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| {{Info races | | {{Info fauna |
| |image = Manathary.png | | |image = Manathary.png |
| |pronunciation = Man-a-thar | | |officialname = Manathar |
| |classification = [[Nelfin]] | | |nicknames = Pridelings, Demons, Confused [[Maraya]] |
| |subraces = Various Subgroups | | |classification = [[Magus]] |
| |languages = Inherited from other Races | | |habitat = Various areas of [[Aloria]] |
| |naming = Inherited from other Races
| | |status = Extinct |
| |distinction = Magically evolved Nelfin under the guidance of a [[Demon]] host
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| |maxage = 300 years
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| |eye = Varied by Subgroup
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| |hair = Varied by Subgroup
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| |skin = Varied by Subgroup | |
| |}} | | |}} |
| The Manathar are not a [[Race]] per se, but rather an evolved form of any [[Nelfin]] Race that accepted the Ritual of the Prideborn in the [[Inner Realm]]. The first to fulfill the ritual of the Prideborn were the [[Kathar]] loyalists of the [[Dread Empire]], who after an intervention from the [[Pride Arken]], saw the need to evolve their people, disillusioned with the place of the Kathar in the world. The Manathar would later expand to the other Nelfin Races, as the ritual was compatible with any Nelfin species, and even to half bloods who chose to accept the philosophy of the Manathar. Manathar is not a Race that can be played by a new character. Rather, Manathar is an in-roleplay character development that occurs only on a pre-existing Nelfin or [[Half-Elven]] character. Furthermore, the Manathar ritual cannot be forced, it has to willingly be accepted and only by those who accept the life and religion of the Manathar openly and willingly. | | The Manathar were an [[Affliction]] in [[Aloria]] which emerged from the desire of a group of [[Kathar]] to further their evolution as a [[Race]]. The Pride Arken fulfilled their desire, but within just three years, took away the Affliction from the world. The three Legions, or strains of the Affliction, created rather demonic-looking individuals from any group of [[Elven]] background, including Half-Elves, and capable of absorbing groups like [[Arkenborn]] into their ranks through the transformation. Ultimately, the footprint the Manathar left on Aloria is uncertain, as while some individuals used their power to aid in various expeditions and conflicts across Aloria, many more faded from memory, or left little lasting impact beyond their appearance. |
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| ==Physical Characteristics== | | ==History== |
| The Manathar are divided over three subtypes. Whether an [[Altalar]], Kathar, or [[Cielothar]] becomes either a Cardinal, Apostle, or Lector is entirely dependent on their character traits and personality. Cardinal Manathar tend to be arrogant, calculative, leadership-based types who retain an air of class and sophistication. Apostle type Manathar tend to be free-spirited, wild, energetic, and self-gratifying, retaining an air of martial skill and rebelliousness. The Lector type Manathar tend to be studious, devout, and learned, with a great thirst for knowledge and a will to dominate the Arcane Magics. The Manathar ritual is virtually instant, with a non-Manathar entering the Heart of the Prideborn (A large light temple in the Inner Realm) voluntarily and under the guidance of another Manathar. | | The Manathar were originally Kathar of the Dread Empire who sought to change their condition, and turned to the Pride Arken for such an opportunity in 307 AC. The being agreed to their pact, and transformed them into the first Manathar, before then approaching different [[Void Worship]]ers across Aloria and offered them a similar transformation into this new Affliction. Many accepted, among them a high number of Arkenborn, and were thus transformed into the three Legions. Pride emparted them with guiding principles, based on the concepts of the original Dread Kathar Manathar, and also gave them the ability to turn other, willing supplicants of the Nelfin Races, before stepping back and allowing affairs to play out. Unfortunately for the Arken’s goals or designs, many Manathar failed to adhere to these principles. While The Mentor, as Pride became known among the Manathar, had created powerful and unique beings, many misused the gifts, or broke away from the Legions who had trouble even working together in many instances. Additionally, while their bodies had been changed, their minds had not been altered sufficiently by the experience, so original enmities and bias creeped into the Manathar. This eventually called The Mentor out, who set down new rules of internal faith and governance while also tweaking the powers present in each of the Legions. But, ultimately, this was not enough. In 310 AC, the Arken chose to finally cut the thread of [[Magic]] that gave the Manathar their powers, instantly reverting all of them back overnight to their prior state. While there was some initial confusion on why this happened, later searches for answers revealed that the Arken had been disappointed in their children. Many former Manathar are just grateful that the being simply disbanded the Affliction as a failure, rather than punish them for failure. |
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| ===Common Traits=== | | ==Physical Appearance== |
| *Manathar are only capable of reproducing with other Nelfin species. When this occurs, whether the Manathar is father or mother, the child is always born a pure Altalar. Even when both parents were Manathar, the child is still born Altalar, and this child is expected to be raised by the parents until they are old enough to go through the Ritual of the Prideborn.
