Saxon Rallymaster
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: Creating a new species that basically lives in the Netherworld but is also able to exist in the Realspace. The guardians of the Mandalorian dead souls, defenders and warriors of Mandalore in the afterlife. And expand Mandalorian lore.
- Image Credit: Midjourney ai
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: Permission to base my species on previous species
- Credit: Original species written by Eina Llerim-Vandiir
- Links: Children of Ashla
GENERAL INFORMATION
- Name: Valkyries of the Manda || Manda'kyrja
- Designation: Sentient
- Origins: created by The Manda oversoul by reincarnation of fallen heroes
- Average Lifespan: ~ 1000 years | Due to the warrior society. However, they are/were souls, the Force will keep them alive and they will not age or grow old. Of course, they can die in countless ways, again. See below.
Their apparent age whilst in material form varies but is generally at an age when they defined themselves, or the age where they consider themselves in their prime. However their chronological age may be quite different due to the strange nature of the nether. - Estimated Population: Rare
- Description: The Manda'kyrja are being created by the selective resurrection of mandalorian souls that reach the afterlife. They are brought into being by either the Manda itself, or by elder Manda'kyrja. Not every dead mandalorian is granted this boon and they must have distinguished themselves with great acts in their life that match the virtues held closely by the Mandalorians. To Merely be powerful is not enough, their soul must be deemed worthy.
This gift is offered at death and other than in the case of Echoy'la, the soul can refuse it, many do, seeing death in battle as a fitting end to their story.
PHYSICAL INFORMATION
- Breathes: N/A (Netherworld) | Type I. and II. (Realspace, in material form)
- Average Height of Adults: 180 – 220 centimetres
- Average Length of Adults: N/A
- Average Wingspan of Adults: 4-7 metres
- Skin color: Different | Any usual, which may be a common skin colour for humans.
- Hair color: Different | Any usual, which may be a common hair colour for humans.
- Distinctions: The dominance of humans has affected the afterlife as much as realspace and almost all Manda'kyrja will look human or very close to it. Even if they die as a non-human species, their bodies shall be rebuilt as almost human. The greatest defining feature is that all Manda'kyrja have wings. These come in a variety of styles and while most have one pair of wings, up to three pairs is possible. Some Manda'kyrja have feathery wings, some with scales, a rare few have wings made up of pure energy that glow from their back. These wings are a manifestation of their immaterial self and are therefore less usable in force supressed areas.
- Races: The Manda'kyrja can be divided into four categories, based on how they died.
- Paladin: These Mandalorians gave their life for the safety of others, their noble sacrifice saving lives or culture. Typically the previous life of the Mandalorian would have also been filled with generosity to others, charity and healing. When they are resurrected, their connection to the force is the strongest of the four and they typically lean towards healing and protection. They may be mistaken for lightsiders due to the positive nature of their powers, but make no mistake, these are still passionate mandalorian warriors.
- Myrmidon: These mandalorians died for glory and strength, showcasing the greatest of the Mandalorian soldiers. After resurrection their physical skin is harder than others of their kind and their force abilities revolve around strength of the body and mind. Stories have been told of Myrmidons being able to fell a tree with a single well considered blow.
- Iron Hearts: These Manda'kyrja make up the majority of the population and are selected because they exemplified what it truly meant to be a mandalorian, dedication to vod and to the resolnare. They are typically the most rounded of the Manda'kyrja and mostly tend to the other souls and act as spiritual guides to living mandalorians.
- Echoy'la (lost): Dar’manda is a word that is thrown around all too easily by the living and it means little. It is possible to live as a mandalorian but have others judge you dar’manda. However, should you die, and it is the Manda itself that gives you this title, this is a foul fate, not given as a blessing, but a punishment. Similar to the Myrmidon they are strong fighters, but where a Myrmidon is a champion, a Echoy'la is a servant, doomed as a wandering defender of the Manda with most of its personality removed until it finally falls for the final time in battle against one of the many horrors that stalk the Nether. Only periodically is he allowed to lead the Nether and then only to wage war in battles that the Manda deems worthy.
- Force Sensitivity: All; since they are, in fact, souls who have retained themselves or formed a new personality in Netherworld, so that by their creation they are all connected to the Force and have Force Sensitivity. It is for this reason that some turn down the gifts as the cultural mistrust of force users runs deep and the Manda would not force such a thing on an honoured hero.
At the right of their creation, they have only telepathy and empathy which they can use through and without the Force; because of the strangeness of their existence, the manipulation of the Netherworld is easier for them, it is easier for them to learn this later. Of course, members of the species need to learn everything they want.
One is created, and did not have Force Sensitivity before their death, after becoming Manda'kyrja will definitely be.
If they were a Force User before their death, they might be able to retain their old power and abilities even after they become Manda'kyrja. Note: This is only true if the characters are PCs and become members of the species on the board, during threads, or an expansion / bio update.
