Difference between revisions of "Orz"

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{{RaceBox|name=Orz|image=OrzComm.png|caption={{UrQuanNav}}
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{{RaceBoxPurple
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|name=Orz
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|image=[[File:OrzComm.png]]
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|caption=Orz *fingers*
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|homeworld=[[Gamma Vulpeculae I]]
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|coordinates=371.3 : 253.7
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|organizations=[[New Alliance of Free Stars]] [[Neutral|(optional)]]
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|ship=[[Nemesis]]
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}}
  
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:''This page is about the Ur-Quan species as a whole. See [[Ur-Quan Kzer-Za]] and [[Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah]] for more specific information on the two modern subspecies.''
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The '''Orz''' (pronounced {{IPA|/ɒz/}} or {{IPA|/oɹz/}}) are — is — an alien species/projections of an extradimensional entity first encountered by [[The Captain]] in former [[Androsynth]] space.  Despite a notable distaste for the human-derived Androsynth and for the mysterious [[Arilou]], the Orz would happily join with the [[New Alliance of Free Stars]] and provide [[the Captain]] with their powerful [[Nemesis]] starship designs, if desired.
  
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==Description==
  
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The '''Ur-Quan''' are one of the oldest species known to the [[Alliance]] and are by far the greatest political and military power known to the galaxy for the past twenty millennia. Until their recent defeat by the [[New Alliance of Free Stars]] they were the dominant force in our galaxy, and countless sentient races' development have been halted by enslavement or genocide at their hands.
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Orz appear as gill-breathers who resemble yellow parrotfishes with eyestalks, though it is not known if this is their actual true form (or if such terms are actually applicable to them). Direct conversation with Orz, despite the translation difficulties, usually leads to the conclusion that the Orz come from another dimension; additionally the [[Arilou]] describe the Orz as "dimensional travellers." When asked about their origins, the Orz explain that, though both the Arilou and the Orz are from the *outside*, the Arilou are from *above* while the Orz are from [[*Below*|*below*]]. The precise meaning of this explanation is still up to debate. There are three possible interpretations — if *above* refers to QuasiSpace, *below* would then likely refer to another, similar dimension located on the "other side" of [[HyperSpace]] and [[TrueSpace]]; if *outside* refers to QuasiSpace, then *above* and *below* might be regions of QuasiSpace; *above* and *below* may also stand for an obscure characteristic of the Orz in contrast to Arilou.
  
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The Ur-Quan as we know them today are divided into two subspecies, the [[Ur-Quan Kzer-Za]] and the [[Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah]], which form separate cultural and political units and are thus treated in separate articles. This article is about the Ur-Quan species as a whole, including their development before the formal creation of the Kzer-Za and Kohr-Ah "nations". For details on the separate cultural paths taken by the Kzer-Za and Kohr-Ah, see the relevant articles.
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There has been some discussion — confirmed by [[Fred Ford]] and [[Paul Reiche III]] — that the Orz as they are seen in normal space are actually a projection of some higher-dimensional being, namely [[They|Them]].{{ref|1}} The Orz-entity refers to what is seen of itself in the known dimensions as its *fingers* and explains that it is not like other races who are *many bubbles*. In essence, all Orz may be multiple manifestations of ''the same creature''. The Orz sometimes refer to themselves in the singular third person, although whether this is another quirk of the Orz's odd speech pattern or a reference to their true essence is unclear.
  
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==Physiology==
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==Origin==
  
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The Ur-Quan have been classified by [[Human]] scientists as anatomical analogues of certain species of predatory caterpillars native to [[Earth]]'s Hawaiian Islands. However, the Ur-Quan's basic physiology is quite different from that of Earth insects', allowing them to grow to over ten meters in length. They were characterized by an exoskeletal body plan that, like a caterpillar's, had a tough skin, covered with brown, furry extensions, rather than a true shell, as a covering.
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The Orz are a newcomer to [[TrueSpace]] that appeared suddenly in the vicinity of the [[Vulpeculae]] constellation, the adopted homeworlds of the [[Androsynth]]. As the Androsynth vanished about the same time the Orz arrived, it is reasonable to think that the Orz did something to them, but asking the Orz about the subject infuriates them. The [[Melnorme]] and the [[Spathi]] state that the Orz caused the Androsynth disappearance, but both admit that this is their belief and not an actual certainty. Based on comments from the [[Arilou]], it is possible that the [[Inter-Dimensional Fatigue]] experiments that were being performed by the Androsynth (and perhaps the [[Taalo]] before them) brought the Vulpeculae constellation to the Orz's attention.
  
