StarFleet Adventures
Jun 15, 2013 0:44:28 GMT -8
Post by JW% on Jun 15, 2013 0:44:28 GMT -8
"Hello Captain." Admiral Jason 'Jay' Wingate said with an expression you'd swear was personally calculated to both set you at ease, and also impress you with his authority. He was wearing his admirals long coat today, meeting you at his own starbase. The massive dome over your heads showed the stars as they couldn't ever be seen from planet side. And the floor beneath him opened with a rather breathtaking view of the levels below, including the shipyard. You could look down on the very ship you arrived in.
He held out a hand to match his expression. A form of greeting, to clasp hands, one not quite universal but still well enough known. He was wearing black gloves over his hands... but then rumor said that even among Betazoids Admiral Wingate was a particularly sensitive telepath. He likely was reading your every though from before you arrived, intimate contact like touching skin to skin would have him plucking out secrets buried in your mind.
"I'm sure you're familiar with the current news. The general rise in piracy as the Orions, Nausicaan, and Ferengi try to capitalize on the shifting balance of power. The Klingon Empire at war with the Federation simply so they can keep themselves sharp. The Romulans divided in half with the half who don't like us getting dangerous allies and the other half still trying to establish themselves. The Cardassian Union is a shell of it's former self, with more than half of it's fleet defected into terrorist cells trying to bring back the harsh regime. The Talarian Republic trying to prove they're still a viable force, and the Tholian Coalition showing up everywhere the Borg or Undine aren't attacking and a few places they are." He shook his head. "Forgive me. Starfleet has been rapidly expanding, and even a young man like myself gains command." Well, young for an admiral. He certainly wasn't some fresh faced recruit. This man had grown his beard, both figuratively, and literally.
"So I've come into control of this particular fleet within Starfleet. We're primarily a science and diplomatic branch, but variety is a useful trait to fill in any gaps this fleet might have. Which is why I've picked you personally. I want you to transfer to my fleet. You'll have a pick of your ship and crew with which to explore space, our final frontier. These will be your voyages, our mission to seek out new life and civilization. I hope you'll join me and the rest of my fleet as we boldly go where none have gone before."
TL:DR (yes, if that was too long and you didn't read it, I probably don't want you joining, but I'm doing a quick summary anyway)
Star Trek Roleplaying. Takes place in roughly the Star Trek Online storyline(since I'm going to be using visuals from that game). It won't be an exact duplicate. The most notable difference being that I'm tossing in the races from Galactic Adventures(most of which are NOT humanoid, something Star Trek tends to lack the budget for.)
Captains are by PM approval. CREW sign up as normal. First come, first serve on who wants to be a Captain. Then that captain get volunteers for crew. If somebody else wants to be a captain as well, then new volunteers for crew(minimal of three senior staff per Captain but you can pick up to six). Feel free to write up multiple characters. Infact, I'd encourage anyone joining to write one character for each position on the ship that can be filled, but that's probably more work than you want to do and not necessary.
He held out a hand to match his expression. A form of greeting, to clasp hands, one not quite universal but still well enough known. He was wearing black gloves over his hands... but then rumor said that even among Betazoids Admiral Wingate was a particularly sensitive telepath. He likely was reading your every though from before you arrived, intimate contact like touching skin to skin would have him plucking out secrets buried in your mind.
"I'm sure you're familiar with the current news. The general rise in piracy as the Orions, Nausicaan, and Ferengi try to capitalize on the shifting balance of power. The Klingon Empire at war with the Federation simply so they can keep themselves sharp. The Romulans divided in half with the half who don't like us getting dangerous allies and the other half still trying to establish themselves. The Cardassian Union is a shell of it's former self, with more than half of it's fleet defected into terrorist cells trying to bring back the harsh regime. The Talarian Republic trying to prove they're still a viable force, and the Tholian Coalition showing up everywhere the Borg or Undine aren't attacking and a few places they are." He shook his head. "Forgive me. Starfleet has been rapidly expanding, and even a young man like myself gains command." Well, young for an admiral. He certainly wasn't some fresh faced recruit. This man had grown his beard, both figuratively, and literally.
"So I've come into control of this particular fleet within Starfleet. We're primarily a science and diplomatic branch, but variety is a useful trait to fill in any gaps this fleet might have. Which is why I've picked you personally. I want you to transfer to my fleet. You'll have a pick of your ship and crew with which to explore space, our final frontier. These will be your voyages, our mission to seek out new life and civilization. I hope you'll join me and the rest of my fleet as we boldly go where none have gone before."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
TL:DR (yes, if that was too long and you didn't read it, I probably don't want you joining, but I'm doing a quick summary anyway)
Star Trek Roleplaying. Takes place in roughly the Star Trek Online storyline(since I'm going to be using visuals from that game). It won't be an exact duplicate. The most notable difference being that I'm tossing in the races from Galactic Adventures(most of which are NOT humanoid, something Star Trek tends to lack the budget for.)
Captains are by PM approval. CREW sign up as normal. First come, first serve on who wants to be a Captain. Then that captain get volunteers for crew. If somebody else wants to be a captain as well, then new volunteers for crew(minimal of three senior staff per Captain but you can pick up to six). Feel free to write up multiple characters. Infact, I'd encourage anyone joining to write one character for each position on the ship that can be filled, but that's probably more work than you want to do and not necessary.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[b]Captain Name:[/b]
[b]Rank:[/b] (Commander or Captain)
[b]Division:[/b]
[b]Race:[/b] (include description of that race/species if applicable)
[b]Appearance:[/b] (height, body type, hair, eyes, skin, whatever you feel is needed)
[b]Traits:[/b] (two to eight descriptive words. Things like "Logical" "Honorable" or "Agressive")
[b]Background:[/b]
[b]Personal Gear:[/b] (Uniform, tool kit, weapons, etc)
[b]Ship Name:[/b]
[b]Ship Class:[/b]
[b]Senior Staff:[/b]
[b]Required Crew Equipment:[/b] (A uniform at least I hope, but standard crew weapons are possible)
[b]Ship Equipment:[/b] (if unsure, just put "standard")
[b]Other Notes:[/b]
[b]Crewmen Name: [/b]
[b]Rank: [/b](Ensign, Chief, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Commander, etc)
[b]Division:[/b]
[b]Station: [/b]
[b]Race: [/b](include description of that race/species if applicable)
[b]Appearance:[/b] (height, body type, hair, eyes, skin, whatever you feel is needed)
[b]Traits:[/b] (two to eight descriptive words. Things like "Logical" "Honorable" or "Agressive")
[b]Background:[/b]
[b]Personal Gear:[/b] (Uniform, tool kit, weapons, etc)
[b]Other Notes:[/b]{Details on character creation}
Characters have all been trained in one of four divisions: Tactical, Engineering, Science or Civilian. Further subdivisions from there lead to the various departments(Tactical and Security, Engineering and Logistics, Science and Medical, and Diplomatic and Morale) but there's no particular need to go into detail unless you want me to.
