Keltori Humans
It is said that in the ancient days, the Great Gryphons declared themselves the protectors of the Keltori tribe of humans. They thaught those they deemed worthy how to wield magic and work with the Spirits of Nature. The Gryphons bonded with their Keltori friends and named them the "Sky People"-- the only known race to be allowed to ride the Gryphons. Around this time, Lurkins tried to invade the Keltori territories. The battles were fierce, until realized the Keltori could wield powerful magic and were aided by the Gryphons. Realizing their people would be anhilated by such powerful foes, the Lurkins instead signed a peace treaty to work with the Keltori people. As part of the treaty, the Keltori granted the Lukrins the territory that became known as the Lail Lands.
Five hundred years ago, the Keltori were conquered by the Shilean Empire. Their entire race was enslaved. The non-magical ones were forced into servitude. The magical ones were imprisoned and either forced to perform dangerous magics for their masters, or drained of their power to feed the Shilean mages' magic. In 520 A.C.E., the Keltori people won the Risen War and gained their freedom from the Shilean. However, those centuries spent in slavery have influenced every aspect of Keltori culture.
Heritage Attributes:
| Choose two | Start at d6 | at creation. |
|---|---|---|
| Psyche | Willpower | Chrisma |
| Agility | Presence |
Heritage Skills:
| Choose three | starts at d6 | at creation. |
|---|---|---|
| Mysticism | Flirt | Tinker |
| Lore | Investigate | Travel |
Heritage Talents:
- Arcane Attunement: Effect: Arcane magic starts at d8 at character creation. If the character temporarily looses their attunement, Hinder to d4 and receive a Plot Point from the GM. The Hinder effect is the character has temporarily lost the attunement.
- Book worm: Effect: Lore tests are easier for the character. The player can pay a Plot Point to have the GM roll the test again, and the player takes the lower difficulty roll. Players can Hinder to d4 if the character has forgotten aspects of the lore or simply never knew it.
- Innovative: Effect: When the character does something with no known precedent, the player can spend a Plot Point to create an appropriate d8 asset.
- Channeling Magic: Effect: While channeling magic, the player can spend a Plot Point to create an appropriate d8 asset.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Marlynn, Kimbra, Mairene, Merril, Annabel, Claudia
Masculine names
Ajifus, Jafus, Cieane, Cliron, Chiron, Arnoc, Armco, Claud, Cyane
Unisex names
Merril, Millo, Art, Bironi,
Family names
Vonn, Browne, Haynes, Ead'd, MacCaisgein, MacCàba, Flimean, MacTuirc, MacTuirc, Ildor, Geleiene, Heria, Gelena, Milenne, Rainieri
Culture
Major language groups and dialects
The original Keltori language was lost for centuries. But archaeological discovering early in Queen Amelia's reign have brought the language back into common usage. After the Shilean Emplire conquered much of the continent, the highborn elven Tralian language became the common (or trade) tonfue used in many countries. Keltori will speak it when dealing with foreigners, but avoid it among their own kind. Some Keltori even learn the Azurian and Elysorri tongues, sicne their people are commonly seen around Vostoria.
Culture and cultural heritage
Vostoria is a matriarchy. Women hold the majority of the titles and lands. They are the heads of their families. Money, property, and titles are passed from mother to daughter. men are allowed to own property, but not the land it sits on, and have money of their own. But it is still generally passed to the eldest daughter.
Shared customary codes and values
Magic is the most highly sought after education and can lead to many career opportunities. Clockwork is quickly becoming the second most popular. Non-magical Keltori prize those with skills in blacksmithing, fishing, and farming.
Common Dress code
In the Central and Southern regions of Vostorian, loose, comfortable robe-like tunics, or blouses with leggings, are the most common style for both men and women. Up North, particularly in the Iron City of Carthain, men tend more toward kilts and women toward ankle-length dresses done in plaids to reflect the colors of their local lord or the principality. Those who work closely with clockwork may be more often seen wearing leather trousers and vests. Regardless of region, both sexes enjoy colorful fabrics, plentiful jewelry, wide belts, and heavy boots.
Common Customs, traditions and rituals
Women generally pay on dates, and they are the ones who propose marriage. After a couple is wedded, the man takes the woman's name. Vostoria is unusual in this tradition.