| | The Manathar had a broad range of visual differences based on their individual Legions, however all possessed the traits of horns, a tail, and golden irises with dark gray eyes or black eye-whites. Arkenborn Manathar were distinguished by a red limbal ring around their irises, being the only exception to the Affliction’s shared similarities. These changes never rendered them unrecognizable, but were also seen as permanent, with no possibility of altering one’s form or appearance further. |
| *Mental characteristics of Manathar are inherited from the Race they are originally made out of. The Ritual of the Prideborn does not change the personality of the Manathar in the slightest, the only requirement is their views to be changed on religion.
| | [[File:Mae.png|250px|thumb|right|The Apostle Legion often end up being considered living Demons by the everyday citizenry of Aloria given their horned appearance, a trait commonly believed to denote the demonic powers of the Void.]] |
| *All Manathar are able to teleport to the Realm. This can however only be done after a solid 2 minutes of uninterrupted magical channeling, and cannot be done while they are in any form of imprisonment, restraint, partial or complete paralysis, or other form of confinement in any way, shape, or form (even as simple as having their clothes caught by a rose thorn). The ritual is somehow aware of the Manathar not being completely free, and refuses to manifest. It also cannot manifest while the Manathar is anywhere within blocks of, or inside buildings with Mage-stone (the [[Regalian]] Prison, the Regalian Palace). They also cannot take anyone with them. Non-Manathar have to travel through the Realm Gateway in the Sewers. The teleport to The Realm is simply /tp Manathar. Using this teleport function without being a Manathar is not allowed. Walking around in The Realm OOC will result in staff disciplinary actions. | | ===Diversity=== |
| *If the Manathar was Altalar and had Altalar Martial Skill, they are allowed to convert this Proficiency into any other Combat Proficiency.
| | As mentioned before, the diversity of the Manathar was broken into the three Legions, each having a role to play in the new society Pride sought to create with the Affliction. |
| | *'''The Apostle Legion''': The Apostles were the most archetypally demonic Manathar in appearance, possessing the most vibrant skin tones, ranging from warm metallic shades like bronze and copper, to hues of crimson and burnt orange. Apostle Legion horns were curled and ridged, with a broad formation set apart more than the horns of other Legions. Their tails varied in size, and had a gradient into a black spade-like tip, or a tuft of black fur. These Manathar were the warriors, fighters, and defenders of the other Legions. |
| | *'''The Cardinal Legion:''' These Manathar were visually the least-affected Legion. Their skin tones ranged from those of the [[Teledden]] to those of the [[Suvial]]. Uniquely, the extremities of the Cardinals, such as their hands, were inky black, with each appendage gradienting back into their normal skin colors. Cardinal horns were typically straight, smooth, and delicate, with thin and delicate tails as well. Both were textured as if scaled. Uniquely, Cardinal Manathar possesses a pair of snakes that sprout from their lower scalp. These snakes were sentient, but could not cause harm, and could be painlessly removed before growing back over the course of a week. This Legion were a common class of sorts, with goals of building, labor, and bureaucratic leadership. |
| | *'''The Lector Legion:''' This Legion appeared similar to [[Sihndar]], with skin tones that range from deep indigo violet to dark indigo blue. Much like the Apostle Legion, Lector tails varied in size and shape but unlike the Apostles,Lector horns were straight, smooth, and delicate. The Lector were the only Legion capable of bearing more than one set of horns, with some possessing crown-like arrays of thin, pointed horns. They were the sorcerers and Magic users, seeking knowledge for the expansion of their being. |
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| ===Ritual of the Prideborn=== | | ===Life Span and Development=== |
| The Ritual of the Prideborn is incredibly simple and acts more as a baptism by fire in the most literal sense of that wording. The only place to perform the Ritual of the Prideborn is in The Realm, which can only be reached through the Realm Gateway in the Sewers of Regalia for those who are not already Manathar (since Manathar can teleport there, explained in the Common Traits). Once there, the willing Nelfin or half-Nelfin (of any type) must be under the guidance of another Manathar while they ascend the staircase of the Black Temple. If they are not under the guidance of another Manathar, the Black Temple’s staircases causes them to suffer from a magical illusion that causes them to permanently ascend the stairs, only to look back and see they haven’t even set foot on the staircase. Once they reach the top, the practice is to disrobe the Manathar save for their modesty, to do away with their past-self, and to recite the primary directives. The primary directives are a series of statements that relate to the Tenets of The Xenophane, the Manathar Religion. These are as follows: | | The Manathar lasted only three years as an Affliction, and there were no indications of unique developmental or lifespan-altering occurrences among the various populations spread across Aloria. As many were already Nelfin before transformation, and such Races are well known for being capable of slowing or pausing their age appearance, many believe the Affliction did not affect this trait. However, most Manathar groups were relatively insular, and information on this is ultimately irrelevant since no Manathar children were born to the Affliction, and it ended in what amounted to the blink of an eye in Aloria’s long history. |
| *I, Manathar, respect the Mentor, and commit myself not to idolatry or worship other than myself.
