Nomenclature

Romulans are registered with a first and last name. The full name of a Romulan is written in the following format: First-Name ir'Region-of-Birth t'/tr'House-Name. T' and Tr' are for female and male characters, respectively. Romulan culture and society is pretty heavily gender segregated, but it's becoming more common for people drop the prefix altogether. You can put this full name in their biography, but they would still be registered under First-Name House-Name, dropping any prefixes. Andorians are another heavily gender segregated society, with four genders in total necessary for procreation. The genders are chan, thaan, zhen and shen, with thaan and chan corresponding to male and zhen and shen corresponding to female. The Andorian name is fully: First-Name gender'Last-Name, but they are registered under First-Name Last-Name, dropping any prefixes. Typically Andorians will have long, convoluted real names that are legally shortened, such as in the case of Commander Thy'lek Shran. Rigelians are registered with a first and last name. The full name of a Rigelian is written in the following format: First-Name ir'Region-of-Birth kar'Clan-Name. Some clans and their meanings can be found here. You can just pick any alien sounding names for clans, and you can make up a defining clan trait that follows the same structure as in the Wiki. These accounts are still registered as First-Name Clan-Name. Klingons typically only have a first name, and define themselves as son of or daughter of, of the house-Name. The accounts are registered with first name only. Full Vulcan names are in the following format: Middle-Name First-Name cha'Mother/Father maat'Clan-Name. Again, Vulcans will be legally registered under their first name only. Orions are registered with a first name only. Orions do have family and clan names, but they do not allow that information to be public for fear of reprisals by enemies. While you can register your Orion with multiple names, be advised that they're putting a target on their clan's back.

Psionic Facility Test (PFT)

Introduction

I've decided to actually post the test table and scoring measures if you ever want to run through it for your characters. Obviously this is a little more "intuitive pseudoscience" so don't expect any like actual statistics involved. It would help and make more complete intuitive sense to you if you had even a basic grasp on percentiles and standard deviation but it is not necessary in the end.

Psionic Facility Test

Much like vision and hearing have objective scales to determine function, a Betazoid's psionic sense can be measured by the Psionic Facility Test (PFT). This score is the sum (in most cases) of two major scores: the rate at which one perceives psionic information and the accuracy of information perceived. The PFT is administered by way of an alternating series of cortical scans, neuropsychiatric evaluations, standardized tests as well as mind-to-mind assessments by trained professionals. These assessments are intended to categorize the depth, breadth and substance of a Betazoid's response to psionic stimuli as well as the structure of their mind and how well they are able to integrate new psionic information.

Tables

Rate:

RESPONSIVENESS: Engagingness, openness, acceptingness & instinctive reactions to psionic stimuli.

PROCESSING SPEED: Reflexes. How quickly your character can pick up psionic input.

STABILITY: Correct and maintain their own distinct individuality despite increasing amounts of psionic activity.

MEMORY: Retain psionic information and reference it. Ability to form mental links and bonds with others.

Accuracy:

IDENTIFICATION: Correctly identify the content of psionic input, what is actually being perceived.

INTEGRATION: Psionic, Cognitive and Affective empathy levels. Appropriateness. Awareness.

DISTANCE: How far away your character needs to be before they can perceive psionic input.

PERCEPTUAL ORGANIZATION: Categorizing, sorting, response and organization of psionic information received.

Interpretation

Here is where it gets a bit tricky. Because this test is based on normal distribution, we use something called a Z-score which is a formula to produce what is classified by the traditional bell curve. This involves complicated things like standard deviation and variances. Blah, blah, math. I'm pretty sure math isn't even real anyway. OK, even so! I'll just explain very briefly what a percentile is. You can literally just make it up. I promise. A percentile is essentially the exact opposite of a percent. Being in the 97th percentile for language means that if you are in a room full of 100 people, you are better at language than 97 of those people. Which would put you in the top 3% of society, globally. Because 100-97=3. It's literally that easy. So, the mean IQ score of 100 is the 50th percentile of society. This is why IQ tests and percentiles are generally interchangeable and why they're actually not that difficult to work with and basically just make up when you're working with a roleplaying game. So what you are going to want to do with these tables is take a look at each definition and determine from one to one hundred, how good is your character at that particular ability? You can get a general idea of your character's abilities based on their personality and telepathic development and basically just pick a number off the top of your head. Remember that the higher the number, the rarer the occurrence is. So what you want to do with each of these tables is say: "if my character were in a room with 100 people, how many people would they be better than at this particular skill?" and then ballpark it. If you want to get into divergent scores, then you're going to want to break each part in half and present it individually. One of my old character's official PFT score is 80/167. This means that if we were to re-translate this into "IQ test language" that he would be Low Average in Rate and Very Superior in Accuracy. Because there is a discrepancy of 87 points, we cannot add those two numbers together, so they remain split.

Formula

Global: Take each percentile score you pick, add them all together, subtract 100 and divide it by 15. Get rid of the percent sign and subtract that number from 100. That is your total score! If you are not happy with the total score, ballpark it around that area or change the numbers and keep your results for your own records. Split: Look at only your Rate scores. Take each percentile score you pick, add them all together, subtract 100 and divide it by 15. Get rid of the percent sign and subtract that number from 100. This is your Rate score. Now do the same process again for Accuracy percentiles. Add together both numbers for the Accuracy score.

Samples

Divergent:

The values given were taken from the PFT for the character Laurie Keelan. Rate:

RESPONSIVENESS: 95th percentile

PROCESSING SPEED: 17th percentile

STABILITY: 20th percentile

MEMORY: 18th percentile

To convert this into a global percent, you add them all together, subtract 100 and divide it by 15. 150-100 = 50/15 = 3.33%. 100-3.33 = 96.7. That leaves me with 96.67. But I wanted it to be lower than that. Too bad, math! So, I ballparked it at around 80. 78-79 if I'm feeling like he's stupid that day. But now I have a good indication that he's got a Low Average score with a very high mark in one specific area. Accuracy:

IDENTIFICATION: 16th percentile

INTEGRATION: 90th percentile

DISTANCE: 55th percentile

PERCEPTUAL ORGANIZATION: 92nd percentile

To convert this into a global percent, you add them all together, subtract 100 and divide it by 15. 253-100 = 153/15 = 10.2%. 100-10.2 = 89.8. But because we're splitting it, remember, we aren't actually going to add these two red numbers together or else Laurie would have a total PFT of 169.8. Which would be the score of someone like Electra Vale or Misha. This would, however, be an excellent candidate for the secondary number which did I want to be higher because I have a very good indication that he is Very Superior in this area based on the raw data. So I ballparked it at around 167. And that's his total divergent score: 80/167.

