The Elysian League of Mans
In the name of His Royal Majesty, High King of Elysium
Patriarch of the Regii, Archlord of the Magllaeci, Protector of the Vestons, Grand Jarl
Heir of the Crowned Horn
Overview
Welcome and thread carefully for you find yourself at in the wild and untamed isle of Elysium, home of four peoples united as one against their monstrous and schizo cohabitants of the lands. It is a land of adventure, fraught with danger around every corner which the crown’s council are doing their utmost to stamp out with the aid of its guilds. Recently recognized on the world stage as an official nation, can the league and its people secure its place in the sun and stand the test of time?
Elysium
A land of lowlands and hills, of forests and wetlands in the large swaths of land that the League has yet to truly bring into its fold. In ancient times, it is said to have been used as an asylum for the Holo Empire to send its most wicked criminals, from practitioners of dark arts to those who showed signs of schizohood, though the remains of /hlgg/ would deny such claims. Whatever the case, it had long since been thought to be a land more trouble than it’s worth to settle and has thus largely been ignored, but those few tribes who managed to retain their sanity among they who first populated the isle have now risen up through the ages as a burgeoning nation in its own right. Still a wild and untamed land, it is a land of great opportunity and equally great danger.
The Regions of Elysium
The Four Peoples - The Elysians
The League was founded by the unification of four separate tribes. These days they largely live together with little difference between them, there does exist some physical and cultural differences between them however. In cases of intermingling between the peoples, children nearly always take on the trait of their mother.
Magllaeci – The First Tribe, masters of alchemy
A people of varying heights, many being easily mistakable for being adolescent while select few grow to become quite spindly, an apt description thanks to the six arachnid limbs growing from their back. The Magllaeci commonly sport sand blond hair, golden eyes, and thin builds but exceptions are known to exist, particularly if second parent belongs to another people. They are commonly seen as the loudest and most proud of the four peoples, often working themselves up into a fervor before any difficult task. In their efforts to emulate the ancestral hero, they value and strive towards great wit and enjoy partaking in ‘banter’ though are quick to use whatever excuse they can think of to get out of a tough spot. They are arguably the most religiously devout, on average.
- The Alchemist Guild
A guild founded by, and primarily made up by Magllaeci. It is claimed that it predates the founding of the league, a claim that is oft challenged thanks to how often its halls are in need of repair thanks to some reckless experiment or another. It stands as the head of potion production, medical aid and as the academy for all state sanctioned alchemists of the nation. It is also the leading institute for research into the application of chuubanite, but that status has started to be challenged by 'universities' that have started to open up with the aid of Vestige investments, taking inspiration from educational institutions in the outside world. Those who join the guild tend to get a purple tattoo to signify their membership, often on their face, to signify their connection to their ancestor god.
Vestons – The Pale Folk, both aristocrat and farmer
Tall and lithe, the Vestons can further be split into two groups of noblemen and thralls. The thralls that make up the majority of the Veston population are renowned farmhands, with a somewhat more burly build than their aristocratic brethren and light blonde- and brown hair compared to the greys and silver of the noblemen. While no particular pattern has been observed regarding thrall eye color, nearly all noblemen sport either red or purple eyes. No matter their status of birth however, there's a cultural distaste for dishonesty among these people.
- The Vestiges
The pale nobility hailing from the south are disproportionately represented among the landowning aristocrats throughout the League. Powerful scholars one and all, they seem to have somewhat of a reliance on the consumption of chuubanite. These families will often send one of their kin to serve as adventurers, as a matter of prestige along some other things...
Axols – The Beast Folk, strong headed warriors
The most culturally independent of the four, these canine folk hailing from the north are a headstrong bunch. They are a people of extremes, from extreme simplicity of thought, to physical extremes. From tall and muscular men to shorter and well-proportioned women, they are arguably the most physically powerful of the four peoples on average. That include the womenfolk, who hide dense musculature under their softer exterior that allows them to wield weapons and armor one might not expect from someone of their stature.
- The Northern Jarldom
The homeland of the Axols is the only one not currently under the control of the League. Some of these people have formed an enclave past the eastern side of the northern ridge, away from the League at large. They have vowed to lead as the vanguard in not merely the reclamation of their old homes but in the conquest of all of northern Elysium. They still swear fealty to the crown, as they desperately rely on supply trains and reinforcements from the rest of the nation to hold off some of the worst that the north has to offer.
Regii – The Demon Folk of the royal crown
The most varied people of the island, if not in stature then in how ancestor hero's gift manifests. They're perhaps the most 'average' in terms of physical build among the populace of Elysium, but a great many show some trait or two that have granted them their nickname. Of note is how a substantial amount are born with small horns which is seen as a blessing from their ancestral hero. While rare, some of these people can even be born with blueish skin. Disturbingly, light doesn't seem to reflect well off of their eyes, giving them a somewhat unhinged look, which is not helped by their steady and calm voices. Despite that, they're largely very friendly and compassionate people.
