Babylon 4: Narn Regime
NARN
FREEDOM - SACRIFICE - RESTORATION - ANGER
HOME PLANET: NARN
GOVERNANCE: NARN REGIME
"No dictator, no invader, can hold an imprisoned population by force of arms forever. There is no greater power in the universe than the need for freedom. Against that power, governments and tyrants and armies cannot stand." - G'Kar
The Narn are a proud people who value honour and personal freedom above all else. They were reforged from a peaceful agrarian society into a warrior culture by over a hundred years of Centauri occupation and slavery. The Narn first developed interstellar travel 190 years ago and began establishing a few small colonies on other worlds and stations; they were just beginning to find their place in the galaxy when the Centauri arrived and conquered their worlds.
The Centauri enslaved the Narn people and strip-mined their world of resources. For over 120 years the Narn ran an underground resistance movement, they learnt to fight, learnt Centauri technology, learnt to hate, and finally after many long and bitter battles, they drove the Centauri away.
After achieving their freedom, the Narn people were quick to begin rebuilding and expanding. They built ships using technology they had learnt from the Centauri, took back their lost colonies, and began colonising other nearby worlds.
The Narn government is called the Kha’Ri and is made up of councillors from eight circles with each being dedicated to a different aspect of rule:
- First Circle
- The Ruling Circle consists of eight Narn who are the final authority within the Narn Regime.
- Second Circle
- The Advisory Circle consists of two advisors for every counsellor of the First Circle.
- Third Circle
- The Diplomatic Circle contains the ambassadors and diplomats sent to other worlds.
- Fourth Circle
- The Military Circle consists of the regime's most senior military leaders.
- Fifth Circle
- The Governour Circle contains the leaders of each province and colony.
- Sixth Circle
- The Administrative Circle includes the leaders of each city and town.
- Seventh Circle
- The Scholars Circle is responsible for the histories and traditions of the Narn people.
- Eighth Circle
- The Scientists Circle consists of the leaders of each scientific and academic institute.
Unlike every other species, the Narn do not have telepaths. According to their historical records, they did have them once long ago but they were wiped out during a war. Although the Narn still carry the telepath gene, it is no longer expressed strongly enough to produce functioning telepaths.
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Narn have a reptilian appearance, they are hairless with red eyes and reddish skin covered in black spots. The women give birth to live young, who are then nurtured in their father's pouch for three months until their “Hatchday” when they are strong enough to survive outside the pouch.
Narn prefer to wear heavy, leather garb in dark earth-tones, often adorned with metal studs. Strong shoulder pieces and high collars that emphasise the Narn’s strong builds are in fashion. Belts and leather sashes adorned with shining metals or naturally pearlescent materials are often worn to complete the ensemble.
(Be careful with makeup and avoid painting yourself in black/brown face. We suggest focusing on coloured highlights and your Narn character's unique mottled/spotted pattern for your costume.)
TRADITIONS
The Narn choose their leaders based on strength and a leader may be challenged to a duel if they appear to be faltering. It’s common for Narn to use violence as the first solution to any problem, but within their society also lies a deep current of spirituality and they greatly respect their religious leaders and the sanctity of their ceremonies. There are several important Narn holy days which are celebrated through strict rituals and meditative prayer.
Narn are given temporary names until the age of 10, at which time they choose their “True Name” based on the faith they choose to follow.
Narn who feel they have been grievously wronged by another, may swear the Shon’Kar or blood oath, dedicating their lives to bringing about that person’s death. Should they die before claiming their target's life, the Shon’Kar is passed on to the rest of their family who must now also seek the target’s death. The Blood Oath has led whole families to ruin and it is not an oath to be taken lightly.
The Narn are also famous for being willing to trade weapons with anyone, always providing an advisor to assist in the weapon’s installation and use.
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
"There is a greater darkness than the one we fight. It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way... Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender. The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain." - G’Kar reading from the Book of G’Quan
The Narn have several major religions, each revolving around a central prophet figure, whose writings and actions are considered a guide for their followers' lives.
To the Narn, all religious books are considered sacred objects which should not be altered in any way. Any duplicates of the holy texts and books must be painstakingly copied to ensure every word, image, and marking is exactly preserved.
Followers of G’Quan
The Followers of G’Quan believe that G’Quan was a great leader and prophet. It is said that he was born about a thousand years ago and led the Narn people through a time of great darkness. He united warring Narn tribes and encouraged the sharing of resources. His wisdom is preserved through his writings in the Book of G’Quan, a first-hand account of his life.
The Book of Q’Quan is the most sold book on Narn and his followers treasure it as one of the most holy of objects. The cover of the book depicts the leaf of a plant that came to be known as the G’Quan Eth, it is now treated as sacred and is used as part of the ceremony during the Days of G’Quan, the faith’s most important holy day.
Followers of G'Lan
The Followers of G’Lan also believe in the story of G’Quan but they believe that the prophet was aided by a being of light known as G’Lan. It was G’Lan who taught the Narn people the way forward and G’Quan was merely his voice.
While their knowledge of G’Lan comes from G’Quan’s writings, his followers do not cling to the book and instead believe that the path to G’Lan is through meditation and a search within oneself.
NAMES
Narn have only a single name which is usually two syllables separated by an apostrophe, examples include: Du’Rog, G’Dan, G’Kar, G’Sten, Kha’Mak, Ko’Dan, Na’Far, Na’Toth, Ru’Dak, Ta’Lon.
Narn do not have surnames and instead mention the names of their ancestors when their lineage is important.
FOREIGN RELATIONS
"I will confess that I look forward to the day when we have cleansed the Universe of the Centauri and carved their bones into little flutes for Narn children. It is a dream I have." - G’Kar
Earth Alliance: "I like them, they are young, proud, and ambitious! They remind me a little of us."
Centauri Republic: "Murderers! Usurpers! Monsters! We will not rest until their worlds are in flames!"
Minbari Federation: "I can’t say I’ve ever truly understood the Minbari. They are a strong and proud people - this I can respect - but they are so fixated on their honour that sometimes I think they lose sight of the true path. From what I’ve heard they are a fearsome opponent however, best to not make them our enemies."
The League of Non-Aligned Worlds: "We were like them once and it is only through our conviction that we have risen higher. They make good trading partners and could be worthy allies in our fight against the Centauri."
Vorlon Empire: "I know even less about the Vorlons than I do about the Minbari, their motives are completely shrouded from us. Perhaps one day we will unravel their mystery but for now we do our best to work around them."
VOCABULARY
- Counsellor
- An honorific title for a member of the Kha’Ri.
- Hatchday
- The day in which a pouchling leaves their father and is able to survive on their own.
- Kha’Ri
- The ruling body of the Narn Regime.
- Kiss my pouch!
- A Narn insult or taunt.
- Na’fariki
- An ancient Narn word for telepaths, translates to “mindwalker”.
- Pouch
- Narn males have a pouch similar to a marsupial, used to nurture newborns.
- Pouchbrother/sister
- A sibling that shared the same pouch.
- Pouchling
- A newborn Narn still living in their father’s pouch. Can also be used as an insult to suggest someone is as helpless as a baby.
- Taree
- A potent red alcoholic drink.
- Thenta Makur
- “Many Knives”. The name of the Narn assassins guild. They always follow through on their commision and never accept bribes as this would betray their contract. An assassin that betrays their contract becomes the new target of the guild. The Thenta Makur always leave a black flower called a death blossom for their victim to find a few days before killing them so that they have time to put their affairs in order.
- Warleader
- A military rank for someone in command of a large army or several ships.
General
Factions