OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Intent: Expand on the Shadow Knights.
Image Credit: Here. Here. Here.
Canon: N/A.
Permissions: Can use Firemane stuff because I own the company.
Links: Shadow Knights (lore submission), Kaida Taldir, Court of the Four Elements, Eldorai, Qadiri, Vashyada, Sciiac Guardians, To Hell and Back, Kar'zun, Eldorai Exodus, Twin Exiles, Xioquo, Siobhan, Firemane, Kaeshana, Blades of Reason, Emissaries of Illyria, Chapter of the Black Trade, Starstriders, Court of Providence, Asuran Star Combine, Togorian, Eldorai Spirit Gems, The Angelii, Tygara, Battle of Kaeshana, Eldorai Exodus, Archangel.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Name: Exodite Asurans.
Classification: Culturan and ethnic group.
Origins: Kaeshana.
Affiliation: Shadow Knights, Citizens' Council, Court of the Shadows, Naesala Faethyra.
Symbol: The sigil is an Eldorai eagle upon a red field. Eagle imagery has tradition in the Eldorai army, and thus it shows their connection to their people's martial traditions. At the same time, the proud bird symbolises that they are exiles and renegades seeking a new way of life. Finally, the red stands for the blood that must be shed in the defence of freedom.
Domain: The Exodite Asurans do not claim domain over any large-scale planetary holdings, though they have some small colonies and shadowports. The basis of their society is the Shadow Knight nomad fleet. The Shadow Knights are the political faction, government and the military and draw their members from the Exodite Asurans, which is the name for the culture. Cells can be found in several Eldorai settlements and colony ships. Firemane alternates between suppressing and tolerating them, depending on whether they are believed to be causing mischief or not.
Estimated Population: Planetary, with the caveat that the concentration is in their nomad fleet and a few colonies.
Demographics: The Exodite Asurans are mostly composed of Eldorai, but also have strong Tygaran minorities - Vashyada, Qadiri and Xioquo. There is also a small percentage of Kar'zun, since they have been accepted as one of the Five Races. Humans and other non-Eldorai can be allies and associate members, but cannot become fully part of the culture. The Exodite Asurans are insular and distrustful of those outside of their core group.
Description: A close knit community of exiles from Kaeshana and Tygara, the Exodite Asurans are committed to independence. This applies not just to the more overt slavery of Hutts, Imperials and Sith, but also the dependence on other races for supplies and equipment. They are a cultural and ethnic group that constitute the people of the Shadow Knights, a faction of Eldorai, Kar'zun and Tygaran renegades who have adopted a polyglot system of a stratocratic, oligarchic republic which is more representative than a monarchy whilst still retaining a strong executive.
In their society, service guarantees citizenship. The name Asurans is derived from the fact that Asur was the name of the star system Kaeshana lies in. They call themselves Exodites because all of the are exiles who have left their homeworld in search of a new home in the stars. In the case of the Eldorai and Kar'zun, exodus is to be understood quite literally since Kaeshana has been devastated and abandoned by its people after numerous calamities.
The Shadow Knights started as an Eldorai movement, but have expanded their ranks to welcome Tygaran elves and even Kar'zun into their ranks as fellow Asurans. This has formed the basis for Exodite Asuran culture. It can be understood as a synthesis between various cultural traditions of the 'Five Cousins'. In many ways it is a melting pot, though individual racial and religious groups still remain distinct rather than being subsumed. Their society is structured along corporatist lines, which means that it is divided into corporate groups such as agricultural, labour, military, scientific, or guild associations, on the basis of their common interests.
The Exodites are insular and do not seek recruits from outside the twin planets' origins. Their main goal is to maintain their freedom but also to ensure that their kin are also not oppressed. The heart of their community is a nomad fleet. A worldship called the Defiance serves as its hub and mobile 'capital'. Their culture is detailed in the Habits and Customs of the Five Cousins, a big compedium work. Originally it was the Five Sisters, but there was debate on this and the committee responsible for the manuscript decided on a compromise name.
The Exodites fund themselves through mining, prospecting, trade, providing shipping services, as well as piracy and raiding. There is a group of smugglers called the Chapter of the Black Trade. Aside from providing revenue for the nomad fleet, they act as spies who alert the fleet of dangers and opportunities. Though they stress independence, the nomad fleet is not self-sufficient, and so the Exodites have to engage with the rest of the galaxy. But they are fiercely protective of their freedom.
