Piliserians - Human
Physical Description: While not an overly beautiful people, for the humans of the south they are considered quite fair. This attractiveness is mostly due to their appearance as a result of the martial training everyone undertakes, for even the most lethargic Piliserian (of which there are few) was once an excellent physical specimen, bred for and raised in the harsh climate. They are typically blonde or light brunettes, although many bear red hair as well (often thought of as a trait of their barbaric cousins, the Vikmordere) and have pale skin. A line of dark-haired folk does exist, but members tend to live on the outskirts of society in remote or frontier dwellings.
Society: The survival of the fittest is the rule of the land this far north and the culture of the Piliserian reflects that. Hardy and resilient, they are brought up to be self reliant survivalists capable of enduring the most dire trials of both nature and man. Piliserians are fearful of that which they don’t understand (perhaps a trait left from their strong instincts) and are quick to either fight or flight when confronted with the unknown or unexplained.
Relations: While they might seem gruff to more genteel peoples, the Piliserians are actually the most civilized folk to be found in the southernmost reaches of Eldarr (save perhaps the elves of the Mos Barrens). Their hard bitten nature make them shrewd but dependable merchants, and the backing of an established trading company from the Province of Piliser is respected by institutions across the world (and weighs far less than its equivalent in gold).
Alignment and Religion: These durable folk tend to be of the Neutral if not Lawful alignment (which is the most common), but they are certainly not exclusively so. In the same vein, they worship many gods; the most popular is the The Mother. The Mother has more shrines in the Province of Piliser than anywhere else, and though there are tributes to her elsewhere, the Piliserians share a special kinship with the bards and druids of The Mother.
Adventurers: Piliserians become adventurers for numerous reasons; many are predisposed by their mandatory combat training, some carry the passion to explore shared by the blood of their ancestors, and still others are forced to capture glory by circumstance alone. Their strong familial
ties make it hard for them to do so, but when a Piliserian leaves home for lands abroad, they rarely fail to return—when they do, it is laden with honor and rewards to match their many deeds. Another reason are the regular Decrees of Boundary Expansion, when the Exarch pays hardy types to go to the limits of the empire and establish new fortified hamlets and trading posts.
Piliserian Ethnic Traits: They receive a +2 racial bonus to Survival, gain proficiency with shortswords, longswords and battle axes, but suffer a -1 penalty to Will saves against spells and spell-like abilities.
Naming Traditions
Feminine names
Astrid, Brenna, Erika, Helga, Kari, Tyra
Masculine names
Auldvalt, Bjorn, Erik, Igor, Sven, Vladimir
Encompassed species
Related Organizations
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