CrownedSun/LanjiLunars

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the God Heroes!

The God-Heroes of the Lanji, blessed children of the Moon, are among the most revered of the divinities that the Lanji hold sacred. Yet, unlike most of these Gods (with the exception of Raventalon, their patron), the Lunar Exalted are regarded as much more grounded and accessible. While not to be treated as anything less than Exalted Heroes touched by the Divine, there is a sense that the Lunar Exalted are more kin to humans (specifically the Lanji) than the gods that linger in the minds of the Nation.

This is largely purposeful. The Elder Pack of Lunars that watches over, protects and guides that Nation does not wish to be seen as distant God-Kings. Instead, they are legendary and nigh-mythical heroes given flesh -- the soul of the Lanji's inner spirit, and desire to survive and triumph against any odds. There is even a small movement of 'oneness with the God-Heroes' -- the belief that as a hero becomes more potent and powerful, he eventually achieves a unity with one of the Blessed of Luna ... a statement that is true, after a fashion.

Many of the Elder Gods will take the greatest heroes of the age, drink of their hearts-blood, and take their shape to reinvent their image and keep a strong tap on the flows of their people.

the Younger Pack

the Player Characters

Atos, he who cracks wise.
Atos is a squirrel Lunar. Yes, you heard me right: a Squirrel Lunar. He's known by the nickname of "Ratatosk" in some cases, though it's almost fallen out of favor in the actual game. The nickname is from Nordic Myth, and is quite interesting. Atos was a slave, captured by the guild and sold to a Cynis, which he only recently escaped. He's good with a bow, and very much a ladies man.

Storyteller's Comments: Olof's character is fun, and amusing in his own way. He cracks jokes...puns, most of the time, and not always good ones. However, despite this he's really got a fair background and is a complete character. Hopefully, with a bit of social stuff and some vendetta against the Guild, we'll get him to do stuff besides just crack jokes and hit on the female NPCs. On that note, I need to remember that he's got Appearance 5 more often -- it's easy to forget that when the player is cracking bad puns in game:P

Ayillara, she who does many...interesting...things.
Ayillara is a fox Lunar, who was raised amidst the wilds of Everwinter Forest, not knowing many of it's secrets or the truth of it's nature but viewing herself as it's protector none the less. She views the place as her home, and has only recently begun to divorce herself from some rather naive and immature views. She's mostly a natural survival type, and not very good at civilized skills, though she WAS trained to the bare minimum by Balea.

Ayillara, despite having spent her entire life in rough conditions, has nonetheless developed a slightly feral beauty. Standing just under 5'5", with a trim build, her face reflects something of the nature of her home, with features that are at the same time soft and attractive, and hard and dangerous. Her hair is long, falling well past her shoulders, and cut raggedly - looking as though a sharpened stone or an ancient knife was used for the job - and is stark white. Lunars and others used to looking at the unusual may see a stripe of black running through it. Her eyes are ice-blue chips, glimmering with tears, irritation, and anger by turns. Standard attire tends towards the practical and all-covering; wolf pelt clothes, generally turned inside out, fur side in, are the de riguer.

Storyteller's Comments: Kaine's character has been a major headache, but it's been a FUN headache. He gets the group and himself in all kinds of trouble, and it's a lot of fun to just roll with it and see where things go. It'd be a lot more of a boring game without him here! The first storyline has been pretty "Ay-heavy", so we'll be switching to some of the other characters stories a bit now. None the less, she'll probably continue to hog a bit of the spotlight just because Kaine plays her. She's developing an interesting romantic subplot with Bloodborn, which is very interesting...

Bloodborn, the dark and broody one.
Jacob Bloodborn is a wolf Lunar, and grew up as a thief in the shadowland of Gradafes where the Lover Clad in a Raiment of Tears makes her home. There he met a beautiful golden haired beauty possessed of a vital beauty, Asha, and the two survived with one another and even fell into an innocent kind of child-like love. However, such things are fragile indeed in the Shadowlands and they were eventually pushed apart -- Bloodborn banished, exalting in the wilderness as a Lunar, Asha taken under the wing of the Lover and exalted as an Abyssal. Yet still the love remains, for true love cannot be denied. Bloodborn is a mental and perceptive character, with Necromancy!

Storyteller's Comments: Mailanka's character has the best defined background, and is a lot of fun to have in the game. He's probably the second most active character, but has recently been trying to get the other characters more involved -- something I've been trying myself:D The main thing with Bloodborn is his dark nature, as he's kind of a creature of the Shadowlands -- and the love with Asha/Crimson Mantled Virgin is very interesting indeed and promises a lot of fun story! In a completely unexpected direction, Ayillara has developed a crush on poor Bloodborn and the dour wolf doesn't quite know how to handle it. Of course, CMV wandered in on THAT subplot at precisely the wrong moment and much mischief ensued.

Khnuma, the girl in the iron mask.
Khnuma is a goat Lunar, and was the beautiful daughter of a clan jarl, before the family went on their pilgrimage to Northgale, where she met a charming clan noble who seduced her and whirled her off her feet -- the two getting married at the end of the five days. Five days after said marriage, though, her husband disappeared -- revealing that he was in fact He Who Walks in Shadows, one of the Elder Lunars, and she'd joined the ranks of the young women who had been lured into his embrace. She's a strong fighter character, with heavy armor that covers her entirely -- later on in her background she suffered horrible facial scars, and hasn't yet recovered.

