Galroda Kin'toni Clan

History

The year 4E 44 saw the formation of the Galroda clan, and its founder, Oughissi Vor'thera, decided to build an army of loyal kin'toni that shared her talents and abilities. For over one hundred years this clan grew from just a couple hundred to a massive three thousand, through battles, speeches, regimens, and honour. These Galrodas worshipped the cosmos and its creator, whom they referred to as Xalam'Csa (or, loosely translated to English, the Infinite Aeon). Some kin'toni suggest that the Infinite Aeon could be anything and was also a mythological hero from the Xerea Empire, from before the dawn of their civilization.

The Xalam'Csa is said to be able to shift shapes and transform into a shadow or camouflage of whatever it represented. These same kin'toni also suggest that Xalam'Csa also believed in everything it created, meaning that he had faith in it and had high hopes for its long term survival. There is no proof that it is real and for now, it stays just a myth. The clan moved to the [[Nicuran Coniferous Forest because there was a good deal of resources there. This place was also well hidden and was not claimed by any other clan.

However, there is to be a new Ice Age on the horizon, and the chance that this clan might survive it is quite high, for the Galrodas have adapted to the cold weather, despite becoming somewhat fragile in appearance. But there is also the possibility that the forthcoming Ice Age could prove to be too cold for them as temperatures in the Lau'Ataor region have been dropping steadily since about 4E 225, and that the forthcoming Ice Age will cause temperatures in the region to take a nosedive. The Galroda kin'toni Clan is still quite a big clan with seven hundred kin'toni in it. The clan's numbers are declining slowly.

Psychology

The Galrodas are serious and logical kin'toni from the frozen lands, for they believe a life of logic and suppressed emotion is best. While they come off as cold (no pun intended), they are not evil and their efforts do gain them a peaceful orderly society; this is because of their pacifist mentality and overall ability to play peacemaker and attempt to find a common ground. They desire a world of tranquillity, but with the world how it is, this is very unlikely to happen. Their pacifist mentality has many of them foes of many clans, like the Vytheri, Omquaen and Kujami clans, along with many war-like clans.

Their mentalities are very extensive, and as a direct result of this, their patience is often very extensive as well and endures a lot of stuff. While they are not as intellectually gifted as they are patient, they believe that if at some point you don't succeed, keep trying until you reach a point in which you eventually succeed. And what is also impressive and somewhat interesting in this clan is that they often experiment with things that they are not familiar with or have never used before, which may explain why their common sense levels are through the roof. Inside their brains, they often experience surges that mostly occur when they stretch their bodies or crouch or stand up too fast.

These brain surges often occur and reverberate across their entire bodies, but they also have a unique sense of relief during these surges of energy. It is estimated by some kin'toni that Galroda kin'toni experience about ten to twelve of these every day, but they mainly occur during the nighttime hours rather than in the morning. Some do not agree with this fact, however, as it is contradictory, according to them. Galroda kin'toni often dreams of a Utopian paradise that would otherwise be suitable for all kin'toni and zu'aan alike, but they know all too well that this dream is very distant, and one that will never be seen, especially now that another Ice Age is coming.

A strange note of importance about these kin'toni is their constant psychological conversations. That they have with each other in these dreams when they talk to themselves in their sleep. Most of these conversations, though they are done while asleep. It is said that the conversations that they have with themselves so to supposedly interact with their creator, the Xalam'Csa. It is not proven that the Xalam'Csa is real. The conversations are more than likely just clan-wide dreams. This would be interesting in itself, for a large group of people to have the same dreams, many times.

Biology

The Galroda are adapted to the snowy, shady and dense Nicuran Coniferous Forest. They are short, powerfully muscled and dense in build, as to lower surface area exposed to the cold. Being compact, they are slow in flat, open areas. Their skin is black in color, very thick and with subdermal fat deposits. This allows them to stay warm in the winter, but makes them prone to overheating in warmer climates. The skin is coated in an a dense coat of fine, black, insulating fur for trapping body heat and camouflage in the darkness.

It is able to shed water as it produces a hydrophobic oil. Their ice blue eyes are large and set forward, and they have an enhanced concentration of rhodopsin for collecting the low light filtered through the dense conifer canopy. Due to their sensitivity to low light, they are prone to snow blindness in open areas in brighter nights. Their eyes are large and set forward, with an enhanced concentration of rhodopsin for collecting the low light filtered through the dense conifer canopy, but their increased sensitivity to low light makes them acutely vulnerable to snow blindness during clear winter days.

