Post by Valsharen on Mar 2, 2006 11:39:22 GMT -5
PROTOSS BACKGROUND[/U]
They are technologically advanced and rely on psionic abilities and cybernetics in battle. They are the primary opponents of the Zerg. The Protoss are highly religious and follow a strict code known as the Khala. The Protoss have mastered their psionic powers, and are currently engaged in a devastating war with the Zerg. They have also had to deal with a civil war within their ranks.
Aiur is one of many worlds engineered by the Xel'Naga, a race of extragalactic geneticists, obssessed with creating the perfect race, that would be marked by a distinct purity of form. The Xel'Naga, after innumerable failures to create such a race, turned towards Aiur.
They watched over a particular species of hunters and warriors and discerned that they indeed had a purity of form, as they were incredibly adaptable and had unmatched strength and speed. However, the most intriguing ability of the species is a psionic link that is shared by the entire race. This link was a form of instinctive telepathy, enabling them to communicate with one another, so that even large groups could work together efficiently.
The Xel'Naga altered them to some extent with their Khaydarin Crystals, but were content to remain unseen for many generations. The Xel'Naga felt they had achieved their goal, and gave the new race the name of Protoss, or 'the First Born'. Aiur was eventually covered by civilized Protoss, and so the Xel'Naga descended onto Aiur in order to more closely study the evolution of their charges. A Temple marks where they first set down upon Aiur.
The Xel'Naga were initially revered as gods, as the Protoss looked towards their creators with respect and a lust for knowledge. However, as the understanding and personal awareness of the young Protoss grew, they began to place greater pride in individual achievements rather than the benefit of the community. The various Tribes sought to distance themselves from one another, seeking their role not only within their immediate society, but the universe as a whole.
The tribes began to fear treachery from their masters, and in seeking to sever themselves from the rest of their race, attempted to lose the psychic link that they shared. This dissolved whatever remnants of brotherhood or unity that the Protoss had shared. Feeling that the greatest attribute of the Protoss was lost, the Xel'Naga began withdrawing from Aiur. However, the suspicious Protoss responded with an attack that destroyed a number of Xel'Naga Worldships. The Xel'Naga Worldships fended off the hasty attack and left the system. The Protoss Tribes then turned against each other, beginning the Aeon of Strife, the most devastating civil war in recorded galactic history.
Physiology[/U]
Protoss are about 3 meters tall and have two glowing eyes, digitigrade legs, semi-permeable skin covered in scales, four digits on their hands (of which two are thumbs) and toes, broad chests and shoulders, and narrow waists with slim midsections. Extending back from the crown of the head, Protoss have a bony crest. Beneath it, emerging from the back of the head, are the nerve cords, allowing them to access their racial psionic gestalt. This gestalt is the basis of the Khala.
Protoss are bereft of mouths, noses, or visible ears. Though it is unknown how their senses of hearing or chemoreception operate, they are widely believed to possess such sensetivites, likely to acute degrees due to their perfected nature. They can communicate telepathically with each other, especially for long distances. Due to their nature (possibly Psi-based physiology), which deviates widely from conventional biology as it is understood, illness is unheard of, and their physical resilience and capability is astounding due to the lack of limitations normally posed by typical biological processes. One (fan-based) theory is that they consume Psi-based energy for sustenance, which could contribute their almost emaciated appearance (no storage of physical fat) as well as their long lifespans (no ingestion of unhealthy materials).
A Protoss' average life expectancy is about a thousand years (see Matriarch Raszagal), apparently not unlike that of antediluvian humans in the Bible - but, because of their arcane nature, their life expectancy may extend well beyond that figure. Protoss under 300 years rarely have any significant political positions.
Protoss blood is blue, with a slight iridescence. They also have a psionic pulse encased in a physical body. Once that body is destroyed, the psionic pulse dissipates, flaring with a pale, blue light.
As in Humans, coloration is considered a sign of ethnicity, with each Protoss tribe having a specific color or typical pattern of markings associated with it. The main exception is the Ara tribe, as it was not originally created through inheritance, instead derived from unrelated students who originally followed Khas and his philosophy, the Khala.
The Protoss brain is similar in structure to a human brain. The most noticeable differences lie in the cerebellum, primarily in its size. The Protoss cerebellum is elongated in comparison to humans, resulting in a larger surface area which accounts for the greater cognitive abilities of the Protoss.
