Giwut

The Giwut

Unknown to the Union unitl 5030 - Native to the Downward Sector of the Galaxy - Tech Level 5- Expansion 15 Star Systems - Members of the Tatha ( Association of Species)

They are a fatalist race of stiff, thin, brown, rough-skinned humanoids with a sophisticated, somewhat mystic culture, involving masks and their dependency on an artifact known as the Ultron. They believe that their race has a grand destiny to, via the Ultron, "perform [an] essential service for the universe". Interesting about their physiology is that they blink in a strange way, their eyes appearing to darken from the centre (not from the upper part, as would be the case with a normal eyelid).

Before the UltronThe distant past of the Giwut is not well known, due to the Giwut's few mentions of it. The Giwut begin their history with their species' emergence on their home planet of Fahz (Beta Aquarii I), at which time the Giwut note that the Chimt also arose from the "Murky Bog".1 After their appearance, the Giwut did as all young species do and merely lived their lives as they came; the Giwut's early societies and activities, whether they were hunters or cultivators, are unknown. Eventually, the Chimt's tendrils reached up to what the Giwut refer to as the "sky canopies of Fahz," causing "the veils" to fall. The nature of these canopies and veils is again unknown, as the Giwut do not elucidate further on the topic.

This event caused the Giwut to collectively reach an epiphany; that they were taking existence itself at face value. They also concluded that the face is a constant reminder of a being's grotesque, primitive urges that hold back true sentience, showing negative qualities such as greed, rage, hatred and lust. Consequently, they decided to hide their faces at all times to ensure everlasting peace and prevent the primitive qualities from hampering their wisdom, and did so by crafting and wearing masks and veils of all kinds. Their first primitive masks were made of such things as leaves, hides, shells, rocks and even living drells. Over time, this developed into a complex set of social conventions called Mask Etiquette, which became a foundation of their culture.

The Giwut refined this culture more and more as time went on. An event at an unknown point in their past called the Morality Riots was centered around Mask Etiquette and was apparently a tragedy in terms of lives lost and damage caused, though exactly what the point of dissension was is not known. The results of the Riots were a much more standardized Mask Etiquette and also guidelines for revisions to deal with inevitable anomalies. The Giwut understood that the Mask Etiquette needed to also be flexible in order to create a firm foundation upon which to build their society. With the believed hindrance of their intellectual development covered and their society secure and flexible, they made substantial progress in many fields (evidenced by their technologically advanced Jugger combat vessels).

Eventually, the Giwut established contact with the nearby Xopus, and befriended them. The Xopus were a symbiotic race, and began to learn how they should conduct themselves from the Giwut. In return, the Giwut received a steadfast ally. The Giwut also established HyperWave contact with the Burvixese with whom they exchanged information on various topics. At some point in their exploration of the nearby space, the Giwut also discovered a Precursor device in an abandoned Precursor supply base; after futher analysis, they discovered that the device was in fact an incredibly powerful antimatter bomb capable of reducing an entire planet to dust. They moved the bomb to the surface of the moon Zeta Hyades VIb and guarded it with a near limitless squadron of Juggers. However, the Druuge race had also learned through the Burvixese of the bomb's existence and eventually contacted the Giwut, intending to obtain it.

The Ultron and the Great SinIn typical Druuge behavior, they used their primary skill of trade in an attempt to acquire the bomb. The Druuge offered an ancient device known as Ultron, a seemingly worthless piece of junk they had found. The Giwut were overjoyed, seeing this as an excellent turn of fortune, since they had been searching for a higher purpose for themselves. The Druuge claimed that the device would grant them powers beyond belief, and the Giwut believed them. Before finalizing the transaction, the Giwut High Proctor asked if she could hold the Ultron, just for a moment. The Druuge allowed her to, not wanting to appear rude and potentially ruin the trade.

