Val’Vil’Flare

## **Clan History**

*Self-Made Dragons*

The Vil’Flare clan started as many clans do, as a horde of refugees displaced by the wars of old. This group traversed many dangers in their wanderings and a form of unity arose from the necessity of mutual survival. Each place the group tried to settle was froth with its own troubles. Interracial conflict, murders, thieves, demon insanity, sickness and hatred. Reduced by half their number, the group eventually was pushed as far against the deepest stone they could go. It was in the blinding lava-filled cavern that the group was at its darkest hour.

There was no goddess to save them and no allies to help them. Many began to give into hopelessness, but there was a small few who did not. If their choice was to die or survive, they would survive, no matter how hard or how impossible. This group rallied the others, and the refugees no longer mourned, lamented, or cried out in fury. They simply got to work. Taming the fire-land proved costly as the number was reduced in half yet again but they had done it; the land was theirs. The Vil’Flare clan was born from the literal ashes.

Their fervor for work did not stop as the need for survival continued. They knew they needed supplies and only other clans had them. At their numbers, they knew they had no chance of trying to take what they needed, and the very idea left a bad taste in the mouths of many from the experiences they had in the past. If force was not an option, then trade it had to be.

None present had the knack for trading and the silver-tongue of a merchant it required. They were craftsmen after all. The other clans already had ways of getting what they wanted and needed; the only way they would give what Vil’Flare needed is if Vil’Flare made the things these clans wanted better than anyone else. This was the shared thought of the crafters, and so once more they got to work and for once they found they had a blessing. The accursed land may be nothing but fire, but the fire was what was needed most to craft things better than ever before. It only took one or two trades to get the ball rolling, and news of Vil’Flare’s quality goods spread.

It only took one or two trades to be stolen however; to put the Vil’Flare back in dire straits. With the same fervor that gave rise to the clan, the clan got to work. The black-clad soldiers of the clan were born. The clan was now two factions: the Anvils, the craftsmen, and the Hammers, the army. The Hammers guarded the trades as vigorously as the crafters made their armor. No trades were ever lost to bandits or thieves ever again.

The clan grew and started to thrive when like vultures the silver-tongued merchants descended upon Vil’Flare. These greedy merchants gained power and used Vil’Flare’s workforce to their own ends. Making and bribing the passing of absurd laws and practices that quickly divided rich and poor. 1% of the Vil’Flare clan owned 98% of all the wealth. The people acknowledged the threat from the inside and once more got to work. Unions were formed and troops no longer enforced absurd laws. It was during this time a young woman that would later become the current leader of the clan rose in power and popularity as she pushed back against the merchants. As the merchant’s power started to crumble around them, they lashed out against what they believed to be their greatest enemy. She survived, and their efforts only served to hasten, and harshen, their fall. Once in charge, Xalyth disposed of the corruption within her clan, and restored the practice of a merit based achievement system. No future merchants would be granted the ability to manipulate the clan. Xalyth refilled trade routes with proper high-quality goods. Using trade, Xalyth set about forging more than trading partners; she set to forge allies. It was in this early stage of her reign that through her work, roughly half the nearby clans were allied, and the rest rendered non-hostile.

Xalyth understood that those with the most power decided how things were. She also knew from history that war and its chaos eventually toppled even the strongest of clans. Instead, those who traded and invented survived. But Xalyth wanted more than the Vil’Flare to survive; she wished the clan to become immune to the same weaknesses of the past. Xalyth brought new policies to the Hammers, effectively doubling the clan’s strength of arm. While not fond of war, Xalyth was anything but scared of it. If there was to be war, Xalyth made sure Vil’Flare would not be the ones destroyed. Using power as a deterrent, Xalyth spoke frankly and fairly with her dealing with other clans. Renewing the fervor for unmatched quality, Xalyth got to work and continues to push her clan to further heights.

When the quake hit - Vil’Flare managed to stay stable in large part due to experience. The quake was quite large, however Vil’Flare was used to quakes and thus had systems in place to protect against them. Unfortunately some of Vil’Flare’s neighbors had no such systems and thus fell. Bandits and lawlessness surged. Vil’Flare’s stance though, did not change. Vil’Flare had long overcome their issue with bandits as attacks on their caravans was the very second issue the clan faced since its founding. (the first being quakes and lava of their hostile home)

After the quake, Vil’Flare knew chaos in the other clans could jeopardize the trade caravans essential to Vil’Flare. To safe-guard trade and restore/help their allies - Vil’Flare offers their renowned Heavy Armored Troops ‘Hammers’ as caravan guards. In addition providing what support their craftsmen and building supplies can offer - at fair cost.

Vil’Flare was spared rebellious elements as most citizens in Vil’Flare are free and all are treated fairly - provided they worked a fair amount as well. Such had ever been Vil’Flare’s creed of work ethic. Provided they are willing to work and have skills to better the clan, Vil’Flare has no issue taking in anyone.

In short: Vil’Flare seeks to protect its holdings and allies from lawlessness, bandits and poverty by dispatching their heavy guards to ensure that trade remains unimpeded.

## **Clan Culture**

*Militaristic Crafters*

Craftsmen and Soldiers populate the Vil’Flare clan. The lava may well try to kill the clan every chance it gets but the clan has since learned to use the fires’ heat and power in working even the most stubborn of materials. These materials are then made into the heaviest and strongest of armors; or into elaborate works of art, machinery and innovations. These products are then traded with most other clans for needed supplies; which are then guarded fiercely by the soldiers.

