Roctane

"The Cardinal Elves greatest mistake was chaining themselves to their faith. We learned from their failure, and as such, we are better for it." - Orkina Priest

Written by: jester2b

Artwork by: Daniel Alessi

The Roctane of Stelwen have endured their harsh land for generations, creating a culture of survivalists and innovators. Stelwen has produced some of Nostrina's finest warriors and mages, whose mettle was tested continuously by their alien home.

Appearance

The Roctane are a race of elves with sharp facial features and red-brown skin, though their most fascinating features are their bones, teeth, and hair, which have various metals mixed into them. Bronze, copper, and iron meld with calcium to create more rigid bones and teeth that channel magical energies through their bodies more easily. Roctane hair has an extremely thin layer of metal coating made of either iron, copper, osmium, silver, platinum, or gold. These metals determine the color of an individual's hair; in the case of iron and copper hair, the color changes as the metal oxidizes, changing the color of their hair along with it. These combined attributes allow the Roctane to become some of Nostrina's greatest mages.

History

Origins

The Roctane are the descendants of migrants believed to have hailed from the regions near Virginwood. Much of their early history has been lost to time, with very little of it being fully written down. It is thought that the people who would eventually call Stelwen home were either explorers seeking new lands or potentially scattered people fleeing a greater force like the Arrini Empire. It is unknown if these early settlers were elves or humans when they arrived on the fertile continent or when the Roctane's unique traits first emerged.
Stelwen, in all its verdant beauty, was a dangerous and unforgiving land. The dense forests of the northern coast were treacherous and full of hidden dangers. Ferocious beasts like the Bunyip and the Monarch Drake proved to be insurmountable obstacles for the settlers. At the same time, terrifying like giant spiders and Aranmorta crept in the dark corners of the forest, waiting to strike at oblivious prey. Despite the challenges, the elven settlers persisted, and future generations reaped the rewards.

Reign of Queen Mulloran

The earliest recorded history of the Roctane was their unification under Queen Mulloran. In the early years of the Roctane, the elves were scattered across the continent with little to no unity. Only the villages in the north near the settlement of Mor Sectum had any true unity. A power vacuum was beginning to form on the continent, one that Queen Mulloran would fill.
Born in a village tucked away to the southeast of Mor Sectum, Mulloran Wingyah was seemingly born with ambitions to lead. In her early adulthood, she would become her village's leader and oversee the expansion and linking of Roctane villages. By 3513 AE, the eastern regions were under the rule of the newly titled Queen Mulloran, who was now expanding her rule towards the west. Mor Sectum and its surrounding villages were resistant to the Queen's expansion at first, leading to a short conflict that would see Mor Sectum's forces defeated by the young queen. With most of Roctane territory under her rule, Mulloran expanded Mor Sectum and built up the eastern regions, expanding roads and trade routes. Being the largest Roctane settlement at the time, Mor Sectum would become the queen's capital.
As Mor Sectum and the eastern colonies grew under Queen Mulloran, the western territories began preparations for resistance. Fearful of losing their identity and freedom, the west came together to repel the queen from the east. In 3516 AE, Queen Mulloran's forces and western territories clashed in what would come to be known as the Akpen Seige. This bloody conflict lasted for three years, stretched on by the western fighters' guerilla tactics against the Queen's better-equipped forces. By 3519 AE, the western Akpen region would eventually surrender when the queen's forces captured the town of Akpenera, the de facto capital of the western territories.
Queen Mulloran eventually died in 3603 AE, abdicating the throne to her daughter Mithyana. Mithyana's ascension to the throne marked the beginning of the Wingyah dynasty and established the rules of ascension in Stelwen. Queen Mulloran's legacy as the first queen and as the one who founded the Stelwen government as it stands today is looked upon fondly by the Roctane.

Birth of the Orkina Temple

Much like the early history of the Roctane, the beginning of the Orkina faith is lost to time. However, the prevailing theory is that the beliefs and stories, at least an early form of them, originated from the first migrants that arrived on Stelwen. This is corroborated by the early depiction of the Ancient Gods of the Roctane faith being found and archived by the Orkina Temple and societal customs like the women bearing inherent wisdom from being able to give birth to new life. These early stories were originally told orally or with symbolic artwork that is hard to decipher for those not knowledgeable about Roctane symbology.
The Roctane faith became more organized when the The Reaching Hand was discovered in the Ratr Isva Wasteland wasteland at the heart of Stelwen. Protected by the imposing Ansulluk Mountains and the harsh Ratr Isva, the massive metal spikes remained hidden from the Roctane until 3621 AE. A brave explorer named Warnda and his band battled through the treacherous Ansulluk mountains and the dusty wastes of the Ratr Isva to lay their eyes upon the Reaching Hand. News of their discovery quickly spread across Stelwen like wildfire. The Orkina faithful were particularly ecstatic as the existence of the mysterious structure was believed to be the remains of the twin gods Udamar and Tubera. Two Ancient Gods of the Roctane faith who sacrificed themselves to create existence and stave off the all-consuming nothingness of Inan.
In the frenzy caused by this discovery, Queen Mithyana created the Orkina Temple, an administrative body that managed the numerous sects of the Roctane faith. Within the Ratr Isva, the Orkina faithful constructed the town of Bal Assandi to live alongside Udamar and Tubera's remains. The Rekrabia, a holy text comprising of the stories of the Ancient Gods, was written in 3624 AE.

