Codex Discussion Thread

[Ixzo]

I'm down for race relations. OOC I should clearly state that racism is horrible and in no way fun or funny.... however, IC, who doesn't love a bit of idiot drama?

[Caesi Starguide]

Excited to see the VT!

As for Race relations, I think that would be a good idea as well. It would be informative how they would view the more non-human like races of Mizahar. Since the lore states

Since there is no actual physical characteristics that link the Drykas, it is a well known fact that foreign infusions of blood often help keep the Drykas from being inbred and strengthen the horseclans overall physically as well as mentally. As long as a foreigner can adopt the customs and laws of the Drykas as their own, they are treated no differently than a purebred Drykas among the horseclans. Often, they contribute unique skills and are able to expand the overall awareness and knowledge base of the clans, so they are welcomed with open arms. Drykas males often marry foreign females and their children have equal status among the horseclans as do those who are considered by outsiders as 'purebred'. There is no such concept in Drykas society. If you live on the Sea of Grass and a Strider accepts you, you are family. The horses, as always, decide. And if a Strider accepts a foreigner, then they are automatically woven into the web and become part of it at their birth. Children are especially protected, regardless of racial origins, and raised with strict cultural instruction.

I do not see them being overly racists towards more human like races, but it would be interesting to see how they view Pycons, Ethaefal, Charoda ect.

[Caesi Starguide]

I am going to place a quote from Naiya's summer registry. And yes I read all players registry as I am curious as to what their plans/goals for this season may be!

But Naiya mentioned something that I found would be a great idea!

You may ask one question of your ST. Can you summarize the major plot events from the previous season somewhere they can be accessed easily? Then everyone has a quick reference of what happened and what has changed?

I would love a summary as I am a little confused myself, plus with new players coming in having it there for them to read so they know whats going on would be great. I feel it would help all players play within the major plot and knowing what exactly is going on or has been going on with the Drykas as of late.

[Prophet]

Hm. So a section of the Codex would be recent events?

-I started here mid Fall so guess what older players...you have to help.

515:
Spring - ?
Summer - ?
Fall - ?

Is there anything from 514 that should be added?

[Naiya]

I'll paw through and see if I can find old calendars and related threads....

[Colt]

Likewise. I know that there were a whole bunch of big events in 513 (in line with that whole "STs want the Drykas to suffer through ALL THE THINGS" motif) that cut down a whole lot of people. I don't have the calendars themselves, but I'll try and collect the events.

[Colt]

Spring 512

1st

The Great Djed Storm of 512. Many Drykas were able to get into the underground tunnel network to weather the storm, but some pavilions were not so lucky. Drykas caught above ground lost their ability to Web. The Web itself suffered massive damage and had to be repaired slowly over the next few years.

Winter 512

Throughout the season

A great plague sweeps through the city. It affects children and the elderly first, but soon begins affecting healthy adults. Most pavilions are touched in some way. Some thousands(?) are dead by the end of the season.

Summer 513

73rd-76th

Hundreds (of thousands?) of Zith launch a siege upon Endrykas as the sun sets. It lasts the whole night. They disappear in the morning, but are back the following nightfall. In total, they spend three nights attacking Endrykas from the air, slaughtering Drykas and destroying pavilions.

Late summer, early fall

Because of the massive casualties dealt by both the plague and the Zith siege, the Drykas organize a massive slaving effort to the north at the Syliran border. From the Bronze Woods and surrounding areas, the capture and enslave as many as they are able. Women and children are their targets, although the occasional man might have volunteered to join the Drykas. It is hoped that children raised by Drykas will become Drykas themselves. Women are given a bargain: if they provide a child to a Drykas pavilion, they will be set free. (I believe that, following this, Syliras cracked down on its Drykas citizens, giving them the choice of either renouncing their race or leaving the city. I'll have to look into this one, since I wasn't really paying attention to Syliras at the time.)

Fall 513

10th

The women and children that were captured are auctioned off to cover the cost of the effort and to compensate the pavilions that lost members trying to capture the slaves.