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| *I, Manathar, control and empower myself, wrestle with my own destiny unrestrained by others.
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| *I, Manathar, vow to acquire power as the Mentor deems fit, and seek not to give it away for free.
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| *I, Manathar, acknowledge my betters only in the power I willingly give them and obey no law.
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| *I, Manathar, see power in good and evil, and do away with the vestments of morality to myself.
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| *I, Manathar, vow myself, to have my name written among the stars and in the minds of mortals forever.
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| After the recitation, the willing must proceed through the flames of the Black Temple to the inner chamber, where-in the magical energies of the Black Temple change them into one of the three Manathar subtypes, depending on their dominant personality traits and what would most suit them. They instantly gain knowledge and perfect commanding of their new abilities, lose all old racial traits, abilities, and proficiencies, and gain a set of new proficiencies and appearances. Those who have any inkling of doubt, or faked their belief in the Xenophane, or faked their recitation of the primary directives, are denied by the magical fires of the Black Temple. When they try to pass through the flames, the flames that would normally feel cold to the touch for true believers, would horribly burn them and then spit them out. As such, it is natural for other Manathar to ask the willing if they are truly at peace with this decision in their hearts, before they walk in, and to ask if they do this willingly without any coercion or forced element. The transformation into a Manathar is painless and occurs over roughly 10 seconds, after which the Manathar can leave the inner chamber again. The Inner chamber remains accessible to the Manathar otherwise, allowing them to enter and engage in meditation in a truly serene environment, with only the magical fires of the Black Temple to accompany them.
| | ==Mental Overview== |
| | The Manathar were all Nelfin transformed either directly by the Pride Arken, or through a ritual they created, and gifted, to others for the explicit purpose. As a result, their minds did not change from what they had been before. However, the goals of the Manathar should be noted given how they were meant to affect, and influence, their actions. These beliefs were centered on a new life philosophy, the concepts of The Xenophane, which was nearly a second Religion for many of them. For a time, rejecting The Xenophane would immediately incur the wrath of the Praetor (an elected leader of a Manathar community), but it was ultimately transformed into a collection of rough guidelines that any Manathar could follow at their own choosing. The Xenophane included the following tenets: |
| | *Do not reject the self, or any aspect of the self, whether that be one’s identity as a Manathar, or whatever came before it, albeit with the knowledge one has evolved from their prior form in life. Do not allow anyone to degrade or devalue the Manathar, or the philosophy the Manathar follow, even if it is not closely followed by one’s self. To stay true to their identity, to not seek to hide it, and to wear their Abilities and identity with pride. |
| | *Do not put any other figure above one’s self, whether in the form of worship, or self-doubt. Only put effort into improving the self, rather than to waste effort putting it on another who would not benefit from another individual’s growth in the long-term. This does not infer that the Manathar are incapable of respect, nor should enact ignorance to the power of a stronger being, but do not subjugate themselves beneath another thoughtlessly. |
| | *Do not see good and evil as immovable moral pillars, but rather as flexible concepts that can be moved around. Never deem any action as inherently good or evil, but rather to examine them from an unbiased position in terms of their outcomes, not the intentions. |
| | *Do not give away advantages or power for free, and do not allow others to lord over one’s self unless there is an express transactional advantage. The Praetor must be respected as a representative, but not as a ruler. |
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| ===Cardinal Manathar===
| | The original version of The Xenophane from before Pride’s intercession is now largely lost, and even the modified version of The Xenophane followed by the Manathar until 310 AC is commonly discarded by those in the current day. The system of belief did not survive the power plays, machinations, and personal choices of the Manathar themselves, and the failure of well over half of all Manathar not following The Xenophane is often cited as a main reason why Pride came to view them all as failures. |