Neurotypical:

Non-character. I picked very average values with a few high percentiles thrown in to provide a "normal, everyday" score.

RESPONSIVENESS: 73rd percentile

PROCESSING SPEED: 86th percentile

STABILITY: 20th percentile

MEMORY: 30th percentile

IDENTIFICATION: 50th percentile

INTEGRATION: 49th percentile

DISTANCE: 22nd percentile

PERCEPTUAL ORGANIZATION: 59th percentile

To convert this into a global percent, you add them all together, subtract 100 and divide it by 15. 389-100 = 289/15 = 19%. 100-19 = 81. Now if you wanted a character with a PFT of 81, you could stop right there. You're done. If you think it's too high or too low, change it! The end.

The Federation Penal System

Climate

In the Federation, incarceration is seen as rehabilitative, rather than retributive. Incarceration is not viewed as a punishment, but rather an attempt to heal the rift caused by criminal offenses (both victims and offenders) and to correct socially aberrant behavior by addressing its root causes, which are often (but not always) linked to neurological or psychological impairment, social atmosphere, environment, and upbringing. There are many skilled clinicians throughout the Federation penal system that are deployed to help in this process. As such, most minimum security facilities are run more like forensic hospitals than prisons. Violent offenders and those who have proven resistant to treatment may experience more loss of personal freedom, but attempts are always made to correct rather than punish. Outside the Federation, you may find it works differently, with prisons existing that more closely resemble the 21st century, retributive system, and with harsher sentences being given as deterrents to criminal activity.

Longview

Longview, or New Zealand Penal Settlement (NZPS) is the Federation's largest minimum security prison, located in Mount Cook, New Zealand. It has two residential areas, located a mile apart, the prison complexes themselves and the staff settlement, for those who work and live on the colony. Inmates wear their own clothing, but are required to have a clip-on badge with their processing number, photo ID and name at all times. Staff members wear either Starfleet uniforms, civilian Federation Correctional Services uniforms with rank insignias (consisting only of one to five bars indicating the officer's level of training), or medical scrubs for housekeeping, nursing and medical staff. Its current administrator is Indriyal Kiadzi. NZPS is intended for non-violent offenders, so most people are given some measure of personal freedom, like being allowed to wander the facility. Inmates exist on a 'level' system, with Level 1 being the unit-grounded stage, and Level 5 being allowed to have furlough, usually a pass with a guard to go into Christchurch, a nearby city, or released to a legal proxy (usually a family member) who assumes responsibility for them. Inmates gain or lose levels based on their behaviors. As punishments for minor infractions, inmates may be placed on hold, which restricts their privileges and confines them to their unit. They're unable to go for walks out on the grounds (or smoke), unable to participate in group activities, and relinquish control of devices (such as the television, etc), although they are still allowed to watch television. Inmates can earn an allocation of 'points' to purchase items at the commissary, or can earn points for good behavior. If they are assigned to a work detail, they will be paid minimum wage for the hours they work (usually 2-3 per day). There is no solitary confinement. If an inmate needs a higher level of security than NZPS can provide, they are transferred to a facility capable of dealing with them. While instances of violence do periodically occur, they are contained by an extremely well-trained correctional team.>

Heilo (H1-H3)

Heilo is a colony planet in the Treshan-system that serves Javik and neighboring planets. It is non-Federation. There are three facilities on the planet: H1, H2, and H3. Minimum, medium, and maximum security, respectively. Heilo is an L-class world, which is far lower in temperature than an M-class world, and much less oxygen rich. To survive outside for extended periods, a rebreather and thermal insulation is required. Inmates in all complexes wear blue scrubs while they are being inprocessed, and grey scrubs once they move into general population. They each have a number patch sewn into the uniform. Prisoners are referred to either by their last names, or as 'inmate.' Staff members wear black Heilo Corrections uniforms, with the exception of Heilo's Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT), who wear blue uniforms and PPE. Commissary is available for inmates to purchase items on a point-system basis. All inmates are assigned an 8-hour work detail based on personality and skills aptitude tests (Electrical being for those with limited education and Medical for those with higher education) which they use to accumulate points on a baseline (20pts per day). Items like ramen, socks, soap, cigarettes, etc. are available. Heilo has a reputation as a harsh prison, with H2 and H3 housing many of the Treshan-system's most violent offenders. A prominent gang presence is associated with Heilo territory, including the Naijhri, who were responsible for several domestic terrorist attacks throughout the system. There are several units, listed in wings (A through E), and a psychiatric unit labeled D-20. D-20 inmates have an additional patch on their uniform to identify them. Due to the influx of D-20 patients, certain things are restricted prison-wide, like intake of caffeine. A Special Handling Unit (SHU) exists, where inmates who are involved in altercations or who may be at risk for interpersonal violence (e.g. sexual offenders) may be placed. It consists of a single room, with a toilet, and a mattress, with a one-way observation window.

