Ailor: Difference between revisions

Ailor
	Ailor (in Common)
	Motto: "March, march to the glory of progress"
Nation State	Many
Ruler	Varied
Languages	Primarily Common
Religion	Unionism, Fornoss, Draconism
First Recorded	Unclear
Demonym(s)	Ailor

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Latest revision as of 03:41, 28 September 2024

Ailor is a term that describes a vast range of people with no clear single heritage origin, but who all developed around the same time. Aloria's analog for Humans, the Ailor are Aloria's most numerous people by sheer virtue of populating the majority of the world's landmasses, and their comparatively shorter lives to those of other heritage, causing their population numbers to explode in short periods. To many other societies, the Ailor were barely on the radar for thousands of years. Despite their huge numbers, for most of history, they were the uncounted footnote, often an entity to be acted upon, rather than setting the stage for the global empires of old. The world-altering event that was the Cataclysm changed the global foodchain, propelling the Ailor to the top with the newly established Regalian Empire, which would grow to become the world's greatest superpower. The majority of the Roleplay occurs in the capital of the Ailor people, Regalia.

Design

Because of their historical newcomer status to geopolitics, some other peoples of Aloria still look down on Ailor as crude tribals.

Knighthood is a concept developed by Ailor, mostly to legitimize and uphold their power structures.

Most of the world's history is recorded through the eyes of the Ailor, who show a more erudite work-ethic to chronicling than others.

The Ailor are exceptionally pious, capable of great acts of self-sacrifice or evil in the name of faith.

While most of Ailor society is anti-Magic, some of the world's most powerful Mages can be found among them.

Autocracy, hierarchy, and feudalism are some of the cornerstone pillars of Ailor society.

While most other people have consistent fashion styles, the Ailor are at the foreground of fashionable advancements.

The amount of plotting and scheming at Ailor courts would sometimes put Elven intrigue to shame, given it moves much faster and much more deadly.

Ailor, being the closest analog to a "Human" as seen in other lore universes, are considered the jack-of-all-trades. They do nothing quite as exceptional as the other peoples of Aloria. While they can learn Magic, rarely does an Ailor become as good a Mage as a Lanlath Elf. While Ailor use technology often, rarely do they have the unique technological gift of the Skyborn. While Ailor fleets command the high seas with military power, an Ailor could not compete with a Fin'ullen Elf while fighting submerged in water. They are the average middle ground between all people, capable of all things but having no specific gift for anything but court politics and intrigue, and an uncanny ability to create further divisions among themselves. It should be noted that Ailor can have any visual appearance real-world people can have independent of their parentage or ethnicity. Genetics work differently in Aloria, with inherited traits often being more about demeanor, rather than skin/hair/eye color or ethnic grouping.

Heritage Traits

In Character Design, Proficiency allows for the buying of Packs, which give Combat Abilities. Heritage Traits add free Packs and Mechanics to a Character, fit around cultural themes. Mechanics are flair and roleplay opportunities Characters have outside of Combat, while Packs are Combat Power. Free Magic Packs can always be defined as any Alignment. Mixed Heritage Characters (characters of two different culture parents) choose one set of Free Packs, and can mix and match Mechanics from both parents up to a maximum of 5 Mechanics.

Free Packs

Ailor can choose 1 Pack from any Category for free. If any magic is chosen, the player may choose Alignment between God Magic, Exist, Ordial, Void, and Dragon Magic.
Ailor can choose 1 Pack from Mounted Point Buy or Training Point Buy Categories for free.

Mechanics

Ailor are masters of languages, which is expected given their habit to culturally divides. Because so many of their languages are inter-connected, various words become more obviously related, and they also take more effort to learn other languages. If someone insults an Ailor, even in a language they do not speak, the Ailor would know, as they know most curse words or words by which to speak ill of others in all languages.
Ailor are the masters of the Regalian Empire, and while it has equality between all peoples and heritages, Ailor are just by virtue of being Ailor considered preferential for most government positions and judicial situations. Where possible to do with the Nobility, with Government, or with Palace decisions, Ailor will be treated preferentially over other peoples, even if their qualifications might be lesser than the other options.
Ailor make for excellent negotiators. Ailor gain +2 on top of every Persuasion Dice roll result, and their Persuasion Cap is also increased by +2 for every Dice Roll. These effects only apply to non-Afflicted, non-Mystech individuals, as their speech and habits are entirely fine-tuned to the more mundane aspects of global society, they must venture beyond their comfort zone to be able to reach Magic things.
Ailor whether by divine intervention or by sheer dump cosmic luck, always somehow end up on the right side of history. Ailor Characters when participating in Events, may sometimes stumble into an extreme luck roll that drops an additional loot item for one of the participants. This loot can be physical items, or intangible things like Divinium or an Artifactspark. Chances are higher for non-Magic using Ailor than Magic using Ailor.
Ailor when using Syncretism can worship up to 3 Gods of their sub-dominant Religion, instead of just 1 or 2. Additionally, when Syncretizing, they gain the Mechanic of the sub-dominant Religion (except for Evolism, where only one of the Mechanics can be chosen). If your Character does not Syncretize, they gain +1 Attack Stat (Breaking Cap up to 11) against Characters that have Syncretized their mono-faith.

Religions

Unionism: Unionism is the most common Religion followed by the Ailor, and it is also the most recent one, only being 300 years or so old. Unionism is a Religion that proposes that global paradise will arrive when the Regalian Empire dominates the whole world, and because most Ailor live in the borders of the Regalian Empire, the two connect well.
Draconism: Draconism is one of the smallest minority Religions among the Ailor, but still one that is going strong. Draconism is exceptionally hard to root out among the Ailor, because the Dragons always seem to have treated them more preferentially than other peoples of Aloria, guiding and helping the development of many of their cultures over the centuries.
Estelley: Following Estelley as a Religion is a bit strange for an Ailor because it is mostly an Elf ethno-Religion, and because the Elves spent millennia terrorizing Ailor countries with repeat raids for wealth and power. Still, Estelley brings a strong message about inner perfection that some Ailor who live among a lot of Elves may find appealing.
Fornoss: Fornoss is the second (and once largest) Religion of the Ailor. The Fornoss Religion continues to be strong especially in the north, as the original Fornoss believers were the first Ailor to truly venture far beyond their native homelands and colonized many corners of the world. It continues to have a strong presence even in the mostly Unionist Regalian Empire.
Evolism: Evolism is an unusually popular minority Religion among the Ailor. As the Regalian Empire grows and expands, the individual becomes more of a faceless nameless gray entity in a crowd, indistinguishable from the other averages. The Dark Gods answer, allowing an Ailor to become exceptional, powerful, famous and feared, at the expense of their obedience.
Khama: While Khama was largely an ethno-Religion for most of its existence, it has recently become more open to outsiders, and so some non-Asha are converting to it. The numbers are still minuscule, but with a more articulated central message, Khama is capable of competing for converts with the other minority Religions.
Minor Faiths: Due to the cultural and historical variance among the Ailor, Pagan Cultism is alive and well especially in the more isolated corners of the Empire. Ailor make up the bulk of most of the smaller Pagan Faiths and Cults that exist around the world, just because of difficulty other major world Religions have at inspiring the hinterlands to follow their dogma.

Naming

Ailor naming customs are extremely varied, and even within societies or cultures that have common habits, Ailor tend to name children all manner of names sometimes even from other cultures. If a player chooses to make their Character of a particular culture (cultures are outlined below), then a quick google search can quickly explain naming conventions, and give name examples. Some unique naming conventions within the lore do not exist in real-life, so it may always be relevant to source the culture pages below to see if any special naming conventions are mentioned.

Cultures

Ailor more than any other people sub-divide their cultues perpetually, and sometimes for no real discernable reason other than to engage in an othering of groups of people from the home-group. While most other peoples of Aloria are fairly homogenous when it comes to culture, the Ailor have dozens of cultures, and among them even dozens of dialects and customs. Ailor love create an "us and them" mentality with ever smaller groupings with niche customs and habits. To give access to a wide variety of cultural expressions, we use real-world culture analogs that are easy to understand and express for Players. Below is a listing of all the Cultures that are currently playable.

