Post by Horsie on Jan 3, 2015 4:23:08 GMT
Darsai appear physically similar to what we call cats and have a culture somewhat similar to medieval Europe (albeit a very romanticised ideal of medieval Europe).
Darsai are a brave, bold people. They admire courage and fair play, and despise cowardice and underhandedness. They wear their emotions on their sleeves, weeping openly when they are sad, being quick to fight when angered, and laughing heartily when something amuses them. It can be odd to see a powerful Darsai knight wail in tears when tragedy strikes, but to the Darsai the idea of holding back emotions is quite alien. Darsai are honest and straight forward, what you see with them is usually what you get.
They are very tactile; slapping each other on the back, holding hands, and hugging each other are considered a normal part of conversation. Darsai consider it rather cold and standoffish if you don't get into someone's personal space a bit when talking to them.
Darsai society is based on feudalism. The society can be thought of as a pyramid, with peasants at the bottom supporting a smaller cast of knights above them, supporting layers of increasingly important nobles right up the king. The king grants land to the lords, who grant some of it to lesser nobles below them who in turn grant it to the peasants below them to farm and live on.
This structure works both ways, however, as knights and nobles have a responsibility to lead and protect the people below them (as well as laying on feast days and celebrations) for the community under them. Darsai are a wilful people, and the peasants are well aware of their rights under law. They certainly don't see themselves as oppressed serfs and a lord who treats them this way or ignores their responsibilities will not only risk sanctions from his superiors, but rebellion from his subjects! There are many examples of Darsai nobles meeting an unpleasant end due to peasant revolts, and the nobility are all too aware of this. After these events, the towns people will generally petition a higher lord, or indeed the king, to send a replacement.
Darsai consider the feudal system the natural order of things, with everyone knowing their place and supporting society. Darsai consider Nymus democracy to be mob rule, manipulated by scheming, corrupt politicians behind the scenes, and consider their own government far more logical and practical, being based as it is on honour and codes of conduct, rather then selfishness and a thirst for power.
Central to Darsai culture is knighthood. The knight is the ideal of what a Darsai should be; brave, honest, strong and ready to battle evil and protect the innocent at a moments notice. Male members of the nobility are almost universally knights, and it is possible for peasants to be granted knighthood, thus allowing them to join the lower ranks of nobility. Because they have peasants to work the land and provide for them, knights can focus almost entirely on martial training, becoming warriors of tremendous skill.
As well as general fighting skills, some key abilities a knight must learn are fighting in heavy armour (with the tail wrapped around the body like a belt, giving better protection but making it hard for the untrained to balance), fighting from Suss back, and most importantly mastering the energy weapons of Thane.
A Darsai knight will generally be skilled enough in the use of this energy (after a lifetime of training) to produce a range of weapons, including lances, spears, swords, and axes, as well as javelins, bows and arrows (as opposed to using regular bows and just producing energy arrows as normal soldiers do), and throwing axes. This makes Darsai knights exceptionally versatile, able to change their tactics to match what ever opponent or situation they come up against.
There is more to being a Darsai knight then being a great warrior though, equally important is living up to the ideals of chivalry. All Darsai are taught to live by chivalry's laws, and to knights it is their central creed. Some of the basic tenants are as follows-
-Not striking an unarmed opponent, or one who is not ready,
-Being honest,
-Being respectful to women,
-Treating prisoners well,
-Fulfilling your duty to your superiors in the feudal system, and your responsibilities to your inferiors.
It should be noted that the rules for combat are applied to personal duels rather then mass battles. In times of war, knights are not expected to avoid striking enemies in the back or attempting to gang up on opponents etc. Although, since the First Nameless War, it has been decreed that the rules of chivalry do not extend to the Nameless, Nameless can thus be killed without warning or mercy.
Darsai Chivalry is often mocked by other races (mainly the Nymus) as a weakness, but the rules often make a lot of sense. Those relating to personal combat assume the opponent will obey them as well, and if the opponent does break them (or clearly intends to break them) then they do not apply.
The rules regarding the treatment of prisoners in particular can actually be a surprising asset in war time. Though the Darsai have to take care to look after prisoners, this means enemy soldiers know they will be safe if they surrender, making them far more likely to give in rather then fight to the death. It also encourages people to treat Darsai prisoners well. After all, if you kill Darsai prisoners, you will forfeit your prisoners' right to fair treatment.
Due to their lionising of knighthood and their warrior caste, Darsai culture is inherently war like. Throughout their history they have fought wars with many nations. In ancients times they battled the Tolpish, then the Nymus for a long period, and most recently the Ivos and Junlocks. The Darsai are currently involved in a series of "Crusades", which they consider to be taking war to those races they consider to be in league with the forces of the West. Most Darsai consider these crusades a heroic mission, while most foreigners tend to consider them an excuse for violence and conquest that is just making Vellastrom more unstable.
