Title: Wickaninnish – A Traveller's Beginning
Authors: Stardreamer
Fandom: Traveller RPG
Rating: PG-13
Codes: Lime, m/f, violence, character death.
Summary: This is a background story for my character in a Traveller Role Playing Game.
Disclaimers: The Traveller Role Playing Game is the property of Mark Miller and The Game Designers Workshop. The Vargr are part of the Traveller RPG system. Kit, the coyote home world and any persons mentioned from that world are my creations and belong to me. This work is not made for profit and may not be used for such.
The Istaqa society depicted in this story is based 'loosely' on Native American culture. Readers are warned this is not intended to be an accurate representation of Native American cultures or practices. Read the Author's Forward for more detail.
Archive: Yes, just let me know where.
POC: Forward
This is not a normal fanfic but a story I wrote to provide a back story for a character I created for the Traveller role playing game. I've done my best to make it entertaining while trying to stay true to the character history. Since Traveller and my game in particular is not familiar to most readers, I provide some information here to help provide you with background on this story.
What is Traveller? Traveller is a role playing game (RPG). An RPG is a game where players create a character and play act them in an adventure created for them by the referee. Traveller is a science fiction RPG set in the far future where humans have expanded out and settled large parts of the galaxy. But we are not alone, long before human recorded history a now extinct race of aliens took human and animal specimens from Earth, genetically engineered them and planted them on worlds across the galaxy for reasons currently unknown. In addition to these engineered races there are also other alien races that share the galaxy with us.
What are the Vargr? The most prominent after humans of the genetically engineered and transplanted races is the Vargr. Created from common ancestors of modern day canines, they are essentially humanoid wolves.
Why coyote Vargr? After doing so much work with canine demons particularly coyotes in my Inuyasha stories, I wanted to play a Vargr character. One advantage of this was it let me use the various ideas and concepts I had developed for canine demons in my other stories and 'try them out' so to speak in role playing. My wife also wanted to play a Vargr and being a fan of Kitsune wanted to know if there was a fox variant of the race. Turned out there was and she suggested I make my character a coyote keeping with my previous fanfic characters. However, the same race notes that informed us that sub-species of Vargr exist also let us know that regular Vargr hate and hunt these sub-species.
The Istaqa and Amerind Culture. Istaqa means Coyote Man and seemed an appropriate name for the coyote Vargr race. To truly transfer my coyote character into my Traveller character, I needed to explain how a Vargr culture whose ancestors were removed from Earth before Homo Sapiens even existed could have all the trappings of Native American culture. I also didn't want to spend a year or more of background research to try and accurately depict an Amerind culture. The society depicted in this story is the result. The reader should note that this society is not an accurate representation of Amerind culture and that is INTENTIONAL. The basic fact is that this culture is centuries and light-years removed from the original Native American tribes. Even today the knowledge we have of Amerind culture is hopelessly contaminated with noble savage myths and legends compounded by European distortions and new age philosophies. Thus the Human colonists that settled the Istaqa home world intent on establishing a paradise based on Amerind beliefs brought with them a religion based on a badly distorted version of those beliefs compounded by many utopian misconceptions. The aspects of the society that just didn't work were quickly weeded out and by the time this story takes place the culture has reached a stable equilibrium between utopian fantasy and hard reality.
Is this related to Coyote Tricks? No, while the inspiration for both 'Kits' is the same, they are not related in any other form.
This Chapter is rated PG for language.
Prelude to Childhood's End
Kit stifled a yawn. He had barely sat down and he was already bored, he hated history.
It was only the excitement of the upcoming events of the week that kept him awake. The teacher, Tolinka, completed her boring lecture and turned to question period.
"Ok returning to our study of the Founders, let's see who all read the assignment last night," she said. "Who can tell me about Daniel Moki and what was significant about his contribution to the colonial government?"
White Mark raised her hand.
'Little miss know it all' Kit thought absently.
