Ryuutei Clan

RYUUTEI CLAN

House Name: Ryuutei Clan; 滝亭 (Waterfall Pavillion) House Location: Fringe; Ryū House Standing: Active House Traits:

NOTE: None of these are required. They are common. Therefore not having them means contacting Satori Ryuutei for what not having various traits would mean for the character. Dwarf Race on-creation. On-Creation having at least 3 Physical Perks. Vertical pupils, elongated extra cuspids, olive or darker skin, above-average heights, and stronger builds, with dark hair colors.



Key House Members:

HOUSE LEADER:

Satori Ryuutei (Clan Head, White Tiger)



MEMBERS:

Sora Ryuutei (Elder) Hiyori Ryuutei (2nd Seat, Champion) Saiken Ryuutei (3rd Seat) Raika Ryuutei (4th Seat) Kiba Ryuutei (5th Seat) Hanako Ryuutei (9th Seat) Chuya Ryuutei (Unseated) Gideon Ryuutei (Unseated) June Silva (Unnamed) Dezra Ryuutei (Unnamed)



HISTORY



The Ryuutei Clan are a clan of seven separate families known for their destructive force, military tactics, and bloodthirsty behavior. Naturals when it comes to hunting and war, and well known for having brutal and pragmatic views and culture. Hundreds of years ago, the Ryuutei were just another fight-hungry tribe that held close ties to nature to the far east within ancient Hino Country. Their early beliefs holding that one always ate what one killed, no matter what it may be. Due to this outlook many other clans and tribes of the east viewed them as terrifying savages, often nicknaming them Oni.

Within Hino, as the country began to form into a proper country, the Ryuutei was taken in as a noble family due to their ferocious nature and combat abilities. Their powerful physical forms, latent magical energy, and natural skill at utilizing ki due to their closeness to their feral side made them powerful warriors. This noble status granted them land at the edge of the country, acting as a barrier against invaders through their brutal efficiency.

However, as with all things, eventually fear and prejudice from the segregation of being at the edge of the country won over any benefits they offered. Hundreds of years after their rise to power, the fear that they had created through their legends led to revolts. Their own country placed a cursed on them, twisting their appearance to something more feral, twisted and wrong to forever be 'Oni in appearance just as their souls were'. Hino banished them, exiled into the unclaimed lands and sea. Escaping the land, they returned to their roots. Traveling as a nomadic clan keeping their culture alive as their name continued to spread as savage warriors for hire.

Eventually, the clan would find itself within the same continent as the Clover Kingdom. It would be at this point that the clan settled in the forsaken regions loosely, and began to make a name for themselves as a mercenary band against the Diamond Kingdom during the war. As their achievements grew, the Clover Kingdom made the head at the time, Kiyoshi Ryuutei, an offer to allow their children to acquire grimoire of the Kingdom. Become 'test citizens' of the kingdom.

Kiyoshi agreed at the behest of his eldest son, Satori Ryuutei, also known as Satori Ryuutei among the Clover Kingdom that he had already begun assimilating with. Satori understanding that if they wished safety and to once again have a home they had to agree to bond with another power for now. From this shaky alliance, and Satori's own rapid rise in fame and power, the Kingdom eventually rewarded the clan. For their loyalty against the Diamond, and then against the Daemon's invasions, they were granted land within the Forsaken Region at the edge of the Clover Kingdom.

The family had once again regained their status as minor nobility, despite their foreign blood. Despite this in the end nothing had changed, and they were being used as supplementary warriors. A defensive barrier against the Diamond Kingdom. Despite this, the new head of the Clan, Satori, was pleased. Getting to work with his clan to create their new home through magic to bring bits of their own culture and country to the land. Due to this, their lands have become known as a grand, exotic place that attracts many nobles and commoners alike for its strange plants and architecture.

APPEARANCE



Physically the Ryuutei have elongated primary and secondary cuspids. Their hair tends to be dark colors varying from black to brown, with curly and wild patterns, usually extremely thick like the pelt of an animal. Eyes are feline in nature, holding vertical pupils, and tend to be red, yellow, or green. Generally, they are born with extremely large builds, and average at six foot four inches, with the tallest being over seven feet tall.

CULTURE AND TRADITIONS



In many ways, the Ryuutei are incredibly forward-thinking, and yet in many others, they are not. The reason for this is that sex has a tremendous regulation within the clan as a whole, due to the birth success rate of Ryuutei children being so low. This being inhibited by the curse placed on them to be 'the beasts they appear to be for eternity' by their old country. This curse often killing Ryuutei children within a few years of life, or before even birth. This, however, comes at a substantial trade-off. Blood-related Ryuutei hold tremendous raw magic and often are feral warriors feared highly compared to others. However, the damage they often suffered, combined with their low birth rate, caused the clan's population to rapidly decline. This led to many initial deaths in the clan and caused the roles within it to shift based on the phenomenon.