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Adapted to live by clinging to the upper canopy of dense rainforests, they have long, multisegmented bodies with a pair of legs attached to each segment; the legs on the posterior section of their bodies are adapted for maintaining a constant grip on tree branches and crawling about from branch to branch, while the anterior legs are longer and can function as grippers and manipulators. The Ur-Quan typically hunted by hanging their long anterior section down from the canopy while their posterior section maintained its hold on the canopy, allowing them to swoop down and catch prey.
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[[Image:orz_captain.png|right|110px|Orz Nemesis captain]]
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Just where the Orz resided before arriving in the area of Vulpeculae is unknown. The Orz indicate that they like TrueSpace and even prefer it over their origin dimension and are now in the process of fully moving into TrueSpace. They also denote that they have no intention of returning at any time to their original home.
  
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The Ur-Quan's most anterior body segment, or its head, possesses multiple compound eyes and a mouth surrounded by a dense cluster of tentacles or palps, which constantly wave about allowing the Ur-Quan to extract odors from the air -- this dense collection of sensory organs allows an Ur-Quan a much finer ability to perceive its environment than that of most humanoid species.
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==Relations with other races==
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Only a few of the races in Star Control II mention the Orz at all. This is not surprising as they appear to be new in TrueSpace. The relations that they do have are as mysterious as the Orz themselves.
  
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Unlike many sentient species, the Ur-Quan originally were not social animals; they were, instead, adapted to be solitary predators with very small, localized family structures, with almost all of their very limited repertoire of social instincts relegated to the field of sex and reproduction. Ur-Quan individuals were instinctively fiercely territorial against each other and against most other species, which they either hunted as food or chased off as potential predators or rivals.
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===Androsynth===
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The appearance of the Orz coincided with the disappearance of the Androsynth from the same location. In fact, both the Arilou and the Orz themselves suggest that it was the [[Dimensional Fatigue|IDF]] research of the Androsynth which enabled the Orz to come to TrueSpace.
  
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It is worth noting that while the [[Kzer-Za]] refer to the [[Kohr-Ah Primat]] using the female pronoun "she", both the [[Melnorme]] and the [[Role Playing Resource Guide]] refer to specific Ur-Quan using "it". This may suggest that the division into sexes is not as it is in humans.
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Whether the Orz themselves were the cause for the disappearance of the Androsynth is the subject of a lot of speculation. Evidence for it exists, but is very circumstantial. Whatever their involvement, asking too much about the Androsynth is enough reason for the Orz to attack you.
  
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==History==
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===Arilou Lalee'lay===
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===Evolution and civilization===
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Dialogues with both the Arilou and Orz suggest that they have had contact outside of TrueSpace. The Orz do not like the Arilou very much, and complain that the Arilou are always "*jumping in front*". Conversely, the Arilou warn not to trust the Orz, as they are dangerous.
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The Ur-Quan evolved on a world far distant from the region of space mapped by the [[Chenjesu]], one densely populated with a great variety of physically powerful species in fierce competition for resources. Though the Ur-Quan are quite physically powerful by the standards of most sentient species, they were physically inferior to many of the species of their homeworld, and so grew to develop intelligent hunting and combat behaviors and to learn to construct tools. As the Ur-Quan thus became their planet's dominant species and eliminated all other physically powerful species, the only real threat to an individual Ur-Quan became other Ur-Quan. Ur-Quan territoriality became focused against each other, and within nuclear family groups -- where individual Ur-Quan were forced into proximity -- struggle, combat and murder became common.
 
  
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The growing intellectual capacity of Ur-Quan culture could not tolerate this for long, however, and slowly as the Ur-Quan learned and developed their understanding of the world more they created cultural mechanisms to handle these atavistic, territorial drives, eventually learning to develop cooperative ventures among their own species and creating what most sentients think of as a civilization with "modern" values, forbidding senseless violence and enforcing an attitude of social responsibility. In what has often been described as a very long, difficult struggle compared to the development of other races, the Ur-Quan managed to create a technological, industrialized society.
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===Melnorme===
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The Melnorme know of the existence of the Orz, and that they appeared when the Androsynth disappeared. Whether they've met them in person is unclear. While there is a Melnorme trader in Orz space, the Orz never mention Melnorme.
  