A powerful force driving these crusades is a group of knights known as the Hevallic order. This warrior brotherhood has become a powerful force within the kingdom, with a large private army. The order (whose full title is The Knightly Order of Our Sacred Lady Hevalla) live a tough, puritan existence inside their fortresses and believe in an extremely hardline version of the Darsai faith. They consider foreigners and their religions to be pagan barbarism and a threat to the Darsai Kingdom, but their greatest wrath is reserved for the Asholites.
Asholites are a small sub-sect of the Darsai faith who believe in an additional God (Ashol, who they think is the mother of Thane). The Asholites are often viewed with distrust by other Darsai, but Darsai consider it very crass to pry into other people's private lives, so as long as they don't make too big a point of their odd beliefs, they are generally tolerated. The Hevallic Order consider the Asholites to be heretical and in league with the West and the forces of darkness. The current Darsai King, Arax the 4th, is known to be especially tolerant of the Asholites, allowing them positions in government, a fact that has upset the order deeply!
Darsai society is inherently rather sexist. Just as peasants and lords know their place in the order of things, so should women and men. Though women can achieve important roles in many fields, they are excluded from Knighthood and thus inherently disenfranchised. Darsai women are just as strong willed as their menfolk though, and so despite being legally excluded from some of the elite levels of society, they're opinions are rarely entirely ignored from important decision making.
Homosexuality is disapproved of by the Darsai and considered immoral in their religion. But as with many things, as long as people are not too open about it, what they do in their own homes is no one's business but their own. "Every Darsai is king in his own home" is the saying used to describe this attitude.
Half-castes are generally tolerated by the Darsai, though they can expect some prejudice or preconceptions in life. Unless they are part a race the Darsai are at war with, then they will generally be okay.
Special mention should be made of the relationship between the Darsai and the Nymus. Though they have not been at war for many years, and have in fact become close allies in the defence of Vellastrom, the two races always have dim view of each other. Darsai consider Nymus effeminate, cowardly, weak, arrogant, dishonest and pompous. They also believe that the Darsai did all the serious fighting in the Nameless war, and the Nymus only came in at the last minute when the tide had already turned in Vellastrom's favour.
For their part, the Nymus consider the Darsai stupid, uncultured, ignorant, violent, crass, boastful, drunken and obnoxious. The Nymus believe that during the last war it was they that rescued the Darsai and won the war when all seemed lost. They consider the Darsai ungrateful for not appreciating this obvious truth!
Darsai entertainment and socialising involves a large amount of alcohol consumption. Getting blind drunk is generally frowned upon, unless it is a particularly significant celebration like a wedding or a public holiday, but drinking socially is expected. Anyone not drinking would be considered extremely rude and antisocial. Offering a drink to guests is considered important good manners by Darsai and to not do so would be a great snub to the guest in question.
Darsai enjoys plays, and troops of travelling players go around the kingdom putting on shows for the people. Darsai plays are invariably comedies, with all the parts played by men. The comedy is based almost exclusively upon slap stick, smutty innuendo and making fun of the Nymus. Indeed, almost every Darsai play features a miserly Nymus character (played by a Darsai with a prop beak, tiny wings and great big feet) who ends up appearing foolish for his greedy ways.
The most important form of entertainment in the Kingdom is tournaments. Here, knights gather to engaged in mock battles, jousts and tests of skill in front of very large crowds. These events are conducted mostly using real but blunted weapons, rather then energy ones, as to avoid combatants killing each other, though there is still plenty of danger to taking part in such full-contact sports! Knights can gain a lot of fame and wealth by winning at these events. The joust is considered the most prestigious event, as it represents the highest ideals of knightly achievement. Before a joust, knights will ride before the audience and collect hankerchiefs from women in the audience on their lances (known as "favours"). For a particularly renowned knight, there can be near riots as women struggle to get their favours to him!
As well as serving as great entertainment for the public, these events are useful to hone the skills of knights ready to put them to use in battle. In times of war, the Darsai armies are known as some of the most powerful in Vellastrom. At the core of a Darsai army are the knights, the military and social elite. Wearing some of the best heavy armour found anywhere in Vellastrom and wielding powerful energy weapons from atop their suss birds, Darsai knights are a formidable force on the battle field.
Knights will usually have retinues of troops raised from the lands they control. These troops are known as men-at-arms. Some of them are kept as standing forces, but most are recruited from the lower classes as the need arises. Conscription is rarely necessary for the Darsai, as there are always plenty willing to sign up to earn the king's coin battling the enemies of Thane! Darsai are natural adept at fighting and take to military life very well (many serving in multiple campaigns) so it is quite easy to whip them into a powerful force of warriors.