Dreddar Insurrection

In 831 1E, conflict began to brew in the province of Akpen. Rumors of the incredible power of Serra Dreddar were circulating among the Roctane, intrigued by these supposed "God Queen" blessed by the Ancient Gods themselves. Fearing a possible coup by what she called The Dreddar Cult, Minister Cadayan attempted to squash this group before the situation could get out of hand. Months later, her fears were realized as a mob led by Serra Dreddar stormed Mor Akpenera. In a display of their great power, the Dreddars turned every government official to dust in an instant, with Minister Cadayan seemingly banished from Nostrina entirely; the exact details of her fate are still unknown.
Stelwen's Queen at the time, Tubanda, unleashed the full might of her army upon the Akpen, attacking from the north and south. She hoped to overwhelm the Dreddar's forces with this two-pronged attack, and it seemingly did at first. However, when Serra Dreddar herself entered the fight, things took a turn for the worst for the Queen's forces. Serra Dreddar decimated entire battalions by making every one of their heads explode. With control over Akpen secured, Serra began preparing her people for the eventual attacks from the rest of Stelwen. When that retaliation came, Serra's forces easily crushed the Rocturran forces, using her power and her troop's knowledge of the rocky terrain to her advantage.
With the Queen's army in ruins, Tubanda's only option left was to accept Serra's demands for Akpen independence. The territory initially belonging to the Rocturran province of Akpen was now renamed Derraken. The new government, headed by Serra herself, would have no representation or support from the rest of Stelwen. Trade embargos were placed on Derraken in an attempt to weaken it, which led to the Dreddar queen reaching out across the sea and conducting long-distance trade with Nyojuma and Drakkard. Queen Tubanda's embargos had invertedly opened the floodgates to a new wave of foreign merchants, travelers, and diplomats to the once isolated Roctane.

Culture

Society

With their bodies being near-perfect conduits for magic, it should be no surprise that it plays a big part in their society, with many Roctane children beginning to learn how to use it early. Spread across Rocturra and Derraken are independent magical institutions that train new mages and study new and innovative uses for the arcane. Magical practices commonly banned from other institutions, like necromancy and conjuration, are openly practiced by Roctane mages, although magic using the element Entropy is still treated with extreme caution. Many of these groups also assist their nation's armies by teaching techniques that can be combined with their weapons or using magic to assist warriors during conflicts. Other groups, like the Coltura Tesva, are religious sects whose study of magic is used to honor an Ancient God.
Rocturra's government is ruled over by a monarchy that oversees all aspects of the government and signs new laws into effect. The crown's succession line starts with the oldest daughter and continues down the line of daughters, only starting with sons once there are no other female heirs. Under the monarch is a parliament made of one head representative from each state and nine minor representatives. The seven head representatives bring new laws and policies to the floor, which the minor representatives will then vote on. When there are no more heirs to the throne, the parliament will vote on which head representative will become the new ruler of Rocturra. The Ecratta Isul is the military leader of Rocturra and answers only to the monarch and can veto laws if they feel they would interfere with military operations. Similarly, the Orkina Temple handles religious matters in Rocturra.
In Derraken, the separatist nation led by the Dreddar family, Serra Dreddar and her immortal children oversee all government and religious matters. Serra Dreddar is the ruler of the separatist country, handling all political and religious affairs, while her children Calvilla, Arven, Uvekthis, and Adurus handle other matters for their mother.
After the Derraken gained its independence from Rocturra, much of the traditional Roctane culture remained unchanged. However, control of religion and government were now dictated by the God Queen and her immortal children. Serving one's country in the armed forces is mandatory in Derraken, with four years of service required for all young Roctane. Many independent magical groups were consolidated into one that served the Dreddars directly.

Language

The primary language of the Roctane is Roctanik, an old language believed to have been carried over from the original settlers of Stelwen. Roctanik has two variants, Common Roctanik and Western Roctanik. Common Roctanik is the more widely spoken of the two, while Western Roctanik is almost solely used in Derraken. Common Roctanik is softer sounding than the Western counterpart, while Western Roctanik is harsher sounding in the eyes of many foreigners.

Naming Conventions

Roctane names consist of a first name, a State name, and a Union name. An individual's State name acts similarly to a middle name, used as an identifier for which Roctane state an individual was born in. If a Roctane were born outside of Stelwen, their State name would be whatever country they were born in. The Union name is a familial name that combines the names of the individual's parents. Those who grew up without their birth parents or under a different family will take on their caretaker's Union name.
The names for places also follow similarly rigid conventions. Settlements will always use two words, with the first word designating the type of place it is. Examples of this are Vas for villages, Bal for towns, or Mor for cities. Religious sites will use Ron for shrines or Tekra for temples. The second part of a place's name is its actual name, which, when translated, is either descriptive of the location or has a name with its own unique translation. An example of the latter is Bal Assandi, whose name directly translates to "Under the Divine Remnant."