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===Sentient Milieu===
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===Spathi===
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The Ur-Quan eventually learned to harness nuclear energy, and used this technology to create vehicles capable of traveling through interplanetary space. Having begun to explore their solar system, they were contacted by the [[Taalo]], who had for some time been monitoring them and considering them as potential members of the [[Sentient Milieu]]. The Ur-Quan at first reacted with panic and fear, initiating combat against the Taalo vessels as possible attackers or conquerors; the Taalo, however, understanding the Ur-Quan's genetic predisposition to xenophobia, remained patient. Upon finally opening negotiations with the Taalo, the Ur-Quan were shocked to discover that confronting the Taalo face-to-face did not trigger their instincts of territoriality as did all other animal species, thanks to the Taalo's unique physiology that caused them to appear as no more than simple rocks.
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The Spathi also mention that the Orz entered this space when the Androsynth disappeared. They think that they are creepy and warn against an alliance. This is all based on their own speculation though, and arguably the Spathi would object to an alliance with almost any race on this basis. Whether they have met the Orz in person or only heard about them from descriptions is unclear.
  
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The shock of their newfound ability to communicate as equals with other sentients without being tormented with feelings of terror and hatred -- something the Ur-Quan still had to struggle with among themselves -- was enough to make the Ur-Quan amenable to the Taalo's proposal to join the Milieu. The Ur-Quan soon registered as Sentient Milieu members and, though their instincts still made them unable to interact peacefully with the other members of the Milieu, were eager to find a useful role within the Milieu cooperative. The Ur-Quan soon found that they made ideal Milieu scouts; individual Ur-Quan could not only tolerate but enjoyed the prospect of piloting tiny, single-occupant ships to uncharted regions of the galaxy to report their findings, and the many Ur-Quan scouts gathered huge amounts of data and became a ubiquitous sight throughout Milieu space.
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===Taalo===
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The Orz mention the Taalo on several occasions. They seem to have been in contact over a longer period of time. According to the Orz, the Taalo have fled TrueSpace to [[*Pretty Space*]], to which the Orz can also go. The Orz refer to [[Delta Vulpeculae II-C]] as the Taalo *playground*, where the Taalo "are making *Time jokes*", and the Orz *chase* the Taalo and *play* with them. The Orz consider the Taalo to be better *campers* than the Humans. As the Orz language isn't very clear, it may be that this is all in the past though.
  
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===Dnyarri Slave Empire===
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===VUX===
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Then as now, the primary mystery most sentient species sought to investigate was the disappearance of the [[Precursors]]. The Ur-Quan scouts were a new and invaluable asset in searching for Precursor artifacts, and soon amassed a database of characteristic energy patterns radiated by Precursor ruins.
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The Orz briefly mention the VUX, as being "*silly cows*" for asking too many questions about the Androsynth, which prompted the Orz to attack the VUX. (*silly cows* are races disliked by Orz)
  
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One Ur-Quan scout discovered a planet, later known as [[Glilandy]], that showed readings particularly reminiscent of some Precursor artifacts. Unfortunately, those readings turned out to be generated by the emanations of an incredibly powerful race of psychic sentients known as the [[Dnyarri]]. Unfortunately, Ur-Quan psychology proved to be particularly susceptible to Dnyarri mind control; at the very moment the Ur-Quan scout landed on the planet, his mind was seized by the Dnyarri and examined. Having learned of the immense wealth of resources and labor to be had in the Sentient Milieu, the Dnyarri forced the Ur-Quan to return to the Milieu capital planet with hundreds of Dnyarri as cargo, and within a month the Dnyarri had seized control of all Milieu races and spread themselves throughout the Milieu, using the industry of hundreds of worlds for their own vulgar amusements.
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==Theories==
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There are various theories to explain the various mysteries surrounding the Orz.
  
