Suoro
Suoro is the second largest nation, and socially the most influential. The people of Suoro are also called the Suoro, and their culture and history is one of the richest and most complex known. Nearly all accounts of history and translation are completed by the Suoro. While they have a Monarchy and a semi-democratic government, their mafia, the Rahva and their secret service, the Mayadrihn (a.k.a. the May'an) control a great deal of power both within Suoro and worldwide.
A few terms to clarify:
Suoro: The country of Suoro
Suoro: The people of the country of Suoro. The conjugation of the word in Suoro distinguishes if they are referring to place or people, but the root form is the same.
Suoro: The language of the Suoro people. Like with the name of the people, the context and conjugation differentiate between the people and the language.
|
 |
| Mykætha ~ A Suoro |
|
|
The Country
Geography: The country of Suoro is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. Temperate and lush, it has both beaches and forests, mountains and valleys, open fields and dense cities. While being the second largest nation in the East, it is also the most northern, getting more snow than any other nation (with the exception of Talmont and in parts Ere Beghin). The country is broken up into 6 Sectors, originally designated because of the differences in areas of the land:
Old Sector: the northern-most, including the majority of the peninsula; so named as it was the first area in which the Suoro settled after leaving the üaharte proper. The old capitol lies here, as well as the seat of the Monarchy.
City Sector: the central-most; this is where the new capitol of Alonar is, as well as the seat of the Government.
Dragon Sector: the eastern coast-line; this is home to the seven cities sacred to the Ssajac (Dragon) Gods, though the southernmost has been at times considered part of the South Sector.
Guild Sector: the western bay area; this is home to the 6 guild schools of the Suasa Gods, namely the elements of Fire (Caynu), Water (Irtem), Light (Ætir), Dark (Ohmvohs), Earth (Huvag) and Air (Sirth).
South Sector: the southern-most area on the border of Muzin; this is the most progressive area of Suoro, being the front line of cultural influence, as well as the head quarters of the Rahva, though they have branches in each sector.
Fan Tundra: the south-western area, on the border of Speritan; primarily the crop lands and lower class areas.
Major Cities:
Alonar~
Nusir~
Gelmoeth~
I'ron~
Hetmod~
Essra~
Government: The Govenrment in Suoro is a democracy that co-operates with the Rahva, the Mayadrihn and the Monarchy. In this section, we will cover the three governing powers outside the Monarchy.
Elected Round: The leader of the Suoro Government is a Prime Minister elected by the Elected Ministers who are voted in by the public. Each Sector elects 20 Ministers to represent their territories, making the Round contain 120 Ministers. Of these, the Ministers vote amongst themselves for a solitary leader, the Prime Minister. The Government is concerned with the running of guilds, roadways, commerce, law, war and defense, regulations and international politics. Any citizen (male or female) employed for a minimum of 3 months of the year has the right to vote. Ballots are cast during election periods which last for 1 week in the capitols of each Sector. Citizens outside of these epicentres can mail their ballots in with wax seals intact. Each vote is screened by diviners to ensure willful intent and prevent fraud and coersion. Despite the rigorous screenings to make sure that each individual only votes once, votes can be bought by campaigning officials for credit, favours, goods, promises and pulled strings.
Mayadrihn (or the May'an): the Mayadrihn are a secret service, operating beneath the daily lives of not only the Suoro, but the entire world to ensure a desireable future. The agents of the May'an are rarely known for who they are, and are rarely credited for the extensive work they do. They say that 'behind every great moment in history, the Mayadrihn's fingers are casting the shadows'. They interest themselves in the matters of politics, conflict, magical balance, prophecy, wealth, prominence, invention and development. They have exentsive influence, immeasurable wealth, and many believe they are the final power in the world to decide the accounts of lives and planet. Criteria for working for the May'an are out of the box thinking, prodigious skill and willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. Often the acts required of the May'an require the breaking of laws, mortal decency and boundaries of conscience. Their operatives need to be able to withstand these pressures and act unaffected by them.
Rahva: the Rahva is essentially the mafia, with a Cahmir ruling each branch. They are in charge of controlling crime through coersion, tithes, negotiations and strong-arm tactics. By keeping the thieves, briggands, urchins, prostitutes and the like in groups and mildly organzied, they are able to remain in the know about the origin of crimes, the fueds of the streets and the balances of power. Through this method, they keep the government informed about situations at street level, especially among the non-voting segments of society and the working poor. Their taxes and tithes are used (aside from garnering their own wealth) to running brothels, drug dens, black markets and the like that keep the country running in counterpoint to the upper levels of society where little of the governmental decisions trickle down to affect the poor and beleagered. Each Sector of the Rahva focusses on governing a specific area of the underworld. The South rules Drug Trafficking, the Fan Tundra rules the Slave Trade, the City Sector rules Prostitution, the Dragon Sector rules Homocides (including Assassinations), the Guild Sector rules Social Parasites (including the homeless and orphans), the Old Sector rules Theft (including property damage like Arson).
Monarchy: The Suoro Monarchy is ruled by a King or Queen, though in modern history the governing roles of the Monarchy have largely dissolved to that of a figurehead and tradition, rather than active policies. There are some aspects in which the Monarchy is still in full control: education, health care, religion and communal lands are still the King's domain, and many services that are free to all citizens are paid for by the royal coffers. The royalty of Suoro is an extensive collection of lords and ladies ranging from the highest dukes and duchesses to lesser princelings, barons, viscounts, counts and countesses, princesses and princes in line to the throne, earls, knights and dames. Some of these people control considerable wealth and power (not only in the hierarchy of royalty but also in secular, ecclesiastic or militaristic avenues), sometimes even holding prominent positions in Guilds, religious groups, the military, or even Government seats. Other members are merely wealthy, with due deference from lesser citizens, but no specific duties or power. The royal family has been based in the Old Sector since the founding on Suoro, and for this reason the large majority of Suoro royalty are of the Old Sector breed. There are a few lesser relations that have decended from City Sector or Guild Sector lines, but their lack of Old Sector colourations mark them as lesser members of the family. The line is passed down to the oldest living heir at the time of coronation, and many bloddy periods in history have seen elder siblings in line for the throne disposed of to make way for a more ruthless or desireable heir. Either princes or princesses can inherit the throne, but upon coronation must marry so that the head of state has two figureheads. As follows in Suoro culture, the royal spouse can be male or female, and at times the ruling Crowned Couple have been a pair of Kings, or a pair of Queens. These alliances are generally arranged by the predecessor prior to the coronation, and often the heir has little choice in the matter. The heir can ascend to the throne under any of the following circumstances: the current monarch dies, falls ill, abdicates the throne, is deemed unfit by their crowned spouse, or deserts their duties.
Military:
The military in Suoro is split into departments, much like every other aspect of governence. They posses Navel, Terrestrial, Aerial, Ballistic, Magical and Tactical divisions. Within each Division, there are three Sub-Divisions: Conscripted (those men and women deemed to have talent that could be useful to the armed forces (which often contains a large portion of ex-criminals)), Volunteers (those who have joined the military as a career), and Clerical (those that push the paper behind the scenes but will never see action).
