Race a Day: Lycan

Lycan

Mystic travelers with ties to the primal and the night.

RACIAL TRAITS

Average Height: 5’-6’3”

Average Weight: 100-250lb.

Ability Scores: +2 Wisdom, +2 Charisma

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, Sylorel, Lycan Dialect

Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Perception

Bond of Nature: You can speak to animals who do not have a normal language and who are intelligent enough to speak. This does not mean an animal is predisposed to be friendly to you, but you can communicate with it.

Gleam of the Red Eye: You gain a +2 racial bonus to Intimidate.

Natural Weapons: You have claws on your hands that allow you to deal 1d6 damage to an opponent. You may use both hands on a single opponent in a single attack without suffering any penalties.

One with the Night: You gain training in Stealth.

Mystic travelers who have a strange affinity for the night, lycan are a mysterious nomadic race. They travel from city to city, country to country, in large caravans made up of one or two families. Some see them as beautiful, magical entertainers. Other see them as harbingers and dark omens; wherever you find a lycan caravan, you are likely to find trouble.

Play a lycan if you want…

            ♦ to be a mysterious, charismatic creature of the night.

            ♦ to have strange and powerful ties to the natural world.

            ♦ to be a member of a race that favors the bard, druid, invoker, rogue, shaman, sorcerer, and warlock classes.

Physical Qualities

Lycan resemble humanoid wolves. They are covered with fur and have bushy tails like a wolf or large predatory dog. They stand roughly the same height as humans, with a slightly leaner build and somewhat smaller frame. Some lycan have knees that bend backwards and resemble an actual wolf’s leg as opposed to a normal human leg. Their heads are entirely wolfish but they have no mains or hair aside from their normal fur. Their fur colors run a wide gamut of colors from oranges and reds, to browns and tans, and even greys and blacks. Most often they are a solid color with their belly being white, or occasionally white paws. However, there are a number that have mottled colors on their faces, or occasional streaks of color through their fur. Their eyes are very human-like, but they’re usually gold, silver, blue, or purple.

            Lycan have a very particular style of dress, enjoying lavish leather clothes and dark fabrics that are not only beautiful and elegant, but also functional. Woman tend to wear black lace and satin dresses that sweep and swoop and carefully, tastefully show off their curves, but also conceal various weapons and hidden pockets and pouches. Some prefer to let their hair flow free, while others enjoy intricate lace scarves to tie their hair in. Often these are decorated with jewels and coins. The men enjoy soft cotton shirts with leather vests. The vests are always ornate and have a few interesting bits of metalwork or jewelry on them. They also enjoy a nice broad brimmed hat such as a bowler, fedora, or homburg. Both men and women enjoy jewelry and talismans. You will find ears that have multiple piercings, several necklaces made of string and chain that have various symbols, characters, and talismans carved out of bone, wood, or made of pewter or gold and silver. The men enjoy rings more while the women enjoy bracelets and bangles worn on the wrist or ankle.

            Lycan mature at a human rate, but then the aging process slows. They are vital until around 100 years of age, then they begin to slow and degrade physically. They can live to see 150 to 200 years.

Playing a Lycan

The lycan are a very nomadic tribe. They generally move in large caravans, almost like a performing troupe; large wagons that are also homes, tents, various animals, and other things. The caravans size depends on the number of families who travel together. There are usually around 3 families or roughly 14 people in a small group, and the larger groups can have 20 families and more than 100 people. Family ties and bonds are very important in lycan culture, and often families will merge. Though there may be different bloodlines in a caravan, they often consider themselves one big family traveling together.

            Lycan make their living by being skilled merchants and excellent entertainers. Their mystic ties allow them to make tinctures and tonics that are potent and valuable, and they’re excellent at finding hidden and rare herbs and roots used in alchemy and cooking. Many are also bards and performers. They have enchanting voices and their travel allows them to learn a great number of inspiring tales and songs to cheer the spirits of anyone they perform for. Still others have great magic power and use their arcane abilities to enchant, dispel evil, and raise protective wards.

