Races/Cultures

[H3R0]

Here is where we can talk about our characters' races and cultures. Pictures are not necessary. Please provide a brief explanation of what they're about, so we can all be informed. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, but it can be if you'd like it to be. Everyone is allowed to post here, but I would prefer that they only post relevant things and not anything that sounded good, but doesn't/won't actually have any participation in the roleplay; by this, I don't mean the specifics of the culture/race you're describing. Go into as much detail as your heart desires. What I mean is, please don't make up a race/culture just for fun that won't actually have a role in the RP. It'll just clog this zone up. Thank you!

[Apocalyptic_Tea]

~Nymph Stuff~

Stuff to Know: Probably the most important thing you need to know about Nymphs is they are a genderless species. Neither male nor female, they mate through a connection of the nervous system, allowing them to produce with each other, as well as both males and females of other species. However, children that come from other species are often infertile themselves, unless they somehow inherit the reproductive system of the opposing species. This is unlikely, however, as most Nymph genes are dominant.

“Thay’la” is essentially their word for parent, considering they don’t have the typical mother/father dynamics. The half of the couple that did not give birth is typically known as “Tha’len”.

They’re not a warrior culture, but when it comes to stealth or guerrilla warfare tactics, they’ll mess you up. They mostly make good spies, though their clans VERY rarely war with each other so it’s only the outcasts you’ll see doing that kind of work.

Traits: Nymphs have awesome night vision, pro flexibility/agility, and they basically glow in the dark. Okay not really, but their coloring changes a lot in the moonlight in comparison to the day, where they look washed out and faint. They typically don’t grow much taller than 5’2”, the average being closer to around 4’9-11”. Beyond their coloring, their most obvious physical traits are long, pointed ears and a lack of body hair. Full-blooded Nymphs don't even have eyelashes.

They also have a strong affinity to nature, though if that comes from some sort of power or merely the fact that they've lived in forests for generations is debatable. Other than that, they don't have any particular power or ability in their blood.

Societal Perception: In ancient times, Nymphs were almost all blessed by Magic. They mainly dwelled in swamps due to the large amount of life within them, were very mysterious to other cultures, and showed themselves mainly at night due to being largely nocturnal creatures. As a result, they were often blamed for the deaths of anyone who happened to get lost within their murky territories. Throw in the Nymphs who abused their powers, and it was perceived they were evil beings, even demons who had come to walk the planet.

Fast forward a few hundred years, and Nymphs no longer have the same high level of magic within their blood they once did. They live mainly in forests instead of swamps, and rarely venture outside their own clans. However, the stigma of their culture has only gotten worse. Called “Dream Terrors,” "Fearspawns" and a slew of other evil-related slurs, their most common nickname is "Night Crawlers," to the point that many don't even realize it's a slur and not the actual name of the race. Nymphs are generally considered to be creatures of bad luck, bringing with them nightmares or even mental disease. None of that is true of course, but the result is all the same, and the uneducated masses usually greet Nymphs with anything from disdain to outright fear.

(I was too lazy to write anything specific to their culture, but this is the important stuff.)

[Wake]

The Monah Shallic faith

The Name: Also know as Shallism, the Monah Shallic faith is based around the ideology of a goddess called 'the divine Monah Shall-la'. First of all a clarification of the name. The word 'Monah' is an word from an ancient language meaning mother, so Monah Shall-la is 'mother' Shall-la. Also the terms Shallism and Monah-Shallic aren't the official names for the religion, and is in fact a term coined by others observing it. The priest of the faith haven't actually given it a name, however the outsider terms have been used to refer to it for so long they have more or less adopted the name.

Entities within the faith: Shallism dictates that Monah Shall-la is the origin of all life, the divine mother that gave birth to a number of spirits that all creatures of this world descended from in some way or forum. The importance of these 'Ancestor Spirits' varies depending on which sect of the faith you talk too, with some considering them minor deities in their own right and others thinking them as just servants to Shall-la. The other largely identified being in the faith is Shall-la's polar opposite, Malabak. Malabak is called 'father of all monsters' for having created malicious entities as a means to mock Shall-la and is considered the origin of all misfortune.

