Planet of Origin: Ood Sphere, a planet from a system of two suns, situated in the Horsehead Nebula, some 1500
light years from Earth, is the home of
the sensorites. Another planet in the same system, the Sense sphere,
houses a genetically related species, the
Sensorites. Although not a gestalt, the Sensorites are also telepahtic. How those two species, most probably
of common origin managed to end up on different planets remains unknown.
The
Ood are a long lived pacific telepathic humanoid species which developed as a gestalt into an early industrial civilisation. They live as a hive mind led by the Ood Brain, a huge living
brain that ontrolled the connection between individual Ood and which is
able to reach any Ood over intergalactic distances. They have coleoid tentacles on the lower portions of their faces, no vocal cords and instead communicated by telepathy. They posses two brains; a forebrain in the head and a secondary hindbrain connected by an umbilical cord-like connection to their faces, usually held in their hands. The forebrain does much of the thinking and stores the telepathic
sensors. The hindbrain processed memory and emotions, leading to mental
instabilities when removed, even though the Ood can survive without it. In the 39th century,
humanity discovered the Ood, enslaved them, and used them to perform
menial tasks throughout the intergalactic slave trade. The external hindbrain of the Ood was extracted
and replaced by translator globes by Ood Operations, a corporation in
charge of managing their world. This procedure was kept from the general
public which believed the Ood naturally servile. By the 42nd century,
it was claimed that every human had an Ood servant. Apart from activist groups, they were generally
barely even regarded as being alive, and were considered to be
expendable.
Source: Doctor Who (
TV:
Planet of the Ood) (
TV:
The End of Time) (
TV:
Planet of the Ood)