Marrokin Culture and Society

The Marrokin are a particular diverse race that requires a bit more explanation than could be put into their race information. They have their own culture, and like Humans, their own ethnicities though not nearly as broad and varied. The point of this information is to give Marrokin players a better understand of the world, as seen through this unique subrace of humanity’s point of view.

Culture
The Marrokin have a very old culture, dating back to before the Separation. While as a race they are very tribal and nomadic, their culture is fairly deep routed in the natural world, resembling the habits and structure of animals in a way.

It is not known exactly how the Marrokin came into being, whether they were a strange experiment of the Kavir or perhaps something else. One speculation is that the Marrokin are a race of Humans who were bred with the Entities they call the Loa, dark spirits that lurk in the Wake. Many believe that this is why the Marrokin are so strongly tied to these ancient primordial entities and why they make perfect hosts for them upon death. Regardless of whether or not this is true however, the culture and history of the Marrokin around Gaia is strongly tied to the Loa, as they appear almost from the beginning of the Marrokin’s history.

The society of the Marrokin is rather simplistic in nature, typically when a powerful Marrokin Male is born he will leave his current home and seek out his own territory, claiming an area in his homeland as his own. As the Alpha of his new territory, the Marrokin will seek out a female to make his mate and the new Beta of his territory. Once the union is complete a new Clan is formed, and the Marrokin either grows his Clan through breeding or taking on those who have no Clan.

Tribes
Marrokin society boils down into two categories. Tribe and Clan. To begin with there are five distinct Tribes of Marrokin in Shafador, and another two in Kharis and Lunaris. Of the five Tribes only four of them are widely seen throughout Shafador, the fifth is only found in one isolated part of the world.

The Panther Tribe
The Panther Tribe is perhaps the most numerous tribes throughout Shafador as they can be found in any forest or temperate grassland in either the Old or New Continent. Unlike many of the Marrokin Tribes, the Panthers are a Matriarchal society where the woman is the Alpha and the man is the Beta. They tend to fit the typical norm of women standing taller and more muscular than men and have dark tan or black skin with black or deep brown hair. Like all Marrokin, they have cunning bestial features, such as pointed ears, claws, and animal-like eyes. The Panther Tribe is well known for being skirmishers, preferring to use their innate predatory traits to help them stalk and prowl the forests and jungles they make their homes like the big cat they are named after. Rather than face an opponent head on, they are much more likely to attack it from the shadows, or leap out and attack before quickly rushing off back into hiding again.

The Wolf Tribe
The second largest Tribe in the world, the Wolf Tribe makes their homes in the colder parts of the world. Preferring to claim the tundra and fjords as their homes they stalk the icy plains of places like Hendell or Goldar. This Tribe tends to be slightly larger than most other Marrokin, only the Bear Tribe standing taller than them and they are built for combat. Their appearances are rough and fierce, wearing battle scars as badges of honor and adorning themselves in ritualistic tattoos, the Wolf Tribe are like Vikings in both appearance and demeanor, though they do not typically resemble the Nornes. Instead, Wolves tend to have remarkably pale white skin with either black or pure white hair.

They believe in the strong ruling over the weak, and as such they take from those who cannot keep what they own. Known for pillaging, raping, and murdering entire villages, most Wolves are equal on the field of combat when it comes to gender. Wolves will rarely ever back down from a fight, enjoying the thrill of combat and the lust for blood and battle. They prefer fights that pit them against their foes face to face, and are always seeking a challenge. A Wolf would much rather face one worthy opponent than a hundred weaklings, and so they are more about quality over quantity.

The Bear Tribe
A mysterious Tribe rarely ever seen outside their territories, the Bear Tribe makes their homes in the rocky mountains and deep valleys of Shafador. Unlike the other Tribes, the Bears are much more isolated and introverted, preferring to deal only with their own kind and keeping their borders closed to outsiders, through hostility if necessary. The Bears are known for their practice of Ancestor Worship rather than the worship of the Loa. Because of this they are often viewed with suspicion and enmity by the other Tribes, and considered to be traitors of sorts. While the Bears do not necessarily shun the worship of the Loa, the believe that they can learn more from the experiences of their ancestors and so they often build shrines to those Marrokin of their Tribe who were renowned for great deeds where they can pray to them and ask for guidance.

Because of this practice, the Bears are less inclined to the darker nature of the other Marrokin, rarely ever practicing cannibalism or necromancy as they believe these acts are an affront to the ancestors. The women of the Bear Tribe typically stand around 6’7” with the men standing a few inches shorter, though both tend to have a muscular, almost stocky build making them appear even larger. Their hair and skin color are of a more earthen variety, with skin usually being a dark brown color and their hair a muddy brown or deep forest green.

