Mawmen

Legend

“In Darins dawn, Mawmen rose from thawed drops of Vornir tears.”

Skjald Yell'a'Beard

 

Description

The Mawmen appear as a people whose footsteps resonate through the great span of time and territory in the rich fabric of Races. Their presence is a monument to the Human spirit’s resilience in the face of harsh circumstances and shifting fates. The Mawmen are remembered in history as embodiments of perseverance, adaptability, and a connection to the world’s primordial powers.

The Mawmen’s life is distinguished by their symbiotic interaction with nature, from the icy tundras of Darin to the southern isles where the winds whisper secrets. They face the frost of Darin, a place where survival depends on their abilities as Miners, Crafters, Traders, Hunters, Trackers, and Shamans. These roles, meticulously woven into the fabric of their existence, act as conduits to the earth spirits, guiding their every move with ancient knowledge.

The Mawmen’s clothing reflects their close grasp of their environment. They cloak themselves in the weight of thick skins in the chilly regions of Darin, a barrier against the biting of the cold air. As they travel north, ornamental furs and softer skins become their armour, representing the changing climate and their natural capacity to adapt.

Their connection to nature is evident, and it pervades their way of life. The hunter’s duty puts them into balance with the natural ebb and flow of life in the woods. Prey tracking is an art form in and of itself, a dance that weaves through the beat of the earth. As Shamans, they become conduits for communication with the spirits who provide life to the planet, forming a bond that spans the tangible and ethereal realms.

The Mawmen originated in the frozen core of Darin’s southern tundras, a country as desolate as it is beautiful. However, when the winds of fate moved, some Mawmen found new homes on faraway isles, taking echoes of their native homeland with them. Ljostari served as a haven for them until the island’s destruction, when a few hardy inhabitants managed to flee the sinking land and start new lives in East Fjella, Markeoy, Midgard, and The Rim.

Their social structure is a complicated web of bands and clans linked by family and survival relationships. In times of crisis, these threads come together to form a strong collective—a tribe or horde that stands together against challenges that aim to put their mettle to the test. This togetherness, formed through common experiences and ambitions, reflects the very core of their being.

Even amid the fabric of oneness, shadows linger—the heritage of Darin’s ancient Mawmen clans. A past scarred by exile and separation throws a shadow, making the mention of these banished brethren a touchy subject. The passage of time has not totally healed these scars, and the quiet that surrounds them tells eloquently about Mawmen history’s complexities.

The Mawmen walk forth—a symphony of resilience, adaptability, and ancient bonds—in a place where the borders between mankind and nature blur, where the spirits of the land whisper secrets to those who listen. The soil under them appears to reverberate with their presence with each stride they take, a monument to their ongoing connection to the land, the spirits, and the delicate threads that weave their tale into the ever-evolving fabric of Races.

Skjald Vinotis

 

History

Dark Ages

We all know the ‘Legend of Vornir Tears’, but their real history dates back to the dawn of the Dark Ages, to when Boriac encountered the Archaic Erectus, resulting in the offspring we know as Mawmen. Being sired by Boriac and Archaic Erectus, the very first of divine tainted Humans. When they came forth, the Boriac was all gone, so they merely heard Archaic Shamans telling about the Boriac, a Divine Race who relentlesly traveled, and searched for resources, minerals, flora and fauna. Awed by their inheritage, they began searches and excavations of their own, and it was thus they met the Wickeryadi.

Their Divine heritage and teachings soon made them part from their Archaic roots and roam the paths, camps, and gardens of The Void, avoiding all other beings. So it was not until several thousand years later, when they accidently encountered a God, that the Boriac gained knowledge of their offspring. Boriac, Gods, as well as the Vornir in the Astral, was taken aback over this sturdy and quite talented lot. Thus, they began teaching the half-divine Mawmen what they knew.

They may have responded differently if they had known the Mawmen had been under the Wickeryadi’s wings for all those years and was proficient in Void Weaving. Regardless, the lessons on top of their current skills, turned Mawmen into masters of Hand Weaving Astral Mana. Thus, they became able to perform Arcane Weaving–equaling the talents and strength of embraced Vampires.

Skjald El Mary

 

Being the oldest of Humans, they still tell tales of this and that Boriac, creating Mana Links and the naming of Earth Nodes. Thus they have know the Truenames of many Resource, Raw material, and Gods. From times long before the Hymn of Truenames.

They witnessed the Mana Links retract, and thicken, as well as the first Astravel Sites/Gates being erected. Some even say, it was the Mawmen who devised the Astravel system. This is but an unverified rumor, but there are some intriguing similarities between their other systems and Astravel.