| The Cardinal Manathar look relatively normal compared to other Races. In fact, in many ways they could even be mistaken for other Races, which is entirely on purpose. Naturally, the Cardinal have a bone-white skin-tone that is very similar if not identical to that of the [[Saivale Kathar]]. The difference between the Saivale Kathar and the Cardinal however, is that the Cardinal are capable of imitating any Nelfin skin-tone (except other Manathar) by skin-contact, copying their skin. This however does not change the color of their hair or eyes. Cardinal Manathar have black or dark-gray eye-whites with golden irisses (if they chose the [[Void]] Ritual of the Prideborn) or with silver irises (if they chose the [[Exist]] Ritual of the Prideborn). Their hair can be white, black, blonde or auburn. Their nails tend to be black and pointed, but not claw-like and purely aesthetic. Perhaps the most identifying aspect about the Cardinal Manthar are their Manath-Divella, or their “snake-head-tails” for the lack of a better term. Most Cardinal Manathar have long hair, reaching at least to their shoulders (but short is also possible, it just makes the Manath-Divella more visible). From the part where their skull curves away from the crown of their head to the back, two long tendrils are formed that reach to their hips. | | ===Territory and Groupings=== |
| | | The Manathar were spread out in small pockets across Aloria, with numbers reaching at most, a few thousand. Most were located in the west, with the original group from the lands of the Dread Empire briefly growing in power, with not insignificant political influence. The other notable group could be found in Corontium, and the [[City of Regalia]]. Ironically, the Dread War saw Manathar groups clash with one another on battlefields across [[Altaleï]], those loyal to the Dread Empire fighting those from the Regalian Empire and the scattered numbers among the former states of the Allorn Empire. |
| These two tendrils are usually dormant, colored the same as their hair, and sway with the same motions as their hair, therefore often mistaken for being a long ponytail. In reality however, the Manath-Divella are two snakes that are attached to the head of the Cardinal Manathar, which are capable of anything a real snake would. These tendrils are strong enough to stand on their own weight, able to swirl around the Cardinal, but also slither on the body of the Cardinal. These snakes do not have a mind of their own, rather, they are an extension of the Cardinal who controls them like another set of arms. These snakes are not poisonous, but can bite others, which is very painful. They can also grapple onto objects, hold objects in their mouths, and make hissing sounds, but do not add snake-smell to the Cardinal or share their vision with the Cardinal (despite having eyes colored the same as the Cardinal). These tendrils can be cut off, but regrow over a period of several days. The snake heads can both move independently of each other as well as eat which adds to the nourishment of the Cardinal. When removed, the snakes die instantly and fade away, leaving no physical sediment behind.
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| ===Apostle Manathar===
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| The Apostle Manathar look like they belong more in the Kathar social circles, but have some major differences. Firstly, their skin tones range from dark red to dark brown, while also allowing lighter colors like beige or salmon red (as long as it is not pastel like the [[Maraya]]). In their natural form, the Apostles have relatively small horns on their head that might almost be mistaken for stumps, as wide at their base as they are in length, sticking out from their forehead upwards. In their natural form, Apostles have a very youthful appearance, even when they are older. They have the same black or dark-gray eye-whites with golden irisses (Void) or silver irisses (Exist), like the Cardinal Manathar. Their hair is usually black, but can also be blonde, dark-brown, platinum blonde, or silvery gray (even at a young age). The natural state of an Apostle Manathar is always limited to the [[Body Shape]] [[Athletic]]. While in their natural state, the Apostles have a rather thin tail, which extends about the same length as their legs, and has a small hook at the end that is hardly sharp enough to cause harm. Similarly, their nails are black and pointed, but not sharp like those of the Cardinal Manathar. The Apostles, however, have two different forms that change their appearance considerably. The Apostle Manathar are capable of instantly changing from their natural form to the Arbiter or Vanguard Form, but changing away from these forms to their natural or other form is more difficult and takes several minutes of meditation.
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| The first form Apostles use is the Arbiter Form, which is generally considered an attacking-type form. In this form, their horns grow considerably to form large ram-like or ibex-like horns that form on their forehead and curl backwards but at a larger arch than their skull, thus being well visible at all times (the point never points forward however). Their tail thickens and becomes prehensile, while also lengthening to three quarters of their natural body height. On top of that, the tail spike at the end enlarges, becoming like a scorpion stinger, that they use in combat which inflicts a great deal of pain when it pierces through clothing and skin (it cannot penetrate armor), and can also rapidly vibrate to produce a rattle-snake like sound. The combat effectiveness of this tail derives its Proficiency Points from either preferred weapon [[Proficiency]] or [[Unarmed Combat Skill]]. Finally, their appearance becomes more rough and rugged, increasing their Body Shape limitation to [[Muscular]].
