Reljä

The Reljä [ɹeljɑ] are a sapient, humanoid, omnivorous, cold-adapted species native to the planet Roslän.

Physiology
The Relja are a humanoid species standing around an average of 1.71 meters on average. They possess a reptilian-esque snout with three nostrils and a bodily shape not too dissimilar to humans, but with a semi-prehensile tail, four-toed feet with one reversed toe and claws, and a unique hand structure - three fingers and two thumbs per hand. Their skin is covered in smooth scales, with the most common coloration (72% of individuals) being a a dull yellow color, although various other colors - including dark red - are known to exist. Their eyes are vertically siltted, like a reptile's. Their blood is red when oxygenated and blue when not - meaning that veins are blue while arteries are red.

The physiology of the Reljä is perfectly adapted for life at freezing temperatures. They are able to easily survive at temperatures ranging between -40 and 20 degrees celsius. However, this also means they suffer heatstroke and other ailments at higher temperatures - around the area of 30 degrees, they can suffer extreme heatstroke and die within minutes. As a result of their planet's weak magnetic field, however, they are highly resistant to intense UV exposure, and they also possess a relatively strong immune system. Internally, they possess a rather standard set of internal organs, save for a unique pair of small, alternately beating hearts.

The Reljä have very little external sexual dimorphism and reproduce via unique ovoviviparous means - The eggs develop within the mother and hatch shortly after being laid. On average there are about four children per "litter" and the gestation period lasts approx. 1 Rosläni year (about two Earth years)

The "third nostril" they possess is actually a specialized organ for producing and smelling pheromones. This is useful for two things - firstly, there are various pheromones they produce that can convey basic information, such as a powerful one to warn of danger, and secondly, each individual has a unique pheromone scent. This has had implications on their culture.

On average, the Reljä live for about 60 Rosläni years (120 earth years), but mature quickly, being fully grown by the age of 7 (15 in earth years).

History
The Reljä are technically one of the oldest species in the galaxy, having evolved sapience around five million years before they achieved spaceflight. However, thanks to their cold adaption, they spent almost all of that time nomadically wandering, hunting and gathering, before they began to use fire as a tool - for the heat emenated by a fire can be extremely uncomfortable, and sometimes even deadly, to a Reljä. However, this long time spent as a sapient culture has allowed the Reljä to develop into highly social creatures. When fire was eventually tamed, they experienced rapid technological advancement. Within 1,000 years, the Reljä had already made it to a medieval level of technology. Around the time of the invention of the computer, the Reljä had already formed a single planetary government, a constitutional monarchy. The Reljä launched their first FTL-capable craft in Earth Year 1536, and joined the galactic community shortly thereafter.