The Ossein

AutoFox

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Site Lore.

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The Starry Death's Head, emblem of the Ossein.

- The Ossein -


- Origins -

The Ossein.
Once a great and powerful culture of daring pilots and feared warriors, little remains of this once mighty people, who blazed the star-lanes long before the rise of even the Old Republic. Among those who do survive, the true history of the Ossein has mostly been lost, with only incomplete records and archaic aural traditions persisting.
Ancient and modern archaeologists and sapientologists have long sought the true history of the Ossein, independent of these millennia-old stories and incomplete datapunch decks. From long years of searching, they have managed to piece together the approximate origins of the culture, as well as an early history.

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

The species of the first Ossein is likewise unrecorded, although the Ossein culture as a whole seems to put little if any emphasis on the differences between sentient species, and certainly not those of its members. Wherever the first Ossein ultimately came from, and whatever they may have been, the prevailing theory is that they were voyagers from one or more early hyperspace-capable cultures. It is theorized that, some time in prehistory, isolation from their worlds of origin led to the formation of a distinct culture among deep-space crews. At some point, difference of opinion or open conflict - more likely the latter, given the culture which formed - caused these crews to forsake their home-world or worlds entirely, and indeed almost any form of planet-bound existence, instead developing a nomadic lifestyle which centered on their ships and the skills necessary to fly and fight them.

- Customs -

Throughout history, the Ossein have mainly been dismissed as pirates, smugglers and mercenaries, with little attention paid to their rich traditions and culture of the Ossein fleets. Nevertheless, the depth of Ossein custom is greater than even many planet-bound cultures.

The Ossein are similar in many respects to other widely dispersed cultures, such as the Mandalorians. Divided into "fleets" - the equivalent to clans or tribes - they are led by a Noyon, a word literally translated as admiral, but also meaning something like chieftain or clan-lord. Below them are the captains of individuals ships, the Noy, and below them are vessel crews and their families (usually one and the same).
The command and social structure of the Ossein is theoretically fluid. Any crewbeing can become a Noy by attaining their own ship, although the position is usually hereditary, with Noy passing command to their offspring. Noyon is likewise passed from parent to child, mostly, although a Noyon is typically the Noy of the most powerful ship in the fleet.

"Zar Belk!"
_Traditional Ossein salute/affirmation, roughly meaning "I do not balk."

The Ossein practice a warrior culture, primarily focused on aspects of space combat and related endeavors. While the Mandalorians can be said to be a more "generalist" people - embracing both starfighter aptitude and ground combat mastery in the same individual - the Ossein focus primarily on their element; this is evidenced by the fact that the Ossein use the same word - "Jazaq" - for both pilot and warrior.
While the Mandalorians have produced notable starfighter aces, the Ossein sing songs of long-dead heroes who could take on whole fleets single-handed, songs which are corroborated by ancient records of battles and raids dating back thousands of years. Ossein pilots were, long ago, among the most skilled, most sought-after mercenaries in the Galaxy, although the Ossein alive today have not produced their equal in many years.
Among the Ossein, the status of pilot - of ace pilot, in particular - is revered on an almost religious level. The position of "wing-man" is likewise considered a sacred trust, and Ossein squadrons and ground crews consider one-another almost closer than their own families. Their craft, likewise, are considered more than mere machines, and are thought to be extensions of the pilots themselves. Pilots among the Ossein are required to own and maintain their own combat-capable ships, ready to fly and fight at a moment's notice.

Warriors of the Ossein are expected to hold to a philosophy known as the Jazaq Yassa, roughly translated as "Pilots' Orders." The Jazaq Yassa is codified in a set of rules; any Ossein who flies a starfighter or pinnace and abides by the Jazaq Yassa is considered to be Jazaq, although only adherents who have proven themselves in battle or performed other great deeds are afforded the revered status of true pilots.

Righteousness -
A true pilot must be acutely honest throughout their dealings with all beings. They must believe in justice, not from other people, but from themselves. To the true pilot, all points of view are deeply considered regarding honesty, justice and integrity. Pilots make a full commitment to their decisions.

Courage -

To the true pilot, life is too precious to spend behind a shield. A pilot must live life completely, fully and wonderfully, taking all experience into themselves and forging it into wisdom, intelligence and strength. Life to a pilot is joy, but it is also risk; pilots must take risks, but they must not take them blindly.

