Mandalorian
Species: Mandalorian (Various Races)
Home Planet: Mandalore / Concord Dawn
Attribute Dice: 14D
DEX: 1D/5D
KNOW: 1D/5D
MECH: 1D/5D
PERC: 1D/5D
STR: 1D/4D+2
TECH: 1D/4D+2
Special Abilities:
Resistant to Force Use: Mandalorians and Mandalorian Foundlings are trained in the ways of the Force in order to resist some of the effects of the Force, and their minds cannot be read using the Force, or modified using the Force. However, precognition abilities such as Light Saber Combat work perfectly well.
Inability to use the Force: The Mandalorians have a genetic defect inherited from their ancestors and compounded by the small gene pool that they have grown from. They cannot manipulate the force.
Genetically Superior: Due to the harsh circumstances the Mandalorian people grew from, they are much hardier people than most species in the galaxy. While the Mandalorians like to see this as Genetic Superiority, it is perhaps more linked to their inability to manipulate the Force, so they have had to rely on themselves more. This “superiority” gives them a bonus 6 Attribute Dice when starting play; this is already incorporated in the attribute dice figure above.
Story Factors:
Feared: Enemies facing the massed forces of the Mandalorian Empire will quite rightly fear them; this makes the forces opposing the Mandalorians
more difficult to Command.
Honor: Mandalorians base their lives around the concept of honor; while part of this honor is serving and obeying the Mandalorian Emperor and his representatives, it is also a personal honor requiring them to protect it with deeds and actions.
Game Note: Other races were able to become Mandalorians, more by title than by race. Mandalorians are always active in adopting children, especially those displaced by wars. As such, other races have been adopted by Mando families. They take on their adopted clan name as their own. They do not gain the Racial Hit Dice, instead using their primary racial dice, but they gain force resistance, and once adopted, they can never manipulate the force. Some of the more notable races that have joined the Mandalorians are Humans, Iridonians, Twileks, and Wookies. Some of these adopted children have so integrated with their adopted families that they have married full Mandalorians. If a Mandalorian befriends a Force User and had a heroic difficulty roll at creation, they can be trained to feel the Force within them.
Move: 10/12
Size: 1.5-2.0 meters tall
Background: The Mandalorians were a clan-based cultural group that was composed of members from multiple species all bound by a common culture, creed, and code. They originated on the planet Mandalore in the galaxy’s Outer Rim Territories and had a particularly important role in galactic history as legendary warriors against the Jedi. From their homeworld, Mandalorians had flourished across Mandalorian Space and the galaxy at large, colonizing worlds such as Kalevala, Krownest, and Concord Dawn.
In their early years, Mandalorian culture revolved around battle, with war being a source of honor and pride in their community. The leader of the Mandalorians was known as the Mand’alor, translating to “Sole Ruler” and was rendered as “Mandalore” in Basic. Throughout their history, the Mandalorians were frequently allied with the Sith, perhaps most notably the Sith Lord Exar Kun, and held a certain distrust and general dislike for the Jedi Order. However, they would not hesitate to cooperate with the Jedi if a partnership between the two groups was mutually beneficial. By the time of the Clone Wars, the Mandalorians had been reformed under the New Mandalorian regime led by Duchess Satine Kryze of House Kryze while the Old Mandalorians scattered across the galaxy as mercenaries. Under the New Mandalorian government, Mandalore remained neutral and participated in the Council of Neutral Systems as a leading member. Despite enjoying decades of peace, conflict persisted between the New Mandalorian government and factions such as Death Watch, a group of exiled Mandalorian warriors who wanted Mandalore to return to the traditional warlike ways of the past. Such conflict led to another civil war by 19 BBY that toppled the ruling New Mandalorian regime and restored the old Mandalorians, but the conflict culminated in the occupation of Mandalore by the Galactic Republic and its subsequent government, the Galactic Empire.
