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| Allar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Race | |
| Pronunciation | Al-lar |
| Classification | Gorr |
| Subraces | Al-Allar, Mu-Allar, Sa-Allar, Zu-Allar, Es-Allar, Keel-Allar, Kaam-Allar, and Cro-Allar |
| Common Nicknames | Slimeskins, Scalies, Scaleskins, Lizards |
| Languages | Zasta |
| Naming Customs | Varying vowels with double L,S and Z |
| Racial Traits | |
| Distinctions | Humanoid lizard people with a knack for alchemy |
| Maximum Age | 130 years |
| Height | 3'10 - 7' (Depends on subrace) |
| Weight | Depends on subrace |
| Eye Colors | Slitted pupil (some also round) with a bright yellow iris and white sclera |
| Hair Colors | Not applicable |
| Skin Tones | Depends on subrace, mostly scales varying browns, greens and some grayish blue. |
Originating from the mysterious and unmapped jungles of Sendras, the Allar are a diverse and varied race of reptilian humanoids known for their towering intellect and scientific capacity, their long-term defiance of the Regalian Empire, and their world-renowned glassworking skills. A lesser point of renown for the Allar is their ability to bounce back; even after facing centuries of attacks and being misled by other races. Despite this, the Allar have weathered these setbacks, surviving that which would have crushed any other race into oblivion, and turned detriment to their advantage. The most recent of these setbacks occurred during the Chrysant War, in which the Humans of Regalia attempted to inflict genocide upon the Allar. In only fifteen years, the Allar became first-class citizens of the Regalian Empire, in spite of the fact that the Humans wanted to utterly wipe them out earlier. While many other races still have disdain for the foreign looking Allar, their influence on global events as shrewd, capable and flexible people cannot be denied. With their diverse cultural caste system and specialized sub species all fulfilling a specific role in their society, Allar have quickly risen to become an intricate race rivalling even the complexity of Human society in the Regalian Empire and eclipsing the Elves in their unity and recovery of past glory.
Physical and Mental Characteristics
Allar, as a people, are the least homogenous on Aloria; they are diversified among many subspecies that look very different from one another. Even though the differences between Allar subspecies is heavily defined, they are all still classified as Allar and are born from the same lineage. Allar live a long time, nearly 130 years, but rarely reproduce over this period. A couple of Allar may only lay eggs once every ten years, though when they do, a female Allar can produce anywhere between five and thirteen eggs after a carrying period of about a month. These eggs aren’t ever the same subspecies; there is no pattern in the eggs they lay, and a female Allar of any subspecies may randomly lay an egg that belongs to another subspecies. These subspecies all have their role in Allar society, as their bodies and minds are uniquely suited for specific tasks and specializations. Below are the various subspecies of Allar and their Physical and Mental Characteristics combined into one segment to make an easy differentiation between the subspecies. There are also some common traits shared by all Allar species, which are mentioned further below.
Al-Allar
The Al-Allar are what could be considered the “default” Allar; their plain scales and horns help differentiate them from their perhaps more eccentric counterparts. They have tall necks, long fingers with sharp nails, and digitigrade legs ,standing roughly 5 feet and 6 inches tall. Their head is lizard-shaped with a snout. Adorning their skulls, jaws, and brows are smooth, ivory-colored spike-like horns of varying sizes that stick out of the scaled skin, though there is no real common trend for the quantity of the horns and spikes, and they vary greatly from Al-Allar to Al-Allar. Their irises are slitted (though round irises sometimes also occur), and are always a vibrant yellow color with a darker eye white. Al-Allar bodies are always on the frail side, weaker than even that of a Cielothar. They lack strong muscle definition or density, and their ribcage can occasionally be seen through their scales. Al-Allar also have a prehensile tail, meaning they can control it with the same fine motoric degree as their arms, essentially using their tail as a third arm with some capacity to grab things. What the Al-Allar lose in physical prowess is easily made up by their towering intellect. Al-Allar think fast, concisely, and decisively, capable of completing complex calculations in their head within mere moments, and storing a vast collection of memories that they can recall much faster than other races can. It should come as no surprise that the Al-Allar often work as the brain of the Allar species, and fulfill most intellectual roles within their society. Their small stature is also paired with their rather skittish persona: Al-Allar are considered cowards by the standards of other races, riddled with anxiety and insecurity. Al-Allar are calculated, and while capable of emotions, often end up reasoning them away with logic and calculations. It can often be said that Al-Allar are submissive and have a servant mindset, and strictly speaking this is true, but largely because Al-Allar thrive when protected by a larger more capable species and race. The Al-Allar certainly are not bottom feeders, as they represent the foundations of Allar society and ingenuity, and larger groups of Al-Allar are capable of overcoming their fear complexities and collectivizing for a common goal. Finally, one of the more curious skills Al-Allar have is their acute substance smell. If they have identified a smell of a substance before, they can smell it again, anywhere and anytime, almost akin to the ability of a hunting dog. This means that for example, if an Al-Allar has smelled a certain poison before, which has then been inserted into a rootbeer, they are capable of both identifying the root beer ingredients, but also the poison mixed within, no matter how miniscule the fragrance is. This has led to Ailor nobility enlisting some Al-Allar as cupbearers and has drastically reduced the number of assassinations via poisoning.