PHYSICAL INFORMATION
Distinctions: At present, there has not really been enough time for the physical traits of Exodite Qadiri, Eldorai, Xio, Vash or Kar'zun diverge radically from those of other members of their respective species. On a macrohistorical level, the Exodite Asurans are a fairly recent group. Over time the Qadiri in their group might grow a little bit lighter in colouring due to a lack of heavy UV exposure in space, though that would not apply to terrestrial ones. In an amusing inversion, Eldorai who belong to the Exodite Asurans and become colonists might grow a bit darker in colouring due to all the physical labour that comes with rugged colonial life, especially if it is a semi-arid location.
Exodite Asuran clothing tends to the utilitarian. This has ideological justifications since it supposedly shows solidarity that sets them apart from the 'decadent royalists', but, with sentient nature being the way it is, the real reason has more to do with scarcity of resources and practicality. They have simply made a virtue out of it. As elaborated on further below, tattoos have increasingly become a way increasingly common as a means of identification and self-expression.
Force Sensitivity: Varies, as the group is composed of multiple species and groups whose averages deviate. For Kar'zun it's Rare, while for the elves - Eldorai, Qadiri, Vashyada and Xioquo - it is High as per the species. There is a sub-set of Exodites who are Force-Dead due to experimentation or Netherworld exposure, but these constitute a small group overall.
SOCIAL INFORMATION
Membership: Citizenship rather than genetics...to a point. To be a citizen one must be one of the five chosen species - Eldorai, Qadiri, Kar'zun, Vashyada or Xioquo. Outsiders can get associate citizenship or permanent residence but nothing more. This makes it pretty select. Moreover, the culture distinguishes between civilians and those with citizenship. Civilians are normal residents of the nomad fleet from one of the five races, but while they have all the basic sapient rights and civil liberties, they do not have the right to vote or run for office and are not eligible for state benefits. Citizens, by contrast, are all members who have performed military service. This is in line with the credo service guarantees citizenship. Here it is pertinent to note that military service does not have to mean combat service, though this is the quickest path. But it is about demonstrating that one has served the community and is willing to defend it.
Climate: For them life is a struggle for survival. The climate is one of competition and solidarity. Everyone is in it together, everyone has to work together to get alone. But...sentient nature means that there is competition for positions and skills. Moreover, it is very insulated. The core of the group is focused on a nomad fleet that traverses the stars in search of a home. Many of the ships are old and have been acquired through raids and salvaging. As a result, there is always work that needs to be done.
Exodite Asuran society is one of stark contrasts. On the one hand, it has freedom of expression significantly greater than found under the ancien régime or Imperialist juntas through street theatres, unions and associations, public debates over revolutionary ideology and practice as well as a vibrant flowering of revolutionary literature and art. There are schools for the underclasses and freed slaves, to say nothing of pamphlets, magazins and so on. But at the same time, society is very regimented. Essential consumer goods are rationed, military discipline is idealised and the corporatist organisation of society carries the state's ideology into every workplace. Military and semi-military activities in veteran groups, reserve units and youth organisations are underpinned by strong social expectations of patriotic commitment. This is not to say that the military is not also the object of ridicule and criticism, but this does not outweigh its widespread prestige.
Overall, this produces a collectivist mind set. In some ways, the common culture is less interested in origins and more with destination. Specifically the replacement of their birthplace with a notion of a shared burden, citizenship and a closed view of the galaxy. The Exodites have cultivated the myth of themselves as intrepid pioneers who go places none of their species have ever gone to in order to build their own future, free from the shackles of throne, nobility and servitude to foreigners. Those in the Tygaran and Kaeshana loop who join them are almost like the 'elect' of certain religions, whilst the others outside that are treated warily. Some are friendly, some are hostile, but they'll never truly be them.
The guiding values of society are thrift, resilience, solidarity and duty. There is little room for idleness and laziness. Members considered un oder underemployed are liable to be conscripted into a labour corps that helps keep the nomad fleet running. Society has a duty to care for its members, especially veterans, but by the same token its members have duties to fulfil. Stories of Exodites exploring the edge of known space and encountering all manners of strange phenomena add to their mystique and continue to attract recruits. However, many elves find that life on the frontier is a lot less romantic. Those unused to harsh living struggle to fit in and rarely stay long unless they can adjust.
