Post by kartoffelfogel on Apr 24, 2012 15:48:00 GMT -6
Overview:
Major Inhabited Areas:
-Obelisk Lake, Obelisk Mountain Range
-Twin cities: Ascended Obelisk (capital city) and Descended Obelisk (largest city, industrial center)
-Plains Abyssal
-Many Terraces (agricultural capital)
All other locales outside of the Obelisk Range and Plains Abyssal are forbidden to be inhabited by order of the Hierarchs
Many other cities, before so decreed to be abandoned by the Prophets, still spread north and east of currently inhabited territories
Map of Obelisk Lake (primary grounds of the Sanctified Hunt)
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History:
Early History
Templar's Rest was founded as one of the earliest colonies of the newly-united Covenant. Created and conceived as a planet of rest and repose, it became a common place for Sangheili and San'Shyuum to visit. Soon enough, a Forerunner Temple was discovered, bringing in flocks of new immigrants. Templar's Rest swelled in the ranks of the Covenant, becoming one of the most inhabited and most visited planets. The Temple was the site of many pilgrimages, drawing penitents and pure alike, becoming one of the most holy sites of the Covenant. The fame of the Temple grew so much that a small group of Ascetics from the extremely pious Clan 'Dasal arrived and headquartered themselves on Temple Island.
Closing of the Temple and the Decree of Repose
The Forbidden Temple
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www.-WEBSITE LINK NOT PERMITTED!-.com/gallery/Chronicler-of-Mahar/HaloRPGpics/forbiddentemplesmall.png[/img]
Soon enough, Templar's Rest's growing population threatened the planet. The Plains Abyssal were fast becoming overworked fields of crop, the native moonbeasts were becoming endangered, and the Temple had suffered much desecration--litter left everywhere, theft of items, graffiti painted on walls. The situation became intolerable.
The Hierarchs of the time chose to shut the Temple, preventing any from entering it at all. This swiftly disposed of most of the pilgrims, who no longer had any motivation to visit the planet. Swift restoration was done to the Temple, and then it was sealed off as one of the holiest sites of the Covenant. To further preserve the planet as a whole, the Hierarchs also levied the Decree of Repose, an order preventing any habitation of the planet outside of the Plains Abyssal and Obelisk Mountains, relocating immigrants until Templar's Rest once more lived up to its name.
Despite the Hierarch's severe crackdown and the isolation of the Temple, a core group of Sangheili still violated the Prophet's commands. However, these were not Heretics--rather, they the 'Dasal Ascetics, who had dedicated their lives to the study of the Temple. When the Prophets stated their case to the Ascetics, they responded with accusations and insinuations. The 'Dasal Ascetics had been nearing a breakthrough with the study of the Temple's architecture, writings, and history, and the Decree of Repose had just blocked them from their goal.
The Hierarchs did not respond well. They issued statements of heresy, and deployed the feared Inquisition to capture the 'Dasal Ascetics so they could be tried and summarily executed. However, the Inquisitors wound up taking matters into their own hands, and acted as on-the-spot judges, juries, and executioners--the Ascetics were found slain on the Temple's grounds. After that massacre, the Hierarchs declared anyone who even stepped on the Temple Island to be a Heretic, and punishable to the extreme. They also forbade there to be any form of killing on the island--any trespassers would remain alive, protected by the sanctity of the Temple, until they were brought back to stand trial--even though most trespassers were simply thrown off the boat when they were being brought back.
A Magistrate was also instituted on the planet--the Magistrate of Templar's Rest is the San 'Shyuum in charge of maintaining the planet and watching over the Sanctified Hunt.
Modern History:
The Battle For Templar's Rest
For a span of time, it seemed as if Templar's Rest would never be touched by the Human-Covenant War. It was far away from the fighting--a peaceful and serene sanctuary. So it was only natural that, as the war heated up, the forces guarding Templar's Rest were deployed elsewhere, as the planet seemed relatively safe. Indeed, it became a popular R&R world, and even hosted a Sanctified Hunt that included soldiers on shore leave.
