[center][h1][color=9e0b0f]Scorched Lands[/color][/h1][/center] [b]Important City:[/b] Felldor Felldor is the only place that resembles a human city sitting on the only stable piece of land within the center of the Scorched Lands. The main reason is because it’s floating. The five small land masses are held up by ancient crystalloids, their origins unknown or power understood, located each center and creating Felldor. The city is ran by the Head Chieftain, an elective position by the previous Head Chieftain and the other five clan leaders, and a position that holds high responsibly in the fashion a king does for his/her people. The population of Esyire consists of those that have chosen willingly to live there, their backgrounds and origins are many but they all serve the Head Chieftain while living in Felldor. [b]Landscape:[/b] The Scorched Lands’ toxic radiation has forced its inhabitants to evolve into anthro-dragons with hard scales and wings. Due to the poisonous radiation seeping from the underground vents endlessly, few creatures could survive traveling through its rugged terrain and often result in sickness that ends in death. This is caused by both magma and heated steam tunnels that stem from the only volcano, Mt. Genesis, which is still active today. The tunnels are deep under the ground and reach out through the whole country, creating random and small quakes that shift the ground around and keeping the constant temperatures throughout the year. Because of its minor seismic activities, the landscape is never the same and always changing leaving it a mix of dried magma and highlands with little shrubbery. The elevations ranging as high as the Mountain range to lower than ground level, sometimes endless pitfalls. [b]Culture:[/b] There is only one official city, Felldor, within the Scorched Lands. It’s a place where the Head Chieftain and his main clan exists, stationary unlike the nomadic town/clans that are scattered throughout. Unlike Felldor where a large population of Esyires live together, the other five clans consist of a large collection of smaller, nomadic villages, which move with the shifting landscape. Each clan has a single leader who is a master in his or her blood, making the rules and laws for the clan to follow. This why most the clan laws differ from each, however grievous crimes, serious disputes, or other important matters are taken to the Head Chieftain. Most Esyires lives are more tied to their intermediate families, namely parents and siblings for most of their childhood. Most Esyire don’t discover their mageblood until after childhood, namely in their late childhood to later in their adult lives. Some, rarely, are ever activated. Once discovered, the Esyire is either sent away to the Twilight College or taught within their families, often depending on the parent’s role within the Clans, the later might stress the responsibilities and pride in their duty. This often places stress upon both teacher and student causing a serious lacking in proper training, something far more dangerous out in the Scorched Lands. Every spring equinox a small group, ranging from 3-20, of Esyire students arrive from the Scorched Lands to Twilight College. *Their return however depends on their accepted level of training, some only learned the basics in order to continue their development back in their homeland while others become full fledge masters before they return. In the Scorched Lands, limited resources are almost always an issue. As such, their society has evolved to emphasize the efficient use of what they do have. Villages, as well as Felldor itself, are arranged and built efficiently. Without wood for construction, Felldor is constructed almost entirely of volcanic rock, while the shelters in nomadic villages are often made from primarily animal hides and bones. If a village is expected to last more than a certain length of time, they may build one stone structure at its center. Food and water are usually rationed, and clothing is very minimalistic, functional in design, and made from animal-based materials. The Scorched Lands contain dangerous creatures in addition to environmental hazards, so everyone, no matter their role in society, is trained to some extent in the use of their weapon of choice and mageblood. Each of the six major clans of the Scorched Lands possess both a preferred role within Esyire society. The members of each clan are not strictly required to follow their traditional role, but it is common. As well, each clan also has a mageblood type that is most common among its people, though individuals of all magebloods exist within all clans. [u]Jev[/u] [i]role[/i]-Law Keepers [i]Widely used Mageblood[/i]- Obiligatio Living in Felldor and being most dominate in Obiligatio, the Jev Clan has always been the law keepers among the Scorched Lands when it came to disputes. It is their role to ensure fairness, retain the clans from waging an all out war on each other, and that each clan is playing according to their assigned duty for the survival of their race. Unlike the other clans territory, any and all are free to come and go in order to settle disputes they can not themselves. Most members of the Jev Clan are masters of Demonomancy and Necromancy meaning only the foolish would dare cause trouble within Felldor or risk feeling the wrath of the Jev Clan. Their main purpose is uphold these Law upon to all Esyire. The ones listed below are summarize while the actual laws are far more detailed and provide much coverage over grey areas: [list] [*] Traders are required to provide a fair price for their goods, even while they profit from them. [*] Daily ruling of the Clans are left to their own leaders, including minor skirmishes and physical conflicts of a dueling nature. However attacks resulting in blood shed and massive life lost is prohibited, and will demand the Jev Clan's attention. [*] Those who dishonor their clans with ill and brutal crimes will answer for them within the ruling of their individual clan. If a criminal attempts to escape their fate, they will be hunted down by the Law keepers and returned to their original clans. [*] All Clans are required to cooperate with the Jev Clan, no exceptions. However any believed unfairness from an individual of any clan should be taken to Felldor and with provided evidence (multiple witnesses, solid evidence like damaged property, etc) will cause the clan to investigate the accused. Even one of their own.