It is Siadas, 12th of the Month of Silver, in the year 96
Eminence Hara Vanikra
The Banen’Rhûn
Eminence Celcin Vohish
Eminence Varkalla Deltin
Upper-Chamber Eminences
Eminence Sedas Sanfass
Warlord Arusmare Veda
The Militant Conclave
Warlord Bevas Mor
Warlord Dazar Baseq
Warlord Nindura Ozhan
Hailing from the sprawling mountain ranges of Rhûn, the Banen’Rhûn is one of the most distinctive humanoid races. Despite their relatively recent emergence in the far northern reaches of Awenasa, they have swiftly garnered widespread attention, albeit for largely negative reasons, owing to their hostile disposition towards neighbouring House Galasar and Komanali societies. - A stance which they have not yet adopted against Humanity.
Despite having such a poor reputation from their aggressive actions towards House Galasaar and the Komanali, the Banen’Rhûn are culturally sophisticated enough to contend with larger societies. They boast a well-established governance system, a thriving art scene, and a rich tradition of philosophical thought.
"I love our mountain home, but I wish it was warmer."
- Unknown Pioneer, a not-so-uncommon musing for Banen’Rhûn that visit warmer climates
Play As...
Banen’Rhûn
General Characteristics
Primary Race
Banen’Rhûn
Languages
Common, Rhûn
Height
170cm - 198cm (5'10 - 6'5)
Hair Colours
Grey, White, Bone Coloured
Eye Colours
Blues, Oranges, Yellows
Skin Tone
Pale-Pink, Pale-Grey, Snowlike
Ethos
Bellicose
Naming Convention
Dunmer and Drukhari Hybrid
Banen’Rhûn Rundown
Themes
Collectivist, Discovery, Isolationist, Pragmatic Granduer, Emerging Culture
Aesthetics
Dress - Graceful, Colourful, Fur-Covered,
Architecture - Falmer / Necrom-esque Mountain-Adapted Construction with emphasis on communal spaces.
Architecture (Away from Rhûn) - Biome appropriate.
Unique Aspects
Survival through Unity, Merit-Driven Society, Defensive Isolationists.
General Attitudes Towards
Attitude Scale:
Allied
Friendly
Cordial
Neutral
Unfavourable
Antagonistic
War
Asturias:
Neutral
Gallia:
Unfavourable
Ancient Dwarves:
Antagonistic
Azuchi:
Neutral
Daurans:
Neutral
Dumanon:
Neutral
Great Houses:
Antagonistic
Custodes:
Unfavourable
Dynasty:
Neutral
Sasanshahr:
Neutral
Komanali:
War
Amu-Tep:
War
Turak:
Neutral
Banen’Rhûn and Aether Users:
Those born with the gift of aether in Banen society are raised just like any other in their society. The greatest change comes from the expectation that they will -be more, and emphasise the best of their people. The pressure on these individuals can be immense as they try to live up to that standard or fall short. - Those who excel can often become highly individualistic compared to their peers, which can further cause internal tensions.
Banen’Rhûn and Demons:
Although they are mostly the subject of myth and rumour, the demons as they are spoken about in the fables are viewed as the 'true' enemy of The Father. As such the Banen take it upon themselves to aim to defeat these demons as either veneration to their god or to achieve a 'Feat of Brilliance'.
When creating a Banen’Rhûn character there are a few key things that you need to consider:
What is their purpose for being so far from their mountain homeland?
- Are they out looking for something rare and exotic to bring home as part of their ‘Feat of Brilliance’?
- Are they part of a roving group, or an aspiring Lord trying to extract food and materials from the locals?
- Are they a scout looking for signs of the genocidal demons or do they have another purpose as a Pioneer?
How benign is their feeling of cultural superiority?
- Is it patronizing towards others or is it more subtle within their thought pattern?
- To expect less, trust less, and see other societies as 'barbarian' because of their differing cultural norms or philosophical outlooks being considered 'lesser'?
- Consider the ‘high bar’ must be surpassed for a non-Banen’Rhûn individual to impress your character.
