This thread is for mobile-users, seeing as how our forum host isn’t yet mobile-friendly. This thread goes hand-in-hand with the ★ A Mobile Guide to the T-DEra Forums ★ thread. Below is a Table of Contents, which you have to be logged in to properly use, and there are YouTube videos for each of the races. The races will be out of order and more races will be added in the future.
Artrune This page has a read-along. Watch Part 1 and Part 2 here!
Trigger Warnings: Mentions of blood, homelessness, fantasy racism, abuse of power, branding, torture, second-class treatment, war, death and assassination, shunning, public shaming, forced-labor, violence, and imprisonment.
Artrune can be part of the Dragon, Magulis, or Rider Classes.
Character Data
Class: Rider
Name: Flint Wykoff
Age: 25
Height: 5'7"
Race: Artrune
Gender: Male
Profession: Practitioner
Magic Study: Rune Scribe
Appearance Description
Flint has amber eyes and lightly tanned and freckled skin. His hair is mostly in black waves all the way down past his hips with light gray bangs, the top of which covered by a a gray cowboy hat. He wears a woolen cloth tossed over one shoulder with geometric patterns of faded yellow, orange, and red. He has a white silken bandanna around his neck, tied over the faded cloth. He wears a light gray and white pinstripe vest over a white long-sleeved dress shirt to protect his arms from the harsh sun-rays but cool enough that he wouldn't get overheated. His pale hands are covered by black leather gloves. He wears a pair of warm-gray breeches, held up by double black-leather belts (one of which bears a snake-engraved silver buckle). A gray-leather holster rests on his thigh and he wears matching gray-leather cowboy boots.Creator: petracore
Adarei sports shoulder-length light-brown layered hair and has pale-blue eyes and lightly-tanned skin. She wears a long-sleeved grayish-tan shirt with bluish-gray shoulder padding with a high collar, line with shimmering cream-colored embellishments, held together with a golden bird skull. She has an open-skirt on her hips and handless-gauntlets, matching the shoulder pads with colors and adornment. A double leather-belt rests on her hips over her shirt and she wears burgundy breeches. Her knee-high tanned leather boots are strung up with tanned leather straps and decorated with more leather-belts.Creator: swordoftails
The average height of an artrune (Are-Troon) ranges somewhere between 5’2” to 5’6”. In rare cases, there are some artrune that are much shorter or taller than what is to be expected. Some artrune remain around 4’10”, regardless of age. They don’t grow anymore than that. But there are also artrune that are abnormally tall, some as tall as 6’5”.
Their skin color ranges from a pale peach to a very dark chocolate in color.
Artrune are average magic users. There are some specially gifted that can use powerful magic, but most prefer to stick with magic that is easier to master and won’t potentially kill them if they use it too much. Race-exclusive magic for the artrune are blood mages; those who can use and manipulate their own blood (and sometimes others). With this, they can always have a weapon on hand without needing to carry one physically and this weapon can change forms day-to-day.
The average lifespan of the artrune race is around 79 years of age. Depending on how well the artrune takes care of themselves using regular exercise and eating healthy foods, they can possibly live longer, even around 100 or more years. Riders and Dragons, should they find their partner, can live eternally unless mortally wounded and killed, regardless of their race’s lifespans.
Half-Artrune Hybrids The artrune are just one of many races that can breed together to create hybrid children. Some hybrids look more like one race than the other. Special race-exclusive magics remain race-exclusive; not even hybrids have the privilege of dipping into that kind of magic. However, what race restrictions on classes can change depending on the hybrids produced.
Half-Mewah
This hybrid shares most of their physical strength and magical attributes with their artrune parentage. Their ears, eyes, and height allow them to even pass as pure-mewah as long as they aren’t discovered through any means. The only hair that grows on them is both the hair on top of their head and down below the waistline (not including on the legs). A Half-Artrune, Half-Mewah hybrid can be either Dragon, Magulis, or Rider Class.
This type of hybrid has two different outcomes: They will either keep their artrune parent’s height and a lack of defined muscles unless they work themselves up to that point on their own. However, they will have the stamina of an average artrune. These hybrids will inherit the skin color and ears of their sil’nyy parent, and will sport a smaller version of the father’s horns (if the hybrid is male). They do not inherit the father’s studded brows.
This character has no owner.
The other type of hybrid will look more artrune when it comes to skin color and will have a lack of horns and lack of sil’nyy shaped ears. However, they will have the height and the natural stature of a sil’nyy. This means they will be as tall as one and sport more defined muscles.
Half-Artrune, Half-Sil’nyy hybrids can either be Dragon or Magulis.
Main Geographical Locations There are four total Artrune cities. However, one has been completely abandoned due to The Great Magical Storm, caused by war between it and a nearby mewahen city and has thus been left in ruin.
Gyllene Sand (Jeh-Len-Ay Sand) is a vast city with a mixture of artrune ranging from incredibly wealthy and living in what looks like palaces, to dirt poor and living on the streets. The entrances from the desert to this city are quite plain, with many earth-tone colored box-like buildings. These buildings often have thatched roofs, made of straw or leaves, or if the family inside has enough wealth, clay parapet roofing. Further into the city is a run-down looking marketplace. Many of the booths are made of wood with a cloth gable roof, held up by a single beam jutting out of the ground in the middle of the booth. It’s always very crowded here and thieves are quite common. The deeper in the city you go, the more exotic the architecture becomes. The buildings start to become more colorful, especially the rooftops. The roofing architecture is a mixture of domes and cupolas, with many open archways and long extravagant curtains hiding the rooms behind them. There are many gardens lining the courtyards and surrounding big, beautiful fountains. Birds of many sizes and colors like to flock to this area of the city, so wildlife is abundant.
Caer Garreg (Kai Car-Reg) is surrounded by large stone walls with turrets and a walkway connecting each of them, surrounded by parapets. Inside the city, most of the buildings are built from red brick and slate roofs that are in the cross gable architectural style. Many of these buildings have beautiful gardens, whether they are businesses or homes, with creeping vines lining the walls. Some buildings sport turrets and small towers, usually meant for studies or small bedrooms. They also have stone-brick roads for carts and carriages. There is a small park-like area with a gazebo, benches, and a beautiful fountain. In the dead-center of the city is a mansion, surrounded by gardens on all sides, with multiple fountains, ponds, and even its own personal gazebo and weeping willows.
Sungai Kelopak (Soon-Gay Kel-Oh-Pa) is a small but tranquil village nestled between two cliffs. There are a multitude of waterways circling the buildings, resulting in a lot of bridges being built to help people get from place-to-place on foot, and many small boats to transport one to two people at a time as a shortcut. The buildings themselves are mostly made of wood and bare curvy, elongated roofs with golden statues as decor. Some of the inner walls of the houses and businesses would consist of wooden frames with translucent paper, often used as sliding doors. Sometimes the outside of the building, usually if the building has a veranda, will have these as well. But what the city is most known for, is its year-round cherry blossom trees. They are always in full bloom, thanks to magic, and would often shed petals into the canals of the city.
Zelta Apdare (Zell-Tuh Ap-Duh-Ray) was once a grand city, their buildings trimmed with gold, but now it is in ruin. Its past is only known by word as no record survived, not even saved during the evacuation from Tuphiobax. The only thing left of the city, to anyone’s knowledge, are stone pillars and archways worn down by magic, weather, and time itself.
Social Although the artrune mostly aren’t homeless, there are quite a lot who like to move into abandoned buildings that are often avoided even by city guards. This is mostly due to the buildings being in such terrible condition that the floor or ceiling can crumble away at any moment. In many instances, these buildings are populated by a multitude of squatters. The strongest person, whether through magic or through physical strength, is often in charge of the facility. Unfortunately, they usually rule with an iron fist. A lot of the squatters that live in these conditions do their best to earn enough money to move into a real home.
Artrune believe themselves to be the most intelligent, talented race and also the most important. The probability of an artrune being racist is about fifty/fifty. Half of the artrune believe that all races are lesser and should be treated as such while the other half butt-heads with them, doing what they can to show that not all artrune are racist. These same artrune who will stand by the side of other races have also been known to fall in love and have children with them.
These hybrid children will sometimes be treated as second-class citizens, depending on the artrune they socialize with. Depending on their neighbors, even the parents of the hybrid child can face hardships. Even artrune children have a tendency to partake in racism; egging these family’s houses and leaving nasty surprises of all kinds on their front doorstep.
Similar to that of different races, Riders and Dragons would also be seen as either equal or lesser depending on the artrune that is asked. Riders are always seen as amazing but fifty percent of the artrune population will say that Dragons are beneath them. Especially by the nobles; they are known to prefer talking to a Rider over their Dragon, often treating the Dragon as non-existent. However, if a Rider wasn’t born to nobles, then they are often treated the same way as the Dragons by the nobility of the artrune.
The artrune nobility are so picky when it comes to those they socialize with that they prefer to socialize with others of nobility, or at least those who are incredibly rich with or without a nobility title, even among their own kind. Even being a Rider won’t automatically grant a chance to even gain their attention.
Even though the artrune don’t have a god, they don’t believe that anyone’s gods actually exist. They just believe that the gods, whichever race worships them, simply exist as a tale to give their people hope or to explain the unexplained. When it comes to the unexplained, even the artrune know that the mewah have the answers, even though they’d never openly admit the mewah have more answers than them.
When it comes to knowledge, the artrune are still pushing to surpass the mewah. Along with any other race (but mostly against the mewah). Despite their strong dislike and often blatant racism towards the mewah, a lot of the mewahen studies and experiments are taught in artrune households. They believe the more smart the next generation of artrune are, the higher the chances of discovering something new, before the mewah can get to it.
The one advancement they have over the mewah is the invention of the steam train. Just so that the mewah can use it, the race had offered to pay for a railroad to be built between their cities and the artrune cities, or at least the ones on the continent of Selgamed. There are three trains in all: One runs between the mewahen cities of Pagoma to Esfandell, bypassing Krymmenos entirely. Another one runs between the artrune cities of Caer Garreg and Sungai Kelopak. The third runs from the artrune city of Caer Garreg to the mewahen city of Esfandell.
Socialization in Gyllene Sand
The social construct of Gyllene Sand leans heavily on the aspect of riches. There’s a district for lower class, middle class, and upper class and there’s strikingly obvious differences between the three. Even though the middle class can travel mostly freely between the upper class and lower class districts, they will still receive sneers from upper class in their district and looks of suspicion from their fellow middle class citizens when visiting the lower class district.
The Ranna District is where the lower class, or those who have barely any money to their name (or even no money at all) live. It’s incredibly crowded, which says a lot about their economy and how it’s run. The Ranna District is the outer-ring of buildings within Gyllene Sand, made up mostly of buildings that are too close to each other. There are no roads save for the ones in and out of the city that lead directly to the upper class district. There is barely any space between the buildings, and there are a lot of them. There’s really no way for those who live in The Ranna to get to the middle class district as there’s a tall wall between the two, to obscure the ugliness of The Ranna from the middle class citizens. The only reason why anyone from middle or upper class would ever be seen in The Ranna would be one of two: That they are just passing through to get outside of the city or back into the middle/upper class districts, or because they are up to some really shady business.
Great doors on four sides of the wall surrounding the Ranna District leads directly into the Mellan District. This is where the middle class live and it’s an obvious upgrade from The Ranna. There are actual roads in between buildings with very few alleyways as most of the buildings along the street are melded into each other, built into each other’s sides. The wall in-between the Mellan District and the upper class district also obscures the middle class from the upper class view. Even though it's a lot nicer than the Ranna District, the upper class still don’t want to see it as they still consider it ugly to look at. However, there is a massive marketplace lining this wall, which even the upper class will sometimes attend just for amusement. The guards of Gyllene Sand patrol the streets of the Mellan District and try to avoid stepping into The Ranna unless they’re chasing a suspect.
The final district is meant for the upper class, and open only to those outside that they personally invite, and is known as the Hogre District. Unlike the Ranna and Mellan districts, this district looks like an oasis. Colorful tiling lines the roads, there’s many trees and foliage lining the buildings, fountains of many sizes in the courtyards, and there are even exotic animals walking or flying around the place. The buildings are grand- tall, colorful, lots of patterns, and many open balconies. There are Sand Guards stationed at every building (and in many cases, outside specific rooms of the buildings) in case of emergencies which there are, thankfully, so few of. Some of the guards are used as special bodyguards for invited guests and a handful of high-class citizens. Those who live here are quite used to this, often unintentionally ignoring the guards. The small collection of high-class citizens that don’t ignore the guards are often children, who like to pull pranks and even harass guards who are on-duty, especially those stationed at their houses.
Important Note from Eerie! Despite the walls being built to obscure the Ranna and Mellan Districts from the Hogre District, if you are high enough in a building (either on top of it or in one of it's rooms), you will be able to see past the wall. The walls are mostly built to obstruct ground view though it can reach a height of up to fifteen feet.
Socialization in Caer Garreg
Magic isn’t really welcome in the city of Caer Garreg. That isn’t to say they’re anti-magic but they would prefer not to use it or watch it be used. This even includes enchanted items or naturally occurring magic. They can’t stop magic from happening but they will get rid of any magical flora or fauna that appears within their city. Guests of the city can carry enchanted or magical items but can not use them in public. These even include potions. Should a guest have a magical based animal with them, no matter what the animal is used for, they are expected to leave them at the stables just outside the city.
Important Note from Eerie! Magic-based animals include animals that are made of elements or can use magic. For example: Flame Kirin are both. They have a natural ability that protects them from lava, thus they are able to swim in it, and they naturally produce a flame mane and tail. They can also use flames themselves.
Griffins do not count; they have wings and they don't exist in OUR world but they have no magical properties in TDEra.
Riders are expected not to use any kind of magic in public and Dragons are asked not to transform. Should a Dragon or Rider be born within the city, their family will [mostly] react in one of two ways: They will allow the Dragon or Rider to transform while on their property, which often includes studying the usage of magic within their own bedrooms or practicing the transformation between artrune to dragon in their backyard, often having to build incredibly high fencing to shield them from view. Or the family will require them to train outside of the city. There is one particular reaction that isn’t as widely seen and that’s to kick the child out of the household or even abandon the child at an orphanage outside of the city the moment they were born.
There are some races that have natural magic or have come into existence because of magic. They are an exception to the rule but only because they are beings who can communicate in the same language. However, they will be looked down upon within this city and will often face hostility from the citizens. Some examples of natural magic for races include: Landare, zephyr, machali, and yangzi.
Important Note from Eerie!
Citizens of Caer Garreg don't like the cloud-walking natural magical ability of the zephyr.
This means that, as long as the zephyr doesn't use this ability within the airspace of the city, then they are not to be kicked out.
Flying is accepted as it's seen as a physical trait that they grew naturally with age.
They also don't like the transformation of machali or yangzi to an artrune-like state; not the races themselves.
Caer Garreg is where the invention of the magic study Dragon Slayer originated. It was created as anti-magic, as the citizens labeled, and is therefore the only kind of magic allowed. The magic used as a Dragon Slayer is typically protection from magic and reversal magic. I.e. if magic was directed at the Dragon Slayer, they can use a spell to bounce it back or render the spell null. This same magic study was used in mass to erase the dragon (creature, not Class) from existence.
Branding, a punishment Caer Garreg is well known for, has social consequences. Often, those who are branded will not be hired or welcome in public establishments. Relationships can also be difficult, whether it’s familial, platonic, or romantic. Most people within the city will refuse relationships with people who are branded, especially with certain brandings representing murder, political, or sacriligous acts. Even if the first brand is hidden, the guard will still spread the word and others will know. In the case of a more frowned upon race (those who can transform to a ‘human-like’ state) or class (Dragon or Rider), they will be treated more aggressively by the citizens of Caer Garreg and the guards will turn the other cheek.
Socialization in Sungai Kelopak
Within the city of Sungai Kelopak, family comes first. And those within the family that come first? The parents. An artrune’s parents, whether the child is a parent themselves yet, will always be the child’s priority. Pleasing them and doing as they say is the backbone of the family and the backbone of society itself. This is the reason why a lot of family members live near each other, even after moving out. A lot of expectations are put on the children of Sungai Kelopak but this doesn’t stop them from reaching their dreams. Unlike what most people believe, the parents of Sungai Kelopak support their children’s dreams but most of the time they have to be convinced of the pros of reaching the dream.
But, no matter how busy a family in Sungai Kelopak gets, there’s always time for tea. Once a day, the family members will sit down for some afternoon tea. This usually includes aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, parents, and their children but mostly those who are related by blood. Those who joined through marriage usually go to their own family’s tea gathering. The only exceptions to this is if their family doesn’t live in Sungai Kelopak or that they are the last living member of their family. Then they are more than welcome to join their extended family for tea.
