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| Isldar | |
|---|---|
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| Nation State | Highwatch |
| Ruler | Tower Councils |
| Other Present | Varied |
| Languages | Altalar |
| Religion | Varied |
| First Recorded | 100 BC |
| Demonym(s) | Isldar |
Dwellers of the high mountains and the wind-still valleys, the Isldar are a heritage of Elves. Once part of the collapsing Allorn Empire, the forerunners of the Isldar named Dregodar fled the heartland of their corrupt homeland to flee the murder of the Dragons. With their Dragon patrons leading them, the Dregodar fled far north, eventually settling in Ellador and creating a watchful state built on secrecy and isolation. War eventually came for them through the Dwarves and Velheim Ailor who the Allorn Elves manipulated to covet the Dregodar cities, which culminated in a string of disastrous wars. Beset by powerful Magical events, the Dregodar became the Isldar, wiping both their opposition and memory of their existence from the world. After a long period of isolation, Isldar society collapsed into a brutal civil war when dark secrets were revealed, only having become more of a cold war in recent times.
Design
The Isldar are identical to many of the other Elven heritages. While many of them have snow-white hair, this is by no means a requirement, as many Isldar also have black, brown, blonde, or red hair. The only true way to tell an Isldar apart from all other Elves is that their eyes no matter what their color is, have a pupil texture that appears like reflective shards of ice. Body-modding also occurs among the Isldar, though it tends to be more common in specific Factions. For example, the Evolvers combine their blood with Urlan and Wyvern genes, becoming a form of hybrid (see art on this page for inspiration), while those of the Pilgrims faction accept dragon scales and horns on their body to appear more Draconic. Finally, among the Truebloods, their skin is often turned blue or frost-like, with ice formations on their skin and hair to make them look permanently frozen but alive. Isldar are generally secretive, and secluded, with a frozen demeanor that hides a deep and sincere poetic culture. Though, Isldar have traveled all over the world, and it is just as possible for Isldar to have picked up habits from other people.
Factions
The Isldar civil war has ground to a halt. While officially there are still frontlines between the Draconism worshiping and the Evolism worshiping Isldar, these boundaries are fluid and are not hard-set. What this means is that Isldar society is rather fluid, since the end of the civil war, various factions that have no clear allegiance are present in both Vixit (Draconism Isldar) and Rexit (Evolism Isldar) societies, causing both societies to be split yet connected. Every Isldar is a member of a Faction, which dictates their life philosophy and role in the civil war.
Stalwarts
The Stalwarts are a faction of Isldar present both among Vixit and Rexit, who prioritize what they consider the real threat for all Isldar: the Vampire Queendom of Dorkarth. The Stalwarts consider themselves above the civil war, want no further conflict between the two sides, and want instead to focus all efforts on combating the Vampires from the west, and other foreign incursions on Isldar soil. They directly oppose anyone who would work with the Afflicted or those who would limit the autonomy of the Isldar. In Regalia, Stalwarts work to send supplies and military expertise to the homeland.
Truebloods
The Truebloods are a faction of Isldar present both among Vixit and Rexit, who descend from the great Imperial houses of the Allorn Empire and have a long history of leading the Isldar people during their flight from the Allorn Empire. The Truebloods are traditionalists and autocrats, who believe the true enemy is not the Vampires to the west or the conflict among the Isldar, but the Allorn Empire. They remember the Cold March (their flight), and those who find themselves in Regalia agitate the Regalian Empire against the Allorn Empire, trying to turn the game of politics on their former enemy.
Menders
The Menders are a faction of Isldar present both among Vixit and Rexit, who initially took sides in the civil war, but eventually came to despise it for the destruction of the common history and culture it represented. The Menders primary objective is to create a lasting peace between the Rexit and Vixit, to find ways to reduce the friction between the two Religions and their cultural beliefs, and to repair Isldar society to what it once was after the Cold March. Menders in Regalia often act to expand their diplomatic repertoire, hoping to later turn social credit to the benefit of peace in their homeland.
Frostlanders
The Frostlanders are a faction of Isldar present both among Vixit and Rexit, who have rejected any form of conflict and more specifically the civil war on a fundamental level. The Frostlanders have abandoned the secretive mountain holds and dark fortresses to build settlements in collaboration with the Ailor colonists, Dwarven reclaimers, and peaceful Urlan who live on the land. The Frostlanders seek to show a better way than the constant running and fighting, by creating communities of multicultural acceptance and freedom. Those in Regalia have simply come there to express this sentiment in the most multicultural city.