Though not as well equipped as the knights, the men-at-arms are usually provided with shields and chainmail armour. Men-at-arms are generally only adept in the creation and use of a single type of energy weapon, such as a spear or sword. Darsai bowmen are not as skilled as the knights and so use regular bows to fire arrows made of energy and then carry a hammer or sword for close combat.
Darsai leaders come from the upper levels of the nobility, who have been schooled in tactics as well as personal combat their entire lives. They are generally tactically very competent, and many currently serving are highly experienced, due to the Darsai's history of warfare. While Darsai do not favour subterfuge, this suits the age of warfare they live in. To be effective, armies need to remain together so they can be controlled and manoeuvred properly. Forces of thousands of men have little chance to be able to hide from the enemy and the limits of existing ranged weapons makes attacking in large formations the most viable way to fight.
Discipline, organisation, courage and raw aggression are the corner stones of the Darsai art of war. Darsai energy weapons are made from a magical energy that does not harm the wielder, but does terrible damage to his enemies. These weapons are created through mental discipline and strength of will, giving physical form to the Darsai's fighting spirit. They have weight, much like a normal weapon, but strike with much greater force and a keener edge, and even if broken can simply be summoned again. The ability to create such weapons gives Darsai warriors a noticeable advantage over those of other nations, a sign in the eyes of Darsai of their war god's favour.
Because these weapons are based in a large part on faith or belief, when the spirit of the Darsai is strong, their weapons become more empowered. Suitably inspired, even untrained Darsai can produce energy weapons! Of course, this means dispirited Darsai would produce very weak weapons, or no weapons at all. Fortunately the Darsai's fighting spirit is remarkably strong, and very rarely broken. Most Darsai produce energy weapons that are firey and purple, but not all do. Due to their different practices, sects within the Darsai produce differently appearing weapons. The Asholites produce smoky grey weapons, with those of the Hevallic order glowing red.
Asholite culture is very similar to mainstream Darsai culture in most ways, but their religious practices set them apart. The Asholites say different prayers, use different symbols, and their church ceremonies are very different indeed. Whereas most Darsai ceremonies are sombre affairs with songs and worship directed towards statues of the gods at one end of the church, Asholite churches are filled with boisterous singing, dancing, and shouting, as the worshippers are often overcome with what they consider to be the power of their gods.
Darsai are omnivores, but greatly prefer meat. Their bodies can digest meat very effectively, and so can survive by eating less often then most races, as long as their meals are almost entirely made up of meat. They eat a whole range of meat-based foods, using most parts of an animal. Brains, tripes, haggis, stews, black puddings, jellies made from bones, and a whole range of other foods at variety to the Darsai diet. Darsai don't care for sweet things very much, their diet is generally very savoury.
Meals are, of course, almost always accompanied with some alcoholic beverage.
Funerals:
Darsai bury their dead at night, by torch light. The most important thing in the funeral is to celebrate the deeds and accomplishments of the dead person, giving it at atmosphere rather closer to a wake then a funeral.
As with many other aspects of life, it is expected that people should drink at funerals, it would be a great insult to the dead person if you refuse to drink to their memory. Singing of songs that the dead person liked (or in the case of rich or famous people, singing songs specially written about them) and also telling stories, either heroic or humorous, about the deceased is greatly encouraged, with the well-wishers joining in with stories and comments.
In the case of a large number of people being buried at once (such as after a battle) or where the identity of the deceased is not know, then the songs and stories will be ones about Thane and Hevalla or great Darsai heroes of the past (stories of the Peninsula War are quite common for this). The ceremony tends to be focused on Thane rather then Hevalla (as the dead are no longer in need of a healing goddess).
As noted in the comic, Darsai bury their dead in consecrated ground, marking the graves with head stones when possible. If the dead cant be taken to a church or temple, a blessing can be performed by a religious official or pious knight to make the ground acceptable for burying the dead in. Burning the dead is considered a weird foreign idea.
In the Darsai navy burial at sea is sometimes performed, but the crews would rather return their ships to port so the dead can receive proper graves if it is possible.
Mechanics of Darsai weapons:
Darsai weapons have weight, similar to what an equivalent metal weapon would have. Otherwise, they would make fencing foils instead of broad swords and axes (as the quicker weapon would be better if weight was meaningless).
That always bothered me in Star Wars, people go on and on about lightsabres being weightless, but judging by the way they swing them in the movies, they clearly have weight! Why would you fight like you are using a freaking two handed great sword when your weapon has no weight and kills with one jab? You'd turn side on and fight like a modern fencer, unless you were a complete idiot (mind you, judging by the Jedi in the prequels, perhaps they are just idiots after all).
The Darsai archers use bows because they are just men-at-arms, and so lack the advanced skills to make a bow as well as the arrows. Only a very skilled Darsai (i.e. a Knight) would have the skill to make a bow out of thin air rather then just making ammo, though it is perfectly possible if you have enough talent at it.
