Dáotara

The Dáotara are a mutation that occured from the were-animal and vampire population (Becombala). The mutated gene is called the "immunity gene" and also known as "consistent blood". It enables them to hold were as well as vampire and in some cases sorgina powers if the correct conditions are met. They can only survive in Degheigh, because they have a demonic core and are therefore considered a native race of that world.

History

The Dáotara mutation was discovered around the year 800, but people that had it were seen as outsiders and freaks. That lead to them retreating from society, living among themselves in small settlements.

Around the year 1000 the Dáotara society had grown a lot and they started struggling for leadership in their settlements. So the families started fighting each other, the winner raising up in rank until an order was established. Then the leading families battled among each other to expand their field of influence. Over multiple years of internal conflict, twelve developed, each with their leading family.

Additionally to their internal conflicts, the Dáotara started to fight the becombala clans over land and finally even rivaled the sorgina for their world dominating position. Today, the Dáotara are the leading political and economical race, even though the Warlocks are almost equally powerful due to their monopoly on magic.

Throughout the years, each of the Dáotara countries developed individually, formed alliances in some cases. But they also fought among each other.

A few years ago, the Purge happened, the rebel organization known as the Empire rose up with the goal of forming a global organisation of Dáotara countries. They managed to force all leading Dáotara families of the world to work together. The countries did not merge, like the Empire wanted, but the Forced Unification happened and the Unified Council was created, in which all dáotára leaders come together and discuss global issues regularly. This made the relationship to the sorgina more strained since the Dáotara now stand stronger, even if they would never admit it.

Genetics and Powers

• see Genetics of the Species for more information

The Dáotara have a demonic core, corrupted angelic blood and angelic as well as demonic cover. The two latter features are caused by the genetical mutation. They can only survive in Degheich. When they get bitten by a vampire or a were-animal, they do not fully change into that (therefore the term "consistent blood", since their blood does not fully change).

To aquire the powers of a vampire and / or a were-animal, they need to drink a significant amount of their blood. Afterwards, they need to put effort in to train and control their gained powers. Only with long time of training they can get to a level of skill with their abilities like a born vampire or were-animal would be.

To aquire a sorgina´s magic, a dying sorgina needs to willingly hand over to a dáotára through physical contact. These powers also need to be practiced. The dáotára is merely given the ability to tap into their Life Energy and therefore magic potential, not the magic capabilities in itself.

Due to their demonic core they do have an average life span of 180 year, roughly twice the average human life span.

Culture

The Dáotara structure their society quiet literally after the concept of survival of the fittest. Since their societal structure was determined through a period of fighting, they value physical strength and the ability to fight in their leaders. The society is structured into higher, middle and lower families. Individuals or entire families can move up and down in the structure if they prove their worthyness in a combat trial.

Additionally to that, the Dáotara really value their ancestors and their family. Most of them do not follow the Faith of the Eight, but instead follow a sort of ancestral cult, worshipping and honoring their ancestors in different ways. People for example do not move out of their parents house unless absolutely necessary. Children also always get a middle name, honoring the name of their parent or grandparent.

Connected to that, higher families value natural beauty a lot, because they believe that ones natural looks are a gift from their ancestors. Therefore they are strict about forbidding any kind of body modification, up to forbidding makeup and piercings. Middle and lower families are usually not as strict about this though.

Standards for clothing are less about gender roles and more about occupation and social structure. The higher up in society, people will wear more complicated outfits, with lots of layers, details; focused more on form instead of function. People in occupations that need to be in practical clothing are exemt from that.

Traditions

Common celebrations throughout the year are:

• Spring Equinox
• Summer Solstice
• Fall Equinox
• Winter Solstice
• Day of Departure (comparable to New Years in the human world)

Birthdays:

Coming of age is celebrated at the age of sixteen. But the people between the ages of sixteen and around twenty are not completely taken seriously as adults yet. They are referred to as "visan", meaning "barely old". The sixteenth birthday is celebrated only among family, except for important people in the monarchy.

Other birthdays are usually celebrated with small gatherings, but the older a person gets, the more it gets celebrated because old age is considered a blessing.

Weddings:

Weddings are traditionally celebrated with both families, as many people invited as are related in some way. The bride and groom are each wearing their families colours.

Funerals:

Dáotara burn their dead. Friends and family can attend, with important people, sometimes, the public can attend. People wear white and silver clothing, representing the Life Energy being let go from the body. If the death was not through natural causes, the attendees wear copper jewelery to signify the blood spilled. As such, wearing copper jewelery on any other occasion is considered rude and bad luck.