Within each Sub-Division, an individual can improve his or her rank based on performance, skill, obedience, connections or purchase. These ranks are mimicked between any Division. At certain Ranks, individuals can transfer between Sub-Divisions.
Divisions:
Sirthaslym~ The Aerial Division, including airships, mounted steeds (such as the Ssajac Strikers), transport dirigibles, archers and 'paratroopers' deployed by air drops.
Huvagaslym~ The Terrestrial Division, including infantry, cavalry, and guerilla branches.
Irtemaslym~ The Naval Division, including fleet, submarines, carrier barges, and sea-to-land cannonades.
Caynuaslym~ The Ballistic Division, including seige weaponry (catapults, battering rams, scaling towers), tanks, fire arms and modified pole-arm branches.
Ætiraslym~ The Magical Division, including battle-mages, medics, and Crest manipulators.
Ohmvohsaslym~ The Tactical Division, including the cartographers, diviners, prophets and supplies chains.
Sub-Divisions:
Conscripts~ Usually conscripted for a specific time of service, these individuals are without choice in where they serve, and are often further educated or trained as they are needed within the service.
Volunteers~ Earn a monthly wage, a rate that gradually increases with length of service irrespective of Rank.
Clericals~ Earn a yearly salary, a rate that is fixed for 4 year terms, after which they can address their commanding officers for review.
Ranks:
Rasoun~ An introductory level, usually one who is still in training. A recruit. This level generally does not see live action until they receive their first promotion.
Meroun~ Equivalent to a Private Ranking, a Meroun sees action in small, non critical capacity. They are organized in Feteiryn, or platoons of 30 individuals, which are commanded by their Feiroun commanders. At this point, a Meroun may transfer between Sub-Divisions but will lose Rank.
Urs'Meroun~ Each Feteiryn has a single officer who is designated its leader, the one to whom the orders for the Feteiryn are given.
Feiroun~ Equivalent to a Sergeant, a Feiroun is in charge of 1 to 3 Feteiryn. They are organized in Volskear, or 'Lines' of 8 to 12 Feteiryn, depending on the terrain, and are to stake out their allotted area to the best of their ability based on the tactical orders they're given. At this point, a Feiroun may transfer between Sub-Divisions without losing Rank.
Volsoun~ Equivalent to a Major, a Volsoun is in charge of a Volskear, and coordinate the movements and actions of their Volskear with those of other Volsoun. Volsoun may be expected to co-ordinate with as many as 40 others to form a Brantau, or 'flank'.
Brantoun~ Equivalent to a General, a Brantoun commands a Brantau and works with other Brantoun to organize the movements of the military. At this point, a Brantoun may transfer Divisions, but will lose two levels of Rank.
Urs'Brantoun~ The veritable 'head' of the Division of the military, the Urs'Brantoun is in charge of coordinating his or her branch of the armed forces with the other branches. There will only be one Urs'Brantoun of each Division at a given time, though almost always they have an understudy in one of their commanding Brantoun who will be expected to rise up and take the Urs'Brantoun's position should he or she fall.
Crime:
Economy:
In Suoro they have a complicated system of inner trade with debts, chits, tarifs and credit. Their currency (the Tesa and Æra coins) are universally accepted currencies, and are good for large purchases and trade. Within the country, the coins are only used to balance tabs for two reasons: firstly, the monetary value of the coins is so large that it is nearly impossible to use them to buy anything worth less than $30 dollars equivalent, and secondly, it is considered unseemly and bad manners to be seen flashing money about in the streets or shop fronts. 1 Tesa is roughly equivalent to $30, and 1 Æra is 100 Tesa, or roughly equivalent to $300. The Tesa is a small round coin minted in Electrum - a gold and silver alloy - that is printed with the Prime Minister during whose reign it was minted. The Æra is a slightly larger coin minted in Paladium - gold and platinum alloy - with a small hole cut at it's center to ensure the right value for weight, and printed with the face of the Emperor/Empress ruling when it was minted.
Commerce is the most basic level within Suoro culture to build alliances and influence. Most of basic culture operates on a system of Credits and Chits. By chosing to frequent a specific tavern or brothel, or purchase from a specific market or shop, one needs to have a credit standing with a specific bank. There are levels of banks in Suoro, from the lowliest Chit Counters used in the poorest sections, to the deep vaults of Royal Banking Houses. A person has an established credit worth as much they are capable of earning within a specific time frame. Accounts can be set out at a minimum yearly allowance of 1 Tesa (the poorest class) to a weekly allowance of several Æra for the very wealthy. In return for this, they receive a receipt that states which bank they are registered with and what their credit is worth. No purchase can be made over the worth listed, though there are some cheats who make multiple purchases at their limit. these affairs don't last long, because the Banks have representatives that make weekly rounds to the businesses that have put in requests with them to tabulate and balance chits. Those who have gone over their limit have collectors for the banks sent round to take objects of equal worth from the person's possession. If there are no objects with which to pay the debts, the person can be jailed or put into slavery, or during some reigns, executed.
In practise, a person will need to make an account with the business with whom they wish to allign themselves. Some businesses in the higher classes will have clauses in their applications that disallow the applicant to frequent certain rival businesses. In this way, which establishment one chooses to align themselves will also make them associated with the other patrons who frequent that establishment and the parties, politic views, sports teams, or social groups that are thus associated. some groups - especially those run by guilds or schools - will have a group of patrons that have sway over whether or not a caretaker or manager is allowed to accept certain individuals into their list of clientel.
Once an account has been established, it can only be broken is the person fails to meet the demands of their chits via their bank (in other words, the bank withdraws their support for credit due to an inability to meet payments), the business becomes bankrupt, or the term of the application (if applicable) expires and the patron is allowed to renew their stint with the business, or if dissatisfied, may switch which business they wish to support.
As payments are required, the establishment keeps track of the patron's tab in a series of Chits. The business keeps a record of how much is owed, and the patron receives a chit stub for their own records. Weekly the bank comes to tally chits, and assuming the funds are available from the patron's account, will write the business a cheque for the funds that they can withdraw at the bank. Some of the smaller banks actually bring the coffers with them and dole out balances on the spot - especially with smaller sums. The account balances are replenished at the end of each term by the government pension, royal pension, or employer who pays the individual wages. The individual's bank information is filed with whomever is responsible for paying them and the funds are deposited directly into their account.
In this way, citizens rarely ever handle or see their funds, and most would prefer it this way. they receive reports on term as to the uses and flow of money in their account, a record of chits collected from where and for how much. Some, with a commerce background themselves will keep tally, others will hire a personal accountant, or visit accounting firms for a modest sum, to have the accounts audited on a yearly or biyearly basis, to ensure that their accounts are honestly balanced and that all charges are legitimate. there are occassional cases of banks skimming or numbers being artistically modified for personal gain, but these cases are primarily in the middle class district where there is a bit of gain to be made at the expense of those less disposed to be able to oppose such behavious. The higher banking houses are as prosperous and influential as they are simply because of their integrity and the important names they have managed to recruit for their list of accounts. In some businesses, simply being recommended as a standing account holder by certain banks can open doors and offer credit above and beyond what the person is good for. There have been extravagent periods in history where certain individuals have been famously expoitative of their huge credits and gone into impressive levels of debt for their excessive spending and lifestyles. But such cases are rare on the whole and that is part of their mystique and glamour as tales to tell.