            It is this mystic power that keeps the lycan traveling. Since their birth, they have been tied to the magic and natural world of Joresch. They can speak with the animals, sense danger on the wind, and read tarots or tea leaves to peek at the future. They travel and use their abilities to protect the world from dark and secret forces. This has led them to become an omen among many people. A shaman will divine where they’re next destination might be, and when they arrive, bad things may have already started to happen. When the lycan are seen, they are tied to the malady of the city. The lycan will have their performers and merchants go out and distract by plying their wares, while the warriors of the tribe go and search out the darkness and destroy it. The fear of lycans is only compounded when the darkness is lifted as they leave for their next destination. They bear their fate with a smile, happy to be doing good even if no one sees it. It is due to their diligence that many countries and cities are still standing. It is also why lycan are the only race on Joresch that know of the Obsidian Order.

            In the end, the lycan are a noble race of protectors and mystics. They are strong and bear their burden with a smile and a song, happy in the knowledge that they are with their family and helping the world. They can be mistrustful of outsiders, given the way they are treated, but they are usually willing to give anyone a chance. They are a friendly, warm and affable people who only want to live their lives and protect the world from unseen dangers.

Lycan Characteristics: Adaptable, ambitious, cautious, charming, mysterious, mystic, protective, sly, wise

Male Names: Bo, Boldo, Diorjy, Emilian, Fonso, Hanzi, Luca, Marko, Milosh, Niko, Shandor, Stefan, Tobar, Walther, Yanoro, Yoska

Female Names: Aishe, Esmerelda, Florica, Jaelle, Luminista, Mala, Nadya, Nori, Shofara, Symza, Talitha, Vadoma, Viola

Lycan Adventurers

Three sample lycan adventurers are described below.

            Boldo is a lycan bard. He has traveled on his own for a long while to broaden his ability and talent. He’s made many friends and allies throughout Joresch in his travels, and his life is simple and easy. Recently, he decided to try and find his family caravan and went in search of his own people. He was shocked to find a caravan burning and nearly destroyed. He leaped into help his brethren, saving nearly 20 members of the caravan and fighting off strange, dark, twisted creatures that resembled kasoev dragons. After getting the survivors to safety he spoke with the elder of the tribe and learned that the creatures are not natural, and they suspect it has something to do with the Obsidian Order. They’ve recently been attacking caravans, and the attacks are coming more swiftly and against larger caravans. Something must be done. Ensuring the survivors are safe in a big town and will be well on their own, Boldo sets out to call in favors and form an adventuring group to discover the secret of the creatures and why the Order has targeted his people.

            Dark things have always followed Florica, and she commands them and controls them for the aid of the caravan. She uses her warlock powers to fight evil wherever her family travels. During their last battle, her powers were magnified, the shadows, demons and magic nearly slipping from her control. After she sat down and spoke with Those from the Shadows. They spoke of fear, they whispered to her that something had changed in the world, and that a great hero had been born, but it only served to weaken the barriers that shelter the world from other planes and evils. Now there are tears opening all over the world, some natural, some being ripped open by evil mages with dark purpose. Florica, determined, told her people, and they moved out, heading for the next town to protect while Florica worked to balance and control her power.

            Niko is a rogue who enjoys the shadows of big cities. He long ago left his tribe, believing the world was his for the taking. He lives in Quin’la and makes his living as a skilled thief and pick pocket. He’s never been caught and has made a small reputation for himself as a man who can get things or get into places no others should. One day, while parusing the palace and lightening the terribly overburdened coin purses of visiting dignitaries, he happened upon the king’s chamber and managed to sneak inside. What he saw shocked him. There was a man there he’d never seen before, using dark magic to animate the king’s corpse. Niko managed to escape unseen, but is now worried about what the necromancer might be doing with the king, and how long the king has been dead. He decides he must find help and goes out to seek adventurers he trusts to share this knowledge with and find a way to learn what evil is being plotted and bring it to an end.

Race a Day: Leyous

Leyous

Lords of the Yurisai and noble warriors of Joresch.

RACIAL TRAITS

Average Height: 6’-7’8”

Average Weight: 250-500lb.

Ability Scores: +2 Strength, +2 Charisma

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, Sylorel, Leyous Dialect

Skill Bonuses: +2 Diplomacy, +2 Intimidate

Alpha Inspiration: All yurisai within 10 squares of you gain a +1 racial bonus to checks and attack rolls.