After family always comes community. The city of Sungai Kelopak is in great condition and the people of the city make sure of it. They help build new buildings together, repair old ones, clean walkways and roads, donate for new community projects, and make sure that all citizens have food and shelter, even if it’s not permanent. They always greet everyone that they pass by, whether they are neighbor or traveler, and have been known to help when asked. They will sometimes even drop what they’re doing, even if it’s important, to help others.
Socialization in Zelta Apdare
Very little is known about how the artrune within Zelta Apdare socialized. Most information is written within old scrolls that the mewah have or by word of mouth from the artrune, passed down from generation to generation. They were, in fact, rivals with the mewahen neighbors as early as the establishment of the very city. They became very competitive over the most mundane things. Despite this, they often traded with their mewahen neighbors and even had hybrid children with them.
Eventually the two sides became so competitive that one of the sides, artrune or mewah, misconstrued it as an act of aggression. This started a war between the two cities. No one knows who attacked first and in the end, it didn’t matter.
When the Magic War began, hybrids and mewah alike were expelled from their city. To combat the mewahen forces, any artrune outside of the cities were requested to come back and serve time in the war. In fact, recruiters traveled between multiple artrune cities to try and get as many artrune soldiers for their side as possible. Rumors spread that there was no real winner of the war as the war itself caused an anomaly known as The Great Magical Storm, which caused everyone: artrune, mewah, and hybrid, to flee the continent. Whether or not they managed to get away remains a mystery; those who left for the war and those who had originally lived in these cities had disappeared completely.
Government All remaining cities of the Artrune are run by a government controlled by an elected mayor. Depending on the city, election days, location of the voting polls, voting restrictions, and length a mayor can hold the office can vary. Laws passed are typically voted on by the citizens of the city and the majority always rules. However, the Mayor can not directly release a law for voting; it must first go through the Mayoral Bench. This is a collection of people of respected status that will make amendments or completely veto laws that the mayor wrote.
Depending on the law that is broken, and depending on the city that the law is broken in, different punishments are served. Penalties can range from torture, death (and sometimes torture till death), forced labor, imprisonment, shunning, and public shaming. The amount of wealth someone has can change their punishment to one that equals a lesser crime than the one they committed.
Important Note from Eerie!
Torture descriptions or types of torture will not be listed in case of triggers.
Torture, in detail, is not allowed to be roleplayed on our forums.
The death penalty can be given to someone even if they didn’t intentionally mean to kill others. For example, if they constructed a building and that building falls on a number of people, killing them, then after an investigation, depending on who they find is responsible for the fall (i.e. a person who inspected it either overlooked or purposely left critical errors or even the person that built it) will be given the death penalty. It’s mostly given for extreme negligence or corruption that results in many deaths. If it was a rich noble that committed a crime that resulted in any kind of death, they are mostly given a slap on the wrist. The exact opposite happens when it is someone who barely has any money to their name. In fact, if a poor man is accused of killing someone, there wouldn’t even be an investigation. He’d be given the death penalty regardless of his perceived innocence. Torturing until death usually results from a political or a sacrilegious crime that results in someone’s death.
Important Note from Eerie!
Sacrilegious crimes encompass moral values.
I.e. someone who is a cannibal or even someone killing their own parents or caretaker, regardless of reason.
What is considered sacrilegious depends entirely on the mayor in office during the crime.
Forced labor isn’t so much a given punishment as it is volunteering to get out of another punishment, but the criminal must be offered this option by a judge and it depends on the crime committed. They are given a major project to work on, most likely helping the community in doing so, and once that project is done, they are free to go and their slate is wiped clean as if they never committed a crime in the first place. These projects, depending on what they are, can last from a few months to a few years. The project given is always based on the criminal’s skill or stature. If they look strong, they will be given the task of transportation of materials for the construction of a building from the beginning of construction to the end of it. An elementalist specializing in the flame element will often be paired with a blacksmith to help create necessary components for projects such as building a new steam train or even to be used in creating weapons of war.
Violent crimes not involving death of victims will lead to imprisonment. The judge dictates for how long they must remain behind bars. These kinds of criminals are seen as fixable. They’re a threat but can be conditioned into a better person. This usually involves training them by reading the book ‘The Tragedy of Mordicus’, teaching proper manners, anger management classes, and slowly reintroducing them back into society. Sometimes they will be given the task of shadowing someone on a job, becoming their apprentice, and then eventually getting to take on the job full time when they are released from prison.
Political and sacrilegious crimes that do not result in someone’s death, like spitting in a mayor’s face or causing a public disturbance, will result in shunning. During a shunning, which can span anywhere between a few hours to an entire lifetime, the entirety of the city will pretend the shunned does not exist. They will not be served food or drink, they will be ignored by shopkeepers and merchants, and even their own family (should their family live in the same city) will pretend they’re not there. This doesn’t mean that they will be able to commit another crime without consequence- should they attempt this during their shunning, they will face another punishment equal to the new and attempted crime. The shun is lifted when the person they offended accepts their apology.
A type of well-known public shaming is being forced to carry a heavy object, that they are chained to, across town for an extended period of time. A stockade can also be used, and in these cases they’ll be left out in the hot sun, cold snow, or even in the rain. There have been instances where a criminal is brought to a stage and citizens and guests throw tomatoes at them. Sometimes even stripped down to their underwear and they have to parade a sign around the city that tells people of the crime they committed. Thieves and scammers often are given this punishment along with other lesser crimes.
A trial for the criminal is conducted in various ways depending on which city the criminal act was committed. Some judges are the sole arbiter in some cases. Other cases there’s a jury or even a court of multiple judges. The process of the trial can also vary when it comes to evidence collection and whether or not the artrune can be represented by another. Although bribery is frowned upon, it is legally accepted and a judge, jury, and court can be bought out.
Government in Gyllene Sand
The mayor of Gyllene Sand is an artrune by the name of Bulwark Davis. He’s very tall and his muscles are visible, signifying great strength. Even though he gets paid as mayor, he still dresses in raggedy clothing. He was originally from the Ranna District and was the first and only person from that low in the caste system to sign up. This is mostly because there are high amounts of political assassinations when running for mayor and the less gold someone has the less likely they are to be able to hire a good enough bodyguard to keep them alive throughout the election. Davis, throughout the entire election, had no bodyguard and multiple attempts had been made on his life. But he survived and won the election and now resides in the Hogre District, much to the upper class’s dismay.
There are three sets of four doors leading in and out of the city and are used as main roads. At each of these large doors, on both sides, are Sand Guards. These individuals examine goods that come and go from the city and keep the different castes of the city separated (mostly). They are incredibly harsh when it comes to those they catch committing crimes and they look down upon anyone who lives in either the Ranna or Mellan Districts.
The government of Gyllene Sand ensures that their middle and upper class citizens are safe from criminals, but don’t often care to protect those of The Ranna from crime. There is a prison within the Mellan District that Sand Guards personally patrol, both within the grounds and outside. Visitation is time-slot sensitive and monitored. It can only be done on days when there is no event (celebration, election, etc.) and must be the first or last day of the week, and can only be done midday. Anyone who enters the prison, new prisoner or visitor, is frisked for any objects that may harm or aid in the escape of a prisoner.
Gifts and packages for prisoners are accepted but there is a lengthy process and multiple hoops to jump through before they can even receive them. The giver of the package has to sign a form where they have to include, in very strict detail what the item is, who it’s for, and specific details about it (i.e. if a part opens up and how to open it should be included). After the form is processed, the package itself will be examined by a Senior Sand Guard or Warden. This part can take several weeks to several months depending if there is a celebration the city is running, an election event, or other type of important event that would require Sand Guards to protect people. This part of the process is where the Senior or Warden Sand Guard will take the object apart and examine it in full detail with magic. If the object matches the paperwork, and has nothing hidden in it (that wasn’t mentioned in the paperwork) or any other disqualifying features (sharp objects, shovel, pickaxe, etc.), then it will be given to the prisoner. Enchanted items are automatically denied entry. If it is found to have something hidden in it that was not mentioned in the paperwork, the person who filled out the form can be arrested.
Those who are imprisoned, whether artrune or other race, are served gruel and water once a day. However, through hard work and good behavior they can earn the privilege of a proper meal twice a day. They’re usually prison upkeep tasks, like cleaning or helping the guards with unruly prisoners, or even helping make the gruel. Snitching on other prisoners can earn you a single proper meal the day of but most prisoners don’t use this opportunity as the cons outweigh the pros- the other inmates will not trust snitches. However, if there is a rather cruel inmate that makes life a living hell for other prisoners, a snitch against them can lead to a better outcome.
For inmates of the prison, regardless of race, there is a special room lit by torches that hold parchment, writing utensils, and reading material. Criminals who are being rehabilitated are allowed to use this room, as this is where classes are held. They can also write letters to anyone with any subject. However, the Sand Guards will be reading the letter to ensure it’s contents are not a threat or hiring of a threat. Any letter, regardless of how innocent it may seem, can be discarded at the discretion of the Sand Guard. If family members outside can bribe the Sand Guards, the letters will be guaranteed to be sent unless it contains something threatening.
Those who are caught trying to escape will result in the prisoner to be separated from their fellow inmates and moved to a smaller cell. Any privileges earned will now be lost and can not be regained until release from this cell. Their movement is heavily restricted; they can’t ever leave the cell for any reason. A single meal of gruel per day and a pitcher of water they can use throughout the week will be served to them directly. They can not leave to clean themselves and are given a cold bucket of water and a rag.
Government in Caer Garreg
Katrina Millers is the mayor for Caer Garreg. She is very old in age but she is strong willed and healthy. She dresses for her part accordingly and even acts like she is in power. Her family has a monopoly over taverns across the artrune cities (and some in mixed cities). If you go to a tavern in one of these places, chances are you will have heard of her. She promised to uphold the traditions of Caer Garreg but that’s not why she won- she had a lot of influence and wealth to get her the win.
To get into the city, the only way is through two archways, and a drawbridge over a mote in between. They are both heavily guarded and these guards remind the visitors that magic is not to be used inside the city except for in private. Any magical creatures a guest arrives with, is to be dropped off at the stables just outside the first archway. It doesn’t matter if it’s a familiar or a mount, it needs to be left behind.
Races who have the ability to transform are told not to do so in public; they need to be in their ‘human-like’ form to enter.
Caer Garreg guards patrol the streets to ensure no crime is committed and no magic is being used. Should they catch a criminal in the act, they will be apprehended and taken to a prison that is close to the protective walls of the city. Guards pacing the top of the wall keep watch for both outside enemies and the criminals in the prison below. These guards can be called upon by the prison warden to stop a criminal that is attempting to climb the wall. Because of the lack of magic-use within the city, this usually results in death of the criminal.
Criminals, depending on the crime and if they are convicted, get branded with a specific marking representing the crime they committed before being put in prison for a certain amount of time. Their first branding can always be hidden by clothing but the next three unique brandings will often be visible (back of the hands or forehead), if they commit different criminal acts. Should they commit the same act, branding of the act will expand in design. Wardens keep record of brandings and locations on the body so that, in the case of the removal of a branding (by magic or other way), they will apprehend the ex-criminal and rebrand them, for any and all brands that are missing. Should they be covered in enough brands, they will be exiled from the city and not let back. This is the only artrune city with this immediate and severe consequence to breaking the law.
Those who are found innocent but only after they are branded, the branding gets struck from the records and is replaced with a new branding, though painful, of The Seal of the Sun which covers the original mark. Getting The Seal of the Sun can take months to years and the stigma from their original branding will follow them up until they are given this new branding. This is something that is often shown off because it essentially means ‘They have declared me innocent. You can’t treat me like that anymore.’ It is often viewed with pity by others but the guards will help in cases of unnecessary aggression directed at them.
While a prisoner is awaiting their trial, the guards are very stern but not aggressive. This can change depending on whether or not the prisoner is convicted. Prisoners get a standard of three meals per day and a pitcher of water that all the prisoners of the cell will share throughout the week, served to the cell. These meals are usually a biscuit or muffin with porridge. Those who aren’t in isolation can go to the rec yards to socialize with other inmates.
Government in Sungai Kelopak
This oriental city is run by a mayor named Akihiko Oyama. He is a very tall and pale man, quite beautiful with traditional Sungai Kelopak garb. He won because he was a successful strategist in the ongoing war against the Hell Raisers, even leading an entire army against them at some point. He was hailed a hero upon his return and that’s when he signed up to be a candidate for the election. Despite winning the election because of his status, he is interested in making his people happy and healthy.
The only way into the city is through a natural river going through the continent of Selgamed. There are guards at the gate (which lowers all the way down to the bottom of the river), who will board any boats and examine all goods that are transported in and out of the city. At the other side of the gate is a man-made river, spanning almost the entirety of the city. Even goes all the way up to and around The Palace, which is where the current mayor resides. However, gates close off this portion of the city, both on land and in the water.
Important Note from Eerie!
To keep the water of the man-made river clean, they use water elementalists,
paying them once a week to ensure there is no floating debris or dangerous bacteria within.
Criminals who are caught and await trial are taken to Heya Saibo. It’s a small prison, with maybe two guards at most. Each of the cells have a single comfortable bed and wash-bin. There is also a writing desk with parchment and pen to be written with. Each of these are well lit with candle sconces just out of reach of a sil’nyy on each wall. There is a crafted system, built into the walls of the prison, to put out all of these candles at once and to relight them the next morning. The meals are served three times a day and include a bowl of rice and a cup of water.
Once a criminal has been convicted, they will be led through an underground pathway to an eight-story prison below the lake in the middle of their city. Once everyone, the prisoner and their escorts, enter the prison, the pathway will be flooded by the water elementalists via a room above. This prison can be seen from outside the lake and it looks almost like an underwater palace. Inside, depending on the status of the criminal's wealth (or their family’s wealth), they can face terrible to luxurious conditions but, no matter their cell conditions, they will always be chained to a weight. How heavy this weight is depends on the race it’s chained to.
The first floor of the prison is not only where the entrance and exit (to the underground tunnel system) are located, but also the rehabilitation room. This room is for those who are believed to be able to reintegrate into society. It’s similar to that of the prison in Gyllene Sand, where there is lots of reading and writing materials. Again, the guards will read over any letters written before mailing it. Unlike the Sand Guards, these guys will always send them unless the letters contain a threat of some sort. There is also a visitation room, for those detained on the sixth and seventh floors.
The second floor is where the guards' sleeping quarters are. Each room is decorated by the guard on duty to their own standards and usually includes their favorite books, photos and images of their family, perhaps even a pet or familiar. This is also where the kitchen is located, used both personally by the guards and other workers of the prison, and used to create dishes for the prisoners. There are even several dining tables and chairs and multiple sofas to use as a break room. Despite how nice it sounds, there are actually stacks of crates and barrels throughout this floor.
The next floor, the third floor, is for criminals of political status. This would include military or mayoral (ex or current) or even foreigners of political status that have been convicted. These people are served three nutritious and large meals per day, the dinner having a side of sake or a dessert (their choice). A new pitcher of water is given to them every day. Each of the rooms have a comfortable king-sized bed, a wash-bin, a hot-bath built into the floor, a writing desk and chair, and a sofa with a coffee table. There is plenty of plant life and lighting, all within reach of the prisoner as they are the most trusted. They are allowed to have visitors whenever they want and can even decline visitation if they so choose. Visitors will get to meet them within their cells. They have full privacy.
The fourth floor is known as the regal floor, for children of the political elite that get in trouble with the law. They can be of any age, ranging from a rambunctious kid that’s hard to control, to an adult who committed a crime. They have the same amenities as the political floor but none of the lighting or plants are within reach and they don’t get a dessert or sake with their final meal. Not unless they are on their best behavior while staying at the prison. They don’t get to choose whether or not they can be visited by anyone, family or other.
The wealthy-noble criminals with no political power stay on the fifth floor. They get treated much the same as the criminals on the regal floor but with one exception: They don’t have an option for sake or dessert even if they’ve been on their best behavior.
The sixth floor is for first-time or infrequent criminals that are neither wealthy nor have any political status. They have a single comfortable bed, a wash-bin, and a writing desk and chair. Much like Heya Saibo, their lighting is out of reach and there’s no plant life. They receive a single bowl of rice for their first two meals and have a nutritional meal for their last meal. They are also served a new pitcher of water once a week. Those who come to visit will meet them in the Visitation Room on the first floor. Like the last five floors, these cells are private.
