Jungle Taung Overview

The Jungle Taung/Kar’ta Epar’e

Overview

It is commonly-held belief that the ancestor race of the Mandalorians, the gray-skinned Taung species, went extinct thousands of years before the rise of the Galactic Empire. Heavy losses suffered during the ancient Mandalorian Wars led to a sharp decline in population from which the Taung never recovered.

However, Mandalore is far from a tamed world, and much of the planet is still unexplored and unreachable by modern communication. Many have theorized that small pockets of Taung could have survived in isolated communities, cut off from Mandalorian culture at large. These theories were largely disregarded until the discovery of isolated Taung clans living within the confines of the tropical rainforest known as the Werda Kurs (the Dark Forest).

The Dark Forest is one of the most volatile and dangerous locations on the planet. A massive jungle that covers most of the southern tip of the continent Dara’vhipir, this jungle has long been the home of lethal creatures and legendary beasts, including the Kar’ta Epar’e or Heart Eaters. According to local legend, the Heart Eaters are the ghosts of ancient Mandalorians that guard the treasures of millennia-old military bases hidden within the shelter of the rainforest. These supernatural warriors supposedly prey on treasure hunters and local Mandalorian Rangers alike, leaving no survivors of their attacks and little to no evidence of their existence.

These legends have proven more correct than anyone could have guessed. Recent contact has revealed that living within the areas of these Heart Eater attacks are multiple clans of Taung warriors, adapted to life in the harsh and unforgiving forest. Their chilling name is due to their tradition of capturing enemy warriors and consuming their heart (and later the rest of the body) in the belief that it will transfer the slain warrior’s power to the consumer.

History/Formation

Taung storytellers within the clans tell of an ancient time when the Kar’ta Epar’e traveled the stars, laying waste to all before them. But soon they had overcome every challenge there was to offer and, with no further challenges to guide them, gave in to the lazy temptations of the sloth god Arasuum. As punishment, the vengeful war god Kad Ha’rangir saw fit to strip the Heart Eaters of their power and exile them to a vicious world that would be a constant threat to their power. The Taung were challenged to rebuild from primitive technology the culture of their ancient ancestors and reclaim their rightful place among the stars. Only be reawakening the technology of the ancients – known as the Holy Serpents, put to sleep by Kad Ha’rangir –could they achieve this goal.

Of course, these local legends are shot through with mysticism and exaggeration. But close inspection of these origin stories, coupled with millennia-old military records, shed light on the real story.

In truth, the Kar’ta Epar’e are descended from a small coalition of Taung Mandalorian clans that fought in the Mandalorian Wars. These small clans fled from Revanchist retribution at the end of the Wars, disappearing into the depths of the Dark Forest in an attempt to throw off their pursuers.

The plan worked, but at a cost; the jungle-going Taung were cut off and stranded from their fellows. With only the most basic forms of technology to aid them, these Taung wandered through the dangerous jungle before starvation, sickness, and casualties forced them to set up a permanent settlement.

Rather than attempting to return to the outside world, these Taung sought to live in isolation until they were rediscovered. But generations passed, no rescue came, and memories of the old Mandalorian ways faded in favor of a more primal, violent, and spiritualistic set of traditions. They lost contact with the roots of their culture until even the ruined husks of the Basilisk Droids – which once held such a prominent place in Mandalorian culture – were given a near-supernatural place in their mythology and became known as the Holy Serpents of legend.

The Taung themselves also changed. Two thousand years of evolution led to subtle physical alterations; instead of the typical cranial frills and fins of the classic Taung, the Kar’ta Epar’e have long hair they weave into dreadlocks and decorate with beads or feathers. They are generally taller and lankier than their ancient brethren, as living among the treetops has bred a faster and more agile form of their race. They have developed longer talons on their fingers and toes to aid in climbing, and their skin color has dulled to a more muted gray-green to match the tones of the forest.

The Kar’ta Epar’e still maintain the angular faces, pointed chins, and yellow eyes of their ancestors, and the general armor design (eg, the distinctive Mandalorian T-visor) of the original Mandalorians have also survived millennia of cultural evolution. They are recognizable as Mandalorians and as Taung, but should not be confused with the ancient space-faring race with which they share their name. The Kar’ta Epar’e are very different and live by very different rules.

Current Status

The exact number of Kar’ta Epar’e living within the Werda Kurs is unknown, even by members of the clans. To date, over seven clans have been discovered. However, the jungle has the capacity to shelter many, many more within its depths, and it is likely that hundreds or even thousands of Taung call the rainforest home. At the moment, a more in-depth census is impossible, as many Kar’ta Epar Clans are still very hostile toward outsiders and will attack any intruders on sight.

Only a single clan has expressed interest in peaceful negotiations with the outside world. After an initially violent encounter, these Taung were forced into compliance by the appointment of a new clan leader, known as Werd’cetara or Shadow-Walker. Clanmaster Werd is one of the few Taung interested in peace, but remains confident that with time and luck, he can convince most if not all the rest of the clans to follow his example and open peaceful negotiations with the modern Mandalorians across the planet.

As it stands, however, the Kar’ta Epar’e remain a dangerous and aggressive threat. They actively seek out locals in the jungle, believing the modern Mandalorians to be invaders to their territory. Rescuing these people after capture is almost always impossible.

Mand’alor Fenn Shysa has nevertheless maintained his standing order that the Rangers should continue pursuing peaceful avenues of contact and trade with the jungle clans. With the support of Werd’cetara and his people, the idea of peace could become a reality, and the existence of the Kar’ta Epar’e has sparked searches planet wide for other isolated pockets of Taung survivors.

