Quote:Dark templar are powerful psionic warriors whose forebears were exiled from the protoss homeworld of Aiur over a thousand years ago. They were banished for their refusal to join the Khala, the communal mind link shared by all protoss of Aiur. Driven by individuality and a thirst for knowledge, dark templar have developed along a very different path than the carefully regulated mainstream of protoss society. They remain willful and often fiercely independent, with their closest allegiance being first to clannish warrior bands and then to the Nerazim, the great tribe to which all dark templar belong. By their nature the Nerazim are a diverse group of freethinkers motivated by their regard for one another and tribal bonds rather than abstract notions of authority. Different clans take great pains to distinguish themselves through variations in weapons, armor, markings, and dress. For example, the famed hunters of the Zer'atai dress in the bones of slain zerg; the Boros are known for their blank-faced helms and heavy armor; and the Lenassa wear distinctive cloth wrappings and bear wickedly curved warp blades.
Regardless of clan, reputation and personal responsibility are paramount in the eyes of any Nerazim: individuals must always be accountable for their actions. As a result, deeds rather than words act as the dark templar's guide. Individual clans can be prone to feuding and rivalry, but they are quick to band together against a common threat, such as that presented by the zerg. Judging the total power of the Nerazim is almost impossible, for most are nomadic folk scattered across dozens of star systems in small ships and hidden enclaves. It's quite possible that their combined strength is enormous.


The protoss dark templar has always been one of the StarCraft community's favorite units -- now, the community has a chance to participate directly in the dark templar design process for StarCraft II! Over the course of the next month, players will vote to decide which dark templar model will appear in StarCraft II multiplayer matches.