Vorta

Species Name: Vorta
Homeworld: Kurill Prime (genetic origin pre-Dominion unknown)
Physiology: The Vorta are genetically engineered humanoids created by the Founders to serve as administrative, diplomatic, and tactical intermediaries between themselves and the rest of the Dominion. Physically frail, Vorta possess enhanced hearing, limited resistance to toxins, and uniquely engineered neurological structures that support obedience conditioning, memory retention, and regenerative cloning protocols. Most Vorta are clones, with new iterations activated upon the death of a previous version, though this process is not perfect and can degrade over time or be interrupted.

Cultural Overview:

• Engineered Loyalty: Vorta are indoctrinated from inception to revere the Founders as gods. Their belief in the Dominion’s hierarchy is absolute, though their methods—flattery, manipulation, duplicity—are tools rather than betrayals in their view.
• Command Facilitators: While Jem’Hadar execute orders, Vorta formulate them. They are trained in science, diplomacy, and war logistics, often blending the three to advance Dominion goals.
• Limited Sensory Palate: Due to genetic design, Vorta have poor eyesight (especially in three-dimensional tracking), cannot taste most food except kava nuts and similar compounds, and lack pain tolerance.
• Personality Spectrum: Some Vorta exhibit loyalty to the Dominion's ideals; others manipulate their position for self-advancement. A few rare Vorta—cut off from cloning facilities or reconditioned—have developed independent moral codes or political views.

Starfleet Roles:

• Practically nonexistent in official Federation service. Any Vorta in Starfleet would be a defector, scientific curiosity, political refugee, or part of a long-term intelligence project.
• If admitted, they would serve in Diplomacy, Science, or Command (Tactical Planning)—but under significant supervision.
• Federation reactions would range from fascination to overt hostility.

Species Mechanics (2e-Compatible Expansion from 1e Core):

ATTRIBUTES: +1 Control, +1 Presence, +1 Reason
TRAIT: Vorta

• Genetically engineered: may reduce Difficulty or gain Advantage on Tasks involving logistics, diplomacy, or Dominion protocols.
• Poor depth perception and fine visual discrimination: +1 Difficulty to Tasks requiring ranged precision or fine manual accuracy unless compensated with technology.
• Taste-blind and pain-sensitive: immune to most food-based toxins but suffer extra penalties from pain-based Complications.
• Cloning Legacy: narrative permission for limited backup consciousness or “echoed” memory upon death, with GM-defined complications, flaws, or inconsistencies.
• Perceived as untrustworthy manipulators by most non-Dominion species—frequent social Complications.

SPECIES ABILITY — ENGINEERED TACTICIAN:
Once per scene, after you or an ally fails a Command, Science, or Task Coordination check, you may:

• Spend 1 Threat or 1 Determination to immediately allow a re-roll of one d20.
• This represents the Vorta’s instinctive grasp of tactical correction and their Dominion-trained instinct for order continuity.