Yuuzhaun Vong
03-07-2008, 20:05
The Yuuzhan Vong ("Children of Yun-Yuuzhan", also called the Chosen Race)
The Yuuzhan Vong and their Chazrach slaves were among the few alien species known to originate outside the Milky Way Galaxy. The Yuuzhan Vong resembles humans n form, though they were taller and heavier than the average Human and had less hair on their heads. The Yuuzhan Vong were religious zealots who viewed mechanical technology as blasphemy. Their technological innovations were genetically engineered and purely organic. Additionally, the Yuuzhan Vong deeply respected pain to the point of masochism, and strove to improve their physical capabilities through organ grafting. Such grafting was a status symbol within Yuuzhan Vong society.
Biology and Appearance
The Yuuzhan Vong were a humanoid species—initially leading some to believe that they were a Human offshoot race—but there were differences between Humans and Yuuzhan Vong. For example, Yuuzhan Vong typically lacked kidneys. The Yuuzhan Vong were also much taller and had heavier builds than the average Human, though this could be a result of selective breeding. Yuuzhan Vong also had a longer life span than the average Human, averaging around three times that of a humans. Yuuzhan Vong heads had sloping, almost ridge-like foreheads. Several Yuuzhan Vong had been seen with pointed ears, while just as many had been seen without them. These could have been ritual mutilations, or a genetic variation; there is no conclusive evidence as to what the species norm was. Yuuzhan Vong also had short, stub like noses, making their faces appear skull-like.
The Yuuzhan Vong usually had black hair and in lesser amounts on both the head and body than Humans, but often wore it much longer than Humans (in many cases, they were also completely bald). Small blue sacks could be found under the eyes of the Yuuzhan Vong, and they were often considered a mark of beauty. These eye sacks expanded and contracted to reflect a Yuuzhan Vong's mood, as the species did not use the facial expressions preferred by humans. The most common skin tone among the Yuuzhan Vong was gray, with the second most common being yellow. Another major physical characteristic was their jet black blood. Yuuzhan Vong nervous systems were very conductive, almost as if they had been made for feeling pain.
Society Description
The Yuuzhan Vong functioned in a caste system. They ranged from the powerful one-person Supreme Overlord caste to the lowly oppressed Worker caste. Not much is known of their economic system, but it appeared to be a command economy.
-Supreme Overlord
The highest caste was Supreme Overlord, who had control over all other castes. Only the Supreme Overlord had direct communication with Yun-Yuuzhan, the Supreme Emperor of the Yuuzhan Vong.
-Shapers
The shapers were the scientists who supervised the biotechnology of the Yuuzhan Vong. They concentrated on the creation and development of organic technology. Together with the priests, the shapers observed arcane rituals in the development and use of organic technology. The shapers ranked very highly in Yuuzhan Vong society and ranks of the shaper caste included Master Shaper, Shaper Adept, and Shaper Initiate.
Shapers were typically described as shorter than the average Yuuzhan Vong, and were notable for their intricate tendril headdresses and multi-fingered shaper hands. The Shaper adepts had one of these eight digit-hands, whereas master shapers had two, each with a different tool used in their work. Some shapers, like Mezhan Kwaad and Nem Yim, hid weapons in their shaper hand. Their headdresses appear to have been tied directly to their nervous systems and were used for ceremonial purposes to represent genuflection or compliance. They could also change shape to show the wearer's mood.
-Priest
The priest caste had considerable power in this rigidly theocratic society. Ranks of the priest caste included Most-High Priest(ess), High Priest(ess), Priest(ess), Seer, and Novice.
-Warrior
The warrior caste served as the armies of the Yuuzhan Vong and was one of the largest castes. They were trained from an early age to excel in combat. Warriors were also more aggressive than other Yuuzhan Vong. Ranks of the warrior caste included the Warmasters, Supreme Commander, Commander, Subaltern and Warrior. Their chief weapon was the amphistaff, which resembled a deadly serpent capable of spitting venom or coiling around foes. The warriors were devotees of the Slayer, Yun-Yammka, and sought honor in combat. They wore the living vonduun crab armor which was capable of resisting blaster fire. This armor did, though, have weak points such as at the armpit and inner hip where the segments joined.
