Vasudan Society

[ShadowWolf_IH]

To be honest i have no where near an idea where to start. Everyone likes to discuss Shivans and Shivan society, but what about the Vasudans? What is known of how they live?

[Taristin]

Vasudan society is hierarchal. In fact, the castes play so much a role in Vasudan life that it affects the language.

I assume you've read the tech blurb;

"The Vasudans are a civilization of philosophers, artists, and scholars. They immerse themselves in the teachings of those who came before them, perceiving history not as a linear chronology of events but as a space inhabited by both the living and the dead.

To the Terran outsider, Vasudan society appears convoluted and ritualistic. The Vasudans themselves may seem arrogant, treacherous, and superstitious. On the other hand, Vasudans tend to view Terrans as aggressive, paranoid, and stupid. Thirty years of peaceful interaction between Terrans and Vasudans has helped to deconstruct these stereotypes.

The crowning achievement of the Vasudan civilization is its language. For the average Terran, the formalities governing its usage are beyond comprehension. Syntax and vocabulary are dictated by such factors as the speaker's age, rank, and caste, the time of day and the phase of the Vasudan calendar, and the relative spatial position of the speaker to the Emperor. This is further compounded by the existence of several alphabets, dozens of verb tenses, and thousands of dialects. A translation device is standard on all GTVA communications systems, enabling Terrans and Vasudans to understand each other.

Because the Vasudan homeworld was primarily desert, the Terrans used Egyptian names to designate Vasudan warships during the Terran-Vasudan War and the Great War. After the defeat of the Shivans, the Vasudans insisted on maintaining this convention. The Emperor strongly identified with the history of Ancient Egypt, particularly the longevity of its civilization. Following their Emperor's example, Vasudans will take on what they call a Terran name from the myths and history of Ancient Egypt."

As well as FS1's;

Vasudans originate on the fourth planet of the Vasuda Prime system, the only planet in that system that is capable of supporting life. The fourth planet of the Vasuda Prime system (also known as Vasuda Prime) is a relatively hostile world. Both of the twin continents of Vasuda Prime are almost entirely desert, and most of the above-ground water is, even by Vasudan standards, undrinkable. In order to adapt to these surroundings, Vasudans developed quite rapidly.

Vasudan society is complex and filled with peril for the outsider ignorant of their culture. Vasudans have a range of social tests and protocols, such as The Conversation. A Terran mishandling of The Conversation is presumed to be one of the major causes of the V-T War. The Vasudan government is parliamentary in nature, but is presided over by the Imperial family and the Ambassadors, who are quasi-royal go-betweens for the Parliament and the Imperium.

Vasudan space exploration has been driven primarily by the need to find planets capable of sustaining their species. As resources on Vasuda Prime have diminished, the drive to colonize has intensified among Vasudans in recent decades.


From that, you can gather quite a bit. They're intellectuals, and they are wary of outsiders. They are, indeed, very similar to Terrans.

[ShadowWolf_IH]

which casts are prominent? which is most prominent? and what about moving from one cast to another? can they, if so then how?

[Goober5000]

Ask Eishtmo. He's put lots of thought into the Vasudans. The "Shivan Manifesto" is peanuts next to his speculations. ;)

[Taristin]

Yeah... well, I don't like most of his ideas. :p

[Goober5000]

I don't like some of his ideas, but most of them are worthwhile to consider. At the very least, they can serve as springboards for other ideas.

[Taristin]

Oh, I read them, if only to disagree. ;)