Zaalan Free Tribes

The Zaalan Free Tribes are Zaalan radicals who oppose the Coalition and, by proxy, the colonial politics of much of Tau Elpis. They are tribal migrants, organized into a patchwork organization bound by necessity and mutual defense. Their primary base is alleged to be the Armada, a ragtag, roaming fleet of ships that serves as stronghold, shipyard, and sanctuary. Many also live aboard scattered stations in the Hestian Belt, out of the authorities' reach on Aistanar or Hakaria, on Embassy or Teroshe stations, or hidden in clandestine cells deep within Hakaria's undercities. Often branded as pirates or smugglers, the Tribes argue that they simply choose to live free, unlike the opression faced by Zaalan citizens of the Coalition.   It is unclear who leads the Tribes; their strongest spokesperson is Embassy Ark mayor Zhovia Kharasa. The Tribes seek to achieve legitimacy and convince more Zaalans to join their cause for freedom; to this extent, they seek to build a colony of their own somewhere in the vicinity of Teroshe Yards.   

Overview

  Before the Great Jump , the Zaalans were a strong militaristic force in the far rim of the Pyxis Globula . Unfortunately, this military might was no match for the Oberon Incursion , and the Zaalans were quickly subjugated. With no contact in fifty cycles, the Zaalans were assumed to have gone extinct, and no plans were made for Zaalans to board the Yoni Ark . Unknown to the Ark planners, a few Zaalan survivors managed to survive and left their charred homeworld in a ragtag fleet of a hundred ships. This Armada stumbled upon the Ark and petitionned the planners for passage. The Hiderid already on aboard initially refused to take in the Zaalan refugees for free, but the Mewei and Hhrot intervened and offered them a home on the crowded worldship.   Upon arrival, no plans were made for a Zaalan colony. Many were hired by Hiderid and joined the Coalition , only to find themselves indentured and poorly treated. At the height of the Zaalan Rebellions, a new Armada was reconstituted, and though many Zaalans stayed behind, some others left Hakaria by force aboard stolen ships. Soon after, the crews of each ship pledged themselves to reform the Free Tribes as a syndicate for mutual aid, defence, and eventual sovereignty. Hundreds of tribes were created - some are single ships' crews, whilst other are smaller alliances of vessels within or without the wider Armada, and a few are communities of Zaalans living beyond the Coalition's reach on Hakaria. The fleet now mostly roams the Hestian Belt, mining asteroids and surviving on the sale of ice water and rare ores. However discouraged, individual ship captains in the Tribes also act as pirates, generally targeting Coalition convoys from Zindra or Hestia .  

The Armada

  The Armada is made up of 200 vessels of various makes and designs. There are stolen Coalition vessels, mothballed ships from before the Great Jump, and a few newer additions here and there. A couple of liveships, heavily defended by fighter vessels, provides the rest of the fleet with food and sustainance. There are also mobile shipyard platforms used for repairs and shipbreaking. The Boshaari frigate Calamity, acquired in dubious circumstances, serves as the lead ship for the entire Armada.   The Armada roams across orbits, generally unwelcome due to their reputation and the sheer size of their disparate fleet. They are often found in the Hestian Belt, though they often visit Embassy Station, where it is believed that its leader is part of the Tribes. The Armada has been in the inner system a lot less lately; instead, on the far rim of the system, several of their older vessels have been converted to become a giant space station called Teroshe Yards, with the aim of hopefully creating a land-base station on the planet below.  

Population

  Most Zaalans live on Hakaria as part of the Coalition, and thus are not part of the Free Tribes. Tribeless Zaalans can visit ships and family within the Armada, but are generally not welcomed to stay unless they pledge themselves to a Tribe - which generally comes with the need to leave their old life behind and join a spacer crew.   It is estimated that up to 200.000 tribal Zaalans live on the Armada, with an additional 10.000 on Teroshe Yard, and 500.000 on Embassy Ark. Most Hakari Zaalans are tribeless, but a few tribal Zaalans live in the deserts, away from Coalition territory. A few non-Zaalans live on the Armada or the Yard, typically Hhrot or Mewei advisors, or those outcast by their colonies.   Zaalan spacers generally speak whatever language is used on their world, as well as Undercommon .  

Landmarks

 

Teroshe Yard

  Teroshe is a giant Zaalan space station, made of ship hulls fused together, in the L5 point of the planet Clotho. Unlike most ship's crews, many tribes work together here. Their ultimate plan is to build a colony on the unclaimed barren world Clotho that might one day become a sovereign hub for all Zaalans in Tau Elpis. Also unlike most ships, Teroshe welcomes outsiders readily, and several explorers to the secondary stars of Tau Elpis rely on Teroshe as a marshalling and refuelling point.

Life & Customs

Each Tribe maintains its own customs, sometimes from before the Great Jump and sometimes improvised afterwards. Tribes can make up a single ship's crew, or an alliance of vessels operating under the same banner, sometimes centered around a space station in the Hestian Belt. Nevertheless, the hostility of space is a universal constant to all starfaring Zaalans. Tribeless Zaalans (i.e. those working on Hakaria as Coalition citizens) do not have status within the Tribes, but are always welcomed to join. A goal of all tribal Zaalans is to establish a colony on one of the nearest stars, presumably in the Yawin Sector. To this end, older ships are sent to Teroshe Yard, to assist in the colony-building effort.

