Val’Ruulk’naus

## **Clan History**

During the exodus of the moon's age, one of the final caravans of refugee's stopped to rest and recover by the river. Exhausted and grieving, they sought shelter under the canopy of mushrooms. After several centuries, they began carving their homes into the stalks and caps of the mushrooms. The caravans leader, a woman named Ruulk'naus declared their exodus over, and a settlement began to form.

After the settlement had been established and the population grew, the people began experimenting on the different mushrooms that grew in the cavern. Most citizens were happy enough with the mushrooms that weren’t poisonous. But other people were intrigued by the psychotropic effects that some mushrooms caused, including their leader. She and several brave associates catalogued and distilled the different mushroom's effects. Farming them for large quantities became easy after that, and their leader began referring to herself as their Ill’haress. The Ruulk’naus are a large supplier of food and lumbar, as well as luxuries such as alcohol, silk, and medicine.

## **Clan Members of Note**

Orlnak Val’Ruulk’Naus

Ouwaela Val’Ruulk’Naus

Herop Val’Ruulk’Naus

Brouka Val’Ruulk’Naus

## **Clan Culture**

The culture of the Val’Ruulk’Naus is provocative and bizzare. Its citizens are colorful and expressive, with a natural inclination toward subservience. The highborn and lowborn intermingle with little conflict, and outsiders can have difficulty navigating.

Priestesses remain intoxicated on the psychotropic mushrooms, to better ‘interpret the will of the goddess’. The youngest priestesses with the lowest tolerance to the drug are the more zealous, but the elders oversee them and discern their visions for them.

Decay is a natural way of life in their clan. Cannibalism of the dead is practiced in ceremony. The body is given intrem to the temple acolytes. The acolytes remove the internal organs, and strip the bones of meat which is cooked and prepared in a feast for the family. Funerals are a celebration of life with drinking, singing, and dancing. Their temples extend their services for other clans to honor their dead this way in the safety of the Ruulk’Naus.

The Ruulk’Naus practice slavery, and a large portion of their population is slaves. Slaves are revered as proxy Val, and are given freedom to interact with people, own possessions, even travel. Slaves are very happy and cared for, and their consenting enslavement is shrouded deeply in conspiracy and secrecy.  Slaves are considered an important commodity and their health and training is closely monitored. Slaves contribute more to the economy than commoners, which gives them greater value and education. Unlike most clans that makes slaves of prisoners and commoners, the Ruulk’Naus breed slaves and recruit them from the commoners of their own clan.

Slaves are better fed than commoners, and live in better conditions. Their daily schedules are filled with rigorous training, until they graduate into active service to the Val or accept the offer to be sold to another clan.

If a commoner can’t afford to feed their family, they can sell themselves to the clans slavers in return for weekly rations for their family. These slaves called Velvann, who were not bred or raised by slavers, are treated differently by the other slaves and the Val. Often given combat training, these slaves form the bulk of their military.

During earthquakes the mushrooms vibrate and sway releasing spores, leaving a dense fog. Longtime exposure can be toxic, as it is made of an amalgam of different mushrooms.

The lowborn will wear facemasks packed with charcoal to diffuse its toxicity, while the highborn can own mana fueled filtration masks.

the Ruulk have a high tolerance to poisons and disease, but visiting clans will be swiftly taken to safety. Until the fog is lifted, the mushroom forest is a quarantine zone.

It is in fashion to hang weights on the tips of the ears so that they hang low.

Empathy is rare, but not unheard of. Most citizens have affinity in blood sorcery.

## ***Clan Warrior***

Armor is lightweight and dark. They specialize in subterfuge and guerrilla warfare. Their warpaint made from the glowing mushrooms is used to strike fear in their opponent.

Weapons are laced with poison, and alchemists create potent gas bombs that kill or obscure the battlefield.

## ***Clan Spellcaster***

Ruulk’naus blood spellcasters are infamous for turning the blood of the fallen into an acidic fog that burns the skin and can cause blindness and lesions. On critical missions a blood sorcerer and empath will work together to control an enemy, but their focus is limited to one or two people.

## **Clan Fortress**

In the low end of the cavern where the water has flowed, a small lake has formed. Against the cavern wall, only accessible by boat, in the stalks of a large cluster of mushrooms Ruulk’naus built her fortress.