Trade:
Suoro produces a large amount of fine arts from jewellery, velvets, portraits, architecture, furniture and pottery. They also tend to export their people as goods, not only in slaves, but also as artisans, translators, musicians, writers, tailors, magic casters, tutors and such. Often these people are bought up by foreign courts or wealthy individuals as a mark of rank and prowess to be able to afford a Suoro tradesman. In goods, they have a large export in wood, enchanted items, fur products, fish, fruit, some grain, textiles, glass, tesserae, worked gemstones and pearls, silver, gold, copper and coal.
The Suoro initated the practise of trading goods as tithes in exchange for offered peace, services (both diplomatic and military), slaves, territory use in free zones (such as stretches of ocean or lands within other countries for certain periods of time for business or exploitation) and in exchange for future debts from the Suoro. These future debts offered a new way to balance power in the üaharte region between the Five Clans as to which debts were owed between countries, forcing truces or disallowing interventions on behalf of certain countries against others. Some believe the Suoro intentionally place multiple debts to various countries to give them a safe excuse to fail to come to someone's aid, even after perhaps agreeing to do so, a general feeling of: "It has come to our attention, that due to an outstanding favour owed to the Muzina, we are unable to offer the proposed troops to Speritanian aid. Here, however, as a mark of our great distress for the breaking of this agreement, is some fine Northern wine to assauge your heavy hearts."
International Relations:
Suoro is generally regarded by other nations as a country to be admired. They have an incredibly efficient system of government (including the Monarchy, Mayadrihn and Rahva), generally with minimal unrest from their people. They are intelligent and graceful, being huge contributors to the arts and sciences, as well as being the writers of the histories that are generally accepted to be the "official" versions of events. Their senses of fashion, cuisine, cultural past times (like games and sports, theatre productions, social dances, etc), as well as popular styles of architecture or decorative art and music is generally lead by Suoro tastes. What is fashionable in Suoro, deemed good enough for them, is more than good enough for any other connoisseur. Because of this huge influence on other cultures, they have a heavy weight as diplomats, often being able to turn the tables of war through their council or negotiations.
In an individual sense, the Suoro themselves are often seen as overly sensuous, wasteful, vain people not to be trusted for their honeyed words or seemingly kind gestures. "In every Suoro gift is hidden a blade", "Silver-gilded poison", "Suoro compliments" are all terms used throughout the world to refer to the universally accepted view that the Suoro will only offer a benevolent hand if it is both in their own best interest, and if it means they can achieve their own hidden means through the act. Certain countries (the Ere Breghin who deal in similar matters of the self-first preservation methods, the Muzina with their impeccable memory for "chit counts" and equal trade, and the Tirivahni with their sense of implications and second-meanings) deal carefully but willingly with the Suoro. Others (the Bodovians with their inclination to take things at face value, missing nuances and putting too much trust in words; the Speritanians without such capacities for subtlety and who chafe at being shown up; the Lisdanese who want to collaborate and find their inventions and learning taken and made something no longer their own to no acclaim or credit) find it harder to deal with the Suoro for a long-term basis. Due to the global prominence of the Suoro nation, they are a wealthy force to be reckoned with, and not easily out manouevered either mentally of tactically. Because of this, most use dealings with them as a necessary evil, or with love but without trust.
History:
|
The Suoro
The Suoro were one of the first Five Clans in the Üaharte, and decended from a breed of cat-like creatures called sualis cats. Sualis are an endangered species in modern days but can occasionally still be found in the old woods in nothernmost Suoro. The Suoro have retained the slinky movement and elegant appearance of their ancestors along with certain instincts of cleanliness and similar mating and breeding habits.
Appearance: In appearance, the Suoro are more elongated in shape than humans, with longer necks, long tapered ears that range from about 4 to 6 inches in length, and long slender fingers and toes. While they range in shape from the slender and lithe endomorphs to the curvacious and shapely ectomorphs, the mesomorph middle ground is their idealized version of beauty. But while they have such ideals, there is a great amount of education and pressure for everyone to choose styles that best flatter their shape and size rather than all of their people trying to squeeze into a specific cut or style that isn't designed for their body type. For this reason, along with their skill of "making the light love them" as they would phrase it, all Suoro appear attractive due to the way they hold themselves and how they style themselves.
They have prominant incisors that look like fangs on their top jaw, and cat-slit pupils in their either blue-, purple- or red-coloured eyes. Their skin and hair tones are dependant on where in the country they hail from. It is curious that despite mingling and breeding between Sectors, there still remains to this day distinct differences in their colourations, which might have something to do with the nutrients available in each Sector, as well as the weather and the amount of Manna Weave and Huskline they are exposed to. In the Old Sector the Suoro have dark golden hair and dark chocolate coloured skin. They also tend to be more prone to thick hair in their men's beards or on their legs. In the Dragon Sector they have the same dark chocolate brown skin but their hair is pale white-gold to a point of nearly silver tones. The Dragon Sector Suoro tend to dye the tips of their hair to match their favourite clothing colour or to match their eyes. In the City Sector they have a medium brown skin tone and the same dark golden hair as the Old Sector Suoro. They are considered the standard Suoro. In the Guild Sector they have the same medium chocolate skin as the City Sector Suoro, but have a lighter honey-gold coloured hair. The Fan Tundra Suoro have the same honey-coloured hair, but their skin is a light mocha colour and they're prone to have honey-coloured freckles on their noses, their shoulders and down the line of their spine. The South Sector Suoro are the lightest of the bunch, with clear, mocha coloured skin and white-gold hair.
Suoro women are about 6'0" to 6'3" and the men 6"2" to 6"7". Their builds are lighter than humans making their weight a little lighter even with their outward shape looking comparable. They have long, straight noses that tend to be Grecian or aqualine in style. Their eyes are a bit larger in the face than human eyes, with wide and glittering irises and long eyelashes. Their lips are usually full with strong, angled jawlines, giving them a sleek and elegant look. They tend to wear minimal cosmetics to accentuate their looks but wearing enough to cover up a rash or blemish or to greatly change one's appearance is considered tacky. Their body hair is as golden as their head hair and tends to give their skin a glistening sheen in the light. The Suoro trim and maintain this body hair, but it is not expected that people shave the way that some human cultures do. Some men keep beards or goatees, but only if they are well kempt and trimmed. Long hair is equally acceptable on men as on women, though fads of the length tend to shift for both genders. Since the Suoro are prone to wavy or curly hair, a lot of their styles have to do with the right cut to frame the face or accentuate the facial features.