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| The second form Apostles use is the Vanguard Form, which is generally considered a defending-type form. In this form, their horns on their head multiply, forming a crown of horns of sorts, but remain very short and close to their skull. Their tail practically disappears, turning into a small tail-bone stump, incapable of moving anymore. At the same time however, various positions on their skin develops a form of exo-skeleton with the same color as their hair that acts as body armor plating. This plating covers the back of their head connecting to the neck, the entire neck, the chest, the shoulders, the outsides of the arms and the outsides of the upper legs and the entire lower leg and feet, acting like real plate-armor, but also making the Apostle considerably slower, rendering all Athletics Training Proficiency to zero. This body armor can be cracked, destroyed, and ripped off, (which is very painful) but does not leave permanent damage, reverting back to a clean and pristine form the next time they turn into the Vanguard Form from another form. In this form, the Apostle takes a more stocky appearance, and increases their Body Shape limitation to Strongman.
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| ===Lector Manathar=== | |
| The Lector Manathar look fairly similar to the [[Sihndar]], in that their skin tone has a purple basis, but unlike the dark purple of the Sihndar, Lector Manathar have a skin tone more resembling purpureus purple or medium purple. Like the other Manathar, they can have blonde or black hair, but predominantly have white hair. The Lectors look more sinewy and thin in comparison to the more average Cardinal and the larger Apostle (when they are in their shifted forms). They have the same eye colors as the other Manathar, while also having the blackened nails, though their aren’t sharpened. Lectors also don’t have any outwardly physical ability, given that theirs are entirely mental. The only other physical trait that sets them apart is their ability to skin-print without any tattoo-ing or painting. They are able to imagine any pattern or writing on their skin and it will appear. They are not able to animate these faux-tattoos, but are able to remake them from day to day should they wish to. Most Lectors use this ability to write Manathar Ritualist writing on themselves, which activates just as though it were real Script from the Ritualism abilities. | |
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| Lector Manathar always appear as if they cannot carry very heavy weights, yet appearances are deceiving. Their mental prowess manifests in their ability to create a second set of ethereal arms for themselves. In order to summon these arms, their normal arms need to maintain a certain summoning pose, two hands clasped in prayer in front of their chest. They can move around as long as they keep their normal arms in these positions, which then immediately summon the two ethereal arms from their shoulders. These ethereal arms are the same length and size as their normal arms, and are non-physical, yet have the added benefit of being able to manipulate objects through telekinesis. For up to emote distance, they are able to do certain things with their arms:
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| *They are able to wield weapons, though a single weapon always requires both ethereal arms. A wielded weapon is wielded in the air anywhere in emote distance, can be thrown, and is wielded through the Proficiency of the Lector.
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| *They are able to retrieve items and have them slowly or quickly levitate towards them, or away from them to other people for example. Smaller items can go much faster, a baseball-sized object can travel at the speed of a throw, while a wooden beam requires more strain and time.
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| *They are able to perform simple tasks, for example holding an apple with one hand and peeling it with a fruit knife in the other. Both hands can also perform individual tasks, for example, one can be writing, while the other can be measuring a device, and the Lectors are ambidextrous enough to perform both without losing efficiency or focus on either. In fact, they could write two different stories at the same time.
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| *They are able to perform this telekinesis through fences, gates, windows and distance, as long as they can keep what they are trying to affect in visual range and in emote range.
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| *They are also able to grapple onto people, and even try to suffocate them from a distance. That being said, grappling onto organics that can fight back is harder, and can be “thrown off” or “pushed away”, as the ethereal grasp remains invisible, but becomes touchable by the person affected as if there were real arms.
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| *The Telepathy of these arms is as strong as a [[Strongman]] [[Ailor’s]] grasp and lifting weight, even if the Lector remains frail and thin.
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| *The ethereal arms are visible but see-through, and take the same aspects as the arms of the Lector (tattoos, decorations etc). The color of the ghostly ethereal form is dictated by the realm the Lector chose, being crimson red if they chose Void, and ghostly blue if they chose Exist.
