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cienie-isengardu · 8 months

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Cienie’s take on Mandalorian Culture: Kad Ha’rangir and mandalorian traditional weapons, p. 5

part 1 — part 2 — part 3 -- part 4

Caution: I have never personally played The Old Republic MMORPG game and all my knowledge about Mandalorians of that era comes from tie-in material including those published on dedicated to SWTOR sites and watching playthrough videos, especially of the last patch, Legacy of the Sith. Keeping that in mind, let’s wrap up the final part.

The Old Republic MMORPG game takes place a few hundred years after the regime of Mandalore the Indomitable, The Ultimate and the Preserver (Wookiepedia claims the story of SWTOR currently covers the era of 3643–3626 BBY). For the first(?) time an in-universe source contemporary with the events taking place directly mentions Kad Ha’rangir and praying practice:

The Fall of Mandalore the Vindicated Firsthand account from Ralia of Clan Lok: The Skytroopers surrounded us. Two dozen, blasters aimed at our heads. We had already begun our death roar. And then Mandalore the Vindicated cut through them, scattering their metal parts. He ordered us to rejoin the clan and leave the Skytroopers to him. But the droids had called for backup; suddenly, dozens were swarming him. Mandalore dismantled them two at a time with a war cry like thunder. They kept coming, waves and waves, till we could no longer see him. I started to charge forward, but Droga stopped me. “He’s already gone.” He was Ardus Lok. My brother, our Mand’alor. And he fell to machines. He will not be honored. I pray to Kad Ha’rangir this pointless war will end soon.

This account gives us a lot of interesting details about the Ralia of Clan Lok’s mindset. On one hand, “he fell to the machine. He will not be honored” line fit with what game itself presented by Torian Cadera

and Khomo Fett's mocking saying

Which implies she and similar minded warriors followed very harsh rules according to which dying in battle against machines may bring dishonor - even if Mandalore sacrificed himself to save his people, as Ralia herself said: He ordered us to rejoin the clan and leave the Skytroopers to him.

However the author of this account didn’t pray to Kad Ha’rangir to acknowledge and/or have mercy on the soul of the “dishonored” clan brother but prayed for pointless war to end soon. Which is surprising, given that War was a central part of her culture - approximately three hundred ago, Taungs and Neo Crusaders considered War to be divine and SWTOR’s lore object outright says “War is the Mandalorians’ way of life”, while describing Mandalorians as “trained from birth to fight in battle”, who “embrace conflict and admire strength” and “believe confrontation is required for growth — on the personal, as well as the cultural level."

Mandalorian praying for war to end seems to be acting against the most basic principles on which the whole warrior culture is built. Even more surprising is the fact, the prayer was said to Kad Ha’rangir, the god known as Destructor who demanded from his followers to face challenges and trials in the first place and not, for example, to Arasuum, the god supposedly opposite to Destructor. And yes, the Mandalorians: People and Culture and Death Watch Manifesto call Arasuum the god of stagnation and idle consumption however in the traditional understanding of myth, opposition to destruction wouldn’t actually mean prosperity as time not dominated by war?

Showdown on Ruhnuk (included in Legacy of the Sith, 2023) went even further with the religious aspect of Mandalorian culture by introducing the clan Ha’rangir, whose members are said to be descended from the god Kad Ha’rangir himself. Within the game itself, this information is passed to player by Lane Vizla:

"Clan Ha'rangir claims they 're descended from Kad Ha'rangir, an old Mandalorian god of destruction."

SW:TOR provided also a codex entry for Ha’rangir Clan (x):

Named for Kad Ha'rangir, the ancient Mandalorian god of destruction and bringer of change and growth, Clan Ha'rangir was founded by Mandalorians who believed their people were being weakened by cowardice and inaction. The clan began a bloody expansion called "Ha'rangir's Path" in the latter half of 3732 BBY. Their early success encouraged more raids and occupations, which earned the clan a fortune in resources. This vast war chest sustained Clan Ha'rangir during the decades of reactionary conflict that followed. Their empire building peaked in the 3600's and slowly declined as newer generations of Clan Ha'rangir avoided the front lines, preferring instead to manage and expand their wealth. Once formidable conquerors, Clan Ha'rangir's power today resides in the credits they command, rather than their military might. Some within their ranks, however, are questioning their role within the galaxy, perhaps yearning for a return to their expansionist ways.

Lane Vizsla describes this clan as “old money, with an even older name”

However Lane notes also how the fame, prestige and credits corrupted those Mandalorians, including current leader, the Kur Ha’rangir.

Decades of that kind of notoriety, power, and credits have given them quite that inflated self-image.

He does whatever he wants - no matter how dishonorable - and his name and his money pay for everyone to ignore it.

They consider it an insult if you don't recognize their prestigious history. They consider it a threat if you don't give them the respect they demand.

Granted, Lane Vizla isn’t an objective source, as she holds personal grudge against Kur Ha’rangir for killing her brother in an unfair duel over a trivial matter[12], yet what game presented on screen (Kur’s treatment of basilisk war droids) so far supports Lane’s claim. Even Codex entry for leader of Ha’rangir clan (x) highlight his egotistical and arrogant nature:

Ruthless, arrogant, and egotistical, Kur Ha'rangir embodies all of the traits that the members of his clan, Clan Ha'rangir, consider important. Claiming to descend from Kad Ha'rangir, the old Mandalorian god, Kur sees his clan as the supreme embodiment of Mandalorian strength and power. To reflect Clan Ha'rangir's status, Kur believes that he should possess the strongest and most powerful weapons. Although Basilisk war droids--the infamous Mandalorian mounts that wreaked havoc across the galaxy during the Great Sith War and the Mandalorian Wars--are exceedingly rare, Kur Ha'rangir has no interest in preserving them for future generations. His only goal is to collect and continually improve the best of them, even if it means sacrificing the increasingly limited number of Basilisk droids for their parts. As the number of available Basilisk droids dwindles, Kur has turned his attention to learning how to build the war droids--a craft that was lost when the droids' original creators destroyed their own planet. Legend tells of beacons, full of schematics and construction plans, that were scattered across the galaxy when Basilisk was destroyed, and although Clan Ha'rangir has pledged themselves to fight alongside Heta Kol and the Hidden Chain, Kur has not let their desires interfere with his own obsession.

There are plenty of conclusions that can be drawn from the above sources. The most important one is that Kad Ha’rangir is known as an old Mandalorian god of Destruction and whose importance remains strong enough to allow the “descendants” bathe in his glory solely for supposedly sharing the same blood and surname. We still can’t be sure if original Mandalorians worshiped this deity under this exact name (or if even knew him at all), but if Kad was part of Taung mythology, then we can assume the mythological knowledge (religion) was passed down to newcomers before Taung died out. This is actually quite an interesting detail in regard to religious reformation that happened before The Sith War, when original Crusaders are said to change their customs and start worshiping War itself.

The second vital information is how Mandalorian society has changed by the last three to four hundred years. For one, a clan like Ha’rangir isn’t held at this point in respect due to members’ individual deeds or military might but solely for supposedly having a prestige ancestor and money to cover for their dishonor behavior. Though we do not have that many sources about original Mandalorians, I think it is safe to say clan Ha’rangir is the beginning of the emerging aristocracy while also an antithesis of Taung warrior society. Especially in the matter of equality of clans, personal honor (prestige) and money.

Taungs, as far as we know, respected hierarchy but their social structures were built on warriors’ personal achievements not who their forefathers were. They did seem to hold past ancestors (clan members) in high regard[13], as at some point in the past they renamed themselves from Shadow Warriors to Mandalorians in honor of their legendary “warrior king”, Mandalore the First. However no one so far claimed to be a direct descendant of said leader or gods nor the leadership was passed down on such a basis. The title of Mandal’or is outright stated to not be democracy nor hereditary bestowen - which means only the person who dared to take the title (responsibility) and proved their worth may lead other warriors. This approach to the leadership was mentioned in SWTOR tie-in source, the The Old Republic Encyclopedia:

and summarized by Canderous Ordo: “When our leader falls in battle, the most worthy takes his place”. (Star Wars Miniatures)

Similar approach could be seen in regard to hierarchy between clans and its members. For example, Galaxy At War Sourcebook describes Taung society as “clan-based nomadic culture” in which ”veterans of successful battles are held in high regard, to such an extent that they are de facto leaders of their communities. Only the leader of all the Mandalorians, known simply as Mandalore, holds greater sway with the clans.”

while SW:TOR Encyclopedia states “Although clans may have ties or rivalries with other clans, there is no formal hierarchy. All clan chieftains report directly to the Mandalore”.

(The lack of formal hierarchy wll change overtime, as some old and/or powerful mandalorian clans like Vizsla and Kryze turned into Houses. The sources so far did not provide enough data about inner workings of said Houses, although Sabine’s introduction in Rebels: Protectors of Concord Dawn [S02E13] as “I'm Clan Wren, House Vizsla” implies other, lesser(?) clans are subject to them. Similarly, House Kryze at some point became officially acknowledged as the Royal Family that ruled Mandalore before and during the Clone Wars. Simultaneously, the number of clans is not constant and limited, as sources provide examples of new clans formed during different eras.)

At the same time, the Mandalore, clan leaders and veterans - the broadly understood "ruling class" - may be challenged by anyone and according to the law, the honorable duel will officially settle the conflict[14]. This law apparently survived to modern times as could be seen in

Death Watch Manifesto: “to ensure we would be led by the most powerful, we decreed that any warrior could challenge the Secret Mandalore for leadership of Death Watch”

and The Clone Wars TV animated series when Maul challenged Pre Vizsla to a fight over control of Mandalore & Death Watch:

Almec: “Clearly you are powerful, but how can two of you overthrow Vizsla and his supporters?” Maul: “Vizsla is a soldier and, like every soldier, he is bound by honor. I will challenge him to single combat in front of his men. He will not deny me.” Almec: “Hmm. If you defeat him, according to the ancient laws of Mandalore, his soldiers will be honor-bound to follow you.” [TCW S05E15: Shades of Reason]

All of this implies that Mandalore and even the highly renewed veterans do not stand above the law - and maybe, ironically, are even more bound to follow it, as their honor is at stake.

Now, Ha’rangir clan is said to get away with dishonorable act during an official duel because of the religious connection and money and in all fairness, this speaks a lot about Mandalorians of that time. The roots of this corruption however reach the end of the Mandalorian Wars and the following decade(s) which brings me to another vital point. How exactly Ha’rangir clan got their fortune?