Following the rise of the Empire, Bo-Katan Kryze was made Regent of Mandalore, but she refused to follow Emperor Sheev Palpatine. As a result, she was replaced with Gar Saxon, a Death Watch Mandalorian super commando, who was installed as Viceroy over Mandalore, his rule enforced by the Imperial Super Commandos. As with many worlds in the galaxy, Mandalore was oppressed under Imperial rule, with weapons such as the Arc Pulse Generator being developed to pacify and reign in the war-like civilization. Clan Saxon eventually came into conflict with Clan Kryze, Clan Wren, and the former leader of the Mandalorian Protectors Fenn Rau. After the deaths of Gar Saxon and his brother and successor, Governor Tiber Saxon, and with the support of the early Rebellion, Bo-Katan Kryze claimed the Darksaber and took the title Mand’alor. Kryze united the Mandalorian resistance as another civil war erupted on Mandalore, a part of the galaxy-wide struggle against Imperial rule.
After the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic, and following the Empire’s Great Purge of the Mandalorians, some Mandalorians went into hiding. One such group was called “the Tribe,” who hid in a covert on the planet Nevarro. However, the Tribe were forced to relocate after revealing themselves to protect one of their own. The Tribe was eventually wiped out by an Imperial remnant, but some of its members survived.
Culture: Early Mandalorian culture, originating with the ancient Taung species, was believed to have begun as a religious warrior society, with sophisticated laws and customs that went on to become the Canons of Honor. War was practiced as a form of ritual worship to their multiple gods, but following the destruction of the Nevoota, war itself became a god, personified by Kad Ha’rangir the destroyer god. In Mandalorian mythology, Kad Ha’rangir represented the opportunity for change through destruction, and was eternally opposed by Arasuum, the personification of stagnation and inactivity. Because of this, many of the Mandalorians’ earliest conflicts were seen as holy wars and their warriors known as the Mandalorian Crusaders. As time went on and the majority of the Taung had perished by the end of the Great Sith War, the Mandalorians began accepting beings of other races and species into their fold, viewing those who joined them on equal footing to those who had been born into the culture, and transforming what it meant to be a Mandalorian. Having become a mixed group of beings from numerous worlds and species, those who considered themselves Mandalorian were bound by a single, unifying culture rather than any one race, and they believed that an individual was defined by their actions rather then the circumstances of birth.
Central to the Mandalorian culture were the Resol’nare, or the “Six Actions”. These six tenets defined what it meant to be a Mandalorian, and any who wished to be considered as such was expected to abide by them. The Resol’nare consisted of wearing armor, speaking the Mandalorian language, defending oneself along with one’s family, contributing to the welfare of your clan, rallying to the Mand’alor when summoned, and raising one’s children in the Mandalorian ways. In order to retain their heritage in the face of outside influence, Mandalorians placed a high value on rigorously carrying out the Resol’nare’s tenets in a daily manner. However, interpretation of the Resol’nare differed, and at least one group of Mandalorians, the New Mandalorians, potentially followed an alternate interpretation of the Resol’nare by doing away with personally-owned sets of armor and refusing to aid the Mand’alor.
