Eventually, the Jackals began to meet and save survivors. These survivors were taken in with the tribes and taught the Jackals about the wider galaxy. Eventually, jump gates were established on the planet, allowing safe travel to and from their world. Jackals began working with outsiders, who valued their survival skills, tenacity and inventiveness for use as scouts and mercenaries. Many Jackals view travelling off-world as a continuation of their traditional nomadic lifestyle.
While some might view the Jackals as backward for their traditions, these traditions have proven adaptable and continue to unite them even as they spread through the sector. The Jackals have proven their ability to quickly adapt both new ideas and technologies into their way of life, but only time will tell whether their culture will survive the shock of galactic life.
How will you find your way among the stars?
History
Homeworld
Jackals originated on Ijida, a desert world close to the edge of the Zone. Any ship moving closer to investigate will have its electronic systems destroyed by the Radiance reflecting off its unique outer atmosphere.
Planet fall
Until recently, Jackals lived as tribes of hunter-gatherers who migrated from oasis to oasis after their prey. This changed when a Robot Legion ship crashed after coming into contact with their atmosphere near a Jackal tribe. The same radiation that disabled their ship also deactivated the crew. The Jackals were left without any clue as to what they had discovered.
Salvage
Jackals found and repaired weapons, taking the remains of Robots for use as armour. The looted ship became a trading post and meeting place for the Jackals.
Visitors
Over time, the wandering Jackals discovered more wrecks, which they converted into a network of trading posts and cities for their tribes. The Jackals began to chase falling ships to get to the salvage first. As they got quicker, they began to meet and save survivors. The tribes then took them in, allowing these survivors to live with them until they could send out a signal to rescuers and warn them about the atmospheric radiation.
Contact
Once warned about the phenomenon, ships could weather the storm. Their crews set up stable wormholes on the planet’s surface connecting to a space station above known as Basecamp, as well as to nearby systems within the Zone. Some have sought natural wormholes on their world or to salvage particular wrecks, hiring Jackals as hosts and guides.
Timeline
- 0 ARC - Radiance Cascade
- 13 ARC - Discovery of Crashed Ships
- 78 ARC - First Contact with Crash Survivors
- 83 ARC - Creation of First Interstellar Caravan
- 91 ARC - Official Establishment of Basecamp
Society
Jackals are still adapting to the wider galaxy, and some still view them as backward for their tribal ways. Still, Jackals have proven adaptable; they remain united by their traditions while learning and scavenging whatever they can to help them adapt to their new lives. Only time will tell whether their culture will survive the shock of galactic travel to stand on equal footing with the rest of Sirius.
The Jackals have earned a reputation for being very open-minded and principled, skilled fighters but averse to needless bloodshed. There are a few renegade caravans that have turned more aggressive, however, losing their way as they were exposed to the sometimes grim realities of war in the Sirius Sector. Such Jackals either turn into pirates or find steady employment with less savoury patrons. They may become a Dark Elf crime lord’s security detail, guards in the mines of a greedy dwarf mega-corp, or hired blades for a Soul Snatcher’s secret raids.
Spirituality
It took a long while after the Radiance Cascade for the Jackals to understand what was going on beyond their world. During this period, they saw the crashed ships as gifts from their gods or fallen soldiers of a war in heaven. These beliefs are still strong in their culture, although they are not taken literally. They see their long seclusion, then introduction to the wider universe, as a test from the gods: a chance to gain riches and wisdom, with the looming threat of giving in to greed and losing themselves.
Caravans
On their planet, the Jackals form caravans, riding beasts they share a deep connection with. They patrol vast territories looking for crashed ships and haul the most valuable parts back to their wreck-cities, medinas of adobe and scrap metal. With time, the largest of those cities has had a spaceport and a couple of Jumpgates built up.
Jackals are curious about the worlds beyond their own. Many Jackals view travelling these new worlds as a continuation of their traditional nomadic lifestyle. Adventurous Jackals now form space caravans: entire tribes will gain passage on a ship and start a long trek across the sector, finding employment as mercenaries, cattle handlers or mechanics along the way. Their survival skills, tenacity and inventiveness also make them valuable mercenaries to anyone willing to hire them. Many of these Jackals hope that they or their descendants may eventually return to Ijida with a valuable treasure, whether it is material or spiritual.
Jackal encampments have become a frequent sight near battlefields, on farm worlds or in shipyards.
Nicknames
Jackals often collect nicknames as they travel, taking pride in those given to them by their fellow Jackals, employers, and even enemies. Those given to particularly accomplished Jackals become almost legendary.
Relations
Given their proximity to Robot Legion territories, Robot tech has been the lion’s share of what the Jackals salvaged; hence, much of the Jackals' equipment has similar designs to those used by the Robots, inspired by scavenged technology. The two factions have since formed a strong bond, as Robots appreciate the laid-back, accepting nature of the Jackals.
The Zone
The Jackal’s system of Ijida has become known as a relatively safe entry point into the Zone. Now that the chaos created by the Radiance Cascade has somewhat subsided, many eyes have turned towards the Zone as factions hope to understand it, tame it or exploit its secrets. Many space stations have been hastily built around their world, then abandoned, and every year brings its crop of new adventurers and expeditions. This increased traffic has been good for business, although the Jackals have to be pretty careful about maintaining their independence. For now, the difficulty of access by ship and the limited number of Jumpgates have kept greedy conquerors at bay.
The Radiance
The Jackals refer to the Radiance as Jirlan Duyi, meaning the Celadon Sun. They credit it with bringing them into space and making them who they are today, leading to a great cultural significance being lent to the Radiance. However, they also recognise that eventually it may destroy their homeworld. While their sun protects them from some of the Radiance's effects, when away from its orbit, they suffer similar effects to most alien species: headaches, mutations, hallucinations and obsession.
Language
Jackals usually go by a two-syllable personal name. They will use the name of their tribe when outsiders expect them to use a surname, but within their own society, these names are not common among their own people. Instead, in the rare instances where there are multiple individuals with the same name in a single tribe or caravan, they will use nicknames.
At least one of the consonants in male names usually begins with a "j", while there will often be a consonant in female names beginning with "y". This is usually the final syllable, but some names feature them earlier.
Example Names
[Erja] [Scraptooth] [Jirenge] - [Personal name] [Nickname] [Tribe name]
Male Names
- Erja "Scraptooth" Jirenge
- Nejra Shajiri
- Jurja Nyageri
Female Names
- Lonyi Ornyamu
- Tarya Yinago
- Rayga Aranye
Note that characters are usually referred to by their personal name (in italics).
Trivia
Notable Characters
- Ruyi Nonga (Voidsun Threat) - A Jackal Vulture turned mercenary after being exiled from her clan; she has a strong independent streak which often clashes with her position of authority over the other mercenaries in her company.
- Tayra Shipspeaker (The Whispers Below) - A young Shaman who finds herself compelled by a mysterious voice to investigate deeper into the ruined ship which has become her tribe's home.
- Ranjo Swiftsnare (The Whispers Below) - Outcast from his tribe as a thief, this Veteran serves Tayra loyally after she took him in, though at times his old instincts resurface.
Proverbs
- My ancestors roamed the desert. I roam the stars.
- Fixing your ship is free, but getting it back isn’t.
- I offer you my tribe’s services as scouts, saboteurs and ambushers. We also make a great barbecue.
- Tracking down soldiers is easier than hunting lizards, but lizards don’t usually have guns.
- Be still as a stone until you are ready to strike.