However, this Hunt, and the events it precipitated, would lead to a shattering of the peace. The Forbidden Temple, a testament to the power of the Prophets and the secrets they kept, began to be the subject of much curiosity. However, no one acted on this curiosity--until Legra 'Adantee.
Fresh from fighting at the front lines, 'Adantee had lost faith after the revelations at the Forerunner Shield World of Artifice. As Rakath 'V'keelaii and Phma 'Refumai broke off as Heretics, Legra 'Adantee and Djath 'Gradaree broke off as Separatists. The two forces, controlling two ships, the Shadow of Faith and the Rising Hope, would eventually join together to attack a single planet--Templar's Rest.
The Heretic/Separatist forces assaulted the planet, overwhelming the meager Covenant defenders. Huntsmaster Legra 'Adantee came and slew the Magistrate of Templar's Rest and seized control of the Sanctum of the Magistrate. However, the Covenant was not without its own champions--the Inquisition dispatched its Reticent lance to quash the Heretic threat.
The conflict soon intensified at the Forbidden Temple--the Inquistors, led by Til 'Muramee and Sorsa 'Xirsasai, drove 'Adantee and 'V'keelaii to a defensive holdout at the Temple. There, 'Adantee uncovered a great treasure--a portrait depicting a Forerunner--one that looked very much like a tall human.
'Adantee and 'Vkeelaii, now with this treasure in hand, fled the Temple to their stronghold at the Sanctum. The Inquistors, having failed to quell the Heretics or to destroy the portrait, fled in defeat. But not total defeat--the succeeded in capturing Roma 'V'keelaii--the daughter of Rakath.
Soon enough, Rakath left Templar's Rest to regain his daughter--leaving Legra 'Adantee and Phma 'Refumai to rebuild Templar's Rest, free of the Prophet's control.
The Founding of the Veritocracy
Following the Battle of Templar's Rest, the ragged coalition of Heretics that now flew their banners over the planet rejoiced in their victory for a short while, before coming together to decide their next course of action. Now that they were freed from Covenant control, they needed their own government. Long tired of the rule of the Hierarchs, the Heretics drafted their own new set of laws, and established their Veritocracy--the rule of truth.
Modeled around both the Councils of old Sanghelios and the governmentof Humanity, the new Veritocracy was led by two "Circles," similar to the democracies and parliaments of old Earth (in case you didn't know, Senators/Representatives for democratic republics and Lords/Commons for parliamentary democracies) and the Hierarchy of the Covenant (Councillors/Hierarchs).
The first Circle are all democratically elected by the vote of citizens--(contention of the definition of "citizen" was fierce--but eventually the Heretics decided that all species would be accepted, and all genders likewise. However, most Sangheili females were "encouraged" by their prejudiced families not to vote, although some voted nonetheless)--and was known as the Circle of Civiarchs. The Civiarchs all represent a geographic group, and were of all races present on Templar's Rest--the majority were noble Sangheili, such as heads of notable families and high-ranking officers, but there were a few Kig-Yar, Unngoy, and Jiralhanae Civiarchs. The Yanme'e and Lekgolo colonies present on Templar's Rest chose to remain politically separate, and chose to be treated as autonomous but allied factions. The Circle of Civiarchs creates laws and institutes policies. Individual Civiarchs are also called on as judicators (judges) for their respective constituencies.
The Civiarchs meet and are headquartered at the former Sanctum of the Magistrate, now known as the Sanctum of the Truth.
The second Circle is the Circle of Oligarchs, of which there are five. Elected not by the people, but by the Civiarchs (although the people may choose to impeach an Oligarch), the Oligarchs are the upper echelon of legislators. Laws created by the Civiarchs must go on to the Oligarchs for approval. Judicial cases appealed from the Circle of Civiarchs move onto the Oligarchs as well, however, the core function of the Oligarchs are to serve as the executive branch of government, as well as the military head--the Oligarchs are both commanders and governors.
