New Ossein Lore

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The Ossein will be returning for the First Sith timeline, with some changes to make them better than they were before. This thread will be used to showcase and adjust their lore before it is submitted.

 

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- ORIGINS -

"The first of us broke the chains of gravity. We are a free people; no star can hold us, no world can own us."
_Ossein Noy (captain).​

The Ossein. In the minds of many, the name conjures images of the splendor of deep space, of brave explorers, noble warriors, canny merchants. In some, it calls up images of pirates, mercenaries and nomadic con-beings.
What all can agree on is that the Ossein, as Galactic cultures go, is very, very old. No-one is sure just how old; the origins of the great Ossein fleets stretch back into prehistory, and both archaeologists and sapientologists have long tried to piece together their origins from clues in their culture. It is generally believed that the first Ossein were the crews of deep-space vessels operated by an unknown ancient civilization, possibly dating back to an earlier cycle of Galactic civilization than that which has produced the Republic and its ilk. Over time, these crews developed a culture of their own, and eventually came into conflict with the culture which had sent them out in the first place; this led to the early Ossein opting to forgo any sort of planet-bound existence, becoming interstellar nomads which roamed from system to system.
Over time, the fleet structure which characterizes the Ossein today emerged. Throughout much of prehistory, it is believed that a great deal of interstellar contact between pre-hyperdrive civilizations - as evidenced by various archaeological finds throughout the Galaxy - can be attributed to the activities of Ossein fleets, which acted as one of the first interstellar vectors for trade and information, a role which the culture continues to this day.

 

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- FLEET STRUCTURE -

Ossein flagship.​

The Ossein are a widely distributed, though diffuse culture, with their great fleets spread out across the Galaxy. This has been true since prehistory, and the wanderings of the many fleets have become central to the Ossein way of life.
Each Ossein fleet is centered around a single large ship. Long ago, when the Ossein were more overtly militant in their focus, these great vessels were mostly standardized in their capabilities and design, and thus, most Ossein fleets which date back before a certain period are centered around such flagships, operated and maintained for thousands of years. Although originally powerful warships, these vessels have been down-rated over generations, with their weapon systems largely removed to make way for living space and hangar capacity, and to keep from putting on edge the civilized systems which the fleets visit.
These great flagships are extremely large, roughly the size of a pre-Darkness star destroyer (about 1,500 meters in length), with an enormous hangar running the length of the ship. Although once heavily armed to fend off the well-equipped pirates of their day, most Ossein flagships only retain a handful of point defense laser cannons to fend off space debris, and rely on their huge size and resident Jazaq for protection.
Inside, Ossein flagships more resemble the lower levels of Coruscant or Taris than they do the guts of a capital ship. Because the Ossein do not keep planetary holdings, or indeed establish many space stations, their population lives most of their lives aboard their ships. Accordingly, their ships are as much homes and businesses as transportation, and an Ossein flagship has a crew/population of thousands.

A subdivided ancillary hangar aboard an Ossein flagship.​

Although the length, breadth and depth of an Ossein flagship is all put to use in some fashion - mostly for residential use or for cargo storage - the huge main hangar deck and its many ancillary bays are the ship's combined common area, parking garage and commercial district. Each major family aboard ship typically has a small bay off the main hangar, which is usually used to service starships, but which is also often used as a commercial space. Individuals without their own bay tend to set up shop along the edges of the main hangar, using re-purposed shipping containers as stores and even residences, or even setting up market stalls underneath or inside their parked starships. The latter is extremely common, in fact, and the "ramp sale" is considered a staple of Ossein merchant activity.
All crew and officers of all ships within a given Ossein fleet are guaranteed the right to come and go aboard the flagship as they please. When an Ossein fleet visits a star system, it is customary to extend this privilege to any local pilots who wish to visit, encouraging trade and friendly relations. This being said, major infractions against the peace - murder and theft aboard ship, for example - can be punishable by banishment or marooning.
The flagship of an Ossein fleet - aside from serving as an economic and residential hub - is usually the seat of the fleet's Noyon, or admiral-king. The Noyon commands the fleet's Noy, the captains of individual ships within the fleet, as well as the Jazaq, the warrior-pilots who serve as the fleet's primary defense. The Noyon theoretically holds the right to dictate orders as they see fit, but decisions are usually made by a council of Noy presided over by the Noyon, and/or by popular vote.

An Ossein fleet does not consist solely of the flagship, of course. It is expected that all beings calling themselves Ossein should know how to pilot and service a spacecraft of some sort, preferably with hyperspace capability. Any being who owns their own ship is considered to be a Noy, and has representation in the fleet council proportionate to the number of sapient crew they employ. Beings who own a combat-capable starship, and who state an intent to follow the lifestyle outlined in the Jazaq Yassa ("Pilot's Orders"), are considered to be Jazaq, and are charged with the defense of their fleet in times of crisis. They are expected to be loyal to their squadron and to the Noyon of their fleet in equal measure.
Ships within the Ossein fleets tend to be diverse, ranging from converted obsolete capital ships and space barges to pinnaces and starfighters. The number of vessels is not constant from fleet to fleet, of course, and ships may come and go as they please. Any being expressing a wish to join an Ossein fleet - provided they demonstrate the expected skills - is automatically welcome to do so, especially if they arrive with their own ship; this is an important part of Ossein population replacement.