Fashion:
The topic of Suroro fashion is perhaps one of the most complicated social topics in Ul-Zaorith. They have a long history of fashion fads, and they also have a strong belief in wearing what best suits you, meaning that an "out of fashion" dress that looks good on the wearer would be as acceptable as a brand new design from the latest designer, assuming the quality and freshness of both are equivalent. Because of this, it is always likely that a wide spectrum of Suoro fashion is bound to be seen at any given time. There are a few articles of clothing that were developed or invented and added to the Suoro fashion roster, and there are also those fashions that were influenced by garments of other races that have been added to their fashion (such as the adoption of the Tirivahni corsets). Rather than trying to completely picture all of Suoro fashion, let's instead focus on a few articles that are uniquely Suoro:
Belts: Belts have ever been a staple of Suoro fashion and are a social marker of status, wealth and power. While what is considered gaudy versus tasteful has always been a careful line to toe, general standards like the weight of the materials, the length of the belt, the adornments and the style of fastening are markers of status. Initially the belts were always made of leather, with the colours one dyed it (black, red, white and turquoise being most expensive), and the thickness or cut of the leather were the main markers. Then studs or rivets gave way to beadwork and embroidery, which gave rise to appliqués of fine fabrics being added in. Then entire belts were made of layered fabrics, which led to the fashion of cut separate segments that could be arranged like chainlinks to make various patterns. Without the need to have a limit to the length of a single cut of leather, the length of belts grew longer and longer, with belts wrapping about one more and more times before being fastened. These multiple looped belts were more easily kept in place with more rivets or pinning points between loops, which led to a return of the leather belt in cut segments attached by pivot points or rings of metal or even broaches and multiple clasps. The metal clasps and rings gave way to belts made entirely of chain or links of metal, some set with jewellery or gems, which then got incorporated into cloth belts. During the Suoro Civil War, the rebellion refused to wear belts so that they wouldn't be judged on their status instead of on their opinions or skills. After the rebellion was quashed, belts came back in full force. Today, all of these styles of belts can be found, some even incorporating things like ribbon, weaving, feathers, ivory, painted panels and the arts of engraving, leatherwork, embossing, embroidery etc.
Undershirts: Also known as "germain" in Suoro, the undershirt has been a long standing staple of Suoro fashion and has come to symbolize many different things over the years. Germains started as a way to keep your fine outer clothes clean while being able to change your linens, but soon the parts of them that showed became a major part of design and fashion. The long, pointed lapels of the germain pressed over top of the doublet, jacket or overshirt worn over it is a recurring style seen in portraits throughout the ages. Needlepoint, embroidery, ribbon work, beading, cutting and lacework have all been used to decorate the lapels of the germain, and swiftly these decorations spread to the cuffs, which fluctuate in length and ornateness in different eras. Some forms of germain are laced up the front, while others are worn open, only held in place by the vest or doublet worn atop. Others simply pull over the head or are cinched at the chest, neck or waist by drawstrings, ribbon ties or surface lacings. Originally the germain was always a white, cream or ivory colour as these were the colours of linens, but as the wealthy began having custom germains crafted in colours to compliment their overclothes, germains in virtually every colour available began to arise. Then came the Black Shirts - the black coloured germain given to slaves to wear so that even those finest dressed slaves of wealthy or highborn families would be recognized as what they were when in market or other social venues. The Black Shirts became a symbol of slavery, and were considered taboo for any free Suoro to wear. They became a verbal reference to the people who wore them, some slaves being heralded or summoned by calls of "Black Shirt!" rather than the use of a name. When the Black Shirt of Essra arose, freeing slaves and smuggling them from their families' homes, there arose an epidemic of propaganda, civil rights arguments on behalf of the aristocrats and the slaves alike, sensational stories in the news and equally sensational operettas, plays and fiction composed revolving around the slave wars. During these years, it became fashionable to wear the black shirt if you were a supporter of slave rights, and for a time it was impossible to tell who was a slave and who wasn't. In modern years, it is not required that all slaves wear the black shirt, but it is still taboo for anyone not associated with slaves to wear the black germain. Polyss, the current Cahmir for the Fan Tundra Rahva, makes a point of wearing a black shirt because he is Master of the slave trade in Suoro and proud of the fact.
Culture: The Suoro are possibly the most influential Race when it comes to the international scene. Fashions, standards, laws and pasttimes that become popular in Suoro are often picked up by the neighbouring countries - or at least emulated in an adopted or converted fashion. While there are certain aspects of suoro culture that have remained constant throughout the ages, they are a surprisingly progressive and embracing nation, intrigued by and welcoming of change, development, discovery and challange of the accepted morals of society. This said, there are strict separations in society between the slave classes, the working classes, the middle born, high aristocracy, noble born and ministerial levels. One is often restricted to their own scope of peers, and rarely do members of different classes directly connect. Different priviledges and expectations mark each layer of society. The Suoro claim these guidelines and boundaries are what enables each section of the country to run smoothly. Each attends to their own portion, and doesn't interfere with what they do not know. This is perhaps best glimpsed in the ruling powers of Suoro: The Monarchy, the Government, the Rahva and the Mayadrihn all doing their part to contain and run their quarter of the country.
Sexuality: Sexuality is an integral part of being Suoro. More specifically, the self-knowledge of sexuality, the embracing of all its myriad forms, the practise and honing of sexual skill including seduction, courting and copulation, and the connection the sexual self has to one's spiritual, physical and intellectual health. The act of love-making is not only considered a measure of health by the Suoro, but also an act of religious piety. It is holy and sacred to lay with someone - regardless of their gender or station. In the same sense, it can also be a gift to share that moment with someone, something intimate that reveals the innermost psyche of your lover. Lovers are not to be confused with spouses (which we will approach later).
As for gender preferences, the Suoro do not believe in there being such a thing. One must learn to couple with both males and females in order to embrace wholeness. As youths, before and during their puberty they will be educated by a family member or a tutor in the act of sex. They begin learning the mechanics, the methods and the purposes of sex, and once they reach puberty are given one-on-one lessons with the family member or tutor chosen to educate them. This teacher is always of the same gender as the student. Therefore, if it is a young girl, it is usually the mother or older sister's job to teach her, likewise a boy will be taught by a father, older brother, uncle etc. Only once they have mastered their own pleasures will they be allowed to begin mastery of coupling with the opposite sex. For this reason all Suoro are quite relaxed about the nature of the body and it's impulses, feeling no shame in physical attraction towards any individual (including family members), and many have limited relationships with their tutor which the Suoro call the "First Blush". Because there is such a relaxed manner towards sexual attraction and following through with those desires, there is also a great awareness about birth control, safe sex and sexual hygiene.
