Soulmeliti
The River of Tears
‘Twas in the twilight that our people fought
The beasts whose impurities plagued our land:
Their foul worship of demonic creatures,
Their disrespect for the ways of nature,
Their unwillingness to praise her Lady,
Led our families, our people, to act
In ways so unholy, so unlike the Land
That it is with shame I call myself a Soulmeliti.
The beasts whose impurities plagued our land:
Their foul worship of demonic creatures,
Their disrespect for the ways of nature,
Their unwillingness to praise her Lady,
Led our families, our people, to act
In ways so unholy, so unlike the Land
That it is with shame I call myself a Soulmeliti.
Your arrow flew quite blessed
By Tyloma herself, to the foul heart
Of the dishonorable leader that
Slew countless crying babes of Tyloma
For no reason other beside pure spite.
By Tyloma herself, to the foul heart
Of the dishonorable leader that
Slew countless crying babes of Tyloma
For no reason other beside pure spite.
Ag'ralo Moeyn'shiem:
Still, my soul melts with tears of blinded death,
A shaft in silence that brought no honor,
Instead, only pettiness of revenge.
A shaft in silence that brought no honor,
Instead, only pettiness of revenge.
Meltorythe Styvalhyme:
Revenge? No. ‘Twas peace for the Forest.
Vengeance was left for Tyloma herself.
Vengeance was left for Tyloma herself.
Ag'ralo Moeyn'shiem:
Why, then, do I bleed inside so much for
Vengeance's sake?
Vengeance's sake?
Meltorythe Styvalhyme:
Through Tyloma's rage,
Your honor and our people have been saved.
Your honor and our people have been saved.
— From Act XXIV, Scene vii, The River of Tears, byRanshali Modethyll
Personality
Soulmeliti are, on the whole, an honor bound people. With their enormous life spans, they feel that their actions must be calculated extensions of their families and inner selves. To a Soulmeliti, their family interests and honor come first, and their personal gains are a distant second. This is not to say that Soulmeliti lack personal interests; on the contrary, most Soulmeliti discover one art form that intrigues them early in life, and spend the majority of their free time pursuing it. Additionally, most ranking Soulmeliti have political and family goals that, once they set their mind to them, become nearly a sole focus. An excellent example of such focus is in the Soulmeliti martial arts. Because of their constant perseverance, they have developed arts of combat over thousands of years that they feel are superior to any known to the world. Similarly, several Soulmeliti have gone on to discover the greatest innovations in magical theory. As for Soulmeliti artists, many are the best in their respective fields.
Due to the fact only ranking family members may possess weapons, many Soulmeliti farmers have become skilled in martial arts styles of their own that incorporate the tools that are their life's blood. Village tournaments are often the highlight of their social life. They use their martial arts to express their emotions, and devotion to Tyloma. She is the center of their lives, and by using martial arts they can focus in on her being.
Soulmeliti see actions as black or white. They are either for the family, or against. For the Soulmeliti, family encompasses their immediate relatives, or the entire race. Honor is key in this philosophy. Actions that yield personal gain at the expense of the family are regarded as dishonorable, while those that help the individual but damage the family are unacceptable.
Physical Description
The Soulmeliti stand approximately five feet, four inches tall for males, and five feet for females. Males generally weigh between one hundred and one hundred twenty five pounds while the more slender females weigh between eighty-five and one hundred five pounds. They have a lithe build that, although it is generally well toned, rarely seems bulging. Their hair ranges from a pure flaxen to a deep auburn. Eye colors vary, from a crystalline blue, through emerald, to a chestnut brown and are generally almond shaped. Soulmeliti have high, pronounced cheekbones and smooth, mostly hairless faces. Their ears come to a gentle, elongated point.
Soulmeliti wear clothing made from soft wools and silks that vary in coloration. A lavender wardrobe denotes a period of morning, while scarlet represents a period of celebration. Dishonored Soulmeliti wear clothing of midnight black. Their clothing is loose fitting, and simple, although ceremonial garb tends toward extravagance, perhaps the finest tailoring in all of Tarien. Wearing such garb outside of ceremony, however, leads to dishonor due to an abuse of pride.
