Mathenite

			Intelligent Lifeform Index

Mathenite
Four Letter Code	MATH
Federation Status	Neutral
Planet of Origin	Unknown
Encountered	DS9: "Second Skin"
T/E Rating	T0/E0
Current Tech Level	N
List of Named Mathenites
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The Mathenites are a humanoid species located in the Alpha Quadrant.

Home System

• Quadrant: Alpha
• Location: Tzen Poga Sector (A24-0003-1300 )
• Proper Name: Mathen (Terran Classification: Omicron-4 Pavlionis)
• Star:Class F (White) star
• Distance from Star: 88.35 million KM (.95 AU)
• Companions: 7 other planets. 4th planet in the system
• Moons:

History

Introduction

A people long fractured and divided, even after achieving both First Contact and Warp Flight, the Mathenites unified under a single government in the 2340s in the face of Cardassian aggression as they had done before, when faced with an external threat. Against all odds, what was supposed to be a temporary and weak alliance, was turned into a viable extraplanetary government with a vision to turn the Mathenites into a single, unified people.

However, just because this new government has the potential to unify the highly diverse tribes of the Mathenites, does not necessarily mean it can, or even will, as if faces strong backlash from various groups of people determined to hold on to their own unique identities and reject a singular, unifying Mathenite culture, and the difficulty of creating a multi-ethnic state from what was once a weak Assembly. In addition, there is the age-old problem of the colonies sent out by various nations reaching for a greater say in how the Confederacy is ran as their political power is limited in the upper branch of the legislature.

Early History

Since Mathenites value telling the history of their own particular sub-culture or ethnic group, rather than that of their entire race in general, there are many conflicting stories of the formation and early history of the species. However, many Mathenite and non Mathenite scholars have compiled a through enough history that there's broad points of agreement.

The cradle of life is the eastern continent of their homeworld (Rheghenda), and then they spread to the other continents from there, some over land bridges that have disappeared, and some by boat.

Government

The Confederacy

Still divided among many nation states on their Homeworld, the Mathenite Confederacy only has control over foreign policy, planetary and colonial defense, and the governance of the outlying colony worlds, essentially anything that does not concern the nations of the Homeworld, which it has next to no influence over, with all of its power resting with the states that support it. It has some economic controls but only between other interstellar governments, as the nation-states keep it that way. However, after the Dominion War, and increased Breen and pirate activity, there is a push for increased powers to the Confederacy to the detriment of the nation-states. This tension is so far restricted to the political arena.

The Confederate Parliament consists of a bi-cameral legislature, the Parliament of Peoples, and the Council of Executives. Every 8 or so years, the numbers are adjusted due to population growth, and if any changes are made to the number of member states, this also changes.

• The Parliament of Peoples consists of 3 Representatives to each member state (of which there are exactly 250 as of 2391) with a further 250 seats allocated to the Colonies based on proportional representation to their population. The Council of Executives is made up of 27 representatives divided into six regional territories.

• As of 2397, five (5) seats are allocated to the Dantehvon-Northern Rheghenda, three (3) seats are allocated to the Withestan-Eastern Islands, five (5) seats are allocated to Callodo, two (2) are allocated to Kardema, four (4) are allocated to southern Rheghenda, and six (6) are allocated to the colonies excluding Viseria, who gets two (2) seats seperatly.

The theme running through all political allocations resides in the state that the Mathenites were in forty years ago, the colonies happily submitted to the authority of the Confederacy while most of the nations were skeptical. The colonies provide the single largest voting bloc in both houses of Parliament, not a majority out right, but a heavily united front. It was hoped (and largely realized) that a strong colonial front would force the different states to find commonalities in their interests and band together, which has yielded mixed success since these alliances are mostly out of convenience and spread resentment among those Mathenites living on the homeworld that the colonies that they formerly ruled over, could have so much power. However, as this bloc is not reviewed, it also cements the homeworld lock on political power in the Executive, causing difficulty in the colonies.

The Confederacy itself is overseen by the Chairman who has broad, almost autocratic powers on extra-Homeworld affairs, but is near powerless when it comes to the nations that his authority fundamentally rests on. The Chairman is chosen from the ranks of the Parliament of the Peoples and confirmed by the Council of Executives.

