The Mimbari Federation.	The Mimbari.		The Mimbari Federation.
The Minbari Federation is the state composed of Minbar, other colony worlds of the Minbari people, and their protectorates. Government The Federation is led by the Grey Council, a group of nine Satai, each speaking for their own caste. Next in line of authority is the Council of Caste Elders, made up of nine members from each caste, each representing a particular clan. The first Grey Council was formed by Valen circa 1260, who intended to strike a balance between the three castes who had, until that point, often been in conflict with one another. To this end, Valen called forth the first council of nine, made up of three from each of the three castes. This system endured for a thousand years until the council chose Neroon of the Warrior Caste to fill the place once filled by Delenn of the Religious Caste, giving the Warriors an unprecedented majority. In 2260 the council had become complacent and many no longer believed in the prophecies of Valen and refused to acknowledge the reality of the coming Shadow War. Such was their inaction that Delenn, unable to get through to all of them, broke the council. The resulting power vacuum eventually caused the Minbari Civil War and was stopped when Delenn reformed the council, though this time with five from the Worker Caste and only two each from the Religious and Warrior Castes, to make sure that the previously warring factions remember their true role, in service to the people who do the actual work of the Minbari Federation. Protectorates The Minbari Federation includes a number of smaller allied worlds that come under the protection of the Minbari. One such race are the Norsai, a peaceful agrarian people that have depended on Minbari protection for centuries. History The Time Before Valen Being the oldest of the younger races, the Minbari civilization has existed for many thousands of years and like many other races, they were contacted and influenced by the Vorlons. In ancient times, Minbar was wracked with numerous civil wars stemming from caste rivalries and factional violence where Minbari killed Minbari. Despite this institutional violence, their society was stable and disciplined enough to survive and thrive. They achieved space flight well over one thousand human years ago, measured from the events in Babylon 5. As is the case with the other younger races, the Minbari did not invent Jumpgate technology themselves; They found the already existing gates as their civilization expanded out into space. The Minbari quickly established themselves on an interstellar scale. Presumably, they came into contact with other species at this time, but little is generally known about their relations with other races at this relatively early period in their development. The First Shadow War When the Shadows arose in 1260, the Minbari joined with the Vorlons and others in a war against them. When the war took a turn for the worse with the destruction of the main base for the alliance, at the last moment a replacement arrived seemingly out of nowhere. When Minbari warriors came aboard, they found a mysterious Minbari there named Valen. Surrounded by Vorlons in angelic form, seemingly blessing the event, the Minbari listened to Valen and took his leadership. Hope was restored and Shadows were defeated and driven off. "A Minbari Not Born Of Minbari." The only "known" authorized picture of Valen, commissioned by Valen himself. Species: Minbari and unknown... Gender: Male Date of Birth: May 3, 2218 Date of Death: 1360 Eye Color: Blue- NOT a natural Minbari eye color. Hair Color: Grey; No Minbari had cranial hair. Affiliation: Minbari Federation Grey Council; Anla'Shok. Ranks: Entil'Zha; Anla'shok Na; Chosen One The Time of Valen "A Minbari Not Born Of Minbari."- The Sacred Books. "Will you follow me into fire? Into storm? Into darkness? Into death?"- Valen to the Nine. A Minbari not born of Minbari. Valen, a Minbari not born of Minbari, was the most significant figure in Minbari history. Appearing mysteriously in the midst the First Shadow War, aboard a powerful new battle station, he is credited with uniting the fractured Minbari Castes and leading them to victory against the Shadows. He is also credited as one of the founders of the Interstellar Alliance, and empire that stood until the arrival of the UGC. Who truly was "Valen"? No one knows. He emerged from an as yet unexplained space-time rift, seemingly a Minbari, but with blue eyes (no Minbari before had ever had blue eyes, and even now blue eyes is proof positive of one's ancestry of Valen) and with grey hair (no Minbari before nor since has had cranial hair- the gene isn't even there to allow it). Immediately after exiting the rift, Valen transmitted a signal to the Vorlons, and ancient distress signal. A massive (by the standards of the time) fleet of 12 Vorlon captial ships arrived within hours, followed shortly by a Minbari refugee fleet. The fleets had been on the run ever since the death of their leaders and the destruction of their greatest starbase, the center for their war efforts. Their ships damaged, scattered, and cut off, unable to find a safe port as all other races had been turned against them and unwilling to return to Minbar for fear of leading the Shadows back to their homeworld, they had almost given up hope when, with a blinding flash, an answer to their prayers arrived. A boarding party were sent and met by Zathras (apparently the ships Chief Of The Boat), who took them to "The Captain" who, flanked by two Vorlons in new armor (no Vorlon had seen new armor in decades at that point) introduced himself as "the Valen" and declared they had much work ahead of them. Seeing Valen and his station as an answer to their prayers, the Minbari quickly rally around him and adopt the station as their new base. The Minbari were curious where Valen had come from, but were unable to trace his lineage back in any Minbari line and did not press the issue with him, as their own scripture spoke of a "Chosen One," akin to a Messiah, who would be "A Minbari not born of Minbari." By force of arms, knowledge of Scripture far in excess of the entire Religious Caste (as they were called at the time), and his compasion towards slaves and laborers (which would become the Worker Caste), he united the Castes and created the Anla'Shok, a new army that recognized no caste lines and operated outside of them, becoming "Entil'Zha" or leader of the Anla'Shok, though the word seems to have not one, postive, definative meaning or source. He ordered the construction of their base and training compound in the foothills of the northern mountain range on a wide plateau that overlooked the city of Tuzanor. It was said, that Valen wanted the Rangers to train for battle, where they would also be able to see the sacred city, over the objections of some elements in the warrior caste, who protested that good soldiers couldn't be created in a place of peace. Valen called forth the Nine, the first Grey Council consisting of three from each caste; Worker, warrior and religious. Remaining outside the castes, he became the first Chosen One and leader of the council, but he left a message that at the time was crytic; "As such shall cede the fullness thereof." This prophecy seemingly was fulfilled once when the Martial Caste attempted to take a seat from the Seminary Caste, and in response Delenn took a seat from the Seminary and Martial Castes and gave them to the Worker Caste. (It became fulfilled again, when with the entry of the Minbari to the UGC, as the Ambassador took one seat from each of the Castes- And gave them to the Anla'Shok, making them a "caste" unto themselves.) Seeking allies, Valen called many races to his cause, gathering them on Minbar where, just outside of the city of Tuzanor, at the peak of Mount H'Leya and accompanied by a pair of Vorlons, he gave what would become known as his holy "Times To Come" speech. He prophesies the defeat of the Shadows and that they will return in a thousand years; That the Anla'Shok will arise and be instrumental in that coming war against their ancient enemy, in which the Minbari would unite with "the other half of your soul." Slowly the tide of war turned in favor of the alliance, and the Shadows were eventually driven out of all of their places and into hiding (beneath Z'ha'dum where they enter into a form of hibernation). Valen's Legacy After the war, Valen recognizes a danger in allowing the Anla'shok to remain as such an effective fighting force without an enemy to fight, where the wrong person as their leader could turn a restless and dissatisfied group into an army for conquest and power. Rather than disband the Rangers, as he believed that without the unifying symbol of the Anla'shok, the Minbari military might once again become a collection of warring clan factions and because he knew the Shadows would return again some day, he re-tasked the Anla'shok with a new mission. They were to be a fighting force no more. Instead they were to become sentries and watchers, collecting information quietly on Minbar from returning travellers and friendly sources on other worlds, keeping alive the traditions of the Anla'shok while they kept watch for any sign that the Shadows had returned. In his absence their leader would be known by one of the same titles Valen himself carried -Anla'shok Na, or "Ranger One"- but would not be Entil'Zha. Who was the 'real' Valen? No one really knows; Some say he was a con man, though most scoff at this. Some say he was a time traveler, but until the coming of the UGC (and the discovery of the Haydonites and their meddling in the affairs of the galaxies) it was believed time travel was anti-possible. The theories continue to abond, and no one has a really elegant answer- Much like the Haydonites, Valen just "was." The arrival of Valen was not just a miracle for the sake of the war effort but a blessing for all Minbari. He soon began a series of reforms to unite the Minbari and put an end to the civil wars. He created the Grey Council and gave all three castes equal representation and power, and laid down the foundation for rule by wisdom rather than by war and violence. It was by this that the supreme law was made that no Minbari shall ever kill another Minbari. The Warrior Caste was mandated to defend their world against alien threats rather than their own people, and the Rangers were created to watch out for the Shadows. The Thousand Years of Peace For the next 900 years or so after Valen, the Minbari developed into one of most peaceful and progressive civilizations in the galaxy. They made great strides in technology which far exceeded other races, then and in the far future. The Religious Caste even enacted mercy missions and alliances with lesser advanced races bordering Minbari space like the Norsai, in which they offered them the protection of the Minbari fleet and guaranteed them their sovereignty. During these space ventures, the Minbari probably encountered other powerful civilizations like the Centauri, who were at the height of their expansion into space. It is not known what their relationship was like but apparently the Centauri did negotiate with them, instead of trying to conquer them. The Centauri would later advise the humans to keep a respectful distance from the Minbari, advice which was ignored. Culture at this time had reached the peak of advancement and society became highly refined and ritualistic, with everyone dedicated to the service of one another. However, aside from some dealings with outsiders (i.e.: Vorlons and Centauri), the Minbari kept mostly to themselves and seemingly avoided any new first contacts with aliens. Their latest leader Dukhat presided over a council that seemed to be more isolationist than ever before. Many, especially the Warrior Caste, even began to doubt that the prophesied return of the ancient enemy would ever happen, and the concerns of the Rangers were set aside for the time being. UGC-Minbari War In 2245, Dukhat, hearing about humans through the Centauri and at least partially aware of a past connection with them, urges the council to make first contact. The council is unswayed and votes to avoid direct contact. Nevertheless, on their way to investigate the Shadows, they come into contact with several Earthforce ships. Not understanding the humans, and following their tradition of open respect, the Minbari vessels approached with their gunports open. This is perceived as a threat and the humans panic and open fire, damaging the Minbari fleet and killing Dukhat. In a fit of rage, council member Delenn, seeking revenge, casts the deciding vote with the council and begins the "holy war" with Earth. Though the war dragged on for three years, Earthforce was no match for the Minbari's stealth technology, which did not allow human ships to acquire a weapons lock. Eventually the Minbari reached Earth fully prepared for an orbital bombardment. There they were met by Earth's last remaining forces at what would be known as the Battle of the Line. It was there that the Minbari learned of a special connection with the humans, through an examination of one human in particular. With this discovery, the Religious Caste ordered their forces to stop fighting and surrender. This enraged many in the Warrior Caste and shocked the humans, who both remained suspicious of the reasons behind it, not knowing what was discovered. Postwar After the war, a rift began to develop between the Martial and Seminary Castes. It also seemed, at least in some people's eyes, that Minbari society was becoming more self-involved, thinking less of the needs of others. The divisions and rivalries between the warrior and priest castes began to grow steadily worse. As the warriors grew more suspicious of the religious caste's loyalty and commitment to their world, Delenn's disobedience of the council on the subject of prophecy by changing herself, Sinclair's subsequent appointment as ambassador to their world, and especially the assignment of Sheridan the 'Starkiller' to command Babylon 5 only increased these suspicions. Later, the warriors usurped the religious caste's position on the Grey Council by having a warrior appointed to replace the seat originally intended for a religious caste member. Disgusted by this, Delenn disbanded the council. With both castes acting like their own separate nations just as they did before Valen, the Minbari were now a completely divided people. Later that year, tensions increased still further when Delenn officially took command of the Rangers at the head of the Army of Light. Civil War By 2261 the peace between the Semianry and Martial Castes finally broke. In some major cities and communities, the warriors no longer wished to lend aid and support to their Seminary Caste neighbors. The warriors had apparently stolen from them and destroyed a great number of resources belonging to the Seminary Caste, leaving whole populations of priests to fend for themselves. Some of those displaced were forced to journey to an adjoining population center to find food and supplies, and to meet with others of their brethren. Many of these refugees died of exposure before reaching such places. The situation on Minbar soon turned to outright violence and war. It was because of this that Delenn decided to return home to organize her caste and possibly mediate the conflict. She met with Neroon, much to the chagrin of others in her caste, to resolve the situation peacefully for he has the ear of Shakiri - a prominent leader in the Martial Caste. Delenn soon convinced Neroon to help her end the war between the castes. At her urging Neroon apparently betrays the Religious Caste, and leaves to meet Shakiri - having acquired intelligence that would greatly benefit the Warrior Caste. The Warrior Caste then began its final assault on the strongholds of the Religious Caste. Betrayed and defeated, they huddled together as they were bombed into complete submission. Delenn then had Lennier send a message to the Warrior Caste announcing their surrender. As part of the plan Delenn and Neroon had earlier made, Neroon selects the Temple of Varenni for the formal surrender. At the Temple the two warring parties meet and Delenn announces the surrender of the Religious Caste. Shakiri then began a speech in which he declared his intentions to strip the Religious Caste of its sovereign rights and reinstitute the Grey Council - this time as a council of warriors. Delenn interrupted Shakiri to invoke the ancient tradition of sacrificial rites to prove the worthiness of leaders - as she and Neroon had earlier planned. She challenged Shakiri to step into the Starfire Wheel and die for his Caste. At first he refused but then chose to join her in the circle. Unable to stand the energy of the Wheel, Shakiri leaped out of the energy field - proving that he would not die for his caste and was unworthy. Despite having told Neroon that she would leave the energy field after Shakiri did, Delenn had chosen to stay in to prove herself and set an example for all Minbari. But Neroon, not wanting to see her die, and finally realizing that the calling of his heart was religious, not warrior, stepped into the Wheel. Picking up Delenn and handing her to Lennier, he stayed in the Wheel. He proclaimed the true calling of his heart to the Minbari, and implored the people to listen to Delenn. A few seconds later the Wheel reached its full and lethal energy, incinerating Neroon. A few days later, still suffering from the effects of the Wheel, Delenn formed a new Grey Council. She called two members each from the Warrior Caste and Religious Caste. She then stopped to explain that while the Minbari had sought balance in the past, this would no longer be the case. Delenn then called five members of the Worker Caste forward to assume their places on the new council. She accused the Warriors and Religious of having forgotten the Workers - who toiled in anonymity while the Religious and Warriors squabbled. Under the new government, this would no longer be the case, and religion and war would now exist to serve the people instead of the other way around. As to the leadership of the new council, she left that space empty in memory of Neroon until it was taken by the one who was to come. Interstellar Alliance and Beyond With the civil war over and their world reunited, the Minbari were among the first races to support the newly formed Interstellar Alliance. Although Babylon 5 was the Alliance's first capital, it was decided early on that would not remain so forever, and the city of Tuzanor on Minbar was selected as the permanent capital. Construction on facilities for the Alliance in Tuzanor began in the early part of 2262 and was scheduled for completion by the end of the year. Technology Minbari technology is some of the finest and most advanced of the younger races, though they are still very far behind that of the Vorlons, the Shadows and the other First Ones. Their ships are powered by gravimetric engines and are equipped with artificial gravity. The Minbari are suspected to have other devices based on gravitic science, such as gravity rings which Delenn was shown using on G'Kar. Minbari also make use of crystals in their devices, most likely due to the high concentration of crystals present on their homeworld. The Minbari use Base-11, or Undecimal math. Colonies While the Minbari Federation has no specifically important colonies, it does include Worker Caste operated agricultural colonies on fourteen different worlds, all within a radius of 50 light-years from Minbar. One such colony is located on Kordat IV. Since much of the surface of the homeworld is littered with enormous crystalline deposits and the polar ice cap covers a quarter of the globe, the potential for agricultural expansion is extremely limited. As a result, the colonies were established primarily as a means to combat overpopulation on Minbar. The colonies themselves are separated into three settlements, one for each caste, each laid out as an equilateral triangle; these all converge at a central, caste neutral administration facility where the food sanctification rituals and colony meetings are held. Titles and Ranks Government Chosen One: Leader of the Grey Council and stands apart from the nine. Appointed by a consensus vote from the members of the Grey Council. When the chosen one dies the council can wait up to ten years before choosing another leader, as they did after the death of Dukhat. In 2258 Delenn became the only Minbari ever to refuse the offer of leadership. The first Chosen One was Valen, 1260-1360. Satai: Member of the Grey Council. Appointed through sponsorship and majority vote from the other members of the council. The names of the Council members were kept secret and indeed the exact nature of the Satai's duties and how they exactly relate to the other parts of the government are never discussed. When Delenn reformed the Council the identities of the Council members were made public. Elder: Senior member of a given Clan, represents their clan in the Council of Caste Elders, which is itself composed of nine members for each of the three castes. The Caste System The peoples of the Mimbari Federation are divided into castes based not on birth but by acceptance by those within the caste. For centuries, the caste system was rigid, and held in check by the Grey Council; As each caste had to seats, there could be no easy abuses of power (though they did happen). The stripping of the Seminary Caste of one seat and transferring it to the Martial Caste created a crisis that resulted in the Second Minbari Civil War, and would end with the stripping of both the Seminary and Martial Castes of one seat, transferred to the Worker Caste. This would remain in place until the UGC insisted on reforms as part of entry into the larger empire; The Seminary and Martial castes had chafed at the Worker Caste's "supermajority" control of the Council for quite some time, and had hoped to strip ONE seat away from them, although neither would do so fearing the other would gain that seat. The threat of the UGC and the opportunity it created for a larger protectorate made the chance to do so, but all three Castes were surprised by the UGC's demand that the stripped seat be given to the Anla'Shok, which hadn't before been considered a "caste" but rather a vocation, and one mostly filled with non-Minbari. It was a political game changer as well, and the Worker Caste now could potentially face a united council, and with no easy way to break it. For their part, the Worker Caste had been willing to give up one seat, if a second seat were to be created out of "thin air" for the opposite faction. The UGC solution relieved them of this concern, and in a fashion that amused the Workers, since many Workers were themselves former Anla'Shok. It maintained the balance of power between the Seminary and Martial Castes, and removed the much-hated supermajority of the Workers. Worker Caste Seminary Caste Martial Caste Anla'Shok Caste Worker Caste The Worker Caste are the commercial pilots, engineers, construction workers, mapmakers, miners and factory workers of the Minbari Federation. The language of the Worker Caste has a simple, unadorned style when compared to the dialects of the other castes and is suited to technical and scientific description. Throughout most of Minbari history, the Worker Caste has always been caught in the middle of and/or taken a back seat in the struggles within their society. While Seminary and Martial Castes struggle over authority and issues of defense, the Worker Caste does the building or rebuilding in service of their policies. Despite this, some have said that Valen did not consider the idea of Workers serving in the Anla'shok to be "unacceptable," that towards the end of the Shadow War he did indeed allow members of the Worker Caste to serve as Rangers, and that it was only after he went beyond that the Workers were again forbidden from being Anla'shok. Many scholars and warriors contended that there was no proof to support that belief and dismissed it as pure myth. However, with the installment of Jeffrey SINCLAIR as Entil'Zha in 2259, membership in the Anla'shok was again finally open to Minbari of all castes, including the Workers. After the Minbari Civil War, they were given more representation in the government, with five spots on the Grey Council instead of just three. Under the UGC's reforms, the Worker Caste was forced to give up one seat to the Anla'Shok (Rangers) Caste, creating a 5/2/2/3 split. Seminary Caste The Seminary Caste are the religous and spiritual leaders of the Mimbari; They have been the most important of the Minbari castes in contemporary history, so much so that the religious and spiritual matters that they stand for take precedence over all others. Their policies even after the time of Valen usually clash with those of the Martial Caste. While they are termed as 'religious', their function in Minbari society is wider than simply being monks or priests, also filling the role of politicians and diplomats. Core Beliefs They believe that the universe is alive and conscious and has broken itself into many different forms of sentient life in order to better understand itself. They also believe that when a fellow Minbari dies, his spirit joins the souls of all the others until it is reborn into the next generation. Titles Shaal: An honorific title, granted to a person who has made a major achievement, usually a lifetime achievement, such as becoming a Master of Ti'la (Minbari song poetry.) Example: Shaal Mayan Acolyte: An Acolyte is an essentially a Religious Caste attendant, seeing to the needs of others as they are directed. Often trained in temple from childhood, some are specifically groomed for certain positions by their Master and may ascend very quickly through the ranks of their caste or clan. Denn'bok Training. Martial Caste The Martial Caste are the traditional defenders of their homeworld. Physiology Traits Warrior Caste members generally shape their headbones into a rigid spike-like crown with high crests. Mentality/Philosophy Minbari warriors are generally more aggressive than most other Minbari, fiercely loyal, patriotic, nationalistic, and usually less friendly with other races. They are often seen as stubborn and ruthless by other castes. But like all Minbari, the warriors are trained to serve and are ready give their lives for their clan or their people if called upon to do so at once. Just as other castes are fully committed to their paths, so are they fully committed to theirs. Thus they are fierce in war and heedless of their own lives. Traditions and Rites As with all things wholly Minbari, the warrior caste are highly ritualistic in all their affairs. One such is the funerary customs and burial rites of important leaders. Warriors consider the vessel of their leaders soul (the body), possibly them all, to be of extreme importance and reverence. When such a figure dies, their body is generally displayed with honors throughout the Federation and sometimes elsewhere. When going abroad with the ceremony, the body is carried aboard a war cruiser with all weapons on display. The ceremony itself involves the carrying of the deceased's casket alongside the chiming of bells, the strumming of harps, the beating of small drums and the bearing of flags. Then, a comrade, a friend or a relative venerates their name with honor. On missions of peaceful contact, the custom is to display all available weapons to the other side showing that they can see all of what they have. This is meant as a gesture of friendship and trust and a display of respect and strength. A Human commander panicked and misinterpreted this as a threat and opened fire, which lead to outbreak of the Earth-Minbari War. Also, a Minbari warrior would never carry a weapon of alien make; it would be an affront to their warrior pride. Arts Of Combat Although Minbari warriors are not the sole bears of arms amongst their people, they are given a more extensive military training program than the other castes. For centuries since the time of Valen, the government has been appropriating the warriors and helping them learn to fight. Aside from the standard training (strategy, tactics, logistics, piloting, hand to hand combat, etc...), Minbari warriors put a great emphasize on the Denn'bok fighting pike, which most are seen carrying. Many are taught exclusively by the contemporary grand master Durhan. Star Riders. Moon Shield. Clans There are five different warrior clans: Star Riders: The Star Riders were the oldest of all the Minbari warrior clans and traditionally a mounted force. History In ancient times the Star Riders were a mounted force that used the stars to help guide them. Under more modern technology, they use armored vehicles. Moon Shields: A traditionally mounted force; Under modern technology, they typically use light vehicles, akin to motorcycles, and would have been called a "dragoon" in another era. Wind Swords: A traditionally maritime force and the most militant of all the clans, noted for their distinct facial markings. History In ancient times, the Wind Swords were a mounted force probably with an emphasize on sword fighting. By the dawn of the Third Age they had become jingoistic to the point that they would do anything to defend their world, even bypassing the circles of authority. Following the Dilgar invasion of 2228, the Wind Swords took the opportunity to shelter the war criminal Jha'dur after her people had been defeated. While in their company she used her unique talents to create terrible weapons for them. Night Walkers: An infantry force (foot soldiers). Brutal infantry tactics has always been their thing; The Night Walkers alone have fully embraced UGC technology, even deploying a full Division with the REF on a number of occasions. Fire Wings: The first to use flying machines in battle. Before this they were a light mounted unit, akin to a cavalry The Fire Wings have accepted a small degree of UGC technology, specifically aero-space fighters, specifically the ASF-14 Viper and ASS-14 Laura Starfighters. Titles/Ranks Shai Alyt: A military rank comparable to an Earth 5-star General, or Joint Chief of Staff. Alyt: A military rank comparable to an Earth Brigadier General. F'hursna: Title given to the Master teacher of the Denn'bok. The F'hursna is solely responsible for ensuring only those worthy may own the limited number of existing fighting pikes and controls the manufacture of any new ones. Anla'Shok (The Rangers). Base of Operations: Tuzanor ("City of Sorrows" from ancient Naśen Adronato), Minbar. Races Represented: Minbari; Humans; Drazi; Abbai; Yolu; Narns; Pak'ma'ra. Rank Structure: Anla'Shok: Ranger; Anyone who has completed Ranger training; Sech: "Teacher" or "Sensei." Roughly Sergeant; Shok-nali: First officer. Roughly a Leitentnant; Shok-na: Captain; Entil'Zha: Supreme Leader of all Anla'Shok; Literally, "First Anla'Shock." Affiliations: Minbari Federation; Nominally the UGC. ISA Facilities Against The Tuzanor Skyline. Anla'Shok Caste (The Rangers) "We are Rangers." "We walk in the dark places no others will enter." "We stand on the bridge, and no one may pass." "We live for the One, we die for the One." - Anla'Shok Credo The Anla'Shok were originally a purely Minbari organization, with its members made up of only those born into or called to the Warrior Caste. When Jeffrey SINCLAIR became the new Entil'Zha in 2259, he did so on the condition that along with allowing humans to join that members from all three Minbari castes also be allowed to join. This was a condition that many Warriors refused to accept, causing many long serving Rangers to resign under orders from their military clans. With the Minbari membership of the Anla'Shok diminished by the long decline of support for the organization on Minbar, half or more of the Rangers were human. Over time this was overcome and Minbari Warriors would again join the ranks of the Rangers and membership became open to all species; Within a year there were Ranger trainees from Abbai, Drazi, Yolu, and even Pak'ma. Unlike the early Human recruits, it took some years before the new alien recruits were fully assimilated into the Anla'Shok and it wasn't until 2265 that Anla'Shok Tirk and Anla'Shok Na'Feel - each the first recruits from Zhabar and Narn respectively - were given a shipboard assignment and then only at the insistence of Shok-na Martel. Under the UGC's reforms, the Anla'Shok Caste gained a seat at the Grey Council from the Worker Caste, creating a 5/2/2/1 split. The Seminary and Martial Castes were not surprised that the Workers Caste was loosing their seat, but were surprised that the Anla'Shok, which before hadn't even been considered a "caste," had gained it; Both were disappointed they didn't get it, but relieved the other didn't more so. The Anla'Shok are an elite fighting force, originally founded by Valen during the First Shadow War to stand apart from the feuding Warrior Clans of the age. In Valen's words, they were to be "a military group dedicated to nothing less than preserving the future and all life. Even our enemy's life, if possible." The word "Anla'Shok" is loosely translated into English as Rangers. History Founding The Anla'Shok were founded on Minbar by Valen during the First Shadow War, shortly after the formation of the Grey Council. As the council was formed to unify the Minbari government, the Anla'Shok was formed to unify the Minbari military. Until that point each of the military clans had its own fighting force and they would constantly argue over tactics, strategy, and leadership, causing as much harm to the war effort as the technological superiority of the enemy. Tensions even escalated to the point where fighting broke out between some of the clans. When Valen formed the Rangers, he ensured it was made up of warriors from all the clans of the Warrior Caste and all were trained in the customs and tradition drawn from all clans, but made into a new form, unique to the Anla'Shok. Most importantly of all, each Anla'shok would no longer swear allegiance to fight for their clan but to the Entil'Zha and fight only on his behalf. For the next several years, Valen personally led the Anla'Shok and all of the allied worlds against the Shadows until their defeat. In the process, the Rangers became the most efficient and deadly fighting force the galaxy has ever seen. However Valen saw the danger in this and knew that once their enemy was defeated, the Anla'Shok could grow dissatisfied and restless and in the event that the wrong person might become Entil'Zha, the Rangers could turn into a force for conquest and power. Valen's Legacy "Entil'Zha veni!" "In Valen's name!" - Ranger oaths. With the end of the Shadow War, Valen, not wanting the Minbari Warriors to lose the unifying symbol that the Anla'Shok had become and revert to their old ways of disharmony and infighting, re-tasked the Rangers with a new mission; to become sentries and watchers, looking for the signs and collecting information quietly on Minbar, from returning travelers and friendly sources on other worlds, watching and waiting for the day when the Shadows would return. With that Valen left the Rangers and Minbar with his family, never to be seen again and for the next thousand years, the Rangers did as Valen instructed and kept the tradition of the Rangers alive. Over the centuries, their numbers, resources and influence would dwindle until they were little more than a few old men, dealing in whispers and rumors. When the time that Valen said the Shadows would begin moving again was upon them, the Grey Council had become complacent after a millennium of peace and stability and few of its members truly believed in the prophecies of Valen, some even going so far as mocking the Anla'Shok and secretly considered them to be an obsolete embarrassment and were carried only out of a sense of tradition and their debt to Valen. The Second Shadow War "This prophecy also said that the Anla-Shok will arise. They will be ready and they will be instrumental in the next great war." - Dukhat on the prophecies of Valen, 2245. The Third Age and Beyond With the formation of the Interstellar Alliance at the end of 2261, the Anla'Shok became the means to create the peace; patrolling the borders of member worlds and making sure that if one race planned to attack the other, all would know about it. In 2266, following the Drakh attack on Earth and their release of a bio-genetic plague, ISA President Sheridan tasked the Anla'Shok with searching the galaxy for a cure and coordinating with the new starship Excalibur to follow up on anything they find. Following the Second Earth Alliance Civil War and subsequent Great Burn of 2762, the Anla'Shok infiltrated the now devastated Earth, with its civilisation reduced to a pre-technological, technophobic state. Rather than attempt to openly rebuild, they instead worked in secret for centuries, helping to slowly rebuild and reintroduce technology before eventually taking Earth's people back to the stars. By 1002262, with Sol prematurely approaching nova the Anla'Shok were the last to download the last of Earth's records and evacuate to New Earth. Leadership, Ranks and Titles "Anla'Shok" and later the English equivalent "Ranger" are also used as a simple honorific to refer to anyone who has completed Ranger training. Entil'Zha: Title originally held by Valen when he formed the Anla'Shok. The exact meaning is unknown, but believed to have been derived from Vorlon. Subsequent leaders of the Anla'Shok after Valen took on the title of Anla'Shok Na, this was to honor the memory of Valen. This tradition continued for 900 years until Jenimer requested that Jeffrey Sinclair take on the title and reunite Entil'Zha with Anla'shok Na. Persons known to have held this position: - (Circa 1260 - Circa 1360) Valen (Circa 1360 - 2259) UNOCCUPIED (2259 - 2260) Jeffrey Sinclair (2260 - 2279) Delenn (2279 - 2281) John Sheridan Anla'Shok Na: The title given to the current leader of the Anla'shok in the time after Valen, until the title "Entil'Zha" was reintroduced for Jeffery Sinclair, as a fulfillment of Valen's prophecy. Literally means "Ranger One." Persons known to have held this position: - (Circa 1260 - Circa 1360) Valen (Circa 1360 - unknown) Unknown (unknown - 2246) Lenonn (2247 - 2259) Turval (2259 - 2260) Jeffrey Sinclair , (2260 - 2279) Delenn (2279 - 2281) John Sheridan (2281 - 2345) Susan Ivanova Sech: Essentially means "teacher" or "Sensei." Example: Sech Turval Shok-na: The Anla'Shok equivalent of a Captain. Example: Shok-na David Martel Shok-nali: The Anla'Shok equivalent of a First officer. Example: Shok-nali Dulann Anla'Shok/Ranger: "Anla'Shok" and later the English equivalent "Ranger" are also used as a simple, interchangeable honorific to refer to anyone who has completed Ranger training. Some persons known to have held this position: - Anla'Shok Sakai Anla'Shok Cole Ranger Lennier Ranger Trainee Before an individual completes their training, they are referred to as a "trainee." In the tradition of effective fighting forces thorough history, a trainee is treated as sub-Minbari (sub-human, sub-Clingohn, T'sen-mot, etc.). Even Beorge-mot who have joined the Anla'Shok (of which there are five, on the insistence of the rest of the Grey Council and against the wishes of the Anla'Shok) are treated as a "less than real person," and this REALLY reflects in their training; Trainees are literally treated like convicted criminals, kept in training until they break (which is very difficult for a Beorge-mot). (The Beorge-mot never actually broke in training; they have a militry culture in any case, so adapting to the new conditions was instantaneous to them. This proved vexing for the Sech, since they couldn't tell if the Beorge-mot were adapting or not- they had to bring an REF Enlisted Recruit Training Corps senior Corps Instructor in to decide the matter.) Membership The Anla'Shok were originally a purely Minbari organization, with its members made up of only those born into or called to the Warrior Caste. Like most Minbari cultural institutions, the Anla'Shok conformed to societal norms and had no members of the Worker Caste, though the caste still made ships and weapons for them, and no dealings with the Religious Caste at all, although the leader of the Anla'Shok was known to seek counsel from its members. When Jeffrey Sinclair became the new Entil'Zha in 2259, he did so on the condition that along with allowing humans to join that members from all three Minbari castes also be allowed to join. This was a condition that many Warriors refused to accept, causing many long serving Rangers to resign under orders from their military clans. With the Minbari membership of the Anla'Shok diminished by the long decline of support for the organization on Minbar, half or more of the Rangers of 2259-2261 were human, and many of the remaining Minbari were of the Religious Caste. Over time, this was overcome and Minbari warriors would again join the ranks of the Rangers, as would those of the Worker Caste. Following the founding of the Interstellar Alliance, membership became open to all Alliance Members, and within a year, there were Ranger trainees from Abbai IV (Abbai), Zhabar (Drazi), Pa'ri (Yolu), and even Pak'ma (pak'ma'ra). This forced centuries-old Anla'Shok training programs to adapt and evolve, to which many Minbari Anla'Shok - being a very conservative and traditionalist race - were opposed, especially for those among the Warrior Caste. Unlike the early Human recruits, it took some years before the new alien recruits were fully assimilated into the Anla'Shok, with some help and counsel from Entil'Zha Delenn. It wasn't until 2265 that Anla'Shok Tirk and Anla'Shok Na'Feel - each the first recruits from Zhabar and Narn, respectively - were given a shipboard assignment and then only at the insistence of Shok-na Martel. Emblem & Uniform Anla'Shok Uniform. To identify each other, members of the Anla'Shok wear a decorative metal pin on the left breast. It bears two figures on the left and right, whose hands and feet join around a green jewel in the center. This jewel is known as isil'zha and loosely translates to English as "the future." Originally, the figures on either side were Minbari. After Jeffrey Sinclair became Entil'Zha in 2259 and membership in the Rangers became open to humanity, the figures became one Minbari and one human, symbolizing the unification of these two races - who were recently at war - unifying to stand against the ancient enemy. As with all other things in Minbari society, a special ceremony is observed when the metal of the pin is forged. After forging, the white-hot emblem is cooled in three bowls. The first is a type of holy water, used in a number of Minbari ceremonies, and the other two are said to be bowls of blood: one of Minbari blood, and one of human blood. The typical uniform worn by Rangers is made to resemble the robes worn by Entil'Zha Valen, the Minbari who founded the order. It consists of a dark-colored tunic and robes. The colors are muted but not so dark as to make them noticeable by contrast. Mimbari Federation Relations With The UGC The Mimbari see a kind of "husband" in the form of the UGC. Normally the Federation takes care of it's own affairs, but when something happens beyond their abilities, they turn to the Council for help; For example the one and only time the Beorge threatened the Mimbari, the REF dispatched 3 full battle fleets to deal with it. The leaders of the Federation's three castes (Worker, Seminary, and Martial) were invited aboard the Admiral's flagship, UGS MASSRIDA (UDF-0013), and offered a place of honor in the Admiral's personal cabin to, in her own words, "enjoy the show- or watch justice be carried out. Whichever you prefer." (The Martial and Seminary Castes preferred to look upon it as justice being carried out, the Worker Caste watched it, quietly but intently, and ordered several drinks. It's said two of them cried at the end of relief.) The following excerpt is from an interview with an REF Spacy officer: "The Mimbari Incursion... "Ya, I was there. I was an Alpha Pilot sent in on the second wave. The first wave, command knew there was no way that was getting through, so those were all automated. Total sacrifice force. They wanted the cube so focused on that, that they'd miss the VALIVARRE coming right at them..." "The what?" "VALIVARRE-Class SDF. I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. Only a few hundred were built by the Tiresians, and the REF doesn't normally use them. This one was fitted with a battery of over a hundred sychro-cannons fixed forward in place of the Reflex gun. First one would go off, then the next, and the next. It looked like a damned Gatlin gun, 'Blah blah blah!,' each one wearing down the Beorge's shields a little bit more, then all of sudden, 'BOOM!' one gets through, but then it was too late and like a hundred more had already been given the order to fire, so they're SLAAAAM!ing into the cube, 'BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!,' just DRILLING her, and all of a sudden from our side, you can see they blast just EXPLODE out the other side, 'BLLLLLAH!' like a big ugly exit wound... Then we went in, a couple thousand darts, just 'Zoom zoom, zoom.' We were told to do two things: First, watch your exit route and keep it open, second, don't shoot each other. So we kept about 200 or so just to keep the corridor open, they just sat there and kept firing at the edges, keeping it open, while the rest of us just were told fire as many rounds as you can as fast as you can, and anyone that comes back empty the Admiral herself was hosting a kegger for. When we started running low we started pulling back, but by now it's gotten so bad the cube's on fire... Everything's burning, and I mean it's just conflagrating..." "It's what?" "Conflagrating... Large, out of control fire, the only way it's gonna STOP burning is it runs out of fuel, air, or, uh, heat I suppose... I mean the entire cube, you could see jets a few thousand feet long just 'WOOOSH!' out like a jet... And the colors, they weren't red like wood and stuff on a planet... It was greens and blues and purples... From the metals burning..." "Oh come on now. Metal doesn't burn." The officer gives a long look. "It does if it gets hot enough. And normally, when metal burns, it releases it's own oxygen, but it can't sustain the fire too very much long. This was just so out of control, not only did it keep burning but it grew and grew. Really, we're lucky we got out of there alive. And that cube just kept burning for months after that. Getting smaller and smaller. It was motherfucking awesome. Just awe inspiring." "Sounds horrific to an outside ear." "Hmm? Well, maybe it should but consider this- The Beorge hasn't tried straying near UGC territory since. In fact, they're hiding from us." The relationship continues to develop and grow, with both sided benefiting. Mimbarian Contributions. Mimbarian contributions are somewhat limited, as either the UGC already possessed such technology OR elected to "take a pass" on it. This is not for lack of trying, however.
Thunderbolt Attacker WHITE STAR-Class Corvette		The Sacred Books. As is the norm, the UGC requested and received copies of "all literature of intelligent construct."