Political Views

Mandalorians are often described as harshly militaristic, aggressive, and violent. The Kar’ta Epar’e embody these traits taken to an extreme. Millennia of living within the confines of a deadly rainforest have left the Taung hardened and animalistic in their aggression. They see life as a struggle of survival of the fittest, and devote every moment of their waking lives training themselves to physical perfection in order to conquer the rigors of the jungle. As such, they care little for the political views of the outsiders. However, they do believe it is their inherent destiny to rise up and reclaim their heritage as conquerors; an ideology that many modern Mandalorians find unnervingly similar to Death Watch beliefs.

The Kar’ta Epar’e are far from returning to their roots as a spacefaring race, but many already worry about the implications of assimilating these violent fanatics into a culture that is just beginning to heal from the ravages of a bloody civil war. Many believe that the Taung’s militaristic ideologies will lead to increased support of a resurgent Death Watch movement. Such division could tear apart Mandalorian society at the seams, just when it is beginning to knit back together again.

Additionally, the Taung believe that only the strongest should rule, and in almost all physical regards, they are superior to the modern incarnation of Mandalorians that have spread across the planet. They are stronger, faster, more bloodthirsty, and show a ruthless intelligence that can be the downfall of even the most seasoned Mandalorian warrior. This has led to widespread discomfort at the idea that the Taung could potentially go to war with their modernized brethren – a war they could conceivably win. The idea is far from implausible, though Mand’alor Shysa has reassured the populace that with Werd’cetara’s assistance, lasting peace is possible and very likely.

Organization

Like their modern cultural descendants, the Heart Eaters divide themselves into clans. A clan can be anything from a single family to a veritable army of Taung, but most clans are composed of around ten to fifteen familial units.

However, most of the clans seem to maintain an interconnected network of trade, communication, and alliances. This mirrors the current political system of developing ancillary clans: the smaller ancillary clans support the larger in times of strife or war in return for protection, trade, and intermarriage.

Interestingly, the Taung also practice a staunch militaristic lifestyle. While many modern clans are a hodge-podge of warriors, farmers, laborers, and elders, it seems the Kar’ta Epar’e are all warriors when needed. Every clan member, from the lowliest child to the most respected elder, have the capacity to fight as a guerilla soldier if their territory comes under attack.

This has served the jungle clans well, as an entire clan can mobilize and fight – or retreat – when attacked. This inherent nomadic lifestyle has led to the legends of the “jungle ghosts,” as even the oldest of Taung settlements can be torn down and moved within a matter of hours.

Like modern Mandalorians, central power resides in the Mand’alor. However, it seems that the Mand’alor of the jungle clans serves a purpose more akin to our Clanmasters. Modern Mand’alor’e serve a more ceremonial role, and rule in conjunction with the Council of Elders when necessary. Among the jungle clans, the tribal Mandalore holds complete power over the central clan and the allied ancillary groups.

If his rule is contested by a fellow Mand’alor, a turf war ensues. Usually bloody and short-lived, these battles serve as the primary method of political change among the jungle clans. The victorious clan quickly absorbs their defeated foe and the warriors of the absorbed clan are stripped of honor and must prove themselves worthy of respect again.

As such, clan life is a much more interconnected and interdependent lifestyle than the modern versions; every warrior must fight his hardest for the clan or risk being dishonored with everyone else.

Armaments

The Kar’ta Epar’e clans lack modern technology, though they seem to adapt to new concepts quickly if not entirely willingly. Their religious beliefs lead them to shun any technology used by the beskar’jage or “metal men” (their term for modern Mandalorians, whom they perceive as intruders and land-thieves).

Their primary weapons are the bow and arrow and spears. Both weapons employ the use of beskar for arrowheads or speartips. It seems that the Mandalorian talent for beskarsmithing was not one of the cultural traditions lost to them over the generations.

However, recent expeditions – and reports from the few friendly Taung in the jungles – report that the clans also heavily employ the use of bolas, nets, and slingshots. Hunting with weapons is seen as a last resort, as traps are the preferred method of stalking prey. Outwitting an opponent is seen as superior to overpowering one, and as such the Taung have proven themselves to be master ambushers and trap-makers.

Additionally, some of the more advanced Kar’ta Epar’e groups have begun harnessing the power of explosives. At this writing they continue to use little more than smoke-bombs and small, primitive fragmentation grenades, but it still indicates a significant leap forward in technology. As such, reintegration with modern Mandalorian society may not be as difficult as was originally believed.

Recommendation

It is my belief that the Taung tribes are an integral part of Mandalorian history and society. While they represent a viable threat to the Ranger outposts deployed in the jungle (since at least 85% of the Taung population remains hostile and therefore incapable of peaceful communication) there is still a strong chance of reconciliation.

However, reintegration with modern culture may be unwise, unneeded, and – above all – dangerous. These Taung live a very different lifestyle from that of modern Mandalorians, and as such could introduce a dangerous destabilizing effect to modern society. Additionally, it may not be wise to introduce a physically superior race (not to mention one that is continuously at war with one faction or another) into a population they may deem too weak for coexistence.

My personal recommendation is that we leave the Taung in their jungle. Talk with them if we want, trade with them if we want. But leave them their forest and let them be.

    -          Report compiled by Ranger-Commander Akh’shi Che’daje. Timestamp: 0700 hours, twenty-first day of Rainfall, Mandalorian standard calendar.