Sihndar: Difference between revisions

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{{Info races
{{Info Lineage
|image = Sinsplash.png
|name = Sihndar
|pronunciation = Seen-dar
|test = Sinadaar (in Altalar)
|classification = [[Magus]]
|test2 = [[File:Sihndarflaggg.png|80px]]  
|nicknames =  
|test3 = '''Motto:''' "Stalwart is the Sovereign Watch"
* Void Wardens (praising)
|image = Lesbiansplash.png
* Demon Slayers (praising)
|state = Drowda (and others)
* Demon Hunters (praising)
|ruler = Hold Councils
|languages = [[Sinnayed]]
|suzerain = Varied
|distinction = Prized warriors and Demon hunters who search the world for aid
|languages = [[Altalar]]
|maxage = 500
|religion = Varied
|height = Average to Tall
|first_recorded = 0 AC
|eye = Any shade of blue or green or brown.
|demonym = Sihndar
|hair = Raven Black, White, or Auburn
|skin =  
[[File:Sihndskin.png]]
[[File: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:Sihndskin222.png|294px|thumb|right|Because being Sihndar is a condition that transcends heritage and descent, this page will not feature a formal eye color/skin example sheet, as these are inherited from one's parents. This is however the three main tones of Sihndar skin-tone, which is consistently either a blue, teal, or magenta tinted purple shade.]]
[[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:Sinningplants.png|294px|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:159317b6d22561910830ddf8208aba7d.png|260px|thumb|right|Sihndar frequently dress foreign clothing to fit in. In Regalia, this means the Regal dress-code.]]
[[File:Exoticsinningman.png|294px|thumb|right|Sihndar are sometimes called Dark-Elves, but this is mostly a misconception among Ailor that they are related to the Kathar and thus Void worshipers (which is very insulting).]]
Holding the first and last line of defense against the Greater Demons, the Sihndar were an Allorn Cult that weathered the [[Cataclysm]] and eventually became its own [[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 or to aid the fight elsewhere Demons break out. 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.
[[File:159317b6d22561910830ddf8208aba7d.png|294px|thumb|right|Sihndar frequently dress foreign clothing to fit in. In Regalia, this means the Regal dress-code.]]
==Origins==
[[File:Songaskiansihndar.png|294px|thumb|right|Why there is a predisposition for Songaskians and Sihndar to have white hair is unknown, but one trait shared between them.]]
The Sihndar were originally [[Suvial]], [[Teledden]], and [[Fin'ullen]] members of the Cult of Drovv, a highly militaristic order and Allorn 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 [[Extinct Races#Drovv|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 [[Altalar]]. 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.
[[File:Untitle25342d Artwork.png|294px|thumb|right|ex-Urlan Sihndar are believed to have some of the most beautiful fur patterns due to strong color contrasting.]]
==Core Identity==
[[File:Lesbianwithmetal.png|294px|thumb|right|Even if Melcarite has a religious meaning to Estelley worshipers, even non-Estelley worshiping Sihndar frequently use it.]]
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.
[[File:643grsd.png|294px|thumb|right|Sihndar don't have much in the way of personal possessions, leading their hair to be a great tool of personal expression.]]
===Faustian Bargain===
Holding the first and last line of defense against the Greater Demons, the Sihndar were an Allorn Cult that weathered the [[Cataclysm]] and eventually became its own people. They saw firsthand the death and destruction that a full Void Invasion brought onto Aloria, and picked up the weapons left behind by all the people that were brought to extinction by the Spirit invaders. Despite their world-renown reputation for being the most skilled Spirit hunters and fighters, as well as excellent Elven warriors in their own right, they fight a losing war against the Spirits that enroach ever further to expanding their domain on Aloria. With the Void Invasion three centuries past and the world believing that the next one will never come, the Sihndar occupy a forgotten corner of the world that is nonetheless crucial to the peaceful existence of other nations across the world. From the scars left behind by the last Void Invasion, the Sihndar hold the line against the Spirit Sovereigns that try to break out of Drowda to corrupt and control the wider world. Hope is not all lost however, as there are yet allies to be found in the wider world: most of all [[Regalia]], the city where everything comes together.  
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]], [[Vampire]]s, 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 [[Arkenborn]] 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==
==Design==
===Mental Characteristics===
Despite what one might think from first appearances, the Sihndar are not a daughter-people of the Allorn Elves widely speaking. Though the majority of them are indeed Elves and descend from the Allorn Elves since the collapse of their Empire, to be Sihndar transcends individual heritage, and involves the bearing of a burden most of the world is keen to forget. What makes the Sihndar a Sihndar, is called the Drowda Taint. When a person accepts the Drowda Taint in their body and soul, they become Sihndar and often accept both their cultural as well as their historical heritage as their own. There are Sihndar of every variety of people of Aloria ranging from Eronidas, to Ailor, to Asha, to Urlan, to Songaskian. Additionally, Sihndar who reproduce with other Sihdar also continues to sire Sihndar, thus leading to expanding lineages. The exact explanation of what the Drowda Taint does to a person is discussed further below, including the mandatory visual aspects. Beyond that, Sihndar can appear like any of the [[Races|People of Aloria]], just with modified traits. A large part of the Sihndar population descends from the initial Elves caught in the magical reverberations of the Cataclysm on Drowda, having the Drowda Taint forced on them. Since then, however, their population has waxed and waned from natural reproduction but more importantly incorporation of outsiders who accepted the Drowda Taint willingly to aid their cause, and thus become part of their people and struggle.  
Sihndar 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 square 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 are ageless: they look young forever, even into old age, but can choose to look older inside of adult age ranges.
===Sihndar in Regalia===
===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 Drowda, and as such ignores the Sihndar pleas for aid. A list of frequent activities of the Sihndar is as follows:  
Sihndar are a people that one might at first glance think have no reason to be in Regalia. After all, their struggle is thousands of miles away in foreign lands where the Spirit Sovereigns roam free and threaten the world. This section discusses some basic premises for why a Sihndar might want to be in Regalia, which is where all of the Roleplay takes place:  
* The Sihndar have a unique relationship with the Regalian Knights, to the point that being a Sihndar almost makes one a member of an unofficial 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 a Renegade Mage with the [[Aelrrigan Order]], or entering a battlefield together with the [[Viridian Order]]. 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 seek allies across the world to aid in their struggle, whether it is to invite non-Sihndar to help fight in Drowda, or to court the nobles and Emperor of Regalia for an increase in financial support and shipments of supplies for their homeland. This can also involve fostering positive relations with already existing groups and organizations by being a member.  
* The Sihndar 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.
* The Sihndar seek skills and information from abroad that might aid in their struggle back at home. Regalia is a nexus of learning and intellect, and many of the world leading theories on the magical as well as on warfare are developed in such a capital of science. This can also involve just campaigning for more awareness among the common people and collecting for home.  
* 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.
* The Sihndar battle Spirit Sovereigns wherever they appear, and Regalia is no exception to their presence. While the majority of them struggle to breach beyond Drowda, Regalia as a nexus of Magic and magical events has frequently been affected by Spirit Sovereigns and Dukes. As a result, many Sihndar are stationed in Regalia to help it against its own Spirit problems.  
* 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.
* Some Sihndar break away from their duties and their communal struggle and become Sihn-Fallar. Sihn-Fallar are Sihndar who have brazenly abandoned their duties, and decided to leave the rest of their people to their fate. Such Sihn-Fallar could exist in Regalia, because it is the capital of the world, no pleasures denied to the Sihndar at home cannot be found here.  


