Protoss

The Protoss are a species near the peak of biological potential, which possesses powerful psionic capabilities.

The Protoss began as a simple hunter-gatherer species on the planet Aiur. In time, they were discovered by the advanced, nomadic species known as the Xel'Naga, who were on a quest to create the perfect organisms. The Protoss, having much potential in the eyes of the Xel'Naga, were the subject of one of their 'grand experiments.'

Aside from their physical near-perfection, the early Protoss instinctively used their psionic powers to create a communal bond with each other; this was seen as one of their great strengths by the Xel'Naga. Over time, genetic experimentation, as well as psionic modifications involving the mysterious 'Khaydarin crystals,' rendered the Protoss a powerful new race.

Yet during this process, many Protoss began to grow more individualistic as they grew in intelligence. Becoming vain and prideful, they severed their primal communal bond and eventually drove the Xel'Naga from Aiur. The Xel'Naga themselves saw this development of individually ambitious personalities as a great flaw, and they abandoned all work with the First Born. ('Protoss' appears to be a Greek translation of 'first born.')

Upon their creator-mentors' departure, the Protoss fell into long ages of bloody civil war. Much knowledge was lost during this dark age, the Aeon of Strife. Some Protoss, the Dark Templar, severed their ability to even participate within the communal link of the Protoss, forcing them to use a different set of psionic energies. Branded as heretics, most were killed or exiled.

However, a young warrior named Adun refused to kill a group of Dark Templar as he was ordered to. Instead, he tried to reconcile the two halves of Protoss civilization. While he was ultimately unsuccessful, he did implement the philosophy of the Khala, which called for discipline and a strong government structure to finally unify the warring clans. Protoss civilization was re-founded under this philosophy.

After their reunification, the Protoss spread out across space, eventually encompassing an area nearly one-eighth of the Xel'Naga's earlier territory, which was almost galactic in scale. The Protoss always took care to hide their homeworld, however, in their dealings with other species.

Eventually, the young Terrans arrived in the Koprulu Sector, near the heart of Protoss space. Although the rate at which Terrans could strip planets of their resources disturbed the Protoss, they left them to their own devices. However, within a few centuries, the Protoss discovered the first evidence of the Zerg - which, as they learned, were the second major creations of the Xel'Naga. Worse, the Zerg probe they examined indicated a fierce and hostile race headed for the Koprulu Sector.

When the Zerg infiltrated and took over the backwater Terran colony of Mar Chara, the Protoss responded by incinerating the planet's surface with a fleet of warships. This fleet was then ordered to burn the rest of the 13 Terran worlds, to ensure that the Zerg would not spread to them. This order was, however, refused on the grounds that the Terrans were innocent and did not deserve to be wiped out.

Thus began a massive war between the Zerg, the Terran factions, the Protoss rebels, and the Protoss overall. Eventually, the Dark Templar resurfaced to aid the rebels and certain Terran factions.

Although the Zerg were initially defeated, they ravaged the surface of Auir and destroyed the heart of Protoss civilization. Reduced to wandering refugees, the Protoss continued to be hunted by a resurgent Zerg Swarm. Today the continued survival of their people remains in doubt.

Record 190 - group - Last update 28 Mar 2007, 23:15:26

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