#Mandalorian sigils

[alcida-auka]

Clan Wren Sigil -- a feather

It was really in front of us the entire time in Star Wars Rebels on Ursa Wren's armor and hairpin, but this feather is Clan Wren's sigil. Presumably, they are simply named for the Mandalorian version of the wren, as Din's clan is named for Mudhorn.

[sharkteethies]

mandalorian!au cal just because

[cienie-isengardu]

I can’t say I like what The Mandalorian TV series (Disney) is doing with mandalorian culture overall, but I see what creators did with the Children of the Watch’s banner. The blooming twig, according to Star Wars Book Expand your knowledge of a galaxy far far away is a peacetime sigil of House Vizsla, predating the Death Watch coup (an interesting choice in regard to New Mandalorians and Children of the Watch, while Pre Vizsla was using the original sigil of shriek-hawk the same as Death Watch) while in the corner of the banner there is a symbol shaped like number 7 known from Jaster Mereel’s sigil (used also by Jango and Boba Fetts). Nice details.

[sudden-stops-kill]

krybes

[jellomarsh]

Mandalorian Sigils

Top Row

Mythosaur Skull v1 (ESB)

Crusader Crest (Ring of Kad Ha’rangir)

Neo-Crusader Crest (Mandalorian Skull)

Mythosaur Skull v2 (SWTOR)

Bottom Row

Journeyman Protector Crest (Sigil of Jaster Mereel)

True Mandalorian Crest (Skull of Jaing)

Death Watch Crest (Vizsla Shriek-Hawk)

Mythosaur Skull v3 (ROTJ)

[thegreenlizard]

Bare beskar

On the eve of marching to war, Obi-Wan makes plans and digs out his old armour. Musings on Mandalorian armour and culture, the ethics of commanding slave soldiers and how that affects one’s self-image.

Could be the same AU as “Not Obi-Wan’s first slave uprising” and “What makes a military genius” (where Obi-Wan is presented with a battalion of slave soldiers, says please and thank you, and starts plotting how to take down the slavers).

Obi-Wan has Mandalorian armour, courtesy of the Kyr’tsad who failed to kill him when he was seventeen and running for his life on Mandalore. The Jedi frown on such soldierly things, so the armour has mostly gathered dust in his closet for the past decade and some. But Obi-Wan has fought in a war before and recognises that no matter how good one is, sometimes armour is all that stands between bleeding out in a ditch and living to fight another day.

So on the eve of marching to war, Obi-Wan digs out his armour to clean and repair and condition every piece. He looks at its light green for peace and green for duty, the order’s wings on one pauldron/over his heart. He strips it all off. He has no right to wear any of it now, and the bare beskar is a statement of its own.

Plus

- Feels about how bare unpainted beskar could be silver for seeking redemption, disavowing all ties (in that there’s no one and nothing to paint his armour for), for being an outcast (which in his heart, he has already decided to become), or all of them. Leading a slave army to war is really really not in the Jedi mission statement. Obi-Wan, having experienced his own stints as a slave, having brought up a padawan who was born a slave, and having already left the order once for an army of child soldiers—well, he has some feels about it.

- Obi-Wan’s closet doesn’t just have armour, it also has a veritable armoury of, ah, useful souvenirs from his various missions. Maybe it makes him a bad Jedi, but Obi-Wan has some difficulty with letting go of possessions that have saved his life. Such as the sniper rifle from Melidaan, a blaster from here, and a vibroblade from there…

- Cody’s/The 212th’s reactions to their Jedi whose luggage apparently includes a full set of arms and armour and little else.

- There’s a story that armour tells for anyone who can read it and I wonder if the clones could. There are only a few things that a completely unpainted beskar’gam could mean. Either it’s completely new and the owner hasn’t had time yet to paint it. But Kenobi’s beskar’gam isn’t new: the metal has scrapes all over it and some fittings are clearly newer than others. It could be second hand, but as the weeks pass, the metal stays bare. And even though some shinies joke about their shiny, very visible general, Kenobi won’t even put on a matte base coat, just thanks the men politely and keeps on shining. It has to be intentional.

- When Obi-Wan eventually repaints his armour, it’s in gold for the 212th and black for justice for the vode.

In the days between accepting his marching orders and shipping out to meet his battalion, Obi-Wan researches, plans, and packs. He sleeps fitfully and dreams of Melida-Daan, of Bandomeer, of Mandalore. He tears through the archives and with echoes of the Young in his ears, downloads anything that might help keep his men alive. With a growing cold like deep sea mines, he reads the clones spec sheets, reviews galactic law, and speed reads his way through the last few years of the senate’s bills.

He pulls out of his closet possessions unbecoming of Jedi—things he has kept because he has been unable to let go of the fear of . There’s his old XX sniper rifle from Melida-Daan. A blaster from here. A vibroblade from there.