The Velheim Culture is a varied Scandinavian-like Culture with elements of Viking militarism and Norse Pagan mysticism.
The Wirtem Culture (to be written) is a varied Germanic-like culture with elements of Prussian militarism and Bavarian agrarianism.
The Anglian Culture (to be written) is a varied Netherlandish culture with elements of Dutch agrarianism and old Germanic mysticism.
The Breizh Culture (to be written) is a varied Welsh/Breton/Cornish-like culture with elements of chivalric knighthood and Arthurian legends.
The Cearden Culture (to be written) is a varied English/Anglosaxon/Gaelic-like culture with elements of English manorialism and the Scottish highlands.
The Ithanian Culture is a varied French-like culture with elements of Versailles court-intrigue and belle-epoque high fashion.
The Tierravera Culture (to be written) is a varied Spanish/Latin America-like culture with elements of hacienda estates and guerrilla-style independence.
The Slovenin Culture (to be written) is a varied Slavic/Balkan-like culture with elements of orthodox piety to faith and east-European customs.
The Aetosian Culture (to be written) is a varied Byzantine/Armenian/Georgian-like culture with elements of intellectualism and the enlightenment.
The Cantaluna Culture (to be written) is a varied Italian-like culture with elements of musical/orchestral expression and educational prowess.
The Pre-Empire Culture (to be written) is a collection of mostly extinct fantasy cultures that add some unique flair to Ailor.
The Regal Culture (to be written) has no real-world analog, it is an artificial "patriotic" culture that tries to blend other cultures together.

While we generally recommend sticking to these Cultures as written into Lore, you are able to carry forward your own culture or a real-world culture not mentioned on this page into Roleplay without much issue. Keep in mind however that some specific cultures do belong to other heritages of people, so if you would like to express a particular real-world culture in Roleplay that is not on this list, please make a Lore Staff Ticket on the Community Discord to discuss.

History

The Homeland Era

The Homeland Era is a period that refers to when the Ailor largely lived on Ceardia and other immediately adjacent land masses. This period was likely either shortly after the fall of the Meraic Empire or some millennia before the rise of the Allorn Empire. Ailor have likely been around for some time longer than most people of Aloria in the present era, however their initial progress was extremely slow due to their short (comparative) life spans, and their extremely violent culture. The Homeland Era is sometimes also referred to as the Warlord Era, as this was a period in which most of Ailor society was perpetually stuck in never-ending border conflicts with regional warlords and petty despots. There are an uncountable amount of cultures that rose and perished in this period, until the sudden arrival of the Proto-Velheim who would later form the core of the Fornoss worshiping people. At around the same time, the ancestors of the Skyborn diversified from their common Ailor ancestor, and became the first founders on Ard-al-Nur, thus no longer being Ailor.

The Pearl Wars

After the Proto-Velheim started mass-colonizing the world, a long period that coincides with Elven and Asha history referred to as the Pearl Wars or the Elven Terror. This was a period spanning some millennia after the Dewamenet-Allorn War, and the subsequent defeat of the Asha. As the Pearl Wars accelerated against the Asha, fleeing Asha populations moved into Ailor territories, which in turn put the Ailor in contact with the Elves. There is a shared tragedy between the Ailor and the Asha, in that many of the same areas where Asha were repeatedly attacked with vile Oblation Magics, the Ailor who lived close by and sometimes even intermingled also became a target. While Oblation Magic required specific conditions to be met to work on the souls of the Asha, it was easier to apply to the Ailor, who had such varied Religions that they sometimes just did not have afterlives, or were some version of early agnostic, thus not having any faith at all. It should be expressed that the Asha by far suffered greater under this historical event than the Ailor, as the campaign by the Elves was designed to exterminate their people and culture, but Ailor often were caught up in the crossfire, and faced raids just as well. For every three raids on Asha population centers, Ailor also faced a raid on theirs, with Elven fleets ranging as far as Ceardia, Ard-al-Nur, and the landmass that would later become the Regalian Archipelago. During this period, large migratory movements of people also occurred, which is why the Ailor are so genetically diverse in the modern era. While originally skintone and hair color and eye color defined where someone came from, over time the mixing of these people made visual traits effectively universal. There remain legends of "the arrival of the black-haired people from the south", millennia ago, a point after which those populations mixed, and henceforth any Ailor could have black hair. The Pearl Wars did not invoke a historical trauma for the Ailor like it did for the Asha, notably because their average life span in this period was four times as short as an average Asha who could survive the Pearl Wars, so the events were quickly forgotten, though a communal distrust of Elves remained. When the Pearl Wars ended, Ailor population counts recovered fairly quickly, and exploded after the Cataclysm.

The Regalian Era

The Cataclysm defines the 0 year dating event during which much of the world's geography was changed due a series of natural calamities. These earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis were the consequence of a massive Magical event at the end of a failed Void Invasion elsewhere in the world, and it utterly wrecked most of the western world's surface (sparing the Sihai lands). The Allorn Empire was destroyed, and with their most prominent obstacle to glory being eliminated, the Ailor were free to expand and form larger contiguous states. In the year 5 AC the Regalian Empire was founded after the Five Family Rebellion against a local Elven state, during which Solvaan Elves. Eronidas, Ailor, and Narim came together to defeat the local tyrants and found the Regalian Empire under the leadership of the Ailor. Regalia continued to grow for the coming 3 centuries into the world's largest but often at times unstable Empire and the central focus point of world politics. This era is largely defined for each state by whether or not they are part of the Empire, subject to it, or fight against it.

Expanded Lore

Expanded Lore exists to apply more content and deep-lore exploration. This section is optional reading that is not needed for a good experience, though if you play a Scholar of a kind, reading this is encouraged.

Regalia the City

Regalia is the capital of the Regalian Empire. Why the city and the Empire are named the way they are is unknown, though it was likely a happenstance, as most of the Regalian Empire at the time of its founding was either trival or in early stages of developing a feudal agrarian society. Regalia, or the capital more specifically, was the place where everyone traveled to "the Regal place" as it were. The capital is what defined much of the early rise of the Empire, and is the central focal point in a way that no other capital of any other people could be. As a result, it is speculated that the locals just eventually called Regalia the Regal City, and that the Empire was defined by what this capital was called. Regalia is a metropolitan the likes of which only the most cosmopolitan melting pot cities in the real world could compare. Even though it only has 4 million inhabitants (which is small compared to real-world metropolises), it is the most densely inhabited city in Aloria, with every culture, every belief, every cult, every heritage and every ethnicity represented. For all the major religions there are vast temples, for all the foreign kingdoms there are embassies, and each people effectively has a district or neighborhood to call their own. Every taste, every sensation, every thought and everything that is present in the world is sampled in this city, which is why inevitably all roads lead back to Regalia, and every person longs to visit this city one day. The city however also has a dark side. While much of it is covered in wealth and splendor, crime is high in the poor areas and state saboteurs and terrorists actively blend into the vast population that the state apparatus is often unable to control. For all the gilded roofs and poetic prose about the beauty of the Palace, it only masks the misery of the homeless in the alley ways, falling victim to Vampires and other dark forces alike. Regalia is a city of extremes, and thus the focus point of the Roleplay universe.

Thoughts on Magic

The Ailor are a people with a complicated relationship with Magic. Some cultures absolutely adore and encourage Magical exploration, while many other Ailor cultures absolutely despise it, and would eagerly kill Mages if given the chance. As a result, Ailor leaders and rulers constantly walk a fine balancing act between purism and mage emancipation that often tends to swing back and forth depending on the personal preferences of the person in charge. In Regalian Roleplay, this expresses itself through the "pendulum of rights". Every year or so, a new person comes to power in Regalia who has a different opinion on Magic, and radically alters the laws to fit their preferences. This can sometimes result in extreme emancipation and Magic publicly used in the street, only to be repressed a year later as a new ruler comes to power. It often results in situations where Mages play crucial roles in solving the calamities and chaos that strike Regalia, but end up being punished after the fact as scapegoats, having to be content with the invisibility of their achievement as propaganda wipes their contributions away. The constant struggle between Tech versus Magic is an ongoing topic in Ailor society, and Regalia in particular, that Players are constantly on switching sides of.

Aristocracy & Hierarchy

One very important aspect of Ailor society as a whole is aristocracy, autocracy and the concept of hierarchy. For better or worse, the Ailor always gravitate towards leadership structures and seek strong persons to lead them and to organize them. The Ailor are not exceptional at anything individually, but even the most untrained peasant mob under the right leader can turn the Ailor from disorganized rabble into efficient fighting machine. Each Ailor society eventually structures itself around centralized leaders followed by devolved leadership or authority passed down to subordinates. This usually expresses itself through feudalism and serfdom, and so most of the millions of Ailor who live in the world are tenant farmers or workers subject to some lord or count. Even among the nominally more democratic nations that call themselves republics, only the wealthy vote, or votes are only cast between centralizing families that rule from mighty castles and palaces. Hierarchy is exceptionally important in Ailor society, and the concept of a social class climber is seen as uncouth. Class distinction is important, and while the Ailor do not have a caste system, marrying outside of one's means is considered an offensive vanity for the pauper, and a weak gesture for the wealth-born.