Rigelians

Planetary Data

Originally, Rigel V was home to a Kaylar population but it later became home to the Zami, a vulcanoid race. The population of Rigel V was known to be quite peaceful. Circa 2270, it had a population of around 1.2 billion, which had risen to 1.3 billion circa 2365, consisting mostly of Zami. Rigel V is a Class H, M3 planet. Settlements: Aireen • Ancient Grace • Bolor • Kolihn • New Jaleyl • Rey Kel • Tel'rus • Tir'Aresh • Tu'Sor Locations: Monastery of Gol • Mt. Gol'is Observatory Continents: Han-shir • Klor • Viltan Islands: Klorian Islands • Viltani Barrier

Catharsis

Where Vulcans control their violent urges by suppressing emotion and Romulans control them via excessive militant discipline, the Zami instead expend their energies with physical exertion and emotional catharsis. This led the Zami to develop safe forms of combat and martial arts. It's acceptable to challenge another Zami to a mediating spar. These are fights (genuine ones) designed to help trigger total emotional catharsis, which ultimately resolves the conflict between two Zami in an amicable manner, having exhausted the aggressive energy prior. When a Zami is upset, they typically either fight or have sex. This element of their society has periodically led them to experience the grief frenzy, such as when mourning the death of loved one, in which they fight another until the frenzy burns out the grief. It's possible to hire another to battle for this purpose. In Rigelians, the hormone yamareen, responsible for pon farr in Vulcans and haeiyal in Romulans, is released every time they experience a strong emotion (which is nearly every time they experience emotions at all). Because they are accustomed to dealing with it and their society is structured for optimal emotional expression, the Rigelian version of the mating cycle, evriyath, can be controlled alone without a mate. Tanvri or Catharsis is how Rigelians control their emotions. There are four types of meditative complex-spars that Rigelians use to resolve conflicts: tan'ila, tan'dera, tan'zei and the brutal tan'iyush, which is less a spar and more a genuine combat session, which can be completed alone or with someone else. Tan'ila is between superior/inferior, tan'dera is for equals and tan'zei is for children. Starfleet regulations permit Rigelians to engage in tan'ila and tan'dera, and in solo tan'iyush using the holodeck.

Family & Clan

Rigelian society is arranged into clans, each with a given attribute of said family unit, such as the Heart Clan, the Truth Clan and the Forgiveness Clan. Clans are families consisting of a large number of individuals, though when a clan grows too large to sustain it typically splits into two separate clans. Zami also practice group marriages – a woman could possess multiple husbands, even as many as sixteen. The Doctrine of Lollo states that it is desirable for one person to have nineteen spouses: to make ten men and ten women, for even balance. Ergo, a household can be comprised of male and female co-parents. Rigelians child-bond very early in order to provide emotional support and stability. Usually this individual is older and more emotionally aware/acknowledged. In familial households these two would be considered the 'household leaders' usually as they likely would have had a longer-established relationship. It is considered extremely taboo for this interaction to result in a sexual relationship and usually the pair bond meets at specific times. Again, it is considered taboo and it is a crime, much like in human culture, for this to result in a sexual relationship prior to the Rigelian age of majority. It is an act of crime to have sex with a minor on Rigel. I literally repeated that three times in a row for a reason. Zami Rigelians condone child marriage, not sexual intimacy. A child can also be sold off this way to another clan to provide monetary stability for the child-that is, their clan will sell them to a new clan and then funnel that money into the child's future investments. Children who are sold this way usually integrate into the new clan directly and therefore would have more contact with their intended spouse. Clan-less and abandoned children often face risk of being snatched up by any number of clans, because having a larger clan is seen as a sign of prosperity and children are considered a resource. Adoption and 'trading' are very natural components of Rigelian society. Regrettably this does contribute to a deeper problem of crime in Rigelian society as it relates to the buying and selling of children to be employed as labourers or worse, into child prostitution. Most if not all of these aspects of Rigelian society are widely unknown by the Federation.

Naming Conventions

Example: Kijja ir'Aireen esh kar'Seshanshaya Standard Names: First name ir'(Region-of-birth) kar'(Clan) Names of Adopted Characters: First name ir'(Region-of-birth) esh kar'(Clan-of-adoption) Names of Prominent Characters: First name ir'(Region-of-birth) e'shar kar'(Prominent-Clan) Zami are usually referred to as their FIRST NAME and CLAN NAME in all official documentation. For example, Kijja ir'Aireen esh kar'Seshanshaya is heretofor known as Kijja Seshanshaya.>

History

The Zami are one of the splinter civilizations of Vulcans that formed after the philosopher Surak spread his philosophy of peace and logic. By the 11th century, Zami civilization was at its height, represented by the city of Ancient Grace, which had great many-storied buildings with huge white columns and porticoes standing upon its hills. But the Zami of this time were described as being distrustful, possessive, and highly competitive. The numerologists warned the Zami race to change their ways. Subsequently, a plague spread through the population and decimated their number, leaving the cities in ruins while the native plant life flourished. After the plague had run its course, the survivors formed a new society that was more rural and decentralized, with new family units that possessed many members, to prevent them from being so decimated again. In addition, their culture shifted to living in the present, rather than focusing on the future or the past. Zami society became less inclined to violence as they further adapted to their homeworld. This shift to a near-agrarian lifestyle meant that the Zami people remained poor compared to other worlds, though their forests gave them some biological and medical products which they sold. However, they had no fleets and no trade agreements, which severely restricted their civilization. Rigel V became a member of the Federation in 2184, after the Rigel Accords were signed and made into law.

Culture

Unlike their Vulcanoid kin, the Zami do not repress their emotions, lacking the discipline common to both Romulans and Vulcans, and aren't afraid to look foolish, making them somewhat similar to Humans. In fact, the Zami are noted to be culturally more similar to the Romulans, but they were not as warlike and lack the restrictive aspects of that society. This is attributed to the countering influence of the Orions and, later, Terrans, who shared the Rigel system and provided the Zami with more liberal views for their culture. Thus they are tolerant of many different forms of lifestyle. However, they have a fiercely independent streak. They believe in the importance of exercise of the entire body for optimum health. A central part of this exercise is regular sexual activity, which they believe reduces their destructive urges and makes people happier and heal faster. Therefore, they typically add sex to therapy to help the healing process and consider it unnatural to go without. Sex also helps them grow their clans and create new ones. When Rigelians come of age (age 30), they participate in a ritual that involves intricate and extensive scarification across their torso, back and arms. This indicates their allegiance to their family, clan and dedication to the forward motion of Rigel V as it circles its True Star. This signifies their entrance into 'adulthood' and their taking on the responsibility to follow the Way of the Numbers and Stars.

