From publisher blurb:
Eight Lineages
Ranabrri. The Ranabrri clan originated in the canopies of tropical rainforests and, over time, have expanded and adapted to temperate forests and even harsh taigas. Some of the most ingenious engineers of this world are Ranabrri, for this clan has built elaborate cities in the canopies of forests—cities are so complete and sustainable that some Ranabrri have never set foot on solid ground in their lifetime. Many are also given to stealth and lithe strength, making them natural hunters or stealthy operators. Ranabrri also have a unique sign language used to communicate while stalking prey or discussing illicit matters in foreign courts. Ranabrri take pride in their archers, training many capable youths to attend tournaments of other thoppi clans to show off their skills.
Kaikissi. “To know a Kaikissi is to know Death,” is a common adage among the thoppi, for even brushing against a Kaikissi’s shoulder at a party could mean demise. Every Kaikissi secretes a toxic mucus from their very skin, the toxin different for each variation in the vibrant array of color patterns Kaikissi skin may be. This means Kaikissi of different colorations can hurt each other, as well. This has led to the development of isolationist sects within the Kaikissi clan, an overarching attitude of distrust and, yet, a desire for connection with the wider world all the same. As a means of survival, Kaikissi have developed a political cunning bolstered by the intimidation of their toxic powers. They are adept at diplomacy, persuasion, and deception, especially in courts where their eye-catching looks and suavity draw the attention of the courtly crowd.
Walossi. Tall, muscular, and highly skilled in combat, Walossi believe themselves to be, in their own words, “the truest form of thoppi.” Distant descendents of the conquering Bebedyyi clan, they are the most populous and wide-spread of the thoppi. Within the Walossi clan, they have formed separate noble Houses that compete with one another by hosting lavish banquets and tournaments. Walossi are indeed, in some ways, the epitome of thoppi culture as they enjoy showing off their wealth, gaining and bestowing titles, and challenging fitting warriors to combat. In addition to mighty warriors, Walossi clan boasts talented blacksmiths—a practice fostered to produce the most beautiful pieces of armor and weapons to show off at tournaments. Walossi consider the other thoppi clans the “Lesser Houses,” but still readily invite them to tournaments to test their mettle. Walossi, though they like to think of themselves as perfect hosts, boisterous entertainers, and gentle knights, they are most well known for their loud, gaping mouths and voracious appetites—appetites that do not discriminate even when it comes to eating their own kind. Though leaders of the Walossi Houses claim these “old ways are dead and gone, along with the Bebedyyi,” there are many eye witness accounts of Walossi eating smaller folk in one gulp—opponents they have bested in combat or even just someone whose comment at dinner was not appreciated.
Blaasoppi. The Blaasoppi clan hail from the desert, making their homes in grandiose port cities of sandy coasts or vast underground networks burrowed beneath the dunes. They are consummate delvers with avid sand- and stone-sense, creating impossible homes in the most oppressive of desert environments. They also have a love of process and tend to create complex bureaucracies as convoluted as their underground networks. Their judicial system is one of the most exacting in all of thoppi culture and their court cases are famous for lasting anywhere from six months to six years. Court proceedings are highly publicized and loud events, with the Courthouses open to the public for crowds to gather and loudly berate or cheer for the defendents. Outside of magisterial policy and exacting justice, the Blaasoppi love singing just as many other thoppi clans do. Many musically inclined Blaasoppi train as sopranos, though their piercing voices may be grating for folx outside of Blaasoppi culture.
Platanni. While many thoppi clans prefer to make their homes near water, few spend the majority of their time beneath the surface. This is not so for the Platanni clan, who are nomadic and travel together in submarine flotillas. They are a restless clan, never content to sit in one place for long. They are excellent swimmers and nautical navigators, and boast some of the most advanced ships and navigation tools among the thoppi clans. When two separate flotillas meet, it is a cause for great celebration. The ships hitch together and a month-long festival is had, with dancing, swimming, feasting, and often spontaneous marriages. They are also the most “clannish” of the thoppi, preferring to stick together—literally—instead of venturing out to mingle with folx outside their clan. Within Platanni culture, it is tradition to choose a mate as they come of age and, once they do, they are rarely parted. Platanni are easily spotted in a crowd, for they often sit upon one another’s head and shoulders while walking about or in combat. While mates are most often romantic pairings, mates can be platonic or practical instead. Further, children will often bond with their parents, only breaking it once they come of age and find a mate of their own. When a Wanderer plays a Platanni, they are really playing two characters instead of one. Work with your Alder to develop the personality of your mate, as the Alder will roleplay your mate in Narrative scenes.
Tandukki. Lowland dwellers of treacherous marshes and rainforests, the Tandukki clan builds their cities upon streets of raised platforms and walkways all protected by a border of towering palisades. Banners fly over the sides of these impressive walls, all marked with the image of a blue crocodile curling in on itself in a spiral. This is the symbol of the deity Buaya, the Final Deluge. The Tandukki clan’s religion centers around an apocalyptic flood myth, and the mystics of the clan see signs of this coming peril in everything: ripples in their scrying pools, changes in the weather, the patterns on the skin of their newborns. Buaya has not come, yet—however the Tandukki will be prepared when He does. The Deluge is not seen as a hellish end in Tandukki religion. Instead, the flooding will usher in a heavenly existence in which all peoples become aquatic creatures and live happily forevermore in their paradise of water.
Bebedyyi. A giant lineage of thoppi that died out long ago due to a rampant disease—or, as legends say, a curse upon their clan—that turn their bones to dust within their living bodies. In life, Bebedyyi were powerful conquerors, unmatched in their time. They are distantly related to the Walossi clan of thoppi alive today, as is evident in Walossi stature and strength. For all their imposing attributes, Bebedyyi were soft-spoken, lacking the ability to croak as other thoppi can. They were, instead, talented whistlers and known for whistling war marches that, though that may sound whimsical, had the power to terrify as much as the pounding of drums or the blaring of horns. Towering ruins of Bebedyyi fortresses still haunt deserts, forests, and mountains of the world, and are filled with ancient artifacts like giant weapons, armor pieces, paintings, and sculptures. For Bebedyyi were not only great warriors but also artists who created wonders of translucent pond-glass and the alabaster-like lilystone. These materials can no longer be found naturally in the world and so can only be harvested from Bebedyyi ruins.
Sepeyokki. Known as the Ghoul Clan by thoppis of today, Sepeyokki were physickers, alchemists, and necromancers unafraid of disease and the dead. Much of their practical and magical knowledge has survived to this day, but remains locked away in libraries guarded by the Kaikissi clan who are their distant descendents. Spirits of Sepeyokki still appear in the world, many of their souls restless with the desire to learn more from the world they left too soon. While in life Sepeyokki had two differently colored eyes: one black and one white, the eyes of their spirits are both ghastly pale.