Beliefs: There are a number of things that the priest of Shall-la believe in, but I'll focus on more relevant stuff here. Specifically magic. Monah Shallic priest believe that the Rukh are guided by the hands of Monah Shall-la, and as such anyone capable of manipulating it must have been granted the ability to do so by the goddess herself. They have very strict views on how it should be used though, thinking that magic should be used primarily for healing and abhor the thought of it being used as a weapon. Though they do grant so exceptions when it comes to some people or certain situations, particularly Djinn owners and Magi.

Current standings: Shallism has been growing in the region in recent decades, and has a number of followers spreed out among cities and townships. While not the dominant religion they are definitely growing in influence. This has caused some tensions between them and different groups though, over a competition of interest and ideals. There are some ugly rumors of things recently becoming violent on occasion.

Groups of note:

• The high Rahmun and the Matriarch circle: The leading body of the Monah Shallic faith. The high Rahmun is the final authority within the faith and the Matriarch Circle are the advisers to the high Rahmun.
• The Holy Guard: While the teachings of Monah Shall-la lean more towards peace, her faithful are not so foolish as to believe that the world is a peaceful place. Acting like chapter nights, their are a collective of warriors that guard specific holy sites and act as body guards for important members of the clergy.
• The Daleem: A repetitively new sect within the faith, they've recently been pushing aggressively for more pull in the inner politics of the faith. There have also been some rumors of them making shady dealings behind the scenes. Some of their activities in the Holy city of Masha were part of the reason why Malkyr left, being rather disgusted with the group.

[Eolia Mysticaqua-α]

Race: Salamander.
Appearence: The Salamander appear like humans, but have the ability to transform into more reptilian creatures.
Abilities: Salamanders have pyrokenesis and can resist heat very well.
Location: Salamanders tend to live in volcanic regions and anywhere that is very hot.
Subcultures of Salamanders: In the Salamander Settlement, there is a distinct culture of Salamanders that can differ from others. In the Settlement, Salamanders tend to look down on other cultures and races. Settlement Salamanders also have a distinct way of naming children. Everyone has 5 names. The mother gives the daughter her first name. The father gives her the second. For males, it's the exact opposite. The third name is a name the entire settlement chooses for all children born that year. The fourth name is the location in which the child was born and the last name is the name of his/her family. The name of the children is a good way to tell if a Salamander child is from the Settlement or not. The Salamander Settlement is a very proud group and can be very radical.

Race: Undine
Appearence: Human, but very beautiful. They tend to have blue eyes and are somewhat long.
Abilities: Undine have hydrokenesis and can breath underwater. Some can communicate with marine life on a certain level.
Location: Undine tend to live around lakes and creeks. Typically, Undine are drawn to fresh water rather than salt water. However, many Undine live in the ocean because of the mass amount of water.
Subculture: There is a group of Undine that don't live far from the Salamander Settlement. These Undine have been working to bring peace between the two groups with no avail. As a result, some Undine have grown as racist against Salamander as Salamanders are against them. This group of Undine, however, tends to be more passive and humble than the Salamander. The Undine near the Salamander settlement tend to value tranquility, but aren't very accepting of things they see as alien. They have a very set way of living and it should not be disturbed.

[Mir]

General Information

A technical half-human and half-nonhuman people, the Cherufe are a strange, and not the most well-regarded, race in the world. Given their origins, and the fact that their general appearances are deceiving, there are standing prejudices within the hearts of some people when it comes to the Cherufe. Some don’t see them as a trustworthy race—if their very appearances are misleading in the long run, what is to be certain of when things come down to the wire? That would be how many justify their hesitance toward the Cherufe. They are creatures that fall in-between the lines of human and magic, because of their ancient origins. When something is either one or the other, and falls into the grey . . . well, a lot of people just don’t know what to do with the grey of the world.

Overall, the numbers of the Cherufe make up a rather small sect of the world’s population, their numbers stand firm at less than 200,000 and these numbers have remained consistent over the last couple of generations, making it seem like the Cherufe’s population will not grow any more.

In the day and age of the world now, many races have seen fit to settle themselves down into a stable area, and claim it as their own. Well, once more, the Cherufe differ from many other races in that way too, save for one Clan, the whole of the Cherufe population is nomadic, divided up into many different ‘Family-Clans’ that move around the world as needed or as seen fit. Because of their tendency to travel about, the Cherufe have become known around the world as being a race composed almost entirely of merchants, although there are many who go so far as to accuse Cherufe of being a whole population of thieves, stealing and then selling these pilfered goods as ‘merchandise’. While this is actually true with some Clans, most of the Cherufe population scoffs at the notion of stealing from others. Rather, most of them are actually honest, hardworking people who believe in the notion of pulling one’s weight. Although many might take to them with disdain or bias, most Cherufe are the exact opposite of that, few of them actually bother to judge other’s by anything that would generalize them; gender, race, culture, religion, etc. It is a taught concept within their people to look at people as individuals rather than as a whole.

