Minbari

All Minbari belong to one of the three castes that form their society. Players must choose to belong to the worker, warrior or religious caste.

Religious Caste

Members of the religious caste are extremely knowledgeable, having spent much of their infancy and adolescence learning from the collected wisdom of their entire race.

Name: Minbari
Dice: 13D
Dexterity: 2D / 4D
Knowledge: 2D+1 / 4D+1
Mechanical: 2D / 4D
Perception: 1D+2 / 3D+2
Strength: 2D+1 / 4D+1
Technical: 2D / 4D

Move: 10 / 12
Size: 1.5 - 2.0 meters
Weight: 50 - 100 kg
Lifespan: 600 - 670 Earth Years

Special Abilities

• They gain a +1D bonus to all Knowledge skill rolls.
• The Minbari are extremely quick and can react faster than most other races. They gain a +1D bonus to all Initiative checks.
• It takes a lot to defeat a Minbari and so long as they still draw breath, they will carry on with their assigned tasks no matter what befalls them. Minbari gain a +1D bonus to all Willpower checks.
• The Minbari are known not to lie under normal circumstances; a Minbari gains a +2D circumstance to any Con checks he attempts against a particular target. This bonus is lost forever if the Minbari is discovered to have lied. This bonus cannot be used when sending a secret message.

Warrior Caste

The Minbari warrior caste is trained to fight.

Name: Minbari
Dice: 13D
Dexterity: 2D / 4D
Knowledge: 1D+2 / 3D+2
Mechanical: 2D / 4D
Perception: 1D+2 / 3D+2
Strength: 2D+1 / 4D+1
Technical: 2D / 4D

Move: 10 / 12
Size: 1.5 - 2.0 meters
Weight: 50 - 100 kg
Lifespan: 600 - 670 Earth Years

Special Abilities

• The Minbari Warrior caste is trained to fight – all members may pick one weapon they are proficient in as a favored weapon, gaining a free skill specialization as a bonus.
• The Minbari are extremely quick and can react faster than most other races. They gain a +1D bonus to all Initiative checks.
• It takes a lot to defeat a Minbari and so long as they still draw breath, they will carry on with their assigned tasks no matter what befalls them. Minbari gain a +1D bonus to all Willpower checks.
• The Minbari are known not to lie under normal circumstances; a Minbari gains a +2D circumstance to any Con checks he attempts against a particular target. This bonus is lost forever if the Minbari is discovered to have lied. This bonus cannot be used when sending a secret message.

Worker Caste

Members of the worker caste have many diverse skills and trades.

Name: Minbari
Dice: 13D
Dexterity: 2D / 4D
Knowledge: 1D+2 / 3D+2
Mechanical: 2D / 4D
Perception: 1D+2 / 3D+2
Strength: 2D+1 / 4D+1
Technical: 2D+2 / 4D+2

Move: 10 / 12
Size: 1.5 - 2.0 meters
Weight: 50 - 100 kg
Lifespan: 600 - 670 Earth Years

Special Abilities

• They gain a +1D bonus to all Technical Skill rolls.
• The Minbari are extremely quick and can react faster than most other races. They gain a +1D bonus to all Initiative checks.
• It takes a lot to defeat a Minbari and so long as they still draw breath, they will carry on with their assigned tasks no matter what befalls them. Minbari gain a +1D bonus to all Willpower checks.
• The Minbari are known not to lie under normal circumstances; a Minbari gains a +2D circumstance to any Con checks he attempts against a particular target. This bonus is lost forever if the Minbari is discovered to have lied. This bonus cannot be used when sending a secret message.

Description

The Minbari are regarded with a great deal of respect by the other races, for they have been travelling the dark reaches of space for many centuries and have access to incredible technologies. Their ships are all but invincible in battle, their weapons capable of penetrating any defensive measure known. It is rumored that they also have access to limited bio- and temporal technologies, though this has never been confirmed, for the Minbari are a secretive and spiritual people who have only recently begun to mix with other races. No one is quite sure why they have decided to openly emerge into the galaxy at this time but their actions in the Earth-Minbari War a decade ago have ensured most will tread lightly when dealing with them.