As they delved into Alchemy, they had quite a lot of dealings with Boriac. They also became the favoured Resource and Raw material suppliers for many other Races, as appraisial seemed to linger naturally within them. Thus they know quite a lot of refinement recipes.

Skjald Sigurd

 

First Age

They witnessed the Void being folded into our World, how it changed and nearly collapsed. When the shaping ended they found themselves scattered across Darins frigid tundras, close to The Rim. There they settled and continued mining resources, and dug deep to find crystalized Mana from within the Worlds Magic Carpet, the actual ‘Vornir Tears’. Refining and reshaping them during the hours of no Sun and Moon – steeped in the darkness of The Void – resulted in Magic Glass.

Due to the Climate near The Rim, they lived in what nature supplied, sturdy, often deep subterranean caverns that they formed to their specifications. With living quarters, shops, workshops, storages and huge halls, for their growing population. Often, populations expanded quicker than they could expand their realms. As a result, when tribes became too large, they divided and established new settlements elsewhere. Keeping their relationships, they developed a vibrant commerce system and actively shared acquired information. Maybe motivated by the Divine Races’ lessons – only the Thursar kept their distance.

The Arid environment was harsh, yet Mawmen carved their homes deep to reach the inner Astral and also to receive the warmth of the World’s blood, their halls and rooms intricately designed. During these carvings, they realised the worth of numerous Raw materials discovered, and they worked out the components to manufacture what would become Ljosti Bronze. They refined the raw materials, and sold the refined Resource as bars, ingots, or balls to the Ljost Alfar at Ljostari.

Skjald Sejrik

 

They developed and expanded over South Darin over the ages, and in the First Age they began building rock and stone on top of parts of their houses. Building powerful boned structures to impress other Mawmen and Races. This prompted the Mawmen to claim geographical regions as their own, resulting in disagreements or outright warfare. As their civilization evolved, imparting their knowledge became scarce and, as a result, faded out. Instead, they concentrated on showy structures, land acquisitions, and refining and creating the Purest raw materials. As a result, offspring of former siblings became antagonistic and battled ferociously, murdering or exiling losers. Some people did not want to fight and chose to live in exile.

Skjald Valgrif

 

Some disliked spilling family blood… ignoring the seeds of any God…

Packing children, lore and pets… they travelled to Ljostari without regrets…

Lore and skills refined till ‘Ljosti’ sank… and of The Deep Blue many drank…

Skjald Kazumix

 

Following the sinking of the Ljostari, some of the exiles settled at East Fjella, Markeoy, Midgard, and The Rim. Others returned to Darin and found new places to live amid the upheaval that followed the Mt. Vula eruption.

Since then, these colonies have preserved the commerce and sgaring expertise of Lostari, save for the old school Mawmen. These old-world villages are still secretive and exclusively trade in raw materials or resources.

Skjald Vinotis

 

Only a few Mawmen Vampires have been named through time, but only their names and brief information are known. Given their varying generations and roles, the Mawmen vampires integrated into society in a way that leveraged their unique abilities while maintaining their secrecy. The older vampires (Alosaka, Enapay, and Keme) form a secretive council that guides the Mawmen vampires from the shadows. This council used their centuries of experience and wisdom to shape long-term strategies for their benefit.

Adoeete Awoik, an 8th-generation vampire, was a promising hunter before his transformation. His agility and tracking skills were enhanced by his vampiric abilities. Adoeete is motivated by a desire to protect both his people and vampires, using his enhanced abilities to track and eliminate threats. Adoeete works as a covert protector, patrolling the outskirts of Mawmen territories and using his vampiric abilities to detect and neutralise dangers. He also acts as a scout, gathering valuable information on potential threats or new opportunities. Adoeete embraced the isolation that comes with his role as a solitary protector. The need to stay hidden and avoid drawing attention to his vampiric nature from his community comes naturally.

Skjald Valgrif

 

Organisation

Ever since their birth, at a single Archaic camp in The Void. Small groups, at times only a single family, have parted and ventured forth. Each slowly growing into a Clan or Settlement of their own, or perished. Some grew by their own, others by welcoming venturing Mawmen arriving at their campfires or gates. Thus, camps grew into hamlets, villages, towns, cities and great strongholds.

Since their birth, they have kept the Archaic leadership type of an elders council leading each Clan and Tribe. So they have had no kings, but is overseen by 8-member councils, their most holy number. These councils are made up of people elected based on their qualities and capabilities.

Of course there has been families through time, far stronger, more wealty, and politically clever, than the rest. Who have been able to dominate, or sway council elections, so they gained the most or strengthened their influence. These families are the reason theres a huge cleft down through the Mawmen Race.

Skjald Ulrich

 

Special

Before you act or talk, determine if the people who will receive you as a guest are old-worlders or new-thinkers.

Skjald Kazumix