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The Penguin Resettlement Colony of Promethius Prime.
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Armarosi
Armarosi of the Daeronkha
Basic Information | Data |
Racial Family: | Daeronkha |
Biological Genders: | Female & Male |
Lifespan: | 400 - 500 Years |
Age of Maturity: | 21 Years |
Notable Cultures: | Iblesian, Promethian, Cevantian |
Vital Statistics | Data |
Average Height: | Male: 183cm (6ft 0in) |
Healthy Weight: | Male: 61kg (135lbs) - 68kg (150lbs) |
Healthy Build: | Slim, Sinuous |
Skin Tones: | Grey, Blue-Grey |
Eye Colours: | White, Black, Red, Blue |
Hair Colours: | Black, Grey, White, Brown |
Singular: | Armarosi |
Plural: | Armarosi |
Adjective: | Armarosite |
Characteristics | Data |
Scale: | Very Poor, Poor, Below Average, |
Strength: | Poor |
Toughness: | Below Average |
Constitution: | Above Average |
Agility: | Average |
Intellect: | Good |
Willpower: | Good |
Magic: | Very Good |
There are three principle Armarosi cultural groups; the Iblesian, Promethian, and Cevantian. These distinct cultures evolved after the fragmentation of the semi-mythological First Dominion which ruled over the entire species in ancient times. All three of the Armarosi cultures recognise the historic existence of the First Dominion and use its fragmentation as the starting point for the creation of their culture. The Iblesian Armarosi are descended from a movement of philosophers and magi who led a mass exodus out of the First Dominion prior to its collapse; prompted by growing violence and corruption this semi-religious group chose to leave and create a new society based upon the principles of rational thought and the philosophies of the Scholar Thaemozhir Ibleseaod. The Promethian Armarosi are descended from the peasant and working castes of the old First Dominion who, unable to flee its destruction, set about rebuilding their society and civilisation in the ashes of the old - among the Armarosi the Promethians are generally looked down upon. The Cevantian Armarosi are descended from the remnants of the First Dominion's priestly and aristocratic castes which fled from the First Dominion as it collapsed into chaos and anarchy, they have since espoused an ideology deeply rooted in conservative pragmatism, and have abandoned their religious tendencies.
Most of the other races think the Armarosi ill-formed and ugly and this is not surprising given their very alien appearance. They look like humans or elves which have been corrupted or twisted by some force and degenerated into a new form. Naturally the Armarosi fiercely deny that this is the case, and their lack of mutual genetic compatibility with either race seems to support their denials. Regardless it is true that by most standards the Armarosi are unpleasant to look at, with their grey skin which looks dry and has a texture almost like compacted ash powder, and their oddly shifting eyes. What probably helps this perception even less is the fact that Armarosi religion and culture is generally quite primal and animist in nature, they look like savages in the way they move and dress, and the way they worship.
Armarosi blood is black and thickens to a tar like consistency upon contact with the air, this fact makes it a useful tool indeed as a glue and binding medium, thus it is not uncommon to see adult Armarosi covered in rough scars where they have drawn blood for use as a tool. Unusually the nature of their blood seems to be such that it was always meant to be used as a tool, for the Armarosi can withstand major bloodloss before death, and heal superficial flesh wounds swiftly. Not only that but their blood, aside from making an ideal glue, can also be heated and used as a lacquer. The numerous bizarre practical and alchemical properties of Armarosi blood make self mutilation commonplace, particularly among the working and artisan classes, indeed some even use their own blood as a form of crude hair product which only adds to their sinister appearance.
Armarosi are naturally nocturnal and have excellent vision in low light conditions. Their sense of smell and hearing are also heightened. The Armarosi sense of smell has been likened to that of wolves and other predators, and to some degree this is true, though their abilities are not quite that sharp. Their sense of taste however is a lot less acute, while this allows them to eat things which other races would turn their nose at it has also had the effect that Armarosi cuisine tends to be incredibly overpowering in terms of flavour, to the point that it can be unbearably spicy or sour to other races.
