Hemmoian culture

Specifics regarding the Hemmoian culture.

Historical changes

Significant changes in Hemmoian chronology are marked with the beginning of a new Age. Currently, the Hemmoians have begun their Third Age with the founding of the Peace Station Project. The First Age was the birth and development of Hemmoian civilization on Orceron, and the Second Age was begun with the settlement of Aldaain, a new homeworld.

A significant break between early Hemmoians on Orceron occurred when the Ho'kan Empire broke away from the newly established Hemmoian Unity. These differences eventually led to the Hemmo Wars and the relocation of remaining Ho'kan forces to the planet Xalan, where they continued to develop a vastly different Hemmoian culture.

Many traditions and cultural heritage was destroyed in the Great Cataclysm.

In modern times, an anti-collectivist rebellion has developed within the Hemmoian Federation. The secessionists established the Democratic Hemmoian Republic that has alternative views and do not aim for the Grand Unification.

Philosophy

The Hemmoian philosophy is a curious mix of reverence towards natural processes, such as evolution, as well as artificial self-improvement through technology. Central to the Hemmoian ideal is a concept of eternal progress towards perfection that manifests itself both in natural and artificial systems. Closely linked to the idea of progress is unity and the eventual Grand Unification of the entire species.

The Hemmoians ideally devote their lives, based on reason, intelligence and efficiency, to mental self-perfection, meditation, science and study. They observe, record and preserve, doing their best to outwit the laws of entropy and the eventual Heat Death of the Universe. What is done is done - ostensibly, in any case - for the greater good, and individual lives are often disregarded by the systems they endorse.

In practice, however, the eternal quest for self-perfection comes at a price. The networked, parallel-processing nature of the Hemmoian brain gives them great natural intelligence, but makes them highly susceptible to mental illnesses and side personalities. This is further accented by the fact that most Hemmoians spend a large amount of their daily lives linked into the Collective Network, a vast virtual reality where they can interact with the minds of other Hemmoians with varying degrees of intimacy. Not hearing voices inside your head is considered an abnormal state.

A well known example are the Great Thinkers, a highly respected group of Hemmoian philosophers, whose brilliance often appears as insanity to outsiders. Their writings appear mostly unintelligible to non-Hemmoians. While many consider them raving lunatics, the Thinkers remain popular icons of Hemmoian society year after year.

People

Religion

The Hemmoians are largely atheistic, although sidology has had a major cultural impact and there are still several sidologist churches. Additionally, a large number of minor religions, belief systems and cults exist. These include the Children of the PJ, a monotheistic religious faction.

Minorities

Hemmoians are divided into several different minority groups. An estimated 63% of the population in the Hemmoian Federation (including species other than Hemmoians) is composed of the Aldaain strain. Other Hemmoian strains, mainly developed due to the differing conditions on different colony worlds, comprise an approximated 8.9% of the total population. Of these, the Riletian strain originating from Rilet system is a major one.

Telepaths

Natural telepathy is not commonly observed among Hemmoians. However, artificial cranial implants provide various non-verbal thought-based communication methods between individuals linked into the Collective Network.

Festivities and traditions

The annual Celebration of the Thinkers is an important tradition in Hemmoian culture. During this celebration that lasts for days, Hemmoians from all over the galaxy compete in various mental exercises, displaying their vast intellect. These competitions are often related to computer technology, philosophy, literature, or mathematics. The winners are granted audience with the Great Thinkers themselves.

Visual arts

Architecture

Of note are the designs of the Hemmo Academy as well as the domed Temple of the Thinkers.

Fashion

A formal attire is typically composed of long robes and a knertty, a kind of a tie. Additionally, Hemmoians may choose to decorate their large heads with various headbands, often with symbols or words printed on them.

The colors Hemmoian clothing often signify something about the wearer's function and position in the Collective. Blue is for high-level administration and leadership positions, while grey is for members of the High Command. The Overhemmo typically wears a red-blue robe and a red headpiece.

Language

Main article: Hemmoian languages

The languages in the Hemmoian language group differ remarkably from humanoid languages due to the radically different mechanism of sound production and the brain structure of the Hemmoian physiology. There is a very large number of languages in this group, several of which have become mainstream languages of the Galaxy.

Hemmoian Standard is the most well known Hemmoian language. It is the official language of the Hemmoian Federation and the de facto language of the Delta Quadrant. It is spoken all around the Galaxy to varying degrees. It is written with Hemmoian script.

Computer Hemmoian is a simplified, streamlined version of the Hemmoian language that is based on logic and principles of efficiency. It combines aspects of a verbal and a programming language and is used in computer networks such as the Collective. Other languages include the Riletian dialects, a minor group of variations on Hemmoian Standard that developed in the Riletian colonies.

Cuisine

Hemmoian cuisine has been characterized as "plain" and "uninteresting" by most culinary authorities of the Galaxy. A typical Hemmoian diet consists of various replicated nutritient liquids, occasionally with artificial flavouring. These have earned nicknames such as Fertilizer and Omnitrition, the official HFed source of nutrition.

Sports

Hemmoians, typically moving very slowly, have not developed an appreciation of sports other than those measuring mental faculties. The closest thing to a physical sport is Mindball, although it does not involve the athletes actually moving that much or indeed touching the ball. The sport is practiced in both real environments and the virtual realities of the Collective.

Duing the Orceronian era, a kind of athletic display known as Hemmo Walk Shows were briefly popular. Heavily modified Hemmoians have also been known to participate in some Orcish sports, although typically in special cyborg leagues.

See also

• Hemmoian adages