Dunedari (A1-0)

Dunedari

Døneðari
Biological Classification
Designation	Sapient
Classification	Humanoid
Ancestral species	Humans
Races	Agulvar Areskan Arngun Gauldr Gellir Gimir Iskarkir Opir Telnir Thurid
Related subspecies	Alari Arkanians Dhaneghulans Jhadorans Panuri Prill Xalarians
Related species	Chiss/Cheunh Owette Venterrans Zeltrex
Physical characteristics
Average height	1,7 - 1,9 m
Skin colour	Pink, white
Eye colour	Blue, green
Hair colour	Red
Breathe	Oxygen
Lifespan	80 standard years
Maturity	18 standard years
Sexes	2
Distinctions	Blue facial markings
Sociocultural characteristics
Place of origin	Unknown Valterra (adopted, formerly) Nau Valterra (adopted, currently)
Star nation	Dunedari Free-Standings
Total population	~24,8 billion ~3,14 billion Agulvar ~2,68 billion Areskan ~2,45 billion Arngun ~1,68 billion Gauldr ~1,85 billion Gellir ~2,88 billion Gimir ~1,26 billion Iskarkir ~3,12 billion Opir ~2,96 billion Telnir ~2,85 billion Thurid
Key worlds	Agulmar Areskjarna Arngard Gauldrasil Gevellir Gimingr Iskard Opiror Tellarin Thurdnir Nau Valterra
Languages	Duntau
Religion	Valsharanism
Marital customs	Monogamous
Notable individuals	Jarla Tyri I Gelnir Arbiter Jeggur Telgeir

"The fairly recent events - historically speaking - by the Dunedari show us that we must fully understand a situation before we act. Those who may bring injustice often are victims themselves. Like the Dunedari, one can always redeem themselves if given the proper chance."

—Jo'Dai Master Borerc Deh'ran, Historian of the Jo'Dai Order

The Dunedari (singular: Dunedar; plural: Dunedari; adjective: Dunedari) are a fairly new race of Terrans in the Tiyanki Territories. Regardless of their troubled history, the Dunedari have shunned their shameful past and maintain their territory in the Dunedari Free-Standings. Their militant nature is well known and respected. Therefore, few people ever tread through their territory unwarranted.

Biology and appearance

The Dunedari, being a Terran race, share many similarities with their ancestral species. However, all Dunedari have pale skin and a shade of red hair. Some speculate they were genetically altered, but interbreeding with other Terran races have led to the conclusion that the genes responsible for their appearance are in fact recessive. Their blue facial tattoos, a rite of passage, are permanent and give their race a distinct look compared to the other races.
Like the other redhaired Terrans, the Dunedari too have many freckles. Though it is peculiar that almost in all cases the freckles disappear during puberty. Therefore the freckles have become a symbol of youth and members who have them well into their adulthood are considered to have a vigorous soul.
The Dunedari also are slightly taller with the men easily towering smaller members of other Terran races. It's speculated that this is a result from their time journeying to their newly adopted homeworlds, where they sometime had to survive long periods in zero-G on their Dunedari Migrant Fleet.

History

The Dunedari originated on their homeworld of Valterra, currently located in the Treecuu Star Empire. It is believed that roughly 10.000 standard years ago, they were brought by their Gods from the heavens to a heavenly planet. Soon the Dunedari began to form their own clans which would after thousands of years of infighting and quarrelling, would found the Dunedari State. This state even colonized other worlds, but was short-lived as the Loo-Yee destroyed their worlds in a decade long war, known to the Dunedari as the Litån Råðorak or "Small Apocalypse".
Forced into a nomadic lifestyle, the Dunedari set out to find a new home for themselves. Forming the Dunedari Migrant Fleet, they travelled through the Badlands of Anarchy towards the Ch'Rattan Cartel. Not wishing to be associated with these criminal empires, the Dunedari continued their search. Supplies were becoming sparser and some resorted to piracy. Clans Gauldr and Iskarkir were such cases and brought a stigma upon the Dunedari which now were being shunned away from all the star nations in the Tiyanki Territories. After decades of searching a new home, the finally found a planet adequate for their needs, Nau Valterra.
Realizing that they needed to form a defensive perimiter as soon as possible, the Dunedari aggressively claimed more space. This would however put them at odds with the Sellorians resulting in a short war known as the Sellorian-Dunedari War. Now having proven their martial prowess to the other star nations, the Dunedari proclaimed their Free-Standings at at its head, Jarl Urjo I Gelnir. Their domain was now secured in their loose confederation and have since begun to prove themselves equal to their neighbouring star nations while being fiercely territorial. Though the stigma as space pirates still remain to the nations of the Territories, the Dunedari are doing their best to dissuade this prejudice.

Society and culture

Dunedari society is still remarkably tribalistic. Tribe and Clan structure is immensely important to the people and few even dare question it. While equality between male and female has been achieved, some roles remain preferred by each gender through the many traditions. Dunedari society still is somewhat stratified, with the "freemen" or Kårli being at the bottom, the "clergy" or Seiðrkap acting as the middleclass and at the top are the "nobility" or Ødeli. Rising up in the castes is possible, but requires great devotion and trials of spirit. For without proving one's faith, no Dunedari can be truly deemed a Dunedari as the Dunedari religion is paramount to its people.

Tribes

Taðovingr - Tattoos

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  A woman of Tribe Agulvar.

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  A man of Tribe Agulvar.

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  A woman of Tribe Areskan.

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  A man of Tribe Areskan.

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  A woman of Tribe Arngun.

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  A man of Tribe Arngun.

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  A woman of Tribe Gauldr.

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  A man of Tribe Gauldr.

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  A woman of Tribe Gellir.

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  A man of Tribe Gellir.

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  A woman of Tribe Gimir.

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  A man of Tribe Gimir.

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  A woman of Tribe Iskarkir.

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  A man of Tribe Iskarkir.

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  A woman of Tribe Opir.

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  A man of Tribe Opir.

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  A woman of Tribe Telnir.

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  A man of Tribe Telnir.

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  A woman of Tribe Thurid.

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  A man of Tribe Thurid.

Naming conventions

The Dunedari follow the same naming system as the Terrans throughout Sector A1-0. Each individual has their own personal name which is then followed by their family name. Dunedari are also separated into 10 clans, but they represent this through their tattoos and thus have no special names to signify their clan. Dunedari names also follow their own rules which may appear quite foreign to other Terrans, though names ending on "-ar" are similar to Anglish names ending on "-son".

Dunedari in Sector A1-0

See also: List of famous Dunedari (A1-0)

The Dunedari remain largely isolationist It is as of this moment yet unknown what the future of Dunedari exactly is. Though it is speculated that relations will strengthen with the Stoinian Star Kingdom as the larger star nation aims to protect the smaller star nation as a part of their foreign policy.
Their reputation as pirates still remains in recent memory and many in the Tiyanki Territories haven't forgotten it. Though star nations with more recent first contacts will undoubtedly approach the Dunedari more amiable.

Derogatory terms

A pejorative term commonly used to insult a Dunedar is the term "ginger pirate". It refers to the species' red hair and their troubled past. However, the Dunedari will take offence and likely take affirmative action against anyone who uses the derogatory term. Hence why it's advised the not use the term, especially within their territory.