Personality: Minbari society is divided into three castes; worker, warrior and religious. Any individual Minbari will identify himself with the caste he belongs to, as well as his family’s clan. Noted as being a highly a spiritual people, Minbari have raised almost all art forms to new levels. Their first loyalty will always be to their own people and it is said that no Minbari has killed another for over 1,000 years – this is one of their most sacred laws. However, most treat aliens with extreme caution, even prejudice, for Minbari believe themselves to be mentally, physically and spiritually superior to every other race in the galaxy, with the possible exception of the Vorlons. This superiority can make them extremely difficult to negotiate with and their steadfast stubbornness to never give up on a task, no matter how difficult, often makes things a lot worse.

Physical Description: Most Minbari are a little shorter than Humans but they have an extremely well-evolved musculature and nervous system that grants them seemingly supernatural strength and speed. Both male and female Minbari are bald with a bony plate that extends high around their skull. The top of their skull often has pale blue or purple patterns similar to Human birthmarks. There is no differentiation between the capabilities of males and females within Minbari society and either may be found in any position or role. While those in the warrior caste tend to have striking battle dress uniforms, those from the worker and religious castes are more somber, with understated robes being the most common clothing.

Relations: The Minbari have only recently started to spread their influence across the galaxy and begin interacting with the galactic community in any meaningful way. No one is quite sure why, after all this time, the Minbari Federation should start taking an interest in the affairs of others but it is clear that the Earth-Minbari War a decade ago was something of a watershed for this race. Through their contact with aliens on Babylon 5, the Minbari have demonstrated them to be an honorable, if rather aloof, people, though there are many who remain suspicious of other races, particularly Humans.

Minbari Systems: The Minbari Federation dominates a relatively small area of space but its worlds are extremely well developed. Interstellar commerce has only recently opened up the Minbari worlds to other races and their ancient crystal cities are a marvel to behold – as recently as ten years ago, no other race would expect to be able to penetrate Minbari space and survive the attempt. The Minbari also maintain a protectorate area of space containing technically neutral systems, though few non-Minbari will ever gain access to this area.

Minbari Beliefs: Unlike most other races, the Minbari have no concept of god or gods, though they do venerate individuals who have had a great impact upon their history, such as the oft-quoted Valen. Instead, all Minbari hold a deep-rooted connection to the universe close to their beings. It is their view that the universe itself is sentient in a way mortals can perhaps never quite understand. However, those same mortals are each parts of the same whole, all working together so the universe may one day figure itself out. Overall, Minbari beliefs are complex and beyond the understanding of most races – after all, a full third of their society (the religious caste) is dedicated to comprehending these values themselves. Regardless of their caste, all Minbari are raised to be completely self-sacrificing, believing there is no higher calling than to serve others.

Language: The language of the Minbari often sounds light and soft to Human ears, though few aliens realize that there are actually three languages in use on Minbar – light, dark and grey. There are many similarities between all three but they remain separate and distinct tongues whose proper use within Minbari society is something of a nightmare to any alien race who takes the extraordinary time and effort required to learn them.

Names: To other races, the names Minbari use tend to seem very informal for a race so sophisticated, as most will simply go by their first name. In the rare case of a Minbari actually attaining a title within their caste, this may well be used in place of their true name. However, all Minbari belong to a family and clan as well as a caste and on formal occasions, title, name, family and clan will all be used to announce an individual.

Male Names: Draal, Dukhat, Kadroni, Lennier, Lennon, Nerid, Neroon, Rathenn

Female Names: Akel, Delenn, Mayal, Shaal, Sihnon, Yeyani

Family Names: Chu’Domo, Koloni, Mayan, Mir, Zen

Religious Caste Clan Names: Barili, Orfirio, Paren, Voleen Warrior Caste Clan Names: Fire Wings, Moon Shields, Night Walkers, Star Riders, Wind Swords Worker Caste Clan Names: Crystal Shapers, Crystal Whisperers, Star Crafters, Valen’s Footsteps

Starfarers: The Minbari of the religious caste have been travelling the stars for centuries and it is one of their most dearly held beliefs that when a life is near its end, an individual should seek to travel among many different worlds before he is laid to rest. The warrior caste has also been active in the past, though their travels have usually been restricted to the reconnaissance of other races, while those of the worker caste rarely left their worlds. Since the Earth-Minbari War this has begun to change, with Minbari traders and explorers appearing more frequently in alien space. They are still among the most withdrawn of races and it is a rare freighter captain who actually sees a Minbari ship.

Source

• The Babylon 5 Project: Minbari
• Babylon 5 2nd Edition Sourcebook (pages 29-31)
• thedemonapostle