Tor'keem
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- BASIC INFORMATION: ----------------------------------------------------------------- Official Name in Standard: The Tor'keem National Name: The Gathering of Free Tor'keem Title of the Head of Government: Chancellor -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- GEOGRAPHY/POPULATION ----------------------------------------------------------------- Quadrant/Sector/System: Tor'kil System (Tor'kil) Suns/Planets/Planetoids/Moons: One: Tor'kil Nova. Inhabited by a group of Tor'keem who opted out of the 'Gathering'. Population: 750 000 000 Capital City: The Great Planetary College Race(s) of Native Sentients: 99% Tor'keem, 1% Transients and invited observers Largest Cities: Go'lok 6 000 000 Torok'divor 4 000 000 Koris'ko 4 000 000 Vobril'okron 3 500 000 Rigth'toki 3 000 000 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ECONOMIC SUMMARY ----------------------------------------------------------------- Tor'kil has never been known as a major focus of commerce within the Federation; the Tor'keem prefer to organize, administrate, and ponder the complexities of the universe rather than focus on trade and industry. The Tor'keem are renowned artists and writers; a number of painters on Tor'kil have made a substantial living on the arts. Similarly, the planet scrapes out a living in a variety of ores for export, and a modest shipbuilding industry, providing custom spacecraft for individuals and minor Federation powers. In 2349, Tor'kil accepted the Federation Credit and the latinum standard as acceptable currencies for business on Tor'kil -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- GOVERNMENT/HISTORY ----------------------------------------------------------------- Member of Federation? Yes. The Tor'keem initially gathered around the equatorial Planetary College as a means of exchanging ideas and information in a peaceful envirionment, away from tribal intrigues and warfare; along these lines, the Gathering is governed by a number of 'philosopher kings'. To gain power on Tor'kil, an adult citizen applies for a place at the college; open to all citizens, and subject to full public subsidization. During the course of their tenure, the Tor'keem are taught the sophisticated political sciences that their people have developed; over time, as the college grants degrees and the Tor'keem specialize their knowledge, they are given increasing responsibilities to the maintenance of government. After two years at the undergraduate level, a student is invited to sit in the unicameral Tor'keem congress. Upon attaining an undergraduate degree(typically a six-year program), the Tor'keem may apply to work in a ministry portfolio; with the completion of a graduate thesis, (another four year program)he or she may be appointed by the Chancellor as a minister. The Chancellor of the Tor'keem is elected by the student body, from a list of candidates who have submitted and defended their postgraduate thesis. Those unsuccessful in this election generally retire to instruct the new generation of students entering the college. The Chancellorship is awarded for a term of six years; there are no term limits. ***** Tor'keem history records the presence of an ancestral 'Empire of Tok'ril' in their distant history, when the planet was still a lush, heavily forested supercontinental mass. With the appearance of an ice age four thousand years ago, the capitol city and imperial palace were consumed by advancing glaciation; the Empire fell into ruin and degenerated into a number of nomadic tribes concentrating on the still-fertile areas of the planet. What followed were millenia of warfare and insurrection which parallels Cardassian history almost to a t; the formidable Tor'keem intellect was put to thwarting enemies in attempts to seize control of a tribe, or to gain valuable grazing lands. Resources and food were scarce, a condition only worsened by continual skirmishes both within and outside of tribal affairs. It wasn't until the arrival of Com'tokoran that the situation was cast in any sort of hopeful light. Com'tokoran was a philosopher, similar to the Terran Confucious, who saw a need for the end of war and a reunification of the planet. He founded both the college and the gathering, urging the Tor'keem to end tribal alleigence and work together to rebuild Tor'keem society. Com'tokoran soon had a strong following of would-be academics and intelligentsia. The tribal leaders soon followed suit, realizing that they were losing their best advisors and strategists to the Gathering. Only five tribes held out against Com'tokoran's influence, deciding to continue their traditional intrigues and marauding. Due to inferior numbers, they tended to leave the college and its members alone; similarly, they were left unmolested unless the warfare began to disrupt the pattern of college life. Six hundred years ago, following a spacefaring revolution among the Gathering, the remaining tribes were invited to settle the Tor'kil moon. They accepted, and the two worlds have lived in relative harmony (albeit they have little communication, and no diplomatic relations) ever since. First contact was made with the Federation in 2341, when a three-man Tor'keem survey vessel sighted and successfully contacted the USS DARWIN in the 65 Borin system. The Federation admitted Tor'kils membership into the Federation in 2364, via the 220-7 majority vote of the Planetary College Congress. Federation expeditions to Tor'kil Nova report that an alliance of two Tor'keem tribes have virtually smashed all opposition, and are on the verge of consolidating moonwide power. As a sovereign political entity from Tor'kil, they are not considered Federation members, and there have been fears that they may be planning a conquest of their mother planet. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- RACE/SOCIETY/CULTURE ----------------------------------------------------------------- Tor'kil is a large planet, roughly 1.4 Earth masses, affording 1.56 g. The climate is cold and arid; the northern temperate regions are sheathed over in ice, and the warmer regions are largely grassy steppeland, interspersed with some small forested area, and a low mountainous region cutting a wide swath through the steppe. Most of the major urban settlements are built over the steppes; although a number of smaller communities have cropped up on the edges of the ice caps. The planet is not particularly geologically active; the two major tectonic plates that have formed the land area on Tor'kil collided roughly 1.3 million years ago, and have been slowly pushing up mountains ever since. The pachydermoid Tor'keem appear to be the only sentient life in the relatively simplistic ecosystem; strict vegetarians who graze on the long steppeland grasses. These quadrapeds can grow to a height of 194 cm, although heights of 180-185 are much more common. Average weight among the adults runs between 290-360 kg. Possessing no arms per se, the major prehensile appendage is their trunk, which has five muscular extensions which function much like fingers; and an opposable "thumb". The muscular control in this area is extremely well-developed. The males also have tusks, which are capable of growing to a length of 45 cm. However, with the advent of civilization on Tor'kil, it became customary to grind these bone extensions down, and today it is rare to see a Tor'keem male with more an 3 cm tusk. The body is covered in thick, shaggy hair,which varies between individuals from mustard yellow to auburn to a 'salt and pepper' black and white dappling. While providing the illusion of warmth, the hair is a leftover from Tor'kils tropical ancestry, which served to cool the beast by keeping a constant airflow over the skin. In fact, on the now cool Tor'keem homeworld, clothing in the form of 'capes' made of small, furry animals are quite common. Starfleet has designed special uniforms for its Tor'keem officers, consisting of a loose-fitting cloth band which winds around the midsection; a thick band of service colour flanked by two narrow strips of black. The badge/communicator is worn close to the left shoulder, in easy reach and reception range. Another common misconception is that the Tor'keem are related to Terran mammals; it would appear that they are more bird-like. The females lay eggs in low, grassy nests which are guarded by the Gathering as a whole during the birthing season. Litters rarely produce more than two infants, which are taught grazing and social techniques by their parents before being left to fend for themselves (once a savage practise, now essentially means finding a job or applying for the college) at the age of 6. Tor'keem lifespans generally last roughly 50 to 60 years. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Creator/Adaptor e-mail address James Braun zambor@geocities.com Created for/First Use: SKC Vog'Rithi Storekeeper--USS CORONA NCC-2002 ----------------------------------------------------------------- Please check one: __ Canonical - All rights reserved by Paramount. __ Semi-Canonical - All rights reserved by Paramount. __ Non-Canonical - All rights reserved by companies specified: ______________________________________________________________ _X_ Original - All rights reserved by creator named above. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-