The teacher indicated for White Mark to answer.
"Daniel Moki was the leader of the Flower Power Movement in the Potlatch," White Mark said smugly.
"Correct," Tolinka said. "The Flower Power Movement was based on an ancient philosophy that was responsible for a prolonged period of peace on Mother Earth during the early nuclear era. The movement through its philosophy of 'Make Love, Not War' was responsible for preventing a catastrophic conflict during the first 100 years following the development of atomic weapons. Now White Mark, can you tell me what Moki's most significant legislative achievement was?"
"He was the driving force behind the Peace and Love Act of 15 AL (A/N: After Landing) that banned all weapons except for non-lethal police weapons and integrated Istaqa mating habits into colonial marriage laws. The original act called for all weapons to be destroyed but in a compromise with the opposition lead by Captain Sarah Namid they were instead collected and stored in regional armories."
"Very good, White Mark you may sit down now. As it turned out Captain Namid's concerns were well justified. Can anyone tell me about the events that lead to Elder Moki's death that confirmed those concerns?" Tolinka asked then spotting a hand called on Kit.
Kit was more than happy to expound on the fate of what he felt was the stupidest of the Human Founders.
"In 17 AL, a Vargr raiding party landed and destroyed the armory in the Running Plains province. Unarmed and defenseless the entire population of Running Plains Township was slaughtered. Elder Moki contacted the Vargr captain to negotiate a peace. The Vargr agreed to accept a peace offering of precious metals and other valuables in return for signing a treaty agreeing to leave the planet in peace. Elder Moki lead the party to deliver the offering and sign the treaty. Once aboard the Vargr ship, the Vargr took the offering and killed the party. Elder Moki was killed last by slow torture."
"Very Good Kit," Tolinka said and Kit sat down tail wagging at the approval. "This act of betrayal by the Vargr lead to the Planetary Defense Act of 17 AL, which modified the weapons ban of the Peace and Love Act to allow weapons to be stored in individual homes as long as they were properly locked up and implemented the planetary militia structure which now protects us against incursion by the Vargr."
Noting the time, Tolinka continued. "For tomorrow, read chapter six and be prepared to discuss the contribution of Grand Shamaness Wicapi Wakan and the influence of the Church of the Great Spirit has had on Istaqa culture. Also, everyone please extend your well wishes to Kit who starts his purification tomorrow for the ritual of adulthood. We look forward to you joining us next week with your new name."
"Kit!" The coyote looked up to see a coyote girl about a head shorter running toward him in the hall.
"Black Mitten!" he called waving at her.
"Oh Kit," she said throwing her arms around him. "I don't know how I'm going to survive a week without you!"
"Hey," Kit said hugging her back. "Look at the bright side, when I get back I'll be moving into my own place."
"Hey Pup!" They both stiffened at the familiar voice.
"Mitten," Kit whispered to her. "Go down the hall and no matter what happens don't come close, OK?"
"Ok."
As Mitten backed away, Kit reached into a pocket and extracted a writing pen. He had been displaying the pen around the school for a week proudly boasting it was a gift for his adulthood ceremony. "An exact replica of Captain Namid's pen, a real treasure," he had said. Now he was about to find out if his hard work had paid off. No one used writing pens anymore, the environmental restrictions on paper production and recycling made them impractical.
'The yiffing fool is confronting me in the most public place in the school,' Kit thought to himself. 'This couldn't be more perfect.'
"Liwanu," Kit said turning around clicking the pen open and closed seemingly nervously.
The older coyote stomped right up to Kit's face. Liwanu was bigger, bulker and older than Kit and the bane of his existence since they were kids. Most people on getting their adult name would move on from being the school yard bully but not Liwanu, he relished the role. He loved being Alpha.
"Hey puppy," he said sneeringly. "I hear you going to start your adulthood trail tomorrow."
"That's Kit and yes I am," Kit said as he sensed Liwanu's two companions flanking Kit to block any escape. Kit never could remember their names; he just referred to them as Dumb and Dumber for easy reference.