Societal Structure

The society of the Cherufe is a rather free one, and very easygoing. They live with little restrictions, few established rules, and are a very unrestricted people who consider the conception of a highly controlling government body to be a mistake. From birth, Cherufe are taught to think about the wellbeing of others before themselves, about how actions affect those around them rather than just one’s self. They are taught to live freely, to live well, and to treat others as they themselves want to be treated. Among the Cherufe, this seems to be a rather successful means of running a whole Clan, as there are really few Cherufe who turn down a dark path, or whom succumb to a life of crime . . . there are those that do though. But, it’s known among these people that anyone of any race is capable of either being a jerk or a saint, so, it’s expected, not desired, but expected.

As far as ‘government’ goes within the Cherufe, there is no overarching body that controls the population as a whole, rather, the Cherufe Clans manage themselves from within, there is a sole leader who looks out for the wellbeing of the Family-Clan as a whole. Typically, the leader of a Clan lives among their people just as any citizen would, only pulling their rank-card in times of crisis or need.

Traditions

One thing that cannot be denied about most Cherufe people happens to be the fact that they are a people who acknowledge and honor their history and the ancient traditions formed by their ancestors. With these traditions comes the very basis for how Cherufe society is constructed, the ideal of respect, freedom and thinking of other’s before one’s self. . . . Along with the notion of how and when an individual becomes an adult.

There are terms regarding a Cherufe’s journey into adulthood; and there are two ‘traits’ inherent to them as they grow up. Given the nonhuman origins of the Cherufe, and the fact they are a people that fall in-between being nonmagical and magical, they have more than one trait that awakens within them as they age. Firstly, there is what they call one’s Primary Mark, which refers to the first and foremost Cherufe traits that develop; their draconic features. The horns, slit-eyes, tail, talons, fangs, wings and the ability to control fire.

Secondly comes what they call the Secondary Mark, signs of one entering the final stage of development. The Secondary Mark is a definitive moment in a young Cherufe’s life. From their nonhuman ancestors, the Cherufe inherited seven universally recognized secondary abilities that do not seem to match their draconic Primary Marks.

Given the overall naming system within the Cherufe people, when the time comes that a child’s Secondary Mark makes itself known, the child loses their second name, the Sigil of Childhood and they take on their adulthood name. In total, there are seven names that are associated with Secondary Marks, stemming from the first seven Cherufe born into the world that possessed said power that an individual develops.

These seven names, along with their connected powers are as follows:

• Lejla – Shadow Manipulation.
• Valens – An abnormal ability to invoke healing within one’s self and within others.
• Thane – Perfect memory, the ability to recall anything and everything one has experienced within their life, whether conscious or not, and the ability to pull memories from others, places and objects.
• Alyss – Puppeteering, being able to control objects as if they were of one’s own body.
• Pilui – The ability to create illusions so real and convincing that few are able to deny them as reality, or reject them.
• Hesiod – A talent with music, someone who is able to evoke ‘miracles’ by singing. Those with this power are capable of altering the weather.
• Odette – Clairvoyance.

As it goes, these are the only seven recognized Second Marks among the Cherufe. Though, it’s certain that their nonhuman ancestors had other fantastic powers besides these. . . . Though it seems certain that any individual will develop their Secondary Mark shortly after entering adolescence, there is a phenomenon that occurs at times with some Cherufe individuals that has come to be deemed as ‘The Markless’. These are people within the Clans that never did develop a Secondary Mark, and thus never shed their Sigil of Childhood, and in the eyes of the Cherufe people as a whole, remained an eternal child, despite the fact that they physical have grown and aged.

Topping off the fact that they are seen as lacking something that makes them a true Cherufe, most Cherufe children whom are born that turn out to be a Markless also tend to be smaller than others, and also their Primary Marks develop in them slower, and are often weaker. As well, most Markless turn out to be sterile, and unable to reproduce.

There is a stigma within the Cherufe when one is acknowledged as a Markless . . . the treatment one receives is different; they are often met with a mix of pity and, sometimes, disgust.

