#dathomir headcanons

[thenightmarketofdathomir]

It is said, on Dathomir, there's a tradition where, if a Nightbrother breaks the skin of a bruula fruit while thinking of their lover, the juice splatters will foretell the number of children they will bear for them.

[fromdathomirwithlove]

Young Nightbrothers are taught self-sufficiency from an early age. They're taught to hunt and preserve food, but they also learn the land they live on... right down to the plants that might harm or help them.

Bacta is an expensive product and hard to come by, living so far off the hyperlanes, but ask any Nightbrother at the age of five which leaves might draw poison from a wound when made into a poultice, or which roots to decoct to make the strongest potency of bloodroot tea to cure a fever, and he'll tell you where the strongest can be harvested.

The Nightbrothers of Dathomir look after their own, because no one else will do it for them.

[justalittletomato]

Winters on Dathomir were cold…

In the carved out villages upon the mountains the Nightbrothers knew of the incoming freeze that would soon arrive at the threshold.

The red mountain ranges hidden under white. From a far distance one would call it beautiful for those living through the harsh cold it was a reminder to keep prepared.

Life in the Fortress was no expectation to preparedness. It was not the controlled palace of Sundari. Everything must be readied. Everything at reach. The harsh winds made flying out dangerous. Weeks where the fortress would be kept under falling snow and wind that blew.

Nights that were cold. For those outsiders who followed it was not ideal.

For a certain crimson Zabrak’s Starlight this was the case and it was certainly not allowed by any means.

Zabraks hunted down the mighty beasts with furs to keep away the bitter cold. His starlight’s was wrapped about in one, Maul had gone out to seek it out himself. Careful preparation and determination to ensure his beloved would not feel the winter chill.

Another log tossed into the hearth, his Starlight wrapped in the fur cape enjoying the relief of the warm fire.

Maul ensured his Starlight’s comfort. Sitting close and wrapping an arm about them. His Star made a soft sound. Zabraks ran warm. A warmth his Star sought.

—-

As the night came as did the winter cold. His Star pressed to his chest and the cape about them. Best to keep warm in this manner.

A small shiver and Maul holds his Star closer, his hearts beating alongside theirs.

“Are you cold?”

His Starlight shakes their head, “ Not when I’m in your arms, my Dawn.” They huddle closer, “never when I’m here.”

As the fire in the hearth fades another flares. The soft sounds of the two lovers locked in embrace.

[tragedybunny]

Carnivorous Zabrak

I'm going with Zabrak and therefore Nightsisters and Nightbrothers being carnivores. Because I like it. Because sharp teeth are fun. (I realize Maul's in the movie may not be accurate.)

Well technically they are facultative carnivores in that they can eat things other than meat, they just thrive best on all meat, and there is some plant matter they should avoid.

Let them bite and nip each other out of affection too while we're here.

[o-wise-corvid]

Okay so how about some more lore/HC’s.

Death is named Ōlen and he is the brother who walks in your shadow. However, life is the mother of both; her heartbeat is the first one to leap to action, and give breath to your own. For this reason, the larger and stronger heart of most Dathomiri is called their Tizh.

Life is often called Tālno Tizh in the old stories, as she is the Great Mother from whom all things are born. She is the one who guides and guards, providing strength and speed to survive.

Tizh and Ōlen share a love for their family and they work together. To the Dathomiri, Death is not the end. Death is only another chapter. And Life will press your hand into that of Death someday, when you are ready to begin it.

Tag list: @alexeithegoat @thesitharts @crc-jedi-knight-serushna @hotshot9 @smoooothbrain @gran-maul-seizure @foreverchangingfandomsao3 3 @herbalina-of-yesteryear @justalittletomato @stardustbee @storm89 @by-the-primes @ohboi

[a-master-procrastinator]

Dathomir Headcanons

Since we know little to nothing about Dathomir during SWTOR timeline, I’ve decided to come up with my own ideas for this beautiful planet and its famous Zabraks.