Shrouded
The Shrouded are a faction of exclusively Rexit Evolism believers who veer close to being Death Cultists but reject the Death Gods outright. They have an obsession with the concept of death and are often the most beautiful and skilled dealers of it. The Shrouded meddle with Ordial powers, rejecting the authority of the Malefica, but trying to make bargains with the Consigner and Machinist to their benefit. The civil war is a means to an end, and they see a benefit in its resumption to provide them with the souls they need to bargain for power from the Death Gods. In Regalia, the Shrouded feel closest to their ambitions.
Icebloods
The Icebloods are a faction of exclusively Rexit Evolism believers who flirt with the powers of the Afflicted, and see the Dorkarthi Vampires as potential allies. The Icebloods either are or sympathize with Vampires and consider themselves to be the true inheritors of the crown of Ellador. The Icebloods have a strong power-based ideology where they reject the weak and recruit the strong. They insist the civil war must restart so that they can cleanse the weak both from Vixit and Rexit society, and force the rest to see their ways. In Regalia, the Icebloods seek allies among the Vampires and undermine the other factions.
Pilgrims
The Pilgrims are a faction of exclusively Vixit Draconism believers who hold onto strong principles of piety and virtue in the eyes of Draconism, and preach the original dogma of isolated watching of the world's events without interfering. The Pilgrims established great houses of prayer and traveled the land administering religious services. To them, the civil war is a necessary evil, to cleanse Ellador of the corruption brought by the Rexit and their betrayal of the Dragon Gods, though they often do not do the fighting themselves, instead coming to Regalia to recruit other Draconists of other cultures and societies.
Evolvers
The Evolvers are a faction of exclusively Vixit Draconism believers who believe that the flaws of the civil war and Isldar society at large were caused by the inherited Elven heritage. To them, the Isldar are a people out of place and out of time, and the key to adapting to their new environment and world is right there in Draconic wisdom. They use Magic to unlock the secrets of Wyverns and Urlan, becoming Elf-Wyvern-Urlan hybrids of sorts. They favor starting up the civil war as quickly as possible, showcasing their evolved superiority to remove the blemish of the Void Gods from the pristineness of the Dragons's Craters of Creation.
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. Since Orion cannot reproduce at all, there is no such thing as a Mixed Heritage Orion. The Orion also only receive one Free Pack but instead gains extra Mechanics above the standard 5.
Free Packs
Mechanics
Language and Naming
The Isldar speak the Elven common language Altalar, but have an incredibly strong dialect called Sulvaley-Altalar. A midpoint between Altalar and the Suvial language Agasi, it has much harsher sounds and different word choices in places that make it very difficult for most other Elves to understand. Though they are still Elves, the accent of the Isldar gives them an almost Arabic feeling when they talk. Sulvaley additionally has a unique script. Though modern Altalar is written with an alphabet, ancient Altalar had characters for syllables. The Isldar held onto this style and wrote vertically in a flowing hand, making their lettering appear almost similar to real-world Mongolian writing.
- Example Male Isldar Names: Asrel, Henqaan, Nayaal, Novyaan, Anshaar, Ravlan, Marcaror, Sonraal, Narvael, Alrifar.
- Example Female Isldar Names: Samala, Isavaila, Saaliya, Silyana, Fismeya, Savraela, Veana, Naerassa, Eyfa.
- Example Unisex Isldar Names: Sil, Aleyras, Asir, Esmeya, Asamey, Manyaar, Qiaan, Feynral, Savaa, Qirnar.
Like other Elves, Isldar usually have quite a few names. First, middle, last, and sometimes their more important parent's name prefixed by "ul-" to show who they are descended from. Clan names are important to the Isldar, as different Isldar houses were always famous for different crafts and skills. Now that their society has been divided by civil war, some Clans have been destroyed by the division, but the stable and large ones have stayed together and chosen their path almost unanimously. An Isldar named Novyaan A'sil Lorqaar, the son of Anshaar and from a clan called Meyraal, would be called Novyaan A'sil Lorqaar ul-Anshaar Meyraal. Ticket in the Discord if you would like help with naming.
Religions
The vast majority of Isldar are either Draconism worshipers or Evolism worshipers, with a clear split of Vixit and Rexit respectively. The Religion section provides explanations for how any Isldar could worship other Religions, though these two Religions are so core to their history and playstyle, that it is recommended to retain one of these two Religions.