The Mandalorians are a nomadic people, with the roots of this tradition tracing back to the Mandalorian Crusader’s tendency to make conquered worlds their home. Even long after the conquest of Mandalore, the Mandalorians would hold on to these nomadic traditions, partially out of attachment to the old ways, but also as a means to avoid presenting a single target to any enemy who would wish to wipe them out. Thus, Mandalorian communities have cropped up across the galaxy, and there are many Mandalorians who have never even stepped foot on Mandalore. Mandalorian families never expect their current home to be permanent, nor do Mandalorian soldiers. Portability is desired over a large number of material possessions, and even the traditional Mandalorian dwelling known as a vheh’yaim was designed to be set up for temporary occupation and easily deconstructed or abandoned. While many cultures with a settled location celebrated events and festivals that were derived from the changing seasons of their homeworld, the Mandalorians’ nomadic customs have left them largely disconnected from these sorts of cycles as they traveled from world to world. Though Mandalorians who come from Concord Dawn generally still mark the end of the planet’s harvest, on the whole, most Mandalorians have taken to celebrating mainly the events of the life cycle such as birth, a coming of age, marriage, and death. Burials for the dead are also uncommon, due to the inability for nomads to sustain cemeteries and the impracticality of bringing bodies with them on the move. The Mand’alor would be given a proper burial as a sign of respect, unless they chose otherwise. Mass graves and cremation were common when a body could be recovered, with the ashes of those cremated, scattered, and one of the fallen’s possessions—often their armor—kept in memorial; if a full set of armor couldn’t be recovered, it was commonplace to retrieve smaller parts such as helmets, gloves, or plates instead. It was also Mandalorian custom to recite the names of loved ones and friends who have passed each night before sleep as a means of keeping their memory alive. The uncertainty of life meant that most Mandalorians celebrated the time they had at every opportunity, taking part in communal singing, drinking, and enjoying time with family. The concept of aay’han was a Mandalorian term that encompassed the joy of time spent with loved ones while remembering those who were no longer among the living, relatively similar to the Basic term “bittersweet”.
The ancient Mandalorian Crusaders and their Neo-Crusader replacements lived and thrived on war, seeking conflict, and attaining glory through conquest. But following the end of the Mandalorian Wars, many Mandalorian soldiers would become bounty hunters and mercenaries, selling their services to the highest bidder. This mercenary trend would become a part of the culture for thousands of years to come, and many in the galaxy saw the Mandalorians as little else. However, while mercenary work and bounty hunting would be a primary means of income for the Mandalorians, there were a wide assortment of other jobs Mandalorians typically took on. Several Mandalorians earned their living as weaponsmiths, or bodyguards for the host population of the worlds they lived on. Others remained in the Mandalore sector, toiling in workshops and factories, or working the land as farmers. Several Mandalorians on Mandalore worked what might be considered “domestic” occupations, tending bars and running shops, as well as working as doctors and veterinarians. Despite the wide array of professions Mandalorians took, every Mandalorian was combat trained and they could band together into an army on short notice. In addition to the general misconception that all Mandalorians were mercenaries, Mandalorians were also considerably more sociable than many would expect. As long as individuals spoke their mind and said what they meant, accepted a meal when offered—as an offered meal was a great compliment for a nomadic society that ofttimes lived hand to mouth—looked them straight in the eye or the horizontal section of their visor when wearing a helmet, took off their boots when entering their home, paid their debts, fussed over their children, never made a pass at a Mandalorian of the opposite sex unless the individual planned to become part of the culture, and respected the elderly—as any Mandalorian who has reached such an age would be an exceptional warrior—anyone who encountered a Mandalorian outside of combat was unlikely to come to harm.
Cuisine: Like most other ethnic groups, Mandalorians had their own distinctive cuisine, unique to their culture. As a society of nomadic soldiers, many Mandalorian dishes developed out of the necessity for their food to be both portable and requiring little cooking, while still offering nourishment. Haarshun bread was a staple in Mandalorian field rations; made into sheets thin enough to nearly see through, the dough would be rolled and baked hard, then wet with water to soften it again before eating. Gihaal was a dried fishmeal that could last several years without refrigeration, and was a nutritious mix of fat and protein. However, it possessed a pungent, clinging aroma that most found unpleasant. More pleasing to the masses was uj’alayi, or “uj cake”. Made from ground or crushed nuts, dried fruits, spices, and sticky uj’ayl syrup, uj cake was dense, flat, and extremely sweet.