Art and Architecture

The architecture in Stelwen is quite varied among the Roctane provinces, which have each adapted their structures to suit their environment. In the state of Syrakyes, which contains many of Stelwen's oldest settlements, one can notice a more rigid style compared to other provinces. Enflukor, which encompasses Stelwen's northeastern regions, utilizes curvier architecture while also digging into the earth to create tunnel networks and underground settlements. The southeastern Province of Utek uses far fewer stone structures in favor of large wooden structures to fit its tropical climate. Off the eastern coast is the Eskratir Archipelago, a trade and agricultural hub with a similar style to its mainland counterparts. Mongrasil, a region that mostly remains unclaimed by Roctane, has most of its citizens living in mountainside settlements made with rigid stone. Rural communities in this province utilize the towering trees to their advantage, creating high-rising and interconnected homes within the branches of the trees. Piramer, bordering the separatist nation of Derraken, contains fortified cities weathered by the many conflicts with its neighboring country. Lastly, the northwestern province Ugarra incorporates the curved style of the east and combines nature's untamed might to create chaotic and somehow still orderly structures.
Derraken, which separated from the rest of Stelwen during the Dreddar Insurrection, utilizes many different building styles from other countries. One of the most prominent is the rustic Barbarossan buildings surrounding their embassies and military installations. In the northeast of Derraken, which has the largest population of Unganna outside of Nyojuma, features settlements built with the race's eerie angular stone style. Mor Akpenrra, the oldest city in Derraken, still uses the traditional Roctane techniques, while some newer parts of the city feature Barbarossan-designed buildings.
Roctane art is defined by its abstract symbolism and cryptic meanings. This can best be seen with Orkina religious artwork, which often tells stories of the Ancient Gods in great tapestries depicting their gods and their actions through symbols. This practice was utilized by the original settlers of Stelwen but has taken on a new identity of promoting higher thinking among religious Roctane. Traditional Roctane art rarely depicts elves or animals directly. Even the separatist nation of Derraken still uses this style, although they use abstract depictions of the elven form in combination with the symbolism.
Some'd argue that the Roctane have made an art form out of their use of animal parts. Everything from tents, apparel, weapons, decorations, and even culinary wares are often made of animal parts in Stelwen. Roctane armor is distinguished by its heavy use of scale and bone alongside traditional metals, with citizens wearing standard fabrics with additions using skins, fur, bones, chitin, teeth, and scales. Drakewing clothing and cloaks made with spiders' bodies remain popular among Roctane nobles and mages.

Religion

Today's Roctane faith is rooted in the oral traditions of the original settlers. In the modern day, the nations of Rocturra and Derraken practice differing forms of the original faith, with one administered by the Orkina Temple and the other ruled by Serra Dreddar.
The central focal point of the Orkina faith is the Ancient Gods, a collection of powerful beings from the dawn of the world who've shaped the world with their actions. Instead of dictating one perspective on these gods, the Orkina allows the worshiper to draw their own conclusions on the Ancient Gods. As a result, many different religious sects and cults have formed with their unique interpretations of the Ancient Gods. This practice intends to promote open-mindedness and critical thinking in their followers rather than becoming mindless zealots who blindly worship the gods unquestioningly. The Orkina Temple is an administrative body serving under the monarch, governing all Orkina sects and preventing the rise of dangerous cults and Aeunta worship.
For centuries, the Orkina Temple's form of the Roctane faith stood unchallenged as the dominant faith in Stelwen, but that changed in 831 AE when Serra Dreddar took control of the Akpen region. Serra Dreddar attained immortality and incredible power through what she and her followers claim was a blessing from the Ancient Gods themselves. They gathered a massive following and broke off from the rest of Rocturra, forming the new nation of Derraken and practicing a new form of the faith that holds Serra as a holy icon and conduit of the Ancient Gods.
Serra Dreddar is the spiritual and political leader of Derraken, with her blessed children serving their mother in various roles within Derreken. Arven is the Serra personal assassin, quietly removing any potential threats to her rule. Calvila, Serra's oldest child, is the military leader for the Drerraken, leading the charge in the war to secure their control over Akpen independence. Her second child, Uvekthis, sometimes referred to as Uvekthis the Innovator, oversees the Corruvek, Derraken's primary institution for magical advancement. Arven is the Serra personal assassin, quietly removing any potential threats to her rule. The youngest child, Adurus, hasn't been seen in many years, though many believe she was either exiled by Serra or was tasked with a secret mission for her mother.

Roctane Concept Art by Daniel Alessi

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Cardinal Elves

Scientific Name

Cultroaruis Ferrum

Lifespan

90 for men and 120 years for women

Average Height

1.7m (5'6ft)

Related Organizations

• The Tevan Tay