Lane Vizla described members of said clan as “old money with an even older name”. while Shae Vizla further explained:

Player: Clan Ha’rangir? Shae Vizla: I figured we’d see them around. Like I said before, they’re old money. Many clans got rich from plunder during the Mandalorian Wars generations ago. They want those days back, and Heta’s the answer.

If we agree that Ha’rangir clan got rich from plunder during the Mandalorian Wars, the clan dates to at least the last phase of Taung era (and Lane suggests the clan is even older than that). As much as it is true that Crusaders and Neo-Crusaders raided and robbed many planets, Taungs weren’t exactly focused on material wealth. Yes, they prized advanced technology and generally understood weapons were always at the top of list to steal, but money and similar goods? KotOR Campaign Guide states that “trade within Mandalorian communities is based on barter, with jewelry and precious metals used as portable commodities alongside weapons and armor” and that Mandalorians were familiar with galaxy currency however beside that one paragraph, the traditional culture didn’t seem to hold material goods other than an armor in any real regard, as only personal achievements allowed warrior to rise in the social hierarchy.

Thinking about this matter, KotOR tie-in materials allowed us to dwell into the Mandalorian mindset and majority if not all named Mandalorian characters showed no real concern over the money.

In KotOR: War, new recruits were provided with armor and weapons, warriors did not complain about living in harsh, frontline conditions even while raising children. Ko Sornell's advice to a newcomer (Zayne) was “find some wall to lean against. During invasions we sleep in armor. You'll get used to it” [KotOR:War #2]

Another example comes from Interference short story taking place in early 3963 B.B.Y. When Mandalorians were faced with republic propaganda broadcasting on their communication frequency, taunting with luxury, even talking about how the Republic has “Real beds. Running water” in contrast to mandalorian camps and finally promising wealth:

And it is an offer. They say that Mandalorians deal with things in a Mandalorian way. Well, the same is true of the Republic. And what is the Republic at heart, if not first and foremost, a vehicle for the enrichment of all peoples? There isn't any reason at all why the forces of Mandalore can't have a seat at the table like anyone else. And so the offer is this: The Republic would welcome a cessation of hostilities with the Mando'ade. In return, the Senate would be willing to commit a share of all taxation from Republic planets and hyperspace lanes currently under Mandalorian occupation to go to the occupiers. That's right: the spoils of war, to stop the war. It is a fair price, and one that should more than satisfy all your requirements. With your victories in these weeks, your honor has been restored. The galaxy knows it. The Jedi did nothing to stop you; they know it. And you will have the prize -- part of the wealth of these stars, without having to continue to enforce your will on them. You'll be free to explore your options elsewhere, in directions away from the Republic -- and you'll be better funded to be able to do it. “

Ko Sornell reported to her superior, Cassus Fett, this:

Yes, Cassus, I responded already. I used the transmitter here on Zongorlu. I know I should have waited. Who is Koblus Sornell, anyway? Just a warrior. A signals expert, but a warrior. A Mandalorian warrior… ... and as a Mandalorian warrior, their "choice" was really no choice at all. I spoke for all of us: Their "bargain" was ridiculous. Think about it: They could have a glorious battle, a true measure of what we're worth. That's a bargain. Instead, they're trying to choose -- a bribe? To buy peace like a peasant at a shop? All it costs is whatever guts they ever had. And they thought we might agree to it! Whatever gave them that idea? Just like with this "Captain Goodvalor" business. Pretending to be the victor of great battles -- that's insulting enough all on its own. But big talk about what they can do, how big their forces are? Lies about people leaving our side? Did they really think any true Mandalorian would listen? Do they really fear us so little?

Cassus Fett himself showed little care for wealth, as can be seen in short interaction with Gromar [KotOR #23].

"--you listen to Cassus Fett and your son's sons will have nothing to do -- because you'll have concquered everything!"

Cassus admitted Mandalorians didn’t make full use of the resources of the conquered lands because they rarely stayed in one place for long (the curse of nomad life, as he called it) however he did not promise wealth to his subordinate but that Mandalorians are gonna conquer the whole galaxy leaving nothing for new generations.

Canderous Ordo mentioned in some of his game dialogues the fortunes (wealth):

Canderous: You want to hear tales of my exploits? Of the wars I've seen and fought, the enemies I've seen die by my hand? Heh, sure, I'll humor you. My name's Canderous of the Mandalorian clan Ordo. I've been fighting across the galaxy for 40 of your years. For my people it's the honor and glory of battle that rules us. It's through combat that we prove our worth, gain renown and make our fortunes. [KotOR game]

Mandalore: The Republic thinks my people are dead, scattered. They are wrong. You should have destroyed us when you had the chance. As long as one Mandalorian lives, we will survive. Our honor, fortunes, and lives revolve around battle. From our earliest history, this has been our way, as it will be, always. [KotOR 2 game]

however other tales made it clear money itself did not have the same value as armor, weapon and basilisk droids, as losing those three (cultural) things hurted defeated Mandalorians the most:

Canderous: The war we had with the Republic was supposed to be the most glorious battle of our history, but… it was a very costly one. I guess we didn't think of how much we could lose in it. [...] There weren't many of us left after that last battle. Mandalore himself was killed at the hands of the Jedi Revan. The best of us could not defeat him! After that last battle, those of us that survived were stripped of our weapons, our armor, and our Basilisks. Revan's forces destroyed them while we were forced to watch. Those who hadn't fled earlier were left with nothing to call their own: no weapons, no armor… only the honor of having fought in the battle we just lost. For many this was not enough. While the rest of us were sent into exile on the Outer Rim, they tried to relive the old days – raiding worlds. They're nothing more than bandits now. [KotOR game]

Canderous specifically said “Those who hadn't fled earlier were left with nothing to call their own: no weapons, no armor” so clearly, the “warrior equipment” is the wealth that Mandalorians cared for, not credits or other material luxuries. Similarly approach was seen a decade later in Mandalorian Camp on Dxun:

That idiot Kumus will be working off his shame for the rest of his days. Equipment eaten by cannoks - it would have been better if he'd let the jungle take him. [KotOR II]

However, as Canderous mentioned, after the Mandalorian Wars, this mindset changed in favor of money. Some Mandalorians turned into mercenaries, some kept raiding worlds, some turned into bandits attacking simple farmers. This sentiment was repeat by Veela from The Old Republic: Revan:

“When Revan hid Mandalore`s Mask, most of our people scattered in disgrace. But some of us refused to give up. We stayed behind to look for what was lost instead of running off to become mercenaries and hired thugs.”

Similar statements comes from History of the Mandalorians:

“Following their failed campaign, the Crusaders found a new object of worship -- the almighty credits. Decimated and embittered, the surviving Mandalorian warriors turned ruthlessly mercenary in order to survive. Informally called the Mandalorian Merc, these individuals hired out their lethal talents to the highest bidders without regard to silly notions like justice, morals, and honor.”

So, did members of Ha’rangir Clan enriched themselves during the Mandalorian Wars, as Shae Vizla said, or did they get their fortune from post-war raids, as Codex Entry suggests? This is an important question in context: how old the clan truly is? Because there is a chance that the clan's origin grew into myth over the time, the same as their “cultural” role.

I mean, Canderous and Veela of clan Ordo were eyewitnesses of change happening in their society while Shae Vizla and contemporary Mandalorians may only rely on knowledge passed down to them by their predecessors. Considering how Mandalorian people were broken and divided after war, it is quite possible that a lot of historical knowledge was lost or misrepresented, even on purpose.

At the same time, there were attempts to bring back Mandalorians to their honorable ways. The best known example is Canderous Ordo, who for his efforts earned the title Mandalore the Preserver. In KotOR II: Sith Lords, he said “Many Mandalorians have fallen from the path of honor and are now no more than common mercenaries. But that is changing” yet despite Ordo’s best intentions, the unity of Mandalorian clans is much more fragile than what it was under Taung leadership. But if Canderous could dedicate his life to rebuilding Mandalorian society under his banner (against Sith as Revan wanted), then logically thinking there could be more reformators like him. Which is another possibility to see Kad Ha’rangir. Not as a literal deity but actual historical figure who could renamed himself in honor of the warrior god[15], either presenting himself as “chosen” warrior / tool or maybe even as the god’s prophet of some sort or whose fame (interpretation of warrior culture) overtime grew into a myth that benefited the entire clan. TOR game presented us with Mandalorians such as Kur Ha’rangir and Arla Ha’rangir so Kad Ha’rangir easily could be a full name of real person who started the Ha’rangir family in the first place and whose person at some point merged into one with the mythical god in mandalorian collective consciousness. This brings back the question - did Taung truly knew Kad Ha’rangir under this exact name and not just, for example, simply as Ha’rangir?

As I hopefully established in previous parts, swords weren’t the traditional Mandalorian (Taung) weapon while the Kad Ha’rangir name, for the first time showed in in-universe source coexisting with the events taking place approximately 300 years after Taung died out. This is of course matter of game mechanics, but The Old Republic presents on screen

Mandalorian characters using commonly swords

lore entries like Mandalorian Relics: The Final Blade of Dunesa Rul (x)

[...] Rul's creations, prized within the Mandalorians, were often handed down from one clan leader to the next, but demand for new work was overwhelming. Rul was killed in an explosion during an altercation between Clan Mettir and Clan Ironstone, who sought to lay claim to a masterwork weapon--a durasteel dagger--he had created. Both clans were hunted down and destroyed in retaliation for the grievous loss. The dagger itself was never found.

Even the official duel between Mandalore the Avenger and Field Marshal Kol Heta was done with ceremonial swords

while so far the only axes I noticed are Gamorrean made (x)

and vibro axe (x)

and none of those are even close in shape to traditional Mandalorian (Taung) ones. This kind of weapon seems to have lost its importance in the favor of swords/sabers, so if Kad Ha’rangir was a historical figure who either claimed or was hailed by others as descendant of an old god, he could be also a reason (impulse) for the switch from axes to swords. As in, Mandalorians considered him to have divine connections - or even be the embodiment of divine will - and started preferring swords as a symbol of their renewed faith to honor god. The mentioned in Codex Entry “a bloody expansion called "Ha'rangir's Path" in the latter half of 3732 BBY” fits well in that assumption and even could be treated as the approximate date of “religious (weapon) reformation”.

Like it was already mentioned, the unity between Mandalorian (human dominated) clans is a much more fragile matter than what we know about the Mandalorian society under leadership of the last two Taung rulers - the Indomitable and Ultimate. The conflict between old fashioned warriors and mercenaries started after Mandalorian Wars and will last to modern days however in The Old Republic game it took a surprising shape. The current conflict has divided Mandalorians into supporters of Mandalore the Avenger (Shae Vizsla, a former bounty hunter herself) and Field Marshal Kol Heta (leader of Hidden Chain) who wants to bring Mandalorians to their warrior roots and regain the lost independence. The surprising part of this conflict is that both sides acknowledged the need to preserve material artifacts to keep their culture intact and give people tangible connection to their history and past deeds.