I tried to consider a few little things I know about Dathomir in general (spoiler - I don’t know much, and I won’t take stuff from new canon not to confuse things, aside from red mist, because i love red mist. no, I don’t hate new canon), and my ideas probably don’t make sense outside of my head, but hey, a fella can dream. What do we know (or can guess) about Dathomir in this time period?

There probably was a battle during the Great Galactic War on Dathomir (probably because the mention of that battle was removed in 2011).

According to this map (even after in-game updates), Dathomir is in Imperial space, which would explain why Dathomirian Zabraks initially are available on Empire side only in game

Nightsisters (and Witches of Dathomir) as a group are not present on Dathomir during the events of SWTOR (and, as far as I understand, won’t be until around 600 BBY or later)

Dathomir is home of rancors! Isn’t that cool?

That’s pretty much everything. Of course, Dathomir has a very interesting history that takes place thousands of years before the Great Galactic War, but these are the most important things to know at this point. All the fun stuff happens either before or after SWTOR, so there’s much space for headcanons.

So, here are my (stupid) ideas:

Since Dathomir was under the control of the Infinite Empire and Rakata basically created some of the species, including Zabraks, this is how they ended up on Dathomir. Basically, Zabraks are the closest thing to native sentient species this planet has at the moment (Kwa were before).

Dathomirian Zabraks have a lot in common with their Iridonian siblings, but there are still a few differences. The most noticeable, their skin color, is the result of the environment (and partially Rakata experiments). I’m not sure if the red mist is a thing on Dathomir in Legends, but for this one, I’m going to ignore it, sorry. I like red mist, and I don’t think it’s just mist. It might as well be the reasoning behind Zabraks’ red and orange skin colors. Dathomirian Zabraks are also somewhat taller than Iridonian due to the planet's lower-than-standard gravity (90% standard). Not much taller (they are not walking giants), but the tendency is there.

Screw this, during SWTOR time period, Zabraks are the dominant species on the planet and represent the most of its sentient population.

The environment is pretty harsh on Dathomir, so just as their Iridonian brothers, Dathomirian Zabraks are quite strong. They have a warrior-like culture due to having to fight against dangerous fauna and flora. Yes, even some of the plants are hostile. 

They have several clans that originally formed because of geographical reasons, but later have become responsible for different aspects of life, like hunting, protecting, gathering and keeping knowledge and etc. 

There are also a few authoritative families (they are pretty close to royal or ruling families, but not exactly that). Their prestige is higher than that of the clans, and different members of those families can belong to different clans. Most of the Zabraks are not members of those families.

Their tattoos have meaning. Facial tattoos represent their family (that applies to all families, not just authoritative ones) and clan - part of the tattoo represent clan, another part - family, and together they form a pattern. Those tattoos are applied after the initiation process (into a clan). Some important things, like titles, would be represented in facial tattoos as well. But! there are also tattoos on other parts of the body that represent each individual’s achievements, either it’s hunting an extremely dangerous beast, inventing a tactic, winning a traditional fight, performing a cultural dance, or something else.

A lot of their hobbies include hand-made stuff. Idk, I just thought it’s neat.

The planet has a certain connection to the Force, like Tython with the Light Side or Korriban with the Dark Side, though on Dathomir this connection allows the witches to use their magic (this is later, not in SWTOR) and results in some sorts of mysterious stuff, like special areas, animals that can be controlled only by using magic (with planets connection) - let’s just say this one goes specifically to rancors - and other stuff. Was this connection the result of Kwa technology, Rakata experiments or is it something natural is unknown. Because of this “dark spooky energy”, Zabraks settle in the least affected areas (because in some regions this energy is stronger, and in others it’s weaker).

Force sensitivity was a rare thing among Zabraks (not extremely rare, but chances of finding a Force-sensitive Zabrak on Dathomir during this time period are low). Later, after Nightsisters have taken control over the planet, there were more Force-sensitive Zabraks, though they were not necessarily aware of that (like Savage). But this happens long after the time period we’re interested in right now.