Mu-Allar
The Mu-Allar represent the second most numerous subspecies of the Allar, and look very similar to the Al-Allar. Mu-Allar represent the warrior caste of Allar society, or what they call the hunters. They are taller (on average by about two inches) than the Al-Allar, and possess a more muscular frame that ranges on the Athletic side. Their claws are larger and stronger, and they also possess a large claw on each foot that is frequently used in combat to great shredding effect. Mu-Allar have a prehensile tail like the Al-Allar, though it is far less flexible, used only to slap foes with in combat. Mu-Allar snouts also tend to be longer, their eyes smaller and their horns smaller and aimed backwards away from their face. Perhaps the most obvious difference between the Mu-Allar and the Al-Allar are the feathers that Mu-Allar have, ranging from the crown of their head down to their neck and some on their back also. These feathers are flexible and often come in very vibrant color hues, though avoiding pastel colors. Mu-Allar are not typically less intelligent than Al-Allar, but rather tend to have a shorter attention span and are a lot more physically active. They are boisterous, daring, and competitive, but always retain a very strong sense of camaraderie, making them excellent friends and drinking partners to carous with. While the Mu-Allar serve the Cro-Allar, their identity as the hunter caste has led them to develop a sense of righteous superiority over the other Allar, like they are what stands between their destruction and survival, and hold an innate sense of honor and self value. Mu-Allar as such tend not to heed the warnings and caution of the Al-Allar and jump into action unprepared, often to their own detriment unless tempered by the wisdom of the Es-Allar and the leadership of the Cro-Allar. Within their families, Mu-Allar are very passionate, and are known to have a convoluted mating dance involving the grooming of their feathers and displaying them in all their wild color ranges. While Al-Allar possess an acute smell for substances, Mu-Allar possess that same smell, but for drawn blood. Mu-Allar can smell blood from several streets away, making escaping from a Mu-Allar while bleeding exceptionally difficult, almost as difficult as escaping a shark.
Zu-Allar
The Zu-Allar are a relatively rare sight among the Allar, not only because of their low birthrate, but also because of their stoic, isolated and solemn characteristics. The Zu-Allar are taller than both the Al-Allar and Mu-Allar, yet shorter than an average Ailor (around 5 feet and 10 inches). They have a stubbier snout than either Mu-Allar and Al-Allar and have no feathers, spikes, or horns anywhere on their body. Instead, their skin is covered in thick, armored scales that deflect most cutting and slicing weaponry to the point where they can receive a surprising amount of physical punishment before feeling any pain. Their tail is even less flexible than that of the Mu-Allar, remaining mostly rigid, but also being armored and having a single rounded bone protrusion at the end that they use to slam into the ground when they are angry, but severely restricts combat use. Despite their defensive capacity, Zu-Allar are not particularly strong (they range just around an average Ailor), superbly intelligent or fast (they move slowly due to the inflexibility of their scales). Their natural defensive capacity means they are the often unsung defensive troops of the Allar military, though frequently also labor in harsh conditions that would otherwise be too dangerous for Al-Allar such as quarries and mines. Zu-Allar personalities are very stoic and silent, often preferring to remain quiet and solemn, a stark contrast from the Mu-Allar that flank them in military formations and thirst for battle. Zu-Allar, outside of the military, can often be found in libraries or places of knowledge. While they lack the towering intellect of the Al-Allar, they love listening to Al-Allar ramble about scientific theories, and find comfort in the bustle of the quick-tempered Al-Allar around them, to contrast their own rather sluggish demeanor. Zu-Allar often don’t form relations of companionship with other Allar because they find such attachments to give them anxiety. In many ways, Zu-Allar have both a physical and figurative armor that they feel keeps them safe, but makes them fear exposing themselves to the outside world.
Sa-Allar
The Sa-Allar are an equally rare sight to the Zu-Allar, and can best be described as the dumb muscle of the Allar species. Sa-Allar are slightly taller than an average Ailor (usually at 6 feet and two inches), and possess a muscular body frame, though completely lack a tail. Their heads are often more pointier and angular than that of the Al- and Mu-Allar, featuring a head that is reminiscent of Dragons, while they usually only have two horns. Their teeth are larger, and practically all Sa-Allar have an underbite that gives them a perpetual silly and rather fierce appearance. Sa-Allar can best be described as gentle giants, being by far the least intelligent of the Allar species and often lacking the capacity to even stop themselves from being distracted by a near butterfly. They appear in a constant state of wonder about the world around them, whether it is the first time witnessing snow (and then suffering hypothermia as they forget about their cold weakness) or seeing a waterfall and wanting to swim in it (subsequently nearly drowning as they forget how to swim). Despite their predisposition to comical neglect for their own wellbeing, Sa-Allar can become strong and loyal defenders of the Allar species in the blink of an eye if they sense that any of them are at risk. Sa-Allar turn seemingly abruptly and completely unexpectedly in a difference that is like night and day from a gentle giant to a rampaging bulk of anger. It should thus come to no surprise that Sa-Allar are fiercely loyal to all of the other Allar subspecies and set aside their generally distracted and neglectful behavior to ensuring the safety of those they consider friends. Sa-Allar are also easy to befriend as such, mostly to other Allar, since even the remotest of Al-Allar is a friend in their eyes. In daily life, the Sa-Allar don’t really serve a purpose, but are often used as bodyguards to the Es-Allar whom they consider “cute”, or the Cro-Allar, to who they look up to and admire. Sa-Allar can sometimes also be witnessed acting as the dumb muscle sidekick of a Mu-Allar, or a protective friend of an Al-Allar. While alone, Sa-Allar usually wander aimlessly, being distracted by the color of flowers or the smell of a freshly baked bread, instilling hunger before naptime.