Spring 514

16th

Because of the decreased numbers of Endrykas, a large pack of glassbeaks is emboldened and attacks outlying pavilions, presumably killing several people.

Summer 514

Throughout the season

There is a massive drought all over the Sea of Grass. Since Endrykas is not near any constant water source, it eventually got so bad that clan leaders were forced to ration water. Livestock numbers took a hit during this time.

Summer 515

77th

A magical silver chest appears on the outskirts of Endrykas. When someone puts an item inside the chest, they receive something in return. Some gifts are treasures, some gifts are worthless and some gifts are dangerous.

I’ll also see if I can comb through the forum itself and scrounge up any of the official calendars. Thanks so much for doing this, Prophet!

[Colt]

And also, while I don't know the exact numbers of which disaster killed how many people, Goss gave a rough estimate in the Q&A thread:

The standard population of the Drykas before the outbreak of the plagues and a few of the issues they had was around 10,000. 514 they were down to about 3,500. By now I'd say they are around 5,000 adults. Children are not counted until they are bonded and fully contributing ie hunting, perhaps around age 12. The Drykas are marrying young, reproducing with slaves, adopting people into their pavilions. It's safe to say the Drykas blood is not as pure as it once was, but the culture is as strong as ever. Remember, the striders weren't affected by the plague and the deaths. The djed storm did take a huge chunk out of the Drykas in 512 too. That affected the striders as well. Basically the Drykas will be in recovery mode for years to come and are as wary of strangers as ever.

[Ixzo]

So, not to interrupt something I support, but I want to propose something.

Seeing that family and Pavilion are like among the most important things to Drykas, should there be a safety net (of sorts) for Drykas who are down and out? I've noticed lots of Pavilions have come and gone so quickly over just the past few seasons, especially with PC interference. I'm not sure if this is the intended theme of the Drykas, or not. Either way, I do think it offers a background for my idea to be a well-known tradition.

So, say you are on your own. Not that you were shunned, you still have good standing within the community, just that you are without a Pavilion for some reason or another (death, most commonly). Would the other Drykas not want to absorb you back into a Pavilion to keep you in the most important part of the culture?

So I am suggesting, that if a Drykas has come to their last straw, all by their lonesome, perhaps there is a wide-known rule (not necessarily a law, just a custom or tradition) that will allow a Pavilion to take in another Drykas with little issue? Something like the Drykas gives their last animal (or something you think of that better fits as a gift), obviously a very important and valuable resource, to a Pavilion. When the Pavilion accepts the gift, that Drykas is sort of adopted in. It may not be a sudden thing, but perhaps over the season they work their way into supporting and being supported by the Pavilion that accepted them. Thus, that lone Drykas is no longer by himself.

I mean of course there is always the option of marriage, or beginning their own Pavilion for lone Drykas, but this is just an idea if someone is not in a position to do either.

I'd be willing to better define and more eloquently explain this idea, I just want to see what people think of it. I have a feeling it would help many PCs out, and give a good reason for there to be a lack of straggler Drykas floating around (NPC, or PC), especially with all these Pavilions coming and going like tides.

EDIT: I would also like to put out there that this is assumed to only apply to DRYKAS (born or bonded), not foreigners.

[Prophet]

Ixzo,

I can definitely add a little blurb about your idea to the codex. In fact, it's something that I have been roleplaying for a while with Azmere and the Lighthoof pavilion. I've noticed some others doing it as well. While our PCs may be loners, we move in with another pavilion, trade resources and share companionship. As far as assimilation goes, there really doesn't have to be any 'gift'. A savvy Ankal would absorb a useful person simply because it would strengthen his pavilion. Yes, there would be a grace period where the parties would have to build some trust but providing food, being helpful, etc would all make for threads that would prove that bond. The lore makes some very good points about this. In regards to your EDIT, this would apply to outsiders as well it would just be harder to earn your way in or prove your worth. Also, keep in mind that some Drykas are race supremacists.