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An appeal to fear never reaches the heart of a Zarbanian.

- Bisarko

The Zarbanians are a large, innately aggressive, disciplined race, native to the world of the same name, and originally a race of pirates, brought up with the heavy bombing and bombardment of their homeworld that almost rendered them a crippled race, unable to continue as an empire. Resorting to piracy and ambushes to get what they needed, the Zarbanians never lost their pride, swallowing it as much as they could to survive and build up their race, while allying with and absorbing other races into their empire, including the rather erratic Scimat'akar and the Grux. These races would form the Zarbania Alliance, and later, one of the major powers of Mirus, The Zarbania Powers. Such has made them a major race, though not without flaw, shown in their original alliance with the Imperium of War and, a fleet commander even briefly going radio silent to assist the Drakodominatus Tyranny, though The Powers themselves provided aid and troops to the allies, though their avoidance of fighting the Imperium of War caused others to look down upon them as traitors. Their history stretches back even further, their ancestors fighting the ancient Multus Esse, and loosing, but spared extinction by their foes.

Putting the past of war with the Mendel Pact and the Multus behind them, the Zarbanians have, slowly but surely embrace the wider galaxy, and lent their military and industrial power to the Covenant of Mirus, despite their hatred for it, and the Unified Alliance of Enlightenment, despite their formerly being at war with it.

They are a strange race, with insectoid and reptilian features, possibly due to their genetic modification as ancient precursors, and even into modern times. They have three main subspecies, and despite their vast differences in appearance and abilities, the three are never the less capable of reproduction, and survival in hostile environments.

History[]

Early History[]

The Zarbanians are native to Mirus Galaxy, or to this universe even. Their race arrived here from unknown parts, and came with the Zarbanian Imperium, seeking to conquer and enslave the entire universe that laid before them. They were opposed by the Multus Esse, whose brave warrior caste stepped forth to oppose them. The Sarko'nai Warrior caste fought hard, the galaxy aflame with the conflict before the two powerful races, entire star systems destroyed, multiple races wiped out. The Zarbanians, lead by their ferocious leaders, the Zarbanian Dracs, threw themselves at their rivals multiple times, and, after their leader, named Gridlock, was destroyed, and their fleets left horribly weakened, the Multus Esse had them at their mercy.

Here, the Council of Elders, and the Queen, left the decision up to the two brothers who had brought the Imperium to its knees, Kossi and Pridar Valicar. Though Pridar demanded they all be wiped out, Kossi, being the elder, overruled him, and had the Zarbanians reduced to an iron-age stage of existence, their minds forcibly devolved, and an AI, 216 Nostroma was placed on their new world to safe guard them and lead them to a future, where their talents would be put to use, and they could benefit the galaxy, rather then harm it. The Council, agreeing with Kossi's wisdom as the best course of action, followed through.

The Zarbanians, form hence forth, were forced into a medieval era, and unable to access their old technology, their shamans and priest telling their descendants, based on what few memories they had left, of being of the stars, and that they where merely placed on the world after sinning horribly to begin anew. They would develop their culture and history along new lines, without the Zarban Dracs to lord over them. They developed a strong farming and agrarian society, coupled with many developing strong military traditions. As they reached an epoch of hundred of city-states and nations, similar to the 21st century of Earth, a mysterious noblemen appeared in one of the cities, and impregnated one of the women there.

The creature that clawed its way from her, was dragon-like in appearance, and almost completely feral. Deciding it was a demon to be removed, the Zarbanians took the creature and threw him in the dungeons, forcing him to fight gladiator match after match. After devouring several of his foes, he gained their combined intellect and knowledge, and grew horrified of both his actions and abilities, but resolved to free the planet. Working with his fellow slaves, he lead a revolt and managed to gain control of his city state with expert precision and military genius, most likely inherited form his "father". Soon after, he lead a crusade across the world, defeating each nation, and declaring himself Emperor Ridanax.

There, he abolished slavery, weakened the power of the "Klunker" families, and was about to establish a constitutional monarchy, before Nostroma used her powers to guide he and his advisors to her. Making their way underground, she offered to give the Zarbanians the technology and power to reach the stars, if they would accept her rule. Believing he was simply a slave, Gridlock-Ridanax accepted, leaving her to command the world, while he remained a general. Their rise to the stars would not go unnoticed...

