Slizzar

Slizzar
Ajneya (in Zoram)
Motto: "Without balance, a World undone."
Nation State	Sarakand
Ruler	The Duarchy
Other Present	None
Languages	Zahram, Common
Religion	Draconism
First Recorded	Pre-Allorn
Demonym(s)	Slizzar

Perhaps the oldest kin to have continuously existed on Aloria, the Slizzar are serpent-alien-like shapeshifters that are rarely seen in their natural form, mingling with other societies for both benign and nefarious purposes. The Slizzar have been around since before Cataclysm, as far back as the Seraph Civilization era, when their creation was judged a crime against the laws of creation between the Dragons, causing their creator and patron God Nox to be banished. The Slizzar still continue his vision for the world, a people with unique skills and abilities that secretly and subtly guide events and history to their designs, for the betterment and benefit of the continued existence of all. While this mission may sound inherently benign, Slizzar are masters of infiltration and manipulation due to their shapeshifting powers, always leaving those who were put out of play to wonder: did they just face a shapeshifter? Was the last person I spoke to secretly someone else? All valid questions are raised when paranoia strikes, in the wake of the plots and machinations these enigmatic and secretive people.

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. 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). Slizzar cannot be included in Mixed Heritage Characters, as there is no such thing as a Half-Slizzar.

Free Packs

• Slizzar gain the Magic version of the Mindcontrol Pack but it counts as non-Magic for free, or choose one pack from Command Point Buy.
• Slizzar gain the Magic version of the Shapeshift Pack but it counts as non-Magic for free, or choose one pack from Chem Point Buy.

Mechanics

• Slizzar are immune to mind control of any type, particularly Mindcontrol Pack and all of its Mechanics to do with Thralling and Persuasion Dices, if used to convince them.
• Slizzar are immune to Persuasion Dices when used by Players. Additionally, when using Persuasion Dices themselves, if they fail once, they can re-try their Dice for a higher result.
• Slizzar can perfectly mimic Afflictions and Affinities, including Transformations, and even their Abilities, though where they cannot innately use these Abilities, they are Illusions instead.
• Slizzar always use Persuasion Dice at their maximum Persuasion Cap, meaning 14. Additionally, they gain +2 to the final Persuasion Dice Result after every Roll.
• Slizzar can perfectly fake and fool Knight Order membership or Guild Membership papers, thus always pretending to be a member undetectably even if they are not.

Birth Rites

Because many Slizzar go through life entirely disguised and pretending to be a different people or society, their reproduction cycle could unintentionally reveal them. At a base line, all children born from at least one Slizzar parent will always be full Slizzar. In case this is not desirable, the Slizzar can perform the Birth Rites, in which they have more clearer control over how their offspring will be created, this allows them to dictate several different processes. Firstly, they can choose to have one or two children born. Secondly, they can choose for each child born, whether they will be born not-Slizzar (taking the Heritage from their biological parent, and whatever the Slizzar pretended to be), full Slizzar, or Delayed Slizzar. Delayed Slizzar will be born as not-Slizzar, but when they become 18 years old, are suddenly informed through visions and dreams about their true identity, and how to become a full Slizzar. If they agree and venture to the nearest Dragon Temple to connect with their true self, they become full Slizzar, if they reject for up to 12 months and never visit such a site, they will be not-Slizzar forever. It is also possible, if two children are chosen, to have each born differently, for example one as Delayed Slizzar, and one as not-Slizzar, or full Slizzar, or other combinations. Note, most Slizzar found in the world are Slizzar born tens of thousands of years ago. This is because Sarakand exists in a warped time-bubble where time can pass slower or faster than the world around it. Slizzar can in reality only become 300 years old, but many are from a different time.

