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Obsidians are a lowColor. They are a 'monstrous race, only bred for war.' Obsidian is the only color to ever rebel against the Gold elite (until the Rising) in an event known as the Dark Revolt. After the Dark Revolt, they were forced to live in the polar regions of Earth and Mars. Allowed no knowledge of high technology, the Obsidians worship Golds as "Sunborn" gods. In light of their ignorance of the processes of genetic manipulation and Carving, the Golds populate the lands of the Obsidians with unimaginable horrors, including bear-like pack-hunters, man-sized (and larger) marine predators and mythic beasts from Earth's ancient legends (notably: Griffins and dragons). Most Obsidians have 5 fingers per hand, though some are known to have 4 or 8 per hand, as confirmed in this tweet.

Due to the incredible sense of kinship among the Obsidians, the Board of Quality Control bribes their tribal shamans to teach that touching one another will "weaken their spirit." Obsidians therefore believe in only three types of touch: the Touch of Spring (during sexual intercourse), the Touch of Summer (to save another) and the Touch of Winter (to bring death).

In battle, Obsidians chant a throaty war-song, intended to send terror into the hearts of their adversaries, as well as inspire courage and kinship among the Obsidians themselves. The language they speak is Nordic-based and is called Nagal, although before the Dark Revolt they spoke a Mongolian-based language called Tetkjr.

Obsidians are known for their enormous height and titanic strength. They are incredibly hardy; a razor can pierce an Obsidian's armour, yet they may appear totally unfazed by the injury.

Obsidians don't have a title between their names (Ragnar Volarus) although they are often given titles (Sefi the Quiet, Valdir the Unshorn, Alia the Snowsparrow).

Culture[]

Obsidian culture originally bore a resemblance to Mongolian culture, but following the Dark Revolt, the Board of Quality Control used social engineering to reconfigure it to resemble Nordic culture. Obsidians over the subsequent centuries would bear Norwegian names. (Ex. Ragnar translates to warrior in Norwegian).

Obsidian culture was originally patriarchal before the Dark Revolt, but after the rebellion failed and 90% of the population was exterminated, Gold social engineering reversed it into a matriarchy.

Obsidian hierarchy is mostly unknown. All that is clear is that the Queen is as the top with chieftains operating underneath the Queen. It is also to be assumed that each planet has its own obsidian Queen as Sefi uniting based upon color was unexpected by the Society.

Polyamory is common among Obsidian women. They might have seven children from seven fathers. Those men are then bound to protect and treat the other children of her brood as though they were their own.

Obsidians will open their hands to only those they respect, not to their superiors.

Tattoos[]

Obsidians frequently have various markings and symbols tattooed on different parts of their body. The color of the ink used varies depending on the planet they live on and the Gold family they serve. For example, clans who serve as gladiators for House Carthii use eel-green ink.

Ashvar[]

Ashvar is a tradition between Obsidian warriors in which one whose honor has been wronged seeks out their target to restore their honor through a one-on-one duel to the death. Warriors who declare Ashvar use a chunk of coal to paint the mark of the Norse war god Tyr upon their brow and abdicate all worldly concerns except the resolution of their vendetta. An Obsidian who wears the mark of Ashvar is to be given hospitality and immunity by everyone they meet.

The target being challenged determines the terms and conditions of their duel, and is allowed to choose a champion to fight on their behalf. However, if the champion dies, the challenged must be killed immediately by their own people.

Language[]

In addition to Common, Obsidian are the only Color to have their own unique languages. In the early centuries of the Post-Conquering Era, Obsidians spoke a language known as Tetkjr, implied to have Mongolian roots based on the fact that Obsidian culture was influenced by the Mongols prior to the Dark Revolt.

After Gold socially re-engineered Obsidian culture to resemble that of the ancient Norse following the Battle of Peitho and the end of the Dark Revolt, Obsidians shifted to a Nordic-based language known as Nagal. Outside of the Ascomanni who fled to the Kuiper Belt, Tetkjr was not spoken inside Society territory for centuries, and of its written form, only remnants of old prayers have been found in abandoned temples on Mercury.

Society Training[]

After an Obsidian is harvested from the ice, they are taken to a facility known as the Agoge (named for the Spartan program to train young boys), where they are trained in modern weaponry and space combat. They are given meager rations, and to supplement this are encouraged to loot and steal supplies from the surrounding area in a nightly ritual known as the Nagoge.

Types of Obsidian[]

Stained[]

Stained are among the strongest of the Obsidians, who traveled the Way of Stains and were subsequently recruited by "the Gods" to serve as elite soldiers and bodyguards (but never as commanders or leaders in any capacity). They are allowed to use some martial technology (such as ionBlades) but are still largely bound by the prohibition of high technology. For any Obsidian to touch a Razor is a capital crime. Stained are adorned with scars and tattoos (their "Stains," earned as accolades for their achievements in combat) and are typically bald or mostly-bald. All known Stained also have eyes tattooed on their eyelids.

Skuggi[]

Obsidian spirit warriors and assassins. They always are around a shaman. See page for more.

Berserkers[]

Obsidian warriors known for their savagery induced by a combat drug known as Fever Cloud. Berserkers are also known for fighting naked, as well as their heavy amounts of tattoos.[1]

Ascomanni[]

Obsidians who escaped slavery of the Society and the Rim. They are considered quite ruthless and violent, known to be cannibalistic and to decorate the hulls of their ships with the bodies of their victims. See page for more.

Known Obsidians[]

  1. Light Bringer, chapter 09
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