The seventh floor is for frequent offenders that are neither wealthy nor have any political status. Each cell is shared between six people, though it’s barely big enough to hold four. There are two beds hanging from chains on the walls, and the other four are made from tattered sheets located on the floor. They are served one bowl of rice and a bread roll per day and one pitcher of water a week and not per person- it’s per cell. This often results in in-fighting between cell mates. The prison guards do not care enough about these people to the point where this floor is always unkempt. These cells are not private but they still get to have visitors in the Visitation Room on the first floor supervised. They are the only floor that can visit the Rehabilitation Room on the first floor but under serious supervision.
The eighth and final floor is for those that can not be released back to society; usually those who are a danger to themselves or to others. A lot of death-row inmates are located here as well. These cells are either not private and have a single bed and wash-bin, often for solitary confinement, or they are heavily padded with a metal door, which is used for those who are a danger to themselves. These people are fed a bread roll once a week and often go long periods without water because the guards have a habit of forgetting to refill their pitchers. They’re not allowed visitors and they’re not allowed to leave their cells under any circumstance other than to be punished by death (which is usually drowning).
Government in Zelta Apdare
It is unknown whether or not the city of Zelta Apdare was run by a mayor. There is more documentation on their mewahen neighbors than on Zelta Apdare itself. Stories passed from person to person, often resulting in information being skewed. Because of this, many artrune and mewah insist that Zelta Apdares' government was run one way and not the other, though interviews showed that the story varies. The only thing that everyone can agree on was that, when the Magic War began, the city became closed off to mewah and half-breeds, regardless of relation to the citizens.
One artrune believes it was easy to enter the city, unlike the city of Mageia. Instead of filling out forms, people were just simply interrogated regardless of their relation to anyone in the city. Once approved by the guards of the city, they’d be let in. It didn’t matter if they were another race, a merchant, or someone who was visiting for vacation, anyone would be allowed in. Exiles only happened if you broke the law there, but the guards were quite lenient.
Another artrune believes that entry to the city varied between the guards on duty. Some days the guards would be very lax when it came to requirements to enter, other days the guards would be super strict or even imcompentent. Sometimes you had to be an artrune to enter and nothing else, other times you had to be a merchant or someone related to a citizen of the city. Sometimes anyone would be let in, regardless of race. When it came to lawbreaking, guards often looked the other way and let crime run rampant. However, and this is the one exception, if the crime was supposedly committed by a race other than pure artrune, they’d be kicked out of the city and never allowed back.
A hybrid between an artrune and a mewah believes that there was paperwork involved. Similar to the city of Mageia, a person had to fill out forms prior to their visits and get them approved. However, as long as the approval isn’t revoked (in cases of criminal activity or suspicion of), they can reuse the same paperwork each time to enter the city. Only those who are artrune or have artrune running through their blood were allowed in.
Names and Titles Artrune names don’t have a single origin. Whatever name a person can have (in real life), they can be given regardless of whether or not another race’s name comes from the same origin. Sometimes they’ll name their own children after another race’s more unique naming system like the Landare or the Sil’nyy.
Some last names are shared between artrune families but this doesn’t mean the families are related to each other. The more rich folk often have a tapestry or painting keeping track of their family’s lineage so that they would know who they’re related to or not. However, some people do slip through the cracks and end up being related regardless. This is usually due to an illegitimate child being born outside of wedlock, often through a cheating spouse. These children’s existences are often covered up by the parents or grandparents and they’ll take that secret to the grave. For those children, there is no way to prove that they are related to the rich family unless a confession is made by one of the family members that created the coverup.
A woman's surname will change to that of their husband’s once they are married. However, they can choose to keep their last name instead. Sometimes an agreement can be made between husband and wife where they can both keep their surnames, just separating them via a hyphen (wife’s surname, then husband's surname). The surname of children, no matter the case, will always legally be the husband’s original last name. They can change it when they become an adult.
Depending on how much wealth an artrune has, they will gain a following title, in ascending order:
Baron or Baroness Viscount or Viscountess (Vai-Count or Vai-Countess) Earl or Countess Marquess or Marchioness (Mar-Quess or Mar-Shuh-Niss) Duke or Duchess
Or they can just use Lord or Lady, depending on their preference, no matter the level of wealth they have (as long as they have enough to be a Baron or Baroness).
These titles always come before the first name or, if only their last name is to be used, then it comes before the last name. It’s very important to use the full name in reference to the individual when there are multiple people in the vicinity with the same or similar sounding last names. This is to avoid confusion.
Religion and Beliefs Unlike other races, the artrune don’t worship a god, nor do they believe in any. Rather than put their faith in a god, the majority have selected to follow a tale of a hero and use it as an example on how to properly act around others. The tale comes in two forms: A children’s book by the title ‘The Hero Mordicus’ and a novel by the title ‘The Tragedy of Mordicus’. The artrune know he isn’t real and the story is made up, but since Mordicus’ ideals align with artrune values, the majority of artrune favor him as a figurehead.
The story follows what is known as the first Dragon-Slayer, an artrune by the name of Mordicus. He hails from the city of Caer Garreg and sets out on an adventure to free the world of the fear of the most powerful creature at the time: Dragons. In order to do this, he travels the world of Nouva and gathers companions from the many races: Pursa, Sil’nyy, Coxayli, Zephyr, Tambi Hatari, Yangzi, Mewah, and Machali (this story was created prior to the existence of the race of Landare and the Rider/Dragon Classes).
Despite these companions, if anyone were to give ‘The Tragedy of Mordicus’ a proper read, they would realize that he wasn’t all that great of a person. He constantly talked down to his companions and sometimes even belittled them over the simplest mistakes that any artrune can make themselves. He would also cut down any who got in his way, especially a faction of the Tambi Hatari race that worshiped dragons. The well-known Dragon-Slayer also had a bit of a drinking problem (this wasn’t mentioned in the ‘The Hero Mordicus’ children’s story).
Regardless of his many flaws, there was a lot to admire about him. This included his strong will to fight for what is right (in his eyes) and the lines he set for himself with his personal morals that he didn’t want to cross. When he wasn’t drunk or angry, he was kind and caring. He saved a pursa kitten from a horde of magma slugs and freed people from enslavement, even temporarily lending a hand to the Seraph to do so.
However, if an artrune were to ask any of the races or even bring up the tale, regardless of intent, that person may scoff. None of the other races think the tales are any good, and whether or not the artrune believes them to be true, the races would go out of their way to say the books are just a bunch of hogwash. Untrue and unfounded.
Sil'nyy This page has a read-along. Watch Part 1 and Part 2 here!
Trigger Warnings: Early death / slow death / death (in general), violence, hazardous living conditions, child neglect, childhood trauma, loss of family, sacrificial punishment, eaten alive, animal cruelty, shunning / banishment, unfair fights, graphic depictions, unfounded rumors, theft, assassination, murder, public torture, loss of home / homelessness, natural disasters, horrifying scenarios, and betrayal.
Sil'nyy can be part of the Dragon or Magulis Classes.
Character Data
Class: Magulis
Name: Kit'tah Urukgar
Age: 157
Height: 8'1"
Race: Sil'nyy
Gender: Male
Profession: Chef (Baker)
Magic Study: Enchanter
Appearance Description
Kit'tah has dark red-orange skin and stubby thick spined horns. One eye is completely white in color, including his pupil, with a scar over it. His working eye is a very light green. He has short and slicked back hair with a full and fluffy beard, also dark brown. His arms have a lot of burns from constantly burning himself on the oven. He wears a white chef’s coat with khaki pants and black shoes and wears a cutesy apron with a cute cat face on it over them.Creator: inerr
Thick black hair that stays tied into a high ponytail with the lower layer left in a loose ponytail at the bottom as well as skin of lava ash grey (808588). Ghorza’s face almost always stays stoic or disgruntled, her eyebrows rarely moving above her orange eyes. Her nose is a bit crooked due to past physical altercations having broken it. Donning a loose beige tunic that has burn marks around the sleeves, kept tight at the waist with a chain link belt that has a loop that links down the sides of her hips atop soot-stained hickory brown pants with black scuffed boots. Her hands are adorned with three rings, two on her right hand (a gold ring on her ring finger and a platinum ring on her index) and one on her left hand (a bronze ring on her middle finger).Creator: swordoftails
Sil’nyy are frequently the tallest of the races of Nouva, excluding the rare cases of the much larger Coxayli. Their height can easily reach anywhere between 7’2” to 8’10”. This height is normally accompanied by well-defined or, at the very least, obvious muscles. It doesn’t matter what gender the sil’nyy is, as they are a naturally quite beefy race.
Biological sex also determines unique features between male and female. Although both genders have tusks protruding upwards from their bottom jaws, the female’s tusks are much smaller than the male’s. Men of this race have curled horns varying in width, length, and texture, while the female has none. While the women of the sil’nyy race have eyebrows, the male’s brows have a row of small studs, made of the same material as their horns. The women also have a slightly more slender jaw than the men.
Unlike most races, the sil’nyy’s skin tones have a large range of colors, featuring different tints and shades of the rainbow. The skin tones that a sil’nyy can be born with include the following colors: Shades of white and grays, reddish-orange to a pale peach, a muted dark brown to a light brown, and multiple shades of both blue and green. Children can inherit the same exact color and shade as either of the parents but also have the potential to be born with the same color and shade as one of their grandparents.
Although they are born with a full head of hair, sil’nyy hair starts to naturally recede, regardless of gender. This results in what looks like large foreheads. A traditional hairstyle among the race is shaving the sides of the head, leaving their thick hair at the top and often growing it out to either tie back into a ponytail/braid or letting their hair turn into natural dreadlocks. Sometimes their hair can do multiple things depending on their heritage.
Sil’nyy are not all that great with magic power wise, with the exception of their race-exclusive magic: Fog-brained. This type of magic will let them turn off their natural senses to block out pain and exhaustion, allowing them to continue in a fight when they would have normally yielded to their opponent. It’s very dangerous- for both the opponent and the sil’nyy that uses it. If a sil’nyy is not careful, this can result in high amounts of blood loss leading to death. Thankfully, this magic can only last about three minutes before the sil’nyy crashes, quickly followed by a drunk-like state in which the sil’nyy’s words become slurred and their mind and body slow down.
Important Note from Eerie! The drunk-like state that they are in will also help numb the pain until they sleep it off or pass out. They will start to feel pain when their mind becomes more aware. They can also turn off Fog-brained at will, if they manage to complete their task prior to the crash. They would still enter the crash if they held it for more than two minutes, but it would be at will.
Between the competitive-fighting nature of a sil’nyy and their usage of their Fog-brained race-exclusive magic, and even environmental factors, most sil’nyy don’t live past their mid-thirties, at the latest. Some die much earlier, depending on how lacking their immune systems are. This doesn’t mean that a sil’nyy can’t have a long life! Outside of these factors, should a sil’nyy grow up in a different environment, sil’nyy have been known to live as old as 312 years of age. This is not an average, however. Their bodies do not deteriorate and they keep their strength, even when they’re on the verge of death due to old age. Physically, however, they could look like just any scrawny old man (or woman) when they’re at older ages.
Important Note from Eerie! Sil’nyy have been known to take down full-grown grizzly bears in front of outsiders. Because of this, some people believe the sil’nyy to be invulnerable and unkillable.
Half-Sil'nyy Hybrids The sil’nyy are just one of many races that can breed together to create hybrid children. Some hybrids look more like one race than the other. Special race-exclusive magics remain race-exclusive; not even hybrids have the privilege of dipping into that kind of magic.
Half-Artrune
This type of hybrid has two different outcomes: They will either keep their artrune parent’s height and a lack of defined muscles unless they work themselves up to that point on their own. However, they will have the stamina of an average artrune. These hybrids will inherit the skin color and ears of their sil’nyy parent, and will sport a smaller version of the father’s horns (if the hybrid is male). They do not inherit the father’s studded brows.
This character has no owner.
The other type of hybrid will look more artrune when it comes to skin color and will have a lack of horns and lack of sil’nyy shaped ears. However, they will have the height and the natural stature of a sil’nyy. This means they will be as tall as one and sport more defined muscles.
Half-Artrune, Half-Sil’nyy hybrids can either be Dragon or Magulis.
Half-Mewah
They keep their mewahen parent’s height with lack of defined muscles (unless they work themselves up to that point on their own), and they have the stamina of the average mewah. They inherit the skin colors of their mewahen parent but will have the ears of their sil’nyy parent and, if the hybrid is male, then they will also inherit a smaller version of the horns that are part of their sil’nyy heritage. These hybrids can be Dragon, Magulis, or Rider class.
Main Geographical Locations The sil’nyy have a continent all to themselves that is known as Thumak’s Domain, west of the continent of Selgamed. The name itself derives from their beliefs; named after a sil’nyy warlord that may or may not have actually existed. There are five main locations where the sil’nyy live, one of which is a ‘mix’ city where those who wish to test their strength can gather for competition. The other four locations are villages where individual clans, based on last names that they were either born into or given, live. Outside of these five locations, there are sil’nyy who live in undisclosed homesteads scattered throughout Thumak’s Domain (and some even on other continents depending on their crimes) that they were either born into or banished to by the sil’nyy government.
Central City (Sin-Trell City) is located smack dab in the middle of the continent. It is, as its name suggests, the center of all sil’nyy. It’s fortified by a giant wall made of massive log-stakes to help protect it from any invaders that intend harm to its citizens. The only way in is a massive gate, made of the same log stakes as the walls and is attached to a pulley system that, once cranked, will lift the bottom of the gate outward so that visitors and citizens alike can cross under. There are wooden watchtowers along the wall and at both sides of the entrance so that the sil’nyy would know if it were friend or foe at their gate. Inside the city itself, there are many houses with stone foundations and log cabins built on top. The roofing is made of a multitude of wavy-metal sheets in the gable and/or slanted-flat styles. There isn’t much foliage around and the few places that flora can be located is usually at the walls, where they have yet to be trampled on. At the center of the city is a stadium of stone surrounded by many tents for those who wish to join the competition of strength.
Home of Cha’Grathka (Chah Grath-Kuh) is a small village situated west of Central City in the marshlands. This village can only be accessed by boat and is built atop intersecting docks and bridges in the middle of waist-deep waters and surrounded by cypress trees. Most of the housing here is made up of wooden boards and straw hip-roofs. There is a fish market on a slightly raised platform and stairs leading into the water, where boats are often tied and stored for safe-keeping when not in use. There are a lot of taverns- both outdoors and indoors. Fishermen often use the docks next to a tavern as they fish so that they can enjoy some mead and not miss a catch but they need to be careful or they’ll lose their new catch to a gator.
Important Note from Eerie! Aside from fish, the sil’nyy here also eat a lot of alligators. Not because they specifically go out to hunt the gators but when a gator steals one of their fish, the sil’nyy will jump into the water, wrap an arm around the gator’s throat, and start punching it’s stomach until it dies.
Home of Hognur’Gor (Hohg-Ner Gore) is the village located east of Central City and is always pelted by torrential rains and always dark, almost as dark as night, even when it is day time. Because of this, there is always thunder and lightning. This means that the sil’nyy of this village had to build their homes with make-shift lightning rods, to prevent their homes and the surrounding village from setting fire. Due to the constant flooding, these buildings were built on stone stilts, to keep them away from the invading water, with rope ladders that can be unfolded so that the sil’nyy can get back to the ground. Roofs are in a pyramid shape, made of hardened clay tiles to help filter the water down into gutters, which routes the water back to the earth below. The walls and floor themselves are made of wooden planks, with gaps in the floor in case water leaks into the house so that it could escape. A lot of the trees and foliage in the area help with drainage.
Important Note from Eerie! Because it is always raining, it is quite cold in this village. Because there are gaps in the wooden floor, this cold leaks into their homes. However, they have plenty of water-proof leather and furs to keep them warm.
Despite it being dark out all day, it’s still somewhat easy to tell when it is day versus when it is night- this is because the daylight shines through some of the clouds, making them visible. At night, it’s so dark that the clouds wouldn’t even be seen.
Home of Urukgar (Er-Oohk-Gar) borders the area that Home of Cha’Grathka resides in and is the southernmost village. There is a dock that leads straight to the same swamp northwest of the village. This village is mostly surrounded by fir trees and naturally growing toxic yewberry bushes. Thankfully there is a special type of deer that lives in the area that can expel the toxins as they eat it, so game is fairly abundant. Aside from wild animals to hunt, there’s also a community garden that the residents have been taking care of together. Not only does it have beautiful and exotic flowers but also a lot of crops that can be picked from. The buildings here enjoy warm sunlight almost 24/7 and thus have been built to reflect light so that the insides of them can remain a cool temperature. Flat roofing lines the village’s buildings and are filled with gravel, helping protect the underlying layers from the sun. Walls of the buildings are mostly made of wood, but some are made of stone.
