THE WILD
Formation
No matter what Clan you dwell in, or what city you find yourself defending, the wrath of Gauthrel is an endless one. Even the greatest of warrior, Lothar or no, will find this to be true - no matter how great a man can be, there is always a beast that will challenge him, and always one that will surpass him. Even the Immortals can find challenge in beasts, as Abanaxus has shown, the great dragon of the North.
The Wild was formed with a singular question, which expanded outwards into ideas of anarchy and communal living: why must it be this way? Why must the Lothar battle the monsters forever, and hole themselves in walled cities, and hide - why must they try to boost their population, battling in a bloody, yet cold war with the origin of the beasts?
Why live as they do, so tirelessly and in such pain, when there is another option - a better one? The Wild. The Wild is more than a group of Becomers, it is a group of disguisers, living their lives in the forms of different entities to enable living outside of the walls. They take on great forms, weak ones, and even the unknown, adapting to the environment seasonally or otherwise to engage with the world from a different lens than the other Lothar. They do not see all monsters as enemies, but rather cohabiting creatures, ones that can be utilized to their advantage. As the beasts evolve, so does the Wild, seeking to tame Gauthrel around them by means of operating it from within, rather than as an outside, invasive force.
To this end, the group's presence has become quite large in Gauthrel, especially among Clan Valendale and those in the western territories of Stahlmark. With the summation of these ideas presented, the cult finally leaned on anarchism, believing that society as a whole was an impossible task in Gauthrel, and that adaptability matters far more than civility.
Headquarters
This group, Aed Sidhe, lives in a large community carved into a network of trees, located in the far west of Clan Stahlmark's territories (quite a ways west from Uthaldria). This is typically considered the headquarters of the Wild, with a constantly fluctuating population ranging from the dozens to the thousands. The headquarters is known as the Wilderthorn, named after the largest tree of the community, which hosts the leadership of the Wild and exists as the sacred site of the cult.
Ideology
Beliefs
Liberation From Fear
In order to join the Wilds, one must absolve themselves from fear, abandoning weakness and accepting nature's determinations as one's truth. To be a Wilder, one must be bold, and fearless. One must be willing to fight and die, and above all, risk everything, always. The challenge of mastering Gauthrel is one that has claimed many lives, and one that will claim many more. This is known.
Liberation From Society
As stated previously, the Wild are a cult of anarchists, seeking to meld the Lotharen people with that of the beasts of Gauthrel, co-existing with the creatures and managing them only if necessary, rather than as a form of pest control. As a result, it is a goal to see society toppled and reformed into adaptive societies, rather than to witness the Lotharen Horde overcome entirely the majesty of the beasts of Gauthrel.
Unity with Nature
Nature must be utilized as a friend, rather than merely another method of extracting materials to promote supremacy. Trees cut down must be re-planted, plants grown must be re-seeded, and herbs picked must be utilized for a legitimate cause. Animals and their habitats are to be respected.
The Hunt
The Wild still partakes in the hunting of creatures, and most Wild are a part of the Jeger Path, if any. It is impossible to peacefully co-exist with other species in Gauthrel, and the bodies (or totems) of other creatures may help the Wild to expand and evolve upon themselves. As a result, monsters must still be slain, but typically only for food and survival purposes. Deriving pleasure or thrills from hunting is acceptable, but recklessly manipulating the habitats of creatures - as the city-born do - is cause for becoming anathema.
Sense of the Individual
Despite being Becomers, the Wilder are not amorphous in their identity. They know who they are, carrying a great deal of weight with their original form, acknowledging the importance and beauty of their past lives, the life-bond, and other sacred things that exist within the Lotharro as a people. Even non-Lothar who join are expected to remember always who they are, and pursue their life with their own lens, rather than abandoning the self to the forms taken to adapt. For this reason, the Wilder constantly battle the natural instincts of a Becomer, attempting to retain their grasp on who they are as Lothar above all else.
They do not seek to live in the wilds only as animals among animals, but to live in the wilds as Becomers, as a man who branches out into many things.
Respecting the Past
Despite the clear intentions of the Wild, one must not consider one's own past lives, life-bonds or institutions to be enemies. Society should reform or be toppled. However, those within society are not enemies, but brothers. As the Lotharro are protective of one another, it is not a question as to whether or not the Wild shall ever seek to violently overthrow society. The answer to that is no - change should come progressively, naturally, just as all other things do in nature. Lothar live over and again, regardless - each and every member of today shall, hopefully, see the rise of the Wilderaande in a distant tomorrow.
Note: The Wilderaande still follow many traditional cultural customs of the Lothar, even including Paths (in different ways). They very often perform life-bond ceremonies, as well, permanently binding two members to live together in harmony, whatever form one takes.
Respecting the Creator
Thetros is the deity of the Wild, an Immortal who supports freedom, tolerates magic, and created both the Lotharro and the current climate they're allowed to exist within, and overcome. Thetros' guidance is essential for all Lothar, it is said, and regardless of the Wild's distance from society, he still contacts them and retains a close bond with his naturalistic flock. This is a bond and love held mutually.