==Heritage Traits==
==Heritage Traits==
When designing a Character, Proficiency Points allow for a limited Ability selection with Point Buy Packs. Heritage Traits adds free Packs and Mechanics on top of that to help with cultural themes. Free Packs grant Abilities usually, while Mechanics change the way a character functions in Roleplay through subtle, and usually out of Combat ways. In essence, Mechanics just add aesthetic flair that invest in the niche of each culture. Free Packs never raise Proficiency Points, but the character must be able to purchase them normally. (ex. if a character is a certain Affinity that locks them out of a category, they cannot take that specific free pack and must choose the alternative option.) If a Free Pack grants Magic of some type, that Magic can be of any Alignment the character can normally choose, or limited to a select alignment, which will always be written in the Free Pack description.  
When designing a Character, Proficiency Points allow for a limited Ability selection with Point Buy Packs. Heritage Traits adds free Packs and Mechanics on top of that to help with cultural themes. Free Packs grant Abilities usually, while Mechanics change the way a character functions in Roleplay through subtle, and usually out of Combat ways. In essence, Mechanics just add aesthetic flair that invest in the niche of each culture. Free Packs never raise Proficiency Points, but the character must be able to purchase them normally. (ex. if a character is a certain Affinity that locks them out of a category, they cannot take that specific free pack and must choose the alternative option.) If a Free Pack grants Magic of some type, that Magic can be of any Alignment the character can normally choose, or limited to a select alignment, which will always be written in the Free Pack description. '''It is not possible to play Mixed Heritage Sihndar with Mixed Mechanics'''. You may make them appear Mixed Heritage visually, but due to their Mechanics being derived from the Drowda Taint + Sihndar Heritage, it is not allowed to pick and combine Mechanics as normally would with Mixed-Heritage Characters. Mixed Heritage Sihndar derive all Mechanics from the Sihndar Heritage Traits always.  
 
