Satyrs

Written by RaptorMajor

“They might not be good for much, but i’ll be damned if I haven’t met anyone half as good at throwin’ a party as they are. Just stay way from the Melody stuff, or ya might just up an’ join them.”

No fire is too warm, no dance too exotic, no food too rich, nor cup too full, and no occasion too small. These are the words every Satyr lives by in their pursuit of revelry and indulgence.

Party Animals

Hedonistic and carefree, the Satyrs spend their days roaming from site to site, gathering food and materials to prepare for their next big party. They are known for their dizzying dances, strong brews, lively music and most of all their ability to throw incredible parties.
Satyrs occupy most of Ezarion, though they’re far from tough and hardy creatures. Their desires to indulge themselves are matched only by their need to be unbound and free. The Satyrs live off the land for most of what they need, and anything they can’t make themselves, they’ll happily barter off of others.

A Diverse Race

Thanks to their nomadic lifestyle, the Satyrs have managed to find their way across most of Ezarion, creating unique populations adapted to different biomes. Though most Satyrs are fundamentally the same, these new groups of Satyrs developed their own unique variations to Satyr culture.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Satyrs often prefer to use short names with one or two syllables each. Their last names are often used as suffixes for their first names. For example, a Satyr with the first name of “Azu” and the last name of “Lee” would be called “Azu’lee”.
This is largely due to the Satyrs being quite intoxicated during their revelries, where a short and simple name is easier to pronounce despite any slurring.

Major Organizations

Scattered and Independent 

The Satyrs have no Kings, nor queens, nor armies, nor guilds to organize or rally behind. Most tribes live independently from one another, preferring to keep to themselves rather than interact. Any tribe that becomes too large will often split in half, forming two new tribes.

Beauty Ideals

The beauty ideals of Satyrs are fairly typical to most other humanoid races, though there are a few notable differences. Since satyrs are often covered in a thicker layer of hair than your average human, they often take into consideration the color, thickness, and grooming of another satyr’s coat when determining beauty. Some satyrs, typically mountain satyrs, also place value on the size and shape of a male’s horns. Due to just how ingrained partying is in the satyr culture, however, many mates are selected based on their performance during revelries. Singing, dancing, drinking, and various party tricks are all ways in which a satyr might increase their appeal to a potential mate.

Gender Ideals

As a nomadic and mostly hunter/gatherer society, satyrs are typically more egalitarian in their gender ideals. Although there are some natural divides, such as the hunter role being mainly taken up by men, and the gatherers and caretakers being mostly women, these are not strictly enforced and any member is free to take part if able.

Courtship Ideals

Courtship in satyr society is often brief, and typically takes place during one of their revelries. During such revelries, all members of the tribe have a chance to participate in the festivities and show off their individual skills and talents. These displays serve to find a potential mate, as well as to determine one's own social status, as often the satyr with the greatest display becomes the de facto leader until the next revelry, where their standing may change. 
Although this is the most common method of courting, it is not the only method. Some satyrs may participate in courtship outside of revelry, preferring a more intimate relationship formed over a longer period of time. Although uncommon, this practice is as valid as the previous one.

Relationship Ideals

The ideals for a relationship depend entirely on the individual satyr and/or the tribe they belong to. Some prefer more intimate monogamous relationships and tend to stay with one partner, while others prefer more open relationships that can change as needed. Some tribes of satyrs lean more towards one style or the other, such as the mountain satyrs who tend to prefer monogamy for most members of the tribe, or the plains/forest satyrs who tend to be more fluid in their relationships.

Average Technological Level

As nomads, the satyrs have yet to advance their technological level very far beyond the tribal level. For anything they can't produce themselves, such as metal tools, weapons, armor, and other smithed goods, they rely on trading (or sometimes stealing) for what they need. Most of their common tools and items are made from wood, stone, bone, and leather, with emphasis placed on being light and easy to pack. Some satyrs have begun to make semi permanent settlements in commonly visited sites. These settlements typically include things like ovens, forges, and other such things that can be made by stone, but not easily transported between locations.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

Almost all satyrs speak fluent common, though some may take on other languages depending on the region. It is not uncommon for one or two individuals to learn the native language of a nearby settlement in order to better communicate with them.

Common Dress Code

Due to their natural thick coat of hair, the satyrs often have little need for most clothing. Typically, a loincloth or other such covering is all that is needed, though the women will often don a top of some kind. The more isolated a group of satyrs are, the less they tend to wear. However, satyrs that live close to other civilizations will tend to dress up more so as not to offend the native citizens. In addition, satyrs that live in colder climates might require additional clothing to supplement their natural fur and provide protection from the elements.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Most, if not all of Satyr culture revolves around one thing: Celebration. Be it their revelries, parties, or celebration of a holiday, each carry great amount of cultural weight to the Satyr race. 
Revelries, for example, hold the most weight of the others due to their tendencies to last upwards of several weeks. During these revelries, things like the leadership of the clan or tribe is determined, relationships are formed, and of course, all the typical elements one would find in a celebration are put on display. It is here that Satyrs indulge in their few traditions, including songs or dances that tell of their history (Wether the history of the race itself, or just the clan or tribe), decorative clothing is adorned, and members indulge in intricate full body paintings laced with Melody, a drug cultivated and used almost exclusively by Satyrs.

Common Taboos

Since Satyr culture revolves so heavily on merrymaking and Revelry, many of their taboos revolve around actions that directly interfere with their fun. Satyrs condemn almost anything that would inhibit their freedom to roam and party, and they become openly hostile to anyone attempting to stop or prevent their festivities. As well, refusing to partake in festivities is seen as extremely rude, unless sickness or injury prevents it. Refusing to dance or refusing offered food and drink is also very much frowned upon.
Some groups of Satyrs have their own unique taboos depending on their region. For example, the Mountain Satyrs forbid polygamy for anyone other than their current leader.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

Satyrs are by far one of the most divisive races on Ezarion with many settlements, towns, and cities either loving them or hating them, usually depending on the types of satyrs they have to deal with. Those Satyrs that form caravans that trade with the settlements they encounter are usually the most favored. These caravans are often welcomed into cities, becoming a minor attraction to the local population much like a traveling circus.
For those Satyrs that are neither outwardly hostile, nor part of any trade caravan, they are often simply tolerated by the local governments, so long as they aren't causing any trouble. When confrontations arise, it's usually when the Satyrs are directly causing issues for the nearest settlement. These issues can be things like interfering with the town's hunting grounds, disturbing the locals with their Revelry, or otherwise damaging (often times unintentionally) the property of the settlement or it's citizens.
The Satyrs universally hated are those that form roaming bands of thieves and bandits that prowl the wilds and roads between settlements. Since they are comfortable living in the wilderness, and are constantly roaming from location to location, they serve as a large thorn in the side of any settlement unfortunate enough to deal with them.
The Satyrs themselves typically view other races as prudish, stuffy, and altogether unfun. Despite this, the Satyrs are smart enough to know that maintaining good relations with other races is more beneficial than not, and so do their best to not upset the local settlements when they pass by. As a race, the Satyrs don't favor one race over another, though they will often

Satyr Sub-Races

In addition to the Satyrs that live in the plains and forests, there are other types of Satyrs that have adapted to life in other climates and regions, these sub races are:

The Island Satyrs,
The Mountain Satyrs,
And the Desert Satyrs