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The Dnyarri, themselves grossly slothful and lacking in any real will or ambition, allowed the Milieu's infrastructure to decay and collapse. They found that the Ur-Quan, being more physically powerful and easier to control than the other Milieu races, were their favorite slaves, and allowed the Ur-Quan to breed and spread across the Milieu worlds while neglecting the development of other races. They used the Ur-Quan's native intelligence and strength to operate their empire, and along the way used Ur-Quan military strength to genocide races they deemed not worth the trouble of maintaining, such as the [[Yuli]] and the [[Drall]]. The Taalo, who were immune to Dnyarri control, attempted to resist, but saw that with the military forces of all other races on the Dnyarri's side military action would be fruitless and would only result in the unnecessary deaths of countless sentients, mostly among their former friends, the Ur-Quan. Thus, they made no attempt to fight back when the Dnyarri commanded an Ur-Quan fleet to raze the Taalo homeworld, an act that the helpless Ur-Quan were fully conscious of as they committed it and that would haunt them for generations to come.
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===The Orz are [[They|Them]]===
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There are theories that the Orz are in fact the ghost-like creatures that the Androsynth IDF researchers (and [[Bukowski]], probably) ran into. They are mostly based on the fact that ''They'' were coming into this world just before the Androsynth disappeared, which was when the Orz appeared. Even when accepting that the timing of the appearance of the Orz is not a coincidence, they do not have to be ''Them''. The Orz could have detected the Androsynth in the same way as ''They'' did.
  
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As time went on, the Dnyarri began to seek greater convenience in controlling the Ur-Quan; rather than maintaining a full range of diverse abilities among the Ur-Quan and having to go to the trouble of assigning individual Ur-Quan to the tasks at which they would be most efficient, they decided to use the Ur-Quan's own science to genetically engineer the Ur-Quan into physically distinct subspecies or castes to perform certain tasks. One group of Ur-Quan were optimized for intellectual tasks, performing scientific and engineering research to improve the Slave Empire's infrastructure and conducting administration and management on the Dnyarri's behalf. The other Ur-Quan, meant to serve as manual laborers and soldiers, were optimized for strength and diligence in performing manual tasks, altered to function better as cooperative groups and to remain staunchly faithful to simple orders, with the Ur-Quan's natural tendency to genetically encoded racial memory greatly amplified.
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It has been confirmed (in the 2007 [[IRC chats with Toys For Bob|chat]]) that the Orz is/are a part of Them, or rather the projection of Them into TrueSpace.
  
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The brown, hairy covering the Ur-Quan originally possessed was bred out in these genetic alterations, and the administrative caste of Ur-Quan was identifiable by its now exposed brilliant green skin. The lower caste known as Effectuators, however, was given a hard black shell to allow them to work in harsher environments and allow them greater resilience in battle. They thus soon became known by the colloquial terms "Green Ur-Quan" and "Black Ur-Quan".
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===The Orz killed the Androsynth===
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This is based again on the timing of the appearance of the Orz and the disappearance of the Androsynth, combined with the fact that the Orz refuse to talk about the Androsynth. If this is true, then the Orz would be responsible for the violent land war that wiped out the Androsynth civilization. This is suggested by both the Melnorme and the Spathi. In the same dialogues however, it is made clear that they don't actually know that. A reliable source explicitly asserts that the Androsynth were indeed "snagged" by the Orz entity.{{ref|2}}
  
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===Slave Revolt===
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===The Orz are altered Androsynth===
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After many thousands of years, the Dnyarri had become so spoiled by their life of extreme hedonism and their confidence in the permanence of their empire that their mental control over their slaves grew lax. A Green Ur-Quan scientist named [[Kzer-Za (Character)|Kzer-Za]] realized that a slave experiencing extreme pain would engender sympathetic traumas within a Dnyarri's mind, forcing the Dnyarri to let go its control. Once Kzer-Za was assured of this fact, he seized an opportune moment to poison himself. His extreme pain and impending death forcing the Dnyarri to release his mind, Kzer-Za broadcast an extremely powerful transmission across the whole planet and into space, making public his discoveries.
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This theory is a variation of the idea that the Orz are responsible for the disappearance of the Androsynth. In this theory, "snagged" is interpreted as meaning some kind of infection or possession that transformed the Androsynth into the Orz. Usually this theory is proposed as a way to explain the mysterious lack of Androsynth corpses in the ruins of their city. The [[Arilou]] description of malignant, parasitic creatures from Beyond (''Them'') and reference to the Androsynth and Orz as an example are also usually taken as evidence of this theory.
  