Mixed Heritage characters (i.e. characters born from two parents of different Cultures) may take one parent's 'Free Packs' and mix and match up to 5 Mechanics from both parents, although some Peoples cannot produce Mixed Heritage children (due to Magical/Fantasy reasons).
===Free Packs===
===Free Packs===
* Sihndar gain the [[Cleric_Point_Buy#Exorcism_Pack|Exorcism Pack]] for free, or choose one pack from [[Chem Point Buy]].
* Sihndar gain the [[Cleric_Point_Buy#Exorcism_Pack|Exorcism Pack]] for free, or choose one pack from [[Chem Point Buy]].
Line 56: Line 44:
* Sihndar can perform the Weakening Ritual on a Greater Vampire, which does not kill them (ported back to a safe base), but turns them into a Fledgeling Vampire.
* Sihndar can perform the Weakening Ritual on a Greater Vampire, which does not kill them (ported back to a safe base), but turns them into a Fledgeling Vampire.
* Sihndar are immune to mind control of any type, particularly Sinistral Mind Vex and all of its Mechanics to do with Thralling and Persuasion Dices, if used to convince them.
* Sihndar are immune to mind control of any type, particularly Sinistral Mind Vex and all of its Mechanics to do with Thralling and Persuasion Dices, if used to convince them.
* Sihndar are warned of their impending death during combat or Events by Melca (even if not Estelley worshiping) allowing them to pre-maturely disengage.


