Denobulan

For the Denobulan Homeworld, see: Denobula

Introduction
The Denobulans are a humanoid species native to the planet Denobula  in the Denobula Trixia-system.

Biology
Denobulans had prominent facial ridges running down either side of the forehead to the cheeks, an enlarged brow ridge under a high receded hairline, a vertical crevice in the center of the forehead, and a ridged chin. They also had ridges on their back, along the spine. Their toenails were dark brown and yellow striped, and they grew so rapidly that they needed to be groomed once a week.

Denobulans also had very long tongues, and they used tongue scrapers. Denobulan males had a line of hair down the middle of their chest, up to their throat.

The flexibility of the Denobulan face, despite the bony ridges adorning it, allows for a characteristically wide smile. This particular expression, while comical to Human eyes, is used to signify a sense of companionship experienced by colleagues in the workplace.

Denobulans had a unique ability to enlarge their faces for when they felt threatened. It was likely similar to the defense mechanism of the blowfish, an aquatic lifeform native to Earth.

Denobulans seemed to change their eye color depending on their moods.

Due to being in near perpetual light of two suns, Denobulans normally required very little sleep, but they did hibernate for five to six days each year. This period of time corresponds to the Denobulan homeworld's ecpilse by a nearby Jovian world, Haaxiol. However, at a minimum, two days were sufficient. If a Denobulan was awakened prematurely, the results could be somewhat unpredictable; hibernating Denobulans, if woken, appeared extremely disoriented and confused, with oddly-pitched voices, and had difficulty maintaining normal motor skills and cognitive functions.

Denobulans had highly-efficient natural climbing abilities similar to those of Earth lizards, being capable of scaling vertical rock faces at a rapid speed with no equipment whatsoever, appearing to scuttle up the rock face without needing to find handholds.

Denobulans possess a particularly powerful immune systems, however given the number of toxic chemicals present in their atmosphere, exposure to radiation from two suns and high lead content in their soil, such is neccessary to survive on their homeworld.

Since the 20th century, the Denobulans practiced genetic engineering, with generally positive results.

Reproduction
 Denobulan females had very potent pheromones that the males could sense, and they released them when they were romantically interested in someone, and presumably during their mating season. Denobulan males were known to become violent during the mating season and generally were isolate themselves from females in bachelor communities to avoid unnecessary violence.

Lifespan
The exact life expectancy of Denobulans is can be incredibly long, between 170 to 280-years is very common.

Cultural Dogma
Denobulans have a strong sense of hospitality and generosity, but also a strong sense of social hierarchy. Seniority is an important concept in Denobulan culture. Elders females have by tradition ruled in family decisions or ceremonies. Older siblings have duties to younger ones, males defer to females. On their homeworld, Denobula, the twelve billion Denobulan inhabitants all shared one continent, Uvax, resulting in living space being at a premium and Denobulan culture having come to embrace close, communal lifestyles, although this habitation arrangement was due to choice rather than necessity.

Among Denobulans, it was considered healthy for a person to hallucinate, as it was seen as a harmless way to release nervous energy. However this was considered a recreational behavior that had to be controlled for safety, so age restrictions are implemented.

The traditional Denobulan greeting, the wave, is generally offered first by the younger of the two people meeting, with their hands pressed together, fingertips pointing upwards as the head is bowed to touch their face to the hands, usually coinciding with the spoken word "Oriz unta" for male speakers, and "Oriz unt" for females. The elder then is to respond afterwards in the same way. Social status and position, such as in government, will also have an influence on who performs the wave first. For example, although one may be considerably older than a provincial governor, when meeting it is usually the visitor who pays respect first. When children leave to go to school, they are taught to wave to their parents to represent their respect for them. They do the same when they come back.

Denobulan medical ethics considered a patient's will to be absolutely binding, including his denial to be cured or live. This was noted to be pretty unlike the Hippocratic Oath followed by Humans, which compelled a physician to save a patient. By the 22nd century, the Denobulans had experimented with nanotechnology. Although Denobulans don't keep pets, they tend to address or greet animals they meet by imitating their sounds, even insects. Denobulans did not talk during meals, as they considered it a waste of time.

On Denobula, dermal art was very common until sometime before 2100s when it fell out in favor of mimetic wigs.

Family Life
Due to the crowded living conditions on Denobula, working relationships tend to be more intimate than is normal for Humans. This can often extend to flirtation or explicit displays of sexuality, even among thrice-wedded individuals. Denobulans have reigned in this behavior however, out of respect for races with less complex marriage rituals.

Denobulans were typically polyamorous, where a man typically had three wives, who each had three husbands. This created extremely large extended families. In addition, Denobulan marriages were not exclusive, and married Denobulans could be intimate with anyone they chose. The females emitted powerful pheromones during their mating season. Male Denobulans often became combative during this time, and mating could require medical supervision. Denobulans typically preferred to be among large groups and found solitude uncomfortable. However, Denobulans, at least males, were uncomfortable being touched by persons they were not intimate with. Denobulan males were more sexually inhibited than the females of their species.

Society
Denobula exports an increasing value of goods and services annually. Major exports include Denobulan antibotics, textiles and footwear, diagnostic products, sensor systems, computers and electrical appliances. Denobula is the world's no.1 exporter of aqua-produced food stuffs, exporting more than 6.5 billion tons of milled rice annually. Rice is the most important crop on the planet.

49% of Denobula's labor force is employed in aqua-culture. However, the relative contribution of aqua-cultural has declined while exports of goods and services have increased from off-world locations, notablly Surajkund and Tesso Alo.

