Star Trek: Vulcan Read online

  ■ Perk Place—A popular hangout for students and artists, this cozy cafe transforms into a bar and dance club after dark.

  ■ Adeptable—Perhaps one of the city’s most stylish offerings, this cafe resides inside a hollowed statue of an ancient Vulcan High Master.

  ■ Daily Grind—Featured in the popular novel Sands of Vulcan’s Forge, this city landmark is very popular with visitors from Earth and Andor and is one of the few shops offering authentic raktajino coffee, blended from beans imported from the Klingon home world.

  vLive

  One of Kir’s few concessions to the modern urban music and dance scene, this club brings a bit of the ShiKahr high life to the outer provinces. Its rotating schedule features the latest musical offerings across different genres, and the well-stocked bar rivals any you’ll find in larger cities. Though aimed at tourists and other non-Vulcans, it’s not unusual to see a few locals among the crowd. Be sure to dress your best and be on the lookout for surprise sightings of Vulcan and off-world celebrities, as this definitely is a place you go to see and be seen!

  LODGING

  * * *

  Four- and five-star resorts are notably lacking anywhere outside the city, but if you’re open to expanding your horizons, you’ll have plenty of choices for experiencing traditional Vulcan living. Rustic lodges and camping are also quite popular with tourists, particularly those planning to take advantage of the hiking trails on the Fire Plains and up to Mount Tar’hana.

  The Caverns

  Excavated from the far side of Mount Tar’hana, this unique hotel features two-dozen rooms, each with its own cavernous ceiling and private spring-fed pool. The lobby has a reflecting pool of its own, along with a waterfall in the center of the room. Private meditation alcoves and a unique zero-gravity fitness center are among the subterranean hotel’s long list of amenities, though visitors who don’t wish to spend their entire stay underground can also enjoy a pool, garden, and cafe on the surface. Massive geothermal vents route heat from the active volcano, while a sophisticated network of artificial conduits and aqueducts ensure that any lava produced by future eruptions is channeled away from the city’s populated areas and toward the Thanor Sea.

  Kir Prison Hotel

  Formerly a facility for incarcerating outworlders awaiting extradition after being convicted of crimes while on Vulcan, the Kir prison’s origins stretch even farther back into history, when the treatment of inmates was rather less than compassionate. The full gory details of life as a prisoner in ancient Kir are available to anyone who wants to take the guided tour that pulls no punches in this regard. As for the prison itself, it was gutted and renovated in the late twenty-second century by an opportunistic Arcturan who managed to turn the storied property into an inviting, if not lavish, hotel experience. Though traces of the structure’s history are apparent throughout—such as its open floor plan and walkways allowing access to oversized guest rooms on the upper levels—this is not a kitschy themed hotel. However, there’s one exception—if you’re game, three of the prison’s original solitary confinement cells are available to single travelers or couples who don’t mind snuggling.

  Selota

  Looking for a healthy dose of contemporary flair mixed with tradition? Try this lodge fashioned from a five-hundred-year-old temple that now features all manner of modern appointments and conveniences. Each of the fifty rooms offers a private balcony with outdoor bath and a magnificent view of Keretak Gorge and the Fire Plains. A pon farr suite, exclusive to this hotel, features nonbreakable furniture and fixtures to facilitate post-wedding “activities,” while reducing the odds of property damage and personal injury. Within walking distance are the ruins of the Ebe’lor Fortress, the site of one of the final battles between forces loyal to Surak and those who one day would flee the planet as part of the Sundering. Thousands of natives left Vulcan in the wake of this schism, spending years in space before eventually founding the Romulan Empire.