States & Regionalism

An enduring conflict that often plagues Ailor progress, is their habit to further fragment their society into smaller groups to create more exclusionary in-groups and othering those not part of it. This often expresses itself in the conflict between patriotism and regionalism. It is a natural desire of all states and autocratic leaders to seek more centralized power. To break away the legal rights of the smaller regions and to meld everything together into one homogenous loyal state that works towards a common goal. Because Ailor have become very efficient at doing just that, large regional-autonomy movements have risen up to preserve cultural uniqueness, but also to counteract the loss of regional agency. After all, many cultural niches exist in small regional polities, with a history of having fought for their identity's continued survival against for example a common enemy like the Elves. But often, when these enemies would disappear, suddenly the predominant Ailor power would become the new oppressor, or attempt to centralize power even more aggressively than the previous tyrant would. In Regalia, this often expresses itself in subtly disobedient and regionally autonomous politicians. These politicians aren't necessarily disloyal to the Empire, and do not wish to see it do well, but would rather than all taxes and cultural homogeneity is applied anywhere but here. In essence, many of Regalia's politicians are NIMBYs, and the Empire's instability is largely caused by its own politicians engaging in self-sabotaging plots against the crown and the central state to cling to any regional autonomy they can, even if it puts them at severe risk of invasion from outside forces or ouster from their own people.

Trivia

The name Ailor is a somewhat bold claim made by these people that they should be the inheritors of the world (the world being called Aloria, considering themselves the pre-eminent people of it). Other peoples of Aloria sometimes call the Ailor "Nuvalon", which is Elven for "New People" to put them more in their historical context.
The one thing Ailor are deeply skilled at, is adaptation and usurpation. Ailor can take any kind of technology, design, or idea from other people, and further it into one of their own, and then continue to iterate onto it to make it even better. Most Ailor inventions like the musket and the three-decked battleship are based on Dwarven inventions, but now fuel the rise of the Regalian Empire.
Ailor are confirmed to be a common ancestor of the Skyborn people (at least the Founders and the Reclaimers). It is also speculated that the Ailor may be a distant common ancestor of the Dwarves. This would explain why Dwarven traits essentially disappear in half or quarter Dwarves.

Accreditation

Writers	MonMarty
Artists	MonMarty
Processors	MonMarty, FireFan96

Last Editor	Ocularum on 09/28/2024.

