Beasts and Barbarians

Cultures

The main cultures playable in the world of Beasts and Barbarians are as follows:

More detail is below.

Amazons

Amazons are a relatively young culture: Ascaia, which is an island, rebelled and gained independence from the Iron Empire in 1536 AF, killing or expelling all males from the island.

From that day, apart from slaves bought for mating purposes, very few men have set foot on the holy land of Ascaia.

Given their peculiar mating habits (they take men, usually captives, of any race for those purposes), Amazons tend to vary a lot in appearance, with skin and hair of many colours, but several centuries of war and natural selection have made them generally tall and muscular, and many of them have a fierce stare, which few men can stand.

Giving birth is a crucial event in the life of many Amazons: if the baby is male, he is immediately taken away from the mother and sent to foster families on the mainland, whose identity is kept secret, while females remain with the mother and eventually join the Amazons.

Normal families don’t exist in Ascaia and children are educated in public schools, not seeing their mothers much, but blood bonds, especially between sisters, are very strong and encouraged. For obvious reasons, same-sex marriage is also quite common.

Being a martial culture of warriors and mariners, much of their education concerns weapons and seafaring, arts in which they excel.

In truth probably not all Amazons are as warlike as they are painted, but they constantly try to project an image of strength and fierceness toward the external world to discourage attacks, which have periodically happened throughout their history, though always repelled.

Amazon clothes, during day-to-day activities, tend to be practical and sturdy, made for war more than looks, reserving dresses and gowns for the young, elderly, and important figures like the Queens, or for very special occasions.

Amazon names come from a number of cultures, but they tend to have an Imperial sound: one of the rights a new Amazon has, after swearing fealty to Ascaia, is changing her name, and many of them, especially those who have made a long and dangerous trip to reach the holy land of Ascaia, decide to take a new one.

Typical Amazon names are Andorra, Eptra, Galla, Kystera, Remitia, Talyria, Vella, Zanarra. Some of them, though not many, use a matronymic (like Zandorra, daughter of Thara).

Amazons’ Code Of Honor

Amazon characters have the Code of Honor (Amazons) Hindrance. The principles of the Code are as follows:

  • You are free. No man will ever chain you.
  • No man will defend you. You have your wits, your strength and your sword. You will defend yourself.
  • Aid women whenever you can, but a woman must first help herself.
  • Ascaia is your holy land, your mother and your refuge. You will give your life to protect it.
  • Any woman can ask you to be taken to Ascaia and join the Amazons. Accepting or refusing her is not your task. You must bring her to the Sister Queens.

Other Amazon Cultures

Sword and Sorcery worlds are very male-centered and women are usually only seen as prizes for the winners or objects of pleasure. An Amazon can be an interesting character to play.

Ascaia’s Amazons are the most famous, but they certainly aren’t the only group of independent females in the Dread Sea Dominions. The Valkyria are another famous example and in barbarian lands it could be that a woman takes up her father’s sword and shows the world what a heroine is made of.

The Amazons Of Shakara

There are rumors that in the depths of the Ivory Savannah there is a tribe of black-skinned warrior women, who dwell in an ancient city made of gold and alabaster, and live free from the will of any man. Wild tales circulate about them: some say they ride powerful lions in battle, while other rumors are about the goddess they serve, the mythical Ascaia. Is it coincidence this name is the same as the holy island of the Amazons?

Ivory Savannah Tribes

‘Ivory Savannah Tribes’ is a collective name used by the Imperials to refer to all the populations living south of Kyros, from the actual Savannah nomads to the farmers of the Verdant Belt and even the feared Cannibals of the Cannibal Islands. There are great differences among them but they all have black skin. They tend to be of average height and build and quite strong, but these aren’t universal features. Many Savannah nomads are as tall as the Northlanders while some of Verdant Belt dwellers, due to occasional interbreeding with Pygmies, are quite short.

The Savannah people have well-proportioned bodies and their women especially are very attractive. A common saying claims that a Savannah tribe dancer can melt the heart of a man with the beauty of her dance and make him die on the spot, if she wants to. Sadly, their physical qualities and their lack of technology have made them much appreciated as slaves. Caldeia, in particular, a minor state ruled by white men in the south, has an economy based on capturing and selling Savannah slaves to foreign lands, while Kyros often launches slave raids into the Ivory Savannah. The Ivory Savannah Tribes have no common cultural identity and fierce rivalries exist between different tribes. This is definitely an advantage for slave traders. They don’t even need to fight for slaves, they simply buy prisoners of war sold by rival tribes in exchange for cheap weapons. This practice has been going on for centuries.