Noble Bearing: You gain training in Diplomacy.

Powerful Presence: You gain training in Intimidation.

Born leaders, the noble leyous are defenders and protectors of the yurisai. They tend to be high ranking political leaders or kings and queen. Their power, elegance and control make them a force to be reckoned with.

Play a leyous if you want…

            ♦ to be a strong, charismatic defender.

            ♦ to be an inspiration to your group.

            ♦ to be a member of a race that favors the bard, budo, cleric, fighter, paladin, warlord, and wizard classes.

Leyous resemble humanoid lions and other large predatory cats. They are covered in fur and have tails. They are tall, usually around 6’7”, but tend to be relatively the same build as humans with somewhat broader shoulders. They have four fingers on their hands, three fingers and a thumb. Their heads are that of a large predatory cat, and both male and female have long, thick mains of hair on their head. Their fur runs from dark browns and tans, to dark grey and black. They have no stripes and are always one solid color on their back, but they may have white belly, though not always. Their eyes are clear and have very human colors and features.

            Leyous develop and age as humans do.

Playing a Leyous

Taking naturally to leading, the leyous have found homes in the highest parts of society. They are royalty, they are council members, they are law makers, they are knights and constabulary. Though they are not always something powerful or political, they tend to be in places where they are helpful and can make a difference. Their strength and charisma allow them to be excellent warriors and diplomats and has put them in places of power all over the world. The leader of Orlan, Baron Artesch is a leyous as is the empress of Thiassis, Lady Saiyanna.

            Leyous can be found practically anywhere, but, unlike their nomadic cousins, they are city folk. They enjoy the big cities where there are lots of people, opportunities, and society. They have their own city, Teloris, in Sundol. It was built by a great number of people, and is a sprawling metropolis with lovely gardens and the highest population of not only leyous, but also yurisai in the whole of Joresch. Here there is no slavery, there is no oppression and all are welcome. The leyous have very strong feelings on slavery as, during the Gerrax Conquest Wars, their people were forcibly and violently enslaved as warriors alongside several other races to fight against their own kind. They have since helped free slaves in Orlan, making it a free nation. They also helped lead a great migration of yurisai slaves from Askar, where the yurisai have no rights and are considered beasts of burden.

            Leyous love families, and rarely have fewer than six or seven siblings. They live in big homes with many generations of family together and few things make them as happy as their family. While they aspire to be leaders and help and protect people, their greatest desires tend to be simple; home and hearth, health and family. They yearn to settle down with a special mate and have a big family to share their love and life with. They are one of only a few species that are affected by the souralis, which translates to soul bond. When a leyous meets their mate, both sides know it instantly, and the passion that they find in each other is binding, permanent and, from all accounts, incredible.

            In the end, the leyous are, despite their great power, a very simple, happy race. Home and hearth are the important things in their lives, and though they wield great power, they don’t see themselves as being better than anyone else. In fact they are a warm and welcoming people who enjoy  making new friends. One of the interesting and most well liked aspects of the leyous are the fact that they are such simple and honest folk. Artesch will, after the end of a long day working with his council, go down to the local pub and meet with people, occasionally buying drinks with his own coin for the whole of the bar. The Lady Saiyanna teaches many students in her home, and also is a hostess and chef at a favored restaurant. Warm, friendly, affable, and loyal to those who earn their trust, the leyous are a great friend to have in or out of battle.

Leyous Characteristics: Brave, charming, confident, diplomatic, loyal, noble, open-minded, proud, wise

Male Names: Abasi, Funsani, Garai, Haji, Hamdi, Kafele, Kek, Khufu, Madu, Ryn, Sabola, Seb, Sefu, Zahur, Ziyad, Zuberi

Female Names: Akila, Anat, Bennu, Dendara, Isis, Jendayi, Lapis, Layla, Masika, Mosi, Nabiri, Sabah, Seletise, Umaya, Zaliki

Leyous Adventurers

Three sample leyous adventurers are described below.

            Ryn is a warlord who has served his people well for many years. During his life has traveled to every country on Joresch and made friends and allies in all those places. He’s currently enjoying retirement in Q’omar, aiding in training the guards and helping the man-at-arms with the day to day chores. However, a message has come from his home of Teloris; they are being threatened by dark forces. With the blessing of the man-at-arms and the leader of Q’omar, Ryn gathers a few friends and heads back into the world to defend his people.