Es-Allar
The Es-Allar are, together with the Cro-Allar, the third rarest sight among Allar, so rare that presumably only a few hundred of them exist at any time around the world. Es-Allar are also the strangest of the Allar species in that they do not conform to the looks of the others at all, and represent a far more amphibian appearance, lacking a tail as well. The most notable aspect about the Es-Allar is that they are short, extremely short, barely being three feet tall. The vast majority of their body is their torso that is somehow set on two stubby legs with webbed feet. They have essentially no neck, meaning their mouth and eyes and nostrils are set on their torso in a way that makes them look like a walking barrel with arms. Their arms are almost as long as their whole body, with hands that seem disproportionately large, are webbed, and usually drag along the floor. Es-Allar eyes are large and black while their facial expression is usually that of a frown, while their skin is completely smooth and their body lacks any kind of bone or spike or horn protrusions. The Es-Allar are generally laughed at by other races, and even among the Allar they are sometimes misunderstood as cute and needing of protection, notably by the Sa-Allar. The fact that they always have a child-like appearance also doesn’t help to that end, though comically enough, Es-Allar are the most sagely and wise species of the Allar. Completely contrary to their cute small appearance, Es-Allar have a deep groggy voice and speak with prose and poetry, laced with wise and insightful words about the world and their own society. What they lack in physical prowess (given that they cannot even run on land due to the stubbiness of their legs), they make up for by being the only Allar subspecies that is able to cast Magic. In fact, they are often underestimated and mistaken for Allar children, when in reality they are the world’s most proficient spellcasters, capable of learning Magic at twice the rate of any other Alorian race. This makes them dangerous, but not invincible. They are frail and small, and can barely escape from an attacker without the help from others, which is why Es-Allar are often protected by Sa-Allar or squads of Mu-Allar. Es-Allar can often also be found in the company of Cro-Allar, acting as their advisors. Es-Allar are a grumpy species of Allar, having a rather cynical world view, and burying anything they say under layers of sarcasm and passive aggressiveness that would make one think they are perpetually angry at everyone. That being said, when situations get tough, the Es-Allar are capable of offering the most practical and sagely advice, formed from years of engaging in meditation and philosophical thought. Every Es-Allar in Allar society is a mage of some kind, and while the Al-Allar mostly ignore their magical input, they wield considerable power in Allar society due to their proximity to the Cro-Allar, and also act as the social guardians of order and law among the Allar.
Keel-Allar
Keel-Allar are, similarly to the Es-Allar, a short species of Allar, though now quite as short and small as the Es-Allar. The Keel-Allar are very similar to the Ovirran Varran subspecies, in that they have dwarf-like proportions (though unlike both Ovirran and Dwarves, are very lithe). They have short stubby legs, a short tail that barely hits the ground, an elongated torso, and a head that is similar to that of a salamander or gecko. The Keel-Allar usually have very vibrant scales, big alert eyes and a very wide mouth that often seeks a constant supply of snacks. Keel-Allar hands are sometimes webbed like those of the Es-Allar, but not consistently. Their body is not covered in any sort of horns or spikes, though they can sometimes have ridges and cranial formations on their head. Due to their size, usually ranging to a maximum of 5 feet, the Keel-Allar are mistaken for child-sized Al-Allar by outsiders, though the difference is very obvious to the Allar species themselves. This is further compounded by the fact that Keel-Allar have a very childish attitude and in general a higher-pitch voice than the other races, even in adulthood. They are often hyperactive, need constant stimulation, and have a really hard time being quiet, much to the annoyance of the more pensive races of Allar society. Keel-Allar don’t formally really serve a function in Allar society. Sometimes they serve as hunters, messengers, or just generally errand runners, but many Keel-Allar also live outside of formal Allar society. Cro, Es and Al-Allar find Keel-Allar exceedingly irritating sometimes, and inversely, Keel-Allar often also feel that Allar society is too restrictive. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the Keel-Allar are opposed to the structure, it just means that sometimes the Keel leave Allar society to live among their own kind in smaller fishing communities away from Allar cities, sometimes also on the request of the other Allar who might be all too ready to get a moment of peace. Keel-Allar do however have a role in the Allar army, being the only Allar species that has excellent eyesight to be used for ranged weapons. The Keel-Allar are exceptionally good at the use of a sling or dart blower, frequently also using these to prank other Allar.