Ivory Savannah Tribesmen and women wear pelts and simple wool clothes. They like strong colours, like red and yellow, and are particularly fond of feathers and strange headgear. Women are usually bare-breasted.

Typical Ivory Savannah Tribes names are short and contain many labials.

For example: Eba, Utu, Ushul, Ngoba, Talindi, Malima.

Cairnlords

Cairnlords or Cairnlanders are tall and muscular, with grayish skin and usually black or gray hair. They are a truly remarkable – and slightly disgusting – race because, well, they are tomb dwellers.

Their land was once a powerful empire, even more ancient than the Keronian Empire, but even its name is forgotten today. The only remnants of that distant past are the massive Cairns, artificial hills containing the tombs of the so-called Ancestors.

Some of the Cairns are so large that they can be considered true necropolises. The Cairnlanders inhabit them, sleeping, eating, mating and generally living side by side with their ancient dead. They also bury their relatives in the Cairns, so the Ancestors’ numbers are always growing.

For a Cairnlander the difference between life and death isn’t that big, or that important. He sees them as two only slightly different states of existence.

Even after death, he continues to stay with his family, and his skull may become a relative’s favorite pot, his femur a war club or some other useful tool. They are convinced that the spirits of the Ancestors speak to them, directing and protecting their lives. Controlling a large Cairn grants great power, not only because of the ancient treasures buried within (the Cairnlanders’ metalworking techniques are primitive and almost all their metal comes from the Cairns), but also because of the protection granted by the newly-acquired Ancestors.

The kingdom of the Ancestors was once so vast that some Cairns are within the boundaries of the Northlanders’ territories and even the Iron Empire. However, this does not stop enemy Cairnlords from fighting savagely to gain control of the major Cairns, near or far though they might be.

The Cairnlanders are organized in clans, each ruled by a chief or a king. They live by hunting, herding, very primitive agriculture, and pillaging. They usually wear pelts and ancient rags or armour they have found in their Cairns. Almost all of them also wear an amulet or some other object belonging to an Ancestor, in the belief that it will grant protection.

Moreover, they tend to have self-imposed names, more like nicknames than standard, civilized names.

Some examples are Whispering Ears, Goatspaw, Brokensword, Seven He Killed, Bride of the Dead One, Skeletal Horse, etc.

Hero’s Journal: Cairnlanders’ Talismans

The Cairnlanders are very superstitious, and most of them always carry a relic of their Ancestors. It might be a piece of bone, a tooth, or an amulet and its function is to protect the wearer. If the Game Master agrees, a Cairnlander character selecting Edges for Novice Rank can choose a single Edge ignoring one Trait requirement. This Edge is linked to the Ancestor’s relic and works only if the hero has his Ancestor’s relic with him.

Imperials

The Imperials are the broadest and, therefore, most difficult civilization to define within the Dread Sea Dominions. The name applies to all the civilized populations once under the rule of the Iron Empire.

The typical Imperial, living in Faberterra, Syranthia, or northern Kyros, is of average build and has tanned skin. Manual workers and farmers tend to have a darker complexion, while aristocrats and merchants are fairer, but this is only due to the different lives they lead.

Their hair can be of any colour, but brown is the most common, and they usually have dark eyes. Depending on their status and wealth, they may have a well-tended beard and mustache but the military always shave, a tradition derived from health regulations imposed on the Iron Phalanxes centuries ago.

They wear long and short tunics, sandals and cloaks made of wool, cotton, or, in the hotter lands, of imported Tricarnian silk. Imperials tend to be sophisticated and civilized.

They shun many other races which they see, sometimes with good reason, as barbarians. Centuries of conquest and the accumulation of riches have made them fat, arrogant and with a passion for pleasures, an aspect of their culture mostly deriving from their contacts with the Tricarnians.

However, they can be dangerous enemies.

Civilized people tend to be schemers and plotters and a concealed dagger can be more dangerous than an openly shown barbarian axe. On the bright side, Imperials are cosmopolitan, quite tolerant of other cultures and religions, generally curious about the world, and open to new ideas.

