Pëlöryk (culture)
Cultural Overview
Origins
The Pëlöryk are descendant from a slave soldier from the god wars. The scattered survivors became feral and slowly evolved to their present state.
Geography
Pëlöryk of one kind or another are found throughout Annexea in wilderness regions. Each warren will claim a fairly large territory as their hunting range, and they will war with each other if they intrude upon claimed territory.
Language
All Pëlöryk communicate using a variant of the Pëlöryk language. When Pëlöryk hatch, they are already fluent with a small vocabulary, due to their genetic racial memory.
Family
Pëlöryk warrens are composed of related creatures.
Structure / Size
A typical warren numbers between 50-100 members, lead by a single breeding pair. The warren's members will form packs of perhaps a dozen members who mirror the hierarchy of the warren as a whole.
Roles of Family Members
- Chief
- The most powerful male in the colony will be the defacto leader, claiming the right to breed with the colonies Brood Queen.
- Brood Queen
- Every colony has one queen, who is fertile and capable producing broods of eggs to replenish the warren's numbers.
- Hunters/Warriors
- The remainder of the colony serve are hunters feeding the colony and warriors defending the warren's territorial claim.
- Crafters
- When not hunting or warring with encroaching neighbours some members of the colony will turn to crafting tools, weapons, and other items required by the warren.
Importance
The concept of relatedness is a minor one to the Pëlöryk, they value strength and power more. New hatchlings may retain some attachment towards their mother, but it fades in time due to the pressure to find ones place in the pack and warren hierarchies.
Influence
Loyalty among related pëlöryk plays a small role in keeping the tribe cohesive, but brotherly ties only go so far when considering a chance at being the top male of the colony. Pëlöryk of the same brood will tend to form packs together.
Religion
The Pëlöryk do not seem to practice any cohesive religion as a whole. Individual warrens my practice variations of totemic faith, or engage in superstition related behaviours depending on their particular history and experiences.
Primary Beliefs
The following are meant to be examples only:
- Totemic
- A pëlöryk warren might revere a particularly powerful creature they have encountered in or near their territory. Golanei, dragons, or other large predators usually fit the bill. The tribe might try to appease this beast with offerings of food, or sacrificing weaker members of the warren.
- Ancestor worship
- Given that every pëlöryk carries partial memories of their parents, and more distant relatives within them, some warrens may come to revere particular relatives who feature prominently in a bloodline's history. This may take the form of simply adopting those names regularly, or emulating particular qualities that made that individual an exemplar to his/her descendants.
- Earth mother
- Some pëlöryk tribes may begin to worship their queen as an avatar of a creator mother figure, fertility goddess. In rare cases the queen might supplant the chief as the colonies leader, choosing her mates, rather than being reduced to a brood sow used by the chief for sex.
- God-King
- Similar to the Earth mother, a particularly powerful chief might begin to see themselves as more than mortal, especially if they survive attempts on their life unscathed, or make it to a significantly advanced age compared to others of their tribe. These kinds of religious cults generally only last as long as the leader is capable of keeping his lessers inline. should they die, the concept usually dies with them, as the proof of mortality sets the record straight.
Religious Figures
- Shaman
- Pëlöryk have the same potential to become psionic or learn to use sorcery, or theurgy. In rare cases these individuals can become spiritual leaders in the colony. Respected or feared for their magic, they may carve a special role among their warren, usually tied to some religion or superstition held by the colonies members.
List of Religious Observances
Depending on the degree or religiosity in a warren they will adopt holy days, or rituals reflecting their particular faith. the variety, and means of these practices would be unique to each warren, and too widely varied to try to enumerate here.
Structure
The structure of their faith depends heavily on the kind of religion a warren develops. Some require roles of shamans, or priests to guide the others in the faith. while others may be more of a personal practice performed by individuals.
Ceremonial
Very little ceremonial behaviour is observed amongst the Pëlöryk, outside of some religious examples when present. However a few still persist.
Birth
Naming
Pëlöryk receive their names from their mother prior to being laid as eggs, through the genetic memory of the species. this is her final gift to each offspring.
Age
Pëlöryk do not celebrate the passing of years like other sapient species. their lives are usually too short, and violent for age to matter.
Adulthood
Their is no ceremony surrounding adult hood amongst the colony, as one is expected to participate in the hunting and maintenance of the warren as soon as one is capable. For the Pëlöryk, childhood ends when they hatch.
Death
Usually there is no ceremony surrounding the death of a colony member among the Pëlöryk, however some religious practices may arise around the phenomena on a case by case basis.
Inheritance
Pëlöryk have very little sense of personal property beyond what is in ones immediate possession. Their are no hereditary positions within the colony either. The only inheritance they get is the shared memories of their parents from the time of conception.
Diet
Pëlöryk as a species are exclusive carnivores.
Food
Meat, meat and more meat. Some Pëlöryk might cook meat first, but usually it is consumed as fresh as possible and raw. In rare cases some colonies practice preserving meat through smoking or freezing, but such inventiveness often is lost, due to the lack of retention for those skills if the practitioner doesn't breed to pass down the memories of such.
Cannibalism
Pëlöryk will certainly kill and eat other sapient species given the opportunity. While they generally won't kill their own warren members for food, unless famine is present, they will certainly consume their own dead when available.
Drink
Non-Alcoholic
Water, blood, or milk drank raw and fresh.
Alcohol
Pëlöryk can be affected by alcohol, but do not practice any sort of vinting, distilling or brewing.