            Dendara is a budo living a quiet, peaceful life in Thiassis. For many years she has trained and helped to train various budo and other warriors in the ways of the Harmonies and various martial arts. Recently, something odd has started to call to her. There is a feeling, a desire to leave, to go out in the world. After discussing her dreams and feelings with her master, she is both frightened and delighted to discover that she is being called to Judgment; that calling from Jorren in which all great warriors battle for the mantle of the Flame. Packing her things, she prepares for a great journey which could lead her to become the most powerful and knowledgeable warrior in the mortal world.

            Garai is a fighter who has been freeing enslaved yurisai in Askar for years. His most recent mission was ended with a surprise attack by a band of highly trained, heavily armed warriors he had never seen before. He was surprised to find that he woke up from the battle, and finds that he is now in a dungeon with a large group of other people. Each day guards come with a priest in black robes to take away a prisoner. Those who are taken never return. Growing weaker and knowing his chance will soon be gone, he works with some of the other prisoners and makes his move to escape. Leading a big group out, he finds that he has been held prisoner in a secret dungeon beneath the Academy of the Flame in Askar. They fight their way out and to a safe point to be teleported to Graywyn. There, he tells his tale to leaders of Graywyn and he helps them start preparing for an attack to free the others.

Race a Day: Kusa

Kusa

Massive creatures of indomitable will and ancient wisdom.

RACIAL TRAITS

Average Height: 6’4” – 9’8”

Average Weight: 250-1320lb.

Ability Scores: +4 Strength, +4 Wisdom

Size: Medium or large

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: Normal

Languages: Common, Sylorel, Kusa Dialect

Strong Mind: You gain a +2 racial bonus to Will defense.

Tough Hide: You gain a +2 racial bonus to AC.

Making their homes in the arid, grassy plains of Joresch, the kusa are a proud and powerful race. They are known for their quiet, caring ways, their great knowledge, their incredible will, and their great power.

Play a kusa if you want…

            ♦ to be a powerful giant.

            ♦ to be wise, noble, and strong.

            ♦ to be a member of a race that favors the avenger, barbarian, chaos wizard, cleric, druid, and fighter classes.

Physical Qualities

Kusa resemble humanoid pachyderms such as elephants, hippos, rhinos, and warthogs. They have very thick, tough hides, but they do not have tails. They are very tall and broad with wide shoulders and powerful chests. They have a roundish, or even fat looking physique, but they are incredibly strong and swift, belying their size. Their hides tend to be brown or grey and variations slightly lighter and darker. They have no hair and their heads always resemble that of the animal they are born of. They only have three fingers on each hand consisting of two fingers and a thumb and they all have big, round, flat feet like an elephant. Their eyes are large, round, and are typically human in coloring and appearance.

            Kusa age as humans until they are an adult at 18. Then the aging process slows. They become stronger and their minds sharper as they age until around 190. Then they begin their journey to the family burial ground. A kusa can live to be 200 years old.

Playing a Kusa

Kusa are a deeply spiritual people, believing that all life is connected to the earth, and all people to each other. They see the world in great sweeping arcs of life that circle each other in a never ending cycle of life, death, and rebirth. All life is sacred to them, and while they know they are powerful, they do their best not to kill unless they have to, and then they honor those that have fallen.

            Religion is central to the kusa, and they have great ceremonies day and night to pray for the good of the tribe. They believe that since all life is bound together that the Gods can live through them and they can be tools for the Gods. They worship Teyr, Da’oca, Enesh and Selatise equally, seeing them as the pillars of the world with Teyr being the Sun, Da’oca being the earth, Selatise being life, and Enesh being death. The celebrate the Gods at dawn and at night in great, joy filled celebrations that are almost like plays. The sun brings light to the world which gives forth grains that allows for life to flourish and thrive until its natural end comes at the twilight. At night the ritual is simpler, with the Gods being thanked for their bounty and blessings and the peace of the night to rest for the next day.