The Mathenite Confederacy has a long standing feud with the Cardassian Union, and constantly oppose Cardassian interests in their region of space. Conquering the Mathenite worlds was once a very attractive idea to several generations of Cardassian Central Command, though in the face of this aggression, the Mathenites would always rally to protect their autonomy. "A Mathenite Conquest" is now a pejorative term in the Cardassian Union and the surrounding regions to describe something that has been attempted countless times before, but never succeeded. The last attempt at an invasion of the Mathenite colonies lead to the formation of the Mathenite Confederacy, and now the Cardassians face not a series of isolated, squabbling worlds, but a very strong coalition of wealthy and militarily powerful worlds whose government is eager to prove the strength of their new unity.

Confederate Colonial Authority

This authority runs the colonies, and while colonial members make up 40% of leadership positions, the leadership is overwhelmingly from Homeworld. This authority, rather than the normal departments of the Confederation, is the ultimate legal authority and manages all departments, which often results in the colonists having less say and rights than their counterparts directly represented in the legislature. In addition, as the authority often has to manage long running low-grade intensity conflicts, it has sweeping military and legal powers.

While some native species on Mathenite colonized planets have submitted to the Mathenite hegemony, there are a few races that haven't, and some of those have resorted to terrorism to drive the colonial occupiers out. On those planets, resentment towards the Authority is usually lesser. As some colonies do not even encompass entire planets, border skirmishes between the colonials and the native people are also a problem, as is the problem of continued territory expansion to acquire resources and room to expand. This tension would often lead to overwhelming force used against protests, such as an incident on Zeta Pavlionis-III in 2383 that resulted in a protest from the Federation over the death of Federation citizens.

Description

Mathenites are very similar to Humans, with a few minor aesthetic differences. Mathenites have pointed or rounded ears, longer fingers, a taller and thinner frame, slightly increased strength, and most of the population has light hair. Mathenites also (like Humans) have many racial/ethnic groups that are largely split between cultural traditions, rather than skin tone or other physical features, but never the less, value their uniqueness when compared to other groups.

Faal

The Faal have a wide range of light skin colors though most are some degree of tan, with pale skin being a rarity and only occurring in great numbers in northern Dantehvon. Their tan skin and light hair are what separate them physically from the peoples Rheldon and the northern desert peoples of Rheghenda.

Call

the Peoples inhabiting the northern reaches of Callodo, the Call have chalk white skin, platinum white hair and narrow eyes, all adaptations to survive in their native environment that stretches from northern tundra, to verdant vales, and reaches into the arid costal plains west of the Montreks.

The Call inhabiting the south of Callodo, either in the Northern Montreks or the lands on the costal plains to the west of that, are ethnically different than their northern neighbors and have many cultural differences. The Southern Call also have some minor but widespread interbreeding with the Faal, and combined with their warmer climate, are usually a bit tanner than the northerners and their white hair as a slight gold tint to it.

Diserk

The Diserk are the dark skinned peoples to the south of the Rheghenda Desert and Ollintaq, who built many of the greatest achievements of ancient Mathenite architecture. The Diserk are largely considered to be the most wary of the Mathenite racial groups and they remain renowned for their architectural genius. The Diserk possess various degrees of dark skin, with golden hair and the most diverse range of eye colors among any of the Mathenite races.

Many Diserk were followers of the religion The Light of the Dark Sky, and most followed the tradition of building 'shrines' on their birthdays, and for the departed, to represent themselves or others in physical form. This was part of the focus of beauty through form, or the reflection of memory in physical form.

The Rheld & The Kard

Closely related genetically, the Rheld and the Kard inhabit the continent of Kardema and the sub-continent of Rheldon, though are not one distinct racial or ethnic group. The Rheld are pale skinned, dark haired, and amber eyed, while the Kard are swarthy skinned and light eyed, and they have very few (but some noticeable) cultural similarities.

The Rheld are often seen by not just the Kard, but by the rest of the Mathenites as a plain, simple, and weak people, who are intensely religious and wary of scientific advancement. The Kard on the other hand, were the first people to achieve interstellar flight, to circumnavigate the world, and to establish an offworld colony (albeit a failed one) and have long been at the forefront of technological advancement, like the Faal.

