Volk

The Volk are a race of pale-skinned, silver-eyed humanoids who call forth the immense power of Mysterium to work the shadows to mute their footsteps & spirit away their secrets. Masters of Steelsong & Secrecy, the Volk are beloved as Silkfoots & Speakers for the nobles, but trade their formidable reputation for bloodletting & espionage for widespread distrust among the populace.

Alabaster & Crimson

Tied to vindictive leaders, the Volk suffered under inadequate nobles & inferior courts that lead their race into back-to-back generational Feuds which have left their entire race on the brink. Most Volk that remain are masters of their trade, blooded tens of times over through the constant wars of their patrons & tired from centuries of belligerence & conflict. This history has soured some Volk into perspectives as dark as their Werking, falling into the belief that life is a perpetual feud between all things.

Soft to the Touch

Under black cloth, armour & a stoic front, the Volk are some of the most soft-skinned of creatures among the Kindred - a fact that had been exploited early before their incorporation into The Grand Courts in the third age. Still sought after as Companions & Sweetboys / Sweetgirls, the Volk use this fact rather expertly in the course of pursuing their Fate.Masters of Shadow

Basic Information

Anatomy

Volk are morphologically identical to Human-kind but are drastically more likely to display wide degrees of hypermobility.

Biological Traits

The Volk have two distinct genders - male and female - which both display the same biological traits as Humans.

Genetics and Reproduction

Volk reproduce through sexual intercourse & are reproductively compatible with most humanoid races. Volk are incredibly fertile and have a relatively high rate of pregnancy, as well as a comparatively high rate of Volk offspring; the offspring of a Volk has a >70% chance of being born Volk.

Growth Rate & Stages

Volk take approximately sixteen years from the date of their birth to reach adulthood - this period varies based on a multitude of factors including but not limited to;

• Diet
• Family Genetics
• Gender

Ecology and Habitats

The Volk prefer warm locations with lots of sun; a little less capable of thermoregulation than other races, they are capable of settling anywhere Human-kind can, but will be much more sensitive to low temperatures.

• Volk will keep their homes warm, and bundle up whenever they expect to go anywhere even marginally cold.
• When in a warm environment, Volk prefer to soak it in, and will usually wear loose & light clothes.
• Volk will begin becoming more languid when exposed to temperatures below 10°C (50°F).

Dietary Needs and Habits

Volk eat a mostly meat-based diet, but are omnivorous, and can survive off less than 500kcal a day for upwards of two months at a time without discomfort or starvation, but will begin falling into languidness the longer this is maintained. Otherwise, Volk must eat an amount approximately equal to a Human of the same height, weight & activity level as themselves.

Additional Information

Social Structure

Volk do not observe a standard social structure, but instead, respect the bloodedness of their ilk.

• Volk can unveil the bloodedness of their Soul, an arcane tally that converts a part of the Memories of those they have killed.
• The number, fatedness and nature of their kill reflects on how their bloodedness is perceived by other Volk.
• Volk cannot lie about their bloodedness, as each of the Memories that constitute it are unmodifiable & unduplicatable.
• To the uninitiated, bloodedness is perceived as an aura of a sinister nature that reflects the sheer number of those who have lost their lives to an individual Volk.

Volk use bloodedness to establish their standing in any particular social interaction.

Uses, Products & Exploitation

Prior to their official recognition by The Grand Courts in the third age of Tawdrii, the Volk had been enslaved & traded as Sweetboys / Sweetgirls by the nobility throughout the courts' influence.
Following a violent & bloody internal revolt that eradicated three of the noble families which had become embroiled in the slave trade, the families' properties were awarded to the Volk tribes which had overthrown their masters; their revolt recognized as a valid Feud by the courts.

Facial characteristics

Volk possess silver-toned eyes that display minute reflectivity & have either platinum white or jet black hair.

Average Intelligence

Volk are immensely intelligent, capable of outwitting most other races in many different avenues.

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

The Volk are drastically more perceptive in a multitude of ways when compared to other races.

• Volk have a much more pronounced sense of taste and can filter scents out of the air much the same as a serpent.
• Volk are capable of peering through The Veil and perceiving the direction, flow & composition of magic within their sightline. As a side-effect of this, they have peerless night vision, capable of spotting creatures in pitch-black environments without any light.
• Volk can feel the sensation of touch much more drastically than other races and can feel the vibration of footsteps coming from a good distance away.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

Volk follow a Tribe Title - Last Name - First Name naming structure. ex; Mother Serpent V'stara Julia

Beauty Ideals

The Volk idealize dexterity, flexibility & the strength of any given subject - this conceptualization extends far beyond physical beauty, and into their love for intelligent, flexible thinkers.

Gender Ideals

Volk do not believe in any specific gender ideals and believe that each and ever volk must serve their tribe. To this end, the role that any individual takes is usually decided by whomever is widely respected as the leader of their tribe, family or faction.

Courtship Ideals

Volk have adopted many courtship ideals from a multitude of other races over the years, which are often influenced by their race's previous tenure as slaves:

• Volk display their bloodedness openly to those they wish to court.
• Volk are rather flexible in the morality of their pursuit of romance.
• Volk do not shy away from causing harm to the object of their interest.

The methods used by Volk are as varied as any Kindred & can take almost any form imaginable, regardless of morality.

Relationship Ideals

Volk do not build deep individual relationships, but instead build relationships with those who value their tribe.

• Volk will not engage in deep romantic Bond or relationships with those who do not hold good standing among their tribe.
• Those engaged in a Bond with a Volk are expected to serve the interests of that Volk's tribe.

Provided that any individual can maintain an upstanding reputation among a Volk's tribe, their Bonds should remain strong.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The Volk have a wide variety of dialects & languages, often unique to each tribe.

Common Etiquette Rules

Volk will always put their bloodedness on display for any other Volk that they meet; this serves as both the generally accepted introduction, as well as a method to posture for social status.

Common Taboos

The Volk see any betrayal of their tribe as an unforgivable act, unless the following apply;

• The betrayal serves the greater good of their tribe.
• Brethren killed are buried on their home soil, and their souls sent off with a prayer in their mother tongue.
• The damage to the tribe is mitigated.

Interspecies Relations and Assumptions

The Volk still maintain somewhat cold relationships with the Rua'kiin, Var'kiin & Dru'kiin, for their participation in the slave trade that kept their race in servitude for generations.
Because of their outstanding capability for Secrecy & reputation as peerless Silkfoots, the Volk must work harder to earn the trust of other Kindred.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• Human

Scientific Name

Homo Novus Serpens Sapiens

Lifespan

330 Years

Average Height

1.8 meters / 5'10"

Average Weight

80kg (176lb)

Average Physique

Volk are physically comparable in strength to most of Human-kind, but have a much higher physical cap than their human counterparts, capable of strength training themselves well beyond the capabilities of most humans - to nearly twice the speed, strength & stamina.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Volk have pale, almost translucent skin & some adorn their entirety with intricate tattoos & magical markings.

Geographic Distribution

• Tawdrii

Related Ethnicities

• Kindred