Once the arrow is set lose it is pretty much on course for its flights, its been given the surge of power to get it to it's target and then it will disappear, so distracting the archer once he has fired would not work (though if you hit him while he was aiming, that would work).
Generally though, it is hard to put Darsai off their weapon creation, Sir Muir was temporarily stunned by the blow to his helmet so he lost his weapon, but as they are fighting they can get injured and not lose their weapons, as long as they can stay awake. A bow and arrow is about as technical as they can manage, but here are some other interesting uses....
A group of them can summon a large ball of energy that can be fired from a catapult (the catapult is wooden since they are too complex to make with energy).
Another thing a group can do is make an energy battering ram between them to break through door and gates.
Throwing weapons are also perfectly possible.
Darsai old Timey Religion:
The Darsai believe the history of their religion goes as follows-
Thane did not always exist. There was a dark time before Thane, when the demons and dark forces stood unopposed. Then one day, Thane came into existence.
The Darsai believe that Thane's warrior spirit was so strong that he literally willed himself into existence, just as Darsai will their spirit weapons to exist in battle. Those who point out the paradox of this concept would be accused by the Darsai of underestimating just how awesome Thane is.
Thane battled the legions of the underworld, slaying demons and monsters in vast numbers. When the battle was won, Thane was victorious, but badly injured. Once again calling on his unshakeable iron will, Thane willed Hevalla into existance so she could heal his wounds.
Hevalla and Thane fell in love and were married. At this point Thane looked over the world he had fought so valliantly to save and saw the Darsai, a scattered and impoverished people. Thane saw some spark of nobility in the Darsai and so appeared to them and taught them of the codes of chilvalry and laid out the foundations of the fuedal order that Darsai society is based on. He selected the first king of the Darsai from amongst them and also selected the bravest and most noble to form the first knights. He entrusted to them the task of defending all that is good and righteous and to always battle evil and injustice where ever they saw it.
So the Darsai were adopted as the children of Thane and have fought to uphold his noble ideals ever since.
Hevalla is served by a priesthood, who dress in blue robes and are skilled in the arts of healing. Their symbols and rituals generally relate to water (such as droplet shaped pendants). They also imbue water with blessings that can instil it with magical healing and recuperative properties (the healing water of Hevalla).
Thane does not have priests as such, instead he is served by the noble knights of the Darsai, who show their devotion to him through their courage and martial prowess, as well as their devotion to the rules of chivalry.
Unlike the Nymus, whose priesthoods deal specifically with the will of one particular god, the Darsai have a more blurred divide. Statues of Thane appear within churches to Hevalla and much of the praise and worship will be directed to Thane as well. Equally, the Knights happily give praise to the sacred Lady Hevalla, fighting to defend her honour when ever it is required.
As with many things, Darsai are very open about their faith, and encourage loud, public and definitive statements of devotion. While most Darsai don't intend to push their world view on others, they do consider it important to let others know what their world view is!
Interestingly, in the churches of Hevalla, the ceremonies are conducted with the lead priest's back to the congregation, speaking towards the statues of Thane or Hevalla at the end of the church. This is because the Darsai see the ceremony to be about communicating their worship and calls for aid to Thane, rather then about teaching the congregation (who, as Darsai, should known what is expected of them!).
Within Darsai society there is a small minority known as the Ashalites. These Darsai worship Thane and Hevalla, but also another deity called Ashal. They consider Ashal to be the mother of Thane and the one who created him to battle hell's legions. Ashalites say this makes a lot more sense then Thane creating himself (though it does not address the question of who created Ashal). The Ashalites are known for their loud and highly musical services, where the congregation shout out and dance in the aisles when the spirit of Ashal over takes them.
Ashalite beliefs are considered weird and offensive by most Darsai, but they are protected under law to practice their religion as they want. In the past Ashalites have suffered a great deal of persecution, often being blamed for any misfortunes that befell the kingdom or being taxed heavily whenever more revenue was needed. Fortunately for them, King Arak the seventh is known to be especially sympathetic to the Ashalites, much to the annoyance of more hardline members of the government, who see the Ashalites as no better then heretics who insult Thane with their heathen ideas.
The worship of Thane also extends far to the north, to the continent of Jaydia.
The Al-Saigal are known for their fierce and absolute devotion to Thane. However, they differ from the Darsai since they believe that Thane has always existed (an idea the Darsai consider nonsensical, just as the Al-Saigal think someone creating themselves is nonsensical) and do not believe Thane has a wife. They worship Thane and Thane alone. To suggest the involvement of any other god is considered a terrible heresy by these people.
The Cansaibe worship Thane as the leader of a pantheon of five gods, each personifying a different concept. Due to the oppression they suffer under the Knarl Empire, the Cansaibe are known to have become ever more radical and extreme in their religious views and their holy warriors are much feared for their willingness to die to strike against their people's enemies.