~~~~~
I use "Race" rather than "Species" since STO expands on the idea that most humanoid races, including Vulcans, Klingons, and Humans, despite mind boggling differences in biology, were all seeded by 'The Preservers' an extinct race of rather nondescript humanoids who wanted to see life flourish in their own image. That said, feel free to use any species in Trek canon or made up purely on the spot if you think you can explain it.
For the more common race you'll find in Starfleet:
Human, Vulcan, Bajoran, Bolian, Benzite, Betazoid, Andorian, Saurian, Caitian, Tellarite, Ferengi, Pakled, Rigelian, Klingon, Trill, Gorn, Lethean, Nausicaan, Orion, Romulan, Reman, Cardassian, Deltan, El-Aurian, Hirogen, Suliban, Denobulan, and Talarian.
All canonical from the Star Trek show. And from Galactic Adventures:
Koraci, Cygnian, Wodanite, Froglodyte, Dulbian, and Zorcon
I've already gone to long on this so I'm leaving off here, unless you'd like me to explain more.
~~~~~
Your background assumes that your character went through Starfleet Academy or a similar institution. You don't need to expand too heavily on it if you don't want.
~~~~~
Your captain will have some say on what gear is allowed. It's assume that if you're carrying it, you know how to use it(and if it's assigned to you, like a hand phaser probably would, training comes with it).
~~~~~
Quick image of the ships available (and one that isn't)
From top left to right:
Defiant 120m
Saber 172m
Oberth 150m
Nova 180m
NX Retrofit 225m
Miranda 246m
Constitution 289m
Constitution Refit 305m
Olympic 320m
Cheyenne 362m
Centaur 381m
Intrepid 344m
Prometheus 414m
Nebula 440m
Akira 440m
Luna 450m
Excelsior 467m
Ambassador 526m
Galaxy 643m
Sovereign 685m
Odyssey 875m
Not shown to scale sadly, though I included an approximate length(which probably does not correspond to size sadly) and organized them accordingly. Just pick the shape you like. These are all canon Star Trek ships, so you can go ahead and look them up on the Memory Alpha Wiki. The Luna is "soft canon" from the book series and the Odyssey is an StarTrek Online original and won't be on Memory Alpha, but you might find them on Memory Beta. If you want another ship that's trek canon but not on the list just ask. But if you know enough to be asking for those classes, you probably don't need a reference picture anyway...
~~~~~
We'll need to wait for others to sign up as crew for the first captain(and any subsequent captains) to pick their senior staff.
~~~~~
I'll get into ship equipment elsewhere or preferably in game. Suffice to say you'll have all the 'toys' that the Enterprise was shown to have: Warp drive, Reaction thrusters, shields, sensors, emitter arrays, launch bays, etc.
~~~~~
And finally "Other notes" was there for... well anything you felt should be said but wasn't.
Characters have all been trained in one of four divisions: Tactical, Engineering, Science or Civilian. Further subdivisions from there lead to the various departments(Tactical and Security, Engineering and Logistics, Science and Medical, and Diplomatic and Morale) but there's no particular need to go into detail unless you want me to.
~~~~~
I use "Race" rather than "Species" since STO expands on the idea that most humanoid races, including Vulcans, Klingons, and Humans, despite mind boggling differences in biology, were all seeded by 'The Preservers' an extinct race of rather nondescript humanoids who wanted to see life flourish in their own image. That said, feel free to use any species in Trek canon or made up purely on the spot if you think you can explain it.
For the more common race you'll find in Starfleet:
Human, Vulcan, Bajoran, Bolian, Benzite, Betazoid, Andorian, Saurian, Caitian, Tellarite, Ferengi, Pakled, Rigelian, Klingon, Trill, Gorn, Lethean, Nausicaan, Orion, Romulan, Reman, Cardassian, Deltan, El-Aurian, Hirogen, Suliban, Denobulan, and Talarian.
All canonical from the Star Trek show. And from Galactic Adventures:
Koraci, Cygnian, Wodanite, Froglodyte, Dulbian, and Zorcon
I've already gone to long on this so I'm leaving off here, unless you'd like me to explain more.
~~~~~
Your background assumes that your character went through Starfleet Academy or a similar institution. You don't need to expand too heavily on it if you don't want.
~~~~~
Your captain will have some say on what gear is allowed. It's assume that if you're carrying it, you know how to use it(and if it's assigned to you, like a hand phaser probably would, training comes with it).
~~~~~
Quick image of the ships available (and one that isn't)
From top left to right:
Defiant 120m
Saber 172m
Oberth 150m
Nova 180m
NX Retrofit 225m
Miranda 246m
Constitution 289m
Constitution Refit 305m
Olympic 320m
Cheyenne 362m
Centaur 381m
Intrepid 344m
Prometheus 414m
Nebula 440m
Akira 440m
Luna 450m
Excelsior 467m
Ambassador 526m
Galaxy 643m
Sovereign 685m
Odyssey 875m
Not shown to scale sadly, though I included an approximate length(which probably does not correspond to size sadly) and organized them accordingly. Just pick the shape you like. These are all canon Star Trek ships, so you can go ahead and look them up on the Memory Alpha Wiki. The Luna is "soft canon" from the book series and the Odyssey is an StarTrek Online original and won't be on Memory Alpha, but you might find them on Memory Beta. If you want another ship that's trek canon but not on the list just ask. But if you know enough to be asking for those classes, you probably don't need a reference picture anyway...
~~~~~
We'll need to wait for others to sign up as crew for the first captain(and any subsequent captains) to pick their senior staff.
~~~~~
I'll get into ship equipment elsewhere or preferably in game. Suffice to say you'll have all the 'toys' that the Enterprise was shown to have: Warp drive, Reaction thrusters, shields, sensors, emitter arrays, launch bays, etc.