Upon first glimpse of a Soulmeliti, one sees simplicity in their life, yet a deep understanding of its crests and valleys. They seem to encompass the totality of existence in a single moment due to their oneness with nature. It is said that Soulmeliti religious garments, if worn by another race, will attune the wearer to the very nuances of mother Tarien.
Relations
Other races view Soulmeliti as haughty and arrogant. They see them as dominating and overbearing. They feel their ideas are antiquated, egocentric and pompous. Many races feel that the Soulmeliti are verbose and gaudy. The Elynthi, Khadra, and Orks have particular reasons to dislike the Soulmeliti based on historical circumstances.
Alignment
The strong sense of family and honor in Soulmeliti life makes most Soulmeliti lawful. Despite their occasional arrogance, Tyloma is a benevolent, albeit sometimes zealous arch-angel. Most Soulmeliti tend toward good.
Soulmeliti Lands
The Soulmeliti Forests have been described by many as the most hauntingly beautiful place on Tarien. The Soulmeliti have blended their homes with the thick, virgin (or in some areas, second growth) forests. Many buildings are carved from exquisite marbles with intricate designs that allow for light, and even trees, to pass through them uninhibited. Others are built on the boughs of trees, soaring hundreds of feet in the air.
Religion
Like their cousins, the Elynthi, the Soulmeliti are deeply religious and monotheistic. They worship Tyloma, a powerful goddess said to be the child of Chetria and Anderi. While the Soulmeliti understand that Tyloma may be imperfect, they steadfastly believe, against all empirical evidence, that other god-like powers do not exist.
Language
The Soulmeliti language is one of grace and beauty. Its sonorous tones have been described as sublime- like hearing a flower bloom. The written script is complicated, yet also floral in appearance. Of all the non-human languages, the artistic values of Soulmeliti make it the most popular.Names
Soulmeliti names are aesthetically pleasing, as a rule. Many stem from nature, sun as Sunshild or Oakheart, although using the Soulmeliti forms for these words. Most Soulmeliti include their surname when they give it. Some famous Soulmeliti have been Vernal Styvalhyme, Jebediah A’dorno, Dyianr'ri Shien'shoam, Ver'sheli Roen'shai.
Adventuring
With their exceeding long lives, spent mostly in contemplation and leisure, Soulmeliti often adventure simply for a new experience. Not all Soulmeliti are overcome with this curiosity, however, and many adventures are those venture forth on missions of honor for their families and Tyloma.
Your majesty, as the Forestspeaker in Exile on behalf of my proud but homeless people, I extend to all of Eldoria our greatest “thanks” for your agreement to assist us in the matter of the Occupation. While many have aided my great people during this time of sorrows and the list is long, I vow that we will, in some way, repay you all.
A Soulmeliti Calls His Mount
Related Organizations
Related Myths
Soulmeliti Racial Traits
- Ability Scores: +2 to Dexterity, +1 to Intelligence. Soulmeliti are naturally agile and spend much of their long lives in contemplation and study.
- Size: Medium. Soulmeliti have no bonuses or penalties for size.
- Speed: Soulmeliti base speed is 30 feet
- Darkvision: A Soulmeliti can see up to 60 feet in dim light as if it were brightlight and in darkness as if it were dim light.
- Cantrip: All Soulmeliti study the arcane in their youth. They know one cantrip from the wizard spell list using Intelligence as a casting modifier
- Keen Senses: Soulmeliti have keen eyesight and hearing. They have proficiency in the Perception Skill
- Magical Resistance: Advantage on saving throws against being charmed and cannot be put to sleep
- Martial Arts: All Soulmeliti study the martial arts in their youth. They have proficiency in unarmed combat
- Trance: Soulmeliti have no need to sleep. Instead, they meditate for 4 hours per day to gain the benefits of a long rest.
- Automatic Language: Soulmeliti
- Bonus Languages: Choose two of the following: Celestial, Draconic, Eldorian, Elynthi, Galencian, Khadric, Orkish, or Sylvan. A Soulmeliti may elect to spend one of these slots to learn to read our write one of their languages. A Soulmeliti may elect to spend one of these slots to learn to read our write and of their languages instead.