And there’s the armour he got from Mandalore. It’s painted in green for duty and erin for peace, the order’s sigil on the pauldron. He can hardly stand to look at it. Standing here, at the eve of marching to war that is to be fought with slave soldiers, he has no right to wear any of it. Not the green of duty, for he has forsaken his duty to protect all sentient life in accepting command of an army of slaves. Not the erin of peace, for he is marching off to fight a war to force worlds to stay in a republic they don’t wish to be a part of. Not the sigil of the Jedi order, for he has already forsaken his vows in these actions—and has already decided to forsake his duty to the republic.

Obi-Wan strips the beskar bare. Before refitting the armour, going through the straps, buckles, replacing worn parts and reconditioning the rest. He spends sleepless nights in the salles relearning to fight in armour.

“Paint? I painted it when I was seventeen. I, ah, stripped it when I accepted the draft.” Kenobi grimaces, but sets his jaw and continues. “I couldn’t keep the paint I had after that.” There’s an odd, bitter clang to his words.

[secondaxispoint]

Din Djarin x Male!Mando!Reader

Pairing: Din Djarin x Male!Mando!Reader

Warning: None!

Content: Fluff

This is from Din’s perspective so the reader has a nickname. No use of y/n. Hope you guys enjoy!

Partners

Din had been so used to living alone that when another Mandalorian offered to join him in his travels, it took him a while to come to terms with it. The man was quiet and intelligent. He was a bit taller than him and had a broad frame. Din had watched the other hunter in action and was surprised he had never met him before. His reddish tinted beskar and durasteel armour looked similar to his own, Mandalorian sigil forged proudly on his shoulder.

Once Din had stepped on board, along with his new partner, he was pleasantly greeted by Grogu. He smiles under his helmet and leans down to pick the creature up. He turns to the other man and starts introductions.

“This is Grogu, Grogu this is…”

He pauses, releasing that he never got a name from the other hunter. He looks up from the little beast he held in his arms. A bit of tension left his shoulders when he heard the warrior laugh through his helmet and step a bit closer.

“Jackal. Nice to meet you little guy.”

Din watches as he leans down and reaches a hand to Grogu who giggles happily and grabs one of his gloved fingers. 

“You can get to know him after we get out of here. For now you should get familiar with the controls and layout of the ship.”

Jackal nods and Grogu releases his grip. Din puts him down and makes for the small area where he keeps his weapons. Jackal’s rifle is still clasped to his back and his blaster is still on his hip. He’d have to clear a spot for the other’s weapons. But for now, Din puts his stuff away and leads the man to the very front of the ship. When he hears Jackal’s footsteps become irregular, he looks back to see that Grogu has attached himself to the taller man's calf.

“Y’know it would be easier for both of you if you just picked him up.”

He heard Jackal stifle a laugh as he bent down to pick up the clingy child. Once he had Grogu securely in his arms, he continued on behind Din.

It took a few hours, but the three finally found a safe place to rest for a while. Jackal volunteered to stay up a bit longer due to the lack of space in the ship. Din felt sort of bad but trusted the man to his own devices. He tried to retreat back to his and Grogu’s cramped sleeping quarters but the little one refused to go with him. Grogu climbed up and forced himself into Jackal’s lap. He chuckled and told Din that it was okay and that he would watch over Grogu while he slept.

Din had slept through most of the night, only waking when he heard a quiet knock on the shudder. He opens it to see Jackal standing with a sleeping Grogu in his arms. He silently shuffled out of the sleeping area and offered it to the other. Jackal had a bit tougher time fitting in the makeshift bed but he made it work. Din stretched and prepared himself for the day.

Two years later, the three of you were still together. Din and Jackle had been dancing around their feelings for eachother for over half of it. They shared little moments here and there but never explicitly confronted the other about it. Neither of them wanted to ruin the partnership that they had been building. So feelings continue to go unacknowledged. At least they do until a bounty goes sideways and Jackal almost gets himself killed trying to save Din.

So they both sit in the Razor Crest, panting and bloody. The ship was completely silent besides the ragged breaths coming from the hunters. Grogu was safe and sound with Peli, far away from the shit storm the two created for themselves. Din noticed the stiff and pained posture Jackal had taken. He stood and walked over to the medical area, grabbing a kit, and bringing it back to Jackal.

Din assisted Jackal, laying him down on the floor, and taking his armour off. Albeit not being the cleanest place to tend to an open wound, it was all they had at the moment. With his chest piece off and his weapon put aside, Jackal helped pull the undershirt up enough so that Din could tend to his injury. He had a large vertical gash on his lower left abdomen. Din saw that his midsection was littered with varying healed scars.

He stitches up and bandages the slash before leaning back giving the other some breathing room. Sitting back on his heels, he watched Jackal’s chest rise and fall steadily. Jackal reaches a hand to Din, which he grasps in his own. He helped the man sit up and get up into the co-pilot’s seat in the control room. He grabbed a fresh set of clothes for the injured hunter and gave him some privacy to change. Din stood outside the door, nervously swaying back and forth.