A dish better suited for a sit-down meal was tiingilar, a spicy casserole made of meat and vegetables. When most beings think of Mandalorian alcoholic drinks, it’s Mandallian Narcolethe that comes to mind. However, tihaar was a potent, and often colorless spirit, distilled from a variety of fruits, often whatever was available at the time. Many Mandalorians also preferred to partake of a pint of ne’tra gal, a black-colored sweet ale. The Mandalorians also possessed several drinking songs, including Buy’ce gal, buy’ce tal, and Naasad’guur mhi – Mhi n’ulu. In the case of non-alcoholic beverages, shig was a hot drink made from any infusion of herbs or spices much like tea, and was often made from behot, a fast-growing, citrus-flavored herb. The New Mandalorians of Sundari were avid consumers of tea from the Ardees Beverage Company, even offering it to school children during their lunch periods.
Society: Mandalorians placed little importance on birthplace or citizenship, and so had no official “state” as understood by galactic politics. Unlike most cultures where ethnic or racial identity are the defining characterics, Mandalorians do not place much emphasis on species. Mandalorian society was a classical meritocracy, where rank and status meant nothing in comparison to a being’s actions and achievements. Mandalorian clans were led by chieftains—usually senior members of the clans chosen for their wisdom—and the loose affiliation and cooperation between them was the closest the Mandalorians had to a standard government; the clans and their chieftains were all subordinate to the Mand’alor, the one individual recognized as sole ruler of the Mandalorians and the nearest Mandalorian parallel for a proper head-of-state. In keeping with their aversion to a centralized government, Mandalorians also had no palaces or offices for their leaders to occupy, and most business on Mandalore was conducted at the Oyu’baat tapcafe in Keldabe, usually over drinks. The society of the New Mandalorians differed from these ideals, in that they employed a more centralized government, a council of ministers overseen by the offices of a Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. While the Mandalorians held a general dislike for a system of hierarchy, and—with the exception of the changes instituted for the Neo-Crusaders by Cassus Fett, and the pacifist New Mandalorians—held no interest in ranks, they were extremely cooperative when in battle. Their signature individuality is set aside in the pursuit of a common goal, and Mandalorians will do anything to achieve that goal. When drawn together as an army, Mandalorians easily settle into an informal command structure, arranging their priorities on outcome rather than personal ambition, and it was this flexibility that contributed to their success as mercenaries.
Gender meant little in Mandalorian society, and there was scarcely any distinction present in their language. Males and females were on equal footing, although they often took different roles. Mandalorian males were all expected to be warriors, and were responsible for training their sons to be the same. Females were expected to have the same martial skills as males, and were responsible for the training of daughters. They were also expected to be able to cook, and to care for any young children and defend the home if the men were away. But if they had no children dependent on them, females would fight side-by-side with the men on the battlefield and the couple would be expected to share the responsibilities in the home. In accordance with this mentality, the desired Mandalorian female was not so much beautiful or graceful, as physically strong and enduring. In fact, the word laandur, or “delicate”, was a common insult among Mandalorian women. To imply that a Mandalorian woman was delicate, a poor mother, or a bad fighter, was a sure way to start an unwanted confrontation. When a Mandalorian was down on their luck or in need of a place to stay, it was expected of his neighbors or friends to give them sanctuary and offer them a meal, whether that individual was a common soldier or the Mand’alor himself. This state of mind also extended to businesses, with the Mandalorian corporation MandalMotors freely contributing half of their profits on one occasion, to help in the rebuilding of Mandalore following the Yuuzhan Vong War. It was also common for Mandalorians to offer support to their fellows in a dangerous situation, even if they were not familiar with the individual on a personal level; simply being Mandalorian was the only pre-requisite for assistance.
