Cart'henian

The Cart'henian home world of Cart'hen III is in the Trinity Sector of space.

History

Pre Invasion

The natives were a peaceful nomadic race, well suited to survival in the harsh desert conditions found everywhere on the surface of Cart'hen III. They had no history of war or intertribal conflict. The fight to survive was the main battle they fought everyday. The desert conditions and the need to find, grow or raise food meant that for the most part contact between tribes was a rare and infrequent occassion. When it did happen they usually celebrated the occurance with feast and song before parting to continue the constant never ending wandering accross the surface of their world.

They were a pre tech race with some knowledge of primative metalurgy. Most of their tools were crafted from wood or stone. They survived by living off the meat and other goods they were able to use from their herds of domesticated livestock.

Prior to the arrival of the Klingons their population had been slowly decreasing till it was around 500,000. This slow decrease was partially due to the increaseing difficulty in obtaining water which was becomeing harder to find. However the main reason was probally becouse of the increased number of still births due to interbreeding within the tribe.

Klingon Occupation

All this ended in 2193 when the Klingon Empire invaded. An examination of Klingon records shows that a force of 50,000 soldiers and 10,000 civilians was dispatched to the planet. The civilians were a collection of engineers, mining specialists, technical experts and prison workers.

The soldiers were put to work hunting down and transporting the native population to the site of their first strip mining operation, what is now the city of Mith. It was here at the mining facility that their population continued to drop to the point where extinction became a very real possability. The harsh working environment and strict rules enforced by the Klingon guards took many lives. In fact their total population had probally dropped to around 75,000 by the time the Klingons released them.

Finally Independance

In 2368 the Klingon High Command decided to leave Cart'hen III. They had found other sources of the mainly industrial and heavy metals closer to the center of the Empire. It was more cost effective this way, however a small minority was against this plan. The final result was that most of the Klingon forces left. A new location was selected and a permanent military garrison was established as well as a close by penal colony to work the new mine works.

Due to the new, more friendly relations they had established with the Federation, the Klingons turned all of the native Cart'henians free. However over the 175 years of captivity that they had spent as slaves to the Klingons, the natives had lost most of their culture and survival skills.

Over the next 10 years large number of them took to the stars looking for a new home. They paid for their passage aboard freighters with semi precious gems dug from the mines. The largest off world colony of Cart'henians is on Miri IV which now has a population of around 20,000.

By 2385 their population has started to rise again. They now number about 45,000 on the planet with almost 30,000 of those liveing in the cities and only about 15,000 haveing returned to the deserts.

Before the Klingon occupation they were a peaceful people and it was unheard of for them to take any violent action against another native, regardless of tribe. That has not changed, but now they will take violent action against off worlders, especially Klingons. Those that have returned to the desert's have become excellent guerrilla fighters useing unpredictable, unconventional, deceitful and depriving combat tactics that use the environment to their best military benefit.

Description

The natives of Cart'hen III are a hardy people, with the men standing on average 5'6" and weighting about 160 lbs. Females are on average 5'4" and weight about 130 lbs. They are covered in a very short course sandy fur. They also have wide flat feet with 4 toes and hands with 3 long fingers and 1 thumb. They have a wide flat nose and deep set eye's under wide bushy eye brows.

Those that have returned to the deserts wear long loose robes, usually tan or mixed light browns in color. These robes allow them to blend into their environment. Those that live in the cities wear a wide variety of styles.

Physiology

They have a set of double eye lids, one of which is transparent to protect the eye from intense light or flying sand. The other one is a normal eye lid that will come down on the surface of the other one and the eye to protect the eye.

They also have the ability to store water within a special internal water storage organ, due to this they can on average go for as long as a week without needing to take a drink. However if they have not refilled this internal water bladder by that time they will start to dehydrate.

The short course fur and neutral tan color of both their skin and the fur protects them from taking damage from the intense solar light. It also offers a bit of protection from blowing sand and dirt. Best of all it helps them to regulate their internal temperature.

