List of civilisations in the Culture series

Various fictional societies are depicted in the Culture series of Iain M. Banks.

• For the Culture itself, see the Culture.

Culture Civilizational Overview

Culture Races & Species

Demonym / Socionym	Physiology / Morphology	Trophics	Homeworld	Gravity	Atmosphere / Pressure	Hydrosphere / Comments	Origin	Hyperspace	CTL	Polity	Range / Remarks
'Ktik	Piscinoid Non-humanoid Swimmer	Unknown	Telaturier	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Marine (superhydrous)	Sophont: Evolved	Early FTL	CTL-5: Uninvolved	Unknown	Sub-galactic Range None
Affront	Medusoid Non-humanoid Exotic locomotion (Jet) Flyer (floater) (11-ped) Spherical symmetry (S-ial) Exotic biochemistry: Methane	Omnivore	Issorile	Low	Dense (high)	Standard (humid)	Sophont: Evolved	Advanced FTL	CTL-8: High Involved	Affront	Intergalactic Range Aggressive Genetic engineering aptitude Sadism
Aultridia	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Galactic Range None
Azadian	Azadianoid Humanoid Ambulatory walker (4-ped)	Unknown	Eä	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Average FTL	CTL-6: Early Involved	Empire of Azad	Galactic Range Aggressive Caste system Exotic reproduction Ludophiles Warrior race
Birilisi	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Galactic Range None
Bithian	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Galactic Range None
Bulbitian	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Galactic Range None
Changer	Panhumanoid Humanoid Various locomotion (V-ped) Posthuman	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Genetically engineered	Mature FTL	CTL-7: Involved	Changer (militaristic)	Galactic Range Genetically engineered Natural weapons Polymorph
Chelgrian	Felidoid Semihumanoid Ambulatory walker (6-ped)	Carnivore	Chel	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Early FTL	CTL-5: Uninvolved	Chelgrian-Puen	Sub-galactic Range Apex predator Caste system Polydactyly Pre-sublimation Spiritual race
Culture	Panhumanoid Humanoid Various locomotion (V-ped) Post-human	Omnivore	n/a (many)	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Advanced FTL	CTL-8: High Involved	Culture (anarchist) (utopian)	Galactic Range AI rulers ("Minds") Dyson Spheres Living starships Nanotechnology aptitude Orbitals Post-scarcity Ringworlds
Dra'azon	Celestoid (Incorporeal)	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Advanced FTL	CTL-10: Mature Sublimed	Dra'azon	Intergalactic Range Shellworlds
Flekke	Echinodermoid Non-humanoid Swimmer (V-ped) Spherical symmetry (S-ial)	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Galactic Range None
Geseptian-Fardesile	Panhumanoid Humanoid Various locomotion (V-ped) Posthuman	Omnivore	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Mature FTL	CTL-7: Involved	Geseptian-Fardesile Cultural Federacy (GFCF)	Galactic Range Arrogant Emnity for the Culture
Gzilt	Panhumnaoid Humanoid Various locomotion (V-ped) Posthuman	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Advanced FTL	CTL-8: High Involved	Gzilt Sublime	Intergalactic Range Ancient race Post Scarcity Virtualization aptitude
Homomda	Homomdanoid Non-humanoid Ambulatory walker (6-ped) Trilateral symmetry (3-ial)Herbivore	Herbivore	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Advanced FTL	CTL-9: Early Sublimed	Homomda	Intergalactic Range Biological immortality Mentored the Idirans
Idiran	Idiranoid Non-humanoid Ambulatory walker (6-ped) Trilateral symmetry (3-ial) Symbiote	Carnivore	Idir	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Mature FTL	CTL-7: Involved	Idiran Empire	Galactic Range Apex predator Biological immortality Companion race: Medjel Exotic communication Exotic reproduction Hellworld adaptation Mentored by the Homomda Natural armor Radiation adaptation Spiritual race Religious crusade Symbiote Warrior race
Iln	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Galactic Range None
Involucra AKA Veil	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Sophont: Evolved	Post-FTL	CTL-11: Post-Sublimed	Involucra	Trans-galactic Range Mentored Oct
Jhlupe	Arthropodoid Non-humanoid Ambulatory walker (12-ped)	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Mature FTL	CTL-7: Involved	Jhlupe	Galactic Range None
Medjel	Idiranoid Non-humanoid Ambulatory walker (4-ped) Tail Symbiote	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Galactic Range Master race: Idiran Symbiote
Liseiden	Serpentinoid Non-humanoid Swimmer	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Marine (superhydrous)	Sophont: Evolved	Average FTL	CTL-6: Early Involved	Liseiden	Galactic Range None
Morthanveld	Spiniformoid Non-humanoid Swimmer (C+-ped)	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Marine (superhydrous)	Sophont: Evolved	Advanced FTL	CTL-8: High Involved	Morthanveld	Intergalactic Range AI rulers ("minds") Exotic communication Mentored the Nariscene Post Scarcity
Nariscene	Insectoid Non-humanoid Unknown locomotion	Omnivore Non-humanoid Ambulatory walker (6-ped)	Narisca	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Mature FTL	CTL-7: Involved	Nariscene Feudal Matriarchy	Galactic Range Exotic communication Mentored by the Morthanveld Mentored the Oct Mentors Xolpe Natural armor Subspecies specialization
Nauptre	Mechanoid Non-humanoid Various locomotion (V-ped) Vulpinoid Non-humanoid Ambulatory walker (4-ped) Facultative flyer (glider)	Omnivore	Nauptria	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Advanced FTL	CTL-8: High Involved	Nauptre Reliquaria (NR)	Intergalactic Range Artificial intelligence aptitude Organic origin Spiritual race
Oct	Arthropodoid Non-humanoid Ambulatory walker (8-ped)	Scavenger	Unknown	Low	Standard (standard)	Marine (superhydrous)	Sophont: Evolved	Average FTL	CTL-6: Early Involved	Oct	Galactic Range Emnity for Aultridia Mentors the Sursamen Mentored by the Nariscene Mentored by the Veil Spiritual race
Pavulean	Bovinoid Non-humanoid Ambulatory walker (4-ped)	Herbivore	Pavul	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Early FTL	CTL-6: Early Involved	Pavulean Republic	Galactic Range Commercial aptitude Conservative outlook Monophobia Spiritual race Vertigo
Ronte	Insectoid Non-humanoid Unknown locomotion	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Average FTL	CTL-6: Early Involved	Ronte	Galactic Range None
Sichultia	Panhumanoid Humanoid Ambulatory walker (4-ped) Posthuman	Omnivore	Sichult	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Early FTL	CTL-5: Uninvolved	Sichultian Enablement	Sub-galactic Range Commercial aptitude Slavery
Sursamen	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Standard (normative)	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown Mentored by Oct Shellworld
Tensile Xinthian Aeronathaur	Unknown	Unknown	Xinth	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Sophont: Evolved	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	None
Xolpe	Mammalianoid Humanoid Ambulatory walker (4-ped)	Omnivore	Bulthmaas	High	Standard (standard)	Standard (wet)	Sophont: Evolved	Pre-FTL Intersolar Spaceflight	CTL-4: Uninvolved	Xolpe (authoritarian) (militaristic)	Solar Range Mentored by Nariscene
Zihdra	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown	Sophont: Evolved	Post-FTL	CTL-11: Post-Sublimed	Zihdren-Remnant	Trans-galactic Range None

