Selkirk Family
Second only to the Valcores, the Selkirk Family wields great military power and political influence across the Sparnell Confederation. Trained from birth in Necromancy, Telepathy, Shielding Magic, and obedience, they boast a well-earned reputation as the most prestigious TAG for any admiral wishing to command a Tactical Assault Group.
Public Agenda
The Selkirks have ensured their place as the second most powerful within the Sparnell Confederation by allying themselves with the Valcore Family. The Valcores' authority remains unrivaled in large part due to Fleet Admiral Valcore Sil's positions as Valcore Chair, head of the entire Sparnell Armed Forces, and the only individual with direct access to Empress Rakethorne.
Selkirk TAGs
Necromancy runs strong with the Selkirks, laying the foundation for their entire identity across the Sparnell Confederation. Each new Selkirk is taught Necromancy from birth, augmented with additional training in Telepathy, Shielding, physical combat, and general survivability. Selkirk children are also taught to mask their emotions and obey orders, all in preparation for their intended role as TAGs within the Sparnell Armed Forces. By the time of their conscription, a Selkirk will have already been matched with their future Admiral or Vice Admiral, with little left but the final formal Claiming Ceremony prior to beginning the career that will consume the rest of their existence. From that point onward, they owe their full allegiance and obedience to their admiral, and to the dead members of their Tactical Assault Group.Emotions were frowned upon in the Selkirk Family. Nobody wanted to worry about what their weapon thought of an order, or whether or not they’d carry it out. As far as the Confederation was concerned, Selkirks with emotions were a definite cause for worry.Subscribersclicktaphere for bonus info-------ACCESS DENIED-------
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Death and Glory
Across the Confederation, the Selkirk Family name has become associated with death and glory, both performed in loyal service to the faction. This reputation is hard won, through the often brutal lives and repeated deaths of its members, as well as Selkirk Nero's role as host of the holoshow Five Hundred Fun Ways to Die. Selkirks are seen as heroes, willing and eager to die repeatedly for Sparnell, and most Families consider it an honor for a Selkirk to desire one of their own as a member of their Tactical Assault Group, allowing their own Family to share in the Selkirks' prestigious mission. The Selkirks themselves reinforce this belief, shedding their usually cold and calculating exterior to extend a warm hand of friendship and loyalty to those they've selected for their team, albeit with the expectation of complete devotion to them and their goals in return. As this kind of warmth is uncommon within the Confederation, much less from a prestigious Family such as the Selkirks, such a request is not often refused. Many Families with a need to improve their reputation will even specifically seek out a Selkirk TAG to join, as a guaranteed method to improving their own standing at the Department of Prestige.“Something you need to understand about TAGs,” Selkirk continued, “is that unlike the rest of the Armed Forces… Once you’re a TAG you’re always a TAG. That’s it, for the rest of your existence. No matter how many years you serve, no matter how many times you die, you’re just resurrected and sent back out again.”ClickTaphere for more infoSELKIRK FAMILY
Military Archives
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TAGs aren't granted the option of retirement. Their skills on the battlefield also make them too dangerous to continue existence once they're labeled no longer useful to their admiral. All Selkirks are taught of their eventual future as part of their training, often accompanied by warnings on why it's important to support their admiral's career aspirations at all cost. This also means that all new Selkirks are wholly consumed by their work for the SAF beginning with their conscription at 16, with the only exception of Chairwoman Selkirk Valanna, who has held this role since the Confederation Civil War. The Family's numbers are carefully maintained through the use of magic, technology, and careful accounting, while their training is handled by an assortment of skilled Disowned granted refuge on the Selkirk Estate.
History
The bloodiest internal conflict in all Sparnelli history, a cryptic prophesy from the Valcore Oracle saw three opposing sides vying for control of the Sparnell Confederation's future. For six years the Confederation Civil War raged, each side convinced their victory was all that stood between Sparnell and destruction.
The war led to Fleet Admiral Valcore Sil's rise to power over Sparnell Fleet Command with an iron fist and the full blessings of Empress Rakethorne, eventually leading to Valcore Sil's takeover of the entire Confederation command structure as the Empress drifted away from public life.
Every Sparnelli schoolchild learns the lessons of the War and Valcore Sil's contributions, both to her victory and to the Confederation's well being. The contributions of the Selkirk Family TAGs, by comparison, have been permitted to fade into obscurity until only those Selkirks who served during the conflict retain any memory of their feats at all.
While for others, the War divided the faction, for the Selkirks? The War divided the Family, each TAG faithfully serving their admiral regardless of side. Trained from birth as the ultimate living weapon, the best counter to an enemy TAG has always been a TAG of one's own, resulting in a War of Selkirk fighting Selkirk to bitter Soul Shatter and non-existence.
The Selkirks have never recovered, Chairwoman Selkirk Valanna instead vowing to ensure such a catastrophe will never threaten the Family again through the institution of reproduction control, strict training programs, and a close alliance to Valcore Family through Valcore Sil's own invaluable TAG, Selkirk Tallinah.
In this way, it was determined none would ever know the true cost of the War upon the Selkirks, and none would ever dare extract that cost again.
“Vice Admiral?” Bryn asked Mother tentatively as she turned to go, his breath shallowing when she paused in the doorway. “Could I ask you, sometime, about what you did in the Civil War?” “You may not,” she answered, slowly turning to face him. There was no rebuke in her words, but Bryn caught a faint weariness beneath her eyes. “Everything I am allowed to tell you is already in those books.” “How much of it is true?” he dared ask. Her eyes lingered on his face as she considered her answer. “A great many things attributed to Fleet Admiral Valcore were my doing,” she said at last, “but that, as you’ll learn, is the role of a TAG. Do you understand?” Bryn nodded. “Yes, Vice Admiral.” “Good.” The word was thick with approval. “We will never speak of this conversation again.”
Behind the Mask
Just because it's not safe to outwardly show their emotions and opinions doesn't mean Selkirks don't have them.
Most who have served on a Selkirk's TAG team are well aware of their own TAG's opinions. To discuss those opinions with outsiders would be a breach of the unyielding trust held between a TAG and their team, not to mention risk the very existence of the TAG themself.
But the power of secrets is in the division they sew. And if anyone managed to unify the Selkirks...
"I see." The Fleet Admiral paused, claws clicking against her desk as she stood beside it, studying the canid TAG before her. "Very well. I will allow you to retain your position. But fail me again..." The threat was unmistakable. Selkirk would need to watch her step carefully until she'd regained her honor in Valcore's eyes. She bowed her head again. "Understood, Admiral."Subscribersclicktaphere for bonus info-------ACCESS DENIED-------
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Glory in Death
Type
Political, Family
Demonym
Selkirks
Leader
Leader Title
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Related Traditions
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Vice Admiral Selkirk Tallinah by InsaneNicky
World Ember 2023
World Ember 2023
In an effort to work the core worldbuilding articles of Vazdimet, December 2023 is focused on the Magic of Vazdimet, as I work to flesh out my magic stubs.
I'll be working on them in related chunks, starting with Nature Magic, although I'll likely be writing additional stubs as well, as the muse desires. Take a look:
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