The Oligarchs meet and are headquartered in the lower floors of the former Forbidden Temple, now known as the Hall of the Enlightened.
The current Oligarchs, voted in by the Civiarchs, (they all also have overwhelming popular support) are as follows:
Oligarch Legra 'Adantee- also Huntsmaster of Templar's Rest
Oligarch Phma 'Refumai- also Fleetmaster of the Heretics
Oligarch Rakath 'Vkeelaii- also Commander of the Heretic Special Operations
Oligarch Shende 'Dreneree- also Kaidon of the Clan 'Drener
Oligarch Vas'ar 'Hojiree- also Kaidon of the Clan 'Hojir and leader of the 'Hojir Conglomerate
Society:
The Sanctified Hunt:
The nature of the Hunt is best described by the oral tradition of Templar's Rest.
“Peoples of the Covenant!”
“We are met today in celebration of an event that is holy to the Forerunners—and therefore sanctified. We have so gathered here for the sake of pursuing ba’knwa—the beast that dwells in the holiest of places.”
“Long ago, during the first Ages of the Covenant, both Prophets and Sangheili found this verdant world, bathed in the light of this golden sun.”
“And on this world, they found structures—temples—of the Forerunners. So here they stayed, and grew hale and hearty.”
“But upon exploration of these temples, we Prophets found that they were—inhabited!”
“The beast that dwelled within the temples was fast—clever. They looked like lizards—they bore four legs, each with two knees. They had large tails, with spikes shrouding the tip. They had long, curved beaks that were deadly to the unwary. And strangest of all, they would swim away from the temple, where killing them was forbidden—when other moons could be seen.”
“So they were named ba’knwa—moon beasts.”
“And the ba’knwa, by the work of the gods, could be eaten—and not only could it be eaten, but it tasted superior to any meat less holy.”
“So the first peoples of the Covenant hunted, and hunted, till the ba’knwa began to grow few. It was too easy to kill them from afar—it took skill to kill them up close. So the Prophets of that Age decreed they could only be hunted with spear and blade, club and net, as was honorable.”
“Yet still that was not enough.”
“The peoples of the Covenant were hunters too clever, chasers too quick!”
“So it was decreed that only when the other seven moons of the planet Oasis, around which this world orbits, could be seen in the sky, and the ba’knwa were most plentiful, could they be hunted!”
A series of understand grunts emanated from the Sangheili and Kig-Yar, as most of the other races confused by the complex sentence structure and syntax.
“And so, since that night, we have hunted the ba’knwa only when all seven moons could be seen in the sky!”
“We hunt the old way. With spears and blades, clubs and nets…”
“…with fang and claw!”
"...tooth and talon!"
The most recent Hunt
Major Families/Clans and Political Factions
The Clan 'Drener
The Clan Drener originated, as most clans have, on Sangheilios, where they were but a minor clan, all things considered. They were small, had few notable warriors, if any, and were, above all, completely impoverished. This meant that there was little for them on the Sangheili homeworld. It came to the point when their most illustrious Kaidon, Surba 'Dreneree, decided to relocate his entire Clan to the newly founded Templar's Rest.
They were the first full Clan to inhabit the planet, and the first wave of pioneers and colonists to push northward, out of the Plains Abyssal. Surba 'Dreneree led his Clan into the northward mountains, earning them the prestige of discovering Obelisk Lake and the Forbidden Temple. The Clan Drener also founded the small town of Under The Obelisk, in reference to the tall mountain they settled under. Soon enough, that small town became the massive and bustling city of Descended Obelisk.
