Minado

## Biology

### Physiology

The Minadoan form is similar to many species. Two arms, two legs, head on the shoulders with two eyes, etc. They have no ears but instead lizard-like ear canals. Similarly, they don’t have a nose to speak of but stand alone nostrils. They have two sets of eyelids, one ‘normal’ set and a second, transparent set. They have a semi-prehensile tail as well as one to two rows of keratin quills traveling the length of their spine. These quills can stand on end or lay flat, usually in response to the Minadoan’s emotional state. There are 2 to 4 quills on the end tail that don’t lay flat, and these ones are safe to use as a weapon similar to a thagomizer. The quills aren’t sharp. They’re covered in chromatophore rich scales, allowing them to change color. Minadoans do not have conscious control of this color changing, as it is more of an adaptation of social ability than survival. The most unique aspect of the Minado is their brain. It is incredibly dense compared to species of similar builds. This added brain real estate is vital to support the multiple consciousnesses within the Minado mind. The color changing scales respond to whichever consciousness is present at that moment. While the exact number varies from individual to individual, it is usually between 4-10.

### Psychology

The most noteworthy aspect of the Minado, as previously hinted, is the multiple consciousnesses. Like many sentient races, personality is a little in flux during developmental years. During childhood, Minado are in a state of flux, with no clear divide between various consciousnesses. During this time, only use their secondary name, the one referring to the being as a whole. Often mistaken by other races as a surname. As they reach adolescence, the consciousnesses begin to differentiate themselves. They’ll usually solidify around puberty, at which point they’ll pick a ‘first’ name for themselves. There can still be a bit of flux as each consciousness works out the kind of person they are, similar to other beings at this age. But the individual consciousnesses themselves are largely separated at this point. By the time they reach adulthood, most Minadoan consciousnesses will have worked out the kind of person they are. Minadoan consciousnesses are, in essence, individuals. As unique and complex as any individual. While there’s no compulsion to get along or agree, there is an intrinsic motivation to get along, given their shared existence. Which is to say, any disagreements or arguments are usually settled quickly and internally. Seeking arbitration for internal issues is rare and partially sigmitized, though it’s less of an issue that it was in the past.

### Sleep

A notable aspect of Minadoan physiology is their sleep cycle. They're able to, in layman's terms, sleep in shifts. One consciousness will sleep, putting part of the frontal lobe into a sleep state while the rest of the brain, and consciousnesses, carry on with waking life. This segmented rest allows Minadoans to be awake for longer periods than other races. It doesn't fully replace traditional sleep, as the rest of the brain still requires rest. A Minadoan still requires 3-4 hours of sleep every 27-29 hours. While they are fully asleep, its nearly impossible to wake them.

### Lifespan

* **Childhood:** 1-13 Earth years
* **Adolescence:** 13-25 Earth years
* **Adulthood:** 25-70 Earth years
* **Middle Age:** 70-100 Earth years
* **Old:** 100-150 Earth years
* **Venerable:** 160 Earth years (Longest recorded 187)

### Medical Conditions

Minadoans don’t have a notably strong or weak immune system, so they’re susceptible to most inter-species illnesses. There are a few illnesses and disorders that are unique to the Minadoan physiology.

* **Ingrown Quill:** A deceptively dangerous issue. Because of their proximity to the spine, an improperly grown quill can be life threatening. Fortunately, thanks to modern medicine it’s easily resolved with a surgery.
* **Deadscale:** A genetic disorder that causes a Minadoan to be born without their color changing ability. While this isn’t a health risk, it can cause many social issues. With their scales stuck in one color, it can become tedious to communicate changes in consciousness. Those suffering from deadscale are usually pitied and looked down on. The treatment of Deadscales is currently a prominent social issue within Minadoan society. Many advocates have been pushing to rename the condition Hue-Locked.
* **Fungal infections:** It isn’t a specific illness, but Minadoans are notably vulnerable to fungal infections because of the low humidity of their homeworld.
* **Respiratory infections:** similar to fungal infections,  Minadoans are vulnerable to respiratory infections caused by excessive humidity or poor air quality. Modern medicine, thankfully, has made this more of an annoyance than a true health concern.

