Verdite
Playable Sophont
Adaptive Survivalists
Verdites are a shrewd and rustic people that make up the largest branch of Humanity on Haven and possibly the most populous group of Manfolk on Solith. They are ardent survivalists, intent on thriving as any native of the continent would, and are testaments to Humanity's supreme adaptability. They relish in their wildly independent spirits and pride themselves on their strong principles centered around their arrogant confidence and intense self-reliance. Verdites believe that survival is not merely a feat to be accomplished, but is the divine right and duty of all Humanity. They live by one philosophy: To adapt is to SURVIVE; to evolve is to FLOURISH; while those who stagnate will only ever WITHER and DIE.
Verdite History
Verdite history, like that of their Solmite kin, only begins after Humanity's explosive expansion into Haven's heartlands. As they spread far and wide, vast schisms began to form between the rapidly dividing subsects of Humanity. Some chose their newborn gods, others held to ancient traditions, while yet more swore binding oaths of honor and blood. Yet the Verdites chose none of these, swearing loyalty only to the right and will of survival. Unlike other branches of Humanity, Verdites assimilated into the Beastfolk and learned their varied tongues and customs. They now act as the bridge between Manfolk and Beastfolk as intermediaries, tradesmen, and advisors. Thus they are considered wildlings by most Solmites and looked down upon for ostensibly forsaking the First Men's rigid views for civilization in favor of the savage barbarians of Haven's heartlands. As if to bolster this belief, much of their culture and society exists as the antithesis of their Solmite kin's views. They embrace everyone into the fold of their society, from the strange, to the foreign, to the twisted, and even the damned. Thus creating the Verdites' ever-changing and evolving culture built upon their core principles of adaptation, inclusivity, and acceptance in order to survive.
The Beastfolk tolerate Verdites as necessary facets of the civilization forced upon Haven's native sophonts. They are among the only sophonts truly allowed to assimilate into their complex societies, and many of the Beastfolk view them as kindred spirits in a land forced beneath the heel of the civilized world. Verdites are even known to prefer the worship of Beastfolk gods to those of Humanity due to their profound and intrinsic connection to the continent. Like Haven's primal races, Verdites live rustic lifestyles in homes made from the hard labor of their own hands and by the grace of nature. They do not seek to twist or break the natural world like other Manfolk or manipulate the land to their whims like the Elvenkyne but choose to instead live beside it in an eternal battle for survival. Their Verdant Hovels, once confined to the eaves of the Gorgewald Forest or forced within the high walls of a capital, now lie scattered across the Verdant Expanse as they breathe new life into the devastated region. Farms, abandoned long ago during The Fall, are once again worked by Verdite farmers who urge the land to bloom anew after decades of neglect.
Verdite Gravehunters, now turned freelance adventurers, roam Haven in search for new challenges and harrowing ordeals to overcome. Their people, now as one with the land as the native Beastfolk, struggle to continue their quest to endure the land's hardships. As this struggle is only made easier by the age of The Rebirth, Verdites are experiencing a cultural revolution that threatens to topple their most ancient ideals. The loss of the Unfallen plague was an unexpected blow to the Verdite people who viewed it as the great calamity that would test their people to their very breaking point. The shores of abundance now laid bare in The Rebirth, threatens their ancient way of life as fewer and fewer harrowing trials appear and newfound peace and plenty wash over the land. Young Verdites now seek challenges not just within the wild corners and unkept frontiers of Haven but also in the civilized streets of the capitals, where power so rarely comes from the iron will to survive. Long divorced from the diplomatic subtleties of civilization, Verdites often go about a brutish and primal method of acquiring power and prestige. These methods of brute strength and social posturing are often frowned upon by Solmites for their crude and animalistic nature.
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General Information
Genetic Ancestor(s)
Origin/Ancestry
Lifespan
55 years old, maturing at around 14 years of age.
Average Height
Between 5 and well under 6 feet tall.
Average Weight
175 pounds.
Related Ethnicities
Naming Schemes
Verdite names are simple things, usually derived from Solmite ones with subtle differences caused by centuries of exposure to Beastfolk culture and life in the wild heartlands. Their names are the result of numerous mistranslations between various Beastfolk languages that have gradually created the distinct style of modern Verdite names. Their family names are just as simple, representing what a family is most known for by two common words smashed together. They use these names primarily to identify their life's purpose to the world, especially among the Beastfolk, rather than denoting any familial legacy. Family names usually change every few generations as families adapt and evolve with the changing times, with some families having multiple names present in just a single generation.