Thane does not do push ups. He pushes the world down!
Superman wears Thane pyjamas!
Darsai are a brave, bold people. They admire courage and fair play, and despise cowardice and underhandedness. They wear their emotions on their sleeves, weeping openly when they are sad, being quick to fight when angered, and laughing heartily when something amuses them. It can be odd to see a powerful Darsai knight wail in tears when tragedy strikes, but to the Darsai the idea of holding back emotions is quite alien. Darsai are honest and straight forward, what you see with them is usually what you get.
They are very tactile; slapping each other on the back, holding hands, and hugging each other are considered a normal part of conversation. Darsai consider it rather cold and standoffish if you don't get into someone's personal space a bit when talking to them.
Darsai society is based on feudalism. The society can be thought of as a pyramid, with peasants at the bottom supporting a smaller cast of knights above them, supporting layers of increasingly important nobles right up the king. The king grants land to the lords, who grant some of it to lesser nobles below them who in turn grant it to the peasants below them to farm and live on.
This structure works both ways, however, as knights and nobles have a responsibility to lead and protect the people below them (as well as laying on feast days and celebrations) for the community under them. Darsai are a wilful people, and the peasants are well aware of their rights under law. They certainly don't see themselves as oppressed serfs and a lord who treats them this way or ignores their responsibilities will not only risk sanctions from his superiors, but rebellion from his subjects! There are many examples of Darsai nobles meeting an unpleasant end due to peasant revolts, and the nobility are all too aware of this. After these events, the towns people will generally petition a higher lord, or indeed the king, to send a replacement.
Darsai consider the feudal system the natural order of things, with everyone knowing their place and supporting society. Darsai consider Nymus democracy to be mob rule, manipulated by scheming, corrupt politicians behind the scenes, and consider their own government far more logical and practical, being based as it is on honour and codes of conduct, rather then selfishness and a thirst for power.
Central to Darsai culture is knighthood. The knight is the ideal of what a Darsai should be; brave, honest, strong and ready to battle evil and protect the innocent at a moments notice. Male members of the nobility are almost universally knights, and it is possible for peasants to be granted knighthood, thus allowing them to join the lower ranks of nobility. Because they have peasants to work the land and provide for them, knights can focus almost entirely on martial training, becoming warriors of tremendous skill.
As well as general fighting skills, some key abilities a knight must learn are fighting in heavy armour (with the tail wrapped around the body like a belt, giving better protection but making it hard for the untrained to balance), fighting from Suss back, and most importantly mastering the energy weapons of Thane.
A Darsai knight will generally be skilled enough in the use of this energy (after a lifetime of training) to produce a range of weapons, including lances, spears, swords, and axes, as well as javelins, bows and arrows (as opposed to using regular bows and just producing energy arrows as normal soldiers do), and throwing axes. This makes Darsai knights exceptionally versatile, able to change their tactics to match what ever opponent or situation they come up against.
There is more to being a Darsai knight then being a great warrior though, equally important is living up to the ideals of chivalry. All Darsai are taught to live by chivalry's laws, and to knights it is their central creed. Some of the basic tenants are as follows-
-Not striking an unarmed opponent, or one who is not ready,
-Being honest,
-Being respectful to women,
-Treating prisoners well,
-Fulfilling your duty to your superiors in the feudal system, and your responsibilities to your inferiors.
It should be noted that the rules for combat are applied to personal duels rather then mass battles. In times of war, knights are not expected to avoid striking enemies in the back or attempting to gang up on opponents etc. Although, since the First Nameless War, it has been decreed that the rules of chivalry do not extend to the Nameless, Nameless can thus be killed without warning or mercy.
Darsai Chivalry is often mocked by other races (mainly the Nymus) as a weakness, but the rules often make a lot of sense. Those relating to personal combat assume the opponent will obey them as well, and if the opponent does break them (or clearly intends to break them) then they do not apply.
The rules regarding the treatment of prisoners in particular can actually be a surprising asset in war time. Though the Darsai have to take care to look after prisoners, this means enemy soldiers know they will be safe if they surrender, making them far more likely to give in rather then fight to the death. It also encourages people to treat Darsai prisoners well. After all, if you kill Darsai prisoners, you will forfeit your prisoners' right to fair treatment.
Due to their lionising of knighthood and their warrior caste, Darsai culture is inherently war like. Throughout their history they have fought wars with many nations. In ancients times they battled the Tolpish, then the Nymus for a long period, and most recently the Ivos and Junlocks. The Darsai are currently involved in a series of "Crusades", which they consider to be taking war to those races they consider to be in league with the forces of the West. Most Darsai consider these crusades a heroic mission, while most foreigners tend to consider them an excuse for violence and conquest that is just making Vellastrom more unstable.
