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{{Info culture
{{Info races
|image = Sinsplash.png
|image = Sinsplash.png
|pronunciation = Seen-dar
|pronunciation = Seen-dar
|commonnames =
*Void Wardens (praising)
*Demon Slayers (praising)
*Demon Hunters (praising)
|classification = [[Nelfin Culture]]
|classification = [[Nelfin Culture]]
|origins = [[Drowda]]
|nicknames =  
|dominantrace = [[Altalar]]
* Void Wardens (praising)
|socialclasses = Warriors, Scholars, Diplomats, Spies
* Demon Slayers (praising)
|majorcities = [[Ella'taniss]], Gla'vassri, Gla'jnorsi Nor-Untan, Nor-Iesti, Vel'sesann, Dovash'ella
* Demon Hunters (praising)
|languages = Sinnayed
|distinction = Prized warriors and Demon hunters who search the world for aid
|maxage = 500
|height = Average to Tall
|eye = Any shade of blue or green or brown.
|hair = Raven Black, White, or Auburn
|skin =  
[[Sihndskin.png]]
[[Sihndskin2.png]]
|}}
|}}
 
[[File:Sinningplants.png|260px|thumb|right|While all Sihndar have some combat capability, many of them engage in non-combat related tasks like securing herbs and healing plants for the homeland as herbalists.]]
[[File:Exoticsinningman.png|260px|thumb|right|Sihndar are sometimes called Dark-Finu, in reference to the fact they look very similar to Fin’ullen, just much darker toned.]]
[[File:159317b6d22561910830ddf8208aba7d.png|260px|thumb|right|Sihndar frequently dress foreign clothing to fit in. In Regalia, this means the Regal dress-code.]]
[[File:5f1e174c43418c5c679ef33717301cdf.png|260px|thumb|right|Sihndar tattoos make use of a particular mushroom that produces a highly concentrated ink with a faint bioluminescent light-blue tone, gently glowing.]]
Holding the first and last line of defense against the Greater Demons, the Sihndar are an Altalar cult that weathered the Cataclysm and eventually became its own Race. Sihndar, are a purpose-driven and pragmatic race of Dark Elves who hail from the cursed continent Drowda, from which the last Void Invasion started. Their society is built around their defense of the world against the Greater Demons that still roam in this land, and use their immensely powerful magics to summon lesser Demons and corrupted creatures to assail the living. Despite their praiseworthy reputation as the most skilled Nelfin fighters, the Sihndar fight a losing war against a never-ending foe, and as such, many travel out in the world, seeking all manner of aid for their beleaguered homeland. The world may have gone deaf and blind to the woes of Drowda, and if ignored for too long, the Sihndar know all too well that the evil held back by them will spread to other continents. There are yet allies to be found in the wider world: most of all Regalia, the city where everything comes together.
==Origins==
==Origins==
The Sihndar are a [[Afflicted]]-based [[Culture]] of [[Nelfin]] that developed their own distinct and detached identity from their [[Altalar]] past, to the point where they are seen by most Alorians as their own unique [[Race]]. Originating as members of the [[Cult of Dronnal]], the Sihndar took to the teachings of the [[Drovv]], a now extinct people that serves as a client state of the [[Allorn Empire]] in the continent of [[Drowda]]. There the Drovv took on the duty of “protecting the world from darkness” which the Cult of Dronnal would grow to emulate. When the [[Fifth Void Invasion]] hit, the Drovv were wiped out in the first wave of demonic invasion, with the Altalar followers being the second line of defense against the eradication of the Allorn Empire. As the Empire fell when the [[Wildering]] and [[Cataclysm]] beset them, they too fell, though a different event occurred in Drowda. While the rest of the world was thrashed with natural disaster, Drowda faced a more unnatural disaster in what the Sihndar nowadays call the Wretching Tear. This event would be the origin of the [[Northern Taint]] Affliction, and the genesis of the Sihndar. Since then, the Sihndar have taken up the duty as protectors of Aloria, continuing to fight the residual [[Demon]]s that come out from the [[Veil]] over Drowda, all in an effort to prevent a future Sixth Void Invasion from destroying life as Aloria knows it.
The Sihndar were originally Suvial, Teledden, and Fin’ullen Altalar members of the Cult of Drovv, a highly militaristic order and Altalar Cult that centered around martial training. Some of the Allorn Empire’s greatest champions and physical warriors were Drovv Cultists, who followed the unusual teachings of the Drovv Race that settled on the Drowda continent. The Drovv people were a warrior-monk race of bipeds with long necks and small heads, but four arms with which they wielded khopeshes with great skill. For several hundreds of years, this was all the Cult of Drovv did, until the outbreak of the last Void Invasion. The Void Invasion instantly wiped out the Drovv people and culture, the first to fall to the Demons spewing forth from the Void Tear in Drowda, quickly followed by the Velheim colonists who had settled the area. The Cult of Drovv was quick to deploy, along with the Allorn armies, but marched to their doom in the face of the Demon-tide. When Cataclysm occurred and the Void Tear closed without explanation, a small part of the Cult of Drovv was still intact, and preached to the few fighting guilds and soldiers left in the Allorn Empire that their duty lay north. Their reasoning was that for the thousands of years of debauchery, genocide, deceit and corruption, the Allorn had a collective guilt to undo their sin through an eternal vigilance against Demons. The Cult of Drovv gained a large following and traveled to Drowda to quickly set up makeshift forts and start fighting the never-ending Demon tide that still remained, severed from the Void but not any less dangerous. Over time, the magical essence trapped in the air around them bombarded their bodies, and physically changed them to what is seen as an entirely separate race in the modern era. The Cult of Drovv eventually renamed itself to Sihndar, or the “Old-ones who bear Sins” in Ancient Elven. From then-on, their never-ending watch started, though quickly on, they sent out parties into the wider world, in search of aid for their homeland that the rest of the world would eventually grow complacent to.
 
==Core Identity==
==Core Identity==
To be a Sihndar is to accept the thankless task of protecting and eventually ridding, the world of what they believe their ancestors unleashed upon it. The Sihndar are the most well-trained and highly disciplined demon hunters and anti-dimenthist warriors of the world, and continue to defend the Forsaken Continent against the [[Void]] and [[Exist]] incursions that still occur because of the chaotic nature of the dimensions. Trained from early childhood, the Sihndar reach out to the world that often remains oblivious and deaf to their cause, traveling far and wide to rid it of what they consider malign influences, or commit to acts to support the homeland. They are the polar opposite of the Kathar in terms of their hatred for the Void (and Exist), but their morality is often considered just as cruel albeit pragmatic and necessary. While it may be said that most notable kingdoms have court mages, many rulers ensure that they carry the reverse; a Sihndar Demon slayer, employed to defend against the schemes and actions of [[Vampires]] and [[Cahal]]. The Sihndar enjoy a professional reputation of knowledge and skill against the dimensions without equal, and use this to gain support for their people’s mission back in Drowda.
To be Sihndar is centered around their solemn mission to hunt all Demons: a duty which can be either embraced, or rejected. They are saddled with the thankless task of seeing the bigger picture, to fight the imminent and still very real threat of the Greater Demons who reside in Drowda, to protect the rest of the world from their invasion. To be Sihndar is to inevitably be sent out in the world to find something useful for the homeland, and to be faced with apathy and indifference from all who live outside of Drowda, who live while the Sihndar keep the Demons at bay with such success that the rest of the world has even forgotten they were there to begin with.
 
===Faustian Bargain===
===Language===
The Sihndar are Demon hunters, but not Demon haters. There is a complex nuance that would break open the head of any Unionist trying to wrap their mind around it. The Sihndar consider the Greater Demons to be a far greater threat (and subsequently the Void Gods) than Arken, Vampires, Cahal, or other Occult creatures that don’t have explicit murderous tendencies. The Greater Demons are beings of carnage and destruction, and so can never be bargained with, but Sihndar have on occasion and are fully capable of plying their utilitarian and pragmatic identity to make bargains with other types of less harmful Demons to gain an edge over the truly dangerous ones. This is why by population numbers, Sihndar actually have a higher Silven population as well as a number of fighters whose souls are already bound or sold to some Demonic entity, waiting to collect their due. The Sihndar do not hate all things Occult: they make an on-balance decision whether something is harmful to the world and needs to be exterminated, or whether something can be used to fight fire with fire.
The language of the Sihndar, [[Sinnayed]], is a language steeped in an unspoken history of Allorn cooperation and understanding before unseen and unheard of in the history of the empire. Originally a pidgin language between [[Allorn Altalar]] and the language of the Drovv people (now lost to the world), the Sihndar’s language was a means for communication between the Dronnal Cult and the Drovv who taught them, born out of appreciation and understanding, unlike the pidgin languages that developed between Ailor and Altalar which were necestitated through slavery. Since its inception, Sinnayed has diversified enough into being its own language, and is no longer compatible with Allorn Altalar. Notably, each Banner Hold seems to have its own unique terminology added to the language, and often Sihndar can tell where another is from based on their choice of words alone. Hold dialects are not differentiated enough to where two Sihndar from different Banner Holds could not easily and effectively understand each other.
===Homeland Reprised===
 