Due to the fact that they could not risk women dying on the battlefield, they were kept to the clan compound and were expected to learn medicine and healing magic from a young age. Similarly, they were expected to handle finances, documentation, and proper education so that they would hold true status within the clan. Due to this, the females became tacticians, librarians, teachers, and doctors while the men became front-line fighters, cooks, manual labor, and cleaners. In an odd way, despite the fact that males and females were effectively "forced" into these positions; because it was not out of a thought of superiority, there were never any issues as it was all for the betterment of the clan.

Women are not looked down upon, and in fact are respected for the work that they perform. Often finding themselves as the head of the clan, or parts of its high council due to their knowledge of tactics. Women are allowed to become warriors, if they so desire, but are expected to put in the tremendous effort if they wish to deviate from the normal path of women because they are effectively weakening the other half of the clan doing so. Similarly, if a male wishes to become a teacher or tactician that is also allowed but frowned on and must truly prove their worth.

Another noteworthy point is that Ryuutei only have a fifty percent chance of proper survival after birth. Due to this, the clan has nearly gone extinct several times purely because their children were stillborn. This amplified the clans need for the women to become medics, and more than that, caused an alteration in the culture of the clan itself so that multiple women per male is incredibly common within the clan. It's not unusual at all for a male to have two to four wives, that all live together relatively happily within a single home in order to maximize the birth rate of the clan. Although rare due to it not solving the population, it's not completely uncommon for a family matriarch to have multiple men as well, purely due to the clans outlook on power and right to claim what they desire.

Similarly, stillbirth is not something that is nearly as emotionally stunting within the clan as it is so commonplace, and due to this children are rarely seen as "loved" until they reach the age of a year and have gotten past the danger of early death. Children due to this, do not have names and are instead given numbers to go by until they reach maturity and earn their name through the naming ritual of the clan. Due to this, names are incredibly sacred within the clan, as it to them represents that you managed to survive not only birth but the rough childhood of being nameless and enduring tremendous training.

A notable tradition within the clan is simply that killing is not to be taken lightly, and that should one kill, all resources of the body must be used properly. This comes from their ancient beliefs that led to the early tribal survival of the clan to begin with, and the traditions are still clung to today. This rule includes the battlefield, and the Ryuutei are often seen as savages for their "Battlefield Feasts", being willing to cannibalize other humans that they have killed and use their bones for weaponry, their skin for material, and the leftovers for fertilizer in their farms.

The clan doesn't care about age or sex when it comes to adulthood. Instead, in order to become an adult, it comes in two forms as a staged test. The first is that the child must live in the forest without being given any weapons or supplies at all, bare naked for a month living entirely off the land starting from nothing, during the beginning of spring. On completion of this, the child is required to return with all clothing, weapons, materials, and leftovers from their kills so that the clan can make use of them all. With this, they are given a single tattoo of the clan's symbol somewhere on their body. This allows them to be considered an adult, allowing them to be considered "legal" as it were, but not a standing member of the clan to participate in meetings, own land, and so forth.

Acquiring a name and such rites stem from the "Naming Ritual" of the clan. This involved having to kill a human opponent in battle, neither of them can be armed or wearing anything. They and are chained to the ground so that escape and tactics are impossible beyond basic physical feints and similar actions. Anything goes, and once they defeat the opponent they must kill them while looking into their eyes to see the loss of life, and what they have done. They must then butcher the body while turning the remains into useful tools. This is generally how the Ryuutei's first true weapon of their choice is made and signifies them as true clan members that can claim wives or husbands, as well as own property.

Ryuutei do not have funerals. Instead, they hold great feasts and festivals. Not mourning death but instead celebrating the life the dead led up to that point, exchanging stories and jokes, poems, and the dead's favorite foods. Bodies of their dead are eaten except for the neural tissue and other inedible parts, which are instead added to a mixture of the leftovers from the feast itself and any other compost. It is then set aside to break down, and a few months later they hold what is called the "Planting". The clan gathers, burying the compost and remains into 'The Garden' (see below lands), to grant new life to something using their dead.

Touching foreheads and cheeks is a way close friends and family show affection to one another. Akin to kissing in some cultures, though it doesn't have to be a romantic gesture.

It is also common for the bones of the dead to be used to create tools and weaponry. Often chopsticks within a household are crafted from a grandmother's bones, or a shovel from a grandfather. A weapon from a dead father that died in battle, and so forth. With the new addition of complex magic through grimoire, enchanting these items has become far more commonplace as well.

A universal law within the Ryuutei Clan, is that no matter your current standing or rank, you are allowed to challenge anyone within the clan for their own rank at any time. Anyone can be challenged at any time, and must accept the challenge or they forfeit their ranking. Duels are controlled by a majority vote, with each participant and one referee, and always hold the possibility of death at any time (though it is required to halt before killing, accidental deaths are quite common within the clan despite this).

