Maratasen
Contents
Introduction
Blood splattered over him, and the body fell at his feet.
“The oath is what holds us together,” Dragan growled baring his fangs as he spoke. His voice purposefully low making the others strain to hear. He retracted his claws back into their sheath, and stepped over the corpse to regard those who remained.
They were all large Maratasen like him, only he was a full head taller than the largest. Four were similarly splattered in blood, but all were seemingly unconcerned by the fact. Other Maratasen clustered behind them, each gathered in a group behind one of the four.
“The oath is what dragged us from animalism,” he continued balling his paw into a fist then pointed up at the sky somewhere above the ceiling of the drab stone room “and allowed us to venture beyond the stars.”
Dragan then turned his back on them, his mind screaming at the danger of doing so, and stalked back to his throne knowing that his display of nonchalance sent a powerful message.
“We are the oath, the oath is us. It cannot be broken, to go against it is to die,” he continued, turning to sit on the throne, regarding them as he did so. He saw his son rub blood from his face and suck on the digit with some relish.
“Velibor, come here,” he commanded and the cub approached while glancing around him uncertainly, his teeth still stained red.
“You will be the fifth, speak the words and be bound...”
Racial Overview
The Maratasen are a fierce and warlike feline non-human race noted for their individual toughness, agility and strength. Because of these traits, they have risen to become some of the most esteemed warriors within the Concordium. They are a clan based race, the foremost of which is the Dawnguard Patriachy. Individuals can trace their family roots for thousands of years and their oaths can last just as long. Their culture is founded on intricate social and political considerations, based on honour and is so complex that few outsiders can fathom it.
Darshana hear that first oath given as rite of passage to adulthood. It is right to do this, base instinct must be controlled and given true meaning, so say K'dvan.
- Darshana
Indeed, there is a class of Maratasen known as the “Oathless” and they are ostracised by the rest of society as a sort of sub creature.
- Eloise
Racial Characteristics
Statistics
Racial Special Abilities
- Thick Fur (Defensive)
- Sharp Claws (Offensive)
- Small Fangs (Offensive)
- Limited Stealth (Stealth)
- Predatorial Instincts (Offensive)
- Righting Reflex (Defensive)
Like a bird is born to fly, so the Maratasen to hunt. The Maratasen have many predatory features which only serve to enhance natural instinct.
- Darshana
Appearance
General Features
- Fur/Hair
- Color & markings are clan specific.
- Physiology
- Jungle-cat appearance.
- Primarily bi-pedal (They can run and attack on all-fours.)
- Tails are natural and seen as a symbol of honor. Few will intentionally or willingly crop them.
- Body Art
- None - Cybernetic implants, body augmentation, piercings, tattoos, etc, are shunned as unnatural and dishonorable.
Male Features
- Physique
- Bulky/muscular.
- Almond shaped eyes.
- Less prominent necks.
- Hair
- Thick manes are common and are styled in clan spcific manners (e.g, mohawks and dreadlocks are common).
Female Features
- Physique
- Slender/Athletic build.
- Longer sharper claws.
- Round shaped eyes.
- Longer necks.
- Hair
- Bell shaped fur aroud the face is possible.
Accoutrements
- Clothing
- Amulets, drapings, and wrappings are commonly used to accent a Maratasen's appearence; armor.
- Highly ornamental armors for ceremonies.
- Lighter piece armor is preferred for most combat (e.g, Leather belts, shoulder/neck guards, etc.) Energy bound piecemail is possible too.
- Weapons
- They often they just use natural fangs and claws.
- Forearm scythes that can be joined together and used as a double bladed staff-like weapon.
Religion
Honour is vital to Maratasen culture, for without it the race would unleash their base predatory instincts. A Maratasen give their word slowly, for the consequences of doing so can last generations: A Maratasen pride pledged to another will remain linked for decades, if not centuries.
Primary : Existentialism - 75% : Meaning is derived through life, and life through honour. Therefore true existence is reliant on honour and all that entails. To eschew honour is to challenge your own existence.