Mandalorians were a conservative people, and it was not uncommon for individuals to amass sizable fortunes. While most put their faith in modern banking practices, putting their credits into savings accounts and stock market shares, a large portion is still invested on armor and weapons. Jewelry was rarely worn, though it was to be plain and functional when it was. Even betrothal tokens from Mandalorian suitors were recommended to be easily portable, easily converted into credits in case of emergency, and unimpeding in combat. Any worn rings with gemstones were set in a shallow, rub-over setting so as to be easily worn under gauntlets. Often, Mandalorian jewelry would feature as a heavy belt of precious metal or a collar. Earrings and long chains were avoided, due to the possibility of being caught on something or, in the case of earrings, being violently pulled out. It was said that if an individual were ever to come upon a Mandalorian who was removing their ear piercings, it was a good idea to move away as they are likely about to fight. On the other hand, tattoos were somewhat popular, stretching back to the time of the Mandalorians under Canderous Ordo, who himself possessed a tattoo upon his left shoulder. Baltan Carid possessed a tattoo of a long, violet vine, and it appeared that tattooing one’s knuckles was a popular choice, as both Jarkyc and Briika Jeban sported the design during their lifetimes.
Mandalorian architecture was as varied as the people who built it. Keldabe, the capital of Mandalore, contained buildings of various shapes all constructed in close-quarters and from a variety of materials such as wood, stone, durasteel and granite. Other Mandalorian domains were built in the branches and trunks of trees. Sundari, the New Mandalorian capital city, was constructed inside of an enormous black dome, likely as a means of protection against the harsh conditions of the surrounding desert, and within, New Mandalorian aesthetic favored a cube shape, appearing in both building design and landscaping. The New Mandalorians also constructed several grand cube-shaped cities that dotted the white-sand deserts of Mandalore. Straight roads were a rarity on Mandalore, in order to make it easier to pin down and ambush any foreign invaders. Underground tunnels were also quite common, and entire networks of tunnels would be formed between groups of surface buildings. They made for good places to hide, and secure means of secondary escape should a location come under attack.
Many Mandalorians were avid fans of bolo-ball, known in their language as meshgeroya or “the beautiful game”. This love for the sport extended to both spectating—occasionally in a social setting such as a local cantina, or even while in the field—and participating, sometimes played in full armor. Jokingly referred to as “our other national pastime” and “our game” by members of the culture, Mandalorians of all ages seemed to enjoy the sport. Another Mandalorian favorite was the game of cu’bikad. Unlike meshgeroya, cu’bikad was an indoor game, played using short-handled blades that were stabbed into a checkered game board. Capable of being played by up to at least four players simultaneously, cu’bikad was thought to be unsuited for non-Mandalorians.
Family: In direct opposition to their infamy as a ruthless enemy, Mandalorians cherish family and shower affection upon those they love and care for. In Mandalorian society, marriage is expected to be life-long and usually takes place shortly after a Mandalorian turns sixteen-years-old. A marriage itself was usually a private ceremony between only the two involved, where the entered into a legal commitment by reciting the following pledge: “Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar’tome, mhi me’dinui an, mhi ba’juri verde.”—translating as “We are one when together, we are one when parted, we share all, we will raise warriors.” These vows could be exchanged in person, in a text communication, or over a comlink from anywhere across the galaxy. Though the ceremony itself was private, following the wedding, it was customary to celebrate the new couple’s union with drinks and festivities among family and friends. Despite the importance placed on chastity and fidelity prior to marriage in species that practiced such, a partner who acted unfaithfully during a long separation would be forgiven so long as any child that resulted from the indiscretion is raised together by the couple. In certain rare circumstances, such as abandonment or a failure to live up to responsibilities, partners could divorce one another with a declaration that they were shuk’la riduurok, “a broken love.” Marriage on Mandalore was not limited by gender; for instance, Goran Beviin and Medrit Vasur were two men who were a married couple.
