Sihndar
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| Nation State | Drowda (and others) |
| Ruler | Hold Councils |
| Other Present | Varied |
| Languages | Altalar |
| Religion | Varied |
| First Recorded | 0 AC |
| Demonym(s) | Sihndar |
Holding the first and last line of defense against the Greater Demons, the Sihndar were an Allorn Cult that weathered the Cataclysm and eventually became its own people. They saw firsthand the death and destruction that a full Void Invasion brought onto Aloria, and picked up the weapons left behind by all the people that were brought to extinction by the Spirit invaders. Despite their world-renown reputation for being the most skilled Spirit hunters and fighters, as well as excellent Elven warriors in their own right, they fight a losing war against the Spirits that enroach ever further to expanding their domain on Aloria. With the Void Invasion three centuries past and the world believing that the next one will never come, the Sihndar occupy a forgotten corner of the world that is nonetheless crucial to the peaceful existence of other nations across the world. From the scars left behind by the last Void Invasion, the Sihndar hold the line against the Spirit Sovereigns that try to break out of Drowda to corrupt and control the wider world. Hope is not all lost however, as there are yet allies to be found in the wider world: most of all Regalia, the city where everything comes together.
Design
Despite what one might think from first appearances, the Sihndar are not a daughter-people of the Allorn Elves widely speaking. Though the majority of them are indeed Elves and descend from the Allorn Elves since the collapse of their Empire, to be Sihndar transcends individual heritage, and involves the bearing of a burden most of the world is keen to forget. What makes the Sihndar a Sihndar, is called the Drowda Taint. When a person accepts the Drowda Taint in their body and soul, they become Sihndar and often accept both their cultural as well as their historical heritage as their own. There are Sihndar of every variety of people of Aloria ranging from Eronidas, to Ailor, to Asha, to Urlan, to Songaskian. Additionally, Sihndar who reproduce with other Sihdar also continues to sire Sihndar, thus leading to expanding lineages. The exact explanation of what the Drowda Taint does to a person is discussed further below, including the mandatory visual aspects. Beyond that, Sihndar can appear like any of the People of Aloria, just with modified traits. A large part of the Sihndar population descends from the initial Elves caught in the magical reverberations of the Cataclysm on Drowda, having the Drowda Taint forced on them. Since then, however, their population has waxed and waned from natural reproduction but more importantly incorporation of outsiders who accepted the Drowda Taint willingly to aid their cause, and thus become part of their people and struggle.
Sihndar in Regalia
Sihndar are a people that one might at first glance think have no reason to be in Regalia. After all, their struggle is thousands of miles away in foreign lands where the Spirit Sovereigns roam free and threaten the world. This section discusses some basic premises for why a Sihndar might want to be in Regalia, which is where all of the Roleplay takes place:
- The Sihndar seek allies across the world to aid in their struggle, whether it is to invite non-Sihndar to help fight in Drowda, or to court the nobles and Emperor of Regalia for an increase in financial support and shipments of supplies for their homeland. This can also involve fostering positive relations with already existing groups and organizations by being a member.
- The Sihndar seek skills and information from abroad that might aid in their struggle back at home. Regalia is a nexus of learning and intellect, and many of the world leading theories on the magical as well as on warfare are developed in such a capital of science. This can also involve just campaigning for more awareness among the common people and collecting for home.
- The Sihndar battle Spirit Sovereigns wherever they appear, and Regalia is no exception to their presence. While the majority of them struggle to breach beyond Drowda, Regalia as a nexus of Magic and magical events has frequently been affected by Spirit Sovereigns and Dukes. As a result, many Sihndar are stationed in Regalia to help it against its own Spirit problems.
- Some Sihndar break away from their duties and their communal struggle and become Sihn-Fallar. Sihn-Fallar are Sihndar who have brazenly abandoned their duties, and decided to leave the rest of their people to their fate. Such Sihn-Fallar could exist in Regalia, because it is the capital of the world, no pleasures denied to the Sihndar at home cannot be found here.