Many Sihndar live outside of Drowda, but the homeland is always in their mind, whether they tried to flee away from it, or are still attempting to aid it. While Sihndar can get engaged and involved in local drama of whatever place they inhabit, inevitably, all actions must be done through the scope of how it relates to Drowda. Even through seemingly unrelated activities like socializing with a Noble or marrying a local Aristocrat can have the long-term goal of freeing up finances to be sent as war-support for the Sihndar still fighting back home. Many Sihndar become apprentices to engineers and smiths, so that when they return to Drowda, they can take newfound skills along and be of benefit. In essence: every action no matter how small, must reflect the cause.
The Sihndar have a strange relationship with [[Common]]. They are not particularly adverse to speaking it, and in truth it’s often within their teachings in their militaristic upbringing, due to the fact that Common is spoken just about everywhere, and is necessary when communicating with others. What’s most strange between the Sihndar and Common is that Sihndar that are raised to speak in Sinnayed invariably have an accent in Common, one that sounds very similar to modern day Australian accents. Most Sihndar have very flat accents when speaking in Common, though Sihndar typically embrace their accent at full lengths, though there are some who do try to speak in flatter tones with efforts to ‘fit in’ to whatever non-Sihndar society they may be living in.
===Repressed Mind===
====Naming Customs====
Despite the lofty goals and aims of the Sihndar, and their selfless teachings and harsh discipline for those who fall out of line, not all Sihndar can keep up with their doctrine. A sizable minority of the Sihndar who are sent out in the world secure missions specifically to get away from Drowda, and the suffocating nature of their eternal duty. Some find the way Sihndar society operates, and how it demands they sacrifice while the world is blind to their suffering, an unfair arrangement. As such, they seek to free themselves from these duties and disappear in the crowd abroad, being called Sihn-Fallar from that point on, or “national traitors”.  
Sihndar naming is pointedly different from other Nelfin naming conventions; most obviously in the fact that they are not often long, rarely do they exceed more than three or four syllables, and are comparatively curt and sharp. Sihndar names often (but not always) start with Sihn - as a prefix. Sihndar who wish to outcast or remove themselves from Sihndar culture and society have been known to drop the Sihn- prefix in their first name as an act of defiance, as the Sihn- prefix is often seen as a uniting component in Sihndar culture. Though, not all who lack this prefix in their name are self-outcasts. Surnames start with the first three letters of what Banner Hold they belong to - be it either their physical home or if they particularly align with the ideology of the Hold. Sihndar who change allegiances or ideologies to Holds often change this prefix in their surnames, though changing it too often is generally frowned upon. For example, a Sihndar from the Mae’ella Banner Hold might be named Sihn-Xartath Mae’baelluis. It’s not uncommon for Sihndar to keep the basics or entirety of their surname from their pre-Sihndar selves, though it’s also acceptable to change the surname entirely to fit the name of another Sihndar who assisted in the Embrace of Tainting ritual, or to something new entirely.
==Design==
 
===Mental Characteristics===
===Religion===
Sihndar are stoic and pragmatic, while also venomous and sarcastic. Most Sihndar who have grown up in the extremely repressive militaristic environments of their Xasters (Fortress-Cities) have a level of unease with the wild, expressive and energetic outside world, which results in them being more quiet and observant until they understand the situation around them. As well, there is a level of disdain towards outsiders for ignoring their plight in Drowda, which results in a very holier-than-thou attitude towards the smaller problems that people have out in the world. After all, how does a local Duke being upset because his wife ran off with the stable-hand possibly compare to Alamat incinerating a whole Xaster with all the people inside. Sihndar often use double-speak, sarcasm, ridicule and passive-aggression in their communication, to the point that few outsiders can ever tell if they are being serious without asking. Otherwise, Sihndar personalities are fairly varied, as many of them have inherited the mentalities of their Suvial, Teledden and Fin’ullen ancestors, mixing all of their wildly varying traits.  
The faith of the Sihndar is considered the oddest of all Faith of Estel offshoots and for good reason. The only god that is actively worshiped is Evsrenllir-Mullontavan, better known to [[Regalian]]s as the “Spider Queen.” This [[Unwritten God]] is commonly depicted as a female or a genderless dryder, with an upper body cloaked in ragged, ancient clothing and a hood covering her head. She is displayed with four to eight red eyes, gleaming in the shadow produced by the hood and her odd strands of wisping hair. Her arachnid half is also somewhat monstrous, appearing like that of a [[Drow Giant Spider]] but with an even more spindly, spined body and an unhealthy discoloration of green on the thorax of the body. Despite her hideous appearance, she is considered to be a servant of the greater good by the Sihndar, for she is a direct servant of Estel. After the Cataclysm, during the Wretching Tear, when the Sihndar were yet new to the world, it was the Spider Queen who came to them all. She led them on her Great Web to each other and ultimately helped them congregate. She did this in the name of Estel, who had formed her to watch over the Sihndar Race and to help create a Race of warriors strong enough to withstand the corruption of [[Magic]]. She then bestowed the Sihndar the gift of the Northern Taint,  to serve as a way for the Sihndar to improve as a warrior people. The Spider Queen then departed to form her brood and, since then, she has tested the Sihndar people. The Sihndar believe that the Drow Giant Spider is her creation, made in her image and, somewhere deep on the Forbidden Continent, she lies at the center of a vast spawning web. From this den, she is able to listen to and sense the actions of the Sihndar through her Great Web and sends out Drow Giant Spiders to do her bidding such as to force hostile animals toward the Sihndar, or by directly attacking and challenging Sihndar warriors to improve themselves. As for the role of Estel in this religion, she is still a goddess, albeit a faded one, who sacrificed a physical form in Aloria to prevent the worst of the Cataclysm to instead descend into the earth to watch over the world. The Sihndar also harbor great distaste for the Altalar ideas of faith, as they are also taught that the world nearly perished because the Altalar invited decay and corruption into the world through their physical weakness and pursuit of vile energies. As a result, the Sihndar also reject [[The Pantheon of Gods]], as they are the focus of Altalar worship.
===Physical Characteristics===
 
Sihndar are physically similar to the Fin’ullen, Maquixtl, and Ailor: meaning for a Nelfin race, they are well-built and wide-framed. They excel at physical tasks as well as combat, and are generally built for reflex and endurance over raw strength despite their size. Their faces can be either more pointy or more square-like, though they lean towards more rough and masculine-leaning appearance traits. The most notable Sihndar trait is their dark purple-gray to blue-gray skin-tone, which is often accompanied by dramatic white or raven-black or auburn hair. These traits are largely why the Sihndar are called Dark Elves, and also why they are often mistaken for Kathar.  
===Families and Romance===
===Sihndar in Regalia===
Sihndar society is often thought of as being perfectly gender-equal, as well as having a very brutal and critical, yet fair and honest, upbringing for their children. Sihndar family units are very cherishing, notably because Sihndar who face the evil of the world believe that any day could be their last. Making friends comes easily to most Sihndar, as the Sihndar are acutely aware of the dangers of life and Drowda. Pragmatism will drive a Sihndar, especially abroad, to gaining new allies, though pushing this dynamic beyond a transactional affair comes with some difficulty. Relation by blood is almost a moot concept in Sihndar culture, as the Sihndar believe that strength and excellence are what it takes to advance in society rather than being related to the right person. This part of their ideology, combined with the high mortality rate of demon hunters that leaves many children orphaned, has resulted in adoption being a very common way to form Sihndar families. Surviving hunters often adopt the child of a friend or professional hunter who fell in battle, with these children being considered completely equal to any blood-related children. Family units tend to be very small and compact, being made up of two parents who marry for life and between one to three children at the most. Intimacy can be difficult to express between Sihndar lovers, especially due to the understanding that duty always comes before personal desires along with the taboo on public displays of affection, resulting in couples showing intimacy more privately.
Sihndar in Regalia are often either integrated citizens or foreign visitors who nonetheless secure a base of operations or house from which to operate their services. Sihndar, because of their duties to their homeland, have a wide range of activities in Regalia (unless they are Sihn-Fallar, in which case they try to avoid other Sihndar as much as possible). The Regalian Government and society is largely ambivalent to the Sihndar. While there are some institutions that support Drowda, and the Emperor even sends a monthly support tribute north, by far and large Regalian society is blind to the dangers of Demon breakouts in Dworda, and as such ignores the Sihndar pleas for aid. A list of frequent activities of the Sihndar is as follows:
 
