Bolians

Bolians are distinguished by their light blue skin and a bifurcated ridge running down the center of their face. They are extremely dedicated to duty, and they are exceptionally hard workers. They have an affinity for group dynamics and organization.

Bolarus IX

Homeworld of the Bolians, Bolarus IX is one of the primary worlds of the Federation. Bolarus IX features a large number of small landmasses, islands, archipelagos, and atolls surrounded by major oceans, isolating most of the major cities from one another. Only three islands are really large enough to be called continents, and each of these is still smaller than any single continent on earth. The world is largely a water world, and the disparate nature of the most early population centers caused much of the independent cultural development that remains apparent among the various Bolian races to this day. There are no large anchoring continental masses, and as a result the legendary surface storms of Bolarus IX are able to move across the planet's surface unchecked by geographic barriers.

The work-oriented Bolians are a talented species with an unparalleled ability to work with others. This synergistic talent has made them popular throughout both Starfleet and the Federation at large; their ability to facilitate complex group dynamics while solving difficult or seemingly insurmountable problems has drawn many into fields involving science, medicine, research, and technology.

Hard-working and strictly regimented, Bolians are always seeking knowledge; they believe innovation and learning will allow them better to understand and therefore control the universe around them. For this reason, Bolarus IX has become a center for learning within the Federation, home to some of the finest engineering and applied science academies in the galaxy. However, the workload the Bolians expet a student to carry is enough to cause most non-Bolian students to drop out within the first year. Graduates are, understandably, highly respected throughout the UFP.

Culture

Since ancient times the Bolians have been a seafaring people, and the raging oceans are a source of great interest to the Bolians, who spent many centuries in their early history studying them and the strong tidal currents which rule them. The planet's atmosphere features a nitrogen-oxygen-argon mix slightly different from Earth's making it an argon-rich environment.

Bolians marry in pairs - to start. Since many of Bolarus' traditions arose out of the nautical tradition of its inhabitants, and the best source of crew for your vessel is of course your family, polygamy was never frowned upon. If the two partners in a marriage both consent and love a third deeply, the third Bolian can be added into the marriage (which is generally a secular ceremony performed by the eldest member of each family). There is no theoretical limit on the upper size of a Bolian marriage, though in practicality and due to the time it takes for a Bolian to become comfortable enough with another person to consider marriage (there is no divorce on Bolarus), it is rare for marriages with more than four or five spouses to arise.

Bolian "crystal steel" is a highly collectible, nonreplicatable material and usually not available.

Bolians are, to say the least, gregarious. Families can easily produce up to ten children, and so a typical Bolian childhood is possessed of many children and very little quiet. Family is very important to the Bolians, and often a family will serve as the crew of a large houseboat (which has itself been passed down from generation to generation, often for hundreds of years).

Centuries of naval warfare before the advent of modern technology gave rise to a 'warrior's code of sorts, which is outlined further in the section titled "adel'iin".

Bolian fashion typically involves billowy shirts under jackets that do not close in the center, with decorative shoulders that bear ridges that rise above the collarbone.

Food And Drink

Bolian whiskey is probably the most famous beverage hailing from Bolarus IX; itself a misnomer, the 'whiskey' is really a fruit wine that tastes vaguely like apples and caramel. It is colored a pale blue, not as vibrant as Romulan ale (though certain intrepid con artists try and pass it off as the illegal substance), and is sold in tall, thin, tapered bottles.

Bolian Tonic Water is popular on Federation worlds and has properties that calm the nerves of humanoids.

A traditional feature of Bolian cuisine is that partially decayed meat is often used, though contrary to popular belief, the meat is always cooked. Seafood, both raw and prepared, comprises a significant majority of the average Bolian's diet, and on his own world it is said a Bolian can determine the type of fish and location of origin from taste alone. An iridescent mussel-like shellfish is a particular delicacy, called a name that translates into Federation Standard as 'shimmershells'.
 

Sports and Games

The Bolian Vectorboard, similar in appearance to a surfboard, is an aerodynamic form constructed out of polyduranide and slightly larger than its aquatic forebears. The vehicle is propelled through the air at speeds reaching up to 200 MPH. The rider stays on board using either magnetic boots or polyduranidde foot straps, and operates the board through a combination of balance and reaction control thrusters directed via a foot pedal under the lead foot. Vectorboarding is a popular pastime on many Federation planets, though strict ordinances regulate when and where a vectorboard can be ridden. They come in a variety of sizes and colors.

Philosophy

The Bolian people have an innate affinity for cooperation and group dynamics. They are chronic "workaholics" who often seem happy only when they are doing something productive and useful. However, the unique synergistic qualities possessed by the species allow them to gravitate and excel at team-related occupations - research, medicine, science, etc. This explains, in part, the selflessness and heroism shown by many Bolians in the face of death or emergency circumstances; they understand that another member of the "team" will be there to provide support or aid in their moment of need.

