Mau'ktarl
Notes
- Mau'ktarl use a static female model.
Personality
Mau’ktarl are generally amiable to one another across different clans. They are respectful toward those of Tyedu after off and on trade agreements of valuables and supplies. Any outside of their nomadic tribe they are initially suspicious of, but they tend to react to hostility rather than initiate it.
They are sure of their abilities, be it lorekeeping or combat, but being boastful is seen more negatively than simply being skilled and not flaunting it.
They tend to keep to themselves and their tribes, unless gathering information for their tribe, so they are not seen too often outside of their mountainous home.
Physical Description
Mau’ktarl are a combination usually of being lithe and muscular. Males are usually somewhat taller and broader than females. Mau’ktarl are agile and dexterous with fur and features reminiscent of that of snow leopards. Their fur patterns vary depending on the individual. Normally they have different spots rather than a set pattern. It can sometimes be difficult to distinguish one individual from another unless you are familiar with their fur patterns.
They have long, flowing tails, and soft fur in addition to having hair on top of their heads. The hair mingles with the rest of their body’s fur which can vary in length. Typically their hair is kept longer to aid with colder months and environments in the tribes’ mountainous home.
Hair colors usually range from dark black, grays, and bright whites. Eye colors are typically yellow-gold, green, blue, orange-red, brown, and black. Heavy winter clothing and furs usually cover the Mau’ktarl partly to hide their appearance and partly to keep them warm.
Relations
Typically the Mau’ktarl make contact with those of Tyedu and trade with them for essentials, supplies, valuables, etc. They are not well known to all of Tyedu or Tyeduan tribes and are a rare sight.
Their general roaming area of the mountains can be quite large but their groups and tribes are relatively small and familial in nature. Therefore, along with their training in more roguish skill sets, they are unlikely to be seen or noticed unless it is desired to be.
They are not keen to trade with those of Deglos due to the desire to stay above ground, though they have no known hostility toward those of Deglos. The tribes keep to themselves and to their mountainous home rather than mingle too much with the outside world.
They are naturally curious and inquisitive so they will study others from afar that move into their territory rather than approach or attack them.
Alignment
Centaurs are largely true neutral in alignment, refusing to distinguish at all between any form of morals or values as being right or wrong. They simply accept what is and what needs to be. If laws are necessary at the time, they will be tolerated, but only so long as they are useful. Some centaurs get caught up with the affairs of the world, and adopt a chaotic good approach, shunning laws, but desiring that good be done.
Tribal Living
Tribes are normally initially founded by a mated pair, usually a pairing of a male and a female but it is not unheard of for a mated pairing of two males or two females. The tribes are “co-ruled” by this pair in that they handle disputes, direct the tribe’s actions, etc.
Tribes are normally a familial unit. As the parents bear cubs or cubs are raised from surrogates, the younger tribe members are taught essential skills of hunting, survival, lore keeping, writing, reading, hand-to-hand combat, bladed combat, and general effectiveness in stealthed movement against foes.
Generally, the life path of males is seen as the shield of the tribe. They are taught to protect the home and territory of the tribe. Additionally, they are the main record keepers of the stories of the tribe.
The life path of females is normally being the sword of the tribe. They hunt and gather supplies, food, knowledge of the outside world and other tribes. They are especially adept at more roguish pursuits, on average, more so than their male counterparts. In some instances, tribes have trained those particularly adept at it to be assassins against rival tribes when disputes come about.
Cubs are born into a tribe created by their parents. They are considered of-age for courtship at age 16. They are considered at age for betrothal and mating at age 18. They are considered ready to create their own tribe at 20.
At 20, now grown, a Mau’ktarl will embark to make their own territory within the mountains.
Ritual Of Courtship/Friendship
When a grown Mau’ktarl has found another they are fond of, respect, enjoy the time of, and the like and see them as someone they wish to start a tribe with, they will begin the Ritual of Courtship or Ritual of Friendship. Which is chosen depends on the intent of the Mau’ktarl.
If the other Mau’ktarl is a prospective mate, a challenge is made by entering their territory. Usually, the challenger will enter the territory of their potential mate and take a particularly cared for item and in its place, leave a note of affection or love. The aim of this is for the challenger to not be seen when delivering their love note. It is a way to show worthiness in being a mate.
