Races, Countries, and Cultures (WIP)

A place to put stuff about the special "groups" within the rp, like the dragons or kitsunes. Basic summaries, possibly with detail entries below.


~~~ Amarante's Children (Kitsunes)
- A particular race of foxes who live in tribal groups scattered over Kolerin's wild land. They are characterized as being foxes with thick fur, made for temperate weather, who often share the same supernatural abilities due to their gene pool being rather confined. If one of these foxes is supernatural, they will usually have empathy and/or healing powers, though some may have the ability to manipulate pure energy, which may appear as a ball of light. Their culture further defines them, as they are peace-loving tribes who honor their ancestors rather than any form of god, and usually show little interest in "modern" society. Due to the Sect's massive genocide, many tribes were wiped out, so the race is now rather rare and surviving tribes are being taken into protective care in Evenstell.
- Call themselves "Amarante's Children" after a priestess who united the tribes in the past, long ago, and taught them to honor their dead and look to the spirits for guidance.
- The slang term for them is "kitsune," a name referring to a magical fox being. They do not mind this nickname, though they are normal foxes and not mythical beings.

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~~~ Dragons (WIP for Pluto to put in!)

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===== DETAILED ENTRIES =====

-=-=- Amarante's Children -=-=-

--- Summary ---
- Commonly called "kitsune."
- More of a particular ethnicity than a race, the kitsune are a group of foxes defined by particular supernatural abilities, believes, and tribal culture.

--- Supernaturals ---
- Kitsune foxes have one of the highest concentrations of supernaturals with in their society. While most countries and cities have an average of 25-35% supernaturals, the kitsune people experienced an overwhelming 50-75% supernatural birth rate, meaning over half, or nearly three-quarters, of all kitsune babies are born as supernaturals.
- Kitsune are defined by particular abilities they inherit. A closed gene pool could be the cause of their high supernatural birth rate and the particular set of abilities these supernaturals have. The abilities a kitsune will usually inherit are empathy, healing, and the ability to manipulate pure energy, which often appears as a form of light. Empathy is the most common, and healing the second, while energy manipulation is the least. Some kitsune have only one ability, and others inherit several. It is rare for a kitsune to have an ability other than the common three, but not impossible.

--- Culture and Beliefs ---
- Kitsune foxes do not worship any form of god, but rather pray to their ancestors for guidance. Life and death are prominent forces in their culture, and the dead are mourned and honored extensively, but also prayed to after their passing, as kitsune believe spirits listen to the voices of the mortal.
- Kitsune live in individual tribes, with these tribes usually being led by a few choice members; usually, a strong warrior, an elder, and a shaman. A warrior for their strength and leadership skills, an elder for their wisdom and experience, and a shaman for their guidance and closeness to the spirits. Larger tribes may have more leaders, and smaller ones less. 
- Warriors are able-bodied adult kitsune who are trained to fight, using old-fashioned weaponry like spears and bows and arrows. They are not soldiers full-time, as kitsune rarely need to worry about such things, so most warriors have a trade their family can conduct, such as farming, smithing, masonry, carpentry, etc.
- Shamans are kitsune with a particular devotion to the spirits, and the followings of Amarante. They often adorn their fur in markings made from strong dyes, and wear strange outfits with bones, feathers, and the like.
- Kitsune who are not shamans or warriors are just normal villagers who can live a multitude of different lifestyles.
- A few smaller kitsune tribes are nomadic, being hunters and gatherers rather than farmers, but these tribes are usually no larger than twenty or thirty members.

--- Amarante ---
- Kitsune lore describes Amarante as the first of the shamans, a snow white vixen with golden hair and eyes. During a time of war and suffering, she united the kitsune people and taught them to respect the sacrifices of their fallen and end the fighting. Her teachings taught humility, empathy, love, and sacrifice, and from then on, the kitsune changed their ways.
- It is believed that the presence of empathy as a supernatural ability is due to Amarante's bloodline. Some historians believe it was her empathy that led her to try to end the wars long ago, as she felt the suffering of the dying and the grief of all those who lost loved ones.