The Mendel Strike[]

The Mendel, specifically the Ugandalorians under Reago Clett, now acting as High King, found the Celestial Archives of the Multus Esse, and had used them to advance their race further then ever before. Advanced medical tech had boasted their abilities, and new hyperdrives enabled them to travel further then ever before. With the deciphering, however, they also came upon the records detailing the Zarbanian Imperium. Disturbed by their atrocities, the Ugandalorian Council was further aggrieved by the rise of the Zarbanians to space. The Mendel were not sure if they could trust the Zarbanians, and seeing them lead by a dragon like beast, just like the one that lead them in ancient times, was too much.

Reago Clett, feeling them a threat, ordered they demilitarize and stand down. The Zarbanians, not understanding anything, and having no records of their war with the Multus Esse, refused, and demanded to know why. Clett claimed they were lying, and were merely trying to hide their duplicity. With that, he declared war upon the Zarbanians, and ordered his fleet to begin the attack. Though many questioned the right of this order, the Mendel followed through, and began a bombing and bombardment of the world that would leave many dead, and the Zarbanians forever weakened by it. Finally, when the Admiral was ordered to begin the bombing runs for a second week, he outright refused, and ordered his fleet to return home. Afterwards, he killed himself, feeling he had stained his own honor, and could never enter the Oversoul, the Mendel afterlife, with the weight of sin upon him.

The Zarbanians, meanwhile, had been forced to go underground, and though left weakened, would resort to piracy and raiding to strengthen themselves, their race becoming bitter enemies of the Mendel for centuries afterward. Gridlock, thanks to his immortality, would kill at least two High Kings before Torscka Nitrocon took the crown, and would lead many brutal attacks against the Mendel, some Clans even joining the Zarbanians.

In their time, they would gain the alliance of other militant races, such as the Scimat'akar, and the Grux, the latter fearing Mendel attacks on them as well, and gained further races within their Zarbanian Alliance, including the Zarcosians, a group of genetically engineered insectoid/bird-like warriors, and the Ci-Hunters, who claim to hail form another galaxy, and came to assist the Zarbanians in their goals.

War of Pirates[]

Alpha Grox invasion[]

The Zarbania Powers[]

Traits[]

Society and Culture[]

While most empires are lucky to have an army, the Zarbanians army is lucky enough to have an empire for their army.

- Unknown

Although they boast a strong military prowess, history and discipline, Zarbanians many times, do not actually fit mold to well. While when fighting for the Empire, they will fight zealously and work selflessly to further their race and their empire, when things start to go wrong, they will often cut and run, or flee, forcing High Command to use Commissars. As the Zarbanian Imperium was described as being suicidal in its goals, its believed the Multus engineered the modern members to be a tad more cowardly, so as to weaken their resolve in future conflicts. Considering they have managed to hold off the Mendel on several occasions, a race noted for their zealousness and bravery, it obviously did not work.Despite, Zarbanians hate to be called cowards, and will fight any race that even implies it.

They organize into Clan-like structures, called Houses among the higher ranking "Klunker" Lords, but referred to as "Kel'nir" by most others. These Clans are more like large tribes were the Zarbanians organize under three or four Klunker families. Although not perfect, they do try and maintain a balance between their incredible marshal strength and prowess, and maintaining a cordial, diplomatic appearance.

The Kel'nir of the Empire of Claws are almost completely without pity or remorse, being savage, brutal and bloodthirsty, and entirely focused on their goals, no matter what, and have a short-sighted need to defeat any who get in their way, though often destroying themselves. They often act in "Corsair Fleets", seeking new technology, areas to establish bases, and other goals to further themselves and take over the galaxy.

They notably have something of respect, or at least some level of fear, for Barda Clett, and later his daughter, Kirta, due to their strength, abilities and propensity for fighting off multiple enemies at a time, causing them to refer to both as Hunter and Huntress, both as an insult, but also as a slight sign of respect. Many Kel'nir even today do not speak their names, for fear Kirta, or her father's ghost, will destroy them. The Empire of Claws respects this tradition more, but all Zarbanians, at one point or another, have called the members of the Clett Family "The Hunter", while referring to Phase-Hunter as "The Cackling One" or "Grinning Demon".

