Hunters

Hunters

WORK-IN-PROGRESS

History

Early History:

For an eon the clans roamed the lush continents of their homeworld as nomads, trailing the herds of their various prey. Encounters between tribes were rare, and often aggressive or violent. The clans rarely stayed long in any fixed location, as the seasons turned so did their prey migrate around the globe.

Their infrequent meetings, and it’s accompanying aggression, severely inhibited their technological advancement. Even after a hundred thousand years following this lifestyle the Yautja ancestry continued in this fashion, following the food across continents. Speech was well developed, but extremely narrow. Each clan had their own dialect and few could communicate with other tribes.

The ages passed and the clans continued in their primitive state, chasing the twin suns as they hunted. Many millennia onwards and their way of life was thrust into a race for survival.

A large asteroid of unknown origin smashed into their world and tore it’s continents from their bedrock. The entire planet rapidly heated and became a baked desert world, it’s environment now hostile to most forms of large life, many perished in a short period of time, whole clans were wiped out and the majority of the fauna the Yautja depended on to feed were decimated. Faced with cooperation or death, the survivors gradually grouped together to honor the fallen and to endure the disaster.

With the landscape permanently disfigured, barren and strewn with the remains of countless lives the Yautja were forced to advance rapidly or face extinction. The remaining clans came together and pooled all their knowledge, resources and skills and elected a body of the wisest Yautja in hope of guidance to a return to their former strength. This guiding entity would later become the Council of Ancients.

Reformation:

For centuries after the disaster that befell their world the clans struggled to survive, but the Council of Ancients was the light in the darkness that had enveloped the landscape.

Strict disciplinary action on what, where and when the clans could hunt was the first edict set in stone. For if what little of the food supply that remained were to be hunted into extinction, then the entirety of the race would face annihilation.

Prior to the disaster, the clans had a loose system of religious beliefs that varied mightily. Some clans held animilistic beliefs, others held the belief that the two orbs in the sky were gods, some had no beliefs at all. The Council of Ancients, seeking to centralize the clans, saw the benefit in an organized religious system, one to which could help to drive the clans forward and out of the wastes of their battered homeworld. They were quick to seek out the wisest of the surviving Seers and Shamans and quicker still to set them to work on centralizing the myriad of religious systems into one.

Nytara and N’ithya, old names for the two stars in the sky, were adopted as the father and mother pairing who travelled the universe looking to create their offspring.

Upon reaching what would become the homeworld of the clans, Nytara and N’ithya found Ger’Cetanun, a great titan made up of rock that rested upon the planet. Tired and battered from their journey, the two gods wished to rest but Ger’Cetanun would not allow it and demanded the interlopers move along. Facing exhaustion if they continued on without pause, Nytara and N’ithya fought the titan until they defeated it, crushing its inflexible, jagged body into rubble. In the brief span before his demise Ger’Cetanun swore he would return and seek vengeance. His proclamation made, Ger’Cetanun shattered into millions of pieces with his remains settling to become the planetary ring.

Having dispersed Ger’Cetanun across the skies Nytara and N’ithya dwelled heavily on his warnings of vengeance. Knowing deep within themselves he would one day return to take his revenge, the gods decided to create the perfect warriors born of their blood. Beings that could one day stand against Ger’Cetanun and vanquish him for eternity. Drawing upon the spilt blood of Nytara pooled in the skies, N’ithya sent it falling to the planetary surface, swirling around as they fell the pools of blood split and scattered into a thousand droplets which rained down on the world.

Upon striking the surface each droplet crystalised in the ground leaving intricate patterns in their wake, owing to the creationary nature of Nytara’s blood and the blessings of N’ithya, these patterns would later begin to replicate in the surrounding environment and later still would become the sigils of each clan. Everywhere the blood struck life blossomed, jungles sprouted and plains grew, over the course of 3 years Nytara and N’ithya nurtured the world into a landscape of immense dangers and strength. The gods poured their energies into the planet and vastly accelerated the development of it’s flora and fauna until they deemed it ready for their offspring.

Cetanu Crisis:

In the depths of empty space a dark seed began to stir. Left by Ger’Ceteanun long ago this seed would grow to become his vengeance, his legacy of destruction and suffering. Cetanu, the black death.

Like his father before him Cetanu was a Titan. Owing to the deep connection Ger’Cetanun had with Cetanu while he was developing lightyears away, Cetanu imbibed many of the strengths and traits N’ithya and Nytara presented in their battle with his father. This adaptation would give Cetanu an edge Ger’Cetanun was greatly missing and make his resurgence all the more devastating.