Benevolence -

Through intense training, a pilot becomes strong of mind and body. This power is within all, but as one who has developed it, it is the responsibility of the pilot to use it for good. A pilot must help those who cannot help themselves; if no opportunity to do so presents itself, they must seek it out.

Respect -

True pilots have no reason to be cruel. They do not need to prove their strength. Pilots are not only respected for their skill in battle, but also by their dealings with others. The true strength of a pilot becomes apparent during difficult times.

Integrity -

When a pilot says they will do a thing, that thing is as good as done. Nothing will stop them completing any task they set themselves to; they do not need to "give their word," they do not need to "promise," speaking and doing to a pilot are the same action.

Honor -

Pilots have only one judge of honor and character, and that is themselves. Decisions a pilot makes, and the manner in which these decisions are carried out, reflect the true nature of a pilot. A pilot cannot hide from themselves.

Duty -

A pilot is responsible for everything they have done and said, and for all the consequences of those actions. A pilot is loyal to all those in their care, and to them they must remain true.

Normally, Ossein warriors protect their home fleets, but many hire themselves out as mercenaries to bring in much-needed credits for their crews and families. It is traditional for Ossein warriors to spend a period of their lives "mercing." This practice may have something to do with the modern reputation of the Ossein, as most consider them to be little more than wandering soldiers for hire, or worse, pirates and smugglers.
The Ossein do hold both of these professions in some regard, to be sure. So-called "smuggling" holds little stigma among the Ossein, who value their personal freedom; however, no honorable Ossein is likely to transport slaves, or spices which make slaves of the user. Many important Ossein historical figures were indeed pirates, as well, and the practice is considered permissible and even necessary under certain circumstances. Despite this, few modern Ossein have ever raised a blaster against another living soul.

Of course the Ossein have more skills than just fighting. As denizens of the hyperlanes, they are natural merchants and explorers; Ossein fleets often function as well-armed trading convoys, and long ago, Ossein scouts blazed a good number of the major hyperspace routes in use today. Many modern trading stations, as well, were founded by Ossein fleets which settled down from their roaming.

It is not necessary for an Ossein to be born into the culture. Any being who adopts the ways of the Ossein, and who carries the emblem of the Starry Death's Head, is considered without reservation to be Ossein, and is free to join any fleet that will have them. In recent centuries, this method of population replacement has grown increasingly important, as the Ossein hordes which once roamed the Galaxy have diminished to the merest sliver of what they were.

- History -

The Ossein were at one time a great power within the Galaxy. In the age before the Republic, before even the unified Jedi, their fleets roamed the stars. The earliest records of the Ossein can be found in the most ancient tomes of pre-Old Republic Jedi scholars, mostly relating to the great Ossein fleets which visited many planets to trade, providing one of the earliest interstellar vectors for goods and information. Mention is also made - even at this early date - of the Jazaq Yassa and its adherents.
The Ossein were seldom a united people; fleets operated independently, and rivals occasionally even fought one-another in great space battles, which were reportedly matched in scale only during the more recent Sith-Jedi Wars. Seldom did Ossein conflicts touch the surface of planets, however; the Ossein did not and still do not consider planetary holdings to be of any great importance, and thus left them alone for the most part.

The Ossein were, at one time, the sworn enemies of the Amaxine Warriors. During the foundational years of the Old Republic, Ossein fleets fought alongside Republic and Jedi forces to drive back the Amaxine. It was during the Ossein-Amaxine Wars that a legend was born.

