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Yuuzhan VongThe Yuuzhan Vong are a fictional race of sentient beings created as a threat for the New Republic in the Star Wars New Jedi Order series of novels. They are the only alien species to originate outside the Star Wars galaxy. The Yuuzhan Vong are a race of religious zealot masochists. They genetically engineer and grow all of their organic technology and view mechanical technology as blasphemy. They endeavor to improve their physical capabilities through organ grafting. Notably, the Yuuzhan Vong are not included in the Force, something the Jedi have found very mysterious, since all living things are supposed to have, in some way or another, a Force energy signature from other species. Unable to use the power of the Force, they developed their own version, known as Vongsense. While not as accurate or powerful as the Force, it does allow a Yuuzhan Vong to sense danger and its rough direction. Society Description The Yuuzhan Vong function in a caste system. They range from the powerful one-person Supreme Overlord caste to the lowly oppressed Worker caste. Below is a list of the major castes. Their economic system isn't really mentioned, but appears to be a command economy, and their political system is obviously a form of monarchy or autocracy. Supreme Overlord The highest caste is the one-person Supreme Overlord which commands all the other castes. The current title holder is Supreme Overlord Shimrra. Only the Supreme Overlord has direct communication with Yun-Yuuzhan, the Supreme and Creator God of the Yuuzhan Vong. The Shaper Caste The shapers are the scientists who supervised the biotechonology of the Yuuzhan Vong. Ranks of the shaper caste include Master Shaper, Shaper Adept and Shaper Initiate. The Priest Caste The priests are the servants of the many lesser deities of the Yuuzhan Vong. Ranks of the priest caste include Most-High Priest(ess), High Priest(ess), Priest(ess), Seer and Novice. The Warriors Caste The warrior caste served as the armies of the Yuuzhan Vong and was one of the largest castes. They are well trained and deadly and are more aggressive than other Yuuzhan Vong. Ranks of the warrior caste include the Warmaster, Supreme Commander, Commander, Subaltern and Warrior. Notable warriors include Tsavong Lah, Warmaster of the Yuuzhan Vong. Their chief weapon is the amphistaff, which resembles a deadly serpent capable of spitting venom or coiling around foes. The warriors are devotees of the Slayer, Yun-Yammka, and seek honour in combat. They wear the living Vonduun crab armour which is capable of resisting blaster fire or lightsabers. The Intendant Caste The intendant caste is responsible for the Yuuzhan Vong economy. Notable intendants include Nom Anor, the deadliest enemy of the Jedi. Ranks of the intendant caste include High Prefect, Prefect, Consul, Executor and Attendant. The Worker Caste The worker caste is the largest yet lowest caste and serves mainly as servants, slaves and labourers. The worker caste includes Shamed Ones, which are Yuuzhan Vong whose bodies have rejected implants and modifications, Chazrach which are a low intelligent reptoid race enslaved by the Yuuzhan Vong, and Shaped Slave races from the Star Wars galaxy such as Rodians shaped to be the worker caste. History A long time ago in a distant galaxy, the planet Yuuzhan'tar was formed. But this planet was sentient and its core was a running tide of energy which was one with the Force. It created creatures on its surface that lived a peaceful lifestyle. Then came life that could understand and think for itself. They were the Yuuzhan Vong, a race of humanoids who named their world the Cosmic Creator. The tools they used were organic, not mechanical. They were originally a peaceful species until they were attacked by a technologically advanced species that used machines. Their name long forgotten, this race came to conquer Yuuzhan'tar. They pillaged Yuuzhan'tar for its resources and the Yuuzhan Vong were forced to fight for survival in a war that lasted for five years. Angered, both the living world and its creations, the Yuuzhan Vong, demanded revenge. Yuuzhan'tar created living ships made from the planet's seeds. The Yuuzhan Vong then waged a 12-year-long war on the invaders taking them by surprise because the invaders thought that the Yuuzhan Vong were primitives. However, the Yuuzhan Vong became a warlike species and began attacking other civilizations. Two species were exterminated for using machines while a third was enslaved. This race, the Chazrach was turned into a race of slave warriors. This was the last straw and the enraged living world Yuuzhan'tar decided that those not on its surface were enemies. This divided