|
|
|
|
The Beastlands
Presented in "Toyoll's Great Big Illustrated Guide to Beasts" All pictures and information are her work.
(Beast sign unused vs. Active Beast sign)
Beast sign:
Unlike the other signs, who's powers are active, the Beast's power is passive. Instead of a jet of flame or healing waters, the Beast sign ties the bearer to a particular animal and enhances their strength and endurance. How long the bearer can maintain this heightened strength depends on how well they have mastered their sign. Also, while the sign is active, the bearer's animal-like qualities become more apparent.
The Beast sign also allows the bearer to communicate with animals, especially so with their affiliated creature and can even call upon their 'brethren' for help.
(From L to R: Poldora One-sign, Seere two-sign, Beleg two-sign and Faolan the three-sign. All wolves.)
Volunteers from the three main clans and Faolan line up to show the various appearances between a one-sign, two-signs and a three-sign. Please note the important anatomical differences between the two-signs and the three-sign. Faolan looks more like an upright canine, whereas the Beleg two-sign still has human legs, arms and even hair.
(Talen'sul Beast vs. Native Beastlander Seereling. Both cats.)
Diversity:
Not all Beasts originate from the Beastlands, in fact, many are born beyond the borders. The two are easily distinguishable from one another.
What can sometimes lead to confusion, however, are the similarities between winged Winds and avian Beasts. But if you were to look at the two carefully, they are actually quite different.
(A winged Wind vs. an avian Beast, owl affinity.)
Companions and affinities:
(info coming soon!)
The Clans:
The Beastlands are shared by the three main clans, Seere, Poldora and Beleg, with another clan outside of the borders, Aluvar.
Aside from Faolan, each clan has it's own leader.
(Tarja Lionsclaw, Beleg Champion (TL), Sloan Irontines, Poldoran General (BL) and Beorg Ryles, Seere Elder (R) )
(A one-sign mink affinity and a two-sign shire affinity.)
Seere:
Overview:
Seere is the only fully sedentary settlement in the Beastlands and they rely heavily upon their crops and livestock, though many still hunt and gather their foods.
Unlike their neighbors, Seerelings do not believe in Beast supremacy and are very open to what other elementals can teach them. As a result, Seerelings are considered the most well educated of the native Beastlanders.
This openness, however, should NEVER be confused with weakness, because, although generally non-confrontational, Seerelings will defend themselves and their beliefs viciously.
Fashion:
Seerelings are easily distinguishable from other clans due to their preference for colorful clothing and jewelry. They are especially partial to geometrical patterns, have a tendency to wear more fabrics than leathers and generally do not use feathers, teeth, claws, etc. to adorn themselves. They find this to be disrespectful to the animals they've hunted.
Economy:
Seere is currently enjoying a booming economic relationship with neighboring provinces (with the notable exception of Ekaitz).
These shrewd merchants export a great variety of goods, ranging from herbs, to fresh produce, to fabrics and jewelry, as well as potent medicinal ingredients, tobacco, spices, wood work and a great many more things.
Government:
Seere isn't ruled over by any single person, it is governed by a council of elders. It is they who hold the highest command (after Faolan, of course).
Leader: Beorg Ryles
Though Seere doesn't have a single Leader, the Council does have a single representative, Beorg Ryles.
Beorg Ryles is a single-sign badger affinity. She has a stocky build and a powerful, maternal presence. Many consider her the mother of the Clan.
Too old to have any children, but still a spitfire of a woman, Beorg would gladly chew up and shred any who would disturb her clan. But for all her ferocity, Ryles still has the patience of a saint, she can easily deal with the petty squabbles among her clanmates and even her fellow Council members.
Beorg also has a very close relationship with the Pack Leader himself. For many years, the badger has acted as Faolan's mother figure and he often goes to her when he needs to get away from his role as the ruler of the Beasts.
Military:
The Seere Guard. (see "Military" below)
Military leader: Guard Captain Tain Reiken
Captain Reiken is a two-sign red deer affinity and is the current Captain of the Seere Guard. He is a noble man with years of border experience under his belt and he takes the safety of Seere and his troops to heart.
