Acamarian
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The Acamarians are a humanoid civilization native to the Beta Quadrant. Their homeworld is Acamar III. Leaving behind a traditional history of clan rivalries and violent feuding, Acamarians had enjoyed peace for nearly a century in 2366. The exception to the reconciliation were the Gatherers, a segment of the population that split from the more conservative Acamarians and refused to be a part of the peace settlement and since then have lived off-world, as nomadic interstellar marauders, believed to have been responsible for numerous raids on various outposts and ships in the sector near Acamar III.
Physically, Acamarians can be identified by a formed indentation in their foreheads, and bear traditional tattooing of the face which indicate clan and status. Acamarian blood is composed of an odd composite of iron and copper based blood chemistry. This is rare in most other species in this area of the galaxy.
Acamarian culture places much importance to clan membership, both socially and in political circles. But they are a peaceful people, whose enlightened attitudes arose after centuries of vicious conflict. In earlier eras, clan warfare was notoriously violent. One such feud, between the Lornak and the Trelestas, lasted almost three centuries, and ended only after the last Tralesta was murdered. An individual's affiliation with a clan is the cornerstone of Acamarian society. Clan membership entitles an Acamarian to support from kin, and obligates him to aid, protect, and avenge his clanmates. In recent years interclan conflicts have been confined to the political arena, and arguments in council have replaced massacres and vendettas. Clan affiliation also governs marriage and inheritance. Acamarian society is characterized also by a rigid caste structure. Servants, often members of entire servant clans, defer absolutely to their masters. Every Acamarian knows his/her position in society, and respects his/her superiors.
Although Acamarians are quick to boast of their achievements and newfound pacifism, subtle reminders of the past remain - high-ranking Acamarians still employ poison-tasters in their retinues, and never travel without bodyguards, for example. Clan animosities are still very much present in the minds of many Acamarians. The murder by microvirus of most of the remaining Lornaks by the last surviving Tralesta, Yuta, amply demonstrates this.
The recently returned Gatherers offer a jarring contrast to conventional Acamarian culture. The Gatherers value personal freedom above all else, and treat each other as equals, deferring to a commander or leader only when necessary. Crude, brash, and often painfully blunt, the Gatherers place little value on social pleasantries. Their long struggle for survival has blurred the clan distinctions among them, and the harsh conditions in Govax have only perpetuated this attitude. The Gatherers' disdain for the Acamarian caste system and rigid clan laws have made them a clan unto themselves since their return to Acamar III.
Technologically, the Acamarians are capable of warp travel, and show a particularly high level of development in biosciences. At the height of the Clan Wars, technologies existed that could create deadly viruses tailored to a specific clan, and genetic manipulation was commonplace. The Clan Wars resulted in the loss or destruction of many of these advanced techniques, but rumors and legends abound of hidden labs and abandoned facilities packed with dormant bioweapons and advanced technologies.
The Acamarian government was headed by Sovereign Marouk in 2366. In that year, she offered a repatriation for the estranged Gatherers, mediated by Jean-Luc Picard and negotiations to reunite the Acamarians and the Gatherers took place at a gatherer camp on planet Gamma Hromi II. Picard was eventually successful and the gatherers agreed to return home the same year.
Reference(s)
- Cambias, James, et al. Planets of the UFP: A Guide to Federation Worlds, Last Unicorn Games, 1999. ISBN: 0671040065.