Physiology

The Zami are a vulcanoid race, indistinguishable from Vulcans native to the homeworld. Even sensors are incapable of telling the difference between Vulcan and Zami life signs. They have a very similar physiology, but different enough that certain drugs and treatments cannot automatically be assumed to work as well on both races. They have the same physical features, olive-green blood and a similar level of strength. The Zami retain the psionic skills of their Vulcan ancestors by breeding, study and exploration of their own inner mind's psionic and emotional aspects. These skills are important enough that Zami aristocrats achieved status through their psionic talents and gifts. Many of the ancient psionic disciplines of the Vulcan mind lords are kept alive in the Monastery of Gol. Many Zami do not demonstrate any appreciable telepathic abilities. They possess an uncanny sense of direction, possibly deriving from their psionic skills. They demonstrate telepathic magnetism, a phenomenon where a Zami can easily locate another person within a certain distance. Think about them, form their picture, and begin walking with a Zami and you'll soon hope to find who and what you're looking for.

Political

Their society doesn't have many governmental bodies, but instead make use of local prefects and the Zami Assembly, which met twice a year. The legal system is based around a Citizen's Court, an inquest where a panel of twenty six men and twenty six women are entitled to ask questions and serve essentially as prosecutors. Zami are deeply rooted to an agrarian lifestyle, and enjoy the outdoors and environment. Advanced technology and weapons are typically discouraged on Rigel V. This seemingly primitive existence means that they had no quarries, mines, power plants or pollution, and only a few industrialists. They don't have much of an economy; what's there is based on precious metals. The clans are divided into a number of rural craft guilds, which are involved with various aspects of trade. Their homes are typically based in lodges that are spread out and connected through solar transporters. Zami live primarily on Rigel V, their adopted homeworld, but some also dwell on other worlds of the Rigel system, such as Rigel II, Beta Rigel VII and Rigel IV. They tend to stay within the Rigel system. Rigel V is split down a few different lines, but their Federation membership has returned to Provisional after it was discovered that they still practice child marriage and slavery on the planet, which are considered customs to many Rigelians and so the government has become fractured, with some Rigelians wanting to join the Federation and others believing that the Federation will force them to assimilate their culture. Part of the Federation's mission is to work with the Rigelians and help resolve/rehabilitate their society (but not by force/occupation, mostly it's just a lot of political talks/debates, etc). Rigel V is also quite poor, so there are a lot of undeveloped areas that need Federation assistance and since they're still provisional we're obligated to help them. The Rigelians have a really rich history and culture but it's super different from Federation normal.

Vulcans

Physiology

The Vulcan race (Homo Eridani) are one of the few in the Federation to evolve on a Hilar-class (Class-H, a subsection of Minshara-class or Class-M) planet. Resultingly despite being bipedal humanoids Vulcanoid physiology is remarkably divergent. Vulcans have a hemocyanin (copper)-based cardiopulmonary system, due to the thinner, more pressurized atmosphere of Vulcan. Vulcan skin is hot to the touch due to their internal cooling mechanism, as Vulcans do not sweat. Vulcan brains are similar to ours except for the addition of the paracortex and the mesiofrontal cortex, the biofeedback and telepathic centers, which requires an extra 2 months of gestation (~10 months) to fully form. The Vulcan skeletal system is flexible, much like a feline's. Qui'lara are psi-points within the fingertips, under the orbital bones, the spine, the neck, the temples, the groin and the feet-these are telepathic receptors that are sensitive to the residual information held in neutrino particles which pass through them. Vulcan is an Md3 (or M3) planet, meaning it has a mass differential of three compared to Federation standard, which is Me1 (M1) or mass equilibrium of one.

Reproduction

Vulcans reproduce the same way that Terrans do, with the exception of a seasonal mating cycle occurring once every seven years. Radiation from Vulcan's star is at its lowest point during the months directly following pon farr, giving infants the best survival rate. Pon farr coincides with a massive release of the hormone yamareen, and is the only point at which Vulcans are fertile-(Vulcan females are induced ovulators, able to conceive only when engaged in a telepathic mating bond with a male in the plak tow)-however they may physically mate year round. Males are obligated to undergo pon farr-bonded Vulcan females may be triggered into a sympathetic version of it-and certain medical conditions have been known to mimic its symptoms. Yamareen is naturally counteracted by dopamine, endorphins and serotonin, which can be released via sexual contact, telepathic contact or combat. The completion of the Kolinahr ritual may also result in a cessation of the Vulcan mating drive, as the desire to procreate (along with most desires, rational or otherwise) is eliminated. A Vulcan male's first official pon farr typically begins at age 30, but starting at age 7 they begin to experience hormonal fluctuations corresponding to increases of violence and agitation. The ritual of kahs-wan is conducted at age 7 for this reason. In some cases, extreme and deliberate defiance occurring following plak tow can result in plak vrie, a blood frenzy that is often resolved via violence or pacified via the indulgence of excessive controlling behavior. This is rare, and usually occurs between fathers and sons, and mated couples.

Psychology

Much of Vulcan society and culture is centered around this biological imperative. Vulcan males are stereotyped as emotional, territorial, volatile and unstable, and there is somewhat of a glass ceiling for male leadership in Vulcan society. Contrary to popular belief, Vulcans are not ashamed of pon farr because it relates to sex, but believe it to be an extremely private point in an individual's life, and violating its sanctity is considered the highest form of disrespect. In reality, it is quite difficult to offend Vulcan sexual mores. The Shi'kahr Convention-incorporated into the Federation Charter upon the amalgamation of separate Andorian, Terran, Tellarite and Vulcan governing philosophies-prohibits non-consensual telepathic contact, and furthermore most Vulcans are reluctant to engage in telepathic practices unless it is strictly necessary, as privacy is the cornerstone of Vulcan society up to and including heavy legal shielding regarding many aspects of Vulcan culture, known as a privacy seal. All Vulcan medical records are protected under this seal, as are many of Vulcan's central databases and archives. Nevertheless, whereas most humanoids express themselves emotionally, Vulcans express themselves telepathically. All Vulcans are connected to k'war'ma'khon or the Greater Consciousness, a species-wide awareness of one another that isn't quite-conscious (name notwithstanding). Vulcans do express affection and personal tastes, but this is almost exclusively done within the context of familial telepathic bonds, or extremely close friendships. Vulcans are naturally possessive and protective, of their mates, their belongings and their family-it is not incorrect to call Vulcans a clannish people. Vulcans do not value individualism, instead many will follow the expectations laid out for them by their clan matriarch (maat'tela'at). Vulcan understanding of love is unique, and Vulcans commonly view the Terran definition of love as transient, conditional and therefore inapplicable to them. Vulcan mental health specialists are known as pyllora (plural pyllar) and they work specifically in the realm of the telepathic to assuage certain neurological ailments such as pa'nar (a disorder resulting from improper mind-melding techniques), Tuvan/Bendii syndrome (neurodegenerative movements disorder), and other psionic traumas. A subsection of pyllar known as lerasha or (Consolers) are highly trained mental Adepts capable of forming bond-links strong enough to sate the pon farr without becoming permanently bound to the individual assist of-age Vulcan males who do not have mates. This position is venerated in Vulcan society and not looked upon as shameful, as the skill and hardship involved is monumental.