the Yuuzhan Vong, as those loyal to the living world fought those against the living world. Eventually the living world of Yuuzhan'tar was destroyed but before its death it sent out a seed into space. This seed was Zonama Sekot. Because of this act the Yuuzhan Vong were cut of from the Force. The Yuuzhan Vong then began a crusade to conquer their galaxy. Many species would be wiped out while others enslaved. Worlds would be destroyed. Then the Supreme Overlord made many new laws. He was also responsibele for dividing his people into castes. When he died, there was civil war among the Yuuzhan Vong in a conflict known as the Cremlevian War. This devastated the worlds of their galaxy. The war ended with Warmaster Yo'gand's faction winning. He then claimed that he had a vision from the gods commanding the species to leave their galaxy. Proving the extent of their might, the Yuuzhan Vong were able to conquer Coruscant and renamed it Yuuzhan'tar. Following the conquest, the New Republic was reorganized as the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances (or Galactic Alliance or GFFA for short). The Yuuzhan Vong adjusted the orbit of Coruscant and attempted to terraform it into their ideal world. However, the invasion was defeated and the Yuuzhan Vong were forced to withdraw. One of the terms the Alliance presented to the Yuuzhan Vong was that they were to assist in the reconstruction of Coruscant. However, it remains to be seen if Coruscant will ever recover. The cost of the actions of the Yuuzhan Vong was very dear to the Star Wars galaxy. The number of deaths over the known galaxy that resulted from the invasion was estimated at about 365 trillion individuals. That would be equal to 61 thousand Earth-type worlds with a population of 6 billion each. Technology The Yuuzhan Vong (sometimes incorrectly abbreviated Vong, which implies insult) use only living things, from ships to weapons to everyday objects. They hate droids, machines, electronics, and anything manufactures. Some common weapons that they use are listed below. Weapons Amphistaffs Amphistaffs are the primary anti-personnel weapons of the Yuuzhan Vong. They are bioformed, handheld serpents that can attack in a variety of ways. They are, on average, 2-3 meters long and have skins so thick that they cannot be penetrated by a lightsaber unless preweakened (this happened in The Unifying Force). In addition to their default staff/spear configuration, amphistaffs can be wielded as a whip, wrapping around a target then biting it or prompted to spray deadly toxins at its victim. Supreme Overlord Shimrra wields a specially bio-engineered amphistaff is known as "The Scepter of Power" Plasma Eal The Plasma Eel is a weapon used by the Yuuzhan Vong to stun their enemies. Thud Bug The thud bug is basically a beetle that has sharp, jagged appendages on its sides. Its wings are extremely powerful and emit a loud buzzing sound when active. A thud bug only flies when its Vong warrior throws it at a victim. When it hits skin, a "thud" is emitted, hence its name. If the thud bug misses then it flies in a large loop back to its Yuuzhan Vong warrior. Thud bugs can be killed with a lightsaber, but their carapace is very tough and usually cannot be broken in normal combat. If a thud bug becomes lodged in the ground then it can free itself using its wings and sharp legs. There are rumors that special thud bugs carried by Yuuzhan Vong high officers will explode on impact. Coufee A coufee is a slightly curved dagger used by the Yuuzhan Vong in close-quarters combat. Approximately 20 centimeters long, the weapon is, like all other Yuuzhan Vong technology, fully organic and alive. Planetary vehicles Fire Breather The Fire Breather is a huge leviathan with tough hides and natural chemicals that were manipulated so that it could be used as a heavy support organism. It has 6 legs and a bladder shaped body which produces pyro-chemicals. They are then shot out via a long proboscis. The Fire Breather is also protected by more symbiotes that secrete anti-laser aerosols into the air. Tsik-Seru The Tsik-Seru are organic vehicle used by the Yuuzhan Vong as atmospheric fighters. It is a military breed of the Tsik-Vai and resembles a manta ray. It heavily armoured and armed with plasma projectors and can survive on planets with no oxygen or water. Tsik-Vai The Tsik-Vai is an organic atmospheric vehicle used by the Yuuzhan Vong. It resembles a manta ray with several tentacles for grabbing prey. There is a cockpit on top of the vehicle for one pilot only. It first appeared in where Anakin Solo evaded capture from one of these sent after him in Yavin 4 Vangaak The Vangaak is an aquatic trawler used by the Yuuzhan Vong for travelling