"I shall not concede. Look not for a trophy of victory, for I place my bones beyond your reach!"
_The reported last words of Yesugen Khonoyon.
Yesugen is a legendary figure in Ossein history, the only known being to have ever achieved the title of Khonoyon, often shortened simply to Khon. This title roughly translates to Grand Admiral, and the being who holds it is leader of all the Ossein fleets, superseding the authority of all Noyon. Only once has this title ever been bestowed uncontested.
Yesugen was the leader of her people during the struggle against the Amaxine. Said to be an escaped slave of the Amaxine who was rescued by the Ossein, her species and even her appearance are lost to history. It is known that she rose to the rank of Noyon in her adoptive fleet, and gradually began to weave an alliance with many others. Whereas the Ossein fleets had been fighting the Amaxine in a disunited fashion before, Yesugen was able to bring the full, formidable might of the combined fleets against her enemies. She was said to be a skilled diplomat, a master tactician and a ruthless warrior, leading her forces from the cockpit of her own pinnace.
Yesugen reportedly met her fate at Kirima, in a final battle against the Amaxine. There, she faced a massive enemy force, gathered specifically to destroy her and her fleet; she had been promised backup by the Republic and the Jedi, but it had not yet arrived when the Amaxine moved in.
Yesugen and her fleet fought ferociously, but though the enemy was badly mauled, they were ultimately too much to endure. Yesugen, her ship damaged and she mortally wounded, shouted her defiance to the enemy over an open comm, before jumping her ship to hyperspace on a randomized vector.
Shortly afterward, the promised reinforcements arrived. The weakened Amaxine were routed with overwhelming force, and history records that the momentum of the war truly reversed after the battle, eventually leading to a stalemate with the Amaxine, who reportedly decided to leave the Galaxy entirely in search of easier conquests.
Yesugen is regarded almost as a deity by the modern Ossein. They will often invoke her name, for example the common phrase:

"Bright Bones of Yesugen!"
_Ossein expression of surprise and/or amazement.
The fate of Yesugen has long been a point of contention between the Ossein and the Republic. Many Ossein view the late arrival of Republic and Jedi forces to the Battle of Kirima as a betrayal, their tardiness having allowed the Amaxine to devastate Yesugen's forces. Though the Ossein have seldom openly sided with enemies of the Republic or the Jedi, neither have they ever again intervened on their behalf.

Regardless of the fate of their leader, the Ossein began a long decline shortly after the defeat of the Amaxine. The Sons and Daughters of Yesugen were a proud people, and for the most part chose not to participate in the expanding Republic, a decision which likely sealed their fate.
With organized government came organized trade and military protection. The role of the Ossein fleets - armed merchant convoys, capable of fending off powerful attackers - became less necessary as worlds joined the Republic, policing the hyperlanes and rendering the Ossein unnecessary. No longer did the Ossein have their own unified government, either; each fleet spoke only for themselves, a fact which prevented easy relations between them and many of the states they interacted with.
The decline took thousands of years, but in the present day it is nearly complete. The once mighty Ossein fleets - thousands strong at their height, and state-of-the-art - have been reduced to pitiful bands of aging, patched-together vessels, no more than a handful in each. The Ossein remain a proud people, but an increasingly diffuse one; their numbers have thinned dramatically, and their individual fleets are scattered across the Galaxy, making any future reunification more and more unlikely with each passing century.
The sad projection is that, within the next 1,000 years, the Ossein as a culture are likely to go extinct. Their fire will disappear from the Galaxy at last.
But, as the darkness of the Sith swallows all before it, even dim lights shine brightly...

- Intent -

The Ossein are meant to be a nomadic culture which roams the star-lanes, forgoing any entanglements "down the (gravity) well" for the freedom of open space. Their warriors, the Jazaq, are meant to be a fusion of classical samurai, mongol horsemen and fighter pilots, with their weapon of choice being a starfighter rather than a sword or blaster. The Ossein themselves are based on a fusion of Mongol and Romani culture.
The Jazaq themselves are meant to be an alternative warrior tradition to the Jedi or Mandalorians; like the Mandalorians, they are for the most part conventional in their fighting style and abilities, though their focus is on space combat for the most part. Also like the Mandalorians, they have rich traditions and a long history, but unlike them do not currently have a unifying leadership, nor are they ever likely to again.
I believe they would be an ideal choice for independent players who wish to adopt some kind of warrior tradition for their character, but who don't want the baggage of joining up with the Mandalorians, the Sith or the Jedi.

 
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Outlander

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This looks pretty awesome. Especially love the custom emblem.

The only thing that might be an issue is the legendary figure, since there was some contention about her HERE, although from just skimming the two, they do appear fairly different in places.
 

AutoFox

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This looks pretty awesome. Especially love the custom emblem.

The only thing that might be an issue is the legendary figure, since there was some contention about her HERE, although from just skimming the two, they do appear fairly different in places.

Thanks! I had been working on this culture long enough in my head that I thought I should write it down.

And yeah, regarding Yesugen, I've tried to tone her down at least a little bit this time around. Hopefully that helps.
 

Malon

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