Affront

The Affront are a species described in Excession. Originally named after their homeworld Issorile, their current name was given to them by another Involved species - the Padressahl - after they ate the members of a Padressahl trade mission to Issorile. They embraced their given name, proud of their exuberant sadism.

Critics have remarked on how Banks uses the Affront's combination of geniality and buffoonery (compared to a caricature of British landed gentry) to offset their brutality and sadism, in a bid to both amuse and discomfort his readers.^[1]

Physique

An average adult Affronter's body consists of a floating, bulbous mass about two metres in diameter, which hangs from a frilled gas sac one to five metres in diameter depending on their desired buoyancy and which can be deflated and covered by protective plates.

Six to eleven tentacles of varying length and thickness grow from the central mass, of which at least four end in leaf shaped paddles. Many affronters have lost one or more tentacles in combat or duels. Beaks on the front and rear of the central mass cover the creature's mouth and genitals, respectively. The eyes and ears are held on stalks above the fore beak (they also have a sensor bump atop the gas sac). An anus/gas vent is located in the bottom centre of the main body. The latter is one of their sources of propulsion, though they usually 'walk' on their limbs or 'paddle' through the air unless in a hurry.

Their homeworld is described as a 'fog-bound moon-planet', probably similar to a larger version of Saturn's moon Titan. Affronters require a high pressure, low temperature environment, and breathe an atmosphere composed mostly of nitrogen and methane, plus other trace hydrocarbons.