            The spirits of the earth and their ancestors are also important to the kusa. To them the world is a living thing, sentient and talking to them. They are one of the yurisai clans who believe in the Harmonies; a meditative practice that allows someone to open their mind to the rhythm of the world. The Harmonies are said to be like a great song, and if one is properly trained, they can hear and understand the song and learn to follow its twists and turns, its beats and rhythms. Ancestors can speak to you through the Harmonies of the world, adding to the song you might be listening to and whispering secret knowledge on the wind.

            Kusa society is generally the same from tribe to tribe. They are hunter/gatherers living on the wide open plains of Joresch and choosing to make their own small villages rather than living in big cities. There is a council of wise elders who lead the rest of the tribe and are looked to for guidance. A shaman and a priest work in tandem to aid with religious teachings, rituals, medical and spiritual needs while the rest of the tribe lives a relatively peaceful, quiet, happy existence.

            While they dislike fighting, they can be fierce and terrible warriors if you betray them, and their memory is long, so it is unlikely that you will be forgotten. They can hold terrible grudges depending on the slight, and they will always have justice for crimes committed against home and family. They still hold a grudge against the kaedia for atrocities they perpetrated during the Gerrax Conquest Wars, over 6000 years ago. They might not kill a kaedia if they find one, but that kaedia may wish that it was dead.

            Kusa, overall, are a peaceful people. They enjoy their simple lives and their families. They have a strong oral tradition and pass down stories from generation to generation. They stand by their allies and will even fight for generations of people they deem worthy. The deepest sign of respect one can show a kusa is to revere nature and life, and share stories with them around a bonfire with family.

Kusa Characteristics: Brave, friendly, loyal, peaceful, spiritual, strong, thoughtful, unacquisitive, wise

Male Names: Aleron, Beltidus, Corvis, Daelyr, Forvil, Hammond, Izul, Kandaro, L’ten, Moa’dib, Norhan, Pumba, Q’tal Ru’til, Siv’kor, Tav

Female Names: Cora, Danae, Elyra, Fonra, Hyn, Jara, J’qar, L’tira, Nalum, Oyira, Porry, Salen, Sirah, Syr, Tali, Tera, Terren

Kusa Adventurers

Three sample kusa adventurers are described below.

            Izul is a stanch, powerful and proud barbarian. He defended his tribe with honor and protected his home and family for many years. He was well on his way to becoming an elder when he lost his wife and children in an orc attack. He was badly wounded leaving him with a terrible gash over his left eye and the loss of one of his tusks. With nothing holding him in his village anymore, Izul, now going by One-Tusk, decides that it is his duty to take the bones of his family the ancestral graveyard, which is several countries to the west. During his journey, he meets a group of adventurers that are chasing an evil chaos wizard and trying to stop him from releasing Lor back into the world. Seeing them in need, his protective instincts kick in, and he falls in with the group, determined to use his great power to protect this new family.

            Nalum is a druid, and her great power and speed is used by nearby tribes to deliver messages to one another. She loves her life and her job, being able to meet and interact with so many interesting people and being able to take place in rituals and prayers among the different peoples. She has learned much of her own people and always seeks to learn more. One day, on a trip to the southernmost village, she arrived to find a great fire. Something had attacked the village. Corpses lay strewn about, but there were no wounds on the fallen. With a prayer, she used her ability to aid the fire and burn the village to the ground. She returned to her home to relay what she had found and to tell them that she was leaving. Whatever had caused such terrible things must be hunted down and dealt with, and she was determined to be the instrument of vengeance for her brethren.

            Moa’dib was shaman for his tribe. He was happy in his life, until one day the Harmonies warned him of impending doom and coming change. He prepared his people to defend themselves, praying that they had the power to turn back the darkness he sensed, and hoping they could cope with whatever was coming. Three days passed, and then it came; a terrible dark storm of demons, exploding out of a portal and swarming over the landscape. His tribe did their best to defend themselves, but the demons were powerful. The slightest touch from one of the creatures instantly killed a man, or set them ablaze. It wasn’t long until Moa’dib was the last man standing. It was then a bolt of lightning exploded from the sky, eradicating a large chunk of the demons. Stunned and nearly blind, Moa’dib tried to see what had happened. In the middle of everything, standing unscathed despite the demons swarming him, was a human in blue robes. Confused, the human shouted and spread his arms, and the demons melted away. Moa’dib approached slowly, thanked the man for saving him and the few people still left alive. The human was confused, didn’t know rightly who he was or what was happening. Moa’dib suggested that the man might be from Q’omar, and the man agreed, saying that sounded familiar. With nowhere else to go and the safety of the village uncertain, the shaman suggested that they make a trek to Q’omar, where they might find safety and answers for both his people and the strange man in blue robes.