The Hyena Tribe
The desert faring Tribe of Marrokin, typically only found in the southern nations such as Kushistan or Salazar. The Hyena are a deadly Tribe of rogues and scoundrels, raiding many of the caravans crossing the desert and unafraid to even attack and steal from their own. They are scavengers by their very nature, often standing a tad smaller than the typical Marrokin and have dark tan skin with natural spots along the sides of their necks, down their arms, along their sides, and down the outsides of their legs. Their hair is usually a dirty blonde or dark brown color, though sometimes it is a combination of the two, appearing in streaks of blonde and brown. The Hyenas are renowned for their battle cry, a high pitched laughing sound that resembles the sound that their namesake creates, and amongst the desert merchants and caravans this sound is rightly feared.

Similar to the Panthers, the Hyenas prefer skirmish tactics, especially given the wide open areas that they call home. They are known for setting traps for their prey and burying themselves in the same to hide, only to pop out as their unsuspecting prey walks into the middle of them and attack. The Hyena’s are much more active during the night, preferring to stay buried beneath the sand where they can keep cool during the day, using custom made tubes to breathe through (usually made from a human femur that has been hollowed out).

The Raven Tribe
Considered to be perhaps the oldest Tribe in existence, these Marrokin are thought to be the first of their kind. Only found in the lands of Moth, a nation shrouded in mystery and gloom to the far east, they are a deadly and enigmatic Tribe that keeps their borders closed to the other Tribes. They appear tall and somewhat thin, with sharp facial features and porcelain white skin. The Ravens always have black hair, which they usually wear long and adorn with the feathers of their namesake. The Ravens never leave their homeland in Moth, feeling a spiritual connection to the place that binds them there, though there have been Ravens seen on occasion outside of their territories. This is because the Ravens believe that exile is a fate worse than death, and so those who have committed atrocious crimes against their Tribe or Clan are exiled from Moth and forced to live away from their holy land. The Ravens are perhaps the most typical of the Marrokin, with the women being tall and muscular and serving as the Tribes warriors, while the men are more magically focused and often become powerful Necromancers. It is among the Ravens that one finds the most concentration of those with the Gift, which always manifests itself in the same way. A symbol on their forehead that resembles a sideway eye and eyes that are as black as night, including their sclera (white of the eye).

The Dragon Tribe
The Dragon Tribe are unique in that they are one of few Tribes that exist in Gaia that are directly tied to the supernatural. Unlike the other Tribes, the Marrokin of the Dragon Tribe lack the typical characteristics of claws, animal-like eyes, and fangs. That is to say, they still have these but in a much different way. The Dragon Tribe appear reptilian rather than some kind of large mammal predator, instead they have eyes resembling those of a lizard or snake, thicker claws that protrude from their fingertips rather than like fingernails similar to those of a reptile, and have patches of scales on numerous parts of their body, such as jawline, elbows, and back. They also have large interlocking fangs like those of a crocodile or alligator and in some cases grow outside their mouths to give them a crocodile’s smile. The men have a pronounced spinal ridge of spiked plates and both genders have a plated crest on their forehead that is usually thicker and more ornate on the males. The Dragon Tribe is only found in the lands of Lunaris and is believed to have been transformed by the influence of the Dragon Below as they lack the Loa spirits there.

The Dragon Tribe make their home in the murky swamps and marshlands of Lunaris and enjoy the long nights of the area, tending to sleep during the day. The Dragons are cunning and have quick minds, making them deadly predators and their bite is as deadly as a komodo dragon, causing a victim who has been bitten to go into shock due to the large amount of bacteria in their saliva. Little more is known about this Tribe as they exist beyond Shafador’s borders.

The Phoenix Tribe
The Phoenix Tribe are native to the floating islands of Kharis where they make their homes among the high mountain tops where they can be closest to the sun. They are characterized by the fact that they grow larges feathers from their underarms that they can use to glide or soar and strong upward currents, having slightly more avian features than the normal Marrokin and even having talon-like feet instead of claws. The Phoenix Tribe still for the most part resembles the typical Marrokin, though they usually have bright red feathery hair and thick bushy eyebrows and usually speak in a high pitched voice. While all Marrokin tend to be nomadic by nature, roaming around a large area the Phoenixes are especially so as they tend to migrate like birds, following the powerful air currents from island to island and occasionally latching onto the backs of the giant Air Whales to assist them. It is assumed that like the Dragon Tribe, these Marrokin developed with the influence of the legendary Great Beast known as the Phoenix that owns the skies of Kharis.

