Vulcan (species)

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  • Appearance: Mammalian; skin tones range from sallow green to dark brown, ears slightly pointed
  • Homeworld: Vulcan
  • Copper-based blood
  • Distantly related to the Zami
  • 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)
  • Biology
    • Generally extremely intelligent, especially towards the scientific or mathematic arts
    • Naturally talented in biofeedback
      • Capable of entering a deep "healing trance", in which metabolic processes are slowed to a minimum as the body devotes resources to healing injuries (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic; TOS: "A Private Little War")
    • Physically extremely strong
    • Nictating membrane protects against bright light (ENT: "The Forge"; TOS: "Operation: Annihilate!")
    • Heart located approximately in the position of a Human liver, low on the side of the torso (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic; TOS: "Mudd's Women", "A Private Little War")
      • Healthy BPM of several hundred (TOS: "The Naked Time", "Journey to Babel")
      • Natural healthy blood pressure very low compared to Humans (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
    • 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
        • All Vulcans hold the potential for telepathy, expressed most fundamentally via the mating bond
          • Betrothed Vulcans are joined in a telepathic bond which persists throughout life or until the relationship is dissolved
        • Certain individuals are naturally far more capable
          • During Vulcan's militaristic period of the 20th through 22nd centuries, such individuals were known as "melders" and were generally reviled and oppressed (ENT)
            • Mating bond believed to be purely hormonal during this period (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
            • Incidence of mental illness measurably increased across this span, suggesting a natural necessity of exercise of the Vulcan telepathic talent to their mental health (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
      • Due to this natural touch telepathy, Vulcans generally eschew physical contact with strangers, especially non-Vulcans due to the exposure to intense emotions it can induce
      • Especially strong or well-trained telepaths can expand their awareness beyond touch to immediate area, allowing them to sense or compel others to a minor degree (TOS: "Dagger of the Mind", "The Omega Glory")
      • Intense emotions can be felt even by the untrained, or across great distances (ENT: "Fallen Hero"; TOS: "The Immunity Syndrome")
      • Some are 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
        • Though all such contacts are commonly collected under the term "mind meld", the term truly only refers to the full blending of identity and integration of both minds (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
          • Lighter contact more properly referred to as a "mind touch", limited merely to viewing prominent memories or thoughts active in a given mind (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
        • Most effective and easiest when contacting natural bioelectrical focal points (known as qui'lari), often located at the temples, but a meld can be initiated with effort with any amount of physical contact (ENT Novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing)
          • Success has been recorded with non-humanoids, inorganic life, and artificial intelligence (ENT Novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing)
        • Due to both the innate danger and the intense intimacy of a mind meld, since the Time of Awakening mind melds have generally been pursued only by trained adepts or via their methods (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
        • Such individuals are even 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 vre'katra, or "katric arc", a construct designed by Vulcan mystics to hold the consciousness in some form and allow it to be preserved across ages (Star Trek: The Search For Spock)
        • Mind melds leave a detectable neurochemical residue in the minds of both those engaged; likely particular neurotransmitters released to facilitate the connection (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
      • Prior to the Time of Awakening, Vulcan telepathic abilities were often wielded in combat, both physically and mentally, with little to no respect for the sanctity of the mind (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
        • Some devices were created to enhance natural telepathy to the point of allowing a Vulcan to kill with a thought (TNG: "Gambit, Part II")
  • Cultural notes
    • Vulcan calendar
      • Holidays
        • Kal Rekk (ENT Novel: To Brave the Storm; VOY: "Meld")
          • Annual rite of atonement (ENT Novel: To Brave the Storm)
          • Silent day of meditation in which Vulcans are expected to reflect on the mistakes of the previous year (ENT Novel: To Brave the Storm)
          • All normal business is stopped for the day (ENT Novel: To Brave the Storm)
    • Vulcan faith
    • Vulcan language
    • Most Vulcans strongly devoted to the concept of cthia, commonly translated as "logic"; a system of rational analysis and detachment involving the suppression and redirection of their intense emotional urges towards healthier ends via better understanding of themselves and the universe
      • First came about as a result of cultural reforms instituted by Surak during the Time of Awakening
      • 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")
      • Highest levels of devotion are found in pursuit of kolinahr
      • Branches of Surakian beliefs
        • Syrrannite (ENT: "The Forge", "Awakening", "Kir'shara")
          • Reformist group in the 22nd century founded by Syrran (ENT: "The Forge", "Awakening", "Kir'shara")
          • Opposed the conservative Vulcan society common at the time, viewing them as having departed from Surak's teachings of peace and pacifism (ENT: "The Forge", "Awakening", "Kir'shara")
          • Gained power and significance following recovery of the kir'shara proving large portions of their interpretations correct (ENT: "Kir'shara", "Daedalus"; ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
    • Traditional farewell
      • The "Vulcan" salute is given - right hand raised, index and middle finger spread apart from ring and pinky finger - with the words "live long and prosper" (Various)
      • Traditional response is to return the gesture with the words "peace and long life" (Various)
    • Traditional for adolescent Vulcans to undergo a survival ritual known as the kahs-wan as a coming-of-age (TOS Novel: Vulcan's Soul: Exiles; ENT: "The Catwalk"; ENT Novel: Beneath the Raptor's Wing; TAS: "Yesteryear"; TLE Novel: The Sundered)
      • Ten days of survival in the Vulcan desert without bringing food, water, or weapons (TAS: "Yesteryear")
      • Ritual dates back to before the days of Surak (TOS Novel: Vulcan's Soul: Exiles)
      • Traditionally underwent in groups with the aid of an expert, to uphold spirit of the ritual at a minimum of risk to the children (TOS Novel: Vulcan's Soul: Exiles)
        • Some still choose to undergo the ritual alone
    • "Debate houses" common social gathering spots, serving as crosses between coffee shops and public fora (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
    • Civilian city police forces known as "reasoning forces" (ENT Novel: Uncertain Logic)
    • Vulcans consider danger associated with green, safety with orange (ENT Novel: The Good That Men Do)
      • Derived from the fact that their blood is naturally green, and plant life is extremely rare on Vulcan, giving little-to-no innate association between nature and green
      • As a result, status displays use a green/orange color scheme rather than the more common Human red/green scheme (ENT Novel: The Good That Men Do)
    • Rituals
      • Tarul-etek (ENT: "Horizon"; ENT Novel: To Brave the Storm)
        • Purposeful exposure to horrifying imagery in order to test emotional control (ENT: "Horizon"; ENT Novel: To Brave the Storm)
    • Games
      • Kal-toh
        • Vulcan puzzle game (ENT Novel: The Good That Men Do)
          • Known by 22nd century (ENT Novel: The Good That Men Do)
    • Combat traditions
      • Forms of martial arts
        • Suus Mahna (ENT: "Marauders"; ENT Novel: To Brave the Storm, Tower of Babel; DIS: "Context is For Kings")
          • Maneuvers
            • Navorkot ((ENT: "Marauders"; ENT Novel: To Brave the Storm)
        • V'Shan (ENT Novel: Kobayashi Maru)
        • Vulcan neuropressure can be applied to this end
      • Weapons
        • Tricheq - throwing knife (ENT Novel: Kobayashi Maru, Beneath the Raptor's Wing)
  • Foods and drinks
    • Plomeek soup (DIS Novel: Desperate Hours; TOS: "Amok Time")
    • T'Rukh spiced tea (ENT Novel: Kobayashi Maru)
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