The current ruling system of the Empire is an absolute monarchy but the Emperor is far away, in Faberterra, so the various parts of the Empire are ruled by governors. In addition to this, with the progressive decadence of the Empire, many Imperial lands have become independent and have reverted to their previous forms of government, monarchy, oligarchy and, in some cases, democracy.

Imperial names generally include a first name and a patronymic or family name, such as Tellario Voleskos, Domitio Antiokan, Marika Eleucorikos, Irenya Berenantios, etc.

Jademen

Jademen are of average build and tend to be quite small, though not as small as the Valk. They have pale yellow or jade green skin, black hair, and almond-shaped eyes.

Their ancestral home is Lhoban, a bleak territory of tall mountains – the highest peaks in the known world – so cold that only a few animals, like yaks, can live there.

For this reason, the Jademen usually dress in wool garments. Weaving is very important in their culture, and wool cloth from Lhoban is among the finest and most finely decorated in the world. They have very little facial hair, and sporting a beard is always seen as a sign of maturity and wisdom.

Lhoban is a particular form of theocracy ruled by monks. Their leader, the Enlightened One, is a sort of semi-divine figure who provides spiritual guidance to the whole kingdom from his secluded monastery in the City of Clouds, while a dynasty of merchant princes rules over Lhobanport, the major city of the land, trade center and doorway to the West. The relationship between the two powers has never been very easy.

The lesser monks travel the land and ensure that the will of the Enlightened One is carried out. The Jademen aren’t religious in a traditional way; their philosophy is based on the concept of perpetual reincarnation and progressive improvement toward final Enlightenment. This doesn’t mean they don’t believe in the supernatural – in fact, the opposite is true. The Lhoban monks are aware of the supernatural threats looming over the world of men – demons, alien gods, and so on – and one of the tenets of their philosophy is fighting against these abominations. In particular, they have been fighting a long war in the Land of the Idols (see GM’s Guide).

Due to Lhoban’s harsh environment, many Jademen left and established large communities in the Dread Sea Dominions, principally in Ekul, Kyros and Gis, the City of the Alchemists. The Jademen are very polite and respectful, even ceremonious, but this must not be mistaken for cowardice. They can be deadly warriors, and many of them are trained in exotic fighting techniques unknown in the rest of the Empire.

Their names have a Tibetan flavor, such as Akar, Amrita, Dhargey, Gu Lang, Jimpa, Lasya, Sangmu.

Jalizarans

The City of Thieves is a multicultural place, where men of very different races trade, cheat, bargain, and generally live side by side. Let’s be honest: there is probably no such thing as a true Jalizaran. The City of Thieves is a melting pot of so many different races and cultures mixed and mingled together that a “true Jalizaran” is very difficult to identify. The original Jalizarans are an archaic mix of Zandorians and Cairnlanders. Of average height, they tend to have black or brown hair, hazel eyes and very fair complexions, which redden very quickly when they quarrel or are out in the cold. Although oral hygiene is unknown in the Dread Sea Dominions, true Jalizarans tend to have very white teeth (having a perfect set of teeth is a sign of great luck among them). Many have a tendency to put on weight as they grow older, but this is probably the effect of their diet rather than a general physical feature.

They are fond of capes, cloaks and similar garments, which are a sign of social importance in their culture. Many of them are also quite chatty, the origin of the northlander insult: “You are mouthier than a Jalizaran whore”.

Typical Jalizaran names are a mix of Imperial and Zandorian ones. They tend to be euphonic and with a distinctive sound (as in Sebajos, Jall, Emella, Torran, Vandaios, Renya, Furius) or to have a double vocal (as in Vaaro, Taaso, Meena).

Heroes’ Journal: Relatives’ Dice

The dwellers of the City of Thieves do not fear the dead, at least not their dead relatives, and often consult priests to communicate with them. It is believed that, from their otherworldly home, the deceased can bestow great luck on the living, helping them to find hidden treasures, establish the right connections, and so on.

One of the most peculiar customs of the Jalizarans, which confirms their Cairnlander origins, is the habit of crafting Relatives’ Dice. Two teeth are removed from the body of a deceased relative and used to craft a set of gambling dice, which are believed to bring great luck to their rightful owner.

In game terms, any Jalizaran character can start the game with a set of Relatives’ Dice by renouncing 1 skill point. Once per adventure, the character can decide to throw the dice (2d6) to call upon his relatives. Check the Relatives’ Dice table for the effects.