Marriage: Marriage is strictly a political act in Suoro. The joining of estates is as much a financial move as it is a strategic one to ensure power, influence, security and social support. Always one is trying to marry into a 'better' family, or better situation from what they were born into. Marriages are arranged by a parent, uncle or aunt, family friend, and sometimes local magistrate attempting to heal fueds or quiet unrest. While arranged marriages are usually decided between a child's birth to the onset of puberty, they can be nulled if certain conditions are not met, i.e. the betrothed's fortunes take a turn for the worst, illness or death before the marriage (though during a few periods in history this didn't stop the wedding), intellectual incapacity (such as opposed political views), or breaking of any other conditions spelled out in the betrothal agreement. Love, or lack of it, is not an issue. Most successful marriages in Suoro would appear to us as a case of best friends rather than soul mates, as those who do well are those who compliment each other, both bringing skills to the social, financial and productive spheres of married life to create a functional household. Obviously marriages can produce children, and often do since the married partners often become (at least temprarily or sporadically) lovers, but the aim is not to create a child of the union between them. And children had by either partner (regardless of the partner who sired/birthed them) are raised by the household as belonging to both halves of the marriage. A child raised in a stable environment by two functional parental figures becomes a product of that houseold, regardless of the genes that crafted them, with all the trust, love and alliance one might expect. Lovers outside of the Household who are responsible for siring/birthing children rarely get any contact with or raising priviledges over their offspring.
Infidelity is also an interesting topic, as it does exist and often is a major topic of gossip in social circles, but its definition is quite different than ours. To have a relationship outside of your married partner is acceptable, in fact it is expected. These other relationships are meant to be romantic, social or productive (in a sense of progeny, work or accomplishment), and are expected to last anywhere from a few hours to several years. The separation from one's married life is that at no point should this other relationship interfere with or compromise the stability of the household - in a monetary sense, as pertains to one's duties and obligations, and one's alignment (politically or socially). So long as one can function in both circumstances, these trysts are perfectly acceptable. If one begins to shirk one's household, the infidelity is towards one's house not to one's partner. More commonly the term is used when one is in a relationship with a lover and secretly also seeing another. All relationships are supposed to be open and disclosed. Casual sexual encounters notwithstanding, anyone that is being seen or dated, even if only on a semi-regular basis is considered a relationship, and one is meant to disclose all relationships to all lovers at any given time. This is partly due to safety of health, and partly to do with honesty, but mostly to do with status. As a lover, one can be elevated or degraded by the lovers one takes, but also by the status of the other lovers one's lovers are concurrently seeing. Being referred to as a 'one of so-and-so's boys' can imply a world of meaning simply based on who you are associated with. Infidelity often arises in this scope when a lover takes on another without disclosing this to the remaining lovers. Scandals of lovers outside of status or class are often a mark against one's popularity or desireability, and can have huge ripple effects into other aspects of one's life - even one's household, where the relationship becomes a problem. While a spouse has no say over whom their partner takes as a lover, if the relationship becomes an infidelity to the household, they have legal rights to place a lean on either the spouse or the lover to repay damages caused, or to even legally have the relationship ended by writ if need be.
Marriages can be between males and females, or same-gendered pairs in equal ratios, based on the compatibility of the individuals.
Divorce once one is married is a difficult thing, and throughout the ages and the different Sectors has at times been illegal, or the partners involved were faced with financial penalty, taxed, imprisoned, excommunicated, exalted or ignored. Currently the guidelines on divorce often range from case to case, depending on the social repurcussions, the division of the state, the allocation of any children that have been raised (as not always do the children wish to remain with their birth parent), assignment of incorporeal assets like connections to guilds, churches, societies etc. Most divorces are denied, and instead the family suffers a Schism, where the aspects of the household in question are absorbed by various family relations and their respective households in order to keep the overall family cohesive, and leaving simply an empty blank in the centre of it.
Family Units: In Suoro a family unit is made up of 2 parental figures (regardless of gender), any siblings or half-siblings one may have, and usually a Tutor figure which is like a Godfather/Godmother, and who can be an aunt, uncle, friend of the family, long-time lover, cousin of suitable age, or a hired tutor. Suoro have a great deal of knowledge in how to control their fertility, and so there is a very low number of unwanted children being born. The fertility suppressants and the contraceptives are a provision of the King of Suoro, and so all levels of society have access to them. Because children are born when chosen, most Suoro have between 2 and 5 children, though the number of children born by a specific household is directly proportionate to how many children they can afford to support. At a time, Suoro have a single child, with twins being an extremely rare circumstance, and when they occur being almost exclusively identicle twins.
Coming of Age: The Suoro live longer than humans do, but age proportionately to humans, meaning they develope slower. On average, Suoro live about 130 years. For them, 15 is prepubescent, reaching puberty around the ages of 18-20. Mid to late 20s they tend to come into their adulthood. For them, there are a few events that are huge turning points in their development, though rather than at a certain age, it's by certain actions that one reaches the markers.
Gelmonyn~ The point at which the child begins making their own acquaintances and friends without needing to be introduced. This stage shows independant thought, cultivation of judgment, social skill and self-confidence.
Huvagonyn~ The first fight (be that an intellectual battle, a physical fight, a challenged duel or a social contest) that the Suoro partakes in, regardless of the outcome.
Kælthonyn~ The point at which the Suoro experiences their first sexual acts and associated ablution. This is usually before puberty and with a Tutor or family member.
Lukænyn~ The point at which a male developes the ability to ejaculate semen, and the female begins her menstrual cycle.
Y'nivonyn~ The completion of some form of education.
Sirthonyn~ The first lover that a Suoro takes.
Aubitonyn~ The point at which a Suoro gets married and becomes a portion of a Household. Curiously, for the slave classes this also is the ponit for them in which they are hired or purchased by a household.
Nusonyn~ The point at which the Suoro becomes a parent (either male or female) but this requires consciousness of the birth, and experiencing the raising of the child (at least co-operatively).
These are the key points that are said to define a person and complete them as a person. There are other minor ones, such as experiences of illness, embarassment, first social gather, first creative work, and such that are sometimes referenced, but these are the core 8.
Death: Death is a curious issue for the Suoro, and is as complicated as every other aspect of their culture. One the one hand, they celebrate the life of the one who died, but on the other hand, they also mourn the loss, they exalt sacrifice but they condemn murder, they prize duels and hire assassins, yet they utilize apothecarists and carry on feuds. The manner by which one dies has as much to do with the treatment of the dead, both in body and spirit, and which gods the dead took as their patron ties in deeply with the way one is remembered and their body disposed of.
Education: Education in Suoro is arguably the best in the world. They have three key methods of schooling: Tutoring, Apprenticeships, and University. Which method you undertake as a child depends greatly on the wealth of your household (including both money and social connections), your aptitude as a student (including your style of learning), your interests in subjects or professions. Aside from these methods of education there are also the basics of Common Knowledge which are paid for by the King and mandatory to attend.
Common Knowledge is a collection of skills and information that are considered essential to know as a Suoro in order to function in the world. Common Knowledge consists of 16 subjects, often commonly called The Scriptures: history, arithmetic, rhetoric, literature, languages, dance, etiquette, sexual education/hygiene, music, prose/poetry, philosophy, crafting/mending, magics, medicine, cooking, and politics.