» Read more

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Info races
+{{Info Lineage
-|image = Ailorsplash3.png
+|name = Ailor
-|pronunciation = Ay-lor
+|test = Ailor (in Common)
-|classification = [[Human]]
+|test2 = [[File:Qolorth.png|80px]]
-|subraces = None, but they are classified by Lineages instead
+|test3 = '''Motto:''' "March, march to the glory of progress"
-|nicknames = Humies, Humans, pink-skins, paleskins
+|image = GKdc6 UXIAAOUe4.jpg
-|languages = Too many to count; see [[Ailor Cultures]]
+|state = Many
-|naming = Varied based on cultures; see [[Ailor Cultures]]
+|ruler = Varied
+|languages = Primarily Common
-|distinction = A culturally diverse people conquering both each other and the world.
+|religion = [[Unionism]], [[Fornoss]], [[Draconism]]
-|maxage = 110 years (rarely over 100 though).
+|first_recorded = Unclear
-|eye = Brown, green, grey, blue.
+|demonym = Ailor
-|hair = blond, ginger, brown, black, grey.
-|skin = Naturally pale with the ability to tan.
 |}}
-From the warm coastlines of [[Daendroc]] to the icy ranges of [[Ellador]], the Ailor [[Human|Humans]] are the most numerous on Aloria. Known for developing a large variety of government forms and sprawling bureaucracies Ailor are masters of statecraft and intrigue, building many kingdoms and nations, and having just as many conflicts with one another as they have with others. Ailor once began as the fiercely barbarian and tribal people of [[Ceardia]], seen as nothing but slave cattle to the Altalar, though eventually rose up against their former masters in a moment of weakness. This gave rise to many smaller kingdoms and nations that would eventually give rise to the Regalian Empire, which is commonly seen as the greatest Empire the world has ever seen, at least since antiquity. Proving to be both resourceful and aggressive, Ailor have conquered much of the known world under the banner of their various realms and continue to subject foreign entities through direct warfare and indirect scheming. While also being incredibly numerous, the Ailor are perhaps also the most divided people on Aloria more so than the Altalar, because of their extreme cultural diversity and opposition to each other. Ailor continue to both be the guardians and protectors of the continued existence of the world as it is known, but also the largest imperialists who ravage non-Ailor societies for resources and technological advancements to fuel their own quest for world domination.
+Ailor is a term that describes a vast range of people with no clear single heritage origin, but who all developed around the same time. Aloria's analog for Humans, the Ailor are Aloria's most numerous people by sheer virtue of populating the majority of the world's landmasses, and their comparatively shorter lives to those of other heritage, causing their population numbers to explode in short periods. To many other societies, the Ailor were barely on the radar for thousands of years. Despite their huge numbers, for most of history, they were the uncounted footnote, often an entity to be acted upon, rather than setting the stage for the global empires of old. The world-altering event that was the Cataclysm changed the global foodchain, propelling the Ailor to the top with the newly established Regalian Empire, which would grow to become the world's greatest superpower. The majority of the Roleplay occurs in the capital of the Ailor people, Regalia.
-==Physical & Mental Characteristics==
-The best way to describe Ailor is to simply call them average. Over the past centuries, it has become apparent that using the Ailor as a standard point of view when analyzing the other races is easiest. This is caused by the fact that Ailor have no exaggerated proportions and are generally seen as the middle point between all other races. As such, Ailor can be seen as the great equalizer and reference point for all other races. Ailor are of an average height between Elves and Dwarves. They are less strongly built than Orc, but are larger and more well built than Sihai. The fact that perhaps does set them apart is their wide diversity in looks and aesthetic presentation. Ailor often accuse other races of all looking alike, with their limited physical characteristics and generally uniform appearance. Ailor can have a wide variety of eye colors, ranging from any green hue to blue, brown, and all mixtures in between. Their hair can be as brightly blonde as the light of the sun or as pitch black as the darkest abyss. Their skin colors range from soft olive creamy tones to harsh, bleak pinks. Their race does not have any subspecies, but other races might still mistake them for having them. This is because Ailor Cultures are about as diverse as the Altalar subraces, if not even more so, and many of these cultures have such fierce oppositions to one another to the point that one can say the Ailor race is truly unique in that it doesn’t seem to even cooperate with itself. For more appearance information, consult the [[Cultures]] page and inspect various cultures of Ailor.
-[[File:Leutzicoiz.png|260px|thumb|right|Ailor are strongly aristocratic]]
-Ailor are commonly known for their tendency to categorize everything, and use labels as a means to understand the world around them and themselves. Ailor pride themselves in being the most thorough and systematic researchers, and being the most flexible at building upon other races technologies. Indeed, Ailor do have a strong inventive nature, but excellent especially at taking work from other races, and building upon it, removing flaws and improving functionality. Ailor were the first race to develop sophisticated artillery after knowledge of it had been lost since the days of the Varran and Altalar conflict so many centuries before the Ailor even rose to power. The Ailor were also the first to develop airships. The Ailor have an immensely entrepreneurial mind, developing the world’s first stock exchange and massive banking sector, using an advanced bureaucracy to keep track of everyone and everyone’s business. They engage in decadent political games, extravagant parties and spending and yet can also be prone to the greatest charities and quality of life improvements, like the invention of the world’s first hot water piping and Dwarven gas powered elevators. Yet for all this progress, Ailor can also be incredibly narrow minded, condemning progress and liberty to backward religious dogma and bigotry towards anything that is “other”. Exceptionally so, Ailor are very good at rising to the top, then suddenly imagining some sort of made-up cultural border that divides their population into “them” and “us” and then make splendid warfare on anything that is other. Ailor are seen by other races as too violent, quick to think, always having an opinion about everything and just living a little too quickly, on account of having one of the shortest life spans. If anything, the Ailor simply are what has defined them through the ages, versatile and diverse, and they continue to become more versatile and diverse as time goes by.
-==Ailor Lineages==
-Ailor don’t have subraces like the Altalar or Kathar, rather, their race is subdivided by so called Lineages. These Lineages are long running bloodlines that date back several hundreds of years, perhaps even more than a thousand years to when the Ailor first emerged as petty kingdoms and tribes in Ceardia, before any of them ventured forth into the world and colonized the other lands. The belief is held by Scholars that smaller distinct tribes of Ailor formed in various geographical areas that gave rise to these unique bloodlines, even if later developments through population growth and spread resulted in more visually diversification of the race. Lineages don’t impart many visual features anymore (only some of them do), but they do grant a host of so called “Innate Abilities”. These are by classification Abilities, but because the line between Ability and innate or cultural upbringing are immensely blurred, the Ailor don’t view them as special powers or Abilities, just something they have always been able to do, and something that is innately natural to them. It is important to note however that the Ailor Lineages are not a substitute for culture. Infact, many Lineages can be divided by different cultures, because cultures act as an additional layer on top of the Lineages setting them apart. A Bolven might for example be Velheim, but they might just as well be Ithanian or Daendroque, and have no familial connections with the Bolven of the other cultures. Time has passed to such a degree that all Lineages exist in all cultures more or less to the same degree, and to a point where Lineage does not affect cultural upbringing. Most of the Ailor don’t know their Lineage, and don’t acknowledge it at all, since their Innate Abilities are all very mundane appearing, and one would need Historical Knowledge Proficiency to even be able to identify a Lineage. Cultural appearance still applies (with regards to height, hair, eyes, etc.), except for Lineages which have overriding height limits. Furthermore, all Noble Houses must be of the same lineage, even if their members are adopted relatives for balance reasons. Non-Noble houses are encouraged to be of the same Lineage, but not enforced. Children from 2 parents of different Lineages have random Lineages at birth (aside from Noreans who are only born from 2 Norean parents). Finally, Half-Ailor do not gain any Lineage benefits.
-====Bolven====
-The Bolven are the Half-Giants of the Ailor, descending from an ancient lineage of Half-Giants back in Ceardia, the rough central swamp and mountainous regions. Those of Bolven blood have always been relatively rare and been a curiosity in the more subtle Lineage dominated Ailor societies. Bolven can be much taller than all other Bloodlines, ranging up to the 7 foot and five inches that the Orcs and Url are able to reach with ease, however still appearing like any other Ailor. In modern times, many of Bolven blood are ashamed of their size, considering it clumsy and unwieldy and something that draws attention to them. This is why many of them use their Innate Ability to disguise their height, appearing much smaller to others, until they want to reveal themselves. In combat however, those of Bolven Blood can be very hardy and versatile. When survival instinct is activated for them, and they are pushed into a corner, their Body Shape and physical strength actually increases, allowing their musculature to grow to accommodate the situation where necessary.
-====Fennh====
-The Fennh are the Halflings of the Ailor, descending from an ancient lineage of small-people back in Ceardia. Their homeland was in the Vennen areas, large lush greenlands with vibrant flowers and plants in the north of the Bolven mountains. The Fennh (much like the Bolven) are a very un-subtle Lineage of Ailor in that they are noticeably small, shorter than Dwarves even at around 4 feet tall. Unlike the Bolven however, the Fennh do not hide this, and in fact take pride in their stature, and having everything around them designed in a way to accommodate this shortness. Fennh, because of their height, are exceptionally skilled at perceiving incoming objects and avoiding them. This allows them to dodge out of the way of any mundane (including Puretek) projectiles, though not Ability based projectiles. Furthermore, the Fennh are also extremely skilled make-up and dress-up artists. They are so exceptionally good at disguising their appearance with various tricks that they become indistinguishable from other races, should they wish to disguise as them, even to those of that race.
-====Drahl====
-The Drahl are a Lineage of Ailor who are particularly attuned to their environment, and who are able to perceive things in their environment to much greater detail due to the aid of their bird companion. The Drahl are an ancient lineage of people originally living near the western clifflands of Ceardia, however this lineage developed more strongly in the Ceardian Archipelago following colonization. The Drahl don’t appear different from other Lineages on the surface, however something very distinct about them is their intensely strong connection they have with a pet bird of prey. Inexplicably, somewhere between birth and the age of 5, a child of the Drahl Lineage is visited by a bird of prey, usually a falcon or an eagle or a hawk (though possibly any reasonably and similarly sized predator bird), through some event in which they help this bird in trouble. The bird and Drahl then create a strong connection which lasts them a lifetime, with one quickly dying after the other in severe grief should one expire before their time. These birds of prey and Drahl quickly develop a language of whistles unique to them, and exchange information and commands back and forth where appropriate. The birds of prey live an unnatural long life, with many of them living side-by-side to their Drahl master for upwards to 90 years, something that has always stupefied animal experts.