~~~~~
And finally "Other notes" was there for... well anything you felt should be said but wasn't.
{Further Race details}
This is a work in progress and obviously will not ready you for all individuals of the species as all that can really be covered are general stereotypes.
Human: Most of the game will be told from the perspective of Humans, obviously, so I will only note differences from what our perspective normally would hold. By this point a highly pervasive species, having pulled themselves out of a third global war that nearly destroyed them and into warp drive almost 'over night', because of, or perhaps despite, Vulcan influence. Their society has surpassed poverty, with all needs of citizens(within core worlds) easily taken care of, allowing them to focus more on the concept of 'betterment' typically through art, science, and exploration. They are a passionate and charismatic race, easy to get along with and easy to accept other cultures but just as easy, in fact at times eager, to fight with impressive resolve and courage to defend freedom for themselves or others. They have evolved past most cultural taboos(though cloning and genetic manipulation are highly taboo still, as it was one of the causes of their third global war) and generally try to influence other cultures to join them in enlightenment. The sactimonious bastards...
Vulcan: Logical, stoic, medatiative, spiritual, superior. These are the words that a Vulcan would often describe themselves as('ancient' is sometimes used from an outsiders perspective). Devoted to the religion of logic(with all the dogma and ceremony that a religion developes), vulcans suppressed emotions and passions, banishing those who could not control themselves into deep space. They felt it was a self preservation measure, and their success from there can not be faulted. Vulcans live typically on a harsh, high gravity planet, and while their appearance is very similar to humans(with a slightly lower body fat index and pointed ears and brows) their biology is drastically different, incorporating copper in their bloodstream(as opposed to the humans iron) amoung other very strange oddities. It is said that a vulcan never lies... but you'll never force the truth out of them. As such, despite being a founding race of the Federation, along with Humans, without the younger human race to vouch for them the Federation would never have been founded at all.
Bajoran: A former slave race to the Cardassian Union, Bajor was liberated 'recently'(by galactic standards) and are still feeling the last bit of the effects(this generation did not experience the hardships of the occupation, but their parents did) and retains a resolution and courage to fight for their freedom. During the occupation and the subsequent Dominion war which they were on the forefront of, they were sustained by their religion of the Prophets, and as the religion focuses on non-corporeal, non-linear timelined, life forms who reside in nearby space and on occasion interceed on behalf of supplicants(such as during the Dominion war) retain a strong faith base. Physically Bajorans look nearly identical to humans, save for ridge lines on the bridge of their nose.
Bolian: Bolians are a friendly, pleasant, and somewhat non-confrontational race that have found the Federation suits them quite well, prefering for the most part civilian services rather than military. They are blue skinned, hairless, and their body chemistry is generally considered dangerously toxic(and caustic) to most other humanoid life forms, allowing their food choices to range quite dramatically. Knowing 'Bolian cuisine' is another way for most humanoid chefs to say 'Half the recepies I know will probably kill you.' and given how friendly and sensual bolians are, most medical bays are equipped to allow sexual relations with someone who's kiss could melt your lips.
Benzite: Hairless, instead having sensitive fleshy tendrils hanging off their face, with blue skinned carapace provide the Benzite with natural armor, while a unique biochemistry(possibly altered as the Benzite naturally need 'additives' in a humanoid standard Nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere though with their joining of the Federation most no longer seem to have need for the 'inhalers' the early Benzite exchange officers were forced to wear and their race has a history of genetic engineering themselves) give a limited immunity to toxic radiation. They are a meticulous and efficient people, eager to please, polite, and sincere in their dealings.
Betazoid: Physically appearing identical to humans(and by extent Trill and Bajoran), and with notably similar biology, the Betazoid brain is possibly one of the most advanced among Federation races. The very nerve endings of Betazoids is different, most obvious being with their eyes(which have no color, just black iris on whites) and of course their formidable telepathic ability. As all Betazoids have at least some level of telepathic ability, their culture has come to embrace honesty, openness, and nurturing, caring for the well being of all their neighbors and their environment.
Andorian: Natives of a harsh ice world, Andorians are an interesting comparison in opposites. They are soft spoken, hesitant to make eye contact, and tending towards a tall but slim build and live in clans of close knit families. They are also fiercely passionate and fiercely loyal, with a warriors mentality and short temper, willing to fight each other to the death in duels of honor using ice climbing spikes(the ushaan, a traditional weapon among them). Physically they are blue skinned(going from deep blue to pale white) with silver white hair and sensitive forehead antenna(providing them with painfully acute hearing and an exceptional sense of balance). Andorians claim to have four genders, and marriages require four participants to bond, but to an outside observer they have the humanoid standard male and female(they simply subdivide further with effeminate males and masculine females filling the third and fourth genders). With help of the human race they managed to overcome their antagonism towards the vulcans and Tellarites to found the Federation.
Saurian: Bulbous, hairless heads, large slitted eyes, nasal slits rather than a nose and lipless pointed mouth that is almost a beak all come together with purplish(purple through red and on to pink) skintones all combine to give the Saurian a reptilian or amphibian features. Their physiology is not far removed from that idea either, having redundant circulatory systems for aquatic living, despite the surface of their world being a dry desert(their skin is actually very fine scales). Saurian are efficient and intelligent making very good dependable(but not necessarily interesting) starfleet officers. Despite only average musculature they have been known to perform impressive feats of strength due to their different circulatory systems(four hearts pumping blood to the muscles needing it, additional 'lungs/gills' providing more oxygen to the blood stream, etc). The currently elected president of the Federation is Saurian, though his term is coming to a close and there was some question as to the new voting policy(allowing 'dual citizenship' for non-Federation members who wanted to live in Federation space without leaving their own cultures) that got him elected.
Caitian: Serving in both Starfleet and the Federation council, the Caitians are a race with strong(and large) families(or 'Prides'). They resemble humanoid felines, complete with tails(often tuffed though not always), in both manner and appearance. It was recently implied that the Caitians, a staunch supporter of the Federation since contact was made and primarily vegetarians, are in fact descendants of the Kzinti - also known as the Ferasans, a race of sabertoothed carnivorous humanoid felines that have been at war with the Federation for some time. Signs of self performed genetic 'augmentation' toning down the Ferasans aggression, predatory instinct, and xenophobia succeeded in turning them from wild cats to house cats. A comparison most Caitians would not enjoy.
