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[[File:Esmular.png|260px|thumb|right|Despite their constantly grumpy appearance, the Es-Allar contribute a valuable service to Allar history and society as the Mages and Arcane specialists.]]
[[File:Esmular.png|260px|thumb|right|Despite their constantly grumpy appearance, the Es-Allar contribute a valuable service to Allar history and society as the Mages and Arcane specialists.]]
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.  
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.  
===Alar Politics===
===Allar Politics===
====The Digmaan===
Allar Politics is multilayered, meaning that politics can often become very complicated as if multiple sovereign entities overlap one another. At a base level, all Allar exist within the realm of a Digmaan, which is their feudal overlord. A Digmaan is always a Cro-Allar, but a Digmaan does not always own land. Allar fluently move between Digmaans assigning their loyalty to whatever Digmaan they believe does them right, or has subjected them to their rule. This makes Allar akin to having a clan-like structure, without actually working like a clan. Digmaan without land who rule over other Allar have a family-level of disciplinary authority, but their control usually ends there. Digmaan with land can subject Allar within their realm to their own laws and rules, as long as they are not in contrast with the rules of the states of Hadar in total (You can make your character an under-Digmaan in Character Applications, but need an Noble Family permission to be a land-owning Digmaan). Sometimes, Digmaan even overlap one another where one Digmaan can exist inside the realm of another, where this landless Digmaan effectively becomes an under-Digmaan, but not by choice. In such instances, the Allar of the under-Digmaan are subject to the under-Digmaan, but the under-Digmaan is subject to the Digmaan of the lands. Digmaan as such act very much like warlords, owning their own private armies, and holding their own court. Generally speaking, the fortunes of Digmaans waxes and wanes. It is a commonly accepted norm that most Digmaan engage in frequent wars with each other, even under the noses of their overlords, and that petty infighting often results in the loss of a succession or chaotic implosion. This provides catharsis for the Mu-Allar who frequently need a way to express their martial blood lust, as well as the Cro'Allar's natural desire to plot against other Cro-Allar for more power.
Allar Politics is multilayered, meaning that politics can often become very complicated as if multiple sovereign entities overlap one another. At a base level, all Allar exist within the realm of a Digmaan, which is their feudal overlord. A Digmaan is always a Cro-Allar, but a Digmaan does not always own land. Allar fluently move between Digmaans assigning their loyalty to whatever Digmaan they believe does them right, or has subjected them to their rule. This makes Allar akin to having a clan-like structure, without actually working like a clan. Digmaan without land who rule over other Allar have a family-level of disciplinary authority, but their control usually ends there. Digmaan with land can subject Allar within their realm to their own laws and rules, as long as they are not in contrast with the rules of the states of Hadar in total (You can make your character an under-Digmaan in Character Applications, but need an Noble Family permission to be a land-owning Digmaan). Sometimes, Digmaan even overlap one another where one Digmaan can exist inside the realm of another, where this landless Digmaan effectively becomes an under-Digmaan, but not by choice. In such instances, the Allar of the under-Digmaan are subject to the under-Digmaan, but the under-Digmaan is subject to the Digmaan of the lands. Digmaan as such act very much like warlords, owning their own private armies, and holding their own court. Generally speaking, the fortunes of Digmaans waxes and wanes. It is a commonly accepted norm that most Digmaan engage in frequent wars with each other, even under the noses of their overlords, and that petty infighting often results in the loss of a succession or chaotic implosion. This provides catharsis for the Mu-Allar who frequently need a way to express their martial blood lust, as well as the Cro'Allar's natural desire to plot against other Cro-Allar for more power.


Completely separate from the Digmaan is the Soor-Rassa-Allar which acts as a secondary authority ruling the civilian bureaucracy and science board. The Digmaan have a disciplinary authority and often also law-of-the-land based authority over the Allar, but the Soor-Rassa-Allar controls the flow of information between the Allar states and Digmaan, as well as centralizing research and scholarly pursuits through their boards of review. The Soor-Rassa-Allar is headed by 24 famous or infamous alchemists at the head, which control smaller regional councils, usually overseeing a province. The regional councils in turn control chapter houses, which are usually established from city to city, each with an elder and several Rassarians, which is the name for representatives of the Soor-Rassa-Allar. Regalia for example currently has three functional chapter houses each with their own elder and Rassarians. (You can make your character a Rassarian in Character Applications, to be an Elder requires a Special Permission for Chapter House Leadership). Rassarians travel between research institutes, gathering information and demanding submission of orderly documents on research conduct and outcomes. These are then transmitted to the Soor-Rassa-Allar who test the validity and credibility of the finds, and publish a memorandum outwards to all the regional councils on the findings. This process can however get political, since many of the Rassarians or even the Soor-Rassa-Allar highest council, are ambitious researchers of their own who have not been known to shy away from stealing work from others. Elders in local chapter houses are voted in by all other Rassarians, meaning they are generally more reliable however, and seen as fatherly figures when it comes to engaging in safe and rewarding research conduct. In civilian life, the Soor-Rassa-Allar also demands the inclusion of information such as births, deaths, marriages and other life decisions made by the Allar. Much of the Regalian bureaucracy is said to be based off of the Soor-Rassa-Allar's dutiful accounting of civilian information, but this remains only speculation among the nationalistic Allar.
===The Soor-Rassa-Allar===
Completely separate from the Digmaan is the Soor-Rassa-Allar which acts as a secondary authority ruling the civilian bureaucracy and science board. The Digmaan have a disciplinary authority and often also law-of-the-land based authority over the Allar, but the Soor-Rassa-Allar controls the flow of information between the Allar states and Digmaan, as well as centralizing research and scholarly pursuits through their boards of review. The Soor-Rassa-Allar is headed by 24 famous or infamous alchemists at the head, which control smaller regional councils, usually overseeing a province. The regional councils in turn control chapter houses, which are usually established from city to city, each with an elder and several Rassarians, which is the name for representatives of the Soor-Rassa-Allar. Regalia for example currently has three functional chapter houses each with their own elder and Rassarians. (You can make your character a Rassarian in Character Applications, to be an Elder requires a Special Permission for Chapter House Leadership). Rassarians travel between research institutes, gathering information and demanding submission of orderly documents on research conduct and outcomes. These are then transmitted to the Soor-Rassa-Allar who test the validity and credibility of the finds, and publish a memorandum outwards to all the regional councils on the findings. This process can however get political, since many of the Rassarians or even the Soor-Rassa-Allar highest council, are ambitious researchers of their own who have not been known to shy away from stealing work from others. Elders in local chapter houses are voted in by all other Rassarians, meaning they are generally more reliable however, and seen as fatherly figures when it comes to engaging in safe and rewarding research conduct. In civilian life, the Soor-Rassa-Allar also demands the inclusion of information such as births, deaths, marriages and other life decisions made by the Allar. Much of the Regalian bureaucracy is said to be based off of the Soor-Rassa-Allar's dutiful accounting of civilian information, but this remains only speculation among the nationalistic Allar. The Soor-Rassa-Allar does have the authority to shut down or outcast a controversial alchemist or researcher if the need is there, which will result in them being banned from all alchemist shops and resource vendors.  