He waited for Jackal to trudge out, hand on his side. Din let out a sigh of relief and offered Jackal his armour back. He didn’t put it back on, instead opting to set it aside and sitting back down in his seat with a groan. Din moved behind him, too restless to sit. He put his hand on the back of Jackal’s chair and spun it around. He wanted to make absolute sure that his partner was going to be okay.

Jackal tilted his head, confused. Din knelt down in front of him with his hands on both sides of the armrests. Jackal said nothing but leaned forward slightly. Din moved his hands down to Jackal’s knees, not pressing any further, just simply setting them there. Din could hear his breath hitch through his helmet. Jackal sat stiff and still until Din started to pull away. Neither man said anything. Jackal grabbed one of Din’s hands and pulled him up to eye level. Slowly leaning forward, Din gently touched his helmet to Jackal’s. He leaned back and sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

Jackal asked, genuinely concerned. Din looked up, and got an idea.

“Do you trust me?”

Din asked the man in front of him.

“With my life.”

The ease with which he said it made Din a bit dizzy.

“Sit tight.”

Din walked to the control panel and Jackal heard him flip a few switches. The lights dimmed and then turned off fully, leaving the men in almost complete darkness. Din carefully moved back in front of Jackal and kneeled in front of him once again. He slowly takes his helmet off and audibly sets it down, hoping Jackal knows what he’s implying. Luckily he does.

He hears Jackal take off his helmet and gently presses it into his hand for him to put down. After placing the helmet down next to his own, Din leaned back up. He stopped about an inch away, he could feel Jackal’s breath on his face.

“Is this okay?”

Din asked in a hushed tone. Instead of responding, Jackal closed the distance between them. The kiss is slow and meaningful. Almost two years of pent up feelings and unresolved tension shone through their intimacy. Jackal moved his hand up and rested it on the back of Din’s neck, the other cupped his jaw. Din tilted his head to deepen the kiss.

Jackal was the first to pull away for air but Din didn’t want the kiss to end. He moved down to pepper Jackal’s neck in love bites and small kisses. Din felt a groan rumble in the back of Jackal’s throat. He finally pulled back and listened to the other man pant in the darkness. Din started to stand up but before he could, Jackal grabbed his hands once again. Only this time he pulled Din towards him.

Din was tugged into Jackal’s lap. Once he was comfortable and not anywhere near Jackal’s injury, Din grabbed both sides of his face and yanked him in again. This time their kiss was more heated. Hands wandered. They both made the most of it since they were probably never going to see each other's faces. Jackal felt the stubble on Din’s face, and ran his fingers through his soft hair.

Although Din couldn’t see, he could imagine what the man in front of him looked like. Flushed cheeks with half-lidded and glossed over eyes. He felt as his cheeks started to burn at the thought. Din was shocked back into reality by a pained groan coming from Jackal. He jumped out of the man’s lap and apologised for losing focus.

“It’s alright Din I’m okay. But maybe we should take a little break for today.”

Jackal chuckled lightly and Din smiled into the darkness. Din fumbled around the ground and grabbed the helmets, putting his on and handing Jackal his. Once both of the Mandalorians were covered, Din slowly turned the lights back on. He saw Jackal, still seated, with his clothes a bit ruffled. He was breathing a bit heavier than normal but other than that he looked okay. He walked back over and offered to lead the fellow hunter back to the makeshift bed with a concealed smile. Jackal accepted his offer gratefully, and the two packed themselves in the small space. They both slept peacefully for the first time in years.

[ranahan]

Dral’Han & derived words

I think Mando’a should have a whole bunch of words indirectly or directly derived from Dral’Han aka the Mandalorian Excision, and I finally got around to making some.

Ahan (n): desolation, waste, wasteland, desert

I’m really leaning on the “desolate, lifeless” sense here, not just some place that receives less rainfall. Ahane is applicable to any lifeless place, whether that’s a hot desert like Tatooine, a cold desert like Antarctica, lava flats like Mustafar, or a man-made hellhole like Melida/Daan. Very much the same energy as “wastes” in English. I’m thinking Mando’a has another word for “wilderness” or “arid landscape” as well, that leans more on the drought and less on the annihilation.

Construction is equivalent to viin ‘run’ > iviin ‘speed’ or vaar ‘early’ > evaar ‘new’. Should possibly be ehan(?), but I didn’t like the sound, so.

Ahanyc (a): desolate, barren, wasted, deserted, empty, lifeless

Ahane (n): lit. wastes, barrens, deserts. A collective term for the Mandalorian deserts formed by the Dral’Han.

Hane (n): wastes, barrens, deserts; a common part of place names on Mandalorian worlds affected by Dral'Han (e.g. Sundar’hane, the Sundari Desert aka the Sundari Wastes)

A more casual/contracted version of ahan/ahane that could be extended to mean other kinds of deserts as well.

Ahan’choruk (n): lit. desolation rock. Metamorphic rock formed by the heat and pressure of the bombs of the Dral’Han; a general term for impactites formed by bombs instead of natural processes.