Cultural/Political

Vulcan's First Contact with the Orions was traumatic-Orion pirates sought to enslave the Vulcan people and began working with Clan Leaders under Sudoc to negotiate the price of their subordinates. Though Vulcans preach Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, you will note that Vulcans are reluctant to practice what they preach. At the time the mind-lord Sudoc was waging war across the planet's surface, razing cities to the ground and slaughtering their inhabitants by the millions. From this conflict arose a leader named Surak whose philosophy of non-violence, non-aggression and logic became popular after the Resistance realized that their psionic weapons (such as the Stone of Gol) could only be used without side effect if they maintained complete control of their emotions. Using these weapons the Orions were banished from the planet and Sudoc was subdued and ultimately punished for his crimes, leading Vulcan into the Age of Enlightenment and one final war with Those Who Marched Beneath the Raptor's Wings, before they too were expelled from the planet and formed the proto-Romulan society. Ti'Valka'ain's primary family unit is composed of mates and children, extended family members are referred to as the clan or maat. Each maat is ran by a maat'tela'at or clan matriarch. Each clan matriarch sits on the Council of Elders of each province (comparable to a country). From the Council of Elders, a Clan Leader is selected from the ruling family. Vulcan is technically a hereditary meritocracy-the best individual for each job is selected from predetermined family lines (for instance, maat'Kaithra are the Clan Leaders of Eitza). Those without clans (t'naehm-losrak-za' or war orphans, V'tosh ka'tur or Vulcans without discipline, or vre'kasht/exiles) occupy outlier spaces in Vulcan society. War orphans are periodically adopted into legitimate clans, V'tosh ka'tur are permitted to live only in specific areas and vre'kasht are left to fend for themselves and operate under their own governmental systems, which sometimes come into direct conflict with Vulcan's recognized government (the Vulcan High Council, comprised of the aforementioned Clan Leaders from each province). d'Vel'nahr or Vulcan-by-Choice is a process of immigrating into the Vulcan people, being part of a Vulcan clan and adopting and practicing Vulcan values. (For example, Amanda Grayson and Michael Burnham are d'Vel'nahrsu).

Customs

When one enters a Vulcan home it is customary to immediately begin prepping tea at minimum, but in cases of family and friends, beginning to prepare a full meal is considered very polite. Vulcans do not typically shake hands or make unnecessary physical contact. It is extremely rude to enter another person's domicile without an explicit invitation unless you are family. Vulcans do not eat nor pick up with their hands, this is seen as of utmost rudeness. (Some Vulcans go as far as to try and cut breadsticks with a fork!) Vulcan homes are often in possession of small tongs for this purpose. You must absolutely not touch your hands to your face nor lick your fingers in public, as those are lewd acts. Hand-holding and finger-touching (called the el'ru'esta, paired fingers brought together) are comparable to kissing and is the maximum level of personal displays of affection permitted in public. Offering food and drink to another outside the context of visiting a person's home is a sign of intimacy and trust. Tending a person's wound is considered a sign of intimacy and trust. Care must be taken not to engage in this type of behavior around an unbonded male nearing the pon farr.

Marriage

Vulcans are only permitted to get married and vote after reaching the age of majority, which equals to 30 Standard years. As Vulcans age slower, they also mature slower, and don't reach sexual maturity until at least that old. (The age of consent on Vulcan, however, reflects Federation norms at 18 Standard years.) Vulcan also honors marriages from other worlds, provided that both individuals are over the age of majority on their respective worlds. In the rare instance that two 'underage' offworlders wish to be married on Vulcan, they will need to receive a permit which is granted on a case-by-case basis. There is both civil and ritual marriage on Vulcan, and only Vulcans are able to be ritually married in the koon-ut-kal-if-fee (Marriage or Challenge). Ritual marriage occurs whenever two people have a consummated mating bond, whereas civil marriage occurs with the procurement of legal documentation. Koon-ut-kal-if-fee follows pitelsu, which is the status of being betrothed to another in the Little Bond ceremony-telepathic bonds keep males relatively stable, so they are Bonded early on. The marriage ceremony itself begins when one (or both) of the betrothed partners enters pon farr. As induced ovulators, Vulcan females struggled in the evolutionary arena to maintain autonomy, and thus the Challenge was added to the marriage ceremony, permitting any male champion selected by the female to Challenge the betrothed man's claim to his mate. This would in effect resolve the pon farr and result in the woman being freed from her marriage contract. In modern times, marriage contracts are entered into willingly, but many families do still practice betrothal as they begin to notice their sons growing more agitated with the passing years. Betrothal and telepathic links usually result in the two parties getting along, but in the event of excessive conflict, additional bonds may be pursued in their place. The idea of Challenging someone in modern times is particularly repugnant, but it does still rarely occur.

Kolinahr

One facet of Vulcan society is those who seek to attain complete emotional mastery (a'rie'mnu) under the Disciples of Kolinahr. This path is afforded to those who have lost their way. Criminals, the mentally ill, afflicted families of grief and war, and the like. Kolinahr is not typically sought by ordinary Vulcans because it is viewed as an extreme measure. Kolinahr is a form of psychic surgery, focusing on the limbic and amygdalic systems of the Vulcan brain to completely inhibit all forms of desire, including those necessary for survival. While they are seen as wise, there is a sort of pity for them amongst general Vulcans and it is not commemorated as an ideal.

Vulcan Training

Here's a sample of typical Vulcan mental training taken from Layil's biography. Training begins in a directed fashion from age three and subsequently continues formally until the Vulcan adult is married and will then pass these onto their children.

