Maeldrai Ouroiji

### Biology/Ethnicity:

Maeldraisians are humans with dark black hair and extremely pale skin, they are more calm than ordinary humans and less flexible but also have more endurance over longer time spans. Actual mages are quite uncommon.

### History:

Since Maeldraisia is relatively inexperienced with new technology it relies heavily on importing and copying foreign technology to cope with other powers. They also need resources like iron and wood as they cannot acquire large amounts of them otherwise. Maeldraisia now sets its eyes on the world, eager to conquer, eager to trade, eager to gain more for the ancestors.

### Society:

As the Maeldraisian chopped down most of their forests to create monuments to the ancestors their land is barren and desolate. Most Maeldraisians are shepherds or fishermen and specialists are only found the crumbling fortresses of the lords. The island has no precious natural resources and the only thing it has to offer to other nations is pure manpower. Luckily while Maeldraisians are not the most flexible people they do have Religious minorities are tolerated in the port towns as long as they pay some kind of symbolic homage to local ancestors. The Inland-Maeldraisians are less tolerant and more traditional.

### Culture:

Maeldraisians are generally extremely conservative and reluctant to adapt to social and technological changes. New technology like firearms could only be introduced through unified pressure from the military and the merchants on the priests. Because of that 37 years ago a group of radical traditionalists tried to coup the government but the minority of the princes and the interpreters supported their cause. In recent years a reformist movement of some princes and interpreters modernized Maeldraisia. More freedom for the merchants brought great wealth to Maeldraisia. Still the Maeldraisians modernized in a "traditional way", enterprises are owned by the "dead", ships are owned by the "dead" and even ships have their "dead" owners sitting somewhere on the boat.

Maeldraisians wear long necklaces, bands, ribbons etc. to wear things their ancestors used. Nearly everyone has some kind of thing their ancestors are associated with, be it bones, weapons, hair combs or even food boles.

### Occurrence of Magic:

Magic is quite uncommon and generally seen as odd as Maeldraisian magic practitioners are extremely untrained and inexperienced though this might change through influence from other nations. This could create quite a change in the Maeldraisian society as this could cause a split in the priestly class.

### The Maeldrasian Faith:

**Ancestor Worship, Impersonation and Interpretation** are the three columns of the Maeldraisian Society.

#### Ancestor Worship -

the Maeldraisians do not worship gods, they believe that nothing can really die, they believe that everything can still be there even if its physical body is destroyed. One can interacted with the dead through praying and through mind interpreters.

#### Impersonation -

the Maeldraisians believe that if they impersonate their old heroes, they can be strengthed through the spirit of their heroes. The Maeldraisians wear masks of their dead ancestors nearly everywhere it is seen as ignorant not wearing the mask of an ancestor outside of the house. This also amounts to great confusion as the mummified ancestors also wear masks.

#### Interpretation -

the Maeldraisians believe that "the dead" should still have a word in every-days peoples live. The Council of the Living and the Dead the ruling body of Maeldraisia, consisting of the 14 long "dead" Lords of Old Maeldraisia and their also long "dead" liege Old King Aarthoori. Every "dead member" has an interpreter who is a member of the priestly class while the living part of the Council consists of the first princes the living heirs of the titles of the dead lords.

### Posts:

(*After the claim, the original player left and the nation went NPC, so u/TechnicolorTraveler continued the story.)*

Tales of Whales and the Grim Pioneers

Those Who Settle the Grey Woods

Spreading Control and Domination in the Maeldrai Ouroiji and The Realm of Noryn

No Fish

State of the Mülos in Maeldrai Ouroiji

How to Talk to the Rich

The New Flotillan Territory of Western Maeldraisia

The New Deal to Settle the Maeldraisian Realm