Their interactions with others outside of the group are guarded. The Shadows are quite willing to trade with non-elves. The nomad fleet is not self-sufficient, after all. There is some solidarity with other alien species that have been victims of persecution in a human-centric galaxy such as Wookiees, Twi'leks and Togorians. This may still be tinged with xenophobia, but they get on better with them than with humans.
One peculiar - and perhaps ethically dubious - aspect of society is the use of spirit gems to preserve citizens too valuable to lose. These tend to be soldiers and pilots, but also doctors, researchers and technicians. By having their spirit trapped inside a soul stone, they can continue to serve beyond death, pass on their skills and serve the community. Generally, only volunteers are subjected to the treatment. However, in some cases individuals with essential skills have been 'volunteered'. In a few cases, a convict will be sentenced to be put in a gem so they can repay society through service. It should be noted that spirit gems are rare, so the procedure is only carried out on a limited number of people. Unless the spirit is a criminal, they retain their citizen rights. This means they have representation in the councils.
Reputation: Distrusted by many outside of the group. A lot of Eldorai especially think of them as rebels or deserters. Reactionary royalists among the Eldorai say the Exodites always have dirt on them, smell of grease and have forgotten how to speak proper Eldarai. Those outside the Tygaran/Kaeshana bubble likely think they're an oddity. A nomad fleet of sorts. Terrible relations with Imperials.
Curios: Leaders wear a ring bearing the symbol of an eagle. One worm of identification is wearing a green ribbon. This references the ancient Green Ribbons, a radical movement during the Time of Troubles that sought to overthrow the Eldorai Matriarchy. Shadow Knights receive a dagger with the words 'the truth sets us free' engraved upon it. Over the years, tattoos have become increasingly common - at least among elves. They are often worn on the neck and arms, though also in other places. The patriotic have tattoos of the Shadow Knights' eagle symbol, but others stick with a simple celestial or space symbol.
Tattoos serve many purposes, they are part family history, part autobiography, part resume and part artistic expression. The Illyrian Harbingers helped popularise it since tats are a tradition among them. Vash and Qadiri have also introduced their cousins to intricate ways of using ink. They can also serve as a way of identification for clan, ship/station and as a memento of important events in the life of an Exodite. Moreover, it is a way of self-expression. After all, many Exodites must stick with jump suits that are designed to be cheap and durable and bunk on run-down starships.
Philosophy:
- All Asurans - Eldorai, Qadiri, Vashyada, Kar'zun and Qadiri - are one people. Thus racial discrimination is a crime against the people. Respect for Asurans on all levels.
- Do your part to support your motherland. Ask not what your motherland can do for you, but what you can do for it.
- Outsiders can be allies, but Asurans should be self-reliant and never let foreigners dominate them.
- Monarchy is antithetical to liberty and progress.
- Obedience to lawful authority.
- The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. To be a citizen, one must display a willingness to serve and defend the community. Service guarantees citizenship. Only citizens may vote or hold public office.
- Freedom of religion. An Asurans' conscience is their own, provided they do not spread discord and incite hatred against their people.
- No mercy to traitors, slavers and enemies of the Five Cousins.
The view of the galaxy is a bleak one: it is hostile and dangerous. The Asurans are outnumbered and outgunned on the galactic stage and those not willing to be pushed around by human corporatists or Imperialist slavers, or oppressed by corrupt monarchs must band together. Society must always be armed and vigilant against threats to liberty. Freedom must be paired with duty, for unrestrained freedom leads to anarchy and thus ultimately to enslavement.
Some of this is couched in religious language. Many members, especially the Tygarans, continue to believe in their native religions, worshipping deities such as Illyria, Ashira, Kashara, Gaea or the spirits of the earth, fire, sky and water. Several Qadiri, Xio and Vash members belong to fringe groups among their people, and have thus brought their own cults and mystery religions into the nomad group. Prominent religious groups include reformist Ashirans, the Followers of Arryn and the Emissaries of Illyria. But overall society is secular, striving to follow the principle that whichever Gods an individual worships wants them to uphold society. Militarism extends to virtually all spheres of society. This is reflected in language, with even civilian endeavours such as industrial expansion and education being referred to and treated as military campaigns. Life in an Exodite Asuran settlement tends to resemble that of a garrison town.