Armarosi are physically slight of built, looking like thin humans or sinuous elves; as a result of this more limited size Armarosi tend to be weaker and less durable than other races. However Armarosi have surprising stamina and are better at long term endurance, something which perhaps explains their restless energy and the tendency of Armarosi cultures to value a semi-nomadic lifestyle. Otherwise their physical abilities are not far removed from those of the Adamian or Elvari.
All Armarosi are born with the innate ability to detect the flow of magical energy around them, and approximately ten percent of the population are born with the ability to actually see magical energy and auras. This said however not all Armarosi are born with the ability to actually wield magical power. The number of Armarosi naturally able to manipulate magic is considerable, with there being proportionally more magically gifted Armarosi than humans. Given their generally smaller populations however the total number of Armarosi magic users seldom matches that of human or even elven magi.
The most common form of magic practised by the Armarosi is Natural Magic, specifically the manipulation of fire, water, and lightning. For an unknown reason Armarosi find it difficult to shape spells which manipulate the earth or metals, but as an odd result those rare Armarosi who do choose to follow this path tend to be exceptionally gifted at doing so due to the sheer amount of willpower and effort required. The average Armarosi mage tends to be more powerful than their human counterparts, perhaps on a par with elven magi, but due to their incredibly focused intellects they tend to be less versatile; most Armarosi magi focus solely on one specific type of magic rather than any sort of variety. A small percentage of Armarosi magi are born with natural gifts in divination, such individuals are highly value and regarded within Armarosi culture and society and fill the roles of clergy as well as advisors to their ruling classes. Indeed in most Armarosi cultures those born with the gift for divination belong to their own caste and are taken from their parents at birth to be raised and educated by the caste elder; to have a child with such a gift is seen as hugely auspicious and a source of honour. Least common of the Armarosi magi are those with the gift for alchemy and incantations, this is because they are confined to a specific handful of bloodlines which hold positions of high temporal authority and political power. These bloodlines form the aristocracy and royalty within Armarosi society. Only those Armarosi born gifted in divination or incantation are able to learn to wield magic in this manner - this is not a societal or cultural restriction, but rather an actual physical one, the cause of which is subject to many stories and legends.
Magical afflictions and diseases, specifically vampirism and the various forms of lycanthropy, do not affect the Armarosi. The Iblesian culture states that this is because vampirism and lycanthropy were created by the gods to punish their mortal creations, and since the Armarosi were not created by the gods they are immune. The Promethian culture believes that the fact that they were formed from the blood of a god that this means that their blood is incorruptible, a belief borne out by the fact that vampires gain no sustenance from Armarosi blood. The Cevantian culture meanwhile claims that it is the fact that the Armarosi are naturally nocturnal which makes them immune to vampirism and lycanthropy. Regardless of the truth of the matter, which from a scientific point of view is unknown, the fact remains that they are and have always been immune. This immunity does not extend to other magical afflictions such as curses or hexes, only those which affect the blood or mutate their bodies seem to have no effect; a spell which for example inflicts a plague upon the victim would still affect them.
Being nocturnal creatures by nature Armarosi find that their magical abilities are strongest, and most easily used, at night and particularly when the moon or stars are shining brightly.
Hashamed Alcazhar created the First Dominion through the application of a philosophy of common cause, successfully uniting the hitherto nomadic Armarosi peoples under the concept of a divinely appointed order. The ancient Armarosi caste system was created and delineated under Hashamed I's reign, created a highly ordered society structured to serve the common good. The Dominion under Hashamed I's rule is widely regarded by Armarosi scholars to have been a utopia, with the First City, Enoiad, being likened to an earthly paradise. The original Alcazhid caste system defined every individual's place in society and placed a roughly equal value on the various castes, however over time as the Dominion grew in size and sophistication this system evolved into a hierarchical pyramid structure with the Dominar at the top and the working castes at the bottom. The Alcazhid Pyramid, as it became known, allowed the early Dominari of the Dominion to rapidly develop and expand the state - eventually absorbing other nations - and enslaving the surrounding non-Armarosi populace. However the strength and stability that the Alcazhid Pyramid facilitated also created the basis of the First Dominion's downfall.
