Turian Hierarchy

Lore & Background

Turian society functions as a military meritocracy where corruption is minimized by an ingrained devotion to public good. If a Turian ascends through corrupt means, the shame falls on the promoter rather than the underperformer. The government consists of Primarchs who vote on national importance and rule distinct star clusters. Unlike other species with defined caste or gender roles, Turian culture is fundamentally egalitarian, though they are often perceived by others as disciplined, forthright, and rule-abiding. Their economy is larger than humanity's but smaller than the Asari's, relying on their client race, the Volus, for business development. Distinctive facial markings or tattoos serve as badges of honor, originating from a civil war era, while head crests in males resemble plumed birds. The species originated from BioWare's concept of a birdlike, proud militaristic race inspired by the Yehat from Star Control II.

In Their Own Story

The history of the Turian Hierarchy is defined by pivotal interstellar conflicts, including the Krogan Rebellions and the First Contact War. During the latter, known to Turians as the "Relay 314 Incident," they attempted to stop human explorers from opening a new mass relay by force to prevent a repeat of the Rachni Wars. This inadvertent spark led to a vicious conflict that only de-escalated through Citadel Council intervention. In the Krogan Rebellions, the Turians deployed the devastating biological weapon known as the Krogan Genophage, developed by the Salarians, which caused almost all newborn Krogan to be stillborn. As a reward for quelling this rebellion and filling a peacekeeper role, they became the first species invited to join the Citadel Council after its creation by the Asari and Salarians. Their military forces make up the single largest portion of the Council's armed might, often serving as law enforcement on behalf of other species.

Reader's Guide

Turians possess avian physiology with a carapace-like exoskeleton that protects against Palaven's high solar radiation but not physical impact. They exhibit sexual dimorphism: males feature sweptback cranial crests for a raptor silhouette, while females lack these crests, possessing elaborate cheek extensions and a more slender body shape. Their biochemistry relies on D-amino acids, meaning they cannot consume human food or L-amino acid-based substances; ingesting them can cause fatal anaphylactic shock. This biochemical difference also poses risks during interspecies romantic relationships due to substance exchange. In design, Turians share a humanoid skeleton for animation purposes, with horns resembling bald eagle feathers and dog-like legs. Their voices have a unique flanging quality. While early Mass Effect games lacked female playable Turians, Nyreen Kandros was introduced in the Omega DLC, featuring adjusted bone structure with a slimmer head and omitted cranial crest to appear feminine.

Did You Know?

• The Turians were the first alien species to contact humanity, sparking the First Contact War known in their lore as the 'Relay 314 Incident'.
• Turian biochemistry is based on D-amino acids, making human food toxic to them and capable of causing fatal anaphylactic shock.
• The Turian fleet is the largest in Citadel Space, with their armed forces comprising the single largest portion of the Council's military.
• Female Turians lack the sweptback cranial crests found on males, instead possessing elaborate cheek extensions and a more slender body shape.
• Nyreen Kandros was the first female Turian to appear in the main series games, introduced specifically in the Omega downloadable content pack for Mass Effect 3.