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Upon hearing Kzer-Za's message, Ur-Quan everywhere began a mass movement, seizing any moment of weakness on the part of the Dnyarri to injure themselves in any way possible, inflicting whatever pain and physical trauma was necessary to distract the local Dnyarri controller enough to track it down and kill it. The Dnyarri had, perhaps, bred their slaves too well; the same impressionability and singlemindedness that made the Ur-Quan useful slaves also gave them the strength they needed to carry out their slave revolt to its conclusion. The resistance successfully carved out a region of non-Dnyarri-controlled space from which they could launch military actions against the Dnyarri; it was there that they developed the [[Excruciator]], a device that could be implanted in an Ur-Quan brain and provide calibrated levels of pain that left an Ur-Quan physically functional yet continuously protected against psychic domination.
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===The Orz are protecting races by killing those who ask too many questions about the Androsynth===
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This reflects the remarks made by the Arilou about parasites from beyond that can detect you when you show yourself. If you reject the theory that the Orz killed the Androsynth, this would provide an alternative explanation that connects 'Them', the disappearance of the Androsynth, and the Orz. In this case, the Orz, like the Arilou, would be attempting to keep TrueSpace races ignorant of and thus invisible to the extradimensional parasites. This theory has been shown to be false in the 2007 [[IRC chats with Toys For Bob|IRC chat]] with [[Toys for Bob]] (see [[#The Orz are Them|The Orz are Them]]).
  
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The Ur-Quan finally succeeded in purging the Slave Empire of Dnyarri and returning to Glilandy, where they agreed that death was not fitting enough a punishment for the few remaining Dnyarri and used their genetic engineering skills to transform the Dnyarri into nonsentient biological tools, the Talking Pets.
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===The Orz snagged the Androsynth to protect them from [[They|Them]]===
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This one is a variation of the theory previously presented, that also explains what the Orz did to the Androsynth.
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However, this appears to contradict the Arilou's statements that the Orz are dangerous and not to be trusted. This theory has been shown to be false in the 2007 [[IRC chats with Toys For Bob|IRC chat]] with [[Toys for Bob]] (see [[#The Orz are Them|The Orz are Them]]).
  
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The Ur-Quan's own, natural pathologies -- their instinct-driven xenophobia and territoriality -- had been grossly magnified by the many generations of struggling against Dnyarri enslavement, and all of the surviving Ur-Quan rebels had only survived by subjecting themselves to intense, continuous pain for years. This most likely was the reason for the Ur-Quan view of morality to have become as warped from what the [[Alliance]] would consider standard views of right and wrong as it did, and the Ur-Quan, driven by nothing else but a deep, core conviction that their enslavement was an aberration that must never happen again that had been allowed to happen by the Ur-Quan's weakness in allowing other species to exist freely, integrated the new Talking Pets and the freedom from direct contact with other species they represented into their new cultural blueprints or "Doctrines".
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===The Orz seek to take advantage of indigenous races in some undefined way===
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The Orz say they dislike the Arilou because they are "jumping in front." The Arilou claim to have changed humans to protect them from the "parasites" that would like to find them. It may be that the Orz want space and races that the Arilou do not control as these would be easier to conquer or manipulate.
  
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===Doctrinal Conflict===
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==Translating Orz Communications==
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The Green Ur-Quan, as natural administrators, came up with a sophisticated blueprint for future cultural development known as the [[Path of Now and Forever]]. They named their new civilization the Ur-Quan Kzer-Za after the martyred scientist-hero, and claimed that in honor of Kzer-Za's sacrifice they must ensure that the Ur-Quan forever remain the culturally dominant species of the whole galaxy, using the immense technological and material resources they had amassed during the reign of the Dnyarri Slave Empire to achieve this. Using Slave Empire technologies, they were able to construct a unique form of self-sustaining force field called a [[slave shield]], with which they hoped to eventually contain all species that would not actively submit to Ur-Quan dominance. Facing one of the remaining Milieu members, the [[Faz]], with this choice, the Faz chose to be slave-shielded.
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{{main|Orz communications}}
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The translation computer aboard [[The Flagship]] is not able to accurately translate many of the words the Orz are using. While in most cases the meaning can be approximated from the context, an exact translation is usually highly speculative
  