Biology and Appearance[]

Zarbanians, while they differ, share many similarities. They are all very tall, muscular beings, extremely strong and capable of holding their own against most other races, while being extremely agile. Even their militia among the Empire of Claws, weaker and smaller then the others, are capable of throwing a human across the room with a single swing, even if said human is in full armor. All races have a strange blend of reptilian and insect features in their body, such as exo-skeletal body armor on their limbs, insect eyes, antenna for certain subspecies, multiple eyes for others, and peculiar mandibles used to slice open flesh, fish and plants into small pieces for eating.

Despite the sub-species looking radically different, they are capable of reproducing and having fertile offspring, but with features often randomized, meaning two sub-species could have a child that resembles a member of the third. Hybrids, those fathered between a Zarbanian Father/Mother and a non Zarbanian Mother/Father, tend to have a mixture of the traits of most Sub-species, not just their Zarbanian parent.

Sub-Species[]

Quotes from others[]

  • Add your own!

My grandfather killed god knows how many of them in a legally dubious attack, and my father became "The Hunter", something akin to a demon, to them. It seems odd that I'm the one who they choose to make peace with. Once they're not trying to kill you, they're surprisingly nice, if a little too serious.

- Kirta Clett

Despite the animosity between our races at one point and their history drenched in blood and darkness, the Zarbanians have always one of the more noble foes we faced. It is good that they are allies now.

- Empress Auvia

Notes and trivia[]

  • The Zarbanians were originally a subservient sub-species that acted like the Grunts from Halo, while this race was known as Deutzalanian, to connect with their German theme. However, ZF decided the original Zarbanians were becoming irrelevant, and retconned them.
  • Zarbanians were originally much more villainous, but ZF decided to give them more depth, to make the conflict between they and the Mendel more "grey".
  • This version was based on the Space Pirates encountered on Tallon IV in Metroid Prime. The other two versions, are based on Pirates encountered in Prime 2, on Ather, and Prime 3, in Ultrghus and throughout.
  • Due to the similarities between Halo and Metroid, Cyrannian's Cogsangui inspired ZF to make them creatures central to his fiction, though took much reworking to get them just right.

Alternate Universe[]

Due to the Vanara being absent as a major power, the Waptoria and Mendel became much weaker from their wars with the Drakodominatus, and countless others, their size and colonies much smaller then before. With the Grand Hegemony of the Dragowar gaining more and more power, Zarbania decided to move against their ally, and stood with their former foes to create the Enlightened Republic of Mirus, to try and hold back the Dragowar tide. The Zarbanians, with their military strength and valor, were welcomed in, the old grudges between they and the Mendel being turned aside to stop the Dragowar.

In this universe, the Zarbanians are much more reliant on Dark Energy technology, and turning its power to their use. Like the P-Verse Mendel, the lack of numbers has forced them get inventive with their combat styles, and use various alien and otherworldly devices to overwhelm their foes.

When the Vanara arrived in Zarbania space, the Powers had formed much earlier, and provided a strong resistance, fighting the Vanara and their various Vassal races. Though they provided stiff resistance and inflicted many loses, the Zarbanians were ultimately brought into the fold, and, seeing the greater power and strength of the Vanara, gave themselves fully to serving their new lords, even as a Vassal state. Zarbania, even after the defeat, was, after a few years, allowed a little more freedom to do as they pleased, and have maintained their loyalty throughout.

Their war-like tenacity and zeal to prove themselves to the Vanara, has caused friction with the Mendel, the two have a strong rivalry over who will be the greatest of warriors for the Vanara. Though the Mendel have the most favor, having served the longest, and more loyally, Zarbanians are slowly gaining favor among some of the Lords of the Vanara, and even being employed as Honor Guards in place of the Mendel, causing further friction.

In this Universe, the Mendel succeeded in uniting much of the galaxy under their High King's rule, and most of the races within Zarbania became part of the Mendel, and joined their Clan Structure. As the atrocities committed by Reago Clett were avoided, the Mendel and Zarbanians managed to peacefully come together, Zarbanian warriors fighting alongside Mendel ones in war, and wearing the armor of their peers in battle.

In Universe M, the Zarbanians act as raiders and pirates often, raiding the settlements and planets of those deemed foes of the Mendel to take their children to be raised among Clans without children, and be raised with Mendel cultural values. These Corsair Clans are tightly regulated from within and without, to make sure they do not sell any off as Child-Slaves to the less worthy and more depraved Clans.

Gallery[]

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