Hanil (n): 1. An amulet, carving, or other item made from the glass formed in the Dral’Han. Sometimes left in their natural, irregular shapes, sometimes worked into shapes of extinct Mandalorian plants and animals, sometimes carved with inscriptions. Botanicals are common motifs due to the green colours of the material. Specimens that incorporate pieces of pre-Dral’Han material are especially valuable. Hanile are symbols of remembrance, defiance, and rebirth for some and pursuit of peace for others. Sundari had a famous large mosaic made from desert glass, in a style preceding Mandalorian cubism.; 2. a sigil in the shape of a hanil, typically in a jade-green color and shaped like an extinct plant or an animal, often a flower or a leaf.

Inspired by Māori pounamu and jade carvings of various other cultures.

N.B. trinitite is radioactive, although the radioactive particles decay quite fast. After a couple of centuries, it should have been safe. Trinitite from the Purge of Mandalore during the Galactic Emprie however, would still be somewhat radioactive at the time of The Mandalorian/Book of Boba Fett—not terribly dangerous, but not exactly something you would want to make jewellery from.

And then there should also be a name for the stone that hanile are made from, i.e. basically a Mando’a word for trinitite, but it’s not quite congealing right now. Bedral, behan, hanab (be + han), tehan (teh + han)? I would have made it dralurok, but I already had that down as “diamond”. Basically I’d like there to be a general term for the subclass of metamorphic rocks formed by nuclear weapons (which I imagine are many and varied depending on where the bombs dropped), and a more compact “trade term” for the specific kind which makes pretty trinkets like hanile.

? (n): trinitite formed in the Dral'han, aka Mandalorian desert glass, aka Mandalorian jade (called so after its greenish colours)

[burnwater13]

A sketch of Din Djarin in Mandalorian armor prior to getting the Mudhorn Clan sigil. Pencil on off white paper. Caption reads: What's going on? I thought you needed help? Imaged inspired by The Mandalorian, Season 1, Episode 3, The Sin.

It became apparent, as soon as the Din Djarin rocketed into Grogu’s room in the cabin, that his dad had thought his request for help was because some sort of dire, planet shattering catastrophe was about to befall them and only a Mandalorian could be of assistance. He was brandishing his side arm and already had the strange shield the Armorer had added to his vambrace activated. The wild look his dad gave the room, Grogu, and the couple of stuffed critters Grogu kept on his hammock convinced Grogu that he needed to save his Gal Basic for true emergencies. Uff.

“What’s going on? I thought you needed help?” 

Din Djarin sounded so disappointed that Grogu felt even worse. But he was a Jedi studying to be a Mandalorian bounty hunter. He could do this. 

Grogu chirped and began to use the sign language they’d learned from the Sand people to describe the help he needed from his dad. Slowly, but surely, the Mandalorian began to relax. The shield was de-activated and the blaster was returned to its holster. His dad also relaxed his stance and crossed his arms at his chest level. Grogu was now talking to his dad about routine matters like when could they watch the latest episode of Diggle and Daggle, the Fish that fish. It had been a musical episode and Grogu had learned all the songs, much to his dad’s eventual regret.

“Okay. Let me see if I’ve got this right. You want to go to Ordo or Tatooine, so you can talk to Fennec and Fett or talk to Lacc Straso or Seb Ta’low about someone called the Brethren, because IG-11-M didn’t have enough information?”

Grogu nodded his head. His dad had managed to understand that better than when Grogu spoke to him in Gal Basic. 

“Buddy, we just got back from Tatooine. I get wanting to talk to Seb Ta’low. I’ve got a feeling like I’ve met him before, but I can’t figure out when that could have happened. But what makes you so sure he knows anything about the Brethren? We could go to Ossus and talk to Luke about other cults that use the Force.”

His dad had a point. They both knew where Ossus was. Luke was still there, if he wasn’t actively looking for students since Grogu had returned to his dad. Jedi Seb could be any where. Maybe he was on Tatooine still waiting for his daughter to show up or spending time with his son. Or maybe he had taken the YT-1300 light freighter on a trip to collect beskar armor? If he’d done that he could be anywhere. Dank Farrik.

Grogu must have made a face at the mention of Luke’s name. His dad had sighed a bit impatiently.

“Buddy, I get it. You might feel kind of embarrassed going back to Ossus to ask Luke for help after skipping out of Sleep Away camp early, but someone day you’ll have to talk to him. He saved you from Gideon’s battle droids. He saved all of us. I couldn’t have done that without him. None of us could.”

Grogu nodded his head and sighed his own sigh. He really liked Luke. If Grogu had been a Jedi Master he would have gladly taken the young human on as his padawan. But that was part of the problem. Luke thought he was the master and that Grogu was a little kid who didn’t know anything about the Force. Luke just didn’t understand what things had been like anywhere other than Tatooine and Tatooine had really been an almost invisible planet as far as the Empire had been concerned. Which was strange, all things considered.