Now, in the current day and age, the Clan Drener represent the most influential faction on Templar's Rest, with their only real competitor being their age-old rival, the 'Hojir Conglomerate. Still possessed of much of the land that Descended Obelisk was built on, they established a major industrial center that makes their formerly impoverished past seem impossible. Occasionally driven to excess, the Clan Drener now holds immense financial power in the form of mining industries, shipping vessels, and manufacturing groups. The Kaidon of the Clan Drener is set over the Kaidonate of Drener, a territory which now is synonymous with the southeastern part of Descended Obelisk--with the northwestern portion still ruled over by the Kaidonate of 'Hojir--their familial enemies, and the other half of a long-standing feud.
The Clan 'Hojir and the Conglomerate
The first immigrants from the Clan 'Hojir arrived on Templar's Rest early on, first settling down in the newly formed town of Under the Obelisk. The few members of the Clan there grew to love their new home, and in time, attracted more and more of their Clan to move there from Sangheilios. Eventually, the Kaidon of their Clan, who would later be known as Hdor 'Hojiree the Pioneer, decided to move the entirety of Clan 'Hojir to Templar's Rest, earning them the title of the second full Clan to move there.
Soon after establishing a large presence on Templar's Rest, similar to the 'Drener, the 'Hojir quickly established a civil, if distant, rapport with the other great Clan of the area. As the 'Drener expanded, accepting vagrant immigrants and small families into the fold, Kaidon Hdor saw in them a rising power, in terms of political and economic standing. He began to ally himself with other Families, forming the 'Hojir Conglomerate, but not officially binding himself by blood to them. The Conglomerate became a political and industrial faction--between them, the Conglomerate controlled much of the cartographic and exploratory equipment and personnel, and they were first charged with exploring the world.
Expanding into hunting munitions and the suchlike, the Clan 'Hojir remained the independent and uncontested magnate of everything the 'Drener did not already claim--they did not touch space travel or mining, but instead delved into agriculture, cartography, and hunting. Soon enough, however, the two Clans both expanded into general manufacturing, and then into real estate, and soon enough, they began to compete for financial gain, and eventually, political gain. The 'Drener and their new recruits, the Clan 'Adant, now even contested the 'Hojir Conglomerate's control over exploration. Now, both vie for various corporate rights, and favor-currying, political intrigue, and familial drama are both entangled in the feud between the families.
The Family 'Dasal
Ever since the first few 'Dasal Ascetics left Sangheilios to study the Forbidden Temple, the Clan 'Dasal has maintained a presence on Templar's Rest. After the extermination of the 'Dasal Ascetics by the Inquisition, the Kaidon of 'Dasal sent over a representative to help clear the 'Dasal name. The priest Akin 'Dasal brought his family over, and began the long series of penances required to purify his bloodline and his clan. In the end, the Family 'Dasal completed the necessary rituals, but remained on Templar's Rest. Despite the supposed penances, the Family 'Dasal still harbors distrust of the laws of the Prophets, and have, more than once, protested them. And it is rumored that nearly half of all trespassers on Temple Island were paid to access information for the 'Dasals. Of course, as no witnesses are ever left by the Inquisitors, nothing can be certain.
The Clan 'Adant
A minor Clan at best, one of the many that relocated to Templar's Rest, following the success of the Clan 'Drener. The Clan 'Adant served mainly as mercenaries and functionaries in the 'Drener industrial complex, specializing in pioneering and exploration. Many mining profits were gained from the 'Adant's efforts, but they failed to earn the clan anything more than fleeting notoriety. The Clan 'Adant stayed inconspicuous and behind-the-scenes for a great long while, only ever attaining commendations and minor glory, and even a few debacles. The 'Adant invested time in publicizing themselves as the feared mercenaries of the Clan 'Drener, but this proved to only earn them distrust when members of their clan joined the military. A few attempted building a reputation as hunters, but this too failed when a notable clan member died in a hunting accident.
However, that poor hunter's son is something else entirely. The entirety of the Clan 'Adant has been set on its ear by the sudden fame and infamy of one of their own...Huntsmaster Legra 'Adantee.