And so TOR game included:

The Importance of Mandalorian Relics codex Lore Entry: For many Mandalorians, relics are an important touchstone to connect with their long and fractured history. The cultural identity of this clan-based group is centered around conflict and combat, so a chaotic history of war is expected. While grounded in a common creed and code, those who wish to understand and honor past achievements will look to items that gained significance during a specific event, battle, or because they were wielded by a person of great renown. These relics can become symbols of the core tenants of the Mandalorian beliefs; a physical embodiment of a philosophy that is rooted in the most primitive of contests between creatures of flesh and blood. Perhaps more than the leaders before her, Mandalore the Avenger recognized the importance of these relics in helping to unify the clans with a history they could see and touch, and so began to collect and house important artifacts from the past in order to smooth the path to the future.

Seeker's Vigil codex: Lore Entry: This heavily-guarded space-faring vault serves as a monument to what the Ash'ad consider the glories of Mandalorian culture. Within these fortified walls lay the history of conquest, raiding, victory, loss, and struggle that characterize a true Mandalorian warrior's existence. There are so many tomes in the libraries that the archivists have lost count. Tableaus and frescoes line the hallways, depicting Mandalorian battles whose names may be forgotten, but are still part of their history. It would take multiple lifetimes to even begin to uncover all of the knowledge hoarded within, and those that call this vessel home will ensure that if the Mandalorian way ever falters, they will be there to teach new generations what it really means to hunt and live the life of a raider.

Troya Ajak: "Field Marshal Kol promised the Ash'ad the relics. They belong to those who believe in honor. Shae Vizla does not." "They are priceless symbols to those with honor. A reminder of what the Mandalorians once were."

The importance of relics collected by Shae Vizla’s supporters and Kol Heta’s Hidden Chain could also lead to a renewal of religion - however how true to original faith it was, is of course up to debate.

During Spirit of Vengeance Arc, the player was forced to walk through enemy ships belonging to Mandalorian clans such as Varad and Ash’ad. Here, clearly the various items

are treated differently than what we could see in frames presenting Shea Vizsla’s or Kol Heta’s meeting room.

The skulls and fire flames reminds me mentioned in previous part (#4) details from Cassus Fett and Demagol’s workplaces and may be a continuation of the same magical-religious traditions. What stands out the most is presents of altars and/or place of sacrifice.

On one of the ships, there was even a great statue that resembles Mandalore the Ultimate

but could actually represent a god (Destructor maybe?), considering all the bones - sacrifices? - piled up around.

This is one of the better documented examples of likely religious practice among warriors.

In general, The Old Republic game is so far the one major source providing the most direct information about Kad Ha’rangir in relation to the events taking place, while “Death Watch Manifesto” [Bounty Hunter Code] and “Industry. Honor. Savagery: Shaping the Mandalorian Soul” [The Essential Guide to Warfare] were written in distant modern times. At the same time, the game did not include the traditional Mandalorian (Taung) mythosaur axe, as in this era the swords are the most common weapon alongside blasters. Which leads me to believe that Kad Ha’rangir may be a side effect of religious renewal that happened decades after the original Mandalorians died out, as religion in itself is a very good carrier of culture and binder for a broken community. As post-KotOR sources provided, Mandalorian people were divided and in need of symbol(s) under which they could unite - a need recognized by both Shae Vizsla and Kol Heta. Thus the founder of the Ha'rangir clan could become one of such symbols and his achievements and/or charisma at some point grew into a myth affecting Mandalorian people’s perception of original (Taung) gods. As humans dominated warrior society, it makes sense that some aspects of older culture took different shapes to fulfill their needs.

My final conclusion (theory) is that the “Destructor” was part of Taung mythology albeit there was no connection between warrior god and sword/sabers - if anything, the deity’s attribute was an axe which is why the weapon was held in such great regard. However once Taung died out leaving remnants of Mandalorians scattered and broken, some warriors took upon themselves to resurrect their culture. Ordo Canderous tried to unite Mandalorians under his banner (against Sith), while some time later, Kad Ha’rangir, as a historical figure, brought changes - religious reformation? - that influenced perception of old mythology and somehow, maybe in honor of his name, swords for good replaced mythosaur axes. Later, Tarre Vizsla - the first Mandalorian Jedi - created darksaber that became another important relic that affected his people’s spiritual and material culture.

The modern authors based their knowledge in majority on sources that were passed down to their era and could over time become distorted or their original meaning has completely lost. Which could explain the discrepancies between what sources showed and the knowledge of the (in-universe) authors.

SIDENOTES:

[12] Lane said this story about her brother's death:

Years ago, Kur Ha'rangir challenged my brother to a duel. Over some perceived slight against his famous name. Kur used nothing but underhanded tricks-like he does with everything else, There was no honor in the way he fought... He killed by brother... and no one called out Kur's deception. Typical, for a Ha'rangir.

[13] Another example implying Taungs & Neo-Crusaders had a special respect for (dead) ancestors/family members is the specific greeting used by Mandalore the Ultimate during meeting with Arkanian leader

... and all honor to your family's dead [KotOR #20]

And Ko Sornell while adressing Cassus Fett (one of the closest advisors of Mandalore):

Su'cuy, Cassus Fett, and all honor to your family's dead. [KotOR: Interference short story]

[14] The honor duel does not exactly need to end with the loser's death, as Ulic spared Mandalore the Indomitable’s life but as sources show, death was an usual occurrence. Frankly, the example of Canderous Ordo vs Jagi implies that once the challenge was issued there was no way to revoke it. Even though Jagi learned that his former commander’s action were not motivated by selfishness (glory-seeking) as he assumed for years and accepted his accusation turned out to be false and unfair, the man committed suicide to clean his own name:

Canderous: I saw a chance and had to take it. It ended the battle quicker than we would have otherwise, and many of our warriors may have died. Mandalore taught us that opportunism and flexibility in battle were to be admired. You may contradict me, but do you contradict him as well? Jagi: No! I... I... I see that I have been wrong. I have not been true to the teachings of Mandalore. You were right. I was wrong to question your honor. But I must now cleanse mine with my life.

Jagi didn't haveto fight Canderous, and you tried to persuade him not to. The Mandalorian sense of honor, however, would not let him live having done what he has. Jagi took his own life in the Dune Sea. This has deeply affected Candeour. [KotOR game]

[15] Similar like clone trooper KADDAK used the name of Mandalorian god in Darth Vader: Cry of the Shadow

He named himself Kaddak. They say he took the first name of the Mandalorian Destroyer God, Kad Ha'rangir, and used it forwards and backwards.

#star wars #mandalorians #mandalorian culture #Cienie’s take on Mandalorian Culture #kad ha'rangir #taungs #to my regret i couldn't use all screenshots and frames I had collected due to picture limits lol #i finally finished it #i strongly believe that taungs knew the god of destruction but rather under simple name of ha'rangir #while the “kad” part was added over time #and started the era of sword / saber and its special role in mandalorian culture & religion #mandalorian culture is pretty dynamic one when it comes to changes and evolutions or rather revolutions

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greyias · 7 months

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FIC: Adrift

Title: Adrift Fandom: SWTOR Rating: T Genre: Gen, Character Study, Missing Scene Burn Synopsis: They were still Jedi, but an Order of the lost. Now Satele drifted, both physically as well as metaphorically, in the deep empty black of space. Author’s Notes: Written for Gammarad on AO3 for @swtorsummerexchange, who requested Satele searching for someone or something she'd lost. And there's this perfect little bit of pre-canon lore about Satele and Tython that was begging to be explored a little. Also special thank you to @grumpyhedgehog for the beta!

Crossposted to AO3

It had been two years. In some ways, two years felt like both an eternity and also like yesterday. Two years since the galaxy had been irrevocably changed once again. Two years since the Sacking of Coruscant, since the brokered treaty had established a shaky ceasefire between the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire. Two years since Dantooine and her former master's conspiracy to end the tenuous peace that had come at such a cost.

It had been two years since Satele Shan had been home.

Because there was no home to return to after the Jedi Temple had been razed.

For any of them. They were still Jedi, but an Order of the lost. Now she drifted, both physically as well as metaphorically, in the deep empty black of space. Rudderless and uncertain, she once again turned to the Force to try to find a heading, some way forward.

She took a deep breath, let it out, and then another as she sought to sink into meditation. Sometimes her meditations were light, like someone languidly floating on the still surface of a calm pond. If she wanted, she could let herself drift along the gentle surface currents of the Living Force and see where it guided her — but what she sought could only be found deeper, down near the bottomless well that was the Cosmic Force. In her mind’s eye, she tried to picture the endless starfields like the map of her astrogation chart. If the galaxy was a vast ocean of stars and other celestial objects, then the Force was the swirling currents that spanned lightyears from crest to trough, the web of hyperspace lanes flowing alongside or sometimes even counter to them.

Before the Treaty and Sacking of Coruscant, she’d always had a direction of some sort to follow. The first eighteen years of her life had been dedicated to learning, her path shaped by her teachers and those who raised her, and then the following twenty-eight had been defined by the endless war that had come after that fateful encounter on Korriban had brought the Sith back to the wider galactic stage. She had been a key player and leader in the Galactic Great War, and yet all the journeys she had undertaken in some ways had already been predetermined for her — by her teachers, the Council, the Republic war effort — in fact the only exception had been when she’d strayed from the Jedi path to follow her heart.

Which had led to the birth of her son. Although, when she thought about it, even that exception of finding her own way had still been shaped by another. By trying to do the best for the life that she had brought into this world. She could still see the large, inquisitive eyes of a newborn blinking up at her, taking in his first view of the world.

That galactic map in her mind’s eye strayed from its larger picture and its attempt to capture everything. Instead of the whole picture, it zoomed in to the Inner Rim and into the deep depths of Manaan. There she once again gazed into the eyes of that same boy, no longer an innocent infant but now with a more hardened gaze of the teenager whose image permanently resided in the locket around her neck. Back somewhere on her ship, in her physical body, she swallowed past a hard lump in her throat, the emotion threatening to pull her under its crushing depths.

Thinking of Theron, thinking of her son, inevitably led to the stray thought of his father. That was enough to find herself whisked away from Manaan's deep oceans to the Core Worlds and Alderaan. She did not know if Jace was there now. Perhaps it was just the memory of him, of their time together that was leading her astray. This family of theirs that never was. Making her wish for things that would always be beyond reach. A vice of her own making.