Tellarite: A short, stout, porcine species with a distinguished snout and hoof-like hands and feet. Their skin is pinkish-brown and coarse, and normally heavily covered with hair, so males tend to have epic beards. They also have a greater perception of distance, dimension, and depth allowing them to be talented engineers. Tellarites, despite being impatient, possess a stubborn pride and enjoy a passionate argument as a sport on their homeworld. An argument is initiated by either a series of complaints or(if they find nothing to complain about) an insult(either of which is considered a polite greeting and demonstrates a willingness to get to know the target better).
Ferengi: Natives of the planet Ferenginar, Ferengi culture is built on the ideals of free enterprise and profit, and there are 285 Rules of Acquisitions that govern Ferengi society. They have a head for numbers. Due to recent social reforms, however, many young Ferengi are exploring the world outside of commerce. Some have joined Starfleet, where service to others is valued more than Gold-Pressed Latinum. Ferengi are normally smaller than humans and have lifespans that can exceed a century. Ferengi have orange-brown colored skin, blue fingernails, enlarged skulls and sharp teeth. Their four-lobed brain makes them resistant to telepathy. Their large ears give them exceptionally acute hearing.
Pakled: The Pakleds are a largely nomadic species that often trade, scavenge or steal from other species for their technology. Pakleds have underdeveloped verbal communication skills. Due to this, many people underestimate them, thinking that they are too intellectually challenged to be devious, which they use to their advantage. While most Pakleds are politically unaligned, a few have chosen to join Starfleet, where they have demonstrated that they can become more than simple nomads or traders. Pakleds are typically heavy-set humanoids that feature sunken eyes with bushy, upward-pointing eyebrows, a series of folds beneath their eyes and a drooping lower lip. Males of the species tend to have receding hairlines.
Rigelian: Great believers in the idea of a spiritual journey towards enlightenment, Rigelians are an ancient and mysterious race, much like the vulcans. One of the lesser known founders of the Federation, they did take part in the initial talks, and have maintained a membership, though without putting much support towards Starfleet, instead tending towards their own Rigelian Trade Commission as being their primary means of exploration and expansion into space. Physically Regelians have flat noses and large creases in their skin, accented by yellow markings. Their physiology however is startlingly like a vulcan or romulans, sharing many of the same diseases. Rigelians have trained themselves to enter a state of peak concentration in an attempt to find enlightenment and spiritual oneness. A side effect of this being that, should they enter this state in combat, they become a truly serene berzerker, feeling no pain and pushing their body beyond its limits.
Trill: The Trill are almost identical to Humans except for their spots, which are mostly seen on the sides of their heads. These spots run from their heads down their shoulders and carry on down their torso and legs to the feet. A recent addition to the Federation, having joined shortly before the end of the Cardassian wars(which was on their borders), the Trill have explored much of known space prior to joining, and have rather close ties with the Klingon Empire. Infact, the Trill were infected by the Augmentation Virus through the Klingons, creating a different appearing subspecies of Trill(in much the way it dramatically altered Klingons for a time, and spread the human taboo against genetic alteration to their culture as well). Up until the time of the Trill joining the Federation, the fact that some 5% of Trill maintain a symbiotic creature inside their bodies and share memories and skills(and immune systems) allowing the lucky few to live multiple lifespans through the joining, was unknown to the Federation. Despite this unintentional duplicity("You never asked!"), Trill are traditionally open, honest, and forthright, sometimes even blunt but not without a sense of compassion and humor.
Deltan: Hairless but otherwise appearing human, who have embraced sex much in the same way vulcans have embraced logic, to the point of developing telepathic and empathic abilities. They are required to make an oath of chastity prior to entering into Starfleet, as sexual contact with most non-telepathicly trained species can be fatal. As such, a number of young Deltans join Starfleet, but few make it very high in rank.
Denobulan: Quirky but friendly with highly expressive faces. They experienced planetary overpopulation and thus get along well with others
El-Aurian: Very good listeners, with very long lifespans, they appear identical to humans. Their homeplanet and much of their race was wiped out by the Borg, but enough refugees survived to join the Federation.
Cardassian: Snake people, the ruthless Cardassians have had a confrontational history against the Federation, though repeated defeats(in both the Cardassian war and the Dominion war) have led to them disarming and attempting to get along peacefully, possibly even joining the Federation. Unfortunately, during disarmament nearly all of their weapons and ships were stolen by remains of the previous militant regime who still work, now as terrorists, to continue challenging the Federation and their allies.
Klingon: KLINGONS! A mainstay of Star Trek. I polled everyone who joined to see if I really needed to explain them. I did not. Honorable warrior race, and the major rival force against the Federation at this point. 'Recently' they expanded their Empire to include first the Orions as equal citizens, then the Gorn, Nausicaan, and Lethean(four traditional 'enemies' of the Federation). The Empire has never been stronger. Just because they are rival to the Federation however does not mean they don't respect their worthy foe, and with the dual citizenship Klingons are allowed to join Starfleet, as well as numerous joint operations between the Federation and the Empire including a war against the Borg, against the Dominion, against the extra-dimensional Undine, support of the Romulan Republic.
Gorn: Humanoid tyranosaurus rex. After the discovery of the Undine infiltration into numerous galactic powers by the Klingons, a Klingon/Gorn war broke out, leading to the Federation and Klingon Empire breaking ties. The Gorn Hegemony was eventually overthrown, and the Undine infiltrators exposed and executed. Officially the Gorn are now a vassal race to the Klingons and a full and honored member of the Klingon Empire, though some Gorn still resist(stubbornly believing themselves to be the rightful rulers of most of Klingon and Federation space, despite not being able to maintain such a claim).
Lethean: Telepathic killers, stubborn and vicious. Allied with the Nausicaan(though they avoided the Klingon/Gorn war), and thus now the Klingon Empire.
Nausicaan: Tusked brutes who find sport in inflicting(and accepting) pain. Were hired as mercenaries by the Gorn. When the Gorn lost the war and became part of the Klingon Empire, the Nausicaans simply transferred their contract to the Klingon Empire and rather like their new position within the Klingon Empire.
