The Pure

[rancke]

I just had this silly idea for a population group. They believe that their world is blessed and sacred, and that the touch of any outsider will defile it and them. When traveling offworld, they wear containment suits and breathe air from the homeworld (recycled, though), eat food from the homeworld, collect... no, let's not go there...

They've established enclaves on several neighboring worlds. Fully contained arcologies with soil, plants, building material, etc. imported from the homeworld. When outsiders visit the enclaves, they get to wear the containment suits.

I'm not sure if they control the homeworld politically. If they do, visitors to the entire world would have to wear containment suits. If not, they're liable to riot if offworlders get close enough to breathe their air!


Hans

 

[Ran Targas]

I like the idea, sort of reminds me of the Vorlons; running around in encounter suits, no one ever returning from their space, etc.

But what motivates them to maintain embassies on other worlds? Are they secretly trading for something only "these lesser beings" can provide? Are they seeking clues to some disaster either prophesized by or only recognized by their leadership? Now I'm curious ...

 

[Supplement Four]

I just had this silly idea for a population group. They believe that their world is blessed and sacred, and that the touch of any outsider will defile it and them.

Pysadi? Aramis subsector, Spinward Marches.

 

[rancke]

Pysadi? Aramis subsector, Spinward Marches.

Pysadi was written up in The Traveller Adventure. I've been thinking about Dodds, but I don't think I'll go any further with the idea. I just hoped others could use it.


Hans

 

[Blue Ghost]

One of my coffee talble sci-fi art books had a piece written up that was similar to what you describe. I can't recall the full deal, but it was marginally similar to what you describe.

You could take it a step further and give them some unique high level tech, but with some obvious disadvantages. Maybe they're in contention with the Imperium; i.e. a pocket empire that needs to be crushed ... eventually.

Maybe they're just not worth dealing with, so the Imperium leaves them alone.

To me they sound like they have some commonality with the K'Kree, minus the whole genocidal vegetarian thing that is.

 

[Peter Schutze]

"Are they secretly trading for something only "these lesser beings" can provide?"

One of the best ideas in Scazli's books is the uplifted race who would do anything to help a particular group of humans because they are trying to get "a soul" so they can understand humour etc

 

[kafka47]

Spacers, a la Asimov, save that the riot may take the form of nuclear fire...or whatever the Spacers pummled Earthmen with. Rather ironic as the radiation and destruction would have lead to a massive collapse in public health hence breeding grounds for all those germs that Spacers wanted to avoid.

I think the Pure has lots of potential were you thinking of some sort of clerical caste that could act as mediators between doctraine and the population and the outside world.

 

[Max]

But what motivates them to maintain embassies on other worlds? Are they secretly trading for something only "these lesser beings" can provide? Are they seeking clues to some disaster either prophesized by or only recognized by their leadership? Now I'm curious ...

Perhaps they 'lost' their something which they have to recover. Perhaps they even somehow managed to lose their homeworld (think the Diaspora) and are based in their arcologies.

 

[jatay3]

I like the idea, sort of reminds me of the Vorlons; running around in encounter suits, no one ever returning from their space, etc.

But what motivates them to maintain embassies on other worlds? Are they secretly trading for something only "these lesser beings" can provide? Are they seeking clues to some disaster either prophesized by or only recognized by their leadership? Now I'm curious ...

It would be unselfish of them not to share a glimpse of their wonder with others.

 

[DaveChase]

Sounds a bit like the episode "The Rules of the Game" from B5 Crusade Season 1. They (the Holy) had moved to the planet because the Blessed One had told them that it was their new home. It was originally was home to a race of really high tech people that left it for some reason centuries ago.

The Holy (the people that now lived there) would not allow outsiders on their planet because they were corrupt and would bring their bad influence upon the Holy.

The Holy really didn't know how to use most of the tech they had found. And they would not allow anyone to posses their tech as it was only for the Holy.

In the end the Holy do allow for outsiders to visit their planet but only to help the Holy understand just how immorale and corrupt the non-Holy are.

Dave Chase

 

[Vile]

They believe that their world is blessed and sacred, and that the touch of any outsider will defile it and them.

Oh, I know them. They work out here: