Prophets
This species is not approved for PC or NPC / NRC play
The Prophets, also known as "wormhole aliens" (mainly by non-Bajorans), are non-corporeal, extra-dimensional entities that reside in the only stable wormhole known to exist, in the Bajor system. The Prophets' origins remain unknown; however, they have identified themselves as being "of Bajor", and have proven to possess exceptional abilities with a vulnerability to chroniton radiation.
In their natural state, the Prophets appear as blue translucent energy, capable of rapid movement throughout any environment. When communicating with visitors in their own domain, the Prophets are able to take the appearance of someone familiar, by probing a person's consciousness. In normal space, the Prophets can only physically communicate with outsiders by possessing a body and using it as a vessel. The host is conscious of what is happening, but has no control over their actions.
The Prophets have no sense of linear time, so it is likely they live outside of the normal space-time continuum. Their existence has been recorded on Bajor for at least 30,000 recorded years.
Contents
Origins & History
Orbs of the Prophets
Bajoran history has documented the discovery of nine orbs found in orbit of Bajor over the last 10,000 years. It has been suggested from more-recent archaeological finds that the Bajorans received their first orb at least 30,000 years ago. The orbs appear to resemble hourglass energy fields, and may produce intense metaphorical hallucinations to those that come in contact with them. It is thought that the hallucinations are indirect communications from the Prophets.
The orbs only react to a limited number of individuals, and it continues to be a mystery as to what conditions must be met for a vision to be experienced. In some cases, lapsed visions have been known as a side-effect, in some instances, occuring even months later. The ancient Bajorans who found the orbs named them based upon the kind of vision they induced. Many early encounters with the orbs were recorded and, over time became the basis of many ancient Bajoran prophesies.
The orbs were ultimately responsible for the founding of the Bajoran faith as it is known today, based upon the worship of the Prophets as Bajor's gods.
Appearance and Society
Prophets tend to appear in the form of people familiar to the person in question.
Existing only in the Bajoran wormhole, the exact number of Prophets that reside there has never been discovered. However, on several occasions, the Prophets have exiled residents, for committing acts described as evil. These exiled Prophets became known as "Pah-wraiths." Unlike the Prophets, these exiles appear as red translucent energy, and are often described to resemble flames from a fire. The Prophets created a prison for them on Bajor, in an ancient cavern known to the Bajorans as the "Fire Caves," named most likely for the appearance of the Pah-wraiths imprisoned inside. The Pah-wraiths also communicated to the ancient Bajorans through the orbs, since an ancient text was written describing how to release them, but was hidden over the centuries and later protected in modern times by the authorities.
The Emissary
In 2331, a Prophet traveled to Earth and possessed the body of a female Human. Acting as the human, the Prophet married and bore a child, later to be known as Benjamin Sisko.
Sisko would become the first person to make first contact with the beings inside the wormhole, and was crowned "The Emissary of the Prophets" by the Bajoran people.
Placed in charge of the space station re-named Deep Space 9, said station became a joint Bajoran-Federation outpost, with its main job protecting the only-known stable wormhole.
Reluctant to accept such a prominent religious title, Sisko eventually realized the significant influence the Emissary had on Bajoran society, though only due to intervention from the Prophets themselves. He embraced the title, though not the religion, and acted as more of a mediator between the Bajoran people and the Federation. Wanting the planet to join the Federation, the Commander's job was now trickier, as he did not want to influence Bajor in a way that was good for the Federation, but possibly bad for the Bajoran people.
Celestial Conflict
In 2373, a Pah-wraith escaped imprisonment in the Bajoran Fire Caves by possessing a member of an expedition team, who traveled to Deep Space 9 and attempted to kill the Prophets before re-entering the wormhole.
However, the Pah-wraith failed, and was killed when exposed to chroniton radiation.
Later that same year, the Emissary experienced a series of visions that led to the discovery of the lost, ancient city of B'hala. This archaeological find was foretold by Bajoran prophecy, and eliminated any doubts from skeptical Bajorans as to the Starfleet Captain's religious status in their society. Sisko's visions continued, and he was urged to halt Bajor's admission into the Federation, which they did so without question. It was later realized that if Bajor had entered the Federation at that time, then it would have been on the front line when the Dominion invaded the Federation the following year.
After the discovery of the ancient city of B'hala, another Pah-wraith was freed from imprisonment. Somehow entwined with the Pah-wraith was a Prophet, and with the two released, they each possessed a body and tried to eliminate the other. Bajorans referred to this as "The Reckoning," which started with an instability of the Bajoran wormhole, which caused floods, earthquakes and storms on Bajor. Although Sisko was willing to let the battle between Prophet and Pah-wraith happen, the confrontation ended without a decision when Deep Space 9's Promenade was flooded with chroniton particles, forcing both entities to leave the station.
Revelation & Conclusion
Obsessed with killing The Emissary and destroying the planet of Bajor, the former leader of the Cardassian Occupation studied ancient Bajoran prophesies to uncover a way to carry out this objective. He was able to release a Pah-wraith trapped inside an ancient Bajoran artifact, which had been appropriated by the Cardassians during the Occupation. Using one of the Bajoran Orbs, the Pah-wraith was able to enter the wormhole and seal it, turning all known orbs in Bajor's possession dark and inactive.
A major struggle erupted inside the wormhole between the two powers for control. Believing he had failed the Prophets, and the Bajoran people, the Emissary Sisko returned to his home planet of Earth to re-evaluate his future. A few months later, while still on Earth, Sisko experienced a vision which urged him to travel and find the 10th Bajoran orb. This previously-undiscovered orb had the power to expel and destroy the Pah-wraiths, returning control of the wormhole to the Prophets.
In mid-2375, the Prophets warned Sisko to not marry Kasidy Yates, and told him it would be a short-lived marriage. They did not reveal it at the time, but he would soon enter the Celestial Temple to join them. Ignoring their warnings, Sisko married Yates, and the couple became pregnant. However, in order to stop the freeing of all the Pah-wraiths in the Fire Caves, it was necessary for Sisko to leave Yates and their unborn child, and join the Prophets as a non-corporeal being inside the wormhole.