Tu-lan (meditation, 3)

Kheile'a (fluid, form-based martial art)

Kahs-wan (desert-walk, 7)

Than-tha (first mind-meld, 7)

Enok-kal fi-lar (process of definition)

Dwemish ni-an (process of identity)

Kan-Telan/koon-ut-la (childhood betrothal)

Mok farr (mind-meld with animal, wild sehlat)

Tow-kath (healing trance)

T'san s'at (intellectual deconstruction of emotional patterns)

D'Alik'tal (combat-based martial art featuring a staff)

An'pre'le (pyllora adept, lobe segregation, Essays in Discipline by Surak)

Kai'tan (pain repression)/Vedrah prah (pain negation/acceptance)

Klar'sha'meth (war drums)

Sele-an-T'lee (subdominant brain organization, adv. philosophy, logic, biofeedback)

Surah/Khavora (neuropressure) Runes of T'Vish/katric isolation

Katra-khynna (melding w/ katric ark)

Ke-ta-yatar (combat-based aggressive self-defense)

Norn-La-Hal (superior meditation/neural organization/dignity, tradition, infinity)

Velinahr (individual discretion, Mystagogues of Surak, Scorus, T'Enne, T'Vish, Prisu, Seltar)

Kal'i'farr (marriage)

Trills

Zhian'an

Trill is a planet, and a society, who have never been in a civil or interstellar war. They attained globalization remarkably fast and their development of technology followed suit, and all of this was due to the second race of species that lives on their planet, symbionts. Symbionts live for tens of thousands of years, and they can integrate themselves with the humanoid population through a process called Joining. This integration imbues the Trill people with a sense of greater picture, which has influenced their culture and in turn, even their education. One aspect of Trill education that exists planet-wide is called zhian'an, from the Trill zhia, meaning, to accept. The phrase zhian in full, is the word for Joined. This etymology sheds a little light unto how Trills perceive the Joining process; that the host (humanoid Trill) must accept the symbiont in order to coexist together. Even the Trill language has evolved pronouns to distinguish between the singular-I, singular-we, Joined-I and Joined-We. The Symbiosis Commission receives thousands of applications for Initiate training every year, and usually only about one hundred are accepted each year into Initiate training. Initiate training is a much deeper, more-inclusive type of zhian'an that involves, among other things, telepathic conditioning, adaptive meditation, intense psychiatric and physiological evaluations, et al. In order to be accepted into the Initiate program, candidates must prove that they can contribute something to the symbiont's gestalt experience of the universe. It is not uncommon for candidates to have completed post-secondary degrees, or to already have careers of their own by the time they apply for Initiate status. For Trill children, zhian'an in school more closely deals with concepts such as conflict resolution, truth, history, and xia'pan; the ability to hold two consecutive thoughts at once without entertaining either. This is what allows the Trill to exist as a society in a state of continual peace, as they are taught structured methods of meditation, acceptance and conflict resolution that prevents the type of violence and bloodshed we see in other world histories. This, along with Trill's geological instability, focused the people on learning to tame their world, rather than on conquest. Even after industrialization and the advent of technology, this type of training still exists today, with children learning to assemble Tiyala puzzles and engaging in mock debates. For those Trill who choose to pursue Joining, the importance of preserving the sacred connection of host and symbiont is paramount to an Initiate's success in completing the Initiate program. It is the Joined host's responsibility to ensure the symbiont experiences new history, explores new ideas, and lives new, and improved lives; which is just one of the reasons why re-association is considered taboo. After all, the purpose of Joining is to enhance the symbiont's awareness of the universe, and reliving the same lives, and relationships, is detrimental to that process. Joined Trill can sometimes come off as seeming a little more arrogant or entitled than their unjoined peers, and Trills who don't aspire to Joining are sometimes referred to, usually in a juvenile context, pejoratively as lajah, or unfit. There is some stigma regarding rejection from either a Joining attempt, or from the Initiate program altogether, and many Trill consider this a source of shame if it happens to them. It should be noted that prior to the 24th century, the knowledge of Trill Joining and symbionts was kept a closely guarded secret by the Symbiosis Commission, so those Trill who do travel off-world are held to a strict code of confidence, in order to protect the symbionts from outside influence, and to prevent others from trying to steal or otherwise aggress against the symbiont population.

BETAZOIDS

Family Structure & Marriage

Most ordinary, run-of-the-mill Betazoids do not come from a Ruling House, but rather their family may be associated politically or financially with a Ruling House depending on their views. Ordinary Betazoids form Houses through alliances and marriage, but they are not considered to be Ruling Houses and thus are not included here. Betazoids practice marriage and genetic bonding. A Betazoid is typically only married to one person at a time, as this is the person with which they continue their house and genetic legacy through children. Genetic bonding is seen more as a suggestion rather than a hard and fast rule, though this 'suggestion' is made with the benefit of the House as a whole in mind. Betazoids believe in polyamory and typically have many lovers and partners throughout their lives. Children are raised in the communal environment of mutual cooperation and harmony, and are encouraged to cultivate love and affection in a healthy manner.

Imzadi: The term imzadi means First, sharing a similar meaning to Beloved in English. Imzadis are among the first people that a Betazoid shares physical, emotional and spiritual connection with and while some Betazoids have more than one, it isn't as common. Imzade: An imzade is a lover. Betazoids have many imzades throughout their lives.

It is difficult for Betazoids to understand the concept of monogamy due in large part to their overwhelming degree of connectedness to one another. Betazoids don't typically 'flirt' in the same manner as humans do, tending to view everyone around them as a potential recipient of love and affection. If it happens to evolve into sex, it is considered only a natural progression. These views can be quite difficult for many species to integrate and Betazoid relationships with off-worlders can be fraught with jealousy and tension as the Betazoid seeks to love and cherish others that they meet.

Divorce

Divorce is not common on Betazed, as most problems are identified, soothed and worked through by each partner and by those around them to ensure maximum contentedness with a variety of situations, but it does happen periodically. If one partner is genuinely unhappy with the life afforded to them by being married (such as in the case of not wanting children), divorce is seen as a reasonable and viable alternative and there is little shame in the matter.