Orion: Green skinned slavers with intense appetites for all pleasures of the flesh and narcotic pheremones. Their homeworld was ecologically destroyed by their own industrial complex, and as the Federation frowned on Orion piracy and slavery(and some would say their hedonistic lifestyle) they allied with the Klingon Empire.
Romulan: Vulcan subrace who flourished through passion rather than stagnated with logic. For a time they were one of the greatest threats in the Beta Quadrant as the Romulan Star Empire, and carried on a proxy war with the Federation practically from it's conception(first via robotic drone ships, then with cold war diplomacy). For a time they were considered allies of the Klingon Empire, but the two Empires held too few similarities for such an alliance to be maintained leading to it's dissolution. The Romulans were the first to deal with the Borg, their Empire suffering greatly(but unnoticed behind an iron 'neutral zone'). Ambassador Spock attempted to wage peace with the Romulans, and when the Hobus star went super nova, Spock was lost trying to create an artificial singularity to stop the blast wave... which destroyed Romulus and Remus. The Romulans became nomadic with the Empire pulling more and more resources away form it's people to maintain it's power. While the Romulan Empire has expanded towards... questionable allies(such as the Iconians and Elachi) it's own citizenry have attempted to break off and the newly formed Romulan Republic is looking towards the Federation for support.
Reman: Telepathic cave dwelling race who were enslaved by the Romulans. Currently rebelling and supporting the fledgling Romulan Republic.
Hirogen: A nomadic hunter species from the Delta Quadrant who allied themselves with the Romulan Empire. A few Hirogen are honorable enough to part from tradition of stalking and killing 'prey'(IE anything they can stalk and kill... they particularly like Starfleet and Klingon ships and crew) but the race as a whole is still quite hostile.
Suliban: A nomadic race of scavengers, once genetically augmented by time travellers to create a foe for Humanity, with the foundation of the Federation and failure of their mission they have been left to quietly go extinct. Few have cooperated in just dying, and most just want to be left alone. They have friendly ties with the newly formed Romulan Republic and Reman Resistance however.
Talarian: Wannabe Klingons on the opposite side of Federation space from the Klingons and on the borders of the former Cardassian Union and the Breen Confederacy, Talarians are a proud, honorable, aggressive people who unfortunately lack the technology and military power to be the super power of the quadrant they wish to be. So far the Federation tolerates them, and they try their best to maintain friendly relations with the far more powerful Federation. Talarian pride and aggression so far has not yet cause open conflict(as such tendencies within the Klingon Empire have)... but it has come close.
Borg: A 'race' of cyberneticly augmented species, all connected and controlled to the hive mind. They fanatically seek 'perfection' and will assimilate any race who can offer new and interesting technology or genetic code(and destroy what does not). They are relentless and unwavering in the completion of their programming and have been a threat to the entire galaxy for a very long time. Recently it has become possible to extract individuals from the collective, creating a 'race' of Liberated (insert 'former' race) Borg. Many Liberated Borg have trouble adjusting back to their old lives, feeling disconnected and alone, but with therapy they can be returned to their families. Assuming the families accept them back. The technology implanted into the bodies of the Borg however is not completely removable by modern science, leaving even those Liberated to be forever scarred.
Koraci: The small, fast Koraci average about 1 meter(3feet) in height, with purple skin and a two to three meter long feathery sense organ(sorta like a moths antenna) growing out of the top of their vaguely triangular heads. They are media junkies, enjoying various cultures entertainments(they rather like Flash Gordon serials from Earth), and tend to judge others on what sort of stories they produce. They like parties and festivities, the more active the better. They are somewhat undisciplined and unruly, living fast, furious, and short lives.
Cygnian: Essentially human sized(but NOT shaped) brightly colored, thin, flightless birds(similar to earths Emu). Their vestigal wings now serve for purposes of display and communication, though the patterns of their bright colors and pheremons have been known to match Orions for narcotic properties. Cygnians are obsessive practical jokers, as the joke is one of their highest cultural values(as vulcans find Logic, Klingons find combat, and Ferengi find profit). The only time a Cygnian is not joking is on the battlefield, which they consider to be the anti-thesis to a joke.
Wodanite: Technically speaking, Wodanites are humans. They are one of several ships launched from Earth successfully found and colonized a somewhat harsher planet. The taboo on genetic tinkering however was not obeyed, and the resulting race developed large curved horns from the sides of their heads, along with increased muscle mass and general 'improvements'. Unfortunately they somewhat regressed intellectually and technologically. The Federation officially recognizes them as a new species entirely(as they have stopped augmenting themselves from loss of technology), and some are willing to join Starfleet, despite a cultural prejudice against directed energy weapons("Phasers are for cowardly wizards!").
Froglodyte: Froglodyte, an amphibian race from the planet 'Puddle' they strongly resemble 'giant'(man sized) frogs with large heads. A few differences include a third set of limbs typically held against their chest and a retractable fin on the back which is usually used during swimming but can be used to demonstrate mood. Their tongues are prehensile, highly dexterous, and about five foot long, though in mixed company they seldom displayed. Their skintone is typically green to brown, but marking of bright red and yellow are common. Shorter than humans only because of their normal stance with their powerful legs is more of a crouch. Good jumpers and acrobats, they are able to cling to and scale flat surfaces thanks to pads on their webbed hands and feet. Froglodytes have a very strict policy against explosives, and tend to shy away from the use of anything that would cause compression waves.
Dulbian: A large furry creature with four short massive legs and two powerful arms with hands and fingers growing out of their large armored heads. For human reference it is like a furry triceratops with body builder arms in place of horns. From their home planet of Cave, Dulbians discovered space travel from excavating ancient ruins of unknown origins, and seem to be, mostly, uninterested in exploration or conflict, preferring a peaceful life. They do, however, keep a watchful eye out for new and interesting technologies, albeit to use in mundane matters.
Zorcon: The Zorcon made contact with the Federation, seemingly only to tell the Federation not to bother them. They seem to have developed warp travel solely for the purpose of keeping other races out of their space, though they claim to be open to diplomacy, thus far all attempts to officially contact them as a race have been met with the statement "you are not approaching us correctly." Few humans know exactly what a Zorcon looks like. Obvious observations can be made, as they are humanoid insects(mantis or ant-like) with federation standard biological concerns, but they have a strong nudity taboo, always wearing volumnous cloaks or coats and either hoods or large floppy hats which completely hide their bodies. Fortunately there are exceptions to the stereotypes, individuals who are willing to leave home and join Starfleet, otherwise there would be no information on them at all.
