Forsaken

Some say we are cursed, we say we are blessed. A gift from the Great Observer to deliver unto him those worthy of his observation, we are nothing but devoted to protecting our sacred origins.

The Forsaken, known natively as the Kal'raah, are a race native to the western Isles of Curance. Born with an unknown condition which causes discoloration to the skin and muscle atrophy, the Forsaken have remained isolationists to their Human neighbours. Believed to always be under the observation of the Great Observer, the Forsaken have ancient traditions of rituals and proving trials in order to prove worthiness within society. As their lifespan is severely reduced by their condition, the Forsaken believe every individual has a purpose in society, even from a very young age. As the primary race of the Curancian Empire, the Forsaken remain protective and deeply religious, going to great lengths to defend their beliefs and sanctity of life in the face of their debilitating and life-shortening disease.

Civilization and Culture

Beauty Ideals

Beauty standards within the Forsaken species and Curancian culture are almost non-existent. Due to their condition and fashioning of face masks, it is difficult to judge a Forsaken simply by their looks.

Gender Ideals

The gender ideals of the Forsaken are rooted in ancient tradition and religion. As a humanoid species the Forsaken possess similar male and female biological standards as Humans, and thus similar societal norms. Male Forsaken are put to work as early as 6 years old and continue as workers throughout their lifespan in labour or warrior roles. The role of female Forsaken vary, with their primary role as caretakers and child-bearers in their short lifespan as a species. Their limited lifetime has meant the Forsaken focus on procreation and fulfilling societal needs more so than Humans.

Common Dress Code

The Forsaken are instantly recognizable by their masks, commonly golden in colour. These are fashioned for a variety of reasons, first of which being to protect their facial muscles and tissue from the elements. These mask also play a large part in the Curancian religion of Observerism, as they are used to hide the faces of every follower so that they can only by judged and remembered by their actions, not their face. There are various types of masks for each societal role, with many more ornamental than the rest. A war mask variant is often worn during battle, for protection and intimidation.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The relationship between the Forsaken and Humans is particularly bitter. Historically, the Forsaken were once used by Humans as slaves for menial labour on the mainland, with many simply dying from subjugation to the unknown climate and overworking with their muscle-destroying condition. Humans from other civilzations have long regarded the Forsaken as blights to the human species, however since the Forsaken's military dominance in the Forty Solstice War , attempts to suppress this notion from Human society continue as to avoid further conflict. Despite this historical conflict between the species, there have been examples of Humans from outside Curancia being accepted into Forsaken society, and vice versa. One example of this is General Gerharde Malfas, a military commander from New Bastion who defected to join the Curancian war effort. Malfas is believed to be the reason behind Curancia's recent advancements in military technology.