Only one set of Relatives’ Dice can be used by a character at any given time and he must be their rightful owner (i.e. he must be related to the dead person).

If they are lost, they cannot be replaced, but a new set can be made using the teeth of another deceased relative, which requires a Common Knowledge or Repair (+2) roll, and the corpse of a relative, of course.

Northlanders

The Northlanders are by far the largest and toughest people in the Dread Sea Dominions.

Many of them are taller than seven feet and strong enough to wrestle an ox barehanded. Both men and women wear their hair long, and married women usually plait it.

Men tend to have long beards but, especially among the southern tribes, they shave, mainly to tell their brothers from their enemies in battle. They dress primarily in furs and roughly-woven wool clothes. The men often walk around bare-chested, even during cold winters, because this is seen as a sign of strength, while women are dressed in a more traditional way with a long gown. The Northlanders are fascinated by metal.

They are just starting to learn the art of smelting iron and blacksmiths are held in high esteem. They are proud, stubborn and bold, but they fear and loathe the supernatural.

Their world view is plain and simple: the strong prevail over the weak, as the wolf over the deer, and there is nothing strange about it. The world of nature works like that, just like that of men. They are organized in large families or clans, usually led by the oldest male members, and they live by hunting and foraging.

Quarrels and feuds with neighbors are fairly common and often end in bloodshed. The Northlanders are very individualistic, and only a few times in their history has a charismatic leader managed to unite them under one banner; usually to fight a major threat, like a Cairnlander attack or an Imperial invasion.

Typical Northlander names are short and sharp-sounding, as Shangor, Torm, Uma, Verrik, Gorn, Targar, Beren. They don’t use patronymics, except in very official situations. For a Northlander it is a man’s sword, not his father, which makes him important.

Red Desert Nomads

Nomads of the Red Desert tend to have brown skin, with black hair and eyes, although blue eyes aren’t uncommon. They are quite tall, with the southern clans usually a little taller than the others, probably due to occasional mating with the neighboring Ivory Savannah Tribes. Tattoos of various types, often with a religious meaning, are common among them. Many have a stylized sun tattooed on their forehead, to pay homage to the Sun God, or blue tattoos on their cheeks to ensure the benevolence of the Water Lady.

They wear long robes made of wool, with deep hoods that protect them from the sun, and leather slippers. Women dress in wool clothes too, but their garments are finer, since having a well-dressed wife is a sign of prestige for a man. The colour of the robes is very important, because it identifies the clan an individual belongs to. Hence, there are Brown Nomads, Green Nomads, and Red Nomads; there are stories about the deranged Black Nomads of Keron, but they are considered a separate race.

Despite the men’s apparent open-mindedness towards them, women have a very low position in nomad society. They are supposed to obey their fathers and then their husbands without question. Nevertheless, women are vital to the nomads’ economy. They weave, gather goat droppings, look for food, cook, and do a thousand other little chores that men are too proud to do. So, having a good wife is very important. A man can achieve marriage in two ways, either by buying a woman from her father, if she belongs to the same clan, or by kidnapping her, if she belongs to a different clan.

Desert nomads are usually suspicious of strangers, but, once you gain their trust, they can become very hospitable and life-long friends, who would die for you. At the same time, they are easily offended and very vindictive.

Nomads are a warlike people and the desert is a dangerous place. So, the men are armed with a bow, a curved dagger named a Kullah, and a short curved sword, made of bronze. In war, they also use shields and spears, though armour is quite rare, due to the climate. The nomads are skilled archers (though they are no match for the Valk), but they prefer close combat. The nomad war leaders’ tactic is to shoot at enemies from a distance with bows, and then charge on horseback. They fight from the saddle, but they don’t use stirrups. This can be a winning tactic if the opponent is another nomad tribe or a poorly defended caravan, but it usually leads to heavy losses against the tough infantry of the Independent Cities, equipped with armour, shields, and long spears.

Typical Nomad names have an Arabian flavor, like Yussuf, Ahmed, Semir, Kharela, Aisha, Nahenia, Kadir. They use patronymics and clan names, like Semir son of Nabar, of the Two Hunches clan, but only on official occasions.

Tricarnians

Tricarnia is inhabited by two different races: High Tricarnians – who are nobles, priests, top military personnel, merchants, and so on – and slaves, who form the bulk of the nation. Tricarnian slaves are a mix of other races, captured in raids or bought from pirates and slave traders in Caldeia, Kyros or the Independent Cities.

