Nothing's Like Before
The Onca
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create Jaguarfolk for Baralou, inspired by the Tabaxi of DND and folklore of Mesoamerican cultures.
- Image Credit: Midjourney | Photoshop edits by me.
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links: Tabaxi
- Name: Onca, also called Jaguarfolk or Jaguarkin.
- Designation: Sentient
- Origins: Baralou
- Average Lifespan: 80–100 standard years, with some individuals reaching up to 120 years in ideal conditions. The Onca’s strong communal bonds and connection to Baralou's environment contribute to their longevity.
- Estimated Population: Planetary
- Description: The Onca, or Jaguarfolk, are a proud and enigmatic species native to the storm-laden world of Baralou. Their striking fur patterns—ranging from golden-yellow adorned with black rosettes to deep melanistic hues—reflect the dense jungles, rugged mountains, and shadowy caves they call home. Standing tall and imposing, the Onca are both graceful and powerful, with lean, muscular builds designed for agility and stealth. Retractable claws, sharp reflexes, and heightened senses make them natural hunters and warriors, while their strong swimming ability allows them to navigate Baralou’s treacherous coasts and waterways with ease.
More than their physical prowess, the Onca are a deeply spiritual people, guided by a reverence for the natural world and their ancestral philosophy, Ka’til’al, the “Cycle of Strength.” They are artisans and storytellers, weaving vibrant tales through their bardic traditions and preserving their history in intricate carvings, music, and ceremonial combat. Despite their formidable presence, the Onca are inherently communal, valuing harmony, loyalty, and balance in all aspects of life. Whether scaling the towering trees of the jungle or moving silently through the night, the Onca are a testament to resilience and the enduring power of cultural identity.
- Breathes: Type I atmosphere, similar to most humanoid species in the galaxy. They are adapted to Baralou’s oxygen-rich and humid climate, which sustains their jungle and mountainous habitats.
- Average Height of Adults: 2.0 to 2.5 meters, standing upright on their hind legs, with slight height variations between regional groups and genders.
- Average Length of Adults: N/A
- Skin color: Though rarely visible beneath their fur, their skin tones range from dark gray to black, providing natural protection and camouflage in their native environments.
- Hair color: Fur colors range from golden yellow with black rosettes (typical of jaguars) to dark, melanistic black for those in caves and lowlands. Variations exist between tribes and regions, with occasional reddish or tawny hues in individuals from certain areas.
- Distinctions: The Onca are characterized by their sleek, spotted fur patterns and lean, muscular builds. Their heightened senses, retractable claws, and powerful limbs make them exceptional hunters and climbers, as well as adept swimmers in Baralou’s stormy and waterlogged environments.
- General Traits
- Senses: Heightened vision, particularly in low light, acute hearing, and an exceptional sense of smell.
- Physicality: Lean, muscular builds with strong, retractable claws and powerful legs for climbing and sprinting. Their tails aid in balance and agility.
- Swimming: Natural swimmers, with excellent lung capacity and streamlined movements for navigating Baralou’s stormy waters.
- Aging: As Onca age, their fur loses some vibrancy and may develop a silvery sheen. This is seen as a mark of wisdom and experience within their tribes.
- Male and Female Differences: Males tend to be slightly larger and bulkier, while females are more slender and agile, though both exhibit comparable strength and stealth.
- Regional Variations:
- Cave-Dwelling Onca
- Fur: Often melanistic (dark or black coats) to blend with the shadows of Baralou’s cave systems.
- Build: Slightly bulkier than other Onca, with enhanced low-light vision and stronger claws adapted for rocky terrains.
- Traits: Nocturnal hunters with a natural resilience to the cold, damp conditions of caves. Known for their quiet and calculated movements.
- Coastal Onca
- Fur: Patterns may include tawny or reddish hues to match the mangroves and coastal vegetation. Their fur is more water-resistant.
- Build: Slightly leaner and more streamlined, optimized for swimming and traversing unstable ground.
- Traits: Skilled navigators of Baralou’s stormy coasts and treacherous waters. Often adept at building homes in elevated tree systems to avoid flooding.
- Forest Onca
- Fur: Golden-yellow with black rosettes, the most iconic pattern among the Onca.
- Build: Highly agile and slightly smaller than their cave-dwelling counterparts, with strong limbs for climbing and leaping between trees.
- Traits: Masters of tree-dwelling and stealth, their homes and tools are intricately crafted from the jungle’s resources. Known for their exceptional coordination and precision in hunting.
- Nomadic Onca
- Fur: A mix of lighter and darker tones, often blending traits from multiple regions to adapt to varied terrains.