* The Sihndar have a unique relationship with the Regalian Knights, to the point that being a Sihndar almost makes one a member of an unofficial fifth Knight Order. The Sihndar work intensely with all the Knight Orders in their own tasks, and even have a legal exception to fulfill any Knight’s task alongside them. Examples are chasing after an Apostate Mage with Aelrrigan Knights, guarding a Unionist Temple with Villiers Knights, or entering a battlefield together with Viridian Knights. Sihndar, so long as they are on an active patrol or mission together with at least two Knights, have automatic Armor and Weapon Permits for the duration of their mission.
===World View===
* The Sihndar are always on the lookout for expert fighters. Sihndar will actively scout skilled warriors and Mages during battles and if deemed suitable, invite them to join a so-called Menxer. A Menxer is a Sihndar’s personal group of “Friends in Arms”, where they collect non-Sihndar to go on missions to fight lesser Demons with. This is mostly a self-generating Roleplay role, which involves the Sihndar writing Lore Stories incorporating fights with Lesser Demons as explained in the Drowda section of this page.
World view represents a more loose collection of ideals, customs and traditions that were not specific enough to deserve their own section, but are still thematically relevant. These are useful to help frame certain interactions between the Sihndar and others, and will show up again in further culture expansion.  
* On top of recruiting their own Menxer, the Sihndar also host their own tournaments in Regalia, using some trinkets or tokens they have acquired as lure for warriors to show up, only to snatch the winners up afterwards to assist them in Drowda. Sihndar by population are the most avid hosters, participators and assisting members of tournaments in Regalia, as well as military reenactments and Honor duels. When a Sihndar is not actively doing anything, they are positively glued to Arenas.
* Sihndar traditionally wear very light or minimal clothing, both due to the warmer nature of Drowda, but also for the sake of mobility (they also avoid armor for similar reasons). On their feet they wear a long black ribbon which dampens the sound of their movement, along with drop-crotch pants fastened with a belt around the waist. Sihndar usually don’t wear anything on their torso, but a special kind of Lavoy chest piece exists of very flexible weaved leather strips that cover only the upper chest for both men and women. Sihndar frequently also wear clothing of foreign cultures and nations however, being culturally attuned enough to understand that always walking around shirtless is neither medically sound (due to the much lower temperatures of the south) nor culturally sound (for those cultures who dislike bodily exhibition).
* Sihndar also try to explain the dangers of the Drowda situation up north. Part of their mission of collecting aid is also to raise awareness for their sacrifice, and to mobilize people into caring about the situation in Drowda that could one day negatively affect the rest of the world. Seeking out alliances with Noble House and securing their financing is only part of that, as well as becoming apprentices to forgers, researchers, mages, fighters and politicians to pick up useful skills for the homeland. A Sihndar must always be learning something new.
* The Sihndar don’t have much in the way of art, finding it distracting from their purpose on demon hunting. They do however have a fondness for metallurgy, with each hold having a dedicated team of Sihndar blacksmiths which forge the famous Khoptars of their people.
==Racial Abilities & Specials==
* Sihndar go out of their way to hate everything [[Kathar]], and to engage in the exact opposite of, or to punish acts which are perceived as Kathar. Are Kathar engaging in mass orgies and rites of pleasure? Then the Sihndar act to punish adulterers and public signs of affection. Are the Kathar slaughtering their slaves and bathing in blood? Then the Sihndar volunteer at the medical wards to help the sick and heal the injured to prevent their death. To the Sihndar, the Kathar (and by extension the [[Dread Empire]]) are the manifestation of everything which caused the Veil to tear in the first place, and believe that their ancestors were chiefly responsible for the current magical calamities in the world. Of note, the Northern Taint does not guarantee that one infected will go out of their way to commit to Sihndar Culture. There are fragmented individuals that are Northern Taint afflicted Nelfin that fall outside Sihndar Culture. 
Racial Abilities are generally a set of unique powers and effects that all peoples of that Race all innately have, while Specials are more passive, aesthetic focused capabilities. Specials are defined per-page, while Abilities can be searched on the Ability List page to determine their generic function. Sihndar mostly get a whole slew of Specials because of their flexible nature as well as point-refund Packs, but have some combat arranged Abilities. There is no such thing as a Half-Sihndar. Anyone who reproduces with a Sihndar will simply have Sihndar children, regardless of what Race they are, and these children will always be born with zero traits of their non-Sihndar parent.
* The Sihndar consider the other Nelfin species (except for the Kathar) naive and deluded about what the main objective of all living beings should be, though they have a slight respect for the Avanthar as a fellow warrior society. This, in turn, contributes to an ironic sense of arrogance among the Sihndar, who consider themselves the only capable and truly interested in protecting the world from the corruption that the other dimensions spread.
===Abilities===
* Sihndar are staunchly anti-Magic, and have a strong distaste towards [[Mages]] and the Occult in general. They are acutely aware that it was magic that led to the Veil to tear, causing the Fifth Void Invasion, and that Aloria is still in a state of recovery from the damage that was caused by it. Sihndar are known to execute any Afflicted individuals that arrive on Drowda, while lobbying for tighter restrictions on the Occult to prevent another Void Invasion. That said, some extreme Sihndar do dabble in magic themselves, believing in the concept of fighting fire with fire in their demon hunting mission.
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:center; background-color:#c0c0c0;"
! Ability Name
! Ability Type
! Ability Range
! Ability Description
|-
| style="background-color:#f5d7e7;" | Weapon Summon
| Dimension Power
| {{#simple-tooltip: Self | Self Range means that it applies to the user themselves, or something they can directly touch after casting it.}}
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Weapon Summon | The user can summon any type of weapon from Melee Weapon Point Buy, or Ranged Weapon Point Buy made out of Magic. This weapon functions like a normal weapon would, has the same durability, but does not use any ammunition to fire if ranged. The user can give the weapon to someone else, but can't summon more than one.  A destroyed Summoned Weapon cannot be Summoned again for 12 IRL Hours.
}}
| N/A
|-
| style="background-color:#f5d7e7;" | Shield Summon
| Summon Power
| {{#simple-tooltip: Self | Self Range means that it applies to the user themselves, or something they can directly touch after casting it.}}
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Shield Summon | The user can summon any type of shield into their hand with the toughness equivalent of steel. This shield functions like a normal shield would, and has the same durability. A destroyed summoned shield cannot be summoned again for 12 hours.
}}
| N/A
|-
| style="background-color:#f5d7e7;" |  Home Advantage
| Constant Passive
| {{#simple-tooltip: Region | Region range means that the Ability applies when the user is within a certain type of region, and applies to the entire region.}}
| Grants the user {{#simple-tooltip: Home Advantage | While within their own Rental Region or a Noble Estate / Clandestine Base that they are a member of, the user gains +1 Constitution and +1 Strength while inside the Building. }}
| {{#simple-tooltip: Sihndar Modifier |Sihndar include areas of ‘nature’, on top of their home region, giving them the full benefits of Home Advantage while they are in these areas. ‘Nature’ means anywhere outside of the city’s outer boundaries and areas with homes or construction, and any forest/grass/mountain area with no homes. }}
|-
|}
===Specials===
* '''Ageless:''' Sihndar are Ageless, meaning they never show aging. When they become adults, Sihndar simply appear as if they are young adults forever, unless they choose not to. Any Sihndar can choose to change their aged appearance, meaning they can choose to appear however old they want to appear (so long as it is 18+). A 33 year old Sihndar might for example choose to appear like a 70 year old Ailor with whitened hair and wrinkles, while a 300 year old Sihndar might choose to appear like a 25 year old Ailor with smooth skin and youthful features.
* '''See no Evil:''' Sihndar gain night vision or perfect sight at night time. As such, they are not affected by the darkness of night, and can still clearly see as if it was day. Mundane Darkness from being inside equally does not affect them, though Ability based Darkness will still affect them all the same.
* '''Hear no Evil:''' Sihndar are immune to any Specials that would establish Mind Control over them, or that would influence their emotions or perception of reality, unless they want them to work.
* '''Feel no Evil:''' Sihndar are immune to any infection-based Afflictions, and cannot be fed on by Vampires or Cahal.
* '''Elder Voice:''' Sihndar can invade the minds of others with telepathic communication that is a one-way form of vocalization of their thoughts. A Sihndar can project a command or exclaimed statement into the mind of another person within Emote Distance, though the Target cannot talk back. While using the Elder Voice, the Sihndar eyes glow, and they must look at the Target they are speaking to in their mind. This form of communication is experienced as unpleasant, and causes headaches in the Target, but not so far that it inhibits their other actions. Elder Voice cannot be used in a chase, in Combat Roleplay, or while the Sihndar is physically or Magically bound or constrained in any way.
* '''Menxer Proving:''' Sihndar do not shy away from holding the best duels and enhancing their arenas. Sihndar gain the Enchant Magic Pack from [[Magic Point Buy]] for free. While this pack is still either Void or Exist based, it does not confer occult status. Sihndar enchantment aesthetics are either Void-fire, which is purple and red flames, or exist fire, which is white and blue flames. Additional Sihndar Aesthetics depend on their ideology, and whether or not they have a bargain with a greater entity. Sihndar with bargains usually draw on that entity for aesthetics, while those without have generic void/exist magic aesthetics (or none at all).
* '''Soul Bargained:''' Sihndar can opt (in backstory or in roleplay) to bargain their souls with entities other than Greater Demons, who are their mortal enemies. This usually takes the form of bargains with Arken, but can rarely also result in a bargain with a God from another religion, or a Void God. Each bargain is mostly for Roleplay flavor, and grants one Special, but means the Character is bound to a specific entity that will someday come to collect their soul. This means that during Progressions, Events, or just day to day RP, these entities (portrayed by Lore Staff) might show up and steer the Character’s roleplay in a direction the Player may not want: and if they refuse, kill the Character. As such this Special is optional, though there is always an expectation that Lore Staff will play fair, and aim to steer a Character’s roleplay in an interesting direction, and not just present them with an impossible dilemma to PK the Character. The following Bargains can be made in backstory or in active RP:
** '''Bargain with Ifrit:''' The Character’s soul is bargained to Ifrit. As a result, the Character’s hair and fists may be covered in aesthetic fire that feels cold to the touch, and can be of their aesthetic color used in Magic, eyes, or just the color of their hair. Additionally (non-Ability) based fire does not hurt them and they can simply walk through it.
** '''Bargain with Korroth:''' The Character’s soul is bargained to Korroth. As a result, the Character becomes a pseudo-Marken, able to transform into a Marken at will, and always retaining their intelligence and even ability to speak while in Marken form. Marken form does not confer combat benefits, and is largely aesthetic. Korroth bound Marken always look different than regular Marken, in that they have fur-patterns and colors similar to Korroth himself. Additionally, true Marken can never attack Korroth Bargained Sihndar.
** '''Bargain with Odal:''' The Character’s soul is bargained to Odal. As a result, the Character can take on any of the aesthetics of Odal as seen on the Old Gods page (horns, claws, electric hole in chest, horns, black skin discoloration). Additionally, Odal Bargained Sihndar are immune to (non-Ability) harm from electricity, thunder, or engineering induced shocks.
** '''Bargain with Elen:''' The Character’s soul is bargained to Elen. As a result, the Character can manifest (or always have) a set of feathered wings either in white or raven-black or colored to their skin-tone. These wings grant flight (in Progressions only), and allow the Character to never approach terminal velocity while falling, instead gently hovering down at a diagonal angle (in Regalia and Progressions).
** '''Bargain with Da'amu:''' The Character’s soul is bargained to Da'amu. As a result, the Character can transform themselves into a Corpsefolk or Hollow Undead. While transformed, they retain all their Mundane Techniques, but lose all other Abilities as well as Sihndar Racial Abilities and Specials, but gain those of the Hollow or Corpsefolk Undead. This Transformation can be upheld for 1 Hour, or until the Sihndar is killed. If they are killed, they are instead revived like normal, but are forced to instantly retreat to their Rental Region / Noble Estate / Clandestine Base, while this Transformation goes on a 48 Hour Cooldown.
** '''Bargain with Do-Aila:''' The Character’s soul is bargained to Do-Aila. As a result, the Character can change their gender presentation, sex, hair-color, facial configuration, hair length and texture, body height and broadness/slenderness and eye color at will, however none of these changes ever constitute a disguise and the Character is always recognizeable. Additionally, anyone in Emote Range, they can remove external personality or conscience blockers, meaning they can for example remove a Vampire’s Vampiric personality corruption and make them feel emotions like normal, so long as they remain in Emote Range, and only ever one person. This includes temporary removal of consent based mind-control.
** '''Bargain with Zaalaanzaal:''' The Character’s soul is bargained to Zaalaanzaal. As a result, the Character race-changes to a Mauli Slizzar, however they keep Sihndar Abilities and Specials. Additionally, they gain the following Slizzar Specials: Mauli Shapeshifting and Serpentine Puppeteer, but none of the other Abilities and Specials. An additional rule is imparted: While they can Shapeshift to other Races or combinations of other Races, they only ever have one form as a Sihndar, which is their default Sihndar body they were born as, which they cannot change.
** '''Bargain with Freiderikos:''' The Character’s soul is bargained to Freiderikos. As a result, the Character can transform at will into a Northern-Tainted Urlan, meaning the Urlan’s fur is the same color as their skin-tone, and its eyes are the same as their normal Sihndar self. This transformation is purely aesthetic and does not grant any Urlan Racial Abilities, however it does grant the following Urlan Specials while transformed into an Urlan: Horned Mastery, Physical Mastery, Hide Mastery, Beastmode, Sympath, Manifest Balance.
** Because bargains with Void Gods and by extension other religions are incredibly illegal in Regalia, it is highly recommended that Sihndar do not reveal to anyone that they have a bargain. In fact, a bargain lies somewhere in between a shame and a burden, and as such, they rarely even talk about it with fellow Sihndar. While Sihndar can recognize these bargains, non-Sihndar are not allowed to identify them, as doing so will be metagaming.
==Language==
The Sihndar language is called Sinnayed. It is a pidgin combination of Skodje and Allorn Altalar, because their early settlement in Drowda caused them to interact and cooperate a lot with Ailor settlers, who formed a sizable minority in their society. As a result, Sihndar are capable of understanding some words in Skodje as well as Allorn Altalar, but this does not make these languages mutually intelligible. Equally, Sihndar are very good at pronouncing Common, however they speak with a very distinct Sinnayed accent which is comparable to real-world Australian or South African English. Sihndar names are always very short, usually one or two syllables. A common habit in Sihndar names is also to add “Sihn-” as a prefix in front of names, however this prefix is not mandatory, and one can also refer to someone who uses the prefix in their name without the prefix just fine. Sihndar names are inherently non-gendered, so all names can apply to all genders, and many Sihndar names start with an X.  


