JEDI HoloNet

Biology and Appearance

Chiss are largely identical to baseline Humans except for a few, highly noticable points, these being their dark blue skin, glowing red eyes and jet-black hair. Their physiology is largely the same also. Chiss blood is the same red colour as that of their Human cousins although they posess a somewhat higher metabolic rate, granting them a leaner, more agile frame. Chiss are considered to have reached maturity by the relatively young age of twelve.
It is beleived that the Chiss’ distinct blue appearance and bright red eyes are caused by a mineral in the surface or atmosphere of their homeworld of Csilla and that the differences between Chiss and baseline Humans is largely superficial.
Another noticable difference (and one the Chiss take great pride in) is their apparently developed vocal apparatus. Indeed their native language of Cheunh is a highly complex and difficult form of speech, allmost impossible for non-Chiss to imitate, although the ability to understand Cheunh is possible with extensive study.

History

A theory as to the arrival of the Chiss on their homeworld (put forward by the Chiss themselves) is that they are the descendants of an ancient Human colonial expedition into the Unknown Regions. This theory would put the settlement of Csilla to back before the foundation of the Old Republic.
Indeed, Chiss contact with the galaxy at large didnt occur until sometime into the Clone Wars and by that point the Chiss had allready carved out a sizable territory for themselves within the Unknown Regions. The Chiss have kept themselves allmost completely seperated from the galaxy at large and indeed very few Chiss apparently speak Galactic Basic or even venture outside their space, known as The Ascendancy. The vast majority of Chiss experience with the galaxy at large has been on the borders of their space, mainly for the purpose of trade.
The most notable example of the Chiss breaking their cultural isolation is their involvement in the recent war against the self-proclaimed Sith Lord Rishi. The Chiss Ascendancy formed a temporary coalition with the Galactic Alliance and Commonwealth to counter Rishi’s forces. Since then, the Chiss have made a largely uncharacteristic move in invading the northern territories of the Commonwealth, their reasoning vague outside of the apparent desire to create order. As of 280 ABY, they began a further crusade against the northern Galactic Alliance with the aide of their allies, the Mandalorians, and in 281 ABY, entered the southern Commonwealth with a new invasionary fleet.

Culture & Society

Due to their long held isolationism very little is known of Chiss society and culture and what is known is as a result of military encounters rather than civilian exchange.
What is known is that Chiss society is largely dominated by the military through what is known as The Ruling Families. It is largely understood that each of the ruling families governs or oversees the different affairs of the Chiss Ascendancy. An example of this is House Mitth handling the Ascendancy’s military affairs and House Csaplar overseeing the Ascendancy’s political governing. Due to the Chiss Ascendancy being bordered by a number of aggressive and expansionist races the Chiss have come to develop a cool, some would say arrogant disposition, seeing their territory as ‘a bastion of calm and order in a chaotic galaxy.’
The Chiss are also known to practice a parliamentary form of government similar to that of the Commonwealth. How or whether this runs alongside the Council of the ruling families, or if indeed it’s the same thing is largely unknown.
Of some confusion is the fact that the Chiss Ascendancy appears to run multiple military organisations alongside each other. How these organisations interact with and depend in each other is unknown and little is known as to exactly what duties each of these organisations actually fulfills. These organisations include ‘The Defence Fleet,’ the ‘Expansionary Fleet,’ the ‘Colonial Phalanxes’ and the ‘Household Phalanxes.’