- Build: Versatile and resilient, with a balanced physique that allows them to thrive in diverse environments.
- Traits: Skilled at adapting to changing landscapes, they are resourceful hunters and gatherers. Nomadic Onca are known for their deep oral traditions, music, and storytelling, which preserve the histories and lore of their people as they move between regions.
- Cave-Dwelling Onca
- Races:
- Cave-Dwelling Onca
- Found in the shadowy depths of Baralou’s caves and rocky lowlands, these Onca often exhibit melanistic fur (dark or black coats) to blend seamlessly with their surroundings.
- They are slightly bulkier to endure the rugged cave systems and have heightened low-light vision, making them formidable nocturnal hunters.
- Coastal Onca
- These Onca live near Baralou’s storm-laden coasts, often within or near dense mangroves or elevated tree systems.
- Their fur tends to be more water-resistant, with patterns that may include reddish or tawny hues to mimic the coastal vegetation. They are excellent swimmers and are skilled at navigating the treacherous waters of Baralou.
- Forest Onca
- Inhabiting the heart of Baralou’s jungles, these Onca are the most archetypal, with golden-yellow coats adorned with black rosettes.
- They are highly agile and spend much of their time in the trees, crafting intricate homes and tools from their environment.
- Nomadic Onca
- Found traversing Baralou’s various regions, these Onca are a mix of lighter and darker tones.
- Resourceful, their builds are versatile and resilient; they're known for their great music and storytelling.
- Cave-Dwelling Onca
- Force Sensitivity: Standard: Some Onca are Force-sensitive, though it is neither common nor rare within their population. Force sensitivity among the Onca is often tied to their spiritual beliefs, particularly their reverence for the forces of nature, strength, and the mysteries of the night. Force-sensitive Onca are often viewed as shamans or spiritual leaders within their tribes, interpreting their connection to the Force as a bond with Baralou’s natural rhythms and cycles. While formal Jedi or Sith training is exceedingly rare, their abilities manifest as heightened perception, reflexes, and an intuitive sense of harmony with their surroundings.
- Exceptional Agility and Stealth: The Onca are naturally agile and stealthy, capable of navigating Baralou's challenging terrains, from dense jungles to treacherous coastal regions. Their physical prowess makes them highly effective hunters, scouts, and warriors.
- Cultural Resilience and Adaptability: The Onca's deep connection to their traditions, such as Ton’shiri and J’anak-tal, has fostered a strong sense of identity and unity. This cultural resilience allows them to adapt to external challenges while preserving their heritage.
- Environmental Dependency: The Onca’s way of life is heavily tied to Baralou’s natural environment. Significant ecological disruptions, such as those caused by the First Order or Ssi-Ruuk invasions, can severely impact their society and survival.
- Limited Technological Advancement: While they have adapted some external technologies, the Onca's reliance on traditional methods and their isolationist tendencies leave them at a disadvantage when facing technologically advanced adversaries or galactic-scale challenges.
- Diet: Omnivore: The Onca have a preference for meat but will also consume other food sources depending on availability. Their primary diet consists of game, seafood, and foraged items such as fruits, nuts, and roots. Some tribes farm crops like corn, squash, and beans and raise turkeys for consumption. Poisonous foods include certain alien plants introduced to Baralou, which the Onca avoid due to their potent toxins.
- Communication: The Onca communicate through a spoken language known as On’kaan, which combines melodic tones and guttural sounds to convey meaning. They also use body language, such as tail movements, ear positioning, and facial expressions, to express emotions or subtle intent. In times of urgency, sharp growls, yowls, or chirps may be used as alerts. Among themselves, communication is often rich and layered, blending verbal and nonverbal cues seamlessly.
- Technology level: The Onca’s technology level emphasizes intricate craftsmanship in tools, weapons, and structures. They create advanced carvings, silverwork, and jade artifacts, often incorporating symbolic meanings into their designs. After the arrival of the First Order, limited modern technology was introduced, and the Onca adapted select innovations to enhance their lives while maintaining their cultural identity. Under the Commonwealth, they have continued this careful integration, prioritizing sustainability.
- Religion/Beliefs: The Onca’s beliefs center around the concept of Ka’til’al, the "Cycle of Strength," a spiritual philosophy emphasizing balance, endurance, and the connection between life and the underworld. They revere Baralou’s natural elements—the storm, the jungle, and the night—as manifestations of greater forces. Rituals often involve storytelling, music, and ceremonial combat, reflecting their respect for strength and the unseen connections between all living things.