==Language==
===Sihndar Heritage===
The Sihndar language is called [[Sinnayed]]. It is a pidgin combination of [[Skodje]] and 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 Nytalsk as well as 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.  
As noted, most Heritages have 5 Mechanics, while Sihndar only have 4. This is because Sihndar receive their fifth Mechanic from their pre-Drowda Taint Heritage, depending on what [[Races|People of Aloria]] their ancestors were part of. When playing a Sihndar, choosing one such Sihndar Heritage is necessary. It is not possible to combine, and if you have trouble choosing, just pick the heritage of the most important ancestor that fits your current Roleplay needs. Because there is no such thing as a Sihndar Appearance, choosing a Heritage also directly affects your Character's appearance. Characters that have the Drowda Taint applied to them in Roleplay, lose all their prior Heritage Traits, and gain the Sihndar Traits, including this one, but must choose the Sihndar Heritage of their dominant Heritage pre-Tainting.
* '''Ailor:''' These Sihndar are masters of many languages. Even for languages they do not speak, if someone insults them in their native tongue, they will know what was said.
* '''Qadir:''' These Sihndar do not need to choose a Tech Branch, they are able to build/edit/repair any Branch. Try to be conscientious when other players feel pushed out of their niche however!
* '''Songaskia:''' These Sihndar can make use of the conventional Songaskian [[Songaskia#Sofawaati_Form|Sofawaati Form]] as described on their Page.
* '''Sihai:''' These Sihndar can telekinetically move, reshape, recolor, and restructure Jade with their mind. They can also turn any crystal-like substance or noble metal into Jade.
* '''Dwarves:''' XXX These Sihndar gain +1 Main Defense Stat while another Dwarf or Sihndar is within a 5 block range, which can break Cap up to 11. This mechanic can stack up to a +2 bonus.
* '''Isldar:''' (regardless of Life/Death Isldar) Life Isldar can use Farsight to receive vague visions of things happening and existing in faraway lands. (this may require communication with Event DM's or Tickets).
* '''Lanlath:''' These Sihndar cannot use God Magic. However, Sihndar can Dimension Align to Lathan Magic, which is extradimensional like Void/Exist/Ordial, and unique to the Lanlath (and Drowda Tainted Lanlath).
* '''Fin'ullen:''' These Sihndar can breathe underwater without any Abilities, and can also see perfectly underwater without it blurring their vision, allowing them to stay submerged indefinitely.
* '''Solvaan:''' These Sihndar inherit the ability to Transform into Mist Beasts, though applying the Drowda Taint to each visual appearance of these Mist Beasts.
* '''Suvial:''' XXX These Sihndar gain +1 Main Combat Stat when attacking a Character with Theurgy Point Buy Abilities, which can break Cap up to 11.
* '''Kathar:''' These Sihndar can apply a glamor to themselves of any Kathar they have canonically killed. This glamor counts as a Disguise but breaks if the Character drops to 0 HP.
* '''Sihndar:''' (meaning, pure-blood since Cataclysm) During Events, Sihndar may be warned of making a bad decision by Melca's Foresight that warns them with a vision of something they are about to do.
* '''Maquixtl:''' These Sihndar can use Maquixtl Gene Editing, but must apply Drowda Taint visuals to all of them. Additionally, they can enter Guldar without suffocating in the toxins in the air.
* '''Yanar:''' These Sihndar can speak to plants and trees, and even encourage them to grow faster or hide, or change their appearance.
* '''Asha:''' These Sihndar have perfect nightvision, capable of seeing in the dark and low light environments without needing an external light, and have a limited body language to do with tails
* '''Narim:''' These Sihndar can revert to a larval stage (not child-like, but grub-like) shedding their body, for 3 days. They can then change their arthropod species, and recover any lost limbs or remove scarring.
* '''Eronidas:''' These Sihndar can perform great feats of strength out of Combat (carry multiple people, throw boulders etc.). They also gain +5 in out of Combat dice roll Strength competitions.
* '''Urlan:''' These Sihndar can declare 1 chosen person as their Protected Ward (with OOC consent), granting them +1 Defence Stat (break cap up to 9) while within 5 Blocks of them.
* '''Allar:''' These Sihndar are immune to any (non Magical) disease or illness, such as viruses or bacteria, though they can become asymptomatic carriers.
* '''Slizzar:''' These Sihndar can no longer Shapeshift and become locked in their appearance upon being Tainted, but gain +2 added to every final Persuasion Dice Result after every Roll.
* '''Maraya:''' These Sihndar have small Ichor glands on their hands, which are capable of producing Chrysalis that they can shape into Crystals of any shape or size.
* '''Bralona:''' These sihndar can no longer change shape and become locked in their appearance upon being Tainted, but gain +1 Defence Stat (breaking Cap to 11) in fighting a Shapeshifter (Abilities/Mechanics)
 