Race a Day: Valdis

Valdis

The grace of the forest, the power of the Gods.

RACIAL TRAITS

Average Height: 5’-6’3”

Average Weight: 100-200 lb.

Ability Scores: +1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom, +2 Charisma

Size: Medium

Speed: 6 squares

Vision: Low-light

Languages: Common, Elven, Valdis Dialect

Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Religion

Beloved Gods: You gain training in Religion.

Silence of the Leaf: You gain training in Stealth.

Trance: Rather than sleep, valdis enter a meditative state known as trance. You need to spend 4 hours in this state to gain the same benefits other races gain from taking a 6-hour extended rest. While in a trance, you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal.

One of the first races created on Joresch, the valdis are proud and ancient. They have a vast array of knowledge, majestic, sweeping, ancient cities, and know the secrets of the old Gods. They were once a very proud race, boasting that they were the first race, but they have since learned some humility, and are now a much more open and friendly people.

Play a valdis if you want…

            ♦ to be a majestic, wise, and beautiful.

            ♦ to have a powerful tie to magic and the Gods.

            ♦ to be a member of a race that favors the bard, cleric, chaos wizard, paladin, sorcerer, and wizard classes.

Physical Qualities

Valdis tend to be close to human height. They are slender with delicate features, and unblemished, smooth skin. They are far more sturdy and resilient than their appearance would suggest. They have complexions that draw from the natural world; sky blue, ocean green, verdant forest, bark grey, etc. Their eyes are bright, clear, and somewhat larger than a human’s might be, running a wide range of colors, including colored pupils or a lack of pupils. You can find lovely natural blue eyes, or eyes that are solid green with brown pupils, eyes like a panther or large cat, and many other colors. Some valdis eyes sparkle like the sun refracting through a beautiful jewel. Their hair tends to be long, silky, and shiny, regardless of color, but the shade is the same as the flesh, and generally tends to match in some way or another. For example you may find a valdis that has pale, leaf green skin, with thick, lovely hair the rich color of oak bark. Another may have sea blue skin with long, wavy sea foam green or white hair. You can even find a few that have normal, human like qualities, but generally, even those will have strange and beautiful multicolored eyes. Valdis have long pointed ears and cannot grow facial hair.

            Valdis children grow quite slowly, and are not considered adults until nearly 50 years of age. They continue to age at a very reduced rate, and almost never seem to be old. Many valdis can see 2000 years or better, remaining vital, beautiful, and young right until the very end. One unusual aspect of the valdis is that, when they die, their bodies remain for a few minutes before they are reduced to some natural component, usually water, rich earth and clay, or seeds and plant life. There are no valdis bones to be found.

Playing a Valdis

Valdis society is old and well established. They were the second race created by Teyr during the Great Creation, and they once held it as an incredible source of pride. They were among the first, they were beloved of the Gods, they had the Gods blessing, they were better than anyone else and looked down on the rest of the world; even the humans who were made before them. They tended to their forests in Eivress and there have built the great city of Ha’tai Jyar, or Beloved Home in the valdis dialect. The city is built out of the living forest, merged with it through patience and dedication. It is vast and holds the largest concentration of elves on the planet. Their city, long lives, great magic power, and deep ties to the natural world and the Gods made them arrogant, self-absorbed and nearly destroyed them. It was only when they were aided during the first God Wars by humans and dragonkind that they learned humility and that they were not the perfect beings they imagined themselves. Since then, they have become friendly, insightful, and very careful not to repeat the sins of the past.

            Valdis are a deeply religious people. They were alive and in the presence of the creator of Joresch. They watched as many of the Gods they know today were born. They fought against Lor when she rose up against the light and fought against her dark Gods when she created them. They have no need of faith, they have seen the Gods for themselves. So it is only natural for them to have a close relationship with those they have fought and died for and for those who returned the favor, even as Gods. Though they know he has passed, they still offer prayers to Teyr and to his daughter Elysia, as they are one of the few races who know her truth. They revere Selatise as their favorite, for she took on the role of Mother Nature, and is now the guardian of the forests and natural world and they are very deeply tied to the natural world as well.

