Adventures Adventuring Log Dead Characters Cartography Charts and Tools Classes Combat Geography Dalencroft Dharja'shan Elanthai Eldoria Flietch-ta Galencia Kharl Mennith Narmouth Orcs Zennonaize History Age of Clouds Age of Sun Age of Stars Age of Waves B.C. Age of Waves A.C. Kits Magic Potions Monstrous Manual Organizations Personas Kiryan Zoë-Kaylin Races Dharja Elynthi Flinds Humans Kari-Zaro Kenku Orcs Soulmeliti Religion		Introduction Ag'ralo Moeyn'shiem:   'Twas in the twilight that our people fought The beasts whose impurities plagued our land: Their foul worship of demonic creatures, Their disrespect for the ways of nature, Their unwillingness to praise her Lady, Led our families, our people, to act In ways so unholy, so unlike the Land That it is with shame I call myself a Soulmeliti. Meltorythe Styvalhyme:   Your arrow flew quite blessed By Tyloma herself, to the foul heart Of the dishonorable leader that Slew countless crying babes of Tyloma For no reason other beside pure spite. Ag'ralo Moeyn'shiem:   Still, my soul melts with tears of blinded death, A shaft in silence that brought no honor, Instead, only pettiness of revenge. Meltorythe Styvalhyme:   Revenge? No. 'Twas peace for the Forest. Vengeance was left for Tyloma herself. Ag'ralo Moeyn'shiem:   Why, then, do I bleed inside so much for Vengeance's sake? Meltorythe Styvalhyme:   Through Tyloma's rage, Your honor and our people have been saved.   - From Act XXIV, Scene vii, The River of Tears, by Ranshali Modethyll Physical Description The Soulmeliti stand approximately five feet, four inches tall for males, and five feet for females. Males generally weigh between one hundred and one hundred twenty five pounds while the more slender females weigh between eighty-five and one hundred five pounds. They have a lithe build that, although it is generally well toned, rarely seems bulging. Their hair ranges from a pure flaxen to a deep auburn. Eye colors vary, from a crystalline blue, through emerald, to a chestnut brown and are generally almond shaped. Soulmeliti have high, pronounced cheekbones and smooth, mostly hairless faces. Their ears come to a gentle, elongated point. Soulmeliti wear clothing made from soft wools and silks that vary in coloration. A lavender wardrobe denotes a period of morning, while scarlet represents a period of celebration. Dishonored Soulmeliti wear clothing of midnight black. Their clothing is loose fitting, and simple, although ceremonial garb tends toward extravagance, perhaps the finest tailoring in all of Tarien. Wearing such garb outside of ceremony, however, leads to dishonor due to an abuse of pride. Upon first glimpse of a Soulmeliti, one sees a simplicity in their life, yet a deep understanding of its crests and valleys. They seem to encompass the totality of existence in a single moment due to their oneness with nature. It is said that Soulmeliti religious garments, if worn by another race, will attune the wearer to the very nuances of mother Tarien. Personality and Morality Soulmeliti are, on the whole, an honor bound people. With their enormous life spans, they feel that their actions must be calculated extensions of their families and inner selves. To a Soulmeliti, their family interests and honor come first, and their personal gains are a distant second. This is not to say that Soulmeliti lack personal interests; on the contrary, most Soulmeliti discover one art form that intrigues them early in life, and spend the majority of their free time pursuing it. Additionally, most ranking Soulmeliti have political and family goals that, once they set their mind to them, become nearly a sole focus. An excellent example of such focus is in the Soulmeliti martial arts. Because of their constant perseverance, they have developed arts of combat over thousands of years that they feel are superior to any known to the world. Similarly, several Soulmeliti have gone on to discover the greatest innovations in magical theory. As for Soulmeliti artists, many are the best in their respective fields. Due to the fact only ranking family members may possess weapons, many Soulmeliti farmers have become skilled in martial arts styles of their own that incorporate the tools that are their life's blood. Village tournaments are often the highlight of their social life. They use their martial arts to express their emotions, and