## History

### Pre-warp

The Minado precursors were nomadic carnivores and scavengers. Due to the lack of separating oceans, their population was largely global. Tight knit packs wandered from water source to water source in search of food. There is archeological evidence of packs attempting to remain in inve place, but most remains indicate malnutrition, indicating that one area didn't have the resources to support a steady Minado population. The first societies didn't begin to form until after the mastery of domestication. Fossil records show ancient Minado remains in proximity to Taluk remains, a large animal similar to an earth camel. Suggesting that Minado packs learned to tame herds to Taluk for easier travel and safety in numbers. Only after this do we find records of settlements forming around oases and rivers.

Minadoan history is surprisingly peaceful. With their world as resource scarce as it is, one would expect a history of resource wars. Instead the Minadoans have a history of cooperation. They weren’t totally peaceful, of course. There were clashes throughout their history. Even still, these battles were relatively short and low on casualties.  More of an honorable clash than anything else. Some historians and anthropologists theorize that this is a result of their plural psychology fostering empathy, or a sense that one lost body is many lost lives. This is a hotly debated theory though, and there’s yet to be anything close to a consensus. There is one notable exception to this, however.

During the Industrial Era, a Minadoan named Aladara rose to prominence in a river based city-state called Toreda. Toreda was a small, relatively weak city-state, made even weaker by an upstream city-state polluting the river. Aladara used the anger and pain in Toreda to rise to the ruling seat of the city-state. Under the guise of justice, began a war of conquest. They displayed an impressive ability to integrate former enemies, fueling their conquest for nearly two decades. If it weren't for an illness prematurely claiming their life, it's possible they may have conquered the planet.

Aladara is widely considered the most divisive figure in Minadoan history. They displayed a level of ambition rarely seen on Damitao. Most historians consider this a dark era of history. Aladara are considered by most to be warmongers and tyrants. Xoza Aladara, the consciousness that was most present during public appearances, is especially vilified. There are those in the cities they conquered that still fly their flag to this day.

Despite, or perhaps in spite of, the controversy surrounding Aladara their unification war led to a series of ecological and social reforms. These focused largely on stopping pollution and welfare systems. These are commonly referred to as the Aladara reforms.

Pre-warp Minadoan society was built around a series of city-states. Due to the dry nature of the planet, most civilizations were centered around water sources. As technology advanced, cities were able to expand. But it was all hinged on the ability to transport water. Because of this, city-states never grew to the size of ‘nations’ one might find on other worlds. The Damitao council was founded not long after the creation of radio. Though it has dissolved or splintered several times throughout history, it is always reformed, with each city-state electing a representative to make global decisions.

### Warp

Space flight was never considered a priority on Damitao. With resource scarcity an ever present problem, space was considered a waste. It, like most advancements on Damitao, was driven by the need for water. When ice was discovered in meteors, spaceflight went from a frivolity to a priority. The top minds on the planet set to escaping gravity. Then on asteroid towing, which required bigger, more powerful ships. Which required space docks. Which led to a thriving orbital industry, all centered around bringing water from space to the planet. The jump to warp speed was almost an accident. Scientists trying to find a way to twist physics to make their ships more powerful so they could tow bigger chunks of space ice. Instead, they discovered a way to break the light barrier. This allowed ice barges, as they were called, to travel much further and faster. An age of prosperity and plenty began on Damitao unlike any seen in history. For the first time there was more than ‘enough to go around’, there was an excess. It was a social renaissance for the Minado. The arts and sciences exploded, as did the population. The planet began to urbanize in earnest, with new city-states sprouting around artificial lakes.

### First Contact

First contact was established 200 years ago when a Minado Ice Barge crossed paths with a Starfleet science vessel. Of course, they weren’t diplomats, so the contact was brief. But the reality of other sentient life sent Minado society into a frenzy. A team of diplomats were assembled to attempt to establish a permanent contact with these aliens. Luckily, Starfleet was ahead of them. They sent their own team of diplomats to Damitao to establish proper diplomatic channels. The plurality of the Minado caused a fair bit of friction with the aliens, as such things were rare. But the Minado were patient with these aliens (at least according to their history books) and 50 years after First Contact, Damitao petitioned to join the Federation. In their mind, it was simply a greater, interplanetary version of the Damitao Council

## Culture

### Beliefs

The Minado believe in their senses above all else. The harsh reality of their world led to a sense of pragmatism and social obligation. They believe in their families and neighbors, and in turn strive to be worthy of the belief placed in them. There have been religions on Damitao, some even existing to this day. But they are largely fringe and dismissed by the government. Philosophy, on the other hand, is quite common among Minadoan thinkers.

