Waalsen

Poison Immunity

The Waalsen are the citizens of the Waals Kingdom, in the centre of Ghalgenia.

## Origin

The *Waalsen* are original the descendants of Humans from Meridia, who settled in the eastern Highlands of the Waals Mountains during the Exodus. Hoping for the return of their Gods, they sought refuge in the mountains, refusing the dying homeland of their people.

Over the years, they became the Dravken, with the *Waalsen* being one of the two cultures of the Race. To this day, they live inside their Refuge Cities, build in the flank of the Waals Mountains.

## Description

### Appearance

*Waalsen* are normally around **1,4 - 1,5 m tall**, making them the smallest of the Races of Levain. They skin normally has a **darker, olive tone**, varying from light to dark, depending on their upbringing. They hair often is **brown to black**.

The garbs of native *Waalsen* tends to be practical, to withstand the harsh climate of the waalsen Highland. They have to be both light and sturdy, making live in the heat bearable, especially when you move outside the secure and cool Refuge Cities. Still, the *Waalsen* seek to decorate their cloths with traditional symbols of the Family Clans or the craft they work in. Contrasting grey and blend cloths with colourful threads and jewellery is very common.

Both *waalsen* Men and Women have facial hair, with more less prominent growth on the female *Waalsen*. Men normally grew their beards out, forming knots and braids into the long, thick beard hair. Same goes for head hair, often held long and adorned with jewellery. Women normally try, to use their facial hair to emphasise facial features, also often braiding hair, holding it together with hairbands and artful diadems.

### Names

The language of the *Waalsen* is based on southeastern slavic and euroasian languages. Their names tend to have a romanian twist to them.

Example for waalsen Names are: **Serban, Niculae, Petronela, Amelia or Virica.**

### Behavior

The majority of the *Waalsen* are rather traditionalists, keeping in line with ancient costumes and lifestyles. Forced marriages are still coming among the *Waalsen*, a remnant of the great Isolation, to keep bloodlines healthy. Still, such customs are still practiced, as they simple become the standard among the *Waalsen*.

Additionally, the life next to the Expanse, made them though survivalists. They are experts at resource management, as using the little you have to survive had become necessary during their time. Where others starve and die, the *Waalsen* always find ways to survive.

Despite their harsh homeland, most *Waalsen* love it to such a degree, that some never even leave the Refuge City they were born in, as their roots often dig deep, being content with what they have, instead of seeking adventure.

## Culture

The live of the *Waalsen* are heavily influenced by the clan-like Families, that make up the citizens of the Waals Kingdom. A Clan typical consist of at least a 100 members, some even greater Clans even going beyond that. All Clans life in a hierarchy of prestige, with some more renowned than other. Being born in a less revered Clan can hinder one's chances in society or can have other negative consequences like bias towards certain Clan Names. To leave pre-defined stigmas, a *Waalsen* can either marry into a Clan above theirs, forsaking their birth surname and becoming part of the new Clan, or by hard work. Someone, who proves themselves to society, despite their Clan Name, can raise its prestige in the hierarchy, helping their siblings and cousins in the process.

Inside a Clan Family, certain pride is often held to the shared surname. The Clan Names should be protected against outside attacks and accusations. Everyone who shares the same surname, no matter how distant of a cousin, is generally regarded as part of the family. This also nourishes the strong family bounds, the *Waalsen* tend to have. No matter what an individual does, they can always hope on the support of their Clan. But this also often leads to nepotism and the cover of criminal individuals of a Clan by other members. Crimes against the own Clan are often more severely regarded as crime against other people, outside the own world.

Aside from the *Waalsen* Clans, the people of the mountainous highlands of the East are known survivalists, in addition to excellent masons and architects. Their mastery of traditional craft is known in the entire Known World. They are also the only people surviving in the arid heat of the West besides the Meridians, even travelling parts of the Expanse without the help of Dune Ships, like the more nomadic Meridians.

Even in military matter, the *Waalsen* have proven to be quite capable. The stout Dravken of the Waals rang from steadfast frontlines in form of the waalish Phalanx, capable of holding back even the most aggressive chivalry with strong and heavy shields, and long spears. This wall of iron functions as a living wall, with one half carrying the tower shields, and the other wielding the long spears through the narrow caps of the line. But the Waalsen also make create scouts, being nimble and shorter than other races. Their mastery over the wilds of their homeland made them excellent survivalists, capable of hit and run tactics as well as living in the wilderness of the land.