High Tricarnians aren’t fully human, because the blood of the old Keronians runs in their veins. They are mostly very tall and slender, with pale or rarely jet-black complexion. They have very smooth skin and no body hair, a feature which other cultures find a little repulsive. Despite this, many of them are very beautiful, with elongated and sharp features. Some say that the High Tricarnians have found a way to extend their lives beyond those of other races, but no evidence has ever been found to confirm this rumor.

They usually wear long, elaborate garments of silk, a fairly ordinary commodity in Tricarnia, since it is produced in the local silkworm farms, a relic from the region’s Keronian past. In battle they used to wear exquisite armour made of bronze, now replaced by iron, and pointed helms.

Tricarnians tend to be cruel, a natural instinct to them, like that of a cat torturing a mouse.

They consider other races inferior, worth using only as slaves, as victims on the altars of their alien gods, or as guinea pigs in gruesome experiments. They brought decadence to the Iron Empire, but the worst vices of the dissolute Imperial nobles or merchants appear quite ridiculous if compared to what happens daily in the citadel of a Priest Prince of Tricarnia.

The other two distinctive traits of this civilization are slavery and sorcery. As mentioned earlier, the whole economy of Tricarnia is based on slavery. Being only a fraction of the total population, the High Tricarnians alone cannot keep the masses of slaves under control, so various levels of slavery exist. The most unfortunate are the humble rice field workers, the slave miners, and the leech catchers (the medicinal use of leeches is a common practice among High Tricarnians).

Just above them are the slave warriors and guards, who live in better conditions. They control their inferiors and are the bulk of the army. At the top of the slaves’ social ladder are the eunuchs, a caste of castrated men who are the elite warriors and administrators. Sorcery is common. Almost all pureblooded Tricarnians have some knowledge of sorcery, which is necessary to survive the scheming and plotting of their peers, each eager to enhance their power and social standing.

Various forms of sorcery are practiced, but corrupting magic and the evocation of dark creatures are the most widespread. Lotusmastery and drug use in general are common and encouraged, also among the slaves. The reason is obvious: a drugged slave is easier to control. Tricarnia is divided into Principalities, each of them totally independent and governed by a single noble family. Scheming, plotting and open warfare among the Princes are common.

The capital of Tricarnia, the City of Princes, is considered neutral ground, and no open act of war can be committed there. It is also the seat of the High Prince, the ruler of Tricarnia. Tricarnians deeply hate (and secretly fear) the Caleds, the descendants of their ancient slaves, who still seek revenge for thousands of years spent in slavery.

Typical high Tricarnian names have an ancient ring to them and are always preceded by title, like Princess Salkaria, Prince Hoolon, Priest Tokariel, and so on. Omitting the title when addressing a Tricarnian noble is considered a mortal insult, except among family members.

Valk

Valk are the shortest of the common races, with the exception of the Pygmies. Most are slightly over five feet tall and a Valk surpassing six feet is considered a giant. They have black or brown hair, with the exception of the Valkyria, their priestesses, who always have white or blonde hair (usually dyed). The warriors have long braids, and cut them only in case of dishonor. The longer the braid the more powerful and brave the warrior.

They have little or no beard, because one of their rites of passage, the Blood Offering, consists of self-inflicted wounds to the cheeks, preventing the growth of facial hair.

Valk dress in leather and both sexes use trousers and boots, the most practical garments for a race of horse riders. They learn to ride even before being able to walk and are incredibly skilled on their ponies. The basis of the Valk economy, in times of peace, is herding sheep, cows, goats and (naturally) horses. Horse milk and goat meat are their staples and they are particularly fond of fermented milk spirits, which all the other races find disgusting.

They are organized in clans, led by warlords, who share power with the Valkyria. Except for the priestesses, who are respected and feared, Valk women have a very low standing in society, so much so that marriage is rare and a warrior simply keeps in his tent the women he wants, in a condition of semi-slavery. Only after the birth of a son does the father become responsible for supporting the woman.

Valk religion deeply influences their way of life. They are demon worshippers and see demons in many manifestations of the natural world, such as thunder, the steppe winds, and the terrible plagues that often decimate the cattle and bring famine onto the clans. They don’t fear demons, at least not openly, but recognize and respect their supernatural powers.

Valk names are throaty and with many consonants: Dhaar, Khull, Dakka, Rigga, Throgg, Vulkat are all good examples.