Gorn Hegemony: Difference between revisions

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The Gorn Hegemony occupy a region of space bordering Federation, Romulan and Tholian territory.  They do not share a border with the Gorn Confederacy.

Recent conjecture, combined with certain acknowledgements from the Gorn Confederacy have shed some light on both the age and origins of the Gorn Hegemony.

An undetermined number of years ago, the Gorn Confederacy was engulfed by the expanding Romulan Star Empire. It was assumed until the Hegemony appeared that the Romulans had wiped the Gorn people from existence.

These 30 clans were once part of the Gorn Confederacy, and had seceded from the Confederacy.  The actual numbers of Gorn that made the initial move are not known.  However by the time the Clans settled in their current territory, the sheer size of population indicates a large number involved in this early migration.

Now that the Romulan Empire has receded, the Gorn Confederacy was again revealed.  For further details, please see the [[Gorn Confederacy | BATA Fact Sheets on the Gorn Confederacy.]]

The Gorn Hegemony are a GOLD Fleet threat, most specifically in the KRIMA Expeditionary Force Area of Operations.  There has been continual development of the Gorn since the re-establishment of GOLD Fleet in 1999/2411 and the subsequent opening of KRIMA.

First meaningful contact was made with the Federation in 2410 by the USS AURORA.  Follow-up encounters with USS SPITFIRE and USS KOSMOS (attached to DS13) as well as elements of Tactical Squadron 91 (USS LEVIATHAN, USS RAMSES and USS LOR’VELA) in the area of the Tybiiran Complex in 2410-2412 proved costly to Federation assets.  Since that time, the Hegemony have maintained an uneasy peace with the Federation, not willing to risk open conflict at this time.

Since uniting the Gorn Hegemony found a certian strength in solidarity. In a misguided attempt to gather extra resources, the Hegemony launched an attack against a Romulan colony in Romulan space.  This incursion was easily deflected by the Romulans.

The Gorn Hegemony then turned her attention to one of her other borders - that of the Tholian Holdfast.  The battle was fierce, but the Tholian Holdfast were caught unprepared, and the outpost was quickly captured by the Hegemony.

Further clashes have occurred, loses suffered by both sides.  Recently both the Gorn Hegemony and Tholian Holdfast have sought the assistance of the Federation in resolving this latest conflict.

It is not known at this time whether the request is made in good faith or not.

The current Gorn social hierarchy is based upon the traditional Gorn clan system.  Clans are defined by either blood or marriage relation, much like the Klingon houses.  When members of two distinct clans marry, they join to become one, larger clan, incorporating the strengths and weaknesses of each side.  As a result, most marriages are arranged in modern times so as to consolidate political and social influence.  Today, there are approximately a dozen major clans that exist in the Gorn Hegemony, with several score of minor clans looking for a way to join with a larger clan.

This clan-based society permeates every aspect of Gorn life- it is even the name of their homeworld: Clanhaven (translated from ancient Gorn).  Clan life is extremely rigid, with each member having explicit responsibilities.  The head of each clan is typically the eldest male (given the title “Lordâ€ÂÂ?), although, depending on the existing political/social situation of the time, this practice has varied.  This is especially true in times of armed conflict, when the younger, stronger males tend to exert more influence than is normally the case.  However, in all cases, a male has always ruled.  Females are not forbidden per se from ruling, but tradition holds that the females handle domestic issues (such as caring for young, education, etc.) while the males handle the more physically strenuous jobs.

The Gorn political system totalitarian in nature, with the head of the largest, most powerful clan presiding with absolute authority, as the term “Hegemonyâ€ÂÂ? suggests.  His rule is for life- or until another clan establishes dominance.

Each major clan is given a place on the Hegemon’s (the ruler’s title, translated into the closest Federation Standard) Council of Advisors.  Thus, the size of the Gorn Council of Advisors varies as clans grow and shrink; there have been as little as 4 clans on the council (the initial four clans that seceded).  Currently, there are 13.  These Advisors have no political power per se, but can exert influence on the Hegemon’s decision-making process.  Thus, the position as Advisor is a prestigious one.  

Traditionally, diplomats and such have all come from the ruling clan- it is extremely rare for a ruler to name a member of a rival clan to a high political position.  

Gorn history is replete with civil war.  In fact, most of their early history after its secession from the Gorn Confederacy revolved around wars between power-hungry clans.  It has only been recently that the civil wars have stopped.  The existing ruling clan, the S'sethren, assumed power after by emerging from the last civil war 28 months ago as the largest remaining clan, doing so by brokering a marriage between themselves and a minor clan as the cease-fire between clans was signed.  This marriage put them in power.

Recently, a prolonged conflict has sprung up between the Hegemony and their nearest neighbors, the Tholian Holdfast.  Prolonged battle has hit the Hegemony Navy hard; the faster, more maneuverable Tholians, with their Web Casting weapon, has been able to put a sizeable dent in the Hegemony fleet.  Coupled with the fact that the Hegemony’s already-thin natural resources have been all but exhausted due to the war, and the result was a willingness to discuss peace for the first time in their history.  However, neither the Tholians nor the Hegemony seemed truly eager for peace, and despite the efforts of the USS AURORA, her crew and the Gnalish delegation charged with facilitating an agreement, the talks failed, with the Hegemony and the Tholians still at war.

Eventually, a truce was called by the Hegemony due to the depletion of its resources; simply put, it could no longer continue to make war.  However, as this ability is central to Hegemony culture (and therefore political power), the Hegemon needed to find a solution to this or risk loosing his power and plunging the Hegemony into civil war yet again.  He would find his answer in the Tybiiran Complex.

The Tybiiran Complex is an area of space just inside the Federation border, away from normal Star Fleet patrol lanes.  As such, it could enter the complex- largely made up of mineral-rich asteroids that make sensor readings difficult at best- almost completely unobserved and rape the complex of its mineral wealth.

The opening of DS13 in 2410 placed this operation in danger.  Eventually, the Hegemony base was stumbled upon by elements of Tactical Squadron 91 and DS13 in 2412.  The resultant battles- known as the First and Second Battles of Tybiiran- proved costly for Star fleet, but not nearly as costly as it was to the Hegemony.  Robbed of the only mineral-rich region within their striking distance, they retreated within their borders, defeated.

The resulting civil war brought forth a new ruling clan, the Sh’raketh, and, consequently, a new Hegemon.  No major hostilities have broken out between the Federation and the Hegemony since 2nd Tybiiran in 2412.

They also have recently acquired a new, powerful weapon- a neutron blaster.  Nothing in their technological development suggests such a development as being an original work; this suggests some outside assistance.  At this time, OSFI has no information regarding who gave the Hegemony such technology.  But the weapon IS formidable- able to whittle shields down to nothing with only a few shots.  But, as is typical for Hegemony engineering, this absolutely guzzles power.

It is well known through multiple sources that the Gorn Hegemony have next to exhausted all of their natural resources. Years of civil war have also, contrary to logical thought, lead to a stagnation in research. Sources have also indicated numerous deals that have failed to be brokered, covering various technologies that the Hegemony lack.

* The Gorn Hegemony pages were originally developed communally by the crews of the USS AURORA (under the command of Matthew Nicholls), DEEP SPACE 13 (under the command of David Suarez de Lis) and the USS LEVIATHAN (then under the command of Scott Lusby), as well as by David Hills and Sean Speake.