Kaam-Allar
Kaam-Allar are by far the rarest sight among Allar society. Even many Allar go through life never seeing a Kaam-Allar, notably because they are born so rarely, but also because the Kaam-Allar fulfill the clandestine role of spies and saboteurs of the Cro-Allars, and are raised as such in confined institutions away from the general population. Kaam-Allar are shorter than the other Allar species, but due to their proportions, it roughly evens out. While their body (without the head) usually hovers around 4 to 5 feet, they have a much longer neck supporting a relatively smaller head, similar to that of a komodo dragon, which when added on top of their body, evens them out at around 5’5” to 6 feet usually. Kaam-Allar have a very muted scale pattern, being by far the most dulled and gray toned of them all. There is nothing remarkable on their body, no plumage, no spikes, no horns, just a long tail which, like the Cro-Allar, has a tendency to drag on the floor and cannot be used in a prehensile manner. Kaam-Allar are also practically blind, with poor eyesight to the point where they cannot see clearly unless an object is an arms’ length away from their face, at furthest. In practice however, they perceive the world differently than other sentient species because of a number of physical characteristics unique to the Kaam-Allar. Primarily, they use their very long tongue (which can rapidly stick in and out of their mouth) as well as their nose organs which send out echolocation noises that other Allar (or indeed any other race) can hear. They are able to, in their mind, perfectly map an area with these echo noises, thus being able to perceive shape in three dimension, without actually having functional eyes. This does not allow them to bend their vision around walls or roofs, but they can detect for example a person hiding behind a sofa in a room where they are present. Additionally, their tongue can carry extremely fine traces of smells, particularly of people and creatures. It is as such said that it is impossible to hide from a Kaam-Allar if they are in the same room, though this strong sense of smell does not extend beyond a set of rooms or corridors. Furthermore, the Kaam-Allar have hyper sensitive foot and hand pads, which are not only extremely sensitive to any irregularities in materials, but also effectively soundless. Unless their claws click against something, they are practically inaudible, perhaps only the soft slithering noise of their tail dragging around being audible. The sensitivity on their hand pads is so profound that they are able to detect writing and map it out in their head because of their great spatial mapping skills in their mind, thus being able to read something without looking at it. Because of their horrible eyesight and sensitive nerve endings, the Kaam-Allar are hilariously bad at fighting, and avoid such at all costs. This is where their most curious ability comes into play, their ability to become invisible when remaining absolutely still. The ability is barely understood, even by the Allar, but the Kaam-Allar are capable of entering two stages of camouflage, and after invisibility. If they want to, they can turn their scales into camouflage scales, which take on the material color and contrast of whatever is around them. They are still able to move around with camouflage scales, though the disguise is not perfect. Among foliage or leaves or in caves, this camouflage is very effective. If however they need something more effective, they need only remain unmoving in place for several seconds after activating their camouflage to turn completely invisible. Moving any part of their body causes this invisibility to break, however they can move their tongue without becoming visible again, still being able to perpetually scan the area around them in 360 degrees. Kaam-Allar have one massive weakness. Because of the rapid breathing and heart rate of the Keel-Allar, Keel-Allar generate a “negative noise” to their echolocation. Keel-Allar, and anything within a feet distance of a Keel-Allar negates the echolocation properties of the Kaam-Allar vision, thus meaning that Keel-Allar are practically invisible to Kaam-Allar, and can turn other objects invisible too.
Cro-Allar
Cro-Allar represent the pinnacle of Allar power within their society. They are the second rarest of Allar species, along with the Es-Allar, and form the Allar nobility and leaders, ranging both from military to civilian leaders. Cro-Allar are large, averaging the same size as Orcs (6'11 maximum) with bulk in muscle to easily compete with them. They stand hunched over due to their large frame, their head set on a short, thick neck (which may sometimes actually cause them to be the same size as Ailor when hunched). The shapes of their heads resemble those of crocodiles, and lack the usual Allar horns and spikes. They possess sharp rows of teeth in their jaw and strong legs upon which their large frame is supported, with a thick tail that often drags along the floor behind them. Cro-Allar are, by virtue of their size, the leaders of Allar society. Cro-Allar are capable of wielding weapons, but frequently much prefer to use their base hands. Whether this has had any other reason than the fact that they crushed all other species resisting their rule in earlier times is unclear, but all other Allar species in modern times are fiercely loyal to the Cro-Allar. Despite their size and bulky stature, Cro-Allar tend to be very pensive like the Zu-Allar, and equally slow acting. They are scary combat opponents, but often prefer to delegate military pursuits to the Mu-Allar that act as their soldiers, and the Sa-Allar that act as their bodyguards. Cro-Allar are frequently surrounded or flanked by Es-Allar as their advisors, but also just because between the two species, they rule the Allar race, and maintain that control due to their unique relation of sage input and brute power. Cro-Allar are proud creatures, often donning themselves in jewelry and gold plating their scales and teeth for appearance. In many ways, their vanity could be compared to that of the Elves, except they can seriously hurt anyone who goes out of their way to insult their sense of style. Cro-Allar also fulfill a curious role in Allar society under the umbrella of the Regalian Empire, acting as Allar Nobility to the Ailor. Cro-Allar are seen as representatives of the Allar structure within the Regalian federation, and as such are deferred to with respect within the Regalian capital, even by the Ailor Nobility, as a revered ally and a powerful caste of ruler warriors in and of themselves.
Mutasj-Allar
The Mutasj-Allar are outsiders to the Allar caste system. From a racial perspective, they certainly exist, and while they are rare, they are still a sizable enough population not to be completely ignored in the census. There is nothing to find on them which connects them to Allar Society or culture however, as they are usually outcast from Allar population as a whole. Mutasj-Allar are the so called Mutt-breeds, a freak incident where two Allar parents cause a mutated egg to form in which a hybrid Allar of both species (if parents are different species) exists. These mutations can be any combination of Al, Keel, Mu, Zu, and Cro-Allar, but not Sa or Es-Allar, or Kaam-Allar. In any and all circumstances, a Mutasj-Allar takes both parents and averages their size and temperament between them, while taking physical characteristics from both parent species. These Mutt-Allar are outcast from the Allar society on a purely clerical basis, because Allar are unable to properly categorize them in their rigid caste system. Mutasj-Allar as such usually end up being outcasts of Allar Society, and usually bring shame on a family for existing within it. Mutasj communities do exist, but they often only survive on the fringes of Allar society and live on the scraps given to them by charity, while having no way to express themselves or participate in Allar society. Many Mutasj Allar are wandering souls, leaving their home due to rejection, and wandering Aloria's wide lands in search for a place to belong. Many become mercenaries, scholars or curiously enough, even Mages, since Mutasj-Allar seem capable of casting Magic just like the Es-Allar. Mutasj-Allar are a rare sight in Regalia, though find it easier to integrate in Regalia due to the innate racism of Humans. Many Humans do not understand the difference between a Mu-Allar and a Zu-Allar, meaning that these Mutt-Allar can flawlessly fold into Human society, even if they would draw the ire of other Allar for being caste-less wanderers who go against the structured lives of the others.
