Home Planet:

Exact Location Unknown

Delta Quadrant

Class M

Surface:

Higher surface temperature compared to Earth

Atmosphere:

Oxygen based

Description:

Hot and arid

Waterless Desert

Life Forms:

Humanoid

Language:

Ocampan and Telepathy

Family Structure:

Patriarchal

History:

At one point all the Ocampa lived on the surface of their world, but an accident caused by alien beings triggered a warming effects that turned their fertile planet into a waterless desert.

The aliens felt responsible for the problems that their actions had inadvertently caused, and chose two of their number to stay behind and care for the Ocampa. The aliens led the Ocampa through a deep chasm to a subterranean cavern, where they have lived ever since - for more than five hundred of their generations.

The aliens designed and built an entire city for the Ocampa. Over the generations they continued to care for them, as parents might care for their children. Food processors dispense nutritional supplements at exact intervals. Huge viewscreens display images of forests and oceans, of the surface world that had once been the Ocampa's home. And the entire city is protected by a forcefield.

However, at some point one of the aliens, a female named Suspiria, decided to take some of the Ocampa away from their planet, and establish the colony on the space station.

The other alien, whom the Ocampa only know as the Caretaker, remained behind to care for those on the planet. Under his watchful care, the Ocampa have become a stagnant people. The intelligence of their ancestors remains, but the drive to use it has long since gone; they are no longer able to care for themselves. The Ocampa are led by elders who interpret the Caretaker's wishes.

When the Caretaker, who lives on a space array orbiting the Ocampa planet, realizes he is dying, he sets about sealing off all access to the Ocampa's underground world so their enemies, the Kazon-Ogla, could not attack them. The Caretaker was aware that he had protected the Ocampa too well, and that they could never survive on their own. When the Caretaker died, he has transferred enough power to the Ocampa city to last for five years.

With the Caretaker gone, the Ocampa will eventually be forced to return to the surface of the planet. Even before the Caretaker died, there were some Ocampa who have dared to strike out on their own.

This group of Ocampa have broken from tradition and left the city. In their colony, a compound of terraces hacked out of the stone walls of the cavern, they grow fruit and vegetables under banks of lights that provide artificial sunlight.

They try desperately to convince the rest of the Ocampa that they have been dependent upon the Caretaker for too long, to the point where they can no longer even think for themselves.

Political Structure:

Governed by one main leader selected by the people

Technology:

Less than that of UFED

Life Expectancy:

The Ocampa on the homeworld have a lifespan of less than a human decade, but those on the colony in space live to a greater age, and some are as old as 20 human years

As an Ocampa approaches the end of his or her life, he or she enters a period known as the morilogium and begins to age rapidly, dying within a period of months

Height:

Similar to Terrans at maturity

Ocampa children grow extremely quickly. At six months old they resemble human teenagers and they reach adulthood within a year

Weight:

Similar to Terrans

Skin Color:

Varies

Hair Color:

Varies

Eye Color:

Varies

Other Features:

Pronounced ear lobs

Birth Methods:

The Ocampa have only one opportunity to mate. When a female Ocampa reaches the age of four (earth years) she enters a time of life known as the elogium, and her body becomes fertile. She begins to form a sac on her shoulder, in which her child will grow. Mating must begin within 50 hours of the onset of the elogium.

During actual mating, the Ocampa bond for six days. They are held together by a compound known as the ipasaphor which is secreted from their skin. When it is born, the baby emerges from the sac feet first.

Abilities:

perfect memories and powerful mental abilities

photographic memories and are capable of absorbing vast amounts of information at great speed

communicate telepathically

Personality:

Traditionally they are a peace loving people