If the affections are returned, the one challenged will seek a meeting and conversation, hunting together, reading, discussion, and the like to start the path of the relationship going.
If the other Mau’ktarl is a prospective friend and ally, the note left is instead of a list of qualities the challenger possesses that would make them a worthy ally to start a tribe with.
If an individual wishes to create a different sort of challenge, they may do so. This can be feats of strength, agility, intellect, persuasion, or endurance of the body. It is up to both challenger and recipient to agree to the terms of the challenge.
If a challenge is declined for any reason, this outcome must be accepted by both parties. If disagreement is had, a neighboring tribe of the challenged Mau’ktarl’s territory is honor-bound to hear the dispute and aid it being resolved.
The Courtship Timeline
The usual timeline for courtship begins with two years of exploring the relationship, then for two more years of betrothal and marriage where normally the couple will live with one of their parents’ tribes.
After these four years of exploration and getting to know one another's' tribes, the pair will create their own tribe in their own territory.
Dissolving A Tribe
A tribe may be dissolved for any reason between friends or mates. Cubs may journey with either parent as discerned by the parents and cubs. As with the Ritual Of Courtship, neighboring tribes are brought in to mediate if needed for tribal dissolvement.
It is not required to make the reason for dissolvement known, but it is requested that it be known that the dissolvement is happening, for record keeping purposes. Tribes are willing to help those in troubled relationships reconcile/work things out but it is up to the pair to discern what is best for them.
It is understood that not all pairings last forever and not all courtships at a younger age mean mating for life.
Alignment
The peoples of the Mau’ktarl tribes are varied in their wants, desires, needs, and goals. Given that, their alignments and values depend on the individual and their upbringing in their tribe. They are not naturally pushed toward good or evil, nor chaos or law.
Mau’ktarl Lands
The Mau’ktarl peoples keep to themselves in nomadic settlements following the seasons and prey to hunt. They reside in the mountainous areas between Deglos and Tyedu.
Religion
The Mau’ktarl worship Vorin due to their lore and record keeping and Hurine for travel and trade with other peoples.
It is not known which god created them but it is assumed it was a joint venture.
The focus of the Mau’ktarl religiously are to keep knowledge of the tribe to other tribes, keep ever curious, and keep trade and travel going by exploring lands beyond the tribe.
Language
Through connection and small meetings for trade with those of Tyedu, Common has spread throughout the tribes’ region rather well.
It has been documented by the lorekeepers and is taught within each tribe. Given that, each tribe tends to have a slight variation or accent that may come through stronger in some individuals than others.
The native language of the Mau’ktarl does not have a specific name, in their own tongue it is merely known as “The Language”. A good portion of communication is mew-like sounds, hisses, purrs, body language, and eye contact with a mixture of words for numerals, some proper nouns, a few pronouns, some verbs, and general sentence structure to relay what an individual may be thinking or wanting.
Written language is similar, with the focus on what is recorded being histories, stories, and chronicling of various tribes’ exploits. Action and progression of those in a tale are a focus with names and exact timings being secondary to fables learned from the story.
Names
First names are given to an individual at birth by their parents based on the stories and history of the parents’ tribes. Surnames are normally a combination of the two tribes a Mau’ktarl’s parents are from separated by an apostrophe. The tribe name combination is a joint decision between the couple who create the tribe.
Male Names
Rorku, Kerkom, Jukto, Nirku, Zurro, Moku, Kicim
Female Names
Aisha, Ayala, Feli’cia, Lafanyi, Miyo, Arru, Tosyi
Last Names
Fer’tun, Loa’kri, Ktahr’larl, Zin’tol, Vrah’dar, Klin’ror
Adventurers
Seen as the information gatherers and proverbial swords of their tribes, females are more likely to become adventurers when they come of age.
Typically at the same age most would seek a mate through the Ritual Of Courtship (the age of 18 and later) or when one would look to create their own tribe (the age of 20), some would look to explore the greater world beyond the tribes’ mountainous home and become an adventurer.
Their goal is normally to learn and gather information to then send back their findings to the tribe to grow their knowledge base. Though riches, a legacy within the tribes’ stories, battle prowess, and a whole host of reasons to adventure have been given from those who leave home.
While males are certainly able to adventure if they so choose, the duty and honor of being the shields of the tribe to keep them safe at home and to be keepers of records and lore, keep them busy without need to go beyond the tribes’ borders.