Dynasties and their Bond
There are five Great Dynasties, each named after one of the heroes of the Great War. Each was given great responsibility after the Red Days and is critical to the security of Talvair. There are also many families within each Great Dynasty.
The Bond within a Dynasty is very strong and instinctual, even between distant cousins who have never met. Culturally, loyalty to your Dynasty is extremely important and betrayal of someone in your Dynasty is seen as a grievous offence and a lack of moral character, though it happens from time to time, especially when the Mythic Bloodlines are in opposition.
Children are born with the inherited right to enter the Dynasty of their parents. If the parents are of different Dynasties, the child may choose which Dynasty to enter when he comes of age and undergoes the Dynasty Rite of Passage.
In some rare cases, an adult decides to leave the Dynasty of their birth. When this happens, he chooses another Dynasty to join and undergoes the Rite of Passage, a complex bonding ritual unique to each Dynasty. In the Dynasties, the Elders are revered, for few lived past their fighting years.
Dynasties contain many thousands of people, most of whom are not actually related to each other. At times one Mythic Bloodline or another may hold more power in a given Dynasty, but all the Bloodlines are represented to some degree in every Dynasty.
Every race is also represented in every Dynasty. The major Dynasty families are large collections of people who are often only distantly related to each other, but share a name and certain goals. Unless specified otherwise, every race is also represented in every major Dynasty family. There may be lines within a major family that are exclusively of one race, however the fourth cousins of that line form another line that may be of a completely different race while still being in the same family.
Throughout Talvair, most titles and even many appointments to the various councils, committees, or guilds come through your Dynasty. This is true even within the Strongholds, though the strength of each Dynasty within each place varies Stronghold by Stronghold.
The Bond within a Dynasty is very strong and instinctual, even between distant cousins who have never met. Culturally, loyalty to your Dynasty is extremely important and betrayal of someone in your Dynasty is seen as a grievous offence and a lack of moral character, though it happens from time to time, especially when the Mythic Bloodlines are in opposition.
Children are born with the inherited right to enter the Dynasty of their parents. If the parents are of different Dynasties, the child may choose which Dynasty to enter when he comes of age and undergoes the Dynasty Rite of Passage.
In some rare cases, an adult decides to leave the Dynasty of their birth. When this happens, he chooses another Dynasty to join and undergoes the Rite of Passage, a complex bonding ritual unique to each Dynasty. In the Dynasties, the Elders are revered, for few lived past their fighting years.
Dynasties contain many thousands of people, most of whom are not actually related to each other. At times one Mythic Bloodline or another may hold more power in a given Dynasty, but all the Bloodlines are represented to some degree in every Dynasty.
Every race is also represented in every Dynasty. The major Dynasty families are large collections of people who are often only distantly related to each other, but share a name and certain goals. Unless specified otherwise, every race is also represented in every major Dynasty family. There may be lines within a major family that are exclusively of one race, however the fourth cousins of that line form another line that may be of a completely different race while still being in the same family.
Throughout Talvair, most titles and even many appointments to the various councils, committees, or guilds come through your Dynasty. This is true even within the Strongholds, though the strength of each Dynasty within each place varies Stronghold by Stronghold.
The Families
Any number of families exist within the Dynasties of Talvair. These can be created to best suit your character concept. To create a Dynasty family, you must:
• Briefly define the attributes of that Family
• Choose the family’s bond to one of the Five Great Dynasties
• Denote which Mythic Bloodlines are and are not typically part of your Family
• Describe a Mosaic representation for your Family if desired
• Describe any differences between your Family’s views and that of their Dynasty
• Briefly define the attributes of that Family
• Choose the family’s bond to one of the Five Great Dynasties
• Denote which Mythic Bloodlines are and are not typically part of your Family
• Describe a Mosaic representation for your Family if desired
• Describe any differences between your Family’s views and that of their Dynasty
Those Without a Dynasty
Dynasty Magical Rites and Protection are the inherited right of every member of the Great Dynasties on Talvair, though certain individuals choose to walk away from their Dynasty. Some attempt to join another Dynasty, usually doing so only after proving themselves to their new Dynasty through stringent trials. Some choose to wander, skirting the domains of the Dynasty-led Strongholds of protection. While individuals may not claim association with a Dynasty, they are usually welcomed back if they choose to once again proclaim their Bond.
Those who choose to walk away from their Dynasty ties completely are significantly disadvantaged in the world of Talvair.
While your character may choose to be disassociated from a Dynasty, this does not affect character creation abilities that may be purchased. However, this choice will significantly affect your character’s ability to perform cooperative Dynasty Rites or Arts in-game.
Those who choose to walk away from their Dynasty ties completely are significantly disadvantaged in the world of Talvair.
While your character may choose to be disassociated from a Dynasty, this does not affect character creation abilities that may be purchased. However, this choice will significantly affect your character’s ability to perform cooperative Dynasty Rites or Arts in-game.
Dynasty Secret Information
Dynasties play their cards close to their vest. For this reason, people know very little about Dynasties outside their own.
The information posted in this section has a brief amount of general information, leaving the majority of the details to be revealed behind the closed doors of the password-protected Dynasty forums.
For purposes of character creation, you may wait to define the family you belong to until after reading the secret Dynasty information.
Families that are invented by PCs in character histories have as much chance of being used in plotlines as family options provided by the plot staff.
For more information on all of the Dynasties, please refer to the World Book.
The information posted in this section has a brief amount of general information, leaving the majority of the details to be revealed behind the closed doors of the password-protected Dynasty forums.
For purposes of character creation, you may wait to define the family you belong to until after reading the secret Dynasty information.
Families that are invented by PCs in character histories have as much chance of being used in plotlines as family options provided by the plot staff.
For more information on all of the Dynasties, please refer to the World Book.