-Intendant
The Intendant caste worked to keep Yuuzhan Vong society functioning and was responsible for the Yuuzhan Vong economy. It was in charge of matters of commerce, bureaucracy, trade and the management of the sizable slave work force employed by the Yuuzhan Vong. Members of the Intendant Caste could come from either the Shaper or Warrior castes. Ranks of the Intendant caste included High Prefect, Prefect, Consul, Executor and Attendant.
-Worker Class
The worker caste was the largest yet lowest caste and served mainly as servants, slaves and laborers. The worker caste includes Shamed Ones, Yuuzhan Vong whose bodies had rejected the organic implants and modifications, Yuuzhan Vong born into the worker caste, Yuuzhan Vong who had failed to succeed in other castes, and conquered or shaped species such as the Chazrach. Slaves and the Shamed Ones (fallen members of society) were technically part of the worker castes, but they were treated with contempt even by their fellow workers, though technically Yuuzhan Vong born into the worker caste are descended from Shamed Ones.
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Starships
A-vek Iiluunu
The A-vek Iiluunu fighter carrier appeared to be a flat, ovoid stone, from which protruded a number of spindly, branch-like appendages. Each of these projections was used to carry up to 144 coarlskippers. Although the fighter carrier was armed with 20 turbolasers and several dovin based projectors. It also served as a mothership for any returning fighters needing to be rejuvenated before heading back into the fray. At the end of a battle, the A-vek Iiluunu would recall its coralskippers, and any remaining fighters 'orphaned' from their original mothership.
The typical A-vek Iiluunu was 800 meters in length, requiring a crew of 320 to operate. The carrier could additionally accommodate 480 pilots and 280 metric tons of cargo.
Clustership
Clusterships were vessels used to carry Yuuzhan Vong warships. Clusterships had a full crew of Shapers, Priests, and Warriors, but it was the yammosk itself that controlled the ship and kept it alive. Because of the special tactical—and spiritual—role that the yammosk played, clusterships were heavily guarded vessels, and could retreat from a battle without the warriors stationed aboard being dishonored or shamed.
I'Friil Ma-Nat
A corvette class ship, the glossy, black vessel measured roughly 315 meters on each side of its roughly pyramid-like shape. Weapon systems included twenty turbolasers, and several dovin basals. The corvette analogs were deployed to support coralskippers units by providing cover against small capital ships. Although it could carry a crew of 110 as well as 225 warriors and 510 metric tons of cargo, the vessel did not carry any coralskippers. In addition, because its dovin basals were too weak to generator an interdiction field, the ship was limited to pursuit and patrol missions when not supporting coralskippers.
Not all Yuuzhan Vong corvette analogs were as large as the standard I'Friil Ma-Nat, however.
Kor Chokk
The Kor Chokk is a battleship class ship. n battle, the Kor Chokk maneuvered little, preferring to intimidate the enemy with its presence alone. However, the grand cruiser was far from being unarmed and had about 120 turbolasers. Parts of obsolete ships were also grafted onto Kor Chokk grand cruisers, building up its structure and covering wounds.
Additionally, the advances ensured that undamaged portions of host vessels were put to good use. The idea of grafting new elements onto the frame after a victory had its roots in Yuuzhan Vong society itself, where Warriors escalated themselves with organic implants to mark their successes. These grafts resulted in the most powerful and infamous of these cruisers being massive, terrifying sights, littered with protrusions and new weapons or defenses. Though all Kor Chokk grand cruisers differed in shape, all shared a number of traits. All grand cruisers featured multiple docking arms, from which their coralskipper squadrons were launched. These arms made up the bulk of the grand cruiser, and took up much of the ship's 'cargo space'. The ships were also protected on all sides by plasma launchers and dovin basals.