underwater. The living craft's skeletal frame is composed from the tough Yorik Coral. Once the frame matures, it is seeded with a living organism called kera-boa which reproduces rapidly creating a semisentient protoplasmic colony which sprouts millions of long, microscopic tendrils which dangle below the craft. Even these tendrils are made to move together, they can propel the craft in any direction. After the kera-boa system has taken root, the vangaak is enveloped by hundreds of long, tough dull green scales supplied by the dora-mu, which an aquatic creature imported from the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy. However those green scales do not die upon removal from the dora-mu because it can mold itself onto the vangaak's skeleton receive nutrition from the living craft. These scales are also able to withstand blaster bolts and are capable of healing. Also knobby projections that can control the craft sprout from the carapace. The Vangaal trawlers that appeared in the NJO novel were use to gather fish and other aquatic life. It travels largely submerged with only a broad flat dome that serves as a sensory device visible. The vangaak feeds by opening a large maw at the front of the craft which can suck in fish. The water is filtered through thick, sticky strands of kera boa tendrils. Large organisms get caught in this web while smaller ones pass throug the kera boa tendrils into the vangaak's digestive membrane which fuels the craft. In the book , Vua Rapuung and Anakin Solo travelled to the Yuuzhan Vong base in one of these trawlers. Larger variants of the vangaak, can be used for aquatic combat with the adittion of specialised plasma projectors. They can also be used as sea-going troop transports and can board enemy vessels. Space Fighters Coralskipper (Yorik-Et) The Coralskipper is the primary space superiority fighter of the Yuuzhan Vong. It is an organism made of coral. It is called Yorik-Et in the Yuuzhan Vong language. Its main weapon is a kind of small volcano throwing small molten rocks. Their propulsion device is a Dovin Basal that is also used as a shield, sucking in lasers and other weapons like a miniature black hole. The pilot uses a cognition hood that enables him to share the same thoughts with his craft thus piloting it. Coralskippers are strictly space vehicles and perform poorly in planetary atmospheres. Coralskippers are also not designed for long-range travel and must often rely on larger vessels for transport. Grutchin A grutchin is bioengineered weapon that resembles a giant grasshopper and is designed to tear through ships and kill the entire crew. Grutchins are completely unthinking and just destroy whatever is in their path. Sometimes, Yuuzhan Vong may have to fire on their own weapons if they survive, as they might turn on their masters. Grutchins are capable of travelling and attacking ships in hyperspace. Yorik-Vec Assault Cruiser The Yorik-Vec is an assault crusier made from yorik coral. Its weapons are a turret mounted quad volcano cannon, 4 twin volcano cannons and a Dovin Basal for defence and propulsion. Its crew consists of two pilots and three gunners. The vehicle is piloted through cognition hoods which allow the pilots and the vehicle to share the same thoughts and commands while the three gunners man the volcano cannons. Though the Yorik-Vec carruies troops and supplies, it does not feature the external appendages needed to carry Coralskippers as other Yuuzhan Vong warships do. Space Vessels A-Uek Iiluunu Fighter Carrier The A-Uek Iiluunu is a bioship made from Yorik Coral that can carry 200 Coralskippers, which are attached by branchlike projections. Chuun M'arh Frigate This frigate is used by the Yuuzhan Vong as a picket and long-range reconnaissance ship. Unlike larger ships, it cannot use Dovin Basals to generate a powerful interdictor field. Its weapons are 30 plasma cannons, and it could carry 225 crew and 370 passengers. Most Chuun M'arhs are around 400 metres though they could also be between 200 and 500 metres. I'Frii Ma-Nat Corvette The I'Frii Ma-Nat Corvette is a carbon-black assault craft armed with 8 Volcano cannons that is mainly used for pursuits and patrols or as a support craft. Kor Chokk Grand Cruiser The Kor Chokk are more of a mobile space station than a grand cruiser, which was a designation used for the Kor Chokk by the New Republic Intelligence. The weapons of a Kor Chokk consisted of 120 plasma progectors, Dovin Basals and an interdiction field that could severely damage enemy vessels. The Kor Chokk also carried 216 Coralskippers, 30 Yorik-trema transports and 4,640 warriors. Its crew consisted of 2,140 Yuuzhan Vong. Kor Chokk begin life as a smaller ship and grow as they survive battles