  RAAL

  * * *

  MAP OF RAAL

  GETTING AROUND

  SIGHTS AND ACTIVITIES

  Extraterrestrial Crash Site

  Antigravity Hiking Tours

  Sehlat Rock

  S’liyatok Temple

  ShiMahra Fortress

  World’s Largest Plomeek at T’Pran’s Market

  Zakal the Terrible Museum and Gift Shop

  SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT

  The Art of Peace

  Barely Risa

  Bronze Le-matya Apothecary and Sundries

  DINING AND NIGHTLIFE

  Club La’Vela

  The Rusty Lirpa

  LODGING

  Aquapolis

  Pral Ek’wak Villas

  40 Eridani

  PARTICIPATING IN A VULCAN MARRIAGE RITUAL

  VULCAN BOASTS NUMEROUS COASTAL CITIES that are a natural attraction for visitors who wish to spend their vacation relaxing on a beach. Though not nearly as big or populous as ShiKahr or even Kir, the Raal Province is still of interest to tourists as well as archaeologists. Rather than a single concentrated population center, Raal is instead a hodgepodge of communities situated on the western shores of the Voroth Sea, which shares some similarities with its counterpart on the sea’s eastern edge, T’Paal. Several areas along the coast feature ruins and other remnants of ancient Vulcan history, dating back to a time when the famed philosopher T’Plana-Hath traveled the region, recruiting followers to the cause of peace. The province has managed to balance local traditions and sensibilities with the demands of being a popular tourist destination, but unlike T’Paal, Raal is embracing its reputation as a premiere nightspot scene. A recent proliferation of nightclubs and other entertainment venues is starting to receive notice, putting the city on similar footing to Lake Yuron and ShiKahr.

  GETTING AROUND

  * * *

  As with T’Paal and other smaller cities, Raal is designed to accommodate pedestrians. Don’t forgo the opportunity to explore on foot, as just walking the narrow streets and trails connecting commercial and residential districts is an adventure unto itself. The city harbors many examples of beautiful art, sculpture, and landscaping that can’t be appreciated if you’re in a taxi or on a mag-rail train. A handful of inner-city areas are off-limits to vehicular traffic, though skiffs and personal aircraft are available for charter in order to reach the outlying areas. A magnetic-rail line connects Raal with other population centers, and satellite stations around the city allow for easy movement.

  RAAL WELCOMES YOU

  * * *

  (First published in the 2165 Edition)

  It is a rare occasion for me to return to Vulcan. At the same time, I find that I am frequently answering all manner of questions from shipmates with respect to my home world. It seems that an increasing number of non-Vulcans are interested in traveling here and obtaining firsthand experience of my people and our culture. There was a time when I would have viewed the pursuit of such knowledge as being beneath the notice of many outworlders, namely humans, but I am pleased to have been proven wrong. I am certain this revision in my thinking is a consequence of having lived among them for so many years.

  To that end, I often recommend that outworlders in general, and humans in particular, afford themselves the opportunity to visit Raal. My parents and I would travel here for our family holiday retreats. Though now it is common to see humans and other non-Vulcans living and working here, during my childhood, just a few decades following my people’s official first contact with Earth, the presence of humans was a rare occurrence. Even then I was fascinated by their carefree nature. They seemed to fear nothing and even overlooked the risks associated with rock climbing or hiking hills and cliffs overlooking the Voroth Sea. I used to consider such attitudes undesirable and even a liability, but time has shown me that humans and other species use this quality to great effect. I am a much richer person for having befriended non-Vulcans of good character, and I believe Vulcan itself has benefited from our relationship with
the people of Earth and so many other worlds. It is my hope that you who are reading this will visit Vulcan and come to believe as I do.

  —Captain T’Pol

  SIGHTS AND ACTIVITIES

  * * *

  Raal’s active, outdoor lifestyle caters to younger, more adventurous visitors and means you should have no trouble occupying your time here. On the other hand, if quiet and relaxation is what you’re after, you’ll have no trouble finding that, either.