"Yea Puppy, well you'll be running home to mommy with your tail between your legs before the first night is out."
"We'll just see won't we?"
"Oh I can tell you right now that you don't have what it takes," Liwanu said crowding closer to Kit and jabbing a finger into Kit's chest. He noticed the pen that Kit was rapidly clicking and grabbed it away from him.
"In fact, you might as well give this to me, you'll never be an adult."
Kit had to will his tail to be still as Liwanu looked at the pen up close.
"Really nice, puppy, you really don't deserve it."
"You're probably right Liwanu," Kit said, "but you definitely deserve it."
As a silent countdown drew to a close in Kit's head, he stomped on the paw of Dumber and ducked under the big idiots arm. The two were confused because instead of running, Kit slipped behind Dumber's back just as the pen Liwanu was examining exploded.
The three bullies were splattered with bright pink dye from the exploding pen. The hallway fell silent for a moment and then snickers started to echo from the numerous observers. Kit, howling with laughter, fell to the floor holding his sides.
"What the yif?" Liwanu growled.
"I…count…coup…on…you!" Kit panted out between laughs.
When the Church had banned the challenge fights that used to determine rank and status in the old Istaqa pack traditions, the Istaqa had taken some concepts from the Church's own legends to form a replacement. Combining the concept of 'counting coup' with the legends of the Trickster Coyote, that the Istaqa had fallen in love with, they developed a new form of non-violent challenge that involved trickery and practical jokes.
Liwanu stiffened and bared his fangs as he realized what had happened. Not only had Kit, a juvenile, counted coup on him but he had walked right into the trap by stealing the pen. Kit's prestige in relation to Liwanu had just shot up dramatically.
Observers on the sidelines started rubbing it in.
"Hey nice shade of pink!"
"Liwanu, I think your pen is leaking!"
Liwanu growled and turned to Kit who was standing up still laughing and wagging his tail. The older coyote balled his fists and advanced toward Kit. Kit just bared his fangs in a grin and gave a look that urged Liwanu on.
'Come on hit me you, yiffing idiot,' Kit thought. 'Make my day perfect.'
In the complex rules that had evolved around the counting coup tradition to physically retaliate against the trickster resulted in the biggest loss of face of all. It would well be worth a swollen eye or out of joint nose to Kit to see Liwanu reduced to omega status in the school pack.
"LIWANU!"
Liwanu froze at the cry and then stepped back realizing the mistake he almost made.
Principal Kachada, his 6 foot frame towering over the smaller Istaqa, pushed his way through the crowd to stand in front of the four.
"Kit, I assume you are behind this trick?" The human said.
"Yes Principal," Kit said proudly.
"What kind of dye did you use?"
"Taline #4, sir."
The Principal winced, that was a permanent fur dye, Liwanu and his companions were not going to get all that off no matter how they scrubbed. They would be pink faced for weeks.
"Get to the showers and wash off as much as you can."
Liwanu gave Kit one more glare then he and his companions stomped off.
"The rest of you get back to class." Kachada shouted dispersing the crowd then turned to Kit.
"Walk with me, Kit."
Kit followed the Principal into a less crowded hallway.
"You skipped the militia orientation," Kachada said.
"I'm sorry sir, but it was not like they were covering anything I didn't already know. I mean there hasn't been a Vargr raid in over 30 years."
"That's no excuse, the Vargr Extents are just as violent and chaotic today as they were then and they still have no love of the Istaqa. The militias are the only thing that keeps them at bay."
"Yes sir," Kit said, ears flattened and head dropped in symbolic submission. "It won't happen again."
"See that it doesn't," Kachada said with a smile. "In the meantime, I've checked with teachers and with you starting your purification tomorrow there is really no reason for you to finish the day."
"Really sir?" Kit's ears perked up.
"Yes, go home and good luck on your trial."