- Consider if actions of the individual could be seen as a Feat of Brilliance, if the individual has greatness despite the failings of their cultures and society.
Banen’Rhûn regarding their own people:
All Banen’Rhûn are your extended family, they are your brothers and sisters. (Not always literally) - If they were to be harmed, it should be by your hand. Other races should not profane their being.
The life of a Banen’Rhûn is more important than any other.
Betraying or deceiving other Banen’Rhûn is possible, but to do so to favour any other race would be amoral, disgusting, and punishable by isolated imprisonment or worse depending on the severity and justification.
"I had hoped they at least learn to stand their ground once in a while."
- Warlord Arusmare Veda, a remark she made watching Komanali flee her force.
The History of Banen’Rhûn
The earliest mentions of the Banen’Rhûn outside of their society are less than a few centuries old. Most accounts exist within Awenasa history and folktales about pale-faced bandits that descended from the great Rhûn mountains in large groups to loot and destroy. Komanali populations that live closer to the mountains understand they’re not merely bandits, but rather a ravenous people who rarely seem interested in anything but taking food and resources.
The Banen’Rhûn, on the other hand, trace their history from ‘Our Great Mural’ in the city Bel'Serra. The outstanding work of art is painted upon a large rock face within the Grand Temple of The Father. There the mural depicts the plight of the Father trying to cure them of their worst ailments and eventually spiriting them away to the Rhûn mountains to protect them from "The blight of those Overlord Fiends and their vile-mouthed 'snake minions..."
In the earliest days, the Father instilled into his people the virtue of struggle, and how they must evolve as a people through struggle. He also gifted them knowledge, tools and power to enhance their progress beyond what would be natural. Eventually, his contact became more and more scarce, as did the assistance he gave. The Banen’Rhûn’s last contact with their Father in person was a foreboding warning, instilled with a sense of fear and a purpose to drive them onward.
He told them of betrayers, describing them as untrustworthy snakes bent on destroying his work and slaughtering all of his children.
So he told his children to prepare, build, and hone their skills in warfare. Most importantly to not let these demons snuff them from existence.
Bel'Kana
Pioneered by the efforts of Warlord Dazar Baseq in the last decade, he and his contingent turned their temporary raiding fortifications into a permanent residence much further south than Bel'Serra and far from the mountains of Rhûn.
The settlement provides regular food shipments back home and has become an appealing location to operate from for those of Banen who grow tired of the cold. Warbands who visit the settlement during their journeys often speak of its abundance and warmth.
The settlement is not without controversy, and it is under constant pressure by the Purists to exceed expectations to justify its existence. Many decry it as weakening the core of the Banen or granting too great of an opportunity for their kin to be attacked.
Origin Myth
The Banen’Rhûn trace their origins from a work of art located in their greatest temple located in Bel-Sarra. The depiction of the mural shows the origin of the Banen’Rhûn as children playing joyfully under the protective watch of their father. They were happy, they enjoyed their moments in life and worried for nothing.
It all changed when the servants of the demons discovered them, these snakes lashed out at the children and poisoned them with every bite. Their father sprung into action and banished the serpents and their demonic masters with a great swipe of his arm. But this was only the beginning.
Transporting his family to a far-flung range of mountains, the Father imbued his children with ageing, allowing them to grow older into fully-fledged adults and unfortunately old enough to die. Those first few who came of age were then gifted a great wealth of knowledge and understanding, the Chosen Ancestors were to guide his family in the stead of their Father. The Ancestors taught the children the ways of survival, the ways of building, thriving and most importantly fighting and warfare in preparation for defeating the genocidal demons and their serpents.
Creation (About 200 Years Ago)
A secret is only known to a handful of scholarly individuals, most of whom are Chosen Ancestors sitting as Eminences. The race is not a natural creation, but rather an aetheric-infused alchemical one. Their god, ‘The Father’, forged them through decades of research and experimentation, attempting to fashion a better quality of Elf.