Storyteller's Comments: Char's character is really growing and developing, as we've been doing a prelude for her and she's getting into more familiar ground in the campaign. Don't really have a lot more to say about her, as she's still growing ahd changing, but there's a lot of potential here:D So far, she's just been the ass-kicker but I can see that perhaps changing a little...not that she'll STOP kicking ass, but I can see more stuff added in there:D Hopefully. You can do it char!!

Van, the big ole' bear. An' I mean BIG!
Van is a bear Lunar, and is a powerful defender of the Lanji people. He lost his wife on a raid by the Kuniktik, and exalted as a Lunar while trekking through the winter to get his revenge. Now, his family gone, he is being forged by the Elder Lunars as a pure silver defender of his larger people. Van is a tough combat character, but also has some real character involved in there. I'm having a hard time describing (even more than the others); I'll let John fill in more here:D

Storyteller's Comments: John's character is probably the one I'm having the hardest time wrapping my hands around, though last session -- John wasn't there, so I had to play the Bear -- helped me out a bit, and I think got me into his mindset a more. We'll see. I intend to put some "Van" stuff in the next few sessions, and since he's shaping up as the defacto leader of the group he's a useful character for me to get to know a lot. The other characters are so specialized (Bloodborn, Khnuma), naive (Ayillara), or just irreverent (Atos) that Van is really the only one that stands out as a Leader. It'll be interesting to see how this develops:D

The Elder Pack

the Great Bear in the Sky

Also known as Balea, and the Storm-Warden, the Great Bear is known as the gentlest and most steadfast of the Elder Pack. She is held as a protector of the villages, first wife of the clans, the bringer of the autumn harvest, and the guardian of children. Prayers to her are given on the 3rd and 17th of every month, and on any occasion when the worshipper feels the need for her watchful eye. Common sacrifices in her honor include burnt maple bark, and silver. The New Moon is her sacred caste, and she works her magics -- for she is a great sorcerer, who works dark magics for the benefit of the Nation -- under the darkness of her patron's inattention.

She is said by her priests to reside in the constellation known as the Rising Smoke, and is believed to carry off the souls of those children abandoned into the harsh winter by those families unable to feed them. She can heal with a touch, and her vision is legendary -- able to pierce the myriad tongues of man, and the forked tongue of lies. She can smell fear, and even Gods cannot hide from her sight. In fact, when the lesser Gods of the Winter endanger the Lanji -- it is the Great Bear in the Sky that most commonly deals with them.

the Shadow Stalker

Also known as the Hunter in Darkness, He Who Walks in Shadows (old form), and the Night Talon, Shadow Stalker is known as the most cunning and casually cruel of the Elder Pack. He is a patron of Hunters, Hermits, Warriors who attack by Night, and others who make their living by cunning or shadow. Prayers are typically given for aid in surviving in the deepest wastes, general good luck, and protection from danger in the darkness or the Underworld. Numerous stories survive of the Shadow Stalker, myths handed down through clans of this battle or that bit of mischief. No few young daughters of the clans find their virgin-beds shared not by their husbands, but with a God wearing the illusion of his form. Common sacrifices include anything of wealth, especially Silver, given over into the Night. He holds no single phase of the moon as his own, but works his power under it's light.

None know where the Hunter in Darkness lairs, nor do any tales give him any correspodnence with a totem beast -- he can wear the skin of any beast of the wild, even creatures from beyond the North, or even appear in different human skins of both genders! Yet, no matter his form, the observant can spot his glittery silver pupils... He is believed to punish those who betray, or take advantage of his people...only he gets to do that!

the Great Walrus

More commonly known as Barolo, the Great Walrus holds aloft the axe of war and protects his people from any threat that should array itself against them. None can stand against him in one on one combat, and war-parties under his banner find themselves filled with strength of spirit and courage beyond their nature. He is held as a patron of warriors and warleaders, but also as a fair judge and leader of men. By far the most approachable of the Elder Pack, Barolo spends much of his time in Nightgale and often times stays in his own private room within the palace. No few clans boost that their lineage contains one of his bastard sons or daughters, and these tales are likely true. Sacrifices to him are typically of battle trophies and favored weapons, but his favor is fickle -- the only reliable way to earn it being bravery in battle. He is a child of the Full Moon and glories under it's light.

Most suspect that the Great Walrus lairs upon the Great White, in one of the ice caves or in a palace of sculpted from snow and air, and this tale is commonly repeated by his priests. The great form of the Walrus is emblazoned on many shields, and is a common decoration in Lanji warhalls. The war-form of Barolo is said to strike fear in the heart of ones enemy, and images of it emblazon shields and armor alike. While most often male, Barolo can appear female as well, and his appearance is the most constant of any of the Elder Pack.

the Golden Ziggarut of Mi-rath

The sacred and forbidden location is widely associated with the Elder Pack, and lays some 500 miles to the East of the Nation itself and a bit further to the north -- where the climate is forever cold, the wind maddening, and little lives expect the Gods. It is said to be guarded by a fearsome beast known as the White Dread, and nearly any that approach to close are never heard from again -- but some have made the journey, none the less, when the Elder Pack is known to be there and their assistance is needed. Of those, some survive. They speak of a grand golden pyramid, of wonders long lost, and of a palpable fear and ineffable sadness.

Whatever this place, it is protected most harshly by the Elder Pack and they are loath to speak of it.