The moment the Proctor took the device into her hands, she was wracked by a feeling of intense power — while the Druuge thought the Giwut were simply falling for their ruse with great enthusiasm, it was not so. When the High Proctor opened her eyes again after the spasm had subsided, the Druuge were thunderstruck — the High Proctor's eyes were glowing intensely with a light that frightened the Druuge. As it turned out, the Ultron actually had granted the Giwut powers of some description, despite what the Druuge believed the device was capable of. Not only this, but the High Proctor had become able to read the trader's thoughts to some extent; while not uncovering his ruse, she sensed that the Druuge captain was after an artifact. When she spoke, the Druuge could hear that her tone had changed to a chant instead of the constant whining she had been using before (the same whining voice they use in Star Control II, presumably, though in-game, even their tone after regaining the Ultron resembles whining). The Giwut, who were previously morose and lacking the slightest self-confidence, had finally discovered their own worth and capabilities.

The Druuge were incapable of saying anything, lest they spoil what they had believed to be a clever scam. The Giwut provided the Druuge with several artifacts from a vault, which were later found to be useless. The traders left with these artifacts, leaving the Ultron to the Giwut. The Xopus believed the Giwut had been scammed, but kept quiet about it since it had made the Giwut so happy. Unfortunately, after a few vibrant years, the Ultron was later broken during the Chinz-Rahl celebration, when it fell to the ground due to a mishandling, and was rendered inoperative.

The breaking of the Ultron was devastating to the Giwut culture and collective psyche. The Giwut sank into a collective, even suicidal depression, destroying all masks except the mask of Ultimate Embarrassment and Shame, a purple hood-like garment. They contemplated ending the existence of their entire species using the gigantic bomb, but decided instead that they would prolong their suffering to atone for the "Great Sin" of breaking the Ultron. The Giwut became offended at the sight of the broken Ultron, seeing it as a loss of potential for the entire universe, and gave the shattered device to the Xopus for safekeeping.

They eventually came into contact with the Kohr-Ah, who had recently entered the sector after slaughtering the Burvixese in Arcturus. The Kohr-Ah almost found the Giwut homeworld, but encountered the Kzer-Za first and threw their entire fleet into the renewed Doctrinal Conflict, confusing to no end the Giwut, who had seen the Kohr-Ah's arrival as their deserved punishment finally being administered. It was shortly after this that The Captain finds the Giwut in their melancholy state. After some talk (mainly depressed ramblings about the Ultron), The Captain visits their Xopus allies, who hand over the broken Ultron, hoping that The Captain can fix it and cheer up the Giwut.

Involvement with the New AllianceAfter analysis at the Earth Starbase, it is discovered that the Ultron is in fact a Precursor psychic amplifier of sorts. The Giwut seem to be the only known race whose brain emanations are compatible with what they name its "metawave gyrations", which explains how the Druuge had thought it to be worthless. After acquiring some replacement parts with which to repair the Ultron, The Captain returns the restored device to the Giwut. They collectively go from their depressed and anxiety-wracked state to a more motivated and normal state in mere seconds. In thanks, they and the Xopus pledge their allegiance to the New Alliance of Free Stars and send a fleet to the Horologii constellation to play their part in defeating the Ur-Quan.

After the conflict, it is likely the Giwut will continue to help the other Alliance races, providing the Ultron's guidance and various forms of support to their allies. As a more direct reward to The Captain for saving the Giwut culture, they intend to create for him a unique mask, the Saintly Facade, so that he can "hide his unsightly mug with distinction".

Culture and societyGiwut culture appears to be dominated by two ideas: an emphasis on ceremony, and the concept of destiny. The emphasis on ceremony manifests itself in the Giwut's many rituals and celebrations, such as the Chinz-Rahl, the Exultant Caper of Revelation, the dance of Jubilation and various "rituals of anguish" used to atone for the loss of the Ultron. It is also apparent in their preoccupation with etiquette and procedures. "Mask-Etiquette" is the most visible effect of this preoccupation and the most interesting aspect of Giwut culture. Giwut can never show their faces, and are required to wear masks for as long as they live. There are thousands of these masks, designed for different activities, moods, festivals, ceremonies etc. This custom was born in their ancient past, when they finally came to the strange conclusion that a face, that expresses primal emotions, creates all their wars and violence. Therefore the face must be hidden for all time in order for a culture to progress peacefully.

