Species Spotlight: Morasu
Enigmatic warriors of order. A people bound by traditions and conquest who are as much at war with themselves as they are with neighboring nations.
Author’s note: Hoist the Colors may eventually inspire fiction. Most likely will and I’ll gladly write it. But right now, it’s a role-playing game setting with what I hope is an interesting take and look at an “Alternate History” of Earth. It isn’t really “steampunk”, though I can see how someone would get that impression. For me, it’s more a “gaslamp fantasy” set on Earth of 1722 in all it’s historical mess… that I’ve stirred up even more!
So, with that said, I thought I’d cover the playable species and cultures players will have to choose from. This time we’ve got the morasu!
Morasu
Some people that arrived from Otherworld wanted to blend old with the new. A fresh start. But there are those that wanted to reshape the world in their image, no matter the cost…
- Professor Isolde Trelawny, Historian at the Royal Institute of Otherworld Studies
Crossing’s Fall brought many species to Earth from Otherworld against their will. Some, such as the thayans, were quick to offer an open hand to the Earth’s nations with mixed results. Others, like grimlings, kept to themselves as much as they could. But then there was the morasu, who met humanity with a sharp, naked blade.
The morasu are a formidable species known for their militaristic cultures and dogmatic social traditions. Originating from the Tir Yovat Empire on the continent of Zafra in Otherworld, they were legendary for their aggressive ethos and pursuit of order. Many historians and scholars suspect that these traits, and the morasu themselves, inspired the dark and complex myths among human cultures in the past.
But the Crossing’s Fall disaster spared nothing. The mountainous terrain of Zafra fell to Earth, split to pieces and a shadow of its former glory. Now, the bulk of the continent lies in the Pacific Ocean to the east of Japan, while smaller fragments are scattered from Greenland to South America.
In most Otherworld cultures, morasu are called ‘nightclaws’, a derogatory nod to their raven-like features. Humans use a different insulting term. They call them ‘stormbirds’, partly because of their unpredictable temper.
After Crossing’s Fall, while many refugees looked to rebuild or find new opportunities, the morasu sought conquest. They looked to establish their own brand of order on what they saw as a primitive, chaotic world.
Dark Mirror of Humanity
They look frail, but so does a razor…
- Professor Isolde Trelawny, Historian at the Royal Institute of Otherworld Studies
Morasu are humanoid but are the least human-looking of all the Otherworld refugees. They stand as tall as an average human but are often thinner, with a unique blend of human and animal-like features.
They are a bipedal species with the physical characteristics of both humans and ravens. Glossy black feathers cover their body, except for pearl-gray scaly skin on their legs and face. On their head, those features are entwined with long black or silver hair they often wear in a topknot or long braids.
Their black feathers aren’t just for looks. They serve as natural weather protection and grow the longest along their arms, like wing feathers. While they’re incapable of true flight, morasu can glide when leaping from high places. Buildings or the crow’s nest of a ship work best. They also posses a raven-like tail, complete with more midnight black feathers.
Last would be their face. Despite their raven characteristics, morasu have a human-shaped face. It’s thin, with no beak, but has the same pearly gray scaled skin. They have sharply pointed ears and solid black eyes that are particular to their ancestry.
Senses
The morasu share the same senses common to any species, but some of theirs are more acute. Especially in the realms of sight and smell.
While their eyesight doesn’t match the vision of a thayan, morasu vision is still very versatile. Their eyesight is crystal clear both day and night. This is particularly useful for them at night, where even a sliver of moonlight allows them to see clearly in the dark when hunting.
The morasu also have a heightened sense of smell that is fine-tuned to detect specific odors similar to the precision of a bloodhound. They are especially sensitive to sweet or acidic odors. The smell of blood is especially sharp to them. Much like a shark sensing blood in the water, a morasu can smell the scent of fresh blood up to 20 yards away on land.
Effects of these enhanced senses is woven throughout the fabric of their lifestyle. Most morasu homes often consider both color and scent as important as tactical defense and decor when they design a home. This has even translated to a unique silent language only the morasu cultures use, which involves flowers for the combination of colors and scent.
Dietary Habits
Like thayans and grimlings, morasu can eat almost anything a human can, but they have a strong preference for meat. Red meat, in particular, is their favorite. They also share the same food sensitivities as thayans to chocolate and coffee, both of which make them tipsy.
Culture
In the Tomia game, either you win, or find yourself bled out and forgotten.
- Lord Kaivos of Tomia Harogara
To the outside world, the morasu are known for their strong sense of duty and an obsession with order. But, their culture actually revolves around their noble houses, or Tomias. Each have their own unique traditions and worldviews, but are united in a common cause under the banner of the Storm Emperor.
The Tomias are in a constant state of competition. Rivalries, most generations old, that stem from age-old grievances or nearly forgotten historical events. This has caused a complex web of alliances and intrigue to form between each one that survives to this day on Earth.
Once, on Otherworld, there were dozens of Tomias scattered across their Tir Yovat Empire. After the Otherworld was shattered, only a handful crashed to Earth. Most rebuilt their holdings on the island of Zafra. Others remained where they arrived in lands such as Greenland, South America, and the Caribbean.
Today, the Tomias struggle against and with each other to rebuild their fallen kingdom. They navigate new rivalries and alliances between each other and human nobility to reconstruct the Tir Yovat Empire on Earth. A kingdom that would put both Otherworld refugees, and humans, under their domain.
But, there are those morasu who have stepped outside their own Tomias to explore this new world. A courageous act, that some consider taboo. Those few individuals are looking to see what lies beyond the ancient traditions of the Tomias, or even to act as ambassadors for their people. At times, this is for the good of their Tomia, but it may also be for nefarious purposes as well.
Surviving major Tomias of the New Tir Yovat Empire
Tomia Vargoth - The Storm Lions. Members of Tomia Vargoth are fierce warriors that value strength in combat above all else. They are often the first to volunteer for duty on the front lines and are known for their swordmasters.
Tomia Harogara - The oldest of the Tomias, Harogara is known its long line of warrior philosophers among their ranks. Some of the greatest strategists to advise the Storm Emperor in wartime came from Tomia Harogara.
Tomia Torgazi - Members of Tomia Torgazi are called the Coin Keepers. Merchants and traders, members of this house are skilled at haggling with a knack for acquiring rare antiques. They are the house that manages trade in the Tir Yovat Empire, and are considered the most treacherous.
Tomia Drevez - Members are often explorers and cartographers. They are the most rebellious of the Tomias, with the morasu of Tomia Drevez often taking jobs as privateers, even against other Tomias. They are the most likely to be on the lookout for new horizons, uncharted territories, and lost mysteries.
Tomia Kurenji - The Starseers. This is a house of scholars and mystics. Custodians of ancient morasu lore and magic from thousands of generations past. In the court of the Storm Emperor, there has always been one member of Tomia Kurenji as the court’s Wavebinder.
For the first time in their history, the morau find themselves at a crossroads. One path leads to conquest, the other to a quiet harmony. Choose wisely, for this new world is watching.
- H’ana Valorn, renegade of Tomia Drevez
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- Kummer Wolfe