Thelma Goth
Seamstress
Pictured: Double crescent rune, the official insignia of the planet Dahrtag.
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To codify the site lore for Dahrtagians, the native people of the planet Dahrtag. The terms Dahrtagian and Necropolitan will be used interchangeably.
- Image Credit: PNG Wing
- Canon: Necropolis
- Permissions: N/A
- Links:
- Canon/Legends:
- Chaos Canon:
- Name: Dahrtagians | "Necropolitans"
- Classification: Cultural group
- Origins: Dahrtag (aka Necropolis)
- Affiliation: Planetary government of Dahrtag
- Symbol: The Dahrtagian double-crescent rune is an ancient symbol representing the portal through which the soul passes into the Netherworld upon the death of the physical body. Well, that or it represents pride in being a Core World. No one is exactly sure what it means anymore.
- Domain: Dahrtag system
- Estimated Population: Planetary
- Demographics:
- Human/Near Human - 62%
- Non-Vampiric Aliens - 30%
- Vampiric Species - 8%
- Energy Vampire - 2%
- Psy-Pire - >1%
- Greater Sanguinius Vampirika - 3%
- Lesser Sanguinius Vampirika - >1%
- Sangnir - 1%
- Vycan - >1%
- Garhoon - >1%
- Anzati - >1%
- K’i’ik’el - >1%
- Tera Vampir - >1%
- Description: The resident goths of the Giju Run, the people of Dahrtag are a weird bunch. They aren't necessarily death-obsessed, but they do live on a tombworld, so they generally are more familiar and comfortable with the macabre. Otherwise, they aren't too different from your average Core World people.
- Distinctions: Native Dahrtagians tend to be very pale due to the cloudy and mist-heavy climate, which sees little sun. Otherwise there are few traits which would set a native apart from someone else of the same species born elsewhere in the galaxy.
- Force Sensitivity: Standard
- Membership: Individuals born on Dahrtag automatically receive citizenship. Offworlders may immigrate and become citizens via a naturalization process, which is fairly relaxed and non-discriminatory.
- Climate: Dahrtagians are generally friendly to outsiders, with no significant instances of prejudice. On the other hand, there is a deep historical animosity between the general population and vampires. Because of this, vampires typically are reclusive and do not participate in public life—or if they do, they hide what they are.
- Reputation: Given Dahrtag's reputation as a tombworld, many people may not even be aware that there are people living on Dahrtag, let alone that the planet has a civilization dating back thousands of years. Visitors from offworld find the locals morbid, quirky and certainly unique, but they are also generally very friendly, hospitable and open to outsiders, seeing them as kindred spirits.
- Curios: Dahrtagians may be recognized by their outward appearances. Clothing varies depending on what part of the planet they are from, but is always distinct. The wealthy elite in major cities set the fashions; they are usually very bold, outlandish and flamboyant, with stylized hairdos, dramatic eye makeup, and penciled eyebrows. Suits are popular for men and elegant dresses for women. In rural areas the clothing tends to be more subdued and traditional, though the rich are still comparably extravagant. The people wear more layers and are more modest.
- Philosophy: In ancient times, those who prepared the bodies of the dead for burial were held in high esteem. These morticians also doubled as doctors and religious leaders, purportedly possessing healing powers and wisdom passed down through generations. The title of "Master of Cerements" is still given to those whose belief in the old ways is strongest, but most Necropolitans (especially those in metropolitan areas) no longer put much stock in their traditions.
On the flip side of the Master of Cerements is the bocor. Bocors are Force Users who practice a type of sorcery somewhat similar to the magic practiced by the Witches of Dathomir, though unlike the Dathomirians they are said to serve the spirits "with both hands", practicing for both good and evil (though as a famous Master once said, "It is a false distinction. For us, good and evil are all one."). This Force tradition has influenced and been influenced by the local folk beliefs and superstitions of Dahrtag. One famous practitioner was Sycorax, a witch who lived over a thousand years ago. According to local legend, she claimed to be able to raise the dead. The Dahrtagians grew resentful of her boasting, so they killed her only son and challenged her to raise him from the dead. Her attempts to bring back her son failed, and so the grief-stricken Sycorax wandered the world, warning the people not to disturb the dead. There are various interpretations of the legend, with some maintaining that Sycorax could only create zombies (reanimated corpses without free will or memories of who they were in life) while others have suggested that she was a fraud with no actual powers. Zombies feature frequently in Dahrtagian folktales, where they are resurrected by a bocor in order to serve them. Notably, legends about bocors can be found outside of Dahrtag; there is evidence that they were employed to keep slaves in line with the threat of zombification. - Outward Views: The Dahrtagians are generally a syncretic people, able to absorb new concepts and ideas they encounter. Yet despite its numerous influences, the culture remains recognizably Dahrtagian because it takes these things and transforms them into an aspect of their comprehensive worldview.
