Vasudans

Vasudans

Physiognonmy

http://freespace.volitionwatch.com/techfs/jeremy/vasudans.jpg Vasudans, much like Terrans, are carbon based bipeds, standing upright with their two arms and hands used to manipulate tools. These similarities have done much to heal Terran-Vasudan relations and share technologies based on relative compatibility. Usually standing at least two meters tall, Vasudans have brown, mottled skin, powerful muscles and a durable biological system to help them withstand starvation and drought.

History

Vasudans originate on the fourth planet of the Vasuda Prime system, the only planet in that system that is capable of supporting life. The fourth planet of the Vasuda Prime system (also known as Vasuda Prime) is a relatively hostile world. Both of the twin continents of Vasuda Prime are almost entirely desert, and most of the above-ground water is, even by Vasudan standards, undrinkable. In order to adapt to these surroundings, Vasudans developed quite rapidly.

Culture

The Vasudans are a civilization of philosophers, artists, and scholars. They immerse themselves in the teachings of those who came before them, perceiving history not as a linear chronology of events but as a space inhabited by both the living and the dead.

Vasudan society is complex and filled with peril for the outsider ignorant of their culture. Vasudans have a range of social tests and protocols, such as The Conversation. A Terran mishandling of The Conversation is presumed to be one of the major causes of [The 14-Year War]. Prior to the ascension of [Khonsu II], The Vasudan government was parliamentary in nature, presided over by the Imperial family and the Ambassadors, who are quasi-royal go-betweens for the Parliament and the Imperium.

To the Terran outsider, Vasudan society appears convoluted and ritualistic. The Vasudans themselves may seem arrogant, treacherous, and superstitious. On the other hand, Vasudans tend to view Terrans as aggressive, paranoid, and stupid. Thirty years of peaceful interaction between Terrans and Vasudans has helped to deconstruct these stereotypes.

The crowning achievement of the Vasudan civilization is its language. For the average Terran, the formalities governing its usage are beyond comprehension. Syntax and vocabulary are dictated by such factors as the speaker's age, rank, and caste, the time of day and the phase of the Vasudan calendar, and the relative spatial position of the speaker to the Emperor. This is further compounded by the existence of several alphabets, dozens of verb tenses, and thousands of dialects. A translation device is standard on all GTVA communications systems, enabling Terrans and Vasudans to understand each other.

Technology

Vasudan space exploration has been driven primarily by the need to find planets capable of sustaining their species. As resources on Vasuda Prime have diminished, the drive to colonize has intensified among Vasudans in recent decades.

Because the Vasudan homeworld was primarily desert, the Terrans used Egyptian names to designate Vasudan warships during the Terran-Vasudan War and the Great War. After the defeat of the Shivans, the Vasudans insisted on maintaining this convention. The Emperor strongly identified with the history of Ancient Egypt, particularly the longevity of its civilization. Following their Emperor's example, Vasudans will take on what they call a Terran name from the myths and history of Ancient Egypt.