The following news files will give you information about the forest-roaming Sylvans, one of the four elemental races of this world. If you would like to choose a Sylvan background for your character, please read each one carefully, and contact a member of the staff if you have any questions.
[History | Religion | Council | Resources | Description | Society | Customs | Domain | Population | Names | Tribe | Atlanteans | Empyreans | Varati | Mongrels]
The Sylvans have, for a long time, been one of the most mysterious races on Aether--shunning civilization and living in isolated tribes deep in the forests surrounding Haven. They are called "primitive" by the other races, for they use little technology and instead rely on nature and their own skills--be they practical or magical--to survive. Though there are wars and skirmishes between the tribes, for the most part, Sylvans seem to have little interest in conquest and the acquisition of property or wealth.
But this was not always the case. Long ago, before the spread of the Atlanteans, the rise of the Empyreans, and the Varati "Reign of Fire," there was a time where powerful woodland "gods" were worshiped on Earth. Bacchus, Cernunnos, Pan, Silenus, nymphs, dryads, faeries, and elves--these were just a few of the names by which humans knew the Sylvans. And neither those names nor the ancient religions have been entirely forgotten.
In the tradition of Liu Talesinger, here is an oral history of the wood-dwelling Sylvans:
"Long ago, when the twin worlds were still linked as sisters, our great chief, Patrin of the Silver Brow, walked among the living. He was the first Sachem, wise in the ways of magic and men, and under his leadership, our people grew strong and powerful, and were the First among the races.
"It was a time of plenty. Before the scourge of 'civilization' branded the earth, our people showed the other races how to create without destroying, and how to live without harming the Grandmother. The twin worlds had not yet been sundered, and we were able to cross to the sister-world. There our people were heralded as teachers, mentors, and even gods.
"Patrin Silverbrow was a shaman as well as a chief, and with his magic, he could shape both wood and his own body. The wolf, raven, and dolphin were all his kin, and he was able to cross the boundaries of sky and sea, and forge a long-lasting peace with the children of air and water. Like us, they looked to him for leadership, and some even believed he had mixed blood, which would allow him to take the forms of these creatures. But no matter the blood that ran through his veins, he was a true Sylvan; honoring the earth as a son would honor his mother.
"He was all but worshiped on the sister-world, for he had helped create the gateways that linked the two realms. With the magic of powerful shamans, the gates could be opened, and anyone could cross over. But that ancient art is lost to us, and the gates remain closed, though once we alone held the secret for crossing between.
"When death finally claimed Silverbrow's spirit, it was his son, Namid Stardancer, who succeeded him. He tried to walk in the footsteps of his father, but already our power was weakening, for the seeds of dissent had been planted in the tribes after Patrin's death. And during the reign of Stardancer's son, Dyami Eaglefeather, war broke out among our people.
"The wars did not cease, despite Dyami's effort to unite the splintered tribes. Our people went separate ways. Some moved deep into the heart of the wood where few dare walk, and they lived like wild creatures and lost the ancient teachings of our ancestors. Others settled on the edges of cities, and forgot how to honor the earth; instead cutting at her flesh with their tools of stone and metal, and taking what she would have given freely.
"And a few lived somewhere in between wilderness and civilization--taking the best from each without sacrificing honor and tradition. These are the ones we call the People, known to the other races as Sylvans. Our tribes are few and scattered, and ever since Silverbrow's time, we have never been united under one leader. But after Eaglefeather's passing, when the tribes warred with one another like a pack of hungry wolves, the elders of each tribe met and spoke of peace, and this was the beginning of the great Council.
"It did not unify our people, but it did help to forge a fragile peace among the tribes, which has only been broken three times in our long history. Once, when Ohanko Bearkiller kidnaped the daughter of a chief of a neighboring tribe, and the others went to war over her return.
"Again, when Winema, the Woman Chief, fought like a she-bear to protect her tribe's territory from a rival tribe, whose leader thought that the shaman-turned-chief should bow to his leadership. And last, when a feral graisha pack turned on its own kind, and the battles grew until tribe fought tribe over territory and game. Each time, it was only through the intervention of the Council that the wars ceased, and for many long years, the tribes met at the end of each season outside Haven to trade, visit with kin, exchange tales, compete in games, and most of all, maintain the peace among our people. But it is a long way to Haven for most, and the tribes seek a more central place with more meaning to the Sylvan peoples.