- The Crowned Horns
The royal family of the League, they sport particularly large horns of various shapes and are typically quite physically imposing. The traits of this clan always breeds true, so long as their partner is also a Regius, a member of the demon folk. Intimidation is a powerful tool of theirs, some say they speak with such authority in their voice that you can't help but obey.
The Adventurer's Guild - The Right Hand of the League
Next up on the agenda I think, please wait warmly
Army (may see minor revision)
The League does not field a standing army, having neither the coin nor manpower to do so. That said, all adventurers are sworn to aid the League and its people, meaning that the League can call upon all adventurers in the nation to its service in times of crisis or war. In addition, each settlement are obligated must provide a certain percentage of their working age population as levy which are often trained by veteran adventurers either in assignments during times of peace to keep the population ready and able, and in times of conflict as the army assembles.
The only exception to this is the northern Jarldom, serving as the closest the kingdom has to a standing army as a first line of defense against the forest dwelling schizo tribes. They are thus granted special privilege in not being obligated to send anything but volunteers to the army, so as to not weaken and risk losing the only foothold the League holds beyond the ridge.
Navy
The League does not currently field any warships, and hardly any merchant ships either beyond what's needed for internal trade between settlements. Some Council members claim that this is a travesty that must be amended, while others suggest that the nation simply doesn't have the spare resources that wouldn't better be used on other thing.
Culture
Fashion
The way people clothe themselves vary little by origin and more by social status, wealth and location, with commoners oft wearing simple cotton while noblemen dress themselves in fine silk. Among those who can afford it, particularly in the cities, there is a minor tendency for people to favor clothes with colors associated with their ancestral hero. Purple and red for Magllaecians, yellow and orange for Axols, blue and white for the Regii, and lastly black and gold for Vestons. Peoples living in north do have a tendency to include more fur as part of their dress code, while southerners (except the Veston nobles) tend to wear much lighter and thin clothing.
The Rice and the Rum
Food [May need revision due to new topography and thus new climates]
Rice, rice, and yet more rice. It is the main staple of many dishes in almost all settled parts of the island, no matter if you inland or by the shores. Import is quite limited so far for the recently recognized nation so you won't find much regarding their food other than what is produced locally on the island, which itself is quite rich.
Coastal taverns are all about seafood: sushi, steamed fish over rice, sautéed fish in sauce, teriyaki fish. Sides are obviously steamed rice, barley bread, garden salads, zuchinni and summer squash melody, pumpkin soup, sweet potato, taro, maize corn on a cob, etc. Desserts are a combination of fresh fruit melodies (like melons, pineapple, peaches, oranges), pies, and tarts. There is milk and butter for cakes but cakes are saved for special occasions.
Towards inland fish dishes are replaced with chicken, duck, pork, and tofu dishes. Sometimes you'll get boar meat from hunters. Sometimes you get gator meat. Sometimes you get monster meat. Either way meat is cooked in roasts, barbecues, and soups. Noodle dishes with onion, garlic, and tofu are quite popular in the south and in the east. Peppers and tumeric are also plentiful for spices and curries. The League of Mans has a good catalog for herbs for cooking and medicine. Overall the island should be paradise with the variety of food you can grow and make. The only drawback is that there's no easy way to grow beef or lamb. Still one of the better areas to live in in terms of cuisine if nothing else.
Alcohol and Drink
Among the alcoholic drinks found on Elysium are the classic beer made from barley and hops, rum for the wealthy, and grog for the poor. Grog can be mixed with fruit juices like orange and pineapple to keep scurvy away from the few sailors the island nation fields. A more recent addition to the assortment of available drinks is wine, a drink some Veston noblemen in particular have found a taste for. While there's certainly not enough around for export, a few vineyards have popped up among the many fields owned by the pale nobility and they may yet expand production further.
They have to compete, however, with the rather expansive tea farming industry (both herbal and true) that produce the staple beverage for any who would consider themselves above working class and even then some among them enjoy splurging on the highly sought after drink.
Entertainment
Elysium is a harsh land, where leisure is a rare comfort that highly valued. From listening to story tellers spin tales of legendary heroes, to song and dance. Nation-wide festivals are few as the various people and regions have more local celebrations. Among those that do exist, there is the Founding Festival carried out on the sunniest day of the year where people gather to bathe together and pour water on each other to symbolize how their founders bathed in the blood of those who dared threaten the people of Elysium. As day turns to night, it becomes an event of consolidation, of forgiving old wrongs, coming together for a grand feast with lots and lots of drinking. Another is the feast of [PLACEHOLDER NAME], a recent addition celebrating the League's entrance to the world. That it happens to coincide with the cooking competition held in [CITY OF FIRST CONTACT] after the harvesting season is no more than an amusing coincidence I assure you.