“I’m sure he’s forgotten about you going with R2-D2 to get chicken nuggets on the Wheel. And he’s probably forgotten the time you and R2 tricked him into collecting all those frogs… and the time you hid all the ration packs so he would have to find something else to eat. Heh. You sound a lot like me as a kid. I didn’t have a droid, but my best friend and I used to get into all sorts of trouble at the market, sneaking fruit. I’ve always thought that’s why I ended up becoming a bounty hunter. I always liked figuring out how to get what I wanted without anyone else knowing. Hmmm.”

Grogu waited for his dad to continue with something like bated breath. Now the Mandalorian was acting all thoughtful. Was he going to tell Grogu a story about sneaking out in the middle of the night to meet his friends and go fruit picking at the ‘nearby’ orchard that had actually been twenty klicks away? Yes, he’d already heard that story, but it was a good story and it made it much easier for Grogu to imagine his dad being a mischievous young boy at one point in time, instead of being an inscrutable Mandalorian bounty hunter from the moment of his birth. 

“You know what Buddy? I think we should go to Corellia. I have an old friend I haven’t seen for a while and they might just know something about the Brethren. At any rate, when we’re there we can stop at this noodle place near the planet side landing zone. They serve the best noodles there. I think you’ll like it.”

Well. Imagine that. Grogu and his dad were going on an adventure and it wasn’t quite what he’d planned, but it was possible that it was a better plan. After all, it included food! Yippee!

[tinky-dinky]

The Cuy’val Dar

Following on from my Jango post, I want to talk about the Cuy’val Dar.

The same warning as that post applies. This is largely my speculations based on canon, but not actually canon.

A note about Legends canon: Unless it is directly contradicted by the current canon, I choose to include Legends canon as canon.

So, the Cuy’val Dar (Mando’a meaning those who are lost) are the trainers Jango recruited to train the clones on Kamino. There were one hundred of these trainers, and seventy five of those one hundred were Mandalorians. The other twenty five were probably bounty hunters and general mercenaries.

Of the seventy five Mandos, we only know the names of 12 of them. Two, Isabet Reau and Dred Priest, were Death Watch sympathizers if not full on members. The other 10 have no stated allegiance but it’s my speculation that at least some of them were True Mandalorians under Jaster and Jango.

There are two whom I am almost certain were True Mandalorians. Kal Skirata is said to have known Jango for years, so he was obviously at least affiliated with the True Mandalorians. He was found by his adopted father, Munin Skirata, when Munin was on a mission with a group of mercenaries. My guess is those mercenaries were Jaster’s people, and possibly even included Jaster himself.

Rav Bralor was a close friend and comrade in arms of Kal Skirata’s long before Kamino, so obviously if he is a True Mandalorian, it stands to reason that she must have been one too.

There are two others who are potentially True Mandalorians. Llats Ward isn’t stated to have any particular affiliation but his chest plate has a whacking great mythosaur skull on it, which is the sigil of the True Mandalorians. Of course, it’s also just a generally important symbol in Mando culture, so Llats could have it on his armour for entirely different reasons.

Miij Gilmar, the trainer of the clone medics, wasn’t born a Mando but became one after he married a Mandalorian woman. She was murdered, unfortunately and he vowed revenge. It’s noted that he had a deep hatred for the death watch allied Dred Priest and Isabet Reau. My speculation is that his wife was killed by Death Watch and he may have joined (or already have been part of) the True Mandos to avenge her.

There is one more trainer I want to discuss in detail. His name is Cort Davin, and he was a Journeyman Protector on Concord Dawn. Obviously this is the same profession as Jaster and Fett Sr, so this suggests he may have been a colleague of theirs. It does seem that he stayed in the Journeyman Protectors until he was recruited into the Cuy’val Dar, so I don’t think he was a proper member of the True Mandos, but he could have been their ally.

We know virtually nothing of the remaining five named Mandos of the Cuy’val Dar, B’arin Apma, Swart Swifto, Wad’e Tayhaai, Vhonte Tervho and Walon Vau. I have no idea if any of these people were True Mandalorians. It’s possible.

A side tangent about Wad’e Tay’haai: one of the few things I could find about him is that his preferred weapons were a traditional Mando spear and a bes’bav. A bes’bav is a Mandalorian flute that doubles as a stabbing weapon. Of course the Mandos have a musical instrument that is also a weapon. Of course they do. It makes me wonder how many other musical weapons exist in Mando culture. And how many other things Mandos have made into weapons. Many, many things probably.

Anyways, this brings me onto the point of this post: why would any True Mandalorians would agree to train the clones despite it going against their well established code of protection over children? And how did Jango feel about these people that were once his?

It’s my personal speculation that any True Mandalorians that joined the Cuy’val Dar on Kamino did so for a number of reasons. The New Mandalorian pacifists were in charge on Mandalore, so anyone wishing to keep their culture couldn’t stay there. I can’t imagine that Mandalorians are welcomed in many places in the galaxy, so it’s possible some of them joined because it guaranteed a place to live and a source of income and food.