"Some might think that our people are weak and 'primitive,' for we do not vie with the other races for control of this world. But empires rise and fall like the waxing and waning of the moon, and in the end, the earth is still the same as it was when we came into it. And in the end, we will still be here to watch over it."
To the Sylvans, all life is sacred and imbued with a "spirit" or "force" that is to be respected. The ultimate expression of this spirit is the great "Earth Mother," who is an embodiment of life itself. Most Sylvan tribes place her at the head of their pantheon, though they refer to her by different names. Some of the most common are Akna, Atira, Crataeis, Eithinoha, and Nokomis. "News Pantheon" will contain more details about her, as well as the vast array of lesser deities that preside over different aspects of everyday life.
Some of these minor deities become the personal protectors of a certain tribe or family, and while this "patron" god won't supersede the mother goddess in importance, he or she may be called upon more often to aid the tribe in times of hardship, protect them from their enemies, and so on.
While shamans are generally believed to "commune" with the spirits and have more direct access to the supernatural world, religion is, for the most part, informal. Anyone can ask a request of the gods and have that prayer heard--there are no priests or other intermediaries. In fact, addressing the gods and spirits is so common among the Sylvans as to go unnoticed. Before hunting, planting, harvesting, and other undertakings, a brief acknowledgment to the gods is made, requesting luck, prowess, or fine weather. Outsiders might call this superstitious, but to the Sylvans it is only customary.
There are no formal temples, idols, or shrines except trees, hilltops, or secluded groves that may have special meaning to a tribe or family. Nor do the Sylvans have any religious icons--to them the gods and spirits already inhabit all living things, so crafting a symbol or representation would be a useless undertaking.
Death is seen as an inevitable part of the cycle of life, and funerals are little different from birthing ceremonies. Each mark the transition from one state of being to another. During a funeral, family and friends gather for two days, honoring the departed through songs and stories. On the third day, the body is buried beneath a mound of dirt or stones, along with any implements he or she used in life such as weapons, tools, musical instruments, clothing, or animal pelts. These are supposed to aid the spirit in the afterlife, and some tribes believe that the souls of the deceased then watch over their land and tribe, and help guard them against disease and misfortune. Births are cause for celebration, and the entire tribe gathers to lavish gifts upon the new parents and witness the naming of the child, which is postponed until five days after the birth until it is more certain that the infant will live. Multiple births are considered a sign of luck or blessing from the gods, and indicate favor from the earth mother especially, who must have granted increased fertility.
Although the Sylvan tribes are generally self-governed by their individual chiefs, shamans, and advisors, there have been three times in history that called for a meeting of all the tribes. By the third, a loose "council" was devised to bind the tribes together. This council meets just after harvest each year in a different place each time, and consists of chieftains, shamans, and any tribal elders a chieftain wishes to bring, as well as one bard to "record" the proceedings. If the council must deal with one of the other races, they will select a "spokesman" to act as an intermediary, and this is one of the few occasions where the "tribeless" Sylvans--those who live on the fringes of city life without a tribe to call their own--finally gain some prestige. Their knowledge of "civilization" is an asset in dealing with the outsiders.
The following lists show what resources the Sylvans are best known for:
Farming: (settled tribes) grain, wheat, barley, vegetables, fruit
Livestock: goats, hogs, poultry, horses, dogs
Products: meat, lumber, herbs/medicine, furs, leather
Manufacturing: leather clothing/footwear, beads, dye, baskets, ceramicsTrade-Goods (Items/Services Sylvans need from other races):
Atlanteans: salt, seafood, oil, pearls, coral, fishing rights
Empyreans: fabrics, weaponry, jewelry, livestock, grain, wheat, oil
Mongrels: wheat, grain, livestock
Varati: metal, precious gems, weaponry, textiles, spices, herbs
A hardy people, Sylvans range from short and stocky to tall and muscular, to even a rare heavy patriarch or matriarch. Generally, the lifestyle leaves little extra weight on a person. Skin tone is freckled fair to dusky brown, and hair is found in all shades from pale blonde to dark brown. For the most part, they resemble a normal human. Yet the exceptions are that they always have green eyes, unless there is another race somewhere in their lineage, and the pointed ears that Earth's humans long ago associated with elves.