Force-sensitive Onca often interpret their connection to the Force as a deeper understanding of Ka’til’al, serving as shamans or spiritual leaders within their communities. - General behavior: The Onca are highly communal and value family, tribe, and tradition. Young are raised collectively, with an emphasis on learning their cultural history, survival skills, and the arts. Courtship involves displays of strength, agility, and creative expression, often culminating in lifelong partnerships.
They are skilled builders and hunters, creating homes and structures that blend seamlessly with their environment. While primarily diurnal, some tribes or individuals adopt nocturnal habits based on their surroundings. They seldom interact with humans or near-humans on Baralou but will do so when necessary for trade or mutual survival.
The Onca emphasize storytelling and oral traditions to preserve their history and values, often gathering around communal fires to share tales of their ancestors and the forces that shaped Baralou. This cultural practice fosters unity and ensures their way of life endures despite external influences. - Traditions: The Onca have a rich musical heritage tied deeply to their oral storytelling traditions. Known as Ton’shiri ("Rhythms of the Ancestors"), these bardic practices involve instruments crafted from natural materials such as hollowed wood, shells, and fibers. Their music often blends vibrant rhythms and harmonic chants, reflecting the cyclical patterns of nature.
- Different styles have emerged across Onca communities:
- Kin’sho: A celebratory style marked by intricate melodies and dynamic percussion, performed during festivals and communal gatherings.
- Lor’ashka: A reflective, slower rhythm used for storytelling and ceremonial events.
- Tha’marin: A passionate and energetic form, often accompanying dance and mock combat, symbolizing strength and resilience.
- Ton’shiri reinforces the communal identity of the Onca, serving as a medium to pass down history and legends while uniting tribes through shared traditions.
- Different styles have emerged across Onca communities:
- Traditions: The Onca’s martial arts, known collectively as J’anak-tal ("Dance of Claws"), are an intricate combination of agility, strength, and precision. These techniques emphasize the natural abilities of the Onca—stealth, rapid movement, and powerful strikes.
- Ar’kesh’tal: A grounded style focusing on balance and grappling, inspired by the stability of Baralou’s rocky landscapes.
- Sha’voran: A fluid, aerial combat style utilizing leaps, spins, and tree-to-tree movements, mirroring the agility of the forest Onca.
- Tor’lasha’kai: A defensive technique focused on parrying and evasion, often practiced by coastal Onca who face unpredictable tides and shifting terrain.
- J’anak-tal is both a practical skill and a spiritual practice, often performed as part of ceremonial dances or combat demonstrations. It reflects the Onca’s respect for balance and their belief in strength as a unifying force between body, mind, and spirit.
Early History
The Onca have inhabited Baralou for millennia, developing a society deeply connected to the planet's diverse ecosystems. Their culture emphasized harmony with nature, leading to the establishment of settlements in jungles, mountains, and coastal regions. They developed unique traditions, including the bardic Ton’shiri and martial J’anak-tal, reflecting their adaptability and resilience.
Interaction with Emerging Human Settlements
In 847 ABY, human settlers founded Nahutal within a volcanic crater lake in Baralou's northern highlands. The Onca, particularly the Nomadic groups, engaged in cautious interactions with these settlers, leading to a mutual exchange of knowledge. The Onca shared their understanding of the land, while humans introduced new technologies and trade practices.
Thybzaca, located in the southern hemisphere, became a significant urban center. The Onca maintained a respectful distance, observing the city's growth and adapting to the changing dynamics of the planet. Some Onca integrated into these urban environments, contributing to the cultural mosaic of Baralou.
Colonial Era and the First Order
The arrival of the First Order brought significant challenges. Their exploitation of Baralou's resources led to environmental degradation, threatening the Onca's way of life. Despite initial tensions, the Onca and human populations found common ground, particularly during the Ssi-Ruuk invasions of the 860s. United by a shared desire to protect their homeland, they collaborated in defense efforts, culminating in the Oncan Accord, which established policies to preserve Baralou's environment and cultural heritage.
Integration into the Commonwealth
In the 880s, the Commonwealth's arrival marked a new chapter. Recognizing the Onca's cultural significance, the Commonwealth implemented measures to protect their traditions and the environment. The Onca played a vital role in restoration projects, utilizing their ancestral knowledge to aid in the planet's recovery. Their traditions, such as Ton’shiri and J’anak-tal, gained recognition, influencing Baralou's cultural renaissance.
Contemporary Era
Today, the Onca are integral to Baralou's identity. Their history is celebrated in festivals, and their contributions are acknowledged in the planet's governance. The co-capitals, Thybzaca and Nahutal, stand as symbols of the harmonious coexistence between the Onca and other inhabitants, reflecting a shared commitment to preserving Baralou's rich heritage for future generations.
