Sladiva

Race : Derevo/ Sladiva
Appearance : Pale colored hair and eyes, pale skin tones. Slightly large ears.
Average Height : 5’ 6”
Average Weight : 170 lbs
Average Lifespan : 450 years
Typical Climate : Temperate/ Sub-Arctic: Mountain

Description: They average to be around 165 - 175 lbs, with short and stocky bodies. Their ears are larger than a human’s, allowing them superior hearing. Their face is angular and hard, usually showing a despotic disposition. The color of their skin is usually pale and chalky. Their features are sharp and defined, showing them to be a hard emotional race with fewer emotions outside of anger. This is due more than a racial image of their banishment then any actual occurance to them personally, as the original cousins of the other Derevo tribes are now long gone.

Distinguished Traits: The Sladiva are the cousin race to the Novotie. The chiefs of each tribe were brothers once, long ago when the four tribes were united. Since their departure from the lands of their blood, they have changed and lost their natural affinity to the wilderness. Instead they have grown accustomed to the depths of the mountains of the north, seldom visiting the green forests of long ago. With their new homes being in a northern mountain region they have grown accustomed to a darker environment. The winter months forcing them to travel underground to stay warm and out of the harsh sun, their day vision is sub par, but their dark vision is superb. Able to see up to 60'€™ in darkness with clarity, they view the world in sub tones of black, white, and grey.

Personality: They are the opposite of their long lost brothers, nature mocks them. The sun scorns them. They feel the world above is for their tree hugging cousins that should be burned for their weakness. They have no art or music, seeing it as a waste of time and energy. Instead they value history and deeds. The longer a persons'€™ deeds, the more they are seen with respect, grudging respect. The respect other cultures art and music, but they are inferior and can not expect to produce a master piece.

They have taken on a darker side of live than the Novotie and Yakaram. They view weakness as a sickness that must be purged. The weak are there for the strong to command. If you are weak you should be culled and forced to provide for your betters. They have adopted a slaving mentality. They will often raid settlements and caravans both human and other races to force them into providing labor for them. To fashion their homes, mend their clothing, provide entertainment. What ever is desired. The wealth of a family can be judged by the number of slaves they maintain and control.

Because slavery is important to them they will often go on slaving parties to villages and small towns to restock their labor force. Those unwilling to become their cattle are taught a quick lesson that to fail to obey results not in death, but extended torture of the most greivous kind. Often extending for weeks before death is uncontrollable. They prolong the punishment as long as they can and force the other slaves to witness it to remove all ideas of freedom and choice from their minds. Few who have a fighting spirit keep it after seeing a ‘Leason’ of theirs.

Home: They have gone to live in the mountain passes of the north, well away from their nature loving brethren. Their homes are built into the sides and the depths of the mountains. While not extravagant, they are fortified and easily maintained and defended. With walls to ward off the elements and enemies alike. A few outposts have sprung up along the borders of the forests and the mountains range, but any further than that is not yet accomplished.

Some of the slaves they have captured over the years have been a boon, and while they do not do it often, when they find a skileld slave they treat them far better. With the rare event of them being set free after a period of indentured servitude. Some of their past slaves have been trolls and gison, able to work in their homes to build and work armor and weapons of quality. The gison are sought after for their knowledge of building stone fortresses out of the mountains. Gison are usually not kept for more than a few decades and are set free. They are treated fairly well and offered minor comforts during their stay.

Relations: In the realm of the Sladiva, the strongest survive, and the powerful rule. Often times plotting the downfall of a rival or enemy isn'€™t enough, but their accidental death or murder is. The shadows are their friend and family. They band together in groups of clans that have similar intentions to gain power and authority over the others. They do not see each other as being equal, but they do not see the opposite sex as inferior, they are of the mindset that if they are strong enough then they are worthy to respect.

The women will raise the children for a number of years until basic functions are taught. Speech and movement among the most important. When they are old enough to pick up a stick, they are given over to the men who teach them to fight. Those that make it return to the women later to learn the social functions of the cutlure while the weaker ones end up as slaves or dead.

Religion: They have a misguided though to religion. The strongest survive in their world and therefore requires a strong and powerful form to keep them in check. Their chaotic nature tends to make them difficult to deal with in large groups; however, they do fear their Chieftains who are seen as Warrior Priests, gaining their strength and powers from the Gods themselves.

Language: Their spoken language is very short and simple. It has tones of their cousin'€™s, the Yakaram, but has evolved to simpler forms. Using fewer words they can have shorter conversations that mean as much if not more than that of other languages. It sounds odd when first hearing it, like a tune off melody, but it is easy to learn. Their written language is much the same as their verbal tongue, symbols having a broader meaning than single letters.

Favored Profession: They are more physical then their cousins. They tend to enjoy violence more so then the others like them. They choose professions that use their strength and cunning to an advantage. You will find more warriors and rogues in this racial tribe than the other three.