Post by kihaku on Jan 10, 2009 2:54:25 GMT
You can currently not apply to use this race.
History:
Five hundred years ago, the war-torn world of Civea was abandoned by a small section of the population. Hoping to discover a new world to call home where they could live in peace, the group divided onto five ships and launched in five different directions, with a solemn vow that if one of the ships found a suitable world, they would seek out the others and notify them. Over the following decades, the ships traversed vast distances, eventually coming so far from each other that the fulfillment of their vow became impossible. Finally, after almost a century, one of the ships, the NeoGenesis, discovered a planet that was prospering in an extended period of peace. They landed with welcome by the world's diverse inhabitants and built a new home among them. For years, they became collectively obsessed with the fulfillment of the vow of their youth. Immediately they repaired and reprovisioned their ship and launched it again, crewed by those few willing to die among the stars, in the dim hope of finding their fellow refugees. One ship still departs every generation, carrying a small band of those brave and dedicated enough to spend their lives searching for their long-lost kin across the galaxies. However, the most recent generation has begun to view the launching as more of a tradition than an actual expedition, and a debate has grown over whether the next ship will even be manned.
As their colony grew into a bona fide nation, the Mekleor came into a sharp contention that bordered on war with the Arcane University. When the University learned of the Mekleans' Aquai powers, it sought to extend control over them, claiming Aquai was a form of magic and thus illegal to use without University approval and training. The Mekleor argued that thier art was an ability inherent in every member of their race (and incidentally impossible to teach to one outside their race who didn't have some inherent ability to manipulate elements already). Furthermore, the fundamental ability required no spells, no techniques - only practice and discipline, and thus had more in common with a martial art than with magic. Tensions ran high for nearly thirty years, even rising to the ocassional skirmish, before an understanding was finally reached: the University would cease interfering with the Mekleor as long as the Mekleor promised not to teach Aquai to anyone of less than pure Meklean descent.
At present, the Mekleor remain a small, closely knit group. Thanks to their long lifespan and the physiological limits on growth (a woman is never capable of having more than three children), thier population and way of life has remained very much the same since their arrival.
Culture:
The Mekleor are a crossbreed race, descended from the main Civean race known as the Legis and an ancient race known as the Falkyre (translated the Sages). While most of the physical attributes of the Legis became dominant over time, the ancient culture of the Falkyre came to dominate the Meklean way of life. Utmost of this influence is the recognition of Alagar, Civea's creator. The ancient Falkrye knew Him perhaps more closely than any other race in Civea's history, and it's been speculated that this closeness was the reason for their being gifted with elemental control. Even in their long exile, the Mekleor have retained their belief in and reverence for Alagar, perhaps even more tenaciously because of their distance from home. The elements recognized by Aquai are viewed as each reflecting aspects of Alagar's personality, thus none is seen as better or worse than another. That said, light is recognized as symbolizing absolute good, and is often used to convey general good expressions or feelings about a matter. The common expression among Mekleans in greeting is "Alagar's Light".
Meklean architecture is a mixture of gentle curves and sharp angles. Buildings are made with a harmony of function and beauty in mind, and if the creator of the structure feels he hasn't accomplished that balance, he will often tear it down and begin all over again. Their cities have what an earthling might call an oriental feel.
Science and technology have actually lost ground since the Mekleor's arrival on the planet, as they are more inclined to rely on Aquai abilities to produce what they need to live comfortably. The most advanced technology they create is the starship built by each generation. They have a deep interest in the stars, basing seasons off the position of key stars rather than temperature changes.
The Meklean art of Aquai has much to do with their culture, though not in the ways one might expect. Every Meklean, with rare exception, has some inherent ability to manipulate one of the seven elements: Light, Shadow, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Nature. Training in the basics of Aquai is a core part of early education, as the ability can be manifested as early as 8-10 years old, and basic control must be learned right away. Also, while the Mekleans refuse to allow a caste system based on the elements, it is helpful to a young one to understand which element he has been gifted with as early as possible. Once the basic level of control over one's element has been learned, mandatory education is finished and it is up to the individual whether he desires to pursue his abilities further. Most are content with the fundamentals, as the physical form of Aquai (commonly called bending) is enough to perform everyday tasks, earn a living, and even fight on a rudimentary level. Relatively few pursue the second tier, musical aquai, and the third level involving the ancient language and scrolls is only chosen by those few who are willing to devote their lives to the art. Beyond having a significant part in the easiest choices in careers (earth and nature benders make excellent artisans, for example), Aquai traits have surprisingly little to do with a Mekleans place in society. Since Aquai is viewed as a gift from Alagar, Who determines an individual's element and ability, it would be presumptuous to presume one gift to be better or worse than another, and the thought of dividing according to ability is appalling to them. They believe Alagar is most pleased when His gifts are used in harmony, not placed in competition. It is also worth noting that every generation finds a few who are born without any Aquai ability whatsoever. Far from being looked down upon, these individuals are accepted and even honored by Meklean society, as they are without exception unusually gifted in other areas, such as leadership ability, intelligence, etc.