Common Traits
Allar are described to be a reptilian race with varying subspecies that have scales instead of skin. Their scales usually range from green to brown tones, though some yellow and grayish blue tones have also been observed. The eyes are the same for all species, having regular eye whites and yellow irises. Most Allar have slitted eyes, though many are also born with regular round pupils by no real discernable trend. Cro-Allar, however, all have slitted eyes, while Es-Allar always have round eyes. All species of Allar are cold-blooded, meaning the cold is very dangerous to them in the absence of heat. Snow can, if being exposed to for too long, give them frostbite very quickly, and it's very frequent for Allar to lose feet or hands from frost damage. Strong cold in particular slows them down, which makes them very susceptible to Elemental Mages. All Allar possess a certain pattern of scales on their forehead, between their eyes, that is consistent for families. When an Al-Allar couple gives birth, it might, for example, lay four Al-Allar eggs, four Mu-Allar eggs, two Zu-Allar eggs and a single Cro-Allar egg. Due to the societal beliefs of the caste system, eggs that do not belong to the same species of parents are removed, thus leaving the parent with only four Al-Allar eggs. The other eggs are then given to couples of the corresponding species to be raised in their proper caste. Despite being separated from birth, however, all Allar no matter what species can still recognize their birth family by the pattern of scale orientation between their eyes. The top row of scales represents the father, while the lower set of scales represents the mother. The differences are very miniscule, so small in fact that most Ailor won’t be able to tell the difference (though Qadir can, due to their Meticulous Precision), as some scales are angled a few degrees to the left or the right, causing a distinct and unique pattern to form. This pattern is often called the Scale-Bond and gives Allar who share the same parents but grew up in different households an unusual relation of friendship or loyalty to one another. The only species of Allar that does not have this is the Es-Allar, though they hardly ever care about their heritage anyway since they are raised by a set of teachers, not parents, and never form family units.
Further Information on Allar Behavior: https://forums.massivecraft.com/threads/case-study-on-allar-behavior.67577/
Allar Regeneration
Allar also have a number of common traits that aid in their survival on Aloria. The most obvious trait that they developed from Sendras is their natural resistance to poison and toxins as well as disease. While they can still be affected by certain diseases, Allar have natural protection against most harmful substances that need to be ingested or applied to skin that could normally prove fatal to Humans, because their body tissue regenerates faster than the disease can destroy it. Furthermore, Allar have a set of regenerative capabilities for lost body parts. As long as their head and torso remain attached, they can slowly regrow lost hands, feet, limbs and tails, and also scales, teeth and even eyes over longer periods of time. Scales and teeth are regrown in a matter of days, while hands and feet may take some weeks and tails and limbs may finally take up to two months. These two traits often mean that Allar spend almost no time in healthcare, thus making them able to transfer all their medical knowledge on the other races within the Regalian Empire with great effect.
Allar Tongues
Allar have a very unique tongue with a sense of taste and analysis of anything they lick unlike anything else in existence. Their tongue can be used to analyse substances or surfaces with a great attention to detail. The primary use of the tongue is identification. As long as an Allar has tastes a substance before and been told what it was, they can detect that substance in anything they lick, regardless of how small the quantity inside the substance is, or how many times it has been distilled, dissolved or otherwise altered. The identification of substances can go so far as to be able to tell which person spat saliva in case they have smelled or otherwise licked the person before. The secondary use of the tongue is in-depth analysis. They can detect the substance decay of most common substances. For example, they can detect how long ago a fruit was plucked from a tree, how long ago an ale was brewed and how long it has been fermenting. They can detect how long a piece of meat has been rotting, or how old a maggot is, allowing for somewhat accurate time of death determinations, particularly useful for the Violet Guard. Allar are as such also sometimes used for autopsy of murdered nobles, able to detect substances and poisons in their blood or stomach lining. Finally, Allar tongues are both surprisingly long (as in, they can extend far outside of the mouth) but also incredibly durable. Even poisons can be detected practically instantly, and do not damage their tongue in any way. The tongue is so resilient that even most acids do not cause any damage besides pain. The tongue is also strong enough to strangle a small child, or cause severe oxygen deprivation in limbs when used to strangle for example an arm or leg. Even the strongest of soldiers have trouble uncoiling a tongue from themselves if they have been ensnared.
History
The earliest records of Allar appearing in Aloria are through various snippets from Elven Explorers around 1200 BC. At this time, Elven explorers labeled this land dangerous and uninhabitable, mostly due to the unfavorable climate, but also partially due to the frequency of tropical illnesses striking foreigners in the dense jungles of Sendras. As such, there is very minimal historical writing on the Allar in their early days, though what can be told from Elven sources, is that the Allar subspecies all existed around this time in lesser kingdoms. Somewhere around 800 BC, the Allar seem to have unified into one massive spanning Empire, though the exact circumstances that led to this unification remain unknown to this day. Comparatively speaking, the Allar developed a system of writing far later than any other race, and in many ways, what alternative methods of historical recording they did have were lost to time. It is assumed that in many ways, early Sendrassian civilization (while unified) resembled primitive Ceardia with numerous fledgeling kingdoms and warlords controlling local areas in a very rudimentary pre-feudalism manner.
Allar civilization did not truly civilize (the way Regalians understand it, with formal writing, governance, and culture) until after the Sendrassian Civil War, an event that has marked the development of the Allar as a whole greatly. The Sendrassian Civil War was an event in Sendras that occurred between 73 BC and 22 BC, making it one of the longest, if not the longest, military conflicts in Alorian history. The civil war started over religious differences as the Allar had long held the faith of the Dragons in high regard, but the growing influence of Void Worship caused social unrest. Important distinctions should be made in contrasting the rise of Void Worship among the Allar in comparison to the Elves, however. While the general population of the Elves was converted at a steady pace, such a thing did not occur among the Allar. Due to the pyramid structure of Allar society, it took only a few Es- and Cro-Allar to convert, for vast swathes of their population to fall in line without necessarily converting. As such, it was possible for only a handful of leading Allar to convert to Void Worship, while thousands of their subjects remained loyal to the old faith, but simply went along with their rebellion because of their docile attitude to their leaders.