Secondary : Determinism - 25% : Cause and effect. Maratasen give their word because they expect others to uphold theirs. It is not cosmologically enforced however, as ultimately there is free will which grants liberty. To go against one's word is to invite harsh consequences. The Oathless choose not to make an oath, as it is their right as free beings to do so this is part of the reason for their exclusion from society.
Ships
(Designs by James Goudie)
Racial History
To be added
The Dawnguard Patriarchy
The Dawnguard Patriarchy is led by Dragan, a massive black Maratasen who rules through political savvy and with an iron fist. He knows that the Maratasen value strength and honour above all else, and he fights hard with these tools to retain his position. Despite this, there are many clans who are opposed to his plans of unification and who continue to struggle against the Concordium to this day, bolstered in turn by many clans bound to them through oaths of loyalty made generations ago, regardless of whether or not they believe this is the right path to follow.
Dragan uses the same ancient system of oaths to maintain unity within the Patriarchy He has a small cadre of trusted advisors oathed directly to him known as “The Five”, and to whom clan chiefs are themselves bound. In this way, he can control an empire using a pyramid structure where the oaths to him are themselves supported by the oaths to The Five and so on.
Leadership
Ruler
Dragan - Cunning, politically very savvy, willing to use force and covert operations to bind other clans to his Patriarchy. He is paranoid about his position and does not trust anyone, least of all the Five (with the possible exception of Tomislav). Quite willing to be ruthless to maintain and expand power, and he has left a long trail of bodies behind him and is not afraid to remind others of this fact.
The Five
The Five, each a powerful ruler in their own right are oathbound to Dragan, with several clans bound to themselves in turn.
1. Dalibor - The most colonial of the Five, eagerly expanding his territories to new, previously uncolonised worlds. Mavaat is bound to Dalibor.
2. Tomislav - The eldest of the Five and most personally loyal to Dragan. He is the most restrained of Dragan's advisors, and often serving as a diplomat to other factions and to the Concordium itself.
3. Nebojsa - The most politically cunning, he is responsible for "convincing" errant Clans to join the Patriarchy. Dragan mistrusts him, but views him as a necessary evil as he has been very effective at bringing rebels to the fold.
4. Bojan - Very warlike, serving as the military hardman for Dragan. Where Nebojsa functions from the shadows, Bojan brings brute force to the table, and is very willing to employ it.
5. Velibor - Dragan's son, and youngest member of the five. He is the likely heir to the Maratasen Dawnguard Patriarchy.
Every member of the Five has roughly the same number of bound clans, though Dalibor is somewhat upsetting the trend with his expansionist tendencies.
The ties binding Dragan to the Concordium are interesting and no-one knows whether he has offered an oath of his own. While his outward loyalty is intense, there are some questions as to whether he has joined the Concordium simply to further his own goals of unity, or because he himself was outmanoeuvred politically and he now owes the Concordium an obligation of honour.
– Conleth, Historian to the Concordium.
Traveller's Log Entries
Mavaat's Story
(by James Landes)I am Mavaat. The decision has been made.
The mantra rolled around the warriors’ mind slowly, deliberately.
The clan lord has made a decision, and I, Mavaat will obey.
It continued to drift through his mind, though it gave him no comfort and no new insights.
Mavaat‘s massive furred hand dropped to the hilt of his Sereban and his claw traced the intricately carved symbols engraved on the hilt of the killing knife. These symbols bore his identity, his honor and the honor...
The Journey of a Warrior: Warrior’s Beginning
(by Cameron Ames)Malik paces about, only imagining what his destiny has in store for him. The simple, yet familiar power of the training area quickened his heart rate. Malik just can’t take his mind off of the future. His anxiety is overwhelming him as he contemplates just how remarkable of a warrior his father is. “How is it possible to surpass the best?” he asked to himself. The thought was uncomfortable, and he held up a quivering paw as the fear of failure set in.
The Journey of a Warrior: Warrior’s Path
(by Cameron Ames)The crackle of the gun sent Malik leaping forward. Deciding early to drop to all fours so that he could bound ahead more quickly, he delighted in the rush of speed. Logs and other obstacles rushed into view, and he had to react quickly to vault over them. Ropes, too, were added to the mix and these he had to crawl on his stomach to avoid.