From the dark shadows of the stellar void Cetanu observed the planet his father had resided upon and saw that the two gods had created a formidable race of warriors in their image.

Over the ages, Cetanu prepared himself for battle with the interloper race to which had laid claim to the homeworld of his father. Once the time was right, Cetanu fulfilled his destiny and unleashed himself onto the homeworld of the trespassers, destroying the majority of the planet and the warrior race to which staked their claim. Cetanu could not fully fulfill his destiny though. The warrior race turned out to be much stronger than he had anticipated. They crawled up from the fires of extinction and vowed to eliminate Cetanu.

As the clans re-established themselves, and their religion became more organized, Cetanu was eventually adopted into the pantheon as the embodiment of death, and the ultimate warrior to which the hunters would strive to defeat in battle.

As the ages passed the hunters and their faith developed, the pantheon grew larger. Gods and goddesses symbolizing various real world aspects were added to the Pantheon.

The separation of the castes:

To further centralize their burgeoning civilization, the Council of Ancients decreed that a focus needed to be placed on the rapid development of technology and industry. The families to which had their skills centered around the trades, arts, and sciences were conscripted and let loose to conduct their work, under the leadership of the warrior caste - who had always led the clans. Due to their vital work, the council of ancients made it law that the offspring of all members of the trade caste would be educated in the ways of their elders, to ensure that there would be a continuity of knowledge and that no momentum would be lost.

Advancement:

The process of moving forward wasn’t without it’s cost. The planet did not properly begin to cool and stabilize for many millennia, making the simplest tasks difficult and treacherous at the best of times. Brute strength, perseverance, and a refusal to see their honor tarnished through failure, allowed the clans to keep moving forward.

During the Ikthala Reformation, the hunters saw their creation by the twin gods as an act of creating the perfect race. This dogma began to propagate throughout their society, it’s roots being in their survival after the arrival of Cetanu. It was believed that the gods had blessed them with their perfect forms, and surviving Cetanu had reinforced this belief of divine heritage.

Elements of proclamations made just after Centanu’s arrival remained. The hunters were kept in check via strict discipline within their clans, a remnant of when order was key for survival. Unruly, treacherous, and unhinged members were remanded and punished harshly, sometimes via exile but often through capital punishment. At times there were such egregious acts committed that the stain of imperfection from the act sunk deep into the guilty hunters clan. In cases like these the clan was exterminated to prevent the act from recurring and from the dishonor spreading.

Within the stabilization period there was a quick advancement in technology. The clans saw remarkable scientific breakthroughs over the next 10 millenia. Dirt and rubble evolved into brick and mortar, bronze and tin into iron and then steel, and so on. From industrial, to atomic, to digital, the hunters were an intelligent species that, once given proper direction, could perform remarkable feats. As they progressed, the clans began to view their technological prowess as an extension to their divine strength.

As their technological level progressed, so did their society. The strict decrees set forth by the Council of Ancients evolved into an overarching set of laws that began to govern all facets of society. The issue of union, the value of work and trade, how hunts were properly performed all fell under this new code of honor.

Soon enough the hunters had reached the age of space flight. They were able to explore the other planets in their system and see for themselves the entirety of their cradle. As the hunters began to explore the other worlds in their system they discovered the next planet out from theirs was rife with life. The hunters were not alone in the universe.

With the fauna on their planet still limited, the clans began visiting their neighboring world and hunting the local alien species, both for sustenance and as a source for honing their skills. As the millenia passed the clans were able to explore further and further, eventually reaching the point where they were able to touch other stars. Upon setting foot on planets underneath other stars, the hunters began to see the universe as being theirs by divine right, bestowed onto them by their creators.

Although long ago, the damage to their homeworld was near irreparable. This drove the clans to begin seeking out territory elsewhere. While countless clans continued to reside on the homeworld, many created large vessels and set forth into the stars, returning to their nomadic roots and roaming the stars, calling no place but their vessel home.

As the hunters touched other star systems, they came into contact with other sentient life. Most of the species they encountered were in much lower technological states than them, and were incapable of warding off the hunters however, most had individuals or groups that were able to provide ample sport or fodder to the burgeoning clans. Worthy specimens were seized from their homeworlds and planted onto reserves so as not to disrupt the natural ecosystems and destroy the future of the stock, for the hunters had learned how valuable ecological and biological balance is.

After asserting their strength across the near galaxy the Hunter Clans settled into a lethargic routine. Periodically hunting the many worlds within their expansive domain, they did nothing in a hurry as their lives grew long and their hunts became leisure and pride over necessity. This state is how they have existed for over a thousand years, and how they will continue for a thousand more.