An ex-Poldoran, Tain had come from a long line of Warriors and brought up in an environment full of pomp and arrogance. Feeling like his family had forgotten the Warrior's first duties, to protect the Beastlands and defend Poldora, Tain left to join Seere in the East, where he enlisted with the Guard. Finally feeling at home, he quickly climbed the ranks and today, he holds an honorary place on the Council as the Guard Captain.
Ideology: Worg as the Earth Mother
(A two-sign panda affinity and a one-sign desert hare affinity.)
Poldora:
Overview:
Poldora is a semi-sedentary village who’s clan members will actively seek a challenge from other Beasts, but who will generally ignore any other elemental, deeming them unworthy of fighting. (“What’s the point? Anyone can beat a non-Beast, right?”) They are a hunter-gatherer society where the strongest are considered nobles and Warrior is synonymous with prestige.
Since birth, children are encouraged to fight one another and prove to other parents that they are more powerful than their offspring. Eventually, when they are old enough, they will move out and build their own huts, usually on the more dangerous outskirts of the village. From there, most will go their own way, some even attempting to enter the ranks of the Warriors.
Though there is more to Poldora than the endless power struggles, poldorans are also accomplished musicians and avid party goers. They have a love of celebrations and a taste for alcohol, so during the monthly community feasts, Poldorans like to let loose and have a good time (though it doesn’t take long for such events to turn into an all-out brawl...).
Fashion:
Poldorans tend to favor soft leathers over regular fabrics due to it’s ruggedness, though it does not provide much color, so they will try to adorn themselves with jewelry (such as colorful arm bands) and feathers. They aren’t above wearing trophy pieces, yet such decoration is considered arrogant.
((NOTE: Colored feathers only carry meaning if the individual is a Warrior.))
Economy:
Although Poldora does have a few economic ties with neighboring provinces, poldorans are not merchants. They prefer to simply trade among themselves for the things they need, usually offering pelts, crafts, meat, wild fruit or other raw materials or favors.
Government:
Poldorans are a proud and very military-oriented people and their social structure reflects this perfectly.
The Warriors are the noble class in Poldora and have power over it, with the General as it’s ruler, the Warriors as it’s bourgeoisie and it’s civilian population at it’s bottom.
All must obey, without question, to their superiors. Insubordination is intolerable and is swiftly and brutally dealt with. Though there are a few who will challenge their superiors, those who win take over their rank and so climb the latter of authority.
There is also a second sort of unofficial social structure hiding just below the first. A structure based on allies and enemies. To survive in Poldora, Beasts will strike up friendships and allegiances and spin complicated social networks within the clan to better establish themselves and to face those who would harbour grudges against them.
Within a circle of allies, all are under an obligation to help each other out in times of need.
Leader: Sloan Irontines
Sloan Irontines, as his name suggests, is a former citizen of the ruthless Beleg clan who traveled to Poldora to escape the mindless killing of his kin for the awesome military power and discipline of this warrior clan.
The two-sign elk type is a tall and imposing Beast with strong elks’ legs and a majestic set of twelve-point antlers that ark high above his head, marking him as a royal. He wears a simple leather garb and, unlike most poldorans, prefers not to decorate himself. He believes that his strength alone should do the talking and not some fancy beads or feathers.
Sloan, despite his brutish appearance and speech pattern, is an incredibly insightful and observant creature. He is able to look past exteriors and measure an individual’s true strength, making him both a very dangerous opponent and a very understanding friend. He prefers to keep to himself, however, and is often found outside the village, contemplating things, usually snarling at anyone who would disturb him.
Though most do not know it, Sloan once had a wife and child, a roe hind and fawn, who were killed by Naurorod poachers. This tragic event spurred Sloan into launching his long and bloody campaign against poaching, sending entire corps of Warriors to patrol their territory and prompting Seere and Beleg to do the same.
Military: Warriors of Poldora (see Military below)
Military leader: Sloan Irontines.