Outward Views: Outsiders are treated with suspicion and caution. Bad experiences combined with the dangers of the outside galaxy combine to make them pretty xenophobic. Outsiders who are not vetted or well known are kept under surveillance even when they are allowed to land. This enhances the 'us vs them' mentality...but comes at a cost of a dangerous lack of progress. While their culture empathises self-sufficiency, autarky is unrealistic and so trade is an important part of their culture since there are limits to what the nomad fleet and scattered colonies can make for themselves.
As mentioned, certain alien species that have suffered under the human-centric galactic system are treated with more tolerance. Examples would be Togorians. Contact with a group of Togorian exiles who fled their homeworld after a brutal genocide at the hands of the Sith has fostered sympathy for this species. But there is a lot of suspicion towards humans. In terms of Force beliefs, Jedi and Sith teachings are regarded as bizarre at best and actively harmful at worst. Sith and Ren wil be treated with hostility and the general policy is to shoot on sight. Jedi will only be let aboard the nomad fleet in select cases, carefully monitored and granted no jurisdiction or legal authority. They will absolutely not be allowed to proselytise or recruit children.
The Arts:
The Exodite Asurans are probably the best synthesis of all the Eldaran cultures. They have borrowed bits from each of them. The poetry and prose of the Eldorai, the verse retellings of the Qadiri, the theatrical performances of the Xio and the musical fiction of the Vash. Add in that the visual arts of the Kar'zun and it is a very potent mix. 'Rise Against Tyranny' is a popular song and has been adopted as an unofficial anthem. Overall, theatrical and musical performances as well as tiled mosaics are quite popular. Murals are a common sight on the main worldship. Performances focus on epic tales of loss, struggle and love, retelling grand events in history. However, there is also an audience for comedies and low-brow, ribald themes.
Exodite Asurans have become fond of plays that parody the 'human saviour' trope. One particularly popular play features a human 'officer and gentleman' called 'Lorcan of Amikaron' who shows up to help the 'primitive' Qadiri in their battle against slavers, but he is a total bumbling fool and they succeed without him. There is some subconscious sexism at work, since the male human is shown to be aggressive, lustful and simple-minded, while the female Qadiri are thoughtful, cunning and quick witted. Siobhan Kerrigan is portrayed as a narcissistic, hedonistic tyrant. Scarcity of resources imposes some limitations on how far creative expression can go, such as when it comes to artwork. But they excel at improvisation and it makes their ships feel more like home. Some Asurans have designed mosaics made up of recycled plastics on the floors of their living spaces. There are also larger painted tapestries. For example, one group of Kar'zun designed a large one to show the history of their people.
Artistic expression also manifests in wiring and repairs. And, of course, there is political propaganda. If one were to step upon say the Defiance, one would come across Solidarist-Realist images of say Xioquo and Kar'zun engineers salvaging or repairing starships, with slogans such as 'Labour is Strength. Honour the Worker' or other images such as the grand show of an idealised commoner smashing a palace with a giant fist while decadent aristos with elaborate, impractical hairstyles and lavish dresses bedecked with gems run away screaming in terror: 'Smash Reaction - Stand With The People!'
Another poster might show an Imperial soldier who looks like a thuggish, giant man-ape grabbing an Eldorai maiden, with the words 'Destroy this Mad Brute! Enlist!' written upon it. Another popular image is of an Eldorai soldier shaking hands with a Qadiri soldier, declaring: 'OUR NATIONS AS ONE RESIST SLAVERY AND REACTION', or an image of Asuran children from various races studying in a class room. 'An educated society is a free society. Support FREE ASURAN EDUCATION.'
Architecture: Very simple, austere and often using salvaged materials. It is also very well constructed - building something simply in design does not mean it should be shoddy. Indeed, shoddy design is counter productive and leads to further issues down the road. They don't have much in the way of traditional buildings but their world ships, colonies and spacecraft are designed along these points. They make use of stone or permacrete structures even where wood is available. They gravitate to solid, blocky structures built to resist the elements. Heavy use is made of utilitarian pre-fabs in colonies. The Exodite Asurans use communal space in structures. Rather than allocating each residence a backyard or balcony in a colony there is a communal area.