'''Example list of Sihndar names:''' Sihn-Ralor, Sihn-Rayl, Sihn-Fal, Sihn-Marn, Sihn-Renva, Sihn-Eqar, Sihn-Tewin, Alqar, Virmiht, Elramt, Wafahr, Zalqor, Xivar, Xalmen, Xuria, Xenia, Xiyya, Xorn, Sihn-Xavar, Sihn-Xsal, Sihn-Xorv.
==Drowda==
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To fully understand the Sihndar, one must understand the Greater Demons that roam within and have claimed their domain, and the Xasters who stand against them. Drowda is divided into 8 regions, each hosting a Greater Demon, and having its own Xaster as well as lesser forts supported by the Xaster. Sihndar from each Xaster and each region are slightly different, while the enemies found in this region can also affect missions Menxer go on. Players are encouraged to write Lore Stories for their Menxer expeditions with non-Sihndar, and to also incorporate part of this lore into their background, since these Xasters are the only cities where Sihndar are born inside Drowda. The regions are as follows:
* '''Torama''' is the Greater Demon of the westernmost region, which is split between swamplands and lush forests, though all with a distinct blue-tainted tone. Torama is the Greater Demon of the cursed woods, and most of his lesser Demons inhabit the plantlife, creating corrupted and shambling tree-horrors that wring the life out of any living thing they find. The Torama region is home to the Xaster of Xan-Farn, a region where the locals bargain with the Beauty Arken to return the natural beauty of the forest, and change the mangled trees back to their original natural forms. Torama’s Sihndar are excellent tenders of nature, and produce the majority of the foodstuff of Drowda.
* '''Lirranna''' is the Greater Demon of the largest southern region, with two large forests flanking a mountain range and a series of islands. Lirranna is the Greater Demon of spiders: her domain is filled with the infamous Drovv Spider, mostly dog-sized, but sometimes house-sized variants. The Lirranna region is home to the Xaster of Xan-Ylon, a region where the locals bargain with the Pride and Fury Arken for the combat prowess to defeat the spiderlings. Lirranna’s Sihndar are the largest and most rugged warriors: the most famous Sihndar champions come from this region. The region also has a very high mortality rate due to the aggressiveness of the spiders that frequently attack the Xaster, and as such, marital bonds are quite loose to encourage population growth.
* '''Qamtaar''' is the Greater Demon of the northern swamp regions, filled with sulfurous ponds where the Void Invasion once started. Qamtaar is the Greater Demon of the fogs of forgetting: his realm is inhabited by mistbank-sized Demons that do not have a corporeal form, but invade the minds of trespassers to duplicate their bodies in twisted pumice and rotten vines to fight themselves with their own skills and powers. Qamtaar’s region is home to the Xaster of Xan-Savel, a region where the locals bargain with Cahal to combat the mist-Demons, as they are somehow unable to duplicate Cahal infection. Qamtaar Sihndar are the most tolerant of Vampires and Cahal.
* '''Altai''' is the Greater Demon of the relatively mild southern plains, which is where most ships bound for Drowda arrive, as the other coasts are too dangerous. Altai is the Greater Demon of the vices, and as such, there are no actual Demonic creatures present to attack in this region. This does not make the region safe, as the constant whispers of Altai on the wind always attempt to lure locals away or to give into their vices and become corrupted by Altai’s will. Altai’s region is home to the Xaster Xan-Xavacellon, where the locals do not make bargains with anyone, because they recognize that bargains made to escape ruin are themselves ruinous. Altai Sihndar are the most prone to being leaders and politicians, and very critical of other Sihndar who bargain with evil. They are likely to be the Sihndar seen hunting Sihn-Fallar to bring them back to service, or punish them for their betrayal.
* '''Milai''' is the Greater Demon of the densely forested northern region and also its own islands, a region constantly cast in shadows and mists. Milai is the Greater Demon of the deep-dark horrors, creating corrupted versions of Aloria’s animals in her dark forests and sending them out to kill anyone treading her pathways between the massive trees. Milai’s region is home to the Xaster Xan-Ghamar, a region where the locals are strong allies with the Aelrrigan Order and the Darkwald Order, bringing their allies to bear on the forest monsters. Milai Sihndar are the most socially adept of the Sihndar, gregarious and kind, and always seeking genuine alliances instead of practical agreements.
* '''Alamat''' is the Greater Demon of the fiery mountain ranges on the eastern side of Drowda, a land that is constantly changing to its whims. Alamat is the Greater Demon of fire, creating fire-dancing demons who scald and incinerate all they touch. Alamat’s region was once home to the Xaster Xan-Vernh, however this Xaster along with all of its surrounding forts was completely wiped out by Alamat during a massive eruption of volcanoes and subsequent fire storm. The only Xan-Vernh Sihndar that survived happened to be outside of Drowda at the time, in search of new metals from abroad, as Xan-Vernh was the major industrial and forging Xaster of the Sihndar. Since Xan-Vernh’s destruction, Milai’s Xaster has had to take over its job in fighting Alamat, which has strained it to the point of almost entirely relying on Darkwalds and Aelrrigans to fight in Milai itself. Alamtar Sihndar are known as the most skilled Sihndar craftsmen.
* '''Zarak''' is the Greater Demon of the easternmost plains, though most of it is covered in heavy snow that forms from the cold winds of Ellador. Zarak is the Greater Demon of sand, who creates Demons out of clumps of flowing sand, immune to any physical attacks. Zarak’s region is home to the Xaster Xan-Uvelle, where the locals make bargains with a whole host of Arken, but more notably, dabble heavily into Magic. While most other Xasters are mundane military bulwarks, Zarak is almost entirely Magical, and collects Magical superweapons. Zarak Sihndar are the most competent Mages, and a high number of them are Mages from birth.
* '''Tazman''' is Greater Demon of the smallest island region in the south, an island covered in a purple and blue-hued jungle with eyes everywhere. Tazman is the Greater Demon of pestilence and decay, creating odorous pustules and slime-creatures filled with disease and bile that seek to overwhelm and slowly digest intruders. Tazman’s region is not home to any Xaster in specific, rather, there is a sunken Xaster of Xan-Rivan which was lost as part of the island fell into the ocean due to one of Tazman’s plots. Unlike Alamat’s region however, the population of Xan-Rivan largely survived, and produced a raft-fleet of inter-connected vessels above the ruins of their old Xaster called Zir-Rivan. This is the only Xaster that is not frequently under attack, because Demons do not normally cross large bodies of water. It is said that many secrets still lie hidden in Xan-Rivan, though the locals fiercely guard access to it from the water’s surface. Tazman’s Sihndar are the most roguish and short of the Sihndar, specializing in espionage and subterfuge, stealth that comes in handy in the jungle where at least one set of eyes is always watching.
==Religion==
The Sihndar mostly follow the Faith of Estel, but a sizable minority (nearly a third) has effectively become Agnostic. They still acknowledge that Gods are real, but refuse to believe in any Gods that do not obviously support Drowda, and so long as no Gods have set foot on the cursed continent, these Sihndar refuse to worship anyone. This does sometimes result in Sihndar specifically trying to chase after Gods of other religions to convince them to assist in Drowda: especially notable in Regalia with the Dragons and Dragon Worship, as they are comparatively accessible.
==Families==
Sihndar Childhood can best be described as brutal, dogmatic and repressive. Any child who acts outside of the norms of expected duty is harshly repressed and indoctrinated to follow the teachings of the Xasters. 9 out of 10 Sihndar would claim they had a good childhood where their parents equipped them with all necessary skills to survive in a cruel world, but many Regalian scholars would claim their Race suffers from collective child abuse. The truth is somewhere in the middle:, Sihndar children are exceptionally skilled when compared to the children of other Races, and treated as adults much sooner. Gender norms barely exist in Sihndar society, as few Sihndar have time to think about gender identity when giant spiders assail their city walls. Sihndar society is however extremely matriarchal. All leading figures are female, and female Sihndar are generally considered more valuable survivors in a bad situation, because they bear the next generation. As such, this matriarchy style society is more because of their child-bearing capacity than any other reason, but it does result in genuine female leadership.
==Politics==
Sihndar Politics are crude and simple. At the head of Sihndar society are the Duo-Kings and Duo-Queens, who both roughly govern each gender. There must always be two kings and two queens, though the positions are non-hereditary, and usually appointed by election from the Xaster Councils. These positions are largely symbolic, as actual governance rests with the Xaster Councils, or the Elders of the Xasters. Xasters, being fortress-mega-cities, house hundreds of thousands of Sihndar, but are built more like minimalist and brutalist super structures with multiple rings of walls and many defensive structures and machines. The Xaster Councils regulate everything from rations to clothing to weapon allocation and missions. Sihndar below the Xaster Council are usually grouped into Squads which can be anywhere between 10 to 30 large, usually with a female leader, though rarely with a male leader. The Sihndar are intensively assisted by Regalian bureaucrats to keep their society running as efficiently as possible, though many of these bureaucrats have to frequently be rotated out as they become depressed from the dull and oppressive looking environment of the Xasters: often described as towering and gloomy concrete boxes stacked on top of each other with minimal arrow-slits for light.
==Fashion==
Sihndar fashion is minimal and military-leaning. Hardened leather or light metal armor are frequently part of clothing accessories, but many Sihndar just as well wear only Elastaan with minimal belting to retain speed. In Drowda, speed is often preferred over strength, as the majority of Demonic foes are incredibly nimble, and so massive, bulky sets of armor only slow down warriors. What the Sihndar lose in speed from being larger than the average Elf, they gain in their light armoring and their training to avoid being hit at all, as opposed to dealing with the consequences of being hurt. Fabrics are often in dark colors so as to blend with the natural Drowda environment, though Sihndar who live abroad frequently partake in local fashion trends to blend in and appear more approachable. Sihndar aren’t truly very fussed about what to wear, because art and fashion are a disregarded aspect of their society.
==Interactions and Customs==
==Interactions and Customs==
The Sihndar, no matter where they are, practice several customs, traditions, and interactions that differentiate their behavior to one another from others. Below are some of them outlined, though players are welcome to contribute their own if they stick around in the Sihndar player community (Making a Ticket).
* Sihndar have an almost obsessive relationship with their preferred weapon. A weapon is something extremely personal to a Sihndar, and anyone touching a Sihndar’s weapon uninvited is quick to draw the rage of a Sihndar. Touching a Sihndar’s weapon without permission is equivalent to stabbing their child.
*Sihndar specifically avoid wearing all black except when grieving or mourning.
* Sihndar are internally very competitive, even beyond wrestling and simple sparring. If one Sihndar excels at forging, several other Sihndar will quickly try to join in and work with that Sihndar to cooperate, or compete over who has the most skill. This often results in many hobbies becoming group activities.
*Sihndar treat their weapons very well and only let those they trust touch them. They will name their weapons but do not share their names openly. They will only share the names of their weapons to those they kill, and only when they harbour overwhelming disgust for the individual.  
* Sihndar don’t have a concept of personal space. Xasters are relatively cramped in terms of living conditions with several families sharing one home. Sihndar can very comfortably sleep next to strangers, hug strangers, or tolerate someone hovering very close to their face without becoming anxious or uncomfortable. In fact they see it as a challenge.
*Sihndar will brew tea only for themselves, seeing the act of accepting tea from another as a potential risk, and a kindness they do not deserve.
* Sihndar are fond of pets, and frequently keep several, though often more on the small leaning side so that they do not take up too much space, and preferably even animals with mild temperament so several different species can share the same cage or container. Insects are very common, especially since they seem more resilient to Drowda taint or corruption than other animals.
*Sihndar enjoy constant challenges from friend and foe alike. Spars are common among Sihndar, but never done with edged weapons, as fighting another without the intent to kill, but to bleed, is almost a taboo subject. To a Sihndar, they only see edged weapons as appropriate when determining a Demon, or protecting one of their own, or their kin.
* Sihndar don’t have any particular like or dislike for any one Race, except the Kathar, who are always in their book just straight up evil and corrupted, even the mild Kathar, even the ones who do not worship the Void Gods. While Sihndar are pragmatic, making bargains and allying with Kathar is always seen as a bad deal to be made, even more so when Kathar and Sihndar are mistaken for one another, a grievous insult to be sure.  
*The traditional greeting between Sihndar is borrowed from the Altalar, albeit with a twist. Quite literally, as Sihndar will perform a slight bow, before twisting each palm upward to the other Sihndar. This is rarely done when potential enemies could be observing, as it is seen as a stance of partial submission.  
* The Sihndar have developed a series of dancing techniques that looks more like actual physical combat, though never while actually hitting the dancing partner. Think of the real world-capoeira. This dance style obviously raises some brows during balls and parties in Regalia.
*Sihndar greetings often include physical contact because they believe that it creates tight and personal bonds with people they want to be close to. They avoid touching aberrants, however.
* Sihndar do accept leisure time and downtime in Regalia, especially to unwind their social batteries. In Regalia, living as a Sihndar involves a lot of making connections and always being on the move. As a result, Sihndar do permit so-called Sirh-time, or free-time where they don’t accept criticism for being lazy for an hour or two, and just lounging around or drinking alcohol and playing games.
*Sihndar tend to keep a small variety of pets.  
* Sihndar are fond beyond reason of ice cream: Regalia’s Dressolini shaved ice companies earn almost 80% of their revenue from Drowda. They see it as a simple and very-good tasting reprieve from the rigors of hunting demons, and crowd out every ice cream parlor they can find.
*Sihndar will show their distaste for another individual by resting a closed fist over their weapon hilt. This is somewhat uncomfortable and awkward looking, and that is purposeful; Sihndar believe that any mortal foe should have the capacity to listen to reason, to note the open threat of violence, but also the restraint by keeping their fist closed and not actually grasping the weapon in question. Kathar and any sort of Demon do not receive such a warning, naturally.  
* Sihndar love telling scary stories around a campfire, especially to non-Sihndar. Unlike the tall tales common in other Cultures, they do not need to rely on fiction to give entertaining accounts of the horrors their people fight against on a daily basis. Highly recommended for Lore Stories written by the Sihndar player that other players may not have read yet.
 