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At this time, however, the Black Ur-Quan rebelled against the idea of being controlled by Green Ur-Quan theory. They viewed the Green as having become effete and weakened by their position as administrators for the Dnyarri, and viewed themselves, who had done most of the actual labor in maintaining the Empire, as more worthy. Moreover, less natively intelligent than the Green in the first place, the Black had also greatly strengthened racial memories, and still felt and experienced the long suffering of the Slave Empire -- including the horrible sense of betrayal in genociding the Taalo, for which they had never forgiven themselves -- far more vividly than the Green. One of the Black leaders, a fleet commander and military hero of the Slave Revolt named [[Kohr-Ah (Character)|Kohr-Ah]], came forward with his own [[Eternal Doctrine]], challenging the Path of Now and Forever's complexity and claiming true safety could only be assured by the simple destruction of all other species. The Black Ur-Quan enthusiastically responded to Kohr-Ah's proposal and formed their own civilization based on his principles and named after him, starting by genociding the [[Yuptar]].
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==Notes and references==
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{{note|1}}{{IRC2007}}
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The newly named Kzer-Za and Kohr-Ah races confronted each other over the homeworld of the last remaining Milieu race, the [[Mael-Num]]. Neither side willing to submit, they began the great [[Doctrinal War]], and, their forces evenly matched, would have destroyed each other had the Kzer-Za not used the [[Sa-Matra]] at the last minute to gain victory. Unwilling to destroy their brothers or be too confident in the rightness of their doctrine, however, the Kzer-Za came to an agreement with the Kohr-Ah that they and their doctrines would coexist and would periodically ritually re-fight the Doctrinal War to determine which of the two cultures would dominate the other. They thus traveled in opposite directions around the galaxy, the Kzer-Za leaving behind a trail of slave-shielded civilizations and the Kohr-Ah leaving a trail of burned worlds. Many, many new civilizations that have developed in the past twenty thousand years have tried and failed to resist the Ur-Quan, who, despite their resistance to integrating new technologies from other species, have leveraged their immensely developed technological achievements left over from the long-ago Milieu into an ability to efficiently organize a [[Hierarchy]] of conquests in the Kzer-Za case or efficiently and precisely destroy civilizations outright in the Kohr-Ah case.
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::23:55 <+Cap`n`Kyth> One thing I've wondered - is Orz the same as 'Them', or is Orz "competing" with 'Them' over the Androsynth (like food?), or protecting the Androsynth from 'Them' - by *pulling* the Androsynth away before 'They' can find the Androsynth again?<br>
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::23:57 <+PR3> The Orz is part of Them, the projection of Them into TrueSpace.
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No developing civilization was able to survive the assault of the technologically superior and messianically driven Ur-Quan subspecies until they met again at the opposite end of the galaxy and fought their second Doctrinal War when, in what we know as the [[Second War of the Alliance]], the species of the New Alliance of Free Stars were able to use the distraction afforded by their war with each other to find a way to destroy the [[Sa-Matra]] and defeat both Ur-Quan subspecies. The defeat of the Ur-Quan marks the first chance in twenty thousand years for new civilizations to develop without the looming threat of being cut short by an Ur-Quan fleet.
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{{note|2}}{{IRC1998}}
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::<LordR-man> Fwiffo- What really happened to the Androsynth in sc2?<br>
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Reports vary on the fate of the Ur-Quan race after the destruction of the Sa-Matra. One report states that the remnants Kzer-Za and Kohr-Ah fleets fled towards the Magellanic clouds. While another claims that the Ur-Quan fleets fell into disarray and were defeated by [[Chmmr]] and [[New Alliance of Free Stars|New Alliance]] forces. In either of these outcomes, it is uncertain how or even if either Ur-Quan subspecies will adapt their doctrine to deal with the new galactic society.
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::<Fwiffo> In regards to the Androsynth: They were snagged by the entity who/which projected its fingers into our dimension (which looked to us as the Orz.)
  
 
[[Category:Races]]
 
[[Category:Races]]
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[[Category:Ur-Quan| ]]
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[[Category:Orz| ]]
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|homeworld=[[Gamma Vulpeculae I]]|coordinates=371.3 : 253.7|organizations=[[New Alliance of Free Stars]] (optional)|ship=[[Nemesis]]}}
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[[Category:Game Characters]]
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The '''Orz''' are &mdash; or perhaps "is" &mdash; an alien species that talks wierd. That's all there is to know about them. Go away.
 

