Mandalorian

The Mandalorians are a nomadic, clan-based culture consisting of anyone that wished to join them regardless of species or gender and bound by glory and honor. To the galaxy, they are known as brutal conquerors, mercenaries, and are responsible for the genocide of multiple species.

Despite their violent history, they are not the monsters many believe they are. While they are known for their skills of war and destruction they have created a lasting culture and iron-clad order for those that call themselves Mandalorian. Among themselves they are known as the Mando'ade, or "Children of Mandalore"; they are warriors, conquerors and they are a family built on trust and equality.

History

Ancient Times

The origin of their culture is shrouded in myth and their exploits are infamous. The ancient history of the Mandalorians is, for most of the galaxy, based on rumors rather than fact. Only they know the true motivations of their culture while we can only theorize and ponder. Only they know their true origins and history of how the Mandalorians came to be while we can only wonder.

What we do know of the ancient Mandalorians is that they are warriors who have challenged governments that spanned the entire galaxy, fought alongside insidious beings seeking to dominate the galaxy, annihilated all who opposed them, and welcomed those who were willing to join them.

Why the ancient Mandalorians brought war to others within the galaxy is uncertain. If modern Mandalorians are any indication it was for the glory that the warriors of Mandalore sought which for them was only found in battle. Their success as a Mandalorian was determined by their skill in war, the strength of the enemies they fought, and the fact that they were the ones that were victorious after the events have transpired.

Even though we know little of the ancient history of the Mandalorians we know they have built a civilization and a culture that exist even in modern times. Their violent and glory-filled history has not caused the iron-clad warriors to weaken and what they have experienced has not changed what it means to be Mandalorian over the millennia they have existed. Their language exists unchanged, their culture has remained unchanged and they themselves have not deviated from the path set by ancient Mandalorians.

The Clone Wars and the Last Mand'alor

Amidst a civil war, the title of Mand'alor was taken by a young Mandalorian as his father died in his arms. He took responsibility and led his allies against the forces that threatened the stability of the Mandalorians. After a significant victory, the Mand'alor crippled his enemies' forces though the leader escaped. The leader of the splinter group sought to rebuild his forces and found allies. Lured into a trap the Mand'alor soon found himself, and his soldiers, being attacked by Jedi that was deceived into believing that the loyal forces were the aggressors. The attack devastated the loyal forces and the splinter group achieved victory over the Mand'alor. However, the Mand'alor survived the attack and returned to successfully kill the leader of the splinter group before turning to the life of a bounty hunter. The Mandalorians without a leader scattered; becoming mercenaries, assassins, and bounty hunters...it was a dark time for the children of Mandalore.

The Mand'alor became the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy and soon after he was hired by the Sith for a job that would forever change the galaxy. He was paid to serve as the genetic template for an army of clones and to train them in the ways of war. In exchange, he was given any resources he desired as well as a hefty fee. The bounty hunter gathered other Mandalorians to aid in training these clones and the culture of the Mandalorians was instilled within the clones. The language and the Mandalorian traditions found favor among the clones; inspiring them with a purpose more important than simply being a product to be used in a war that was not theirs. Their armor was designed to spark the same fear in their enemies as the Mandalorian armor it was based on and with skills that matched the bounty hunter they were created from they marched toward their first battle.

Unfortunately, the Mand'alor turned bounty hunter died soon after at the hands of a Jedi Master when the Jedi Order discovered he was an ally of the Sith, leaving the Mandalorians without a Mand'alor. The clone troopers fought against the enemy of the Republic and were led into battle by the Jedi in order to end the war as soon as possible. The clones took part in battle after battle and achieved victories each time. Though not all was like it seemed. The Sith were in control of the Republic, the true Sith Lord became the Chancellor of the Republic and the Jedi Order never knew...until it was too late.

All the battles, the events, and even the Jedi Order itself were manipulated to accomplish the goals of the Sith; the end of the Jedi Order and the eradication of all Jedi. When the Jedi discovered this they attempted to kill the Chancellor and failed. The order was given to the Clone Commanders and the troopers fired upon their Jedi Generals...killing most of them. The Republic became the Empire in the hands of the Sith and the clones, with the aid of the experience they gained from their Mandalorian teachers, became the military force of the Galactic Empire. The Empire pursued the remaining Jedi and the Great Jedi Purge began.

