Cultural Experience of The Saelish

Posted on August 30, 2022 in Character-Experience Steel-Realms

Cost: 1 Essence

In addition to the common cultural exposure to the Steel Realms character, The Saelish has its own Cultural Experience of The Saelish, known as “Saelisnean” (say-liz-nee-an). Characters from The Saelish are NOT required to accept the specific Cultural Experience, though must accept all elements if they chose it. A group of characters can come together to form a shared Cultural Bond.

• Themselves
• Outsiders
• The World

Attribute Emphasis: Wisdom over brute-strength.

Aesthetic and Arts: All practices are encouraged to develop an artistic flare. From masonry, smithing, cooking, and weaving – all crafts emphasize function and form both. Personal creativity is strongly encouraged, each finding personal expression in whatever it is they do and making every outcome slightly unique.

Racial Composition: Human (dominant; [latent] Merovin 2% of humans), half-elf (6%), dwarven (3%), dozens of Duatine/Celestine [Aasimar/not ‘Fallen’]

• Merovin Forms (if chosen): Golden Eagle, Lion (no mane), Dog (mastiff)

Communication: The folk of The Saelish are known as excellent communicators and speak with a [Czechoslovakian] accent; approximately 65% are literate to some degree. They speak Gladnorian (Expert) and Mercat (Fluent) by default. There is a tradition of some (15%) families of teaching their children Celestine (spoken only; Basic level).

Emphasis on Knowledge: Like the Ducateon, Saelisnean culture strongly values the recording of knowledge. There is a cultural library in the city of Averul named Brayfhayl. Apprenticeship is open to all who wish to try their hand, some service to the community is expected in return. Education: Children are encouraged to be curious, and to be very physical at a young age. The concept of mind and body are as one – a healthy one facilitates the health of the other. Regardless, the community emphasis of the culture creates a safer, more stable place. Knowledge for its own sake is seen as merely expanding the opportunities of exploration and production of new outcomes in all fields.

• Lore(s): The Saelish (+2), The Celestine of Helca (+2), Animal Husbandry (+2)

Gender Roles: There is no emphasis placed on gender for specific roles and functions other than pregnancy itself and specific limits of individuals in size, strength, speed, personality, and intelligence. There are as many, if not more, males assuming the role of primary care giver in the early development of clan members. They are seen as stronger and better physical protectors of the young, but the female-minded are seen as better shepherds after the first several years. “Adoption” is commonplace, in that because all are seen as family in the larger culture, there is no emphasis on bloodline. Homosexuality is accepted and orphans are most often placed with such families and all are part of the community.

Celestine Veneration: The core cultural experience requires the character choose a Divine Principal from among the Ascended Celestials as their faith. The ways of the Celestine are seen as better for the world. Although casual worship is part of the Bronzefolk and Saelisnean culture, the direct emphasis is more on the ideals they represent than the individual themselves. They are seen as guides of spiritual development, less as sources of power (though they are known to manifest directly at great ceremonies). Many commune with these ideals and entities (if they have Conviction) using Meditation and find a form of enlightenment; the root of the composure they are famous for.

• Cultural Faith: Celestine (choose one); The first measure of Conviction cost is reduced to 1.
• Celestine Blood/The Duatine: Most celestine blood evinces as an iconic ideal of the “angelic”, a reflection of global expectations. The history of Saelesnian culture has many mentions of what they call the Duatine as well. There were once many more born with the marks. The Duatine have animal features above their torso. Most do not have the full head of an animal but features that reflect those of a specific beast, but some manifest the animal heads of the Celestine. All the Duatine are held in high regard, if there is any notion of “royalty” in The Saelish, the Duatine are its possessors. When the Duatine bloodline manifests, over 80% of them are female.

Adherence to Law: The spirit of the law is more important, but there is a legal code. The laws of the High King are recognized and followed as well. Nothing is more chafing to the culture than loss of personal freedom. Fines are near non-existent, penalty is almost always prison time and loss of access to community resources and a ban from social events. Poverty is nothing to this. Transgressions are cumulative and tracked. Eventually, obvious malcontents will be outcast. The worst are considered a threat to the world at large, and imprisonment for life is an option – though are given a choice of a painless death from poison over suffering this pronouncement.