Biology

The hunters are an endothermic bipedal reptilian species. They have limited sexual dimorphism and both genders mature at similar rates and to similar builds. The species grows to be between 6 and 8 feet, and an average mature individual rounds out at around 500lbs.

The species can live upwards of 2,000 years, though there are accounts of members of the species living 2,500 or more. Members of the species live very arduous and brutal lives, and incur great amounts of physical damage through their lifetimes. This fact sees many individuals dying ‘early’ with the average life expectancy of the species therefore around 800-1,000 years.

Females are the birthing gender in the species. Hunters have a very long gestation period, lasting around 3 years. Infants ‘pups’ are born live, though encased in a hard embryonic sac. The struggle to breakfree from the sac is a difficult process, but it assists pups in quickly developing their muscles. Not all pups are able to break free from their sacs, and it is common within the darwinian culture of the hunters to allow for those pups to die - as these are seen as imperfect offspring and were not meant for life. Pups who are successfully reared reach puberty at around 100 years, with maturity occuring at the 200 year mark

The hunters are a carnivorous species, their diet consisting of protein and lipid rich meats. They are incapable of processing carbohydrates, their livers being unable to break them down. This evolutionary dependence on meat has resulted in the species not having established any crop growing agriculture systems.

Hunters have very large hearts, and a strong cardiovascular system that has allowed for their large growth. Subsequently, this has resulted in the hunters generating great amounts of body heat. This heat is regulated via a set of tentacles, akin to dreadlocks, that extend from the back and side of their skulls. These dreadlocks shed waste heat from the body and continue to grow until death. The removal of one's dreadlocks is a death sentence, as soon after their bodies will cook their own organs until death.

Hunters have 4 mandibles that protrude from the front of their face that surround the entrance to their mouth. These mandibles are tightly pressed to the entrance to their mouth, making the process of opening their mouth somewhat difficult. This has resulted in the species developing a language centered around the use of clicks and rattles to which they form with the use of their mandibles. There are a number of sensory organs lining each mandible which are able to pick up small changes in air pressure and detect aromas in the air.

The species sight is in the infrared spectrum, allowing them all weather, all day vision. Their eyes are protected by several membrane layers that protect against the environment and soft debris.

Phenomenal strength is a hallmark of the species with the average mature individual able to jump three times their height, and easily capable of ripping flesh from bone and in some cases directly parting bones from bodies regardless of the flesh attached. Due to minimal sexual dimorphism in the species, males and females gain the same amount of muscle mass and grow to near identical sizes.

Their bodies are incredibly resilient, being able to endure significant damage before critical failures begin to occur. The majority of their skeletal structure is made up of a weaved network of bone and cartilage that helps to protect and cushion against blunt force trauma.

Thick quills grow over time on the face, back and chest of the species. These quills act as a defence mechanism, but also as a sign of maturity and one's position within society. Quills begin growing shortly after a pup breaks free of it’s sac, and they appear black and are pliable, but turn grey and brittle in old age. As a Hunter grows it will lose many quills throughout its lifetime, and while they do grow back with time, each new set is less durable than the one that came before it.