His true name has been lost to time as he developed his people in secret and far from the judgmental minds of his kin, who he feared would destroy his lifework and himself if they discovered his ambition. His fears were proven right when his close friends were appalled by what he was doing and betrayed him by informing the Inquirers. Leading them directly to his laboratory where his prohibited experiments were undertaken. With the use of abhorrent and outlawed alchemy he fused the best of the Elves, of himself and bound them together with Aetheric power.
Alchemically empowering the Elves was already a serious enough offence, let alone creating an entire sub-race. But the addition of his kin to give birth to the abomination was enough to instantly sign his death warrant and that of the race he created.
The Father was not impotent against the forces that sought to undo his work. To master such alchemical power he had a profound ability with the Aether; such strength served him well in beating back the inevitable and saving his creation from extinction.
Their Father has not been heard from since.
"In -HIS- name!"
- A common war cry shouted right before battle.
Banen’Rhûn:
Civilization & Politics
Most races will only know of the Banen’Rhûn through the rumours of raiders led by lords seeking to extract a great wealth of resources from the unfortunate people who happen to be in their way.
Despite their reputation, the Banen’Rhûn maintain a culturally and technologically advanced society. Most of these advancements have been 'gifted' to their Chosen Ancestors or those blessed by visions from the Father which have graced them with advancements made by Elves of the Dominion.
Being able to craft high-quality clothing, arms, armour, decoration and more is fairly standard within society. Their writing and language have their roots in Elvish though distinct enough to seem almost completely different yet eerily familiar.
Despite this, the harsh climate of their home limits their ability to grow their own population. Necessitating the need to raid neighbouring Komanali and House Galasaar settlements the reap their harvests.
At the summit of the Banen’Rhûn government, the structure is divided between the Upper Chamber which organises and maintains the ‘civilian’ way of life of their people. Then there is the Militant Conclave, the council of military commanders who take charge of Banen’Rhûn effort to secure vital resources, particularly food, for the growing population.
The Upper Chamber is composed of 100 venerated members, each with their expertise and several feats under their belt. Of these, an equal number are selected by the Chamber to become Eminences depending on the number of Warlords currently active. The Eminences are often Chosen Ancestors, or those closely related to them, though few such individuals remain.
The Militant Conclave does not have a set number of members and is instead decided by the Conclave itself. Influential and powerful High Lord Militants or High Lords can declare their intent to join, in which case they may need to fight a current sitting member in a duel to prove their strength. The test is considered a success when the Warlord acknowledges their strength, is defeated, or the other Warlords determine the individual to be worthy.
The Eminences lead the Banen’Rhûn, and despite the nature of this set-up, the Warlords and the Upper-Chamber rarely find themselves at such a harsh divide that political embitterment inflames the chamber and spills into something more than angry shouting. The most controversial topic of the day is what path is best to pursue: Imperialist or Purist?
The arrival of Humanity to the New World has only increased the debate between the two groups as the best way forward.
Military Structure
Below the Militant Conclave, are the various warbands and groups that act semi-independently of each other. It is common for these groups to swell up and deplete in number and only when one truly worthy individual rises above the rest to they gain the honour of becoming a High Lord.
Warlord -
At the summit of Banen Military command are the Warlords. Each ascends to this position through a series of challenges given by the current Warlords to test the individual. Often this will require a duel along with testing of their intelligence and philosophy.
Influential and powerful High Lord Militants or High Lords can declare their intent to join, in which case they may need to fight a current sitting member in a duel to prove their strength. The test is considered a success when the Warlord acknowledges their strength, is defeated, or the other Warlords determine the individual to be worthy.
High Lord Militant -
The High Lord Militant is a title that is claimed rather than given. Like the title of 'Lord Militant' it is a statement of competence and a challenge to others to try and take it from them. Although they occupy a similar position to 'High Lords', the High Lord's Militant commands will always take precedence unless someone is willing to challenge them for the title or challenge them to a ritual debate for a better way.
High Lord -
A title is bestowed upon the leader of a particular warband or group because of its reputation or size. One of the Warlords will offer the title and if this is accepted, then the group becomes part of that Warlord's army and gains access to the benefits that provides.