===The Local Level===
On a more local level, each town, village or city, is generally governed by a steward. Stewards do not have executive authority within their land, since the land is ruled by the Digmaan and they only act as delegation of the Digmaan, but a Steward which is called a Lazzai, acts as the final representative of a Digmaan, and is also in charge of ensuring the proper functioning of all other offices under a Digmaan. The Digmaan rule, but their actual day to day ruling of their lands is practically wholly delegated out to other castes to ensure effectiveness, and also because most Digmaan simply want to enjoy life as rulers, not as bureaucrats. Regalia also has a Lazzai, even if the city is not ruled by Allar, purely because of the number of Allar living there. The positions in Regalia tend to be more ceremonial than formal purely because the Regalian authorities take care of a lot of the day to day business for the Allar within their Regalian Bureaucracy, but many of these positions as appointed by the Qar-Digmaan or Lazzai still have some prestige associated with them. Next follows a list of all the various positions that one can find in the court of a Lazzai, or the positions given away by the Digmaan to divide up their authority and control so they have to spend less time directly ruling.
On a more local level, each town, village or city, is generally governed by a steward. Stewards do not have executive authority within their land, since the land is ruled by the Digmaan and they only act as delegation of the Digmaan, but a Steward which is called a Lazzai, acts as the final representative of a Digmaan, and is also in charge of ensuring the proper functioning of all other offices under a Digmaan. The Digmaan rule, but their actual day to day ruling of their lands is practically wholly delegated out to other castes to ensure effectiveness, and also because most Digmaan simply want to enjoy life as rulers, not as bureaucrats. Regalia also has a Lazzai, even if the city is not ruled by Allar, purely because of the number of Allar living there. The positions in Regalia tend to be more ceremonial than formal purely because the Regalian authorities take care of a lot of the day to day business for the Allar within their Regalian Bureaucracy, but many of these positions as appointed by the Qar-Digmaan or Lazzai still have some prestige associated with them. Next follows a list of all the various positions that one can find in the court of a Lazzai, or the positions given away by the Digmaan to divide up their authority and control so they have to spend less time directly ruling.
* '''Lazzai:''' A Lazzai is a diplomatic representative and steward to a Digmaan's personal court. This position is generally seen the most respectable.
* '''Lazzai:''' A Lazzai is a diplomatic representative and steward to a Digmaan's personal court. This position is generally seen the most respectable.
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* '''Tol-Kkhit:''' The Tol-Kkhit controls the Digmaan's personal estate, but is notably also responsible for the Digmaan's personal hygiene and physical needs.  
* '''Tol-Kkhit:''' The Tol-Kkhit controls the Digmaan's personal estate, but is notably also responsible for the Digmaan's personal hygiene and physical needs.  


===The States & Qar-Digmaan===
Completely separate yet again from the Digmaan and the Soor-Rassa-Allar exist the sovereign nations. The sovereign nations are state entities that exist in their own right, often ruled by Digmaan, but not always. The borders of these nations fluctuates frequently, since the majority of them derive their authority and land borders from the Digmaan that exist within their core regions. These Digmaan pick fights with Digmaan from other regions, resulting in shifting borders depending on the fortunes. In theory, it is almost impossible to enumerate all Allar sovereign nations, because there are hundreds of smaller one-city or even one-village sovereign nations, some of which would even cease to exist or come into existence the moment their names are being written. As such, the following list covers only the major nations that are staple in Hadar and outside of Hadar.
Completely separate yet again from the Digmaan and the Soor-Rassa-Allar exist the sovereign nations. The sovereign nations are state entities that exist in their own right, often ruled by Digmaan, but not always. The borders of these nations fluctuates frequently, since the majority of them derive their authority and land borders from the Digmaan that exist within their core regions. These Digmaan pick fights with Digmaan from other regions, resulting in shifting borders depending on the fortunes. In theory, it is almost impossible to enumerate all Allar sovereign nations, because there are hundreds of smaller one-city or even one-village sovereign nations, some of which would even cease to exist or come into existence the moment their names are being written. As such, the following list covers only the major nations that are staple in Hadar and outside of Hadar.


