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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
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.
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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
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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'Ke, the Shadow Walkers.Clan Members
Clan Lore
Clan Lore written by Sora9567. Archive B Text
Clan Bo'ytill, the Heathens.Clan Members
Clan LoreOverview:
Location:
Blooding:
The Hunt:
Respect:
The Sects:As stated in the overview of the Bo’ytill clan, there were different sects, or branches of the clan. Listed below are some of these sects. They each have their own hierarchy, but it has no authority over those outside of its own, and the leaders inside are still subject to the rule of the clan elders.
Founding:Matean-O, an elder of Na’Kuel, one very worshipping and praising of gods, seeking that everything he did pleased their gods. However, after multiple encounters, and failures to please these gods Matean-O, enraged, stricken and determined that the gods were false and his whole life was a lie, fled. He took his mate with him, and rallied any others that should follow, this of course enraged the elders, in which they ordered Matean-O to leave, driving him far to the Eastern Quadrant of Yautja Prime, the Bo’ytill’s new resting place for the years to come. Word was quick, as the clan was small. They adapted the name Bo’ytill’s, Bo’ytill standing for True-Seer, or Perfect sight, adopting this name, as Matean-O fully convinced the Bo’ytills that their decision and sight was correct, the gods were false, and they would make, and alter their destiny, not some false idols... Lokath’Dag looked to Matean-O and calmly said “Matean, you have come before us on, as you say, a matter of extreme urgency, tell us. What is the problem?” The elders looked expectantly at Matean-O, who began by saying, “Years. For so many years I worshipped the gods above all else. But do you know what came of that?” At this, the elders looked towards one another, then turned back to Matean-O. “Nothing! Those… those gods are nothing but children’s tales! Meant to keep us in line. They are nothing! I devoted everything to them, but I got nothing in return, not even acknowledgement!” “Where are you going with this, Matean-O?” “It’s over. These so-called ‘gods’ are not in any way real. Can’t you see that?” Lokath'Dag nodded to himself, then looked back and forth to the others. They nodded in unison. “Go.” “What?” Matean-O took a step back, startled. “You won’t even hear me out?” Lokath'Dag slowly stood up and walked over to Matean-O. “No Matean. You have disrespected our ways! You have brought shame on yourself, coming to us like this! You, of all people. I cannot believe what I am seeing.” Lokath took a step back and calmed himself down before saying.“Matean. I do not know what has gotten into you. Go home and think. Think about what you’re saying. Rest my friend.” That night Matean made up his mind. He went to his mate, and had them get ready to leave. After getting everything ready, Matean went to face the elders. For what he hoped would be the last time. “Matean, at this time of hour? Have you come to your senses?” “It is you who must come to your senses Lokath. You still don’t get it, do you? I must say I pity you.” “It is I who pity you Matean. You know that you are no longer welcome here. You must go. Far. Far east. And never return here. You are no longer welcome.” Lokath, sighed, before turning back and leaving the room. “I will miss you old friend.” Matean said, but alas, only the empty chamber heard it… Matean took his mate, and those who he had managed to convince, and fled, heading due east. To start a new life for himself. But not only for himself. He was going to start his own clan, one where you weren’t punished just because you didn’t worship idols. He named his clan “Bo’ytill” which means True-Seer, or Perfect Sight. For he had seen the truth. And he wanted to share it. He wanted to share it with everyone he could. Clan Lore written collectively.
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Relations
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