Marobai

Above all else, a Marobai's ambition is to learn as much about magic in their life as possible. Of all the humanoid races of Emuria, no others are as attuned to magic as the Marobai. It is not uncommon for a member of the race to spend years studying all of the uses for a simple spell. The race is split into two distinct clans, each with their own culture and beliefs. The homeland of the Clan of the Stars is in the Valley of the Stars. The homeland for the Clan of Stone is in the Greenmyst Hills on the northern reaches of the Silgolian Wood. Each clan is further broken into families. Families are extended and often include over 100 people. There are roughly 10 to 12 families in each clan, each of which consists of close to 2,000 people. The order of importance in a Marobai's life is always Clan first, magic second, Family third, all else is individually decided.

Marobai are always very dedicated. Once they have decided on something, they go into it with as much effort as they can. A person may never quite know what a Marobai will become dedicated to do, but once they have decided, it is almost impossible to sway them from their chosen path. This may be the only common ground between the two clans.

As their name would imply, the Clan of the Stars specializes in the study of Celestial Magic. They prefer to live outdoors in buildings that have at least one room open to the sky. This clan has no problem with moving, since everywhere under the open sky is their home. A member of this clan is most happy when allowed outdoors. Most members of this clan do not use weapons, relying on their magic to protect them, but some train in the use of dagger or staff. There are times when other weapons are chosen, but this is very rare indeed.

Members of the Clan of Stone specialize in the study of Earth Magic. They prefer to live in deep caverns dug from natural caves. The Clan of Stone is more protective of their territory then the Clan of the Stars. While the Clan of the Stars would be willing to move their home quickly, a member of the Clan of Stone will always defend their home to the death. The Shamans of the Clan of Stone generally do not use weapons, but most others are trained in the use of either hammer or axe. Again, others do train in different weapons but this is rare.

For both clans, marriage is for life. Once a partner is chosen, another will never be taken even if their partner dies permanently. Each partner is treated equally, but when dealing with other families in the Clan, the partner with the most magical ability speaks. This is also the person who brings matters up with the heads of the families. It is very common for the spokesman to change several times during a marriage as each learns more about magic.

Ceremonies are held privately with the heads of the families of the betrothed. The ceremony is always held outside on a clear night when as many stars can be seen as possible. It is said that the more stars in the sky, the happier the couple will be. It has been known for a marriage to be cancelled and the couple to never wed because of bad weather on the wedding night.

Weddings are public celebrations held in the largest, deepest cavern available. As many members from each family are invited as can fit in the room. When people from two of the larger families wed, there can be well over 1,000 people present.

Every Marobai has two tattoos on the backs of their hands. On the back of their right hand is the tattoo of their clan. On the back of their left hand is the tattoo of their family. These are not normal Tattoos. They are the basis of the Marobai Race and were created by formal magic when the race was born. The full purpose of the tattoos has long since been lost, but their function is well known. The Tattoos help the Marobai to survive as well as extending their lifespans. A general greeting given to any Marobai that is not known is given by crossing the arms in front of the chest with the right wrist in front, palms of the hands facing outward. The wrists are then rotated to show the back of the hands where the tattoos are located. The wrists are shown first to prove that a person is not a member of the Clan of Death (described later). The right hand must always be in front since the Clan is more important than Family. It is a grave insult to cross arms with the left hand in front. Feuds lasting for decades between families have been started in this way. The tattoos may never be hidden, if they are then the Marobai is either an outlaw or an outcast. It is a great personal dishonor to try to hide the tattoos.

Marobai go through childbirth the same as humans. A child is not born with the tattoos on their hands, but they are born with the ability to receive them. Within 24 hours of birth, the child is taken to a permanent circle appropriate to its clan along with the parents and one of the clan elders performs the formal magic spell that marks the baby as part of the Tattoo Ceremony. When the parents are of different families have a child; the magic inherent in the child chooses the tattoo of the family. The formal magic changes the tattoo of the parent of the different family to match. In this way, the baby decides the family tree. Once one baby has been born to a couple, all others are born of the same family. It has never been known to have a subsequent child revert to a different family. The magic simply will not allow this to happen. Children are raised equally by both parents and are taught the ways of magic from an extremely early age.

Death is seen by both clans to be the natural end of things. Both clans celebrate the life of the dead.

During the celebration of life, the body is cremated so that the spirit may join with the stars. This cremation is always performed under an open sky at night. A stone selected from the Valley of the Stars is often placed with the body at the time of cremation. This stone becomes known as the Starstone. This stone is placed inside of the deceased’s headstone as a reminder of the life that was lost.

The Clan of Stone buries their dead. The ceremony involves a burial with a brief recount of the deceased’s life by the closest relatives. There is no casket used, and the body is naked except for being wrapped in ceremonial linens.

While both clans have different beliefs, they do share a common history. To outsiders they may seem to hate each other, but in reality they respect each other greatly. They realize that they both help each other to exist. The insults they give to each other are in truth, jokes meant to congratulate each other. The more two Clansmen argue and yell at each other, the more they respect each other.