Some might have joined out of loyalty to Jango. Perhaps they thought he wouldn’t allow the clones to be treated badly and by the time it became apparent that he would, they couldn’t back out. Perhaps they wanted to help him and therefore help the clones.

I doubt any of them were actually told what they were being recruited for. It was a secret, after all, and I don’t think telling a bunch of Mandalorians ‘there’s a facility where they’re cloning children to be trained as child soldiers for a war in which they’re likely to die’ would go well.

Honestly, I just find the Cuy’val Dar quite interesting. Who are these people? Why did they agree to come to Kamino? What did they feel about the clones?

[omgspacecowboys]

Luke becomes mandalorian by marriage, he doesnt wear the full armor but part of it with the clan sigil, but has to stop wearing it onde djarin dies, thats why he doesnt wear anything onde the New movies

[fanaticsnail]

Snail! Happy not yet birthday! Please take my humble offering of some short Heat x Tobuio angst in our beloved Star Wars AU. I don't know of I wrote them good but this has been rotating in my head for the past two weeks and I needed to get it out. It's kind of unfinished but I still hope you like it at least a little. Kisses <33

Sometimes Heat thinks he wasn't built to carry two hearts.

It's basic Zabrak biology. Something unavoidable like the crown of horns on his head or the midichlorians in his blood. Inescapable like his dreams of a life differently led, of bright eyes and gentle laughter, cheeky remarks and warm lips.

He has built walls of beskar around himself, tall and cool like the paint on his armour. A fort made of the hardest of metals, woven thread by unforgiving thread through the flesh of his chest, protecting what is left of him in the cruelest of ways if only to numb the pain in his hearts with a greater one.

Her name is burnt on the inside of his chest plate. Repeated in the script of every language he knows in the hopes that it'll remain even after his soul has long faded away. Mandalorians don't get burials. The only thing they leave behind is their beskar’gam. And if the last monument of his life were to be a piece of metal, Heat would make it matter. And the only way it would matter is if she is here.

Even as the shadow of every dream he ever had.

The heat of the lightsaber burning his throat is nothing compared to the coldness of the eyes looking down at him. His helmet lost somewhere in the midst of the battle, blood running down his face as he stares back at her. Heat feels like a dying star in this moment, burning the last of her light before inevitably succumbing to the eternal darkness. Dark blue skin, long lekku held by a headpiece different than the one he had gifted her all those years ago, skin markings he is painfully familiar with, having mapped them with his fingers time and time again until they were everything he knew. The name weighs on his tongue, burns his larynx and suddenly hope feels like punishment because the woman behind the eyes is not her.

She is not his Tobiuo.

It's wrong. The tilt of her head, the calculative stare (when has she ever looked at him like that?), the stance, even the colour of the damn laser sword. He can vaguely recognise through the smoke the sigil of Trafalgar's gang of misfits embroidered on her tunic and it feels so wrong he wants to vomit.

(Is she always going to be on the enemy's side?)

“Who are you?” He croaks finally, dreading any possible answer. A ghost from the past that came back to haunt him in a torturous act only death and memory are capable of. A culmination of every broken vow and shattered promise.

No reply reaches his ears. There is only smoke, silence and the searing pain of the Jedi weapon.

The amount of times I have read this is insane. I had to put down my phone and sob for a little bit.

THIS IS AMAZING.

It's forbidden romance in the absolute best way, and I can't even think of the words to process it. The imagery of him looking up at her and seeking the love once found there, only to be met with a foreign coldness. I can't.

Twi'lek Jedi Tobiuo x Jabrak Mandalorian Heat is everything to me. This was so special to read, and I adore the way you've written from his perspective. Makes it feel all the more intimate.

I am going to reread this until the end of time.

[cienie-isengardu]

A bit about Mandalorian Sigils

The “Star Wars Book - Expand your knowledge of a galaxy far far away” provides information that:

Mandalorian clans are often identified by shoulder signets denoting a worthy kill or conquest

The presented examples include

Mythosaur's skull - popular Mandalorian symbol

House Kast* - vexis (serpentine creature)

(Picture of Vexis from starwars.com's databank)

Clan Eldar - leonid

Clan of two: Din Djarin and the Child - mudhorn

(Picture of Mudhorn from starwars.com's databank)

and the peaceful sigil of Clan Vizsla used before Clone Wars

and used by Children of the Watch still years after Empire Fall

(source: The Mandalorian TV series)

while the actual sigil of Death Watch and Clan Vizsla is based on shriek-hawk:

(source: The Bounty Hunter Code: From the Files of Boba Fett)

(source: Jango Fett: Open Seasons)

(source: The Clone Wars TV animated series)

Vizsla clan has changed the animal sigil for a plant motif, most likely as a "proof" of change from warriors to the New Mandalorians. Interestingly, Jaster Mereel's characteristic mark also include an element that resembles a twig or an ear of grain

(on the right, color version from wookiepedia, on left - a Jango Fett's drawing included in the Bounty Hunter Code)

According to Jango:

"This was Jaster Mereel's sigil as a Journeyman Protector on Concord Dawn. I displayed it to honor him and to remind myself that you never know the heart of another. Always assume betrayal is just a moment away. You'll live longer." (source: Ba'jurne Kyr'tsad Mando'ad/Manifest Death Watch from Bounty Hunter Code)

As Protectors are part of New Mandalorians' Law enforcement agency, this is a second example of plant-like motif used as Mandalorian sigil. Which adds a new layer to the warriors (predator/dangerous animals) vs pacifists (plants) symbolism. At the same time, it is possible that other warrior clans changed their sigils to fit New Mandalorians' no violence policy (even if just to bid their time before they will strike again).