Quirks:
-the atlatl, a Covenant hunting weapon utilized by moonbeast hunters, is made solely here
-a peculiar dialect quirk: the Templar's Rest hunter's slang for yes is "aih"
-moonbeast bones are commonly used to make weapons, for their strength, flexibility, and ability to hold an edge
Major Inhabited Areas:
-Obelisk Lake, Obelisk Mountain Range
-Twin cities: Ascended Obelisk (capital city) and Descended Obelisk (largest city, industrial center)
-Plains Abyssal
-Many Terraces (agricultural capital)
All other locales outside of the Obelisk Range and Plains Abyssal are forbidden to be inhabited by order of the Hierarchs
Many other cities, before so decreed to be abandoned by the Prophets, still spread north and east of currently inhabited territories
Map of Obelisk Lake (primary grounds of the Sanctified Hunt)
History:
Early History
Templar's Rest was founded as one of the earliest colonies of the newly-united Covenant. Created and conceived as a planet of rest and repose, it became a common place for Sangheili and San'Shyuum to visit. Soon enough, a Forerunner Temple was discovered, bringing in flocks of new immigrants. Templar's Rest swelled in the ranks of the Covenant, becoming one of the most inhabited and most visited planets. The Temple was the site of many pilgrimages, drawing penitents and pure alike, becoming one of the most holy sites of the Covenant. The fame of the Temple grew so much that a small group of Ascetics from the extremely pious Clan 'Dasal arrived and headquartered themselves on Temple Island.
Closing of the Temple and the Decree of Repose
The Forbidden Temple
Soon enough, Templar's Rest's growing population threatened the planet. The Plains Abyssal were fast becoming overworked fields of crop, the native moonbeasts were becoming endangered, and the Temple had suffered much desecration--litter left everywhere, theft of items, graffiti painted on walls. The situation became intolerable.
The Hierarchs of the time chose to shut the Temple, preventing any from entering it at all. This swiftly disposed of most of the pilgrims, who no longer had any motivation to visit the planet. Swift restoration was done to the Temple, and then it was sealed off as one of the holiest sites of the Covenant. To further preserve the planet as a whole, the Hierarchs also levied the Decree of Repose, an order preventing any habitation of the planet outside of the Plains Abyssal and Obelisk Mountains, relocating immigrants until Templar's Rest once more lived up to its name.
Despite the Hierarch's severe crackdown and the isolation of the Temple, a core group of Sangheili still violated the Prophet's commands. However, these were not Heretics--rather, they the 'Dasal Ascetics, who had dedicated their lives to the study of the Temple. When the Prophets stated their case to the Ascetics, they responded with accusations and insinuations. The 'Dasal Ascetics had been nearing a breakthrough with the study of the Temple's architecture, writings, and history, and the Decree of Repose had just blocked them from their goal.
The Hierarchs did not respond well. They issued statements of heresy, and deployed the feared Inquisition to capture the 'Dasal Ascetics so they could be tried and summarily executed. However, the Inquisitors wound up taking matters into their own hands, and acted as on-the-spot judges, juries, and executioners--the Ascetics were found slain on the Temple's grounds. After that massacre, the Hierarchs declared anyone who even stepped on the Temple Island to be a Heretic, and punishable to the extreme. They also forbade there to be any form of killing on the island--any trespassers would remain alive, protected by the sanctity of the Temple, until they were brought back to stand trial--even though most trespassers were simply thrown off the boat when they were being brought back.
A Magistrate was also instituted on the planet--the Magistrate of Templar's Rest is the San 'Shyuum in charge of maintaining the planet and watching over the Sanctified Hunt.
Modern History:
The Battle For Templar's Rest
For a span of time, it seemed as if Templar's Rest would never be touched by the Human-Covenant War. It was far away from the fighting--a peaceful and serene sanctuary. So it was only natural that, as the war heated up, the forces guarding Templar's Rest were deployed elsewhere, as the planet seemed relatively safe. Indeed, it became a popular R&R world, and even hosted a Sanctified Hunt that included soldiers on shore leave.
