Feldarin
From Tearsofblood
Military dominion and power are the ancient hallmarks of the Feldarin. A race with a rich warrior heritage and skill in the art of battle that is surpassed only by the Dwarves, the Feldarin invaded the lands of the Humans five-hundred years ago, and have since been the undisputed rulers of the south.
The Feldarin have been heavily influenced by the many diverse cultures of the Humans they rule over, but still have the foundations of their culture shining through even today. The great warrior king who freed them from the cursed Floating Isle and forged their glorious Empire sparked the great line of Emperors who have ruled over the last five centuries, to whom all Feldarin owe their loyalty. Yet the Empire’s upper classes, which are dominated by the Feldarin, are a complex net of plot, intrigue and secret ambition, all masked by the race’s ancient love for battle and culture. In that can be found the nature of the Feldarin.
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Personality
The Feldarin are sometimes seen by others to be arrogant, aloof and vain, though this attitude has lessened significantly over the past five-hundred years. The Feldarin are naturally ambitious and self-serving, but also display virtues of loyalty, honour and honesty. They are fine allies, and entirely trustworthy outside of the extreme upper class. For all their flaws, however, the Feldarin are fine leaders, and are able to either inspire or force trust and competence from other races.
Physical Description
An adult Feldarin usually stands between just under five to six feet tall, and weighs between one-hundred and one-hundred and eighty pounds. Females are often slightly smaller and lighter, but not usually by an immediately obvious amount.
Most Feldarin have light-coloured skin – even in the hottest desert kingdoms Feldarin have only pale brown skin. However, hair colours are often wide and varied among the Feldarin, as are eye colours, though the latter still tends to be along the pale side.
Relations
The Feldarin employ the services of a great number of other races. They rule over the Humans, who are almost always found in the working class of the Empire; they frequently hire the Dwarves to serve in their garrisons or during wars; and the Halflings serve a number of functions along the vast coasts of the Empire.
Those races that are not in any way part of the Empire tend to either have little or no relations with the Feldarin, or are viewed as enemies. The Humans outside of the Empire share a severe enmity with the Feldarin, and the Elven folk receive little but disrespect from their Feldarin cousins.
Alignment
The Feldarin gravitate towards the path of Law. Feldarin society is dependent on loyalty to the Emperor, and even traitors and rebels tend to abide by certain unwritten rules. The concept of Good and Evil is not common in Feldarin society, however.
Lands
The many kingdoms of the Feldarin spread out across the south in every direction from the Inland Sea, right up to the mountains in the north and across half way along the lands of the Humans. Dominating this vast region, of course, is the Feldarin Empire – an enormous collective of kingdoms, duchies, and vassal states.
The centre of the Empire, in the ancient homeland of the Caltans, lies the great Capitol – the thriving, beating heart of civilisation. It is from here that the Feldarin Emperor traditionally rules, along with the guiding Senate and the many warring noble families. It is both a glittering jewel of the Empire, and an evil pit of turmoil and plot.
The second city of note is the Canal City, which as stood between the Inland Sea and the South Ocean since before the invasion. Stretching from coast to coast along one great canal and sprawling outwards, it is the centre of trade and commerce in the Empire and without. It would be rare for an adventurer to never find himself sharing the streets and waterways with the many and varied traders, scum, heroes, desperados and other interesting folk within his career.
Culture
The Feldarin way of life is centred on various pillars of loyalty and devotion. The most obvious of these is to the Emperor and the lands, but in actuality the Feldarin revere many other things as well. Their old and noble military culture has generated a reverence for the Feldarin ancestors, and a focus on swordsmanship and chivalry, whether there’s a chance of war or not.
Although Feldarin culture is still very much alive, the cultures of the Humans has assimilated with it such that the two are not entirely recognisable as separate. Human beliefs, values, dress, speech and ideas have all been mixed with that of the Feldarin, producing a wide range of cultural variations across the Empire. It is easily possible to discern where a Feldarin comes from by observing these various details.
Religion
The Feldarin are the only race other than the Orcs to have an exceptionally powerful religious institution. Worship of the five gods is all conducted by the one Feldarin Church, which has a powerful political and social presence.
Feldarin churches and cathedrals can be found in every town and city in and out of the Empire, and even the most insignificant village or hamlet has one or five small shrines. Churches tend to be mixed affairs, entirely undivided in their devotion to the faith. Clerics of all five gods mix openly. Worshippers can usually find at least one shrine to each god in a church, and larger churches usually have generic shrines too. The grandest cathedrals might even have shrines to individual functions of each god.