Ears are small, with large amounts of fur and close to the skull as to minimizing their surface area to prevent heat loss and frostbite in the severe cold. Nasal passages have an rapid, internal capillary system that efficiently warms cold inhaled air and recovers exhaled moisture. The canine teeth are stout, with deep roots and reinforced enamel for crushing thick bones and the woody cones of pine trees for nutrient extraction. These teeth are not so good at clean, quick puncture wounds.

The claws are long, non-retractable and curved, adapted for providing superior purchase on rough bark. These claws also act as natural crampons for moving on icy or packed snow surfaces. These non retractable claws hamper dexterity and are easily damaged on hard rock. The extremities maintain an countercurrent blood flow in order to stay warm and ward off frostbite. Feet are wide, with heavy padding act as natural snowshoes. The downside of this is that quiet walking on bare, rocky ground is difficult. With their recycling glands, they are adapted to large prey.

The stomach produces strong acids that can break down the fat and marrow of large winter prey into an liquid form that they can digest. After this, the glands can extract the maximum nutrients from it, but these glands are inefficient at processing the thinner, iron-poor blood of small summer prey. The clan are able to go into shallow winter torpor during the harshest months as to reduce energy and blood consumption. In their torpor, they are helpless and unconscious, easy prey if found.

The spine and spine and joints are slightly reinforced and heavily cushioned. This allows them to absorb shock from falling or jumping between tree branches. To "talk", deep, low-frequency guttural calls are used as these resonate through the dense forest. One thing they can do is slow the release of glandular scent pheromones to be hard to track by scent by rivals or allies alike.

Culture

In the years before the Shattering, the Galrodas were good at quite a few sports and even invented several sports of their own using their quick thinking and strategic skills. They once had a unique set of dumbbells that they could use and configure to make sure that they can deadlift the right amount of weight at the right time every time (well, most of them, anyway). Now, with a surprising advancement in technology, they collectively invented a three-sided dumbbell that allows one to lift to 50 per cent more weight than that of the standard dumbbell.

In the centuries following the Great War of the Shattering, however, they began to develop new strategies, new techniques for living independently and thriving, and even developing a new ice hockey inspired sport that allows a skeleton head of a small fish to be used as a hockey puck. They simply call it "Gnafryl". The object of this particular game is for one team to use the hockey stick-shaped piece of wood to knock the skeleton head into their opposing team's goal area more times than the other team can get the skeleton head into their opposing team's goal area. There is another thing in particular that the Galrodas is known for, and that is their unique way of cooking.

They use exotic fruits and vegetables such as the pynkroan (equivalent to rice) and the zaoiaka ( grapes) in almost every meal that they can fix themselves, and in each meal, they can use natural resources such as wood, fire, and water to successfully make their meals to perfection. This might also explain how they can maintain a healthy diet and a muscular appearance. Sometimes, however, when they are bored they manage to find a rather creative way to pass the time: by playing a card game called Yrgira. This card game involves five sets of cards which are numbers 1 to 13, with 1 being the highest number and 13 being the lowest.

Each set of cards contains a different shape, with the set number being determined solely on the number of sides on the shape (one being the circular set and five being the pentagonal set). This clan as a holiday called: Adeetus, a solemn holiday celebrated on the spring equinox. It is associated with inspiration, pride and preservation. Celebrations last. Traditions include private acts of daring, feasting and prayers. Many traditions celebrate it differently. One fashion is called H'Lka, This fashion features minimalistic, tight dark bronze and dark blue garments. Tops are typically cropped with very low necklines. Brooches and amulets are popular accessories. Red-orange, yellow-green, and white are also common colours.

Government

The Galroda clan has a very unorthodox government, mainly because it is run by a group of female politicians within this particular clan collectively known as the Feminist Order, or Famir. The Famir is led by a panel of seven women with a combined 150 years of political experience whose laws are the law and whose rules must be honoured. Each female leader is commonly known in the Galroda community as a Taor, and the majority leader (meaning, the leader with the most political influence and power) is commonly known as the La'Taor. Political analysts from all across Terael suggest that this kind of leadership is supposedly revolutionary and would require something drastic.