However, this Hunt, and the events it precipitated, would lead to a shattering of the peace. The Forbidden Temple, a testament to the power of the Prophets and the secrets they kept, began to be the subject of much curiosity. However, no one acted on this curiosity--until Legra 'Adantee.
Fresh from fighting at the front lines, 'Adantee had lost faith after the revelations at the Forerunner Shield World of Artifice. As Rakath 'V'keelaii and Phma 'Refumai broke off as Heretics, Legra 'Adantee and Djath 'Gradaree broke off as Separatists. The two forces, controlling two ships, the Shadow of Faith and the Rising Hope, would eventually join together to attack a single planet--Templar's Rest.
The Heretic/Separatist forces assaulted the planet, overwhelming the meager Covenant defenders. Huntsmaster Legra 'Adantee came and slew the Magistrate of Templar's Rest and seized control of the Sanctum of the Magistrate. However, the Covenant was not without its own champions--the Inquisition dispatched its Reticent lance to quash the Heretic threat.
The conflict soon intensified at the Forbidden Temple--the Inquistors, led by Til 'Muramee and Sorsa 'Xirsasai, drove 'Adantee and 'V'keelaii to a defensive holdout at the Temple. There, 'Adantee uncovered a great treasure--a portrait depicting a Forerunner--one that looked very much like a tall human.
'Adantee and 'Vkeelaii, now with this treasure in hand, fled the Temple to their stronghold at the Sanctum. The Inquistors, having failed to quell the Heretics or to destroy the portrait, fled in defeat. But not total defeat--the succeeded in capturing Roma 'V'keelaii--the daughter of Rakath.
Soon enough, Rakath left Templar's Rest to regain his daughter--leaving Legra 'Adantee and Phma 'Refumai to rebuild Templar's Rest, free of the Prophet's control.
The Founding of the Veritocracy
Following the Battle of Templar's Rest, the ragged coalition of Heretics that now flew their banners over the planet rejoiced in their victory for a short while, before coming together to decide their next course of action. Now that they were freed from Covenant control, they needed their own government. Long tired of the rule of the Hierarchs, the Heretics drafted their own new set of laws, and established their Veritocracy--the rule of truth.
Modeled around both the Councils of old Sanghelios and the governmentof Humanity, the new Veritocracy was led by two "Circles," similar to the democracies and parliaments of old Earth (in case you didn't know, Senators/Representatives for democratic republics and Lords/Commons for parliamentary democracies) and the Hierarchy of the Covenant (Councillors/Hierarchs).
The first Circle are all democratically elected by the vote of citizens--(contention of the definition of "citizen" was fierce--but eventually the Heretics decided that all species would be accepted, and all genders likewise. However, most Sangheili females were "encouraged" by their prejudiced families not to vote, although some voted nonetheless)--and was known as the Circle of Civiarchs. The Civiarchs all represent a geographic group, and were of all races present on Templar's Rest--the majority were noble Sangheili, such as heads of notable families and high-ranking officers, but there were a few Kig-Yar, Unngoy, and Jiralhanae Civiarchs. The Yanme'e and Lekgolo colonies present on Templar's Rest chose to remain politically separate, and chose to be treated as autonomous but allied factions. The Circle of Civiarchs creates laws and institutes policies. Individual Civiarchs are also called on as judicators (judges) for their respective constituencies.
The Civiarchs meet and are headquartered at the former Sanctum of the Magistrate, now known as the Sanctum of the Truth.
The second Circle is the Circle of Oligarchs, of which there are five. Elected not by the people, but by the Civiarchs (although the people may choose to impeach an Oligarch), the Oligarchs are the upper echelon of legislators. Laws created by the Civiarchs must go on to the Oligarchs for approval. Judicial cases appealed from the Circle of Civiarchs move onto the Oligarchs as well, however, the core function of the Oligarchs are to serve as the executive branch of government, as well as the military head--the Oligarchs are both commanders and governors.
The Oligarchs meet and are headquartered in the lower floors of the former Forbidden Temple, now known as the Hall of the Enlightened.