### Family

Family is exceedingly important to Minadoans. But it is more than blood. For them, family is those you live with, those you surround yourself with, those you depend on. Family is an issue of respect and trust, not of genetics. Granted, most genetic relations tend to be part of each other’s families but that’s usually because of proximity leading to that respect and trust. Genetic relations from different city states might not consider themselves family.

### Society

Minadoan society is built around cooperation. A common belief, especially by those in power, is that a Minadoan group, be it a family, city-state, or the civilization as a whole, is only as successful as its most vulnerable members. Welfare systems are considered the norm, and compassion is a valued trait. The selfish and cruel are nearly universally scorned.

### Behavior

Minadoans are, broadly speaking, social and outgoing beings. There are a few behaviors that other species might find unnerving or odd. The first and most obvious is a direct result of their plurality. Minadoan consciousnesses will swap with a notable regularity, depending on the situation, social climate, or even moods of the various consciousnesses. Many Minadoans that regularly mingle with other races have learned to announce changes verbally, though this is also considered an absurd formality. Like loudly declaring when you’re entering or leaving a room.

### Rituals

Rituals in Minadoan society are few, but incredibly valued. A birth triggers a day long celebration, both commending the parent for their strength and welcoming the child to the world. Marriage is also a celebration, though a bit less of a grand one. As one being can be within many marriages between different consciousnesses, it’s a much more common occurrence. Death is a somber affair. A time to recognize and acknowledge the loss. The departed are carried far from the city by their family, stripped of their belongings to be redistributed amongst the family, and laid to rest in the empty wastes of the desert.

### Recreation

Like most things in Minadoan life, recreation was heavily influenced by the resource scarcity. Survival required work, and the amount of work required  left little room for leisure time. Instead, recreation revolved around activities that could be done whilst working. Singing, storytelling, and conversation are the most common forms of entertainment on Damitao. There is a rich musical culture on Damitao, and most Minadoans have at least a basic singing ability. Because Minadoans consider conversation a key form of entertainment, they have a reputation for being incredibly chatty. In contrast, Damitao has little in the way of sports or games. What few games there are are word games. And attempts to make sports only began recently, during the Water Renaissance. These fledgling sports and games were abandoned, however, after contact was established with the galactic community. Because the sports and games of other species are fully developed and refined, they are much more appealing to Minadoans.

### Language

Minadoan is a complex, flowing language with countless dialects. Because nearly all of the recreation activities depend on language, it has evolved and grown at an astounding rate throughout history. Evolving and complicating the language became almost a game in and of itself to its speakers. The complexity is largely in the syntax, with a lot of emotion being carried in the verbosity. A Minadoan, linguists say, will never use one word when they can use a dozen. And, since most city-states have their own unique dialect, two Minadoans could use wildly different words to say the same thing. The more long winded a speaker is, the more comfortable and at ease they are. Short, efficient speech is a sure sign of discomfort or seriousness. If a Minadoan greets you with a five minute story about their day, their health, and their family, they’re very comfortable around you. If they greet you with a simple Hello, chances are they aren’t as comfortable. Minadoans that deal with other races have learned to pare this behavior slightly. For these Minadoans, particularly those in Starfleet, curt speech is less an indication of comfort and more a display of professionalism. While off duty, a Minadoan will usually revert to their long winded norm.

Words that don't translate

* **Ganera:** the word to describe one's fellow consciousnesses. There is no similar word in languages of singular beings, as the word carries more weight than anything similar to 'alter' or 'facet'.
* **Liraka Taluk gaten daretana hak Zarawat ki gan**: A popular Minadoan dish. A Taluk steak, gray meat, baked in the sun for several days. It’s drizzled with a glistening crimson liquid, the venom of a Damitao scorpion called a Gilik. Then sprinkled with emerald flakes, the crushed shed skin of a snake like animal called a Ki Gan.