-====Nautilaan====
-The Nautilaan are a Lineage of Ailor who are particularly attuned to the seas and the winds, and who are able to succeed far better on the oceans than any other race or Lineage. The Nautilaan descend from the first explorers and colonizers of the Ailor, they were the first Lineage to leave the Ceardian homeland, and also the only Lineage entirely formed on the oceans outside of Ceardia. The Nautilaan are historically trained to become the most expert navigators and captains, having an uncanny ability to pictographically remember any map they lay their eyes on, and have a perfect memory of the constellations, allowing them to navigate without any additional equipment besides a clear starry night sky. Additionally, the winds seem to heed their requests, causing them to be described as having “lucky winds”. Whenever a Nautilaan is in a pinch during a naval battle, the winds inexplicably turn in their favor, allowing their ships to have that much more maneuverability. Finally, they are also exceptional when it comes to surviving on the rough oceans, and even on land. Nautilaans seemingly require less food, water and sleep than any other, able to stay without any of these for up to a week before their health starts declining sharply.
-====Lexxons====
-The Lexxons are a Lineage of Ailor who are particularly attuned to the skill of diplomacy and politics, a Lineage that originally started in the first Ceardian city called Manvonth, but developed more in the Regalian Kingdom after its colonization (prior to becoming the Regalian Empire after the Five Family Rebellion). The Lexxons are sometimes also called Empaths, because of their innate ability to sense the emotional state of a person, and then their ability to subtly enhance or reduce it with words and body language. For example, a Lexxon is able to detect whether someone is suppressing their anger, and then say or do things that will subtly enhance this emotional state for that person without being caught out as causing it. Furthermore, their extreme ability to catch small body language adjustments gives them a natural ability to detect lies when they are being made in front of them.
-====Noreans====
-The Noreans are a Lineage of Ailor who are attuned with knowledge and venerable learning, including some of the longest living Ailor that are capable of living far past their racial age limit. The Noreans hail from the southern Ceardian region, host to a great many observatories and research centers where Archeologists claim the first written Ailor languages were developed. Noreans don’t have any Innate Abilities, besides the fact that they can live up to 300 years old, aging at a proportional rate also, (appearing 50 years old at 120 actual years old, for example). Noreans are most often found to be intellectuals, their longevity aiding in their pursuit for knowledge, allowing them to live much longer. There have however also been Norean warriors, meaning it is not unheard of for a Norean to break the mold and do whatever they wish with the time that their Lineage has given them.
-====Woaden====
+==Design==
-The Woaden are a Lineage of Ailor finely attuned to the forest and darkwalds of the world, capable of thriving in dangerous deep woodlands that many others would be fearful of entering. Their Lineage hails from the great pine forests of the northwest, where the ground was infertile and the predators dangerous during the night. The Woaden are attuned to anything dark, having reflective shine in their eyes similar to a cat when seen in the dark, allowing them to see with clear vision in any darkness or brightness environment (even through Ability created darkness). Woaden additionally also also notoriously flexible and acrobatic, with contorting themselves away from a predator running in their blood. Woaden can always wriggle themselves out of any grapple, grab, latch, hold or chokehold, even Ability based grabs with little effort. This does not however allow them to break free from chains or restraints when they have been successfully applied. Finally, Woaden are well versed with trees in particular. Woaden do not need any Athletic Training to quickly and effortlessly climb into trees, and able to tell the health of a tree just by looking at it.
+[[File:Earlytribe.jpg|268px|thumb|right|Because of their historical newcomer status to geopolitics, some other peoples of Aloria still look down on Ailor as crude tribals.]]
+[[File:Kniththood.jpg|268px|thumb|right|Knighthood is a concept developed by Ailor, mostly to legitimize and uphold their power structures.]]
+[[File:Historyoberser.jpg|268px|thumb|right|Most of the world's history is recorded through the eyes of the Ailor, who show a more erudite work-ethic to chronicling than others.]]
+[[File:Religionpiety.jpg|268px|thumb|right|The Ailor are exceptionally pious, capable of great acts of self-sacrifice or evil in the name of faith.]]
+[[File:Strongmages.jpg|268px|thumb|right|While most of Ailor society is anti-Magic, some of the world's most powerful Mages can be found among them.]]
+[[File:Autocracy.jpg|268px|thumb|right|Autocracy, hierarchy, and feudalism are some of the cornerstone pillars of Ailor society.]]
+[[File:Fassshion.jpg|268px|thumb|right|While most other people have consistent fashion styles, the Ailor are at the foreground of fashionable advancements.]]
+[[File:Courtplottin.jpg|268px|thumb|right|The amount of plotting and scheming at Ailor courts would sometimes put Elven intrigue to shame, given it moves much faster and much more deadly.]]
+Ailor, being the closest analog to a "Human" as seen in other lore universes, are considered the jack-of-all-trades. They do nothing quite as exceptional as the other peoples of Aloria. While they can learn Magic, rarely does an Ailor become as good a Mage as a Lanlath Elf. While Ailor use technology often, rarely do they have the unique technological gift of the Skyborn. While Ailor fleets command the high seas with military power, an Ailor could not compete with a Fin'ullen Elf while fighting submerged in water. They are the average middle ground between all people, capable of all things but having no specific gift for anything but court politics and intrigue, and an uncanny ability to create further divisions among themselves. It should be noted that Ailor can have any visual appearance real-world people can have independent of their parentage or ethnicity. Genetics work differently in Aloria, with inherited traits often being more about demeanor, rather than skin/hair/eye color or ethnic grouping.
-====Archan====
+==Heritage Traits==
-The Archan are a Lineage of Ailor finely attuned to faith and religion and all that is holy, driving back demons and darkness, and proselytizing their faith to the masses. The Archan hail from the Oldt Fayth holy sites of Olmanth in Ceardia, but later developed more distinctly in the Regalian Archipelago. The Archan are capable of learning a Unique set of Primal Sorcery: The [[Union Blessings]], which is attuned to Unionism and its many sects and beliefs, Archan make exceptional paladins and guardians against the unholy, calling upon the gifts of their god(s) in battle, but also soothing the hearts and bodies of those around them with virtue. It should come as no surprise that while the Archan might have had different beliefs in the past, nowadays all Archan are exclusively Unionist, and their prime devotion prevents them from being converted away, or diminish their belief in the Spirit and the Emperor and the Great Way.
+In Character Design, [[Proficiency]] allows for the buying of Packs, which give Combat Abilities. Heritage Traits add free Packs and Mechanics to a Character, fit around cultural themes. Mechanics are flair and roleplay opportunities Characters have outside of Combat, while Packs are Combat Power. Free [[Magic]] Packs can always be defined as any Alignment. Mixed Heritage Characters (characters of two different culture parents) choose one set of Free Packs, and can mix and match Mechanics from both parents up to a maximum of 5 Mechanics.
+===Free Packs===
+* Ailor can choose 1 Pack from any Category for free. If any magic is chosen, the player may choose Alignment between God Magic, Exist, Ordial, Void, and Dragon Magic.
+* Ailor can choose 1 Pack from [[Mounted Point Buy]] or [[Training Point Buy]] Categories for free.
-====Olean====
+===Mechanics===
-The Olean are a Lineage of Ailor finely attuned to thievery, smuggling, underhanded activities and other criminal occupations. The Oleans hail from the southwestern flatlands of Ceardia where life was always tough and the locals had to resort to unpleasant activities to stay alive during the frequent droughts and invasions by other tribes. Oleans have developed a keen sense for pickpockets and sleight of hand gestures, able to save themselves from a disastrous attempt to steal something from someone in person. Furthermore, Oleans are very clever when it comes to games with sleight of hand, always winning a card game with “lucky” draws or dices which distinctly seem to favor their hand more than others. Oleans are not distinguishable from the other Lineages, however the word “Olean” exists in many modern vocabularies as something that describes a thief, though the reality is that Oleans will likely be the last ones standing during a calamity or famine starving a city.
+* Ailor are masters of languages, which is expected given their habit to culturally divides. Because so many of their languages are inter-connected, various words become more obviously related, and they also take more effort to learn other languages. If someone insults an Ailor, even in a language they do not speak, the Ailor would know, as they know most curse words or words by which to speak ill of others in all languages.
+* Ailor are the masters of the Regalian Empire, and while it has equality between all peoples and heritages, Ailor are just by virtue of being Ailor considered preferential for most government positions and judicial situations. Where possible to do with the Nobility, with Government, or with Palace decisions, Ailor will be treated preferentially over other peoples, even if their qualifications might be lesser than the other options.
+* Ailor make for excellent negotiators. Ailor gain +2 on top of every Persuasion Dice roll result, and their Persuasion Cap is also increased by +2 for every Dice Roll. These effects only apply to non-Afflicted, non-Mystech individuals, as their speech and habits are entirely fine-tuned to the more mundane aspects of global society, they must venture beyond their comfort zone to be able to reach Magic things.
+* Ailor whether by divine intervention or by sheer dump cosmic luck, always somehow end up on the right side of history. Ailor Characters when participating in Events, may sometimes stumble into an extreme luck roll that drops an additional loot item for one of the participants. This loot can be physical items, or intangible things like Divinium or an Artifactspark. Chances are higher for non-Magic using Ailor than Magic using Ailor.
+* Ailor when using [[Syncretism]] can worship up to 3 Gods of their sub-dominant Religion, instead of just 1 or 2. Additionally, when Syncretizing, they gain the Mechanic of the sub-dominant Religion (except for Evolism, where only one of the Mechanics can be chosen). If your Character does not Syncretize, they gain +1 Attack Stat (Breaking Cap up to 11) against Characters that have Syncretized their mono-faith.
+==Religions==
+* '''[[Unionism]]:''' Unionism is the most common Religion followed by the Ailor, and it is also the most recent one, only being 300 years or so old. Unionism is a Religion that proposes that global paradise will arrive when the Regalian Empire dominates the whole world, and because most Ailor live in the borders of the Regalian Empire, the two connect well.
+* '''[[Draconism]]:''' Draconism is one of the smallest minority Religions among the Ailor, but still one that is going strong. Draconism is exceptionally hard to root out among the Ailor, because the Dragons always seem to have treated them more preferentially than other peoples of Aloria, guiding and helping the development of many of their cultures over the centuries.
