Castanics

Overview
"Pioneers of tomorrow, freed from the shackles of ancient oppression."

Since the fall of their Demon God, the Castanics have suffered unspeakable prejudice and oppression dating far back into the Mythic Ages. As a result, they mistrust others and prefer to go at things on their own. Resourceful and hardy, they draw from their innate individual strength to see them through this Age of Chaos.

Creativity drives thought; courage drives action

Sometimes seen as hedonistic or flighty, Castanic refuse to let their dark past cloud a bright future in the federation. Eager to prove their commitment, Castanics are strong enough and determined enough to do what others might find objectionable.

Castanics inspire more conflicting emotions than any other race in the federation. Clever and skilled, castanics are also opportunistic and hot-tempered. A castanic never forgets a friend and never abandons an ally. They're also notoriously quick-tempered and have a tendency to decapitate first and accept apologies second.

The castanic race is famous for the skill of its artisans and crafters. They are also adept merchants—cunning negotiators who love the interplay of bargaining, and strive to come out on top in every deal.

History of the Castanics


The Castanics have been under pressure from foreign invasion for the longest period of time of all races.

During the Age of Deities, they were driven out from their homeland by their once brother-like Deva race. After the War of the Gods, they were protected by the demon god Roak, who was thought to eventually bring an end to the world. Due to their relationship with Roak, they were treated badly by other races.

The Castanics were able to become a part of the Valkyon Federation with the help of the Humans of Velika and the Amani, but to achieve that feat many young Castanics disappeared to the battlefield.

Demons
The devas were children of Zuras. After she was sealed away by Titus in the war against the giants, Balder offered them to Lok, a fellow craftsman. He changed their name, and they served him until his fall. Since that time, the castanics have forged their own destiny, lived by their own dark code of honor, and carved out a place in history.

Fates be Damned!
Betrayed into creating an artifact that caused the death of the beloved god Balder, most castanics have spurned the gods entirely, believing them not to be worth the trouble they cause, and that those who depend upon the gods are too cowardly to seize their own destiny. Some, however, seduced by Lakan's promises of power, have followed the evil god into Northern Arun, intent on reviving the ancient and bloody name: devas. A small minority revere the amani goddess Kaia.

Stigma
To counter all the resentment from other races, they have become a very independent race. To this day, they continue to pass down their traditions from generation to generation.

Castanics are short in height, but have strong physical shapes and are swift in motion and melee combat. Their divine magical affinity is in direct contrast with their small stature, often surprising others. Due to their independent nature, the Castanics have become known for having trouble following orders.

Appearance
The Castanics are a demon-like race that feature exotic looks. Both females and males have various shaped horns composed of a solid material atop their heads. Castanic infants start developing horns shortly after birth.Their horns often have patterns on them, which usually include some shade of red coloring. Combined with pointed, elongated ears this gives them their exotic and demon-like appearance. To go with their demon-like horns, the Castanics also choose elaborate hairstyles, adding to their exotic appearance. Castanics also feature armored patterns on their bodies, and usually have fair, tanned skin. The markings on castanic skin are arcane scars. They were inflicted when their artifact, the Crown of Phanes, killed the god Balder. The feedback from that event scarred all adults and even now, the onset of puberty is marked by a painful episode in which every castanic develops the scars. Some scholars claim the scars are a divine curse, a Mark of Cain, if you will. The Castanics are relatively short in height, though they possess strong physical shapes. This anatomy allows them to be agile and swift allies or enemies. The Castanics are also often seen as a very seductive and sexy race.

Social Behaviors
Castanics are a matriarchal society for the most part. Males often seek their fortune elsewhere, but always have a place in the clan.

Castanic artisans meld skill and magic to create fantastic artifacts. In the past, even the gods sought Castanic craftsmanship. Come of the Castanic artisans create Castanic costumes which are popular for parties. Artisans make exquisite replica horns… for a price.

Castanics Today
Already known as a fiery-tempered race, castanics have found an uneasy niche in the Valkyon Federation. Council decisions against their wishes frequently find castanic factions acting on their own. They take what they can, though they never steal, and they look out for each other.

Castanics in the Federation are willing to work together for the common good, but only so far as the common good doesn't take too long or come at too high a price. They’re perfectly willing and able to go their own way if necessary.

Castanic Culture
Like many cultures, Clan Castanic has a coming-of-age rite that marks the transition to adulthood. The Crucible is a test that carries youngsters into the deadly wastes of Fyrmount. There they struggle to find a token, a relic, or something of value whilst avoiding near-certain death at the hands (and fangs!) of the denizens of that fiery landscape.

Race Height: Avg. Male Castanic (5'10") Avg. Female Castanic (4'11")

Reputation What other races think about Castanics: "Castanics? They're cool looking and capable of doing many things well. But they are hard to command." "Castanics? Why would I bother with those insane creatures… no constructive discussion is possible." "They were friends of our ancestors. Should we not help them when they are in trouble?" "Hmm… so maybe say they don’t have any morals? Can’t possibly imagine what they are thinking? Cant make them do anything and they grab weapons on a single alert... heheheh, I’d say just avoid them." "Well they are hard to deal with. They don’t like to talk a straight up conversation, and I think for that reason they don’t hang out with us. But they are not evil at all." "We're kin—the races that live on the edge." "They are quick and clever, but loathe to wait, weigh, reflect, or consider." "Castanics care too much about themselves and too little about what matters—nature." "They stand at the front of the line of battle, willing to give blood and bone for the betterment of all." "They can be unstable, but their passion fuels a powerful engine of creativity. Greedy at times, but they keep their oaths. We share their drive, but not their fatalism." "We taste fiery confidence in the castanics. Their let-me-at-them attitude also shows boundless courage."

Castanic Quotes
"Attack life—it's going to kill you anyway." "If one has not given everything, one has given nothing." "Words are cheap; blood is costly."

Castanic Naming Convention
Since castanics are extremely individualistic, the clan provides most of their group identity. Family is a fluid concept to most castanics.

As for HOW castanics are named, the rules are simple:

-They use Latin (Roman) names -They use names that sound really dang close to Latin/Roman names (Romanesque, as it were).

95% of the time, that rule covers castanic character names and specific locales.

Males

 * Caelius
 * Dulari
 * Helier
 * Priscus
 * Trajan
 * Viator

Females

 * Amalthea
 * Calandra
 * Evadne
 * Imalia
 * Isaura
 * Phaedra

Racial Traits

 * Kaiator's Drums:
 * Any castanic of sufficient level can teleport at will to Kaiator, with its great forges. 1 hour cooldown.


 * Skirmish Running:
 * An enraged castanic can sacrifice some stability for greater combat speed. 30 minute cooldown.


 * Dirty Fighting:
 * Castanics fight to win. When attacking from behind, they have a greater chance to critically hit. Passive.


 * Weaponforging:
 * When crafting metal weapons, castanic passion cuts the work time significantly.


 * Light Landing:
 * Always lithe and graceful, castanics take much less damage from falls than other races.