Modern Times

Challenge and Change^[1]

It is true that the power of the Mando’ade who existed before Year 5 CGT was a shadowy remnant of the military powerhouse that held the galaxy by the throat under the leadership of the Ani’la Mand’alor. The Mando’ade were spread out, and the central government led by Mand’alor held only Manda’yaim and a few of the surrounding worlds.

The culture, the most important part of Mando’ade life and the only identifying characteristic of a Mando’ad, was mostly intact, although there appears to have been an increased emphasis on bloodlines.

These conditions, coupled with the fact that the Mando’ade was led by a weak Mand’alor, led to a challenge for leadership by Imperial Tyr DeMeer. DeMeer, who defeated the Mand'alor, and announced himself as the Warrior Eminence and ruler of the Mandalorians. He would then proceed to gather many strong and able individuals to his side, which would include Andrew Panzer, Charles Osten, and Brutus Verlasy. Mandalore would grow and prosper once more into a government as well as having subsidiary mining, item, and ship nationalized corporations.

The Ba'slan She'vla^[1]

In the immediate period following DeMeer’s rise to leadership of the Mandalorians, many Mando’ade aliite (clans) elected to remain and rallied behind DeMeer, forming what today is known to the galactic community as “Mandalore.”

However, many other clans opted to not follow the man they called "aruetii (outsider)" and "usurper" and instead opted for "Ba’slan She’vla" (strategic disappearance). Several also later fled, out of disagreement with DeMeer’s unique views and practices.

Although shunned and cut off from home, they lived as they always had. They drifted from place to place and job to job as mercenaries.

Unification of the Ba'slan She'vla Aliite^[1]

Years passed in this way, and they clearly took their toll on Ba’slan She’vla clans, whose strength and numbers dwindled considerably. However, Kai Oryk, a member of one such clan, decided he would not let these people die without a fight. After telling one of his friends, a wealthy ex-pirate by the name of Derek Shado, of his plans, Shado offered to provide the initial funding for a venture to formally reunite Ba’slan She’vla clans.

Negotiations began with several groups for a new Yaim for the proposed organization, but one was finally found on Argovia, a small temperate world in the Argovia system of the Endocray sector. Once the planet was obtained, a camp was set up, and the call for unification was sent out. The response was immediate and within days, representatives from dozens of the scattered clans arrived on Argoiva and pledge their support to Kai’s cause, proclaiming him leader of their crusade.

The Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders and the Exodus^[1]

This new group formalized its structure on Day 280 of Year 9, CGT, and adopted the name “The Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders” like the ancient group of the same name. The Neo-Crusaders rejected the current Mand’alor and called for a new crusade to bring honor and glory to the Mando’ade.

Things went well initially, and the clans began to flourish once more. Although jobs were few and far between, those that were taken were handled with extraordinary proficiency and quality befitting Mandalorian mercenaries, and the group’s reputation began to grow.

The Ba'slan She'vla clans remained unified until Year 10, Day 81 CGT when disagreements between Shado and Kai, regarding Shado's contemptuous conduct, came to a head. On this day, Kai decided that enough was enough. The unification would not last while Shado tainted the Neo-Crusaders, and the organization couldn’t operate with such a paranoid leader, following Shado's usurpation of the group, whilst Kai and most of the Mando'ade were fighting a contracted battle in the outer rim. Kai resigned, left the organization, and invited the other Mando’ade to do so as well. Every clan agreed that Kai was the leader they would follow, and every Mando’ade, to the last, left the Neo-Crusaders and joined Kai’s exodus.

A New Beginning for the Ba’slan She’vla Aliite, Mando’ade^[1]

Directly after the exodus from the now-defunct Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders, the group of clans continued their mercenary style and returned to their nomadic life; moving from job to job.

As the contracts came and went, the collective amount being raised grew and with the discovery of even more vode (brothers/sisters), from their journeys to other parts of the galaxy, the Mando’ade clans were once again thriving to an exuberant level.

It was only a matter of time before the clans found a new home, which could not only sustain their work but also offer them the ability for a more permanent settlement. Naming the planet Manda to "Evaar’la’yaim", the clans set about the formation of a more public group, to allow them the ability to fulfill their initial wish: to unite all of the broken Ba’slan She’vla aliite (clans), offer a safe haven for all their vode and bajur’ir (educate) the ignorant masses of aruetiise (outsiders) about Mando culture.