[/list] [u]Dyre[/u] [i]Role[/i]-Warriors [i]Widely used Mageblood[/i]-Clima Throughout its history, Clan Dyre have been steadfast warriors of the Esyire people. With aeromancy and electromancy, they specialize in aerial combat and offensive strikes. Although pragmatic in warfare, they tend to prize honorable conduct and are prideful in their role as warriors, a trait they share with Clan Xhoth. As such, the tension between the two clans has made them rivals, which has resulted in skirmishes between the clans throughout their history. In their earliest histories, the fighting was brutal and devastating, but as time passed, their fighting became more contained. At present, skirmishes are small, and not threatening to either clan as a whole. Like the Xhoth, they have a strong sense of duty to the Esyire. [u]Xhoth[/u] [i]Role[/i]-Warriors [i]Widely used Mageblood[/i]- Aqua/Ancient Magics Unlike the other clans, Xhoth's people have an increased rate of both Aqua mageblood, and ancient magic users. In the dry Scorched Lands, Aqua mageblood has less utility than others, but in war, they have learned to specialize in manipulating the blood of their foes. Additionally, the Chanters, Weavers, and Runecrafters among them have served to make their forces more adept in defensive fighting. Since none suffer from the effects of blood sickness, they can endure long battles more easily. The clan prides itself as the protectors of the Esyire, which has created tensions with their neighbors, Clan Dyre. Their fighting is too minor to significantly weaken the clan, but since they dedicate many of their resources to maintaining a strong military, they, like Clan Dyre, have a standard of living lower than the other clans. [u]Thar[/u] [i]Role[/i]-Traders/Merchants [i]Widely used Mageblood[/i]- Lues The members of Clan Thar are the Esyire that those outside of the Scorched Lands are most likely to encounter. Not only do they facilitate trade between clans, but they are responsible for most of the wealth which enters into the region.Not all of their merchants make use of magic, but those who are trained in psychomancy can and often do use it to gain advantage in business negotiations. Their psychomancy may also produce mistrust for them, which is why many often hide their abilities, or pose as noxomancers. [u]Shi[/u] [i]Role[/i]-Craftsmen/Farmers [i]Widely used Mageblood[/i]- Natura Members of Clan Shi serve some of the most important roles in Esyire society. From blacksmiths, to alchemists, to architects, the best refined goods created in the Scorched Lands come from Clan Shi. While other clans do often have their own craftsmen, they will often hire Shi craftsmen instead due to their higher quality. They were the clan who built and currently maintain Felldor and its fortifications. Using geomancy, some of them are capable of building strong stone structures from volcanic rock with impressive speed: a particularly useful ability in the ever shifting Scorched Lands. Their use of Herbamancy, as well as strong knowledge of the land and its patterns, also allow them to be the most successful farmers in the region. They provide most of the food produced in the region, and while plant materials are still rare and expensive, they would be almost nonexistent without the clan's efforts. Since arable land in the region shifts drastically in position throughout the year, often across clan boundaries, their farmers are generally allowed free movement through any clan's territory in exchange for preferrable prices on their food. [u]Yera[/u] [i]Role[/i]- Scholars and Healers [i]Widely used Mageblood[/i]- Lux Though the smallest clan in number, Yera has a large impact on the Esyire overall. They have few holdings outside Felldor itself, but as the city is the focal point of knowledge in the region, most of the clan's members would not wish to live elsewhere. Most focus their time and efforts on scholarly works, magical or non magical. Those who study magic dedicate most of their lives to the pursuit, making some older individuals within the clan some of the most knowledgeable and powerful users of magic within the Scorched Lands. Like the farmers of Clan Shi, the vitamancer healers of Yera are often freely welcomed within other clans' territory, so they are not uncommon to find outside Felldor. [center][h2]Fauna and Flora[/h2][/center] [center][u]Natkha[/u][/center] As large as an orca whale, this lizard like animal has flippers where the four legs should be and a long fish like tail. It lives in pods of 7-10 at a time and within the free flowing molten lava, its skin best for heat resistance due to the anti-flammable oils that sweat through the surface and protects against its harsh environment. [center][u]Hasarr[/u][/center] These creatures being small, bald and featherless, look more like something from a time before Tiien. Their eyes filled most their heads giving them excellence eyesight to hunt by while thin skin stretches similar to bat wings down their compacted bodies, having only holes for ears like most birds. Their size is about that of a falcon and are solitary creatures, pairing off only once in their life time. Females tend to be a more brownish hue to match the surroundings while the males are bright white and have three yellow bands over their beaks to attract their mates. No band pattern is ever the same on each male. [center][u]Bruvix[/u][/center] Often called Heat Gliders, these animals are much like the sugar gliders (flying squirrels) found in other areas of Tiien save for some key differences. Their fur is more like hair which is very close cut and thin to the body. About the size of a shrew or mouse, it lives off the specialized fungus (Jhuul) growing throughout the Scorched Lands. [center][u]Jhuul[/u][/center] A hardy and versatile fungus, Jhuul has many different forms. Some have adapted to thrive off of the high-temperature springs scattered throughout the land, and are often multicolored and moss-like in form and texture. Other types can survive near, or even in lava flows, while the last type can survive in the open by living off of nutrients in the rich volcanic soil. [sub]Special thanks goes to EliteCommander for helping to revamp and add to the depth of the Esyire's culture and Blood's world.[/sub]