Lord Militant -
This is a title often 'claimed' rather than bestowed, and it is available for any Lord or Captain to take for themselves. The condition is that other Banen'Rhûn have a right to challenge them for their position, so long as they are seconded by a well-respected or veteran member of the warband or have the combat-related feats to substantiate it. - The well-respected or veteran members rarely allow these challenges for the sake of warband unity.
Lord -
Typically, a Lord will lead more than one group or warband of the Banen'Rhûn and will serve a High Lord in performing the tasks required of them.
The Captain -
The Captain is a specific title given to those who lead a group or warband and do not hold the rank of Lord. This title denotes leadership among the Rhûn, and does not come with a specific size of group they command.
Pioneer -
A Pioneer is a specialise within the Rhûn which prioritises the ability to track, survive and perform scouting missions either solo or as a pair. The Pioneers are typically less prone to being openly hostile than the others of their kind due to the nature of their work.
Ranger -
As much a title as it is a recognition of maturity. The 'Ranger' denotes an aspirant who has passed their trial and has become a full-fledged part of the Warband.
Aspirant -
Aspirants are 'fresh blood' in the Warband that have yet to 'mature' enough to be accepted as a ranger. Typically they will need to serve with the Warband for two years before being initiated as a full member or achieve an impressive feat of brilliance to impress the Captain to induct them sooner.
Purist
The Purists tend to be the more xenophobic faction of the Banen’Rhûn, part of their core belief is the safety of their mountain homes, reliance on themselves, and maintenance of their way of life. Just as The Father intended.
The Purists believe that the best interaction with the 'fallible cultures' is to exploit them for resources in tribute. They view slavery with disgust and as a threat to the sanctity of their way of life, by diluting the need for hard work; of their home, by spreading the moral corruption of the weak. Migrating other people to their mountain home or near it they consider to be one of the most vile acts imaginable.
Of the two major factions, they are the most difficult to gain respect if you are not a Banen’Rhûn. They value martial might, though it's not limited to only that, it is the simplest way to earn their respect, through fighting and war. Alternatively, they can come to respect other cultures for more than just war. It depends on how alike its ideals and traditions are to the Banen’Rhûn way of life, and how weak they are perceived to be.
The 'degrees' of a 'fallible cultures' in the eyes of a Purist is subject to intense debate from anything that is not the Banen’Rhûn to any group that they have defeated easily. The topic is more popular of late with the arrival of Humanity. This has led to a larger-than-expected number of Pioneers being Purists in affiliation, as they attempt to figure out Humanity, and where they fit into their worldview. - The Elves, however, have been solidified as the bottom of the lesser cultures list.
Imperialist
The Imperials also follow a similar trend of xenophobia, but much less so. The Purists often view them as being too eager to enter into diplomatic talks with ‘other’ races, and too easily impressed by feats the Purists consider ‘too mundane’. The core change in the doctrine from the Purists is that the Imperials believe that they are the inheritors of the world, and the darkness that surrounds Rhûn shall only be revealed by the guiding their guiding light and the faith of The Father.
Perhaps paradoxically, the Imperials tend to be more religiously zealous than the Purists. A common trope among Imperial justification is that The Father created them for this purpose and that by that divine right, they can and should expand. The Purists of course would argue that this instead opens them up to become more fragmented, fractured and weaker. A dilution of their culture. This sentiment that does not hold up with the current generation where many side with the Imperialist line of thought.
Imperials detest the use of slavery, they instead prefer to establish tributaries and communities that feed them resources without the need to dedicate any manpower to maintenance. Imperialist see slave-masters as an undignified station, a dead end to life and one that excludes the Banen'Rhun from glory. Their prestige is instead found within their particular Warband, its reputation among their kin and feats of their own.
Interestingly, as the race is so young, the Banen’Rhûn are still learning what it means to be an Imperial entity. They have yet to be fully exposed to the differing versions of Empire brought by Humanity.