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| ==Religion==
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| The Manathar believe in a humanist philosophy based concept called the Xenophane (pronounced: Kseno-pha-nee), which at a core pulls a lot of similarities with [[Unionism]] and the Spirit. At a baseline, the aspect of divinity in the world comes from the Void and Exist dimensions, which are considered wells of power from which the Manathar draw their power. Through the powers granted by these dimensions, the Manathar believe they are able to bend the world to their will and unlock greater potential for themselves. Despite this Kathar-similar Void centric belief, there are notable differences, especially because the Manathar acknowledge the Void as a simply corrosive element that should be handled with care and skill. They believe that divinity in many other religions is a fluke, and that prayer to a divine being for salvation is weakness, because a Manathar should seize the moment and the means, and achieve their own potential. In doing so, they all work towards galvanization of their own power, as opposed to esotherical concepts like serving a deity or divine purpose.
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| That being said, through these acts, they still work to the wills of the Mentor, which is the Arken of Pride to the Voidborn, usually just referred to as Mentor. The idea behind the Mentor is that while the Manathar may consider the divinity of the [[Arken]] of either Exist or Void as a whole, the Manathar creator Pride is the only one who helps the Manathar wield and handle the Void and Exist essences, as opposed to the Kathar who ask to be blessed (and corrupted) by it. This it their major difference with the Kathar, in that Kathar believe the Void (not the Exist) is a blessing to be given to them for acts of great malice and cruelty and is inherently good for them, while the Manathar believe the Void and Exist are meant to be wrangled into their control because they are the most suitable to do so, while also acknowledging how dangerous this is.
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| The end product of the Xenophane is to enrich and empower the self, though not necessarily at the expense of others. Xenophanes as they are called, thrive on arcane knowledge, even the non-Magically inclined, and while that is inherently something that could be called heresy, the principles of the Xenophane are actually very compatible with Unionism. Some speculate that for example the Arken, are recurring individuals with a cycle of rebirth, actually being the vessels of the Spirit, which is a metaphor for the Void. Essentially the Xenophanes disagree with Unionists on the source of the Spirit (though Unionism doesn’t ever actually explain where the Spirit comes from), and disagree on the Imperial inheritance, but the concept of self-exploration and self-empowerment for the purpose of indirect domination through power are effectively the same. Both Unionism and the Xenophane drive home the idea that their followers should not expect divine handouts, and instead be guided by a semi-divine being into fulfilling their ultimate potential, with domination as an end-result, though for Xenophanes world domination is not necessarily an end goal, they can enjoy soft power and all its merits just as much.
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| ====Xenophane Tenets====
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| *The Mentor is a supreme being and guide worthy of respect, but not a deity, and does not deserve worship. Instead, worship yourself and your own potential.
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| *Others do not have the right or means to oppress or control you. It is every Manathar’s duty to self-expressed and self-determined their own fate. A Manathar should never be a slave.
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| *Hierarchy among Manathar is an illusion and only socially enforced. The Mentor does not acknowledge leaders, and power is only given by the contented to the strong.
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| *Manathar should always work to better themselves, whether that be the acquisition or power, knowledge, or attain higher positions in whatever social hierarchy they are in.
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| *The Mentor does not distinguish between Exist charity and compassion or Void violence and fury. Only the height of power expressions matter. Power can come from kindness or evilness.
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| *Power among the Manathar is not expressed in the morality of the actions, but the scope of them and the effect. There is no such thing as good or evil among Manathar, only power.
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| ==Trivia== | | ==Trivia== |
| *Manathar is a compound name. Much like other Nelfin Races, the name ending in “ar” indicates that they are the children of old and the elder Race, while “Manath” means the ones born of [[Magic]], thus the name means “The elder Race born of Magic” in [[Middle Altalar]]. | | *Manathar is a compound name. Much like other Nelfin Races, the name ending in “ar” indicates that they are the children of an old and the elder Race, while “Manath” means the ones born of Magic, thus the name means “The elder Race born of Magic” in Allorn [[Altalar]]. |
| *In theory it is possible to revert the Ritual of the Prideborn through some sort of purification. The Mentor has alluded to it being possible, but never explained how.
| | *Manathar despised the use of physical weapons, instead preferring to use their own bodies and Magic for combat. |
| *Manathar actually despise the usage of physical weapons. Generally speaking, the Cardinals consider their mind the only valid weapon, and see weapons as barbaric. The Apostles use their own claws and tail as weapons, believing similarly that weapons are an expression of weakness. The Lectors are the only ones who use weapons, but never in their main arms. They might use weapons telekinetically with their aetherial arms, wielding them in mid air, but never in hand. | | *There was significant confusion for a number of weeks in some quarters with [[Maraya]] believing the Manathar to be a transformation in their image. Indeed, some Manathar used this confusion to embed themselves in Maraya societies, or adopt a new identity to seek Maraya information. Such efforts quickly ended, and the few that remained suddenly found themselves outed when the Affliction was purged. |
| *Knowledge on the Manathar is not part of any Proficiency, and has to be found entirely IC, because it is a very recent in-roleplay thing that happened to a few characters.