History

The Affront became a major galactic species - of a power and advancement sufficient enough to prevent too direct an intervention by the Culture - by virtue of several coincidences. Discovered by the Padressahl, a much more powerful species at that time, they proved impervious to the Padressahl's Culture-like attempts to change their predatory outlook towards other species, or to change their sadistic nature. When the Padressahl eventually sublimed, the Affront were advanced enough to start expanding widely from their local sphere of influence, which by chance lay on the other side of the galaxy from the Culture. By the time the two civilisations came into closer contact, shortly after the Idiran-Culture War, the Culture was not willing to entertain another massive military action to contain the Affront (even though it was at the height of its military power). Clandestine efforts to moderate their society did however continue, and after the Affront's warlike actions in Excession, the Culture started more direct steps in limiting their expansion and behaviour.

Affront society is described in Excession as being "a never ending, self perpetuating holocaust of pain and misery", where the strong prey upon weaker species and individuals. The Affront therefore pose a difficult moral problem for the Culture with its reluctance for direct intervention. However, the Affront are intelligent and cooperative enough (ritual or spontaneous duels notwithstanding) to build a stellar empire, and to develop advanced technology, or else steal it. They have also received some Culture technology (such as the ability to build orbitals) in exchange for grudgingly kept promises of better behaviour.

Among their own technological accomplishments is a strong aptitude for genetic engineering, which they developed long before spaceflight. They use this skill almost exclusively on 'prey species', which tend to be changed so as to provide greater sport (and opportunity for sadism) during the communal hunts forming a major part of the Affront culture. One of the few changes to their own species was the redesign of their females to make sex painful for them, a choice exemplary of the reasons they are considered abhorrent by the Culture. While the main (human at least) protagonist of the book agrees that these qualities themselves are odious, he also admires the Affront for their energetic and "risky" lifestyle, glad of an alternative to the Culture's excruciating politeness, and even speculatively wishes to become one of them at least part of the time.

Azadians

The Azadians are the major species described in The Player of Games. The Azadians are a humanoid race with various peculiar physical and societal parameters; their society is called the Empire of Azad.

Physique

Generally humanoid, with short legs, their faces are described as slightly bloated, flat and pale. (These would be relative to a Culture norm, not an Earth one.) Most crucially however, Azadians are composed of three sexes - a 'male' having a penis whose sperm is then fertilised by an 'apex' sex which has ovaries and a 'reversible vagina' used as an ovipositor to implant the fertilised eggs in the 'female' sex.^[2]

History

Stemming from the Planet Eä in the Lesser Magellanic Cloud, the Empire of Azad is, by the time it is contacted by the Culture, a major stellar empire, ruled by a single emperor and an imperial bureaucracy - something described as very rare in the universe of the Culture, as such systems are considered too inflexible to produce the technological advances required for a stellar society. Their success is at least partially attributed to the eponymous game of Azad, which plays a central role in their society and has existed since before the Azadians started colonising other worlds.^[3]

The technological level of the empire is described as being much lower than the Culture's, though it seems to be in contact with enemies of the Culture who sometimes furnish it with Culture-equivalent technology.

At the end of The Player of Games, the Empire of Azad is in massive internal turmoil based on the results of Culture intervention. It is implied that this was the result sought by Special Circumstances, who see the upheaval as an opening for change to a more advanced, more Culture-like society.

Society

In Banks' story, the distinction of three sexes causes even harsher social stratification between the genders than found in humanity, with the 'apex' sex being the clearly - and harshly - dominant sex. In addition to this factor, two other elements shape their society.

The game of Azad - often just 'The Game' - is not only a testing mechanism for entry (at all levels) into the various branches of bureaucracy, military and other careers of the Empire - up to the very post of the Emperor belonging to the best player of the game. It also serves to influence or directly determine the current governing strategies, political faction fights and multiple other elements of Azad's society. It is, in short, a philosophy and a governing system, all played on multiple extremely complex room-sized boards shaped like layered pyramidal landscapes, and using various holographic pieces as well as playing cards and other elements. While the game is not the only way of resolving conflicts in the Empire (assassinations, for example, are also a possibility), even conflicts on the board can take on a deadly edge, with participants sometimes wagering submission to violence (sexual and otherwise), the amputation of body parts, or their lives outright.

This leads to the final element strongly influencing their society, namely the fact that Azadian society has an extremely strong undercurrent of physical and emotional cruelty. While only the lower classes celebrate this sadism in the open, the perversions of the upper classes are all the more imaginative, with whole television networks available only to the elite being devoted to snuff and torture.

As a result, Azadian society is highly stratified, and while outwardly pompous and grand, also marked by deep moral corruption, which galvanises the Culture's representatives into direct action.