The current Oligarchs, voted in by the Civiarchs, (they all also have overwhelming popular support) are as follows:
Oligarch Legra 'Adantee- also Huntsmaster of Templar's Rest
Oligarch Phma 'Refumai- also Fleetmaster of the Heretics
Oligarch Rakath 'Vkeelaii- also Commander of the Heretic Special Operations
Oligarch Shende 'Dreneree- also Kaidon of the Clan 'Drener
Oligarch Vas'ar 'Hojiree- also Kaidon of the Clan 'Hojir and leader of the 'Hojir Conglomerate
Society:
The Sanctified Hunt:
The nature of the Hunt is best described by the oral tradition of Templar's Rest.
“Peoples of the Covenant!”
“We are met today in celebration of an event that is holy to the Forerunners—and therefore sanctified. We have so gathered here for the sake of pursuing ba’knwa—the beast that dwells in the holiest of places.”
“Long ago, during the first Ages of the Covenant, both Prophets and Sangheili found this verdant world, bathed in the light of this golden sun.”
“And on this world, they found structures—temples—of the Forerunners. So here they stayed, and grew hale and hearty.”
“But upon exploration of these temples, we Prophets found that they were—inhabited!”
“The beast that dwelled within the temples was fast—clever. They looked like lizards—they bore four legs, each with two knees. They had large tails, with spikes shrouding the tip. They had long, curved beaks that were deadly to the unwary. And strangest of all, they would swim away from the temple, where killing them was forbidden—when other moons could be seen.”
“So they were named ba’knwa—moon beasts.”
“And the ba’knwa, by the work of the gods, could be eaten—and not only could it be eaten, but it tasted superior to any meat less holy.”
“So the first peoples of the Covenant hunted, and hunted, till the ba’knwa began to grow few. It was too easy to kill them from afar—it took skill to kill them up close. So the Prophets of that Age decreed they could only be hunted with spear and blade, club and net, as was honorable.”
“Yet still that was not enough.”
“The peoples of the Covenant were hunters too clever, chasers too quick!”
“So it was decreed that only when the other seven moons of the planet Oasis, around which this world orbits, could be seen in the sky, and the ba’knwa were most plentiful, could they be hunted!”
A series of understand grunts emanated from the Sangheili and Kig-Yar, as most of the other races confused by the complex sentence structure and syntax.
“And so, since that night, we have hunted the ba’knwa only when all seven moons could be seen in the sky!”
“We hunt the old way. With spears and blades, clubs and nets…”
“…with fang and claw!”
"...tooth and talon!"
The most recent Hunt
Major Families/Clans and Political Factions
The Clan 'Drener
The Clan Drener originated, as most clans have, on Sangheilios, where they were but a minor clan, all things considered. They were small, had few notable warriors, if any, and were, above all, completely impoverished. This meant that there was little for them on the Sangheili homeworld. It came to the point when their most illustrious Kaidon, Surba 'Dreneree, decided to relocate his entire Clan to the newly founded Templar's Rest.
They were the first full Clan to inhabit the planet, and the first wave of pioneers and colonists to push northward, out of the Plains Abyssal. Surba 'Dreneree led his Clan into the northward mountains, earning them the prestige of discovering Obelisk Lake and the Forbidden Temple. The Clan Drener also founded the small town of Under The Obelisk, in reference to the tall mountain they settled under. Soon enough, that small town became the massive and bustling city of Descended Obelisk.
Now, in the current day and age, the Clan Drener represent the most influential faction on Templar's Rest, with their only real competitor being their age-old rival, the 'Hojir Conglomerate. Still possessed of much of the land that Descended Obelisk was built on, they established a major industrial center that makes their formerly impoverished past seem impossible. Occasionally driven to excess, the Clan Drener now holds immense financial power in the form of mining industries, shipping vessels, and manufacturing groups. The Kaidon of the Clan Drener is set over the Kaidonate of Drener, a territory which now is synonymous with the southeastern part of Descended Obelisk--with the northwestern portion still ruled over by the Kaidonate of 'Hojir--their familial enemies, and the other half of a long-standing feud.