* Sihndar often find themselves awed by the simple, natural beauty of the world around them. Having spent most of their lives under oppressive conditions, in dark, cramped spaces, a cool summer breeze and a sunset mean more to them than anyone else could understand.
* Sihndar war poetry is famous among their Nelfin cousin-races. They are considered to have some of the best heroic epics, up there with the lamentations of the Solvaan and the historical dramas of the Teledden, focusing on the bravado of legendary Demon-slaying heroes.
* Sihndar have a great love of duels. While their combat schools are focused around demon-slaying, they are full of inventive pair exercises. For a Sihndar to take someone else on as a training partner implies that they have a deep and trusting friendship.
* The Sihndar are actively negotiating with the Zhong Kingdoms to establish a semi-permanent base of operations in Dexai to assist with the Akula. Fighting the Akula is considered a similar plight to the defense of Drowda. While the Sihai are hesitant because of the Sihndar’s inherent Occult appearance, habits, and history, the Sihndar consider the Sihai a brothers-in-arms Race.
==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*The Sihndar have an unusual love for ice-cream. Mount Helena Gelato produced by the [[Dressolini]] in Regalia can drive even a disciplined Sihndar wild, who love the creamy and ice-cold sugary flavor of the shaved mountain ice flavored with syrups and heavy cream, like a guilty pleasure.
* 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.  
*Because the Sihndar come from the continent of Drowda and originally were called the Cult of Dronnal, they are incorrectly identified as Drowdar. The Altalar in particular use this term as a means of insulting the Sihndar, because it carries the connotation of them being from a backward province of the Allorn Empire. The Altalar believe the Sihndar are fanatical and far too serious.
* 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.
*Contrary to popular belief, not every member of the Cult of Dronnal migrated to Drowda before the Cataclysm. Many still remain in the Altalar territories, where they experiment with military technology.
* 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.  
{{Cultures}}
{{Races}}
{{Accreditation
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|Artists = MonMarty
|Artists = MonMarty
|Writers = LumosJared, FireFan96
|Writers = MonMarty
|Processors = HydraLana
|Processors = Birdsfoot_Violet, Okadoka
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[[category:Cultures]] [[category:Nelfin Cultures]]
[[category:races]] [[category:Magus Races]]

Revision as of 03:05, 5 July 2022

Sihndar
Sinsplash.png
Race
Pronunciation Seen-dar
Classification Nelfin Culture
Common Nicknames
  • Void Wardens (praising)
  • Demon Slayers (praising)
  • Demon Hunters (praising)
Languages Sinnayed
Racial Traits
Distinctions Prized warriors and Demon hunters who search the world for aid
Maximum Age 500
Height Average to Tall
Eye Colors Any shade of blue or green or brown.
Hair Colors Raven Black, White, or Auburn
Skin Tones

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While all Sihndar have some combat capability, many of them engage in non-combat related tasks like securing herbs and healing plants for the homeland as herbalists.
Sihndar are sometimes called Dark-Finu, in reference to the fact they look very similar to Fin’ullen, just much darker toned.
Sihndar frequently dress foreign clothing to fit in. In Regalia, this means the Regal dress-code.
Sihndar tattoos make use of a particular mushroom that produces a highly concentrated ink with a faint bioluminescent light-blue tone, gently glowing.

Holding the first and last line of defense against the Greater Demons, the Sihndar are an Altalar cult that weathered the Cataclysm and eventually became its own Race. Sihndar, are a purpose-driven and pragmatic race of Dark Elves who hail from the cursed continent Drowda, from which the last Void Invasion started. Their society is built around their defense of the world against the Greater Demons that still roam in this land, and use their immensely powerful magics to summon lesser Demons and corrupted creatures to assail the living. Despite their praiseworthy reputation as the most skilled Nelfin fighters, the Sihndar fight a losing war against a never-ending foe, and as such, many travel out in the world, seeking all manner of aid for their beleaguered homeland. The world may have gone deaf and blind to the woes of Drowda, and if ignored for too long, the Sihndar know all too well that the evil held back by them will spread to other continents. There are yet allies to be found in the wider world: most of all Regalia, the city where everything comes together.