--- Villages ---
- Most kitsune live in villages with dirt roads and small homes encircled by gardens where they grow fruits and vegetables, or house the horses and ponies they use to get around, as kitsune do not have any modern technology that requires electricity. Houses often only have three or four rooms at most, and are built from stone, mud bricks, normal bricks, wood, and often with thatched or shingled roofs. Other structures are more like sturdy tents than buildings, with cloth walls and wooden support beams.
- Villages are often colorful, as the kitsune do not care much for uniformity; all sorts of shades of color appear on the homes, and the laundry strung on lines hanging between the houses.
- Recently, kitsune tribes began interacting more with modern society, often trading and bartering with them. Hand-made cloth and jewelry from the kitsune is exchanged for foodstuffs and other supplies to ensure no fox kit goes hungry or cold in the winter. Tribes often form particularly good bonds with certain towns they interact with often, and are usually welcoming of curious visitors.

--- The Sect's Genocide ---
- After the Sect attacked and decimated Kolerin, many kitsune tribes were killed off due to their supernatural abilities, while many more of the foxes were captured and used for experiments. The kitsune have become a much rarer race of people after so many deaths, yet they still desire to return to their own culture rather than mingling extensively with Evenstell, who offered them shelter. Those from Kolerin have joined with tribes native to Evenstell, and many kitsune tribes and villages may be seen along the southern edge of the country, or just past the border into what had once been Kolerin. Others have journeyed back to the rubble of what had been Kolerin, determined to return to their homeland.

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Alright. So here's what I've got on my dragons. Mind you this is a mix between actual mythological lore as well as some original content.

Dragon Lore

-The dragons follow the rumors and myths that were spread during ancient times to a certain degree.

Rumors versus Truth

Rumor: Dragons spit or breathe fire.
Truth: Not all of them can. The presence of glands made for spitting fire is actually quite rare. The element a dragon can breathe is usually genetic if the glands are even present. Most dragons lack the glands meant for breathing raw elemental power. No one is sure why this is.

Rumor: Dragons love gold
Truth: Dragons do in fact love riches, but then again who doesn't. The Dragon tribes during the Dark Ages did steal from royalty but usually only took what was necessary to survive. Those that took excessive amounts were usually punished for doing so. In modern times however, Dragons don't steal it however they do have a tendency to want gold over other forms of jewelry. Again, why this is remains unknown

Rumor: Dragons are loners
Truth: This is false. Dragons live in patriarchal tribes that are scattered throughout the world. The Patriarch of the Tribe is usually determined through in-fighting. The strongest male is Patriarch and rules the tribe as they see fit.

Rumor: Dragon scales cannot be pierced by ordinary weapons.
Truth: This rumor is false. While dragon scales are pretty tough, stabbing one with a knife or shooting one will pierce their body just like any other person.

Rumor: Dragons will kidnap royalty especially maidens.
Truth: The Tribes wholly resent and denounce kidnapping of any kind. Even in ancient time, dragons never actually kidnapped anyone. These rumors were made up to turn the people against them by the royalty in an attempt to get back their riches which the dragons had stolen.

Rumor: Dragons are magical
Truth: While the ones with supernatural powers are indeed quite powerful, dragons are not magical creatures. They do not cast spells or put curses on people like a witch or a wizard would.

Rumor: Dragons are immortal
Truth: Dragons only seem immortal due to the fact that, with a healthy lifestyle, can live for quite a long time. The oldest living dragon on record lived to be 210 years old.

Culture

-For the most part, the word of the Patriarch is law. However, the Patriarch usually has a council of other high-ranking dragons that advise him on every situation demanding their attention.

- Males and females must procreate and bear at least one child. The child does not have to be raised by its parents if the parents do not wish to do so. Dragon offspring are, more often than not, raised by the tribe as a collective.

-Procreation can be prearranged but isn't always. Once it is known to the tribe that a female is with child they, as well as the father, are thrown a ceremony in which various rights are bestowed upon both parties involved

-One will know a dragon has procreated by the presence of a necklace that is strung with obsidian jewels as well as the dragons family stone. The stone usually will match the family patriarch’s eye color though this is subject to change depending on the head of the family.

-Dragons don't usually marry. Those that do often leave the tribe and marry a non-dragon.

-Draconic weddings have no grand ceremony. The party signs a legal document and that's it.