The General is both the head of the military and the head of the village. Sloan, being an incredibly powerful and intelligent man, fits the bill perfectly.
He started out just like any other Warrior, but quickly climbed the ranks by challenging any and all who were above him. This earned him a ferocious reputation and a healthy dose of respect from both his enemies and his followers alike.
Ideology: Worg as the Force of physical and spiritual growth. (i.e. strength and bravery)
(A two-sign tiger affinity and a two-sign egyptian cobra affinity.)
Beleg:
Overview:
Beleg is the most nomadic clan of the Beastlands. They tend to follow large herds of prey animal accross their territory, like the desireable bison and elk.They are a powerful and rugged clan, notorious for their ruthlessness in combat, insatiable bloodlust and extremist ways.
Belegites believe that Beasts are the highest of all the elementals and will actively seek and eliminate all non-Beasts within their territory. They also believe that only the strongest deserve to live on earth, so they will gladly maim and even kill those who are weaker than themselves.
These ferocious Beasts are also the only clan who still routinely consume the flesh of its fellow Beasts. Predatory Beasts will often stalk and kill weaker Belegites, wayward travelers and even the occasional Poldora or Seere native. This activity is a perfectly natural compulsion for this people, Poldorans and indeed even Seerelings have also been known to eat human flesh.
Despite being groomed for combat since birth, violence and bloodshed aren't the sole things in the life of a Belegite. Love is present here, especially between a parent and offspring. In fact, a Belegite will rarely, if ever, engage their parents in a fight.
This has a lot to do with how Belegites are raised, males are reared by the sire and females are reared by the dame. Parents lavish their children with affection and they form life-lasting bonds with them. And if the sire and dame live in the same home, they will often help their mate with their child. If they do not, however, one of the parents will often check up on their offspring. Children are the main focus of the clan. To raise powerful offspring is a great and noble feat, however, should their child fail to meet their parents' expectations, they are likely to be neglected, chased out of the home or, in more serious cases, killed by their sire or dame.
Fashion:
Belegite are obsessed with power and status and favor clothing that not only showcases their powerful bodies, but reflects just how rich they are. So silks, linens, precious jewlery and trophies are very popular. Beleg clan members are also very distinguishable from other clans due to the large and extrememly heavy wooden beads they wear.
The heavy beads are worn as a sign of strength and vitality, because they act as weights. Belegites go through their everyday activities and indeed even fight with these beads weighing down their arm or leg, when a Beast is sick or unable to lift these weights, they become the target of other hungry clan mates.
Economy:
Beleg is an incredibly rich clan, boasting more gold and other precious materials than any other Beast clan. They also make a good living as mercenaries and assasins outside of the Beastlands and routinely raid the other clans for their precious items.
Government:
Beleg society is run more like a life tournament, the strong overpower the weak and become more powerful within the clan. The winner of this tournament becomes the Beleg Champion, leader of the Beleg clan. They remain so, so long as they can defend their title, as a result, the clan leader changes often.
The Beleg Champion has control over their entire clan, including all the sub-clans in the territory. These sub-clans function just like any other clan, but, in general, would rather not have anything to do with the larger main clan. They keep to themselves, unless specifically summoned by the Champion for a yearly hommage or a call to arms.
The sub-clans are spread out over the beleg territory and act as a sort of built-in protection system. These are the Belegites the traveler is most likely to run into.
Leader: Bael
Bael has recently ursurped the last Champion, Tarja Lionsclaw, who has been enjoying an unusually long reign.
"Bael was born in Seere but at a young age he was captured during a Belegite raid. Ever since his captors decided not to eat him, he has worked hard to become strong enough to gain the respect of his new clan and to prove he is worthy of survival."--iamTUO's character profile
Military:
Beleg does not uphold a standing military force, simply because they do not need one. Each and every one of the Beleg clan mates are brutal and powerful militia soldiers, able to rally and move out in a day's notice.
Belegites are also surprisingly able sailors. Several sub-clans in the far south of the territory run and keep a busy sea port. From this port, Belegites are able to raid places like the far-off Seere territory, without having to cross the Poldoran lines.