Culture

Hierarchy

Council of AncientsClan LeadersClan EldersClan ElitesBloodedYoung BloodsCraft MastersWorking CasteUn-BloodedSlaves My word is law, my will divine. Ancients make up the ruling body of Hunter society known as the Council of Ancients. Ancients are incredibly old and wise Clan Leaders who have been chosen to sit on the council by its current members. An ancients word is law and is something that is never ignored. To ignore the will of an ancient is to bring death and dishonor on you and your clan. I am your future, he who will decide your fate. Clan Leaders are the highest authority in Hunter society aside from the Council of Ancients. Clan leaders oversee all aspects of their clans, and have complete authority over each member of the clan. Clan Leaders have participated in countless hunts, killed many rivals, and gained a lifetime of honor and prestige. Clan Leaders hold their position until dying in combat. Clan Leaders can go on to become sitting members on the council of Ancients. Through strength I endure, through endurance I age. With age I grow wise, with wisdom I rise. The oldest, wisest and strongest of all Hunters within a specific clan. Elders are highly respected and honoured Hunters who act as teachers for young bloods and the unblooded. They are older Hunters who have made a name for themselves by becoming masters of specific skills. They will often lead hunting expeditions, and have near sole authority in choosing which members of the clan participate. Elders will vy to become Clan Leaders once their current Clan leader perishes. Title Description High Enforcer These Elders are selected by the Clan Leader to manage the Enforcers, they are responsible for dispatching Enforcers to deal with honor code breaches and in very rare cases handle things personally. TITLE DESCRIPTION. Strength is power. The Hunters who have proven themselves far stronger than their blooded clan mates. Often split into numerous ancillary roles. Elites are blooded Hunters who have obtained large amounts of honor, renown and prestige through many hunts and duels. Their words and deeds are highly valued and they often take on ancillary roles in their clans, such as becoming enforcers, shamans, taskmasters, adjutants, etc. Title Description Enforcer These Hunters enforce the honor code for the clans. Hunters who break the honor code are disciplined by Enforcers. Minor breaches are met with severe beatings or mutilation, larger ones are dealt with via exile or gruesome execution. Hound Master Hell-Hounds (Kol-Kovn), therapsid like beasts are native to the Homeworld and have been used for countless centuries as trackers and herders. These beasts are cruel, highly aggressive, and require great skill to handle. Hound Masters are adept tamers of these beasts and can be found in most hunting parties. Taskmaster There are many Hunters who are never selected to become Young Bloods. Those that are never selected continue on in life as unblooded members in society. Taskmasters put these Hunters to work and oversee them as they perform unforgiving and humiliating work for their clans. Adjutant Hand selected by clan leaders, these Hunters ensure that discipline is maintained within the ranks of the clan. Shaman The Hunters have a polytheistic belief system worshiping a large number of gods and demigods. Shamans organize and oversee the many traditions and rituals associated with each god. The various clans have built countless temples over the eons, on the Homeworld and elsewhere. Orders of Shamans maintain and operate these temples. Clan Councillor Selected to be representatives of the Elders these Elites are usually the intermediaries between other Hunters and the Elder Council. While their power over other clans is limited, they are to be respected and given the deference their title commands. With their honor proven, they take to the hunt. Blooded are warriors who have completed their clans rites of passage. Once blooded, a warrior becomes eligible to participate in the hunt and are recognized as honoured members of their clan. The chosen must prove their worth. Hunters who have hit puberty and have been chosen to take their clan’s rites of passage. This is a crucial point in life for all Hunters. Most rites of passage involve grave danger and tests of strength and courage, and not all Hunters succeed. Those Hunters that fail will either succumb and die to the challenges faced, or, will be forced to commit suicide should they fail their challenges but live. Mastery of a craft shows mastery of ones self. The members of the Worker Caste who have proven themselves true masters of their craft. While they will never rise to leadership positions, their word on their craft is widely respected by all Hunters. Each Hunter Clan only ever has one Master of each craft and upon the death of the previous Master all devotees of the specific craft partake in trials to prove who is worthy of taking their place. The current Clan Leader will hand pick the new Master. Title Description Master Smith The Master Smith of a Clan is perhaps the most coveted position within the Working Caste, long have they been held in the esteem of Hunters for creating the weapons and tools of the Hunters with deadly beauty and cold efficiency. Master Architect The Master Architect of a Clan is frequently consulted by the Clan when the desire arises to settle a new world, for their experience is crucial to ensuring the longevity of Hunter temples and other structures. Master Shipwright The chief designer and builder of a Clan's ships, the Master Shipwright is required to approve the maiden voyage of any new spacecraft before it can be used, unless overruled by the Clan Leader or a majority of the Clan Elders. Master Creator The Master Creator of a Clan is the lead authority on research and development, they are responsible for the creation and testing of new weapons and devices for the Warrior caste and Worker caste alike. Archive Master The Archive Master is the keeper of all the knowledge and history a Clan posseses. They oversee the Chroniclers and maintain the Clan's records of momentous events, leaving the lesser events and happenings to the Chroniclers. Master Artisan The Clan Master Artisan is the Hunter responsible for adorning the tombs and sacred locations of a Clan personally. They hold dominion over all lesser artisans and are known to violently destroy the creations of their lessers should they not be up to standard. Cardinal The Cardinal of a Clan is the greatest of all menders and attends directly to the Clan Leader and Elders. To be treated by the Cardinal while not the Clan Leader or an Elder is seen as a sign of great respect and deference. Diligence and dedication brings honor. Title Description Smith DESCRIPTION. Architect DESCRIPTION. Shipwright DESCRIPTION. Creator DESCRIPTION. Chronicler DESCRIPTION. Artisan DESCRIPTION. Mender DESCRIPTION. The unproven strive for their chance. Pups and adult Yautja who are either not yet of age to be chosen to become Young Bloods, or, have not been chosen to become young bloods after they have reached puberty. They have little to no honor to call their own. Should an unblooded pup come of age but not be chosen to become a young blood, then they become serfs to the clan, performing the lowest of tasks. Adult unblooded can be chosen to become Young bloods, but it is rare. The lowest of the low. Beasts of burden and nothing more. Lorem Ipsum

Religion

The Hunters worship a Pantheon of Deities divided into different Rings, these Rings represent various aspects of life and existence for the hunters.