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It is important to note here that generally speaking, the further south one goes the more Digmaan one finds, and the further north one goes the less Digmaan one finds. This is because the northern Hadarian states were previously occupied by Ailor noble families as part of the war settlement, and many Digmaan were either killed during the Chrysant Wars or were simply pushed out by their Ailor overlords. Even if a state like Rosh-Akkahr exists without Digmaan rule, Digmaan still exist as civilians in that region, and they still control most if not all the Allar as part of their Digmaan, it just so happens to be the case that they are all land-less, since all the land is owned by the Soor-Rassa-Allar. These nations, despite being independent of one another, act as a federation unity under Hadar itself, which is formally ruled by a Qar-Digmaan, or a king of kings-style title that is only formally recognized inside Hadar. This is because Hadar is also a subservient realm of the Regalian Empire, and royal titles aren't formally recognized under the royal Imperial administration. The title of Qar-Digmaan is currently held by Digmaan Yaotl, but the title is considered very unstable, based on historical precedent. Qar-Digmaan have existed before, most notably during or just before the Chrysant Wars, but none has ever been able to pass their title to an heir without either being killed before that could happen by another Digmaan, or have their heir live through the complete collapse of their power structure with infighting. Qar-Digmaan are generally well respected among all Allar, even if they are independent or live under other Digmaan, but the reality of the warlord-like nature of the Digmaan is never far out of mind.  
It is important to note here that generally speaking, the further south one goes the more Digmaan one finds, and the further north one goes the less Digmaan one finds. This is because the northern Hadarian states were previously occupied by Ailor noble families as part of the war settlement, and many Digmaan were either killed during the Chrysant Wars or were simply pushed out by their Ailor overlords. Even if a state like Rosh-Akkahr exists without Digmaan rule, Digmaan still exist as civilians in that region, and they still control most if not all the Allar as part of their Digmaan, it just so happens to be the case that they are all land-less, since all the land is owned by the Soor-Rassa-Allar. These nations, despite being independent of one another, act as a federation unity under Hadar itself, which is formally ruled by a Qar-Digmaan, or a king of kings-style title that is only formally recognized inside Hadar. This is because Hadar is also a subservient realm of the Regalian Empire, and royal titles aren't formally recognized under the royal Imperial administration. The title of Qar-Digmaan is currently held by Digmaan Yaotl, but the title is considered very unstable, based on historical precedent. Qar-Digmaan have existed before, most notably during or just before the Chrysant Wars, but none has ever been able to pass their title to an heir without either being killed before that could happen by another Digmaan, or have their heir live through the complete collapse of their power structure with infighting. Qar-Digmaan are generally well respected among all Allar, even if they are independent or live under other Digmaan, but the reality of the warlord-like nature of the Digmaan is never far out of mind.  


===The Regalian Level===
Finally, the last overlapping authority that was mildly mentioned in the previous paragraph is the Regalian authority. Hadar is bound by a number of treaties and has also sworn loyalty to the Regalian Empire following the loss of the Chrysant Wars. While only 60% of their land was actually indoctrinated into the Regalian Empire, in more recent years, the rise of the Qar-Digmaan and the subsequent submission of the nominally independent states have resulted in 100% of the land falling within the borders of the Regalian Empire (even the heretical Volosh islands). This means that Hadar is subservient to the Regalian Navigation Laws, trade structure, royal monopolies and state laws, pays the Tenpenny Tax, and is also subject to other taxation and tariff arrangements with the central government, though it does have a couple of unique arrangements not seen among other states. Hadar has a complete freedom of movement arrangement with several Regalian sub-states, meaning Allar can seamlessly move between nations and become citizens and find work. Furthermore, the Qar-Digmaan (or any entity succeeding them), has been given the authority to deal justice onto its own subjects by laws dictated within Hadar. This means for example that if an Allar commits a crime in Regalia proper, they are judged by the Qar-Digmaan as opposed to the Regalian Judiciary, following the stipulations of Hadar Law, not Regalian State Law. This frequently causes a tug of war between the Digmaan and the Regalian Judiciary, who believe strongly in the concept that crime in Hadar should be punished by Hadar rules, and crime in Regalia should be punished by Regalia rules. That being said, the legal situation is considered a compromise and a concession from the crown to placate Hadar, and will most likely remain in place in perpetuity.  
Finally, the last overlapping authority that was mildly mentioned in the previous paragraph is the Regalian authority. Hadar is bound by a number of treaties and has also sworn loyalty to the Regalian Empire following the loss of the Chrysant Wars. While only 60% of their land was actually indoctrinated into the Regalian Empire, in more recent years, the rise of the Qar-Digmaan and the subsequent submission of the nominally independent states have resulted in 100% of the land falling within the borders of the Regalian Empire (even the heretical Volosh islands). This means that Hadar is subservient to the Regalian Navigation Laws, trade structure, royal monopolies and state laws, pays the Tenpenny Tax, and is also subject to other taxation and tariff arrangements with the central government, though it does have a couple of unique arrangements not seen among other states. Hadar has a complete freedom of movement arrangement with several Regalian sub-states, meaning Allar can seamlessly move between nations and become citizens and find work. Furthermore, the Qar-Digmaan (or any entity succeeding them), has been given the authority to deal justice onto its own subjects by laws dictated within Hadar. This means for example that if an Allar commits a crime in Regalia proper, they are judged by the Qar-Digmaan as opposed to the Regalian Judiciary, following the stipulations of Hadar Law, not Regalian State Law. This frequently causes a tug of war between the Digmaan and the Regalian Judiciary, who believe strongly in the concept that crime in Hadar should be punished by Hadar rules, and crime in Regalia should be punished by Regalia rules. That being said, the legal situation is considered a compromise and a concession from the crown to placate Hadar, and will most likely remain in place in perpetuity.  



Revision as of 21:57, 24 October 2019

Allar
Allarsplashy.png
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 race of Aloria, meaning that there is such genetic and birth shape diversity, that sometimes members of their race can be mistaken for being an entirely different race. Allar live for 130 years, but rarely reproduce during 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. The siblings born from the eggs are rarely ever identical, in fact there can be extreme variance between the Allar. All Allar are reptilian in nature (and can have most if not any visual aspects of real life reptilians), but have an extreme variance. One sibling might be born with no horns and large feet claws, while another is born in large proportions but without a tail and opposing scale colors. These different traits are however how the Allar enforce their caste system. When an Allar hatches from an egg, they are submitted to the Soor-Al-Rassa, who measure a variety of physical traits at birth to identify which caste they will live in forever. This is reliable, because Allar have traits at birth which are fairly consistent, for example, a child that is born large will grow large, while a child born with small stubs on their crown will have horns when they grow older. This reliable predictability forms the basis of their classification, which is a caste and sub-caste. All Allar are part of a Cazz (caste) and Uz-Cazz (sub-caste). Below follows a list of the categorical traits that determine what level an Allar is placed into.