Bolians are also characterized by their meticulousness. They pay a great deal of attention to detail and efficiency, and enjoy creating order out of chaos. They work very hard, considering their duties to be a matter of honor. However, they do not consider failure to be a bad thing - only not trying in the first place is looked down upon. As long as he gives a task his best effort, a Bolian sees no shame in failing; nothing in the universe is simple and one can always learn from one's mistakes and try again.

Bolians value knowledge and enjoy exchanging information, sometimes too much for other species' comfort. They are always full of advice, which Bolians consider useful and always welcome. If someone ignores or dismisses their advice, that only makes them work harder at learning as much as possible about the subject so that the next time their suggestions might be accepted.

Bolian selflessness and dedication to service are nigh-legendary. People say, and correctly, that a Bolian will not refuse a task, no matter how dangerous it is, as long as it is helpful and somehow beneficial to others. While Bolians exemplify the ideals of the Federation and their dedication to work and their practical convictions, they can be quite narrow in their outlook, concentrating their energies and thoughts so much on their work and its attendant details that they sometimes lose sight of what really matters in life. While Bolians often have a fine sense of aesthetics and good taste, they do not allow their love of such things to interfere with their work. Although some Bolians manage to break from this pattern to explore creative pursuits, even these individuals typically work very hard at what they do and put in long hours ensuring that everything is done just right.

Many Federation citizens think of Bolians as cold "work machines"; the truth is quite the opposite. Bolians are seething with emotions, particularly fears. They are constant worriers, fearing that their work is not perfect or that they have somehow offended their associates and will be abandoned. While they do not look down upon failure, they still strive for success in all things, especially when dealing with other species. They conceal their emotions under a hard-working exterior, often believing that if they show their true emotions others will reject them. As a result, it is often difficult for Bolians to form close lasting relationships with other species. The fear of being alone is also a driving force for the Bolians - being alone is bad enough, to be avoided at all costs, but dying alone is thought to carry the connotation of an eternity of silence. Burial at sea is common for Bolians, and cremation considered an abhorrence.

History

The Bolians' native wanderlust led them to explore and settle their planet early, shaking out into three superpowers after a few centuries of warfare - Bol'ki, Bol'se, and Bol'ra. Although the three states worked together, each still considered itself superior to the other two. An uneasy peace lasted throughout their industrial age, and the Great Migration (the Bolian colonization of their sea floor, since the planet's surface is 90 percent water). After spaceflight had been developed and the Bolarus system colonized, though, two neighboring civilizations, the Iren and Uzor, who had been at war for decades, made contact with the Bol'rabi and the Bol'kirans. Each nation took sides in the interstellar conflict, and the Bol'setu's efforts to preserve peace were unsuccessful. As Bol'rabi and Bol'kiran forces were poised to begin a world war for control of Bolarus' extensive mineral resources, a Federation scout ship came out of warp in 2252, attracted by Bolian warp drive experiments on Bolarus XIII. The formal contact with the Federation stayed the hands of the Bolian leaders, and as dialogues were opened with the Federation the Iren and the Uzor withdrew their presence from the planet.

The Bolians, several years later, were invited to join the Federation on the condition that they could establish a planetary government. During the negotiations for its formation, though, the ancient rivalries flared up again and the talks broke down almost before they'd begun. The UFP withdrew its offer after seeing the infighting, but many of the moderate Bolian leaders still sought membership. The most vocal proponent for world unity was an aged Bolian diplomat called Vaxx. He felt that until the Bolians overcame their ancient prejudices, Bolarus IX would never be able truly to take its place int he growing interstellar community.

Wiser Bolians from all three nations realized that the benefits of Federation membership were too great to pass up, and after several years of campaigning, Vaxx received the support necessary from each state. The World Council was formed shortly thereafter, and although the early years appeared shaky, the natural Bolian synergistic qualities and affinity for cooperation allowed a relatively smooth transition.

The UFP, however, still had its doubts. It took an act of great bravery and heroism for the Bolians to convince the Federation. A group of local scientists and researchers established by the World Council was able to predict the collapse of the star of Uzor, which would have extinguished the civilization that had almost done the same to Bolarus decades earlier. Determined to prevent this tragedy, the Bolians mobilized their limited space forces and managed to evacuate over 80 percent of the population of Uzor IV before the planet was destroyed.

After this demonstration of solidarity, the World Council was deemed an acceptable world government, and Federation membership was granted in 2322. Today the Bolian World Council stands as a testament to the will, unity, and cooperative nature of the Bolian people.