<p style="text-indent:.5in">A unique trait of the Phoenixes is that, unlike other Marrokin, when they are born with the Gift they gain an affinity towards Fire rather than Ruin. In addition, Marrokin of this Tribe are rumored to be reborn after death just as the Phoenix they are named after, rather than returning as Deathless.

Clans
<p style="text-indent:.5in">Like many animals form packs, the Marrokin are known to gather together into what they refer to as Clans. Typically these are first formed when an Alpha and a Beta are joined and they claim a territory, after which they seek to expand their influence by taking over weaker clans or by growing their numbers through breeding. While Marrokin mate for life, they are not typical monogamous and when the need arises to increase their numbers an Alpha will typically breed with several unmated women to do so. The rules of the Clans differ from Clan to Clan, though there is typically one rule that is always the same. Obey the will of the Alpha. In many cases the Clan hierarchy is based on glory, honor, and wisdom. Those who are strong rule over those who are weak, whether they are superior mentally or physically. Any Marrokin has the right to challenge an Alpha for his position, though losing is often a death sentence for either side. Some Marrokin choose to spare the life of the defeated and instead exile them to humiliate the fallen, this is especially bad for Alphas who are defeated as they are left clanless and humbled. This can be dangerous however as Marrokin are known for seeking vengeance and the defeated may return one day to reclaim his throne.

<p style="text-indent:.5in">Very few Clans are made up of different Tribes, as many of the Tribes do not get along together, though those that do have been the most notable and powerful Clans in history. For the most part, most Clans will only be made up of about 20-30 Marrokin at most, and depending on the location of the territory can only contain as little as 5-10.

Marrokin Lords
<p style="text-indent:.5in">While the Marrokin separate themselves into different clans, this does not mean that the Tribes are not unified. Many outsiders very the Marrokin as being too stupid or barbaric to have any form of government or unification. This simply isn’t true, as is evident in the existence of the Tribal Lords. These Marrokin are consider the most powerful of their Tribe and have the strongest connection to the Loa, and are given the honorary title of Lord, typically following the namesake of the Tribe such as Raven Lord, Panther Lord, or Wolf Lord. Only one Marrokin is ever chosen to become a Lord for each Tribe, and retains the title until death. These Marrokin do not belong to any one Clan, but instead oversee all clans in their Tribe regardless of where they are in the world, often employing spies and other agents within the Clans and territories to report to them. For the most part, the Lords are content to leave the Clans alone and let them rule themselves, though occasionally they will step forward to decree a new law amongst the tribe or to mediate matters when one or more Clans threaten the safety of the Tribe as a whole.

Slavery
<p style="text-indent:.5in">While the Marrokin frown on slavery amongst each other, they are not afforded this sense of liberty by the other races. This is somewhat a two way road however, as some Marrokin Raiders have been known to capture survivors from a town or village they pillaged and sell them to Human slavers. The most common form of slavery however amongst the Marrokin is that of the Humans capturing them. Because Marrokin are not human, and share more traits in common with animals, many Humans view them as lowly beasts with a savage mind. They are considered by some cultures to be tricksters and monsters spawned by the Devil to tempt the Faithful, true demons in human skin. Because of this low personal image Humans have for them, they are not treated in any way as citizens of any nation but instead as dangerous wildlife. Because of this there have been hunters and trappers who have been known to go after the Marrokin as if they were big game, considered to be the deadliest and most renowned game a hunter can bag, while trappers are fond of capturing them and selling them to special handlers accustomed to breaking their spirits and “domesticating” them.

<p style="text-indent:.5in">On occasion some nobles in the southern nations such as Kushistan have been known to travel with Marrokin women as courtesans, treating them as pets and forcing them to walk behind them on a collar. Not all people however view the Marrokin this way, and while very few trust the Wild People there are some who sympathize with them and see them as nothing more than another type of Human, no different than an Aion to a Zinner. Because of this, many places in the Empire frowns (though does not prohibit) on the owning of a Marrokin slave or pet and in many places there have been underground movements to liberate the Wild People, though such acts are punishable is a crime of grand theft as Marrokin are viewed as property and not truly people.

Cannibalism
Well not all Marrokin practice it, a great many do. As predatory creatures they will typically eat anything that can feed them and their Clan, and on occasion Humans have found themselves the focus of the Marrokin’s hunt. To the Marrokin, Human flesh is just another type of meat and there are some who have grown a taste for it. Only amongst the Bear Clan is it considered a taboo to consume the flesh of a sentient being, and only among the Hyena’s will they even eat each other when they grow hungry enough, cannibalism is thought to be a common part of Marrokin society and even further sets them apart from Humankind.