Cascarns (/kas:karn/)
Turtle Beastfolk
Overview
The Cascarns are a branch of Turtlefolk that guard the fertile waters of the Lily Forest on Marus. They are described as large box turtles with shells made of bony plates and lengthy sleek limbs. Cascarns are said to grow continuously over their incredibly long lifespan. They may reach titanic proportions if allowed to grow unchecked, capable of reaching sizes that rival that of the Titancity Blightwaith. Other than their potential size these Turtlefolk are best known for their skillful runework used to replace segments of their shell with magical devices, tools, or even whole constructs. Thus the Cascarns earned the colloquial name of Rune Turtles among the common people of Marus. They operate the largest trade network on Marus, under the guide of the Jelilibad, to bring vast resources into the Lily Forest and export massive quanitites of foodstuff across the Realm of Seas. The Turtlefolk connect even the farthest-flung ports in the Sea of Brass and some say these Sophonts even travel to other Realms bringing goods to and from the outside Cosmos. Among the Cascarns these rumors are even more rampant and most unexplained disappearances are attributed to an unfortunate spout of Realmhopping.
Hard to find even one of the Shelled without a rune replacement. But a Runelord? Now, they are a rare sight... True masterworks of artifice... monoliths of their species with every plate in their shell replaced with runed enhancements. I've only ever seen one... A Lily Harvester at work...
None of our ships ever stood a chance.
Culture
The Cascarns live nomadically traveling the Lily Forest and beyond in service of the World Lilies of Jelilibad. What little outsiders can gleam about this matriarchal society it is ruled by a branching heirachy of Great Mothers guided in turn by the wisdom of the Leua-Wood Sage. They sail aboard the largest of their kin, known as Shell-Back Cities, patrolling the region's infused waters and hunting for rogue KazaK from Death’s Basin. Age and Runes play a great part in any Cascarns postion in their society but only the truly ancient and titanic hold the honored title of Runelord. Lesser Cascarns travel outside the Lily Forest and maintain a vast trade network throughout Marus in order to facilitate the continued growth of the treasured World Lilies. They guard the secrets of these sacred Natural Treasures with zealous fervor.
Walking the Path of the Runelord is required to know this secret.
Knowledge of Cascarn customs and superstitions is required to know this secret.
Traveling to the Leua-Wood Ark is required to know this secret.
There are 3 secrets on this page.
General Information
Lifespan
More than 1000 years old, reaching maturity at the age of 50. Most do not live more than 500 years.
Average Height
4 to 6 feet tall.
Average Weight
400 to 450 pounds.
Geographic Distribution
Related Ethnicities
Cascarn Naming Scheme
Cascarn names are singular and always distinct from those of the previous generation. They spend the first ten years of its life as a nameless hatchling before being given their name. These names are viewed as seeds planted in the hopes a brighter future will bloom for the child.
Runed Shells
Cascarn shells are made up of thirty-eight bony scutes, six of which are fused to their spine. Some skilled craftsmen can enchant and replace one or more of a mature Cascarn's scutes. Thus gifting them a myriad of on-demand magical devices, tools, and deployable constructs.
Elemental Sensativity
Cascarns are among the most sensitive sophonts on Marus and can sense the concepts influencing the Primal Element inside of Natural Treasures; anceint Cascarns, known as the Shell-Back Cities, can even sense the subtle differences between Gifted and their particular Paths to Power.
Cascish
Cascish is the Cascarns' native tongue and derived from a blending of Aqui and Guinese. It is now indesipherable by either of them and host to countless words with an uncanny familiarily.
I love the idea that they continue growing for all of their lives, and some of them can reach massive sizes but they don't normally live long enough. That's fun.