Language:
ALPHABET:
Nusir - N - (n as in nuance)
Irtem - I - (ih, as in it. in the south almost an eer slur)
Caynu - C - (hard k sound, as in kansas, corderoy)
Sirth - S - (s, as in serpent)
Huvag - H - (hard h, as in hat, home)
Ætir - Æ - (hard a, as in able)
Ohmvohs - H - (silent h, distinguishes between consonant combinations and softens vowels)
Aynus - A - (ai sound, as in item. note: Aynus is often called 'Aynu' in the south)
Roth - R - (trilled r sound like in Japanese, doubles roll the r longer, in some very southern dialects the r is soft)
Dækhnas - D - (d as in dogma)
Luvkæ - L - (liquid l sound as in labour or love)
Ogvuh - O - (hard o as in hold or oar in southern sectors)
Eogvil - E - (ee, as in eat)
Maldahgah - M - (m, as in may)
Suvik - U - (oo as in ooze)
Gelmoeth - G - (hard g as in gazelle or glass)
Virthan - V - (v as in vivien, or as a w in the south like window)
Cæthi - C| - (soft s or sh as in ash)
Belbeten - B - (b as in baby)
Y'niv - Y| - (ny as in the proper mexican jalepeño or señor)
Aubiten - AU - (ow sound as in out)
Unyordi - Y - (hard y as in yarn or yellow)
Teomves - T - (t as in talk or terry)
Kælthir - K - (soft k sound as in kind or candy or act)
THadlan - TH - (soft th as in thing, in the south is harder like in the or that)
Unyah - ' - (the appostophe that seperates syllables sounds and indicates silent letters)
Fædr - F - (f as in flower or father)
Jær - J - (soft j as in jam or juice)
Pola - P - (p as in prince, or a soft ph in the south, like the sound of a puff of air)
Walin - W - (W as in water or well)
Ssaorith - SS - (z as in zebra)
Cuisine: Cuisine in Suoro varies greatly depending on where in the country you go. The Dragon Sector makes use of the most seafoods, while the South Sector prefers spicy or pungant foods. The City Sector has a wide array of sweets and deserts, while the Old Sector specializes in hearty pastas and thick stews. The Fant Tundra excels in baked goods and breads and the Guild Sector focusses on drinks, especially wine and decælyn. Like the Briandynians of the West, the suoro focus on the tasting of all flavours in a single meal (Sweet, Sour, Salty, Spicy, Bitter), with there being multiple removes (or courses depending on the formality of the meal) with different flavour concentrations for each one.
Comparative Statistics:
Intelligence: 16/16. The Suoro are generally agreed to be the most clever race in the world. They not only have completely labyrinthine thoughts, able to touch on the simplest and most complex issues with ease, they are also creative, with a great sense of aesthetic, valuing balance, complexity, intricacy and style, making their language the hardest to master. They have a great ability for understanding the view points of other races, and often use this knowledge to manipulate or position themselve to advantage. Rather than an emotional endeavour, politics and social circles in Suoro are a way of gaining information, position, prestige and standing. Their every interaction centres on worth and meaning, pulling the implied from the unspoken, the potential from past choices.
Wisdom: 15/16. The Suoro likewise have keen perception and strong senses, willfully honing all of the senses - both tactile and cerebral. They understand and feel a great wealth of emotion, and understand the bigger picture when compared with the individual. However, when it comes down to choice, most Suoro side with the cerebral rather than the emotive, and this keeps them from fully exalting in Wisdom. Their prowess for connecting with deities and other Realms is also a large part of their potency in magic.
Agility: 15/16. One of the more agile races, the Suoro have descended from Cats, and it shows. They are naturally graceful, quick on ther feet, with long, dextrous fingers and an eye for finesse and detail. If it were merely this potential, perhaps they would not score so highly, but the Suoro make it a mandatory portion of schooling to learn how to move, sit, speak, dance, copulate and hold themselves so that they make the most of these natural talents. They are bewitching to behold - especially a master of the art of "Making the Light Love You".
Strength: 7/16. Strength is not the Suoro forté, though they have structured their culture around passive agressiveness, manipulation, charm and smooth talking to get themselves out of most physical scrapes. Rest and relaxation, health and prevention are huge parts of their hygeine and medicine, which generally keeps their systems in good working order and their immune strong enough. They are not designed for long hard labour and their stamina for anything other than sex is quite poor. In physical prowess they are tender, sensitive and physically weak, not even reaching the points of strength that a basic human has.
Resistance: 9/16. In resistance they are slightly better, but again, this is mostly due to training and good health care rather than a natural aptitude. They have a fairly good magical resistance, as they are very in tune with the world's rhythms, but they do not deal well with blunt trauma or infection. There are many diseases they are suceptible to, but they treat illness quickly and efficiently, rarely given sickness a chance to take hold. When an illness does infect them they are highly contagious and quickly become suceptible to a myriad of other health problems, as their delicate balances are thrown out of whack.
Recovery: 9/16. Recovery is also highly dependant on a mix of magical healing and natural remedies. Chemists, herbalists and doctors play a huge role in nursing a Suoro back to health, but if given the time and peace to heal, they recover remarkably well. If they are pushed however, or not given ample rest, they descend into chronic illness. An allergy or sensitivity to a certain poison, food or ailment often increases with exposure, sometimes causing permanent damage.
NMP: 5/6. The Suoro have a high potential for magic, both in casting and non-casting cost types. They are naturally good at picking up thins like metaphysics and religion if taught, and have a great mind for the complexities and precision of fine recipeés such as required for Spell Casting and Alchemy. They are convincing in their entreaties, making their skills with Summoning and Familiars some of the best. They also are very good at channelling magic through their bodies when aware of its imminence, however, it can weaken them for illness or imbalance quickly if not treated. They need to be very careful not to bend to the associated illnesses and decay caused by excessive magic use.
|
The Pantheon
In Suoro there is a lot of leniency on faith and religious practice. The official religion of Suoro is Nusala, but there are many other cults, sects and other foreign religions practiced within the Suoro lands, such as worship of Isham by the Muzina, and several worships for Tirivahni and Speritanian gods. By the Emperor's decree, as long as all citizens of Suoro practice Ablution on the 9th day of every week, they can follow whatever other religious practices they choose - so long as they do not interfere with the peace and harmony of the cities.
The Faiths:
Nusala: The oldest religion in Suoro and said to be one of the first religions in the world. Nusala is a hierarchaic pantheistic religion, centred around Nusir, the Mother Goddess and the creation myth of how she created the Gods, and thereby the world. Nusala resembles the old pagan faiths in its rich content of myth, fable, extensive artistic works given to depiction and storytelling, and the fluidity of its timeline and the gods' roles. Nusala is a vehicle to provide its citizens needs, whether that be as a moralistic reminder, or as a supportive power and community, or as a social connection point.