- The Arts: The Dahrtagians have a rich artistic heritage rooted in tradition, though it is certainly not for everyone. They are known for their traditional folk music, which is derived from jazz, vaudeville, murder ballads and gothic rock. Dusk, a musical genre characterized by its slow, dark and moody style, was strongly influenced by Dahrtagian folk music, with its hypnotic dirgelike qualities. Their home planet's status as a tombworld and the experience of being surrounded by graves has had a profound effect on their art, which is often dark and focuses on macabre subjects.
- Architecture: Many Dahrtagian buildings are quite old, having stood for hundreds of years. They are characterized by their gargoyles, monstrous figures which are carved out of stone or wood and placed on the exterior of the structure. It was believed these gargoyles would frighten away ghosts and other spirits who might wish the living harm.
- Habits: As previously mentioned, the Dahrtagians are quite comfortable with death. One curious custom of theirs is postmortem photography—taking pictures or holograms of deceased loved ones. Considered incredibly morbid by the average offworlder, having these photos taken is completely normal to the natives, who prize them as keepsakes. There is a lively business for professional photographers who can create artistic images of the dead on a tight schedule (what with the impending rot and decay requiring the pictures to be taken swiftly).
- Lifestyle: Varies dependent on wealth. The rich live lavishly and often have more free time to spend partying, shopping, and otherwise spending money. The poor have less free time and less money, so they live in squalor.
- Laws: In more remote, rural areas, one may find lingering traces of the old ways in the form of local laws and customs. Most of these revolve around the treatment of the dead. As long as one is not a vampire or other undead being (or accused of being one) then it is generally harmless.
- Customs & Traditions: In the past, Dahrtagians believed they were constantly under threat from evil and vengeful spirits of the countless dead who were buried across the planet's surface. The people would wear elaborate costumes to make themselves look monstrous in hopes of frightening these spirits away. This practice is still performed in some areas, most notably when greeting visitors. The welcome party will don the traditional costumes so as to scare off any spirits the travelers might bring with them. While genuine belief in the spirits has faded, remnants of it cling to the culture such as in fashion and holiday traditions.
- Education & Training: The job of embalmers and morticians is still highly respected. Dahrtagian trade schools where people go to learn how to prepare bodies for burial are considered the most sophisticated of their kind in the entire galaxy. Education in all other areas is roughly on par with the galactic standard for citizens of the Galactic Alliance/Core Worlds.
- Diet: Dahrtagian cuisine is semi-known to the rest of the galaxy. They are famous for their wide variety of cheeses, which are made from the milk of pasture-raised animals in the rural mountainous regions of the planet. One popular dish is the Lamont cheesesteak, named after the capital city from which it originated. Cryptberries, a poisonous fruit native to Dahrtag, can be eaten in moderation by some toxin-resistant species such as the Balosar. As they have a sweet taste, Balosar immigrants to Dahrtag developed several desserts which use cryptberries. It is required by law to warn consumers about the risks of consuming these foods.
- Communication: Dahrtagians speak Galactic Basic. Old Dahrtagian, the ancient native tongue, is considered a dead language with fewer than a thousand fluent speakers.
- Desensitized to death, both physically (they can handle being around a dead body without being frightened or disgusted) and psychologically (dying is seen as part of life, and therefore sacred)
- Currently in the midst of a period of rapid modernization, with all the benefits (mainly technological) it brings
- Booming tourism industry, especially around the Hallowe'en season
- Long, slow decline of the "old ways" leading to imbalance
- Majority of population lives in poverty
- Has one of the most sophisticated and powerful organized crime networks in the galaxy
- Corrupt planetary government influenced by crime lords
"After the planet and its surrounding system were opened up to the rest of the galaxy, the name Necropolis was coined by many visitors in reference to the Necropolitans' reverence for their dead."
Thousands of years ago, vampires ruled the earth.
Sawa Ike, an Energy Vampire from Atrisia, and her consort Xavier conquered the planet Dahrtag, which was then becoming known by its more common moniker of Necropolis. By some accounts, the people worshiped Sawa and Xavier as gods. The couple brought others of their kind with them to lord over the natives. This parasitic nobility were known as "voivodes", vampire princes, and they thrived on the fog-shrouded tombworld. Many practiced alchemy, creating bizarre Sithspawn monstrosities and strange technologies.
Then came Nine Lives, a former friend turned enemy of Sawa. Reborn from Sawa's brutal alchemical experiments, Nine became the Progenitor of a whole new strain of vampire, the Psy-Pires. Horrified at what she had become, Nine would eventually go into stasis, but a few of those she had turned remained. Over time, other species migrated to Necropolis, becoming part of the melting pot of cultures and peoples. Even now, many vampires remain in positions of great influence, but their power has long been fading. Most are now are regulated to the criminal underworld, operating behind the scenes to avoid detection.
No one knows how the reverence for the dead got started. Perhaps it was because they lived in the shadow of bloodsucking creatures who bore many of the symptoms of death. To properly kill a vampire, one had to be sure they were truly dead. Certain rituals were devised, and the bodies were handled with care. Or perhaps the Necropolitans have always cared for the dead. The old ways are old indeed.