Latest revision as of 14:47, 23 September 2021

Orz
OrzComm.png
Orz *fingers*
Homeworld: Gamma Vulpeculae I
Coordinates: 371.3 : 253.7
Member of: New Alliance of Free Stars (optional)
Ship: Nemesis

The Orz (pronounced /ɒz/? or /oɹz/?) are — is — an alien species/projections of an extradimensional entity first encountered by The Captain in former Androsynth space. Despite a notable distaste for the human-derived Androsynth and for the mysterious Arilou, the Orz would happily join with the New Alliance of Free Stars and provide the Captain with their powerful Nemesis starship designs, if desired.

Description[edit]

Orz appear as gill-breathers who resemble yellow parrotfishes with eyestalks, though it is not known if this is their actual true form (or if such terms are actually applicable to them). Direct conversation with Orz, despite the translation difficulties, usually leads to the conclusion that the Orz come from another dimension; additionally the Arilou describe the Orz as "dimensional travellers." When asked about their origins, the Orz explain that, though both the Arilou and the Orz are from the *outside*, the Arilou are from *above* while the Orz are from *below*. The precise meaning of this explanation is still up to debate. There are three possible interpretations — if *above* refers to QuasiSpace, *below* would then likely refer to another, similar dimension located on the "other side" of HyperSpace and TrueSpace; if *outside* refers to QuasiSpace, then *above* and *below* might be regions of QuasiSpace; *above* and *below* may also stand for an obscure characteristic of the Orz in contrast to Arilou.

There has been some discussion — confirmed by Fred Ford and Paul Reiche III — that the Orz as they are seen in normal space are actually a projection of some higher-dimensional being, namely Them.1 The Orz-entity refers to what is seen of itself in the known dimensions as its *fingers* and explains that it is not like other races who are *many bubbles*. In essence, all Orz may be multiple manifestations of the same creature. The Orz sometimes refer to themselves in the singular third person, although whether this is another quirk of the Orz's odd speech pattern or a reference to their true essence is unclear.

Origin[edit]

The Orz are a newcomer to TrueSpace that appeared suddenly in the vicinity of the Vulpeculae constellation, the adopted homeworlds of the Androsynth. As the Androsynth vanished about the same time the Orz arrived, it is reasonable to think that the Orz did something to them, but asking the Orz about the subject infuriates them. The Melnorme and the Spathi state that the Orz caused the Androsynth disappearance, but both admit that this is their belief and not an actual certainty. Based on comments from the Arilou, it is possible that the Inter-Dimensional Fatigue experiments that were being performed by the Androsynth (and perhaps the Taalo before them) brought the Vulpeculae constellation to the Orz's attention.

Orz Nemesis captain

Just where the Orz resided before arriving in the area of Vulpeculae is unknown. The Orz indicate that they like TrueSpace and even prefer it over their origin dimension and are now in the process of fully moving into TrueSpace. They also denote that they have no intention of returning at any time to their original home.

Relations with other races[edit]

Only a few of the races in Star Control II mention the Orz at all. This is not surprising as they appear to be new in TrueSpace. The relations that they do have are as mysterious as the Orz themselves.

Androsynth[edit]

The appearance of the Orz coincided with the disappearance of the Androsynth from the same location. In fact, both the Arilou and the Orz themselves suggest that it was the IDF research of the Androsynth which enabled the Orz to come to TrueSpace.

Whether the Orz themselves were the cause for the disappearance of the Androsynth is the subject of a lot of speculation. Evidence for it exists, but is very circumstantial. Whatever their involvement, asking too much about the Androsynth is enough reason for the Orz to attack you.

Arilou Lalee'lay[edit]

Dialogues with both the Arilou and Orz suggest that they have had contact outside of TrueSpace. The Orz do not like the Arilou very much, and complain that the Arilou are always "*jumping in front*". Conversely, the Arilou warn not to trust the Orz, as they are dangerous.

Melnorme[edit]

The Melnorme know of the existence of the Orz, and that they appeared when the Androsynth disappeared. Whether they've met them in person is unclear. While there is a Melnorme trader in Orz space, the Orz never mention Melnorme.

Spathi[edit]

The Spathi also mention that the Orz entered this space when the Androsynth disappeared. They think that they are creepy and warn against an alliance. This is all based on their own speculation though, and arguably the Spathi would object to an alliance with almost any race on this basis. Whether they have met the Orz in person or only heard about them from descriptions is unclear.