• Outcast: Branded over their heart with the Dunlupian symbol for extreme outsider/enemy in a public ceremony that also strips them of their name. Cast forth with minimal goods and money, escorted to the nearest town outside The Saelish, where they are let go at high noon and publicly proclaimed under some new random name…

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Cultural Experience of the Darkland Ranger

Posted on April 10, 2016 in Character-Experience Steel-Realms

The Half Elf character gives up the choice of any other Background, and are a Ranger of the Steel Realms by class.

The Darkland Ranger is a specialist at survival in the Darklands of the Steel Realms. They are not an official World Watcher order, but do serve some of the functions, just specializing in the dark lands or any Orrish presence really. The are trained from an early age to endure the terrible conditions of the sunless world of the lands under the rule of the gods of darkness in the east. The half-elven biology, their inherent anger and passions that get the best of them are forged into a weapon. They have seen the worst of Orrish behavior close up, and they know that there are always those who would trade with darkness for profit. They are a dour, pessimistic lot usually. Young druids often train with Darkland Rangers – teaching them their craft at the fringes of the civilized lands and following in their footsteps into the Darklands. Half Elves in particular though seem immune to the horrible depression, unchecked aggression, and evil that seems to affect those who spend long periods of time under the Curtain of Night and the fringes of Orrish society. As such, they are the perfect scouts to monitor the events of the Darklands and serve as watchers to warn the west of large attacks and happenings that are important. They also serve as a reason for those of other races to continue to safeguard the lands where their kind make their home – outcast and outsiders to others. They are more prevalent in the south, closer to their people and a place of refuge and safety. They often interact closely with the High King’s Rangers to monitor and track personages or places of interest to them.

Druids Favor: The Druids of the mountains, hills, desert and forests that border the Dark Lands are familiar with the Darkland Rangers and support them in every way possible. A Darkland Ranger may seek out these borderland Druids for companionship and mentorship, and their favor may expose them to additional benefits. If they gain this favor, the Druids will scar them with Druidsign so all Druids will recognize their importance and favor, and aid them accordingly. This sign will bleed itself painfully for a day and be unrecognizable should a Darkland Ranger ever lose their status.

Skill Proficiency: Survival and Investigation

Tool Proficiency: Disguise kit (disguise themselves to look and smell like Orrish from a distance)

Equipment: Disguise kit, Leather Armor, Medium Shield (light – wicker and hide). Darkland Rangers start with no money.

Feature: Hardened Against the Dark Lands

The character has, from an early age, exposed themselves to the horrors of the wounds the Orrish can inflict using Wormblat. Part of their training is seeking out and stealing it, re-creating it, and healing it. They repeatedly cut themselves and scratch themselves all over, suffering infection and pain in order to gain an immunity to it. It leaves their body covered in small scars – unmistakably identifying them and their mission. Those with the Druid’s Favor may also seek to inure themselves against the lethal effects of Heartseeker Flint.

Feature: Seen the Unspeakable

The Darkland Ranger has been exposed to the worst of behavior, cannibalism (perhaps even had to participate), rivers of blood and foul evil beyond comprehension to most. They manage to block it out somehow, through their curse of the half breed heritage. The Darkland Ranger is inured to the treachery, bias, and machinations of the politics and cultures of the lands of light. They are also protected by the Druids of the realms with rituals and rites and their Essence loss as a Ranger is counteracted by a gain in 1 Essence to resist evil influences of spirits in the fallen lands of the east.

Suggested Characteristics

They are selected at an early age for the same traits that their training and service ingrain in them.

Personality Trait

– I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong.

The Darkland Ranger never walks into a room without figuring out exists, never sleeps except with their bed against the door in an Inn and a way out a window or even through a wall. The way out of dungeons is never compromised unless the reward is tremendous.

Ideal

Duty – I’m loyal to my friends and return the help I am afforded.

Everything done is for the love and protection of family, friends, hearth and home. To suspect a friend is worse than to be betrayed by one. A Darkland Ranger never leaves an area without repaying a debt.

Bond

– My honor is my life.

Honoring the role of the ranger, and its message of first line defense is critical. Those who cannot see it are no friends of mine. Those who understand will be mutually protective in my path outside of Darkland Ranger and my life beyond it. I must strive to honor that memory and values that hold evil at bay.

Flaw

– I have no respect for those who cannot survive on their own as I did in the Darklands if they had to.

While defense of the homelands and innocents there is important, one cannot depend on a friend who is not, if needed, also self sufficient. That is an unequal bond.

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