Changers

Changers, described in Consider Phlebas, are a pan-human subspecies, interfertile with Culture humans, genetically engineered as a weapon in the distant past by an unknown species. They are capable of impersonating any humanoid being of similar size by restructuring their body to resemble the individual.

Physique

Changers have the ability to grow, shrink and mold their body as willed, changing everything from looks to actual muscles and bones, though most major changes - induced by a trance-like state - take several days. The impersonation is nearly perfect outwardly, making visual identification as an imposter almost impossible. They are even capable of modifying the genotype of the bulk of their cells to match that of another person through a virus based biological process, presumably maintaining their native genetic structure in protected stem cells for later renormalization.

Changers also have conscious control of most of their bodily functions - these include the ability to produce copious amounts of sweat or small quantities of acid on their skin (useful for close combat or escaping from bonds, respectively), while the ability to shape their bone structure also allows them to slip through bonds if they have enough time.

Changers also have various natural weapons, with their bite, spittle and nails containing poisons or acidic substances, and have perfected associated techniques in disguises, impersonation (psychological tactics as well as subconscious behaviour) and combat (assassination and self-defense) to improve their abilities.

History

Because of the threat they pose to most humanoid societies that depend on appearance as a means of identity, the Changers are an almost universally reviled species, and are usually killed where found. By the time of Culture novels, they were isolated to a single large asteroid, known as Heibohre, where they lived in a clan system of paramilitary structure. Some left that world for various reasons, and by the time of the Idiran-Culture War, many were working for the Idirans, mostly out of a dislike for the Culture.

The epilogue for Consider Phlebas reveals that the Changers "were wiped out as a species during the final stages" of the Idiran-Culture war.

Chelgrians

The Chelgrians, described in Look to Windward, are a recently contacted race, which subsequently suffered a major civil war with billions of dead when a failed Culture intervention caused a collapse of its millennia-old caste system.

Physique

The Chelgrians are a mammalian species with two sexes, male and female, and evolved from an apex predator of their homeworld of Chelgria, located in the Milky Way galaxy. They somewhat resemble a tiger with six legs. However, in the course of evolving from animal to sentient being the mid legs have fused, making them tripedal (walking on the rear legs and the mid leg). They are between three and four metres in length and one and a half to two metres in height, and have two arms ending in six digit hands that resemble paws. They are furred with various markings and have large carnivore teeth.

History

The Culture had decided to change Chelgrian society via covert intervention to diminish the caste system that was considered an impediment to Chel’s development. Unfortunately Chel erupted into civil war as an indirect result of the Culture’s actions. Shocked by this disastrous turn of events, the Culture announced that they had been manipulating Chel all along. The admission succeeded in stopping the war, but also created strong hatred towards the Culture.

The need of the Chelgrien-Puen (the sublimed part of the Chelgrian society) to take revenge on the Culture drives the events in Look to Windward.

Society

Chelgrian society takes the form of a rigidly enforced caste system, though sufficiently technologically advanced to be considered Involved (that is to say similarly advanced to the majority of space faring species).

They are an especially notable race because of an event in their history, as six percent of the Chelgrian population sublimed when they had been Involved for only a few hundred years. For this to happen to a young race is unusual, for it to happen to only part of a race more so, and there was another unexpected and remarkable outcome: the sublimed part of the population maintained links with the majority part of the population which has not moved on, calling itself the Chelgrian-Puen (the 'gone before'). As a unique phenomenon in the Culture universe, it also strongly influences the society's outlook, as the Chelgrian-Puen consider themselves (and are accepted as) the gatekeepers of the Chelgrian heaven.

Dra'azon

The Dra'Azon are a Sublimed civilisation who first appear in Consider Phlebas. Like most Sublimed species, they take little interest in galactic affairs, but maintain and guard the "Planets of the Dead" - worlds that have suffered global catastrophe - and are preserved in their post-apocalyptic state. Why the Dra'Azon do this is not clear. In the book, the Dra'Azon allow access to Schar's World — one of the Planets of the Dead — at seeming whim, or at least without discernible motivation. A message from them ends with the enigmatic warning, "There is death here".

The fear that they will provoke the planet's guardians to react to their actions and intents on Schar's World leads the characters to ponder the powerful Dra'Azon's apparent disinterest in the events as they unfold.