===Drowda Taint===
The Drowda Taint is a magical condition that is shared by all Sihndar and makes them all part of the same historical and cultural heritage. The Taint itself represents such a heavy and oppressive blast of uncontrolled chaotic Magic that it does the opposite of instantly killing or mutating the host: it is like complete Magical sterilization. Because this process is experienced as rather unpleasant and painful, it requires both IC and OOC consent. The most notable aspect of the Drowda Taint is that it turns the skin a variant of mid to dark shade purple or blue-purple, while it can also turn the hair white (though born hair colors can be kept also). It does not affect the eyes or any other part of the body. Simpler put, the Drowda Taint changes the skin tone of a Character (and can change the hair color to white, but does not have to), but has a lot of other effects:
* All previous Heritage Traits are lost. Instead, the Character gains the Sihndar Heritage Traits and counts as a Sihndar henceforth.
* If the Character had multiple Alignments, all but the first one are cut off, though they can be re-learned later, like a Magic reset.
* Any Afflictions (except for Undead) are instantly Cured. It is not possible to apply the normal Drowda Taint to an Undead Character.
* Any Spirits attached to the person are instantly purged, and any damage left behind by Spirits in the soul/emotions/memories is restored.
There is an upgraded version of the Drowda Taint called the Searing Drowda Taint. This also requires IC and OOC consent, as it is a more aggressive application of the Drowda Taint that affects aspects more deeply rooted in the soul. The Searing Drowda Taint has generally the same outcome but is more aggressive to get rid of additional aspects of a Character before fully making them Sihndar. This can be useful in some cases to "cleanse" a Character from certain Magical conditions. This is commonly seen as a variety of Magical Lobotomy, and can apply the following effects:
* If the Character is Undead, they are instead instantly killed and become a Spirit of their strongest Alignment.
* If the Character is Godborn/Arkenborn, they lose all Gpdborn/Arkenborn Mechanics.
* If the Character is a Mage, they are cut off from the Veil, and cannot use Magic anymore (points are refunded).
The Drowda Taint Ritual can be performed by any Sihndar and takes place over several minutes during which uncontrolled Magic is funneled into the body and soul of the target, hence the experience being painful. This ritual can be done in Roleplay, done off-screen, time skipped, or in backstory. It is however not possible to revert the Drowda Taint in any way, not even by Divine Entities, so think carefully before changing an existing Character to a Sihndar, as it is a one-way change.  
 


'''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 Void-aligned 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 Vampires to combat the mist-Demons, as they are somehow unable to duplicate the Vampire infection. Qamtaar Sihndar are the most tolerant of Vampires.
* '''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==
Despite their distance to the Allorn Empire, knowing full well what caused the Void Invasion, and still dealing with the effects of that centuries later, Sihndar society by far and large are still faithful to the [[Estelley]] faith, particularly to their patron Goddess Melca. Despite its relation with the Allorn Empire and cultural relevancy, the Sihndar never blamed the Estelley faith for the failings of said Empire, and consider the religion's virtuous messages entirely distinct, blaming Allorn populations for not following them correctly. To that point, it could be said that the Sihndar are often a bit more fanatical in the adherence (and enforcement) of good behavior and good virtue in the eyes of Estelley than the other Elven Races might be. In Regalia, a minority of Sihndar have converted to Dragon Worship, finding the cause of the Archon to align with theirs, and being brought into the fold due to the proximity of the Dragons in Regalia, though overall Dragon worshiping Sihndar remain a miniscule minority.
==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 [[Elastan]] 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 [[Sihai|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==

Revision as of 13:16, 6 March 2024

Sihndar
Sinadaar (in Altalar)
Sihndarflaggg.png
Motto: "Stalwart is the Sovereign Watch"
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Nation State Drowda (and others)
Ruler Hold Councils
Other Present Varied
Languages Altalar
Religion Varied
First Recorded 0 AC
Demonym(s) Sihndar
Because being Sihndar is a condition that transcends heritage and descent, this page will not feature a formal eye color/skin example sheet, as these are inherited from one's parents. This is however the three main tones of Sihndar skin-tone, which is consistently either a blue, teal, or magenta tinted purple shade.
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-Elves, but this is mostly a misconception among Ailor that they are related to the Kathar and thus Void worshipers (which is very insulting).
Sihndar frequently dress foreign clothing to fit in. In Regalia, this means the Regal dress-code.
Why there is a predisposition for Songaskians and Sihndar to have white hair is unknown, but one trait shared between them.
ex-Urlan Sihndar are believed to have some of the most beautiful fur patterns due to strong color contrasting.
Even if Melcarite has a religious meaning to Estelley worshipers, even non-Estelley worshiping Sihndar frequently use it.
Sihndar don't have much in the way of personal possessions, leading their hair to be a great tool of personal expression.