Small skirmishes between loyalists and Void converts eventually broke into open rebellion, which culminated into the civil war which is marked to have started with the Void convert attack on the capital of the Sendrassian Empire, the Golden Soor. From very early on, the Void converts (largely by act of the Es-Allar) engaged in magical terrorism to shock and awe the loyalist Al-Allar into line. The capital of the Sendrassian Empire, led by a strong loyalist Digmaan (Cro-Allar Noble), was completely eradicated when a group of Es-Allar used magic to create a massive acid cloud that killed every living being in the city. The rival Es-Allar and Cro-Allar continued to wage their civil war for decades in a conflict where the death toll has never been fully recorded, though often assumed to be in the hundreds of thousands. Towards the later years of the civil war, the void converts appeared to be losing the war, as the Digmaans of the loyalists and their Mu-Allar armies seemed to be gaining the upper hand. This turn of fortunes caused the Es-Allar who worked for the Void Worshipers to increase their magical terrorism, which would prove the final blow in the Civil War. While the loyalist Digmaan and Mu-Allar were prepared to continue the fight, the civilian Soor-Rassa-Allar (which was entirely comprised of Al-Allar) made plans to flee the continent. Many of the Cro-Allar lineage and Mu-Allar loyalists still resent the Soor-Rassa-Allar to this day for essentially betraying the military castes of the Allar Empire, as they were of the belief that they were winning, but only fled because of the cowardice of the Al-Allar.
Regardless of the circumstances of the loyalists losing the civil war, The Soor-Rassa-Allar organized a massive flight of loyalists out of Sendras, of all subspecies of Allar, fleeing north to the sparse continent of Hadaria which at the time was barely populated save for a few wandering groups of Slizzar and some Elven outposts. While the Cro-Allar and Mu-Allar originally resented the flight from their homeland, their overriding protective nature of the other Allar species eventually took the upper hand, and they escorted the flight out of Sendras. To many, after the flight of January 12th 22 BC, Sendras became a dark continent, both in a literal and figurative sense. The Void Worship Allar won the Civil War and shut off the continent from the prying eyes of outsiders. To this day, few adventurers have ventured to the shorelines, and even fewer have returned with tales of abominations and savagery in the dark jungles to the south. The Regalian Empire, in fact, has a general bar on anyone approaching the continent, and likely with good reason, as no state that has allowed to fester in Void Worship for as long as Sendras has, could reasonably maintain normality.
The Allar settling in Hadaria eventually splintered into the lesser kingdoms often called the Chrysant Kingdoms by the Regalians, though they often maintained a unified aspect despite the implication that they were separate kingdoms. The Soor-Rassa-Allar remained an organization that loosely tied the Allar together, even if individual Digmaan would continue to wage war against each other over land squabbles. The move to Hadaria caused the Allar to be more frequently exposed to the rising Regalian Empire and the collapsing Elven Empire. Contact to civilized states in this manner (largely through trade and diplomacy) caused the Allar to rapidly standardize their language, writing, and historical recounting. While much was lost in the flight from Sendras, the Allar who lived in Hadaria quickly recovered and even managed to thrive in their new environment no less than twenty years after arriving. Hadaria, however, was already natively inhabited by the Slizzar. Over decades that turned into centuries, the Slizzar slowly integrated into Allar society and managed to infiltrate every level of politics. From the lowest caste of the Soor-Rassa-Allar, Slizzars seduced the timid Al-Allar, up to the highest ranks where Slizzar became consorts to the Cro-Allar. This slow and steady seduction of Allar leadership is what many today consider the reason why the Allar never fully unified in a way other Empires did. Eventually, this led to one particularly successful Slizzar called Miko Missa seizing power over all the Chrysant Kingdoms by seducing the strongest Digmaan and using them to force the others in line. This sudden and dangerous skirmishing with the power balance of the region caused aggravation of the Regalian Empire, which would soon declare war on the Essa Empire (the Allar name of their new realm in Hadaria) in 286 AC.
While the Mu-Allar and Cro-Allar proved competent on the field of battle against the inferior Regalian troops, the Ailor were far too numerous and outclassed the Allar navies to a laughable extent. Attacked from all sides, the Allar military eventually cracked, and the war changed from military conflict to a civilian genocide, fueled by Ailor racism. By the time Fessa Huallo (the new capital) fell, the Allar were completely at the mercy of the Ailor. Surprisingly, however, unlike other races, the Soor-Rassa-Allar quickly subjected itself in a very submissive manner, even if the Cro-Allar and Mu-Allar resisted. This quick submission and docile compliance to Regalian overlordship would later prove to be the greatest boon the Allar could have employed to secure their future.
Immediately following the Chrysant War, Hadaria was divided into numerous Ailor led governorates, subject states and puppet kingdoms that continued to wage war on one another for various reasons. While Allar sovereignty was crushed, they were released from the Slizzar grasp who were eradicated with a much higher degree of efficiency than the Allar were and retreated to the far corners of the world. The subservient attitude of the Soor-Rassa-Allar turned around Regalian attitudes to the Allar in record time. It was their loyalty, their silent public relations struggle, and willful obedience that turned the Allar into a valuable ally. This eventually culminated into the Allar collectively integrating into Ailor society, becoming the first non-Ailor race to become first-class citizens in the Regalian Empire, and even having the Digmaan recognized as non-Human nobility in their own right. Needless to say, out of all races, Allar have suffered the most in terms of setbacks against their race, yet overcome all of them. Furthermore, they are also classified as the second most successful race in Aloria, having created a strong working relation with the Ailor (though racism against them still exists), and being present in nearly all layers of Ailor governance of the Empire.