Perhaps her heart yearned for a home with either of them, both of them — but that would never be reality. They were buoys that that kept her afloat yet anchored her to a different path, unable to move forward to the destination she sought. These were but phantoms of the past, gossamer threads that would ensnare her if she clung too tight. She would not find a future harbor while clinging to guilt stemming from past decisions that could never be undone.

Their lives were their own, just as hers was with the Force.

Satele finally swallowed past the lump as she acknowledged the hold those in her past still had on her, and might forever still. Then she let out a shaky breath as she released her own clenched fists, as if she were letting go of those past threads and reach back out to the Force with open palms. Picturing nothing but the fathomless black empty of space. It was cold, much colder than the warmth that enveloped her when she thought of her son and his father, distant — but not unwelcoming.

She let the nothingness embrace her, envelop her. Because if the Force was everything, then it was just as much the nothing as it was the billions of pinpricks of light.

It was the inescapable gravity wells of the Deep Core, the antimatter and dark matter concentrations with their own distinct tug and pull, the blinding light of thirty billion of the galaxy’s oldest stars some only a hundredth of a light year apart, all surrounding the supermassive black hole that formed the center of everything their vast galaxy rotated around. Its pull inexorable, the strength of a million dead stars drawing everything to its crushing depths.

Everything except the Force, which flowed in and out of the dark center of their galaxy. She was but a single mote, floating on its stream as she followed it out. Twisting and writhing an impossible path between the mass shadows of the clusters of impossibly close converging stars, through the narrow gaps between gravitational pull of every celestial body blindly reaching out to the dark.

She let the current carry her, guide her from the grasp of the Galactic Center and through the darkness, a distant blue speck growing on the horizon. The closer they drew, she could make out green swirling with the blue, a glistening marble in a glittering field of stars. Their approach didn’t slow, if anything their speed increased, until the tiny marble became a verdant planet. The planet became a stratosphere. An atmosphere. Clouds whipped past her until they set down on the ground. Ancient tall trees, brambling undergrowth crawling around ancient crumbled statues — and an overwhelming sense of belonging overtook her.

This was… this was—a destination. A place. Where Satele wanted—no, needed to go.

And just as quickly as they arrived, she was whisked away, following that current even further out. Somehow, this journey was different, each twist and turn marked clear in her mind, a shimmering field of blue. The pinprick light of stars elongated until they formed a tunnel that carved its way through an unseen maze, tracing its way backwards.

Back. Back. Back. Until she found herself gasping, eyes opening as if her consciousness had just slammed back into her own body. She stood shakily, muscles in her legs trembling as if they’d forgotten how to hold her weight. And yet her steps were sure, even if she were walking as if still in a trance, still in meditation, as she found the astrogation computer that sat waiting in the cockpit. Her fingers moved of their own accord, entering a series of unfamiliar numbers that felt like that same calling in the Force.

Mutely, she dropped a navigational buoy to mark her place, the starting point of this new path. The astrogation computer displayed a standard warning about the dangers of navigating to unknown, untested coordinates. She blinked, then dismissed the warning, and engaged the shuttle’s hyperdrive.

Once again, the pinprick of stars stretched out before her, before the familiar shimmering blue tunnel of hyperspace enveloped her ship. A glance at the chronometer on the bridge revealed to her that nearly fifteen hours had passed since she’d set down to meditate. Which went a way to explaining the empty ache in her belly and her cramped, screaming muscles.

Losing time — losing oneself — was a very real danger of diving that deep into the cosmic well of the Force. It was a risk they were rarely supposed to take alone, but then again. That had been her way for these past two years. Alone with only the Force to guide her forward.

With a glance at the calculations from the computer on the trip, Satele decided to spend most of the time addressing to matters of the flesh — food, rest, and recuperation. She was just beginning to feel somewhat refreshed when the beep of the navigational equipment alerted her to their imminent arrival. The moment they exited hyperspace, she eased herself into the pilot's seat and was once again met with a view of the verdant world the Force had shown her.

She deployed another navigational beacon — the destination, a way to guide others.

Her descent this time was more controlled. The shuttle burst through the clouds to look upon a gnarled landscape that stretched on for miles. All atmospheric readings indicated the planet was safe, the air breathable. It took several minutes of scouting to find a suitable landing site amongst the untamed vegetation, and then she walked out onto this new—no—ancient land. Wherever this was, it was old, and steeped in the Force in a way she had not quite experienced.

That same sense of belonging, of rightness, settled down into her bones.

In the distance, amongst the sprawling undergrowth, she could see something stone poking through the brush trying to claim it. Whatever it was was nearly as ancient as the trees towering behind it. The stone’s shape and silhouette were not natural — it almost looked like the outline of a person. Satele pulled a set of macrobinoculars out, zooming in and focusing on the stone, until a clear image formed.

It was a statue. Impossibly old, if the smooth time-weathered edges were any indication. The brush threatening to overtake it obscured the most intricate details that millennia of weather hadn’t worn away — but the design itself was unmistakable.

It was Jedi in origin.

She dropped the macrobinoculars, and, just like with her vision, took a step back to take in a wider view. Beyond the forest and gnarls of undergrowth, she could see more evidence of ancient structures. On and on as far as the eye could see. This wasn’t just some small settlement of the past — this was a world that had been theirs once.

And in the Deep Core, there was only one world that Satele knew of that fit that description. She had spent two years searching, asking the Force for a home, and it had provided. It had brought her to the first, and most fundamental home it knew of for a disparate, scattered gathering of Force users. The place their order had originally been birthed from: Tython, the ancient homeworld of the Jedi.

The Force had brought her home.

#swtor fanfiction #satele shan #swtor #fanfic #greyfic

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ainyan · 1 year

Text

Origin Story

Obligatory Note: The Chiss lore that I use in my SWTOR Fanfics is based off of the lore introduced in SWTOR, the original Thrawn trilogy, Outbound Flight, and the original Star Wars RPG. Although no longer considered canon lore, it suits me to continue to use it even now that much of it has been contradicted. I'll be happy to talk Chiss lore with you all day long, but I'm not likely to change my story to suit the new canon. <3

“So how exactly does a Chiss - ally of the Sith Empire and all that - become a smuggler running supplies for the Republic?” At Cip'rys’s cool scarlet stare, Risha gave a sweet smile. “C’mon, Captain, you’ve got to tell me. I’ve been dying to know.”

The turquoise-skinned alien grunted as she made a minor course adjustment and sent the XS-stock freighter rocketing out of orbit. “I don’t gotta tell you anything, Risha,” she corrected, the faint purr that characterized her voice more pronounced in her irritation.

The human was unphased by her employer’s - her friend’s - ire. They’d been together over a year now, and the partnership had more than proven itself. As far as Risha was concerned, it was time to have some questions answered. “You know all about me,” she pointed out as she leaned back in her chair, kicking long legs before her and smiling winsomely. “You know every detail of my sordid past, but you - you’re a closed book, and an object of even greater mystery than I ever was. I’ve been dying to know your story.”

The smuggler captain was quiet - long enough so that Risha began to feel a slick, nervous sweat slide down her spine. She trusted in her friendship with the Chiss, but she never forgot the Captain’s vindictive side - or the viciousness of her combat skills. And although her weapons were stowed away in her arms locker in her quarters, Risha had seen Cip'rys kill more than her fair share of men with a well-placed blow of her fist.

Finally, Cip'rys rose, moving to the cockpit door. It slid shut beneath her touch, and Risha heard the locks engage. Glowing scarlet eyes flickered around the room, and with growing nervousness, the smuggler girl watched as her captain disabled the com system in the room. “Captain…” she began, then cut off when those alien eyes turned on her.

“You’re right,” Cip'rys said slowly, her voice losing the backwoods drawl Risha was familiar with, becoming more cultured, with the rich, rolling vowels of the Empire instead of the Republic’s staccato syllables. “I do know everything about you. Enough to know that you have a good head - and sense enough not to talk when you shouldn’t. So fair is fair - I’ll tell you. But you won’t tell a soul.” Chill scarlet eyes stared into Risha’s honey-hued gaze.

Wordlessly, Risha nodded, exhaling slowly as Cip'rys settled once more into the captain’s chair, gazing broodingly out into space. There was silence, long and thick and heavy with secrets, then the Captain began to speak. “It starts, I suppose, at the end. The end,” she sighed, “of everything else.”

~*~

She gazed out at the stars, and they gazed back, cold and shining and uncaring. Despite their indifference, however, Chaf’rys’nuru never felt so at home - so comfortable - as she did in the cockpit of her Chiss fighter, manning the silvery teardrop as it streaked through the Chaos, patrolling the Ascendancy’s space and watching for any sign of trouble or intrusion. In general, patrol duty was long and boring; few out there were willing to challenge the might of the Chiss Ascendancy, especially since the Sith Empire had come calling and left as allies, without a single shot fired.

But for Afrysnu, the long, quiet hours gave her time to think, to contemplate, to plan.

And yes, to listen to holonovels - but that would be telling.

It wasn’t that she didn’t enjoy the companionship of her fellow soldiers, or the joy of a party or a bit of carousing - but she tended towards solitary, like most members of her true Family. Although she bore the Chaf name now as a merit adoptive of the Ruling Family, she would always in her heart be a member of Cipari.

A small Family, their only worth was in their stewardship of Canidar, a small, resource-rich world on the edges of Ascendancy space. They owned the bulk of the land and resource-rights, allowing them to harvest, refine, export, and sell without needing an intermediary. Such rights were usually reserved for the Ruling Families or their offshoots, of which Cipari was neither - but only because other than Canidar, the ancient Family had shown little interest in ruling anything. An idiosyncracy that had raised eyebrows by many of their more ambitious contemporaries over the centuries - but as they provided many highly-sought after materials for Chiss trades, their foibles were accepted with good grace.

Why they chose to stay out of politics was another story, and one that would never see the light of day if the Family had anything to do with it. It was the same reason that at least one Cipari in each generation left the family homestead on Canidar and entered the Chiss Military Academy, to serve with distinction among the Expansionary Defense Force and build ties among the Ruling Families. Before Afrysnu, her uncle - a loosely appropriate term, as the true relationship was significantly more complicated - had entered the Defense Force and currently served at the behest of House Inrokini. She also had two other cousins serving - one in the Diplomatic Corps, and one with Homeworld Security.

Between them, the displaced scions of Cipari watched for two things: Chiss who showed signs of emergent Force sensitivity, and any indication that the Ascendancy had discovered that the trade that was the lifeblood of Cipari was merely a front for their smuggling operation.