Withesta & Island Natives

The natives of the continent of Withesta and the surrounding islands are largely a multi-racial people with the only 'pure' strains of native blood being found in inland Withesta and the island chain of Ollessan, though these are two completely different groups. The natives of Withesta have a phenotype similar to the Call but have much darker hair and skin, though have similar eye shape and color. The Ollessan natives are almost exactly like the Call but have jet black hair and are slightly shorter.

The Rheghenda Natives

Technically two distinct peoples, the northerners being a Faal off-shoot and the southerners being a Diserk descended people, the Rheghenda Desert Natives are closely tied by shared cultural traditions of their desert homeland. They share a religion, many social customs and there is no tradition of rivalry or prejudice being based on skin color or other physical features. They both inhabit the same cities (what few there are) and are marked both by a strong will to survive and a compassionate edge, with a fiercely independent streak.

While there are few cities in the Rheghenda Nations, that is largely due to preference, with the smaller villages still as technologically advanced as any city on the planet. While there is a division into tribes and city states, the natives located to the South joined the Diserk-created Federal Republics of South Rheghenda and natives located to the north created the North Rheghenda Confderation, a confederation of local polities. Very few of these native groups leave Mathen, mostly interested in the desert, although a substantial number are over represented in Mathenite's leading authors and ecologists.

The Northern Rheghenda are physically differentiated from the Faal by their chalk white skin, black hair and blue eyes and the southern Rheghenda are known by their angular features, light brown skin and darker eyes.

Physiology

Mathenites are anatomically similar to Humans and the only major differences are their higher frequencies of light hair, pointed or rounded ears, taller average height and slimmer frames. Mathenites also have a longer life span of roughly 260 years, though this is not constant over the entire species as they are still divided into many disparate nation states, some at severely limited stages of technological advancement. As such, the populations of wealthier Mathenite nations (And most colonies) have lifespans of roughly 300 years, while some of the poorer Mathenites have life expectancies only just reaching into the 210s.

Due to the evolution and larger amount of flourine on Mathen, most Mathenites can tolerate higher concentrations of flourine than most other species

Mathenites can go without water for just over a week, and some of the more extreme survival stories out of the Rheghenda dessert speak of tribesmen surviving for three weeks without water, though these have yet to be verified.

Psychology

The Mathenites possess a wide variety of personality types comparable to many other species. Those Mathenites born on the Homeworld or perhaps on one of the older colonies like Viseria tend to have a "High" attitude about them, turning their noses down at the colonials. The Colonials frequently have a more gun-ho attitude and are remarkably resourceful and strong mentally and physically. There are strong tensions between the Colonials and those born on the Homeworld (sometimes called 'HM's' after the Rheghenda Him-Mhiral, 'Old Dwellers') and the fact that most of the CA's leadership is made up of those Mathenites born on the homeworld or from families that make up the Patrician classes on the colonies does not alleviate this.

Religion

Mathenite religious beliefs are diverse and there are many major religions, most of which cross racial and ethnic divides. The Mathenites of the homeworld tend to be more 'spiritual' than 'religious' and Mathenite psychologists are famous for their psychoanalysis of religious believers and nonbelievers and what factors such as economic conditions, ethnic origin, upbringing, education, and other factors influence belief and religiosity. Most Mathenites believe in a personal deity and an afterlife, and others believe in a universal spirit or life force. A small minority of Mathenites are irreligious and fall in favor of an atheist or agnostic identity. Despite this, there are "Five Great Faiths of Mathen", with varying degrees of focus on spiritualism over religion, that 68.5% of all Mathenites belonged to.

One of the major religions, the Light of the Dark Sky, a form of ancestor and spirit worship, is characterized by believing that the ancestors are an extant force in life, as well as the stars themselves, who watch over everyone.. At one time, this religion formed the backbone of a theocratic feudal monarchy.

In a culture plagued by ethnic, racial and nationalistic conflict, religion is far from the top position of the list of things that the Mathenites fight over, in fact interfaith dialogue yields some of the most productive intra-species talks on peace and equality.

Society

While society on the Mathenite homeworld is diverse due to it's many ethnic groups, there are some similarities that form a nascent global culture that is slowly developing alongside the Confederacy. Mathenites as a whole tend to be largely what they consider egalitarian and most cultures have a very strong code of civic and personal responsibility. Mathenites are orderly to the point of militarism and many see the State in an almost divine aspect, something to love and respect, and something worth dying over.