STRENGTHS
- Two Worlds: They can easily travel between the Netherworld and the Realspace. They can move from one to another at any time, after a short concentration. They are able to do this alone, they cannot bring anyone with themselves if the person is living and they can bring souls only from the Realspace to the Nether. Note: They can only do this in immaterial form. They can easily find portals, rifts and other gateways between the two worlds/dimensions.
- Mind of the Manda: They are constantly connected to the manda so they always can feel its presence. Unlike Ashla though the Manda guards his thoughts from his Manda'kyrja so they may not know its true intention beyond what it tells them. Through this, they are able to communicate telepathically and empathetically with each other, but in the meantime, their own personalities remain, they do not become mindless drones. After all, according to the beliefs of their religion, after their death, they become one with the Manda, all of which actually happens, on a conscious level (or even physically, but in that case, they will cease to exist).
- Long life: Because they are actually spirits, or souls, they basically have no physical body and the Force keeps them alive. As a result, they do not age and cannot die naturally (in old age). Note: of course, they can be killed or neutralised in countless ways. See below.
- Limited Shape-shifting: They have minimal shape-shifting, the ability to change the colour of their skin, hair, eyes and wings, as well as their gender and voice. Or they can even increase or decrease the number of their wings, possibly their physique. But nothing drastic, their features remain, so they can be easily recognized later, the Manda will also not allow them to take on any form that it may find offensive including using their shape changing for anything deceptive or dishonourable.
- Flying: They are able to fly with their wings, at a speed similar to a fast bird of prey of around 130km/h. The energy winged members of the species can fly significantly faster at the cost of being vulnerable to force suppression as the wings are not part of their physical form.
- Telepathy and Empathy: Telepathy and empathy are essential to their communication, they are able to use it all with the help of the Force, but they are also capable of using these two abilities without the Force.
- Immaterial and Physical form: They have two forms, the immaterial and the physical. They are able to perform physical things in material form. In the immaterial form, they are essentially invisible to others, although they are able to see each other (and the invisible Valkyrja as well). They are able to be in a partially immaterial form, for example, only the base of their wings is immaterial so that they can more easily wear clothes, armour, or the like.
- Racial Strengths: The Paladin find it easier to cast healing magic and other defensive or beneficial force powers. The Myrmidon and Echoy'la are both physically tough and can use powers that augment them in battle more easily.
WEAKNESSES
- Mandalorian: Only sentients that consider themselves Mandalorian and follow the culture are able to be granted this boon as other souls must be left to their respective guardians or to the Valkyrja.
- Racial Weaknesses:
- The Paladin find it harder to wield force powers that would be considered selfish or spiteful, or powers that might rob a creature of its agency. They can use harmful powers and can fight as needed, they are still mandalorian after all, but the use of many darker powers will exhaust them and have their spirits called for judgement whether the target justified their actions.
- Myrmidons and Echoy'la both find it harder to use healing and mental force powers or other powers that require a calm mind.
- Echoy'la had the added weakness of restricted free will. Once battle is ended they must return to the nether for whatever duties the Manda has for them.
- Immaterial: Although this protects them from damage, they are not able to use objects or affect their environment in an immaterial form, they can only use the Force to a very limited extent. Note: only abilities that affect nothing but themselves, possibly telepathy and empathy are allowed.
- Weakness of the Flesh: The physical body has the advantages of being able to affect their environment, touch things, but the huge disadvantage is that they are as vulnerable in this form as any living thing, the exception being the tougher hides of the Myrmidon and Echoy'la. In this case, the physical injury hits their souls. Thus, if they are damaged in this form, those injuries remain in the immaterial form. Not to mention that they die in the same way as anyone else from a fatal injury to a physical body, and they also have to breathe and eat at this time.
- Judgement of the Manda: There are no fallen Manda'kyrja, if the Manda deems one no longer worthy of their gifts, then they will be taken away and the soul returned to the swirling mass of other mandalorians. In the worst cases a new Echoy'la might be created as punishment for truly unforgivable transgressions.
- Energy Shield: They are not able to penetrate energy shields in any form, not even in an intangible/immaterial state. Thus, under such conditions, they can be easily trapped.
- Exotic Weapons: Exotic weapons such as lightsaber, disruptor can harm them in any form, be they physical or immaterial.
- Force Nullification: The Manda'kyrja, just like Children of Ashla and the Valkyrja, responds to such an environment in a special way. Whatever form they are in at the moment, intangible, or physical form, they find this kind of environment utterly abhorrent . They do not perceive anything in this state and in all cases, they have a physical form. They are the most vulnerable in this form and the easiest to kill.
CULTURE
- Diet: It separates depending on what form they are using.
- Immaterial form: In this form, Thaumovore / Forcevore is their form of nutrition. Which essentially means they don’t have to eat or drink because the Force itself keeps them alive. That’s why they react in such an extreme way when they get into a Force-free zone.