+* '''[[Estelley]]:''' Following Estelley as a Religion is a bit strange for an Ailor because it is mostly an Elf ethno-Religion, and because the Elves spent millennia terrorizing Ailor countries with repeat raids for wealth and power. Still, Estelley brings a strong message about inner perfection that some Ailor who live among a lot of Elves may find appealing.
+* '''[[Fornoss]]:''' Fornoss is the second (and once largest) Religion of the Ailor. The Fornoss Religion continues to be strong especially in the north, as the original Fornoss believers were the first Ailor to truly venture far beyond their native homelands and colonized many corners of the world. It continues to have a strong presence even in the mostly Unionist Regalian Empire.
+* '''[[Evolism]]:''' Evolism is an unusually popular minority Religion among the Ailor. As the Regalian Empire grows and expands, the individual becomes more of a faceless nameless gray entity in a crowd, indistinguishable from the other averages. The Dark Gods answer, allowing an Ailor to become exceptional, powerful, famous and feared, at the expense of their obedience.
+* '''[[Khama]]:''' While Khama was largely an ethno-Religion for most of its existence, it has recently become more open to outsiders, and so some non-Asha are converting to it. The numbers are still minuscule, but with a more articulated central message, Khama is capable of competing for converts with the other minority Religions.
+* '''[[Minor Faiths]]:''' Due to the cultural and historical variance among the Ailor, Pagan Cultism is alive and well especially in the more isolated corners of the Empire. Ailor make up the bulk of most of the smaller Pagan Faiths and Cults that exist around the world, just because of difficulty other major world Religions have at inspiring the hinterlands to follow their dogma.
-==Summary of Racial Abilities==
+==Naming==
-{| class="wikitable"
+Ailor naming customs are extremely varied, and even within societies or cultures that have common habits, Ailor tend to name children all manner of names sometimes even from other cultures. If a player chooses to make their Character of a particular culture (cultures are outlined below), then a quick google search can quickly explain naming conventions, and give name examples. Some unique naming conventions within the lore do not exist in real-life, so it may always be relevant to source the culture pages below to see if any special naming conventions are mentioned.
-|- style="font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;"
-! Name
-! Type
-! Description
-|-
-| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;" | The following Abilities can only be used by those of Bolven Lineage.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#F2D4CD; width: 10%;"    " | Hardy Constitution
-| style="width: 10%;"    " | Racial Passive
-|
-The Bolven Ailor have an increased Physical Stat of 70, as opposed to the Ailor default of 60. They gain 10 Physical Stat by default simply for being Bolven. Additionally, their racial height maximum is 7 feet and 5 inches, instead of the cultural height limit imposed by the other Ailor height limits.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#F2D4CD;" | Versatile Instict
-| Racial Spell
-|
-The Bolven Ailor can change their Body Shape at will, depending on their levels of adrenaline. For example, when they are in survival mode, their physical prowess increases and their musculature grows to accommodate their need (this is however mostly just aesthetic).
-|-
-| style="background-color:#F2D4CD;" | Hidden Stature
-| Racial Spell
-|
-The Bolven Ailor can change their height from their natural height downwards, or back to their natural height at will. The shortest they can appear as is 4 feet and 5 inches. This happens near instantly, but does not change the clothes along with them, while Physical Stat stays consistent regardless of height.
-|-
-| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;" | The following Abilities can only be used by those of Fennh Lineage.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#F2EACD;" | Fennh Size
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Fennh Ailor are often also called Halflings, owing to their small stature. The smallest an adult Fennh can be is 3 feet and 5 inches, while the tallest they can be is 4 feet and 5 inches. These height changes override the Ailor cultural maximums and minimums regardless of what Culture the Fennh belong to.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#F2EACD;" | Quick Avoidance
-| Racial Passive
-|
-The Fennh Ailor are exceptionally alert and dextrous, allowing them to quickly roll and dodge out of the way of any Mundane, Non-Ability based Ranged attack that might strike them, including Puretek, avoiding it entirely. This ranged attack immunity is consistent across multiple attacks from multiple angles.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#F2EACD;" | Fennh Disguising
-| Racial Spell
-|
-The Fennh can create a disguise for themselves, allowing them to appear like another person of any other race (but not imitate someone). They can create as many disguises of this manner as they please, but it takes at least thirty minutes to enact, or remove one with regards to make-up, prosthetics and wardrobe. Regardless of the disguise chosen, they cannot alter their height with this ability.
-|-
-| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;" | The following Abilities can only be used by those of Drahl Lineage.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#CDF2D5;" | Stalwart Companion
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Drahl Ailor are never without their bird companion, usually a Falcon, Hawk or Eagle of their choice (though possibly any reasonably and similarly sized predator bird). This Bird cannot be harmed or captured, and if at risk, will flee the scene and return to the Drahl when it is safe. The Bird is capable of minor aesthetics for the Drahl, such as sitting in their hand when feeding or playing. The Bird must always remain within the same street of its owner.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#CDF2D5;" | Bird's Eye View
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Through the usage of their bird, the Drahl Ailor gains a leg up on other Generals, gaining bonuses to roll chances in World System Progression battles. Additionally, the Drahl gains +5 Perception through their bird communicating things to them. (The bird's communication is purely aesthetic, the character cannot perceive things only the bird can see).
-|-
-| style="background-color:#CDF2D5;" | Swift Strike
-| Racial Spell
-|
-Drahl Ailor can call upon their bird to strike out at an opponent once per day, allowing the Bird to claw at a target once, physically striking any area of the target's body except for the face. The Bird cannot be interrupted, and will immediately fly away after delivering its strike.
-|-
-| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;" | The following Abilities can only be used by those of Nautilaan Lineage.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#CDE9F2;" | Infallible Navigator
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Nautilaan Ailor has a photographic memory for star maps and cartographic maps (and maps only), allowing them to recall their contents with perfect accuracy. Nautilaan can always tell what polar north is as long as they have a map with them, or can see the starry night sky. They are also immediately able to tell errors in maps.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#CDE9F2;" | Iron Gut
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Nautilaan Ailor are exceptionally hardy, capable of surviving and functioning without food, drink, or sleep for up to a week. This makes them exceptionally suitable for dangerous coastal trips with few supplies, but also able to resist being starved out while imprisoned, or caught off guard while dozing off.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#CDE9F2;" | Favored by the Sea
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Nautilaan Ailor gain a permanent +5 Maritime Knowledge, and the winds favor their ships on the sea, gaining them bonuses to rolls in the World System involving the movement of ships in both Battle and Non-Battle Progressions. Somehow, they always seem to get lucky with the direction of the wind striking them just right in the sails to give them an edge.
-|-
-| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;" | The following Abilities can only be used by those of Lexxons Lineage.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#E9CDF2;" | Keen Insight
-| Racial Spell
-|
-Lexxon Ailor are exceptional empaths, able to detect the hidden emotional state of a person. Any person is able to act tough on the outside, but the Lexxons can read their dominant emotional state on the inside. They can then use subtle language or body language to enhance or reduce this hidden dominant emotional state to their preference.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#E9CDF2;" | Shrewd Diplomats
-| Racial Spell
-|
-Lexxon Ailor can, when conversing directly with an individual, detect whether the individual is lying to them for one statement per day. When focusing on the statement, the Lexxon will automatically be cued into whether it is a lie or truth if they hone their focus on the statement. If the individual has at least 10 Theatre Arts Proficiency, the Lexxon will determine the statement to be truth, even if it is not.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#E9CDF2;" | Subtle Suggestion
-| Racial Spell
-|
-Lexxons can use subtle gestures and body language to impart an emotional sensation or emotional state of mind onto a person. This is not quite as strong as Slizzar being able to send subliminal instructions to others, but rather more about making someone subtly feel more at ease, more irritated, or more content.
-|-
-| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;" | The following Abilities can only be used by those of Noreans Lineage.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#f1f1f1;" | Longevity
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Norean Ailor live exceptionally much longer than other Ailor, up to 300 years. They exit puberty at the same time as other Ailor, but beyond that, their aging slows down to a proportional speed of their age. For example, if they are 90 years old in real years, they will look like any other Ailor who is only 30. If they are 210, they will look as if they are 70, etc. Noreans over 150 years old still require a Special Permission.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#f1f1f1;" | Preferential Scholars
-| Racial Passive
-|
-The Norean can only assign Proficiency points to no more than one Combat Proficiency Category. While Noreans are not incapable of being warriors, fighting just does not run in their blood or their heritage, so to stay focused on more than single combat discipline is impossible for them.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#f1f1f1;" | Only of Us
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Norean lineage is much stricter than that of the other Ailor Lineages. Noreans can only be born from two Norean parents. While all other Lineages who copulate with other Lineages give birth to random of either parent Lineage, a Norean can only be born from two Norean parents, and if copulating with a non-Norean, their children will always be of the other non-Norean parent Lineage.
-|-
-| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;" | The following Abilities can only be used by those of Woaden Lineage.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#CDF2E2;" | Predator's Vision
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Woaden Ailor have perfected their ability to see in the Dark, allowing them to see clearly and effectively in any natural light condition. When in dark settings, the pupil and iris of Woaden Ailor gain a a reflective sheen akin to a nocturnal predator's that, should they be in the shadows, allows one to only see two light orbs.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#CDF2E2;" | Free Spirit
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Woaden Ailor cannot be unwillingly grabbed, grappled, held or restrained by Mundane means utilizing any Mundane implement (excluding metal chains) or body part (Arms, tails, limbs, claws, talons, etc), even if that body part is enhanced or altered by an Ability or for example a ghostly or ethereal animal. This does not apply to purely Ability-Based restraints such as magical chains.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#CDF2E2;" | Child of the Woods