Clothing is usually hide or leather (though feral graisha wear little or no clothing). For the more settled tribes, there may be cotton or woven skirts and shirts, and colors tend toward neutral tans, browns, and off- whites, with very little dyed material. Feet are clad in soft-soled boots, sandals, or nothing at all.
Shapeshifters, even non-feral, often wear the pelt of an animal, for children who show any shapeshifting tendencies--such as a kinship with the beasts of the forest--are often given a pelt to wear in the belief that it strengthens that link. These animal-pelts often coincide with which animal they first transform into.
Sylvan weapons and armor are typically built of hardened wood, stone, and leather. Bows and arrows, spears, short knives, slingshots, and staffs are commonly used. Leg, arm, and breastplates are constructed of wood or boiled leather. There is little or no metal unless it is traded for. Graisha, with their natural defenses, rarely resort to man-made weapons or armor.
Sylvans usually live to be anywhere from 80 to 100 years old.
Most Sylvans live in nomadic hunter/gatherer tribes of fifty members or less, or in settled agricultural tribes of five hundred or more. Each tribe is led by a warrior chieftain and magic-wielding shaman. To an outsider, Sylvan society might appear as strictly patriarchal. The chieftains are traditionally men, and for a woman to lead a tribe as Sachem is still rare. Women are more often relegated to the roles of foragers, caretakers, planters, healers, and bards, and the only time they become warriors is if they are graisha. Yet an outsider, peering more closely at the structure of Sylvan society, might notice that this division is not quite as clear-cut as it originally seemed.
While the tribes are led by men, bloodlines are always traced maternally, for with their lax views on sex, Sylvans cannot always be one hundred percent certain of a child's parentage. A woman's mate assumes the role of "father" to her children, whether or not he was truly their sire.
Also, while the tribes are led by chieftains, their spiritual leadership is typically handled by a woman. The prominent shamans are almost always female, and they protect the tribe from otherworldly dangers just as the chieftain, or "sachem," protects them from that of the physical. This does not preclude men from becoming shamans, but usually it is a woman who trains and instructs the younger ones in developing their abilities.
The rich oral history of the Sylvans is also generally maintained by women; telling tales and singing songs are the duties of the bards, and this often goes hand-in-hand with becoming a shaman. They must uphold tradition, and one of the ways to do this is by keeping their history and culture alive through stories. Learning the myths and legends is as much a part of becoming a shaman as learning magic.
To the men go the tasks of hunting, protecting, and defending the tribe, as well as trading with other tribes or the city folk, and becoming "diplomats" or peacemakers in times of strife. Yet men with gifts for healing, spinning tales, or mastering various types of magic are trained to utilize their gifts, for rarely do the Sylvans let anything go to waste.
Sample loose hierarchies in an average Sylvan tribe would be: shaman/bard/healer, farmer/planter/caretaker, warrior/hunter/graisha, diplomat/trader/traveler. Anyone with age, experience and proven wisdom may become a Tribal Elder. The elders uphold tradition along with the bards, and often comprise a loose council of advisors to the chieftain.
Very few Sylvans choose to live in cities, abhorring the destruction and damage to the earth caused by so many people living in one place. The very idea goes against their way of life, and Sylvans who have left the tribe in favor of "civilization" may become ostracized even by their own family.
Nor are the city-dwelling Sylvans entirely accepted by those they chose to live among. They are considered little more than savages by the rest of Aether, and even those who have spent a lifetime in the city and abdicated all ties with their people may never escape this prejudice. And, the saying "you cannot go home again" is generally true for the Sylvans, for those who have lived in the city for a time, and then returned to the tribe typically have great trouble returning to the tribal way of life.
