Roduun

The roduun, colloquially referred to as rodunians, were a primitive reptilian species native to the planet Helstrom, a large world covered in vast jungles and possessing an enormous underground system of caverns and caves. They were characterized by their scaly skin and distinctive fins on their heads. In some members of the species, these fins could be used as an offensive weapon. Due to the harsh conditions of their homeworld, violence was an accepted part of life in the roduun culture. To keep the war-like people from destroying each other, an Ascendant Organ Lord in the centuries before their discovery of the Citadel races brought the various tribes under a single banner of the An-Xileel, an empire that grew to encompass the entire Antares System, and established a strict code of conduct. This code was followed well into the days of the Citadel Council.

Even after the roduun came under batarian rule, they remained highly traditional and honor-bound. Due to the fact that their laws deemed submission to higher beings a great honor, they were often taken advantage of by the batarians, and later the ruling council of Citadel Space. However, it was the same strict honor-code that would ultimately save them from their abusive masters. Under the command of the Organism, Raven-Biter, the roduun fought back by joining the Terminus Systems, and freeing their homeworld from the Citadel Council.

From that point onward, the roduun would remain an active part of galactic politics. Thanks to a treaty signed by the Terminus Systems, the roduun were finally given freedom after nearly thirty thousand years of batarian domination. However, their liberation would be short-lived. The Reaper Crisis saw the destruction of their homeworld, and the near extinction of the roduun race.

Government
The roduun were governed by a powerful tribe, called the Mere. The clan was responsible for the creation of laws and ordinances. The clan was, in turn, ruled by a patriarch, called the Ascendant Organ Lord. The Ascendant Organ Lords were regarded by their people as lesser gods and were followed devotedly. They lived in extravagant mansion and had slaves waiting on them at all times. This was in stark contrast to the poor conditions of their subjects.

The Mere relied heavily on the Glim Tribe. The Glim acted as the enforcers of their monarch's laws. They had complete authority to punish criminals as they saw fit. Due to this, the tribe was feared and often hated, though no one would openly admit it. Many became corrupt and used their authority to gain more power over the people. The Glim believed in the philosophy of mirror punishment. They often publicly humiliated victims before punishing them. Each Glim would carry an assault rifle and a baton. The assault rifle was for capital punishment and the baton for corporal. The tribe members would adorn themselves in black combat armor and red masks, with only a small opening for the eyes. These garments were called Dragonscale and were said to be sacred. According to tradition, the armor was made by the dragon god, Kapotun, and would strike fear into the heart of anyone who gazed upon them.

Even though the Mere prided themselves in possessing complete control over the government, they were unofficially limited by the roduun priests. This religious tribe, called the Organism, was responsible for making sure that the monarch did not defy the sacred religious laws. However, this power saw very little use, until Raven-Biter defied the Citadel Council.

After the Batarian-Citadel War, the Batarian Hegemony took control of the roduun, through sly negotiations on the part of the batarians. The Hensa Clan was adopted into the Mere Tribe. This brought radical change to the roduun government. Though the batarians appeased the people by letting them keep their traditions, they made it clear that they were in charge.

After Jos'hun Hensa became ruler of Helstrom, he accused the Glim of treason and had the entire tribe executed. In order to keep the peace, Jos'hun, at the behest of his son, Gera'meg Hensa, announced the formation of the Batarian Secret Police. This new organization was loyal to the batarians and suppressed the roduun people. Many saw the formation of the Police as heresy, but were unable to speak their mind due to the oppression of the batarianss.

The Citadel Council gained control of Helstom after the Rachni Wars. Unlike the batarians, they made no attempt at keeping the people happy. As a result, the roduun betrayed their masters and joined the Terminus Systems.

After the Krogan Rebellions, the roduun, like most of the Galaxy, adopted a more democratic form of government. Representatives from each tribe were elected to serve in a planetary parliament. This parliament became the sole governing body of the planet, with an elected Ascendant Organ Lord serving as head of state. This new government would remain in control until the Reaper Crisis.

Behind the Scenes
The roduun were created by InfernalWarrior.