Holding the first and last line of defense against the Greater Demons, the Sihndar were an Allorn Cult that weathered the Cataclysm and eventually became its own people. They saw firsthand the death and destruction that a full Void Invasion brought onto Aloria, and picked up the weapons left behind by all the people that were brought to extinction by the Spirit invaders. Despite their world-renown reputation for being the most skilled Spirit hunters and fighters, as well as excellent Elven warriors in their own right, they fight a losing war against the Spirits that enroach ever further to expanding their domain on Aloria. With the Void Invasion three centuries past and the world believing that the next one will never come, the Sihndar occupy a forgotten corner of the world that is nonetheless crucial to the peaceful existence of other nations across the world. From the scars left behind by the last Void Invasion, the Sihndar hold the line against the Spirit Sovereigns that try to break out of Drowda to corrupt and control the wider world. Hope is not all lost however, as there are yet allies to be found in the wider world: most of all Regalia, the city where everything comes together.

Design

Despite what one might think from first appearances, the Sihndar are not a daughter-people of the Allorn Elves widely speaking. Though the majority of them are indeed Elves and descend from the Allorn Elves since the collapse of their Empire, to be Sihndar transcends individual heritage, and involves the bearing of a burden most of the world is keen to forget. What makes the Sihndar a Sihndar, is called the Drowda Taint. When a person accepts the Drowda Taint in their body and soul, they become Sihndar and often accept both their cultural as well as their historical heritage as their own. There are Sihndar of every variety of people of Aloria ranging from Eronidas, to Ailor, to Asha, to Urlan, to Songaskian. Additionally, Sihndar who reproduce with other Sihdar also continues to sire Sihndar, thus leading to expanding lineages. The exact explanation of what the Drowda Taint does to a person is discussed further below, including the mandatory visual aspects. Beyond that, Sihndar can appear like any of the People of Aloria, just with modified traits. A large part of the Sihndar population descends from the initial Elves caught in the magical reverberations of the Cataclysm on Drowda, having the Drowda Taint forced on them. Since then, however, their population has waxed and waned from natural reproduction but more importantly incorporation of outsiders who accepted the Drowda Taint willingly to aid their cause, and thus become part of their people and struggle.

Sihndar in Regalia

Sihndar are a people that one might at first glance think have no reason to be in Regalia. After all, their struggle is thousands of miles away in foreign lands where the Spirit Sovereigns roam free and threaten the world. This section discusses some basic premises for why a Sihndar might want to be in Regalia, which is where all of the Roleplay takes place:

  • The Sihndar seek allies across the world to aid in their struggle, whether it is to invite non-Sihndar to help fight in Drowda, or to court the nobles and Emperor of Regalia for an increase in financial support and shipments of supplies for their homeland. This can also involve fostering positive relations with already existing groups and organizations by being a member.
  • The Sihndar seek skills and information from abroad that might aid in their struggle back at home. Regalia is a nexus of learning and intellect, and many of the world leading theories on the magical as well as on warfare are developed in such a capital of science. This can also involve just campaigning for more awareness among the common people and collecting for home.
  • The Sihndar battle Spirit Sovereigns wherever they appear, and Regalia is no exception to their presence. While the majority of them struggle to breach beyond Drowda, Regalia as a nexus of Magic and magical events has frequently been affected by Spirit Sovereigns and Dukes. As a result, many Sihndar are stationed in Regalia to help it against its own Spirit problems.
  • Some Sihndar break away from their duties and their communal struggle and become Sihn-Fallar. Sihn-Fallar are Sihndar who have brazenly abandoned their duties, and decided to leave the rest of their people to their fate. Such Sihn-Fallar could exist in Regalia, because it is the capital of the world, no pleasures denied to the Sihndar at home cannot be found here.

Heritage Traits

When designing a Character, Proficiency Points allow for a limited Ability selection with Point Buy Packs. Heritage Traits adds free Packs and Mechanics on top of that to help with cultural themes. Free Packs grant Abilities usually, while Mechanics change the way a character functions in Roleplay through subtle, and usually out of Combat ways. In essence, Mechanics just add aesthetic flair that invest in the niche of each culture. Free Packs never raise Proficiency Points, but the character must be able to purchase them normally. (ex. if a character is a certain Affinity that locks them out of a category, they cannot take that specific free pack and must choose the alternative option.) If a Free Pack grants Magic of some type, that Magic can be of any Alignment the character can normally choose, or limited to a select alignment, which will always be written in the Free Pack description. It is not possible to play Mixed Heritage Sihndar with Mixed Mechanics. You may make them appear Mixed Heritage visually, but due to their Mechanics being derived from the Drowda Taint + Sihndar Heritage, it is not allowed to pick and combine Mechanics as normally would with Mixed-Heritage Characters. Mixed Heritage Sihndar derive all Mechanics from the Sihndar Heritage Traits always.

