skrular

Skrular are a fictional sapient species appearing in science fiction literature, games, and media. They are described as nocturnal, cave-adapted humanoids from the planet Skraal-9 in the Luctin Nebula. The name skrular comes from their own language, in which skr means shadow and lar denotes path; together it is often translated as shadow-walker.

Anatomy: Skrular typically stand 1.7 to 1.95 meters tall and have a slender, muscular build. Their skin ranges from slate gray to bronze and is reinforced with a flexible carapace along the shoulders and back. They have two forward-facing eyes with high light sensitivity, a dual-nasal system, and three-toed feet. Their hands have four fingers with an opposable thumb, enabling precise manipulation of tools. Some populations show bioluminescent patterns along the forearms that they can control for communication in darkness.

Society and culture: Skrular society is organized around memory and craft. They practice a council-based governance with an annually elected elder, and a separate guild of memory-keepers who preserve oral histories and technical manuals. Apprenticeship is central to education. Art and music emphasize resonance, and many rituals involve tuned glass or crystal resonators.

Technology and economy: Contact with other species is common in interstellar trade routes. Skrular technology emphasizes bioengineering and geothermally powered industry. Their starships use organic hulls and field manipulation for stealth in asteroid belts.

In media: The Skrular have appeared in numerous works, notably in the Starwrights franchise and in role-playing campaigns such as Glimmerpath, where they are depicted as cautious negotiators with a deep culture of memory.