Ancient History
The modern Denobulan civilization began about 4,000 years ago, with the rise of the Jictiv Empire. Short-lived, its size, heavy taxation and slow ability to communicate over long-distance meant when the first rebellion brought the entire civilization to ruin in a matter of weeks. After the fall of the Jictiv Empire in the 13th century, various states thrived there, such as the various Ylam, Bratnz, Hyu and Tyroa kingdoms, as seen through the numerous archaeological sites and artifacts that are scattered over Denobula. Prior to the 12th century however, the first Tyroa or Ylam state is traditionally considered to be the mountain kingdom of Hotlia, which was founded in 1238. Following the decline and fall of the Jictiv Empire in the 13th–15th century, the Kiv Hon kingdoms of Hotlia, Lanna and Lan Xang were on the ascension. However, a century later, the power of Hotlia was overshadowed by the new kingdom of Kinj, established in the mid-14th century in the southern area.

First Contact
The Denobulans believed they were the only intelligent species in the galaxy until the B'Saari made first contact in the late 1600s. Shortly afterwards, the Denobulans were contacted by the Vulcan civilization's starship Fal Chaya, while relations were cordial, the Denobulans found the Vulcan’s restrictive and controlling.

Kinj's expansion centred along the Menam while in the northern valley the Lashan Kingdom and other small Brin city-states ruled the area. In 1431, the Jictiv abandoned Anxto after the Kinj forces invaded the city. Denobula retained a tradition of trade with its neighbouring states, Kinj became one of the most vibrant trading centres in region. Vulcan traders arrived in the 16th century. After the fall of Kinj in 1767 to the Northern City States, Empress Taksin the Great moved the capital to Loxt, its current location.

Interstellar Era
Despite Vulcan pressure, Denobula refused to slow their increasing use of genetic and nano-technology. This has been ascribed to the long succession of able rulers in the past four centuries who exploited the rivalry and tension between Andorian Empire and the Confederacy of Vulcan. As a result, the world remained a buffer state between nations that were allied to the two powers, Vulcan and Andorian.

Denobulans fought several wars against the Antaran species. The last one was during the late 19th century. Denobulan battle tactics killed twenty million Antarans. The Denobulans demonized the Antarans and made them a faceless enemy (and vice versa). As of the 22nd century, there were still some Denobulans that hated Antarans, although most had outgrown the hatred.

In 1832, a bloodless revolution carried out by a group of military and civilian officials resulted in a transition of power, when Empress Hipox was forced to grant the people of Denobula their first constitution, thereby ending centuries of absolute monarchy. She would remain as the head of government with full veto power, but a Senate would create, enact laws. This brought stability to her nation and quickly led to formerly hostile or isolationist city states to join, unifying the planet.

The Denobulans first met Humanity in the 2130s, through Vulcan introductions. By the 2130s, Denobulans and Humans had built the joint research stations of Cold Station 1 through 14 in order to study many of the galaxy's most dangerous and deadly diseases. When the Vulcans formed the Interspecies Medical Exchange, Denobulans were involved and contributed nearly a third of its total medical personnel serving off-world.

Xindi Conflict
Tragically in the 2150s, Denobula was among the first worlds to feel the wrath of war during the Xindi Conflict and fell to the invading enemy in the first month of fight in what has become know as the Fall of Denobula. Following Xindi First Strike the August 2153 victory of allied forces who managed to capture the Northland Mass Relay, Xindi Commandant Dalop of the 4th Xindi Destroyer Flotilla and 23rd Xindi Combat Goup, originally on silent running to raid Vulcan, knew that he would have to prepare for long-term entrenchment to survive. Because of this he set his sights on conquering the Denobulan homeworld to replace the lose of his command base. Stripping the Denobulan colony of Mitey Inno for supplies and slaves, Dalop broke through the only recently established Coalition fleet at Andras and on August 24 entered the Denobulan home system.

From August 26 to September 4, 2153, the Denobulan and Coalition fleets fought a running battle through the system, however due to the anitquated military of the Denobulans, lack of coordination among the newly formed Coalition and the remoteness of Denobula Triaxa, the world fell after a week. In the final days Coalition forces began a stragetic retreat, knowing that the battle was already lost but the Xindi would bleed them for ships desperately needed to protect nearby Surajkund and Anaxar. During this period nearly 338,226 Denobulan children were evacuated from the combat zone to refugee camps setup on Picon and Axanar, yet compared to Denobula's population of 12-billion, this was barely 0.00002% of its population.

The Conquest of Denobula was complete on September 5, 2153. The Coalition and Denobulans had lost nearly 84 ships and almost 677-thousand had lost their lives, mostly civilian from Xindi fire bombings of Denobulan cities. The Xindi on the other hand only lost 42 ships and 5,900 lives. The Denobulan government collapsed as civil chaos erupted and Commandant Dalop ordered for Denobulan Empress Ramxa IV to formally surrend and declare the Princaplity of Denobula an annexed territory of the New Xindus Cooperative. Her majesty's response was to detontating a low yield tactic warhead, vaporizing the enitre eight-hundred year old Palace of Havxin, Dalop, four-troop transports, 400 Xindi and herself. With the government gone, the act of fighting the occupying Xindi was taken over by local resistance forces and the newly appointed Vice-Countess Midexla with the Denobulan government-in-exile on Axanar.

Denobula would not be liberated until June 2154, after almost 9-months under Xindi rule. Through the leadership of Fleet Admiral Thy'lek Shran, the Coalition 3rd Fleet manages to drive out the Xindi occupation force in a 22-hour battle. When final death-tolls of the occupation were taken, over 80-million Denobulans have been killed and much of their cities razed. Denobula's unusually harsh winter was credited with slowing the Xindi massacre of the population, which could have been significantly higher.

Since then the world has begun a slow recovery to the heart of healing and medicine it once was.