Genetic Legacy

Especially for the Noble Houses, who practice genetic bonding for the purpose of producing heirs, having children is seen as a duty to preserve the ancestral lineage. Betazoid families do their best to integrate this duty with their children's independence, impressing the importance and satisfaction of contributing to Betazoid society as a whole. There are instances where biological heirs are not possible. In this case, it is not particularly frowned upon for couples to adopt children. This is usually seen as admirable.

Neuroanatomy

The psionic center of a Betazoid's brain is located in an area called the medial lobe of the cerebrum, which is a cross-section of the temporal lobe. The medial lobe contains a variety of structures including the paracortex--widely regarded as the 'seat of psionics'--as well as structures which resemble the amygdala, inferior temporal gyrus, the left angular gyrus, and the fusiform gyrus in Terrans. These structures are responsible for a Betazoid's psionics as well as a Betazoid's sense of directional orientation, facial recognition, iconic (visual) memory, proprioception (spatial awareness) and cognitive empathy. These are processes all heavily influenced by psionics. Betazoids who suffer damage to their medial lobe typically exhibit signs of prosopagnosia (unable to recognize faces), topographical disorientation and cortical visual impairment. Betazoids possess an occipital lobe with visual areas delineated much the same as a human's, though areas of recognition and perception are localized to the medial lobe, as their perception of their environment is inseparably linked to the psionic process. The medial lobe also shares similar auditory and comprehensive characteristics found in a human temporal lobe.

Telepathic Biology (Psionics)

The paracortex functions by interpreting quantum-entangled information from passing neutrinos. Quantum entanglement is basically when two particles exist in a state where the defining properties of each particle can't be independently separated. Betazoids are able to interpret this phenomenon as an impulse through specialized afferent (sensory) and efferent (motor) pathways in their nervous system. Contrary to popular conception, the mindspace of a Betazoid is able to be mathematically quantified using Euclidean vectors. Said spaces are definite and complete--they are functions with real numbers. This interpretation is done through the release of a neurotransmitter called psilosynine. Of note, there are certain drugs called psilosynine antagonists such as cyendekh which inhibit psilosynine production and thereby lessen the degree to which a Betazoid can perceive this information around them. These drugs, however, have not been studied in extensive detail and their long-term effects are largely unknown. In practical application, Betazoid psionics are quite 'misty' in their application, lacking rigid structure and preferring to settle and expand outward, touching other 'minds' as it passes. It is a sense more than it is a power. A Betazoid's psionics are always "on" much like one's eyesight is always "on" when their eyes are open. Psionics are as integral to Betazoid society as eyesight is to Earth's society.

Psionic Facility Test (PFT)

Much like vision and hearing have objective scales to determine function, a Betazoid's psionic sense can be measured by the Psionic Facility Test (PFT). This test can only be administered by a trained Betazoid neurologist. These scores are distributed along a standard deviation (with 100 as average) and are formed by the mean of two major scores: the rate at which one perceives psionic information and the accuracy of information perceived. The PFT is administered by way of an alternating series of cortical scans, neuropsychiatric evaluations, standardized tests as well as mind-to-mind assessments by trained professionals. These assessments are intended to categorize the depth, breadth and substance of a Betazoid's response to psionic stimuli as well as the structure of their mind and how well they are able to integrate new psionic information. Scans are completed with an instrument known as a telemetric scanner. The PFT has several components which make up its total score which include:

Rate: responsiveness, processing speed, stability, memory.

Accuracy: identification, integration, distance, perceptual organization.

Betazoids with intellectual disabilities or neurocognitive deficits may have notably deviant PFT scores (with some individuals receiving more than one score for any wild point discrepancies), though one does not necessarily reflect the other. It is also of importance to note that some Betazoid hybrids are only able to utilize basic empathic senses and are unable to discern higher-order thoughts or motivations. A Betazoid (and other non-psionic entities) is termed psi-null when they show no measurable psionic input or output. As such, even Betazoids with lesser abilities would not be categorized as psi-null. The reasons for being psi-null (or psi-abnormal) range from genetic mutations, to organic brain damage, to chemical neurodivergence. Many Betazoid hybrids produce less psilosynine than their full-blooded counterparts, which accounts for their lessened psionic capacity.

Religion

The sovereign representative of the Fifth House of Betazed is the ceremonial leader of the Council of Ruling Houses at Rixx, due in part to the preserved religious ties of the Fifth House. This sovereign is considered a ceremonial priestess or planetary matriarch and traditionally, before convening a council meeting, a ritual of drinking from the Sacred Chalice of Rixx must be followed by solemn acknowledgment before proceedings may begin. Religion and superstition is alive and well in many Betazoid communities, although aside from some ceremonial aspects, religion is largely absent from Betazoid ruling practice and serves only as a reminder of their history and ancestors. Betazoids place a great deal of concern and care toward their family lines, traditions and practices. Betazoids have widely held beliefs in gods, spirits, the afterlife and the unknown, with many Betazoids practicing polytheism. Other Houses believe in a single deity, that of Karawati, the Mother of Rixx, the Lifestone of Krysaros. Karawati is the ancient symbol of purity, hearth and unity of the Betazoid people. Rixx and Krysaros are legendary brothers often depicted in Betazoid mythology, attributed to the unification of the Houses of Betazed. Karawati is considered Betazed herself, and is depicted largely as a mother nature figure. A typical creation story told on Betazed is of Karawati fashioning the Betazoid's perception of Otherness to help them combat a terrible extra-planetary evil. Krysaros is an ancient planetary hero, having saved Karawati from certain invasion from a looming, malevolent psionic force. Great Fire is supposedly a god that reigned before the dawn of the world, Betazed. According to Betazoid mythology, Jalara Guardians were 'nymph-like' in character, and they guard the Jalara Jungle. They were believed to have planted their nests on the jungle floor, causing the mortal quicksand pits present today. Mendissian Historians separated the first Noble Houses from the rest of the regular population, and were largely responsible for tracing ancestral lines through Betazed history. Betazoids teach psionic Acceptance from infancy using the Tying of Ropes and Knots. Each knot in a rope is a concept, reflecting each Noble Value (in order: Honesty, Mysticism, Health, Natural Art/Muses, Nobility, Heart/Life, Courage, Intuition, Wealth, Perseverance, Hearth, Balance, Peace/Protection) which all Betazoids are taught to embrace. This Acceptance comprises the majority of a Betazoid's psionic training. Only in the past 600 years or so have Betazoids taken the practice of preserving deceased loved ones in special chemicals that help the body last for generations. This is most common in the Houses, as few lower level citizens have the room to hold such sacred items. These are a series of remembrances that take place after the death of a family member and friend. Those that are closest to the dead person gather at a series of meetings, one held at six weeks after the death, another after the sixth month, and another for every three years afterwards. During the ceremony, the participants remember the deceased and share strong psionic fields with each other. As the generations of a Noble Household process farther and farther, each daughter is painted at the age of 40 in a painting a little larger then the last predecessor. This shows how the past becomes less and less memorable, yet will always be there. Some of the ancient paintings are extremely large, some taking up entire rooms and even houses themselves. Meaning, roughly speaking, Harmony of Mind and Weapon. Tassa’Akai is a Betazoid technique which uses the akai, or Betazoid collapsible baton. This is taught to all peacekeepers during training, and is a non-offensive martial art, more resembling a dance than an offensive fighting style. The Khrysar'akai is a ceremonial sword with a curved blade sharpened slightly on one edge. Its length ranges from 60cm to 73cm, depending on the reach of the wielder, and it is made by hand by its user.