The Marobai tend to be hidden from most races. Until recently, very few outsiders knew of their existence. Current troubles in both homelands have caused members of each clan to journey out into the world. A great rift has opened causing the deaths of many from both clans. In the past, since Marobai look so much like humans, they seem to fit in well with human society. Only the concept of the feudal system confuses them. Since in their society, there is a clan elder and elder council that is mainly just advisers to the families, the idea of a person ruling over everybody is foreign to them. Until a Marobai learns how this system works by experience he will be very confused whenever anyone obeys a command from someone whom is considered nobility.

Family notes and history: (These are traditional and stereotypical roles, individuals may very)

Family Name	Family Head	Tattoo	approx # of members
Bardo	Johnathan	Raindrop	200
Caldwell	Nadia	Well	100
Constal	Grace	Justice scales	100
Fardel	Librian	Spiral	140
Glavest	Bernice	Quartered shield with	160
		black upper right and lower left
Goldhelm	Calishian	Helmet	100
Harbringer	Melissa	Smiling Face	200
Kaldesh	Valice	Birdhead over feather	100
Lamesh	Dakarin	12 dots in a circle	160
Marob	Harald	Book	290
Moonglow	Aldera	Halfmoon	290
Mustary	Quinsy	Question mark	150
Nakabai	Drake	Dragon	200
Opteria	Zardeth	Eye	130
Quentera	Celeste	Coin	200
Redflame	Lilly	Flame	200
Starshine	Gerald	4 pointed star	150
Sunaria	Albert	Sunburst	160
Tribian	Mansar	Cathead	140
Zavia	Hector	a "Z" in a circle	140

Bardo: These specialist in water magic found a way to clean the water in the Valley of the Stars. Ever since, they have been the guardians of the fresh water that brings life to the Valley.

Caldwell: This family helped in the Barde discoveries. They still work closely with their friends.

Constal: The law of the clan. It is their task to keep peace among the families.

Glavest: Traditionally, this family makes up the guardians of the clan. They are more attuned to battle magic then others and are normally the spearheads in any battle.

Harbringer: Some feel that this family is insane, but in truth they simply choose to enjoy everything life and magic have to offer.

Kaldesh: Marobai met the Traditionally, this family was in charge of making cloth for the clan. Recently, many have begun trading with outsiders.

Lamesh: Masters of no magic and all, this family has never found one task to concentrate on.

Marob: When Marobai started his travels, he changed his name. These are his direct descendents.

Moonglow: The first family to choose to join with Marobai when he left his homeland. They are usually more interested in the practice of Ice magic then any other.

Mustary: This clan insists on studying the mysteries of formal magic. Many members have died or been altered by their experiments. It is rumored that they accidentally created the ritual that brought to life the Clan of Death.

Nakabai: The ornate tattoo is because of this family's importance. They are in charge of the dead. Once a body has been burned it is traditionally their task to keep safe the starstone that will guide the spirit to the stars.

Opteria: This family was once the watchers that kept an eye out for invaders. They are still the best scouts and guides that the clan has.

Starshine: This family joined with Marobai after he left his home because they had always secretly practice celestial magic. It is rumored that they still have some secrets known to them that even the clan elders do not know.

Sunaria: A woman who left with Marobai for love started the Sunaria family. She eventually married him and joined his family. The Sunaria family continues on because her sister followed her.

Tribian: Why this family joined with Marobai is a mystery. Originally, they were all Sarr, but have since had the feline half bread out of them through marriage.

Axehead: The warriors of the clan. Very few of this clan is actually spellcasters.

Barov: Feeling themselves to be the most noble of the families, they try to live in the tallest hills.

Burrows: These Marobai use their gifts of earth magic to make the homes of the clan as magnificent on the inside as the Miner family makes them on the outside.

Eranco: This family studies the make up of the world. They insist that there is more then just magic to be gained from the earth. No one is quite sure what they mean by this.

Goldleaf: The merchants of the clan. It is said that their name and tattoo come from a mythical golden tree that they once brought to the woods.

Gridan: Along with the Axehead family, this family joins in the defense of the clan. They are masters of defensive magic.

Hammerfall: Family started by Marobai's brother who left with him, but refused to give up the magic of the earth.

Natash: This family keeps the families tied together. When needed, they are in charge of settling disputes.

Redsand: Masters of binding magic, there is little they cannot do to stop someone.

Stonehand: This family enjoys working with stone. Some of their sculptures are considered the finest ever made.

Stonewood: The farmers of the clan. Also the most closely attuned to nature. They are often found on the outskirts of the Silgolian Woods.

Tiar: The historians of the clan. Their tattoo symbolizes that nothing ever ends, everything is tied together.

Vaken: Joining with Marobai to escape prosecution by their tribe, these people choose to live in the past, changing little wit the passage of time.