This is a work in progress and obviously will not ready you for all individuals of the species as all that can really be covered are general stereotypes.
Human: Most of the game will be told from the perspective of Humans, obviously, so I will only note differences from what our perspective normally would hold. By this point a highly pervasive species, having pulled themselves out of a third global war that nearly destroyed them and into warp drive almost 'over night', because of, or perhaps despite, Vulcan influence. Their society has surpassed poverty, with all needs of citizens(within core worlds) easily taken care of, allowing them to focus more on the concept of 'betterment' typically through art, science, and exploration. They are a passionate and charismatic race, easy to get along with and easy to accept other cultures but just as easy, in fact at times eager, to fight with impressive resolve and courage to defend freedom for themselves or others. They have evolved past most cultural taboos(though cloning and genetic manipulation are highly taboo still, as it was one of the causes of their third global war) and generally try to influence other cultures to join them in enlightenment. The sactimonious bastards...
Vulcan: Logical, stoic, medatiative, spiritual, superior. These are the words that a Vulcan would often describe themselves as('ancient' is sometimes used from an outsiders perspective). Devoted to the religion of logic(with all the dogma and ceremony that a religion developes), vulcans suppressed emotions and passions, banishing those who could not control themselves into deep space. They felt it was a self preservation measure, and their success from there can not be faulted. Vulcans live typically on a harsh, high gravity planet, and while their appearance is very similar to humans(with a slightly lower body fat index and pointed ears and brows) their biology is drastically different, incorporating copper in their bloodstream(as opposed to the humans iron) amoung other very strange oddities. It is said that a vulcan never lies... but you'll never force the truth out of them. As such, despite being a founding race of the Federation, along with Humans, without the younger human race to vouch for them the Federation would never have been founded at all.
Bajoran: A former slave race to the Cardassian Union, Bajor was liberated 'recently'(by galactic standards) and are still feeling the last bit of the effects(this generation did not experience the hardships of the occupation, but their parents did) and retains a resolution and courage to fight for their freedom. During the occupation and the subsequent Dominion war which they were on the forefront of, they were sustained by their religion of the Prophets, and as the religion focuses on non-corporeal, non-linear timelined, life forms who reside in nearby space and on occasion interceed on behalf of supplicants(such as during the Dominion war) retain a strong faith base. Physically Bajorans look nearly identical to humans, save for ridge lines on the bridge of their nose.
Bolian: Bolians are a friendly, pleasant, and somewhat non-confrontational race that have found the Federation suits them quite well, prefering for the most part civilian services rather than military. They are blue skinned, hairless, and their body chemistry is generally considered dangerously toxic(and caustic) to most other humanoid life forms, allowing their food choices to range quite dramatically. Knowing 'Bolian cuisine' is another way for most humanoid chefs to say 'Half the recepies I know will probably kill you.' and given how friendly and sensual bolians are, most medical bays are equipped to allow sexual relations with someone who's kiss could melt your lips.
Benzite: Hairless, instead having sensitive fleshy tendrils hanging off their face, with blue skinned carapace provide the Benzite with natural armor, while a unique biochemistry(possibly altered as the Benzite naturally need 'additives' in a humanoid standard Nitrogen/oxygen atmosphere though with their joining of the Federation most no longer seem to have need for the 'inhalers' the early Benzite exchange officers were forced to wear and their race has a history of genetic engineering themselves) give a limited immunity to toxic radiation. They are a meticulous and efficient people, eager to please, polite, and sincere in their dealings.
Betazoid: Physically appearing identical to humans(and by extent Trill and Bajoran), and with notably similar biology, the Betazoid brain is possibly one of the most advanced among Federation races. The very nerve endings of Betazoids is different, most obvious being with their eyes(which have no color, just black iris on whites) and of course their formidable telepathic ability. As all Betazoids have at least some level of telepathic ability, their culture has come to embrace honesty, openness, and nurturing, caring for the well being of all their neighbors and their environment.
Andorian: Natives of a harsh ice world, Andorians are an interesting comparison in opposites. They are soft spoken, hesitant to make eye contact, and tending towards a tall but slim build and live in clans of close knit families. They are also fiercely passionate and fiercely loyal, with a warriors mentality and short temper, willing to fight each other to the death in duels of honor using ice climbing spikes(the ushaan, a traditional weapon among them). Physically they are blue skinned(going from deep blue to pale white) with silver white hair and sensitive forehead antenna(providing them with painfully acute hearing and an exceptional sense of balance). Andorians claim to have four genders, and marriages require four participants to bond, but to an outside observer they have the humanoid standard male and female(they simply subdivide further with effeminate males and masculine females filling the third and fourth genders). With help of the human race they managed to overcome their antagonism towards the vulcans and Tellarites to found the Federation.
Saurian: Bulbous, hairless heads, large slitted eyes, nasal slits rather than a nose and lipless pointed mouth that is almost a beak all come together with purplish(purple through red and on to pink) skintones all combine to give the Saurian a reptilian or amphibian features. Their physiology is not far removed from that idea either, having redundant circulatory systems for aquatic living, despite the surface of their world being a dry desert(their skin is actually very fine scales). Saurian are efficient and intelligent making very good dependable(but not necessarily interesting) starfleet officers. Despite only average musculature they have been known to perform impressive feats of strength due to their different circulatory systems(four hearts pumping blood to the muscles needing it, additional 'lungs/gills' providing more oxygen to the blood stream, etc). The currently elected president of the Federation is Saurian, though his term is coming to a close and there was some question as to the new voting policy(allowing 'dual citizenship' for non-Federation members who wanted to live in Federation space without leaving their own cultures) that got him elected.
Caitian: Serving in both Starfleet and the Federation council, the Caitians are a race with strong(and large) families(or 'Prides'). They resemble humanoid felines, complete with tails(often tuffed though not always), in both manner and appearance. It was recently implied that the Caitians, a staunch supporter of the Federation since contact was made and primarily vegetarians, are in fact descendants of the Kzinti - also known as the Ferasans, a race of sabertoothed carnivorous humanoid felines that have been at war with the Federation for some time. Signs of self performed genetic 'augmentation' toning down the Ferasans aggression, predatory instinct, and xenophobia succeeded in turning them from wild cats to house cats. A comparison most Caitians would not enjoy.