Enemies
Clan Stahlmark
Clan Stahlmark is the greatest rival of the Wild, though they allow the Wild to exist peacefully within their realm. This allowance was given begrudgingly, largely due to the assurances of the Wilder Roksgard, a position re-named to fit the individual's membership of the Wild. They exist as enemies that rely on one another for their continued existence, as a conflict between the Wild and Stahlmark would result in both sides being overcome by voracious creatures.
Clan Nordhoff
Clan Nordhoff, rather than a rival, is a declared enemy of the Wild. They do not operate as other Lothar do at all, staining Thetros' legacy with their obsession with slavery and the powermongering of the Eastern Realms. They exemplify everything the Wild opposes, and considering the gradual movement of Nordhoff into the north, they are sure to become foes.
The Bloodcaller
KIERAN WILDERAANDE
SKILLS Magic Becoming - 100
Hone - 73
Attunement - 62
Mundane Fieldcraft - 92
Strength - 88
Endurance - 82
Unarmed Combat - 77
Tactics - 63
Hunting - 59
Leadership - 51
Detection - 47
Information Kieran Wilderaande, once a great leader within Clan Valendale, created the Wild upon an ideological dream, nearly sixty years ago. Kieran was always considered distinctive among his people, celebrating not the slaughter of beasts, but the collaboration of them - and in particular, their assimilation, upon discovering the secrets of Becoming at a young age. While his Clan counseled him against dabbling in this unknown magic, he continued, and initiated others. The Wild was formed at this point in time as a group of silly pubescent boys and idealistic men, imagining a future where one could live in Gauthrel as beasts do - wild and free - rather than by the constant constraints and abusive working conditions of Lotharen society.
This idea became reality, with Kieran pushing it forward through the ears of his brethren, recruiting a great mass of Valendale to his cause, which leaked far into the holdings of Stahlmark, and even other clans across the region. Since then, he has continued to expand upon the group, and upon his own capabilities.
Despite his old age (of nearly ninety arcs), he has not died and reincarnated, nor considerably aged, as the result of an anomalous revelation that spliced all of his totems into one body, waiting to be ripped from the base shell of his flesh. As a result, he exists in a constant mid-point between man and beast, always bursting with separate forms and identities beneath his skin. Since the amalgamous transformation, Kieran has apparently ceased in aging, though not many quite fully understand why, or how, or if he is declining but without appearing to.
As a result of his revelation, Kieran is considered one of the most formidable mages in Western Idalos, especially considering the intensity, rarity and danger of each totem he's added to his arsenal - not to mention the one passed from him to any successors, a creature of singular rarity, preserved by a totem's passing on. This creature is known as the Bloodcaller, though its specifications are unsure, and it has only been utilized as a totem once in Kieran's life.
NOTE: This NPC requires a moderator to play.
Hone - 73
Attunement - 62
Mundane Fieldcraft - 92
Strength - 88
Endurance - 82
Unarmed Combat - 77
Tactics - 63
Hunting - 59
Leadership - 51
Detection - 47
Information Kieran Wilderaande, once a great leader within Clan Valendale, created the Wild upon an ideological dream, nearly sixty years ago. Kieran was always considered distinctive among his people, celebrating not the slaughter of beasts, but the collaboration of them - and in particular, their assimilation, upon discovering the secrets of Becoming at a young age. While his Clan counseled him against dabbling in this unknown magic, he continued, and initiated others. The Wild was formed at this point in time as a group of silly pubescent boys and idealistic men, imagining a future where one could live in Gauthrel as beasts do - wild and free - rather than by the constant constraints and abusive working conditions of Lotharen society.
This idea became reality, with Kieran pushing it forward through the ears of his brethren, recruiting a great mass of Valendale to his cause, which leaked far into the holdings of Stahlmark, and even other clans across the region. Since then, he has continued to expand upon the group, and upon his own capabilities.
Despite his old age (of nearly ninety arcs), he has not died and reincarnated, nor considerably aged, as the result of an anomalous revelation that spliced all of his totems into one body, waiting to be ripped from the base shell of his flesh. As a result, he exists in a constant mid-point between man and beast, always bursting with separate forms and identities beneath his skin. Since the amalgamous transformation, Kieran has apparently ceased in aging, though not many quite fully understand why, or how, or if he is declining but without appearing to.
As a result of his revelation, Kieran is considered one of the most formidable mages in Western Idalos, especially considering the intensity, rarity and danger of each totem he's added to his arsenal - not to mention the one passed from him to any successors, a creature of singular rarity, preserved by a totem's passing on. This creature is known as the Bloodcaller, though its specifications are unsure, and it has only been utilized as a totem once in Kieran's life.
NOTE: This NPC requires a moderator to play.
Bloodborn
Druids
Crawler
Vestige