The core belief is that Nusir, the Mother, the conceiving energy, had arranged the heavenly bodies for her own enjoyment. Having completed this arrangement she still felt unsatisfied, and thought that perhaps her desire was not reward, but sensation. In searching her newly formed heavens, she came upon a silver Gal shell and broke it in two to eat the meat within (the two halves of it - the silver outer shell, and the reddish inner membrane - represent the moons). In eating its flesh, she swallowed its pearl unknowingly, and by it became pregnant. Realizing she was to give birth, she settled down on the hard rock of Ul-Zaorith, trying to find a place to have her children. In her throes of labour, she kicked up the mountains and pounded down the deep places where the oceans would someday lie, and so by creating life, created the shape of the world. The first born was Irtem, symbolizing the breaking of her water, and that water filled the world with rivers and oceans and lakes. The second born was Caynu, who gave heat into the world, forming the membrane that would seal in the atmosphere around the planet. The third born was Sirth, breathing air into the world, born singing. The fourth was Huvag, who drew moss and grass from the hard unyeilding rock, bringing plantlife into the world with his presence.
But Nusir was still in great agony, and her newly born god-children could see that there were more to come, and so did their all to soothe her. Irtem brought the first rains to wash away her birth-blood and cool her. Caynu kept her warm, drawing heat from other places in the world, and thus instigating the seasons. Sirth blew the first winds to draw away the constant heat, to spread about the rains, to make the flowers dance as she danced. Huvag coaxed some of his flowers and plants to focus their love for the Mother and grow large enough to shade her, to offer her shelter, and so created the trees. And by these efforts to help and coax, soothe and protect, the twins were born: Ætir, bringing light into the world, and then, Ohmvohs bringing darkness, and so were created the cycle of day and night.
But the strain was too much for Nusir, and as Ohmvohs was pushed from her womb, life left her. The blood fell from her womb in seven drops - each springing to life as a Dragon God, and as her spirit sprang free, seven of her tears fell to the ground and sprang up as the Cassan Gods. Above, Thadlan (the name of the Gal shell, and so the element of the moons), wept all the stars into the sky for her death.
Because the Mother had died, so too could mortals die, and thus are rejoined with her in death in the Realm of Leddania - the Beyond. Nusir is therefore not prayed to, but remembered, blessed and mourned dependant on festivals and holidays. She is one who came before, the eternal parent, the life-giver and the purity of sacrifice for the good in the world and the desire to leave something good behind. The dogmas of Nusala are therefore an effort to leave an ultimate good through the act of living, to create and give, with emphasis on equality, charity and compassion. There was never a holy war over the concepts of Nusala.
Cassan: The Cassan Gods are the gods of society, the 7 sprung from Nusir's dying tears. These Gods are very much alive, lesser Gods though they may be. They govern in the Realm of Peolysia, and are the recipients of much mundane prayer. These are the deities who govern social interaction, work, prosperity, and social organization. The worship of the faith of Cassan is that of material focus, those who believe in the power of the secular rather than the ecclesiastic. They are those who pour their efforts into social change through active efforts - charities, philanthropistic acts, donations of works, buildings or goods to those in need. Their holy houses are the shelters and sanctuaries, the free tutor houses or recovery spas. Their actual preaching is minimal; they prefer to show through action their faith and so please their gods.
The Cassan followers believe in a form of karma, called "Thalais", which is the very literal belief that if one gives whatever they can afford to give, they will receive that which they need. Although their sense of barter is spiritual via their gods, their physical community is very strong with a list of tallies for favours owed and paid, which can be called upon at any point of need. Obviously the Cassan faith is popular with merchants, the Rahva and government officials. They are also the ones to do the majority of trade with the Muzina because of their understanding of the barter systems used by their southern neighbours.
Suasa: The Suasa are the six Elements, the first six children of Nusir, and the official religion of the Guild Sectors where they were said to have been born. Unlike the other faiths, where all gods are worshipped equally, in the Suasa faith, an individual takes one of the six as their prime. None of the Suasa deities are believed to be superior to any others, and so individuals are free to take preference with the one with whom they most identify without fear of insult to the others. While it is possible for an individual to worship more than one, and indeed there are holidays throughout the year in which worship to all six is required (such as during the New Years, marking their birth), it is uncommon for one to pick more than two - and never two that are in opposition, i.e. one cannot be chosen of Ætir as well as his polar opposite, Ohmvohs. The pairings are as follows: Ætir and Ohmvohs (light and darkness), Sirth and Huvag (Air and Earth) and Irtem and Caynu (Water and Fire).
In the Guild Sector are the six Guilds, which are a combination of schools, temples, magic collaborates and social nebulas. Those who are allowed entry into these highly coveted organizations must display marks of the God they've chosen. These take the form of physical markings, i.e. naturally occuring mark of the God (such as a rune or sacred symbol), a natural scent of flowers for Huvag, or unnaturally blue eyes for Irtem, or an uncanny charisma for Caynu, or a heightened healing ability for Sirth; they can also take the form of miracles - being directly contacted by their god by saving from death, seduction by the deity, dreams or visions of them, or the Voice of God. Once interviewd and deemed a true case of being chosen, they become a Child of (the God to whom they are chosen) and are a part of the Guild until death.
Children of the Guilds are unique in believing that rather than their souls passing on to be one with Nusir in the Beyond, they remain in the cycle of the world in the service of their god in the Realm of Fialysia with the Gods themselves.
Ssajac: The Ssajac, or Dragon Gods, those born from the blood of Nusir, and the official faith of the Dragon Sector is the most cultish and arcane of the Suoro faiths. A great deal of their practices involve sacrifice, ritual, secrecy and mantra-style prayer. The Dragon Gods are those who govern forms of personal quality and learning. They are all considered equally important, though some are said to have more powers than others, able to intervene in another's affairs if they feel righteous in doing so. There is a lot of counter prayer, begging another Dragon to step in to intervene with wrongs believed to be perpetrated by a said Dragon's jurisdiction. The faith of Ssajac, partly because it is so strongly rooted to the Dragon Sector and therefore its people, and partly because of the intricate and extensive practises and beliefs, is almost always hereditary. Entire families will devote themselves to a specific Dragon, taking the task upon themselves to upkeep the appropriate libations and prayers, and any children they have will be spiritually given at birth to follow in the family tradition.
In the Dragon Sector, there are seven cities that are in entire devoted to a specific Dragon, and occasionally others who are faithful to that dragon will immigrate to be closer to the heart of worship. These cities are the ones to whom yearly sacrifice are sent to be given to the gods.
Nalhounin: The Nalhounin are the "Ascended" gods, basically saints who gained a lesser god's status. They are somtimes invoked, but are not usually worshipped unless in a cult. They do not have temples consecrated to them, but there are often talismans in their images. They are a reminder and bolsterer of courage and faith more than a source of power. The Nalhounin do not have corresponding Runes.
Independant Cults: There are a few independant cults to specific gods scattered about Suoro, where the focus on a single deity (usually from the Cassan, Nalhounin or Nusala Gods). These cults have small numbers of followers, nearly no social impact, and in some cases can be worshipped alongside other more overt faith.
