| “ | We are the Clan of Fara! Feared by most traders and pirates, we prowl The Red Isle and are known for our aggressive raid tactics. | „ |
| ~ Clan of Fara -- Skull and Bones twitter |
The Clan of Fara are cattle farmers and sea traders led by a tyrant King. They hold a deep grudge against the Sea People and are hostile to all foreign pirates. As one of the major faction that resides in the Red Isles, they control settlements in the northern and western half of the Red Isle while the Sea People take control of the southern and eastern side.
Though they started as farmers, they now make their name as warriors. Their violent exploits make them feared by everyone on the Seven Seas – pirates and traders alike. Aggressive and suspicious of outsiders, they defend their livelihoods fiercely. The Fara fighters are fiercely protective of their home turf. They mainly control the western and northern areas of the Red Isles, with the Ankohonana settlement being their main hub.
Background[]
Clan of Fara settlement
| “ | The Clan of Fara are cattle farmers and sea raiders lead by a tyrant King. They hold a deep grudge against the Sea People and are hostile to all foreign pirates. | „ |
| ~ Clan of Fara -- Skull and Bones |
The feared Clan of Fara, though only existing for a short time, has had a dramatic rise from a few cattle herding families to a regional power, in part due to intensive trading contact with foreign merchants -- particularly the French Compagnie Royale. The Clan of Fara consider that the blood of the “first ancestors” flow in their veins. They rule a large territory in-land on the Red Isle and are known for their cattle, their warriors and their trade. They trade with European merchants and the Confederation of Ungwana, selling valuable resources such as bronze, iroko or sapphire in exchange for silver or cloves.
Making no attempt to hide their abundance of riches, the Fara sail openly across the Indian Ocean.
Known for their aggressive tactics, they are ruthless and will stop at nothing to ensure that their livelihoods are secured above all else. Their philosophy in aggression and survival strategies have largely been influenced by a King who leads his people with an iron fist, demanding high taxes, and even forcefully taking what he wants from his own tribe. It is under this rule, the Clan of Fara have further advanced their alliances with the Compagnie Royale. You may spot a group of Fara exchanging wood to the French. Despite this they aim to keep their deals with the French a secret and will treat all others with caution.
You would do well to bear this in mind. Both the royal and sacred houses of the Clan of Fara are secretly tied to the Sea People. One can easily differentiate them at a glance as they tend to wear shades of red and their sails proudly display the red buffalo head of their faction.
Careful Captain, it would be a mistake to dismiss them as barbarians. They are well capable of adapting in order to maintain their power. You’ll find there are many who purposely choose to avoid the Clan of Fara. Most fear confrontation with this faction as they would likely meet a gruesome death. Should you decide to take them on, be sure to remember they tend to prefer flooding your ships with the help of the ballista equipped on their broadsiders.
Notable Characters[]
- Captain Tangena Rabe - Clan of Fara Champion who has destroyed countless ships with her violent ramming attacks, Elite Captain
Trivia[]
Given the above information, as well as The Clan of Fara's description as: "cattle farmers and sea traders led by a tyrant King", it is possible that the faction is based off of the Kingdom of Imerina; more specifically during the reign of Andriamanelo (1540–1575) and his son Ralambo (1575–1612) whose many enduring and significant political and cultural achievements earned him a heroic and near mythical status among the greatest ancient sovereigns of Merina history.
By the 15th century the Hova people from the southeastern coast had gradually migrated into the central highlands, where they established hilltop villages interspersed among the existing Vazimba settlements, which were ruled by local kings and queens. The two peoples coexisted peacefully for several generations and are known to have intermarried. Andriamanelo broke this tradition by launching a largely successful war to subjugate the surrounding Vazimba communities, beginning a several-decade process to drive them from the Highlands -- similar to the Clan of Fara's own ongoing war with the Sea People who are related to the Vazimba according to entries found at Vorona Falls.
Ralambo Meanwhile expanded and defended the Kingdom of Imerina through a combination of diplomacy and successful military action aided by the procurement of the first firearms in Imerina by way of trade with kingdoms on the coast. Additionally according to oral history, the wild zebu cattle that roamed the Highlands of Madagascar were first domesticated for food in Imerina under the reign of Ralambo and he introduced the practice and design of cattle pen construction as well as the traditional ceremony of the fandroana (the "Royal Bath") to celebrate his culinary discovery.
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