Hellion
Hellions are among the most populous of the sentient races in Verden, and thus among those with the greatest variety in both apperance and culture.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Hellions are mammalians and display a humanoid body type, the most strking features about them is a wide variety of skin tones and horn configurations. Hellions can exhibit a wide coloration with several shades of red being the most common, with blues, greens and purples also slightly more rare. Thin, small tails can also be found in certain regions, along with legs ending in cloven hooves and covered in thick fur, this particular trait being common in the tribes of the Border Wall and has historically being associated with them.
Additional Information
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Hellions can be found in practically every corner of Verden, The largest population can be found in the Grand Hills continent, which has led many to believe the landmass to be their ancestral homeland.
Average Intelligence
Capable of simple tool use at the most basic, and able to develop complex scientific theories and intricate use of magic at the most intelligent end of the spectrum. Their intelligence is not conditioned towards a given set of tasks unlike the Crafted races, so while unable to outmatch them in a specific field, they compensate by being adequately capable in a multitude of tasks, exceptions not withstanding
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
Your average Hellion name consists of a given name at birth, the family's name and the Clan name after this. For example the name Gar'yak Kesert of Gayan would indicate a member of the Gayan Clan, Kesert family and given name Gar'yak. The exact morphology of the name depends on the Clan's language but tend towards the guttural and rough-sounding ends of said languange
Other examples of names are thus:
-Kizzan Areft of Waulfenzar
-Zik'thral Strumsson of Skybane
-Dul'gak Neiak of Nagrek
-Boiak Kesher of No kin (this particular individual was exiled from their Clan)
Titles bestowed after some prodigious display of skill or notable, personal characteristics are common in the more untamed areas of the world, garnering the classification of "War Names" regardless it the title has any relation to combat or marital prowess. These War names can be used as a sign of familiarty among peers or for a expedient introduction in a context where familiy or Clan affiliation might be unimportant or confusing. So Kizzan might have earned the War Name of Ironbelly for managing to ingest something repulsive and suffering little ill effects, and thus the elders and friends of his clan might refer to him as Kizzan Ironbelly, instead of Kizzan Areft, and he might introduce himself as Kizzan Ironbelly to strangers from other clans
Examples of War Names include:
-(____)slayer (Common War Name usually rewarded by hunting and slaying either a powerful beast like a bear or Lyndwurm, or clearing out a den of dangerous pests singlehandedly)
-Sightless Shadow (attained after forming a pact with a Spirit and gaining the power of invisibility)
-Sunhide (Attained due to a bright yellow skintone)
Major Organizations
The most common organizational group among Hellions is the Clan: large mutli-family groups that help each other in either settled villages or nomadic caravans that travel along a determined route with several rest stops where they set up camp. Clans are often associated and named after a local animal (usually key to te survival of the clan) such as the most common cattle or hunting companion. Clans are often managed by individuals elected by a council of elders, who serve as guides in either peace time or warfare, though in the latter their role is more secondary as to allow quick decisions in the heat of combat. It is important to note that even in the most unified of Clans, the disparate families that comprise can opearte largely independently of each other, the Clan structure mostly being used as a backup of sorts during trying times. In the case a family from a Clan attacks another, custom usually dictates that the other families of the aggresor's clan to manage the situation, often as mediators for the ritual combats or contests used to settle disputes. In cases of extreme offense the Clan can be forced to excommunicate the entire family, banishing them from their territory in the most lenient cases or outright extermination if the crimes are truly egregious (often the aggresor exterminating a family or Clan themselves)
Beauty Ideals
Though by no means universal, the size and complexity of one's horns plays a major role on determining how attractive you are in the eyes of society. Most Hellion cultures and clans also value traits associated with martial prowess (musculature, non-debilitating scars, etc.) due to the harsh environments of the Grand Hills and Border Wall. Even in the Ancient Stretch a toned build is considered desirable, though the size of horns is prioritized as an aesthetic element. Most notably, these beauty standards are surpisingly unisex.
Relationship Ideals
Polygamy is common among many Hellion Clans, often as a way to bond the several families togetherand to ensure not one familiy becomes too insular and succumbs to inbreeding. Marriage arcoss Clans is slightly less common but is often done as a diplomatic overture or a sign of good faith
Average Technological Level
As the most populous race on Verden their level of technolgy is considered the average world-wide. They have a strong grasp on basic metallurgy, agricultural techniques and are capable or maintainfg large, well sanitized cities, though this level the technology can be significantly lower on less settled, more inaccessible regions of the world, even these isolated groups still have a near universal mastery of fire, and some form of written languange.
In recent times, on the more urbanized regions efforts have been made to develop technologies that implement magic, either with Mojo or Soul Gems as fuel source or more intricate applications such as rune-etched devices capable of repeating the same spell for a limited number of charges. This so-called "Magitek" has been gaining traction and is poised to revolutionize civilization on Verden, and Hellions have been on the forefront of Magitek developement since it's inception.
Major Language Groups and Dialects
Most languages spoken by Hellions are derivative of Giant, both in alphabet and spoken. Though greatly affected by a non-written spoken tounge commonly referred to as Daemonic. The exact origin of the language is unknown, though evidence points at some orgin in the central regions of the Grand Hills. The resulting hyrbid of both tounges is coloquially called Hellion, Half-speech or Fire Tounge. It is considered a rough, ill-mannered dialect used mostly for its ubiquity than respect, as a large portion of Fire Tounge is comprised of expletives and tends towards an aggresive tone in conversation. Your average
Common Customs, Traditions and Rituals
The most unified trait among Hellions across the world is their common belief in the 10 Kings, combination between folk heroes, role models and divine protectors. Though the names and specific nature of the figures varies from Clan to Clan. Besides this framework, ancestor worship is quite common, along with veneration of natural phenomena and particularly powerful beasts, especially those that the Brotherhood of Hunters would classify as a Dragon-class species. Tests of skill, wether martial or otherwise are also a common method for settling disputes
Common Taboos
Breaking an opponents horns, regardless of circumstance or enmity, is often seen as needlessly brutal and dishonorable, as is most forms of gloating over a defeated opponent
Lifespan
The average lifespan ends at roughly the 70-80 range, though prodigious individuals have been recorded as exceeding the 150 year mark.
Average Height
1.6 to 2.1 meters on average, with outliers both well beneath and above this margin emerging from genetic disorders
Average Weight
60-90 in males
55- 85 in females
Geographic Distribution
Related Organizations
Related Technologies
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