Races and Factions of the Red Planet
D’naa are considered to be the original colonists of Mars. Originally an interplanetary maritime expedition composed of scientists, explorers and engineers, these pioneers of the new frontier braved the dangers of colonizing mars paving the road to new science and industry. As well as propelling the human species into the new role of a space faring race. However whether due to their isolation from the outside world, their own unique live off-the-land mentality or a vision of providence the D’naa have splintered themselves from the rest of Martian society. Their complete isolation and self sufficiency in their social community had elevated them to merely rumors and legends over the coming years.
It wasn’t until they began an active and aggressive campaign against the Terraforming of mars and the extraction of precious minerals that they began to take on a new form in the eyes of the general media. Being nomadic in nature the D’naa travels the expansive complex geological terrain. They are capable of erecting and dismantling camps quickly as well as using hidden caves as strongholds. Their presence has often completely stopped production on mars and uniting the often warring corporations against a common enemy. What the corporate bureaucracy decided to do was compose open ended standard rules of engagement concerning the D’naa and fortune hunters soon began to actively hunt the native born Martians.
Their ability to mobilize and move quickly as well as their direct knowledge of the land has made them impossible to be eradicated by the corporations. They are identified generally by hood and robes which cover their pressure suits and knives which they use to depressurize enemy suits.
The entomology behind the name is a derivative of Dine’ which is a Navajo word for the people and was used in reference to the Martian natives during the initial corp. wars. They are also referred to as natives and reds for their anti-Terraforming sympathies.
To be D’naa is to be born free. Free from the social disorder of earth, free to pursue your destiny and embrace our mother the red planet. To be D’naa is to embrace the unknown and to venture out and claim what is yours. You are one of us, a marauder and kindred to the native born. Answer your call and take your place by our side under the wing of our red mother, may she guide and protect her children for all time.
The first original colonists of mars were composed of pioneers willing to traverse the frontier of space and settle in a highly hostile and alien environment. Many migrated to the new planet, fleeing from the conditions of earth and the corporate dominance. Isolated and without being government by any form of authority they thrived in private communities which over time grew into its own self sufficient and deadly branch of native Martians.
These groups followed similar laws set down by the originally established communities and generation after generation refined these laws until all D’naa became mars born and earth was all but forgotten. Operating with a caste system and under superstitious and tribal infrastructure the communities became clan like and a runner is sent between them as an intermediary to coordinate trade efforts.
Prophecy plays a vital role in the D’naa culture and they operate under the form of spiritual leadership. Their elders and priests often consult with astrological data to help estimate the best times to move and conduct rituals.
When a young adult becomes the right age, namely around ten the child undergoes a right of adulthood which is a ritual where the child must undergo a spiritual cleansing by the priests to ascertain the caste in which the child will become part of. When the caste is decided the child is considered born into this caste.
Modern day anthropologists have found a myriad of cultural references to D’naa rituals however their isolation and alien environment have allowed them to evolve their own set of spiritual understanding of the universe. While there is no one head of their cultural domain the final say comes down to the elders who oversee the operations of each clan. The elders while respected are not the kings and queens of the D’naa, by their standards all castes are equal and all positions necessary for the whole.
This philosophical unification can be found in all manners of D’naa culture and even the youngest of them are able to sing the ‘one reed’ song. They consider themselves part of Mars and as inseparable as fingers on a hand.
Modern politics concerning the D’naa has felt them to be nothing more than a rumor started by local colonists on mars. However established corporations know much more than politicians on earth regarding these nomadic people.
VASC has especially made a profit by exploiting the D’naa without any measure of restraint. Using their territory as a way to hide outposts and testing out experimental military weapons on live targets has proven invaluable to modern day arms race. Each mercenary working for VASC is given a bonus pay if they kill a D’naa. Needless to say that their relations with them are very poor.
The D’naa view any form of corporate identity as hostile and will not trade, discuss, or operate on any level with any corporation. Sometimes an outsider is allowed into the tribe but the entire clan bares the responsibility of the person. Each clan deals with crimes in two ways banishment or death. Trials by combat are not only one of the many ways to deal with disputes but also a necessary way for leadership roles to be granted. In order for a clan leader to be replaced they have to first be usurped by another clan member.
In the D’naa structure the woman possesses all the assets and the children. If however a woman challenges another woman in a dispute all of the assets and children become the responsibility of the winner. This makes disputes a touchy thing, especially among woman who have to consider the responsibilities of an entire house.
The D’naa are renowned for their close quarter combat and are unequaled in their hand to hand combat. The children and woman are equally as dangerous and all have been strengthened by the harsh environment and nomadic life style. Traditionally all D’naa carry knifes or bladed weapons to decompress enemy pressure suits. They use stealth and knowledge of the land to become a fierce adversary to the corporate presence on Mars.
The D’naa sees the planet as sacred and will not tolerate the exploitation of Mars. They react violently to mining operations and Terraforming especially in their territories. This non negotiable stance they have has made diplomacy all but moot and has allowed politicians at earth to turn away from even a hint of their existence. They live off the land and in harmony with Mars and they have made it their holy war to eradicate and drive off all corporate presence on Mars.
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the D'naa do not have ranks, every soldier, marauder, scientist, holy man are all held in a single honor. The elders often with the most experiance advice in the wisest course of action but it is only through the unanimous agreement of all, whether an action is performed. The highest crime one can commit is a selfish one against the community.
To be D'naa is to understand that every moment is your last. From a child you were raised to embrace every moment with the best of yourself. At the young age of ten is your rite of passage. A pilgrimage whose journey is tailored by the holy man, usually an elder who has memorised all the four hundred ceremonial songs and can consult the celestial bodies for wisdom.
The D'naa often adorned with salvaged armor, stolen weapons, and skulls or masks always wear a nano mesh desert fit pressure suit. This is always specific only to the user and is bound through a form of genetic symbiosis and nano exchange that can enhance the users movements and offer ample protection from radiation and flak.
The four winds give the directions since birth. Each D'naa is born to one of these directions for life. The north is the warrior wind, where the strong wind carries the war cry. The eastern wind is the the soft breeze that enters into everthing. The southern wind is the hot wind, the wind of inspiration. and the western wind is the wind of song and prayer.
from birth the child's forehead is marked with a mixture of the red soil and their name and direction chosen for life.
Disputes and challenges are handled with witnesses and a challange lasts as long as it has to. If a fighter yields he is at the mercy of the victor. If the one or either should die their house and family responsibility falls to the care of the victor.