Mathenites believe in differences between the sexes, with Men and Women largely performing separate tasks for certain roles. Mathenite families are very important and it is expected that women take the formative role in the child's early life as a caretaker and nurturing figure. In these early years, the father is not so much absent as he is on the periphery, expected to support his wife and child and to see to their wellbeing. Being a negligent parent is seen as tantamount to murder in the eyes of most Mathenites. When the child comes into puberty, that is when both parents take a largely equal role in the child's life, though gradually as adulthood nears, the same-sex parent will become the 'primary parent' to teach and impart knowledge on what it means to be a man or a woman in Mathenite society.

Marriage is likewise important to the Mathenites and while, in the eyes of outsiders, their child-bearing practices may be archaic, their marriages are quite progressive and are true partnerships. Both men and women are expected to devote themselves to their familial unit, though in different ways, as keeping with their notion of differences between the sexes.

This overly ordered society is often seen as too authoritarian to other cultures, but to the Mathenites themselves, it is natural. They socialize, have leisure activities, and engage in other interests, but when there is something to be done, there is something to be done and most will not shirk from their duty.

However, there is a large segment of Mathenites who do not follow this school of thought, which originates from the Kard philosopher Ilssen Daei. This philosophy, sometimes referred to as the 'Living State', is extremely popular among the Confederacy, is not universally followed. (However, as most offworld Mathenites encountered by other species are likely to be officials, this is the prominently demonstrated public face.)

Culture

In a word, 'Diverse'. Mathenite cultures are supremely varied and have many idiosyncrasies to them. While there has been some cultural cross breeding, the nature of Mathenite culture means that you can walk a few miles to a town in a different nation or different sub culture, and find differences that change the meaning in ways that are stunning despite being the same on the surface.

Like in most worlds, most cultures have their own origin myths and mythology.

Customs

Mathenite customs depend on the particular culture one encounters, there are no pan-species customs that stand out among the galactic variety, though many sub-cultures possess very complex customs and rituals.

Technology

The Mathenites have similar technology to the Federation and are more advanced in some areas than the Cardassians and the Tzenkethi, their interstellar neighbors and rivals. Mathenite civil technology is different than that of the Federation and they rely on holography and hard light projectors for interfaces.

Economy

The Mathenite worlds are very wealthy as a whole, though some reap the perks of colonialism more than others. The Homeworld and the Colony of Viseria are the wealthiest Mathenite worlds and bask in the glory such wealth provides Elsewhere, some colonies are simple agricultural worlds with minor mining operations, and some, like Qunulu, are industrial worlds that provide the backbone of the Mathenite production machine.

With the formation of the Confederacy, deals are often made with the government directly to provide access to the guild controlled markets.

Military

The Mathenite military is mostly under control of the Confederation, with some nation states still possessing military powers. A substantial portion of this military is delegated to the Colonial Authority, which requires it to secure the colonial worlds and trade routes in Mathenite space.

Their Navy is the primary focus of the military, more than able to secure their borders and protect their ever important trade routes. The Colonial Authority's ground forces are well trained and more than used to dealing with tense situations with quick and decisive shows of force. Minor colonial insurrections have been put down brutally in the last few years, as have pirate raids and smuggling.

The Mathenite military is famed for 'overkill' and for their brutal application of force in order to prove to the galaxy that the Confederacy is a force to be reckoned with.

In pursuit of this military focus, the Mathenite Navy combines their science and engineering departments into one department rather than have dedicated science personnel.

Colonies

The Mathenite Confderation contains several colonial worlds. The major worlds are:

• Utaru - a mining colony near Bajor
• Edek - a sparsely populated Mathenite colony world
• Viseria - the first extrastral colony.
• Kara - the banking hub of the Confederation
• Vitakscia - the artistic hub of the Confederation

One of their major conflict zones is

• Nuradem

There are several colonies not yet considered 'major', listed here:

Lowenzu

• Date Founded: 2159
• Population: 130 Million
• Capital: Shersheye
• % of Surface Under Mathenite Control: 30%
• Territories: Shersheye Bay, The Xara Coves, The Hallussian Islands