Taalo[edit]

The Orz mention the Taalo on several occasions. They seem to have been in contact over a longer period of time. According to the Orz, the Taalo have fled TrueSpace to *Pretty Space*, to which the Orz can also go. The Orz refer to Delta Vulpeculae II-C as the Taalo *playground*, where the Taalo "are making *Time jokes*", and the Orz *chase* the Taalo and *play* with them. The Orz consider the Taalo to be better *campers* than the Humans. As the Orz language isn't very clear, it may be that this is all in the past though.

VUX[edit]

The Orz briefly mention the VUX, as being "*silly cows*" for asking too many questions about the Androsynth, which prompted the Orz to attack the VUX. (*silly cows* are races disliked by Orz)

Theories[edit]

There are various theories to explain the various mysteries surrounding the Orz.

The Orz are Them[edit]

There are theories that the Orz are in fact the ghost-like creatures that the Androsynth IDF researchers (and Bukowski, probably) ran into. They are mostly based on the fact that They were coming into this world just before the Androsynth disappeared, which was when the Orz appeared. Even when accepting that the timing of the appearance of the Orz is not a coincidence, they do not have to be Them. The Orz could have detected the Androsynth in the same way as They did.

It has been confirmed (in the 2007 chat) that the Orz is/are a part of Them, or rather the projection of Them into TrueSpace.

The Orz killed the Androsynth[edit]

This is based again on the timing of the appearance of the Orz and the disappearance of the Androsynth, combined with the fact that the Orz refuse to talk about the Androsynth. If this is true, then the Orz would be responsible for the violent land war that wiped out the Androsynth civilization. This is suggested by both the Melnorme and the Spathi. In the same dialogues however, it is made clear that they don't actually know that. A reliable source explicitly asserts that the Androsynth were indeed "snagged" by the Orz entity.2

The Orz are altered Androsynth[edit]

This theory is a variation of the idea that the Orz are responsible for the disappearance of the Androsynth. In this theory, "snagged" is interpreted as meaning some kind of infection or possession that transformed the Androsynth into the Orz. Usually this theory is proposed as a way to explain the mysterious lack of Androsynth corpses in the ruins of their city. The Arilou description of malignant, parasitic creatures from Beyond (Them) and reference to the Androsynth and Orz as an example are also usually taken as evidence of this theory.

The Orz are protecting races by killing those who ask too many questions about the Androsynth[edit]

This reflects the remarks made by the Arilou about parasites from beyond that can detect you when you show yourself. If you reject the theory that the Orz killed the Androsynth, this would provide an alternative explanation that connects 'Them', the disappearance of the Androsynth, and the Orz. In this case, the Orz, like the Arilou, would be attempting to keep TrueSpace races ignorant of and thus invisible to the extradimensional parasites. This theory has been shown to be false in the 2007 IRC chat with Toys for Bob (see The Orz are Them).

The Orz snagged the Androsynth to protect them from Them[edit]

This one is a variation of the theory previously presented, that also explains what the Orz did to the Androsynth. However, this appears to contradict the Arilou's statements that the Orz are dangerous and not to be trusted. This theory has been shown to be false in the 2007 IRC chat with Toys for Bob (see The Orz are Them).

The Orz seek to take advantage of indigenous races in some undefined way[edit]

The Orz say they dislike the Arilou because they are "jumping in front." The Arilou claim to have changed humans to protect them from the "parasites" that would like to find them. It may be that the Orz want space and races that the Arilou do not control as these would be easier to conquer or manipulate.

Translating Orz Communications[edit]

Main article: Orz communications

The translation computer aboard The Flagship is not able to accurately translate many of the words the Orz are using. While in most cases the meaning can be approximated from the context, an exact translation is usually highly speculative

Notes and references[edit]

1From the 2007 IRC chat with Toys for Bob (robot is Fred Ford, PR3 is Paul Reiche III):
23:55 <+Cap`n`Kyth> One thing I've wondered - is Orz the same as 'Them', or is Orz "competing" with 'Them' over the Androsynth (like food?), or protecting the Androsynth from 'Them' - by *pulling* the Androsynth away before 'They' can find the Androsynth again?
23:57 <+PR3> The Orz is part of Them, the projection of Them into TrueSpace.
2From the 1998 IRC chat with Toys for Bob (Fwiffo is both Fred Ford and Paul Reiche III here):
<LordR-man> Fwiffo- What really happened to the Androsynth in sc2?
<Fwiffo> In regards to the Androsynth: They were snagged by the entity who/which projected its fingers into our dimension (which looked to us as the Orz.)
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