Ancestries of Gracetear

Gracetear is home to a variety of cultures, and due to the nature of a campaign taking place within Gracetear, a character's connection to their culture is generally important. The ancestries present in this plane are listed below.

Only a small number of ancestries reside within Gracetear, and due to the nature of the plane, no others may enter. If you have a concept for a character who isn't one of the listed ancestries or does not fit into a culture listed below, please ask your GM and do not expect it to be approved.

On Lifetimes

In this setting, short-lived ancestries still tend to reach an average of sixty years old and reach physical maturity at a similar time to humans, sometimes a few years less at most.

Catfolk

Catfolk once spread across much of Gracetear, serving as the human-equivalent in their tendency to settle all over, even among other cultures. As a result, most Catfolk were quickly absorbed into the Clawfang Empire. There's little cultural consistency among most Catfolk other than a general passion for learning and acts of bravery that puts them often at odds with the Clawfang Empire, and many Catfolk adopt the customs of others, sometimes mixing multiple cultural systems.

See The Clawfang Empire section of Unique Elements of Gracetear for more cultural information.

Ghoran

Ghorans, humanoid plant-creatures native to this region of the world, reincarnate every couple of decades or so, wilting away and regrowing in their shared ancestral home before venturing out into the world. As a result, in addition to their own culture, Ghorans are visitors and members of many other cultures, though Ghorans maintain a culture of their own as well, passing knowledge from place to place. In fact, many Ghorans occupy honored roles within other cultures, and the nature of their long existence means that many of them hold elder positions throughout multiple lifetimes. There'sGhoran culture also maintains a sense of camaraderie and obligation to other Ghorans, though,Ghorans as a result of their shared origins in the Grove -: the location where their seeds sit, and where their bodies regenerate following the decomposition of their old - fruit of the same tree, so to speak.old. Every rebirth comes with a chance to reconnect with other Ghorans in the Grove, but the true contents and nature of the Grove are a carefully guarded secret, as is its location -location, one that the Clawfang Empire strongly desires. New Ghorans spawn rarely, but not impossibly so, usually numbering just under a half-dozen every decade. As a result, Ghorans are generally not in danger of extinction, at least as long as their Grove stays out of Clawfang hands.

Kashrishi

Kashrishi are one of the few ancestries who call neither continent home, instead dwelling on an isolated chain of islands in the northern Teardrop Sea known as the Harmonious Keys. The Kashrishi enjoy a peaceful existence, remaining largely untouched by the disasters that rocked the plane in the aftermath of the Separation. Their communal lifestyle and focus on personal development coincided neatly with many of the principles of Cascadism, so much so that many Kashrishi do not consider themselves to be Cascadian and some even consider Cascadism to be derivative of their culture. The peoples of the Harmonious Keys have done their best to isolate themselves from the rest of the world, but this attitude of isolationism is growing increasingly challenged by recent advances from the Clawfang Empire. Some Kashrishi have even begun to call for a public declaration of allegiance to the Clawfang Empire in hopes that the Empire will leave them alone given that they don't pose a substantial threat or asset to the Empire.

Kitsune

In the modern day, Kitsune are considered almost symbolic of revolutionary efforts. Their shapechanging nature and cultural independence has led many of them to naturally take to such roles, and in the modern day, they often serve as secretive representatives and contacts for anti-authoritarian resistance. Very few kitsune have any support for the Empire in any form - in fact, by passing copies of coded texts and maintaining personal libraries that seem at a glance to be perfectly benign and Empire-permitted, kitsune maintain the Shadow Library, a form of cultural preservation that has documented nearly every cultural practice destroyed by the disasters of the past and recent imperial expansion in the form of books and scrolls that seem mundane at a glance but contain secretly-coded greater-than-encyclopedic information. As a result of this active involvement (including active coordination of military strikes across the Empire), many Empire settlements have a “shoot on sight” policy regarding kitsune - that is, if they ever get caught.

Kobold

Kobolds throughout most of the Firmament tend to have some reverence for dragons, but within the plane of Gracetear where dragons are nearly only present in myth, kobold culture evolved to treat them as such. In the modern day of Gracetear, a Dragon is the leader of a community of kobolds, be it a village, a city, or even a larger region. These Dragons are called by the color of their scales, usually said to be a sign of the virtues they uphold. Kobold religious practice mixes Cascadism with reverence for their community's Dragon(s), and it's effective: a Dragon's power and resemblance to an actual dragon grows the more they are worshipped and revered by their people.

The Clawfang Empire approached the Kobold Dragons with an offer of allegiance early on, as many believed the kobolds to be a part of the divine mandate of the empire. The Dragons responded with an immediate, unanimous, universal declaration of war despite literally existing on the opposite side of the plane, and have been leading guerilla-style warfare against the Empire ever since.

Lizardfolk

Most Lizardfolk live under the dominion of the Clawfang Empire and as a result share its cultural principles as well as the status of its favored people. Some, particularly those in possession of contraband knowledge, remember that Lizardfolk used to be much more than just an imperialist power grasping for control, serving as the primary couriers of information, goods, and people among the continents of Terra and Gracefall, a centerpiece for Cascadism

See The Clawfang Empire section of Unique Elements of Gracetear for more cultural information.