Birth determination

  • Allar born with a slim or thin proportion are part of the Al-Allar caste, which is the societal and bureaucratic caste. These Allar have excellent taste, able to distinguish the components of any substance purely by tasting it.
    • Al-Allar that have feathers become part of the Al-Aloz sub-caste, which are hosts, tavern owners, bartenders and theatre actors.
    • Al-Allar that are social to other infants become part of the Al-Shazz sub-caste, which are the governors, administrators and mayors.
    • Al-Allar that have a longer than usual tongue become part of the Al-Soor sub-caste, which are the alchemists and the shop owners.
    • Al-Allar that have a longer snout than usual become part of the Al-Razz sub-caste, which are the investigators, constables and coroners.
  • Allar born with an enlarged raptor claw on their feet are part of the Mu-Allar caste, which is the soldier caste. These Allar have unbreaking endurance, able to chase prey without tiring.
    • Mu-Allar who have feathers become part of the Mu-Crazz sub-caste, which are ceremonial guards of the Cro-Allar caste.
    • Mu-Allar who have horns become part of the Mu-Yazz sub-caste, which are the front-line shocktroopers and first responders.
    • Mu-Allar that are taller than normal, between 6 feet and 6 feet and 5 inches, become security forces the Mu-Zzaar, acting as street guards.
    • Mu-Allar that do not have any of the above traits become Mu-Ovazz sub-caste, which are general soldiers of the Allar armies.
  • Allar born with external bone plating and shields on their scales are part of the Zu-Allar caste, which is the support caste. These Allar are slower, but far more durable, and are resistant to all slicing and cutting damage.
    • Zu-Allar that as infants show a quiet and calm disposition, become Zu-Travv sub-caste, which are the librarians, writers and scribes.
    • Zu-Allar that as infants show a loud and resisting disposition, become Zu-Chorr sub-caste, which are the ring-fighters, arena warriors and fighters for entertainment.
    • Zu-Allar that show great interest in toys, become Zu-Fazza caste, which are the navigators, astronomers, inventors and technicians.
    • Zu-Allar that are blind (which actually happens often for no clear reason), become Zu-Moq caste, which live in light-free tunnels and underground complexes, acting like guard dogs and silent wardens.
  • Allar born without a tail are part of the Sa-Allar caste, which is the physical labour caste. These Allar gain +10 Physical Stat and can break the Physical Stat limit with this increase.
    • Sa-Allar who as children become easily distracted become Sa-Suz sub-caste, which are the caretakers of cattle and other animals.
    • Sal-Allar which show great interactivity and enjoy the presence of other infants, become Sa-Saz sub-caste, which are the caretakers of children, teachers and guides.
    • Sa-Allar that are exceptionally tall, usually over 6 feet and 5 inches, become Sa-Soz sub-caste, which are the personal bodyguards of the Cro-Allar and Es-Allar.
    • Sa-Allar that are exceptionally heavy when they are infants, become Sa-Sez sub-caste, which are the heavy burden lifters in construction and resource harvesting.
  • Allar born with webbed feet are part of the Keel-Allar caste, which is the aquatic caste. These Allar are able to move rapidly underwater and can hold their breath for days. There are no sub-castes to this aquatic caste.
  • Allar born with chameleon scales are part of the Kaam-Allar caste, which is the subterfuge caste. They can camouflage themselves and move around, which requires 10 Perception Skill to see through, or turn invisible completely as long as they do not move. There are no sub-castes to this subterfuge caste. The trait of chameleon scales is not one that can be had by any other caste, for balance reasons.
  • Allar born with exceptional height, usually over 6 feet and 5 inches, are part of the Cro-Allar caste, which is the leadership caste. These Allar all control their own regiment, as if invested 20 points in Command Tactic Skill. This bonus can stack if points are invested, giving two personal regiments. There are no sub-castes to the leadership caste.
  • Allar born as frog-like amphibians are part of the Es-Allar caste, which is the advisor caste. These Allar are the only Allar capable of casting Magic. There are no sub-castes to the leadership caste.
  • If a character has for example both great height and raptor claws, then they belong to the caste that is the furthest down in the list that they could belong to. For example, if the Allar has bone plates, yet also is very tall, they become a Cro-Allar caste nonetheless, since the Cro-Allar caste is further down the list.
  • Traits held in combination with other are purely aesthetic. For example if a Cro also has bone plates, they are classified as a Cro, because Cro is further down the list. However the plates become essentially non functional aesthetics. These plates could not be used in combat-rp to give the character more endurance, they would purely be aesthetic for balance reasons.

Common Traits

Despite the great variance, Allar still have similarities that can be seen as common traits shared by all. Their scales usually range from green to brown tones, though some yellow and grayish blue tones have also been observed. Black and red tones for scales are exceedingly rare. The eyes are the same for all castes, having regular eye whites and yellow irises. Most Allar have slitted eyes, though many are also born with regular round pupils by no real discernible trend. 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. All Allar can regenerate any body part they have lost over a period of several weeks (with only a few days for smaller pieces). Furthermore, all Allar are also immune to all pathogens and diseases, though not blood curses like Vampirism or Werebeasts.

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.

History

Throughout history, the Cro-Allar have led the Allar in military pursuits, for better or for worse.

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

Despite their constantly grumpy appearance, the Es-Allar contribute a valuable service to Allar history and society as the Mages and Arcane specialists.

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.

Allar Politics

=The Digmaan

Allar Politics is multilayered, meaning that politics can often become very complicated as if multiple sovereign entities overlap one another. At a base level, all Allar exist within the realm of a Digmaan, which is their feudal overlord. A Digmaan is always a Cro-Allar, but a Digmaan does not always own land. Allar fluently move between Digmaans assigning their loyalty to whatever Digmaan they believe does them right, or has subjected them to their rule. This makes Allar akin to having a clan-like structure, without actually working like a clan. Digmaan without land who rule over other Allar have a family-level of disciplinary authority, but their control usually ends there. Digmaan with land can subject Allar within their realm to their own laws and rules, as long as they are not in contrast with the rules of the states of Hadar in total (You can make your character an under-Digmaan in Character Applications, but need an Noble Family permission to be a land-owning Digmaan). Sometimes, Digmaan even overlap one another where one Digmaan can exist inside the realm of another, where this landless Digmaan effectively becomes an under-Digmaan, but not by choice. In such instances, the Allar of the under-Digmaan are subject to the under-Digmaan, but the under-Digmaan is subject to the Digmaan of the lands. Digmaan as such act very much like warlords, owning their own private armies, and holding their own court. Generally speaking, the fortunes of Digmaans waxes and wanes. It is a commonly accepted norm that most Digmaan engage in frequent wars with each other, even under the noses of their overlords, and that petty infighting often results in the loss of a succession or chaotic implosion. This provides catharsis for the Mu-Allar who frequently need a way to express their martial blood lust, as well as the Cro'Allar's natural desire to plot against other Cro-Allar for more power.

