#theodmer

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[musingofariael]

Thoosa

Quick Facts: Height: 5’5-6’2 Weight: 130-250 pounds Lifespan: 50-70 years Defining Features: Delicate Features Population: 3,000 Found: Theodmer, Crimea Reputation: Horselords Gods: None specifically Racial Bonus: +10 Riding Overview: The Thoosa are a subset of the human race. After the disbanding of all humanity at the beginning of time, the Thoosa traversed the land, before settling in the plains. There, they created a new society for themselves, which was based off of agriculture, warfare, and the breeding of fine horses. Some of the horses were bred for their strength, others for their beauty, ability to withstand the horrors of war, or speed. Over the course of several generations, the Thoosa have become masters of their art, earning them the name of the world’s horselords. History: The Thoosa were once grouped with all of the world’s races, until the division, at which point they moved away from the old lands in search of new ones. After having traveled the world for well over a decade, the earliest of their kind finally happened upon a stretch of plains, which they felt would suit their needs. From that point onward, they began to build the city of Theodmer, slowly crafting it into the realm we know of today. At the same time, they developed further into their own subset of the human race. At first, the Thoosa built their society around agricultural pursuits. They tilled the earth, and created miles upon miles of farmland. They raised various crops, such as carrots and corn, and used these crops to feed themselves, and live pleasantly enough for several generations. But as time wore on, they were discovered by monstrous invaders, and attacked time and time again. Wild animals too, ravaged their lands, partaking of their crops, and feasting on their young. Soon, tiring of their troubles, the Thoosa began to build a wall around their farms and small cottages. Despite their best efforts, the Thoosa were still harrowed by the world around them, and progress with their wall proved slow. Being that they had no quarries nearby, from which to gather stone, or forests nearby from which to gather wood, they were forced to trade with other friendlier peoples, if not travel great lengths in order to obtain the materials they needed to build their great wall. In so doing, they created even more enemies, as they moved onto the lands of their rivals, and took of their resources without asking permission. The Thoosa’s actions spurred the beginning of the Great Goblin War, in which the Thoosa’s lands, were attacked by a large goblin tribe, who were displeased with the loss of their trees. The war proved long and bloody, but eventually, the Thoosa prevailed, and were able to complete their wall with the trees, which rested on the lands, which had once belonged to the goblins. For a time, their society lived in relative peace; but, after awhile, their population became so great, that they realized that it had become necessary to expand their empire. So they built a large, rectangular building at the heart of their empire. To this day, they continue to refer to it as the hold. It was soon after, that the Thoosa gave their city its name, and decided that they could no longer survive as farmers, who lived alongside one another. So, they elected a king amongst the wisest of their kind. The king’s descendants have been ruling over the land ever since. With each generation, the kings and queens of Theodmer have not only expanded their holdings; but, led to a new development within Thoosan culture. Amongst the first of their kind was a king named Elidyr, who determined that their modes of transportation, preparing the earth to be planted, and harvesting crops, were not as efficient as they could or should be. He decided that it would be best to start domesticating wild horses, so a few were captured, and kept in the stables that the Thoosa had designed to be their homes. Elidyr’s son continued to carry out the process of bringing his father’s vision to light. He allowed the now domesticated horses to continue breeding, to build up their numbers to the point where just about everyone in the city had access to one. His grandson, Hatar, however, decided that this wasn’t enough, and began to urge his people to breed their horses for specific traits- speed, a certain colored coat, etc. Over a number of years, and multiple generations, the Thoosa mastered the ability to selectively breed, as well as to breed horses in general. Their presence permeates through every aspect of their daily lives, as they often serve as mounts, farming assistants, and companions. It is for this reason that the Thoosa have become known as the horselords, to which they take great pride. Biology: Physical Appearance: For the most part, the Thoosa look no different from garden-variety humans. However, it is believed that the “fresh plain” air, coupling with their more agricultural lifestyle, has led them to develop greater heights, stronger muscles, and greater weights. Most of the Thoosa fall somewhere between five feet and five inches tall, and six feet, two inches tall. Most male Thoosa are taller than the females, and most are more muscular. As a result, they tend to weigh more than female Thoosa. The average for a full grown Thoosa is somewhere between 130 and 250 pounds. Despite their forms having a greater presence than the average human, the Thoosa tend to have more delicate features, which gives them a somewhat childlike quality. This trait is far more pronounced in their female population, than the male population, and becomes apparent when one considers the shape of a Thoosa’s nose, the lightness of their lips and smile, the paler tones evident within their skin, the prevalence of freckles upon various portions of their body, and the lightness of their eyes. Most Thoosa have fair skin, which tends to burn fairly easily in the light of the sun. Their eyes tend to be large and almond-shaped. Most often, they come in shades of green or blue; but, smatterings of brown are not unheard of. Their hair tends to be kept long and flowing- in both males and females. In most cases, it is blonde or a bright orangey-red. However, lighter brown tones are not unheard of either. Common Traits: The Thoosa tend to have a lot in common with one another. They tend to have pale skin, lighter eyes, as well as lighter hair. Their skin is also, typically, dotted with a multitude of freckles in any number of areas. The vast majority of Thoosa also have a great fondness for horses, as well as horseback riding. Psychology: The Thoosa are both protective of their own, and fiercely loyal to one another, especially their families and their clans. If one of their kind is wronged, it is not uncommon for a large group to rally behind them, in order to right that wrong. They place a strong emphasis on both friend and family connections as well; while always providing their elders with the level of deference, which they are due. They value physical strength, which they feel contributes to getting things done, as well as hard workers, as they set a brisk pace by which to accomplish things. They also appreciate those who have become knowledgeable in their arts, (i.e. horse breeding), as they understand that it is from these individuals, that their culture is likely to be passed down, so that it might