-| Racial Spell
-|
-Woaden Ailor can effectively climb almost instantly into a Tree of any shape or size, without risk of falling (though cannot leap between trees, and will in most cases be stuck if chased into one). Additionally, they can immediately determine how healthy or old a tree is just by looking at it, and pinpoint anything that may be harming it or causing it to suffer.
-|-
-| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;" | The following Abilities can only be used by those of Archan Lineage.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#EBF2CD;" | Bastion of Faith
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Archan Ailor have gained Innate Abilities through their strong devotion and loyalty to their faith, gains access to the Primal [[Sorcery]] School of [[Union Blessings]]. These Abilities allow them to protect their holy sites, clergy, relics and faithful as holy warriors or paladins. Archan Ailor gain additional Constant Passives from Union Blessings, even if they do not spend Proficiency to acquire Spells.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#EBF2CD;" | Unbreakable Devotion
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Archan Ailor, due to their strong connection with the establishment of the Unionist Church and its tenets, are exclusively Unionist in belief, and believe wholeheartedly in the Spirit and the Creeds. Archan Ailor cannot be swayed from their faith or be converted, and will hold onto their belief in the Spirit and the Emperor until their dying breath.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#EBF2CD;" | Eternal Watch
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Archan Ailor are filled with devotion and piety while inside or within Emote Distance of holy sites, such as Unionist Churches or the Imperial Palace. While filled with devotion and piety, the Archan Ailor become immune to forced fear or despair mechanics through Abilities.
-|-
-| colspan="3" style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background-color:#d9d9d9;" | The following Abilities can only be used by those of Olean Lineage.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#C0D3E0;" | Practiced Pickpocket
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Olean Ailor are unnaturally quick with their hands, allowing them to re-roll a failed Pickpocket attempt a second time. This ability can only be used once per Pickpocket attempt, and only once per person per day. The failed attempt simply does not register, regardless of the Perception of the target or bystanders.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#C0D3E0;" | Luck of the Draw
-| Racial Passive
-|
-The dexterity of Olean Ailor extends to card games and other sleight of hand gestures or actions, allowing them to re-roll a second time when failing a draw or game step during a card game or other similar Sleight of Hand game, seamlessly replacing the card they had picked. They can also, once per game, force a dice roll or card pull to be a successful one.
-|-
-| style="background-color:#C0D3E0;" | Spotless Smuggler
-| Racial Passive
-|
-Olean Ailor, when being searched, rea capable of seamlessly hiding objects held in their pockets that are smaller than their closed fist. They can move these objects deftly between hidden pockets and compartments, preventing them from being found when inspected under any circumstances, including guard body-searches. Though there is no hard limit on the number of items they can conceal, it is expected to be a reasonable amount of items.
-|}
-==History & Society==
+==Cultures==
-History and Society is extremely diverse among the Ailor, and indeed, it would be impossible to add the entire wide berth of Ailor History on a single page. Furthermore, their society is so incredibly splintered and diverse that it would take many hours to even read through the basic gift of some of the major cultures, let alone all 34 Cultures. As such, this page will link to the individual cultures, and give them a very basic reference point from which to learn about them. It is generally recommended that when someone has difficulty choosing between cultures, that they simply go with Heartland Ceardian, which is commonly seen as the root-source of all Ailor, and the easiest to comprehend because of its English base inspiration.
+Ailor more than any other people sub-divide their cultues perpetually, and sometimes for no real discernable reason other than to engage in an othering of groups of people from the home-group. While most other peoples of Aloria are fairly homogenous when it comes to culture, the Ailor have dozens of cultures, and among them even dozens of dialects and customs. Ailor love create an "us and them" mentality with ever smaller groupings with niche customs and habits. To give access to a wide variety of cultural expressions, we use real-world culture analogs that are easy to understand and express for Players. Below is a listing of all the Cultures that are currently playable.
+* The '''[[Ailor_Cultures#Velheim|Velheim Culture]]''' is a varied Scandinavian-like Culture with elements of Viking militarism and Norse Pagan mysticism.
+* The '''[[Not Ready Yet|Wirtem Culture (to be written)]]''' is a varied Germanic-like culture with elements of Prussian militarism and Bavarian agrarianism.
+* The '''[[Not Ready Yet|Anglian Culture (to be written)]]''' is a varied Netherlandish culture with elements of Dutch agrarianism and old Germanic mysticism.
+* The '''[[Not Ready Yet|Breizh Culture (to be written)]]''' is a varied Welsh/Breton/Cornish-like culture with elements of chivalric knighthood and Arthurian legends.
+* The '''[[Not Ready Yet|Cearden Culture (to be written)]]''' is a varied English/Anglosaxon/Gaelic-like culture with elements of English manorialism and the Scottish highlands.
+* The '''[[Ailor_Cultures#Ithanian|Ithanian Culture]]''' is a varied French-like culture with elements of Versailles court-intrigue and belle-epoque high fashion.
+* The '''[[Not Ready Yet|Tierravera Culture (to be written)]]''' is a varied Spanish/Latin America-like culture with elements of hacienda estates and guerrilla-style independence.
+* The '''[[Not Ready Yet|Slovenin Culture (to be written)]]''' is a varied Slavic/Balkan-like culture with elements of orthodox piety to faith and east-European customs.
+* The '''[[Not Ready Yet|Aetosian Culture (to be written)]]''' is a varied Byzantine/Armenian/Georgian-like culture with elements of intellectualism and the enlightenment.
+* The '''[[Not Ready Yet|Cantaluna Culture (to be written)]]''' is a varied Italian-like culture with elements of musical/orchestral expression and educational prowess.
+* The '''[[Ailor_Cultures#Pre-Empire|Pre-Empire Culture (to be written)]]''' is a collection of mostly extinct fantasy cultures that add some unique flair to Ailor.
+* The '''[[Not Ready Yet|Regal Culture (to be written)]]''' has no real-world analog, it is an artificial "patriotic" culture that tries to blend other cultures together.
+While we generally recommend sticking to these Cultures as written into Lore, you are able to carry forward your own culture or a real-world culture not mentioned on this page into Roleplay without much issue. Keep in mind however that some specific cultures do belong to other heritages of people, so if you would like to express a particular real-world culture in Roleplay that is not on this list, please make a Lore Staff Ticket on the Community Discord to discuss.
-====Empire Ruling Cultures====
+==History==
-The Empire Ruling Cultures are cultures focused around the rule of the Regalian Empire. Their history is steeped in politics, refinement, class and style. They usually center around nobility, or at least the upper class with wealth to spend and traditions to uphold with rigorousness. They have the following cultures:
+===The Homeland Era===
-* [[Imperial]], a culture inspired by Imperial cohesion and self-sacrifice.
+The Homeland Era is a period that refers to when the Ailor largely lived on Ceardia and other immediately adjacent land masses. This period was likely either shortly after the fall of the Meraic Empire or some millennia before the rise of the Allorn Empire. Ailor have likely been around for some time longer than most people of Aloria in the present era, however their initial progress was extremely slow due to their short (comparative) life spans, and their extremely violent culture. The Homeland Era is sometimes also referred to as the Warlord Era, as this was a period in which most of Ailor society was perpetually stuck in never-ending border conflicts with regional warlords and petty despots. There are an uncountable amount of cultures that rose and perished in this period, until the sudden arrival of the Proto-Velheim who would later form the core of the Fornoss worshiping people. At around the same time, the ancestors of the Skyborn diversified from their common Ailor ancestor, and became the first founders on Ard-al-Nur, thus no longer being Ailor.
-* [[New Regalian]], a culture inspired by Military dogma and warfare.
+===The Pearl Wars===
-* [[Calderliga]], a culture inspired by the thrift for trade and coin.
+After the Proto-Velheim started mass-colonizing the world, a long period that coincides with Elven and Asha history referred to as the Pearl Wars or the Elven Terror. This was a period spanning some millennia after the Dewamenet-Allorn War, and the subsequent defeat of the Asha. As the Pearl Wars accelerated against the Asha, fleeing Asha populations moved into Ailor territories, which in turn put the Ailor in contact with the Elves. There is a shared tragedy between the Ailor and the Asha, in that many of the same areas where Asha were repeatedly attacked with vile Oblation Magics, the Ailor who lived close by and sometimes even intermingled also became a target. While Oblation Magic required specific conditions to be met to work on the souls of the Asha, it was easier to apply to the Ailor, who had such varied Religions that they sometimes just did not have afterlives, or were some version of early agnostic, thus not having any faith at all. It should be expressed that the Asha by far suffered greater under this historical event than the Ailor, as the campaign by the Elves was designed to exterminate their people and culture, but Ailor often were caught up in the crossfire, and faced raids just as well. For every three raids on Asha population centers, Ailor also faced a raid on theirs, with Elven fleets ranging as far as Ceardia, Ard-al-Nur, and the landmass that would later become the Regalian Archipelago. During this period, large migratory movements of people also occurred, which is why the Ailor are so genetically diverse in the modern era. While originally skintone and hair color and eye color defined where someone came from, over time the mixing of these people made visual traits effectively universal. There remain legends of "the arrival of the black-haired people from the south", millennia ago, a point after which those populations mixed, and henceforth any Ailor could have black hair. The Pearl Wars did not invoke a historical trauma for the Ailor like it did for the Asha, notably because their average life span in this period was four times as short as an average Asha who could survive the Pearl Wars, so the events were quickly forgotten, though a communal distrust of Elves remained. When the Pearl Wars ended, Ailor population counts recovered fairly quickly, and exploded after the Cataclysm.
-* [[Ithanian]], a culture inspired by decadence and party-going.
+===The Regalian Era===
-* [[Dressolini]], a culture inspired by artistic refinement and class.
+The Cataclysm defines the 0 year dating event during which much of the world's geography was changed due a series of natural calamities. These earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis were the consequence of a massive Magical event at the end of a failed Void Invasion elsewhere in the world, and it utterly wrecked most of the western world's surface (sparing the Sihai lands). The Allorn Empire was destroyed, and with their most prominent obstacle to glory being eliminated, the Ailor were free to expand and form larger contiguous states. In the year 5 AC the Regalian Empire was founded after the Five Family Rebellion against a local Elven state, during which Solvaan Elves. Eronidas, Ailor, and Narim came together to defeat the local tyrants and found the Regalian Empire under the leadership of the Ailor. Regalia continued to grow for the coming 3 centuries into the world's largest but often at times unstable Empire and the central focus point of world politics. This era is largely defined for each state by whether or not they are part of the Empire, subject to it, or fight against it.