  Extraterrestrial Crash Site

  Every civilization has their own account of how their planet was first visited by “beings from the stars,” and Vulcan is no different. According to myth, the inland desert west of Raal is the site of the first reported sighting of an alien spacecraft, more than three thousand years ago. The impact of the vessel’s crash landing is said to have created the massive Raal Crater, which remains a popular tourist destination to this day. As the story has been passed from generation to generation, the details have become fuzzy, but the consensus is that a Vulcan warlord, J’Marcel, captured the crashed alien ship and used the metal from its hull to fabricate weapons and shields that rendered his army all but invincible. Though no evidence has ever been found to substantiate these legends, radioactive and metallurgical studies of the crater have yielded mysterious readings that continue to defy explanation. A number of souvenir merchants can be found in the crater’s vicinity, and be sure to take advantage of the holophotographic opportunities around the crater itself.

  Antigravity Hiking Tours

  Forget “walking tours.” Snap on a pair of antigravity boots, stock up on plenty of water, and head out for an adrenaline-pumping “stroll” into the foothills bordering Raal to the west. Experienced guides will lead you on a thrilling expedition along the coast or into the beautiful countryside, which is home to the ruins of an unnamed city that for years has been of interest to archaeologists from the Vulcan Science Academy. Even the clerics of the nearby S’liyatok Temple, whose ancestors have lived here for centuries, do not know the truth of the long abandoned settlement. Earthquakes have ravaged the area, making it dangerous for visitors to approach the ruins on foot, but the antigrav tours allow you to get an up-close, firsthand look at this fascinating and unexplained artifact of Vulcan history.

  Sehlat Rock

  Just what you think it might be—this unusual rock formation at the edge of the foothills west of Raal looks very much like a well-fed sehlat. Its name was bestowed by an unknown being sometime during the twenty-first century, and the moniker stuck. The rock is a popular gathering place for young people during uzhaya wak-krus and in recent years has become a favorite site for music and art festivals.

  S’liyatok Temple

  Like the residents of many of the temples and shrines scattered around the planet, the S’liyatok Temple community has traditionally preferred to keep to itself. However, it joins a growing number of such religious orders that are opening their doors to the public. It’s in shrines and abbeys such as this that you’ll get unparalleled peeks into the far corners of Vulcan’s turbulent past. The monks here safeguard a vast library of ancient texts and other records that chronicle the volatility that gripped the Vulcan people as they struggled to master their emotions and find lasting peace. Open to the public, the temple’s library is one of the most comprehensive collections outside ShiKahr or Vulcan’s Forge.

  ShiMahra Fortress

  Constructed centuries ago to support the efforts of workers laboring in the nearby kevas mines along the coast, ShiMahra originally was a fortress controlled by forces loyal to Sipor, a local tyrant who ruled over the region for decades before he was assassinated by an underling. Only after the Vulcan-Romulan split was the stronghold converted into something more in keeping with the ever-growing philosophies of peace and logic. The settlement was one of many casualties as Vulcans progressed toward an age of industrial and artistic renaissance. Abandoned for generations, it’s now privately owned, and most of its structures remain intact. Despite logic and reason being on their side, a few locals still play up the legends of the town being “haunted” as an obvious enticement for visitors.

  World’s Largest Plomeek at T’Pran’s Market

  Most everyone knows that plomeek soup is a favored Vulcan dietary staple, but few outworlders even know how it’s made. The principle ingredient is, of course, the plomeek, a flowering plant that grows in abundance in the planet’s temperate regions. In most gardens, plomeek are of modest size, but not at T’Pran’s Market. This small family-owned grocery store on the city’s southern edge has cultivated award-winning fruits and vegetables for generations, and people come from kilometers around to behold the verified record holder for largest plomeek. Standing eight meters tall, the plant is definitely an attention getter.