The Gods:
Nusala Gods:
Nusir - the great mother, fortune, pleasure, comfort, release - Nusir is represented as an Old Sector suoro (said to be the oldest genetic form of the Suoro), and usually with a full-body aura to represent her supremacy and deceased status. Her holy symbols are the Vial of Sweat and the Gal Shell. Nusir features in very few stories or plays - with obvious exception of the Creation myth tales - but is mentioned, aluded to, referred to or praised in endless songs and poems. She has become a national symbol of unity, and her shell remains in the monarchy's crest to this day, while the vial has become the religious symbol of those worshipping Nusala.
Teomves - bearer of the sword, sacrifice, suffering, martyrdom - Teomves was said to be the Goddess who rose up from the earth when Nusir's body decayed to ashes. She had no pantheon affiliation and had no real domains. She was a warrior Goddess, who rose up to bring the savage and wild Dragon Gods under control, bringing them into agreement and harmony with the other Suoro Pantheons. She led the domestic Cassan and the untamed Suasa against them, and they shook the world with their might. Eventually, she fell on her own sword to snap Maldahgah out of his chaotic frenzy, and because of her sacrifice and death, Maldahgah stepped off the field to mourn his lover. She went to join Nusir in the Beyond, another dead Goddess mourned but not worshipped. Teomves is now a beacon of defiance, of hope, and of righteousness to those under trial. She became the patron Goddess of the Slave movement, and was taken up by revolutionaries many times in history. She is depicted as wearing a dark cowl and bearing a shining silver sword. She is often shown with the rune of Teomves emblazened on her forehead - either in blood to show her as she was when alive, or in ashes to mark when she had died. Martyrs, when given a proper funeral, are trussed up in a dark cowl with the Teomves rune marked in ashes on their brown sot hat their souls will be safely ferried to Nusir instead of to the Realm of the Lost.
Thadlan - the moons, universal balance, cycle - Thadlan, the combined entity of the Gal shell which broken in two became the moons. For the suoro, the Moons are one being, not two, a single soul spun between two halves of a physical self. For them, this represents the balance between male and female, life and death, between the pairs of elements, planet and heavens, manna weave and huskline. Because of the tension between the two halves of the soul trying to endlessly rotate them into position so that they can be rejoined, and endlessly failing, the generated energies pulls the tides, influences the crops and animals and people of the planet below. Understandably, the lunar calendar that is used worldwide is in Suoro called the Thadlan Mark. Thadlan, being a Celestial God - or a source of energy rather than sentient creature - is always depicted as either the Gal Shell or as it's two halves, occasionally with a pearl hovering between them.
Unyah - Nothingness, void, emptiness - Unyah, another Celestial Deity, was said to be the emptiness into which creation came to be. Unyah is more than just nothingness - it is not a lack of something, but the balance to matter. It is the potential for possibility,t he space into which something can be put, intential emptiness. It is a popular concept for martial artists, musicians, dancers and monks. Unyah is an intrisitc part of Suoro philosophy and especially of the arts - negative space - intentionally leaving silence or black canvas or stillness to better excentuate the sound - to allow one time to absorb what is given and to better appreciate it. Unyah even has this purpose in suoro language, giving a distinct rhythm that cannot be explained as anything other than calculated pause for affect. Understandably, Unyah is never pictured, but represented by its Rune or the word itself in artistic script if needing to be discussed, otherwise by putting in that void, that emptiness, a placement of nothing, you invoke Unyah and it is represented.
Kælthir - unity, perfection, enlightenment - The antithesis of Unyah, Kælthir is the final step after something has been placed, it has been worked, shaped, changed, grown, morphed, and finally - perfected. Kælthir is another Celestial deity, a sentience that allows there to be a finishing point in a world of transience and constant cycle. The presence of Kælthir, or course, cannot last long, and cannot force the world to stop, but in Suoro philosophy - it does. For a perfect moment it exists, everything is tuned to perfection, every act exact, every poosibility in line and the elements arranged so that a single moment of pure, unadulterated Kælthir is brought into the world. It is beauty, it is purity, it is an opus, a masterpiece, complete meditation, flawlessness. It is an often sought after state, and rarely actually achieved. The lover and bane of artists, the ideal of monks, the pursuit of sexual enthusiasts, the topic of eulogies. Kælthir cannot be depicted except by that which is perfect. However, in discussion, written simply or shown by its Rune, Kælthir can be approached.
Cassan Gods:
Aubiten - gifts, births, marriages, occassions, funerals
C|æthi - giving, charity, the gift, forgiveness, peace
Gelmoeth - youth, mischief, chances - Gelmoeth is the youngest of the Gods yet living (As Teomves who was born last is with the Mother in Leddania), and because of his own nature he never grew up. He appears as a youth just before the brink of manhood, about 17 Suoro years old. He is shown as a South Sector or occassionally Fan Tundra Suoro with a curly, sunny mop of hair, a mischievous grin and bare feet. He represents the carefree love of youth, the desire to play, the act of living in the moment, the creative mind of a child inventing his world, an outlook of naivety and joy, and a desire to have fun - even if at another's expense. Gelmoeth is the one cursed when children get into mischief, or when untoward accidents happen. The pranks of the world are his pranks. Getting angry at him is pointless, as he is the permenant youth - he will never learn his lesson, and life will always have tricks up its sleeves. All you can do is laugh with him and stay alert.
Suvik - protection, foresight, prophecy
Unyordy - Trust, support, Friendship
Virthan - Home, Wealth, Work
Y'niv -
Suasa Gods:
Caynu - fire, vitality, seduction, passion - Caynu is perhaps the most notorious seducer of mortals of any pantheon the world over. He has fathered more demi-gods by mortal women and instilled his seed into more mortal men than any other deity. The infamous Caithnes was one such example of Caynu's lust. Unlike many gods to whom seduction of mortals is a sport or in spite, Caynu honestly does enjoy it, and his never having chosen to take a partner in the pantheons has left him guilt free for his wanton love-making. Aside from his godly skill in bed, he instills those he beds with passion - for whatever they are passionate about. Any craftsperson, artist, creator, inventor, diplomat will have a stroke of brilliance after being touched by Caynu. Thus, a great deal of arts and projects begin with: "Açæulanyian a Caynu'sæ" or "I dedicate this to Caynu" in Eighth level etiquette.
Sirth - wind, harmony, love - Sirth is one of the gentlest deities of the Suoro Pantheons. She is the sort of love that manifests as loyalty, faith and compassion. She is a beloved deity of pacifists, nurses, parents,
Irtem - water, healing, life
Huvag - earth, stability, strength
Ætir - light, manna weave, success, good luck
Ohmvohs - bad fortune, failure, darkness, huskline
Ssajac Gods:
Aynus - wisdom, patience, training, respect
Ogvuh - justice, law, memory, obedience
Eogvil - divinity, honour, pride, manipulation
Maldahgah - destruction, chaos, base desires, strife
Luvkæ - hidden talents, potential, secrets, channelling energy
Dækhnas - the dark knowledge, fate, that which is to come, intuition
Roth - magic, night, death, dreams
Nalhounin:
Belbeten -
Dartossen -
|
|