Serilian
| Intelligent Lifeform Index |
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| Serilian | |
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| Four Letter Code | SERI |
| Federation Status | Allied |
| Planet of Origin | Serilia |
| Encountered | DS9: Meridian |
| T/E Rating | T0/E0 |
| Current Tech Level | NR |
| List of Named Serilians | |
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Full ILI Gallery • Permitted Species Gallery | |
- "Step carefully, I will accept no insult to family or clan."
- a Serilians saying.
- "Step carefully, I will accept no insult to family or clan."
- The Serilians are a species well known for holding a grudge. In fact there are clans on their world that have been at war with one another for more than a thousand years because of some minor insult.
Home System
- Quadrant: Alpha
- Location: Valius Sector (coordinates A22-0004-1300)
- Proper Name: Seril system
- Star: It orbits a class A (white) star
- Distance from Star: it's orbit is approximately 52 million km
- Companions: It is the 4th planet of 9 in the system
- Moons: it has 3 moons.
Home World
- Proper Name: Seril IV
- Diameter: 22,829 km (14,185 miles)
- Gravity: 1.04 standard gravity with a density of 3.2
- Axial Tilt: 11.7%, with normal seasonal changes
- Orbital Period: 436 days
- Rotational Period: 29 hours
- Classification: M
- Surface Water: 56%
- Atmosphere: 0.96% is a standard pressure with 72% nitrogen, 25% oxygen, 3% trace chemicals
- Climate: Mainly a temperate planet
- Terrain: It has numerous islands covered with small mountain ranges and they are very hilly with numerous sheltered valleys.
- Population: Just over 8 billion
History
At no time in their history has their ever been complete internal peace. At the same time they have never had any small or large scale wars. All of the conflicts have been disagreements between different clans. Some have lasted for centuries and others have been relatively short lived. In some cases whole clans have been exterminated but these are rare cases.
Regardless these disagreements are governed by a complex and ritualistic set of rules and conditions that have been in use since before their written history began.
The Cardassians had considered annexing their world the same as they had Bajor but decided it was not worth the effort. The planet was no where near as rich in agricultural or raw materials as Bajor. Besides they doubted the Serilians could be forced to give up their bizarre clan warfare. As a result they left them alone.
During the occupation of Bajor by the Cardassians, the Serilians were one of the few species which maintained diplomatic ties with the Bajorans. They refused to acknowledge the alien military government and while they could never prove it the Cardassians suspected the Serilians of providing the Bajoran rebels with explosives.
In 2371, a Serilian ambassador arrived on Deep Space 9 and was welcomed by Major Kira. As a result of this visit Constable Odo increased security and made special arrangements to ensure his safety.
Government
The Serilians have an unusual and chaotic government with the head of each clan sitting on the planetary council. All of these clan leaders are considered equal regardless of the size of the clan that they represent. This has resulted in explosive disagreements, arguments and numerous duels.
Description
They are a humanoid species with light brown, weather worn, leathery skin tones. Both the males and the females wear their ebony black hair long. Usually down to the small of their backs. The males use a simple leather tie to secure their hair in a single bundle at the back of their heads. Females use colorful scarves to accomplish the same thing.
Their eyes tend to be black or dark brown in color. Their faces are usually narrow with high cheekbones and aquiline noses. Most of them are in good health and obesity is very rare. While they may vary in size and shape the males tend to be athletic and stocky with the females being slim and graceful.
Physiology
Just like most intelligent humanoids they have a complex system with unique enzymes and chemicals as well as specialized internal organs.
Psychology
They do not have any special individuals trained in treating mental disorders. If any member of a clan exhibits strange or unusual behavior they are treated, cared for and looked after by the clan.
If they do not improve them the males are allowed to distinguish themselves in the next clan disagreement or as a substitute in a duel. Females get locked away and slowly deteriorate till they die.
Religion
They believe in a small pantheon of gods and goddess’s. An extended family with each one being responsible for some aspect of normal daily life.
Mythology
Every clan has a large collection of tales and legends about events and individuals who either were members of the clan or who were there when something unusual occurred. As would be expected a larger than average number of these usually have to deal with one clan conflict or another.
Society
Everything revolves around the honor of the clan and one’s family. All members of a clan tend to live close to one another. Some intermixing of clan members may occur in villages and towns but seldom in the country side.
Crime is almost unheard of except as part of the many different clan disagreements. Even then these acts follow the accepted rules.
Culture
Music, dance and long exuberant celebrations involving both plus lots of food and strong drink seem to be the extent of their culture. They have no interest in other art forms and find them to be rather pointless.
Customs
Marriage
Marriages are always arranged by the head of a family or if there is no head then by the clan leader. A female is always selected from another clan and once the ceremony has been completed she is no longer considered a member of the other clan in any way.
In fact the most important part of the ceremony is when she is permanently exiled from her birth clan. This is followed by her adoption into the clan of her husband. Then her husband brands her forearms with the symbol of his clan, marking her permanently as one of them.
Manhood
Upon reaching the age of 15 a male is considered a man. As part of this he undergoes a long strenuous physical test to prove that he is worthy of being a member of the clan. Upon passing the test he is then branded on the forearms with the symbol of his clan and awarded with his own Jansan, the traditional knife carried by every single adult male.
If he fails to pass the physical tests he will be tossed out of the clan and exiled for life.
Clan Honor
Since long before they established a written language the Serilian people have fought to protect the honour of their clans. As time progressed a series of rules and accepted conduct arose to govern these disagreements and regardless of the severity of the fighting these rules have always been followed.
A couple of the these rules are that those not involved with the disagreement between 2 clans do not get involved in any way unless they want to become combatants as well.
They also do not involve aliens species in these conflicts which seem to be more a thing of clan honor than anything else. This includes no clan conflict off world regardless of the severity of the disagreement between the clans involved.
Jansan
This is the traditional knife used by all Serilian males and is always carried at all times by them. It has an 8 inch razor sharp blade and a handle that is formed to fit the owners hand. It is custom made and given as a gift when they reach the age of 15 and have passed the tests of manhood.
They treat these knives almost with ritualistic reverence. As a result if the blade is ever drawn it may not be sheathed until it has drawn blood. This seems to be partially to ensure that no one pulls his knife foolishly but may also have a much more important significance culturally speaking. As a result they will cut themselves and smear the blood on the blade if need be before or while speaking these words, An’Al Neth’rack uths’Fed bath’Ud. Only then can they sheath the blade.
Technology
They are about as advanced as the Bajorans even though they may not seem to be.
Economy
They trade with a number of different species including the Bajorans. However they refuse to have any dealings with the Ferengie.
Military
They have a small military made up of ships owned by some of the larger, richer clans. These ships belong to the clan that mans them and answer only to their clan leader. As would be expected there is a lot of difference between many of the ships as they are not constructed to any specific plan.
Strangely enough these ships and their crews never take part in any clan disagreements. Not unless the crew is on the surface of their home world.
Federation Intelligence Files
For more data see Federation Intelligent file # DS9-2371-8362.
Sources
Memory Alpha was used as a source.
SDC
This file was updated and approved by the SDC on 4 January 2014
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SPECIES PROFILE UPDATED This profile was revised by the Species Development Committee. |
REV 239401.31 | ||
| Please add any new information discovered during the course of a mission or shore leave. | ||||
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