Calirary

The Calirary are a nomadic people that live all across Exdora. Some say that the Calirary were the first people in Exdora, predating even the forming of the ancient kingdoms and the Order of Portius. They have their own language, culture, government, and traditions that keep them separate from Exdora at large. The name Calirary in their tongue means Blood of Old and it meant to represent not just their heritage and the first people of Exdora but also a promise to remember the ancient histories of their land. The Calirary have long suffered persecution and prejudice from the new residents of Exdroa. While there has never been a war set out against the Calirary people there have been a number of times when they have been forced out of the provinces, forcefully relocated, or detained, none of these occasions were free of violence. The Calirary are naturally against violence and thus have no standing militia or even trained combatants save the odd hunter or retired mercenary. This makes them an easy target for bandits, raiders, and even corrupt guards and knights. Despite their vulnerability few would dare to attack a troupe of Calirary for fear of retribution it may bring.

 The Calirary are not necessarily religious people, though many of them do follow religions, but they are deeply spiritual. The Calirary believe the world to be inhabited by all manner of spirits, fae, demons, and creatures beyond one's mortal understanding. They do not worship these creatures but do hold a deep respect or fear for them. Most would dismiss the Calirary’s deeply superstitious behaviour, such as never turning away a traveler from their fires or always putting salt at the foot of their bed rolls, but the Calirary take deep meaning in these ancient practices. Many of Exdora’s churches, the Church of Unica especially, have campaigned against the Calirary’s pagan practices multiple times over the centuries. They send missionaries to “educate” the savage nomads, or paladins to arrest and detain them. While these efforts have been damaging to the culture and well-being of the Calirary they have always persevered. Many times a group of Calirary would simply vanish if they felt threatened. Dissolving into the woods only to reappear a province over months later.

 Many fear the Calirary as consorts with the fae. This fear leads to hatred and a drive to keep them as far from their towns and families as possible for fear that they will bring with them the trouble that fae brings. The Calirary do believe that things such as the fae exist, believing that the world mortals can see is just a small drop of all there is. Many Calirary conduct rituals to commune with the kinder spirited fae, and sacred rites to protect themselves from the mean spirited ones. The Calirary understands the world in a different way from most people, seeing everything connected by invisible pathways called Waylines. These Waylines can be read to determine things far away. If it rains in Corazan a trained Greensinger in Vacia can hear the echoes of this through the Waylines. At least that is what the Calirary believe, whether or not the Calirary’s beliefs are truth or superstition they have preserved throughout all of Exdora’s long history to remain to this day.