Home of Ushmog (Oosh-Mahg) is incredibly secluded and somewhat on the spooky side because the small northern village is always covered in fog that is so thick that light can barely be seen through it. All the buildings are made of carved stone with rough wooden doors and open windows. The village itself is located on a hill, surrounded mostly by stone and dirt. At the very center is a shared well with taller stone walls than normal, to prevent people from falling in (aside from other sil’nyy). Very little foliage is scattered about and usually includes dead trees and a few bushes here and there. The sil’nyy that live here often have to go on long hunting trips just to get food to feed their families. There aren’t many buildings other than homes here as visitors are sparse and those who live there often don’t leave the house unless they need to, the fog being too dangerous to risk ‘fun’ in.
Important Note from Eerie! The windows of this village are not normal windows- they are literally just holes in the wall.
Social Most sil’nyy die from a young age. Be it from wounds not being tended to fast enough, those same wounds being infected, or a combination of a wound’s infection while an illness befalls the sil’nyy. Despite the fact that there is a sil’nyy clan with the sole purpose of saving lives, not every sil’nyy can be saved. It doesn’t help that they’re constantly warring against the hell raisers- not because they have to but because they find it fun and a great way to prove their strength. Dying in a blaze of glory is something for a sil’nyy to be proud of.
Each clan has a specialty: A craft or trade that they are good at. One does not automatically join a clan by being birthed by clan members. They have to earn their spot in the clan by taking the Trial of Age at the age of thirteen and it’s not guaranteed that they’ll join the same clan as their parents. Should they fail the Trial of Age, they will be considered Ogudar’gen or ‘exiled’. They are still eligible to participate in fights in the arena within Central City but there are no ‘re-do’s for the Trial of Age.
By default, another race adopted into the clans would not be able to participate in the Trial of Age but there are two exceptions: If a parent of the adopted can convince The Four Masters that their child is a sil’nyy, not by blood but by heart, or if the parents can get a representative to take their child’s place in the Trial of Age. The representative has to be of thirteen years of age and a sil’nyy, and they must give up their own chance of joining a clan. This means that once the trial is over, the representative will be considered Ogudar’gen (Oh-Goo-Dar Gin), as if they themselves failed the trial.
Important Note from Eerie! The Four Masters are the four heads or leaders of the clans.
The ability to use strong magic or even turn into a dragon can be utilized during the Trial of Age. However, doing so right at the beginning of a test instead of using it only when needed is frowned upon. It’s not that it’s considered an unfair advantage; it’s just the sil’nyy way. They aren’t anti-magic like the artrune of Caer Garreg but more of a ‘if you’ve got the strength, why not use it?’ type of people.
If a hybrid of a sil’nyy is born within one of the clan's villages, then they are welcome to participate in the Trial of Age. Because they can be Riders and have stronger magic than a pure-bred sil’nyy, it would be considered dishonorable to use under most circumstances, especially if they were to use their magic for long-distance attacks during the tests.
Important Note from Eerie! If a hybrid of a sil’nyy is born outside of one of the clan’s villages, even if it was just because the mother happened to be traveling outside her village at the time, the hybrid will not be able to participate in the Trial of Age.
The Trials are judged not just by being able to pass them but by showing willingness, skillfulness, and honor among many other assets. Even if someone manages to pass every single test, they could still fail should they lack quality of character. If one shows good quality of character then they have a better chance of passing the Trial of Age even if they fail all four tests.
That being said, passing one test and failing the rest can guarantee a spot in the clan that the passed test represents. If one passes multiple, they will be given the honor of getting to choose to join which clan they would prefer. If one fails all tests but manages to pass the Trial of Age based on character, The Four Masters will decide where to place them. A sil’nyy can choose to skip over tests and only take one but there is less honor in doing so and sometimes even considered cowardly.
The Cha’Grathka are the Clan of Warriors. They recognize strength, courage, ability to handle Fog-brained (should they have it), and determination. Their test is for the trial-goers to fight against a real Cha’Grathka Warrior in a one-versus-one fight and either defeat them, show a good fight, and/or last as long as possible. What makes this more difficult is that they are doing this on an obstacle course which provides multiple ways that they can easily fail the test.
The Clan of Healing are the Hognur’Gor. They believe in being able to focus, to remain calm, quick thinking and to provide aid in the most dire of circumstances. A ‘You don’t have permission to die’ mindset. Their test consists of a ‘mannequin’ to be treated (their wounds are marked on the body and there are lists of ‘illnesses’ that must be cured) under an unforgiving time limit while also having to deal with being attacked by whatever hostile predator (usually about the size of a dog in comparison to the sil’nyy) is set loose on the group of young sil’nyy taking the test. Ingredients and equipment are always provided but they are sometimes damaged, which requires the unlucky sil’nyy to improvise.
Urukgar are known as the Clan of Tacticians. They value their strategizing defenses, planning, and even sabotaging their enemies. The test that the young sil’nyy are required to pass is to plan out a route and successfully deliver the final parcel. They start out with one parcel, trade it for another at Home of Urukgar, take that new parcel to Home of Cha’Grathka and trade it for another, then to take it to Home of Hognur’Gor, and then to Home of Ushmog and back to Central City, where the route begins and ends. Along the way, they have to avoid traps and ambushes by sil’nyy who are specially hired for the Trial of Age and also need to watchout for sabotage by their fellow trial-goers, who are taking the test with them.
Important Note from Eerie! There are items in these parcels that represent each clan to ensure there is no cheating, aka skipping over a clan’s delivery to get to the end faster.
The Ushmog are the Clan of Smiths. They expect good craftsmanship, durability, and practicality. They are required to make their own armor and weapon (materials provided by the Ushmog) in a certain amount of days. Then, they must prove that the armor can take a lot of hits while wearing it, to prove it’s well made. Their weapon is first tested by smacking it against a rock- if it falls apart, they are given the handle to fight with. If it doesn’t, then they can use their weapon in a fight. With their custom armor on and their weapon in hand, the young sil’nyy must fight a beast.
Failing a specific clan’s test does not mean that you won’t be able to join that clan. The Four Masters can recognize when someone has the qualities of their clan. This can happen if a young sil’nyy fails at making good armor and weapons but can take out the beast without them- the Cha’Grathka Master would love to have them. If a young sil’nyy couldn’t ‘save’ the mannequin during the Healing Test, but was able to trap whatever predators were released so that the rest of the sil’nyy were able to pass, the Urukgar Master might want them.
Important Note from Eerie! Sil’nyy can reject the clans that are offered to them but in doing so, they willfully choose to become an Ogudar’gen.
No records are held of whether or not the trial-goers have failed or passed the Trial of Age. It’s up to the clans to remember these facts come the next Trial of Age. In fact, it’s up to the clan members to remember their own histories and pass down stories or religious views by word of mouth. It’s not that writing is forbidden or that they can’t write. It’s just another ‘way of the sil’nyy’ type deal. They’ve never written anything down before so why should they now?
There are two common mindsets within the sil’nyy race when it comes to other people’s religions and beliefs. The first is that some of the sil’nyy are incredibly small minded and rude when it comes to other beliefs. They don’t get violent but they will laugh and make fun of them. The other view is that they think that everyone believes the same thing they do, just viewed in a different way.
Important Note from Eerie! Kind of like the belief that all gods are actually the same god, just viewed in different ways.
Socialization in Central City
Even though Central City isn’t the home of a clan, there are multiple clans members living here instead of within their designated villages. It is believed that this keeps peace among the clans, especially since Central City is also where the arena is located.
Every week there are little riff-raff brawls or fights for practice. Other races aside from sil’nyy are allowed to join. But during these small fights, there are still rules that must be followed.
Must be fourteen and up.
Long ranged weapons are banned.
Magic of all kinds can only be used by other races, minus long-ranged, as it’s not the sil’nyy way.
Flying is only allowed by races that have the ability to.
Use of outside substances or drugs are not allowed (because of our Terms of Service).
Boosts from potions are also banned unless it is a weaker race that is using it, especially if it makes the fight more interesting.
Once a month, there is a more serious tournament, The Way of the Sil’nyy (also known as the Competition of Strength), where a single winner can walk away with a glorious prize. Usually something donated by one of the four clans: Cha’Grathka often offer some of their trophies, won through taking down strong opponents (tusks of a large tough boar, core of a hell raiser, or even a weapon taken off an opponent killed in battle). Hognur’Gor donate some of their more expensive potions that were brewed with rare ingredients or a large supply of their cheaper ones. Urukgar donate maps and enchanted items and Ushmog donate high-quality armor or weapons they made themselves.
There are similar rules to the weekly brawls but because this is a more serious tournament, there are more rules and expansions of old ones.
Must be eighteen or older. Can be any race. Can be any clan or lack thereof.
All rounds are one-versus-one.
Long-ranged weapons are still banned.
Short-ranged or melee magic is allowed, long-ranged is not. Fog-brained is only allowed to be used against other Sil’nyy.
Transforming into a Dragon is banned.
Flying is allowed but can only be used by the races that have it.
No use of outside substances/drugs. Boosts from potions are allowed from the weaker races. Potions that promote healing can be used in-between rounds but can not be used during, even by Sil’nyy.
If a challenger can not heal enough of their more serious injuries prior to their next round, they are automatically disqualified from the tournament. Having a bunch of minor injuries is fine.
Those who join the tournament, or even those who enjoy participating in the weekly brawls, can set up tents outside of the arena and stay as long as they like. These challengers are welcome with open arms from the sil’nyy. Sometimes the sil’nyy that live in Central City make free food for the guests and sometimes even just for their favorite outside participant, as they believe it will help them win.
Sometimes the Way of the Sil’nyy tournament is used by The Four Masters to settle any beef among their clans or even used for internal clan issues, where a regular clan member can go up against their own clan’s Master. The losing side either has to step down or stop what they were doing that caused the problem in the first place. Should a challenged sil’nyy refuse, the rest of the clans will frown upon them. They dishonored themselves.
Socialization in Home of Cha'Grathka
The sil’nyy that live in Cha’Grathka are surprisingly competitive when it comes to fishing and taking down gators. They often boast of how many fish they catch, what kinds of fish they catch, how big their fish are, and how many full-grown alligators they managed to kill in revenge for taking some of their fish. They’re even known to bring these up when trying to win a verbal argument with someone, whether or not the other person is another sil’nyy.
Important Note from Eerie! All Sil’nyy respect this area as an official fishing grounds- not that they all use it as such but that this is where you get fish. When one has permission to ‘hunt’ in this area, it usually means fishing.
Any fish they catch or gator they slay, they separate it into two portions: The first portion is to feed their family and the second is to be sold at the Fish Market. Sil’nyy of Cha’Grathka are very picky when it comes to eating fish. They have to be freshly caught (as in the last 24 hours), no parts should be missing when the fish is bought, and they should be thoroughly examined for parasites. Some fish sold in the market do not meet this standard. It’s up to the buyer to inspect the fish.
Gator hide is often used to make luggage compartments, belts, and is used as a substitute for leather in many cases. Sometimes gator hide is sold to the Ushmog for help in creation of new armor or weapons. Gator hide can also be used in creating clothing, if it goes through an alchemical process first to make it softer. The ingredients needed are often found naturally growing around the marsh.
Sil’nyy that can transform into dragons are often paid handsomely to dive for mouthfuls of fish. Any fish that remained undamaged during this process will be traded and any fish damaged will still be paid for but the Dragon may keep. Damaged fish include anything that can’t be sold in the market.
Hybrids that are part Sil’nyy can also be useful, especially those that are good with magic. They can help trap fish, hunt gator, keep fish fresher for longer even after they’re dead, but it’s up to the hybrid to find their niche. They sell the talents that they know they are good at and refuse to perform anything that they aren’t.
When a young sil’nyy or hybrid catches their first fish or manages to take down their first alligator, their actions are celebrated. It’s mostly just the individual’s families that participate at first but word will spread quickly among the villagers and soon the whole clan will talk about it. This child (oldest being seventeen to be able to participate) is often given small rewards from their fellow villagers such as getting a real rod for fishing, or free types of bait, or even special lures.
Socialization in Home of Hognur'Gor
It is dangerous to leave one’s homestead in Home of Hognur’Gor. The flood waters can get pretty steep and violent so those who wade through the dangerous waters need to have a lot of leg strength to keep themselves from toppling over and being swept away. The waters are most often knee-deep but they can recede every now and again. While most sil’nyy carry a rucksack on their back, full of all their supplies, the sil’nyy around here use little wagons with a little torch on it, that can float like boats when needed since the floods are so unpredictable.
Young ones and pregnant women are often required to stay home until a certain age or until after birth. The women who gave birth often carry their babies in a covered basket strapped to their heads so that the child will not drown if they have to be carried through flood waters. If the child needs to be moved from building to building, but the child is too big for the baby basket, the child will be placed in a floating wagon. The children of Hognur’Gor are extremely obedient due to the dangers of the environment that they live in.
Important Note from Eerie! The lids for the baby baskets are just a smaller upside-down basket.
Families homesteads are often built next to each other, which allows small rope bridges to be built between the buildings. This makes traveling between them much easier, especially if a practitioner or nursery is needed for their child. That being said, these bridges can still be dangerous. They are high off the ground, wet, slippery from growing algae, and even eroded and soft from the constant downpour. The wood needs to be constantly replaced and even scrubbed when the rain finally lets up.
Sil’nyy who live here must have a collection of water-resistant furs and leathers or enchanted covers for their bedding as it gets extremely cold here. There have been times where entire families have been found frozen to death because they didn’t have enough blankets or any potions that can help regulate their temperatures. It’s an obvious unspoken rule that many who are new to the clan will often forget; at the cost of their own lives.
Aside from families socializing with each other being made easy because of these bridges, they don’t really socialize with the rest of the village outside of necessities. Some sil’nyy will often create hunting and gathering groups, usually by a light signal via their floating wagon that means ‘I’m going out’ which lets the other sil’nyy know that they can join. Gossip happens a lot during hunting and gathering as this is the only time socializing is often done. During hunting and gathering, they not only collect food but also ingredients for potions.
Because there isn’t much wildlife in the immediate area, Hognur’Gor clan members often have to hunt for game outside of their own village, usually in another clan’s territory (outside of villages). The other sil’nyy understand their circumstances and often welcome them with open arms. However, some mean-spirited sil’nyy or a new Master of the Clan can revoke permission to hunt on their grounds. This can result in a fight amongst all the clans as the Hognur’Gor are known to rotate their hunting grounds so that they don’t take too much food away from the other clans. With another hunting ground off-limits, this will reduce their rotation to just two places which will result in less food for both the Hognur’Gor and the remaining clans.
Socialization in Home of Urukgar
The ground is very fertile, the weather is always nice, and they hardly have to deal with any predators in the area. Because of this, the sil’nyy of the other clans often consider them weak because their lives are so easy. However, the sil’nyy of the Home of Urukgar are not only knowledgeable about their own land but also have knowledge on all the territories. They know of plants, animals, ingredients, dangers, and many other things. If an outsider were to visit any of the clans first, it would be this one so that they would be well prepared for the rest of their journey through Thumak’s Domain.
Urukgar is surprisingly small despite its sunny weather. Because of this, every sil’nyy and all their offspring know each other by name. Outsiders can find the villagers unsettling because the villagers avoid small-talk. They’re more used to people coming and going due to the abundant resources in the area and so talking is not their strong suit. They are still kind and will give answers if asked and help where needed. It takes a while for some of them to form proper sentences as they’re not the kind of people who blurt out things and instead think really hard on what they want to say.
Their community garden is popular among the clans, some of which donate foreign seeds to the villagers of Urukgar, to help expand the options for fresh fruits and vegetables. These fresh produce, when ripe, are often traded for other goods. The Tavern and Inn in the village even trade some freshly cooked meals to the keepers of the garden so that they could use the produce. Sometimes the keepers of the garden will offer a free fruit or vegetable to passers-by, mostly those who intend to stay at the inn for a while as a ‘welcome to our humble village’ gift.
Keepers of the Garden are the ones who do the upkeep: tilling the soil, planting, watering, pulling weeds, etc. In short, they’re just Gardeners with a fancy title given to them by their fellow villagers. And they don’t just plant produce- flowers can also be seen in their little community garden. Anyone can be a Keeper of the Garden but only a select few actually want to do it. They’re the ones who get to dictate what is traded for what, what guests get free produce, etc.
