Vrothic
Home of the Empire of Vroth
Fashion
The intense heat of the desert causes people to dress in a way to keep it at bay. Using light weight cloth baggy clothing, specifically robes are worn to keep the body cool.
Light weight straw woven conical hats are worn to keep the head cool and shade the body.
Food & Drink
A staple food of Vroth is flat bread. It is traditionally served with almost every meal as both a food but also as a utensil. Flat bread is used to scoop and hold the other parts of the meal for easy consumption together. This removes the need for utensils. Any food that does not require the use of flat bread is picked up and eaten using fingers.
Geography
The Vrothic culture is rooted deep in the desert island empire of Vroth. Vroth consists of one massive main island and smaller islands surrounding it.
Vroth Pyramids
Vroth is known for many things, the native pride of the Del, the silver mines of the deep desert, and the renowned bazaars of San Vroth. Even with all the wonder the empire holds, nothing compares to their massive pyramids. Ancient pyramids created by the slaves of Grimslar when the Grimslarian empire ruled the world. Now the pyramids are home to thousands of Vroth residents as they were converted into cities. The seven pyramids represent the six elements and the emperor in Vroth.
They are also the largest cities in the empire, with earth being the largest and capital. The smallest being frost as the desert lands keeps the frost at bay. The earth pyramid has the most above-ground inhabitants, and the frost has the most underground inhabitants. Each pyramid is capped with the respected color of the element they represent.
Golden Crystal Pyramid
The most iconic and renowned pyramid is the seventh, the Golden Crystal Pyramid in San Vroth. While not the largest of the pyramids, it stands out from all the rest because of its golden glow. Large gold plates were added during its creation to intensify the golden glow between the yellow crystals and the sandstone. The Golden Crystal Pyramid is the focal point of the city not only because of its beauty but also because it is where the Emperor lives. The governing house uses the pyramid to hold congress when making rulings for the empire.
Laws & Regulations
Del Royalty
The Del dwarves have always and will always rule the Vroth empire. It is against the law for any other sub-species to be an emperor with in the Vroth empire. If someone from another sub-species tries to run for the throne, they get exiled for life. The emperor strips all social status and wealth from his subjects and keeps it for himself as a gift.
Religion
The people of Vroth typically worship Earitath (Element), the god of sand and earth. Every month, on the 10th day, a service is held to show gratitude to Earitath for protecting them with sand and keeping their underground cities cool.
The service is held on the surface where people use the sand to create sculptures and other pieces of art made from sand in honor of Earitath. The coastal cities have the bigger celebration services as they use the beaches for the service.
Society
The governing house and the Emperor run the Vroth Empire. The governing house comprises two representatives for each territory of Vroth, ten in total. Their main purpose is to offer council and advice to the Emperor in his rule. As a major law, only Del can hold office within the governing house. Each member of the house represents a noble house within their territory.
Vroth does not have kingdoms but has territories ruled by two Del noble houses. Differences in opinions about how to rule their territory often lead to conflicts between these houses. The Emperor's laws are supreme, but houses can make laws in their territories as long as they don't break the Emperor's laws. The Empire imposes higher taxes on non-native citizens living within its borders than on its own citizens.
Discipline
Languages
Native
Vrothic
Secondary
Latlish or Umish
Suggested Masteries
Persuade and one character creation weapon mastery (i.e. Martial Weapons, Archery Weapons, etc.).
Sand Walker
Your lifestyle was strongly connected to the sand and earth of the desert. You can spend essence to manipulate earth (sand, dirt/mud, or clay) in different ways. The larger the size of the earth being manipulated determines the amount of essence required. For every ten pounds or one square foot of earth, you must spend one essence. For every fifty pounds or five square feet, the number of actions required increases by one.
Every 10lbs. / 1 sqft. = 1 essence
Every 50lbs. / 5 sqft. = +1 action
There are three methods of manipulation: Alter Terrain, Earthly Connection, and Earth Projectile.
Alter Terrain
Free Action
As a free action, you can transform up to five feet of difficulty terrain that is earth based into normal terrain.
Earthly Connection
2+ actions, 1+ essence, 120ft. range
The earth can be manipulated and molded to your liking. It can be stretched and formed into nearly anything you can imagine if it remains connected to its source (i.e. the ground). When manipulating earth to form bridges, arches, or other platforms it must be at least one foot thick per one hundred pounds that it supports (i.e. Building a bridge to let a wagon cross a river). The range of this ability is one hundred and twenty feet.
If used to make an enclosed area, there is enough air to breathe equal to two minutes per square foot.
Earth Projectile
2+ actions, 1+ essence
Using a chunk of earth as a projectile is based on either your throwing or elemental (earth) skill for accuracy, your mental for range, and the projectile’s weight for damage. Every ten pounds deal 1d8 blunt or piercing damage (damage type is based on the shape you make the projectile. However, if trying to throw more than ten pounds the increased cost is +2 essence per ten pounds.
Every 10lbs. = 1d8 blunt or piercing damage
Every +10ft. = +2 essence
The range you can mentally throw a projectile is ten times your mental in feet. So, if your mental is five, you can throw an earth projectile up to fifty feet.
Mental x 10 = projectile range in feet
Dowsing
You gain a +2 on your survival checks and lucky rolls when specifically searching for water.
Fire Damage Resistance
Living in the desert heat has given you a resistance to fire damage.