The lowest caste in the Sylvan hierarchy are the feral, or "wild" graisha. While there are shapeshifters in every part of Sylvan society and the nomadic bands have large numbers of graisha that help provide for and protect the tribe, there are some who have lost even that thin veneer of civilization. More animal than man, they can be found in wandering "packs" as well-organized as any tribal group, small pairings, or even the rare, single graisha. If the pack is wild enough, they may even attack their own kind, should food be low or if they perceive a threat to themselves or their territory. More often, they become raiders--preying upon their own kind like vultures and stealing what they can. Sylvans call them "carrion-eaters" or "jackals," for that is the role they fulfill.
Agricultural Sylvans typically live in single or extended family homes in shape-changed trees or hills. The families typically leave very little that will indicate their existence a few seasons after they depart, and when they move on, the tree or hill is reverted back to its original state.
There is no formal written language for the Sylvans, although a few of the shamans may use runes specifically for certain types of magic. Instead, their rich oral and musical history functions for anything from entertainment to education. Accompanied by drums and pipes (the Sylvans have no stringed instruments), these song-stories tell of their people's creation, gods, wars; even the proper way to till a field. They also help to keep track of the seasons, and bloodlines, and instill morals in the younger generations.
Formal marriage ceremonies are different for every tribe. For some it is a binding vow between two people, often to improve relations between rival tribes. For others it is no more than an informal contract for the sake of having a child together. If the relationship does not go well and a man and a woman no longer wish to live with one another, then they simply cease. Any children produced from the union will live with the mother's family, and if she takes a new mate, he then acts as the father of her children.
Simple mating may occur with or without any type of formal marriage agreement. During certain special days, especially planting season, some tribes consider it a blessing for as many to "sow their seed" as possible, and even women in marriage contracts may join the celebrations. Rape is fairly uncommon; if one woman is unwilling, there are usually several others to take her place. Should a rape occur, the punishment is harsh for the rapist, involving either banishment or death.
Sylvan territory extends from the seashores to the south to the deep forests and mountain terrain to the north. Typically though, the tribes confine themselves to areas rich in resources, such as the edges of the woods and the lowlands, where game is plentiful and the seasons are fairly mild. These areas rarely get snow, but winters may be cold and rainy. A few of the Sylvans live closer to the sea on high, rocky cliffs covered in thick grass. They often settle near rivers, streams, or small ponds, and their shape-changed homes will be disguised as an ordinary grove of trees, a cave, or a hillside. Only those familiar with the hidden entrances will ever glimpse the wonders within.
Total Population: 3 million in scattered tribes (forest & settled)
Estimated number of tribes: 500-800
Average members per tribe: 20-60 for nomadic, forest tribes
500-1000 for domestic, settled tribes
Sylvans with the "affinity" for magic: 85% of population (2,550,000)
Magic at/above Adept level: 15% (of 2,550,000: 382,500)
Affinity for shapeshifting magic: 50% (of 2,550,000: 1,275,000)
Percentage of graisha: 85% (of 1,275,000: 1,083,750)
To the Sylvans, there is power in a name. A name is a link to the "spirit" of a person, place, or animal, and addressing that spirit directly carries its own kind of magic. It implies intimacy or familiarity, and so only in rare instances do they refer to their gods by name, preferring instead to use more ambiguous titles such as "Earth Mother" or "Shining One."
The same applies for their people, and children are therefore given two names. The first, chosen five days after birth, is the "public" name, and this one may change periodically throughout the child's life. Typically, it is more descriptive, having to do with an animal they resemble, an ability they possess, or some trait they're known for. It is akin to Native American names like Running Bear, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, etc. Graisha may often just be called by the name of the animal they can shift into, or by a certain animalistic feature they possess: Long-tooth, Yellow-eyes, and so on.
Then there is the "private" name, which is only used by close friends or family members. Sometimes the parents bestow this name upon a child; other times the child chooses his or her own name after completing some journey, task, or other ordeal.
A Sylvan's full name (see +finger) would be their personal name followed by their public one, such as "Tohon Yellow-Eyes." The second is what most refer to them as--it is similar to the American custom of calling a stranger by his or her last name preceded by Mr. or Ms. Only when we know a person well do we use their first name, and the same holds true for the Sylvans.