Pantheon

Ring of GenesisRing of NatureRing of CreationRing of KnowledgeRing of VirtuesRing of StrengthRing of SpiritRing of Affinity The Ring of Genesis holds the twin suns of The Homeworld, Nytara and N'ithya. It was these gods who fought the Titan Ger'Cetanun and claimed the world for their offspring the Hunters. Deity Titles and Description Nytara God of Creation. N'ithya Goddess of Life and Fertility. The Ring of Nature holds the gods that symbolise the circle of life for the Hunters. Deity Titles and Description Dtekale Goddess of Women and birth. Dhichak God of the Wrathful Sands and Jungles. Paya God of the Hunt and Glory. Tharda God of the Feast. Cetanu Titan and God of Death. The Ring of Creation holds the gods of all things that come from the Hunters. Deity Titles and Description Kehrite God of the Forge and Fire. Dlex Goddess of Lodges and Craftsmanship. Kor'Ma God of War and Lightning. The Ring of Knowledge holds the gods that symbolise discovery and heritage. Their past, present and future. Deity Titles and Description S'ahul Demigoddess of Wisdom and Courage. Kytara Guardian of The Fallen The Ring of Virtues holds the gods representing valued traits within the Hunter society. Deity Titles and Description Gor'tekai The Twin Demigods of Justice and Honour. Mor'tekai The Twin Demigods of Justice and Honour. The Ring of Strength holds the gods of power and might, those that represent the Hunter's physical traits and attributes. Deity Titles and Description Kehrite Bhu'ja Demigod of Training and duels. The Ring of Spirit holds the gods of resilience, those that represent the Hunter's mental traits and attributes. Deity Titles and Description Nritja Demigod of Confidence and Bravery. The Ring of Affinity holds the gods of base emotions and traits. Those of instinct and primal behaviour. Deity Titles and Description Chiyte Demigoddess of Health, Love and Pleasure

The Archive

A comprehensive collection of Hunter Clans and their histories/information, along with any other notable pieces of work or information relating to or from the Hunters.

Clan Luar'KeClan An'thClan Bo'ytillClan NhonClan Thar'nClan TeerMore Clan Luar'Ke, the Shadow Walkers. For as long as Hunters have traveled the stars, there has always been a lingering concern: what happens when equipment falls into the wrong hands? One solution was the self-destruct mechanism within every Blooded’s wrist-bracer. However, there was still a further problem should a Hunter be incapacitated or killed before the Self-destruct mechanism is triggered. In most situations, the fallen’s clan would be responsible for retrieval/destruction of the lost gear or bodies. However, in the event of a tomb being desecrated or a similar situation that requires discretion, a specialist is an option. Clan Luar’Ke is an otherwise average clan on the surface, to discourage interlopers or those who would interfere in their duties. Most Blooded members of Clan Luar’Ke are trained heavily in infiltration and achieving their objectives with minimal footprint through Ikthya-de Chiva, the Umbra Trials. In the event their services are required, a seeker is notified by a Clan Luar’ke intermediary and through the proper channels is provided the circumstances and details surrounding the missing gear/body: last known location of the items in question, possible events surrounding the lost items, and potential obstacles that would be in the seeker’s path. The seeker is not informed to which clan has made contact, or which clan the missing gear belongs to. The only relevant information is anything that assists the seeker in accomplishing their objective. The seeker is then sent in either solo or in a very small team to resolve the situation. The seeker or seeker team typically has compartmentalized objectives to accomplish: Locate and retrieve/destroy all lost pieces of equipment as well as Hunter corpses if applicable. If any research or data has been accomplished involving Hunter biology or equipment, destroy or render said data/research useless. Leave no/minimal evidence of Hunter involvement. Keep damage to structures and environments to a minimum unless necessary for success of objectives 1 through 3. Upon success of gear and body retrieval or destruction, the seeker or seeker team notifies the intermediary who then arranges a delivery of the missing equipment, or informs the clan of the resolution. The seekers of Clan Luar’Ke are never to know which clan they assisted, nor will the clan involved ever know who assisted them. There is no room for glory or validation in such a crucial task, Clan Luar’Ke will do it because it must be done. Clan Lore written by Sora9567. Archive B Text Bla bla Clan Bo'ytill, the Heathens. Bla bla Clan Lore written collectively. Archive D Text Bla bla Archive E Text Bla bla Archive F Text Bla bla There are many more unlisted clans, they will soon be listed within the table.

Relations

Factions	Connections
USCM	???
Weston-Yamada	???
Aliens	???