  Zakal the Terrible Museum and Gift Shop

  One of many “blink-and-you’ll-miss-it” roadside attractions littering the region, this quaint establishment is something of a shrine to the notorious tyrant, Zakal, from ancient Vulcan history. Zakal’s reign of terror against those who sought peace and enlightenment was characterized by torture and mass killings, and the “museum” features artwork and sculptures depicting many of his murderous campaigns. Artifacts alleged to have belonged to the despot and his followers are also on display, including weapons and a handful of torture implements. The tour takes less than thirty minutes to traverse, after which you’ll have the opportunity to purchase unique Zakal-themed gifts that we can guarantee can’t be found anywhere else.

  SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT

  * * *

  Raal harbors an inviting blend of traditional and alternative shopping and leisure pursuits. If you’ve decided you’ve had enough of walking tours and other outdoor excursions, the city proper offers a selection of retail shops, theaters, and music venues that let you relax with a soothing beverage as you shake off the daytime heat.

  The Art of Peace

  This single-person performance is an adaptation of the book of the same name, written by Surak himself. Narrators stand upon a raised dais outside the S’liyatok Temple’s main entrance, orating passages from the ancient tome that provides the venerated philosopher’s personal observations.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  UNPOPULAR VULCAN SOUVENIRS

  When it comes to buying gifts for the folks back home, it truly is the thought that counts, but that doesn’t mean we can’t also be a bit discriminating. With that in mind, here is a list of tacky souvenirs to avoid when shopping on Vulcan:

  • Anything with some variant of “Live long and prosper” or any use of the words “logical” or “illogical”: This includes anything that evokes a double entendre.

  • Fake Vulcan ears: Yes, they sell them in most low-end gift shops. No, they don’t look good on you or anyone you know.

  • Lirpa letter opener: It’s funny when it’s a Klingon bat’leth, but this is just silly.

  • Stuffed sehlats and le-matyas: Not unless the recipient is six years old or younger.

  Barely Risa

  Intimate apparel and other gifts direct from the renowned pleasure planet await you here. The popular chain has been expanding its footprint beyond Risa in recent years, establishing locations on many tourism-heavy worlds and increasing its inventory to serve a host of different species. It’s definitely one of the few places on Vulcan where you’re liable to find a horga’hn, and seldom will you find Andorian aphrodisiacs and Orion lingerie in the same store as you can here.

  Bronze Le-matya Apothecary and Sundries

  Named for the life-size bronze statue of a le-matya poised in mid-lunge, this general-purpose “one-stop” shop located in the YonShar village near the boardwalk that runs parallel to the beach almost always has the sort of common, everyday items a traveler needs at some point during their trip. The Vulcan healer who operates this modest establishment, T’Meral, has been here for more than a century, according to the locals. She grows the herbs and other plants she uses to create the pharmaceuticals sh
e dispenses, and several of her holistic remedies are legendary, at least in this region.

  DINING AND NIGHTLIFE

  * * *

  Like everything else you’ll find around here, the eating and partying scene in Raal is a mishmash of cultures, styles, sensibilities, and attitudes, along with a healthy dose of whatever an opportunistic risk taker can get away with. Raal is the place where you bring your idea after every other place on the planet tells you to go away, and it’s all the richer for it. If you don’t have fun while you’re here, it’s your own fault.

  Club La’Vela

  Get ready to have your mind and most of your other senses blown when you pass through the portals of the region’s largest and most talked about live music and dancing venue. The club has acquired a cult following, particularly among seasonal uzhaya wak-krus enthusiasts who come from numerous planets and dive head first into the club’s seemingly inexhaustible revelry. Three concert stages showcase the best new and classic live bands, while six “theme rooms” with their own dance floors offer a rotating mix of popular music across all genres. During the summer, you’ll find T’Kelyr and Simal, the “Mal’neralash twins,” here. Masters of this classical instrument, which is similar to Earth’s bassoon, the twins perform as artists-in-residence while entertaining audiences with their unique fusion of numerous Vulcan musical genres. And did we mention the bars? There are seven of them, packed to the rafters with every imaginable libation, and the club’s bartenders are masters at improvising new concoctions at a customer’s request or on their own whims.