Every five years a general election is usually held — except in years where the last two numbers are not divisible by either five or ten, or when it is a year ending in a number other than 5, 0, or 3. It is generally held every eighth month of every fifth calendar year by the Taors that rule collectively over the clan, and anyone that is in the clan has an equal opportunity to vote. The reigning, defending incumbents will face a challenge by opposing candidates, and several debates will be held before voting takes place. After all of the votes are tallied, the candidate with the majority of the tally — either the incumbent or the opposing candidate — will be dubbed the Taor-elect.

As for what it takes to become one of the Taors in the Famir, it takes a lot of courage, a lot of mental power, and, above all else, a woman's touch. The requirements in becoming one of the Taors in the Famir are simple: first of all, you have to be a female kin'toni in the Galroda clan with at least 1,500 to 1,600 years of experience in the Galroda Order of the Famir; second, you have to be one of quick wit and intellect, and that is not easy to come by; and finally, you have to know all of the laws of your clan, inside and out. All of this is required for a Galroda to become a clan leader.

If it is determined by certain leaders within the Famir that one of their own has committed some sort of wrongdoing, they will immediately be tried for that said wrongdoing in a preliminary trial. If it is confirmed that they are guilty of that said wrongdoing, they will then be transferred to the Justices of the Famir, where they will investigate and try the accused to determine if the accused is guilty of the crime; otherwise, the accused will return to duty and continue to serve the Famir. If found innocent, the accused will continue to serve on the Famir as a Taor; otherwise, the accused will (temporarily) be replaced by an interim Taor in an exclusive election.

Military

There is a Taor in the Galroda government that also bears the responsibility of ruling over this clan's military or the Galroda Order of the Famir. This particular leader is responsible for appointing several military leaders with a combined 100 years of military experience, and those leaders must dedicate each night to watching over the clan and presiding over this clan's primary and secondary activities. A commonly misconceived myth about this clan's military is that the Taor that rules over the Galroda Order doesn't necessarily have to preside over the Order's activities or any of its missions.

But in reality, it's nearly the polar opposite as the Taor responsible for this clan's military has to lead its missions along with the appointed leaders of the Galroda Order. Every night there is an ancient ritual — which dates back to the origins of the Galroda clan — that is generally performed by the Taor and its two appointees which involves a strange dance that is done in a triangular formation. Once this interpretive dance is complete the Taor and its appointees will separate and go their separate ways for the night while the two appointees ordered to preside over this military's primary and secondary activities lead this militia into a series of physical and spiritual commands and rituals.

Which are often accompanied by the clan's religious adviser, or Azd'in, which is also one of the Taors in the Famir who are responsible for ruling over the Galroda clan. Sometimes when the militants of the Galroda Order of the Famir go out on hunting trips they general split into groups of six to seek trees with sappy roots. The journey to finding those particular trees in question is not, how you say, easy, but once a kin'toni or a group of kin'toni in this clan can find a tree with sappy roots (often referred to in Galroda culture as a Xadpa) they will often get down on their knees and bite into the roots of the bottom of the tree and start sucking; eventually, the sap does regenerate itself from within the tree.

Some nights are spent making barbaric and morbid weapons of blunt force as a nightly activity, but since they are skilled in making said objects as their ancestors were it is very hard for them to make a defective weapon that doesn't work; however, if the object in question falls apart or experiences a defect in its design, they will be ordered by the military Taor, or Ra'xin, to find an effective way to fix it. Sometimes it takes several nights of consistent work and craftsmanship to fix the defect. This army relies heavily on clever tactics and the use of battleaxes. They are famous for violating treaties and for the antics of some of their commanders.

Religion

Gelorans are often religious, although not entirely, and they believe that their gods are their ancestors who founded this clan these thousands of years ago. They worship their ancestors, who paved the way to make sure that they could be able to thrive in times of instability and turmoil; because of this, their style of worship is often considered tributary and honourable where other clans might not have the same theology. The Galroda religion of choice, which is often referred to as Daxanism, is best described as the worship of the ancestors and ancients of early kin'toni history.