See the following for examples of Sylvan personal names.
Female: Aiyana (eternal bloom), Alameda (cottonwood grove), Algoma (valley of flowers), Alona (oak tree), Amitola (rainbow) Amoke (to know her is to pet her), Anaba (she returns from war), Apara (one who comes and goes), Aponi (butterfly), Ayita (the worker), Chenoa (white dove), Chilali (snowbird), Chimalis (bluebird), Cholena (bird), Dena (valley), Dyani (deer), Eyota (the greatest), Halona (happy fortune), Huyana (raining), Inoa (name), Ituha (the sturdy oak), Jora (autumn rain), Kamaria (like the moon), Kaya (wise sister), Lissa (honey), Lomasi (pretty flower), Magara (to stay), Magena (the coming moon), Mahala (woman), Meda (shaman), Meriwa (thorn), Migina (moon returning), Minowa (moving voice), Nashota (twin), Netis (trusted friend), Nita (bear), Nituna (my daughter), Olathe (beautiful), Onida (the looked-for one), Raina (wise guardian), Rilla (small brook), Sakuna (bird), Sanura (like a kitten), Shumana (rattlesnake girl), Sora (songbird), Taima (crash of thunder), Tala (wolf), Una (remember), Wenona (first-born daughter), Winema (woman chief)
Male: Ahanu (laughter), Ahmik (beaver), Ahren (eagle), Alon (oak tree), Annan (4th-born son), Ash (ash tree), Atsadi (fish), Attis (earth), Dasan (leader), Dohosan (a small bluff), Dyami (eagle), Ettowe (life-giving), Gosheven (the great leaper), Gur (lion cub), Honon (bear), Honovi (strong), Hototo (the whistler), Igasho (wanderer), Iniko (time of trouble), Iye (smoke), Jacy (the moon), Jolon (valley of the dead oaks), Kavan (handsome), Keahi (fire), Keir (dark-skinned), Len (flute), Liu (voice), Lokni (rainstorm), Lonato (flint), Mato (bear), Mawr (great), Mingan (grey wolf), Mojag (never quiet), Muraco (new moon), Namid (star dancer), Nigan (ahead), Nitis (good friend), Nodin (the wind), Odion (first of twins), Ohanko (reckless), Ohin (chief), Pallaton (fighter), Patrin (leaf trail), Phelan (wolf), Quillan (cub), Sahen (falcon), Sakima (chief), Songan (strong), Timur (tall), Tohon (cougar), Torin (chief), Usti (little), Uwasa (alone), Wapi (lucky), Yuma (chief's son), Yutu (coyote)
Some names carry weight from being associated with famous Sylvans. Players should be aware that the following names are associated with PCs and NPCs that were well known for various reasons. You may wish to avoid these names because of those associations:
Bearkiller, BroadShoulders, Dark-Eyes, Eaglefeather, Many-Shadows, One-Paw, Silverbrow, Soft-Feather, Stardancer, Strongbow, Talesinger, Wind Runner, WolfEyes.
The Sylvan tribe in the region of Parnassus and Irha-Esh is known as the Mohononeo, the scouting-all-over-ones. When the Empyreans swallowed their pride enough to ask for Sylvan aid with the harvests in the most northerly part of the Empyre, willing Sylvans from different tribes came together and formed a treaty. In return for land of their own, they would help to tend Empyrean crops and ensure the harvest. The Mohononeo were outward-looking from the very start, formed by Sylvans open-minded enough to deal with other races.
Under the leadership of Tends-the-Land and Moonsong, the first Sachem and Shaman, the tribe soon flourished. Originally as filled with outcasts and misfits as with Sylvans from traditional tribes, the disparate groups soon settled into one tribe and forged themselves a place. Though a great deal of the tribal land was forest, there were enough Sylvans who knew the ways of agriculture to give the tribe a firm footing with fields and livestock, and with the aid of the Earth-Elementals both Sylvans and Empyreans had a good harvest.