devotion to Tyloma. She is the center of their lives, and by using martial arts they can focus in on her being. Soulmeliti see actions as black or white. They are either for the family, or against. For the Soulmeliti, family encompasses their immediate relatives, or the entire race. Honor is key in this philosophy. Actions that yield personal gain at the expense of the family are regarded as dishonorable, while those that help the individual but damage the family are unacceptable. Other races view Soulmeliti as haughty and arrogant. They see them as dominating and overbearing. They feel their ideas are antiquated, egocentric and pompous. Many races feel that the Soulmeliti are verbose and gaudy. The Elynthi, Khadra, and Orcs have particular reasons to dislike the Soulmeliti based on historical circumstances. Racial Charts Soulmeliti gain a +1 to dexterity and a -1 to constitution. All Soulmeliti have infravision with a range of 60 feet. Soulmeliti have a 90% chance to resist all enchantment/charm spells. Soulmeliti have keen senses which allow them to discover secrets doors on a 1 or 2 in 6, concealed doors on a 1, 2, or 3 in 6. They can sense concealed doors on a 1 in 6. Soulmeliti in light or no armor, increase their percentage to surprise by 40%, if they must open a door, the percentage is reduced to 20%. Soulmeliti gain a +1 to hit with katana, wakizashi, daikyu, and hankyu. Soulmeliti gain a free proficiency in an artisan or artistic skill. Attribute  Minimum   Maximum  Strength 4 18(18/90) Dexterity 8 19 Constitution 5 17 Intelligence 5 18 Wisdom 3 18 Charisma 8 18  Male   Base   Male   Adjust.   Female   Base   Female   Adjust.  Height (inches) 55 2D6 50 1D10 Weight (lbs.) 90 4D8 70 3D10 Base Starting Age 90 4D6 85 2D12 Base Max. Age 390 4D100 420 4D100 Class  Level   Limit  Warriors Bushi 12 Kensai 15 Ranger U Samurai 15 Wizards Diviner 12 Enchanter 15 Mage 12 Wild Mage 15 Wu Jen U Priests Druid 12 Priest of Tyloma U Sohei 12 Rogues Bard 12* Ninja 15 Psionicist 7 Thief 15 * Only as the demi-bard Spellsingers. Multi-Class Bushi/Mage 12/12 Bushi/Thief 12/15 Kensai/Wu Jen* 15/U Ranger/Priest of Tyloma U/U * Only as Bladesingers. Racial Relations Dharja While the Soulmeliti and Dharja respect each other's skills in the art of combat, they find each other particularly annoying. Each sees the other as too serious. The Soulmeliti feel that the Dharja have no fun and take everything to the extreme. The Dharja feel that the Soulmeliti take all the wrong things, like frivolous arts and natural settings, too seriously. Elynthi The Soulmeliti evicted the Elynthi from their forests over two thousands years ago. Now, they tell their children that the Elynthi will take them if they misbehave. The Great War only served to reinforce the contempt these two races feel for each other. Flind The Soulmeliti find the Flind repulsively unkempt and uncivilized. They Flind involvement with the Elynthi, which has built over the last thousand years, sets them to an even lower standard. Still, the Soulmeliti respect their prowess in combat, even if they find it barbaric. Human Humans are sentient beings, with minor levels of civilization. They are excellent allies, but always treated like second class citizens. Humans often find the Soulmeliti haughty, arrogant, and unfocused. Kari-Zaro The Kari-zaro are so similar to the Soulmeliti, and so uncultured in their lofty eyes, that it disturbs them. Relations are not good on either side, and have even become violent. The Soulmeliti see them as uncultured savages, while the Kari-zaro see their cousins as frivolous beings attached to material pleasures of no value. Kenku The Kenku are isolationists and have no relationship with the Soulmeliti. Khadra The Soulmeliti find the Khadra dirty. They do not understand their affinity with the earth, metals, or beer. They harbor resentment against them for wars in the past. They appreciate their craftsmanship, but believe the Khadra do not truly live. The Khadra disdain Soulmeliti arrogance, and still hold a grudge against them for the destruction of Kharolin. Nerrid The Soulmeliti find the Nerrids amusing in small doses, and annoying in large doses. They dislike their constant use of millions of pages of paper, and find the speech patterns nauseating. The Nerrid have no problems with the Soulmeliti, except that they have no sense of humor.