Verd
Verd is the native tongue of the Verdite people and is an ever-changing mixture of Solm and several crude interpretations of common Beastfolk tongues. It is commonly considered, by all but the Solmites, to be Haven's universal language of trade.
Description
Verdites are a diverse group of hardy Humans, far stockier than other branches of Humanity on Haven. With the Verdant Expanse's vibrant abundance of meats, vegetables, and even fruits, the Verdites have grown to be exceptionally healthy people able to stave off all but the worst ailments with relative ease. Additionally, they live slightly longer than other Humans and mature much faster, reaching adulthood at only fourteen and living up to fifty-five years. They are much shorter than the rest of Humanity but make up for it with their stout, muscular builds. They lack the fancy dress seen in other Humans, preferring the simplicity of well-cured leathers and homespun cloth. Thus they often make their clothes and take great pride in such simple achievements.
Verdites have a considerably broader range of skin tones compared to their Solmites kin, from the honey color skin of the city dwellers to the deep bronze of the rural farmers. Though similar to most other Humans, their dark hair is known to be far lighter than most and can even reach shades as pale as golden brown. This fact is also true for their eye color, which ranges from verdant shades of forest green to the pitch-black color common among the Solmites. Additionally, Heterochromia is shockingly prevalent among the Verdites, with one-in-four of them having some degree of the condition. And though not as beautiful as their northern kin, Verdites have a similar stoic beauty but is cut with a rugged edge caused by lifetimes of danger and rustic survival.
Frontiersmen and Thrill-seekers
When creating a Verdite, remember that your people revere adaptability above all else. Verdites pursue challenges wherever they can find them in a neverending quest to push their limits and the boundaries of possibility. Civilization tends to bore your people with its predictability and relative safety, with only the cutthroat world of city intrigue and criminal dealings offering any real excitement. What challenges do you seek? What drives you to push beyond your limits?
Society
Verdite society, though often viewed as disjointed and disorganized, is deeply intertwined across Haven. Many Verdite settlements thrive on their independence but readily accept Verdites from all corners of Haven into their fold. Found in nearly every capital in the Verdant Expanse, Verdite Quarters house large populations of Verdites and are the heart of their vast trade network. Outside of these dense population centers, Verdites live in scattered agrarian communities made up of no more than a dozen families. Living within Verdant Hovels, Verdites dutifully work the land and attempt to live entirely off the toil of their community while selling their excess to Verdite traders traveling between capitals. An honest days labor is one of the most valued and respected things in Verdite society, creating a culture almost wholly devoid of freeloaders and wastrels. Within Haven's , Verdites rarely engage in politics or the affairs of other citizens and, in return, expect others to allow their people to police and care for themselves as they see fit.
In the Solemn Expanse, where Scourge has consumed much of the farmable land, Verdites step away from their agrarian lifestyles and embrace their eternal quest for trying ordeals. They roam the land hunting the horrid undead of the Scourgelands, delving into the forgotten ruins of the Udirkith, or slaying the region's countless malevolent creatures. Like many Gravehunters, they have become freelance adventurers in the age of The Rebirth and answer only to coin and the threat of danger. The materialistic nature and greed seen among many Verdites are rampant among those of the Solemn Expanse, who will do anything for the promise of wealth. This widely adopted philosophy has caused a divide in Verdite society, with those of the Verdant Expanse viewing their northern cousins as misguided and carnal people led astray by their desires.
Verdite Quarters
Verdite Quarters are the population centers of the Verdite People. They exist primarily within the Verdant Expanse's capitals and attempt to act as self-reliant as possible. They vehemently oppose outside influence on their controlled city blocks, preferring to personally police and protect their quarters. Though they rarely work directly against their patron cities, they expect a certain degree of latitude and respect when dealing the affairs of Verdites and their homes.
Intimate Knowledge of current affairs in Verdite society is required to know this secret.
Comments
Author's Notes
Verdite names are loosely based around Spanish names, preferring their more elaborate names. Especially those that come from a similar vein as traditional Roman names used by Solmites.