A powerful force driving these crusades is a group of knights known as the Hevallic order. This warrior brotherhood has become a powerful force within the kingdom, with a large private army. The order (whose full title is The Knightly Order of Our Sacred Lady Hevalla) live a tough, puritan existence inside their fortresses and believe in an extremely hardline version of the Darsai faith. They consider foreigners and their religions to be pagan barbarism and a threat to the Darsai Kingdom, but their greatest wrath is reserved for the Asholites.
Asholites are a small sub-sect of the Darsai faith who believe in an additional God (Ashol, who they think is the mother of Thane). The Asholites are often viewed with distrust by other Darsai, but Darsai consider it very crass to pry into other people's private lives, so as long as they don't make too big a point of their odd beliefs, they are generally tolerated. The Hevallic Order consider the Asholites to be heretical and in league with the West and the forces of darkness. The current Darsai King, Arax the 4th, is known to be especially tolerant of the Asholites, allowing them positions in government, a fact that has upset the order deeply!
Darsai society is inherently rather sexist. Just as peasants and lords know their place in the order of things, so should women and men. Though women can achieve important roles in many fields, they are excluded from Knighthood and thus inherently disenfranchised. Darsai women are just as strong willed as their menfolk though, and so despite being legally excluded from some of the elite levels of society, they're opinions are rarely entirely ignored from important decision making.
Homosexuality is disapproved of by the Darsai and considered immoral in their religion. But as with many things, as long as people are not too open about it, what they do in their own homes is no one's business but their own. "Every Darsai is king in his own home" is the saying used to describe this attitude.
Half-castes are generally tolerated by the Darsai, though they can expect some prejudice or preconceptions in life. Unless they are part a race the Darsai are at war with, then they will generally be okay.
Special mention should be made of the relationship between the Darsai and the Nymus. Though they have not been at war for many years, and have in fact become close allies in the defence of Vellastrom, the two races always have dim view of each other. Darsai consider Nymus effeminate, cowardly, weak, arrogant, dishonest and pompous. They also believe that the Darsai did all the serious fighting in the Nameless war, and the Nymus only came in at the last minute when the tide had already turned in Vellastrom's favour.
For their part, the Nymus consider the Darsai stupid, uncultured, ignorant, violent, crass, boastful, drunken and obnoxious. The Nymus believe that during the last war it was they that rescued the Darsai and won the war when all seemed lost. They consider the Darsai ungrateful for not appreciating this obvious truth!
Darsai entertainment and socialising involves a large amount of alcohol consumption. Getting blind drunk is generally frowned upon, unless it is a particularly significant celebration like a wedding or a public holiday, but drinking socially is expected. Anyone not drinking would be considered extremely rude and antisocial. Offering a drink to guests is considered important good manners by Darsai and to not do so would be a great snub to the guest in question.
Darsai enjoys plays, and troops of travelling players go around the kingdom putting on shows for the people. Darsai plays are invariably comedies, with all the parts played by men. The comedy is based almost exclusively upon slap stick, smutty innuendo and making fun of the Nymus. Indeed, almost every Darsai play features a miserly Nymus character (played by a Darsai with a prop beak, tiny wings and great big feet) who ends up appearing foolish for his greedy ways.
The most important form of entertainment in the Kingdom is tournaments. Here, knights gather to engaged in mock battles, jousts and tests of skill in front of very large crowds. These events are conducted mostly using real but blunted weapons, rather then energy ones, as to avoid combatants killing each other, though there is still plenty of danger to taking part in such full-contact sports! Knights can gain a lot of fame and wealth by winning at these events. The joust is considered the most prestigious event, as it represents the highest ideals of knightly achievement. Before a joust, knights will ride before the audience and collect hankerchiefs from women in the audience on their lances (known as "favours"). For a particularly renowned knight, there can be near riots as women struggle to get their favours to him!
As well as serving as great entertainment for the public, these events are useful to hone the skills of knights ready to put them to use in battle. In times of war, the Darsai armies are known as some of the most powerful in Vellastrom. At the core of a Darsai army are the knights, the military and social elite. Wearing some of the best heavy armour found anywhere in Vellastrom and wielding powerful energy weapons from atop their suss birds, Darsai knights are a formidable force on the battle field.
Knights will usually have retinues of troops raised from the lands they control. These troops are known as men-at-arms. Some of them are kept as standing forces, but most are recruited from the lower classes as the need arises. Conscription is rarely necessary for the Darsai, as there are always plenty willing to sign up to earn the king's coin battling the enemies of Thane! Darsai are natural adept at fighting and take to military life very well (many serving in multiple campaigns) so it is quite easy to whip them into a powerful force of warriors.
Though not as well equipped as the knights, the men-at-arms are usually provided with shields and chainmail armour. Men-at-arms are generally only adept in the creation and use of a single type of energy weapon, such as a spear or sword. Darsai bowmen are not as skilled as the knights and so use regular bows to fire arrows made of energy and then carry a hammer or sword for close combat.