continue to survive through the ages. Reproduction: The Thoosa are capable of breeding with most of the world’s denizens. Each time they breed outside of their own race; however, their physical traits become diluted within their offspring. The gestation period for a Thoosa is nine months, as with any other human. Aging & Longevity: The Thoosa age at the same rate as would any other humans, and tend to live as long as most other humans. Society: Social Structure: The Thoosa have a more traditional culture, which is based around agriculture, and the breeding of livestock and other domestic animals, (especially horses). They are led by a king and queen, as well as the rest of the royal family. Those who may be considered second in power to them are military officials; but, they need only be followed by their underlings, and the rest of society in instances of military emergency, (i.e. when the city is under siege). However, it might always be said that those younger than others, are expected to obey the orders of their elders. This idea, that one should always respect their elder’s authority, is taught to the Thoosa from a young age, so that problems are beaten out of them early, and do not present themselves later in life. Language: The Thoosa never developed a language of their own. Instead, they speak Common, alongside the majority of the world’s races. Names: The majority of Thoosa are known by their first name, as well as their clan name in more formal settings. Their clan name isn’t used in most daily interactions, and is used to represent all of the individuals who live on a particular plot of land, or farm. For the most part, the clan name doesn’t serve much of a purpose, save that it identifies where within the land a person is from, as most families have lived upon the same plots for hundreds of years. In most cases, the surname serves as a shorthand, for identifications within the political sector, when two feuding parties go before the king in order to have a dispute settled. In other cases, it may be used by angry parents to address their children, when they really want their orders to be obeyed. Examples of Thoosa Names: Remmy Gladstone Hazel Ogden Caroline Wither Friends and Family: Thoosa tend to maintain close ties with both friends and family. This is due to the fact that the Thoosa are a highly interdependent race, who need each other for their survival. Being that every member of their society is a necessary member, the Thoosa go to great lengths in order to maintain harmony, and stomp out all discord. This is usually accomplished through a child’s rearing, in which the Thoosa are conditioned to believe that those with more years under their belt are more knowledgeable. As a result, these individuals should be the ones that are listened to, and obeyed without question. No distinction is made between the power of a woman and the power of a man; instead, they are both seen as equals within the eyes of the Thoosa, and whichever is oldest, will always be obeyed first. The only exceptions to this rule are that the king and royal family must always be obeyed before all else, and one’s commanding officer must always be obeyed. Should he fall during battle, the next highest ranking official should be obeyed, and is automatically promoted to his lost brethren’s position. Being that the Thoosa are a highly interdependent race, most children spend the majority of their day with their parents, learning how to take on the adult roles, which they will eventually pass on to their own children. Girls often spend time with their mothers, learning how to cook, clean, farm, and tend to the animals. After they have mastered these tasks, girls are taught how to ride horses, how to fight, and how to hunt. Boys on the other hand, often spend the majority of their time with their fathers. First, they are taught how to ride horses, and to care for their mounts. They are then taught how to mend their equipment, how to perform the “tougher” tasks involved in farming, how to fight, and how to hunt. (Note: This is a typical pattern within Thoosan society; but, not everything works this way). Being that as a whole, the Thoosa are a friendlier race, they tend to have no trouble making and maintaining friendships with those within their own race, as well as those outside of it. Being that various elvish settlements exist in locations not far from their own city; the Thoosa tend to make most of their outside connections with them. This, in turn, makes it easier for the two groups to facilitate trade with one another, as they have members on both sides to vouch for one another. Daily Routines: The daily routine for the vast majority of Thoosa living within the city of Theodmer consists of either one core activity or some combination of three things- tending to the horses, tending to the fields and raising crops, or training to defend the city, if one is not currently preoccupied with active participation within the city’s defense. Tending to the horses involves making sure that they are fed, making sure that they have enough water, making sure that they are given exercise, (this is usually done by taking them out hunting for extra food, or taking them out for long runs), making sure the horses are in good health, and are clean. Tending to the fields and raising crops involves tilling the earth, and preparing it for the sowing of seeds, watering the fields, and harvesting whatever may be harvested. It is grueling work. Naturally, tending to the city’s defense involves monitoring the wall, patrolling the area outside the wall by going on scouting expeditions, and training oneself to withstand onslaught. This is typically done through a mixture of body building and weapon training. Thoosa living outside of the city of Theodmer; however, may live very different lives. While they still may have a love and reverence for horses, they may not farm, or spend most of their time training for combat, if not fighting. Instead, their lives may go in any number of directions, as they adopt the lifestyles and traits of the people they are living amongst, and the “energy” of the city they are living in. Religion: The Thoosa do not pray to any one god or goddess in particular. Instead, they pray to whomever they feel fits in most with their lifestyle. The farmers may pray to Alana, as they appreciate how her children take care of vermin. Others may pray to Reyna, as they know that all good things are supported by her good earth. Many of the warriors choose to pray to Riviena, in order to keep them safe during battle. Others still, pray to Calone, in the hopes of bringing in better harvests. Others choose to pray to Feeyar, and L’vrai, in order to keep them safe during their travels, and all of their interactions with foreigners, fair. Diet: The Thoosa are an omnivorous race. The majority of their food comes from whatever is grown on their farms, or whatever livestock they raise. Therefore, they tend to eat a lot of beets, turnips, carrots, potatoes, and lettuce. They also eat a fair amount of chicken as well as pork, which they like to roast and season with various herbs. Most do not eat horse, even after the death of one they have bred. This is because it is considered to be both taboo and dishonorable to do so. Care: As a subset of the human race, the Thoosa may be cared for in the way that all humans are. The same kinds of ailments may also befall them.