"All Roads Lead to Zenithstrand"
Basic Race
Player created culture package.
The Clan of the Dancing fox are a clan of healers, protectors, artisans, and musicians. Many of its members are individuals who left their birth clans for one reason or another. Their aversion to violence, outside of self defence, has led them to provide safety and sanctuary for those who have no other place to go.
AJAUNTI OF ACASĂ
Just because the Fox desires peace and tries to resolve conflict does not mean that they are easy targets. A fox is both prey and predator, healer and protector. Fox clan members have been known to give the odd mercenary a run for their money in combat. However, Fox clan members tend not to engage in direct combat, and prefer the role of healers, protectors. Fox clan set up and maintain safe “rest stops” for travelers and will offer aid to those on the road. While individuals maintaining a rest stop or safe area will change often, the Fox Clan, as a whole will, maintain these locations once established. Because of this, and the tendency of the Fox clan to stay within a relatively small area, some Ajaunti view their ways as strange and untraditional.
HISTORY
The Clan of the Dancing Fox was founded by clanless Ajaunti in the year 2150 . To buy themselves the protection of other travellers and Ajauni, they would often offer magical and/or healing services. In some cases, a clanless Ajaunti could turn an entire caravan or other travelling group into a battle group ready to fight off raiders and brigands. Eventually these Ajaunti found each other and formed the Clan of the Dancing Fox.
For many years the fox clan would travel with other groups and clans, offering their services, and for a price, would act as an escort. The Fox would set up safe "rest stops" along Ajaunti trade routes. The individual Fox in these locations would often change, but the locations would not.
Travelling around the main continents of Arthos, the Fox clan were shunned by some Ajaunti who were more inclined to travel. Maintaining these "rest stops" and only travelling short trade routes, was seen as too much like "putting down roots". Many members of the Fox clan felt the need to go into hiding, especially the ones who actually did put down roots. Some of the clan’s members arranged marriages outside the clan and changed their names. Those that did not renounce the clan settled in Acasa, finding a commonality with the local Ajaunti families of the area, who also chose a life of less wanderlust.
CULTURE
Fox clan culture is based on their two major sources of income: mercenary work and the arts.
Fox clan members prefer to avoid conflict if possible, and tend to avoid work as front line troops. Most prefer to play the role of support. An entire group of Fox will hire themselves out to heal and augment the front line troops through magic, alchemy, and other means. Individually, they are valuable to hire to support small skirmish and reconnaissance groups.
Fox are also sometimes hired to play music, tell stories, and generally entertain. This also makes them valuable for morale within a fighting force. The Fox Clan believes that music draws the attention of the Ancestors and keeps the eye of the mother upon them. Fox will usually whistle, hum, sing, play an instrument, or even tap a rhythm to ward off evil and mischievous spirits.
Many members of the Fox clan are artisans and master craftsmen. In a Fox camp you will find Ajaunti practicing their craft, playing music, sewing, knitting, carving, painting and building. You can find many unique and finely crafted items for sale ranging from jewelry and garments to ornate chairs and musical instruments. The Fox believes in fair trade, so you can rest assured that you are getting the quality you pay for.
While the Fox are generally very kind and welcoming, they are wary of strangers. They keep a close eye on any unknown visitors out of concern that they may wish the Fox ill will. They have not forgotten what it was like to be discriminated against.
PERSONALITY / SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Though personalities differ to some extent from person to person and from clan to clan, the Ajaunti of Acasă thrive on being merchants. Because they themselves are limited in how far they may travel, these Ajaunti enjoy hawking rare and necessary wares to lure in travelers and satisfy their wanderlust vicariously.
Acasăn Ajaunti love to gather stories and to share them; however, to compensate for their limited travels, they must first develop the skill of eliciting tales from others. To this end, Acasăn Ajaunti are keen listeners and are often friendly, using many tricks to make their company feel at ease.
Wealth is a means to an end for most, that end generally being a wealth of camaraderie and tales. Boasting one’s literal wealth is a way of boosting one’s thriving business, thus their easy access to the figurative wealth of tales.
The crux of being a successful merchant in the Shadow Isles is being able to navigate the divide between Dominion and Nitrem. Although some Ajaunti clearly show support for one nation or another by the clothes they wear, others choose to take the riskier path of claiming no allegiance and attempting to deal with both. Personality can change based on whether an Aja is trying to garner support of the passionate, godfollowing Shadow Elves or the levelheaded and godhating High Elves.
POLITICS
To gain membership into the clan, a clan member must vouch the candidate to gain an audience with the clan elders. The elders must agree unanimously to grant someone membership. There are 2 types of membership; full clan membership, and "friend of the clan".
To be a full member, one MUST be Ajaunti and consider themselves to be clanless. Publicly renouncing one's loyalties and membership to another clan is seen as proof of the genuine desire to join the Fox. A friend of the clan can be Ajaunti, but are most often of other races. They must be actual friends of a clan member and be vouched for. A friend of the clan will be treated like any other member of the clan and will sometimes be left to maintain a "rest stop". However, they may sometimes join internal conversations, and are sometimes brought in on conversations involving "family matters' '.
SUPERSTITIONS
It is believed by the Fox clan that foxes have one foot in the realm of the living, and one in the realm of spirits, and the Ancestors use fox as a conduit to relay important and immediate information. Foxes are to be listened to, and are a good omen.
The presence of cats or foxes is considered a boon. Cats and foxes are stealthy and work behind the scenes to keep a camp free of mice, rats, and other disease carrying pests. The Fox clan will often have low hanging, shiny objects, a bowl of milk, and other objects to attract cats and foxes. Crossing a cat is a sign of good luck, and assisting an injured cat or fox is a must.
It is bad luck to wish someone good luck. It is believed that by wishing someone “good luck”, it will invite evil and mischievous spirits to cause plans to fail. Instead, the Fox will ask that the eye of the mother keep watch over them.
Round and oval tables are preferable to any other shape. If one is not available, a Fox will NEVER sit at a corner, as it is to invite a knife to the belly. To have round tables at a wedding is to have peace and unity throughout the marriage. To have tables with corners will drive a wedge between the couple, and the marriage will end in grief and anger for both.
If a cat washes its face and paws in a hallway or at an entrance, it means you will soon have welcome guests. If a mouse or a rat is found in your hall or doorway, an unwanted guest is coming.
Music is an invitation for the Ancestors to join in festivities, or to aid someone who is sad or in mourning. To not have music at a gathering is to invite evil and mischievous spirits as the Ancestors are not present, and the eye of the mother is not watching.
Unwanted spirits can be banished through music. Singing (even out of tune), banging a drum with rhythm, and whistling or humming a tune draws the attention of the Ancestors, and wards off the unwanted spirits.
If a fox blocks your path, go another way. The Ancestors are telling you that there is danger ahead.
The fox is a way that the Ancestors directly intervene in the physical world. The fox has one foot in the spirit realm, and a direct connection to the Ancestors.
If a fox stops and looks you in the eyes, it is the Ancestors peering into your heart. If goodness is there, you will soon receive good news. If there is evil there, you will soon receive bad news.
To be bitten by a fox is the Ancestors saying that they have turned away from you.
If a fox barks at you while looking into your eyes, it is the Ancestors warning you to change your ways.
CONTRIBUTORS
Colin Crockford
Daniel McCoshen
David Vinet
Laura Harper