On the 167th day of year 10 CGT, the group publicly announced the founding of the mercenary group, Mando’ade, led by Kai Oryk.

Culture

Over the centuries, the Mandalorians have fought with and against many armies over hundreds of worlds. Their ability to learn and adapt never ceases. Each conflict has brought new alien languages, yet the Mandalorian language itself has changed hardly at all. The philosophy, ideals, identity, and bonds have only grown after every battle.

Most Mandalorians are not concerned with biological lineage. Their definition of offspring or parent is more by relationship than birth. Adoption is very common and it is not unusual for soldiers to take war orphans as their sons or daughters if they impress them with their aggression and tenacity.

Mandalorians wear armor for two reasons. One is so that they reduce their chances of death. The second is that they have a means of identifying each other no matter how different their physical appearance may be.

Resol'nare^[2]

The most important aspect of Mando'ade culture is the Resol'nare, which translates to Basic as the "Six Actions" or "Six Tenets."

The Resol'nare are:

Ba'jur, Beskar'gam,

Ara'nov, Aliit,

Mando'a bal Mand'alor-

An vencuyan mhi.

Translation (Basic):

Education, Armour,

Self-Defense, Clan,

Our language, Our leader-

All help us survive.

Ba'jur

Education. All Mando'ade are expected to raise their children as Mando'ade. There is no typical education regiment, but most consist of firearm and blade practice, piloting, equipment upkeep and maintenance, Mando'a and the Resol'nare. Some also choose to teach their children other skills, such as hunting, cooking, wilderness survival, battlefield medicine, machine repair, and other practical disciplines.

Beskar'gam

Armour. Beskar'gam is the most outward display of being a Mando. Beskar'gam also says a great deal about its owner. While most aruetiise (outsiders) see identical sets of armor varying only in color, each set of Beskar'gam is actually quite unique and tailored to suit the comforts, fighting styles, and abilities of its owner.

In addition to wearing the armor, Mando'ade are expected to be able to care for it and keep it in peak condition, ready for combat at a moment's notice.

Ara'nov

Defence. Other than Beskar'gam, Ara'nov is probably the tenet that sentients most associate with the Mando'ade. All Mando'ade are expected to be able to hold their own in combat, regardless of sex, age, or profession. This fighting prowess is also expected to be put to use to defend one's aliit (clan) in times of need. Many assume that because of this tenet, all Mando'ade are soldiers by profession, but this is not the case. Mando'ade merely recognizes the importance of being able to defend oneself and those they love.

While anyone can obey the other tenets, Ara'nov is what separates the Mando'ade from the hut'uune (cowards).

Aliit

Clan. Unknown to many aruetiise (outsiders) is the emphasis the Mando'ade place on family. Family is such a big part of Mandalorian society that its organization is centered around it, in the form of clans. However, aliite (clans) in Mandalorian society are far different than those found in most galactic cultures. Mandalorian aliite can best be understood with the old proverb,"Aliit ori'shya tal'din," which translates into basic as "Family is more than blood." While it certainly is important to raise the children one birth as Mando'ade, adoption is just as important, and more widespread in some places. Adoptees are given the same status and treated the same as those related by blood. Through this practice, the Mando'ade have managed to keep strong throughout the centuries.

Mando'a

Language. Although some may disagree, Mando'a is extremely important. It sets us apart from the aruetiise (outsiders) and it strengthens our bonds with those who have come before. It serves as a form of universal communication and way to tie together what is otherwise an extremely diverse group of sentients. It also allows us to express ourselves; through proverbs, poetry, and song. Not only that but it allows us to express that which is indescribable in any other language. Because of Mando'a, your vode (brothers/sisters) will understand you when you say shereshoy (the lust for life), even when no one else in the galaxy can. It is Mandalorian through and through.

Mand'alor

Sole ruler, Mandalore. It is no coincidence Mandalorians call themselves the "Mando'ade". This word translates to Basic as the "Sons and Daughters of Mandalore." Mand'alor is never Mand'alore. He is our one ruler and leader of the clans. He is the most worthy warrior who takes the place of the previous Mand'alor after he joins the Manda. He leads us against those who would do us harm and those who he would have us harm. He is the embodiment of the ideals of te Sol'yc Mand'alor and the guardian of Mando values and life.