Giwut have been in the possession of a mystical device called the Ultron, which they bought from the Druuge not more than fifty years ago. The Ultron is their source of happiness and enlightenment, much like a portable god, and the Giwut believe that they are appointed by destiny as its operators. Through the Ultron the Giwut imply that they can subtly influence and predict the actions of others, and also claim to obtain a perfect knowledge of things. Often the Giwut use the Ultron to determine not only their own destiny, but also the destiny of other races and individuals. They also explain that because of the power and knowledge granted to them by the Ultron, they are the destined agents for effecting an essential service for the universe. The Giwut also use the phrases "the Ultimate" and "the Universal" within the context of the Ultron, which may be additional titles for the Ultron itself due to the "limitless power and knowledge" it grants them, or may refer to the universal sum of knowledge and understanding (particularly a complete meaning of life) accessible through the Ultron. When the Ultron was broken, all Giwut fell into a state of collective despair.

Few details are known about the social structure that supports and enforces the intricate Giwut culture. That which seems to function as the governing body of Giwut society is referred to as the Giwut Proctorate. The Proctorate is made of several Proctors (residing on Fahz) apparently headed by a High or Grand Proctor, which seems to imply some kind of hierarchal relationship between Proctors. Another office in the Giwut social structure is the Chief Groo, though nothing else is known about this office beyond its existence.

The Giwut have a strong partnership with the Xopus, their closest starfaring neighbours. When The Captain first encounters the Ultron it is in the custody of the Xopus, to whom the Giwut had given the device when they could no longer bear the sight of it. The Xopus have taken the Giwut culture as their model, and the Giwut in turn rely on the Xopus for emotional support and occasionally wise counsel advice.

Mask EtiquetteThe Giwut Mask Etiquette includes roughly eighteen hundred standard "facial appliances,"2 which are used depending on the current circumstances, such as attending to menial chores or mourning a recent tragedy. The Giwut also can combine physical gestures associated with their masks to express sentiments such as respect and gratitude. To not wear a mask at all and bare one's face is seen as extremely degrading and offensive. While this system may appear rather rigid, there is a clearly defined protocol to revise and redesign a mask should the need arise, giving the etiquette a flexibility and diversity that can provide a strong, viable base for Giwut society. The return of the functioning Ultron causes the Giwut to completely revise the etiquette and available masks, in part to be able to adequately express their attitude towards The Captain.

Here is a list of the known masks used within the Giwut culture:

Countenance of Stellar Representation - the most highly decorated mask Domino of Unrivaled Merriment - referred to only in the outtakes, so it is possible that the mask is not part of the Star Control canon lore. Expression of Ultimate Gratitude - a mask consisting of a matrix of beetle secretions and Trooba Fern, very time consuming to create Facial Effigy of Remorse For Lost Comrades Lewd Monocle - a courting mask described as infamous Mask of Confident and Lofty Posture Mask of Gruelling but Neccessary Activity - a basic mask Mask of Natural Bodily Excretions - a disposable mask commonly found in every lavatory Mask of Rampant Jubilation and Jumping With Ecstatic Glee - a complex mask that is seldom worn as few events warrant its use Mask of Ultimate Embarrassment and Shame - the mask the Giwut wear as a sign of their Great Sin Mask of Valor and Derring-Do Veil of Flirtatious Prancing - a clever and intriguing courting mask Visage of Ceremonial Orations - a mask that exists in several contexts and revisions Saintly Facade or Great Mask - only one is made, which was given to The Captain,