Origins

The Sihndar were originally Suvial, Teledden, and Fin’ullen Altalar members of the Cult of Drovv, a highly militaristic order and Altalar Cult that centered around martial training. Some of the Allorn Empire’s greatest champions and physical warriors were Drovv Cultists, who followed the unusual teachings of the Drovv Race that settled on the Drowda continent. The Drovv people were a warrior-monk race of bipeds with long necks and small heads, but four arms with which they wielded khopeshes with great skill. For several hundreds of years, this was all the Cult of Drovv did, until the outbreak of the last Void Invasion. The Void Invasion instantly wiped out the Drovv people and culture, the first to fall to the Demons spewing forth from the Void Tear in Drowda, quickly followed by the Velheim colonists who had settled the area. The Cult of Drovv was quick to deploy, along with the Allorn armies, but marched to their doom in the face of the Demon-tide. When Cataclysm occurred and the Void Tear closed without explanation, a small part of the Cult of Drovv was still intact, and preached to the few fighting guilds and soldiers left in the Allorn Empire that their duty lay north. Their reasoning was that for the thousands of years of debauchery, genocide, deceit and corruption, the Allorn had a collective guilt to undo their sin through an eternal vigilance against Demons. The Cult of Drovv gained a large following and traveled to Drowda to quickly set up makeshift forts and start fighting the never-ending Demon tide that still remained, severed from the Void but not any less dangerous. Over time, the magical essence trapped in the air around them bombarded their bodies, and physically changed them to what is seen as an entirely separate race in the modern era. The Cult of Drovv eventually renamed itself to Sihndar, or the “Old-ones who bear Sins” in Ancient Elven. From then-on, their never-ending watch started, though quickly on, they sent out parties into the wider world, in search of aid for their homeland that the rest of the world would eventually grow complacent to.

Core Identity

To be Sihndar is centered around their solemn mission to hunt all Demons: a duty which can be either embraced, or rejected. They are saddled with the thankless task of seeing the bigger picture, to fight the imminent and still very real threat of the Greater Demons who reside in Drowda, to protect the rest of the world from their invasion. To be Sihndar is to inevitably be sent out in the world to find something useful for the homeland, and to be faced with apathy and indifference from all who live outside of Drowda, who live while the Sihndar keep the Demons at bay with such success that the rest of the world has even forgotten they were there to begin with.

Faustian Bargain

The Sihndar are Demon hunters, but not Demon haters. There is a complex nuance that would break open the head of any Unionist trying to wrap their mind around it. The Sihndar consider the Greater Demons to be a far greater threat (and subsequently the Void Gods) than Arken, Vampires, Cahal, or other Occult creatures that don’t have explicit murderous tendencies. The Greater Demons are beings of carnage and destruction, and so can never be bargained with, but Sihndar have on occasion and are fully capable of plying their utilitarian and pragmatic identity to make bargains with other types of less harmful Demons to gain an edge over the truly dangerous ones. This is why by population numbers, Sihndar actually have a higher Silven population as well as a number of fighters whose souls are already bound or sold to some Demonic entity, waiting to collect their due. The Sihndar do not hate all things Occult: they make an on-balance decision whether something is harmful to the world and needs to be exterminated, or whether something can be used to fight fire with fire.

Homeland Reprised

Many Sihndar live outside of Drowda, but the homeland is always in their mind, whether they tried to flee away from it, or are still attempting to aid it. While Sihndar can get engaged and involved in local drama of whatever place they inhabit, inevitably, all actions must be done through the scope of how it relates to Drowda. Even through seemingly unrelated activities like socializing with a Noble or marrying a local Aristocrat can have the long-term goal of freeing up finances to be sent as war-support for the Sihndar still fighting back home. Many Sihndar become apprentices to engineers and smiths, so that when they return to Drowda, they can take newfound skills along and be of benefit. In essence: every action no matter how small, must reflect the cause.

Repressed Mind

Despite the lofty goals and aims of the Sihndar, and their selfless teachings and harsh discipline for those who fall out of line, not all Sihndar can keep up with their doctrine. A sizable minority of the Sihndar who are sent out in the world secure missions specifically to get away from Drowda, and the suffocating nature of their eternal duty. Some find the way Sihndar society operates, and how it demands they sacrifice while the world is blind to their suffering, an unfair arrangement. As such, they seek to free themselves from these duties and disappear in the crowd abroad, being called Sihn-Fallar from that point on, or “national traitors”.

Design

Mental Characteristics

Sihndar are stoic and pragmatic, while also venomous and sarcastic. Most Sihndar who have grown up in the extremely repressive militaristic environments of their Xasters (Fortress-Cities) have a level of unease with the wild, expressive and energetic outside world, which results in them being more quiet and observant until they understand the situation around them. As well, there is a level of disdain towards outsiders for ignoring their plight in Drowda, which results in a very holier-than-thou attitude towards the smaller problems that people have out in the world. After all, how does a local Duke being upset because his wife ran off with the stable-hand possibly compare to Alamat incinerating a whole Xaster with all the people inside. Sihndar often use double-speak, sarcasm, ridicule and passive-aggression in their communication, to the point that few outsiders can ever tell if they are being serious without asking. Otherwise, Sihndar personalities are fairly varied, as many of them have inherited the mentalities of their Suvial, Teledden and Fin’ullen ancestors, mixing all of their wildly varying traits.

Physical Characteristics

Sihndar are physically similar to the Fin’ullen, Maquixtl, and Ailor: meaning for a Nelfin race, they are well-built and wide-framed. They excel at physical tasks as well as combat, and are generally built for reflex and endurance over raw strength despite their size. Their faces can be either more pointy or more square-like, though they lean towards more rough and masculine-leaning appearance traits. The most notable Sihndar trait is their dark purple-gray to blue-gray skin-tone, which is often accompanied by dramatic white or raven-black or auburn hair. These traits are largely why the Sihndar are called Dark Elves, and also why they are often mistaken for Kathar.

Sihndar in Regalia

Sihndar in Regalia are often either integrated citizens or foreign visitors who nonetheless secure a base of operations or house from which to operate their services. Sihndar, because of their duties to their homeland, have a wide range of activities in Regalia (unless they are Sihn-Fallar, in which case they try to avoid other Sihndar as much as possible). The Regalian Government and society is largely ambivalent to the Sihndar. While there are some institutions that support Drowda, and the Emperor even sends a monthly support tribute north, by far and large Regalian society is blind to the dangers of Demon breakouts in Dworda, and as such ignores the Sihndar pleas for aid. A list of frequent activities of the Sihndar is as follows:

  • The Sihndar have a unique relationship with the Regalian Knights, to the point that being a Sihndar almost makes one a member of an unofficial fifth Knight Order. The Sihndar work intensely with all the Knight Orders in their own tasks, and even have a legal exception to fulfill any Knight’s task alongside them. Examples are chasing after an Apostate Mage with Aelrrigan Knights, guarding a Unionist Temple with Villiers Knights, or entering a battlefield together with Viridian Knights. Sihndar, so long as they are on an active patrol or mission together with at least two Knights, have automatic Armor and Weapon Permits for the duration of their mission.
  • The Sihndar are always on the lookout for expert fighters. Sihndar will actively scout skilled warriors and Mages during battles and if deemed suitable, invite them to join a so-called Menxer. A Menxer is a Sihndar’s personal group of “Friends in Arms”, where they collect non-Sihndar to go on missions to fight lesser Demons with. This is mostly a self-generating Roleplay role, which involves the Sihndar writing Lore Stories incorporating fights with Lesser Demons as explained in the Drowda section of this page.
  • On top of recruiting their own Menxer, the Sihndar also host their own tournaments in Regalia, using some trinkets or tokens they have acquired as lure for warriors to show up, only to snatch the winners up afterwards to assist them in Drowda. Sihndar by population are the most avid hosters, participators and assisting members of tournaments in Regalia, as well as military reenactments and Honor duels. When a Sihndar is not actively doing anything, they are positively glued to Arenas.
  • Sihndar also try to explain the dangers of the Drowda situation up north. Part of their mission of collecting aid is also to raise awareness for their sacrifice, and to mobilize people into caring about the situation in Drowda that could one day negatively affect the rest of the world. Seeking out alliances with Noble House and securing their financing is only part of that, as well as becoming apprentices to forgers, researchers, mages, fighters and politicians to pick up useful skills for the homeland. A Sihndar must always be learning something new.

Racial Abilities & Specials

Racial Abilities are generally a set of unique powers and effects that all peoples of that Race all innately have, while Specials are more passive, aesthetic focused capabilities. Specials are defined per-page, while Abilities can be searched on the Ability List page to determine their generic function. Sihndar mostly get a whole slew of Specials because of their flexible nature as well as point-refund Packs, but have some combat arranged Abilities. There is no such thing as a Half-Sihndar. Anyone who reproduces with a Sihndar will simply have Sihndar children, regardless of what Race they are, and these children will always be born with zero traits of their non-Sihndar parent.