The tribe continued to thrive and to grow over the years. Almost eighty years after they were formed, the war between the Empyreans and the Varati broke out. The Sylvans were successful at keeping the Varati out of the forest, but they couldn't stop their crops being burnt and a large proportion of their livestock being slaughtered. The Mohononeo lost their fifth Sachem in the conflict, and when it was over the land had been ravaged. The Mohononeo sent out a call to the closest tribes, and reinforcements came to help bring the land back to health.
When the Varati moved to the new city of Irha-Esh, new treaties were made. The Sylvans would ensure the success of Varati crops as well, and in return the Varati granted land and rights to the Sylvans. The arrival of Atlantean diplomats led to more treaties, this time for mutual protection and friendship between two peoples. The growth in trade that came of the new circumstances brought more crafters and turned the Sylvan outpost on the edge of the forest into a trading post. The tribe grew even more outward-looking, an attitude that persists today.
The relationship between the Atlanteans and the Sylvans in Parnassus is surprisingly good. In fact, an alliance has been formed between the two races to serve as a counter-point to any actions from the 'less civilized' Empyrean and Varati governments. An attack against a Sylvan is regarded as an attack against the Atlanteans and vice versa.
Part of the agreement between the two races details the treatment given to those Halfbreed children born of Sylvan and Atlantean parents. A child with the ability to use telepathy and live underwater is taken in by the Atlanteans and raised a member of their society, yet watched and trained from a young age to prepare for the onslaught of the powerful magic that he or she may wield. Those Halfbreed children who cannot survive in the water may be raised by the Sylvans, yet it is the duty of the Atlantean parent, or society -- in case the parent is unable to do so for some reason -- to make sure the child receives similar training should the child develop Telepathy when it comes of age.
The Mohononeo have ties with the Empyreans of Parnassus that stretch back roughly a hundred years. The tribe was formed in reaction to an Empyrean request for aid and settled on land that the Empyreans had granted under treaty. From their creation the Mohononeo Earth-Elementals have ensured the Empyrean harvests as well as their own.
When the Varati-Empyrean war came to Parnassus, the Sylvans defended their own territory. They kept the Varati from the forest at the cost of many warriors' lives, including that of the Sachem, but both Sylvan and Empyrean crops were put to the torch. The winter after the war was a harsh one. Several graisha went feral through hunger despite the best efforts of the remaining hunters and the Earth-Elementals.
After the war, the Sylvans worked hard to revitalise the land. However, both Sylvans and Atlanteans were kidnapped to be slaves by both Empyrean and Varati merchants, leading to the Sylvan-Atlantean alliance. The Sylvans made it clear that they would do everything in their power to free their brethren, including reducing the twin cities to rubble and blighting the crops, after which they'd withdraw to the forest and cut off all land-bound trade. The threat worked and a law was passed forbidding the use of Sylvans and Atlanteans as slaves, but relations have been tense ever since as the trust on all sides has been broken.
The Sylvans and the Varati are partners in trade, and the Varati have made treaties to ensure the role of the Sylvan Earth-Elementals in the cultivation of their crops. Yet the races are wary of one another due to the huge differences between their cultures. The Varati have often offered to teach the Sylvan people the 'true way' of Atarism. While most Sylvans look down on these attempts at conversion and recognize them as poor offers at best (as a converting Sylvan will only be repaid by becoming inferior Varati citizens), they do feel that it shows them more respect than some Empyreans have shown recently.
However, the Varati too have been informed that if they were to attempt to enslave law-abiding Atlanteans or Sylvans who reside in either Parnassus or Irha-Esh owned land, the Sylvans would reduce the city to rubble, blight the crops and cut off all land-bound trade routes.
A downtrodden, magic-less race used primarily as slaves and servants by the Empyreans and the Varati, the Sylvans consider the Mongrels a race to be pitied and educated if at all possible. No official relationship exists, but some Sylvans are known to help those Mongrels who show respect for the earth and who try to live by Sylvan ideals.
Halfbreeds are watched with more than the usual precautions of the other races, but those who have Sylvan blood in them are allowed to join Sylvan society if they prove to be willing to earn their keep and follow the traditional customs. Control over magic is something the Sylvans have precious little of at the best of times; Sylvan Halfbreeds are generally in a far worse state than their full-blooded cousins, and are feared because of it.