The Yuuzhan Vong and their Chazrach slaves were among the few alien species known to originate outside the Milky Way Galaxy. The Yuuzhan Vong resembles humans n form, though they were taller and heavier than the average Human and had less hair on their heads. The Yuuzhan Vong were religious zealots who viewed mechanical technology as blasphemy. Their technological innovations were genetically engineered and purely organic. Additionally, the Yuuzhan Vong deeply respected pain to the point of masochism, and strove to improve their physical capabilities through organ grafting. Such grafting was a status symbol within Yuuzhan Vong society.
Biology and Appearance
The Yuuzhan Vong were a humanoid species—initially leading some to believe that they were a Human offshoot race—but there were differences between Humans and Yuuzhan Vong. For example, Yuuzhan Vong typically lacked kidneys. The Yuuzhan Vong were also much taller and had heavier builds than the average Human, though this could be a result of selective breeding. Yuuzhan Vong also had a longer life span than the average Human, averaging around three times that of a humans. Yuuzhan Vong heads had sloping, almost ridge-like foreheads. Several Yuuzhan Vong had been seen with pointed ears, while just as many had been seen without them. These could have been ritual mutilations, or a genetic variation; there is no conclusive evidence as to what the species norm was. Yuuzhan Vong also had short, stub like noses, making their faces appear skull-like.
The Yuuzhan Vong usually had black hair and in lesser amounts on both the head and body than Humans, but often wore it much longer than Humans (in many cases, they were also completely bald). Small blue sacks could be found under the eyes of the Yuuzhan Vong, and they were often considered a mark of beauty. These eye sacks expanded and contracted to reflect a Yuuzhan Vong's mood, as the species did not use the facial expressions preferred by humans. The most common skin tone among the Yuuzhan Vong was gray, with the second most common being yellow. Another major physical characteristic was their jet black blood. Yuuzhan Vong nervous systems were very conductive, almost as if they had been made for feeling pain.
Society Description
The Yuuzhan Vong functioned in a caste system. They ranged from the powerful one-person Supreme Overlord caste to the lowly oppressed Worker caste. Not much is known of their economic system, but it appeared to be a command economy.
-Supreme Overlord
The highest caste was Supreme Overlord, who had control over all other castes. Only the Supreme Overlord had direct communication with Yun-Yuuzhan, the Supreme Emperor of the Yuuzhan Vong.
-Shapers
The shapers were the scientists who supervised the biotechnology of the Yuuzhan Vong. They concentrated on the creation and development of organic technology. Together with the priests, the shapers observed arcane rituals in the development and use of organic technology. The shapers ranked very highly in Yuuzhan Vong society and ranks of the shaper caste included Master Shaper, Shaper Adept, and Shaper Initiate.
Shapers were typically described as shorter than the average Yuuzhan Vong, and were notable for their intricate tendril headdresses and multi-fingered shaper hands. The Shaper adepts had one of these eight digit-hands, whereas master shapers had two, each with a different tool used in their work. Some shapers, like Mezhan Kwaad and Nem Yim, hid weapons in their shaper hand. Their headdresses appear to have been tied directly to their nervous systems and were used for ceremonial purposes to represent genuflection or compliance. They could also change shape to show the wearer's mood.
-Priest
The priest caste had considerable power in this rigidly theocratic society. Ranks of the priest caste included Most-High Priest(ess), High Priest(ess), Priest(ess), Seer, and Novice.
-Warrior
The warrior caste served as the armies of the Yuuzhan Vong and was one of the largest castes. They were trained from an early age to excel in combat. Warriors were also more aggressive than other Yuuzhan Vong. Ranks of the warrior caste included the Warmasters, Supreme Commander, Commander, Subaltern and Warrior. Their chief weapon was the amphistaff, which resembled a deadly serpent capable of spitting venom or coiling around foes. The warriors were devotees of the Slayer, Yun-Yammka, and sought honor in combat. They wore the living vonduun crab armor which was capable of resisting blaster fire. This armor did, though, have weak points such as at the armpit and inner hip where the segments joined.