This village does not usually use common eating utensils and prefer daggers to stab and pick up their food or just simply eat with their fingers. Sometimes they will even lift an entire plate or bowl and drink directly out of that. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t any sil’nyy in this village that have common eating utensils. It’s usually just specific households and they are often used for any guests they may have in the future. Because of the lack of utensils, most of their food is made to be eaten by hand. Their tavern will often sell freshly baked cheese bread, hunks of cheese, sausage links, and fruits all throughout the day.
Important Note from Eerie! All of this is served in metal plates, bowls, tankards, and goblets. Loudest tavern ever!
The Home of Urukgar has visitors from both the Hognur’Gor clan and the Cha’Grathka. Hognur’Gor like to hunt the grounds for their Zembinaka bucks, the deer that like to graze on the toxic yewberry bushes, avoiding the does because of the poison flowing through their meat. Cha’Grathka have been known to hang out at the dock, casually fishing and conversing with Urukgar and their visitors. Sometimes the Cha’Grathka will even take care of any alligator problems, should they hear of them appearing near the docks where Urukgar children play.
Socialization in Home of Ushmog
Ushmog is a dying village. Between the thick fog and the nightmarish creatures rearing their ugly heads at all hours of the day, it’s become too dangerous for visitors. The current condition of Ushmog would normally scare people off so unless a really brave warrior or a very stupid traveller happened to come upon the place, there’s just no visitors. Despite the lack of outsiders, the Ushmog are very determined to prevent their village from becoming an abandoned territory by refusing to leave their home.
The fog wasn’t always there though. The fog rolled in shortly before the hell raisers made an appearance. The sil’nyy can’t figure out why and at first, they cared very little about the why. But between the hostile creatures that had appeared and rumors being spread and misinterpreted, they have become paranoid of what the next bad thing was going to happen to their little village. Because of this, any visitors that they do get, the Ushmog are already suspicious of them. They still try to be nice but the trust is non-existent.
Important Note from Eerie! Rumor by others: This person is going to be visiting one of the caves in Ushmog territory. Misinterpretation by Ushmog: This person might have some kind of weird setup in the caves and that setup is the cause of these mists and creatures.
Although this clan and village are of the Ushmog, some of the Cha’Grathka are stationed here to protect them. After the fog appeared, a deadly creature known as the Plu’leanok, an apex predator, moved in. The sil’nyy believe it has something to do with the fact that the fog helps dim the light of the sun and the creature, though blind, was terribly sensitive to the sunlight. It includes the idea that the creatures live in caves nearby and now have become a problem as they are now appearing frequently around the village. Due to their appearance, music is now forbidden in the village as it entices the creatures to come closer as they hunt by sound.
Tacticians of Urukgar are directly involved with Ushmog, much like Warriors of Cha’Grathka. They use the Ushmog’s travels to Selgamed, which were originally used for the sole purpose of hunting and gathering (as they were too proud of a race to impede on the other clan’s territories) to help restock on critical resources for the rest of the clans. In short, the Urukgar collect and plan to trade excess resources (from other clans) via the Ushmog for resources that they are running low on within Selgamed.
Important Note from Eerie! A ferry travels between Selgamed and Thumak’s Domain, carrying passengers to and from the continents.
Offspring born to the clan of Ushmog are taught, from a very young age, to work the smelters. They help the older members create weapons and armor, overseen by a mentor. They keep the fires stoked, how hot to make the fire based on the metal and deliver the proper equipment to the smithies. Older children, usually those who have passed the Trial of Age, are often sent out to the other clans to retrieve hides, furs, and bones.
Government The sil’nyy do not hold votes for clan leadership nor do they inherit a throne. Instead, all clan members have a chance to become the leader of their clan through the Parijakun Gothor Zot (Par-Ee-Jay-Koon Go-Thur Zaught). Each clan gets a week either in the Month of Winter, the Month of Spring, the Month of Summer, or the Month of Fall in which they will be competing against each other, within the arena of Central City, to see who gets to go up against their current leader. This happens once a year, every year. However, this does not mean that their Master of the Clan is constantly changing- the sil’nyy at the head of their clan are at the head because they are the best of the best. Often, those who challenge them during the Parijakun Gothor Zot will fail, leaving them to reign for another year.
During the Parijakun Gothor Zot, regular members are pitted against each other. They are expected to represent their clan through battle. Warriors of Cha’Grathka are won mostly with strength. Taking down their opponent is the goal, just like any regular fight. The Healers of Hognur’Gor, however, are required to outlast their opponent via healing potions and other tonics that they themselves have made and brought to the battle. Running out of these provisions and consequently running out of stamina to carry on or fainting in the middle of a battle, regardless of how many potions they brought, will result in a loss. Tacticians of Urukgar are allowed to fight dirty, using just about anything they brought on the battlefield. Smiths of Ushmog can bring their own armor and weapons but they have to be made custom by the sil’nyy using it in battle.
Brackets are set up, similar to the Competition of Strength, where members of a clan go up against each other, one versus one. Each of these rounds are limited on time, given about three minutes to take down their opponent. Those who lose their first rounds are expected to fight each other to win a last chance to remain in the Parijakun Gothor Zot. Eventually, there are two fighters left and, once a winner between the two have been decided, said winner will get to go up against their current clan leader. This fight’s time limit is extended to a full twenty-four hours but they don’t always go on that long. Should the original clan leader lose, they will mentor the new clan leader for a few days. Once a sil’nyy loses their spot of Master of the Clan, they can never be clan leader again. They can still take on other jobs but they’re essentially retired.
Important Note from Eerie!
In the event that a Master of the Clan should die prior to a Parijakun Gothor Zot, their closest kin will be in charge. There will be no fight against the clan leader at the end of the bracket and this means that the winner of all the rounds becomes the new leader.
On occasion, a member of a clan will disagree with their Master of the Clan and refuse to do what is asked or needed of them. More often than not, this will end in a tussle between the Master of the Clan and the disobedient sil’nyy, which the latter usually loses. However, some clan leaders have more creative approaches to handling sil’nyy like this. Depending on the situation, insubordination versus predictability or foresight of a different result than what the Master of the Clan expected, a clap on the back and a happy Master of the Clan may be all that happens. Sometimes the Master of the Clan wants the sil’nyy to refuse an order, not because they want to punish the sil’nyy but because they see the potential of that sil’nyy becoming the next clan leader.
Sometimes a feud between clans happens and, in these cases, it can often be resolved through issuing challenges from one Master of the Clan to another. Trouble directly caused by a Master of the Clan’s decision that affects another clan can also cause a nasty feud between clans. Some feuds in the past have been started over permission for hunting in each other’s territories being revoked (this results in multiple clans being unhappy, not just the one who is revoked), direct family members of the Master of the Clan wreaking havoc on other clan’s members, or even just two of the clan leaders having pure hatred and disdain for one another.
Important Note from Eerie!
All four Master of the Clans, along with their respective members, will be at the arena in Central City for this personal brawl between clan leaders.
Resolutions that have been reached, depending on who won the brawl, can vary. If the challenger loses, the remaining two Master of the Clans will be a deciding factor on whether or not the challenged Master of the Clan should reach a compromise or stop the actions that are affecting the other clan entirely. Should the challenger win, the honorable thing for the losing Master of the Clan is to cease the actions that are affecting the other clan. If they refuse, depending on how severe their actions against the opposing clan were, the losing Master of the Clan can potentially be on the receiving end of a coup. In the best of situations, it would simply be a stain on their reputation.
Activities such as murdering someone within one of their villages can have different outcomes, depending on how the person died. If there was a full on brawl and someone bled out, the sil’nyy are known to just shrug it off. That kind of stuff happens. However, if one were to kill someone who wasn’t fighting back or wasn’t given a chance to fight back, then the sil’nyy would take issue.
If it’s a clan member committing a crime within a village not their own, they could be sent back to their own clan for punishment by their own Master of the Clan. Depending on the village the crime was committed in, the leader of that clan will be the one to dish out the punishment instead. In the cases where rules of punishments collide, compromises and agreements will be had especially if clan members of multiple clans were the ones to commit the crime. Should a punishment not be up to the victim’s (or the family of the victim) standards, then a minor case of vigilantism might result.
Government in Central City
Since there are camps surrounding the arena, often filled by not only the sil’nyy that live in Thumak’s Domain but also by outsiders including other races, there are some formal rules that everyone should follow. These are not written but are common knowledge, even to the other races that visit. These rules always existed, even prior to allowing outsiders to stay, and if they are not followed then the person who broke them is immediately sent out via a ferry to Selgamed or forced to fight in the arena, depending on the severity.
Groups of outsiders need to have at least one challenger for the arena. There is always a ‘booth’ (really it’s just a small table next to the arena’s entrance) where two volunteers, of any sil’nyy clan, sit and accept ‘entries’ to the next brawl or Way of the Sil’nyy tournament. The rest of the group can sit and watch for entertainment. During their time in the arena, there is a chance that they will either be paired against another outsider, or a sil’nyy of Thumak’s Domain in the fight. Should a group not have a challenger among them, they will be sent to Selgamed.
Important Note from Eerie! Fun Fact! A common taunt to use against another race during these fights is “Is there a Hognur’Gor here? Do we have a Hognur’Gor?”. Sometimes only the opponent would use this taunt but sometimes people in the crowd would shout this too.
Guests of Central City need to respect other people’s property. Campsites belong to the people who set them up. No one but them should be touching their food or supplies nor should anyone else be sleeping or using their area. Tents are closely packed together as there isn’t much room to use due to overcrowding. It’s very easy to get confused or even get lost among the tents. Should an accident happen, such as mistaking another person’s tent as one’s own or sitting at the wrong campfire, a proper apology is all that is needed. Intentional theft of food or supplies can occur but it’s not a common issue.
Important Note from Eerie! Since an apology is all that’s needed, a thief (if caught) can use it to wriggle out of any consequence they would have faced otherwise.
Fires in the middle of campsites need to be put out before the last person of the group goes to sleep. At the first sign of the last person who is awake is starting to nod off, they should immediately put out their campfire. This prevents accidentally setting their own camp on fire and, should their camp go up in flames, so too would the rest of the camps as they are closely packed together. This can lead to many deaths if this rule is not followed. Thankfully, to prevent this, most people staying within the city put out other group’s fires to help out. Because of this, there hasn’t been a spreading fire to this degree in decades.
Brawls outside of the arena are not allowed but tend to still happen. Overcrowding and bumping into each other can lead to a heated argument or even a full on fight. This can start as two people going at it but, if they were part of groups, people may take sides and the fight becomes even bigger and harder to handle. Cha’Grathka warriors may need to be called to break it up. The groups that partook in this illegal brawl are sent to Selgamed on separate ferries. The two that began the fight, no matter whose fault it was initially, are forced to fight each other in the arena. These arena fights are often treated as ‘mid-game’ or ‘a break in the tournament’ and are not official fights. Winner gets to go home immediately after while the loser has to help clean up the arena after the current tournament is over.
Should someone die as a result of a fight in the arena, that’s just something that happens. No one would bat an eye at that. Everyone knows that there’s a chance that will happen to them should they sign up. However, should someone die outside of the arena and it is not a result of a fight within it, that’s considered murder. Because of the tightly packed nature of the city, there’s typically plenty of witnesses to point fingers at the culprit. However, in the case of an assassination where no witness can be produced or at least there isn’t any known culprit, an investigation would take a long time and sometimes a culprit is never found due to the chaos of the city’s nature.
In the case that someone has been caught or a culprit was pointed out thanks to witnesses, the murderer will face a punishment based on one or more of the four clans that the crowd gets to decide. This punishment will be done within the arena. Should the Cha’Grathka Death be chosen by the onlookers, the murderer will have to face a multitude of Cha’Grathka warriors all at once and will likely get beaten to death. If the Hognur’Gor Death is chosen, the onlookers can watch as the murderer slowly dies of poisoning. The tacticians of Urukgar will treat their oncoming death like a gameshow, creating traps that can cause death that the murder will have to navigate through and the smiths of Ushmog will force the murderer to wear armor that would slowly kill them.
Government in Home of Cha'Grathka
Zur’mia (Zur-Me-Uh) Cha’Grathka is the current Master of the Clan, like her father before her and her father’s father. In fact, no other sil’nyy bloodline has been able to claim the role of leader of the clan since it was created. It’s believed that Zur’mia is a descendent of Drazar Cha’Grathka, the original and first clan master of the Cha’Grathka. How they managed to retain this role through the years solely has to do with aggressive training since birth and selective breeding- only the strongest of the sil’nyy can mate within the Master of the Clan bloodline, to ensure that the Master of the Clan role stays with them.
Since this is a fishing village, taking care of the environment is important to the Cha’Grathka. Their fish and alligators can be badly affected by littering. The Cha’Grathka believed that an old disease, that many sil’nyy succumbed to (but mostly their clan), had started because of dumping old chum and other waste in the waters. Thankfully, once the cure was found and they kept their waters clean, the disease has yet to come back.
Important Note from Eerie! This is the same disease that affected pursa and some coxayli during their pilgrimage: Aquarian Plague. It wasn’t actually caused by littering but the sil’nyy believe otherwise.
Whenever the Hognur’Gor come to fish, they are not allowed to use fishing nets or other large contraptions to catch more than their fair share. They are not allowed to use any Dragons, should any of their hunters be one, nor are they allowed to use magic to fish. They are also allowed to snag an alligator or two but no more. Any fish and gators caught must go through Zur’mia and they must be kept alive until after. She makes sure that her guests have what they need but no more than that. Because of this, some of the fish and alligators caught are returned to the water. If Zur’mia finds parasite-ridden or sickly fish among those that are caught, she will gladly let them go back and fish some more.
There are restrictions on fishing and alligator hunting even for the Cha’Grathka. Fish have to reach a certain size when caught, otherwise it’s returned to the waters. This is because the fish isn’t fully grown and needs time to reach maturity to help the fish population stay above the threshold. Dragons and those who have a natural affinity for magic are to stay in certain parts of the marsh to avoid overfishing. Alligators are also expected to be released under certain conditions. They can not be intentionally caught unless they stole a fish from a fisherman (from the line) and it has to be a full-grown adult.
Even though some docks are off-limits to guests, especially hybrids and other races that are visiting, it’s mostly for reasons such as repair or alligator-infested waters. In the latter case, sil’nyy children are to go in groups around these areas should they even want to venture there. Some Cha’Grathka keep a close eye on these docks just in case a kid comes wandering too close without their friends. These single children are often brought directly to Zur’mia for a good scolding to get the point across: Until they have passed the Trial of Age, they must stay in groups to protect themselves from the dangers of alligators.
Important Note from Eerie! Gator Danger! A group of sil’nyy kids can actually take down a full grown alligator if they work together. That’s why multiple children are required to be in groups while out on the docks.
If one of their clan members are murdered, the perpetrator (regardless of origin) will be tied to a post at the end of one of the docks and will be left to be eaten alive by the alligators of the marsh. If there are other factors made as a defense for the perpetrator by members of the Cha’Grathka clan, then they can keep their life. These factors would include self-defense or a fight that got way too heated which resulted in an unintentional death. Sometimes they are still punished but at least they’ll still be alive.
Lesser crimes such as theft or overfishing (known as theft from the people) have different results depending on whether or not the perpetrator is Cha’Grathka, a different clan’s member, or another race visiting the village.
In the cases that a criminal is of the Cha’Grathka, Zur’mia oversees a ‘trade-off’. These are when the victim of the theft gets to take the same amount (or an equivalent) from the thief as they initially took from them. In the case of overfishing, should they ignore the warnings of their fellow clanmates, regardless of whether or not it’s a single individual or a group of people, their clan name will be ripped from them and they will be Ogudar’gen. Banished from the village.
Should the perpetrator be of another clan other than Cha’Grathka, theft and overfishing will result in being booted from not just the Home of Cha’Grathka but also from the surrounding territory. They will not be allowed to return and they can, and probably will be, attacked on sight by Cha’Grathka who recognize them. If they have to be there, for any reason, then constant monitoring is required either by a willing Cha’Grathka or someone the Cha’Grathka trusts from that other clan.
Visitors, also known as guests or an outsider of another race, are a different story altogether. Should they perform an act of theft, either towards an individual Cha’Grathka or through overfishing, willfully ignoring any warnings given to them while they were committing the act, a Cha’Grathka will simply grab the person (if they are small enough) and toss them out into the marsh, forcing them to swim back on their own. Of course alligators are a danger in these cases but the villagers don’t really care if the gators get ahold of the perpetrator.
To end any minor disputes or rivalries, individual Cha’Grathka are expected to participate in a mini-fishing duel rather than brawl. These challenges range from being the first to get a certain type of fish, getting the most amount of fish, or getting the biggest fish under a time limit. It’s a catch-and-release kind of game. Loser has to cave to the winner. Sometimes it’s even used just for fun among some of the less aggressive adults and especially among the children.