Darsai leaders come from the upper levels of the nobility, who have been schooled in tactics as well as personal combat their entire lives. They are generally tactically very competent, and many currently serving are highly experienced, due to the Darsai's history of warfare. While Darsai do not favour subterfuge, this suits the age of warfare they live in. To be effective, armies need to remain together so they can be controlled and manoeuvred properly. Forces of thousands of men have little chance to be able to hide from the enemy and the limits of existing ranged weapons makes attacking in large formations the most viable way to fight.
Discipline, organisation, courage and raw aggression are the corner stones of the Darsai art of war. Darsai energy weapons are made from a magical energy that does not harm the wielder, but does terrible damage to his enemies. These weapons are created through mental discipline and strength of will, giving physical form to the Darsai's fighting spirit. They have weight, much like a normal weapon, but strike with much greater force and a keener edge, and even if broken can simply be summoned again. The ability to create such weapons gives Darsai warriors a noticeable advantage over those of other nations, a sign in the eyes of Darsai of their war god's favour.
Because these weapons are based in a large part on faith or belief, when the spirit of the Darsai is strong, their weapons become more empowered. Suitably inspired, even untrained Darsai can produce energy weapons! Of course, this means dispirited Darsai would produce very weak weapons, or no weapons at all. Fortunately the Darsai's fighting spirit is remarkably strong, and very rarely broken. Most Darsai produce energy weapons that are firey and purple, but not all do. Due to their different practices, sects within the Darsai produce differently appearing weapons. The Asholites produce smoky grey weapons, with those of the Hevallic order glowing red.
Asholite culture is very similar to mainstream Darsai culture in most ways, but their religious practices set them apart. The Asholites say different prayers, use different symbols, and their church ceremonies are very different indeed. Whereas most Darsai ceremonies are sombre affairs with songs and worship directed towards statues of the gods at one end of the church, Asholite churches are filled with boisterous singing, dancing, and shouting, as the worshippers are often overcome with what they consider to be the power of their gods.
Darsai are omnivores, but greatly prefer meat. Their bodies can digest meat very effectively, and so can survive by eating less often then most races, as long as their meals are almost entirely made up of meat. They eat a whole range of meat-based foods, using most parts of an animal. Brains, tripes, haggis, stews, black puddings, jellies made from bones, and a whole range of other foods at variety to the Darsai diet. Darsai don't care for sweet things very much, their diet is generally very savoury.
Meals are, of course, almost always accompanied with some alcoholic beverage.
Funerals:
Darsai bury their dead at night, by torch light. The most important thing in the funeral is to celebrate the deeds and accomplishments of the dead person, giving it at atmosphere rather closer to a wake then a funeral.
As with many other aspects of life, it is expected that people should drink at funerals, it would be a great insult to the dead person if you refuse to drink to their memory. Singing of songs that the dead person liked (or in the case of rich or famous people, singing songs specially written about them) and also telling stories, either heroic or humorous, about the deceased is greatly encouraged, with the well-wishers joining in with stories and comments.
In the case of a large number of people being buried at once (such as after a battle) or where the identity of the deceased is not know, then the songs and stories will be ones about Thane and Hevalla or great Darsai heroes of the past (stories of the Peninsula War are quite common for this). The ceremony tends to be focused on Thane rather then Hevalla (as the dead are no longer in need of a healing goddess).
As noted in the comic, Darsai bury their dead in consecrated ground, marking the graves with head stones when possible. If the dead cant be taken to a church or temple, a blessing can be performed by a religious official or pious knight to make the ground acceptable for burying the dead in. Burning the dead is considered a weird foreign idea.
In the Darsai navy burial at sea is sometimes performed, but the crews would rather return their ships to port so the dead can receive proper graves if it is possible.
Mechanics of Darsai weapons:
Darsai weapons have weight, similar to what an equivalent metal weapon would have. Otherwise, they would make fencing foils instead of broad swords and axes (as the quicker weapon would be better if weight was meaningless).
That always bothered me in Star Wars, people go on and on about lightsabres being weightless, but judging by the way they swing them in the movies, they clearly have weight! Why would you fight like you are using a freaking two handed great sword when your weapon has no weight and kills with one jab? You'd turn side on and fight like a modern fencer, unless you were a complete idiot (mind you, judging by the Jedi in the prequels, perhaps they are just idiots after all).
The Darsai archers use bows because they are just men-at-arms, and so lack the advanced skills to make a bow as well as the arrows. Only a very skilled Darsai (i.e. a Knight) would have the skill to make a bow out of thin air rather then just making ammo, though it is perfectly possible if you have enough talent at it.
Once the arrow is set lose it is pretty much on course for its flights, its been given the surge of power to get it to it's target and then it will disappear, so distracting the archer once he has fired would not work (though if you hit him while he was aiming, that would work).