Nagaji

Within Gracetear, Nagaji were responsible for the maintaining of holy sites and providing spiritual guidance to many of the peoples of this world based on the principles of Cascadism. Nagaji traditionally dwell in the temples spread across the land, each temple strategically located near the intersection of two or more nations. Young Nagaji are taught the basics of Cascadism as well as the cultural practices of their neighbors, trained as ambassadors for their generation from a young age in an almost-monastic tradition. Once Nagaji reach adulthood, they are typically initiated into the priesthood following a full year of travel in which they are expected to travel across the entire plane in a small group, often making friends and having adventures along the way. As a result of their roles as the centerpieces of Cascadism and as community leaders, the Nagaji were targeted by the Clawfang Empire early on, and the few that remain are often puppets for the Empire's leaders to use to encourage obedience. Still, many hold reverence for the culture that once existed, and many Nagaji did manage to escape, preserving their traditions with them.

Ratfolk

Ratfolk are often considered conniving and penny-pinching in the modern day, and the harsh circumstances following the collapse of society they felt in the aftermath of Gracetear's separation from the other planes have given generations of ratfolk plenty of reason to live up to those expectations. Ratfolk have an unfortunate history, full of disasters both natural and otherwise that have decimated their cultural sites and population.population; the Cascade itself somehow destroyed hundreds of Ysoki settlements despite their distance from its epicenter, and the Separation hundreds of years later damaged the Ratfolk's rebuilt cultural centers moreso than those of any other people. Most of those who remain eke out a miserable existence within the bounds of the Clawfang Empire, and years of hardship have taught them well to do whatever it takes to survive, something that's often looked down upon by those more fortunate. Those who exist outside of the bounds of the Empire are often scavengers and merchants as well, often facing accusations of thievery which are usually unfounded.

Ratfolk live in small multi-family groups where the principles of Cascadism are religiously observed, at least as much as they can be given their personal circumstances. Some ratfolk who preserve the old culture and aspireasp ire to nobility remain, but this is a dwindling number in the modern age, dependent on contact with the Shadow Library of the kitsune to gather information about their history and practices. What is widely known is that the ratfolk were once wandering warriors with a code of conduct and a reputation for upholding justice, and a few still attempt to independently practice this ronin-rōnin-like lifestyle where possible. Among those who preserve their traditions, young ratfolk are encouraged to aspire to become a beacon for others, a light that can unify a community. These Ysoki often set out to wander and explore, taking a role similar to wandering samurai. They do their best to serve other communities, to learn from their service, to take only what is appropriate in payment, and to never put themselves in a spotlight greater than the one they put these communities in. Rather than preaching the virtues of Cascadism as zealots, they seek to lead by example, and in doing so hope to reclaim a fraction of the glory their culture once had.

Shoony

Shoonies live on the southeastern corner of the continent of Gracefall, with recent settlements even stretching out to nearby islands. Despite their fishing villages' location, however, Shoony shopboats sail all along the eastern coast, selling their daily catches and trading for shiny trinkets and cool objects that sometimes get exchanged for even more as their voyage continues. The sight of a Shoony boat on the horizon marks a happy day for most of Gracetear's coastal villages regardless of their culture, as the friendly fishermen often bring gifts, crafts, or unique items for trade as well as the best fish barter can buy. The friendliness of the Shoony is legendary, enough so that even the Clawfang Empire considers them a political third rail and has thus far avoided any attack. Still, Shoony culture values justice substantially, and many an unassuming-looking Shoony villager has picked up arms to fight off a Clawfang attack on a nearby town in terrifyingly ferocious fashion.

Strix

The Strix were once a proud people, holding cities that easily rivaled the size of the largest in the Clawfang Empire but arguably far more beautiful: towering buildings sticking up in the midst of forest, stretching just above the treetops to ensure a proper view of and access to the clear sky without replacing the sea of green. AsStrix such,revere nature, valuing cohabitation and preservation very strongly in addition to a fondness for the sky above, especially to those Strix who can fly. Due to their size as well as the potential threat of the Strix's aerial ability, the Empire saw fit to prioritize dominance of the Strix, attempting to destroy all remnants of their culture whereas theyquickly could.as possible. A once largely symbolic royal family - while a council governed the StrixStrix, with the royal family serving only as cultural leaders - quickly became the centerpiece of Strix culture and a symbol for hope in the aftermath of their fall to the Clawfangs, and the public execution of the King in the Strix capital city of Tacriecta drove a stake through the hearthearts of many. Still, the Strix quietly hold tight to their reverence of nature and the sky even under military rule and in the ghettos of the capital, andas well as the fact that the princess, the proper heir to the throne, has not yet been foundcaptured by the Empire.

Vanara

The Vanara have a complex relationship with their neighbors, the Strix. Once enemies due to territorial disputes involving Vanara occupying Strix-claimed territory, the two peoples found themselves working alongside one another in the wake of the Separation, rebuilding each other's cities and villages due to their shared cultural respect for the natural world. Where Vanara differ is in their cautious curiosity and resourcefulness, often turning abandoned buildings or ruins into something newly useful rather than building anew amid the trees. Vanara have little central authority and tend to wander and travel, making their homes wherever someone else has no longer decided to call home. Due to this nomadic nature, they're often treated with suspicion by the Clawfang Empire, and for good reason: Vanara are the reason the majority of the Strix royal family escaped capture, as well as the means by which many a wanted fugitive has escaped Clawfang custody. The Vanara, as travelers who live a communal lifestyle,  hold little respect for those who claim permanent right to a piece of property without practical reason, but they hold much less respect for an imperial power, and as such they make sure to enjoy causing trouble for the Empire wherever and whenever they can get away with it.