Traits

Their appearances are, otherwise, human. Generally speaking, Cherufe look as if they were just ordinary humans, well, minus the fact that they tend to look freakishly tall for a human. Size wise, the Cherufe definitely tend to turn out larger than humans do. Average size among them runs different for men and women, but still.

The average height for a male is upwards of 6’6”. It’s not uncommon to find some individuals who tower at over 6’10” though.

The average height for a female is often upwards of 5’8”, and yet too, it’s not uncommon for female Cherufe to lumber over others at well over 6’.

Typically, as mentioned before, those who are called ‘Markless’ are smaller than this, with some not even making it to 5’ in height.

As far as other traits go, Cherufe are capable of taking on nonhuman markings that certify their nonhuman heritage. . . . This comes in the way of definite draconic features. Either by one’s own will, or if only because they temporarily lose control of themselves, a Cherufe person is capable of developing horns, slit-eyes, scaly tails, talons, fangs, and even wings . . . as well, they are always able to naturally control fire.

As far as other things go, Cherufe are also terrifyingly strong beings, capable of lifting very heavy things, shattering solid stone with a well-aimed punch, etc. . . . They are also, physically very durable. As far as combat goes, Cherufe tend to be relentless, if you challenge one to a match, they usually won’t stop fighting.

Trivia

Given their ancient roots, the Cherufe had their own language, once upon a time. As the years ticked forward though, much of this ancient tongue was lost to the ages. However, some of it has survived the centuries . . . most of what has survived is either insults or rough language though, so, if an ancient Cherufe word is actually used in a conversation it’s probably not a good thing.

Among the most commonly used words from the old language are:
• Gra’Drosum – By the Great Dragon.
• Vrakisr’era – One whose flame is not hot enough to melt even ice.
• Rim’okso – Crazy bastard/bitch.
• Ixaebrr – Kiss off and go to Hell.
• X’taer Urb – Shut up and go kiss a water dweller (Undine).

[H3R0]

Salim's Culture

Name:
Khowia

Races:
Generally humans, only because humans are so common, but the culture is welcome to all races.

Information:
The Khowia are based on strength; strength in knowledge, in physique, in power, in spirit. They are usually highly regarded. Parents do not teach their children to be successful through material means, but to find success through their own empowerment. Once their child reaches a certain age, they tend to lose interest in them, letting them roam free and find their own paths in life. If they cannot take care of themselves, they are not worth saving.

Punishment is rarely given, but when it is, it's hard and considered justified by all. It's not uncommon for punishments to be carried out publicly as a means of pain and humiliation. They need to be taught a lesson. If they don't learn their lesson through their punishment, then the people who carried out the means of punishment feel the shame. If a child of the Khowia grow up to be shameful, unfulfilled, or lazy, the parents take the blame and have even been known to go to extremes, including banishing themselves from their culture and faith.

Because of the way Khowia are raised to be, if one considers themselves to have lived a personally unfulfilling life, they shun themselves, either cutting off ties with friends and family or actually going to the extent of killing themselves. Laziness is not tolerated. Nobody believes that personal enlightenment can be found through procrastination. Those with low self esteem are hesitant to voice their internal issues because it is not considered strong to be weak in mind and will power. However, it's not unlikely for Khowia to feel inferior or not good enough, especially with the pressure being put on them from such a young age to do something or be somebody.

It's common for most Khowia to spend the first part of their lives traveling until they decide on having a family and settling down to take care of it.

Tattoos:
These are important in the Khowia culture. Those with more tattoos are regarded higher than those with hardly any at all. Of course, Khowia are not simply born with them. They are marks of accomplished deeds that must be earned through self-righteous means. Getting their first tattoo is like a right of passage for young Khowia. Those who die with very little marked up skin are considered trash and thought very lowly of. Those who age with many tattoos can even be considered heroes, in a way, someone to aspire to. It's a sign of accomplishment and strength.

Tattoos can come in many forms and they don't necessarily have to be put on by another Khowia. Tribal-like designs are usually preferred. A Khowia is trusted not to lie about their tattoos. It's considered one of the most utmost important unspoken rules. Lying about accomplishments is a weakness, not a strength, it's a deceit of their culture and those who will deceive their own culture are nothing more than bugs in the soil.

Many people enjoy returning from long journeys to tell stories of each tattoo and people of all ages will gather around and listen all night long.