They have a strange way of worshipping their ancestors; however, every couple of nights there is a worship ceremony that is led by the clan's religious advisor, or Az'din, and in this worship ceremony the attendants all take turns licking the head of a 5,000-year-old skeleton said to be that of the clan founder. Although kin'toni has debated over whether or not the skeleton in question belongs to the clan founder, though, it is generally assumed that the identity of the clan founder's skeleton is unknown. They also have a unique ritual that is often performed during certain ceremonies and services, which consists of a fire dance complete with incidental background percussion.

After the ritual is complete, the Az'din will make an appearance to preach to his subjects about the story of how Oughissi Vor'thera founded, built, shaped, and designed the first Galrodas in her image, how they were raised by him, and how they became immensely popular throughout the Vampyrian community, albeit for a finite amount of time. Following the sermon of the Az'din, there is a moment where everyone gathers together to sing an ancient hymn of their ancestors in their clan's native tongue. Once they begin to sing this hymn, an offering is given to each of the singers, and each singer will be given the option to pray to their clan founder.

This is by talking to the skeleton that supposedly belongs to the clan founder and asking it for forgiveness for any wrongdoings they might have made. After this, regardless of whether or not each singer decides to ask the skeleton for forgiveness, everyone disperses, meeting again several weeks later to begin another ceremonial service. Symbol: is made of simple shapes and a representation of a ranged weapon. The holy Color is saffron and it is via one holy book and some oral tradition. The creation Myth Type is of succession and mortals originate from divine flesh. The major myth and symbol(s): the serpent, the sacrifice, the stars.

Worship is in solemn group meditation in temples and holidays are very many. Holidays celebrate, the harvest, prophets, martyrs, past miracles, saints, great rulers, heroes and major holidays (s) are more celebration than prayer. The clergy: are of both genders and their function is interpreters of scripture/myth, spiritual guides, judges, ritual leaders. Thier lifestyle is spartan and for the family is rare (celibacy encouraged). They are ordained by other clergy and distinguished by symbolic tattoos and scars. The Deadly Sins are apathy and blasphemy and High Virtues are temperance, responsibility and moderation.

The associated artform is songs, coming of age is 130 years old and coming of age rites take place in a public ceremony. Marriage involves a transfer of wealth and marriage rites involve much gift-giving. Death Rites: involve awake, a major taboo is displays of affection. This is believed by all and outsiders are discriminated against.

Miscellany

Sometimes when Galrodas are bored, they will occasionally draw on cave walls during the day while they are still sleeping. They have a unique way of doing this, but the fact that they can draw so well in their sleep makes other clans wonder how good they can draw when they are awake. Some kin'toni'ati experts suggest that while this is the case, Galroda artists that draw while in their sleep supposedly get their inspiration from the spirits of their ancestors that have been said to speak to them in their dreams. Common activities for Galrodas are surprisingly uncommon in other clans.

Now and then a Galroda can choose to spend their day sleeping in their bunkers while doing some other sort of activity simultaneously during their slumber, or they can choose to sleep and do nothing at all, which is often preferred as it saves up a lot more energy and time. Nonetheless, Galrodas are not your typical kin'toni because they tend to stay busy, even when they are sleeping. Like most of the kin'toni in this clan, Galrodas have a way of expressing their creativity, although not in a musical aspect. Most Galrodas aren't as gifted with music as other clans are, but art is considered to be more their forte than anything else.

With that said, they use quite a few artistic styles from a particular perspective, and they mainly excel in one point and two-point perspective, although they have been known to work on three-point, four-point, and zero-point perspective drawings and don't seem to fare as well with that as they do with one point and two-point perspective. Some Galrodas aren't particularly proficient in artwork as others are, so they turn to music and construction to ease their minds and express themselves from a creative point of view. Building musical instruments and learning how to play said instruments are the Galroda minority's main strengths

Although they do occasionally dabble in painting and drawing and prove not to be nearly as good with that as they are with construction, architecture and music. The economy is weak and declining with the main export of textiles, the main import of precious metals. The main resources are timber and lumber and trade has a major surplus. Wealth is fairly even, but with a wealth gap. The literacy rate in this clan is 15% and the gender ratio is 51% male to 49% female. Life Expectancy is a hundred years. The clan highly Values creativity, popular entertainment is theatre and a respected profession is an artisan.

Nearby Groups

Unknown

Galroda Kin'toni Clan

Unknown