Clan Staldor

"Bold of Heart. Firm of Word." - motto of Clan Staldor

The main clan of the Reach, Clan Staldor was the blueprint for the Staldor Empire's people's, and though not consciously wrought, the clan which the majority of those living with the Staldor Empire would begin to style themselves after.

Pre-Unification

Clan Staldor is amongst the earliest of the clans to officially come together after the movement south by the Zarvossti migrants. Settling in the Reach, much of the fleeing peoples had to live more tribally to survive in the untamed wilds here. Bearing no particular closeness to any major settlement, the peoples of the Reach organised themselves into their own groups. Clan Staldor carried much of the Zarvossti tradition with them, particularly in regards to masonry. Where the other clans created huts made of tanned leather and worked wood, Clan Staldor's abodes were constructed of the rock of the mountains nearby their domain in the Reach. Their housing was hardier, more fortified, and distinctive through the use of the blackstone that made up much of the surrounding mountains. Thus, the Staldor clan members naturally took to architecture and fortification; they were natural leaders and planners, organising firm constructions that made some of their works appear civilised, even, despite the apparent lack of both manpower and resources. Though no town on the scale of Eidos' greater cities was constructed until much later, settlements made by the Staldor clan members were the closest thing to such a city that adventurers moving through the Reach could hope for. Where other clans were more territorial, Clan Staldor welcomed those who had an apparent talent in a particular field, allowing them safe passage and lodgings so long as they could earn their keep before heading elsewhere. This acceptance of outside influence created a more diverse approach to culture than the other clans, though never did the Staldor clan members forget their roots.
As space in The Reach became a premium, however, it became necessary for the traditionally insular nature of most clan activities to end. Balar Staldor, the father of the later legendary Hagan Staldor, sought to unify the disparate tribes of The Reach into one people. However, whilst his intentions were firm, the "melting pot" that many clan leaders foresaw failed to convince any serious action, and nothing more than informal alliances were agreed. Hagan's father died in failure, but his son would not suffer the same fate. Redoubling his learning of the other tribes, Hagan would succeed in unifying the clans of the Reach - save for the Boneguard and Reachrunners - and lead them in unity to expand beyond their original borders. Such action drew the attention of the Chantry, and war was declared. At a turning point, a summit between the newly-formed Staldor Empire and the Chantry was met, and an agreement upheld.

The Present

Whilst the Staldor Empire has evolved beyond the stark differences between clans that once existed, heritage is still of utmost importance to most inhabitants of The Reach, and to claim ancestry with Clan Staldor is very honourable indeed. The principles instituted by Hagan almost three centuries before 510 continued to hold weight in this new nation, and those who followed its tenets called themselves Staldor, whether by birthright or by earning the name. The Staldor clan does not bear as many unique hallmarks as the other clans do in the modern day; but the name is cherished, the history remembered, and some committed to the old ways maintain tradition as their ancestors demand.

Culture

Birth & Baptismal Rites

The old ways used to dictate that a Staldor was not born a Staldor unless he was born atop a slab of blackstone. Such a practice is not observed as thoroughly in the modern day due to wishing to preserve the health of the mother; as a result, a replacement for this tradition consists of placing the newborn atop a bed of rocks, uttering a prayer to ancestors, and then continuing on with afterbirth procedures such as bathing and the like. Due to this methodology, those born to Clan Staldor did not necessarily have to have Staldor heritage. As long as the procedure was followed, the individual born would have the right to claim membership of the Clan. This was in contrast to the majority of the other clans, who did not generally accept outsiders except if the progeny's father belonged to that clan (the mother's heritage is usually not as weighty).

Coming of Age Rites

Given the heavy focus on masonry, planning, and leadership, those Staldor boys who wished to make a name for themselves would be required to apprentice in the fields of architecture, tactics, and stonecraft. In the old days, this meant taking after one's father's specialisation, apprenticing under him and his colleagues in that field. Most were not considered men until they had achieved success in their apprenticeship; whether by seeing a structure with which they aided the planning of erected within one of the Staldor camps, or a minor victory thanks to tactical planning. Especially martial boys might also be allowed to lead a small procession on a mission; scouting, hunting, or putting an end to some minor brigand or rebel. In the modern day, coming of age is still important, but not as severe a cornerstone of the tradition. Those Staldor boys who choose the route of success, however, are given the title of Warmason, and instructed with the construction of beacons of the Staldor Empire's might. Gatehouses, guard posts, and more, made of the blackstone quarried from Kingstown's surrounding mountains, as a reminder of the collective strength of the Staldor people.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Where other clans might bury their dead in the ground; others might burn them; and others still dispatch of their dead in more esoteric ways, the deceased of Clan Staldor were placed within stone crypts, erected in the honour of the dead. These crypts might then become family 'heirlooms' of a sort, with multiple members of the same bloodline being interred within such a crypt. In the olden days, these crypts were not uncommonly the resting place of but a single man; with the increased population of the Empire in modern times, crypts are still maintained, but bodies may be laid to rest side-by-side with strangers. It is said that so intent are Clan Staldor on resting within stone, but yet so limited the space beneath the earth, that practically the entire ground beneath Kingstown is crypts upon crypts; labyrinths of stone cemeteries and mason's graves, forming a vast necropolis of rock. The Kings are said to be buried deep within this necropolis; never to be found, nor disturbed, ever again. Hagan's crypt was the first constructed beneath Kingstown; and his is amongst the most guarded, yet revered, of all.