The First Dominion was ruled by the Alcazhid Dynasty for approximately two thousand years, during which time there were eight Alcazhid Dominari; Hashamed I, Ziphos I, Ziphos II, Ulhaltep I, Hashamed II, Hashamed III, Mephritas I, Hashamed IV. However upon Hashamed IV's death his children were murdered in a palace coup and the Alcazhid Dynasty came to an end. For the next four hundred years no single dynasty held power for more than two generations with the Dominari of this period being known now as the 'Usurper Dynasties'. In this four hundred year period their were twelve Dominari; Orphemeaon I, Orphemeaon II, Khanut'hep I, Hashamed V, Khanut'hep II, Tharses I, Pharsaleaos I, Orphemeaon III, Ziphos III, Ulhaltep II, Orphemeaon IV, Alhalzir I. None of the twelve were as powerful as the Dominari of the Alcazhid Dynasty had been, and the political instability caused by the lack of legitimacy meant that the majority of the twelve were either assassinated or deposed. During this period the nobility became increasingly decadent and corrupt and the regime became far more oppressive as a result. Ultimately a combination of natural disasters, civil war, social unrest, and financial collapse led to the downfall of the First Dominion in a cataclysmic century long tumult known to all Armarosi as the 'Century of Lamentation'.
Prior to the collapse of the First Dominion, during the reign of Orphemeaon III, a powerful cleric and philosopher known as Thaemozhir Ibleseaod wrote the 'Transformation of the Alcazhid Dogma', later known simply as the 'Circle of Thaemozhir'. This text outlined a radical new interpretation of morality which espoused the creation of a new society devoid of the corrupted Alcazhid Pyramid. The text was widely distributed among the scholarly castes and as the authority of Dominar Orphemeaon III decline was even read aloud to huge public audiences. According to Iblesian histories the Dominar had Thaemozhir Ibleseaod arrested and executed for espousing treasonous and blasphemous idea and it was the scholar's death which pushed fellow scholar (and powerful magi) Ximitos Elezhar to gather Thaemozhir's followers, and one fifth of the Armarosi population, and leave of a great exodus. This exodus massively destabilised and weakened the First Dominion and led to the overthrow of Orphemeaon III, but even with the Dominar's overthrow the newly named Iblesians refused to return.
Within the First City's ruins a sizeable Armarosi population had survived. Just as their Iblesian cousins had before them these so called Promethians freed their slaves, allowing them to settle or leave as they wished, and then they set about rebuilding. Most of the Promethians belonged to the working castes, and were led by those scholars and merchants who had either been unable to flee or who had refused to do so. The Promethian reconstruction of the First City was a slow process, taking almost one thousand years, and even upon its completion the city was a shadow of its former glory, but during that time they had developed their own unique culture and form of government, led by a council of skilled artisans, scholars, merchants, and elected burghers. For a time the Promethians warred with the Cevantians who tried to return and reconquer the heartlands of the fallen First Dominion; the Promethians were more numerous allowing them to push back the invaders repeatedly until finally, two thousand years after the fall of the First Dominion its memory was laid to rest. None of the three Armarosi cultures had any members who could remember even the dying days of the Dominion, much less the glory of the Alcazhid Dynasty, they had spread and settled elsewhere and developed cities and nations of their own and Enoiad was not so rich a target as to evoke any particular desire to conquer it. The Armarosi settled, and rebuilt new nations, smaller yes, but more numerous and more stable than the great Dominion had been.
Of course now, in these days of rising power and glory, there are those among the Armarosi who believe that a Second Dominion may be built, to unite the Armarosi people and rebuild the glory and honour of their civilisation. Rising tides of expansionist and imperialist sentiment have made the Armarosi nations eye one another with as much suspicion as the nations of men or elves do, and some among the other races fear the return of Armarosi power, for the racial scarring of centuries of slavery at their hands is not easily forgotten.
Iblesian Culture
The Iblesian Culture are named after their semi-mythological founder figure, Thaemozhir Ibleseaod.