"Toiling away gathering or mining, why do we condemn so many of our kind to a life without glory?"
- Warlord Dazar Baseq, making a pro-imperial talking point
Banen’Rhûn:
Faith
Banen’Rhûn faith revolves around The Father and their Great Destiny. They view The Father as their progenitor, he is their saviour and their protector. No one has sacrificed as much as The Father to save the Banen’Rhûn, and none have done as much to see them thrive and prosper.
No Banen’Rhûn would speak a bad word of their Father. He is the embodiment of virtues that are core to their societal faith. Protection of his family, the giver of knowledge and fearless in the face of demons. Saying anything that is perceived as insulting against the Father is a great offence to the Banen’Rhûn as a people, and to diminish his name is enough to bring out physical violence.
Although their reputation had them as merely a violent bandit-like race, many of their faith-based celebrations instead revere life, their great people and collective advancement.
The Celebration of Life -
The Celebration of Life occurs whenever a newborn is brought into the world, this often takes place on the next night from birth where more food and alcohol are shared among the community and intimacy is encouraged in the communal gathering. The celebration doubles as a method to encourage more births.
The Festival of Rhûn -
Held once a year, in which two weeks are dedicated to a festival held in reverence of The Father and his work, as well as appreciation given to the warriors and families of the society who fight for their continuation.
"I've heard this Emperor of Dumanon is the most powerful human across the ocean."
- Warlord Nindura Ozhan, known to have an unhealthy obsession with Dumanon
Banen’Rhûn:
Norms & Culture
From a young age, every Banen’Rhûn is inducted into a schooling system designed to hone their particular natural skills and interests. Through this process, each individual has their strengths and weaknesses identified. They are taught to develop their strengths which further individualises them, and the best ways to overcome their weaknesses to better shape them to fit into their society.
Banen’Rhûn are taught that they are intrinsically worth more than any other they will encounter, they are further taught that despite whatever differences or grievances they have between each other, they must never cause ‘undue harm’ to another of their kind. This is generally understood to mean injury beyond repair such as crippling, maiming, dismembering and killing. Killing one of their own is an unspeakable act that many would struggle to accept as a possibility in comprehension.
Family is considered one of the most important aspects of their society, and to have one of their own one day is an ‘expected’ desire in all Banen’Rhûn. Despite this, the standard ‘selection process’ for a union typically follows various displays of feats of brilliance. Enough to convince either the man or woman they are attempting to court that they are the ‘prime’ candidate.
In their earlier days, they were known to practice incestuous relationships, a practice that continues into the modern day and is stylised as ‘Divine Marriage’, an old tradition from when the population of the race was meagre and their mission to survive given by The Father pushed them onto that path. The practice is blamed for undesired deformities and mutations plaguing some of the older Banen’Rhûn.
The culture surrounding ‘Feats of Brilliance’ has given birth to many traditions among the Banen’Rhûn, from simple trophy hunting to prove strength, to masterful dancing to show eloquence and body coordination, to forging a weapon or tool like no other, to even grand philosophical debates to flex one's mental ability. It is practised by both men and women and it is often used to showcase one’s worth to the greater family, that being the Banen’Rhûn as a whole.
The range and depth of young Banen’Rhûn's brilliance can be seen through the tracks on their eyebrows. Tracks on their right brow relate to combat-related feats, and on their left to art, crafts, intellect and endurance. Traditionally these tracks are given by another Banen’Rhûn who already have a track for the same or similar feat, in other circumstances it is given by the Venerated in recognition of the feat or as a collective to honour those deserving.
This is all done to further the aim of survival against the inevitable attack by those who assaulted and harried The Father. Banen’Rhûn society is geared towards fighting until the bitter end against an enemy they believe is coming, though they have yet to see it. Their skill in warfare is constantly honed against Elves and Dwarves to prepare for the inevitable.
The Venerable Orange
After achieving four or more Feats of Brilliance, it is then possible for a Banen'Rhûn to be accepted into the ranks for the Venerated. No longer will they need to mark their achievements with tracks, but instead gain the honour of using orange in their clothing and armour colouring.