| | {{fauna}} |
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| {{Races}} | |
| {{Accreditation | | {{Accreditation |
| |Artists = | | |Artists = MonMarty |
| |Writers = MonMarty | | |Writers = HydraLana |
| |Processors = HydraLana, Athelois | | |Processors = N/A |
| }} | | }} |
| [[category:Races]] [[category:Magus Races]] | | [[category:Fauna]] [[category:Magus]] |
| Manathar |
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| Fauna |
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| Official Name |
Manathar |
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| Common Nicknames |
Pridelings, Demons, Confused Maraya |
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| Classification |
Magus |
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| Habitat |
Various areas of Aloria |
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| Current Status |
Extinct |
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The Manathar were an Affliction in Aloria which emerged from the desire of a group of Kathar to further their evolution as a Race. The Pride Arken fulfilled their desire, but within just three years, took away the Affliction from the world. The three Legions, or strains of the Affliction, created rather demonic-looking individuals from any group of Elven background, including Half-Elves, and capable of absorbing groups like Arkenborn into their ranks through the transformation. Ultimately, the footprint the Manathar left on Aloria is uncertain, as while some individuals used their power to aid in various expeditions and conflicts across Aloria, many more faded from memory, or left little lasting impact beyond their appearance.
History
The Manathar were originally Kathar of the Dread Empire who sought to change their condition, and turned to the Pride Arken for such an opportunity in 307 AC. The being agreed to their pact, and transformed them into the first Manathar, before then approaching different Void Worshipers across Aloria and offered them a similar transformation into this new Affliction. Many accepted, among them a high number of Arkenborn, and were thus transformed into the three Legions. Pride emparted them with guiding principles, based on the concepts of the original Dread Kathar Manathar, and also gave them the ability to turn other, willing supplicants of the Nelfin Races, before stepping back and allowing affairs to play out. Unfortunately for the Arken’s goals or designs, many Manathar failed to adhere to these principles. While The Mentor, as Pride became known among the Manathar, had created powerful and unique beings, many misused the gifts, or broke away from the Legions who had trouble even working together in many instances. Additionally, while their bodies had been changed, their minds had not been altered sufficiently by the experience, so original enmities and bias creeped into the Manathar. This eventually called The Mentor out, who set down new rules of internal faith and governance while also tweaking the powers present in each of the Legions. But, ultimately, this was not enough. In 310 AC, the Arken chose to finally cut the thread of Magic that gave the Manathar their powers, instantly reverting all of them back overnight to their prior state. While there was some initial confusion on why this happened, later searches for answers revealed that the Arken had been disappointed in their children. Many former Manathar are just grateful that the being simply disbanded the Affliction as a failure, rather than punish them for failure.
Physical Appearance
The Manathar had a broad range of visual differences based on their individual Legions, however all possessed the traits of horns, a tail, and golden irises with dark gray eyes or black eye-whites. Arkenborn Manathar were distinguished by a red limbal ring around their irises, being the only exception to the Affliction’s shared similarities. These changes never rendered them unrecognizable, but were also seen as permanent, with no possibility of altering one’s form or appearance further.
The Apostle Legion often end up being considered living Demons by the everyday citizenry of Aloria given their horned appearance, a trait commonly believed to denote the demonic powers of the Void.
Diversity
As mentioned before, the diversity of the Manathar was broken into the three Legions, each having a role to play in the new society Pride sought to create with the Affliction.
- The Apostle Legion: The Apostles were the most archetypally demonic Manathar in appearance, possessing the most vibrant skin tones, ranging from warm metallic shades like bronze and copper, to hues of crimson and burnt orange. Apostle Legion horns were curled and ridged, with a broad formation set apart more than the horns of other Legions. Their tails varied in size, and had a gradient into a black spade-like tip, or a tuft of black fur. These Manathar were the warriors, fighters, and defenders of the other Legions.
- The Cardinal Legion: These Manathar were visually the least-affected Legion. Their skin tones ranged from those of the Teledden to those of the Suvial. Uniquely, the extremities of the Cardinals, such as their hands, were inky black, with each appendage gradienting back into their normal skin colors. Cardinal horns were typically straight, smooth, and delicate, with thin and delicate tails as well. Both were textured as if scaled. Uniquely, Cardinal Manathar possesses a pair of snakes that sprout from their lower scalp. These snakes were sentient, but could not cause harm, and could be painlessly removed before growing back over the course of a week. This Legion were a common class of sorts, with goals of building, labor, and bureaucratic leadership.
