Minbari Federation

Sharlin Warcruiser | Tinashi Frigate | Nial Fighter | other technology

Homeworld Location Capital City Population Revolution Gravity

: Minbar : Chi Draconis : Yedor : est. 4 billion : 548 days : 1 g

Minbar is the 7th planet of the Chi Draconis system. Over 20% of Minbar is covered with ice which results in a relative cold climate. The planet is very rich on crystalline and mineral resources. These resources are part of the Minbari technology and are widely used to construct their ships and buildings on the planet surface.

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Xenobiology

PSI-Ability aver. Lifespan aver. Height aver. Weight

: yes, P6 rating : 140 years : 195 / 159 cm : 85 / 50 kg

The Minbari look nearly as humans, the most significant difference is the "head bone" which is an additional protection of the skull. This bone differs in size, color and shape where the female head-bone is smaller and normally has a smooth curve. The head-bones of male Minbari are more shaped like a spiky crown. The overall strength and endurance is higher than that of Humans, Centauri and even Narn.

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History

The Minbari are the oldest of the younger races and thus the most powerful race after the First-Ones (e.g. Vorlons, Shadows, Walkers of Sigma 957,...) left beyond the rim in 2261. The Minbari civilization is much older than civilization on Earth or Centauri Prime. In a time where Christian crusades devastated huge parts on Earth, the Minbari had already developed space travel and fought side on side with the Vorlons in a big war against the Shadows.

The Minbari population is divided into three different casts (Warrior cast, Religious cast and Worker cast). Each Minbari is born into one of these casts and is normally not allowed to change into any other cast. The cast system was introduced during the "First Triumvirate" where the population was living like nomads. Several families formed clans which later resulted in the three casts.

The "First Triumvirate" lasted several thousand years and ended when 20 clans gathered in the valley of Tuquali. During this meeting the 20 clans was the basis of a new age where the Minbari lived together in peace. Soon after this meeting, tensions began to rise because the Religious cast tried to seize all power. The "Second Triumvirate" was dominated by these struggles for leadership.

The "Third Triumvirate" began about 3000 years ago and could be called "the age of colonization". The Minbari had developed space travel and began to colonize several moons in their homesystem.Not long after their first step into space, the Vorlons contacted the Minbari. During 200 years of relationship between the two races, the Vorlon pushed the Minbari technology into new heights. The reason for this "developing aid" was a war between the Vorlons and the Shadows. The Vorlons needed allies to win the war against their enemy.

Even with many other races on their side, the Vorlons had many problems in defeating the Shadows. During several years of war, many planets had been devastated and many civilizations destroyed. When the Vorlon-Minbari alliance was nearly defeated an unknown Minbari who called himself Valen appeared on the scene.

He presented a huge space station to the Minbari. This station should become the replacement for the destroyed headquarters of the alliance.Valen was a Minbari but not born of Minbari. Under his leadership the Minbari fought and won against the Shadows. During the war tensions between the casts began to rise again. Valen didn't want to support one of the casts and formed the "Anla-Shok". Some within the warrior caste were organized into an elite corps to combat the Shadows.

After the war against the Shadows was over, the fights for power resulted in wars between the different Minbari casts. Valen called for a meeting between all casts and introduced the new ruling body of the Minbari, the Gray Council. Each cast was allowed to send three representatives into the Gray Council. Before he died, Valen told the Minbari about another big war against the Shadows in 1000 years. The Minbari went into isolation to ensure their power to fight against the Shadows in the future again.

With the appearance of Valen something very strange began. The Minbari say, that the souls of dead Minbari are reborn in other Minbari. But this circle was now broken. Some souls of dead Minbari were now reborn in humans. This resulted in a decrease of Minbari population. The Minbari leaders couldn't explain this effect until one day...

The time was right to proof Valens prophecy and so a small fleet was send out to Z'Ha'Dum, the homeworld of the Shadows, to see if the Shadows were rising again. During their way to Z'Ha'Dum, an Earth deep space patrol fleet encountered nine Minbari Warcruiser As a sign of honor the Minbari opened their gun ports. This action was misunderstood by the human captain and so he ordered to open fire at the leading vessel, destroying the flagship. This misunderstanding led into the Earth-Minbari-War.

Human - Minbari First Contact

The war lasted about three years with many casualties on both sides. Although the Minbari had the better technology, the Humans defended each base and colony with their life's. The ships of the Earth-Alliance lost nearly all battles against the superior Minbari Cruisers. Only one battle was won, when John Sheridan mined the asteroid belt between Jovian and Mars. Although he destroyed the flagship and several other cruisers, there was no chance to stop the Minbari. In a last step to prevent the Minbari to invade earth, the humans sent about 20,000 ships to defend earth.

Ship after ship was destroyed when the Gray Council decided to capture a human pilot for an interrogation. Satai Delenn picked Jeffrey Sinclair for the interrogation. When the Minbari examined Sinclair they found a Minbari soul. To prevent killing more of their "own" souls they surrendered. Many of the Minbari pilots and captains didn't understand this decision. Under them were Neroon and Kalain, both leaders of the Warrior cast.

When Satai Delenn decided to fulfill a prophecy she was removed from the Gray Council. Her replacement was Neroon, a member of the warrior cast. This imbalance resulted in the break up of the Gray Council.

"Three years... for three years I warned you this day was coming. But you would not listen. Pride you said, presumption, and now the Shadows are on the move. The Centauri and the younger worlds are at war, the Narns have fallen, even the Humans are fighting one another. The pride was yours, the presumption was yours. For a thousand years we have been awaiting the fulfillment of prophecy, and when it finally happens, you scorn it, you reject it, cause you no longer believe it yourselves. 'We stand between the candle and the star, between the darkness and the light.' You say the words but your hearts are empty, your ears closed to the truth, you stand for nothing but your own petty interest. `The problems of others are not our concern.' I do not blame you for standing silent in your shame, you who knew what was coming, but refused to take up the burden of this war. If the Warrior Caste will not fight, then the rest of us will! The Council has lost it's way, if it will not lead, if we have abandoned our covenant with Valen... then the council should be broken! As was prophesied. We must stand with the others now, before it's too late. Between the Worker Caste and the Religious Caste we control two-thirds of our forces. And to you I say: Listen to the voice of your conscience. Break the council, come with me, our time of isolation is over. We move now, together, or not at all!" - Delenn to Gray Council, "Severed Dreams"

Without the Gray Council, the religious and warrior caste began fighting against each other again. This resulted in the Minbari Civil War in 2261 where many Minbari died until Delenn and Neroon managed to stop the fighting using an old Minbari tradition. The Gray Council was reformed but this time only two seats were each given to the Warrior and Religious cast. The other five seats are now in the hand of the Worker cast.

After the civil war on Earth was over, the Minbari and some other races (including the Narn, Brakiri and Centauri) formed a new galactic organization, the Interstellar Alliance.

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