Seraph Customs
All races have many unique customs, peculiarities of their culture, history, and way of life that are specific to them and their sense of racial identity. This article lists some that are unique to the Seraph family, in no particular order.
For more basic information about the family, see Seraphs.
Midwinter's Night
The primary holiday among the Seraphs, Midwinter's Night is dedicated to their belief that the Immortal Flame led humankind out of the darkness long ago. It's a night where fires are lit from sunset to sunrise and all Seraphs pass the night in a mix of prayer and festivity; while it's seen as a formal event, it's also a time for thankfulness and joy and is the closest thing the strictly disciplined family has to a celebration.Resolution by Combat
Rarely invoked, resolution by combat is the family's accepted way of handling interpersonal conflicts. It's heavily reliant on the family's not unfounded belief that the Flame will make its will known by enhancing the skill and ability of its favored; when two Seraphs fight one another, this means that the Flame will fuel one's abilities and sap the other's in a clear indication of whose cause it supports. It's about dominance and superiority rather than an earnest attempt to injure one's opponent, and those who do so needlessly are viewed as harshly as the loser. This sort of fight is generally more about status and resolution than it is about punishment, and the lasting consequences are far less dire than a judgment handed down by a Huntlord. Fighting in front of the family is a chance to show skill or put the spotlight on an opponent's lack thereof, and can affect an individual's unofficial status strongly; it's a chance to put a rival in their place, though initiating it purely for this purpose is a risky matter of the Flame's favor. While conflict among the family is generally frowned upon, resolution by combat is considered an infrequent but necessary way of excising any bad blood between Seraphs and is considered preferable to the kind of stewing resentment that could fracture their united front. In more serious matters, resolution becomes redemption by combat; this is reserved for crimes committed by one Seraph against another, and is fought in deadly earnest. While resolution by combat is rarely to the death except when sanctioned by the family's Huntlord, opponents are allowed to cause significant injury to one another over the course of the fight. Redemption by combat can potentially result in sanctioned disfigurement of the guilty party. While the matter is considered officially resolved and the slate wiped clean after the fact, the reality is that Seraphs found guilty in a redemption are often shunned and ostracized. Seraphs consider crimes committed against their own as absolute taboo, and someone who's proven they're willing to break that sacred trust can never really fit in among the family.Network of Allies
Though their numbers have risen and fallen over the centuries, the Seraphs live in a state where they're perpetually outnumbered by their many enemies; as a result, they realized long ago that political alliance was a necessity more than a choice. From their earliest days, the family has had a long tradition of tying themselves into the human population of the Old World through a combination of marriage, influence, and carefully considered revelation of their more-than-human nature to the right people. At one point in time, peaking around the year 1100 CE and immediately preceding the Shattering, their influence was strong enough to help manipulate politics and influence when and where humanity went to war. Seraph involvement in the First Crusade, backing the forces of Saladin, proved to be the turning point where the Reaper Wynn Khajib determined to stamp out Seraph influence once and for all. The result of this was known as the War of Dark Flames and proved devastating to the family, reducing their power and influence to lows that they've spent a millennium recovering from. In the present day, Seraphs involve themselves far less in human politics and rely only on themselves for matters of any importance. However, they continue to use a network of humans to facilitate their activities; in the present day, this takes the form of a scattered network of 'assets'. Seraphs carefully select humans to reveal themselves to in order to instil a suitable level of awe and fear, demanding their loyalty in exchange for certain benefits. They'll buy the land or building the asset lives in to prevent any relocation, and provide a modest stipend for them to live on in exchange for their service. In exchange, the asset is expected to remain in place for the entirety of their lives. They're entrusted with a significant amount of wealth which they hold in keeping for any Seraph who needs to draw on it. Should a Seraph show up at their door, the asset is to provide any assistance asked of them, without questions and without hesitation. They are to know the area, know its people, and have information, supplies, and shelter readily available at a moment's notice. The network is extensive, focused in areas where the Seraphs have resided in the past but farflung throughout the entire globe. Though nobody knows its true extent other than the ruling Huntlord and any advising Patriarchs or Matriarchs, it's thought to number in the thousands or tens of thousands; individual Seraphs who travel in service to the family are given the locations of assets along their planned route, but aren't expected or given much knowledge of the larger network. Assets, for their part, may well go their whole lifetime without ever being called upon by their mysterious masters. They're expected only to obey if called upon, pass down the tradition within the family, and contact the Seraphs via magical relay should there be sufficient need to. For the most part, it's a system that works... and the vicious punishment awaiting those who think to take advantage of their position is a good enough deterrent for most.Remove these ads. Join the Worldbuilders Guild
Comments