They are technologically advanced and rely on psionic abilities and cybernetics in battle. They are the primary opponents of the Zerg. The Protoss are highly religious and follow a strict code known as the Khala. The Protoss have mastered their psionic powers, and are currently engaged in a devastating war with the Zerg. They have also had to deal with a civil war within their ranks.
Aiur is one of many worlds engineered by the Xel'Naga, a race of extragalactic geneticists, obssessed with creating the perfect race, that would be marked by a distinct purity of form. The Xel'Naga, after innumerable failures to create such a race, turned towards Aiur.
They watched over a particular species of hunters and warriors and discerned that they indeed had a purity of form, as they were incredibly adaptable and had unmatched strength and speed. However, the most intriguing ability of the species is a psionic link that is shared by the entire race. This link was a form of instinctive telepathy, enabling them to communicate with one another, so that even large groups could work together efficiently.
The Xel'Naga altered them to some extent with their Khaydarin Crystals, but were content to remain unseen for many generations. The Xel'Naga felt they had achieved their goal, and gave the new race the name of Protoss, or 'the First Born'. Aiur was eventually covered by civilized Protoss, and so the Xel'Naga descended onto Aiur in order to more closely study the evolution of their charges. A Temple marks where they first set down upon Aiur.
The Xel'Naga were initially revered as gods, as the Protoss looked towards their creators with respect and a lust for knowledge. However, as the understanding and personal awareness of the young Protoss grew, they began to place greater pride in individual achievements rather than the benefit of the community. The various Tribes sought to distance themselves from one another, seeking their role not only within their immediate society, but the universe as a whole.
The tribes began to fear treachery from their masters, and in seeking to sever themselves from the rest of their race, attempted to lose the psychic link that they shared. This dissolved whatever remnants of brotherhood or unity that the Protoss had shared. Feeling that the greatest attribute of the Protoss was lost, the Xel'Naga began withdrawing from Aiur. However, the suspicious Protoss responded with an attack that destroyed a number of Xel'Naga Worldships. The Xel'Naga Worldships fended off the hasty attack and left the system. The Protoss Tribes then turned against each other, beginning the Aeon of Strife, the most devastating civil war in recorded galactic history.
Physiology[/U]
Protoss are about 3 meters tall and have two glowing eyes, digitigrade legs, semi-permeable skin covered in scales, four digits on their hands (of which two are thumbs) and toes, broad chests and shoulders, and narrow waists with slim midsections. Extending back from the crown of the head, Protoss have a bony crest. Beneath it, emerging from the back of the head, are the nerve cords, allowing them to access their racial psionic gestalt. This gestalt is the basis of the Khala.
Protoss are bereft of mouths, noses, or visible ears. Though it is unknown how their senses of hearing or chemoreception operate, they are widely believed to possess such sensetivites, likely to acute degrees due to their perfected nature. They can communicate telepathically with each other, especially for long distances. Due to their nature (possibly Psi-based physiology), which deviates widely from conventional biology as it is understood, illness is unheard of, and their physical resilience and capability is astounding due to the lack of limitations normally posed by typical biological processes. One (fan-based) theory is that they consume Psi-based energy for sustenance, which could contribute their almost emaciated appearance (no storage of physical fat) as well as their long lifespans (no ingestion of unhealthy materials).
A Protoss' average life expectancy is about a thousand years (see Matriarch Raszagal), apparently not unlike that of antediluvian humans in the Bible - but, because of their arcane nature, their life expectancy may extend well beyond that figure. Protoss under 300 years rarely have any significant political positions.
Protoss blood is blue, with a slight iridescence. They also have a psionic pulse encased in a physical body. Once that body is destroyed, the psionic pulse dissipates, flaring with a pale, blue light.
As in Humans, coloration is considered a sign of ethnicity, with each Protoss tribe having a specific color or typical pattern of markings associated with it. The main exception is the Ara tribe, as it was not originally created through inheritance, instead derived from unrelated students who originally followed Khas and his philosophy, the Khala.
The Protoss brain is similar in structure to a human brain. The most noticeable differences lie in the cerebellum, primarily in its size. The Protoss cerebellum is elongated in comparison to humans, resulting in a larger surface area which accounts for the greater cognitive abilities of the Protoss.