Heritage Traits
When designing a Character, Proficiency Points allow for a limited Ability selection with Point Buy Packs. Heritage Traits adds free Packs and Mechanics on top of that to help with cultural themes. Free Packs grant Abilities usually, while Mechanics change the way a character functions in Roleplay through subtle, and usually out of Combat ways. In essence, Mechanics just add aesthetic flair that invest in the niche of each culture. Free Packs never raise Proficiency Points, but the character must be able to purchase them normally. (ex. if a character is a certain Affinity that locks them out of a category, they cannot take that specific free pack and must choose the alternative option.) If a Free Pack grants Magic of some type, that Magic can be of any Alignment the character can normally choose, or limited to a select alignment, which will always be written in the Free Pack description. It is not possible to play Mixed Heritage Sihndar with Mixed Mechanics. You may make them appear Mixed Heritage visually, but due to their Mechanics being derived from the Drowda Taint + Sihndar Heritage, it is not allowed to pick and combine Mechanics as normally would with Mixed-Heritage Characters. Mixed Heritage Sihndar derive all Mechanics from the Sihndar Heritage Traits always.
Free Packs
- Sihndar gain the Exorcism Pack for free, or choose one pack from Chem Point Buy.
- Sihndar choose one Pack from Melee Point Buy Pack or from Athletic Point Buy for free.
Mechanics
- Sihndar take less damage when hurt by Spirits or those possessed by Spirits. If a Spirit or a Spirit Possessed person applies -2 HP damage, reduce that by -1 Hp.
- Sihndar cannot become Afflicted, some exceptions may apply in Soul Bargains, and some greater Entities like Gods and Arken can still force infect them.
- Sihndar can perform the Weakening Ritual on a Greater Vampire, which does not kill them (ported back to a safe base), but turns them into a Fledgeling Vampire.
- Sihndar are immune to mind control of any type, particularly Sinistral Mind Vex and all of its Mechanics to do with Thralling and Persuasion Dices, if used to convince them.
Sihndar Heritage
As noted, most Heritages have 5 Mechanics, while Sihndar only have 4. This is because Sihndar receive their fifth Mechanic from their pre-Drowda Taint Heritage, depending on what People of Aloria their ancestors were part of. When playing a Sihndar, choosing one such Sihndar Heritage is necessary. It is not possible to combine, and if you have trouble choosing, just pick the heritage of the most important ancestor that fits your current Roleplay needs. Because there is no such thing as a Sihndar Appearance, choosing a Heritage also directly affects your Character's appearance. Characters that have the Drowda Taint applied to them in Roleplay, lose all their prior Heritage Traits, and gain the Sihndar Traits, including this one, but must choose the Sihndar Heritage of their dominant Heritage pre-Tainting.
- Ailor: These Sihndar are masters of many languages. Even for languages they do not speak, if someone insults them in their native tongue, they will know what was said.
- Qadir: These Sihndar do not need to choose a Tech Branch, they are able to build/edit/repair any Branch. Try to be conscientious when other players feel pushed out of their niche however!
- Songaskia: These Sihndar can make use of the conventional Songaskian Sofawaati Form as described on their Page.
- Sihai: These Sihndar can telekinetically move, reshape, recolor, and restructure Jade with their mind. They can also turn any crystal-like substance or noble metal into Jade.
- Dwarves: XXX These Sihndar gain +1 Main Defense Stat while another Dwarf or Sihndar is within a 5 block range, which can break Cap up to 11. This mechanic can stack up to a +2 bonus.
- Isldar: (regardless of Life/Death Isldar) Life Isldar can use Farsight to receive vague visions of things happening and existing in faraway lands. (this may require communication with Event DM's or Tickets).
- Lanlath: These Sihndar cannot use God Magic. However, Sihndar can Dimension Align to Lathan Magic, which is extradimensional like Void/Exist/Ordial, and unique to the Lanlath (and Drowda Tainted Lanlath).
- Fin'ullen: These Sihndar can breathe underwater without any Abilities, and can also see perfectly underwater without it blurring their vision, allowing them to stay submerged indefinitely.
- Solvaan: These Sihndar inherit the ability to Transform into Mist Beasts, though applying the Drowda Taint to each visual appearance of these Mist Beasts.
- Suvial: XXX These Sihndar gain +1 Main Combat Stat when attacking a Character with Theurgy Point Buy Abilities, which can break Cap up to 11.
- Kathar: These Sihndar can apply a glamor to themselves of any Kathar they have canonically killed. This glamor counts as a Disguise but breaks if the Character drops to 0 HP.
- Sihndar: (meaning, pure-blood since Cataclysm) During Events, Sihndar may be warned of making a bad decision by Melca's Foresight that warns them with a vision of something they are about to do.
- Maquixtl: These Sihndar can use Maquixtl Gene Editing, but must apply Drowda Taint visuals to all of them. Additionally, they can enter Guldar without suffocating in the toxins in the air.