In and of itself, smuggling was not particularly anathema to the Chiss, provided that it benefitted the Ascendancy. Even criminals had their place among the Chiss, and their actions were often overlooked as long as they paid their due tribute to keep the Ascendancy running. But there were certain goods which the Ascendancy would never condone trade in: Ascendancy secrets, and Chiss Force users.

Afrysnu didn’t know why the Family had begun smuggling Chiss sensitives from the Ascendancy, sending them to scattered enclaves among the sentients within the galactic Rims to train, ignorant of their heritage. They found no more than two or three every few years; few families greeted the sensitive among them with anything less than revulsion and hatred, and they were usually killed off long before Cipari got word.

But every now and then, blood-bond overcame familial bond and Cipari was able to smuggle free a child with nascent Force powers. In general, those children went to neutral Force enclaves throughout the Outer Rim, where the Chiss were little more than a myth and the Ascendancy never traveled. From there, Cipari had no idea what happened with these Chiss Force-users; better for all involved if they kept their hands clean once the child was free of the Ascendancy.

~*~

“Wait. You’re telling me the Ascendancy kills Chiss children if they’re born Force-sensitive?” Risha’s amber eyes were huge as she stared at the captain.

Cip'rys gazed out at the stars as they streamed by the freighter. “Depends. The wealthiest families have been known to drug their children until they lose their ability to sense the Force, or to undergo surgeries that turn them into nothing more than shadows of what they could have been.” Her scarlet eyes were sad as she stared into space. “You have to understand, the idea of Force users being anathema is hardwired into the very basis of our society - something to do with the Chaos, I believe. No one really knows why any more - only that Force users are unclean, genetic mutations that sully the purity of the Chiss.”

Risha sat back in her chair, gaping. “You’re serious. Wow. No offense, captain, but your people are messed up.”

The captain smiled slightly, a grim cast to the curve of her lips. “You don’t have to tell me twice,” she murmured. “If you think the genocide of force-sensitive children is bad, just wait.”

~*~

The first hint Afrysnu had that something wasn’t quite right was the shadow she tagged on her way back to base. It wasn’t unusual for more than one patrol ship to be returning around the same time, but it was unusual for them to approach so obliquely. She hesitated before pinging their com, her fingers curling into a loose fist, dropping away before she could toggle the channel open. She recognized the ship’s transponder; it was Chaf’ori’nuru’s patrol craft; her ‘cousin’ on the adoptive side. There was no bad blood between them; indeed, he was among her small circle of friends with whom she infrequently spent time and they’d been sharing a bed in those rare moments of downtime for months now. They’d even begun to talk of something more permanent...

Testing, she side-slipped before hitting orbit, spiraling towards the other side of the planet. It wasn’t a usual maneuver, but it wasn’t unheard of if one happened to ping something on the sensors. Forin’s ship kept cover on her, slipping in and out of her sensor shadow, often allowing no more than the faintest hint of its existence. If she hadn’t caught sight of him earlier, she might well have never noticed him following.

A chill flowed down her spine and she dug into her jumpsuit pocket, pulling free a holocommunicator. Unlike her official com, this one was older, practically an antique - meaning its communication protocols were unlikely to be detected. She keyed in a frequency and waited in humming silence as her ship arrowed towards the far side of the planet. Finally, it chirped its connection. “Chaf’rys’nuru-” she began, then found herself cut off.

“- gency protocol in effect. Breach of security has occurred.” Her skin chilled. “One or more operatives have been compromised. The Family is compromised. Repeat. The Family is compromised.”

Her blood congealed. “No. No, no, no,” she moaned, before keying in another frequency. When no one answered, she tried another, then another. After the fifth, she finally connected. “Uncle!”

“Rys, run,” he coughed. “They know - all of it. The Family is gone. Run!” The connection cut off with a finality.

With a vicious yank on the stick, she sent the fighter spiralling up away from the planet’s atmosphere. Immediately, her shadow flashed into the open and her ship’s com signaled. Even as she feinted left, she answered. “Forin, what is the meaning of this?”

“Rys’nuru,” came the chill voice, and she bit back a wince as he deliberately accorded her no Family name, “you are ordered to land and submit yourself to arrest.”

She dodged towards him as he came up beside her, and he side-slipped to avoid her engine wash. “I’ve done nothing for which I should be arrested,” she protested.

He spun beneath her and tried to slip in front of her, but she adroitly avoided him. “You were Cipari. Cipari is no more by edict of the Syndicure. Your Family is already gone, Rys’nuru. There is nothing left for you; submit, and it will be over quickly.” There was a pause, and that cold mask cracked just a bit. “Rysn- Rys,” he corrected, almost too softly to hear. “Don’t make me fire, please. This is hard enough.”

Her response was pithy; she could hear his indrawn breath through the comm. “How could you, Chaf’ori’nuru,” she spat as she spun away from him and began to run through her hyperspace calculations, “after everything? I thought we-” She cut herself off, biting her lip.

“Rysnu, please!” She felt his hesitation as he sighted on her and used the brief moment of indecision to dart out of his line of fire. “I can’t spare you,” he said softly. “Cipari is under extermination edict; your Family was smuggling Force-users, Rysnu.” The disgust in his voice vibrated through the air. “I know you didn’t know, but-”

The final number came up and she punched it in. “Oh no, Forin,” she replied grimly as she rolled away. “I knew.” She could feel his shock vibrate through the comm. “And I’ll tell you, the murder of innocent children is a far worse crime than anything committed by me or by my Family. Cipari will live on in me.”

Even as he fired, she punched the hyperdrive, and the stars leapt towards her as she sped away.

~*~

Risha was silent for a long, humming moment. “Your entire family?” she finally asked, her voice hushed.

Cip'rys gazed out at the darkness around them. “I am the only Cipari still living,” she finally confirmed. “That is the way of the Ascendancy. When a Family commits treason, it is eradicated. There might be a secret child somewhere - but I doubt it. Such things are rarely seen outside of the Ruling Families, and Cipari wouldn’t have risked an association with any other Family.”

The smuggler girl was quiet for a long moment. “I know my father did some pretty terrible things,” and she sniffed as Cip'rys leveled an ironic look on her, “but I can’t even imagine the systematic extermination of an entire family.”

“Down to my baby niece,” Cip'rys murmured, and Risha blanched. “She would have been a year old.” The Chiss drew in a ragged breath. “Objectively, we knew the penalty for our actions - we’d known it for generations. We were guilty of treason; we simply thought it worth the risk. It was abstract to us - surely the Syndicure wouldn’t exterminate an entire family just for a couple of Force-users.” She sighed. “We knew better. History was full of examples otherwise.”

~*~

It had taken three different used starship dealers before she found one willing to trade for her patrol craft. The first two hadn’t recognized the design and had been leery of dealing in anything they didn’t know. The third, though - there had been a knowing look in the Duros’s dark eyes as he looked over the shining silver teardrop that told her that he’d seen Chiss craft before. Given their proximity to Imperial space, she wasn’t terribly surprised.

When he lowballed his offer, testing her, she countered with a smirk and a shrug, turning to walk back to the ship. “Wait!” When she turned back, he frowned at the ship. “You know I can’t off-load it as is - all it would take is one of your people seeing it to have the whole blasted lot of you on my case. Did you even disconnect the transponder..?”

Her scarlet eyes blazed with contempt. “Both of them, and the tracker,” she replied coldly. “I don’t care if you sell it whole or strip it down for parts; it is an intact Teardrop with hyperdrive, shields, and weapons. Its parts are interchangeable with most Imperial fighters and some Republic. I’m looking for a trade - something inconspicuous, an armed freighter, perhaps.”

The Duros rubbed his chin as he studied the Chiss standing hipshot before him, then named another price. Her eyes narrowed, her foot tapped, and he bumped it up slightly. At her nod, he gestured. “Follow me. I think I have what you want.”

It was old, battered, and if it was memorable, it was only because anyone seeing it would wonder exactly what kept it together, much less let it fly. Beneath the grime and disrepair, however, Rysnu could see the additions - the smuggling compartments, the hidden weapons, the top-of-the-line communications array. “What’s the catch?”

The Duros smiled. “You’ll need to pay someone to slice her a new ID. She’s a wanted girl; I was supposed to strip her down, too, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

The Chiss paced, studying the XS Stock Light Freighter. “No, I can see why,” she murmured. “A fair trade. Do you have the name of a good ship-slicer this side of the Rim?”

Holding out his hand, the Duros nodded. “Give me your datapad.” When she handed it over, he keyed in the slicer’s information, encrypting it. “My cousin - he’ll do good work for you, and I’ve added a note to do it at cost. When you are ready to make your mark in the underworld, Captain, come back to me. There are benefits to helping a star smuggler get her start.”

“Captain.” Rysnu tasted the word. “Yes. I will do so.”

The Duros nodded. “What are you called, Captain? Who shall I keep an ear out for?”

Rysnu gazed at the cold, uncaring stars. “Cip… rys,” she decided slowly. “Cip'rys.” Cipari was no more, and Rys was no longer nuru - no longer a lieutenant in the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet. Now she was syn. Anathema.

But the Family lived on in her. From Cipari’rys’syn was born Cip'rys, Chiss Exile.

Republic smuggler.

~*~

The Chiss had fallen silent, and Risha stared at her, heedless of the tears streaking across her cheeks. “So,” the human finally murmured, her voice more throaty than usual, “that’s how you got this ship. A good trade,” she decided. The smuggler girl nibbled at her lip. “You know, I know your Family is gone, Cip, but…”

“But you’re family. I know.” Scarlet eyes tore away from the stars, turning thoughtfully on the girl as she tapped her fingers on the console. The Imperial accents faded once more, leaving the far more familiar drawl that the Chiss had long affected. “We’ve talked about this. You’re my sister now, Risha. You, and Akavi and Bowdar, and Guss, and yes - even Corso,” she added with a wry smirk. “I’ll never stop missing Cipari. I loved them so damn much. But I got you guys, and you know - that’s all I need.”

Risha couldn’t help but smirk. “All evidence to the contrary, given the way you rack them up, Captain.”

The Chiss was startled to a laugh. “What, don’t you know? Just keeping with good smuggler tradition - one in every port. I’m a healthy woman, Risha, with healthy tastes. Don’t worry, I’m not trading in this heap for a house and a legit job any time soon.”

The smuggler girl leaned back in her chair and grinned. “Hardly worried about that, Captain. Just thinking if anyone deserves a little happiness, it’s you.”