Generally though, it is hard to put Darsai off their weapon creation, Sir Muir was temporarily stunned by the blow to his helmet so he lost his weapon, but as they are fighting they can get injured and not lose their weapons, as long as they can stay awake. A bow and arrow is about as technical as they can manage, but here are some other interesting uses....
A group of them can summon a large ball of energy that can be fired from a catapult (the catapult is wooden since they are too complex to make with energy).
Another thing a group can do is make an energy battering ram between them to break through door and gates.
Throwing weapons are also perfectly possible.
Darsai old Timey Religion:
The Darsai believe the history of their religion goes as follows-
Thane did not always exist. There was a dark time before Thane, when the demons and dark forces stood unopposed. Then one day, Thane came into existence.
The Darsai believe that Thane's warrior spirit was so strong that he literally willed himself into existence, just as Darsai will their spirit weapons to exist in battle. Those who point out the paradox of this concept would be accused by the Darsai of underestimating just how awesome Thane is.
Thane battled the legions of the underworld, slaying demons and monsters in vast numbers. When the battle was won, Thane was victorious, but badly injured. Once again calling on his unshakeable iron will, Thane willed Hevalla into existance so she could heal his wounds.
Hevalla and Thane fell in love and were married. At this point Thane looked over the world he had fought so valliantly to save and saw the Darsai, a scattered and impoverished people. Thane saw some spark of nobility in the Darsai and so appeared to them and taught them of the codes of chilvalry and laid out the foundations of the fuedal order that Darsai society is based on. He selected the first king of the Darsai from amongst them and also selected the bravest and most noble to form the first knights. He entrusted to them the task of defending all that is good and righteous and to always battle evil and injustice where ever they saw it.
So the Darsai were adopted as the children of Thane and have fought to uphold his noble ideals ever since.
Hevalla is served by a priesthood, who dress in blue robes and are skilled in the arts of healing. Their symbols and rituals generally relate to water (such as droplet shaped pendants). They also imbue water with blessings that can instil it with magical healing and recuperative properties (the healing water of Hevalla).
Thane does not have priests as such, instead he is served by the noble knights of the Darsai, who show their devotion to him through their courage and martial prowess, as well as their devotion to the rules of chivalry.
Unlike the Nymus, whose priesthoods deal specifically with the will of one particular god, the Darsai have a more blurred divide. Statues of Thane appear within churches to Hevalla and much of the praise and worship will be directed to Thane as well. Equally, the Knights happily give praise to the sacred Lady Hevalla, fighting to defend her honour when ever it is required.
As with many things, Darsai are very open about their faith, and encourage loud, public and definitive statements of devotion. While most Darsai don't intend to push their world view on others, they do consider it important to let others know what their world view is!
Interestingly, in the churches of Hevalla, the ceremonies are conducted with the lead priest's back to the congregation, speaking towards the statues of Thane or Hevalla at the end of the church. This is because the Darsai see the ceremony to be about communicating their worship and calls for aid to Thane, rather then about teaching the congregation (who, as Darsai, should known what is expected of them!).
Within Darsai society there is a small minority known as the Ashalites. These Darsai worship Thane and Hevalla, but also another deity called Ashal. They consider Ashal to be the mother of Thane and the one who created him to battle hell's legions. Ashalites say this makes a lot more sense then Thane creating himself (though it does not address the question of who created Ashal). The Ashalites are known for their loud and highly musical services, where the congregation shout out and dance in the aisles when the spirit of Ashal over takes them.
Ashalite beliefs are considered weird and offensive by most Darsai, but they are protected under law to practice their religion as they want. In the past Ashalites have suffered a great deal of persecution, often being blamed for any misfortunes that befell the kingdom or being taxed heavily whenever more revenue was needed. Fortunately for them, King Arak the seventh is known to be especially sympathetic to the Ashalites, much to the annoyance of more hardline members of the government, who see the Ashalites as no better then heretics who insult Thane with their heathen ideas.
The worship of Thane also extends far to the north, to the continent of Jaydia.
The Al-Saigal are known for their fierce and absolute devotion to Thane. However, they differ from the Darsai since they believe that Thane has always existed (an idea the Darsai consider nonsensical, just as the Al-Saigal think someone creating themselves is nonsensical) and do not believe Thane has a wife. They worship Thane and Thane alone. To suggest the involvement of any other god is considered a terrible heresy by these people.
The Cansaibe worship Thane as the leader of a pantheon of five gods, each personifying a different concept. Due to the oppression they suffer under the Knarl Empire, the Cansaibe are known to have become ever more radical and extreme in their religious views and their holy warriors are much feared for their willingness to die to strike against their people's enemies.
Thane does not do push ups. He pushes the world down!
Superman wears Thane pyjamas!