SIDENOTE:

[*] This sigil was presented in Star Wars Rebels TV animated series on Mandalorian Rook Warrior, below the concept art

[letoscrawls]

for your sketch suggestions: ideal designs for if you had mandalorian armor? (sigils, helmet style, color swatches, ect.) (hope you’re having a good day!)

ok i didn't color this but basically my armor would be very silly and a mix of all things i like + things i actually wear bc i'm broke and i can't afford a real style

also i figured out how to make pigtails like half an hour ago so you bet i would show them off through my helmet and wear cowboy pants because they are the coolest item on the planet. yeah i would be a clown on the battlefield and the first to die but this fit is for giggles not for work

[second-axis-point]

Pairing: Din Djarin x Male!Mando!Reader

Warning: None!

Content: Fluff

This is from Din’s perspective so the reader has a nickname. No use of y/n. Hope you guys enjoy!

Partners

Din had been so used to living alone that when another Mandalorian offered to join him in his travels, it took him a while to come to terms with it. The man was quiet and intelligent. He was a bit taller than him and had a broad frame. Din had watched the other hunter in action and was surprised he had never met him before. His reddish tinted beskar and durasteel armour looked similar to his own, Mandalorian sigil forged proudly on his shoulder.

Once Din had stepped on board, along with his new partner, he was pleasantly greeted by Grogu. He smiles under his helmet and leans down to pick the creature up. He turns to the other man and starts introductions.

“This is Grogu, Grogu this is…”

He pauses, releasing that he never got a name from the other hunter. He looks up from the little beast he held in his arms. A bit of tension left his shoulders when he heard the warrior laugh through his helmet and step a bit closer.

“Jackal. Nice to meet you little guy.”

Din watches as he leans down and reaches a hand to Grogu who giggles happily and grabs one of his gloved fingers. 

“You can get to know him after we get out of here. For now you should get familiar with the controls and layout of the ship.”

Jackal nods and Grogu releases his grip. Din puts him down and makes for the small area where he keeps his weapons. Jackal’s rifle is still clasped to his back and his blaster is still on his hip. He’d have to clear a spot for the other’s weapons. But for now, Din puts his stuff away and leads the man to the very front of the ship. When he hears Jackal’s footsteps become irregular, he looks back to see that Grogu has attached himself to the taller man's calf.

“Y’know it would be easier for both of you if you just picked him up.”

He heard Jackal stifle a laugh as he bent down to pick up the clingy child. Once he had Grogu securely in his arms, he continued on behind Din.

It took a few hours, but the three finally found a safe place to rest for a while. Jackal volunteered to stay up a bit longer due to the lack of space in the ship. Din felt sort of bad but trusted the man to his own devices. He tried to retreat back to his and Grogu’s cramped sleeping quarters but the little one refused to go with him. Grogu climbed up and forced himself into Jackal’s lap. He chuckled and told Din that it was okay and that he would watch over Grogu while he slept.

Din had slept through most of the night, only waking when he heard a quiet knock on the shudder. He opens it to see Jackal standing with a sleeping Grogu in his arms. He silently shuffled out of the sleeping area and offered it to the other. Jackal had a bit tougher time fitting in the makeshift bed but he made it work. Din stretched and prepared himself for the day.

Two years later, the three of you were still together. Din and Jackle had been dancing around their feelings for eachother for over half of it. They shared little moments here and there but never explicitly confronted the other about it. Neither of them wanted to ruin the partnership that they had been building. So feelings continue to go unacknowledged. At least they do until a bounty goes sideways and Jackal almost gets himself killed trying to save Din.

So they both sit in the Razor Crest, panting and bloody. The ship was completely silent besides the ragged breaths coming from the hunters. Grogu was safe and sound with Peli, far away from the shit storm the two created for themselves. Din noticed the stiff and pained posture Jackal had taken. He stood and walked over to the medical area, grabbing a kit, and bringing it back to Jackal.

Din assisted Jackal, laying him down on the floor, and taking his armour off. Albeit not being the cleanest place to tend to an open wound, it was all they had at the moment. With his chest piece off and his weapon put aside, Jackal helped pull the undershirt up enough so that Din could tend to his injury. He had a large vertical gash on his lower left abdomen. Din saw that his midsection was littered with varying healed scars.