Their expanding awareness of Awenasa and the arrival of Humanity has altered how they interact with the surroundings, a new group of Banen’Rhûn entitled Pioneers has been tasked with scouting, reconnaissance and engaging with Humanity, particularly Dumanon, to assess their level of threat and how the society as a whole should approach them.
Disagreements in the Conclave and Upper Chamber have led to deadlock in the best direction to advance in. To treat them like they do Elves and exploit them? To ally with them against their arch-enemies or compete as an Imperial entity against them.
Marriage, Social Status & Sexuality
In Banen’Rhûn society, men and women are treated the same in most regards. Each is expected to uphold the same values and to fight for the survival of the group regardless of their ailments and inhibitions. This status only changes when a man and woman undertake the Rite of Union with the expectation of children as a result. Those who have taken the Rite are held in higher respect and often afforded more allowances along with luxuries because of their additional responsibilities with the continuation of the race.
Due the to emphasis on family and continuing the race as a whole, homosexuality is frowned upon in civil society. Engaging in those practices before fulfilling the their divine duty can, in the minds of some, amount to abandoning their responsibility for the future of the Banen’Rhûn. Most instead dedicate their entire being to fighting in warbands to lessen the social demand for pro-creation, and often find like-minded individuals and quiet companionship. However, it is an unfortunate truth that the expectation for the family cannot be outrun - particularly for men who may be expected to try even as they advance in age.
Bisexuality is far less frowned upon, especially if they already have a family and have fulfilled their duty to the continuation of the people. It is noticeable that bisexuals of each sex are not treated the same, it is noted that the men of society are more accepting of bisexuality in their wives than they are of bisexual men - This view is held by most of the population and it caused by the belief that sex relations with women result in 'tie' or 'equal' outcome, while one man will dominate the other, showing his inferiority. - The wives also play into this complication, as the pervasive idea of their husbands being dominated, even not sexually, can strain a relationship.
"Bring me one of those fashionable Elven Knights that like to fight."
- Warlord Bevas Mor, wanting an Elf follower of The Seventh brought to him
Banen’Rhûn:
Reputation & Interactions
The reputation of the Banen’Rhûn is mostly based on their interaction with their neighbours, this interaction comes in the form of raids to steal resources and beat aside those who offer resistance. They are particularly feared, and not very well understood by the Komanali and House Galasaar in the New World.
With Humans
Generally speaking, what humans know of Banen’Rhûn are mostly stories told to them by the Elves. But more specifically, only Dumanon and Gallia have had any actual interaction with them. In both situations it would be best described as attempting to figure out the purpose of the other, to trade, befriend or fight. Relations have not advanced beyond this stare-down officially.
With Amura
Very few Amura will ever meet a Banen’Rhûn. But their reputation for zealous hostility to the Amura is well known among them. The Amura lack the understanding of this aggression from a race they have barely had interactions with.
With Elves
The Banen’Rhûn have a particularly terrible reputation among the Elven populations of the House Galasaar and the Komenali. Both of these groups have been the main target for raids and pillages as warbands have descended from their mountainous homeland.
The Central and Southern Elves still view them poorly based on stories and reports of what they do. However, they are less united in their hatred owning to distance from their mountains.
With Dwarves
The Banen’Rhûn have attacked Dwarves in the past, performing raids like they would do to Elves. However, Dwarven settlements are much more difficult to access and as a result to assault. This had led them to be mostly considered too tough of a target, and such raids were undertaken for the challenge of it. - Though successful ones always bear the best fruit.
Because of this, they are considered a menace to the Dwarves.
The Custodes see them as excellent fighters, worthy of respect but otherwise just barbarians. When Custodes are deployed they are most often the reason for thwarting the raiding parties and only struggle against the warbands of the Banen’Rhûn.
With Turak
With the Turak living so far south, they have yet to meet. Though their pacifistic ways would most likely earn them the disrespect of the Banen’Rhûn.
Author: Hokan
Page Created by: Hokan