- Draconism: Draconism is the original Religion of the Isldar back from when they were Dregodar. The Dregodar accepted the faith of the Dragons when the waning Allorn Empire became rife with corruption, believing that Dracon creationism was the answer to the Empire's woes. Modern Vixit Isldar still hold to Draconism, taking particular patronage of Aurora and more recently Regulus.
- Evolism: Evolism is a relative newcomer for the Isldar, but a natural conclusion after the revelation, that their society had been controlled by the Death Goddess Ravaal since they had become Isldar. In Evolism, the Rexit Isldar take particular patronage of Ravaal and her undead Dragon Frisit, who they in the past mistakenly thought was Aurora.
- Unionism: Some Isldar in the Regalian Empire have converted to Unionism, especially after they have abandoned the conflict in Ellador.
- Fornoss: Some Isldar both in the homeland and Regalian Empire have converted to Fornoss, due to their alliance and proximity with Velheim Ailor.
- Estelley: Estelley is a strange Religion to follow for Isldar, as it is the faith of their persecutors. Not many do, with no real logic.
- Khama: Some Frostlanders have gotten close to Asha who live in Ellador, resulting in a small smidgen of Khama converts.
- Nilthism: Nilthists are present in all societies, as the visions come and go, and are received by all heritages.
- Minor Faiths: Most Minor faiths are far removed from Isldar, what with the oceans being frozen, and no proximity to the Primevals.
Brief History
Isldar history started several thousand years ago in the waning Allorn Empire, which was collapsing slowly under its own weight and corruption. Through the influence of the Demons and Dark Gods, Allorn society became seduced by murderous magics and cruel customs. The Dregodar formed a cult around the Dragons, believing their stewardship of the natural world to be the answer to the corruption that plagued the Allorn Empire. They then attempted to either convert the princes or secretly steer the Allorn Empire back to stability through the teachings of Dragons and Dragon Magic. Ultimately, they failed and caught the ire of the same Allorn princes they tried to convert, who declared them interlopers and hunted them down. This is where the Cold March began, and they continued ever northward.
The Dregodar met many people along the way, some who offered them shelter, others who collaborated with the Allorn. Battles ensued that whittled down their numbers, and even Dragons fell over the century or so it took them to flee ever north. Eventually, they found themselves in Ellador, which was sufficiently removed from the Regalian Empire not to draw attention, or so the Dregodar thought. While the Dregodar built their crystal palaces high up in the mountains, the Allorn saboteurs influenced the Dwarven underground Empire, and the Velheim Ailor settlers on the coast to covet the lands the Ellador had settled. They convinced them that the Dregodar were planning to eradicate the Dwarves and Ailor and take all the lands for themselves, despite the Dregodar's best efforts to share the land with the native populations.
This eventually culminated in a series of disastrous wars that led to massive casualties on all sides and ended with the Dregodar inflicting a pyrrhic victory on the Ailor and Dwarves. The Dwarven Empire would soon collapse with the majority of their population being decimated by the Dakkar who rose up from the deep tunnels under their underground cities, weakened from the war with the Dregodar. The Ailor in turn would be pushed to the brink of being expelled from Ellador altogether in the ensuing Vampire Wars after the Cataclysm, also weakened by a century of war with the Dregodar. The Dregodar themselves were affected by powerful Magics when the Dragon Aurora sacrificed herself to end the war, becoming the Undead Dragon Frisit who would continue to lead their people for the next 400 years. The continent of Ellador became frozen over by the Dragon's death and has remained arctic ever since.
After the Cataclysm, most of the world forgot about the Isldar, who were content to be isolated from it and only affect key events that were to their interests. Isldar society was slowly molded into a distrusting and vengeful people that would not tolerate any outsiders, leading to stories of ghosts in the snow that would kill anyone trespassing on their territory. When the Dragons returned, it was revealed that the Dragon Frisit was an Ordial Entity under the control of the Death Goddess Ravaal instead, unmasked by the Dragons. This caused an immediate civil war between those who wanted to return to the dogma of the Dregodar and those who descended into full worship of their now Evolist Goddess Ravaal. The civil war ended recently due to the intervention of the Regalian Empire and the large migration of Urlan into the territory, forcing both Rexit and Vixit into an uneasy truce while they fortified their borders with each other and the Dorkarthi Vampires to the west. Over time, factions formed in both societies, that started creating memberships in both societies, causing their people to re-connect with one another through these memberships.
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