Waterfall: This family joined with Marobai so that they could see more of the world. They roam around the hills much like a river.

Wolfen: This family seems to delight more in the company of animals then other Marobai.

Yamir: The guardians of the dead for the Clan of Stone. Once the dead has been buried, their remains are guarded so that there spirits may rest.

* Means that this is not widely known. A character may decide how much he/she knows, does not know, or believes

Almost a thousand years ago, the Marobai were simply a barbarian tribe. One day, a leader of a tribe, who had already mastered all he could learn about earth magic, decided to study celestial magic in secret. He kept this from his tribe until one day he used this magic to defend his tribe. Most of the tribe rebelled and killed this man, but a small group was amazed at what they had seen. Along with a group of those loyal to their leader, they were able to create a place for him to resurrect. They traveled to the Valley of the Stars to begin a new tribe.

*Life was harsh and the leader, Marobai Tribian, used his knowledge of both magics to create the tattoos that helped them survive. Those that came to learn Celestial magic became the Clan of the Stars, and those who came because of their loyalty to Marobai became the Clan of Stone.

100 years after the founding of the two clans, the Clan of Stone decided that they wanted to leave the valley because they felt uncomfortable with all of the celestial magic in the area. They moved into the Greenmyst Hills where they remain to this day.

Marobai Keldoran (-410 to -315) – Founder of the race and creator of the Ceremony of the Tattoos.

Hendik Alsbane (-420 to -350) – Clan of Stone elder who decided to move his clan out of the Valley of Stars.

Darberath Alsbane (85 to 170) – First member of the Clan of Death to ever be found.

Alderth Moonglow (300 to 405) – Clan of Star Elder who led the cleansing of the Valley of the Stars after a great celestial upheaval in 356.

Moriden Forgehand (328 to 429) – Clan of Stone elder who reopened communication and trade between the two Clans after nearly 700 years.

Berdine Glavest (540 to present) – Clan of Star hero who founded over 20 celestial guilds in Emuria. He is known to all members of the Clan of the Stars as the father of modern Magic.

Claudia Moonglow (550 to present) – Current Clan Elder for the Clan of the Stars

Mordock Hammerfall (543 to present) – Current Clan Elder for the Clan of Stone

Very little is known about this clan. It was first discovered in 208 when Darberath Alsbane began openly teaching necromancy. Its members come from both clans, although more seem to come from the Clan of Stone. The Clan of Death delights in the practices and studies of necromancy. There are very few who can say with honesty that the Clan of Death exist, as most Marobai simply refuse to acknowledge the existence of such a group.

The Identifying mark is a tattoo of a skull on the inner wrist of the right hand. All members of the Clan of Death have this tattoo. It has the same properties as the other tattoos, but the members of the Clan of Death feel no regret with attempting to hide it.

There is a common agreement between members of the Clan of Stone and the Clan of The Stars that any member of the Clan of Death found is to be killed. There is to be no trial, no defense. No member of either clan will help in the resurrection of a member of the Clan of Death. A Marobai will take the law into his own hands if need be and willingly face the penalties of his actions in order to eliminate a member of this group. In places where necromancy is legal, All Marobai will strive to end the use of necromancy. If a non-Marobai can be convinced to stop using necromancy, then they can be forgiven. There can be no forgiveness to a member of the Clan of Death since they have betrayed their original Clan. If there are members of both clans hunting a member of the Clan of Death, then the person of the same clan that the Clan of Death member betrayed has first right to the kill.

Members of this clan were all once members of a clan and family. They do have the other two tattoos as well.

One note: A Marobai CANNOT be tricked or forced into receiving the Clan of Death tattoo. He must partake of the Ceremony of Death of his own free will.

Another Note: The magic of the tattoos are born into a Marobai Child. Therefore, a person cannot "become" a Marobai by simply receiving the tattoos. In fact, the formal magic will not work if a person is not born Marobai. Only the Clan Elders and the Councils know how to perform the casting of the Tattoo Ceremonies for each clan.

Family Name	Family Head	Tattoo	approx # of members
Albane	Daria	White rectangle inside of a diamond	100
Axehead	Boman	Axe	100
Barov	Robert	Bird	200
Burrows	Marcus	Cave in a hill	140
Eranco	Darian	Black circle inside of an larger circle	200
Forgehand	Zach	Anvil	270
Goldleaf	Wally	Leaf	140
Gridan	Gordan	Solid black shield	200
Hammerfall	Sara	Hammer	180
Miner	Liliandrin	crossed pick and shovel	160
Natash	Brian	Horn	150
Redsand	Necran	Hourglass	100
Stonehand	Patrick	Fist	200
Stonewood	Ellana	Tree	140
Tiar	Unar	Infinity Symbol	170
Vaken	Xavian	Claw marks	200
Waterfall	Simon	Watterfall	140
Wolfen	Clark	Wolf	130
Yamir	Podel	Griffen	300

Family Name