It seems like there was a battle during the Great Galactic War between the Republic and Sith Empire, as I’ve mentioned above, and the Sith seem to have won. Dathomir was an interest for the Sith primary for two reasons - Zabraks would make excellent slaves, and planet’s mysterious energy. Zabraks didn’t give up without a fight, but some of the authoritative families understood that they are more likely to lose, so they offered Zabraks’ service to the Sith Empire, as well as help with exploring nature of Dathomirian Force energy for not being enslaved. The Sith agreed (not without complaining though), and kept Dathomir relatively untouched.

Dathomirian Zabraks weren’t popular in the wider galaxy.

This is all for today. I might be able to expand those ideas, add some more, and maybe even work on the tattoo designs and the whole clans/families system. Maybe. If my brain suddenly decides to do that again.

A reminder that this is all my headcanons, that could be stupid or go against canon in some places.

[thenightmarketofdathomir]

Excited to see what wares the Nightmarket has today! Trick or treat!

House of Night Headcanons: On Death and the Afterlife among the Nightsisters of Dathomir

Warnings: Death, resurrection, zombification and death preparations, death rituals

There are twin sculptures that guard the gates to the Nightsister's mortuary. Women, of course. Deities, in fact. Not gods in the literal sense because Dathomir has always had two of them (one has Fangs and one has Wings, if you remember) but these two Nightsisters were once great warriors elevated to god-status. The Nightbrothers don't remember the story. It's not theirs to own, and any territories leftover from the war are left to ruin and decay. Good riddance a lot of them say.

The structure itself is carved directly from one of the mountains, and when you pass through the doors, all is silence. Everything is dark. In the aftermath of the Battle of Dathomir, no one goes there. The Nightbrothers believe it to be haunted. Not surprising considering how superstitious they are -- some places are off limits. The Lair where the Nightsisters lived, for example, but especially the mortuary where they prepared their dead for the afterlife.

You might be asking at this point, how do they know about it if it was forbidden in the first place? Nightbrothers were servants, so it's inevitable that Nightbrother hands carried the Nightsister dead for preparation. They never touched them. Those rituals were reserved for anyone with magick, and being bereft of the ichor and the power to control it, a Nightbrother wouldn't be involved in the process. That doesn't mean that those carrying the bodies never spied the goings on of those rituals -- someone had to be curious. Someone would return to tell the tale to the other brothers around the campfire in the flickering light, when the darkness crept in.

The Nightsisters were familiar with making their own graves, the structures used to lift the funerary pods and the egg-shaped coffins themselves. Rancor leather and sinew stitching, wrapped with red linens -- red, the colour of blood which was sacred to their Fanged God, who granted them the power of resurrection. built exactly to resemble their sacred gravethorns, it's no surprise that the pods resemble wombs, because these women went to the slumber of death knowing they were awaiting their rebirth.

Sure, the bodies were prepared with sacred oils infused with the Water of Life to anoint them, holding skin and bone together to prevent decomposition, and tucked into a slumbering position into their coffins so lovingly built to protect them in their afterlife.

But what the Nightbrothers didn't realize is that preparations for their death and return came long before a Nightsister departed this life. The ritual began while they were living: a commitment ceremony of sorts, and preparations. Lessons. Spells and rituals to better prepare them to be called back so that when they died, their spirit would be ready to rise to their true purpose and vocation. The House of Night was a school first: it taught the Nightsisters how to die with honour so they could return to fulfill their oaths to their sisters: they would rise to protect Dathomir when summoned.

[fromdathomirwithlove]

Scuff marks on Dathomir's gnarled trees indicate areas where young Nightbrothers rubbed their sprouting horns. Bark rubbed off the trunks have no particular patterns, but the placement and regular occurrence of those marks suggest discomfort from rapid horn growth at an early age.

The marks are often found three to five feet off the ground.