Habits: They have plenty of communal games, and exercises for people. This serves the dual purpose of keeping citizens fit and building solidarity between different groups. This is quite important since many of the races that constitute this culture have a history of rivalry and bloodletting. The culture actively promotes physical fitness and exercise. Athletic competitions are also quite common. Qadiri have popularised wrestling, while Eldorai and Xio like fencing.
Religion is still an active part of daily life and so Asurans do still go to their temples and shrines to participate in communal rituals or pray and meditate. However, many now also meet to discuss politics in public forums. Beneath the framework of an oligarchic republic, there are a myriad of competing political groups that are granted a high degree of autonomy as long as they accept the system and do not spread discord. In school pupils stand up when the teacher enters the classroom. Technology and especially entertainment habits are less developed than the rest of the galaxy. Mostly due to lack of investment but also because they prefer that in-person discussion.
Lifestyle: As above they are strangely communal because one needs to be on a ship. Everyone is in this together. It also means there is community pressure to show an austere lifestyle where (theoretically) everyone looks much the same. This has led to a form of tall poppy syndrome, as those who dress lavishly and extravagantly are looked upon poorly due to it being reminiscient of the way the royalist nobles live. One thing that will be particularly striking for outsiders is that political representatives, such as members of the Citizens' Council, often wear a military uniform or a simple suit with a badge of the unit they served in on their lapel. Overall, members of the Exodites Asurans are most at home having communal meals among their groups and cliques, then going to drill or exercise practice.
Veterans' organisations have a strong voice in public life, organising charity drives for bereaved family members of veterans, welfare provisions for their members. Officially, those associations are not very political but rather meeting places for former soldiers of a specific social background to relive and commemorate their front experiences. At the same time, veteran organisations that represent the interests of particular groups of war-injured sometimes compete with each other for access to scarce financial resources. The federal association of the veterans and reservists associations is an influential pressure group. Veterans' association are also active in organising festivals, and other forms of socialisation that empathise the importance of readiness and a martial mind set. They also engage in mutual help among members, organise charity drives for bereaved family members or injured veterans, support remembrance ceremonies for the fallen and disseminate military values by organising training camps for young recruits.
Former slaves have their own association, as do Eldorai and Kar'zun who were trapped on Kaeshana during the First Order occupation and ended up in the Netherworld when the planet was dragged through the Nether. Together with the veterans, these two groups might be the most important. Groups like this are mutual aid networks, lobby lawmakers and form an important part of daily life and remembrance culture. Due to the corporatist organisation of society, virtually every adult Exodite who is employed in some form is a member of one of the Courts of the Shadow, which are essentially a cross between guild, employers' and employees' association and government department. There is also a high degree of enrollment in social clubs, cultural associations and the like. Even 'companions' have their own union to promote their interests and protect their members.
In line with typical Eldorai or Tygaran beliefs on the matter, courtesans, 'companions' etc. are not stigmatised. Their religions lack a concept of original sin or a fixation with virginity. However, this is balanced by the belief that such practices must be regulated by the state in order to prevent abuse or the spread of diseases. This means guilds, screening mechanisms, and mandatory health checks. The Kar'zun, being a silicon-based life form, find the mammals' fixation with intercourse baffling.
Laws: Lots of laws, mainly to drive home the importance of the community. The Exodites were started by Eldorai, who are incredibly legalistic. Overall, it is a rather collectivist society. There are strict laws against hoarding and black marketeering. In order to survive, the community needs to observe rationing and pool all vital resources - fuel, food, repair parts, ships - to ensure an equitable distribution. Selfishness and greed are worse crimes by far to them than the rest of the galaxy. Punishment by exile is considered almost as bad as death, and seen as a mark of shame for an exile's family. The punishments for betrayal, murder or participation in slave trading are draconian.
The nomad fleet has only limited space, and so fines, penal labour and exile are preferred to long-term incarceration. Major crimes such as murder, treason or slave trading are punished with death. Someone found guilty of say vandalism, drug trafficking, smuggling, tax evasion, petty theft, vagrancy or a so-called victimless crime considered harmful to society, such as public drunkenness, possession of contraband or illegal drug use, might end up conscripted into a labour corps and put to work until they've paid off their debt to society.
