Mr. Pig
Oink
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
The Cathar were curious about the Galaxy upon their discovery, but adoption of interstellar travel was a slow affair for them. They favored the Republic, but their divided nature prevented them from being recognized as civilized to become a full member. But everything changed when the Mandalorians attacked.
At the start of the Mandalorian Wars, Cathar refused to surrender to the invading Mandalorians, who responded by using atomic weapons on Cathar and obliterating whole civilizations. Millions of Cathar were displaced and enslaved by the Mandalorians, and many of those fled to nearby worlds, or deep into the Republic. Of those, a considerable number ended up wandering the Galaxy, searching for new homes. Some of those never stopped wandering, and became the Nyota Liko'we, the Star Tribes.
Nomadic fleets like theirs are not uncommon, but rarely hold prominence in Galactic politics or history. They keep to themselves and adapt to a peculiar lifestyle. Many Nyota tribes are simply part of larger, intercultural nomad fleets, surrounded by hundreds of vessels filled with all kinds of aliens. Some are small, single-family tribes going from job to job. Most have very long histories that can be tracked to the Purge of Cathar. Because Cathar are prized slaves and gladiators, they are often preyed upon by slavers and pirates. Many fleets become pirates themselves after becoming victorious over their enemies.
During the High Republic, there was a program to reintegrate the Nyota back onto Cathar, a program that was largely successful. As a result, some believe the Nyota had gone extinct. However, as the High Republic became the Grand Republic, there was a surge in their numbers as Cathar's economy began to crumble and many tribes could no longer sustain their numbers, and the Nyota's numbers swelled once again.
When the Clone Wars began, the CIS hunted the Nyota for their work as engineers, leading many to believe that they had joined the Separatists. When the Empire came to power, they used this to justify hunting down the fleets, forcing many into the Unknown Regions and Wild Space, where they remained for hundreds of years, only returning sometime after the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. During this era, their numbers and prominence swelled, as they had considerable numbers of high-quality ships that they were able to use to help rebuild the Galaxy.
In the Clockwork War, many fleets were lost, as the Nyota understood that Omni had to be destroyed. This prevented the Nyota from forming political entities in the coming centuries, and they have generally attempted to stay out of large conflicts since then, leading to their relative obscurity in the modern day.
- Intent: To establish & describe Cathar culture outside of their homeworld
- Image Credit: None
- Canon: Cathar (Planet) and Cathar (Species)
- Permissions: Open
- Links:
- Name: Cathar Star Tribes - The Nyota Liko'we
- Classification: Cultural Group
- Origins: Cathar (Species)
- Affiliation: Regional
- Symbol: None
- Domain: The Star Tribes live in starships, space stations, or are otherwise interstellar nomads
- Estimated Population: Scattered
- Demographics: Mostly Cathar, with many adopted and allied members
- Description: At the beginning of the Mandalorian Wars, the Purge of Cathar led to millions of Cathar fleeing their homeworld and into the Galaxy. Many were forced to settle as refugees on worlds in the Republic, but many never settled in any one place. They became nomads, either living aboard starships or otherwise following work wherever they could. Those Cathar who integrated into host worlds are generally not considered Nyota Liko'we, though there are some exceptions.
- Distinctions: Unlike Homeworld or integrated Cathar, there is little physical variation between Nyota Cathar, though they have a variety of aesthetic differences. Most of the subspecies traits have been bred out of the Nyota, but this is not a strict rule - many tribes retain their ancestral traits due to a lack of contact with other tribes, or simply from an abundance of members. Generally, they have a thin layer of fur with a variety of colors, standard humanoid hair, cat eyes, long claws, and tails, and share many traits with humanoids.
- Force Sensitivity: Standard - Force Sensitivity among them is no more common than any Cathar population
- Membership: The Nyota Liko'we consist of those who live in nomadic Cathar tribes who live in the greater galaxy. Different tribes may have different requirements, but as a whole, they tend to be gregarious and welcoming to new members, provided their tribe can provide for them, and many even adopt non-Cathar members, or live among other similarly nomadic cultures.
- OOC, there is no restriction to be a Nyota Cathar.
- Climate: Generally, the Nyota are open to working with others and tend to be friendly but cautious in their dealings, having to routinely deal with shady characters and overzealous law enforcement. Their communities tend to be very tight knit but not exclusive.
- Reputation: The Nyota are seen by many as being interstellar vagabonds. However, those who do business with them understand that they believe in a fair deal and tend to be entrepreneurial. Their reputations mean a great deal to them because doing business with others is the core of their economies.
- Curios: They commonly build jewelry made of parts from the ship they are born from.
- Philosophy: Community is first and foremost among the Nyota Cathar. One's fleet is one's tribe, and they come first. Those they do business with, and those who have proven their friendships, come next. To betray one's tribe is paramount to suicide, and those who are exiled are not shunned, but mourned.