Since joining the Federation, the Bolians have contributed a great deal in a short time. Some of their accomplishments include the ongoing development of advanced antigravity technology, the invention of new metallurgical and alloy processing techniques, and the creation of a new dilithium crystallization process. perhaps even more important are the large numbers of Bolian recruits in Starfleet, who have proven themselves to be fiercely loyal and devoted to the Federation and its ideals. Although Bolarus IX has only been a UFP member for fifty years, few Federation member worlds have become such valued contributors in such a brief period of time.

Adel'iin

Seemingly elegant, and yet brutal in its purpose, the art of adel'iin dates back at least to Bolian pre-history in some form or another, if not back to the time of the proto-Bolians themselves. Simply put, adel'iin is a form of underwater wrestling: a graceful contest of two sleek forms beneath the waves, with the intent of eventually immobilizing the foe for one of two purposes. In its earliest form, adel'iin (or a primitive version thereof) was employed as a contest between males for the right to mate with a female. The loser, once immobilized, would be held underwater while the winner stuck his head up to breathe, until the vanquished Bolian either submitted or drowned. The winner could then go on to another bout, this time with the female, though the act of submission on her part entailed copulation rather than death. The natural flexibility of an average Bolian, the interaction (or lack thereof) of their skin oils with the sea water, and relative vulnerability of he who took the time to surface for a breath makes adel'iin as much as contest of stamina as dexterity and skill.

Modern adel'iin is still practiced in tournaments, with the loser going slack to simulate death and signify his surrender to the judges. Certain families also still make a point of forcing a suitor to defeat one of his intended's fathers before he can be permitted to wed the daughter.

It should be noted that the custom of completely shaving the head is a direct result of the rise of adel'iin as a means of resolving disputes. While the practice of challenging another Bolian to a duel beneath the waves is rarely used, it has never formally been outlawed. Having a head of hair is a decided disadvantage when using adel'iin, not only because of the added drag but because it provides an ideal handhold (early adel'iin resembled 'catfights' from pre-warp Earth, with much hair-grabbing). The shaved head has persisted into modern times as a silent message: 'I know adel'iin, and can best you.' Whether or not the Bolian in question really knows adel'iin is another story, but the message is there. Bolians who take to pacifism for one reason or another grow their hair out in silent protest.

The process of the duel beneath the waves, or the tzian'adel'iin ('taking the dispute to the sea'), is not nearly as formal as the Andorian ushaan, or any similar Terran custom. Rather, it more resembles the simplicity of a Klingon duel: A Bolian challenges another, they immediately head to the nearest deep water with a neutral judge, and fight until one is subdued. In the past, such duels would be to the death, but in modern times it more resembles a tournament bout; the loser slackens and yields their position in the dispute.

Where the tzian'adel'iin differs from the Klingon way of resolving conflicts is the frequency (or lack thereof) of its use. It is very rare that two Bolians arrive at an impasse they cannot talk or negotiate through, and invoking the tzian'adel'iin is a last resort - because in actuality, more than half of the Bolians who shave their scalps do not actually know the forms and techniques of adel'iin.

Physical Characteristics

Bolians are humanoid, though they are evolved from porpoise-like aquatic mammals rather than primates. They are distinguished by their light blue, slightly leathery skin, a bifurcated ridge which runs down the center of their faces, and a cartilaginous lining on their tongues, which only attach to their mouths at the backs of their throats. While they do have hair, males shave it as a sign of warrior prowess; some females do likewise. Bolians have blue-colored, cobalt-based blood, and their blood chemistry is quite different from that of Vulcans; Vulcan blood is toxic to Bolians and vice-versa. Andorian blood, on the other hand, is compatible with Bolian blood.

Names

Some example Bolian names are provided below:

Last Names: Adislo, Caeli, Haro, Mot, Parrin, Rixx, Taneko, Tannekar, Tuk, Darax, Vaxx, Baxx

Male Names: Zipok, Darz, Daro, Hars, Korvin, Kot, Morin, Mot, Rim, Sef, Gwi'on, Dorin

Female Names: Alba, Darzana, Halora, Mitena, Syldra, Vado

Bolians from the largest continent, Rasara, take only a single, family name; other Bolians take two names. Bolians generally only use their family names in casual dealings (excluding Starfleet officers).

Proverbs

"Fair tidings." (And variants thereof - a blessing often used on departure)

"May the Great Bird of the Galaxy roost on your planet." OR "May the Great Bird take you under its wing." OR "Great Bird!" (Two blessings and an expletive, used by the worshipers of the Great Bird of the Galaxy in the nation of Bol'ki.)

"It's an Iren-Uzor." (A lose-lose situation, similar to a Terran 'Catch-22')