Mekleor is ruled by an Archon consisting of eight equally powerful members - a bender of each element and one non-bender - who decide major issues by vote. Since the non-bender is recognized as especially gifted by Alagar for other purposes, he or she is given an extra vote in the event of a tie. Minor issues and the everyday operation of government are divided among the archon as each member's interests dictate.
The Mekleor have a generally unfavorable view of magic that hails back to their land of origin. In Civea, magic was the term for incantations, spells, techniques, or items that gave the user a power that was not naturally his to begin with. It was used only by the enemies of Alagar and viewed as a cheap counterfeit of His gift of Aquai. In fact, some of the most explosive battles to take place during the Great Wars were between Valean's magicians and the Benders of Aerebor. While they recognize the rules may well be different on a new world and nothing inherently wrong with magic here, its use is outlawed in Mekleor and those who practice it are generally regarded with an unspoken hostility.
Physical Characteristics:Mekleans are mostly similar to other humanoid species. They are generally between five and six feet tall, with black, blond, or grey hair and medium builds. The feature that generally distinguishes them is their eyes, vestiges of the more ancient Falkrye race. Their eyes can be Black, Emerald Green, Royal Blue, or Blood Red, but the real distinction is the fact that their eyes glow to varying degrees. A Calm Meklean's eyes will have a dim, but noticable gleam, while one that is enraged or ecstatic will light up a dark room with his eyes. The color of one's eyes may also denote the possession of certain unique abilities. The other distinction between them and humans is a faint line, matching the color of one's eyes, that runs from the base of the head down the spine and splits to run the length of the arms and legs. The line grows darker and more distinct as a Meklean ages. A baby's will be barely noticable, while an ancient's will even glow a little bit. Years spent on Civea battling magicians as well as their ancient ancestry have given them a strong resistance to magic in all its forms, and their ties to nature through Aquai make them nearly impervious to most elemental attacks. The downside to all this is a generally weaker physical constitution than the average human. Also, their years of relative isolation have made them somewhat more susceptible to disease than other races.
Race specific abilities:
- Aquai: The ability to make something reality through movement, music and writing is a unique ability of the Mekleor. While their power has weakened greatly in Civea through intermarriage, the purity of the group of pilgrims has preserved their power at its fullest extent. Basic Aquai gives the user control over one of the seven recognized elements: Light, Shadow, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Nature (plants&some animals). The level of control one is able to exercise depends on his or her age and the time spent practicing. Mekleor do not choose an element to pursue, they are simply born with an affinity toward one of the seven. Aquai comes in three levels, or styles. Most Mekleor can only access the first, as the higher levels require tremendous natural ability as well as years of practice:
- Eyes of the Mekleor – Meklean eye color denotes the potential for, though not necessarily the possession of, one of four special types of sight. No one knows why some have these abilities and some do not, but it's attributed among the Mekleans as simply being Alagar's will.
History:
Five hundred years ago, the war-torn world of Civea was abandoned by a small section of the population. Hoping to discover a new world to call home where they could live in peace, the group divided onto five ships and launched in five different directions, with a solemn vow that if one of the ships found a suitable world, they would seek out the others and notify them. Over the following decades, the ships traversed vast distances, eventually coming so far from each other that the fulfillment of their vow became impossible. Finally, after almost a century, one of the ships, the NeoGenesis, discovered a planet that was prospering in an extended period of peace. They landed with welcome by the world's diverse inhabitants and built a new home among them. For years, they became collectively obsessed with the fulfillment of the vow of their youth. Immediately they repaired and reprovisioned their ship and launched it again, crewed by those few willing to die among the stars, in the dim hope of finding their fellow refugees. One ship still departs every generation, carrying a small band of those brave and dedicated enough to spend their lives searching for their long-lost kin across the galaxies. However, the most recent generation has begun to view the launching as more of a tradition than an actual expedition, and a debate has grown over whether the next ship will even be manned.
As their colony grew into a bona fide nation, the Mekleor came into a sharp contention that bordered on war with the Arcane University. When the University learned of the Mekleans' Aquai powers, it sought to extend control over them, claiming Aquai was a form of magic and thus illegal to use without University approval and training. The Mekleor argued that thier art was an ability inherent in every member of their race (and incidentally impossible to teach to one outside their race who didn't have some inherent ability to manipulate elements already). Furthermore, the fundamental ability required no spells, no techniques - only practice and discipline, and thus had more in common with a martial art than with magic. Tensions ran high for nearly thirty years, even rising to the ocassional skirmish, before an understanding was finally reached: the University would cease interfering with the Mekleor as long as the Mekleor promised not to teach Aquai to anyone of less than pure Meklean descent.
