Angara (Mass Effect)

The Angara are a species that feature in Mass Effect.

History

The Angara were a sapient extraterrestrial humanoid species that were native to the planet Havarl located in the Heleus Cluster of the Andromeda Galaxy. Unknown to anyone including the race themselves, they were actually an engineered species that were created by an older more advanced race known as the Jardaan who inhabited the region. The Jardaan had designed the first Angarans centuries ago whereupon they seeded them on multiple worlds in the Heleus Cluster. They then proceeded with creating great terraforming machines on multiple worlds but then vanished after the emergence of the Scourge that was a space phenomena which impacted the region.

It was then around 75 years ago that the Angara made contact with an alien civilisation with this being the Kett.

An outcome of the Kett conquest decades ago resulted in the Angaran military forces being virtually destroyed. The few warships and ground forces they possessed that survived the initial attacks were lost to attrition.

In the year 2819, the Andromeda Initiative’s long-standing hope for a peaceful first contact was finally realized under the shadow of the Angara, the only native sapient species found within the Heleus Cluster. The initial encounter took place on the planet Aya, a hidden paradise shielded from the destructive energy of the Scourge, where the Pathfinder’s shuttle was intercepted and escorted to a landing dock under heavy guard. Unlike the violent first contact with the Kett that had occurred months prior, this meeting was defined by a heavy, palpable tension and the Angara’s profound skepticism. Led by Evfra de Tershaav, the leader of the Angaran Resistance, the locals initially viewed the Milky Way arrivals with deep suspicion, as they had spent decades suffering under the Kett’s deceptive 'gift' of friendship. The humans and their allies were forced to navigate a complex social landscape where emotional sincerity was the primary currency; because the Angara evolved to be intensely expressive and communal, the stoic or guarded nature of the Initiative members was initially perceived as a sign of untrustworthiness. The relationship only began to thaw after the Pathfinder assisted the Angara on the worlds of Voeld and Havarl, proving through action rather than rhetoric that the Initiative was a separate entity from the Kett. This period of history saw a delicate exchange of technology and intelligence, as the Initiative provided much-needed supplies and combat support to the Resistance in exchange for the secret coordinates to Aya and permission to navigate Angaran space. As the two cultures merged their efforts, the newcomers learned of the Angara’s tragic history—their lost cities, their struggle against the Scourge, and their deep spiritual belief in reincarnation. By the time the Initiative was granted a permanent embassy on Aya, the encounter had shifted from a standoff to a symbiotic alliance, marking the first time in centuries that the Angara felt they were not fighting a lonely war for their own survival.

Overview

Their bodies contained specialised skin cells and organs which allowed them to generate as well as control electromagnetic fields artistically or release these in combat.

There was no homogenous Angaran culture for their kind by the modern era as separate development on their various worlds caused them to diverge from their social norms with these having never been reconciled. As such, each Angaran world contained its own culture and unique traditions. Despite that, there were some common threads that linked the Angaran together with one of these being family. Angara prized familial unity with them preferring to live, work and raise children in extended family groups. Political factions that emerged tended to come from extended families with leaders elected by popular support. Another aspect of their civilisation was spirituality that had a large role in Angaran daily life with their calendars making space for religious holidays of many different faiths.

The Angarans practiced a political philosophy of horizontal collectivism where all members of society were equally valued and with every citizen having a voice. The ultimate goal being for individuals to promote the best interests of the entire people. As such, Angarans were expected to set aside their personal individual preferences in favor of the greater whole with their laws reflecting this aspect of their philosophy. Crimes were evaluated and punished in accordance to the pervasiveness of their impact on society. Unlawful acts that were committed against a single person carried less weight than one affecting everyone in a family. Meanwhile, those that transgressed in a way that undermined all Angaran society came to incur the maximum penalty.

Leaders of large political collectives were chosen through democratic elections preceded by contentious public debates. All candidates openly challenged one another but had to answer any citizen that believed them to be unfit for office. Elected officials served a single term regardless of their position and office.

Kett conquest of the Angara several decades ago left their military forces virtually decimated. Only a few warships and ground forces came to survive the initial attacks that were lost either in attrition or planetary defense. By this point, they lacked an organised military and isntead relied on the Resistance. Angaran leaders composed articles of war and submitted them as laws with their military consisting of volunteer soldiers. Their rules of engagement reflected their mindset of prioritising preservation of Angaran life and culture over vengeance on the Kett. Thus, the Resistance was expected to rescue slaves and reclaim artifacts first from the Kett who were to be destroyed with expediency and minimal cruelty in order to uphold the integrity of their civilisation.

A key colony of the Angara was the safe hospital garden world that was Aya which came to be a center of society and trade. A lottery system was used to transfer personnel to Aya for extended periods with these being known as the raba garessen (Translation: Sanctuary Trips). This also served as a pool to reclaim scientific knowledge and military strategy.

Members

• Akksul :
• Anjik Do Xeel :
• Avela Kjar :
• Evfra de Tershaav :
• Jaal Ama Darav :
• Moshae Sjefa :
• Paaran Shie :
• Taavos :

Notes

• The Angara were created by BioWare where they featured in the setting of the Mass Effect universe.

Appearances

• Mass Effect: Andromeda:

External Links

• Mass Effect Wki Entry

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