Alora

Origins

Listen well, little one, and look to the sky. The battle-scarred moon is our heritage and our pride.

Our forefathers gave everything in the war beyond the dark. The lunar dragons spent their strength to turn a terrible shadow from its rampage. The war was fierce, and they paid a high price to banish that shadow to the farthest reaches beyond the stars.

Exhausted, wounded beyond care, they sought a land to claim as their tomb. They descended here, splitting the Akashic Sea, and Seln was born.

Their bones became the mountains. Their breath the clouds. Their wishes the wild elements.

We are blood of their blood, born from the last crimson droplet of the last dragon. Born to carry forward their dream.

Though this island is home to many folk, it was created for us. We were meant to guide Seln from the earliest days. We must honor that duty in our word and that deed. We must grow strong and true.

One day, someday, bright Mera in the sky will call us. One day, we will return to finish what our forefathers started.

Stature

You are an Aloran, graceful steward of Seln. Descendant of dragons, your heritage is plain through your lunar blessings.

About you:

  • Height: 150 to 170 cm average, with men 3 to 5 cm taller than women
  • Build: Slender and graceful
  • Hair: Razor-straight in metallic colors
  • Skull: Notable for long, gracefully tapered ears

Lunar blessings

  • You almost certainly sport a dusting of scales on one or more of the following locations:
    • Hands, elbows, shins, belly, spine, neck, cheeks
    • Coloration and patterns are strongly hereditary
    • The most common colors are silver, gold, crimson, emerald, and black; however, any color is possible
  • You have or know a clan member with stronger lunar blessings such as:
    • Small spiraled horns
    • Thickened nails suitable as claws
    • Predator-sized canines (with an appetite for meat to match)
    • Heavy patches of scales, especially along the feet, hands, or neck
    • Slit-iris pupils
  • Unless you are particularly lucky, you’ve only heard stories of particularly strong lunar blessing such as:
    • Complex scale and bone patterns
    • Fully grown horns
    • A slim scaled tail
    • Elemental-charged sneezes!

Naming conventions

Your families exalt your celestial origins with grand names. Other lineages call such names presumptuous, but you know they are aspirational.

Any name that honors the sun, moon or stars is suitable, regardless of its origin.

Examples for girls: Selene, Aethra, Luna, Jupiter, Merabelle, Dawn, Astra

Examples for boys: Aegir, Atlas, Eridanus, Galileo, Mars, Mercurius, Ymir

Role – Stewards of the folk

As an Aloran, you are the steward of Seln. The Izu brought Harmony forth, the Whistlers peddle wonders near and far, and the Florans know all the best tricks, but you are the central point around which the Kingdom revolves. It is your sworn duty to gather friends and students, providing them guidance and protection.

To fulfill this, you must embody dignity and poise. Your personal refinement reflects on yourself, your clan, and your lineage. You can be proud that:

  • Your Queen runs the Kingdom, knitting together the many disparate clans with efficiency and poise
  • Your lineage has pushed the art of cultivation further than any other, founding Path after Path
  • Your lineage invented the Teacher program and its Graces to bring the Kingdom out of its long slumber.

Of course, as an equitable steward, you might admit under pressure that:

  • Not every Aloran in the room can be the leader, and your Lineage can be a little competitive
  • Not everyone appreciates your attempts to improve their situation
  • Centuries of refinement in the arts of decorum can be hard for newcomers

Despite this, your lineage fills the ranks of the civil service, travels the Kingdom to negotiate the treaties with neighbors like the Sirens and Centauri, and mediate the clan conflicts that plague the land. You are the glue that holds Seln Alora together.

Your Song

Time and Wisdom

Born from the immortal dragons, you know that time favors the patient. Your Crown orchestrates the Kingdom across generations, and your life is a small part of that greater song.

The Queen hands dispensations and quests to your clans that may take centuries to complete, but you can rest confident in her guidance. Look how the carefully tended flower takes root!

Gender expectations

In your clan, the men are tasked with tackling the world without while the women govern the world within. Clan patriarchs are expected to be renowned warriors, statesmen, or crafters. Matriarchs are expected to govern the clan’s internal affairs – everything from child-rearing to taxes.

This expectation applies to both rich and poor. The King is a powerful warrior (even if he is Izu!) and travels the country while the Queen manages the affairs of state such as taxation, harvests, and the wards. As the saying goes, “If you have a complaint, see the Queen. If you need the King, you’re already in too deep!”

Charity for the Mousefolk

When tragedy struck and the Mousefolk were driven from their home by the dread Skyshadow eagles, your clan were first to offer shelter. Scores of the diminutive Mousefolk flooded into Alora, forming communities and seeking work. Many found employment as craftsmen, cooks, and nannies on Aloran estates.

The mousefolk have lived primarily in Alora ever since. Most Aloran children have Mousefolk nannies now.

With this charity comes the sorrow of loss. Your lineage lives long, and the mousefolk do not. Every Aloran, still young, faces the sorrow of learning a beloved nanny has passed – the first hint of the difference in lifespans.

Mera’s Watchful Gaze

Lady Mera of the moon guides from her resting place. Her plan includes everything in your Kingdom: your family, your friends, your occupation. Show her the honor of your ancestors that she might favor you in life and battle!

Divinations to Lady Mera are done at every major life milestone. Many in your clan choose their occupation based on these divinations, placing their faith in the watchful eye of the moon.

Elemental Power

As the children of the dragons, your blood sings with the elements. The dragon-blessed among your children sneeze bursts of frost or even licks of fire, proof of your heritage. As you grow, these little displays evolve into a reservoir for elemental power. You can hold greater power than others for longer.

After all, the elements recognize your greatness.