely protective of them

Human
Humans are the newest species to enter the galactic stage and are the most rapidly expanding and developing. They independently discovered a Prothean data cache on Mars in 2148, and the mass relay networks shortly thereafter.
 * Humansme.jpg Appearance: For real? What are you, from Mars?
 *  Height:  Humans have a maximum height of 6'3" for males and 6 feet for females.
 * Lifespan: Humans can live up to 150 years now due to medical advancement that elimenated most diseases.
 * Biotic Talent: human biotics aren't very common. Individuals with such talents are at high risk of health, mental problems and neural degeneration.

Things to Remember

 * Biotic talent in humans isn't quite common between humans, and it usually means that such individuals were either 'accidentally' or deliberately exposed to eezo. This needs to be reflected in your application if you're making a biotic character.
 * On earth, biotics aren't trusted, so they usually resort to going to space or enlisting in the alliance, as the alliance keeps tabs on them.
 * Most L2 biotics are victims of severe mental disorders. Individuals like Kaidan Alenko are RARE.

Batarian
Batarians are a disreputable species that chose to isolate itself from the rest of the galaxy. The Terminus Systems are infested with batarian pirate gangs and slaving rings, fueling the stereotype that batarians are mostly thugs and criminals. It should be noted that these criminals do not represent average citizens, who are forbidden to leave batarian space by their omnipresent and paranoid government.
 * Batarians_257x342.jpg Appearance: Batarians have a build similar to human and asari, with the difference of the eyes. Their skin color, just like the salarians, can vary.
 * Height: Like humans, batarians have a height of 6 feet for females, 6'3" for males.
 * Lifespan: Batarian lifespan is somewhat longer than human lifespan, as they can live up to and surpass 200 years.
 * Biotic Talent: like humans, batarians can have biotic abilities. Those ablilities however, aren't biological, meaning those are acquired similar to humans.

Things to Remember

 * Batarians don't trust humans, and vice versa. There has been an on-going conflict between the two races that culminated to the Skyllian Blitz.
 * Among humans, batarians are now known mostly for their slaving practices, particularly their raid on the planet Mindoir (Where Commander Shepard of FFTL is born) in 2170. Once captured, the slavers implant control devices in the skulls of their slaves without bothering with anesthetic.
 * Body language is an important part of batarian society. For example, tilting one's head to the left is a sign of admiration and respect. When a batarian tilts his head to the right it is a sign that he is (or considers himself to be) superior to the one that the gesture was directed at. Therefore, this gesture can also be interpreted as an insult.

Major thanks to the Mass Effect Wiki for providing tons of information.