Social Norms

Life in the Flotilla is extremely cramped, and privacy is a luxury only afforded to Captains and other high-ranking officials. Nevertheless, crews are often eager to recruit new Zaalans into the Tribes, particularly workers in the Belt or Hakaria, who often have lost touch with relatives in the Armada. Because the Tribes' status is not clearly legal, especially in Hakaria where they are considered agitateurs, operatives have developed a complex sign language to identify each other. This sign language also sees use in space, in lieu of radio communications or in noisy spaces. Ships are lavishly decorated, with draperies in the colours of the tribe-crew lining corridors and living areas. The exteriors of ship's hulls are brightly painted to show alliegance to a particular tribe-crew, collective of crews, or to the Tribes as a whole. Zaalans are very superstitious, and believe that spirits inhabit ships and must be respected, lest an accident or other instance of ill omen occurs. There is debate as to whether this spirits live in the mechanical parts of vessels, or in their computer systems, or both. All Zaalans are expected to work and toil at keeping their ships or space stations spaceworthy, and laziness is often heavily punished. The workshy are usually exiled, as are criminals, for a prison ship would make an unacceptable use of resources, and are only used in the direst of circumstances. In addition, Zaalans are encouraged, where possible, to advocate for sovereignty and assistance.

Home & Kinship

Tribal Zaalans put their crew and their alliances above all else, though they work democratically to decide on Armada-wide decisions. Zaalans are slow to warm and become friends, but are extremely loyal afterwards and value honesty and loyalty above all over traits. Homes are very cramped, with little personal space, and much is shared amongst the crew. Ships are given nicknames, and often become the subject of legends amongst Zaalan tribes. The sharing of stories between tribes is something of a tradition.

Politics

The Armada is led by an Admiral, though each Tribe is led by an Elder, in turn leading the captains under their leadership. Decisions can be democratic if they involve the Armada, the Yard, or the Tribes as a whole; though generally, each Tribe differs in how they administer themselves on a day to day basis, and there is inconsistency even amongst Elders on when to call for votes and when to assume authority. However, Zaalans generally respect those older than them, or more experienced, thus limiting friction over unpopular decisions. As one Elder puts it, everyone is welcome to have a voice, but once a course of action has been decided, it is expected that the whole crew will follow.

Clothing

Clothing on the Armada is loose - overalls, knee-high work boots, and other industrial wear. The fabrics of overalls are often cut in interesting ways, and are generally quite revealing, for the temperature aboard Zaalan vessels is often hot and the climate very humid. Tattoos further cement one's belonging in a tribe, and many Zaalans feature elaborate artwork on their skin retelling the stories they lived aboard their vessels.

Food

Zaalan food is barely palatable, yet highly nutricious, usually in the form of protein bars or paste. "Hardtack" is often employed, and part of each liveship also produces huge amounts of lemons and lime to avoid diseases. Non-perishables are often stocked when a Tribe, or the whole Armada, visits Embassy Station; water is generally mined from asteroids that are dragged along.

Economy

The tribal economy is quite different from that of the established colonies. Credits are used when trading with outsiders, but systems of rations, scrips and coupons are employed amongst each Tribe, leading to a complicated and often confusing bartering system. A few Tribes have agreed to use the same system, whilst others solely trade in Credits, and a few simply do not employ currency aboard their vessels, instead giving to each as they need, within the restriction of life in space.

Warfare

There are a few tribes providing military support for the Armada, but by far and large, the fleet is largely defenseless. In events of attacks, ships swarm the attackers, who are seldom going to be manning as many vessels. The Armada generally prefers to avoid conflict entirely; a few Tribes operate in Tau Elpis as legitimate security companies and provide their support, whilst unaffiliated pirates are often bribed and, in rare cases where their crews consist of tribeless Zaalans, invited to join the Armada.

History

Amidst the tumultuous escape from the Oberon Invasion, the Zaalans found themselves unwelcome additions aboard the Ark. The blame for the devastating faerie scourge was laid at their feet, as many believed their reckless dimensional experimentation had inadvertently summoned the malevolent forces. As a desperate diaspora, they roamed from world to world, unwittingly sowing strain and animosity wherever they sought refuge. Their unexpected arrival further exacerbated the crowded conditions for those embarking on the perilous journey of the Great Jump. Tragically, many Zaalan military and political leaders had perished while defending their homeworld, leaving a void of expertise among the few seeking asylum aboard the Ark. Although the Boshaari and the Mewei empathized with their plight, they were engrossed in the endeavor of developing their own colonies, leaving little room for substantial aid. While some Zaalans found solace and welcome on the world of Aistanar, the Hiderid ruling class saw an opportunity to exploit them as a cheap workforce on Hakaria in exchange for their passage.  

Shattered Roots

  As time passed, an alliance of unions soon coalesced, bringing together the voices of disgruntled Zaalans across Aistanar and Hakaria, driven by the visionary union activist Hyr Bogwyn. Simultaneously, a movement took root among the discontented Zaalans, leading to the emergence of various 'tribes.' Some sought to reclaim their ancient lineages, while others forged new familial bonds, all yearning to restore their heritage and communal ties severed by the Oberon's cruel invasion whilst restoring some measure of independence amongst the broken Zaalan people.   The syndicate, embracing the diverse tribes, united under the banner of a tribal council that governed their collective destiny. In the far reaches of the Tau Elpis system, amidst space miners toiling to extract rare rocks and precious Thaumium from beyond Zindra, a ramshackle station named Teroshe emerged from the remnants of older vessels. Now a haven for all sorts of troublemakers and smugglers - boosted by Teroshe's status as a 'freeport' with few taxes levied on the little trade it gets, it aspires to be far more than a mere sanctuary for the Zaalan underclass scattered across the system; despite doubts from other Zaalans and the wider civilization of Tau Elpis, it embodies the hope of a new society, a genuine refuge from the persecution and mistrust they had endured for nearly a century.