Government in Home of Hognur'Gor
Fe’jurel (Fay-Jurh-Uhl) Hognur’Gor is the eldest of the Master of the Clans, reaching 152 years of age if anyone had to guess. He looks akin to a feeble old man but he’s stronger than any of the rest of his clan members and he’s the top healer as well. Fe’jural knows many different ways of healing including techniques to treat wounds and ways to prevent illnesses. He serves as a stand-in practitioner or healer during emergencies, both on the battlefield, at the arena, and in his own village, and he puts extra effort in when it comes to injured or sickly children.
For the past 60 years, Fe’jurel has retained his position as Master of the Hognur’Gor clan. He obtained this role by default when he won all rounds against his fellow clan members during their Parijakun Gothor Zot 60 years ago. The former Master of the Hognur’Gor clan, Lanidu, was felled by a late-treated gem cobra bite. Having long lost sense in one of her legs, she did not notice she was bitten until it was too late. She died in her own bed the eve of her return from a market place in Selgamed (it is theorized that this is where she was bitten).
Despite having won the position by default, Fe’jurel has yet to be outlasted by any of his clan members during the Parijakun Gothor Zot. Fights against him have been known to last several days, if not weeks. He over-preps and has the most potent of potions and tonics at his disposal. Some of the stuff he makes can actually harm his opponent for him, usually poisoning them or forcing them into Fog-brained (not a fog-brained state but actually forcing them into using their magic). This allows him to one-up his opponents during these fights and it is how he has managed to outlast his fellow clanmates to retain his title.
Prior to certain kinds of weather conditions, such as torrential rains or tornado-like winds, it is forbidden for Hognur’Gor to stay in their homes. They are expected to evacuate in a timely manner, Fe’jurel doing the best he can to help his people, and to stay at Central City in tents until weather has calmed enough for their return. This type of weather is not common but it can be predicted due to wind patterns and cloud formations. As unpredictable as the weather around Home of Hognur’Gor is, it’s a relief that they can predict when these kinds of disasters will happen.
Returning to their homes after the extreme weather has passed often reveals major damage to the village. Some unlucky stone pillars will have fallen and the houses on top of them collapsed, leaving a handful of sil’nyy homeless for a while. Some roofing or flooring may have given way during these storms while the more lucky people will probably have lost some personal belongings to the extreme wind blowing them right out the flaps of their doorway.
The Master of the Clan is not able to reconstruct these buildings by himself. No one of his clan can. Instead, he visits the Urukgar clan for a helping hand, due to their knowledge and skills. The Urukgar will take time and effort out of their day to rebuild lost homes in trade for Fe’jurel’s healing skills. In return for the homes being returned to their prior condition or completely rebuilt, Fe’jurel help heal the Urukgar’s sick and injured whenever he is called.
Hunting, gathering, and fishing can be a bit complicated especially if it is a large group of Hognur’Gor. Their clan leader will always join them on these expeditions. Fe’jurel comes to make sure that his clan members obey any laws and to make nice with the locals. He doesn’t want his clan to get in trouble because that will reflect on him as a Master of the Clan. Causing trouble for other clans can get them banned from entering and this can cause issues with hunting, as it’s necessary to survive.
For the Hognur’Gor, murder is more of an umbrella term. If one’s actions were to lead to the death of another person, whether it is intentional or through a domino-effect, it is still considered a criminal act. Many years ago, before Fe’jurel became the Master of the Clan, a sil’nyy had stolen a family’s furs and blankets from their home while they were away. Unbeknownst to the thief, that night would be below freezing temperatures. This led to the death of the entire family that had fallen victim to the thief. In the eyes of the Hognur’Gor, by stealing the furs and blankets, which lead to the death of the family, the thief had become a murderer.
Depending on the way the victim was killed, a murderer of the name Hognur’Gor will face the same fate as the victim. In this case, should a murderer have killed through domino-effect, they will be subject to the victim’s last moments (i.e. being left in a cold building with no furs or ways to warm themself during a freezing night). The Hognur’Gor way is to replicate all conditions that lead to the victims death and, should the murderer survive these, they will be treated as if they had never committed the act in the first place. The murder isn’t swept under the rug entirely but it’s relatively forgotten.
Those who murder that are not Hognur’Gor, including sil’nyy from other clans and visitors of other races, will be promptly returned to their home cities or the nearest prisons relative to their homes. This means that they will be caged, with an enchanted shackle around their ankle to help prevent escape, and transported. Volunteer Hognur’Gor will guard them all the way back to their homes, even if it’s on a continent on the other side of the world. Once the murderer has been left in the hands of their people, a ban will be placed on them so that they will never be able to return to the Home of Hognur’Gor without consequence of death.
A Hognur’Gor that commits the act of thievery from a neighbor faces a home-arrest, i.e. they are locked in their own home for a certain amount of time, depending on how valuable the item they stole was to the victim. They are not allowed to leave their home without permission from the Master of the Clan but they will be well taken care of while they serve their time. They’ll be given periodic meals (three per day) and if they get sick or somehow injured, Fe’jurel or someone he trusts will heal them.
Theft from an outsider is treated a little different from a murder. Not only do they report them to the proper authorities (i.e. from where the outsider supposedly came) but they will also put out a bounty on them. All bounties require the thief to be returned alive. Reward amounts are given based on what the thief had stolen from their clan and how much the clan values the stolen items. Once the thief is in their hands, they take them to the very authorities that they had originally reported the thief to so that they may face proper justice by their own people. Unlike a murderer, a thief can return to the village for a later visit but they will be watched with careful eyes.
Government in Home of Urukgar
The Master of the Clan, a fourteen-year old male sil’nyy by the name of Enoch (E-Nock), won his title due to a forfeit. He joined the Parijakun Gothor Zot almost as soon as he was able to join the clan after completing the Trial of Age and, because of this, he was the youngest tactician to ever fight. Then, after he had won against so many of his older clanmates through brains alone, he ended up going toe-to-toe with his own father, the current leader of the clan back then.
Bell’Noch (Bell-Nock) Urukgar had been clan leader for nearly seven years prior to this incident and had remained undefeated. However, his son was outsmarting him at every turn, making strength the key factor in his being able to withstand the child’s tricks. Recognizing that he was going against his very clan’s ideals, he chose to forfeit his title instead.
Enoch was the first to enact rules over the Community Garden. Prior to this, anyone in ‘need’ of food would simply pick what they need from the garden, regardless if they were a clan member or not. This would sometimes leave the garden void of any food needed by the clans members themselves. He was the one to come up with the idea to trade produce for either services or tangible goods, depending on what the members of Urukgar need at the time, and make appropriate decisions on the spot. He was the one who also came up with Keepers of the Garden, so that a myriad of people could be available to consult when it comes to plants.
Information of the other clans is supplied by the clans themselves; they come to Enoch for help if they are low on specific supplies. Enoch has been known to be well-informed when it comes to pricing and tracking types of merchants. It is common knowledge, by the clans, that Enoch also has an elite group that he sends out periodically to check out marketplaces ahead of time, to scan for danger and to update of what wares and foods were on sale, who sold what, what they looked like, what their names were, the location that they were last seen, etc. With this information, he is able to somewhat-accurately track their movements across the continents. This process was done by every Master of the Clan prior to Enoch.
Important Note from Eerie! Sil’nyy have great memory even though details might get iffy the further back in time they have to remember.
Because their weather is often sunny (with a small chance of light rain) the need to repair or rebuild structures within the Home of Urukgar is almost non-existent. Instead, Enoch has the qualified members at beck-and-call whenever neighboring clans need a new structure or repairs to old ones. Of course, this is all done through trade yet again, a service for a service in this case. A prime example would be Home of Hognur’Gor’s constant upkeep in trade for their healers.
Should anyone pick yew berries, whether they are Urukgar, from another clan, or a total outsider, suspicion would automatically fall upon them. Yew berries can not be consumed without promise of death. They are poisonous. They could kill a sil’nyy with good enough quantity. Spotting someone picking yew berries will result in immediate capture and interrogation done by the clan leader. Should the reason for picking the berries seem innocent enough, the entirety of the clan will watch the person like a hawk until they are done using the berries. Suspicion is not cleared just because the person is done using the yew berries- this kind of action will follow them for as long as they remain in Thumak’s Domain.
Urukgar have a false reputation, rumors spread by outsiders that they chop off hands in retaliation for theft. In reality, a good scolding followed by lowered hospitality is usually the result of someone getting caught trying to steal from them. If one were to take from the community garden without the permission from a Keeper of the Garden, a sil’nyy may knock their block off but this won’t always be the case as not every clan member knows about the more restrictive rules since Enoch took over. This law is applied to everyone that walks within Home of Urukgar, whether they live there or are just visiting. There is actually no set instructions on how to treat someone who steals- it’s honestly up to the sil’nyy that fell victim and those who empathize with them.
Murder is not okay, under any circumstance, within Urukgar. There is no excuse that a murderer can use to explain away why someone had died at their hands. Not only are those who are deemed murderers banished from the village, but so to are those who associate with them. They will also go out of their way to ensure that none of the supplies that they obtain will ever fall into the murderer’s hands. However, everyone is given the benefit of the doubt unless it’s painfully obvious that they are the murderer. It is up to the alleged murderer to prove they are innocent and for those who are suspicious of them to prove that they are not. The final decision, with all testimonies and evidence reviewed, is up to the Master of the Clan. Like theft, this rule is applied to everyone.
Government in Home of Ushmog
The sil’nyy in charge of this clan is a woman by the name of Lemura (Lay-Murh-Uh). She is mute (as in unable to talk even if she wanted to) and this is due to trauma from when she was young. There was an encounter with a plu’leanok that resulted in a serious injury but she would have died if her father wasn’t there and purposely making noises to attract the beast to him. Despite this traumatic past, she is a fine smithy and a strong warrior in her own right.
Important Note from Eerie! Plu’leanok are blind creatures that attack anything that makes a sound. Check the bestiary for more information.
Lemura’s reign started shortly after the fog settled around their village. The dangers of the plu’leanok were not yet known and, as a prodigy child, Lemura was given the full scope of the village and its surroundings to do whatever it is she wanted, even if it was just to have fun for the day. Shortly after surviving the encounter with the beast she decided to have a go at becoming the Master of the Clan. Especially since the current (at the time) leader didn’t really want anything about his village to change even after the fog surrounded them. He wanted things to stay ‘as they were’ (pre-fog). Lemura knew this posed a danger to her fellow neighbors and swore that she would change things to keep everyone safe.
After winning the Parijakun Gothor Zot, the laws of Home of Ushmog changed drastically. There was to be no music (after seeing what happened to Lemura, her neighbors didn’t mind this rule at all) and she hired and stationed Cha’Grathka warriors around the village and especially around the most-used workshops. Villagers were to remain indoors unless they were planning on working in one of their workshops, traveling to hunt or visit another city, or to collect water from the village’s single well. She was originally going to implement a law about visitors, either from other sil’nyy clans or outsiders, but thankfully the fog scared most would-be visitors from ever coming close.
Since plu’leanok practically took over the village’s hunting grounds, Lemura has had to alternate with the Hognur’Gor around the different territories of Thumak’s Domain. Not only do they hunt near the other villages, but they also ferry across the waters to Selgamed and hunt there. Lemura joins the hunters on these trips to Selgamed, intent on helping out the Urukgar in return for more coin or rare items that can be traded while they are in Selgamed. This allows them to get ahold of better quality metals and enchanted gems for their armor and weapons. In turn, they retrieve supplies that the Urukgar requested and deliver them once they return home.
If an argument with a vendor on Selgamed escalates, or if one of her clan members acts aggressively towards another individual there, Lemura will leave them to the law of the city or town. Sometimes they are even left behind to find their own way back home. The same can be said when the Ushmog clan acts up while they are in another clan’s territory. She will always let the other clan handle her people, no matter what the punishment is. In Lemura’s eyes: If a clan member can not respect her enough to follow her rules, then they are a disgrace (unless they are proven or deemed innocent by the people she left them with).
An Ushmog that is a known thief is a disgrace to the clan. Since the clan are the traders for the sil’nyy race, a thief among them could cause issues during travels. Because of this, any Ushmog who are found guilty of theft are never allowed outside of the village. The only place they’re allowed to visit would be Central City but they may only leave the village under heavy supervision from a fellow clan member and must first gain approval for this travel by the Master of the Clan.
If anything goes missing while an outsider is visiting, whether they are from another clan or from a different continent entirely, the outsider is immediately deemed the culprit. An old punishment, prior to the fog, was a necklace or shackles of bells that were enchanted so that they could not be removed, that way they would know where the thief was at all times during their visit. However, since the plu’leanok have become a threat, that idea was tossed out the window as it needlessly endangered the outsider. They have since created different cuffs and necklaces, ones without bells, with the non-removal enchantment and a new tracking enchantment instead. This is often paired with a ring so that the clan leader can know where the thief is at all times.
Important Note from Eerie! These cuffs and necklaces are removed once the known thief is ready to leave. They will be accompanied to another village or directly to the ferry, both for protection and to prevent them from coming back.
Those who kill who are part of the Ushmog clan will be given a chance to live but only if they can survive their punishment. They will first be bound and gagged and then dragged deep into the fog outside of the village where they will be tied to either a large rock or a tree. There they will be ungagged and have a necklace of bells put around their neck, one that has no enchantment on it. The rope that they are tied with are knotted in such a way that they would be able to untie themselves but not without enough movement to ring the bells around their neck, attracting a plu’leanok to their position. If they manage to untie themselves, remove the bells from around their neck, and make it all the way back to the village without getting mortally wounded or killed, then they will be absolved of their crime. However, the very act of the crime will never be forgotten.
Outsiders, either from the other clans or from other continents, should they be found guilty of murder, will be forced to fight in the arena of Central City. Their opponent will end up being either a relative or friend of the victim or, if neither of those could be found and/or the victim had been important to the village, the murderer will have to fight a plu’leanok.
This plu’leanok would have been captured as a group effort, with a mixture of Cha’Grathka, Hognur’Gor, Urukgar, and Ushmog clan members working together to take it down. The creature’s cage is rather large and it’s on wheels. A ramp leads into the cage, which the plu’leanok is tricked into running up when a sil’nyy knocks on the outside of the cage on the opposite end. This is so that they can return it to its cage once the fight is over. So far, no one’s been able to survive the plu’leanok.
Names and Titles Rather than being inspired by real-life languages like other races, the Sil’nyy have a somewhat more difficult naming system. First names are gendered but this rule is really only followed by the main four clans. Ogudar’gen and those outside the clans in general don’t have to follow the gendered rule.
The standard for first names is to have two to three syllables.
An apostrophe can be used but it doesn’t have to be.
An L always followed by an N will be silent.
Male first names end with a consonant. Y’s are never used.
Female first names end with a vowel.
Examples of male names: Hogald, Magas, Borgon, Atmardur Examples of female names: Zennami, Surga, Imny, Cramendu
Important Note from Eerie! Rules for first names are also used to name creatures of Thumak’s Domain but are not restricted to just two to three syllables. Predators follow the male first name rule and prey follow the female first name rule.
Surnames are based on what clan they are part of, which is the clan they joined when they passed the Trial of Age. Some don’t have clans and were either forced to take a last name to represent they were exiled or they were born and raised outside of Thumak’s Domain in which case, their surnames might not even match the clans. In the latter case, both first and last names can be picked up from the races living around the sil’nyy.
Cha’Grathka: Clan of Warriors Hognur’Gor: Clan of Healing Urukgar: Clan of Tactictions Ushmog: Clan of Smiths Ogudar’gen: Exile, Outcast
Examples of full names: Zennami Hognur’Gor, Magas Ogudar’gen, Drazar Cha’Grathka
Religion and Beliefs The sil’nyy believe in the Great Warlord Hogald Thumak and his five thanes: Drazar Cha’Grathka, Zennami Hognur’Gor, Borgorn Urukgar, Atmardur Ushmog, and Magas Ogudar’gen. Thumak created the sil’nyy to be the perfect warriors and the perfect neighbors. Despite being strong and willing to go to war they are expected to be helpful and kind. He also created the race-exclusive magic Fog-brained to give his warriors an advantage in a pinch.