The Clan 'Hojir and the Conglomerate
The first immigrants from the Clan 'Hojir arrived on Templar's Rest early on, first settling down in the newly formed town of Under the Obelisk. The few members of the Clan there grew to love their new home, and in time, attracted more and more of their Clan to move there from Sangheilios. Eventually, the Kaidon of their Clan, who would later be known as Hdor 'Hojiree the Pioneer, decided to move the entirety of Clan 'Hojir to Templar's Rest, earning them the title of the second full Clan to move there.
Soon after establishing a large presence on Templar's Rest, similar to the 'Drener, the 'Hojir quickly established a civil, if distant, rapport with the other great Clan of the area. As the 'Drener expanded, accepting vagrant immigrants and small families into the fold, Kaidon Hdor saw in them a rising power, in terms of political and economic standing. He began to ally himself with other Families, forming the 'Hojir Conglomerate, but not officially binding himself by blood to them. The Conglomerate became a political and industrial faction--between them, the Conglomerate controlled much of the cartographic and exploratory equipment and personnel, and they were first charged with exploring the world.
Expanding into hunting munitions and the suchlike, the Clan 'Hojir remained the independent and uncontested magnate of everything the 'Drener did not already claim--they did not touch space travel or mining, but instead delved into agriculture, cartography, and hunting. Soon enough, however, the two Clans both expanded into general manufacturing, and then into real estate, and soon enough, they began to compete for financial gain, and eventually, political gain. The 'Drener and their new recruits, the Clan 'Adant, now even contested the 'Hojir Conglomerate's control over exploration. Now, both vie for various corporate rights, and favor-currying, political intrigue, and familial drama are both entangled in the feud between the families.
The Family 'Dasal
Ever since the first few 'Dasal Ascetics left Sangheilios to study the Forbidden Temple, the Clan 'Dasal has maintained a presence on Templar's Rest. After the extermination of the 'Dasal Ascetics by the Inquisition, the Kaidon of 'Dasal sent over a representative to help clear the 'Dasal name. The priest Akin 'Dasal brought his family over, and began the long series of penances required to purify his bloodline and his clan. In the end, the Family 'Dasal completed the necessary rituals, but remained on Templar's Rest. Despite the supposed penances, the Family 'Dasal still harbors distrust of the laws of the Prophets, and have, more than once, protested them. And it is rumored that nearly half of all trespassers on Temple Island were paid to access information for the 'Dasals. Of course, as no witnesses are ever left by the Inquisitors, nothing can be certain.
The Clan 'Adant
A minor Clan at best, one of the many that relocated to Templar's Rest, following the success of the Clan 'Drener. The Clan 'Adant served mainly as mercenaries and functionaries in the 'Drener industrial complex, specializing in pioneering and exploration. Many mining profits were gained from the 'Adant's efforts, but they failed to earn the clan anything more than fleeting notoriety. The Clan 'Adant stayed inconspicuous and behind-the-scenes for a great long while, only ever attaining commendations and minor glory, and even a few debacles. The 'Adant invested time in publicizing themselves as the feared mercenaries of the Clan 'Drener, but this proved to only earn them distrust when members of their clan joined the military. A few attempted building a reputation as hunters, but this too failed when a notable clan member died in a hunting accident.
However, that poor hunter's son is something else entirely. The entirety of the Clan 'Adant has been set on its ear by the sudden fame and infamy of one of their own...Huntsmaster Legra 'Adantee.
Quirks:
-the atlatl, a Covenant hunting weapon utilized by moonbeast hunters, is made solely here
-a peculiar dialect quirk: the Templar's Rest hunter's slang for yes is "aih"
-moonbeast bones are commonly used to make weapons, for their strength, flexibility, and ability to hold an edge
