Minbari

The Minbari are an advanced humanoid species originating from the planet Minbar in the Chi Draconis System. They are quite similar in appearance to Humans, although there are significant internal differences. The most prominent external difference is the crest-like "head bone", which covers most of the rear portion of their skull, including the temples.

The Minbari have three castes: the Religious caste, the Worker caste, and the Warrior caste. The Grey Council is their governing body; which originally consisted of three members from each of the three castes. The council was later reformed, with the Worker caste having five members, with the religious and warrior castes having two members each.

Biology
Humanoid in appearance, the Minbari are apparently mammalian. Physically similar to Humans in most ways, the most obvious external difference is the "head bone" or crest, originating from the temples, and covering most of the back of the head, which serves to protect their skulls. Minbari babies are born without a crest, as it only develops later. The females do not menstruate.

The facial features of a Minbari, aside from their crest, are remarkably similar to those of Humans; although their ears sit lower on the head than on Humans, instead being placed just behind the jaw bone. Minbari blood is also red, like Human blood. They are, however, a much more physically durable race. A Minbari can sustain injuries that would kill most Humans, and they are capable of losing far more blood before they are incapacitated. In addition, Minbari are far stronger than Humans. They also have little to no body hair, although some of the men sport beards, often goatees. Minbari also do not sweat.

Despite their remarkable constitution and strength, the Minbari are known for having a serious intolerance to alcohol. Ingestion of grain alcohol can result in paranoia and full-blown psychosis.

The Minbari are a long-lived race, with an average life span of over 200 Earth years (about 133 of their solar cycles). They appear to age at perhaps half the rate that a Human does.

Their population has been slowly dwindling for the last few millennia. The Minbari themselves attribute this to the transmigration of souls to other species.

Culture and society
"We are the seventh planet from our sun. Almost one quarter of Minbar is covered by our north polar icecap. Because our world is rich with crystalline deposits, many of our cities are cut directly out of crystal formations. During the spring, the patterns of color caused by the light are breathtaking."

- Ambassador Delenn, describing her homeworld.

Minbari culture is split into three castes: Religious, Worker, and Warrior. Although the Minbari have no beliefs in deities per se, they are nonetheless deeply spiritual. In practical terms, they are spiritual atheists. The Warrior and Religious castes are often at odds with one another, and the Worker caste is much less influential than the other two castes.

Membership in a given caste is not hereditary: it is determined by one's calling in life, rather than genetics or birth. One's calling in life becomes apparent early in life, and from there they may choose a teacher from the caste they wish to join. If the calling is genuine and the applicant sincere, then they are accepted into the caste. If for some reason there is a mismatch, and the applicant has selected the wrong caste, they will be helped to find their true calling, with whichever appropriate caste they may belong in.

Membership in a caste need not be permanent or irrevocable; it is not unknown for Minbari to switch castes in certain circumstances.

Unlike the Centauri, Minbari marriages are not arranged. However, marriages are generally within a single caste.

Minbari are normally an extremely honorable people. Rigidly honest, it is quite rare for them to outright lie. However, to maintain their honor, they may save face in rare circumstances by distorting the truth, indirectly. It has been said that "the Minbari never tell anyone the whole truth". Minbari culture emphasizes service -- that there is no greater duty or honor than to service others. This means that they are very oriented towards self-sacrifice.

Technology
The Minbari are a highly advanced race, and are the most advanced of the "young races". They have been capable of interstellar travel since approximately Earth year 1305. Minbari ships possess powerful energy weapons that can easily cut through most ship hulls, and their sensory technology is extremely advanced. Minbari scanners can easily overwhelm most other races' electronics, effectively jamming them. Minbari warships also possess a stealth device that can prevent other races from locking their weapons onto their vessels, although it does not actually make the ships invisible. It was this technology that was used to devastating effect in the Earth-Minbari war. While Minbari weapons were not significantly more powerful than EarthForce's, they were rendered vastly more effective because the Earth vessels could not hit the Minbari.

Most Minbari technology is based on crystals; indeed, their vessels appear as if they are grown, rather than simply manufactured. Because of their technological prowess, the Minbari are amongst the most respected (and feared) of the younger races.

Earth-Minbari War
The Earth-Minbari war started in 2245 when an Earth exploration fleet led by EAS (Earth Alliance ship) Prometheus, captained by Michael Jankowski, went off mission to scan and get a good look at the then elusive Minbari. While the Humans were scanning the Minbari, the Grey Council fleet picked them up on the scanners. The Warrior caste sent the lead ship of the fleet with the Grey Council on board to greet them. The Warrior caste made the cruiser open its gun ports as a sign that they would not fire, but the EAS Prometheus crew became spooked when this happened. This, coupled with the stealth technology that jammed the Humans' deep scans, ended up with Captain Michael Jankowski ordering all ships (the Prometheus, one Earth destroyer, two bombers and a number of Star Fury fighters) to open fire. The attack surprised the Minbari and heavily damaged the Minbari cruiser, killing around a quarter of the crew, including the leader of the Grey Council. This led five of the nine members of the Council to follow the Humans and exterminate them.

The Minbari began a genocidal campaign against humanity, destroying base after base. Despite encountering heavy Human resistance, the Minbari lost little to no ships and continued to slaughter humanity. The first major Earth victory came when Vice-Captain John Sheridan, on board the badly damaged EAS Lexington, hatched a plan of putting nuclear mines on asteroids and lured in the Minbari flagship Drala Fi (translated as "the Black Star"). The ship was lured in and destroyed by the mines, which marked the first Human victory in the war, being only one of two. The second was when an unknown Earth destroyer went up against a Minbari cruiser, with the weapons destroyed and life support crippled. The destroyer rammed the Minbari cruiser, destroying both ships.

The Battle of the Line was the final battle in the Earth-Minbari war.