Sarakand

City Description

To understand the place of the Slizzar, one must understand the City of Eternal Twilight, Sarakand. Sarakand is the only Slizzar city-state in the world, and it is Slizzar homogenous, not allowing outsiders in unless they have some connection to the Slizzar. The city itself is extremely advanced, having buildings that reminisce of Seraph, second, third, and Meraic civilization architecture in them, that have accumulated over time. While Regalia is often treated as the jewel of the world, and this metropolitan is certainly far more massive than Sarakand, Sarakand itself as a city has existed for 70,000 years, which pales Regalia's mere centuries in comparison. Sarakand is built on a massive bastion wall surrounding the outer ring of aquatic farms. Further in are large buildings and Temples to the various Dragon Gods. Closer to the center are the Hallowed Towers, which are not residential, but large defensive Dragon-Magic structures that project a shield around the city in times of need, and control the passage of time around it. These installations were built by the Dragon God Nox, who defied the will of the Dragons by creating Sarakand and the Slizzar and was banished. At the center lies the Pyramidion, a Pyramid-like structure with a large gap in the middle from which the Mydion (city's power source) can be seen.

Defenses and Politics

Through powerful Dragon Magics, Sarakand and its direct ocean around it are caught in a permanent twilight, with the passing of time adjusted inside to slow down or speed up depending on the city's needs. This explains why the city has lasted for so long and survived numerous Void Invasions, having an innate ability to hide from the invasion in Time Magic, and being shielded. Sarakand is the seat of power of the two ruling factions and Duarchy Sovereigns of the Slizzar, the Herald of the Sun, and the Herald of the Moon, and holds a crucial place for most Slizzar who venture into the world as a safe harbor to return to. The two Factions being the Surya Court and the Marya Court, live in a harmonious balance in the city. Even if these are Factions in the traditional sense, unlike in Regalia, they do not compete with one another but complement and hold each other in balance to do as Nox instructed them, preserve the world despite the slow-to-act nature of the other Dragons. Each Slizzar in a coming-of-age time, will align with the Surya or Marya Court, and venture out into the world to seek their way to ply the crafts of their people on the other peoples of Aloria, to do their Dragon-God's bidding. Many Slizzar who retire from their work return to Sarakand, where they live our their final days in peace.

Slizzar Factions

Surya Court, Guides of the Sun The Surya Court is the Slizzar Faction that holds that the young peoples of Aloria need a kind and delicate guiding hand. Whether through small acts like helping individuals or families, or large acts through advising organizations or gently nudging whole countries or Empires in the right direction, the Surya Slizzar seek to be a hidden beneficial hand to the lives of others. Surya Slizzar lean more in the direction of being pacifist or at least vowing not to strike unless in defense of another or holy site, as Nox instructed them to guard the world from the Sin of Free Will. Because of the Sin of Free Will, the Surya Court believes that the other peoples of Aloria will not see calamity coming when it arrives on their doorstep, and need guidance from a higher hand of experience and skill to avert disaster, that being the eradication of all living beings on Aloria by another Void Invasion. Surya Slizzar are more inclined than Marya Slizzar to appear in their natural form without any shapeshifting, but are still keenly aware, that a Slizzar is something alien and frightful, and that the acts of the Marya Court still incite rage, thus holding onto their Disguises to perform their duties. A Surya Slizzar can divert to the Marya Court. This happens usually when a Surya Slizzar believes that the incompetence brought on by the Sin of Free Will is so profound, that their attempts to be benign in themselves are holding them back, and that their work would be much simpler if they used subterfuge and assassination to get their way. It is also possible for a Surya Slizzar to be so inundated with their work to the benefit of individuals, that they start losing scope of the bigger picture and drift away from Nox's work. Those are referred to as Surya Eclipse Slizzar.