At present, the Mekleor remain a small, closely knit group. Thanks to their long lifespan and the physiological limits on growth (a woman is never capable of having more than three children), thier population and way of life has remained very much the same since their arrival.
Culture:
The Mekleor are a crossbreed race, descended from the main Civean race known as the Legis and an ancient race known as the Falkyre (translated the Sages). While most of the physical attributes of the Legis became dominant over time, the ancient culture of the Falkyre came to dominate the Meklean way of life. Utmost of this influence is the recognition of Alagar, Civea's creator. The ancient Falkrye knew Him perhaps more closely than any other race in Civea's history, and it's been speculated that this closeness was the reason for their being gifted with elemental control. Even in their long exile, the Mekleor have retained their belief in and reverence for Alagar, perhaps even more tenaciously because of their distance from home. The elements recognized by Aquai are viewed as each reflecting aspects of Alagar's personality, thus none is seen as better or worse than another. That said, light is recognized as symbolizing absolute good, and is often used to convey general good expressions or feelings about a matter. The common expression among Mekleans in greeting is "Alagar's Light".
Meklean architecture is a mixture of gentle curves and sharp angles. Buildings are made with a harmony of function and beauty in mind, and if the creator of the structure feels he hasn't accomplished that balance, he will often tear it down and begin all over again. Their cities have what an earthling might call an oriental feel.
Science and technology have actually lost ground since the Mekleor's arrival on the planet, as they are more inclined to rely on Aquai abilities to produce what they need to live comfortably. The most advanced technology they create is the starship built by each generation. They have a deep interest in the stars, basing seasons off the position of key stars rather than temperature changes.
The Meklean art of Aquai has much to do with their culture, though not in the ways one might expect. Every Meklean, with rare exception, has some inherent ability to manipulate one of the seven elements: Light, Shadow, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Nature. Training in the basics of Aquai is a core part of early education, as the ability can be manifested as early as 8-10 years old, and basic control must be learned right away. Also, while the Mekleans refuse to allow a caste system based on the elements, it is helpful to a young one to understand which element he has been gifted with as early as possible. Once the basic level of control over one's element has been learned, mandatory education is finished and it is up to the individual whether he desires to pursue his abilities further. Most are content with the fundamentals, as the physical form of Aquai (commonly called bending) is enough to perform everyday tasks, earn a living, and even fight on a rudimentary level. Relatively few pursue the second tier, musical aquai, and the third level involving the ancient language and scrolls is only chosen by those few who are willing to devote their lives to the art. Beyond having a significant part in the easiest choices in careers (earth and nature benders make excellent artisans, for example), Aquai traits have surprisingly little to do with a Mekleans place in society. Since Aquai is viewed as a gift from Alagar, Who determines an individual's element and ability, it would be presumptuous to presume one gift to be better or worse than another, and the thought of dividing according to ability is appalling to them. They believe Alagar is most pleased when His gifts are used in harmony, not placed in competition. It is also worth noting that every generation finds a few who are born without any Aquai ability whatsoever. Far from being looked down upon, these individuals are accepted and even honored by Meklean society, as they are without exception unusually gifted in other areas, such as leadership ability, intelligence, etc.
Mekleor is ruled by an Archon consisting of eight equally powerful members - a bender of each element and one non-bender - who decide major issues by vote. Since the non-bender is recognized as especially gifted by Alagar for other purposes, he or she is given an extra vote in the event of a tie. Minor issues and the everyday operation of government are divided among the archon as each member's interests dictate.
The Mekleor have a generally unfavorable view of magic that hails back to their land of origin. In Civea, magic was the term for incantations, spells, techniques, or items that gave the user a power that was not naturally his to begin with. It was used only by the enemies of Alagar and viewed as a cheap counterfeit of His gift of Aquai. In fact, some of the most explosive battles to take place during the Great Wars were between Valean's magicians and the Benders of Aerebor. While they recognize the rules may well be different on a new world and nothing inherently wrong with magic here, its use is outlawed in Mekleor and those who practice it are generally regarded with an unspoken hostility.