Lowenzu is a vibrant jungle world, and some would say too vibrant, home to utterly ferocious plant and animal life, that has grown to phenomenal size, suggesting that the planet is still in its mega-fauna stage. Lowenzu has a rich amount of mineral wealth, but in light of its dangerous environment, the resource gathering is centered on the other planets in the system. Instead, the inhabitants of Lowenzu rely on the tourist industry itself, and more recently have become master shipbuilders, building ship both in orbital shipyards and unique oceanic shipyards like the sea-going vessels of old. Because of its shipyards and the surrounding system's vast metal wealth, Lowenzu became the location of the headquarters of the Colonial Authority and the main military base of its forces both naval and ground. Lowenzu today is a venerable fortress, hosting both a large tourism industry and one of the largest shipyards in the alpha quadrant, all protected by the utter might of the Confederate fleet.

Noria

• Date Founded: 2259
• Population: 100 Million
• Capital: Norian City
• % of Surface Under Mathenite Control: 100%
• Territories: Norian Valley, Taran Mountains, Evorun River Valley

What colonial development should look like, Norian is a typical high-tech garden world with modern, sustainable cities accentuated against a lush environment. Norian's colonists have been a little more concerned with the environment around them than some other Mathenite worlds and Norian remains a shinning example of proper colonial development, if a bit provincial and novel in the eyes of the Homeworld.

Issenzu

• Date Founded: 2106
• Population: 70,000
• Capital: Issenzu
• % of Surface Under Mathenite Control: 100%
• Territories: Issenzu Plainum

A small research outpost mixed with several mining operations, Issenzu is a frozen rock just above the bare minimum for habitation by the Mathenites. Though largely insignificant, the Issenzu Mathenites are known for their unique culture of direct democracy, environmentalism, mandatory tertiary education, and the promotion of science.

New Loitsia

• Date Founded: 2113
• Population: 600 Million
• Capital: Halkerdan
• % of Surface Under Mathenite Control: 100%
• Territories: Daru Bay, Cape of Evsin, Evsin Peninsula

The planet Loitsia is the planet that the tropical moon of New Loitsia orbits, and was stripped mined over a century of over-mining to get at its utterly rich deposits of metals and minerals. The wealth gained from this exploitation single handedly funded entire governments back on the Homeworld for decades and was enough to develop a new world for the former population of the now barren world to live on. The native species of Loitsia was also given another planet as conciliation, though most would say this hardly makes up for turning Loitsia into a toxic, mined out husk. The inhabitants of New Loitsia are slightly more careful of the planet they currently reside on, but only just and the planet teeters on the verge of sustainability, it's over consumption negated by its population. It is one of the major projects and signs of cooperation between the Federation and Mathenite Authority as the two are working together to restore both Loitsia and New Loitsia. The project is projected to take centuries.

Beyond that, there are 8 other colones in various stages of development. One such colony is Zeta Pavlionis, located reasonably close to Nuradem.

Federation Intelligence Assessment, circa 2396

Before the 2350s, the Mathenite colonies and nations of the homeworld were lucrative, if peripheral trade ventures, and lacked political coalescence save in the application of the enormous wealth their trade routes brought to their worlds.

Since the rise of the Confederacy, the Mathenites have quickly formed into an important regional power (or at least, a potential one), in possession of vast wealth, material resources, and a strong and capable military.

While Mathenite colonial expansion had tapered off years before the formation of the Confederacy, there is now a concern that the Mathenites might use their new unity to colonize worlds closer to the Federation and the borders of the shattered Cardassian Union. The situation on Nuradem, the colony closest to Federation space, is also of particular interest because of its unique situation and highly valuable resources, not to mention strategic location.

While content before to sit back and let the Mathenite worlds squabble among themselves, and let their colonialism expand unchecked, there is now a pronounced interest among both Starfleet and the Federation Council about the Mathenite Confederacy, which could become a major thorn in the side of the Federation, and draw them into a military quagmire.

With this in mind, the Federation has reached out to assist them with multiple projects such as eco-restoration, and to mediate in several conflict zones.

References

• DS9: Second Skin
• Star Trek: Star Charts
• Moved to Need Reviewed Section by CC Magistrate due to user creation and no CC Approval on File See CC Bylaw 4.