Adoption was extremely common in Mandalorian culture, to the point where even adults could be adopted. Because of the Mandalorians’ constant connection to war, widows and orphans became an inescapable fact of life and adult males became not only welcome, but necessary. Like marriage, the Mandalorian ritual for adoption was rather simple. Known as the gai bal manda—”name and soul”—the adoption is carried out by the adopting parent stating “ni kyr’tayl gai sa’ad” to the intended child—”I know your name as my child.” In addition to following the Resol’nare, this simple adoption ritual is all that it took to make an individual a Mandalorian. Adoption of war orphans was quite common, even children of a defeated enemy whereas other species might kill them. Examples of this tradition include Jango Fett being taken in by Jaster Mereel, and Kal Skirata adopting the Null ARC troopers and the commandos of Omega Squad just as he had been adopted by his father, Munin. To Mandalorians, there was no difference between a biological child or one who was adopted. Although the Mandalorian custom of adoption has done away with specific ethnic types, the tendency for adoption had accidentally formed a population of family-oriented warriors by reinforcing those common genes with those desired characteristics of beings they take in, with the instinct the be a protective parent especially strong.
However a couple chooses to have children, they are an integral part of Mandalorian families. When naturally conceiving, if the first born is a son, parents will typically wait until the boy’s eighth birthday before having another child so that by that point the boy will be old enough to accompany his father and begin his five years of military and survival training until the age of thirteen. If the first born is instead a girl, the couple will often try for a son soon after. While girls tended to stay with their mothers until marriage, a family with only daughters will train them in the same manner as they would a son. Both girls and boys learn their earliest lessons from their mother, meaning that her own fighting prowess is critical; the pledge to raise warriors in the Mandalorian marriage vow is a joint commitment. It was the job of a parent to prepare their children to train the next generation of Mandalorians. Elders educated Mandalorian children with the Mandalorian ideals of loyalty to clan, discipline, courage, and respect for their heritage. At the age of thirteen, children of both genders face the rite of passage known as the verd’goten, where their skills are tested and they are declared adults in Mandalorian society. Family bonds were a large part of the Mandalorian culture, and as a result, they felt more comfortable around each other than they did around outsiders, or aruetiise. Though there were thousands of Mandalorian families or clans, some of the more prominent included Clans Fett, Skirata, Ordo, Bralor, Beviin, Vevut, and Vizsla.
Armor: The thing most often associated with the Mandalorians was their armor. In Mando’a, it was known as beskar’gam, or “iron skin”, a show of just how central it was to a Mandalorian’s life. Armor was greatly valued, especially if made from the near indestructible metal beskar, and was often passed down through generations. Aside from its defensive capabilities, armor served another function: in a group formed from so many different species, often times it was only the armor that displayed an outward sign of the culture that bound these individuals together. The paint scheme of a Mandalorian’s armor occasionally represented a soldier’s state of mind, or their personal mission. For instance, sand-gold represented a quest for vengeance, while black indicated a desire for justice. This was not always the case, however, and Mandalorians would sometimes decorate their armor in colors they simply held a preference for; blue and green were common choices. Whereas many soldiers preferred the inconspicuousness afforded by camouflage, Mandalorians believed in the saying, “It’s one thing to see us coming, it’s another to do something about it.”
Language: As was the case with many defined cultures, the Mandalorians had a language distinct from Basic, known as Mando’a. The origins of the language were unclear, possibly drawing roots from the ancient Taung dialects, though it possessed aspects not found in other galactic languages. Mando’a was not all that complex and was easy to learn, a great benefit to a group that often took in adults from other races. Although this was their main language, the Mandalorians were often acquainted with several others, including Huttese and Basic, and more that had been picked up while fighting on countless planets. In spite of this influence from other languages, Mandalorians preferred to draw new words for outside concepts from Mando’a’s inherently flexibly vocabulary; the Mandalorian term for “Sith” was dar’jetii, translating as “no longer a Jedi”. The Mandalorians also had no word for “hero”, believing that being ready to die for your loved ones and your beliefs was required for a Mandalorian and not worth a separate word, though the word for coward, or hut’uun, was derived from the Mandalorian distaste for Hutts. The term aruetiise is used to refer to non Mandalorian and is perceived as a term of distaste. Mandalorians also referred to their family with the first two or three letters of their name followed by the “ika”. This was similar for children referring to their fathers, with the two or three first letters of the fathers name followed by “Buir”.