Society
Allar society is remarkably complex due to the caste structure that has been observed in practically every era of their existence. Every subrace of Allar exists on a separate caste that grants them specific rights and duties. While there is no real discrimination between the castes, all Allar are expected to fulfill the roles within their casts, and those who refuse to do so become outcasts. The Allar caste system is extremely strict and is mostly centered around occupations and life ambitions. Al-Allar are the general craftsmen and civilian population of the Allar caste system. They are responsible not only for the creation of common goods but also food production and alchemical business. Mu-Allar are the general military population of the Allar caste system. They are almost exclusively soldiers, though in peace time they are permitted to engage in other professions. The Zu-Allar are the historians and bookkeepers of the Allar caste system, also having developed the Allar writing system. During war time, however, they are also called into the military. Sa-Allar (while being a caste of their own) don’t formally have a working expectation since they just attach themselves to whatever employment they can usually. The Es-Allar are the magical caste, covering mages and advisors to the ruling class of the Allar, while the Cro-Allar are the ruling class of nobility. Like some other races, Allar are extremely cooperative within their own race, to the point of having some sort of positive disposition towards even stranger Allar that never met before. The Keel-Allar sometimes fall outside of Allar society, either voluntarily or by force from the other Allar. For those who do remain within the structure of Allar Society, they end up doing odds and ends and smaller tasks between the castes that the other Allar think themselves too good for. Finally, the Kaam-Allar fulfill the clandestine roles in society, often serving as spymasters for the Cro-Allar. The Kaam-Allar fulfill roles of saboteurs, spies as well as specialists to combat forgeries or clear areas of any potential dangers to their Cro’s, such as detecting would be assassins from behind pillars or suspended from the ceiling.
Politics
Allar politics is dominated by the three pillars of Rassa-Allar (a term used to describe their politics). The first and most obvious pillar, the Soor-Rassa-Allar, has a complex power structure. While formally being the weakest and having no actual say in governance on a local level, the Soor-Rassa-Allar is commonly considered to represent the civilian races of Allar society: The Al-Allar, the Zu-Allar, and the Sa-Allar. The Soor-Rassa-Allar is an intellectual court of twenty-four great alchemists that predict and determine the course of Allar policy in the context of the Great Alchzech, their fallen Dragon Faith, and general logic. Decisions made by the Soor-Rassa-Allar are not legally binding for the entire race, though the ruling classes tend to heed their word carefully, as they represent the Al-Allar, who are still the most numerous subspecies of their race. Above the Soor-Rassa-Allar exist the Digmaan-Rassa-Allar and the Eszul-Rassa-Allar, the former being a collective of great Digmaan Cro-Allar warlords who each have their own Mu-Allar army, and the latter being a general collective of Es-Allar Mages that have unified into a so-called Mage Triangle. The Digmaan-Rassa-Allar barely ever convene and don’t formally even agree on many things. The Cro-Allar frequently engage in conflicts with one another, though in many ways they do tend to agree on foreign military policy. The Digmaan-Rassa-Allar usually elect a representative from among them, either a really powerful Cro-Allar or a really wise and old one that acts as their elected monarch in a way. This elected monarch then decides the future military pursuits of the Cro-Allar and Mu-Allar. The Eszul-Rassa-Allar meanwhile form the advisory body that supports both the Digmaan-Rassa-Allar and the Soor-Rassa-Allar, being entirely comprised of all Es-Allar who are alive at any point in time. The Eszul-Rassa-Allar rarely convenes, as any one of their members can often act as a dignitary with valuable magical advice, or just general sagely advice. In certain emergency situations, however, this group convenes in the hall of Eszul. This hall is normally used to train all the Es-Allar Mages but hosts their conventions in case of an emergency.
Culture
Allar culture is all about the natural sciences and Alchemy, especially Alchemy, which dominantly domes over their caste system. Even if an Allar is not knowledgeable in alchemy, they spend most of their time in life gathering alchemical ingredients, plants, liquids, and metals and storing them for later use or at least aiding in the acquisition of such goods as military escorts or other support services. Allar clothe themselves in green, blue, or white colored fabrics, usually made from the finer cloths and furs produced by Regalia, dressing in local styles with comfortable adaptations for their tails and scales. In fact, since the integration of Allar into Ailor society, many Ailor tailor shops have started to produce special clothing fitting for Allar. Most Al-Allar, Zu-Allar, and Es-Allar consume almost exclusively agricultural products, which may often come as a surprise to many other races due to their teeth. The Cro-Allar, Sa-Allar, and Mu-Allar however consume exclusively raw meat. Allar life is very communal, as they often flock together to socialize with one another in awkward ways, though one must always understand that an Allar’s alchemical stash is always private and never shared. In fact, one of the few ways to draw the ire of the Allar is to either impede on their Alchemical stash, or to re-order the ingredients in a non-alphabetical order. An even more dangerous way to aggravate Allar, is by either endangering them (which draws the ire of the Sa-Allar) or by insulting the sense of style of a Cro-Allar (which is considered extremely dangerous).