Broadly speaking, the justice system operates on a three strikes model. Caning is a mandatory punishment for all felons. As mentioned above, citizenship is obtained through military service of some form. Convicted felons lose their citizenship and thus cannot vote or run for office. They regain it, but it takes time and is not automatic. Serving in a labour or penal unit is a way to speed up the process. While the Shadow Knights have developed an intricate bureaucracy, alongside representative bodies and watchdog committees, the institutions the average Exodite will deal with on a regular basis are their captain and the local councils.
Customs & Traditions: The biggest change compare to mainstream Eldorai culture is how gender has evolved. It is a change from matriarchal to a more unified society. Everyone has to do their part after all. However, while men now possess rights equal to women, most of the top jobs are still commandeered by the latter.
Another thing to discuss here are names. As cross-pollination happens between species (except Kar'zun naturally), a new naming style has come into being. Broadly speaking, it is typical to keep the mother's family name with the given name they choose. This can lead to some interesting variations like a Qadiri/Xio child being named Ziva Anhala for instance.
It is custom to commemorate a number of anniversaries: the devastation of Kaeshana by a huge asteroid, the formation of the Shadows and the signing of a treaty between them and certain Kar'zun clans, the exodus of the Shadows following the Battle of Kaeshana and the day the first Tygarans joined the nomad fleet. Inevitably, the commemoration focuses a lot on sisterhood and overcoming adversity through unity and common struggle. Individual groups also have their own remembrance ceremonies. For example, slaves might commemorate the day of their liberation and religious believers have festivals of importance to their faith. The typical funeral tradition is incineration in a furnace. They don't have room for memorials or inhumation. The dead receive a single brass plaque regardless of rank in the memorial walls.
Fashion has become utilitarian, tighter fitting clothes replacing robes or loose clothes which can get stuck in things. Children have a generalised education and growth path. The Exodite Asurans try to integrate classes where possible but ultimately have to have separate creches for most of the cultures because some of the 'cousins' age and develop at a different pace. There is a tradition of a ceremony for returning travellers, which happens when a ship returns to its parent craft. Like all traditions it might eventually deviate and become odd over the years.
Education & Training: Communal training and learning are very big. They have an education system big on hammering home the communal togetherness and their specialness in resisting the galaxy's evils. Lots of 'massaging' history into neat boxes. This is particularly apparent in the retelling of the history of the Eldorai and Kar'zun. The party line is that 'bad things were done by both sides' etc. This annoys the Kar'zun since they consider Ariane the Great to be a genocidal butcher. Moreover, as it represents a melding of different elf cultures, becoming proficient or fluent in the main languages of the 'cousins' is encouraged. Eldarai is still the lingua franca, but the main languages of the others are taught, too, and it has become common to also publish official proclamations in them.
Great emphasis is placed on military training. The same applies to a basic education about piloting, starship repair and so on, since their society is centred on a nomad fleet. Each community must maintain a militia and Exodites must participate in musters and drills to remain sharp. Reserve and militia members are supposed to be citizens doing their civic duty. It is the law that all Force Users must receive training to control their abilities. Those who display martial aptitude are inducted into the military.
Diet: Meat and other fresh food is quite rare except to the rich and on special occasions. Rations seasoned with spices and especially stews and soups would be most common. When rationing is tight, members must make do with nutrient paste and nutrimax dispenser. It's nourishing and cheap, which also means synthetic and bland. Kar'zun have it easier since they eat rocks and ores, though not any kind. This has led to the habit of employing Kar'zun to guard the food storages of everyone else. Bread is provided in sliced loaves which are then frozen and defrosted for maximum longevity. They are rather resistant to outside cuisine and instead favour variations on traditional dishes. It is not uncommon for groups to have 'cultural days' where the cousine of a specific race inside the group is served.
Language: Spoken and written language. Most the Exodite Asurans and especially the Shadow Knight leadership are Eldorai, so they use a modified version of Eldarai. It's still intelligible to royalists and exiles not affiliated with the group but there are many loan words and expressions borrowed from all the cultures. Basic technological terms, roughly 'Eldorised', Xio curses, Qadiri nautical terms on board the ships, Vash natural phrases and Kar'zun technical terms are in the process of creating a new lingua franca. Even Huttese and Twi'leki loan words have found their way here, much to the annoyance of traditionalists who equate this with the downfall of civilisation. Given time - perhaps fifty years or so - it will probably be nigh-unintelligible to 'high Eldorai' speakers. Members of the group who have regular dealings with outsiders are likely to speak Basic or Huttese to some degree. But most members of the nomad fleet don't.
