Excellent, a constructive, Nebulon related comment. : )
I will have Nebulon terminals, should I ceate this texture set. I'll try later to delve into every alien races' psyche I can think of... everything from the bugs of Cards' "Enders Game to some lesser known, alien mindsets of sci-fi-dom.
The spectrum as it stands in Marathon is...
Jjaro - from Toth's example, and via dreams: Cryptic, poetic, odd. Possibly once like humans with their individualism... and now like the S'pht, once they've escaped the universe.
S'pht - Individual mindsets, within the framework of a collective.
Pfhor - Buracratic caste system.
Humans - Individualistic, and able to combat every_other_mindset_in _the_*universe* (according to most Sciencefiction...).
Nar - Speak in Metaphor, likley think in a similar way. Why else would they seek to measure the universe? Wait, don't answer that.
Vylae - mentally oriented species of traders. Perhaps similar in mindset to Middle Eastern Businessmen who set up throught Africa in earlier centuries. Frugal, and mistructed because of their position in commerce.
Nakh(Nahk?) - not... really sure.
I'm going to do some trolling through google tomorrow, and my families sci-fi collection... see if I can come up with an interesting mindset for the Nebulons. Apparently, they got royally trounced by the Pfhor, so their culture/identity apparently can't stand up against buracratic Pfhor attack.
Interestingly enough... I don't recall the Nebulons ever being "enslaved" by the Pfhor... just defeated in some Battles. They seem to exist seperate from the Pfhor Empire, much as the Vyale, and Nar do.
Some compiled information for the Nebulons:
- According to Marathon GURPS:
Nebulons breathe carbon dioxide, prefer a cold environment, are alert, Impulsive, and slightly primitive. Their weapons are primarily plasma, and are generally reverse-engineered Pfhor weapons. Same goes with the Vylae. Nebulons have a basic tribal society.
Nebulonese planets found in the galatic rim have large populations that benefit economically from the Pfhor military/political machine.
And of course:
The Empire of Nebulon (Region)
The Empire of Nebulon consists of ten systems. Most are main-sequence or dwarf stars of the G, K, and M spectral types. The interior systems are fairly heavily populated, although the Nebulons are not known to be a particularly populous species. The outer systems are equivalent to small colonies in population and infrastructure development, and have few enforced laws.
The Nebulonese capital planet, Riazzdamau, is well guarded and is home to the Nebulonese Council of Chiefs, which is the ultimate tribal leadership of the Nebulonese people. The planet has a large surface water percentage and is rather marshy. The Nebulonese are suited for high gravity conditions (about 1.2G) because of the high density and rather large size of Riazzdamau
and...
Nebulons
The willowy Nebulons are four foot tall humanoids who rule the small, ten-system Empire of Nebulon near the edge of the Spinward sector of the Pfhor Empire. They have a tribal government and occasionally raid their foes' systems in stolen Pfhor FTL ships (they have yet to have discovered faster-than-light travel themselves) and have proven to be very resourceful and powerful fighters. However, Nebulonese forces suffered a crippling defeat some twenty years ago at the hands of Admiral Tfear of the Pfhor Empire, and have remained dormant ever since.
Unlike other sentient species, they do not breathe oxygen, but instead thrive on carbon dioxide. Therefore they require breathing equipment when attacking Pfhor ships. But, like the other species, they drink water and eat plants and animals to live.
Humm.. perhaps the concept of an organic ship isn't too far fetched for the Nebulons. If they're primitive compared to the Pfhor, ships that are partially grown around an somewhat technological structure sounds about right.
Information to ponder.
I'm compiling this information so I can retrieve it later from the story forum.
Feel free to draw any ideas from the above information. : )
-Blayne [ernie]