-Intendant
The Intendant caste worked to keep Yuuzhan Vong society functioning and was responsible for the Yuuzhan Vong economy. It was in charge of matters of commerce, bureaucracy, trade and the management of the sizable slave work force employed by the Yuuzhan Vong. Members of the Intendant Caste could come from either the Shaper or Warrior castes. Ranks of the Intendant caste included High Prefect, Prefect, Consul, Executor and Attendant.
-Worker Class
The worker caste was the largest yet lowest caste and served mainly as servants, slaves and laborers. The worker caste includes Shamed Ones, Yuuzhan Vong whose bodies had rejected the organic implants and modifications, Yuuzhan Vong born into the worker caste, Yuuzhan Vong who had failed to succeed in other castes, and conquered or shaped species such as the Chazrach. Slaves and the Shamed Ones (fallen members of society) were technically part of the worker castes, but they were treated with contempt even by their fellow workers, though technically Yuuzhan Vong born into the worker caste are descended from Shamed Ones.
_________________________________________________________________
Starships
A-vek Iiluunu
The A-vek Iiluunu fighter carrier appeared to be a flat, ovoid stone, from which protruded a number of spindly, branch-like appendages. Each of these projections was used to carry up to 144 coarlskippers. Although the fighter carrier was armed with 20 turbolasers and several dovin based projectors. It also served as a mothership for any returning fighters needing to be rejuvenated before heading back into the fray. At the end of a battle, the A-vek Iiluunu would recall its coralskippers, and any remaining fighters 'orphaned' from their original mothership.
The typical A-vek Iiluunu was 800 meters in length, requiring a crew of 320 to operate. The carrier could additionally accommodate 480 pilots and 280 metric tons of cargo.
Clustership
Clusterships were vessels used to carry Yuuzhan Vong warships. Clusterships had a full crew of Shapers, Priests, and Warriors, but it was the yammosk itself that controlled the ship and kept it alive. Because of the special tactical—and spiritual—role that the yammosk played, clusterships were heavily guarded vessels, and could retreat from a battle without the warriors stationed aboard being dishonored or shamed.
I'Friil Ma-Nat
A corvette class ship, the glossy, black vessel measured roughly 315 meters on each side of its roughly pyramid-like shape. Weapon systems included twenty turbolasers, and several dovin basals. The corvette analogs were deployed to support coralskippers units by providing cover against small capital ships. Although it could carry a crew of 110 as well as 225 warriors and 510 metric tons of cargo, the vessel did not carry any coralskippers. In addition, because its dovin basals were too weak to generator an interdiction field, the ship was limited to pursuit and patrol missions when not supporting coralskippers.
Not all Yuuzhan Vong corvette analogs were as large as the standard I'Friil Ma-Nat, however.
Kor Chokk
The Kor Chokk is a battleship class ship. n battle, the Kor Chokk maneuvered little, preferring to intimidate the enemy with its presence alone. However, the grand cruiser was far from being unarmed and had about 120 turbolasers. Parts of obsolete ships were also grafted onto Kor Chokk grand cruisers, building up its structure and covering wounds.
Additionally, the advances ensured that undamaged portions of host vessels were put to good use. The idea of grafting new elements onto the frame after a victory had its roots in Yuuzhan Vong society itself, where Warriors escalated themselves with organic implants to mark their successes. These grafts resulted in the most powerful and infamous of these cruisers being massive, terrifying sights, littered with protrusions and new weapons or defenses. Though all Kor Chokk grand cruisers differed in shape, all shared a number of traits. All grand cruisers featured multiple docking arms, from which their coralskipper squadrons were launched. These arms made up the bulk of the grand cruiser, and took up much of the ship's 'cargo space'. The ships were also protected on all sides by plasma launchers and dovin basals.