Strengths:
- Emphasis on service provides them with unified cohesion and unity of purpose. High degree of military readiness, especially considering its size.
- Resilient society skilled at improvisation, scavenging and survivalism, and experienced in traversing remote areas of space.
- Deep suspicion of outsiders makes cooperation difficult and has produced an inward-looking, isolationist society that is essentially a garrison state on the move. Activities such as raiding, strip-mining and smuggling make for awkward diplomacy.
- Militarism has benefits for unity and military preparadness, but has also created an oligarchic, top-heavy society dominated by officers, marginalising or excluding alternate views. Combined with the focus on self-reliance, it also hampers economic growth.
- Many of their ships are fairly old and larger ones must often be acquired through salvage operations or theft, since their ability to build their own is limited.
Exodite Asuran culture is inexorably bound to events such as the Eldorai exodus from Kaeshana, the planet's occupation and its calamitous devastation, the discovery of Tygara and the ascent of its natives to the stars. It is also a product of the Scattering of the Eldorai. Officially, all good Eldorai are united. They all believe in the Great Goddess Ashira - and in the other Eldorai deities, though they're less important. They all believe that the Star Queen is the Goddess' viceroy and that her decrees reflect divine will. owever, the Eldorai are far less united than they would like. Indeed, their race has a history of divisions and strife. In many ways, they have often been their own worst enemy throughout their blood-soaked history. As the Rogue Knight Ylaea Althena is fond of saying, three Eldorai are a church, four a schism and five a civil war.
All those Eldorai considered renegades are labelled as Dashdae Eldorai. This is commonly translated as Dark Eldorai, though it is a bit of a misnomer since it has nothing to do with the Light or Dark Side of the Force. They want to overthrow the Matriarchy and implement a 'pure' government and defy the Goddess. At least that's one way of looking at it. Of course, it is more complex than that, and the Dark Eldorai include a myriad of different and competing groups under a broad general banner. Some want a mageocracy, some a military dictatorship, some want equal male rights, others a Republic (though generally one with a limited franchise). Some seek accommodation with outsiders and believe the Eldorai can learn from them, others think all non-Eldorai are foreign devils and that only fervent belief in the Goddess Ashira can lead the Eldorai to salvation. Others again worship Illyria, considered an evil goddess in Eldorai orthodoxy for rebelling against Ashira. In the eyes of these rebels, she's the patron deity of the downtrodden.
Yet they are all lumped together as Dark Eldorai, a name which automatically prejudices opinion. The catalyst for the Shadow Knights and thus the Exodite Asurans was the Exodus from Kaeshana. Even before this cataclysmic event, Eldorai society had been plagued by divisions. The liberal reforms of Queen Tirathana VII had caused controversy. For the reactionaries, they went too far, compromising old Eldorai values. They also opposed the Queen's alliances with foreigners, especially Firemane Industries. For the radicals, Tirathana did not go far enough, for enlightened despotism is still...despotism. Both reactionary Ashiran and revolutionary insurrectionists remained a perennial thorn in the government's side.
But it was the Exodus that caused a deep fracture in Eldorai society. Only a limited number of people could be evacuated before an asteroid devastated Kaeshana. Who could be saved, who had to be left behind? There was no easy answer to this question. Furthermore, the exodus fleet needed to be funded somehow. To build a new civilisation on their new homeworld, the Eldorai needed people with the right skills and know-how. Some Eldorai disagreed with the idea that the 'best and brightest' needed to be prioritised. Some considered it immoral that aristocrats who'd never contributed to society got to buy a guarateed ticket. Of course, in doing so they helped fund the fleet. And some Eldorai were renegades and malcontents who knew they'd definitely not get evacuated. Chaos broke out during the Exodus as a mass panic descended upon the people of Kaeshana. As a consequence, violence ensued. Religious fanatics claimed that the cataclysm was Ashira's punishment.
The Shadow Knights came into being as a group of radicals, Dashdae Eldorai militants and deserted soldiers who disagreed with the government's policy to prioritise the best and brightest. As Kaeshana descended into chaos, they tried to help Eldorai escape outside of official channels and set up shelters for those who could not. In the aftermath of the cataclysm, the Knights maintained a presence on the planet. Due to the efforts of Firemane Industries, the asteroid had been significantly reduced in size by the time it impacted. Thus not all life was wiped out. But many still perished. For the remaining Eldorai, it was a daily struggle for survival.