Cip'rys rose, reenabling the com and unlocking the door. “You know what makes me happy? Knowing that, despite everything, I still got a family. That’s all I need.”

Risha eyed the Chiss. “As you say, Captain. So, where are we headed, anyway?”

The captain punched in the last coordinate and triggered the hyperdrive, gazing out at the stars as they elongated into lines. “The Fleet. Got a message from some droid, tells me some hotshot in the SIS wants to have a word. Probably another recruitment drive, but hey, I’ll give ‘em a listen. Never hurts to have the SIS owe me a favor or three, you know?”

The smuggler laughed. “Maybe he’s cute,” she teased.

Scarlet eyes glinted merrily. “What, a spy? Last thing I need is some spook getting a little too close and personal in my life. Still, wouldn’t mind a chance to practice a little. Been getting a bit rusty lately.”

Innocently, “Maybe you just need a little lubrication?”

Cip'rys’s laughter filled the cockpit, and lifted Risha’s heart.

#swtor #swtor fanfiction #chiss #old chiss lore #cip'rys #cipari'rys'syn

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villainship · 1 year

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[Writing WIP Questionnaire]

Reflecting on my drafts folder w/ the previously-skipped section of the questions I was answering here.

If you read this: . . .don’t look @ me. LOL. (Exposing my secrets -- and also hiding from them.)

Sum up one or more of your wips!

Most aren’t for tumblr-posting, mind u. But:

(Divided up by which character has narration rights)

-a Vette story I keep forgetting abt, where she is trying to figure out TD’s post-binge fate on Nar Shaddaa, having decided she’s actually invested in this weird Sith’s wellbeing.

-Quinn experiencing TD’s response to betrayal (TD: “I’m not mad, I just want you to acknowledge your life is in /my/ hands. Forever.”)

-like 4 separate WIPs of ‘joint midlife crisis’ Zahied & TD engaging in their unsanctioned fraternizing in early times/getting to know each other -- however eagerly (TD) or reluctantly (Zahied). -Alliance-era, mid-50s Zahied thinks hard abt where he is, tells TD he ready to dump him (probably. Soon. --For real, though. NO relapses. When it’s done it’s /done/, 100%. Swearing off this shit- . . . Yes, he’ll still teach ur damn kids their hand-to-hand fighting.)

-Alliance-era TD, fraught with relationship issues/feelings(???) beyond his comprehension (dumped by his boyfriend; wife still touchy that he is hot for his boss; boss ignoring him b/c 1. she has never considered him significant or attractive 2. she’s busy with the happiness of being reunited with her bug husband), takes a team (incl. his Apprentice) to Hoth for a mission, where they lose contact with home base & can’t send an update to confirm they’re still alive. --He thinks that’s fine he didn’t want to hear from anyone there for a While anyway-- (but something else Will go wrong.) -Agent Vensys is assigned as chaperone for traitor-on-probation Sith Lord Liio (going Where? idk) -- which may be AU content, or I might make it canon. . . or I might split off into 2 different versions (one where they potentially makeout a little, & one for sailing the crack ship onward to far-distant horizons that veer OOC for at least 1 of them). Lolll. -(?canon?) Kallir has a nice day. -Kallir runs afoul of a posse of Imperial troops privately harboring anti-Sith sentiments in a garrison on Taris (? question mark). (Visiting pumpkin Agent was witnessed holding hands with a Sith who recently came by) -- I’m evaluating how much violence I’ll include as canon. (Less than I wrote. . . but some. He definitely gets bullied. Punches someone in the throat. Maybe knifes a guy a little bit?? I wrote that scene, but I’m not sure it’ll fit.) -Kallir undergoing an entire ordeal living among space pirates & becoming slightly unhinged. -in AU: Kallir (the Minister of Intelligence), dragged away from the tail end of a formal ball, puts up with Vensys plying his charms at him (again)

-total shipping AU: Kallir, Liio, & Zahied, lonely hearts club, attempt to distract one another from mountains of baggage in the only way that comes to their minds when they recognize everyone else is hot and thirsty. (Fellas. . . you’re a mess. Sorry I’m so into that.)

Which story took the most research?

Well- the extent of research I’m willing to do is stuff like “what’s this place/object look like in SWTOR?”, or “what does the internet say about these star wars aliens?”

Which story has the most lore?

TD going to Hoth to blow up a Star Fortress maybe (regrettably, I don’t know the relevant lore & I’ve been incapable of doing the gameplay I want to do to get there).

Current word count of all your main wips?

I do Not track those stats. . . I think I know which are the longest, though.

-Part 1 of Liio/Kallir/Zahied AU is. . . 54 pages (for. . .3-4 scenes, essentially. dkfshgkjf). -Part 2 combined WIPs are 15 + 6 + 3 + .2 (a paragraph) (split up due to time-jumping mid-draft, starting a new file, & returning to unfinished business when I feel like it)

Fic that isn’t a total departure from character canon: -Part 1 (of the in-depth edition) of Kallir’s pirate story is a 32 page WIP, w/ an 18-page side chapter (which might not get any longer) -Part 2: 6 pages so far. -Aftermath follow-up: 7 so far.

How many projects do you have going on right now? Are there any that you doubt you’ll ever finish?

(My answer to question 1 is more-or-less my entire list) It’s hard to say I Won’t finish anything, but also--I don’t often finish writings.

What was you first major project? How far along is it?

And I wouldn’t necessarily call any of them ‘major’ projects (pirate fic got pretty big--but. idk). . .

My first SWTOR fic was for TD & Quinn, and I got lost on it. lol. It’s one of those drafts that feels convoluted to look at (there’s a lot of patchwork pieces), & I’m not sure exactly how much of it is worth having in there or what I actually Want to write into it. (Quinn is hilarious to write, though.)

What are some tropes and character dynamics found in your wips?

. . . gay little scene-slice stories of charged & intimate interactions--aggressive or/and soothing. Just people having their emotional problems in various Situations (sometimes amid danger/stress. . . sometimes when they are trying to enjoy themselves. . . Sometimes those mix).

So. . . tame (generally tame.) psychological whump (mainly psychological.) I Guess. H/C-aligned.

Describe the setting of one or more of your wips

All my stories are in settings of Convenience, and usually defined more by who is there than details of the place itself. (eg. I’m picturing “Kallir gets bullied for having a Sith bf” somewhere on Taris b/c it seems like the kind of place where the military doesn’t get a lot of oversight). Nothing too exciting (or original).

What are some things that inspired your stories? Real events? Maybe a dream?

Game events sometimes, of course. ehehh.

I also have. . . not uncommonly come up w/ concepts for scenarios based on outfits. (Pirate fic arose b/c I previewed the Belsavis zap collar on Kallir. Vensys’ formal outfit was the starting point for that AU fic with the formal event)

What story are you the proudest of? Why?

I dunnoooo-- I have. . . a weird relationship w/ my writings. I don’t have consistent feelings about them (whether I think anything is so good or absolutely Unbearably terrible/cringe changes based on my own moods), and. . . A lot of the time I’m ashamed even making some/most of them for various reasons.

. . .BUT. I was (and still am) pretty proud of how I wrote our charas in the pumpkin-meets-Severine mini-story from a While back (which I just re-blogged cuz of the improvement edits last night). hehe. On fire w/ that one, writing a couple of my favorite personalities--successfully (I’d say) channeling a character that’s not even mine.

And I don’t feel like I wasted my time if it’s a gift 4 a friend & I’ve been able to make their day with it. <3 We luv our charas. hell yeaaaaaaa

#about me: r #raikari writes

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fulokis · 1 year

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Favorite to least favorite Kotor I Planets

This is completely objective. And contains ship locations.

Yavin Space Station: I just love this so much, but I do wish there was more ie: the ability to go planet side to yavin. But that doesn’t stop me from loving it as much as I do.

Tattoine: First off the lore you get here is freaking amazing, second off HK! My boi. If you leave him in the shop just Why? Also I really enjoy the krayt dragon quest. And some of the other random quests on this planet are good.

Rakata Prime: Yeah there's not much here but its got the fucked up little dudes and dark bastila.

Star Forge: Yeah I like it some sections are a pain in the ass to get through but its fine, I get slightly confused here and it is disappointing if you forget to save parts for the robes.

Korriban: I do like korriban and its certainly better visiting after the leviathan. I just forget so much of what happens here that it doesn't seem special.

Dantooine: The music here is nice, but other than that its kinda boring, and it has the weirdest quest in the entire game and i hate it thanks.

Kashyyk: Not the biggest fan of the back and forth you have to do on this one and absolutely can not stand the noise the tachs make.

Leviathan: Its okay, there's honestly not too much going on except for cut scenes. Although it is kinda cool you have to play as one of the comps

Ebon Hawk: Its the reset point its boring and you've got the cut scenes except not as nice as the leviathan. It would rank higher if it was the only place you were able to talk to companions.

Endar Spire: Its a tutorial and not a very well disguised one.

Taris: It takes way too long. I get its the tutorial planet in a way, but every time it takes me like 2+ hours to get off it. If you look at my abandoned play through every single one is on this god damn planet.

Manan: I fucking hate manan, its glitchy, unclear in instructions, abysmal for me to navigate, and the freaking selkath. And I thought swtor would be able to make me enjoy manan boy was I fucking wrong I hate it even more now.

#Kotor #I think i got all of them #enjoy if you wish

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a-master-procrastinator · 4 years

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Doing side quests on Tatooine and

Raen, no.

Do these poor Jawa corpses not tell you anything?

And that's why, kids, you should not trust blue glowy things.

#in addition to 'accidentally summoned world boss by clicking on blue glowy thing thinking it's a lore object' collection #swtor #of course it had to be raen

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o-antiva · 3 years

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Star Wars resources for Mandalorian stories

Worldbuilding for Mando stories! Hey cool. The key is to check out the things that seem interesting, steal what works best for your story, leave out the dumb shit, and have fun. That's the most important part. Have fun.

I made this for me and now you get to have it too. It's by no means exhaustive, but it'll get you started. Remember, canon rules get broken all the time, so don't sweat it.