Faith: Ryuutei faith is a bit different from normal belief sects. Due to their unique views on life and death, they believe in no gods, nor claim to know of an afterlife. As a whole, they are taught only to believe what they see as a pragmatic people. They do however have seven totems that are not worshipped but given high respect as guardians of the Clan. Each representing one of the old seven families that make up the clan. The tiger, lion, bear, snake, bull, rat, and bird. Each being a minor spirit, or sapient mana beast of old.

Tendou: A lion of sun and light. Representing the king of the hunt, bringer of food and warmth during winter. Element(s): Solar and heat-based. Wielder: N/A

Nala: The tiger of storms and rain. Representing the savagery and beauty of nature in the form of natural disasters as well as simple things such as rain and good weather. Element(s): Lightning, storm and water-based. Wielder: Eve Darkkon

Sithis: The snake of survival and ruthlessness. Representing cleverness, bloodlust and the desire to survive through any issue. Often viewed as a symbol of the various clan rituals. Element(s): Toxins and acids. Wielder: N/A

Amostia: The bird of winter and frost. Representing the beauty and danger of winter, as well as the fun associated with its celebrations. Element(s): Snow and cold themed. Wielder: Hania Ravencrest

Rikōna: The rat of creativity and fertility. Representing intellect, creativity, art and returning the dead to the earth to grow life once more. Element(s): Bones, blood and other organics. Wielder: N/A

Tetsu: The bull of strength and will. Representing willpower, individuality and great physical power. Element(s): Metals and earth. Wielder: N/A

Kohaku: The bear of hearth and nature. Representing parental devotion, patience and love of one's family. Element(s): Plants and nature. Wielder: N/A

Notable Ranks SPOILER: Click to hide "Nameless": Those that have not yet earned their rank as an adult, they lack the adult piercings that the named have and lack any form of distinct names or aliases, not allowed to own land and forced to live with their parents generally.

"Named": An uncommon rank within the clan but not incredibly rare. This is considered the step from the bottom, these are Ryuutei that have managed to achieve proper adulthood and have been allowed to choose their own name. They are allowed to sit at the table during meetings, own land, building their own home, claim mates, and so forth. To become a named they must kill another warrior in unarmed combat completely naked, before eating the corpse and turning their bones into their first tools and weapons.

"Seated": These are considered the council of the clan, there are a total of twenty-five seats. Each seat is ranked based on power, skill, and experience. The higher the number, the weaker the seat. This is a rank that mixes with the other ranks as generally the clan Champion and Clan Heads are both the number one or two Seated members of the clan.

"Champion": Given to the mightiest warrior of the clan, the Champion is an honorary title that grants the individual no extra diplomatic power, but does give them the ability to take control over seated, elders, and below during times of crisis. Comparable to a "Grand General", to the Clan Head's "Emperor".

"Clan Head": The head of the clan and the step above the seated members of the clan, they hold large diplomatic power but can be overridden by votes of the elders and seated council if the situation requires it. The Clan Head is decided through combat as with all things in the clan.

"(Color) Lion/Tiger/Bear": A rare, honorary title gifted to the few individuals that have mastered a spell powerful enough to be tiered at 'Grand' or higher in power. The name is based on their element, the spells color, and their individual combat style fitting that of the lion, tiger, or bear. Only a handful of Ryuutei have earned this title throughout the hundreds of years it has existed.

"Elder": Retired Clan Heads and Champions, the Elders are old Ryuutei that have begun to deteriorate physically but hold tremendous rank, power and skill.



LAND







The lands that were given to the Ryuutei were viewed as worthless to most, due to the location being on the border facing an enemy, far from the capital and most markets. But, due to the pragmatic culture of the Ryuutei not relying on currency but instead their own hunting and farming, they took to it well. The lands have been altered through the clan's magic and seeds from their home country, planting foreign plants in the earth and growing them at extended speeds through magic.

The architecture of the massive central home, followed by the small village surrounding it is guarded by a high wall of stone and wood. The land has several notable locations, including the expanse of wild forestry that covers its western side, a small river that flows from a nearby spring, as well as low mountains that the village was able to build into. Across the flat plains the Ryuutei have what is known as 'The Garden'. Here, the remains of all their own dead, leftovers from foots, hunts, and battles are placed in the earth.

Due to this, the soil is rich, and the orchards, vegetable, and ricefields that they tend to decorate the once-barren landscape grants a consistent bountiful harvest. This is also known as the 'Bone Yard' to those that traverse it, as often it's common to see human and animal bones that missed pulverization here and there sticking out of the soil. A notable point, when Ryuutei burry the remains of their family or animals within 'The Garden', they don't say 'burry'. Instead, they say that they are 'Planting' the remains so that something new can grow.