Exodite Asuran art and literature romanticises this era a bit as a time when the downtrodden came together to protect themselves against warlords and slavers. In truth, it was a lot less romantic. The Eldorai feuded with each other over scarce resources. Many succumbed to famine. And the Shadow Knights' methods were brutal - forced requisitions, piracy, conscription into labour battalions organised along military lines, capital punishment for hoarding. But they ensured survival. Necessity created unorthodox alliances, and so the Shadow Knights incorporate disparate Dark Eldorai groups. Some joined through negotiation, others were forcibly incorporated. Not all of these alliances survived the Long Night. The bad blood between many rebel groups made cooperation difficult. They even allied with some Kar'zun groups that had survived the cataclysm and returned to their old homelands. Another important change was in the field of male rights. Though this had more to do with practicality than epiphany, most positions were opened up to males. The apocalypse demanded all hands on deck. Everyone had to be able to work and fight.
Then Firemane, the Galactic Alliance and the Tygaran Eldorai launched a humanitarian mission to help the Eldorai who'd been left behind. There was a great deal of suspicion and bitterness. Reluctantly, many of the Forsaken, as the Kaeshana-based Eldorai had come to call themselves, agreed to accept their aid. However, the First Order had also taken an interest in Kaeshana. The result was war. Taking up arms alongside their estranged brethren, the Knights fought as well. However, the Allliance was defeated. Nonetheless, many Eldorai refugees could be evacuated during the withdrawal. With the fall of Kaeshana, the Knights were at a crossroads. Their ranks had been thinned by the fighting over the last few years. However, there was little desire to submit to the Monarchy. The Shadow Knights voted to build a future for those Eldorai unbound by the old order. Henceforth, the Shadow Knights' efforts would be centred on a rag-tag flotilla.
In short, it would be a nomadic life, enabling them to stay mobile, while leaving open the possibility of finding a new home. In time their ranks were supplemented by Tygaran elves - Vash eager to explore the stars, Qadiri renegades who had backed the losing side, Xio disenchanted with being ruled by a vassal queen of the humans. These migrants faced xenophobia from bigoted Eldorai, but more than proved their courage and skill. The Xio had their skill with machines and inherent aptitude for underground and nighttime operations; the Vash were talented scouts, healers and good at making plants and the like grow; the Qadiri were tough fighters and had inherent navigational talent that transferred well to piloting in space. And the Kar'zun were both talented engineers and incredibly tenacious fighters.
Their voice could not be ignored when they demanded political representation. And the new arrivals caused a cultural flowering. They brought with them new ideas, customs and traditions. This is how Exodite Asuran culture started to take shape. Their community was forged in blood and fire, battling Imperials, pirates and the machine cult Archangel. Tygaran Exodites ended up becoming an increasingly prominent voice in associations of former slaves and veterans. Some of these groups were political, running candidates in elections or offering their support to political parties in return for aid for their members.
When the Shadow Knights left Kaeshana, they had intended to one day return and overthrow its occupiers. This was obviously a long-term goal rather than something that could be realistically accomplished in the short-term. Little did they know that the planet would be hit by another calamity, for Kaeshana was pulled into the Nether and dragged to the other side of the Galaxy. When the Exodites learned that the planet had moved, they suspected some kind of trick, but sent an expedition to confirm. They soon realised that the planet was no longer occupied by the First Order. However, the Netherworld's horrifying shockwaves had turned it into an inhospitable, haunted tomb world. The sight was horrible enough to force disparate rebels to agree to a truce and evacuate the last few survivors. Then they left Kaeshana. It forced them to acknowledge that if they wanted a home, they would have to build it, for the old was lost forever.
This is probably what allowed the idea of Exodite Asurans to take off instead of leaving the Shadows as an Eldorai insurgency with some non-Eldorai members. The ties to the old, dead homeworld were cut. What was left was the memory. It forged a culture less concerned with origins, and more with destination. This formed the basis of their foundational myth. Uncomfortable revelations about the true past of the Eldorai and Kar'zun caused unrest and turmoil, but also provided incentive to move ahead into the future. Their home was the fleet, their sisters and brothers were those who shared their struggles and burdens and had abandoned the ossified tripartite structure of throne, altar and nobility.
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