- Outward Views: The Nyota constantly have to do business with outsiders, and so they seek to build strong bonds with those they have to trade with. They are kind and gregarious to strangers, but rarely trusting; they place a great value on long term relationships.
- The Arts: Nyota Cathar are avid painters and sculptors. They also see building their own Starship parts as a form of art, and many of their ships are essentially hand-built over generations of swapping out parts for new, custom built ones. They emphasize using tribal symbols and a vivid colors.
- Architecture: The Nyota do not live on the surface of planets, generally, but rather in Starships or Starbases. Their constructions tend to be colorful and built to last.
- Habits: Living in cramped starships, they have to find ways to exercise to keep up their health. Most practice tribal Martial Arts, as well.
- Lifestyle: The Nyota live on Starships in tribes. The smallest ships usually are led by a married couple and their various children, while the largest may have thousands living aboard. None live in luxury, and few know privacy.
- Laws: Betrayal of the tribe is usually punished with exile, as an exiled member may find a new tribe. Imprisonment is impractical.
- Customs & Traditions: A common practice is "The Exchange", where two tribes will coordinate to meet with one another and have large scale parties, where their members will socialize and get to know each other, as well as conducting trade. They will exchange crew members through marriages, as well, to ensure that their tribes do not fall to inbreeding. Few tribes see infidelity during this time as taboo, and it is often encouraged for the same reason. They often accept non-Cathar into their tribes if the outsider has earned their trust or has valuable skills.
- Education & Training: Mechanics and engineering are highly prized skills due to their starbound nature. Education is usually handled by parents in an apprenticeship arrangement.
- Diet: Because they live on starships, their diets tend to be filled with cheap but nutritious food. High quality foods are usually reserved for festivals, such as The Exchange.
- Communication: The Nyota speak Cathar, Galactic Basis, and Huttese.
- Engineering Masters: Describing Nyota starships as being ancient is a misnomer; their vessels have had all of their parts replaced over thousands of years, to the point none of the original parts exist. New starships are quickly modified to suit their needs, and Nyota engineering puts a high value on longevity and reliability.
- Worldly: The Nyota deal with outsiders all the time, and quickly adapt to the situation. They are not easily fooled, and hold long memories of favored rendered and slights inflicted.
- Gregarious: Fostering relationships with outsiders and other tribes leads to a culture of being welcoming and friendly. It is easy to make a friend with the Nyota.
- Keeps Grudges: The Nyota remember who their enemies are, and do not like to keep outstanding debts. They will seek out their enemies and neutralize them if they believe they may be a threat, which may drag them into conflicts they cannot afford.
- Fragile Living: The slightest thing going wrong with a Starship can lead to a cascading series of failures that can affect a whole fleet.
The Cathar were curious about the Galaxy upon their discovery, but adoption of interstellar travel was a slow affair for them. They favored the Republic, but their divided nature prevented them from being recognized as civilized to become a full member. But everything changed when the Mandalorians attacked.
At the start of the Mandalorian Wars, Cathar refused to surrender to the invading Mandalorians, who responded by using atomic weapons on Cathar and obliterating whole civilizations. Millions of Cathar were displaced and enslaved by the Mandalorians, and many of those fled to nearby worlds, or deep into the Republic. Of those, a considerable number ended up wandering the Galaxy, searching for new homes. Some of those never stopped wandering, and became the Nyota Liko'we, the Star Tribes.
Nomadic fleets like theirs are not uncommon, but rarely hold prominence in Galactic politics or history. They keep to themselves and adapt to a peculiar lifestyle. Many Nyota tribes are simply part of larger, intercultural nomad fleets, surrounded by hundreds of vessels filled with all kinds of aliens. Some are small, single-family tribes going from job to job. Most have very long histories that can be tracked to the Purge of Cathar. Because Cathar are prized slaves and gladiators, they are often preyed upon by slavers and pirates. Many fleets become pirates themselves after becoming victorious over their enemies.
During the High Republic, there was a program to reintegrate the Nyota back onto Cathar, a program that was largely successful. As a result, some believe the Nyota had gone extinct. However, as the High Republic became the Grand Republic, there was a surge in their numbers as Cathar's economy began to crumble and many tribes could no longer sustain their numbers, and the Nyota's numbers swelled once again.
When the Clone Wars began, the CIS hunted the Nyota for their work as engineers, leading many to believe that they had joined the Separatists. When the Empire came to power, they used this to justify hunting down the fleets, forcing many into the Unknown Regions and Wild Space, where they remained for hundreds of years, only returning sometime after the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. During this era, their numbers and prominence swelled, as they had considerable numbers of high-quality ships that they were able to use to help rebuild the Galaxy.
In the Clockwork War, many fleets were lost, as the Nyota understood that Omni had to be destroyed. This prevented the Nyota from forming political entities in the coming centuries, and they have generally attempted to stay out of large conflicts since then, leading to their relative obscurity in the modern day.