- Physical form: However, if they are in physical form, on the one hand they have to breathe (see below) and maintain that shape with energy. Which is why in this form they qualify as Omnivore and feed on Force Energies. If they do not, their physical form will disintegrate and return to immaterial form.
If they are in physical form in the Netherworld, this is not a burden on them, and since the Nether is their original habitat, they do not have to feed in any form here, only in the Realspace.
- Communication: They are connected in all forms with the Manda, with whom they can communicate telepathically at any time, through the Manda the others of their species can communicate like in a hive-mind, but here can everyone is able retain their own personality.
- Immaterial form: Because in this form, communication is limited to one possibility, telepathy. That is why all members of the species have telepathy so that communication can be easily solved.
- Physical form: In this form, they are also able to speak normally, in which case they also need breathing to have sound formation. However, most of their people also prefer telepathy in this form.
- Technology level: As Mandalorians, the Manda'kyrja have an in depth knowledge of technology and many still use Beskar'gam and other weapon systems. However as a culture within the nether, technology is not required so the longer they spend in the nether, the lower their inherent familiarity becomes.
- Religion/Beliefs: They are devoted to the Manda and follow the Resol'nare with most following the same practices they did in life. The only exception is that while they respect the title of Mand'alor, their direct connection to the Manda ensures that it, rather than any mortal, is their ultimate authority.
- General behaviour: Manda'kyrja, beyond the unsual metaphysical origins act in a very similar way to other mandalorians and are sometimes hard to distinguish from their vod. This is intentional, it prevents the kinship from life from ending simply because of death. Manda'kyrja are much less likely to partake in “un-mandalorian” behaviour due to the fact that they were selected because of their adherence to the culture.
- Social behaviour: The Manda'kyrja make up a very small percentage of the Mandalorian afterlife with the majority simply becoming one with the Manda and its gestalt consciousness. The Manda'kyrja act as the manda's guardians, warriors, shepherds and extensions of its powerful will. Amongst themselves they are exceptionally close knit with their connections to each other's minds and will seek to be honourable and faithful to each other, leading to a high degree of trust amongst them.
Some Manda'kyrja will rejoin former clans but will tend to act more as champions as they typically no longer need or desire the validation of rank and title as little could match the honour of being granted the Manda's blessings. - Social Structure: There is no set structure with all of the Manda'kyrja seeing each other as vod, but typically due to the routes to the different races, the Paladin will usually take a more spiritual leadership role and the Myrmidon a more protective role. The Iron Hearts are very varied but are typically the backbone of their small society being providers and looking after new souls that join the ranks.
The Echoy'la are outsiders, shunned for the dishonour that led them to their wretched lives but otherwise treated fairly. - Interaction with Others: As paragons of Mandalorian virtues the Manda'kyrja act in similar ways to mortal mandalorians, but often more exaggerated. The Myrmidon will hunger for battle and sing songs of their victories at rowdy, but respectable gatherings. The Paladin will devote their lives to protecting and defending others, often being at the forefront of battles.
The Manda'kyrja though are shrouded in mystery and on many occasions one has appeared, battled alongside the living vod and then vanished again without a word, leading to some viewing them almost as guardian angels.
Despite this, some mandalorians treat them with mistrust, maybe due to their force powers, the reincarnation, their transient nature or a mixture of all of that. - Interactions with Mandokarla: The Speaker of the Mandokarla is attuned with the Manda and recognizes the Manda'kyrja for what they are -- spirits made to protect the source of all living souls. As the Mandokarla has a few Shaman (Manda users) themselves, the wary regard others may have to the Manda'kyrja is not unfamiliar either. Together they seek to ensure a prosperous future for all Mandalorians in this life and the next. As the bringer of the words of the Manda, the Mandokarla speaker has a special level of respect given to them by the Manda'kyrja.
Both parties do not bow to one another any more than individual Manda'kyrja ascede authority to one another. They work together to bring stability and strength to their people. Disagreements in methodology may arise, but as their ultimate aim is identical such things are unlikely to form into a schism. - Dressing and wearing: In the nether, if they take physical form they will typically wear robes or beskar’gam, with many nearly having an illusory replica of armour that may have been lost or handed down to further generations. In realspace their dress is typical of their living mandalorian brethren, with the key identifying feature being armour adapted for their wings.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The Valkyrja and later the Children of Ashla formed a useful and growing part of the power balance within the nether and while their was no hostile intent towards the manda, it did not wish to be the weaker of the various oversouls so it began to create its own form of Valkyrja from the influx of souls that come from the warrior culture. The first were a pair, a Paladin and a Myrmidon, after that, Iron Hearts began to be created, each one representing key virtues in mandalorian cultures. These first beings have mostly since passed in battle, but their legacy lives on and the Manda has its champions that can rally forth and add strength to the Mandalorian warriors in realspace.
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