Joined Trill

**Joined Trill** were Trill who had been joined to a symbiont. Joined Trill experienced a joint consciousness -- having the personality of the Trill combined with that of the symbiont. They had all of the memories of the long-lived symbiotic creatures and thus learn all of the skills and occupations that it may have participated in with previous hosts.

## Physiology

Joined Trill were highly allergic to the bites of insects, as the biochemical connection between the symbiont and its host was disrupted by the venom in most insects. However, the same connection made Trill much more impervious to psionic manipulations or possession by parasites such as Bluegills.

The physical process of being joined was irreversible. It was possible for a symbiont to be temporarily joined to a being -- something which could be done to any sapient mammal -- but a true joining could not be undone. If a symbiont was without a host it would die within hours. Likewise, a joined Trill without a symbiont would die within hours if another symbiont was not placed within it.

The brain of joined Trill had two cerebral nuclei and two separate brain wave patterns.

### Augment Virus

Joined Trill impacted by the Augment virus had a significantly different experience than other Trill. Whereas most joined Trill experienced a dual existence -- with the host and the symbiont both having control -- and augmented symbiont completely controlled its host. As a result, Trill law commanded that augmented symbionts were only permitted to be permanently joined to augmented Trill.

As an ordinary symbiont could take total control of a weak-willed host, it was conceivable that the Augment virus simply increased the strength of the symbiont's willpower.

## Culture

Joined Trill were typically not concerned with romance. The hosts, of course, could experience romantic attraction as normal mortal sapient species did, though the symbionts considered romance a nuisance and generally tried to live above such things.

Furthermore, Trill law forbade reassociation with the romantic partners of previous hosts. Breaking this law meant expulsion from Trill society -- ensuring that the symbiont would die with its host. Generally, the idea of reassociation was frowned upon anyways. Symbionts took this to varying degrees -- some avoided anyone who knew them in their previous hosts, save for unavoidable chance encounters. Others would continue their friendships and continue to spend time with their former hosts' family and co-workers, while only avoiding intimate partners.

### Joining

An average of three hundred symbionts were available for joining in any given cycle, while about a thousand Trill could be expected to apply for joining. Therefore, the selection process was extremely demanding and overseen by the Symbiosis Commission. As a result, chosen hosts were often quite impressive individuals on their own merits. They were often the best and brightest in their fields and many held numerous degrees prior to their joining. Eventually they could become initiates, overseen by a field docent who would make a recommendation to the Commission. A negative recommendation usually meant the prospective was cut from the program entirely and would never become joined.

It was commonly believed in Trill society that only one in a thousand Trill was capable of sustaining a symbiont. This was a narrative intentionally given to the population to prevent the symbionts from becoming objects to be fought over -- in truth, nearly half of the Trill population was capable of sustaining a symbiont.

A prospective host was permitted to request a specific symbiont. This request would be granted unless the symbiont objected.

### Ceremonies

Joined Trill had several methods they could use to help them handle the various aspects of the previous hosts in their symbiont's memories. One such method was the telepathic ritual of *zhian'tara*. This allowed the current host to temporarily store the previous hosts in volunteers, while the ceremony was guided by an unjoined Trill with psionic abilities who was considered a Guardian. This gave the current a host a chance to address each previous host, giving a sense of closure.

The Rite of Emergence, meanwhile, permitted the current host to draw forth a single previous host to speak with them directly in times of need.

## Notable Joined Trill

* Dax
	+ Lela Dax
	+ Tobin Dax
	+ Emony Dax
	+ Audrid Dax
	+ Torias Dax
	+ Joran Dax
	+ Curzon Dax
	+ Jadzia Dax
	+ Ezri Dax
* Kahn
	+ Nilani Kahn
	+ Lenara Kahn
	+ Damar Kahn
* Odan
	+ Kareel Odan
* Tal
	+ Kasha Tal
	+ Jovar Tal
	+ Madela Tal
	+ Cara Tal
	+ Senna Tal
	+ Gray Tal

## Source

Joined Trill are derived from *Star Trek*. For canon information, please visit:

* Memory Alpha
* Official Star Trek Online Wiki