Salvador

in: Races

## Introduction

A coastal kingdom born from mixed nationalities, Salvador, was named after its people’s fierce belief that they are the most elegant across the globe. This ocean faring nation is well known for its

shipping industry, and a bastion of civilization and good breeding. Refined swordsmen, courtly culture and amazing mariners all come from these lands. It is also a nation known to have an issue with piracy, and its own people being a main contributor to such a lifestyle.

Salvador is also the home to many descendants of the old Arcelian lineages. Centuries back, the City States were lost to the gradual decline that resulted with an ever changing world. Unable to maintain their ways of life, the Arcelians migrated from their home island and arrived in Salvador on the mainland. With the mass migration, the City States fell from prominence and eventually the passage of time left the Arcelian’s ancestral home in abandoned ruins.

## The Basics

* **Appearance:** Due to their mixed blood, Salvadorian people all tend to look vastly different. But their beauty standards suggest tall, lean people with darker hair tones are the focal points. Both men and women are known to let their hair grow long, and men take pride in their well-kept facial hair. These people keep their ports open for all different races, for the coin they bring is more for the Salvadorians to pocket for themselves, wealth being a great focus for many.
* **Lifespan:** 75 Years
* **Height:** 170 cm (5'7") - 190 cm (6'3")
* **Regions Found:** Salvadorians are found throughout the world wherever there is a port to settle, but their home is settled on the southwest continent.
* **Culture:** For the people of Salvador, reputation, wealth, and sophistication meant just about everything to them. One's own honor for a Salvador was taken very seriously, capturing their entire moral identity.
* **Common Character Roles:** Merchants, Sailors, Smiths, Tailors, Swordsmen
* **Common Allies:** They do not have allies, per say, but they’re friendly enough to engage in trade with.
* **Common Enemies:** Nocturnum
* **Religion:** Religious worship in Salvador is a very controversial topic, where officially, only one true god is worshiped publicly by law. Travelers passing through are free to worship their own gods, albeit, in private. Whereas immigrants are expected, and practically forced, to submit under their one true god.
* **Views on Magic:** Magic to the Salvadors is a privilege that only the higher class can afford, where the lower classes are not given the opportunity to learn by the private practitioners.
* **Government:** Salvadorians live and rule within an atypical monarchy, under an extremely complex political system, dukes and counts rule fiefs in the name of their king, swearing fealty to him. Court positions are paid positions, favoring the royalty of the land over the common people, like much of their feudal system did.

## Appearance

A coastal kingdom born from mixed nationalities, Salvador, was named after its people’s fierce belief that they are the most elegant across the globe. This ocean faring nation is well known for its shipping industry, and a bastion of civilization and good breeding. Refined swordsmen, courtly culture and amazing mariners all come from these lands. Due to their mixed blood, Salvadorian people all tend to look vastly different. But their beauty standards suggest tall, lean people with darker hair tones are the focal points. Both men and women are known to let their hair grow long, and men take pride in their well-kept facial hair. These people keep their ports open for all different races, for the coin they bring is more for the Salvadorians to pocket for themselves, wealth being a great focus for many. On the other hand, Salvador also has an often ignored hand in the survival of piracy. Such peoples tend to boast their own twist on Salvadorian style, often adopting stolen and lower quality material for their clothes. Those who fulfill the ranks of wayward pirates often come from lower class situations.

## History & Culture

### Culture

For the people of Salvador, reputation, wealth, and sophistication meant just about everything to them. One's own honor for a Salvador was taken very seriously, capturing their entire moral identity. It is the guiding hand of their whole society, and both men and women are always on the lookout for something new or exciting, to be the first to brag about it. And daring to insult one’s honor will often end in a duel of arms, sometimes even to the death if the insult is great enough. But more than anything, the duels act as a simple way to humiliate the other.

The attachment to public image meant the nobles of Salvador conspired against each other quite frequently, while keeping a façade about them as they spoke eloquently of their rivals.

Swordsmanship is a common practice in Salvador, for both men and women alike, where if one can afford the practice, they are trained under one of the most sophisticated fencing created. Fights are taken with elegance and the principles of chivalry shine across their actions. But this was mainly for the higher classes, those that struggled just barely above, or below, the poverty line never had the luxury of paid practice, and fights in the slums were an everyday occurrence. There was no elegance, each fight threatening to be their last.

### Marriage and Courtship

Women are put upon a pedestal, to the point where men are forbidden from speaking ill of a woman in public. For the men who consider themselves refined, they will often kneel before them to initiate a conversation. Men do not court women, but rather, pay homage to them. The journey of romance being regarded as one of the greatest pleasures of life.

The eyes of both genders play a huge part in courtship, for a blatant regard upon someone may be taken as express interest. Men perceive a woman’s stare as desire, and for the refined gentleman, it would excite them greatly.

In marriage, it is frowned upon to be forced into marriage, to come between two lovers in one of the greatest crimes one can commit socially. And once the two lovers are bound by their vows, they are expected to remain faithful amongst one another, to become everlasting partners. Noble marriages, however, are prearranged. A formal arrangement lasting only a few months takes place to match two lovers together and the affection in a marriage is considered irrelevant by the parents, usually done more for the joining of two powerful families than the care of their children.

### Freebooters and Sell Swords

Because of their desires for wealth and glory, Salvador's make for amazing freebooters and mercenaries, who sail the seas looking for riches and glory, be it from battle or crime.

Through time, bands of freebooters began popping up across the seas, with many of them having some ties to Salvador if not being outright locals. They are a rapacious and cruel people, raiding coastal towns and marauding ships often as they travel the seas and prey upon the established trade routes, taking what they want and killing who they want. Many ships never make it back to port because of this growing profession, and this resulted in the banning of all suspected freebooters, with threat of hangings.

The life of a freebooter is usually short, but full of glory and fame, so long as the person didn’t mind that fame coming from a wanted poster.

## Religion

Religious worship in Salvador is a very controversial topic, where officially, only one true god is worshiped publicly by law. Travelers passing through are free to worship their own gods, albeit, in private. Whereas immigrants are expected, and practically forced, to submit under their one true god.

Salvadorians believe that Solanarium to be a benevolent god that is said to answer simple prayers, no requirements of sacrifice or hardship. His followers believe he is the one true god among all, who watch over mankind and even guide them to prosperity. Land is granted freely to the clergy, to construct towering temples that reach to the sky, in an effort to catch the gaze of their god.

## Racial Relations

Salvador is welcoming to most everybody within their cities and ports so long as there is coin to be had from the interaction. Additionally, they are renowned to set sail over the years, allowing each generation to experience its own bout with wanderlust.

The one exception to this rule is a more recent development. There’s been a brewing conflict at sea with Nocturnum over the set of islands bordering both factions and it has evolved into outright warfare between the two countries.

## Perception of Magic

Magic to the Salvadors is a privilege that only the higher class can afford, where the lower classes are not given the opportunity to learn by the private practitioners. Those that catch onto the arts are claimed to be "Chosen Ones” given the right under their god to use this inhuman power. They are taught how to use it to compliment their everyday lives, to rise up the social ladder or to defend themselves. Thus, some of the most famous, and strongest, in the lands are well versed. Despite this, it's not unheard of for commoners to latch onto the arts, and they are often used to hoist themselves above their fellow countrymen.