MESS OF LINKS BELOW CUT

MANDALORIAN STUFF

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Resol%27nare

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Verd%27goten

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mandalorian_religion

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Mandalorian_deities

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Mandalorian_culture

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Mandalorian_organizations

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Mandalorian_food

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mandalorian_cubism

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Cubikahd

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mandalorian_armor

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Mandalorian_weapons

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Mandalorian_armor

https://swtorista.com/armor/mandalorian

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Great_Purge

MANDALORIAN LANGUAGE STUFF

http://www.mandoa.org/

https://starwarslanguages.fandom.com/wiki/Mando%27a_-_Advanced

ARMOR IDEAS

https://swtorista.com/armor/

https://swtorista.com/armor/mandalorian

WEAPON IDEAS

https://battlefront.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Weapons

https://swtorista.com/weapons

https://swtorista.com/weapons/blaster-rifles

VEHICLE IDEAS

https://battlefront.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Vehicles

https://swtorista.com/mounts/animals

https://swtorista.com/mounts/speeders

CULTURES & ORGANIZATIONS

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Culture_by_people

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Commerce_and_labor_guilds_and_unions

https://battlefront.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Classes

LOCATIONS

https://battlefront.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Maps

https://battlefront.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Planets

TATOOINE

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tatooine/Legends

https://swtor-archive.fandom.com/wiki/Tatooine

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Tatooine_locations

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Cities_on_Tatooine

https://battlefront.fandom.com/wiki/Tatooine:_Mos_Eisley

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mos_Pelgo

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mos_Pelgo/Legends

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Culture_of_Tatooine

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Jawa_culture

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Tusken_Raider_culture

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Tusken_Raider/Legends

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Tatooinian_food

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Plants_of_Tatooine

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Creatures_of_Tatooine

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Category:Tatooinians

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Unidentified_Tatooinian_alphabet

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Lost_city_of_the_Ghorfas

https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Kumumgah/Legends

WIKIS

Star Wars Battlefront wiki (movies time period) https://battlefront.fandom.com/

For Star Wars Galaxy MMO (not canon but similar time period to The Mandalorian) https://swg.fandom.com/wiki/SWG_Wiki

Star Wars The Old Republic (not canon, 4000 years prior to The Mandalorian, good for ideas and deep lore and legends) https://swtor.fandom.com/wiki/Star_Wars:_The_Old_Republic_Wiki

TOR Decorating (Old Republic era, 4000 years ago, but great ideas for what homes and buildings could look like) https://tord.mmo-fashion.com/ Here's some cool Tatooine homes: https://tord.mmo-fashion.com/customized-tatooine-homestead/ Tatooine stuff https://tord.mmo-fashion.com/category/database/database-themes/planets/tatooine-compilations/ Bounty hunter objects https://tord.mmo-fashion.com/category/database/database-themes/groups-database-themes/bounty-hunters/

STAR WARS NAME GENERATORS

https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/star-wars.php

https://donjon.bin.sh/scifi/name/star_wars.html

STAR WARS FREIGHT JOBS GENERATOR

https://donjon.bin.sh/scifi/swfj/

STAR WARS THE OLD REPUBLIC CHARACTER MAKER

I d'know, make a character and put some gear on them. https://torcommunity.com/tools/character-designer

#dincobb #mandomera #dinluke #dinboba #mandalorian fic

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rainofaugustsith · 3 years

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A love note to KOTFE

Auyrini the bounty hunter is going through KOTFE. She’s finished her marathon of chapter 1-9 that seem to be necessary to lock the Lana romance (I hope) and now she can go through the rest more slowly, hopefully. Replaying KOTFE makes me remember that for all its flaws (we will not speak here of how That Zakuulan Family is handled), and for the fact that I don’t think it works well for the non-Force classes, story wise...I frigging love it. Unfortunately I think a lot of what I love is what some SWTOR fans pushed back against. 1. The chapters are long, with a lot of story. A LOT of story. 2. I don’t agree with the choices of some of the companions they chose to add to the main story, but some of them, like Vette and Aric Jorgan, are just brilliant. 3. I actually like that it’s mostly instanced. I personally hate fighting for objectives in open world or seeing other people’s characters showing up in my characters’ cut scenes. I liked that my characters in KOTFE have their own world to explore without being ninjaed. 4. Lana Beniko. LANA. BENIKO. Dear Heavens, this romance. Lana’s new design (not the dressable model but the standard one!). The voice acting. The fact that Lana gets some time in the spotlight. I love her so. damn. much. 5. Getting to work with companions from other classes. There are some that I think would really get along well with each other. Like Talos Drellik and my Jedi Consular. Hello, can you imagine the geekfest that would be? They’d be up all night discussing artifacts and lore. 6. Lana again, but specifically her wlw romance. Still, to date, the only complete wlw romance in the game. An amazing one. 7. The design. It’s obvious that they worked so damn hard on this. The Zakuul subway system. The little details and lighting in the swamp. Darvannis, with its village area. Vandin. Asylum. The really cool cantina on Odessen. The Odessen scenery. 8. Your character had a chance to move beyond Imps vs. Pubs and find a place in the galaxy of their own. If they were disillusioned with their faction they could get away from it. 9. The carbonite chapter really felt and played out like a nightmare, and really gave you a chance to see how insidious Valkorion was. I don’t think this chapter gets enough credit for being clever and well designed.

#kotfe #swtor

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swtorpadawan · 8 months

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Czerka Corporation - We Deal With Everyone

Originally founded as "Czerka Mining and Industrial," this centuries-old, galaxy-spanning corporation has diversified into businesses ranging from consumer food products to military weapons. It is one of the wealthiest and most successful economic enterprises in operation, conducting commerce on virtually every civilized planet and--as owner of multiple star systems and employer of several billion individuals--has representation in the Republic Senate.

Czerka is unique in being able to negotiate trade agreements with the Hutt Cartel and other independent worlds, crossing political borders with impunity to generate staggering profits. Despite the company's perceived lack of loyalty, no one can afford to stop doing business with Czerka. "Anytime, anywhere… we're there" is the corporation's slogan--a motto that unscrupulous opportunists eagerly endorse.

#swtor talks #swtor lore objects #czerka corporation #czerka #hutta #nal hutta #these guys are more evil than amazon and musk #swtor

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anywayhereskirkwall · 3 years

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Ok I know I’ve beaten this dead horse before but I’m digging it back up to beat it some more because Swtor really missed out on something potentially super interesting by being so...idk transparent with Revan? Jokes about him being a bland white dude with ManPain TM aside, their treatment of the character feels so flat. They give you a bunch of exposition and tell you “our guy is very cool we promise” without really doing anything to back that up. Imagine instead how fun it would have been if you had this really powerful force user with Revan’s armor that never removed their mask and had their voice disguised, asking the player to question this character’s identity and their true objectives. Like is it really Revan? If so how are they still around and is what they’re telling you truthful? If it’s not and it’s just someone using a legendary figure’s persona, then who are they really? How did they get to this point and what are their goals? Not only would it give people who have their own Revan character some fun ideas to play with and a “way out” so to speak, it would’ve utilized the almost mythical nature of enigmatic figure from the lore

#this shit is amon from lok all over again and I'm gonna be salty about it #and I promise i'm not just saying this because some of what the game gives you would've worked really well with my own personal revan if it #just wasn't for the identity reveal. like paranoid revan that goes back to the sith emperor because they can't let it go? yes pls #swtor

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sandwyrm · 3 years

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7 & 9

7. Least favorite planet?

Tbh I love them all so I'll go with Coruscant or Nar Shaddaa simply because you go through the 5 stages of grief before you find your quest objective and if you don't have a speeder you singlehandedly create a 6th stage of grief, and they're just... repetitive. Especially doing NS after Coruscant. But they sure get the whole "huge city planet" thing across, that's for sure.

9. Most embarrassing or bullshit way you have died in game?

I actually have a list of repeating patterns! Which always make me laugh. Thankfully I never played SWTOR on a pvp server nor did operations in it so the two types of deaths that made me hate my life in wow are excluded, so I'm only left with hilariously bullshit ones (which is not the point of this question but since I have no -bad- deaths let's share "you gotta be shitting me" deaths)

- SWTOR has the honor of being the first elevator death in any MMO for me. This was a decade ago, when it launched. And I felt compelled to jump down this one elevator shaft on Coruscant. It awakened something in me, this weird serotonin hit from doing something this fucking stupid, knowing I'll be dead but jumping anyway, and to this day I see an elevator shaft, I must jump down it.

- That one time when Anders refused to kneel to Darth Jadus and got killed. I honestly didn't think the story could kill you. I laughed a good 5 minutes. Then Jadus remotely killed my friend [citation needed]

- I regularly click the world boss summons and get killed. I think we all did at least once since they're glowing and what's reading comprehension. Well, this one time I was doing Tattooine with a very close friend years and years ago. I see the krayt dragon skull. I click, thinking it's a lore object. We get nuked. We proceed on our merry way and go do the quest. We return through the same path. My friend sees the krayt dragon skull. My friend clicks it thinking it's a lore object. We get nuked. We're not even mad.

- I regularly roll off things on Anders if I angle the camera a bit wrong, it's just a career hazard. I happened to catch one such incident on video. Bonus points because I then noticed I wasn't even supposed to be fighting those turrets in the first place. This also happens a lot and leads to many stupid deaths.

- Whatever the fuck happened 2 weeks ago and I'm still not over, in which I somehow overaggroed Kaliyo and got my ass handed to me but survived with less than 1% hp, and while I was going for the screenshot button laughing to show you guys I survived with less than 1% hp, a fucking dot nuked me.

#creative swtor tag

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chaoticspacefam · 3 years

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OC Worldbuilding Tag!

I was tagged by @raven-of-domain-kwaad and @rainofaugustsith for this one, thanks both of you! :D

I shall tag (if you want to ofc, no pressure!) uhh... @thelastenvoyyy , @dragonheart-swtor , @darth-bagel and anyone else who wants to do this, yes I promise I mean you! <3

So...because I’m always talking about her girls, I feel like I should maybe talk about D’leah for once because she’s actually tied to a fair bit of interesting worldbuilding for Subterfugeverse :3

This is a long post oop so here ya go, all under the cut!

(art is comissioned from @.varjopihlaja :3 since the in-game scar options are a little...limited) -Her face got hecked up in one of the battles against the exiled Jedi’s occupation of Korriban, a stray concussion grenade went off before she could get out of range and did quite the number on her face as you can see. She lost most of the spurs on the left side of her face and therefore struggles a bit after that with non-verbal communication - because if Twi’leks and Nautolans can emote/communicate with their lekku and tentacles respectively then 👏 Purebloods 👏 can 👏 emote/communicate 👏 with 👏 their 👏 spurs/tendrils 👏👏 And yes, I am going to die on this hill XD (I have a good portion of these worked out already but haven’t had time to work on diagrams yet, but I will eventually make a lore post of sorts when I have!) Since in general, Purebloods are used to the spur movements occurring in pairs depending on what they’re trying to communicate, it took a lot of time, confusion, patience and frustration for D’leah (and her family) to work out the “adjusted” signals to account for her missing spurs so she could still communicate non-verbally even after the injury.