Another major cultural aspect of the Allar is their glassworking. Allar were, in fact, the first race to use glass for windows of their houses in the early centuries after the Cataclysm. In fact, glass window making was not popular in the Regalian Empire until 220 AC, most houses still using the old traditional wooden shutters. The early Allar immigrants in Regalia did well both due to their Alchemy and their unrivaled glassworking skill. With the power of Alchemy, the Allar developed secret mixtures and acids that colored glass in certain ways. Certain other powders and additives also gave their products superior shine and durability, with added properties like resistance to soot residue or increased transparency brilliance. Allar glass making is highly prized among the nobility of Regalia, and most colored and stained glass windows in all major Regalian buildings have been crafted by Allar. Even the workplace of the Allar themselves where they brew alchemical recipes is often filled with a variety of colorful glass alchemical tools, dispensers, pots, and other containers. To Allar, glass crafting is an art, and it is often also their only manner of artistic expression.
Allar distinguish no difference between gender, and in many cases, they also do not distinguish between age (though some military castes prefer older Allar for experience sake). Allar have romantic relations between castes, there are no specific rules against this, though most Allar stick to their own subspecies due to the impracticality of a bulky male Cro-Allar mating with a small female Al-Allar. Despite the strong relation between Allar mates (which, in their society, makes no distinction between same-sex and opposite-sex relations), parent and child relation is often a bit odd. Any Allar mating pair that can produce offspring are told not to attach themselves to the eggs they lay early on. Female Allar that have completed their carrying period and are ready to lay eggs do so in a specific building where the egg birth is properly recorded. Eggs that do not fit either the caste of the father or the mother are removed from the offspring and placed with another couple to be raised in the proper caste. Fittingly enough, despite the infrequency of birth, Allar couples tend to produce enough eggs never to require an adoption. As such, adopted eggs usually end up in same-sex couple’s care, meaning the Allar are the only race with a functional system for same-sex adoption. Allar still retain a sense of family towards their biological family, however, even if they are of a different subspecies. Throughout their raising, adopted Allar are informed of their parentage and sometimes their biological family is even directly exposed to their upbringing. This in many ways helped foster the very strong bond Allar have with one another, even strangers.
Religion
Allar don’t formally believe in a god, but rather hold that every being, thing, and an event is a part of a greater mixture that has a certain result - which is existence, itself. They refer to this concept or philosophy as The Great Alchzech. Variables factor into an outcome with a certain weight, and it was up to the alchemists to interpret the value and outcome of these factors. It could be reasoned that, in a way, the Allar believed every god and pantheon ever espoused truly existed, and every belief is right. For example, they believe Ailors are destined to rule over all. They universally accept Unionism as a true factor in life. They also accept the fact that the sun is divine, as dictated by the Songaskians, and that there is a living Elven goddess statue for the Elves. The Allar factor in all these things and consider reality with the following phrase: “Nothing is untrue, every spoken truth is a variable with a degree of value in life.” This furthermore makes it easy for Allar to integrate into other societies. They have no trouble accepting or adapting to new norms or peoples because they accept their beliefs to be as true as that of others. Allar religion thus is not active, but rather passive. They observe events and reason about them but make very little effort to change them. This does not necessarily mean that Allar religion has always been absent. The Allar recognize their old faith, that of Dragon Worship, as a baseline through which to approach the world. In their version of Dragon Worship, the Allar are seen as the children of the Dragons, each caste fulfilling a certain role. In the recognition of their old faith, they see that each caste (and subspecies subsequently) inherited an aspect of the Dragon’s might and that in many ways, all castes combined represent the Dragons in unity. In many ways, this reinforces their caste system (even without the Cro-Allar enforcing it by military might). Allar still observe reverence of Dragons in a non religious sense, even if they believe the Dragons have long gone extinct in the world, they look up to them with great wonder and awe.
Combat and Warfare
Allar combat and warfare is surprisingly similar to Regalia, though their military structure could even be called superior. At the head of an Allar army stands a Cro-Allar general, though they frequently fight on the front lines also. Underneath them is a complex ranking system of Mu-Allar, far more complex than any other army in Aloria. Allar armies are almost entirely made up out of Mu-Allar with supporting shock trooper roles of Sa and Zu-Allar, and with additional Al-Allar alchemical powered artillery units or skirmishers. Es-Allar remain the only subspecies of Allar that do not formally take part in armed conflicts, largely because they are considered too frail to face a battlefield. Even though Mu-Allar armies can sometimes act savage and disorganized on the field due to their bloodlust, they are actually far more disciplined than meets the eye, and these episodes of bloodthirst tend to be referred to as “organized chaos,” and entirely intended.
Economy and Technology
Allar economy and technology is practically entirely centered around Alchemy. Not only does nearly every non-essential employment (such as food production) serve Alchemy one way or another, the Allar have no actual use for many of the medical services they create, thus providing a massive export base. Allar can be found in practically all alchemical organizations everywhere around the world, especially in Regalia. Resource gatherers scour the world for new ingredients that are rigorously tested before the Alchemical organizations release new products onto the global market. Especially in Regalia, Allar medical concoctions are extremely popular and make some Allar exceptionally wealthy.
Trivia
- The Soor-Rassa-Allar is filled with 24 members of varying ages, the only thing they all have in common is that they are considered to be the most skilled alchemists of the Allar race as a whole at any given time. Each member invented a certain alchemical composition that strongly contributed to their wellbeing, either in the Regalian Empire or before.
- Allar are, racially speaking, distant cousins of the much more different Dakkar, which have since been forced underground forever. They see the Dakkar as little more than alchemical ingredients; however, the difference in intellect between the Allar and the Dakkar results in the Allar denouncing the Dakkar as animals.
- The Allar were at risk of going extinct in 214 AC due to a terrible contagious disease that no amount of effort could halt. Through the work of one highly skilled Alchemist that made a cure called Eyssrokz, the race was not only saved, but the disease completely eradicated before it claimed more than 30,000 lives, ensuring the future of the Allar as a whole.
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