- Yanar: These Sihndar can speak to plants and trees, and even encourage them to grow faster or hide, or change their appearance.
- Asha: These Sihndar have perfect nightvision, capable of seeing in the dark and low light environments without needing an external light, and have a limited body language to do with tails
- Narim: These Sihndar can revert to a larval stage (not child-like, but grub-like) shedding their body, for 3 days. They can then change their arthropod species, and recover any lost limbs or remove scarring.
- Eronidas: These Sihndar can perform great feats of strength out of Combat (carry multiple people, throw boulders etc.). They also gain +5 in out of Combat dice roll Strength competitions.
- Urlan: These Sihndar can declare 1 chosen person as their Protected Ward (with OOC consent), granting them +1 Defence Stat (break cap up to 9) while within 5 Blocks of them.
- Allar: These Sihndar are immune to any (non Magical) disease or illness, such as viruses or bacteria, though they can become asymptomatic carriers.
- Slizzar: These Sihndar can no longer Shapeshift and become locked in their appearance upon being Tainted, but gain +2 added to every final Persuasion Dice Result after every Roll.
- Maraya: These Sihndar have small Ichor glands on their hands, which are capable of producing Chrysalis that they can shape into Crystals of any shape or size.
- Bralona: These sihndar can no longer change shape and become locked in their appearance upon being Tainted, but gain +1 Defence Stat (breaking Cap to 11) in fighting a Shapeshifter (Abilities/Mechanics)
Drowda Taint
The Drowda Taint is a magical condition that is shared by all Sihndar and makes them all part of the same historical and cultural heritage. The Taint itself represents such a heavy and oppressive blast of uncontrolled chaotic Magic that it does the opposite of instantly killing or mutating the host: it is like complete Magical sterilization. Because this process is experienced as rather unpleasant and painful, it requires both IC and OOC consent. The most notable aspect of the Drowda Taint is that it turns the skin a variant of mid to dark shade purple or blue-purple, while it can also turn the hair white (though born hair colors can be kept also). It does not affect the eyes or any other part of the body. Simpler put, the Drowda Taint changes the skin tone of a Character (and can change the hair color to white, but does not have to), but has a lot of other effects:
- All previous Heritage Traits are lost. Instead, the Character gains the Sihndar Heritage Traits and counts as a Sihndar henceforth.
- If the Character had multiple Alignments, all but the first one are cut off, though they can be re-learned later, like a Magic reset.
- Any Afflictions (except for Undead) are instantly Cured. It is not possible to apply the normal Drowda Taint to an Undead Character.
- Any Spirits attached to the person are instantly purged, and any damage left behind by Spirits in the soul/emotions/memories is restored.
There is an upgraded version of the Drowda Taint called the Searing Drowda Taint. This also requires IC and OOC consent, as it is a more aggressive application of the Drowda Taint that affects aspects more deeply rooted in the soul. The Searing Drowda Taint has generally the same outcome but is more aggressive to get rid of additional aspects of a Character before fully making them Sihndar. This can be useful in some cases to "cleanse" a Character from certain Magical conditions. This is commonly seen as a variety of Magical Lobotomy, and can apply the following effects:
- If the Character is Undead, they are instead instantly killed and become a Spirit of their strongest Alignment.
- If the Character is Godborn/Arkenborn, they lose all Gpdborn/Arkenborn Mechanics.
- If the Character is a Mage, they are cut off from the Veil, and cannot use Magic anymore (points are refunded).
The Drowda Taint Ritual can be performed by any Sihndar and takes place over several minutes during which uncontrolled Magic is funneled into the body and soul of the target, hence the experience being painful. This ritual can be done in Roleplay, done off-screen, time skipped, or in backstory. It is however not possible to revert the Drowda Taint in any way, not even by Divine Entities, so think carefully before changing an existing Character to a Sihndar, as it is a one-way change.
Trivia
- Other Nelfin sometimes refer to the Sihndar as Drowdar, which means “Those from Drowda”. While that is technically correct, the Nelfin consider and use this as an insult, because it refers to them as coming from a backwards province of the Allorn Empire.
- A common weapon style used by the Sihndar is the Khopesh. Not all Sihndar use a Khopesh however, many of them use a variety of other weapons, as well as Ranged and even Magical weapons. Even a few Puretek users have been spotted as of recently.
- Sihndar love tattoos, but tattooing is hard on their dark skin. As a result, they have started to use the ink produced from a special type of mushroom that is faintly bioluminescent, producing a light blue ink.
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