(Religious information and names used with permission by CC from Starbase118 Wiki.)

Physiology

Most Betazoid physiology resembles that of a Terran, with only few deviations. The most obvious is that of the Betazoid's solid black iris, stemming from high concentrations of melanin in the stroma of the iris, which causes light of both shorter and longer wavelengths to be absorbed. In those with less Betazoid blood such as Devinoni Ral (who was only ¼ Betazoid), normal Human eye coloration is possible. Betazoids are very flexible, and, through training, they can control many body functions through biofeedback and meditative control. Betazoids live between 160-170 years, reaching full maturity at around age 40.

Integumentary System

The Betazoid integumentary (skin, hair, etc) system is similar to a Terran, with the added exception of specialized sensory and motor neurons moving to and from the medial lobe.

Reproductive System

Betazoids are fertile throughout most of their lives, and have a gestation period of ten months which accounts for the development of the medial lobe & psilosynine pathways. The Betazoid "Phase" is a physiological phase that all Betazoid and half-Betazoid females enter, signifying full sexual and reproductive maturity. This usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 50. While it is certainly possible to have children prior to the Phase, it is only during the Phase that a Betazoid female becomes fully sexual as the sex drive of the female in question quadruples or more.

Circadian Rhythm

Betazoid days are 25 hours long, which informs their natural circadian rhythm. Betazoids are diurnal (awake in the day), monophasic (once per cycle) sleepers, much like humans. The Betazoid brain releases melatonin from the hypothalamus in response to day-and-night shifts, triggering the sleep cycle. Betazoids need approximately 10 hours of sleep per night to feel fully rested. Betazoid minds tend to relax and drift outward as they sleep, sometimes sharing dreams with one another if they are in close proximity. The Betazoid process of dreaming is much the same as that of a human, though Betazoids reach rapid eye movement (REM) sleep at a different frequency from other humanoids.

Neurology

Betazoids fully develop their psionic sense in adolescence, around ages 13-15, but they are exposed to psionic feedback as early as infancy to help solidify those pathways. This process is slow and gradual over many years, much the same as puberty is for humans. Rarely, Betazoids are born with their psionic senses fully formed or that develop rapidly in infancy, which can cause psychological and development problems later on.

ORIONS

Physiology

Orions are a grouping of multiple sub-species contained under a single designation, spread out across Rigelian and Syndicate territory. Green and Yellow Orions are most common, with muni Orions (or hybrids) cropping up periodically in a variety of shades and colors due to genetic variation. Grey Orions are the product of failed gestation and typically do not live very long. Orion blood is made of chlorocruorins which give them their characteristic green hue. Orion skin contains a small degree of chlorophyll allowing them to absorb energy from sunlight, which results in a high-average body temperature. Orions evolved on a Minshara-class planet, but are nomadic, which accounts for the wide degree of variation within the overall species. Orion Animus is an Md4 (mass differential four or M4) planet, meaning that Animans are stronger than Vulcans by a factor of one. Botchok and Kolar are M2 planets.

Psychology

There's some truth to the old joke: How can you tell the difference between an Orion merchant ship and a pirate ship? If it's got weapons, it's a pirate ship. The closest thing the Orions have to a government comes in the loosely-aligned clans (or caju) that make up the Orion Syndicate, a large sentience, drug and freight trafficking operation in effect throughout most of Orion-occupied territories. Orions view the universe as a series of exchanges, whether for the tangible (goods, services) or the intangible (affection, safety). Orions are mostly concerned with the concept of cluros or keeping one's cool, and abide by five basic tenets:

Speak formally and levelly to your opponents.

Treat those who are disarmed with respect and courtesy.

Never forget details.

Never allow distractions.

Never reveal you are injured.

Slavery

One aspect of Orion culture that is extremely difficult for Federation citizens to comprehend is the normalization of slavery. A slave is considered with the same regard as a pricey car, or a fancy house. The better treated and more well-trained a slave is, the more valuable they are and the more use they have. There are many training estates (one such popular estate is those of the publicized clans Rayyah and Taeix) that promise to offer board and education to children and adults collected from around the quadrants. It is common to brand a slave if you intend to keep them for a long period of time. Some notorious clans use tattoos instead (such as Rayyah's silver-bird sigil). Some people even sell themselves into slavery in order to pay off debts. It is possible, although rare, to purchase your own contract and to no longer be a slave, or to be formally adopted by the clan you serve. While abuse of slaves is not unheard of, slaves are considered property and someone who indiscriminately harms their own belongings will be looked at with suspicion and distrust, as they cannot be expected to maintain their own 'cool.' Mistreatment is more common in places such as pleasure houses, where many different clients will see one slave over the course of a day.

JAMES KIRK is new on the scene! they are a 30 year old MALE HUMAN from RIVERSIDE, IOWA and they look suspiciously like CHRIS PINE. when they walk past you cannot help but think of ORBITAL SKYDIVING, DESERT SANDS and WINDOWLESS ROOMS. OOC | shayne, 28, ast, jcmeskcrks.

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