Hogald Thumak set his five thanes to be head of the families, now known as clans. Drazar Cha’Grathka was to raise his sil’nyy in the west and continue to train them in the ways of strength, courage, and determination to protect the clans from enemies. Zennami Hognur’Gor raised her warriors in the east, to be better healers, to specialize them to focus, remain calm, and use quick thinking. Her goal was to ensure the clans were healthy and able-bodied. Borgorn Urukgar was tasked to raise his warriors in the south as tacticians to strategize defenses, to plan, and even sabotage their enemies to ensure victory. Atmardur Ushmog was required to raise his warriors in the north, raising them as smiths utilizing good craftsmanship, durability, and practicality to provide the clans with better protection.
Then there was Magas Ogudar’gen. He was tasked with raising his warriors in the capital, the direct-center between all the clans. Ogu’dargens clan was to be the center of trade, the clan where sil’nyy can go to test their skills against the best of the best. His warriors were to encompass everything- fighting, healing, tactics, and smithing. His clan was to be the leading example and the one to keep the peace among all clans by having this huge range of talent among his warriors.
But all good things must come to an end- Magas planned on using the Fog-brained magic, his warriors behind him, to conquer all four of the other clans. Zennami, with all her wisdom, foresaw this treachery. Along with Drazar, Borgon, and Atmardur, formed the Pargijakun Gothor Zot as a way to choose the strongest and wisest of the sil’nyy as the leaders of the families, now known as the Masters of the Clans. This was done to ensure that the society the great Hogald Thumak created would not falter. After this pact was made, any sil’nyy bearing the name Ogudar’gen was exiled as punishment for Magas’ betrayal of his siblings.
As to whether or not Hogald Thumak was real (most sil’nyy believe he was), doesn’t really matter as the sil’nyy will follow his guidance and wisdom that he left behind. There are no known records of Thumak and his thanes except for one obscure one, an old blood-stained journal of an unknown traveler donated to the mewahen library in Esfandell. In it there is a roughly drawn image, sketched with ink, of five male sil’nyy and a single female sil’nyy and, directly underneath the image, are the words ‘Hogald Thumak and Thanes, Kind but Fierce Defenders’. All pages after have mysteriously been ripped out.
The average height of a mewah (May-Way) is anywhere between 6’6” to 8’ tall. Their skin colors come in that of the real-world human colors. They typically have longer faces than that of the artrune, accompanied by smaller noses (but longer) and larger eyes. The eyes can come in as many colors as the hair, as all colors on the spectrum are completely natural on Nouva. This means colors like pink, blue, purple, and even green can be the colors of a mewah’s eyes and hair.
A pure-bred mewah lacks facial hair or any other hair on their body aside from the hair at the top of their head. There have been no occurrences of otherwise throughout their community. Hybrid mewah, however, can have more hair on their bodies than their pure-bred parent depending on the other race in their DNA.
The mewah have naturally long ears, much longer than any other race of Nouva. Their ears are born in specific positions depending on hereditary genes. The positions can include: Perked (pointing upwards), Standard (horizontal to the ground), and Drooped (pointing downwards). They will sometimes adorn these ears with a whole slew of earrings due to how much space is available on the cartilage.
These ears have the ability to move ever so slightly to convey emotions; not enough to change their permanent positions but enough for anyone to notice the difference from the mewah’s usual attitudes. They also have superb hearing and would often have to concentrate to distinguish sounds, in the same room as them, from one another so they wouldn’t get overwhelmed. It makes whispering very difficult in their presence.
Similar to that of the pursa, the mewah are great with magic. They even have their own college of magic to teach others how to wield it better. They tend to be very strong with offense magic, using their skills to win duels in an attempt to best others. Their race-exclusive magic is the illuminator, which allows them to look into the past of a location using candle magic. Their usage of this magic stems from their religion (See Religion and Belief System).
A mewah can live to as old as 507 years old, with some falling short at 489. Their hair will start to grey at around 420 years old and wrinkles will start appearing at around 450. They will often still look and act youthful while still sporting wrinkles and graying hair as growing old doesn’t make them as frail as artrune elders. They are still spry in their old age and are flexible and athletic.
However, once they start dying, they will start to glow and slowly fade from existence, clothes and all. This process only takes about an hour and they remain corporeal until that hour is up. This means they can talk and physically touch and pick up things even as they begin to look transparent. They still have their energy and physical abilities as they die so they can run, use magic, and do other things up until the point that they finally disappear for good. Should they be poisoned or mortally wounded, their body will start to shut down completely, before they even start becoming transparent and disappearing.
Half-Mewah Hybrids The mewah are just one of many races that can breed together to create hybrid children. Some hybrids look more like one race than the other. Special race-exclusive magics remain race-exclusive; not even hybrids have the privilege of dipping into that kind of magic.
Half-Artrune
This hybrid shares most of their physical strength and magical attributes with their artrune parentage. Their ears, eyes, and height allow them to even pass as pure-mewah as long as they aren’t discovered through any means. The only hair that grows on them is both the hair on top of their head and down below the waistline (not including on the legs). A Half-Artrune, Half-Mewah hybrid can be either Dragon, Magulis, or Rider Class.
They keep their mewahen parent’s height with lack of defined muscles (unless they work themselves up to that point on their own), and they have the stamina of the average mewah. They inherit the skin colors of their mewahen parent but will have the ears of their sil’nyy parent and, if the hybrid is male, then they will also inherit a smaller version of the horns that are part of their sil’nyy heritage. These hybrids can be Dragon, Magulis, or Rider class.
Main Geographical Locations There are three mewahen cities in existence and all three are located within the continent of Selgamed. There is one that a pursa settlement has been built next to but otherwise the cities of mewah are isolated and out of the way to get to.
Esfandell (Ess-Fin-Dell) is the northern-most city and had once been located in the middle of a giant forest that has since been cut down, on one side, to house pursa in their neighbor city of Gradina. This city has a great wall guarding the entirety of the homes and establishments inside of it from outside assault, should anything like that happen. The homes inside the city are well built, beautiful, and constantly under construction to ensure that none of the city’s history falls apart. There is a huge statue in the middle of the city, just before the entrance to the castle, of the goddess of the stars (See Religion and Belief System).
Pagoma (Paw-Goh-Muh) is in the deepest south of Selgamed, surrounded by snow and frozen waters. Pagoma is in similar condition to Esfandell: Pristine and well-kept. Despite the constant snowfall and wind, the inside of the city is untouched by such weather. Instead, there is a runic spell used, etched into the walls, to protect the citizen’s homes from any harsh weather. It’s typically nice and warm with a small breeze within Pagoma and the flowers and shrubs are always in bloom. There is a statue of a god of the sun directly before the castle.
Krymmenos (Kree-May-Noes) is a city that’s well hidden in a forest close to the east coast of Selgamed. The only way for one to see it is if they took flight, as the trees are so tall and cast so much shade that Krymmenos is always in darkness. However, the city itself is constantly lit by magical torches of all kinds, glowing colorful and vibrant throughout the city that it would be hard to get lost. There is a statue of the god of the moon directly in the center of the city, before the castle. The city is run by a male monarch of strong lineage that is also married to the monarch of Pagoma.
Important Note from Eerie! All three mewahen cities are allies. Monarch is actually used loosely as the mewah that rule the cities rule them like they are their own kingdoms, however, and are respectively treated as kings and queens of their cities.
Mageia (Muh-Gee-Uh) is an ancient city located on Tuphiobax that had long since been abandoned. It used to be a beautiful metropolitan city of crystal and gemstones with great columns of marble and quartz. Unfortunately, there is very little information on this city as all records within the city itself had been consumed by The Great Magical Storm. Even though no one has seen it since the storm began, it’s believed that the city is in total ruins. This pre-dates the Era of the Brand.
Social Mewah are never homeless as they find the sight of homeless disgusting. Everyone has a home and are expected to have a job. If they don’t have a job then the government will interfere and give them one themselves just so the mewah can afford a home. They are expected to work the rest of their lives, whether they stick to the job that the mewahen government gives them or move on to a higher paying one. Dreams don’t matter to the mewah; it’s the here and the now that they are most concerned about.
A widespread personal belief of the mewah is that they are the most intelligent, talented race and also the most important. They’ll help out other races if they ask for help and if they fulfill their desired requirements. However, this doesn’t mean their views on the race have changed. Races are often treated as lesser or even second-class citizens if the majority of mewah had their way. This doesn’t mean that there isn’t any mewah that believes otherwise. Some mewah have even been known to fall in love with and have children of other races.
There are a handful of known hybrids of the mewah, all of which are guaranteed to be treated as second-class citizens by those of the major cities. Not by will of the monarch that rules but by societal views. Not only are the hybrids seen in a bad light but so too are their families, especially the mewahen parent of the hybrid. As most of the mewah see it, the mewahen parent has stained their lineage and deserve to be ostracized. The government doesn’t interfere and remove them from the cities, though. However, those working for the government will make it very hard for the family to enjoy living there.
Riders are considered a gift of the gods to the mewah for being so loyal to them. They are treated with just as much respect as the monarchs of the cities; being treated as royalty. Dragons, however, are considered owned by the Rider partner and thus are treated as lesser. They are expected not to speak unless spoken to and obey the commands of the Rider and sometimes even the Rider’s immediate family. This will often result in disdain and hatred from the Dragon. Should the Dragon be a mewahen hybrid, they’re treated even worse.
Which god is worshiped, whether it’s one or more gods, does not matter to the mewah. All gods of the pantheon are welcome and each of the cities, even if the cities were a dedication to one god in particular. However, it’s highly likely that rumors about families or individuals who worship a different god than the city they are in will spread like wildfire, as they’re more prone to be seen as ‘different’ in the eyes of the citizens of their city. Despite this, there is often no hostility held or unleashed towards those who worship another god.
Those who worship all three gods are typically unaffected by rumors as it still includes the god in which their city was built for. Those who worship only two gods, neither of which the city was dedicated to, subjects them to the same fate as if they were to worship a single different god. In fact, if an individual were not to worship the god of the city they reside in, they may be questioned as to why by the citizens. Depending on the answer, views on the family or individual may change and their living conditions may become worse depending on the level of hostility from their neighbors.
If one were to worship a different god or multiple different gods than their family, then their family would often question them as well. They would never get hostile; they would just like to know why their family member had deviated from the beliefs they were raised on. That being said, the family of this individual are often proud that the mewah who worshiped differently than them actually had a reason and wasn’t afraid to hide the reason.
Socialization in Esfandell
Esfandell is neighbor to Gradina, a city of pursa that had become somewhat of a tourist attraction thanks to the rule of the mewah. Because of this, Esfandell itself has many visitors of all walks of life. Thanks to this, their marketplace is booming with all sorts of booths. Most of them are pursa selling fresh produce from their farms located in Gradina which the mewah happily purchase.
The city is also host to many fancy shops, inns, and restaurants run by the mewah, with no tavern in sight as drunkards are unsightly. That’s reserved for Gradina, their neighbor. These places sell goods at high-prices, so only the richest of people throughout Nouva can even afford to stay a night in Esfandell or are even able to purchase from their mewah-run shops. The more money an individual spends in this city, the more respect they will gain from the mewah that live there.
There are mewah soldiers patrolling the streets but they’re not as intimidating as they seem. In fact, if you ask them questions, they will gladly answer. It’s mostly tourists and young mewah/pursa children asking them questions like what their job pertains to and general directions on how to get somewhere. Adult mewah and pursa don’t typically converse with these soldiers, not out of disrespect or fear but because, most often, they feel that the soldiers simply don’t have time for chit-chat. The soldiers are there to remove any unruly and unsavory peoples from their city and to prevent these same people from ever entering.
Socialization in Pagoma
Since the city of Pagoma is on the water, they are open to trade and traveling vessels. They even have a tavern and inn on the docs for those who just want to guzzle a drink on their downtime. Although the entrance on both ends of the city are heavily guarded, two guards at the docs and two guards at the entrance to the snowy wasteland beyond the city, they are a lot more warmer to newcomers, whether they seem suspicious or not. It’s only after a newcomer does something against their laws that they will take action; never before. In fact, on their breaks, these same mewah guards will have a drink with the sailors.
In addition to the docks, where fish and alcohol sales are abundant, they also have their own market inside the city. Much smaller than that of Esfandell, but it’s still widely used by both mewah and traveling merchants alike. There’s frequent buy of warm clothing and enchanted items to keep the bearer warm in the cold, should they venture out from the magically-protected city into the vast tundra. There are a lot of benefits to doing so, including the collection of rare magical ingredients that are produced only near Pagoma, either by animals or by a plant that can withstand the colds. These products are highly sought after by alchemists and cost nearly a fortune to obtain.
The mewah here have a strong sense of justice; reporting any wrongdoing they see to the guards. This usually doesn’t include little things like littering or loitering but usually has to do with a perpetrator and victim. If there is a victim involved, whether it looks like a kidnapping/slavery, a mugging, a robbery, or even murder, it is always reported post-haste. There is no hesitation when it comes to the mewah of the city of Pagoma. That being said, these mewah are a little on the nosy side so chances of there being a handful of witnesses are huge and most people know better to commit such crimes in this city because of this little fact.
Socialization in Krymmenos
When it comes to letting people into the city, the guards here are incredibly laid back. It’s often rare to get outsiders, mostly because Krymmenos is so out of the way for anyone to travel to and is, on purpose, not located on any maps to keep it well hidden. Those who do visit are sworn not to speak of their location, but can freely speak of what they did in the city. Those who do come that are of different races are often met by surprise from those who live within. Mostly because the mewah are often the only ones who know of the city and who frequent it. Should a landare take spawn within or near this city, they are obtained by the guards and sworn to secrecy as well.
Similar to that of Esfandell, their inns are that of luxury. However, unlike the other mewah city, these are actually affordable to most passersby, much to the disdain of visiting mewah. Because of this, there are often verbal altercations between the visiting mewah and those who live in Krymmenos. Mostly about pride in showing off one’s riches.
Every mewah that lives in the city helps with lighting up the darkness when the moon finally makes its appearance. Even young children have the privilege of helping older mewah light lamps and magical objects that illuminate the night. Aside from being able to see at night, the mewah also help light the city as an homage to the god that their city follows, the god of the moon, Fengario.
Socialization in Mageia
The rivalry between the mewah of Mageia and their artrune neighbors started from the very beginning; when both of their cities were being established. Ever since then, both the artrune and the mewah have had a competitive stance on just about everything; from how much bigger and more beautiful their cities were, to how well their citizens could use magic, each race believed they were better than the other. Despite this, they traded in resources and often mingled in friendly competition, sometimes resulting in the birth of hybrids which were always welcome to live within Mageia.
This showboating grew so much between the two cities that it was starting to be misconstrued as an act of aggression on either side. This resulted in all trades between the two cities coming to a halt and the Magic War began. Getting in and out of the city was already very difficult to begin with and often required special permission from the Royal Court located within the city. And, should an outsider, whether related to a citizen of Mageia or not, break the law, it was very possible that they were withheld from getting to leave the city. Attempting to leave while facing consequences of breaking a law could very well have ended in death.
When the magic war between the two cities began, any outsiders were expelled to avoid sabotage and all citizens who were roaming across the world were to return and expected to join the war. Should a citizen be found to be a half-breed (half artrune, half mewah), they were exiled and had to fend for themselves within the surrounding desert.
Government All three cities are run by a government controlled under their individual monarchs. Each law and their consequences are written within the pages of books of mewahen law. Each city has some laws that differ, but all the cities have general laws that they follow. They don’t typically add new laws unless they deem it really necessary and it’s not an immediate process when they do.
A mewah isn’t typically killed for breaking a law unless they are a literal threat to the existence of others; even murderers often live but are indefinitely detained within a cell. If a murderer is a known escape-artist, this is when they will be, for a lack of better word, ‘put down’ for safety reasons should they be caught once more. Another example of a mewah needing the death penalty is one that inspires others to rise up against the monarchs or even spies or assassins that work specifically against their government. Other races are treated more harshly, often resulting in deaths as punishment compared to their mewahen counterparts for murder and other similar cases, whether they can escape from prison or not.
The rulers of the cities do not often rule with iron fists; they are firm but they understand that people make mistakes and they have respect for personal freedoms. There is no uniform way a mewah lives under their rule within their respective cities. Sometimes these monarchs will help each other when it comes to outlaws from one city that escaped to their own city or give aid during wars and hard times like plagues or famine.
Processes revolving around trials, which everyone gets a chance to have, includes collecting every witness testimony and any evidence left, no matter how insignificant it may seem in the long run. This is to ensure the results of the trial are one-hundred percent accurate or as close to accurate as can be. Any witnesses found will be able to speak during the trial should they agree to. If there are any errors that happen during the trial, the trial itself is completely redone. Not just the section of the trial where the error occurred. All documentation of what happened during the original trial is tossed out and completely replaced with the new trial.