Although the Feldarin faith is fairly distinct, certain Human rituals and customs have filtered through into the accepted way of belief. The degree to which this has happened varies, and lessens as you get closer to the Capitol, but the degree of integration is not necessarily uniform. Indeed, one could travel for fifty miles and find a similar but distinct religious method from where one started.
Plague Casualties
The Feldarin have always had efficient transportation and irrigation, so when the Weeping came to the Empire, it spread devastatingly quickly. Some would flee the diseased cities, unknowingly carrying the Plague, and infect another large town again before nightfall. The very roads that had brought life and prosperity to the Empire had become its enemy.
In all, those within the Empire, Feldarin included, suffered enormous causalities. The graveyards overflowed with the fallen. Villages became abandoned with the bodies lying in the streets and no one left alive to bury them. Even the most isolated township was suffocated by the stench of death.
Language
The Feldarin language comes from many sources, as the Floating Isle on which the Feldarin once lived travelled throughout the world.
The modern Feldarin language is a fair mixture of strong consonants interspersed with flat, brief vowel sounds. Certain rules may vary throughout the Empire, and many foreign words have been borrowed in many regions, but the language has remained relatively uniform despite all its influences.
Names
Feldarin have one or two names, depending on their status, family history, or personal preference. All Feldarin have a given name, which is usually chosen by the local priests. Feldarin children are named after famous warriors, mythical characters, times of year, or family members. These names are often altered in various ways to keep them distinct, however, or to cater for gender.
Feldarin may or may not have a surname. Surnames are something of a fashion to the Feldarin, and are not usually taken as an actual name except by the famous or lordly. Surnames may be based on profession, heritage, homeland, or personal features. As with given names, they may be altered variously, but then again, they may not. Surnames may also be inherited, but some youths abandon their inherited surname and might create their own. This is considered to be acceptable. Feldarin couples usually do not share surnames, though widows and widowers may take their partners surname in honour of the dead.
Male Names: Abius, Abrahon, Azel, Bartoleus, Dragolin, Gabirus, Haziel, Jethuiah, Malachi, Pasiel, Prochorus, Terah, Typhenel, Winteriel, Zebulon, Zillah.
Female Names: Abigail, Abilene, Autelene, Chimelle, Elisheba, Ezikia, Fairel, Festiva, Hosea, Ithair, Jemima, Jeziael, Lalia, Malegide, Raechekka, Zeserra.
Surnames: Azelßonin (Azel’s son, ~sona for daughter), Einauge (one eye), Holerbart (tall beard), Jager (hunter), Mitfahrer (rider), Nachtkampfer (night fighter), Schmied (blacksmith), Schwarzerhaar (black hair), Von Caltan (of Caltan), Von Kvrinzemya (of Kvrinzemya)
Adventurers
Typical Feldarin loyalties to their warrior ancestors, to the gods, to the Emperor, or to the law all encourage Feldarin to see the world and do mighty deeds. Members of the working class are sometimes forced into adventuring by pure necessity, while many members of the upper class merely seek to free themselves of political backstabbing. Some even seek an adventurer’s life in order to prepare themselves for a long life of dodging the many pitfalls of high society, or use it to gain political power. Even lowborn Feldarin have achieved considerable influence by seeking fame with a sword.
Racial Traits
- Medium: As Medium creatures, Feldarin have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Feldarin Base Land Speed is 30 feet.
- Low Light Vision: A Feldarin can see twice as far as a Human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish colour and detail under these circumstances.
- +1 Racial Bonus on Listen, Search and Spot Checks.
- Weapon Proficiency: Feldarin are proficient in all simple and martial swords.
- Aura of Will: The leadership skills of the Feldarin are powerful to the point of being almost mystical. All allies within 20 feet gain a +1 Enchantment Bonus to Will Saves.
- Choice of four education options at First Level:
- Military Education: +1 racial Bonus to Knowledge (History) and Intimidate Checks. These Skills are considered Class Skills.
- Noble Education: +1 Racial Bonus to Knowledge (Nobility) and Diplomacy Checks. These Skills are considered Class Skills.
- Religious Education: + 1 Racial Bonus to Knowledge (Religion) and Gather Information Checks. These Skills are considered Class Skills.
- Middle Class: +4 additional Skill Points at First Level. These must be assigned to Profession and/or Craft Skills.
- Wealth: For the purposes of calculating starting gold, Feldarin are considered one additional level above their actual character level.
- Automatic Languages: Common.
- Bonus Languages: Dwarven, Elven, Halfling, any Human.
- Favoured Class: Paladin.
- Optional Favoured Class: DM’s with the Miniatures Manual may change the Feldarin Favoured Class to the Marshall.
