THE ZARK

• Location: Geothermal Caves in the Ralar Region
• Tribal Type: Sedentary
• Tribe Size: Approximately 350 members

The Zark are one of the most feared and enigmatic tribes of the Native inhabitants of VOI-700 D. Dwelling deep within the perpetual darkness of the Ralar Region on the planet’s Dark Side, they are a warrior people shaped by the cold, the hunt, and centuries of exile. Once descended from the peaceful Honga Tribe, the Zark were banished after defying their spiritual leaders, condemned to survive in the frozen wastelands far from the light of the Habitual Belt.

Over generations, isolation and adaptation turned them into a distinct culture — resilient, territorial, and mistrustful of outsiders. Their survival in the geothermal tundra depends on their ability to blend into the ice, to hunt with precision, and to strike swiftly when threatened. While their numbers are small (≈ 350 members), their knowledge of the Dark Side terrain and their ferocity in combat have earned them a reputation as ghosts of the frost — silent figures who appear and vanish with the flicker of torchlight.

Their exact location is unknown, but they are believed to live in a maze of geothermal caves north of the Ralar volcano, near Firetown, at the same latitude as the Equatorial Section East (Asari) in the Habitual Belt.

Following their exile, the Zark lived in isolation on the Dark Side for decades, primarily surviving on Kajanga meat, fish from the Dark Sea, and the mushroom Luminofera dualis (“Shika Me La” in their native tongue). They domesticate Veyra mounts for transport through the tundra and have also mastered the art of taming Korozos — a feat no other tribe has achieved.

Korozos are fierce, semi-predatory creatures regarded by most Natives as untamable due to their aggression and sharp territorial instincts. Through generations of experimentation, the Zark developed a ritual bonding process using rhythmic sound patterns, scent marks, and doses of the Shika Me La mushroom. The resulting bond allows trained Korozos to act as scouts and guides, detecting geothermal vents, navigating through complete darkness, and scenting prey or intruders from extraordinary distances.

The arrival of Exohumans on VOI-700 D disrupted the Zark’s secluded existence. Initially, the Zark feared the first human settlers establishing the Copper Mine in what is now Firetown, mistaking them for “evil gods.” Over time, however, the Zark realized the Exohumans were no deities and began raiding their camps at night. In response, the Exohumans improved their defenses, causing Zark raids to become less frequent and more strategic.

Everything changed after the Great War and the rise of the Jane Mendoza Gang. Jane Mendoza successfully allied with the Zark by offering them a powerful concentrate derived from the mushrooms they used in religious rituals. In exchange, the Zark allowed her gang to use their caves as a base of operations.

The Zark quickly became dependent on the concentrate, giving Jane Mendoza growing influence over the tribe. She now holds significant power over them, employing the Zark as guards, couriers, and enforcers in her criminal network. They also participate in raids on caravans and farms across the Habitual Belt under her command, further deepening their dependence and infamy.

When venturing outside their geothermal caves, the Zark wear thick cloaks and armor crafted from the white-grey fur of the Glaciok, the apex predator of the Ralar Region. The fur provides both insulation and perfect camouflage against the icy plains.

To shield their faces from the freezing wind and to terrify their enemies, the Zark don masks carved from bone skulls — often those of their prey. Each mask is individually sculpted to evoke menace, decorated with scars, runes, or tusks, and lined on the inside with a soft layer of fur for warmth. These masks serve dual purposes: ritual protection and psychological warfare, giving the Zark their ghostly, inhuman appearance when seen through torchlight on the tundra.

In contrast, within their caves, they wear lighter hide wraps and bone ornaments suitable for the geothermal warmth.

The Zark follow a pragmatic, merit-based hierarchy. A chief is elected by the warriors for his success in hunting and raiding; if he fails to secure enough food or loot, he is swiftly replaced. Decisions are collective, but authority belongs to those who bring tangible survival gains to the tribe.

Like their ancestors, the Honga Tribe, the Zark rely on weapons that blend natural materials, stealth, and precision. However, centuries of adaptation to the extreme cold and darkness of the Dark Side have led them to refine these tools for survival in their frozen homeland.

• Stone Blades: While stone remains a staple material, the Zark forge their melee blades from obsidian and compressed basalt, both plentiful near their geothermal caves. Handles are wrapped in Glaciok fur for grip and insulation, preventing frostbite during prolonged combat. Blades are kept short, favoring quick slashes in confined cave spaces.

• Bows and Arrows: The Zark craft composite bows from layered bone, sinew, and volcanic ashwood, reinforced with strips of dried fungal fiber that remain flexible even in subzero conditions. Their arrows are short and thick, designed to fly silently and penetrate heavy clothing or hide. Arrowheads are made of sharpened obsidian or scavenged metal shards from fallen Exohuman tools. For night raids, they occasionally dip arrow tips in bioluminescent mushroom resin, allowing faint tracking of their flight — or in toxic extracts from the “Shika Me La” fungus for silent kills. Zark archers are renowned for their ability to shoot accurately in near-total darkness, guided by torch flicker and the echoes of wind.

• Bone Traps and Ice Triggers:The Zark have evolved the Honga’s booby-trap tradition into complex bone-and-ice mechanisms. They set collapsible snare traps, frost pits, and thorny barricades made from frozen fungal spines near cave entrances or trade-route choke points. These traps are often invisible under snow, making them deadly for unsuspecting couriers or trespassers.

• Fire Torches and Signal Spears: Because light is sacred in Zark culture, torches also serve as weapons and communication tools. Warriors throw oil-soaked “signal spears” tipped with slow-burning resin to ignite terrain or mark enemy positions in the darkness. During raids, these flaming projectiles create sudden illumination — blinding adversaries while guiding other Zark through the shadows.

Together, these tools form an arsenal uniquely suited to life on the Dark Side — practical, ritualistic, and terrifying when seen in motion beneath the frozen auroras of the Ralar Region.

The Zark are infamous for their lightning-fast raids along the trade route between Firetown and the Habitual Belt. Mounted on Veyras and guided by their extraordinary sense of direction in complete darkness, they attack swiftly and vanish before counterforces can respond. Survivors describe them as spectral shapes emerging from snow and steam — their bone masks gleaming faintly in the dark.

• The Native Tribes from A to Z
• The Honga
• Dark Side
• Region Ralar

Known members of the Zark Tribe:

• Udu (Hoa Foluvinta Zapor Udu)
• Ganda (Merea Ameruvi Motruz Ganda)
• Rotu (Tendo Ameruvi Naka Tula Rotu)