The Soor-Rassa-Allar

Completely separate from the Digmaan is the Soor-Rassa-Allar which acts as a secondary authority ruling the civilian bureaucracy and science board. The Digmaan have a disciplinary authority and often also law-of-the-land based authority over the Allar, but the Soor-Rassa-Allar controls the flow of information between the Allar states and Digmaan, as well as centralizing research and scholarly pursuits through their boards of review. The Soor-Rassa-Allar is headed by 24 famous or infamous alchemists at the head, which control smaller regional councils, usually overseeing a province. The regional councils in turn control chapter houses, which are usually established from city to city, each with an elder and several Rassarians, which is the name for representatives of the Soor-Rassa-Allar. Regalia for example currently has three functional chapter houses each with their own elder and Rassarians. (You can make your character a Rassarian in Character Applications, to be an Elder requires a Special Permission for Chapter House Leadership). Rassarians travel between research institutes, gathering information and demanding submission of orderly documents on research conduct and outcomes. These are then transmitted to the Soor-Rassa-Allar who test the validity and credibility of the finds, and publish a memorandum outwards to all the regional councils on the findings. This process can however get political, since many of the Rassarians or even the Soor-Rassa-Allar highest council, are ambitious researchers of their own who have not been known to shy away from stealing work from others. Elders in local chapter houses are voted in by all other Rassarians, meaning they are generally more reliable however, and seen as fatherly figures when it comes to engaging in safe and rewarding research conduct. In civilian life, the Soor-Rassa-Allar also demands the inclusion of information such as births, deaths, marriages and other life decisions made by the Allar. Much of the Regalian bureaucracy is said to be based off of the Soor-Rassa-Allar's dutiful accounting of civilian information, but this remains only speculation among the nationalistic Allar. The Soor-Rassa-Allar does have the authority to shut down or outcast a controversial alchemist or researcher if the need is there, which will result in them being banned from all alchemist shops and resource vendors.

The Local Level

On a more local level, each town, village or city, is generally governed by a steward. Stewards do not have executive authority within their land, since the land is ruled by the Digmaan and they only act as delegation of the Digmaan, but a Steward which is called a Lazzai, acts as the final representative of a Digmaan, and is also in charge of ensuring the proper functioning of all other offices under a Digmaan. The Digmaan rule, but their actual day to day ruling of their lands is practically wholly delegated out to other castes to ensure effectiveness, and also because most Digmaan simply want to enjoy life as rulers, not as bureaucrats. Regalia also has a Lazzai, even if the city is not ruled by Allar, purely because of the number of Allar living there. The positions in Regalia tend to be more ceremonial than formal purely because the Regalian authorities take care of a lot of the day to day business for the Allar within their Regalian Bureaucracy, but many of these positions as appointed by the Qar-Digmaan or Lazzai still have some prestige associated with them. Next follows a list of all the various positions that one can find in the court of a Lazzai, or the positions given away by the Digmaan to divide up their authority and control so they have to spend less time directly ruling.

  • Lazzai: A Lazzai is a diplomatic representative and steward to a Digmaan's personal court. This position is generally seen the most respectable.
  • Rhax: A Rhax is in control of the ceremonial guard of a Digmaan. The position of Rhax is generally considered the most prestigious.
  • Ghizzal: The Ghizzal (plural) are the Digmaan's personal favorite pet-warriors or bodyguards. These are subservient to the Rhax, but have a unique favored position.
  • Nash-Avaq: The Nash-Avaq is considered the most esteemed adviser of a Digmaan above all other advisers. This position is exclusively held by Es-Allar.
  • Tol-Zzeem: The Tol-Zzeem controls the agenda and direct communication of the Digmaan, though does not represent like the Lazzai does.
  • Tol-Uvzzal: The Tol-Uvzzal controls the entertainment and event hosting of a Digmaan, as well as the acquisition of art and food produce.
  • Tol-Maarq: The Tol-Maarq controls the sanitary conditions among the Digmaan's subjects, inspecting their homes and businesses.
  • Tol-Iyaz: The Tol-Iyaz controls the business and trade of a Digmaan, also inspecting businesses and investing in them from the Digmaan's wealth.
  • Tol-Chroq: The Tol-Chroq controls the Digmaan's treasury and has to ensure that it remains in surplus despite all the lavish spending.
  • Tol-Kkhit: The Tol-Kkhit controls the Digmaan's personal estate, but is notably also responsible for the Digmaan's personal hygiene and physical needs.

The States & Qar-Digmaan

Completely separate yet again from the Digmaan and the Soor-Rassa-Allar exist the sovereign nations. The sovereign nations are state entities that exist in their own right, often ruled by Digmaan, but not always. The borders of these nations fluctuates frequently, since the majority of them derive their authority and land borders from the Digmaan that exist within their core regions. These Digmaan pick fights with Digmaan from other regions, resulting in shifting borders depending on the fortunes. In theory, it is almost impossible to enumerate all Allar sovereign nations, because there are hundreds of smaller one-city or even one-village sovereign nations, some of which would even cease to exist or come into existence the moment their names are being written. As such, the following list covers only the major nations that are staple in Hadar and outside of Hadar.

