Vulcan (species)

• Appearance: Mammalian; skin tones range from sallow green to dark brown, ears slightly pointed
• Homeworld: Vulcan
  • Major offworld populations: Throughout the Confederacy of Vulcan
• Copper-based blood
• Distantly related to the Zami
  • Descendant of the peoples of the Arret Empire
• Romulans a distant branch of Vulcans, having departed the homeworld centuries ago following the Time of Awakening
• Gestation period approximately 13 Terran months (ENT Novel: Tower of Babel)
• Most Vulcans strongly devoted to logic as a result of cultural reforms instituted by Surak during the Time of Awakening
  • Strong emotions can cause literal neurological damage; without moderation, they can lead to permanent mental illness
  • Those who reject Surak's teachings and pursue other methods of moderating their own emotions known as "v'tosh ka'tur", generally rejected by Vulcan society as at best strange, at worst dangerous (ENT: "Fusion")
• Generally extremely intelligent, especially towards the scientific or mathematic arts
• Physically quite strong
• Nictating membrane protects against bright light (ENT: "The Forge"; TOS: "Operation: Annihilate!")
• Touch telepaths, able to sense the mental state of others with physical contact
  • Varying levels of strength from individual to individual, with training allowing a person to enhance this ability
  • Able to directly contact a person's mind through a technique known as a "mind meld", causing a merger of self between two or more individuals
  • Capable of transferring or duplicating consciousness (or the "katra") from oneself to another; often used for preservation prior to an impending death, the katra held within a "katric arc", a construct designed by Vulcan mystics to hold the consciousness in some form and allow it to be preserved across ages
• Cultural notes
  • Forms of martial arts
    • Suus Mahna (ENT: "Marauders"; ENT Novel: Tower of Babel; DIS: "Context is For Kings")
  • "Debate houses" common social gathering spots, serving as crosses between coffee shops and public fora (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
• Foods and drinks
  • Plomeek soup (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours; TOS: "Amok Time")