He stitches up and bandages the slash before leaning back giving the other some breathing room. Sitting back on his heels, he watched Jackal’s chest rise and fall steadily. Jackal reaches a hand to Din, which he grasps in his own. He helped the man sit up and get up into the co-pilot’s seat in the control room. He grabbed a fresh set of clothes for the injured hunter and gave him some privacy to change. Din stood outside the door, nervously swaying back and forth.

He waited for Jackal to trudge out, hand on his side. Din let out a sigh of relief and offered Jackal his armour back. He didn’t put it back on, instead opting to set it aside and sitting back down in his seat with a groan. Din moved behind him, too restless to sit. He put his hand on the back of Jackal’s chair and spun it around. He wanted to make absolute sure that his partner was going to be okay.

Jackal tilted his head, confused. Din knelt down in front of him with his hands on both sides of the armrests. Jackal said nothing but leaned forward slightly. Din moved his hands down to Jackal’s knees, not pressing any further, just simply setting them there. Din could hear his breath hitch through his helmet. Jackal sat stiff and still until Din started to pull away. Neither man said anything. Jackal grabbed one of Din’s hands and pulled him up to eye level. Slowly leaning forward, Din gently touched his helmet to Jackal’s. He leaned back and sighed.

“What’s wrong?”

Jackal asked, genuinely concerned. Din looked up, and got an idea.

“Do you trust me?”

Din asked the man in front of him.

“With my life.”

The ease with which he said it made Din a bit dizzy.

“Sit tight.”

Din walked to the control panel and Jackal heard him flip a few switches. The lights dimmed and then turned off fully, leaving the men in almost complete darkness. Din carefully moved back in front of Jackal and kneeled in front of him once again. He slowly takes his helmet off and audibly sets it down, hoping Jackal knows what he’s implying. Luckily he does.

He hears Jackal take off his helmet and gently presses it into his hand for him to put down. After placing the helmet down next to his own, Din leaned back up. He stopped about an inch away, he could feel Jackal’s breath on his face.

“Is this okay?”

Din asked in a hushed tone. Instead of responding, Jackal closed the distance between them. The kiss is slow and meaningful. Almost two years of pent up feelings and unresolved tension shone through their intimacy. Jackal moved his hand up and rested it on the back of Din’s neck, the other cupped his jaw. Din tilted his head to deepen the kiss.

Jackal was the first to pull away for air but Din didn’t want the kiss to end. He moved down to pepper Jackal’s neck in love bites and small kisses. Din felt a groan rumble in the back of Jackal’s throat. He finally pulled back and listened to the other man pant in the darkness. Din started to stand up but before he could, Jackal grabbed his hands once again. Only this time he pulled Din towards him.

Din was tugged into Jackal’s lap. Once he was comfortable and not anywhere near Jackal’s injury, Din grabbed both sides of his face and yanked him in again. This time their kiss was more heated. Hands wandered. They both made the most of it since they were probably never going to see each other's faces. Jackal felt the stubble on Din’s face, and ran his fingers through his soft hair.

Although Din couldn’t see, he could imagine what the man in front of him looked like. Flushed cheeks with half-lidded and glossed over eyes. He felt as his cheeks started to burn at the thought. Din was shocked back into reality by a pained groan coming from Jackal. He jumped out of the man’s lap and apologised for losing focus.

“It’s alright Din I’m okay. But maybe we should take a little break for today.”

Jackal chuckled lightly and Din smiled into the darkness. Din fumbled around the ground and grabbed the helmets, putting his on and handing Jackal his. Once both of the Mandalorians were covered, Din slowly turned the lights back on. He saw Jackal, still seated, with his clothes a bit ruffled. He was breathing a bit heavier than normal but other than that he looked okay. He walked back over and offered to lead the fellow hunter back to the makeshift bed with a concealed smile. Jackal accepted his offer gratefully, and the two packed themselves in the small space. They both slept peacefully for the first time in years.

[runekirikjartan]

Last Line Challenge

Tagged by @whiskygoldwings

Writing has ben an absolute trip this week and i'm sorry i'm late in doing this.

Last thing I wrote was for the time-travel fix-it au I have where Fox ends up somewhere he didn't think he'd ever be:

“Verd!” Gilamar called out from behind him, snapping Fox from his stupor as he whirled around to face them, hands reaching instinctively for weapons he didn’t have. Someone else was with Skirata and Gilamar.  He was a man with red and grey armour, cape hung from his shoulder. The sigil of a mythosaur in black, stood out on the yellow shield painted on his left pauldron. The armour was well loved and taken care of. this one wasn't like any of the trainers he'd seen which made him a threat. It made him an unknown and Fox didn't want any more unknowns. “Verd-” The new mandalorian greeted him. “Come back inside. No one wants to hurt you.”  “I might want to, a little.” Skirata grumbled to the left of the man, where Fox can see where he’d wiped at and smeared blood over his upper lip, only for the mandalorian to elbow Skirata in the side. 

I wonder who the man in the red and grey armour is :)

tagging @marloviandevil @eyayah-oya @voices-of-my-brothers @yellowisharo