In Matter the Dra'Azon are mentioned as controlling 86 of the 1332 remaining Shellworlds.^[4] This is due to both the inherent dangers of the defense structures left behind by "the worlds’ original builders or those who... have dedicated their entire existence to the task of destroying the great artefacts" or the Shellworlds' capricious and occasionally lethal natures post settlement. At 6% this rate is regarded as being "alarmingly high".^[4]

Flekke

The Flekke are a species mentioned in Surface Detail.

Physique

They are described as being elliptical in shape, dark and glistening, with fringing or tentacles at either ends. It is implied that they are an aquatic species.

History

The Flekke made first contact with the Sichultia, mentored the GFCF, and are allied with the Nauptre Reliqaria. As previous mentors to the GFCF, who are stated to be a Level 7 civilization, the Flekke are presumed to be at Level 8.

Geseptian-Fardesile Cultural Federacy (GFCF)

The Geseptian-Fardesile Cultural Federacy, consistently referred to as the GFCF, is a society described in Surface Detail. The GFCF is a Level 7 civilisation, currently mentored by the Nauptre Reliqaria, and previously by the Flekke.

Physique

The GFCF species are pan-human, though smaller and more delicate in appearance than most pan-human species. They are described as being ethereally beautiful, with silver blue or milky pinkish white skin and big heads, and large round eyes. The GFCFians wear white, wispy clothing and their heads are topped with delicate, iridiscent scales with an appearance like insect wings. They flush visibly when under any emotional duress.

Society

The GFCF have an adversarial relationship with The Culture, covertly criticising and working against it, while overtly presenting an attitude of admiration. Temperamentally, they are portrayed as being ambitious, covetuous, and somewhat overconfident, and resentful and dismissive of those species with a higher civilizational level than them.

Gzilt

The Gzilt are a very old race, being present when the Culture was first being formed. The Gzilt almost joined the Culture, but opted out in the end. Details of this decision play a role in The Hydrogen Sonata. They are roughly equivalent, technologically, to the Culture.^[5] Gzilt ships use a virtualized crew with accelerated processing instead of a single artificial Mind. Minor conflicts between opposing Culture and Gzilt ships over certain historical artifacts are witnessed before the planned Gzilt subliming.

Physique

The Gzilt are pan-human (humanoid), but not mammalian.

Homomda

The Homomda are a major galactic race, somewhat further advanced than the Culture, but not yet as removed from the material universe as the Dra'Azon or the other Sublimed civilisations. They see themselves as acting as a balancing factor between other major races.

Physique

The Homomda have a tripedal, pyramid-formed structure.^[6] It is later mentioned in Look To Windward that they have glistening black skin, three arms, three ears, a large mouth and stand somewhat taller than a human.

History

Among the history revealed about the Homomda is that they gave shelter to the 'Holy Remnants' of the Idiran species when they were driven from their world and almost made extinct by another species. They used the Idirans (who share similarities to their tripedal form) as elite mercenary troops and later helped them reconquer their homeworld and expand their own sphere of influence. In the Idiran-Culture War, they supported the Idirans against the Culture, due to a policy of trying to prevent one species (or group) from attaining too much influence in the galaxy, similar to real-world Great Britain before World War I.

After sustaining heavy losses during the decades-long war - even with their ships being described as more powerful than most Culture ships (Appendices of Consider Phlebas) - they eventually struck a truce with the Culture and withdrew from the conflict. This was a major factor in the eventual Idiran defeat.

In Look To Windward it is noted that the Homomda consider the Culture to be immature, impulsive - childish, in a word. However, the Homomdan character central to the novel feels warmth for his Culture friends, and finds himself increasingly changing from an 'Ambassador' to a Culture citizen. Indeed, it is revealed later on that Culture citizens refer to him as 'Ambassador' not because they believe he represents the Homomda to the Culture, but rather the other way around.

Idirans

The Idirans are a major galactic race, most known for their war against the Culture. By the time of Consider Phlebas, they are an aggressive but calculating warrior species which considers it their holy duty to bring order to the universe and its lesser races.

Physique

Full-grown Idirans stand about three meters tall on a tripod of legs and have two arms. There is some hint of fully trilateral symmetry in their ancestry, as a third, vestigial, arm has evolved into a chest-flap which the Idirans use to create loud, booming warning signals. They have a saddle-shaped head with two eyes at each end of the saddle.

Idirans are biologically immortal and are very resilient to physical damage as they are protected by a natural keratinous body-armour and can withstand catastrophic damage and even remain conscious, though they do not naturally regenerate. They are dual hermaphrodites, each half of a couple impregnating the other. After one or two pregnancies Idirans lose their fertility and develop into the warrior stage, reaching greater size and weight, the armour hardening fully. Idiran warriors are capable of taking enormous amounts of damage and can survive massive trauma that would kill a human being instantly-for example, losing a large fraction of their head. At one point in Consider Phlebas, a pan-human character is on an Idiran ship when an alarm sounds, which is described as a series of sharp, skull-shaking explosions, imitating the Idiran chest-boom sound.