Coming of Age Rites
Keltori reach adulthood at the age of 16. At that point, they can own property, drink alcolhol, server in the military, and marry. On the child's sixteenth birthday, the family throws a huge party with a bonfire. The child selects a favored toy to throw into the fire, symbolizing letting go of their childhood and accepting their adult life. Many families begin planning weddings as their child's 16th birthday appraches. Smaller towns often encorporate the weddings of anyone eligilble from the past year into their Spring Festival, since there is almost always at least one couple. Those who not wish to marry right away usually leave home before the Spring Festival, either to settle in another city seeking education or work, or to go adventuring and seek out fame and fortune. Young men with no magical ability will also use these festivals to put on displays of strength to show their bravery and ability to protect others. The Lion's Guard often attend these demonstrations to find new recruits.
Common Taboos
Dating elves is taboo in Vostoria, especially the Shilean. But even dating Elysorri or Azurians is frowned upon. Marriage is strictly forbidden since such a union will be unable to produce children without the intervention of a blood magic ritual. Blood magic is strictly forbidden among the Keltori. There have been a very few recorded cases of half-elven children being born without the ritual, but they never live more han three years, and are commonly stillborn. Half-elves born with the ritual are shunned to the point where their families often leave the country. Partnering with Beastfold-- Lupins, Lurkins, and Kolbolds-- is strictly forbidden and is viewed by the Keltori as being virtually the same as mating with domesticated animals.
Ideals
Gender Ideals
Women are the primary sex in Vostoria since only a woman born the extremely rare Gryphon's Blood (indicated by fiery red hair and unusually potent magic) can rule. Men tend to be fighters serving in the Lion's Guard or the City Watch, builders, or manual laborers unless they show an attunement to magic. Women without magic are drawn toward artistic pursuits, business management, or alchemy. A notable exception to these traditions is the Queen's Blade, who is always a woman and may or may not have magic. In jobs that have some crossover, there typically big difference in focus. For example, men who are builders focus on architecture, while women focus on beautiful furniture. In alchemy, women brew wines and whiskeys, while the men brew beer, ale, and mead.
Courtship Ideals
Young men of marrying age wear wind braids on the right side of their head, moving the braids to the left once they are in a serious relationship. They attempt to attract a mate through feats of strength, often at Spring Festivals. In addition to fighter tournaments (which also attract the attention of recruiters for the Lion's Guard), they may hold building contests, or contects of pure strength such as the Dwarven Boulder Haul, in which the men carry large rocks in dwarven buckets that already weigh 25 pounds. Some men will show off their hunting skills and carry their kills home by hand. All these displays shwo a man's ability to provide for and protect his family.
Young woman wear perfume of jasmine or white lily to signal they are seeking a mate. During the Spring Festivals, they show off their artistic talents, organizational abilities, or alchemical and healing skills. These displays show a woman's ability to provide for and nurture her family.
Major organizations
The Daggers, the Tower of Magics, King's Lion's Guard, Mages' Guilds, Queen's Guard.
The Keltori trinity:
The Ancient Keltori worshiped three main gods: Danu, Valkyng, and the Morrigan. These three worshiped by all the Keltori people. The Great Mother Danu is the world itself, for she gave herself in the creation of the world. Her breath was the sky, her body the land, her blood the waters of life and death. It is she who brings prosperity to all the land. Valkyng, the Great Huntsman, travels with the wolves, and the ravens, and all the creatures of the land and sky. It is he who stalks the forest, granting a propserous Hunt to the worthy. (Not many know that he is also the God of Werewolves.) The Red Lady, the Morrigan is the Mistress of Death. It is she who guides people to the underworlds.Clockwork Guild:
Thanks to the Azurian elves, clockwork reached Starlium city on the 15th of Duir in the year 535 A.C.E. The Aredenn & Vostoria Treaty was signed by both parties a few days later, ushering in a time of international cooperation. The Treaty focused on international peace and free trade between these two nations. Upon signing this document, all parties must adhere to the set terms listed below. Any party who fails to adhere to these set terms loses the right to further trade and the exchange of information for a period of up to 15 years. https://www.worldanvil.com/w/arylon-glantrimage/a/aredenn-26-vostoria-treaty-document
Related Organizations
Related Locations
Keltori:
The Keltori are the most magically-inclined of all the human races on Nemidd. They dress in colorful silks that often hide armor underneath. While the non-magical Keltori can have brown or dark blonde hair (often kept in elaborate braids that indicate their marital status), those attuned to magic generally have red hair to some degree. The brighter and more pure the red, the stronger their magical ability. Those with the closest genetic connection the Gryphons' original Chosen sometimes thake on a golden hue to their eyes. They are said to have Gryphons' Blood.