### Naming

Because the Minadoans are plural, their names are slightly variable. Each consciousness has its own name, as well as a name for the being as a whole. This secondary, encompassing name is often mistaken as a surname. However, they don’t have any form of surnames, and will refer to each other using both names. This means that usually, Minadoans will refer to members of other races using their full names.

## Technology

### Ships

Minadoan ships are workhorses, closer to mobile mining platforms than ships. They’re large, relatively slow, but with an incredible cargo capacity. Most ships carry at least two small, agile fighters for defense purposes, with larger ships carrying whole swarms.

### Stations

Minadoans don’t have any notable stations outside of drydocks. They have yet to colonize other worlds, and as such have had little need to build any.

### Weapons

Handheld weapons are, in essence, small rail guns. Using energy to accelerate a projectile to dangerous speeds. Shipborne weapons are developed from mining lasers. They’re bulky and fire a sustained beam. Most fighters have a forward mounted weapon and focus on keeping the beam on the target for as long as possible.

There is a traditional handheld weapon still used to this day in sports, as well as stun varieties being used for self defense. Known as a Tikir, it’s a handheld spear of sorts. A little less than half a meter long, it’s a third blade and usually made exclusively of a dark iron/cobalt alloy.

### Unique Technology

The most unique aspect of Minadoan technology is how frugal it is. It’s like their science is the stark opposite of their language, doing as much as possible using as little as possible. It is, overall, less advanced than Federation technology. Of note, however, is the Minadoan water reclamation and purification technology. Because so much was put into it, it is leaps and bounds ahead of any other of their technology. In fact, most of their technology seems to have developed to facilitate better water reclamation and purification.

## Home Planet

### Overview

Damitao is a desert world, through and through. It’s very dry and, thanks to its proximity to the sun, has hot days and cold nights. There is very little seasonal variation, as the planet is only at a 3 degree angle. It does, however, have an abundance of magnetic metals. There are two oceans separated by vast stretches of land. Both oceans are incredibly mineral rich and are relatively shallow, with an average depth of 1.2 kilometers.

### Ecosystem

The ecosystem, unsurprisingly, revolves around water. Most plants and animals cluster around oases, springs, and the rare rivers. Some animals wander from water source to water source in groups, and some plants use the wind to carry seeds to new grounds. It is a harsh, conservative world. Life is incredibly deliberate, and oftentimes, slow.

* **Tirk Xiraka:** Roughly translates to 'Fallen Star'. The name of a common plant on Damitao. It's a cactus-like plant with thick green skin covered in prickles. It's crowned by a brilliant blue flower that glows in the dark. At night, the flower blooms, revealing an opening to the liquid filled hollow within the plant. The light and color of the flower attracts insects which fall into the plant to be digested for nutrients.
* **Taluk:** A large, quadrupedal mammal not dissimilar to an earth camel. Integral to early Minadoan culture and currently the main form of livestock.

### Government

The Damitao Council is a meeting of rulers. A sort of council of kings. The head of each city state meets to make planetary decisions. Most, if not all representatives are democratically elected. However this is not and has not always been the case. There have been tyrants, oligarchs, and military leaders. However, these are usually short lived and the city states return to democracy. Entirely due to internal pressures, the Damitao Council respects the independence of each City-State.

### Space Infrastructure

The only real infrastructure around Damitao is built around ship building and asteroid processing. Shipyards, dry docks, processing satellites, etc. There are small groups of Minadoans living in this infrastructure, but not enough to be considered a City-State. Though there is a push for this status.

### Ground Infrastructure

There isn’t much infrastructure between the City-States on Damitao. There isn’t enough travel between them to justify it. Travel is done in sturdy, all terrain caravans. Infrastructure within the City-States, on the other hand, is comprehensive and unique between City-States. Each developing organically around their water source. Travelling around an unfamiliar City-State can be a confusing affair, and guides are usually recommended to avoid getting lost.

### Important Landmarks

The only real landmark, outside of the various City-States, is The Seat of Heaven, a rough translation. A large, relatively lush island within one of the two seas. This island is considered neutral territory, and has served as the meeting place for the Council for centuries.