The biological immortality was a result of their evolution as the 'top monster on a planet full of monsters', where strong natural selection pressure and a strong background radiation (causing mutations) prevented the biological immortality from stifling the evolution of the species.

History

Once the Idirans had tamed their environment they lived in peace and solitude for forty-five thousand years until they were almost made extinct by alien invaders. In response (and in reflection of their physical change from breeder to warrior), they turned into a warrior race and attempted to conquer and convert all other races in the galaxy to bring about the order their god desires (see 'Society' below). This successful and brutal expansion eventually resulted in the Idiran-Culture War. Their religious need to defend and hold once-conquered territory at all costs is described as having been part of their downfall, competing with the Culture's spaceborne flexibility.

Idir, the homeworld of the species, was never conquered during the war, though the Culture succeeded in removing the artificial restraints holding back the development of the planet-wide information network, which then upgraded itself to sentience, 'becoming a Culture Mind in all but name'. This and the loss of the war itself precipitated major changes in Idiran society.

Society

The Idirans are deeply religious and believe in a single, rational God who wants a better existence for his creation. Everything in life has its place and it is desirable to bring about order by putting things into their right places. This belief developed while they were struggling for survival in the harsh and chaotic conditions of their home world. Idirans also believe that they are the only beings with immortal souls - as other species do not even possess biological immortality, they see no reason to assume they would possess the spiritual kind. In this way, they treat all other sentient races as similar to very intelligent pets.

By the time of the later novels, the Idirans have become 'Culturized' to some degree, with some having joined Culture ship crews.

Medjel

The Medjel are a 'companion' (or slave) species to the Idirans. They originally evolved in a social symbiosis with the Idirans, who later bred them as a companion species over the course of forty thousand years (by the time of the Idiran-Culture War). They are reckoned to be about two thirds as intelligent as the average human. Outnumbering Idirans by about 12 to 1 but being genetically loyal to them, they provide good, if unimaginative, soldiers and servants.

Physically, the medjel are about two metres long, with green-brown skin. They have flat, long heads with distinct muzzles, walk on four feet and use two front feet as hands. The tail of the military medjel is docked.

Jhlupe

The Jhlupe are a crab-like species with a civilisational Level of Six or Seven, described in Surface Detail.

Physique

The Jhlupe are described as being bright lustrous green, twelve-limbed creatures resembling giant soft-shelled land crabs. Their limbs are spindly, and protrude from main bodies that are a little larger in size than a human rolled into a ball. They see from a trio of short eye stalks that also protrude from their body. In alien environments rather than use their legs, they float on devices that resemble metallic cushions that also act as translator devices.

Morthanveld

The Morthanveld, described in Matter, are a spiniform aquatic species, who are described as a high-level involved society, meaning that they are part of the 'Optimae', those highest tier of civilisations in power and sophistication to which the Culture itself is counted.

Physique

The Morthanveld are described as milky-coloured spheres of approximately a metre in diameter, with hundreds of spines, which are quite flexible and some serve manipulatory functions. They can also be adorned with rings and other decorations and their colour-change is a form of body-language, and squirts of water molecules (assumed to be coded via chemicals) also serve as a form of communication.^[7]

Society

There is relatively little description of the society of the Morthanveld in the Banks novels. They are described as being technologically and otherwise on a similar level as the Culture, and also control vast spheres of the galaxy, including being the mentors of various lesser galactic races such as the Nariscene. They have a rudimentary remaining money system, but according to the Culture, are approaching a stage in their development when they will turn into a similar post-scarcity society - a potential cusp which the Culture has chosen to not endanger by interventionary moves which it might attempt with less advanced societies. The Morthanveld have vast numerical superiority over The Culture, as a single Morthanveld "Nestworld" - consisting of a complex, recursive arrangement of transparent tubes within tubes, all revolving around a small central star - is said to be home to more Morthanveld citizens than there are Culture citizens anywhere.^[8]

Nariscene

The Nariscene, described in Matter, are an insectile species, described as a mid-level Involved society, meaning that they are both a mentored species as well as mentoring lesser species in turn.