  • Qozzrak: A major nation ruled by a council of powerful Digmaan in the south of Hadar. This is largely a federation of smaller Digmaan held together by a common distaste of other nations.
  • Rosh-Akkahr: A nation entirely ruled by the Soor-Rassa-Allar in the north of Hadar. Digmaan do exist in this land, but the Soor-Rassa-Allar has become the most powerful ruler here.
  • Mok-Throk: A nation ruled by a single Digmaan on the western edge of Hadar which engages in a lot of warfare with Altalar and Kathar.
  • Vizzal: A republic ruled by a rotating elected Al-Allar ruler in the northeast of Hadar. This was previously part of the Regalian demilitarized done, hence the lack of Digmaan.
  • Chazzrak: Another major nation ruled by a council of powerful Digmaan in the south of Hadar. Generally considered the major opponent of Qozzrak.
  • Bizztal: A federation of city-states ruled over by viceroys of various castes. Yet again however, due to its very northwestern position, this region lacks Digmaan.
  • Volosh: A small island chain nation to the southwestern tip of Hadar that is almost entirely dominated by Void Cults, who despite their Sendrassian outlook, are loyal to Hadar.
  • Zeerak: A small kingdom to the very north of Hadar that is ruled by an Ailor family, but is part of Hadar proper. This state has a large rich Ailor minority.
  • Itra: A very large single city-state that is known for its research and alchemy pursuits, but also its rampant poverty and caste divide in the center of Hadar.
  • Oltenna: A series of islands in the ocean between Hadar and Etosil. This region is formally a part of Hadar, a major Digmaan-Yaotl stronghold, and crucial for the link between Hadar and Regalia.
  • Vish: A number of smaller Digmaan who have all raised up the Qar-Digmaan as their main ruler. Vish is considered the heartland of Hadar and the core of any Qar-Digmaan's rule.

It is important to note here that generally speaking, the further south one goes the more Digmaan one finds, and the further north one goes the less Digmaan one finds. This is because the northern Hadarian states were previously occupied by Ailor noble families as part of the war settlement, and many Digmaan were either killed during the Chrysant Wars or were simply pushed out by their Ailor overlords. Even if a state like Rosh-Akkahr exists without Digmaan rule, Digmaan still exist as civilians in that region, and they still control most if not all the Allar as part of their Digmaan, it just so happens to be the case that they are all land-less, since all the land is owned by the Soor-Rassa-Allar. These nations, despite being independent of one another, act as a federation unity under Hadar itself, which is formally ruled by a Qar-Digmaan, or a king of kings-style title that is only formally recognized inside Hadar. This is because Hadar is also a subservient realm of the Regalian Empire, and royal titles aren't formally recognized under the royal Imperial administration. The title of Qar-Digmaan is currently held by Digmaan Yaotl, but the title is considered very unstable, based on historical precedent. Qar-Digmaan have existed before, most notably during or just before the Chrysant Wars, but none has ever been able to pass their title to an heir without either being killed before that could happen by another Digmaan, or have their heir live through the complete collapse of their power structure with infighting. Qar-Digmaan are generally well respected among all Allar, even if they are independent or live under other Digmaan, but the reality of the warlord-like nature of the Digmaan is never far out of mind.

The Regalian Level

Finally, the last overlapping authority that was mildly mentioned in the previous paragraph is the Regalian authority. Hadar is bound by a number of treaties and has also sworn loyalty to the Regalian Empire following the loss of the Chrysant Wars. While only 60% of their land was actually indoctrinated into the Regalian Empire, in more recent years, the rise of the Qar-Digmaan and the subsequent submission of the nominally independent states have resulted in 100% of the land falling within the borders of the Regalian Empire (even the heretical Volosh islands). This means that Hadar is subservient to the Regalian Navigation Laws, trade structure, royal monopolies and state laws, pays the Tenpenny Tax, and is also subject to other taxation and tariff arrangements with the central government, though it does have a couple of unique arrangements not seen among other states. Hadar has a complete freedom of movement arrangement with several Regalian sub-states, meaning Allar can seamlessly move between nations and become citizens and find work. Furthermore, the Qar-Digmaan (or any entity succeeding them), has been given the authority to deal justice onto its own subjects by laws dictated within Hadar. This means for example that if an Allar commits a crime in Regalia proper, they are judged by the Qar-Digmaan as opposed to the Regalian Judiciary, following the stipulations of Hadar Law, not Regalian State Law. This frequently causes a tug of war between the Digmaan and the Regalian Judiciary, who believe strongly in the concept that crime in Hadar should be punished by Hadar rules, and crime in Regalia should be punished by Regalia rules. That being said, the legal situation is considered a compromise and a concession from the crown to placate Hadar, and will most likely remain in place in perpetuity.

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.

Allar Religions

Officially speaking, the Digmaans of Hadar rule a secular sovereign nation, though perhaps not in a way that others might expect. Jacobin thought processes reject the concept of spirituality through religion and instead glorify a form of atheism with mysticism, resulting in a school of politics that demands secularism of the state for the sake of the people. For the Allar however, secularism has become a norm through two principles that they hold as very important. Firstly, because of the relatively progressive thinking of the Allar, they detest the concept of the government interfering with their personal life. Indeed, with research into obscure and sometimes controversial topics and substances being the norm in Allar society, and some of the Cro-Allar engaging in hedonistic behavior, many Allar appreciate the concept of being able to live their private lives without the ever watchful eye of an all-encompassing repressive government, something that they often struggle with in Regalia. Secondly the main religion the Great Alchzech (which is in fact not a religion but more a life philosophy) demands the acknowledgement of all faiths and all beliefs and all spiritual concepts to be true. The Great Alchzech is a peculiar life philosophy bordering on spirituality that professes that all faiths have a core of truth in them, and that in order to understand the greatness of existence, one has to acknowledge all parts of the sum, not choose to repress one that does not suit one’s personal beliefs. As a result, Allar consider narrow minded preachers who spit and froth against other faiths as exceptionally blind and dangerous to progress. Allar society as such is one with the largest amount of diverse and varied public houses of worship, with a core of every faith in the world present in Hadar in particular. That being said, there are some major forms of worship that the majority of the population follows, which is the focus of this section.

The Great Alchzech

Most 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, while its followers are called Alchzekkan. They believe that the true greatness and vastness of reality can only be examined, by accepting and acknowledging everything that is, was, and ever will be as true. 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 Alchzekkan believe every god and pantheon ever espoused truly existed, and every belief is right, and any future religion shall also be true. 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 Alchzekkan 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 Alchzekkan 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. Alchzekkan religion thus is not active, but rather passive. They observe events and reason about them but make very little effort to change them. While The Great Alchzech is classified as a religion in Regalia and also considered legal due to its approval of Unionism (and passive worship), many Allar choose to accept a second faith, purely to satisfy their spiritual needs. In doing so, they do not say necessarily that other faiths are false, simply that they have a personal preference for one particular faith due to its communal aspects of life aspirations. Similarly, it should be said that there are plenty of Allar who do not believe in the Great Alchzech. The Allar are not so wholly more superior to other races to be immune to the concept of religious intolerance, and while The Great Alchzech is a chosen belief for the vast majority of the Allar, plenty of Allar exist that only belief in one religion, and denounce the others as false, similarly also believing that The Great Alchzech is a self contradicting lie, due to the nature of most religions professing the falseness of others.