Tellarite: A short, stout, porcine species with a distinguished snout and hoof-like hands and feet. Their skin is pinkish-brown and coarse, and normally heavily covered with hair, so males tend to have epic beards. They also have a greater perception of distance, dimension, and depth allowing them to be talented engineers. Tellarites, despite being impatient, possess a stubborn pride and enjoy a passionate argument as a sport on their homeworld. An argument is initiated by either a series of complaints or(if they find nothing to complain about) an insult(either of which is considered a polite greeting and demonstrates a willingness to get to know the target better).
Ferengi: Natives of the planet Ferenginar, Ferengi culture is built on the ideals of free enterprise and profit, and there are 285 Rules of Acquisitions that govern Ferengi society. They have a head for numbers. Due to recent social reforms, however, many young Ferengi are exploring the world outside of commerce. Some have joined Starfleet, where service to others is valued more than Gold-Pressed Latinum. Ferengi are normally smaller than humans and have lifespans that can exceed a century. Ferengi have orange-brown colored skin, blue fingernails, enlarged skulls and sharp teeth. Their four-lobed brain makes them resistant to telepathy. Their large ears give them exceptionally acute hearing.
Pakled: The Pakleds are a largely nomadic species that often trade, scavenge or steal from other species for their technology. Pakleds have underdeveloped verbal communication skills. Due to this, many people underestimate them, thinking that they are too intellectually challenged to be devious, which they use to their advantage. While most Pakleds are politically unaligned, a few have chosen to join Starfleet, where they have demonstrated that they can become more than simple nomads or traders. Pakleds are typically heavy-set humanoids that feature sunken eyes with bushy, upward-pointing eyebrows, a series of folds beneath their eyes and a drooping lower lip. Males of the species tend to have receding hairlines.
Rigelian: Great believers in the idea of a spiritual journey towards enlightenment, Rigelians are an ancient and mysterious race, much like the vulcans. One of the lesser known founders of the Federation, they did take part in the initial talks, and have maintained a membership, though without putting much support towards Starfleet, instead tending towards their own Rigelian Trade Commission as being their primary means of exploration and expansion into space. Physically Regelians have flat noses and large creases in their skin, accented by yellow markings. Their physiology however is startlingly like a vulcan or romulans, sharing many of the same diseases. Rigelians have trained themselves to enter a state of peak concentration in an attempt to find enlightenment and spiritual oneness. A side effect of this being that, should they enter this state in combat, they become a truly serene berzerker, feeling no pain and pushing their body beyond its limits.
Trill: The Trill are almost identical to Humans except for their spots, which are mostly seen on the sides of their heads. These spots run from their heads down their shoulders and carry on down their torso and legs to the feet. A recent addition to the Federation, having joined shortly before the end of the Cardassian wars(which was on their borders), the Trill have explored much of known space prior to joining, and have rather close ties with the Klingon Empire. Infact, the Trill were infected by the Augmentation Virus through the Klingons, creating a different appearing subspecies of Trill(in much the way it dramatically altered Klingons for a time, and spread the human taboo against genetic alteration to their culture as well). Up until the time of the Trill joining the Federation, the fact that some 5% of Trill maintain a symbiotic creature inside their bodies and share memories and skills(and immune systems) allowing the lucky few to live multiple lifespans through the joining, was unknown to the Federation. Despite this unintentional duplicity("You never asked!"), Trill are traditionally open, honest, and forthright, sometimes even blunt but not without a sense of compassion and humor.
Deltan: Hairless but otherwise appearing human, who have embraced sex much in the same way vulcans have embraced logic, to the point of developing telepathic and empathic abilities. They are required to make an oath of chastity prior to entering into Starfleet, as sexual contact with most non-telepathicly trained species can be fatal. As such, a number of young Deltans join Starfleet, but few make it very high in rank.
Denobulan: Quirky but friendly with highly expressive faces. They experienced planetary overpopulation and thus get along well with others
El-Aurian: Very good listeners, with very long lifespans, they appear identical to humans. Their homeplanet and much of their race was wiped out by the Borg, but enough refugees survived to join the Federation.
Cardassian: Snake people, the ruthless Cardassians have had a confrontational history against the Federation, though repeated defeats(in both the Cardassian war and the Dominion war) have led to them disarming and attempting to get along peacefully, possibly even joining the Federation. Unfortunately, during disarmament nearly all of their weapons and ships were stolen by remains of the previous militant regime who still work, now as terrorists, to continue challenging the Federation and their allies.
Klingon: KLINGONS! A mainstay of Star Trek. I polled everyone who joined to see if I really needed to explain them. I did not. Honorable warrior race, and the major rival force against the Federation at this point. 'Recently' they expanded their Empire to include first the Orions as equal citizens, then the Gorn, Nausicaan, and Lethean(four traditional 'enemies' of the Federation). The Empire has never been stronger. Just because they are rival to the Federation however does not mean they don't respect their worthy foe, and with the dual citizenship Klingons are allowed to join Starfleet, as well as numerous joint operations between the Federation and the Empire including a war against the Borg, against the Dominion, against the extra-dimensional Undine, support of the Romulan Republic.
Gorn: Humanoid tyranosaurus rex. After the discovery of the Undine infiltration into numerous galactic powers by the Klingons, a Klingon/Gorn war broke out, leading to the Federation and Klingon Empire breaking ties. The Gorn Hegemony was eventually overthrown, and the Undine infiltrators exposed and executed. Officially the Gorn are now a vassal race to the Klingons and a full and honored member of the Klingon Empire, though some Gorn still resist(stubbornly believing themselves to be the rightful rulers of most of Klingon and Federation space, despite not being able to maintain such a claim).
Lethean: Telepathic killers, stubborn and vicious. Allied with the Nausicaan(though they avoided the Klingon/Gorn war), and thus now the Klingon Empire.
Nausicaan: Tusked brutes who find sport in inflicting(and accepting) pain. Were hired as mercenaries by the Gorn. When the Gorn lost the war and became part of the Klingon Empire, the Nausicaans simply transferred their contract to the Klingon Empire and rather like their new position within the Klingon Empire.
Orion: Green skinned slavers with intense appetites for all pleasures of the flesh and narcotic pheremones. Their homeworld was ecologically destroyed by their own industrial complex, and as the Federation frowned on Orion piracy and slavery(and some would say their hedonistic lifestyle) they allied with the Klingon Empire.
