Mari Nation

The Mari [ mah-ree ] are humanoid amphibious lifeforms who Operate within a tribal system.

## Government

The Mari Nation is diverse and adaptable Republic of Tribes that mostly function as a Democratic plutocracy. Elders are chosen by the tribe and representatives manage disputes. Tribes often split when they are too big, but unite on the rare occasion of conflict with enemies. They have lived under the rule of the Tatu Empire, but most tribes remain unaffected by staying in deep waters. Tribes that remain on the surface of Mermoon fell to Main Country colonists.

#### Tribes

* Mari-Sur [ mah-ree soor ]: the largest tribe that prefers staying near the surface of the ocean.
* Mari-Rio [ mah-ree ree-oo ]: the second largest tribe that prefers rivers and inland bodies of water.
* Mari-Rep [ mah-ree reh-p ]: the smallest tribe known and keepers of Turtle Peak.
* Mari-Dep [ mah-ree deh-p ](lost): mysterious and preferring the deep sea and status unknown.
* Mari-Swa [ mah-ree soo-wah ](lost): the tribe that preferred swamps and shallow waters known to be extinct due to Tatu and MCF capture.

## History of the Mari Nation

The first people in history were travelers that spoiled their home. They had the tools to survive and the hunger to live, but the brothers and sisters could not agree to share the same home. The Mari people were born of the Aquatic and Amphibious. Every great hero in the old days rose to begin a new tribe.

* The Transformer was the first elder chief with many children and discovered the ability to combine elemental powers with animal ones to give the power of shape-shifting, but no one has ever managed to master True Shifting.
* The Predator was the first-born daughter of The Transformer and split off with her own tribe to conquer and was notorious for using slaves to produce weapons made from organic material.
* The Sailor was the youngest son of The Transformer and stayed to help people escape from his sister’s thugs.
* The Diver was the first to split off from Tatu Empire oppression to the safety of the dark depths.
* The Surfer was a philosopher that led a small tribe to visit Mermoon.
* The Storm led a tribe to join the Tatu on the mountain peaks to serve but was kept as a servant class.
* The Serpent led the tribes to travel the rivers of the Indigos.

Legend remains that they all eventually reunited peacefully and rose from the waves to evolve into the stars and live in the Eternal Black Ocean. They gifted the Mari with the moon to give them strength and guidance. The first Mari built a temple to them on the moon basing the nobles and chiefs around it. One chief established a sense of unity and her name was Ixik [ ish-zeek ] she was so wise and powerful many glorified her to divinity. That Tatu Empire grew across River Mountain demanding sacrifices from every tribe. Their Gods were adopted into the faith by most tribes. The growth of Tatu slowed when the “Skywheel People” that called themselves Main Country. Mari Nation accepted them and negotiated for some independence but was simply pushed to live on Mermoon, which was once just for spiritual pilgrimages. A term used by the Mari Tribes to refer to the MCF as “Phil”, “Philz”, “Philo” or “Phili” to mock their worship for what they see as a Phillips-head screw. One thug from the deep water tribe obsessed with the Surfer made a crew of adrenaline junkies named Talaloc [ tah-lah-lok ]. Calling himself Loc [ lok ], he and his junkies called themselves the Rage of the Mad Surfer.

Mari mechanics are known to make the best spaceships with great variety and capabilities. They often make their ships look like aquatic and amphibious creatures.