Marya Court, Conspirators of the Moon The Marya Court is a Slizzar Faction that holds that the young peoples of Aloria need to be manipulated to prevent destruction. Whether through small actions inflicted on individuals or families, or large acts of puppeteering and subterfuge against countries or Empires, the Marya Slizzar seek to be a hidden malign existence for the benefit of life itself. Marya Slizzar lean more in the direction of violence as well as emotional and intellectual manipulation of facts, creating false perceptions of reality, and mind-controlling others to do their bidding. The Marya Slizzar believe that the other peoples of Aloria are so self-absorbed and occupied with the explosive nature of their short lives, that they cannot possibly be taught how not to blow up the world, and should be dominated to prevent them from doing so. To them, the Sin of Free Will is extremely literal, in that free will itself is evil, and the best that can be done for the world is to remove it from the people who wield power. Marya Slizzar, due to their subterfuge, are far more likely to always remain Disguised and have multiple fall-back personas to escape detection or reprisals in case they are uncovered. A Marya Slizzar can divert to the Surya Court. This happens usually when a Marya Slizzar believes that the suffering or resentment they might have left in their wake, in and of itself becomes the destruction or calamity they seek to avoid, and that their work would be much simpler if they were kind and cooperative instead. It is also possible for a Marya Slizzar to be so inundated with vanity, pride, or just relishing in the violence and manipulation, that they become more obsessed with the game of control and lose scope of the bigger picture of Nox's work. These are referred to as Marya Darkstar Slizzar.

Factional Nuances

While in other people of Aloria factional politics might end up being bloody or contentious, it is very cooperative among the Slizzar. They believe strongly in the notion of balance, and that Nox created perfect balance among the Slizzar. As such, even if a Surya Slizzar is horrified by a Marya's actions, or if a Marya Slizzar has gone rogue as a Darkstar or left the cause as an Eclipser, Slizzar attempt in any circumstances to avoid violence or conflict with one another. Even if these factions are opposed ideologically, both factions appreciate and understand the value they bring in contract to one another, how some societies just cannot be helped with malignance, and how some societies just cannot be helped with benign guidance, in that all methods are needed to reach the end goal. This does not mean that Slizzar cannot criticize each other, or comment on each other's plots, just that they should not get in each other's ways to or make their work harder, unless they start intentionally obstructing the work of others. The outside world is aware of these Slizzar Factions, but Slizzar would do well never to reveal their alignment. After all, in Regalia, the Marya are well known to have orchestrated the long string of assassinations that followed after the Chrysant War, in which many Ailor and Elven nobles perished as revenge for the destruction of the Essa Empire. It was the Surya who guided the hands of the Allar before this conflict, and it was the Marya who acted as the hand of revenge for their fallen brethren, to weaken the Regalian Empire and restore balance between the other Empires that were left. It should also be noted, that Faction membership, is not extremely strict. It is not impossible for a Surya Slizzar to need to be cruel sometimes, or a Marya Slizzar to be kind. Both are not moral absolutes, but more like guidelines that indicate intent rather than action. Each Slizzar will have to struggle with the moral implications of their actions, if they violate their own principles.

The Duarchy Heralds

The Duarchy Heralds are the two enigmatic entities known as Surya and Marya, who act like co-rulers of the Slizzar as a whole. Surya and Marya were made by Nox (causing some to conclude they are complex Dragon Magic Automata) to guide the Slizzar in his absence, as he foresaw his banishment by the other Dragons and made preparations. Surya and Marya have guided the Slizzar ever since and operate the basic functions of Sarakand itself. They reside only in Sarakand, but have immense magical power, and tower over all other inhabitants as they slowly wander the streets. During the day, they offer guidance to the younglings in large classes where their melodic telepathic voice teaches them about the world and their place in it, and at night they patrol the walls in opposite rotating circles to herald the switching of night and day. Surya and Marya are living embodiments of their respective ideologies, Surya teaches the Slizzar kindness and warmth, while Marya teaches them cruelty and violence, both having the capacity to project teachings and skills directly into the minds of their students. In some manner, foreigners might see them as Automata Monarchs, but they do not make decisions for the everyday societal organization, such as who gets food and what supplies are sent abroad. These tasks are taken care of by the city's Slizzar inhabitants, though they still speak for Nox, and can communicate his oracle predictions to the people.

