LunarCulture

= Lunar culture =

There is an important fact to remember about the Lunars—like the Siderals, they have a number of several thousand year old demigods with incredible, deathlord level intellects, powerful essence pools and immense willpower. This has two effects—first of all, however lightly the elders may run things, they are very much able to impose their will when they choose to do so—but they prefer to arrange things in a more…subtle manner. Secondly, The Silver Pact has been operating ever since the Usurpation, and has some very long range plans and forecasts involving creation.

The Silver pact, it must be stated, is seen in a variety of different ways, but it fundamentally operates on two different levels.

The first level is as a general meeting group, which keeps all lunars generally apprised of what is going on, and what the various elders are doing. It does not give orders but functions as a very large, closely knit and occasionally factisious family. Even the youngest celestial lunar is seen as a relation, and there is an odd comfort in that. While it’s not advertised, younger lunars, even those trained, often have an older relation who makes certain to keep tabs on them—one of the side effects of exaltation is biting off more than you can chew, and lunars, no matter how young, are too precious to be lost in that way. The protection is neither obvious nor suffocating, and some do die…but the lunars try to avoid that. Note, they don’t extend the same effort to keeping the lunar from getting *hurt*-- pain is a teacher after all. Charms and sorcery make it possible to contact all the important members of the pact, and they keep in touch—while it may cost some of the currency of favors, a Lunar in the far south who has access to an elder can toss a question about some odd manse in the air, and quite possibly have Racksi get back to him with some information she has…and a pointed comment that she hopes they’ll remember the favor she did them…

This currency of favors binds the lunars together—nearly immortal beings, who could gain more money than any hundred mortals could ever use, most lunars find material services in the final equation, something they can get rather easily. The silver pact is knit by something far more important—favors. A lunar who knows a spell, or can easily slip into nexus, will do that favor for another lunar who will aid her in a job in Halta, and an elder will undertake to create biological marvels for a pack of lunars who do several “odd jobs” (and most young lunars will occasionally shudder at the memory of what some “odd jobs” might actually entail). The oldest lunars have literally thousands of favors owed and owing, which is another reason why they prefer to avoid seeing lunars dying—in addition to everything else it means that some of their currency of favors are now useless.

The second level of the silver pact is all the non-mortal lunar allies. Alchemical exalted, Exalted Beastmen, Beastmen, etc, are all considered part of the “silver pact” as a body that may one day go to war. Those members are accorded respect in line with their age and power—some Alchemical exalts are seen just as Lunars, while Exalted Beastmen are seen as lesser relations—barred by their lesser power and longevity from becoming senior members in the family, yet still important. The dragonblooded who serve the lunars are also in this level and they are actually considered quite a prize—many lunars have gone to some trouble to nurture dragon blooded bloodlines in their tribes, where their charms can meld the tribes into powerful units.

AlliesandServants

CharlesGray