#dathomir headcanons

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.

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.