Music
Many songs tend to originate from traveling bands of adventurers and thus tend feature drums quite prominently as one of the few 'instruments' that these travelers would have on hand might be cooking pans which are then translated to more traditional instruments if and once they've become hits at taverns in the region. Other than that, the songs tend to sound quite upbeat (regardless of the actual lyrics) and rely a lot on vocals and some whistling as they would first be sung around campfires. Songs that originate from the coastal towns and cities can therefore be told apart pretty easily through the usage of a lot more instruments as well as certain foreign elements from nearby nations. Brass and string instruments are growing particularly popular among the musicians of the capital.
Name
Not all people have family names on Elysium, though it isn't uncommon either. Most of the time, these are based on the names of semi-famous adventurers from history that the family is descendant from. Whether these names are passed down maternally or paternally depends on the gender of the adventurer in question, though that often leads to a paternal line.
An exception to this are the Axols, who simply denote that they are a child of whatever town or village they are from. For example, "Pepil, son of Thavine" would refer to the man Pepil hailing from the village of Thavine
THESE ARE PLACEHOLDER NAMES
Politics & Ongoing Developments
The nation is largely governed by a council of men appointed by the current regent of the League, oft from influential families and guild leaders but there are records of common men being appointed as well.
Political landscape
The throne is currently unoccupied, with the Queen Regent serving as Head of State until the crown prince becomes of age. There are whispers of insurrection however, with some people wishing to install the prince's uncle as king. The man is a popular adventurer, and has so far not made any official statement in this regard beyond that it is his wish to serve and safeguard the people of Elysium.
The Queen Regent is not the most sociable, much unlike her late husband who toured the land as much as he could to be with his people and, in the mind of the queen, neglect the governing duties of the royal family. It did win over the peasantry however, so it was a day of great mourning when an accident during a spear throwing competition led to the King being fatally injured. His son and heir seem to show similar traits to his father, and is growing restless from being cooped up in the Royal Hall Palace of Elysium.
Foreign relationships
The League has recently opened up to the world around it and is trying to find its feet in an unfamiliar world of international politics. The current overall stance towards other nations is cordial. The Queen Regent and her Council are acutely aware of the potential that a surge of manpower would bring in terms of civilizing the island, but the council is split on whether to focus on food imports, or attempting to encourage immigration. The Queen has not made her final decision yet, as neither growing reliant on others nor inviting peoples not sworn to the crown appeal to her.
Religion
The four peoples of Elysium believe that they are, in one way or another, descendants of their respective ancestral heroes. There is no true organized religion, the faith merely passed down by parents and story tellers of those who came before them, of their great feats and virtues which people are encouraged to emulate. With the revelation of the outside world, several grassroots collections of devout men and women have begun to gather to try and formalize the faith in hopes of maintaining the local beliefs against outside influence. Among these is a smaller sect of extremists that denounces all faiths involving any feminine deity, calling for religious discrimination if not outright holy war.
Funeral Rites (will be adjusted in the future to show more of the variance between the peoples, as well as to try and reflect more recent developments in /MANS/)
Originating in the jarldom of the northern Elysium, the practice of burial pyres has spread and been widely adopted over the entire island in the last few centuries.
Originally intended as a means of disposing of dead bodies, which in the wake of their death could be corrupted by the island's chuubanite effect into undead monsters, it has since gained a deep spiritual meaning.
Particularly prominent is the belief of the northern Axols that, over the course of his life, a man's body and soul take on impurities that would prevent their entrance into the halls of Elysian Palace, where their ancestors await. If the soul is not purified after death, these impurities would instead chain one's soul to their body, making them rise in death as nothing more than a base beast.
A pyre also serves as both a beacon and a gate through which the beastial spirit Syrion can guide the soul to it's eternal rest. It is recorded that at burials of great warriors, the spirit itself would materialize in the form of a large wolf, however scholars debate the authenticity of said claims, as a common material used for the pyres is Elderbleak wood, the burning of which can cause hallucinations if a sufficient amount is inhaled.
Superstition/Folklore
Certain numbers hold particular symbolic value to the population of the League, but are discouraged from placing too much value in it, for fear of association with /#/ schizos.
- Rejection and Madness.
- Certainty and Loneliness.
- Cooperation and Rivalry.
- Life and Death. Glorious Beginnings and Tragic Ends.
- Unity and Cooperation. A most holy number.
- Ill Omens and Uncertainty. Legends speak of a fifth, lost tribe of the island.