"Mass Effect" - Universe [10] - The Citadel Quiz

Answer: Yes

In the "Mass Effect" universe, humans were advancing at an incredible pace. The player character, Shepard, was born three years before humans first encountered another space-faring species. Despite first contact immediately becoming a war, in less than thirty years, humanity had an embassy on the Citadel.

The human embassy was where players took control of Shepard the first time they ever visited the Citadel.

Answer: Wards

The Citadel was a giant melting pot of cultures from all over the galaxy. It was the primary transit and political hub, with over 13 million inhabitants. Most of those inhabitants lived in the densly packed wards, which were usually open, offering a spectacular view of the Serpent Nebula. The ward arms could be closed during an emergency, sealing off the station from outside threats.

Answer: The volus and the elcor

The volus were the third species to find the Citadel. They were adept and banking and negotiation, and important for establishing the galactic economy. The salarians and asari did not deem this monumental feat important enough to join the Citadel Council, so the volus only got an embassy. Later, the large plodding elcor arrived, and were also granted an embassy.

When humanity arrived, they were already a military powerhouse, and were quickly given an embassy. To make room, the volus and the elcor were asked to share a single embassy.

Answer: Harkin was the first human C-Sec agent

Citadel Security (C-Sec) was the police force on the Citadel, and Harkin was the first human to join the force. Unfortunately he was a poor representative of humanity, and often got in trouble. For political reasons, he got away with his bad behavior.

By the time "Mass Effect" came around, Harkin was still on the force, but no longer the only human. He was suspended for drinking on the job, and was spending his new free time at the club.

Despite being a difficult person to deal with, Harkin still knew things, and was able to help Shepard during the investigation into Saren.

Answer: The Shadow Broker

The Shadow Broker was an information broker whose identity was kept secret. They would buy and sell important secrets, and occasionally use their influence to maintain a stable balance of power.

Saren had once worked for the Shadow Broker while also working as a Spectre, in a mutually beneficial relationship. When Saren started working for the Reapers, though, he turned against the Broker. The Shadow Broker decided to help Shepard for free in an attempt to bring down Saren.

This cooperation would not last forever.

Answer: Keepers

The asari were the first species to discover the Citadel, but the mute Keepers were already there. The Keepers were custodians of the Citadel, and did not interact with anyone, ignoring the world around them except for the Citadel.

Previous attempts to study the Keepers ended with them exploding, so a law was enacted banning the study or interference with the Keepers.

Chorban, and his volus partner, Jahleed, discovered a way to safely collect data on the keepers. He was not terribly discreet, so he asked Shepard to scan the Keepers around the Citadel. There were 21 Keepers all over the Citadel that Shepard could scan.

Answer: A proselytizing hanar

The hanar were a very religious species, relative to other Citadel races. They worshiped the Protheans, whom they called "Enkindlers". While other species often wanted to study any Prothean ruins discovered, the hanar would often block any attempts to "desecrate" their sacred artifacts.

One hanar was proselytizing in the Presidium without a permit, and the C-Sec officer was attempting to resolve the issue without escalating it. Shepard could step in and assist in a number of ways. It was during this quest that Shepard could say the famous Renegade line, "Because it's a big stupid jellyfish."

Answer: Septimus, the turian general

Septimus was a turian general who only had eyes for one woman. After Sha'ira turned him away, he started spreading rumors, and turned to alcohol. Shepard could get the General to stop and apologize, and also learn about an elcor who had been roped into the mess.

If Shepard resolved the tension with both the turian and the elcor, Sha'ira would give the Commander a trinket that would trigger an interesting episode on the far off planet of Eletania.

Answer: He was the owner of the club Chora's Den

Tali had found information implicating Saren, but was wounded in the process. Saren's mercenaries were hunting her, so she tried to trade her information to the Shadow Broker in exchange for a place to hide. Her intermediary with the Shadow Broker was Fist, but First had secretly betrayed the Shadow Broker to work for Saren.

For his day job, Fist ran the club Chora's Den. He almost had the data, and Tali almost died, except Shepard (the player) arrived and shot up the place.

Answer: Quasar

Quasar was a variant on the game Twenty-One (Blackjack), with the cap instead at 20. The closer to 20 without going over, the better the payout. Players sequentially either added a random number between one and eight, or a random number between four and seven, until they chose to payout, or go over 20. One side quest was to help a salarian test his cheating device, which would improve the odds of getting ideal numbers.

Pazaak was a similar card game in Bioware's previous title, "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic". Quasar, roulette, and varren racing were all playable games at the casino in the "Mass Effect 3: Citadel" DLC.

Answer: Jenna was working undercover for C-Sec

There were two clubs in the Wards that Shepard could visit: Flux and Chora's Den. Jenna used to be a waitress at Flux, but left to work as an undercover C-Sec agent working at Chora's Den. Her sister, Rita, was worried that she would get in trouble, and be hurt.

Shepard could intervene to get Jenna out, starting a long chain of optional quests working with C-Sec to bring down a smuggling ring, and get Jenna out of harm's way.

Answer: An Artificial Intelligence

True artificial intelligence (AI) were illegal in the "Mass Effect" universe. These were distinct from virtual intelligences (VIs), which could easily help and interact with beings, but could not think for themselves.

An AI was accidentally created, and hidden itself on the Citadel. It was siphoning credits away from the Flux casino, with intent to purchase a ship to escape the Citadel, and make contact with the geth. Unfortunately, Shepard detected the credits leak, and confronted the AI. Being discovered and cornered, the AI attempted to self-destruct to stop Shepard, but the Commander was able to disable the explosive and the AI for good.

Answer: Tali, the quarian

Tali had been hurt before arriving at the Citadel, and needed medical attention. Despite obviously needing help, most people ignored or avoided her because she was a quarian. Dr. Michel was nice enough to provide medical assistance, but could not help with Tali's other problems.

Tali was also avoiding mercenaries hired by Saren tracking her down. The mercenaries had tracked Tali to Dr. Michel, Garrus was tracking them, and Shepard was looking for Garus. Garrus and Shepard met at Dr. Michel's clinic just as the mercenaries were paying her a visit, and violently resolved the issue together.

Tali's injury and encounter with Dr. Michel were depicted in the second issue of the "Homeworlds" comic.

Answer: He wanted Shepard's signature

Conrad (Shepard's biggest fan) could be seen three times in "Mass Effect". At the first encounter, he just wanted a signature. During the second, he asked for a photo. In the final one, he proposed teaming up with Shepard to take down bad guys. Shepard could respond to Conrad with a wide range of options.

Conrad Verner would show up again in "Mass Effect 2" and "Mass Effect 3", still Shepard's biggest fan.

Answer: Tali's geth audio logs

Saren had been talking to Matriarch Benezia about the Prothean beacon on Eden Prime near some geth. The geth recorded it, shared the information with the network, and Tali managed to get a copy when she attacked a geth patrol.

After getting failing to make a deal with the Shadow Broker, Tali gave the audio files to Shepard in exchange for help. The audio files were the concrete proof needed to implicate Saren in the Eden Prime attack. After the Citadel Council heard them, they stripped Saren of his Spectre status, and sent Shepard to stop him.