Physique

The Nariscene are described as six-limbed insectiles covered with keratinous shells. Their bodies have five segmentations, and are around a metre and a half long (not counting manipulatory stalks with their mandibles), though sizes change with sub-species, with the lesser individuals in a hierarchy being slightly smaller. They often implant jewelry or tools and weapons straight into their carapaces. They communicate partly via scented gas squirts.^[7] They often use 'exoskeletons' with anti-gravity devices.^[8]

Their procreation seems to be at least partly based on a 'Queen' spawning new Nariscene. The mate of the queen (who dies in his highly honoured duty) is selected based on the requirements of the 'Imperial Procreational College' which selects the desired genotype according to the current requirements of the species every generation. The clans of the Nariscene may then bid for the honour to go to one of their own.^[7]

Society

There is only limited description of the society of the Nariscene in the Banks novels. They are described as being mentors of the Oct, and are in turn mentored by the much more powerful Morthanveld, a relationship which seems reasonably cordial. Their society seems to centre on clans existing in a feudal system with an immortal Queen (though the 'Everlasting' term may be ceremonial).^[7]

Nauptre Reliquaria

The Nauptre are a species described in Surface Detail. They are a Level Eight society, technologically equal to The Culture. The Nauptre Reliquaria (NR) are the intelligent machines originally created by the Nauptre. The organic Nauptre are reclusive and rarely interact with other species. Instead such matters are almost exclusively handled by the Nauptre Reliquaria machines, to such a degree that outsiders perceive the NR as the actually relevant Nauptrian civilization. The NR guide and assist the GFCF (Geseptian-Fardesile Cultural Federacy).

Physique

The Nauptrians are human-sized, gliding marsupials, resembling Flying Foxes. They have long, intelligent looking faces, with large bright yellow eyes. Their bodies and the membranes of their wings are covered with folds of soft golden grey fur. Nauptrians have been seen wearing straps and pouches on their bodies, and thin metallic jewellery like caps that clasp around the head.

The machines of the Nauptre Reliquaria range from constructor ships comparable to Culture GSVs down to nanobots. Drone-like machine individuals directly interact with other species. These NR representatives each have a unique design, and they exhibit individual character traits and motivations.

Society

Nauptrians seldom interact directly with alien cultures, confining themselves to their home environments, and instead communicating through Reliquaria. The Nauptrians live lives of selfish indolence, and civilisationally are thought to be progressing towards subliming from the 'real' universe. In contrast to the Culture, the Nauptrians advocate punishment for wrongdoing in the afterlife, and have their own virtual post-death 'Hell'. This 'pro-hell' stance has led to frosty relations with The Culture.

The NR machines occasionally refer to their organic creators as their 'feeder species'. They appear to be loyal to the original Nauptre.

Oct

The Oct, described in Matter, are a crab-like species, described as a lower-level involved society, meaning that they are mentored by higher societies, though they in their specific case also mentor a non-involved society on the shellworld of Sursamen.

Physique

The Oct are described as having ovoid bodies the size of a human child's torso, coloured deep blue and covered with thick bristly green hairs. They have eight limbs (four of them serving as arms, four as legs), which are triple-jointed and described as 'broken-looking'. They are joined to the main body at black joint-stubs, which are set in rows along the side of the Oct's body in not-quite symmetrical order.^[9]

They are often seen with support backpacks which house anti-gravity equipment and support equipment which the Oct seem to need for survival or comfort, as the system is connected to 'face masks' and circulates fluids. They are also described as preferring to live underwater and often leaking or leaving behind fluids from their equipment or a thin fluid membrane which covers their bodies.^[8][9]

Society

The Oct society is strongly centered around their belief (expressed in seemingly religious terms, though the Oct are known to be very incomprehensible) that they are the 'Inheritors' of the 'Veil', that species which long past created the shellworlds of the Culture universe before disappearing. However, other societies have shown this to be demonstrably false, and consider the Oct to be a little bit weird as well as somewhat pathetic. The Oct in turn have a strong hatred for the Aultridia, another species connected to the shellworlds.^[8]

Pavuleans

The Pavuleans are a species described in Surface Detail. They have a high level of technology and evolved from a herd animal species on the planet Pavul, located in the Milky Way galaxy. They number in the hundreds of billions, and live on many planets and habitats around multiple other suns. These other Planets are referred to as the 'Outlyings'.

Physique

Pavuleans are metre and a half-long hooved quadrupeds with large round heads. They have furred pelts and tails. Their faces have small twin trunks side by side, which are prehensile probosces with little lobes at the tips resembling stubby fingers.