as parts of obsolete ships are grafted onto them. As a result of these grafts, the most powerful of these cruisers become a massive and terrifying sight. One of the Kor Chokk grand cruisers, Sheado's Legacy of Torment resembled a fearsome mobile war tower. Though all Kor Chokk differed in shapes, they shared some similarities. All of them featured multiple docking arms for the Coralskippers to be launched into combat. These docking arms took up most of the ships's cargo space. Koros-strohna World Ship The Koros-strohna worldships is a 10 kilometers long transport that can house entire communities of Yuuzhan Vong, providing them with food and shelter. Like all other Yuuzhan Vong vehicles and vessels, the Koros-Strohna or Worldship was made of yorik coral. The Worldship has more in common with a planet than a starship and like most other Yuuzhan Vong bio-engineered vessels, it did not appear to be a starship at all. Its main body is a disc-shaped bulk littered with hundreds of weapon projections and other protrusions. On the edges of the Worldship are several large spiral arms, causing the ship resemble a galaxy. These spiral arms or outrider ganglia were used to dock the worldship's Coralskippers. They can also be used as solar sails to push the worldship through space. Dovin Basals could also be used to propel the worldship by projecting gravity wells to drag Yuuzhan Vong ships through the interstellar void or to strip enemy vessels of their deflector shields. The Worldship was protected by 200 plasma weapons emplacements. Additional defence came from the worldship's cargo and troop holds which could transport 5,000 warriors along with starfighters and planetary vehicles. Another weapon was the huge, tubular worm called Gorros' Fen which extended from the bowels of the worldship. The Gorros' Fen could be used to deploy troops and to gather nutrients for the worldship to stay alive. Miid Ro'ik Warship The Miid Ro'ik warship is the standard frontline ship of the Yuuzhan Vong. It carries 60 of plasma cannons and can also use its Dovin Basals to trap enemy vessels by preventing them from performing a hyperspace jump. The Miid Roi'k warship requires 1,280 crew to operate, and it carries 1,950 Yuuzhan Vong warriors and 72 Coralskippers. Sh'rip Sh'pa Spawnship The Sh'rip Sh'pa is a cruiser that carries the supplies and equipment needed for terraforming captured worlds. Suuv Ban D'Krid The Suuv Ban D'Krid boasts similar firepower to the smaller Uumufalh Gunship but also carries 36 Coralskippers. It has broad red and green arms which serve as docking bays for the Coralskippers Uro Glu'ta Battleship The Uro-Ik Glu'ta is a warship similar to the Uro-Ik V'alh. Uro-Ik V'alh Battleship The Uro-Ik V'alh is a massive ship armed with 80 plasma projectors. Uumufalah Gunship The Uumufalh is an escort starship used by the Yuuzhan Vong to accompany large warships. Like all other Yuuzhan Vong vessels, the Uumufalh is made of Yorik Coral. Vua'Spar Interdictor The Vua'spar Interdictor is a warship equipped with multiple weapons and a full communications suite consisting of several Villip choirs. They are spicular in shape and resemble two cones pushed together at the base. Where these cones meet, there are three large Dovin Basals used to interdict hyperspace travel. Support Craft Yorik-trema Transport Carrier The Yorik Trema are troop transports capable of deploying 30 Chazrach support troops and 6 Yuuzhan Vong warriors to a planet. The Yorik-trema used several hollow molleung worms to deploy its passengers and to attack nearby enemies. Like every other Yuuzhan Vong vessel, the Yorik-trema was made from yorik coral and was also capable of self-healing. For landing gear, the Yorik-trema used sharp landing claws that could land on almost any terrain. The Yorik-trema resembled a gigantic bulbous, green eel with a tail-like aft and two 'eyes' above its volcano cannon which was located in its mouth-like opening. These so called 'eyes' were actually Yuuzhan Vong sensors which could be used for tracking both enemy starfighters or its escort Coralskippers. The Yorik-trema also had ablative scales which it used when entering a planetary atmosphere. These ablative scales burned away during descent but protected the yorik-trema. Yorik-Ta Escape Pod The Yorik-Ta is the Yuuzhan Vong version of an escape pod. It is made from black yorik coral and includes a Dovin Basal for travel and defense. Yorik-Stronha Spy Ship The Yorik-Stronha is a bioship that resembles an asteroid and is used as a spy ship. The Yorik-Stronha is sent into enemy territory before the attack fleet to spy on the enemy. It is equipped with a cloaking device. Other Technology Dovin Basal Dovin Basals are used by the Yuuzhan Vong that