Dragon Worship

Dragon Worship among the Allar takes a different form than the usual Dragon Dogma as outlined mostly by the Dragon Cults among the Elves and the Isldar. Dragon Worship among the Allar is a form of polytheism where they personalize each subspecies of Dragon into a single divine deity to represent them. The Allar know very well that many Dragon species had different members with different names and personalities, but the Allar more-so acknowledge the divine commonality between them, rather than seeing them as individual divine creatures. Those that worship the Dragons among the Allar are called Drakkarav. The Drakkarav acknowledge the following divine beings. It is interesting to note that the Loong Dragon is not represented in Dragon Worship among the Allar. This is because the Loong Dragon was never acknowledged by the Allar as a true Dragon, and was only discovered very late in history due to the distance of the Sihai lands.

  • Corozz the Blue Ruler represented the great Dragon-king in the court of divine Dragons. Corozz is worshiped by the leading castes for good fortune. The Dragon-king is seen as a well-intending but wrothful ruler who is wise yet quick to draw blood.
  • Yavazz the Yellow Harlequin represented the great entertainer of the Dragon-king in the court of divine Dragons. Yavazz is worshiped by the entertainers and artists for good fortune. The Harlequin is seen as the one responsible for ensuring the Dragon-king’s mood is at an all-time high to prevent his outbursts and cause calamity.
  • Bakazz the Black Lord represented the brother of the Dragon-king who was passed over from the throne and now stewards the dungeons of life. Bakazz is not worshiped by anyone in particular, but appeased to stave off death.
  • Riziv the Red Architect represented the steward of all things earthen underneath the court of Divine Dragons. Riziv is worshiped by the builders and Sa-Allar in particular. The Architect is seen as responsible for the creation of the earth and the soil everyone walks on, and building mountains and landscapes to his designs.
  • Garaz the Green Consort represented the Dragon-king consort in the court of divine Dragons. Garaz is worshiped by the home makers, lovers and farmers for good fortune. The Consort is seen as the bringer of fertility and life, and is often depicted quarreling with Bakazz.
  • Slzz the Silver Librarian represents the Dragon-king’s advisor and librarian of the great Dragon court. Slzz is worshiped by those seeking knowledge and self improvement, and a common choice for alchemists. Slzz however is also seen as a clever manipulator, using alchemy to influence the mind of his Dragon-king to make him pliable to his own needs.
  • Vazmaz the Violet Singer represented the Dragon-king’s favored performer. While traditionally she could be worshiped by entertainers (much like Yavazz) she is actually worshiped mostly by diplomats and social caretakers and healers. Her songs are said to heal even the worst of illnesses and give life where it has all but disappeared.
  • Rubzzalza the Rubine Guardian represented the Dragon-king’s guardian and executioner, worshiped by the Mu-Allar and other soldiers in particular. Rubzzalza is seen as just as angry as his liege lord and prone to outbursts of violence, with equal temperance in passion towards Vazmaz his consort. Rubzzalza is worshiped by those living life to their fullest.
  • Grakazz the Gray Hermit represents the only outsider of the divine Dragon court, living away from the palace and hiding among the Allar as a mortal to ensure they continue their duties. The Gray Hermit is not formally worshiped, only sideways acknowledged in fear of him actually witnessing impiety among the Allar.

Central to the belief of the Drakkarav is that the Dragons come from a divine court of Dragons, where they reside in hidden palace somewhere on the tallest mountain in the world. The Drakkarav believe that in a primordial time, the Allar existed as the workers and servants in the divine court of Dragons, that this was a time of paradise where all Drakkarav lived forever in service to their greater beings, who were seen as their creators and ancestors. Curiously enough, the Drakkarav do acknowledge the extinction of the Dragons as a worldly event, but one that had been long in the making. In their version of history, it was in fact a subgroup of Allar that betrayed the Dragons and had designs on the world of their own, causing a loss of paradise. The original palace was destroyed, forcing the Dragons to make a new one that was hidden. To punish the Allar who betrayed them, the Dragons made them into the other races and removed their scales and lizard features, which bore their heritage to the Dragons. The Drakkarav were unfortunately also punished because they allowed this to happen either in ignorance or unwillingness to act, casting them down into mortality. This set the stage for thousands of years of decline that would eventually lead to the death of the Dragons.

The Drakkarav thus believe that the gods are dead, and that the Dragons have gone extinct. They believe that the original Allar who betrayed them won, but that the Gray Hermit still lives, and continues to roam among the Allar people to ensure their worship, lying in wait for the day when the Dragons will return through the cycle of rebirth as dictated by the Dragon-king. The recent appearance of the Imperial Dragon and the Dread Dragon have seriously complicated religious beliefs for the Drakkarav, as their behavior does not pattern into the belief of rebirth. Some yet believe that rebirth is among them and have flocked to the banners of the Regalian Empire in the hopes of serving the Imperial Dragon.

Draconic Unionism

Draconic Unionism is a more devolved concept of Ailor Unionism with serious Allar overtones and preferences projected onto it. Draconic Unionism is not an officially registered faith in Regalia, and probably would be illegal due to its fairly heretical concepts. That being said, those that follow Draconic Unionism can usually hide their beliefs under the Great Alchzech and life live fine with their worship intact, especially in Regalia. Draconic Unionism’s core concept is that the Spirit is in fact the soul-lineage of Dragons among mortals. The believers of Draconic Unionism, who are called Bondrakkar, believe in the divinity of Dragons before what they refer to as Convergence, the event in which the Dragons invested their souls into mortals. They believe that Dragons created the world and stewarded creation for all eternity, until all eternity ended when their creation turned on them. They then believe the Dragons invested their souls into the mortal beings of the world to continue to protect it, but leave the actual world’s fate up to the mortals themselves.