Physical Characteristics:Mekleans are mostly similar to other humanoid species. They are generally between five and six feet tall, with black, blond, or grey hair and medium builds. The feature that generally distinguishes them is their eyes, vestiges of the more ancient Falkrye race. Their eyes can be Black, Emerald Green, Royal Blue, or Blood Red, but the real distinction is the fact that their eyes glow to varying degrees. A Calm Meklean's eyes will have a dim, but noticable gleam, while one that is enraged or ecstatic will light up a dark room with his eyes. The color of one's eyes may also denote the possession of certain unique abilities. The other distinction between them and humans is a faint line, matching the color of one's eyes, that runs from the base of the head down the spine and splits to run the length of the arms and legs. The line grows darker and more distinct as a Meklean ages. A baby's will be barely noticable, while an ancient's will even glow a little bit. Years spent on Civea battling magicians as well as their ancient ancestry have given them a strong resistance to magic in all its forms, and their ties to nature through Aquai make them nearly impervious to most elemental attacks. The downside to all this is a generally weaker physical constitution than the average human. Also, their years of relative isolation have made them somewhat more susceptible to disease than other races.
Race specific abilities:
- Aquai: The ability to make something reality through movement, music and writing is a unique ability of the Mekleor. While their power has weakened greatly in Civea through intermarriage, the purity of the group of pilgrims has preserved their power at its fullest extent. Basic Aquai gives the user control over one of the seven recognized elements: Light, Shadow, Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and Nature (plants&some animals). The level of control one is able to exercise depends on his or her age and the time spent practicing. Mekleor do not choose an element to pursue, they are simply born with an affinity toward one of the seven. Aquai comes in three levels, or styles. Most Mekleor can only access the first, as the higher levels require tremendous natural ability as well as years of practice:
- Level 1: Physical Aquai - It is impossible to explain how one wields the art called bending. It is more closely related to the will than the intellect, as once properly trained shaping or directing an element is as natural to an Aquiaist as moving a hand. This level allows one to control a small amount of elemental force for extended periods, or a large amount for a short time without tiring. The extent to which one can manipulate his given element depends only upon his natural ability, time practicing, and experience.
- Level 2: Musical Aquai – Music is to the Mekleor a language all its own, as ancient and powerful as any spoken in history. By focusing one's Aquai abilities on the desired goal, and weaving a melody that 'tells' the story of that goal being accomplished, the user can alter the consciousness of a target. Although no special instruments are required (talented Aquaists can sing their objectives), this level is extremely limited. The tone and pitch of each note must be perfect in order to have any effect, and the result must be purely in the mind. One may be able to strike terror into the heart of an enemy, but no physical damage can be done. The only truly physical objective that this level can accomplish is healing. Very few pursue this style due to its limitations, but those who do are revered as some of the most powerful Aquaists in existence.
- Level 3: Written Aquai – The final level is by far the most powerful and the most dangerous. To use this level, one must have a working knowledge of the Falkrye's ancient language. By referring to a thing, person, or concept as it's 'true', or Falkryean name, one can assume command of it and alter the fabric of reality itself. Using the wrong words can be simply ineffective or it can be disastrous. Only years upon years of training and the most powerful of natural ability can tap this level, but its power is unmatched. The Falkryean language cannot be spoken, as none remain who remember how to pronounce it, so the effect is enacted by writing the 'story' one desires on a white scroll, made to resemble the powerful Creation Scrolls of legend, but it's important to note that the Language is not limited by the rules accompanying a Creation Scroll.
- Eyes of the Mekleor – Meklean eye color denotes the potential for, though not necessarily the possession of, one of four special types of sight. No one knows why some have these abilities and some do not, but it's attributed among the Mekleans as simply being Alagar's will.
- Foresight: Red-eyed Mekleor may possess the ability of Foresight. This allows one not to see the exact future, but to see all the possible outcomes of a given action. A skilled user can follow the possibilities to determine how to achieve a set goal, but the farther one looks into the future, the more possibilites exist and the more difficult it becomes to determine what may happen. This skill requires caution, as attempting to look too far results in the mind being flooded with exponentially increasing futures, resulting in simple fainting, temporary comas, insanity, or even death. When in use, one's eyes glow brighter red.
- Hindsight: Blue-eyed Mekleor may be able to look at a person, item, or location, and determine what has happened to it in astonishing detail. The farther back one attempts to look, the more difficult it becomes, but this art is not nearly as dangerous as Foresight since there is a fixed amount of information at any given time. When in use, one's eyes glow brighter blue.
- Insight: Green-eyed Mekleor may have the ability to look at a person and determine his truest intentions. This is not the same thing as telepathy. For example, one may look at an assassin and know beyond all doubt that he intends to harm or even kill, but he will not know that the assassin intends to stab him in the chest with a poison dagger at 2:00 in the morning. When in use, one's eyes glow brighter green.
- Oversight: Black-eyed Mekleor may possess the ability to focus on a person or item and discover its location at any given moment. The greater the distance, the more power is required, hence one can't simply look across the planet unless he's exceptionally powerful. Similar risk is involved to Foresight in that attempting to view over distances greater than one's strength allows can lead to physical harm, so it's generally wise to use this skill only when one has a general idea of where his target may be. When in use, one's eyes reflect the thing and location he's looking for.