-* [[Leutz-Vixe]], a culture inspired by honor and glory in heritage.
+==Expanded Lore==
-* [[Burdigala]], a culture inspired by enjoying the fruits and wines of life.
+Expanded Lore exists to apply more content and deep-lore exploration. This section is optional reading that is not needed for a good experience, though if you play a Scholar of a kind, reading this is encouraged.
-* [[Genevaud]]. a culture inspired by cultural cohesion and strong Unionist values.
+===Regalia the City===
+Regalia is the capital of the Regalian Empire. Why the city and the Empire are named the way they are is unknown, though it was likely a happenstance, as most of the Regalian Empire at the time of its founding was either trival or in early stages of developing a feudal agrarian society. Regalia, or the capital more specifically, was the place where everyone traveled to "the Regal place" as it were. The capital is what defined much of the early rise of the Empire, and is the central focal point in a way that no other capital of any other people could be. As a result, it is speculated that the locals just eventually called Regalia the Regal City, and that the Empire was defined by what this capital was called. Regalia is a metropolitan the likes of which only the most cosmopolitan melting pot cities in the real world could compare. Even though it only has 4 million inhabitants (which is small compared to real-world metropolises), it is the most densely inhabited city in Aloria, with every culture, every belief, every cult, every heritage and every ethnicity represented. For all the major religions there are vast temples, for all the foreign kingdoms there are embassies, and each people effectively has a district or neighborhood to call their own. Every taste, every sensation, every thought and everything that is present in the world is sampled in this city, which is why inevitably all roads lead back to Regalia, and every person longs to visit this city one day. The city however also has a dark side. While much of it is covered in wealth and splendor, crime is high in the poor areas and state saboteurs and terrorists actively blend into the vast population that the state apparatus is often unable to control. For all the gilded roofs and poetic prose about the beauty of the Palace, it only masks the misery of the homeless in the alley ways, falling victim to Vampires and other dark forces alike. Regalia is a city of extremes, and thus the focus point of the Roleplay universe.
-====Common People Cultures====
+===Thoughts on Magic===
-The Common People Cultures are cultures focused around the more common people of the Regalian Empire, and perhaps the more unseedy groups as well. They are generally seen as the older cultures, with lots of focus on the commoner’s lifestyle, although still having a ruling class element as well.
+The Ailor are a people with a complicated relationship with Magic. Some cultures absolutely adore and encourage Magical exploration, while many other Ailor cultures absolutely despise it, and would eagerly kill Mages if given the chance. As a result, Ailor leaders and rulers constantly walk a fine balancing act between purism and mage emancipation that often tends to swing back and forth depending on the personal preferences of the person in charge. In Regalian Roleplay, this expresses itself through the "pendulum of rights". Every year or so, a new person comes to power in Regalia who has a different opinion on Magic, and radically alters the laws to fit their preferences. This can sometimes result in extreme emancipation and Magic publicly used in the street, only to be repressed a year later as a new ruler comes to power. It often results in situations where Mages play crucial roles in solving the calamities and chaos that strike Regalia, but end up being punished after the fact as scapegoats, having to be content with the invisibility of their achievement as propaganda wipes their contributions away. The constant struggle between Tech versus Magic is an ongoing topic in Ailor society, and Regalia in particular, that Players are constantly on switching sides of.
-* [[Highland Ceardian]], a culture inspired by the mountain clans and warriors.
-* [[Heartland Ceardian]], a culture inspired by the common average man.
-* [[Colonial]], a culture inspired by the new world, and purity and piousness.
-* [[Anglian]], a culture inspired by the wide farmlands and cattle that feed the people.
-* [[Breizh]], a culture inspired by knights of old, and legendary tales of mystical weapons.
-* [[Ériunin]], a culture inspired by folklore and racial diversity, as well as laid-back living.
-* [[Daendroque]], a culture inspired by cut-throat living, gambling and debauching.
-* [[Bragacao]], a culture inspired by the ever present itch for exploration and maritime life.
-* [[Tolonne]], a culture inspired by the high political stakes of the realm and the warm south.
-* [[Jendaskea]], a culture inspired by plantations and island living, from the colonies.
-* [[Azzizzari]], a culture inspired by extravagance and showmanship at its finest.
-* [[Etosian]], a culture inspired by religious devotion and ascetic living for faith.
-====Northern People Cultures====
+===Aristocracy & Hierarchy===
-The Northern People Cultures are cultures focused around the wilder Ailor which are generally found further north, which are closer to how the Ailor used to be in the old days before cultural diversification and civilization.
+One very important aspect of Ailor society as a whole is aristocracy, autocracy and the concept of hierarchy. For better or worse, the Ailor always gravitate towards leadership structures and seek strong persons to lead them and to organize them. The Ailor are not exceptional at anything individually, but even the most untrained peasant mob under the right leader can turn the Ailor from disorganized rabble into efficient fighting machine. Each Ailor society eventually structures itself around centralized leaders followed by devolved leadership or authority passed down to subordinates. This usually expresses itself through feudalism and serfdom, and so most of the millions of Ailor who live in the world are tenant farmers or workers subject to some lord or count. Even among the nominally more democratic nations that call themselves republics, only the wealthy vote, or votes are only cast between centralizing families that rule from mighty castles and palaces. Hierarchy is exceptionally important in Ailor society, and the concept of a social class climber is seen as uncouth. Class distinction is important, and while the Ailor do not have a caste system, marrying outside of one's means is considered an offensive vanity for the pauper, and a weak gesture for the wealth-born.
-* [[Velheim]], a culture inspired by viking raiders and honor bound warriors.
-* [[Fridurfolk]], a culture inspired by pastoral pacifists, shepherds and poets.
-* [[Tarkkin]], a culture inspired by wildland raiders and forest dwelling tribes.
-* [[Höglander]], a culture inspired by the rise of civilization in the wild lands.
-* [[Zvorun]], a culture inspired by ancient paganism, folklore and mythical beasts.
-====Niche People Cultures====
+===States & Regionalism===
-The Niche People Cultures are rarely seen, but still exist, offering a unique take on the Ailor race that is not often found among the other Cultures.
+An enduring conflict that often plagues Ailor progress, is their habit to further fragment their society into smaller groups to create more exclusionary in-groups and othering those not part of it. This often expresses itself in the conflict between patriotism and regionalism. It is a natural desire of all states and autocratic leaders to seek more centralized power. To break away the legal rights of the smaller regions and to meld everything together into one homogenous loyal state that works towards a common goal. Because Ailor have become very efficient at doing just that, large regional-autonomy movements have risen up to preserve cultural uniqueness, but also to counteract the loss of regional agency. After all, many cultural niches exist in small regional polities, with a history of having fought for their identity's continued survival against for example a common enemy like the Elves. But often, when these enemies would disappear, suddenly the predominant Ailor power would become the new oppressor, or attempt to centralize power even more aggressively than the previous tyrant would. In Regalia, this often expresses itself in subtly disobedient and regionally autonomous politicians. These politicians aren't necessarily disloyal to the Empire, and do not wish to see it do well, but would rather than all taxes and cultural homogeneity is applied anywhere but here. In essence, many of Regalia's politicians are NIMBYs, and the Empire's instability is largely caused by its own politicians engaging in self-sabotaging plots against the crown and the central state to cling to any regional autonomy they can, even if it puts them at severe risk of invasion from outside forces or ouster from their own people.
-* [[Vladno]], a culture inspired by the polarization of gender norms and societal pressure.
-* [[Ânia]], a culture inspired by the superstitions and dangers of vampires on every corner.
-* [[Byala]], a culture inspired by the beauty of gold and an ancient past.
-* [[Dvala]], a culture inspired by the three groups who have lost much to the outside world.
-* [[Ohrneti]], a culture inspired by religious crusade and fervor on heresies and sin.
-* [[Szabadok]], a culture inspired by horse lords and the power of the warlords.
-* [[Hadrav’yan]], a culture inspired by the fading boundary between orient and occident.
-* [[Güneyliler]], a culture inspired by the pursuit of knowledge through militarism.
-* [[Mevoriim]], a culture built around a religious cult obsessed with a living divine being.
-* [[Qússrakón]], a culture built around Avanthar mixing their culture with Ailor.
 ==Trivia==
-*It is generally believed that the metaphysical concept of the “Crown of the World”, a term used to define the most powerful entity in the world, is currently carried by the Ailor, since the Altalar lost it (both the metaphysical concept and the actual crown which was taken by the Ailor).
+* The name Ailor is a somewhat bold claim made by these people that they should be the inheritors of the world (the world being called Aloria, considering themselves the pre-eminent people of it). Other peoples of Aloria sometimes call the Ailor "Nuvalon", which is Elven for "New People" to put them more in their historical context.
-* The name Ailor comes from the term Aloria used to define the world itself. Both these terms are Ailor in nature however, but have become common enough to the point that other races also use them since most research in modern times exists in Ailor context.
+* The one thing Ailor are deeply skilled at, is adaptation and usurpation. Ailor can take any kind of technology, design, or idea from other people, and further it into one of their own, and then continue to iterate onto it to make it even better. Most Ailor inventions like the musket and the three-decked battleship are based on Dwarven inventions, but now fuel the rise of the Regalian Empire.
-* Ailor are generally bigoted, but actually also capable of using other races to their maximum extent. While Ailor are generally seen as racist, they actually are far more accepting of other races than any race in existence, because they will even accept the undesirable races, as long as they fill the right box and niche in society defined for them and do not complain.
+* Ailor are confirmed to be a common ancestor of the Skyborn people (at least the Founders and the Reclaimers). It is also speculated that the Ailor may be a distant common ancestor of the Dwarves. This would explain why Dwarven traits essentially disappear in half or quarter Dwarves.
-{{Races}}
+{{Peoples}}
 {{Accreditation
 |Artists = MonMarty
 |Writers = MonMarty
-|Processors = MonMarty
+|Processors = MonMarty, FireFan96
 }}
-[[category:races]] [[category:Humans]] [[category:Human Races]]
+[[category:Heritages]]

Ailor
Ailor (in Common)

Motto: "March, march to the glory of progress"

Nation State	Many
Ruler	Varied
Languages	Primarily Common
Religion	Unionism, Fornoss, Draconism
First Recorded	Unclear
Demonym(s)	Ailor