Society

Pavulean Society is traditionally conservative, retaining commerce and a religious, philosophical way of life called Collective Wisdom. Although they have an advanced society technologically, they prefer to retain control of their decision making, conducting a senate style government rather than letting AI machine minds do most of this work, as in the Culture. Pavulean herd thinking results in a slowness to change tradition, and a centering of their government on the Planet Pavul, with the 'Outlying' citizens having little representation in government. Although it is controversial in Pavulean Society, the Pavuleans have a virtual afterlife 'Hell' run covertly by the conservative religious establishment. The torturers or punishers in this 'Hell' are monstrous representations of the now extinct predator animals that used to prey on the '15 Herds' of Pavul.

Because Pavuleans evolved as herd animals, in a predominantly flat grassland environment, they find heights distressing, commonly experiencing vertigo. Their large buildings generally take the form of gently sloping ziggurats, (rather than skyscrapers for example) because of this. Psychologically, they also find solitude distressing or difficult, preferring to sleep communally.

Sichultia

The Sichultia are a pan-human species from the planet Sichult that are described in Surface Detail. The Sichultia had first contact with the species called the Flekke. Their society as a whole is called the Sichultian Enablement and is at Level Four/Five technologically.

Physique

Sichultians are humanoid in appearance, approximately the same height, but with different bodily proportions than a Culture standard person. Proportionally, their legs are longer, and their backs are shorter and humped in appearance. They are more rounded looking, with pot bellies and big bottoms. Their skin ranges in colour from pale to dark, with yellow, red and olive tones, as does their hair. Those individuals known as Indentured Intagliates display full body tattoos that have either been applied with ink after birth, or have been imprinted on a cellular level, down to the level of skin pores, eye whites, teeth, bone, capillaries and organs, before birth. These tattoos may be black on a lighter skin tone, or even iridescent, fluorescent or metallic on jet black.

Society

The Sichultia evolved on the planet Sichult, in the Quyn system, but have expanded their territory to a small grouping of stars and worlds. Sichultian society focuses heavily on commercial competition and wealth. One unique cultural effect of this preoccupation with money, is the practice of indentured intagliation. Under this system, the wives and children of those who default on great debts are pressed into a form of bonded slavery. The wife or child of the debtor is taken by the court, 'intagliated' with a full body tattoo, and then committed to serve in the house of the unpaid creditor. The indentured intagliates are prized by their owners as a decorative symbol of commercial victory and conspicuous consumption, and serve as a humiliation to the debtor and their family.

Xolpe

The Xolpe are a species described in Matter living on the planet Bulthmaas. They have not yet attained Involved status and appear to have a technological level similar to contemporary Earth, but are under the 'mentorship' of the Nariscene.

Physique

The Xolpe are a humanoid race described as very short, squat and pale, possibly due to the high level of gravity on Bulthmaas (although both the Xolpe and their environment are only described from the perspective of a Sarl character, which may not itself be quite the 'average' humanoid norm). As Sarl visitors are still able to wear uniforms designed for Xolpe, albeit looking ridiculous due to the poor fit, it could be assumed that they don't deviate enormously in stature or shape from other human species.

Society

The land masses of Bulthmaas have been left largely uninhabitable by a wide scale nuclear and biological conflict, leaving the surviving military powers to continue the war from large bunker complexes connected by underground train tunnels deep beneath the scorched surface. The Nariscene claim to be helping, though it is later implied that they arranged the war on purpose so that - having long ago abolished conflict on their own worlds - they could experience warfare vicariously through another species using nano-scale surveillance devices. Their society is shown to be militaristic and authoritarian, though it is not stated whether this has always been the case or a reaction to the current state of war. Visitors to the planet are required to don uniforms at all times and carry identification papers and access to the surface is very limited, although dirigible hospital ships floating above the war zone exist to tend to casualties. In the novel only one Xolpe nation (Prille) is described and their enemy is not named, though it would appear that much (or all) of the rest of the planet exists in a similar state of devastation.

References

1. A Companion to Science Fiction - Seed, David; Blackwell Publishing, 2005, Page 561-562
2. The Player of Games - Banks, Iain M., Orbit 2005, Page 74
3. The Player of Games - Banks, Iain M., Orbit 2005, Page 76
4. Banks, Iain M. "Matter"
5. The Hydrogen Sonata
6. Banks, Ian M (1988). Consider Phlebas. Orbit. p. 504. ISBN 1-85723-138-4.
7. Matter - Banks, Iain M., Orbit 2008, Page 55-71
8. Matter - Banks, Iain M., Orbit 2008
9. Matter - Banks, Iain M., Orbit 2008, Page 30-31