- The Lector Legion: This Legion appeared similar to Sihndar, with skin tones that range from deep indigo violet to dark indigo blue. Much like the Apostle Legion, Lector tails varied in size and shape but unlike the Apostles,Lector horns were straight, smooth, and delicate. The Lector were the only Legion capable of bearing more than one set of horns, with some possessing crown-like arrays of thin, pointed horns. They were the sorcerers and Magic users, seeking knowledge for the expansion of their being.
Life Span and Development
The Manathar lasted only three years as an Affliction, and there were no indications of unique developmental or lifespan-altering occurrences among the various populations spread across Aloria. As many were already Nelfin before transformation, and such Races are well known for being capable of slowing or pausing their age appearance, many believe the Affliction did not affect this trait. However, most Manathar groups were relatively insular, and information on this is ultimately irrelevant since no Manathar children were born to the Affliction, and it ended in what amounted to the blink of an eye in Aloria’s long history.
Mental Overview
The Manathar were all Nelfin transformed either directly by the Pride Arken, or through a ritual they created, and gifted, to others for the explicit purpose. As a result, their minds did not change from what they had been before. However, the goals of the Manathar should be noted given how they were meant to affect, and influence, their actions. These beliefs were centered on a new life philosophy, the concepts of The Xenophane, which was nearly a second Religion for many of them. For a time, rejecting The Xenophane would immediately incur the wrath of the Praetor (an elected leader of a Manathar community), but it was ultimately transformed into a collection of rough guidelines that any Manathar could follow at their own choosing. The Xenophane included the following tenets:
- Do not reject the self, or any aspect of the self, whether that be one’s identity as a Manathar, or whatever came before it, albeit with the knowledge one has evolved from their prior form in life. Do not allow anyone to degrade or devalue the Manathar, or the philosophy the Manathar follow, even if it is not closely followed by one’s self. To stay true to their identity, to not seek to hide it, and to wear their Abilities and identity with pride.
- Do not put any other figure above one’s self, whether in the form of worship, or self-doubt. Only put effort into improving the self, rather than to waste effort putting it on another who would not benefit from another individual’s growth in the long-term. This does not infer that the Manathar are incapable of respect, nor should enact ignorance to the power of a stronger being, but do not subjugate themselves beneath another thoughtlessly.
- Do not see good and evil as immovable moral pillars, but rather as flexible concepts that can be moved around. Never deem any action as inherently good or evil, but rather to examine them from an unbiased position in terms of their outcomes, not the intentions.
- Do not give away advantages or power for free, and do not allow others to lord over one’s self unless there is an express transactional advantage. The Praetor must be respected as a representative, but not as a ruler.
The original version of The Xenophane from before Pride’s intercession is now largely lost, and even the modified version of The Xenophane followed by the Manathar until 310 AC is commonly discarded by those in the current day. The system of belief did not survive the power plays, machinations, and personal choices of the Manathar themselves, and the failure of well over half of all Manathar not following The Xenophane is often cited as a main reason why Pride came to view them all as failures.
Territory and Groupings
The Manathar were spread out in small pockets across Aloria, with numbers reaching at most, a few thousand. Most were located in the west, with the original group from the lands of the Dread Empire briefly growing in power, with not insignificant political influence. The other notable group could be found in Corontium, and the City of Regalia. Ironically, the Dread War saw Manathar groups clash with one another on battlefields across Altaleï, those loyal to the Dread Empire fighting those from the Regalian Empire and the scattered numbers among the former states of the Allorn Empire.
Trivia
- Manathar is a compound name. Much like other Nelfin Races, the name ending in “ar” indicates that they are the children of an old and the elder Race, while “Manath” means the ones born of Magic, thus the name means “The elder Race born of Magic” in Allorn Altalar.
- Manathar despised the use of physical weapons, instead preferring to use their own bodies and Magic for combat.
- There was significant confusion for a number of weeks in some quarters with Maraya believing the Manathar to be a transformation in their image. Indeed, some Manathar used this confusion to embed themselves in Maraya societies, or adopt a new identity to seek Maraya information. Such efforts quickly ended, and the few that remained suddenly found themselves outed when the Affliction was purged.
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| Accreditation |
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| Writers |
HydraLana |
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MonMarty |
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N/A |
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| Last Editor |
HydraLana on 01/3/2024. |
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