-Didn’t re-marry or even re-partner after Kissai’s death. He was her soulmate and even though that probably made things worse for her in the long run (nigh on 300 years without your soulmate and a gaping hole where your Force bond with him used to be? yeah, ouch ;-;) she just couldn’t (nor did she want to) “replace” him because she loved him too much. She had enough to remember him by with the twins, Kas looks like him and Saarai acts like him and that was enough to keep her going as long as she managed to.

-Her relationship with the twins is complicated, and while she did do crappy things (and was a Bad Parent because of those things), it wasn’t always like that and when they were younger she was actually a very good mom to them if a little okay a lot strict; but what are you gonna do when you’re (as far as she knew) the last three remaining members of your entire family dynasty having to hide away in Wild Space just to survive while your userper prances about your Empire like he owns the bloody place. I’d be salty about that too if I was D’leah.

I could write a whole essay about the difference in her headspace and why she reacted to the whole Ty Mess the way she did but that’s prolly a little heavy for a headcanon post (and is once again Complicated) so I am not going to do that. If you’re curious you can either ask (in the askbox or in DMs) and/or wait for the breadcrumbs to come when I start releasing the twins’ parts of the series 😬

-I’ve mentioned how she replaces Kallig’s ghost for Ni’kasi in my HCs before, and it’s absolutely Subterfugeverse canon that Ghost Mom continues to stick around and help the twins right up until the final fight with Valkorion at the end of KOTET. And probably after that, too, though much more sporadically at that point because it’s clear the twins are fine on their own so it’s more a case of “they can come find her if they need her help otherwise she’s gonna let them do their thing”

-If she were to ever run into Satele while she’s prowling around in the Odessen wilderness she likely would chew her (and Senya she also has something to say about your taste in men, Senya :’) ) out for being a shitty mom to Theron after learning from her own mistakes with Saarai/Ty and patching that up. Satele wouldn’t know what hit her. XD

-Also helps Ni’kasi, Lana and the others to drag Valkorion out of Vano’s head for good when the time comes, I like to headcanon that exorcising Valkorion’s spirit from Vano’s head would’ve been a lot more damaging/painful without D’leah’s help. Another spirit-being that he can’t manipulate or weaken certainly helped them to give him the shove and not kill Vano in the process.

-She likes to keep Kas’s crew on their toes by randomly moving objects and suchlike on the ship or suddenly popping up (sometimes as a disembodied voice for those who lack the ability to “see” ghosts - poor Andronikos, Talos gets a fright a few times but adjusts a lot quicker than the poor pirate LOL) to remind them to stay on task if she thinks they’re slacking too much. She may be a 400+ year old ghost at this point but she still has a sense of humour! XD

-She’s canonically Lawful Evil on an alignment chart and absolutely would have had No Mercy for the Republic or the Jedi (see again: the Jedi/Sith colonisation thing which IMO is justified for her, given the information we have on all of that. You don’t have to agree and if you don’t that’s fine but that’s my take on it LMAO) but to the rest of the Empire? Actually a pretty good leader and definitely better than Valkorion; none of that slavery bullshit in the Subterfugeverse pre-Valkorion era, thank you, I’ve talked on a lengthy rant before about why we aren’t doing that ;) Also, older Sith and Overseers were definitely held accountable in making sure that acolytes/underaged apprentices were trained safely and without being made to kill each other. That’s all Vitiate/Valkorion in Subterfugeverse - a slightly band-aid solution maybe but I have to fix the mess somehow and I don’t feel like doing that much brain gymnastics. She’s definitely a no-bullshit gal but she’s not about killing kids

#swtor #OC worldbuilding tag #elven's swtor worldbuilding #swtor oc: d'leah ahaszaai #sith pureblood #elven's swtor headcanons #the ahaszaai family #elven's sith pureblood headcanons #kinda #little bit #elven rambles a lot about spiky tomatoes...again #this is what i have so far at least. i have...a lot more stuff tbh #especially tomato-related lore #it's just a lot of it requires me to get off my butt and draw a crap ton of things to accompany them #and i ain't had time for that #:P #but here we go. surprise!#sith mom may have been Kinda Problematic but underneath she is actually not as awful as she may appear #because we are *here for* Evil-alignment characters who stick to their guns but Do Love Their Spouse/Family Actually on this blog #😤👌#yet another hill i will die on #the ty thing is very complicated for a multitude of reasons and probably a bit heavy/potentially trigger-y so i'm not gonna go into it #but there are explanations for that too #but it does end with d'leah being held accountable for that and having to own up to her bullshit #which she does do i swear #projection? i don't know her. no sir.#but there are plans for that #one day. when i get there lol #i am the world's slowest writer and you may ironically get more out of me quicker in tag games like this than in fics #because i am easily distracted by the 1000 other things happening in my brain

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coppermarigolds · 4 years

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2019 Writing Year in Review

I didn’t write a whole lot this year in terms of word count (story of my life), but I branched out and tried a couple of new things that I think are worth recounting! I’m going to steal the format used by @theherocomplex.

What I Wrote

Fanfic

Not...much. Heh. Basically all I did this year in terms of fanfic were a handful of prompt fics here on Tumblr, and my Yuletide fic:

Yuletide 2019: The Hour of the Wolf, The Ritual

Tumblr prompt ficlets: five Legend of Korra, and one each for Mass Effect, The Umbrella Academy, and SWTOR.

Original Fiction

Status Red - my ongoing original speculative novel. I completed the first draft of it in late 2018, after having worked on it off and on for...about four years? So this year was about trying to revise/rewrite it into something, well, coherent. Success on that front was mixed. As of right now, I’ve decided to put it on the back burner and let it marinate while I work on other projects. I definitely do not plan to abandon it, but the rumblings I’ve heard about the market for Young Adult sci-fi are not encouraging, to say the least. My main options are to change the characters’ ages and revise it into an adult novel, or to keep it YA, but strip out a lot of the more sci-fi elements (e.g., space travel) and try to pass it off as a contemporary near-future novel with speculative elements.

Untitled mystery/ghost story novel - this is the book I started in October 2019, complete with a trip to Wyoming over Halloween weekend to research the setting. I didn’t get quite as much written on this story as I would have liked, but I’m pretty pleased both with what I have so far, and with my plan for the rest of it.

“Seeds” - a short (about 7,000 words) gender-swapped Hades and Persephone reimagining set in post-apocalyptic Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I wrote it for a contest, which it did not win, then submitted it to a handful of journals and received a handful of rejections. I may revise it and try sending it out again in 2020, but I’m equally content to just let it stand as is.

In July, I entered a four-round flash fiction challenge run by NYC Midnight. In each round, writers were divided into groups, assigned a genre, location, and object, then given 48 hours to write a story under 1000 words incorporating all the assigned elements. It was hard, but a lot of fun! I actually earned the top score in my group in rounds one and two, but then crashed and burned in round three and didn’t advance to the final round. That was a bummer, but I was still super proud of myself for earning first place in the previous two rounds. The three stories I wrote were:

“Turn Your Eyes Away” - my assignment was drama, set in a foreclosed house, incorporating a prosthetic.

“Misconception” - this was the tricky one. My assignment was political satire--my worst nightmare--set in a safehouse, incorporating a potato. Getting the top score for this story might have been my proudest writing moment of the year, given how much I hated the genre.

“Til Death Do Us Start” - this assignment was horror, set at a dress rehearsal, incorporating a microphone. Yes, for some reason I scored well on poli sat, but struck out on horror, one of my favorite genres. That’s the way the cookie crumbles I guess!

Year-End Questions

Number of Words Written? I didn’t keep track. I could go back and add it all up, but one way I’ve been growing as a writer is to accept that my pace and my process are my own, and that there’s nothing to be gained in stressing over word count or comparing my productivity to other people’s.

Number of Smut Scenes? Don’t think there were any! Not surprising, since I’m not much of a smut writer in the first place.

New Things I Tried This Year? The big one was entering the NYC Midnight challenge. I’d never done anything like that before, and I’m proud of my effort. Signing up to not only write stories in under 48 hours, but also have them read and judged by total strangers, was nervewracking, but a good exercise!

The other big one was beginning a brand-new novel in a genre (ghost story) I’ve consumed plenty of, but never actually written before. I have high hopes for this one, and I’m hoping it’ll be easier on me than Status Red, especially since there are fewer moving parts to keep in the air.

And finally, this isn’t really a new thing, but my other big writing accomplishment of the year was finally finishing my creative writing certificate via UCLA’s continuing-education program.

Favorite Thing I Wrote This Year? The ghost story novel-in-progress. Now if I could just think of a good working title.

Favorite Fics I Read This Year? I didn’t read as much fanfic as I would have liked this year (though on the plus side, I did read 40 novels), but here are a few that stood out:

What Once was Given by StopTalkingAtMe - my Yuletide gift this year! It’s also from The Ritual, and takes a deep dive into the lore and history of the monster and its worshipers. It’s gorgeously written and I loved it.

Fresh by halfeatenmoon - this is a post-canon fic for Night in the Woods, a new fandom for me this year, and is basically just what I wanted for the long-suffering, unfortunate yet persistent character of Bea.

Mundane Fears by ConvenientAlias - fic for The Luminous Dead, one of the best novels I read this year. It’s post-canon so I don’t really want to say much for fear of spoilers if anyone wants to read the book (and you should!), but suffice it to say I found it a very satisfying coda.

Shapes (and Other Unidentified Flying Objects) by jibberjabber13 - another Night in the Woods fic that sees the game’s protagonist, Mae, finally getting the mental health help she deserves. This fic was downright therapeutic for me as well!

Goals for 2020

Basically just one big one: finish the ghost story novel, polish it up, and send it out to agents. Getting something to query-able status has been my goal ever since I first began trying my hand at original writing, but for so long I concentrated all my efforts on Status Red, and that story refuses to be wrangled for the moment. But they always say that it’s highly unlikely you’ll get anywhere with your first novel, anyway. I have a good feeling about the second, so far. We’ll see if it pays off.

A secondary goal: to finally finish my Rogue One multi-chapter fic. Yes, the one I’ve had languishing for at least...a year and a half now? I’m afraid to even look at it to see how long it’s been. I still get the occasional comment on it asking “is this ever going to be finished?” and I really really want to. It’s just gotten to the place where it’s been so long since I looked at it that I’m almost afraid to pick it up again. But I’ll always adore Jyn and Cassian, and they deserve better than to be left hanging. So hopefully 2020 will be the year for that as well!

#2019 writing year in review #long post #on writing #2020 writing goals

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