-So long as one has procreated within the tribe, the rules of the tribe are fairly lenient. There is nothing against polygamy, or homosexuality so long as one has contributed to the continuation of the species.

-While the Tribe is primarily rules by a Patriarch, any dragon above the age of 18 may challenge the Patriarch for the right to rule the tribe, regardless of social standing gender sexuality etc.

-The Patriarch must accept any challenges.

-The challenger and the Patriarch have a duel and the winner becomes (or remains) Patriarch.

-Duels are NOT to the death.

-A third party will judge the fight.

-There are no weapons allowed during these battles and at any time, the judge may end the fight at any point they desire.

-Not many challenge the Patriarch and those that do usually do so for the thrill of a good fight.

Laws

-Heinous crimes such as rape and murder are usually followed with an immediate death sentence upon proof of guilt.

-Courts in the tribes will usually have the Patriarch of the Tribe present (though this is subject to change) as well as a jury of randomly selected individuals within the Tribe.

-Minor crimes are usually dealt with through mandatory hard labor, fines, and at worst, permanent or semi-permanent exile.

- Minor criminals usually carry a branding on their shoulder. Different brands represent respective crimes. These brands are usually burned into the flesh with a hot iron.

Religion

-Dragons worship Draco, who they believe was once a mortal but performed heroic deeds a la Hercules and ascended to the likeness of a god.

-According to legend, when his final deed was complete, Draco passed from this world, ascended to Heaven and became the constellation of the same name.

-Because of this, dragon priests and priestesses often look to the stars for guidance and spiritual enlightenment.

-Family names usually have some form of status behind them. Most mean something, usually an event in the tribes history the family was directly involved with or the deeds of one member of the family.

-Dragons clothing is a traditional style similar to Stellan culture though their color choice is much darker in nature preferring blacks darker greys and deep reds and blues to offset the blacks and greys to stand out a bit more.

-Though they are docile in nature should conflict arise their battle gear is still very reminiscent of the Dark Ages. They wear modernized version of knight armor and still carry swords and shields into battle.

-Dragon armor is very very strong, being just as bullet resistant as modern armor while still carrying on the tradition of the knights from long ago.

-Typically, dragon warrior's shields and mantles will bare a family crest upon it signifying where they come from.

-Warriors can be both male and female. So long as one is willing to fight and die for the tribe they can be a warrior.

-Dragon armor is all custom made to fit the warrior at the time of going to battle. Therefore armor is constantly being made to fit the warriors as they age. It's not uncommon for a seasoned warrior to have upwards of 5-10 sets of armor.

Powers

-15%-30% of Dragons are supernaturals in that they carry a genetic power that resides outside the norm.

Normal powers for dragons are as follows

-Above average strength (but not Super Strength)

-Above average speed (but not super speed)

Common Supernatural powers

-Elemental manipulation (The ability to manipulate a certain element)

-Manipulation of raw energy

-Super Strength

History

-No one is sure where the first dragon came from. Many believe that dragons have just always existed. If there was a dragon that was around when the first of their kind showed up they are long dead and forgotten.

-In the Dark Ages they were both feared and respected by the other races.

-After the Renaissance, they began to lose their touch with the rest of the world. Eventually they faded into legend

-It wouldn't be until the Sect Uprising that the dragons would be heard from again. Sect supporters began capturing them believing them to be supernaturals in need of their cure. The dragons retaliated.

-The Sect was not strong enough to pursue the dragons that retreated into the mountains across the globe namely due to the dragons that now bare Faal Saviik as their family name


-The dragon tribes still see the Sect as a major threat and have shut the doors to their territory. They barely trade with anyone they have not had contact with previously. Leaving the tribe, while still allowed after procreation, is highly discouraged.

(I do not believe Flight and enhanced senses should count as powers, considering dragons have wings, and their senses are only a little more enhanced and not drastically. Those seem like normal biological attributes, similarly to how a dog has good hearing and smell, while bats like Roy and Shay can obviously fly. So we don't need those listed as powers, those are kind of a given. ;3)

(Okies. I edit them out. Thanks for the input Chirpy :3c )

(Yup, they're cool. XD Little things like that don't have to be considered powers.)