Tholian

• Appearance: Silicon-based, crystalline
  • Capable of reaching a height of 2m in adulthood (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Faceted form, six arachnid-like legs (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II"; VAN Novel: Summon the Thunder)
  • Manipulator limbs tipped with two long finger-like structures (VAN Novel: Summon the Thunder)
  • Scorpion-like tail (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II"; TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Body gives appearance of being filled with swirling gasses (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II")
  • Different individuals have differing hues of outer body shell (TLE Novel: The Sundered; SCE Short Story: "Interphase Book 1")
    • Used as distinction between Tholian castes (SCE Short Story: "Interphase Book 1")
      • Nobility indicated by reddish hues (SCE Short Story: "Interphase Book 1")
• Homeworld: Tholia
• Biological notes
  • Native to class N environment, unlike most intelligent species (VAN Novel: Harbinger; TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Life support requires temperature of 200 degrees Celsius, pressure of 22 bars (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Naturally corrosive atmosphere (VAN Novel: Harbinger, Reap the Whirlwind)
    • Nitrogen and oxygen both deadly to Tholians (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Uplifted by Shedai c.600,000 ya from crystalline scavenger species known as the Kollotuul (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind)
    • Translates as "Voice of the Shedai" (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind)
      • Served as living biocomputer system (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind)
      • Revolted from control, resulting in eventual independence, collapse of the Shedai Hegemony (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind)
      • Genetic memory of Shedai continued through to present day, leading to general aversion of their space (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
  • Bigendered species with sexual reproduction (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Crystalline cellular structure (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Internal fluid medium facilitates metabolic processes (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Analogue of blood, most commonly translated as "ichor" (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Turquoise (perceived through class-N atmosphere) (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Tholian minds interconnected in an interstellar subspace telepathic network known as the Lattice (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II"; VAN Novel: Harbinger; TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Provides for dissemination of memories and knowledge as well as constant communication without subsuming individuality or personal sapience (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
      • Lattice holds general genetic memory and historical archives of the Tholians disseminated across entire species (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Within the Lattice, individuals identify their individual mindlines via specific hues distinct from physical coloration (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
      • Hues can be adjusted in order to demonstrate agreement, disagreement, solidarity, etc. (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
      • When under stress or danger, projection of hue falters, giving an impression of transparency (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
    • Further subdivided into SubLinks organized by caste according to individual duties, social subgroupings (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
      • SubLinks function somewhat akin to individual chat channels, requiring admission to enter a cross-caste SubLink (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
      • Access between SubLinks facilitated via the Lattice InterLink (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
      • Known castes/SubLinks
        • Political Castemoot (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
        • Warrior Castemoot (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
    • Certain individuals — most commonly belonging to the political caste — choose to isolate themselves from the Lattice in its entirety in a form of lifelong ascetic contemplation (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Also capable of touch telepathy distinct from Lattice communication for private discussion (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
  • Families are incredibly large, involving dozens of children to a single mated pair (VAN Novel: Open Secrets)
  • Individual Tholians have an estimated lifespan of 6 to 8 months, but full totality of memories are passed to the Lattice upon death, providing for continuation of projects and tasks as well as preservation of thoughts and, rarely, remanifestation of specific individuals (TLE Novel: The Sundered; TNG Novel: Vendetta)
    • Individuals choose who receive particular memories after death (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Physically sensitive to certain high-pitched tones, potentially fatally (ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II"; TLE Novel: The Sundered)
• Cultural notes
  • Tholian language
    • Described as "the screech of a tritanium blade on glass" (SCE Short Story: "Interphase Book 1")
      • Frustrated or aggressive tones?
    • Diplomatic discussion described as "chiming tones" (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
    • Scream of pain described as "metallic shriek" (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
  • Tholian calendar
    • Time measured in "cycles" (SCE Short Story: "Interphase Book 1")
  • Most individuals generally xenophobic towards humanoid species (VAN Novel: Summon the Thunder)
  • Generally consider dark, warm colors such as red or ochre soothing (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Clothing largely limited to aesthetic purposes only (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Tholian culture heavily caste-based along generational lines (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Rare cross-caste unions prevent potential speciation, loss of genetic diversity (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Known castes
      • Warriors (VAN Novel: Harbinger; TLE Novel: The Sundered)
        • Severe disputes among the warrior caste settled through monoblade duels (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
          • Translates as "truthcombat" (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
          • Hinges on the belief that the right or wrong can be determined via personal struggle (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
          • Combatants attended by weaponskeepers, who serve as seconds and witness the result of the combat (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
      • Politicals (VAN Novel: Harbinger; TLE Novel: The Sundered)
        • Maintain functioning of government across the Assembly (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
      • Diplomats (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
        • Function both internally, to facilitate interactions between castes, and externally, to facilitate relations with neighboring species (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
      • Medical (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
      • Scientists (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
        • Considered one of the lower castes (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
      • Engineers (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
        • Considered one of the lower castes (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
      • Mathematicians (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
        • Considered one of the lower castes (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
  • Noted for Tholian silk
    • Incredibly vibrant, durable material composed of the secretions of Tholians (VAN Novel: Harbinger; DS9: "The Way of the Warrior")
      • Metallic fabric (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
      • Incredibly difficult to work due to durability (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Common textile for Tholian clothing (TLE Novel: The Sundered)
    • Used in construction of Tholian environmental suits for interaction in class M environments (VAN Novel: Harbinger)
• Technological notes
  • Starship infrastructure, computer interfaces based on metallic obsidian-like substance (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind)
    • Generally techno-organic appearance (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind)
  • FTL propulsion matter/antimatter based, but not traditional warp drive (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind)
  • Command deck located at the upper section of a vessel (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind)
  • Strong technological continuity with Shedai (VAN Novel: Reap the Whirlwind)