are able to generate powerful gravitational fields. They are used mainly as propulsion devices and shields: they can create micro-blackholes that can absorb laser shot at the space craft, as well as pretty much anything else, from proton torpedoes and concussion missiles to whole ships. As a side effect, they can also dramatically drain deflector shields of nearby enemy crafts (within meters). Further, they can be used as weapons against planets: a powerful Dovin Basal dropped on the surface of a planet can target a moon to slow it down and make it crash on the planet. This was first used on the planet Sernpidal, resulting in the tragic death of Chewbacca. Villip Villips are creatures that are the primary means of communication for the Yuuzhan Vong. They resemble small, leather balls. They work by "opening up" and displaying a 3-dimensional image of a person's face as well as conveying sound. Villips work by using telepathy to establish a connection with another villip. Generally, villips are "dedicated", meaning that villips can only communicate with another specific villip. However, there are villips that can communicate with all villips. The Yuuzhan Vong use them on their ships, atmospheric craft, and they can be used by troops. Voxyn Voxyn are geneticly engineered creatures created by the Yuuzhan Vong to hunt Force users, particularly Jedi. They were developed from vornskyr stock from the planet Myrkr. Voxyn are multi-legged, dragonlike creaturs that fight by spitting acid, screeching powerful sonic blasts, or stabbing enemies with a venemous tail barb. After the loss of several Jedi to the Yuuzhan Vong, Anakin Solo led an elite strike force to Myrkr, where the voxyn cloning facility was located. Jacen Solo, Anakin's brother, succeeded in destroying the voxyn "queen" and the irreplaceable voxyn genetic data, but many Jedi and Yuuzhan Vong were killed. After the Myrkr facility's destruction, the Yuuzhan Vong abandoned the voxyn project - the last of the voxyn died at the hands of Jedi Knights at the battles of Ebaq 9 and Coruscant. Yammosk Yammosks are creatures mainly used as coordinators during battles to send orders to other space crafts, essentially the many coralskippers, to optimize their actions. Their way of communication is gravitational waves. This was discovered by Danni Quee to locate yammosks in capital ships, and therefore target them during battles. Later it became possible to jam the yammosk's communication, lessening dramatically the efficiency of affected Yuuzhan Vong fleets. Some yammosks are used instead as "world coordinators." They manage the thousands of biological processes that go into terraforming and maintaing Yuuzhan Vong worlds. Because these yammosks must be of the highest quality, they are selected through a speciall process. Multiple yammosks are colocated, and each is given a contingent of slave to influence. When one yammosk has destroyed all of its siblings, it assumes control over the new Vong world. Yuuzhan Vong biotechnology is generally not self-aware, but yammosks are posess at least partially sentient. Physically, yammosks resemble huge brains, kept in vats, which trail thousands of digusting tentacles. Each yammosk is carefully protected and pampered - often slaves are confined in a yammosk vat with orders to massage its tentacles. This provides the yammosk with companionship but is a terrifying experience for the slaves, because the yammosk can mentally manipulate and communicate with them. Vong generals develop a rapport with their yammosks, allowing them to give commands in battle. The yammosk then psychically (via gravitic waves) influences the minds of all Vong combattants within range. Deities The Yuuzhan Vong are very religious and have many gods. Yun-Yuuzhan Yun-Yuuzhan, the creator, is the most powerful deity of the Yuuzhan Vong religion. He sacrificed most of his body parts to create the lesser deities and the Yuuzhan Vong galaxy. Only the Supreme Overlord has direct contact with him. Yun-Harla Yun-Harla is the Trickster, the Cloaked Goddess and Goddess of deception and aggression. Yun-Yammka Yun-Yammka is the Slayer and the god of war. He is worshipped by the warrior caste. Yun-Ne'Shel Yun-Ne'Shel is the Modeller and oversees natural life cycles and is worshipped by the shaper caste. The Lover Gods Yun-Q'aah and Yun-Shuno are the Lover Gods and twins. They prevent all relationships outside castes. Yun-Shuno Yun-Shuno has a thousand eyes and watches over and speaks for the Shamed Ones, which are shunned by every other Yuuzhan Vong deity. External links - http://starwars.com/databank/species/yuuzhanvong/eu.html
- http://www.njoe.com/ New Jedi Order Encyclopedia
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