Free Packs

Mechanics

  • Sihndar take less damage when hurt by Spirits or those possessed by Spirits. If a Spirit or a Spirit Possessed person applies -2 HP damage, reduce that by -1 Hp.
  • Sihndar cannot become Afflicted, some exceptions may apply in Soul Bargains, and some greater Entities like Gods and Arken can still force infect them.
  • Sihndar can perform the Weakening Ritual on a Greater Vampire, which does not kill them (ported back to a safe base), but turns them into a Fledgeling Vampire.
  • Sihndar are immune to mind control of any type, particularly Sinistral Mind Vex and all of its Mechanics to do with Thralling and Persuasion Dices, if used to convince them.

Sihndar Heritage

As noted, most Heritages have 5 Mechanics, while Sihndar only have 4. This is because Sihndar receive their fifth Mechanic from their pre-Drowda Taint Heritage, depending on what People of Aloria their ancestors were part of. When playing a Sihndar, choosing one such Sihndar Heritage is necessary. It is not possible to combine, and if you have trouble choosing, just pick the heritage of the most important ancestor that fits your current Roleplay needs. Because there is no such thing as a Sihndar Appearance, choosing a Heritage also directly affects your Character's appearance. Characters that have the Drowda Taint applied to them in Roleplay, lose all their prior Heritage Traits, and gain the Sihndar Traits, including this one, but must choose the Sihndar Heritage of their dominant Heritage pre-Tainting.

  • Ailor: These Sihndar are masters of many languages. Even for languages they do not speak, if someone insults them in their native tongue, they will know what was said.
  • Qadir: These Sihndar do not need to choose a Tech Branch, they are able to build/edit/repair any Branch. Try to be conscientious when other players feel pushed out of their niche however!
  • Songaskia: These Sihndar can make use of the conventional Songaskian Sofawaati Form as described on their Page.
  • Sihai: These Sihndar can telekinetically move, reshape, recolor, and restructure Jade with their mind. They can also turn any crystal-like substance or noble metal into Jade.
  • Dwarves: XXX These Sihndar gain +1 Main Defense Stat while another Dwarf or Sihndar is within a 5 block range, which can break Cap up to 11. This mechanic can stack up to a +2 bonus.
  • Isldar: (regardless of Life/Death Isldar) Life Isldar can use Farsight to receive vague visions of things happening and existing in faraway lands. (this may require communication with Event DM's or Tickets).
  • Lanlath: These Sihndar cannot use God Magic. However, Sihndar can Dimension Align to Lathan Magic, which is extradimensional like Void/Exist/Ordial, and unique to the Lanlath (and Drowda Tainted Lanlath).
  • Fin'ullen: These Sihndar can breathe underwater without any Abilities, and can also see perfectly underwater without it blurring their vision, allowing them to stay submerged indefinitely.
  • Solvaan: These Sihndar inherit the ability to Transform into Mist Beasts, though applying the Drowda Taint to each visual appearance of these Mist Beasts.
  • Suvial: XXX These Sihndar gain +1 Main Combat Stat when attacking a Character with Theurgy Point Buy Abilities, which can break Cap up to 11.
  • Kathar: These Sihndar can apply a glamor to themselves of any Kathar they have canonically killed. This glamor counts as a Disguise but breaks if the Character drops to 0 HP.
  • Sihndar: (meaning, pure-blood since Cataclysm) During Events, Sihndar may be warned of making a bad decision by Melca's Foresight that warns them with a vision of something they are about to do.
  • Maquixtl: These Sihndar can use Maquixtl Gene Editing, but must apply Drowda Taint visuals to all of them. Additionally, they can enter Guldar without suffocating in the toxins in the air.
  • Yanar: These Sihndar can speak to plants and trees, and even encourage them to grow faster or hide, or change their appearance.
  • Asha: These Sihndar have perfect nightvision, capable of seeing in the dark and low light environments without needing an external light, and have a limited body language to do with tails
  • Narim: These Sihndar can revert to a larval stage (not child-like, but grub-like) shedding their body, for 3 days. They can then change their arthropod species, and recover any lost limbs or remove scarring.
  • Eronidas: These Sihndar can perform great feats of strength out of Combat (carry multiple people, throw boulders etc.). They also gain +5 in out of Combat dice roll Strength competitions.
  • Urlan: These Sihndar can declare 1 chosen person as their Protected Ward (with OOC consent), granting them +1 Defence Stat (break cap up to 9) while within 5 Blocks of them.
  • Allar: These Sihndar are immune to any (non Magical) disease or illness, such as viruses or bacteria, though they can become asymptomatic carriers.
  • Slizzar: These Sihndar can no longer Shapeshift and become locked in their appearance upon being Tainted, but gain +2 added to every final Persuasion Dice Result after every Roll.
  • Maraya: These Sihndar have small Ichor glands on their hands, which are capable of producing Chrysalis that they can shape into Crystals of any shape or size.
  • Bralona: These sihndar can no longer change shape and become locked in their appearance upon being Tainted, but gain +1 Defence Stat (breaking Cap to 11) in fighting a Shapeshifter (Abilities/Mechanics)