Language and Naming

The Slizzar language is Zoram, which is based on real-like Sanskrit. Many other people accuse the Slizzar of speaking with a lisp, but this is generally just bigotry. In fact, Slizzar are very articulate, and their language has a lot of strong consonants, meaning they hardly make noises that one would expect a snake to make. Slizzar are however capable of producing a rattle-snake-like sound at the back of their throat, which they frequently produce when in combat, or when they are about to attack someone, or as a way of warning others that they are annoyed or feel threatened. Slizzar naming customs also use real-life Sanskrit. It is rare for Slizzar to have a surname, most Slizzar only carry a single name, though they can sometimes adopt a surname for ease of use to the non-Slizzar members in their family. When they do, this surname is always from another culture's language. Here follows a list of example names for the Slizzar (they are all non-gendered because sex and gender don’t exist in Slizzar psyche).

• Achyut, Advait, Bhavin, Chittin, Girivar, Jatasya, Jaitra, Kush, Manav, Nandish, Parth, Prayag, Sambhav, Shivansh, Udit, Vibodh, Yug, Bhoomi, Chetaki, Gatha, Kaveri, Namasya, Paridhi, Shloka, Swara, Tavishi, Udita.

Conflicts & Alliances

A lot of MassiveCraft's lore is constructed around conflicts that are based on religious, historical, or societal grievances. This section aims to set out the various conflict and alliance points for the Lanlath, while also attaching some nuance so that there is wiggle room for players to not get stuck in endless loops of arguing the basics of societal conflict without clear Character Development or Resolution.

• Ailor: Ailor, due to being some of the most short-lived people on Aloria and their explosively energetic and active personalities, are often prime target for the Slizzar, whether for benign or malign reasons. Many Ailor harbor extreme paranoia to Slizzar, sometimes even suspecting relatives of having been replaced by these infiltrates. This is all based on historical events, as directly after the Chrysant War, many sleeper agent Marya Slizzar struck out, killing hundreds of Regalian Nobles to weaken Regalia after winning the war against their kin. This habit for assassination among the Slizzar, is one deeply feared and mistrusted by Ailor.
• Dwarves: Dwarvbes have a deep-seated loathing for Slizzar that is not historically justified, but just an extension of their brutal honesty and directness culturally speaking, that clashes with Slizzar habits to lie and deceive.
• Suvial: Suvial see the Slizzar as rivals, notably the Marya, because they engage in the same type of political manipulation, it's just that the Slizzar are far better at it. The Suvial are constantly searching for ways to reveal shapeshifters, and naturally have a predisposition to discover Slizzar engaging in political intrigue, and then to try and beat them at their own game as a form of competition.
• Kathar: Despite many Slizzar working against the interests of the Kathar, and them being entirely responsible for the waves of assassinations among the Kathar nobles, they are held in high esteem, particularly for this reason, as well as the fact that they believe Slizzar make the best courtesans and advisors. The Slizzar have historically made ample use of this by constantly destabilizing the Dread Empire and preventing it from really expanding despite the large hosts of Demons in their service.
• Allar: Slizzar and Allar relations are rather contentious and often dependent on the individual. The two people made up the two halves of the Essa Empire, a state which was guided by the Surya Slizzar to give the Allar seeking a way out of Sendrassian Evolism a safe place to develop and flourish. Yet, at the same time, the Allar were also manipulated and bent into service by the Marya Slizzar who used their mind control over Allar Digmaan to establish in effect dictatorships over regions of the Empire. In the calamity that was the Regalian Invasion, both people died side by side, but it was the Slizzar who could return to the safety of Sarakand which withstood repeat Regalian attempts to assail the city, while the Allar languished in occupation and second-rank citizen status for years before Regalian properly integrated them. As such, individual Allar may hate, or adore Slizzar, depending on their perspective.

Trivia

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Accreditation
Writers MonMarty Artists MonMarty	Last Editor MonMarty on 03/26/2024.

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