Abilities

Ability Name Ability Type Ability Range Ability Description
Weapon Summon Dimension Power Self

Grants the user Weapon Summon

N/A
Shield Summon Summon Power Self

Grants the user Shield Summon

N/A
Home Advantage Constant Passive Region

Grants the user Home Advantage

Sihndar Modifier

Specials

  • Ageless: Sihndar are Ageless, meaning they never show aging. When they become adults, Sihndar simply appear as if they are young adults forever, unless they choose not to. Any Sihndar can choose to change their aged appearance, meaning they can choose to appear however old they want to appear (so long as it is 18+). A 33 year old Sihndar might for example choose to appear like a 70 year old Ailor with whitened hair and wrinkles, while a 300 year old Sihndar might choose to appear like a 25 year old Ailor with smooth skin and youthful features.
  • See no Evil: Sihndar gain night vision or perfect sight at night time. As such, they are not affected by the darkness of night, and can still clearly see as if it was day. Mundane Darkness from being inside equally does not affect them, though Ability based Darkness will still affect them all the same.
  • Hear no Evil: Sihndar are immune to any Specials that would establish Mind Control over them, or that would influence their emotions or perception of reality, unless they want them to work.
  • Feel no Evil: Sihndar are immune to any infection-based Afflictions, and cannot be fed on by Vampires or Cahal.
  • Elder Voice: Sihndar can invade the minds of others with telepathic communication that is a one-way form of vocalization of their thoughts. A Sihndar can project a command or exclaimed statement into the mind of another person within Emote Distance, though the Target cannot talk back. While using the Elder Voice, the Sihndar eyes glow, and they must look at the Target they are speaking to in their mind. This form of communication is experienced as unpleasant, and causes headaches in the Target, but not so far that it inhibits their other actions. Elder Voice cannot be used in a chase, in Combat Roleplay, or while the Sihndar is physically or Magically bound or constrained in any way.
  • Menxer Proving: Sihndar do not shy away from holding the best duels and enhancing their arenas. Sihndar gain the Enchant Magic Pack from Magic Point Buy for free. While this pack is still either Void or Exist based, it does not confer occult status. Sihndar enchantment aesthetics are either Void-fire, which is purple and red flames, or exist fire, which is white and blue flames. Additional Sihndar Aesthetics depend on their ideology, and whether or not they have a bargain with a greater entity. Sihndar with bargains usually draw on that entity for aesthetics, while those without have generic void/exist magic aesthetics (or none at all).
  • Soul Bargained: Sihndar can opt (in backstory or in roleplay) to bargain their souls with entities other than Greater Demons, who are their mortal enemies. This usually takes the form of bargains with Arken, but can rarely also result in a bargain with a God from another religion, or a Void God. Each bargain is mostly for Roleplay flavor, and grants one Special, but means the Character is bound to a specific entity that will someday come to collect their soul. This means that during Progressions, Events, or just day to day RP, these entities (portrayed by Lore Staff) might show up and steer the Character’s roleplay in a direction the Player may not want: and if they refuse, kill the Character. As such this Special is optional, though there is always an expectation that Lore Staff will play fair, and aim to steer a Character’s roleplay in an interesting direction, and not just present them with an impossible dilemma to PK the Character. The following Bargains can be made in backstory or in active RP:
    • Bargain with Ifrit: The Character’s soul is bargained to Ifrit. As a result, the Character’s hair and fists may be covered in aesthetic fire that feels cold to the touch, and can be of their aesthetic color used in Magic, eyes, or just the color of their hair. Additionally (non-Ability) based fire does not hurt them and they can simply walk through it.
    • Bargain with Korroth: The Character’s soul is bargained to Korroth. As a result, the Character becomes a pseudo-Marken, able to transform into a Marken at will, and always retaining their intelligence and even ability to speak while in Marken form. Marken form does not confer combat benefits, and is largely aesthetic. Korroth bound Marken always look different than regular Marken, in that they have fur-patterns and colors similar to Korroth himself. Additionally, true Marken can never attack Korroth Bargained Sihndar.
    • Bargain with Odal: The Character’s soul is bargained to Odal. As a result, the Character can take on any of the aesthetics of Odal as seen on the Old Gods page (horns, claws, electric hole in chest, horns, black skin discoloration). Additionally, Odal Bargained Sihndar are immune to (non-Ability) harm from electricity, thunder, or engineering induced shocks.
    • Bargain with Elen: The Character’s soul is bargained to Elen. As a result, the Character can manifest (or always have) a set of feathered wings either in white or raven-black or colored to their skin-tone. These wings grant flight (in Progressions only), and allow the Character to never approach terminal velocity while falling, instead gently hovering down at a diagonal angle (in Regalia and Progressions).
    • Bargain with Da'amu: The Character’s soul is bargained to Da'amu. As a result, the Character can transform themselves into a Corpsefolk or Hollow Undead. While transformed, they retain all their Mundane Techniques, but lose all other Abilities as well as Sihndar Racial Abilities and Specials, but gain those of the Hollow or Corpsefolk Undead. This Transformation can be upheld for 1 Hour, or until the Sihndar is killed. If they are killed, they are instead revived like normal, but are forced to instantly retreat to their Rental Region / Noble Estate / Clandestine Base, while this Transformation goes on a 48 Hour Cooldown.
    • Bargain with Do-Aila: The Character’s soul is bargained to Do-Aila. As a result, the Character can change their gender presentation, sex, hair-color, facial configuration, hair length and texture, body height and broadness/slenderness and eye color at will, however none of these changes ever constitute a disguise and the Character is always recognizeable. Additionally, anyone in Emote Range, they can remove external personality or conscience blockers, meaning they can for example remove a Vampire’s Vampiric personality corruption and make them feel emotions like normal, so long as they remain in Emote Range, and only ever one person. This includes temporary removal of consent based mind-control.
    • Bargain with Zaalaanzaal: The Character’s soul is bargained to Zaalaanzaal. As a result, the Character race-changes to a Mauli Slizzar, however they keep Sihndar Abilities and Specials. Additionally, they gain the following Slizzar Specials: Mauli Shapeshifting and Serpentine Puppeteer, but none of the other Abilities and Specials. An additional rule is imparted: While they can Shapeshift to other Races or combinations of other Races, they only ever have one form as a Sihndar, which is their default Sihndar body they were born as, which they cannot change.
    • Bargain with Freiderikos: The Character’s soul is bargained to Freiderikos. As a result, the Character can transform at will into a Northern-Tainted Urlan, meaning the Urlan’s fur is the same color as their skin-tone, and its eyes are the same as their normal Sihndar self. This transformation is purely aesthetic and does not grant any Urlan Racial Abilities, however it does grant the following Urlan Specials while transformed into an Urlan: Horned Mastery, Physical Mastery, Hide Mastery, Beastmode, Sympath, Manifest Balance.
    • Because bargains with Void Gods and by extension other religions are incredibly illegal in Regalia, it is highly recommended that Sihndar do not reveal to anyone that they have a bargain. In fact, a bargain lies somewhere in between a shame and a burden, and as such, they rarely even talk about it with fellow Sihndar. While Sihndar can recognize these bargains, non-Sihndar are not allowed to identify them, as doing so will be metagaming.

Language

The Sihndar language is called Sinnayed. It is a pidgin combination of Skodje and Allorn Altalar, because their early settlement in Drowda caused them to interact and cooperate a lot with Ailor settlers, who formed a sizable minority in their society. As a result, Sihndar are capable of understanding some words in Skodje as well as Allorn Altalar, but this does not make these languages mutually intelligible. Equally, Sihndar are very good at pronouncing Common, however they speak with a very distinct Sinnayed accent which is comparable to real-world Australian or South African English. Sihndar names are always very short, usually one or two syllables. A common habit in Sihndar names is also to add “Sihn-” as a prefix in front of names, however this prefix is not mandatory, and one can also refer to someone who uses the prefix in their name without the prefix just fine. Sihndar names are inherently non-gendered, so all names can apply to all genders, and many Sihndar names start with an X.

Example list of Sihndar names: Sihn-Ralor, Sihn-Rayl, Sihn-Fal, Sihn-Marn, Sihn-Renva, Sihn-Eqar, Sihn-Tewin, Alqar, Virmiht, Elramt, Wafahr, Zalqor, Xivar, Xalmen, Xuria, Xenia, Xiyya, Xorn, Sihn-Xavar, Sihn-Xsal, Sihn-Xorv.

Drowda

Drowdaforeal.png

To fully understand the Sihndar, one must understand the Greater Demons that roam within and have claimed their domain, and the Xasters who stand against them. Drowda is divided into 8 regions, each hosting a Greater Demon, and having its own Xaster as well as lesser forts supported by the Xaster. Sihndar from each Xaster and each region are slightly different, while the enemies found in this region can also affect missions Menxer go on. Players are encouraged to write Lore Stories for their Menxer expeditions with non-Sihndar, and to also incorporate part of this lore into their background, since these Xasters are the only cities where Sihndar are born inside Drowda. The regions are as follows:

  • Torama is the Greater Demon of the westernmost region, which is split between swamplands and lush forests, though all with a distinct blue-tainted tone. Torama is the Greater Demon of the cursed woods, and most of his lesser Demons inhabit the plantlife, creating corrupted and shambling tree-horrors that wring the life out of any living thing they find. The Torama region is home to the Xaster of Xan-Farn, a region where the locals bargain with the Beauty Arken to return the natural beauty of the forest, and change the mangled trees back to their original natural forms. Torama’s Sihndar are excellent tenders of nature, and produce the majority of the foodstuff of Drowda.
  • Lirranna is the Greater Demon of the largest southern region, with two large forests flanking a mountain range and a series of islands. Lirranna is the Greater Demon of spiders: her domain is filled with the infamous Drovv Spider, mostly dog-sized, but sometimes house-sized variants. The Lirranna region is home to the Xaster of Xan-Ylon, a region where the locals bargain with the Pride and Fury Arken for the combat prowess to defeat the spiderlings. Lirranna’s Sihndar are the largest and most rugged warriors: the most famous Sihndar champions come from this region. The region also has a very high mortality rate due to the aggressiveness of the spiders that frequently attack the Xaster, and as such, marital bonds are quite loose to encourage population growth.
  • Qamtaar is the Greater Demon of the northern swamp regions, filled with sulfurous ponds where the Void Invasion once started. Qamtaar is the Greater Demon of the fogs of forgetting: his realm is inhabited by mistbank-sized Demons that do not have a corporeal form, but invade the minds of trespassers to duplicate their bodies in twisted pumice and rotten vines to fight themselves with their own skills and powers. Qamtaar’s region is home to the Xaster of Xan-Savel, a region where the locals bargain with Cahal to combat the mist-Demons, as they are somehow unable to duplicate Cahal infection. Qamtaar Sihndar are the most tolerant of Vampires and Cahal.
  • Altai is the Greater Demon of the relatively mild southern plains, which is where most ships bound for Drowda arrive, as the other coasts are too dangerous. Altai is the Greater Demon of the vices, and as such, there are no actual Demonic creatures present to attack in this region. This does not make the region safe, as the constant whispers of Altai on the wind always attempt to lure locals away or to give into their vices and become corrupted by Altai’s will. Altai’s region is home to the Xaster Xan-Xavacellon, where the locals do not make bargains with anyone, because they recognize that bargains made to escape ruin are themselves ruinous. Altai Sihndar are the most prone to being leaders and politicians, and very critical of other Sihndar who bargain with evil. They are likely to be the Sihndar seen hunting Sihn-Fallar to bring them back to service, or punish them for their betrayal.
  • Milai is the Greater Demon of the densely forested northern region and also its own islands, a region constantly cast in shadows and mists. Milai is the Greater Demon of the deep-dark horrors, creating corrupted versions of Aloria’s animals in her dark forests and sending them out to kill anyone treading her pathways between the massive trees. Milai’s region is home to the Xaster Xan-Ghamar, a region where the locals are strong allies with the Aelrrigan Order and the Darkwald Order, bringing their allies to bear on the forest monsters. Milai Sihndar are the most socially adept of the Sihndar, gregarious and kind, and always seeking genuine alliances instead of practical agreements.
  • Alamat is the Greater Demon of the fiery mountain ranges on the eastern side of Drowda, a land that is constantly changing to its whims. Alamat is the Greater Demon of fire, creating fire-dancing demons who scald and incinerate all they touch. Alamat’s region was once home to the Xaster Xan-Vernh, however this Xaster along with all of its surrounding forts was completely wiped out by Alamat during a massive eruption of volcanoes and subsequent fire storm. The only Xan-Vernh Sihndar that survived happened to be outside of Drowda at the time, in search of new metals from abroad, as Xan-Vernh was the major industrial and forging Xaster of the Sihndar. Since Xan-Vernh’s destruction, Milai’s Xaster has had to take over its job in fighting Alamat, which has strained it to the point of almost entirely relying on Darkwalds and Aelrrigans to fight in Milai itself. Alamtar Sihndar are known as the most skilled Sihndar craftsmen.
  • Zarak is the Greater Demon of the easternmost plains, though most of it is covered in heavy snow that forms from the cold winds of Ellador. Zarak is the Greater Demon of sand, who creates Demons out of clumps of flowing sand, immune to any physical attacks. Zarak’s region is home to the Xaster Xan-Uvelle, where the locals make bargains with a whole host of Arken, but more notably, dabble heavily into Magic. While most other Xasters are mundane military bulwarks, Zarak is almost entirely Magical, and collects Magical superweapons. Zarak Sihndar are the most competent Mages, and a high number of them are Mages from birth.
  • Tazman is Greater Demon of the smallest island region in the south, an island covered in a purple and blue-hued jungle with eyes everywhere. Tazman is the Greater Demon of pestilence and decay, creating odorous pustules and slime-creatures filled with disease and bile that seek to overwhelm and slowly digest intruders. Tazman’s region is not home to any Xaster in specific, rather, there is a sunken Xaster of Xan-Rivan which was lost as part of the island fell into the ocean due to one of Tazman’s plots. Unlike Alamat’s region however, the population of Xan-Rivan largely survived, and produced a raft-fleet of inter-connected vessels above the ruins of their old Xaster called Zir-Rivan. This is the only Xaster that is not frequently under attack, because Demons do not normally cross large bodies of water. It is said that many secrets still lie hidden in Xan-Rivan, though the locals fiercely guard access to it from the water’s surface. Tazman’s Sihndar are the most roguish and short of the Sihndar, specializing in espionage and subterfuge, stealth that comes in handy in the jungle where at least one set of eyes is always watching.

Religion

The Sihndar mostly follow the Faith of Estel, but a sizable minority (nearly a third) has effectively become Agnostic. They still acknowledge that Gods are real, but refuse to believe in any Gods that do not obviously support Drowda, and so long as no Gods have set foot on the cursed continent, these Sihndar refuse to worship anyone. This does sometimes result in Sihndar specifically trying to chase after Gods of other religions to convince them to assist in Drowda: especially notable in Regalia with the Dragons and Dragon Worship, as they are comparatively accessible.

Families

Sihndar Childhood can best be described as brutal, dogmatic and repressive. Any child who acts outside of the norms of expected duty is harshly repressed and indoctrinated to follow the teachings of the Xasters. 9 out of 10 Sihndar would claim they had a good childhood where their parents equipped them with all necessary skills to survive in a cruel world, but many Regalian scholars would claim their Race suffers from collective child abuse. The truth is somewhere in the middle:, Sihndar children are exceptionally skilled when compared to the children of other Races, and treated as adults much sooner. Gender norms barely exist in Sihndar society, as few Sihndar have time to think about gender identity when giant spiders assail their city walls. Sihndar society is however extremely matriarchal. All leading figures are female, and female Sihndar are generally considered more valuable survivors in a bad situation, because they bear the next generation. As such, this matriarchy style society is more because of their child-bearing capacity than any other reason, but it does result in genuine female leadership.

Politics

Sihndar Politics are crude and simple. At the head of Sihndar society are the Duo-Kings and Duo-Queens, who both roughly govern each gender. There must always be two kings and two queens, though the positions are non-hereditary, and usually appointed by election from the Xaster Councils. These positions are largely symbolic, as actual governance rests with the Xaster Councils, or the Elders of the Xasters. Xasters, being fortress-mega-cities, house hundreds of thousands of Sihndar, but are built more like minimalist and brutalist super structures with multiple rings of walls and many defensive structures and machines. The Xaster Councils regulate everything from rations to clothing to weapon allocation and missions. Sihndar below the Xaster Council are usually grouped into Squads which can be anywhere between 10 to 30 large, usually with a female leader, though rarely with a male leader. The Sihndar are intensively assisted by Regalian bureaucrats to keep their society running as efficiently as possible, though many of these bureaucrats have to frequently be rotated out as they become depressed from the dull and oppressive looking environment of the Xasters: often described as towering and gloomy concrete boxes stacked on top of each other with minimal arrow-slits for light.

Fashion

Sihndar fashion is minimal and military-leaning. Hardened leather or light metal armor are frequently part of clothing accessories, but many Sihndar just as well wear only Elastaan with minimal belting to retain speed. In Drowda, speed is often preferred over strength, as the majority of Demonic foes are incredibly nimble, and so massive, bulky sets of armor only slow down warriors. What the Sihndar lose in speed from being larger than the average Elf, they gain in their light armoring and their training to avoid being hit at all, as opposed to dealing with the consequences of being hurt. Fabrics are often in dark colors so as to blend with the natural Drowda environment, though Sihndar who live abroad frequently partake in local fashion trends to blend in and appear more approachable. Sihndar aren’t truly very fussed about what to wear, because art and fashion are a disregarded aspect of their society.

Interactions and Customs

  • Sihndar have an almost obsessive relationship with their preferred weapon. A weapon is something extremely personal to a Sihndar, and anyone touching a Sihndar’s weapon uninvited is quick to draw the rage of a Sihndar. Touching a Sihndar’s weapon without permission is equivalent to stabbing their child.
  • Sihndar are internally very competitive, even beyond wrestling and simple sparring. If one Sihndar excels at forging, several other Sihndar will quickly try to join in and work with that Sihndar to cooperate, or compete over who has the most skill. This often results in many hobbies becoming group activities.
  • Sihndar don’t have a concept of personal space. Xasters are relatively cramped in terms of living conditions with several families sharing one home. Sihndar can very comfortably sleep next to strangers, hug strangers, or tolerate someone hovering very close to their face without becoming anxious or uncomfortable. In fact they see it as a challenge.
  • Sihndar are fond of pets, and frequently keep several, though often more on the small leaning side so that they do not take up too much space, and preferably even animals with mild temperament so several different species can share the same cage or container. Insects are very common, especially since they seem more resilient to Drowda taint or corruption than other animals.
  • Sihndar don’t have any particular like or dislike for any one Race, except the Kathar, who are always in their book just straight up evil and corrupted, even the mild Kathar, even the ones who do not worship the Void Gods. While Sihndar are pragmatic, making bargains and allying with Kathar is always seen as a bad deal to be made, even more so when Kathar and Sihndar are mistaken for one another, a grievous insult to be sure.
  • The Sihndar have developed a series of dancing techniques that looks more like actual physical combat, though never while actually hitting the dancing partner. Think of the real world-capoeira. This dance style obviously raises some brows during balls and parties in Regalia.
  • Sihndar do accept leisure time and downtime in Regalia, especially to unwind their social batteries. In Regalia, living as a Sihndar involves a lot of making connections and always being on the move. As a result, Sihndar do permit so-called Sirh-time, or free-time where they don’t accept criticism for being lazy for an hour or two, and just lounging around or drinking alcohol and playing games.
  • Sihndar are fond beyond reason of ice cream: Regalia’s Dressolini shaved ice companies earn almost 80% of their revenue from Drowda. They see it as a simple and very-good tasting reprieve from the rigors of hunting demons, and crowd out every ice cream parlor they can find.
  • Sihndar love telling scary stories around a campfire, especially to non-Sihndar. Unlike the tall tales common in other Cultures, they do not need to rely on fiction to give entertaining accounts of the horrors their people fight against on a daily basis. Highly recommended for Lore Stories written by the Sihndar player that other players may not have read yet.
  • Sihndar often find themselves awed by the simple, natural beauty of the world around them. Having spent most of their lives under oppressive conditions, in dark, cramped spaces, a cool summer breeze and a sunset mean more to them than anyone else could understand.
  • Sihndar war poetry is famous among their Nelfin cousin-races. They are considered to have some of the best heroic epics, up there with the lamentations of the Solvaan and the historical dramas of the Teledden, focusing on the bravado of legendary Demon-slaying heroes.
  • Sihndar have a great love of duels. While their combat schools are focused around demon-slaying, they are full of inventive pair exercises. For a Sihndar to take someone else on as a training partner implies that they have a deep and trusting friendship.
  • The Sihndar are actively negotiating with the Zhong Kingdoms to establish a semi-permanent base of operations in Dexai to assist with the Akula. Fighting the Akula is considered a similar plight to the defense of Drowda. While the Sihai are hesitant because of the Sihndar’s inherent Occult appearance, habits, and history, the Sihndar consider the Sihai a brothers-in-arms Race.

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.

Accreditation
Writers MonMarty
Artists MonMarty
Processors Birdsfoot_Violet, Okadoka
Last Editor MonMarty on 07/5/2022.

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