Those who are being detained until and during their trial are considered guilty until proven innocent. There are often two separate cell blocks or prisons, depending on the city, to separate those on trial and those who have been convicted. Those on trial aren’t usually treated very well but they are often treated better than those who are found guilty as a trial result. Those who are being put down by the city government are even treated worse than either. Dragon Class that are guilty or accused, or any of the other races (including hybrids) aside from mewah, are treated the absolute worst compared to their mewah counterparts. Treatment of the guilty and the accused varies from city to city.
Government in Esfandell
There is a Queen of Esfandell by the name of Alexisa, who is very child-like in appearance and quite young in age compared to the other monarchs. Those who encounter her should never judge her by her appearance. She is wise beyond her years and is more mature than mewah that are of her age.
The only entrance to the city, located within Gradina, is heavily guarded by two soldiers at all times. These soldiers are able to recognize who frequents the city and who lives there, but anyone they don’t recognize is heavily scrutinized. Sometimes, if the person seems shady, they are pulled into a room with a locked door for some interrogation by a spare soldier. This will either lead to an arrest or the individual being turned away from entering. They are rarely allowed in after being pulled into this room.
Holding cells are located beneath Alexisa’s castle and guards are on constant patrol throughout the halls to ensure no one escapes; gifts and packages are not allowed. Any who enter the prison will be searched by the guards prior to being put into a cell or visiting someone who is imprisoned to prevent escapes. This includes using enchanted items to detect other enchanted items.
Imprisoned mewah are served three meals per day with the required nutrients to remain healthy. Should it be a holiday, they have the option to trade their water pitcher for ale. Their cells are lit by the torches across the hall from them so that they may be able to read and write. They are provided books for entertainment and a comfortable bed.
For races other than the mewah, the cells are dark and damp and are often cold, regardless of the season. They are fed once a day and usually they only get to eat rice, potatoes, or bread. There is always a pitcher of water available in each cell for drinking.
Only the pursa that live within Gradina, or had once called it home prior to being imprisoned, may talk to their loved ones but only those who share their last name and who currently live in Gradina. Mewah, however, can have visitors aside from family and they do not have to live within the city to visit the imprisoned mewah.
Anyone who attempts to escape are shackled to the walls of their cell. If this happens to be an individual, who is a threat to the monarchy or the city in general, they will be put to death next sunrise. However, those who do not fall under this category of criminals are left to hang on the walls for the entirety of a week without food or water. Should they be caught during an escape attempt prior to their trial, this will be used against them during the trial.
Government in Pagoma
King Tonioki is the ruler of Pagoma and is actually married to the ruler of Krymmenos who is also male. They separately rule their own kingdoms. Because they are a gay couple they can not bare children of their own. King Tonioki’s nephew, named Diomidi, is next in line for the throne. Unlike in Esfandell, there is an actual separate prison that is used for the inmates or those awaiting trial.
The guards often receive witness reports piled on, one after another, should anything happen within the city. Due to an increase in these reports, if more than one crime happens, the lesser of the crimes may be ignored in favor of the more serious or heinous acts. Of course, they’ll always go back to the less-important crimes if they ever have time to. This means that it could potentially take years to make an arrest based on some crimes.
Those who are found guilty of crimes as a result of trial are forced to labor in the cold wasteland surrounding the city. This usually means they have sharp objects that could be used as weapons. Thankfully, these sharp objects are enchanted to disallow use against living flesh and blood and are also enchanted to prevent them from being used to channel magic. Punishments include chopping down trees and cutting them down for firewood or building material, gathering rare ingredients for shops within Pagoma, ice fishing to keep Pagoma fed, cutting ice to distribute among Pagoma’s citizens, or repairing the wall protecting Pagoma.
However, that’s reserved for other races aside from the mewah. Mewah get to work inside the city, where they are sheltered from the cold by the magic that protects Pagoma from harsher weather. They too have to perform physical labor including repairing roads, buildings, the inner wall of Pagoma, constructing new buildings or vehicles such as carts or wagons, or making new weapons for the guards to replace their old and worn-out ones.
No matter what task an inmate has, they are always watched by the guards on duty. There is one guard for every three inmates. Races other than the mewah are often subject to cruelty by some of the more aggressive guards, including being whipped or beaten because they’re either not working fast enough or the guard simply just wants to take their anger and frustration out on the inmate. However, if any race, mewah or not, refuses to do their work, they are not fed until they finally attempt it.
Sometimes a crew is needed for a new ship and the most trusted of inmates are given the chance to sail the seas under a mewah captain, regardless of race. Only the most loyal and well behaved inmates get this chance. This usually takes years of near-perfect behaviour with no signs of aggression or violence. This means those that had murdered or injured others, whether during their crime or to avoid capture, will never be given this chance.
Should word reach the guards of illegal contraband on the docks, including but not limited to slaves and stolen property, the guards will examine every inch of the reported ship to ensure that no such thing reaches their shores. Should anything be found, however, the entirety of the crew of the ship will be arrested and thrown into the cells beneath the castle. The mewah here have a strong sense of justice and will free slaves and return stolen goods to their rightful owners, should they find them.
Important Note from Eerie! Even Pirates are well known to visit the city but, unless they break any of the laws while in Pagoma, then they will be left untouched. This means they can commit crimes elsewhere, unless it’s another mewahen city, and will never be arrested within Pagoma. Should they attack mewahen ships, then the particular pirate crew will be wanted and there will be a lookout for them in Pagoma.
Government in Krymmenos
King Costassoca is ruler of Krymmenos and is married to King Tonioki of Pagoma. King Costassoca has adopted a female mewahen child, by the name of Irinia, to take his place should anything happen to him since he has no blood-related heirs and will never have any because of his relationship to Pagoma’s king.
Even though not many people aside from mewah know of this city, those who do stumble upon it are often asked not to tell others where it’s located, just to prevent future conflict with other mewahen cities and their respective citizens (see Socialization in Krymmenos). However, there really isn’t anything the mewahen government of Krymmenos can do to prevent or punish those who accidentally give away their location, especially since it’s not against the law.
Prisoners of Krymmenos are treated equally, regardless of race. They are provided two healthy meals a day: Breakfast and Dinner. They are provided cells with the bare minimum needed for living including a cushioned, but somewhat uncomfortable, bed.
All though escapees that are murderers or are known to be violent are killed on sight should they be caught or found, the rest of the criminals can live within the prison rather freely. They can even leave their rooms accompanied by guards to recreational activities should they get bored enough.
To give back to their community or for apology for whatever act they committed, they are required to work on construction throughout the city when needed. They are typically guarded by a mixture of physically and magically strong mewahen guards, only about a handful of them, no matter the amount of prisoners they are watching over. Should a convict refuse their duties, they will be removed from sight and locked in a cold, damp, and tiny cell with no amenities and no chance of leaving for at least a week. They are still fed their meals, however, but are kept from interacting with other inmates and are not allowed visitors until this period is over.
Government in Mageia
The city had been run by a monarchy and their Royal Court. Getting in and out of the city, save for friendly competitions with their neighbors, required the Royal Court’s permission. Most people let in were either related to their citizens or bringing goods to trade in their market.
Those who were directly related to their citizens were only allowed in through a process in which they fill out an E1 Entry Form, sending it to a family member that is a citizen currently staying within Mageia, the family member would sign it and send it back, and when the person received the now-signed form, they would have to personally address it to the Royal Court of Mageia. The Royal Court would then look over the form during one of their meetings and either accept or deny access to the outside family member. It was easier for those who were born in Mageia to get back in.
For a citizen to leave the city, whether for vacation, medical reasons, or government-based responsibilities, they would have to submit an Exit Form to the Royal Court. Each citizen that was going with them, whether family, friend, or co-worker, would have to submit a separate form. The Exit Form would require a deadline to come back to the city; if the citizen did not return by then, their citizenship would be revoked.
Citizenship was impossible to receive outside of being born within the city. Whether they are a direct parent to a child that was born within the city or even married to a citizen, they would never be approved for citizenship. They would need to fill out an E1 Entry Form to be granted entry for visitation; this grants them permanent stay regardless of the lack of citizenship until they submit an Exit Form; they will be denied a return date. They will then have to resubmit an updated E1 Entry Form.
In the cases of citizenship being revoked via not meeting the deadline to return, these most often were permanent. There were special occasions that can result in an overturn of this decision depending on the circumstances, such as being held captive. Proof was always required; whether physical or testimonial.
Merchants of all kinds, no matter the race, were one of the only other exceptions for entry into the city. It always required an E2 Entry Form to be properly filled out and addressed to the Royal Court. This form often required wares and pricing to be listed and for the merchant to provide an exit date, which is when they would finally leave the city. If anything on the form was filled out incorrectly, even by something as simple as a misspelling, the form would be instantly denied. The second and last exception for entry to the city would be a government official from another civilization. They would have to fill out an E3 Entry Form, which required their own government’s approval prior to the approval of the Royal Court of Mageia. This form is required to be filled out by their government’s officials instead of by themselves.
While within the city, any non-citizens will be required to follow the laws of the city. Should one of these laws be broken, they will be assigned a warden. This warden will tail them until their punishment is received. Should they catch the non-citizen criminal trying to flee, they were ordered to kill them.
Names and Titles The mewahen naming system is often only used by a pure-bred Mewah (as it's an important part of their heritage) or by hybrids that were either named by their mewahen parent or their other parent who loves and respects the mewahen heritage. Unlike other races, there is no gendering of the names. Instead, rules are based on name placement (i.e. First, Middle, Last). A pure-bred Mewah has all three names and would only stray from such names should their parents not care for them or they are adopted by another race.
First Name Rules
These names always start with a consonant.
They have exactly four syllables.
The name always ends with a vowel, which includes the letter 'Y'.
Middle Name Rules
These names always start with a consonant.
Though two to three syllables is traditional, four syllables has become a new trend among younger mewah.
If the first name ended with a y, then the middle name needs to end with a consonant.
If the first name didn't end with a y, then it can end with either a consonant or a vowel.
Last Name (Surname) Rules
These names always start with a consonant.
They have three or four syllables.
The name can either end in a vowel or a consonant.
Many families may share the same surname but aren’t related. There can be multiple families with the same last name living in the same city or in close proximity to each other. Surname origins have been lost to the past, before writing had even been invented, so even if they were related they wouldn’t really know. It often doesn’t matter to the mewah families, however. Should two families believe they are of relation, they may merge into one.
A woman’s surname will change after marriage. The surname will either be their significant other’s last name or a combination of both their surname and their significant others with a hyphenation between. This is up to the mewahen woman. Surnames for offspring are often the father’s or a combination of both their father’s and their mother’s with a hyphenation between (mother’s surname - father’s surname; in that order). The child may drop the surname for another, of their choice, within their close family (cousins, parents, aunts and uncles, etc.) when they get older so long as they can prove they are related.
Should anyone be good at their job or especially skilled, they are often given an honorific title to match by the mewah that addresses them. This means a mewah will give a title to any race so long as they are skilled at what they do. Some titles can mean many things, such as the Scholar title. It could mean the person who receives the title can either be especially skilled in the study of magic or even have a job with books and scrolls such as librarian or historian. Some titles also include Apprentice or Master should they relate to an understudy and the one teaching them. This goes hand-in-hand with the skill, for example Apprentice Scholar.
Honorific titles always come before the first name of an individual. When using an honorific title, the actual name of the individual doesn’t typically need to be used unless there are multiple people within presence with the same title. Using the individual’s first name along with the title prevents confusion. However, in rare instances, there may be multiple people with similar sounding names that may have the same title. In which case, the use of first name and surname is needed.
Some honorific titles are only used by mewah within the trade themselves. Honorary titles that include mercenary or are pirate related are not typically said in public. This is because most people with these titles are criminals or have performed many illegal actions and will be arrested on sight, depending on where they are.
Religion and Belief System The mewah have three gods and most mewah worship only one. However, there have been instances where some of the gods, all of the gods, or none of the gods are worshiped by a mewah. Their belief is that the gods produce the light of the earth and provide said light from the heavens from which they sleep. All three produce light in a similar but different fashion and all three also represent many different natures of Nouva.
There is a statue of each god in their respective cities, located at the center of the city just before each of the castles that houses the monarch of the city. There are also cathedrals which are visited by many throughout the city and by mewahen travellers. Despite only one god statue per city, each of the cathedrals share worship of all three gods for those who need it. However, the god of the city always takes precedence over the other two.
Each cathedral has at least three representatives, one for each of the gods. These representatives dress in fancy robes and attire and sport tattoos to reflect the gods they worship and preach about. The tattoos are always of specific colors and there is a single symbol on the forehead of the individual priest that represents the god in combination of multiple tattoos all over the body; the latter of which is really based on decoration of the body with no real meaning other than support of the main symbol on the forehead.. This symbol acts as an ‘eye’ for the specific god to see through, to see the people that worship and to give blessings through the priest that bears it.
A white five-pointed star represents the goddess of the stars, Asteria. A pale yellow sun represents the God of the Sun, Iilioso. And a pale blue crescent moon represents the God of the Moon, Fengario. All three of the gods are believed to be siblings.
Once a month (and on the same night in all the cities), all mewah within the city, whether they live there or are visiting, participate in a vigil. Depending on which city, each mewah will bring either a lit candle (Pagoma and Krymmenos) or floating lanterns (Esfandell). This is called The Gathering of Lights and takes place around the statue of the city. Placing the candles at the foot of the statue or releasing the lit lanterns into the sky is believed to help guide lost mewah into the afterlife where they rest with their gods.
Mewah, in their last hour of life, dawn ceremonial death robes to take into the afterlife with them. Wearing any other clothing into the afterlife is seen as poor taste and a disrespect to the gods. These ceremonial death robes bear all three of the gods' emblems, the same that many mewah priests wear as tattoos and pendants, but displays all three at once instead of just one. After passing, their old clothes are often handed down to their loved ones.
Asteria
Asteria (As-Stair-Ee-Uh) is the mewahan goddess of the stars. Her domain encompasses magic, wishes, and miracles. She is prayed to before exams at the College of Magic within Esfandell and mewah also prays to her for their child to be born with the ability to wield strong magics. She is believed to be responsible for giving the unborn children strong enough magic to attract a half of the dragon’s soul (creature, not Class), thus being directly responsible for the creation of the Rider Class.
Shooting stars are known as Asteria’s tears of happiness. Whenever she feels an overwhelming sense of joy for her people, she begins to weep. These tears become shooting stars which the mewah will wish upon. She will grant wishes should they be logical, but will only bring them halfway there by providing the luck needed on their journey to grant their own wish.
Iilioso
Iilioso (EE-EE-Oh-So) is the mewahen god of the sun. His domain includes life, plants and animals, and the very force of nature. He is the one who creates the soul of the mewah and plants them in an unborn child, whereas his sister, Asteria, gives them the gift of magic after. He is the driving force behind the mewah, for he was the one who brought them into the world. He did not stop there with the mewah, as he believed they needed food and shelter, and so created the tree and the cattle. He created the animals that inhabit the grasslands and the forests. He created the berries that grow from bushes and the crops that grow from the earth.
But he can also take the lives of his creations when he is angry. He is the one who corrupts the earth and the wind to create natural disasters. He brings tsunamis to drown people, mewah or not, and earthquakes to destroy cities. He brings the fire that rains from the skies during volcanic eruptions and the lava that spews from it’s mouth. When he brings his hand down on the people of Nouva, the mewah believe it is righteous; that the people affected had done wrong and are deserving of his wrath.
Fengario
Fengario (Fin-Gar-Ee-Oh) is the mewahen god of the moon. His domain resides over dreams, knowledge, and growth. Everytime a mewah goes to sleep, whether during the day or during the night, he sends them dreams. These dreams are typically supposed to help the mewah relax so that they will be well-rested come morning. However, nightmares will sometimes be given instead, perceived as a warning or bad omen by the mewah that certain actions or decisions they will be making soon may end up going very wrong.
The god of the moon will grant knowledge in magic, whether it’s the magic studies, magical environments, magical phenomena, etc.. This knowledge will be available to be found by anyone who is willing to look for it. Oftentimes the seeker is required to conduct experiments or travel great distances and explore in order to find the answers. People are curious by nature, so he grants this ability to all the races and not just the mewah.
When a mewah, plant, or animal comes into the world, he is the reason behind their growth. Whether it’s physical, mental, or academic, he is the one pushing them to better themselves. When a mewah becomes stunted, either physically or mentally, it’s usually because their soul accidentally got caught in the middle of the three gods fighting each other (as Iilioso often starts many in his anger), either passing through while the individual is asleep or during their creation before their birth. It is never the mewah’s fault that this happens.