Drowda Taint

The Drowda Taint is a magical condition that is shared by all Sihndar and makes them all part of the same historical and cultural heritage. The Taint itself represents such a heavy and oppressive blast of uncontrolled chaotic Magic that it does the opposite of instantly killing or mutating the host: it is like complete Magical sterilization. Because this process is experienced as rather unpleasant and painful, it requires both IC and OOC consent. The most notable aspect of the Drowda Taint is that it turns the skin a variant of mid to dark shade purple or blue-purple, while it can also turn the hair white (though born hair colors can be kept also). It does not affect the eyes or any other part of the body. Simpler put, the Drowda Taint changes the skin tone of a Character (and can change the hair color to white, but does not have to), but has a lot of other effects:

  • All previous Heritage Traits are lost. Instead, the Character gains the Sihndar Heritage Traits and counts as a Sihndar henceforth.
  • If the Character had multiple Alignments, all but the first one are cut off, though they can be re-learned later, like a Magic reset.
  • Any Afflictions (except for Undead) are instantly Cured. It is not possible to apply the normal Drowda Taint to an Undead Character.
  • Any Spirits attached to the person are instantly purged, and any damage left behind by Spirits in the soul/emotions/memories is restored.

There is an upgraded version of the Drowda Taint called the Searing Drowda Taint. This also requires IC and OOC consent, as it is a more aggressive application of the Drowda Taint that affects aspects more deeply rooted in the soul. The Searing Drowda Taint has generally the same outcome but is more aggressive to get rid of additional aspects of a Character before fully making them Sihndar. This can be useful in some cases to "cleanse" a Character from certain Magical conditions. This is commonly seen as a variety of Magical Lobotomy, and can apply the following effects:

  • If the Character is Undead, they are instead instantly killed and become a Spirit of their strongest Alignment.
  • If the Character is Godborn/Arkenborn, they lose all Gpdborn/Arkenborn Mechanics.
  • If the Character is a Mage, they are cut off from the Veil, and cannot use Magic anymore (points are refunded).

The Drowda Taint Ritual can be performed by any Sihndar and takes place over several minutes during which uncontrolled Magic is funneled into the body and soul of the target, hence the experience being painful. This ritual can be done in Roleplay, done off-screen, time skipped, or in backstory. It is however not possible to revert the Drowda Taint in any way, not even by Divine Entities, so think carefully before changing an existing Character to a Sihndar, as it is a one-way change.



Trivia

  • Other Nelfin sometimes refer to the Sihndar as Drowdar, which means “Those from Drowda”. While that is technically correct, the Nelfin consider and use this as an insult, because it refers to them as coming from a backwards province of the Allorn Empire.
  • A common weapon style used by the Sihndar is the Khopesh. Not all Sihndar use a Khopesh however, many of them use a variety of other weapons, as well as Ranged and even Magical weapons. Even a few Puretek users have been spotted as of recently.
  • Sihndar love tattoos, but tattooing is hard on their dark skin. As a result, they have started to use the ink produced from a special type of mushroom that is faintly bioluminescent, producing a light blue ink.
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