Romulan: Vulcan subrace who flourished through passion rather than stagnated with logic. For a time they were one of the greatest threats in the Beta Quadrant as the Romulan Star Empire, and carried on a proxy war with the Federation practically from it's conception(first via robotic drone ships, then with cold war diplomacy). For a time they were considered allies of the Klingon Empire, but the two Empires held too few similarities for such an alliance to be maintained leading to it's dissolution. The Romulans were the first to deal with the Borg, their Empire suffering greatly(but unnoticed behind an iron 'neutral zone'). Ambassador Spock attempted to wage peace with the Romulans, and when the Hobus star went super nova, Spock was lost trying to create an artificial singularity to stop the blast wave... which destroyed Romulus and Remus. The Romulans became nomadic with the Empire pulling more and more resources away form it's people to maintain it's power. While the Romulan Empire has expanded towards... questionable allies(such as the Iconians and Elachi) it's own citizenry have attempted to break off and the newly formed Romulan Republic is looking towards the Federation for support.
Reman: Telepathic cave dwelling race who were enslaved by the Romulans. Currently rebelling and supporting the fledgling Romulan Republic.
Hirogen: A nomadic hunter species from the Delta Quadrant who allied themselves with the Romulan Empire. A few Hirogen are honorable enough to part from tradition of stalking and killing 'prey'(IE anything they can stalk and kill... they particularly like Starfleet and Klingon ships and crew) but the race as a whole is still quite hostile.
Suliban: A nomadic race of scavengers, once genetically augmented by time travellers to create a foe for Humanity, with the foundation of the Federation and failure of their mission they have been left to quietly go extinct. Few have cooperated in just dying, and most just want to be left alone. They have friendly ties with the newly formed Romulan Republic and Reman Resistance however.
Talarian: Wannabe Klingons on the opposite side of Federation space from the Klingons and on the borders of the former Cardassian Union and the Breen Confederacy, Talarians are a proud, honorable, aggressive people who unfortunately lack the technology and military power to be the super power of the quadrant they wish to be. So far the Federation tolerates them, and they try their best to maintain friendly relations with the far more powerful Federation. Talarian pride and aggression so far has not yet cause open conflict(as such tendencies within the Klingon Empire have)... but it has come close.
Borg: A 'race' of cyberneticly augmented species, all connected and controlled to the hive mind. They fanatically seek 'perfection' and will assimilate any race who can offer new and interesting technology or genetic code(and destroy what does not). They are relentless and unwavering in the completion of their programming and have been a threat to the entire galaxy for a very long time. Recently it has become possible to extract individuals from the collective, creating a 'race' of Liberated (insert 'former' race) Borg. Many Liberated Borg have trouble adjusting back to their old lives, feeling disconnected and alone, but with therapy they can be returned to their families. Assuming the families accept them back. The technology implanted into the bodies of the Borg however is not completely removable by modern science, leaving even those Liberated to be forever scarred.
Koraci: The small, fast Koraci average about 1 meter(3feet) in height, with purple skin and a two to three meter long feathery sense organ(sorta like a moths antenna) growing out of the top of their vaguely triangular heads. They are media junkies, enjoying various cultures entertainments(they rather like Flash Gordon serials from Earth), and tend to judge others on what sort of stories they produce. They like parties and festivities, the more active the better. They are somewhat undisciplined and unruly, living fast, furious, and short lives.
Cygnian: Essentially human sized(but NOT shaped) brightly colored, thin, flightless birds(similar to earths Emu). Their vestigal wings now serve for purposes of display and communication, though the patterns of their bright colors and pheremons have been known to match Orions for narcotic properties. Cygnians are obsessive practical jokers, as the joke is one of their highest cultural values(as vulcans find Logic, Klingons find combat, and Ferengi find profit). The only time a Cygnian is not joking is on the battlefield, which they consider to be the anti-thesis to a joke.
Wodanite: Technically speaking, Wodanites are humans. They are one of several ships launched from Earth successfully found and colonized a somewhat harsher planet. The taboo on genetic tinkering however was not obeyed, and the resulting race developed large curved horns from the sides of their heads, along with increased muscle mass and general 'improvements'. Unfortunately they somewhat regressed intellectually and technologically. The Federation officially recognizes them as a new species entirely(as they have stopped augmenting themselves from loss of technology), and some are willing to join Starfleet, despite a cultural prejudice against directed energy weapons("Phasers are for cowardly wizards!").
Froglodyte: Froglodyte, an amphibian race from the planet 'Puddle' they strongly resemble 'giant'(man sized) frogs with large heads. A few differences include a third set of limbs typically held against their chest and a retractable fin on the back which is usually used during swimming but can be used to demonstrate mood. Their tongues are prehensile, highly dexterous, and about five foot long, though in mixed company they seldom displayed. Their skintone is typically green to brown, but marking of bright red and yellow are common. Shorter than humans only because of their normal stance with their powerful legs is more of a crouch. Good jumpers and acrobats, they are able to cling to and scale flat surfaces thanks to pads on their webbed hands and feet. Froglodytes have a very strict policy against explosives, and tend to shy away from the use of anything that would cause compression waves.
Dulbian: A large furry creature with four short massive legs and two powerful arms with hands and fingers growing out of their large armored heads. For human reference it is like a furry triceratops with body builder arms in place of horns. From their home planet of Cave, Dulbians discovered space travel from excavating ancient ruins of unknown origins, and seem to be, mostly, uninterested in exploration or conflict, preferring a peaceful life. They do, however, keep a watchful eye out for new and interesting technologies, albeit to use in mundane matters.
Zorcon: The Zorcon made contact with the Federation, seemingly only to tell the Federation not to bother them. They seem to have developed warp travel solely for the purpose of keeping other races out of their space, though they claim to be open to diplomacy, thus far all attempts to officially contact them as a race have been met with the statement "you are not approaching us correctly." Few humans know exactly what a Zorcon looks like. Obvious observations can be made, as they are humanoid insects(mantis or ant-like) with federation standard biological concerns, but they have a strong nudity taboo, always wearing volumnous cloaks or coats and either hoods or large floppy hats which completely hide their bodies. Fortunately there are exceptions to the stereotypes, individuals who are willing to leave home and join Starfleet, otherwise there would be no information on them at all.