Those with the most clout within the clan are those who achieve great things for the clan. As such, merit is determined by deeds alone; a constant competition to be the best crafter or solider one can be. Cheating, if found, is punished harshly as it means one did not achieve success by their own power. Cooperating is fine as it often makes a better achievement. This achievement is generally better than what one can do alone and the success is shared with all involved. To climb the ranks quickly however requires the individual to prove they are often better at another at something. Thanks to this, tournaments of quality of craft and strength of arm are common.

A very defence originated military was born from necessity as any attacks on trade routes proved literally deadly as the Vil clan had no way of growing crops or even getting drinking water in their lava-infested home. To protect the cargo, soldiers would be given only the best armor and weapons. While troops needed protection; craftsmen too needed to protect themselves from the flame. So new armor would be adapted to them which would prove useful. Then the soldiers would incorporate those improvements in their armor; which then lead to better armor for the craftsmen etc. The armor adoption would jump back and forth from craftsmen and soldier. This resulted in armor that was at the peak of defense.

Unlike the heated hellscape of the lands around them, the people of Vil’Flare are quite cold in personality. To become heated, riled, or otherwise upset is seen as a waste of time and energy. Energy that could be better used to craft or to train rather than be drained by the heat of the land. The clan finds that a calm and cool mind solves most things with the best results. This has however, made clan-members come across as rude or ‘cold’ to guests.

When dealing with allies; Vil’Flare members speak respectfully to them; though if disrespected in turn the cold attitude returns as well.

If you can work hard and do well you are welcome in the clan. It matters not what race or social ring you belong to. The clan rewards ability, weather natural or achieved by hard-work does not matter; nor does bloodline or social status. The ‘nobles’ of the clan are those hardest working and best at what they do. They generally guide/oversee others of lower rank. In other words, a common man can very well work his way into nobility and a noble can lose his status by being lazy. As the clan’s very survival depends on their ability to craft various things, and guard these things, the craftsmen and guards of the clan work with a fever to improve each and every day. This both supports the clan and improves the individual’s livelihood.

Do to their obsession with their work, members of the Vil’Flare tend to not be very spiritual or religious. Rather than pray for something to happen, they get to work to make it so. So long as it does not interfere with their work, the Vil’Flare are quite tolerant to the religious views of others.

The clan does not own slaves. Slaves are not outlawed but most slaves are freed rather than kept. This is not due to any sense of kindness or justice but rather by the fact that slaves don’t work as hard or as well as free people with purpose do. Due to this, many ex-slaves find livelihood within the clan. If they work after all, they are paid and protected as members of the Vil’Flare clan.

Tainted are not looked at differently as it does not affect their ability to craft or to act as guards. Rather, some tainted have found that their taint gives them an edge in working next to painfully hot furnaces. That said, summoners are jailed or outright killed if caught letting demons run amok as loose demons are still dangerous, and the clan has enough danger as is.

One is either a Crafter or a Soldier in the Vil’Flare clan. Both have their own uniforms and besides the usual differences between male and female in drow culture, the two genders are treated more or less the same in regards to everything. In addition, Crafters and Soldiers are regarded as equal.

## **Clan Garb**

The never-ending fire and heat sees to it that most clan members wear a protective uniform of sorts, as short sleeves exposed too much skin to possible burns. To keep the uniform cool, fans are generally woven in, powered by imported or mined mana stones. In addition, all clan members wear/carry a gas-mask of sorts to protect against the toxic fumes that bubble up from time to time from the lava.

Hair is worn short or tied up as long hair is prone to catch fire. Gold, while mostly useless, is used for it’s shine in the making and wearing of gilded cloths and impressive jewelry. The upper management of the clan wear mostly red while most others wear black and gold with perhaps a bit of red here and there

Children are allowed to wear whatever clan colors they like and their clothing is more simple.

## Clan Troops

***"The Vil’Flare clan will never instigate a war but their troops will end it."***

#### **Standard Front-line Armor Soldier**

***Description:*** The height of Vil’Flare’s craft goes into the armor of its troops. Trade with certain clans grant the needed materials for all of the armor’s features and additional armaments such as gas mask, flame throwers, mana shields, additional plate, melee weapons, and short-range boomsticks. The red eyes are ment as a final touch to make the troops demonic-looking.

Heat Resistant thanks in part to the material and mana-cooled systems grant the Soldier the ability to wear the armor for long periods of time in home-like environments. While the armor may not be better in regards to more specialised suits, it boasts unrivaled defence.

Soldier’s clad in this armor know they are the literal shields and will always act as such. Whilst not the fastest in transport, the cargo under the charge of these troops will always reach its destination.

#### **War-forged Golem**

**Description:** Standing well over twice the size of a normal drow the Vil’Flare’s golem may not be the biggest golem around but it packs enough flame and punch to melt any metal it faces. In addition, it’s armor might as well be a fortress wall.

Unlike the rest of the Vil’flare’s arsenal, this golem is not meant as a defence, but rather for War.

## Clan Fortress

The Vil’Flare fortress is surrounded by lakes, rivers and lavafalls of magma. The city was carved out from the lavarock to sit upon the largest chunk of solid earth around. Though unseen at a glance, there are quite a number of building-sized fans powered by thermal energy that constantly blow the rising heat and poisonous gases away from the city proper. This causes visitors to feel even more heat as they approach; but once past the gate the temperature is bearable.