Military leader:
The loud and rowdy Belegites almost literally work themselves up into a frenzy with the coming of war, so while the Champion is the head of the entire legion of ravenous Belegites, they will personally chose powerful and level-headed individuals to help keep the clan in check.
Ideology: Worg as the Force of physical and spiritual growth. (Strength and bravery) and Taed as the Force of War.
(A two-sign lionfish affinity and a two-sign orca affinity.)
Aluvar:
(info coming soon!)
Military:
The Beast military is one of the most fearsome in Naruta. It already boasts two standing military regiments, with specialized divisions such as the archers' division, the intelligence division as well as a naval division (based in the south of the province). The military is also capable of doubling, even tripling their numbers thanks to an ever-ready militia and scores of powerful animal companions.
The two corps are known as the Warriors of Poldora and the Seere Guard.
The Warriors of Poldora:
The Warriors are the first regiment to be called upon if war is declared as they are the main fighting force of the Beastlands. They are an effective and organized group, capable of moving out at a moment's notice and march for days without rest.
The Warriors are a hardened people who pride themselves in their military prowess (as they would gladly demonstrate to anyone unwise enough to ask), though aren't known for their high moral standards. During times of peace, they act as the police around the village and defend their territory from intruders (especially from the Belegites), they are known to use excessive force, though most of the time, they could not be bothered by the non-Warriors of the Clan.
Essentially, the Warriors are the noble class of Poldora. If you can't put up a fight, then you're worth less than the dirt they walk on and are better off not getting in their way.
The Seere Guard:
The Seere Guard was a regiment born out of desperate necessity. The Poldorans often raided Seere for their livestock and food stores, leaving the Clan with nothing to eat during the winter months and essentially killing them off.
Soon, a primitive defense system was implemented that consisted of a few volunteers who would take shifts to watch over the village at night. Eventually, with more and more Poldoran and Belegite converts coming to Seere, bringing their military knowledge with them, the Seere Guard evolved into what we know today.
The Seere Guard is still a volunteer-based operation who specializes in border defense and they are experts at siege and anti-siege warfare, they are charged with the protection of the Beastlands while the main army is out.
Yet even in these times, they are desperately needed. With the new threat of Ekaitz's slave drivers to the East, the Guard has to pull more and more troops from the Poldoran and Ilyamen borders to better defend themselves from the poachers, but this also leaves them open to raids from their old enemy...
Ranks:
Instead of stripes or badges, the Warriors of Poldora use colored feathers to discern their ranks and divisions, much like the colored berrets of real soldiers.
Brown feathers = Warrior
Red feathers = Officer
Black feathers = Intelligence division
Orange feathers = Archer's division
Yellow feathers = Field Medics
Teal feathers = Naval division
Purple feathers = Long-arms
Green feathers = General of Poldora
Blue feathers = Pack Leader of the Beastlands
NOTE: The red Officers' feathers can be worn in combination with the black, orange, yellow, teal and purple feathers to mark an Officer of a particular division. Officers of the regular force (brown feathers) generally only wear the red.
(pics coming soon!)
Views on Cannibalism:
This may be the most controversial aspect of Beast culture, but to understand it, you must see things from their perspective.
True, many Beasts--mostly native Beastlanders--hunt and even consume other Beasts, but this habit stems from something much more complex. The Beasts can only see themselves (and others) as complete equals to all living creatures, so everyone's fair game.
This should not, however, lead you to believe that Beasts are wild killing machines who would eat their own children. There are a certain set of unwritten rules that apply to hunting other humans, the first being that you NEVER hunt down children or mothers with young, the second, that you ONLY hunt down members of other clans. Then there are the rules of instinct, for example, lion affinities will naturally select antelope affinities as prey, a wolf affinity to deer, a hawk affinity to doves, etc, etc...
But recently, cannibalism is becoming less and less popular, as it's a practice mostly associated to Belegites (who are the only Beasts that still routinely eat human flesh).
"We are all the same and all fair game."
(Popular Beast saying)
bravenet.com