Psychology

Even after all this time, the occupation, freedom and the changes that came with it, the natives still maintain a certain stoic outlook on life. Survival must be earned. Life is to be enjoyed. The desert is home, with it's wide open spaces and silent majestic qualities. They all, city dweller, off worlder of traditional desert dweller have a need to wander away from others, usually at night and just stand, staring at the stars and the empty distances.

Religion

Water is life, especially to the Cart'hen. For them it is represented by Uh'tir, a god that is both male and female. As the embodiment of life and water, the two beings intermingled not just in their beliefs but also in reality, Uh'tir is the giver of all. They have no priests, nor any need for any. Each day at sun up they voice a prayer, giving thanks for another day of water, another day of life.

Mythology

Most of their legends have to deal with the need for water. The one that doesn't has to do with a creature called Si'dir. It moves in the night, quiet, waiting, then when it thirsts it summons the sands. This sandstorm is then sent to roll over the people. Under cover of the storm the Si'dir races forward, grabs it's target and then sucks all the moisture out of it. All it leaves in it's wake is a dried out husk as it slips off, moveing with the storm.

Society

Those that have moved to the cities try to blend in but at the same time they also prefer to live close to others of their own kind, preferable from their own tribe. However their is much more intermixing between the tribes nowdays. This is evident not only in the cities but the deserts and off world as well. While they might not have lost their tribal identity, their racial identity has become more important.

Culture

As a race the Cart'henian's were for the most part a peaceful nomadic race. All that changed with the Klingon occupation. Now while part of the race has returned to their roots, some have gone to the stars and others have changed, becoming settled dwellers in cities of stone. What has not changed for the most part is their soft gentle music, the traditional dances and the importance of the family.

Customs

Rite of Manhood

When a male child reaches the age of 10 they are expected to undergo a test. This test usually consists of the boy leaving the camp and haveing to survive in the desert for 10 days with no help and no water. The type of equipment he is allowed to take with him depends on tribe and background. For city dwellers or those that now live off world the test would be adjusted to meet the demands of their new background.

Courting

This has not changed much with time. Not even the Klingon occupation affected how they courted a mate. Women take no part in the courtship. A male finds a female he likes. Then he will visit the father and state his interest. If the father has no objections the male will tie a cord with something of his to the entrance to her tent. If no other male objects, or wish's to fight for her hand, then he pays the bride price agreed upon by the father and she is his. If someone objects or wish's to fight for her the father will step in.

In the case of a fight or objection the father has to be willing to accept the other male as a possible husband for his daughter. If not then the objection or challenge is ignored. When it is an objection, both males state their case for the father. He then picks the winner and awards his daughter to him after the price has been paid. In the case of a fight, both males with meet naked except for a loin cloth. No females are allowed to watch or attend. They then step into a twenty foot ring drawn in the sand and attempt to either throw the other man out of the ring or pin him to the ground. The winner is awarded the girl after the bride price has been paid.

Weddings

Weddings are simple affairs attended by the whole tribe. They alway occure at night and are followed by a celebration enjoyed by all except the bride. The groom walks to the father. Then he goes down on one knee and the father puts his left hand on his head. The father asks in a loud voice if he wishes to to take his daughter. The male replies in a loud voice yes. Then the daughter come forth from behind her father and kneels. The father puts his right hand on her head and states that she is now his. After which she goes to his tent to wait for him and the party starts.

Funerals

This is the only custom that has changed greatly due to the Klingon occupation. Now all they do is carry the dead to a place of rock. The body is usually completely wrapped in cloth. Once they reach the area of rock they walk in to the area for about an hour. Then they place the body down and say goodbye before turning and leaving. This is usually done as close to the hottest time of the day as possible.

Technology

Prior to their contact with the Klingons and other off worlders who came after them they were a pre tech race. They had only the very basic knowledge of basic metalurgy. Most tools and other household items were crafted from stone and the byproducts of their herds of domesticated animals.

Now they are capable of repairing and operating many types of machines and weapons but do not have the skills or equipment needed to make any of it themselves.