            The valdis see themselves as guides, guardians and teachers. They know they are not perfect, but they have accumulated a great deal of knowledge and are long lived enough to see the world as a whole and not as this land versus that land. They do their best to help people and send aid, dignitaries, and religious leaders all over the world, but only by request. They have, after a time, come to understand that it is not their job to force their ways on other people and instead choose to help when needed and called on. Generally they aid in the wake of some kind of tragedy; floods, droughts, famine, aftermath of wars, etc. Occasionally, if they see it as a great need, they will join in a war, but never lightly and never without great investigation and thought. If they do take a side in a war, you can be quite assured that the side they fight against are in the wrong and likely evil in some way.

            Overall, the valdis are a quiet, thoughtful people. They enjoy their peace as often as they can find it. Their true passions are nature, books, the Gods and music, and often, they are somehow promoting all their passions at once. They do not lightly make friends, but they generally give everyone a chance to prove themselves and are not hostile. Should you be lucky enough to be considered an ally, you are in excellent, warm, and very powerful company.

Valdis Characteristics: Alert, friendly, happy, intuitive, joyous, mystic, peaceful, perceptive, religious, wise

Male Names: Aelyon, Corundus, Doran, Eidar, Elrond, Hin, Kyden, Jerous, Landrar, Liorus, Minnis, Numfar, Orkarryn, Oxil, Suvyl, Tarlis

Female Names: Antonella, Avyna, Beya, Denliss, Eqala, Inserra, Jinra, Jorala, Lyssa, Morena, Nella, Ori, Seris, Sovi, Tulira, Westenra

Valdis Adventurers

Three sample valdis adventurers are described below.

            Ori is a summoner and devout follower of Selatise. She patrols the forests around her forest home with her panther, Isis, to ensure the safety of her village. One night she is taken by surprise by an army of goblins; hundreds flooding the woods surrounding her home with torches and weapons. She and her ranger allies do their best, but eventually they are overrun and Ori is badly injured and knocked out during the fight. She wakes in a cave, Isis nervously pacing next to her. Isis pounces on her, overjoyed that her friend is alive. It turns out that Isis rescued Ori when she was knocked out in the fight. Her home is gone. She is sad, but rage isn’t in her nature and she is confused as to the attack. She’s never known goblins to be so organized, well-armed, or vicious. She heads out to investigate, and perhaps, find some small measure of vengeance.

            Kyden is a light-hearted rogue.  He was born in the forests, but made his way to the cities where he found opportunity and fun. He has made his living through chance, lucky, skill, and  charm and he lives well. However, his luck has recently turned sour, and he finds that he has been captured by a rather nasty group of bandits who want him for the several substantial rewards offered for him in several countries. He’s thrown in with another prisoner, a lost prince who wishes to remain anonymous and especially wants to stay away from his home. The two work together to escape and quickly become friends. They head out, Kyden guiding the young man, looking for adventure, treasure, and a good time.

            Tarlis is a man on a mission. He was born and raised in slave pits. He bares the scares of whips and tyranny. He was stubborn and fought against his masters at every turn, so they put him in a coliseum to fight for sport. There he grew strong and learned to fight, taking on more scars. However, he refused to follow any sort of guide in the arena, fighting to fight and not killing or following orders from his owners. They poisoned him and sent him to die. On his knees, bleeding, poison coursing through him, Tarlis begged the Gods for help. He wanted to stop the monsters who had enslaved his family, stop slavery in general, and fight against evil men like those that were trying to murder him. A bolt of lightning erupted from the sky, incinerating his foes. Another blew open the slave pens. Tarlis felt the poison leaving him, saw his wounds closed and stood. He had been granted a reprieve by Jorren, the God of Honor and Battle. Talis took up the mantle of Avenger for Jorren. With his newfound power, he freed the slaves and destroyed those who had made his life hell for so long. He gathered weapons and supplies and headed out into the world to be Jorren’s hand of justice on Joresch and never looked back.