They believe in the concept of the Great Way through a more racially diversified vision, believing that all races should submit to the belief of Unionism one way or another, and that all races under the umbrella of Unionism can have their own version of Unionism made for their beliefs, as long as they worship the Spirit one way or another. The Spirit in turn is a more esoteric representation of the Dragon’s rebirth among the mortals, identifying individuals as Carriers of Dragons, which are akin to Herons in typical Unionism, except that they likely possessed part of or a whole Dragon soul in their being. Bondrakkar have increased in number recently, benefiting from both converts from general secular Alchzech as well as Dragon Worship due to the arrival of both the Dread Dragon and the Imperial Dragon in public conscience and existence.

The Bondrakkar have further expanded as a result that the Dragons now exist in a state of limbo. Citing the Imperial Dragon as an example, they state that the Imperial Dragon is the divine being and divine state deserving of worship and prayer, and that the humanoid form is the burden of all mortal sin made flesh. They essentially believe that the Dragons also bear the taint of sin of all other mortals, and that as such, they are forced into a humanoid form from time to time to expel sin from the world and become ignorant of themselves and their divine purpose. The Bondrakkar worship in the same Unionist churches and sermons as regular Unionists do, effectively blending into their population while keeping a keen eye on the Imperial Dragon, as opposed to the current Emperor. They believe only a hand few Emperors were ever Carriers of Dragons, and that only the Imperial Dragon right now is the true Emperor of the Regalian Empire.

Mother of Soil

Mother of Soil is a relatively small faith among the Allar which finds its basis in Estel Worship. Mother of Soil worshipers are called Soilists, which outsiders consider an insult but the Soilists actually use with pride. The main concept of Mother of Soil is that Estel, called Ezztahl by the Soilists, is the creator of all existence, and represents an earth-mother esque figure. She supposedly rests at the core of the world (as the fact that Aloria is round is well established nowadays), seeing the world as a shelter or cocoon for their divine earth-mother. The world is believed to be her bed in which she slumbers, and from her life sprung everything on the surace. Mother of Soil worshipers are very ecologically sensitive, being extremely anti-industry and mass resource harvesting, believing that explosions in particular hurt the Mother of Soil, and destroy her pristine beauty. Soilists are frequently seen around Yanar, who they believe have a unique and strong connection to the Mother of Soil. They also believe in the Elven Pantheon, but instead of seeing them as individuals, they see them as emotions. They believe that when anyone feels an emotion, that this emotion is sent to them through the Mother of Soil, and it is in a way expressing the Mother of Soil dreaming about them, and dreaming for them to do something.

Ulley is instead seen as arrogance, pride and justice. Ellea is seen as love, care and kindness, while Vallea is seen as courage, willfulness and anger. Sca’Elle is seen as inspiration, creativity and inquisitiveness, while Asc’tea is seen as connivance, trickery and malice. Tal’Sieth is seen as strength, stubbornness and wroth, while Ammu-loa is seen as grief and misery. Finally, Cae-Maen is seen as compassion and mercy, but also indignance and indifference. Soilists have a quirky habit to praise the name of an Elven deity whenever they feel one such emotion very strongly, almost like a habit that they don’t even have control over. Soilists are also generally seen as dirty by others, since they are perpetually followed by a root-like earthy smell, on account of their constant use of soil and incense. Despite being practically vegan, Soilists still eat meat, since Allar are obviously carnivores. The Soilists have found a solution by ritualistic sacrifice and bleeding of an animal, letting its blood run into the soil. Soilists believe that life is in blood, not in the flesh. As soon as such an animal is drained of their blood, they become Halazz or “holy meat” which is approved for consumption among the Soilists. Halazz butchers do exist in Regalia, using that specific title to be used by Soilists for food consumption. Soilist are however, due to this soil-bleeding technique, unfortunately frequently harassed by Vampires since their habitats are usually surrounded by either fresh or dried in blood that is frequently replenished. Vampirism is also very common among them, not by choice however, as drinking blood is considered vile among the Soilists, it just happens to be the case they frequently get infected because of the Vampires being attracted to their blood soaked surroundings.

Void Cults

Void Cults do exist among the Allar, and this is an often overlooked and uncomfortable fact for the Allar in Regalia, especially since they have to acknowledge them as having a right to exist and their faith being real, if the Allar believe in the Great Alchzech. The Void Cults among the Allar are not very small, but do cover the wide ranges of the Arken, directly worshiping them and their predominant traits as divine. Void Cults among the Allar are often considered the opposite of Soilists, desiring the ravaging and destruction of the planet’s surface to make it habitable to demons, and for vices to be worshiped by engaging in them, not shying away from them. While a Soilists home might be close to blood-soaked soil, a Void Cultists’s home will never have blood wasted so egregiously, as it is used up by sacrifices or ritualism. Void Cultist Allar are remarkably hard to spot, as most Void Cultist Kathar practically bear torches and bright colorful lights on them announcing how invested they are in the occult with their horns and mutations, while Allar remain surprisingly unmutated. This is largely because, as scholars have speculated, while the Allar worship the representation of the Arken, they don’t perform the “right” rituals to actually connect with the Void. Whether this is intentional or not is not entirely clear.

Void Cults among the Allar do however have one peculiar practice that is not seen among other races, and that is the creation of Shadowbrood. Shadowbrood are extremely rare, and the knowledge of their existence is not well known even among the Allar, but they can be identified with their red and black scales, and red eyes, even when they are not a Vampire. Shadowbrood are created during vast Arken rituals and age rapidly, meaning they are born and might be an adult the next week. Shadowbrood are not otherwise remarkable besides the fact that they are in essence made of Void Essence, and as such also trigger all bells and whistles to those who seek it out. The presence of a Shadowbrood usually means a Void Cult is nearby. Why Shadowbroods are created is also not entirely clear. They do not actually fulfill any worship role for the Void Cultists, the common belief simply being that they are a happy but unintended side effect of the rituals to please the Arken.

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.

Accreditation
Writers MonMarty
Artists MonMarty
Processors Percuriam, Scribbe, Aespair, SupremeCripple, HydraLana, Carlit0o
Last Editor MonMarty on 10/24/2019.

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