Ormsliki - Dragonborn
The Ormsliki are thought to be a myth or rumor by most of Enga’s people. Those that encounter them are usually taken aback or frightened, though the stronger amongst the Firar wee them as a test. Secretive on the whole but not as much as the Dvergr, they are found only in one area natively, the island of Aldair in South East Enga. While they are known as the Ormsliki by the Firar, their own name for themselves is hidden and unknown by outsiders.
The Firar tell tales that describe the Ormsliki as the children of Fafnir, but their true origins are unknown. Others spread the myth that Odin was pleased with their ability to fight and their honor and so placed them on Enga as a boon so that some of their number might join him in Valhalla. While these myths are popular among the Firar, the true origins of the Ormsliki are unknown outside their communities, and the Ormsliki themselves refuse to talk to outsiders about it.
Basic Information
Anatomy
- Humanoid. Tall, heavily weighted. Feet end in three talon like claws with a forth claw to the rear. Hands with three claws and thumb.
Genetics and Reproduction
- Female Ormsliki produce clutches of eggs once every 2 years if they have a mate. Typical clutches are 5-10 eggs, Infant mortality rates are similar to the Firar (10%).
Growth Rate & Stages
- The Ormsliki grow fast, typically walking within hours of hatching. They are considered adults around 15 years of age. Lifespan roughly similar to the Firar.
- Childhood - 0-10 Years
- Pre-Adult - 11-14 Years
- Adulthood - 15-40 Years
- Middle Aged - 45 Years
- Old - 70+ Years
Ecology and Habitats
- Primary buildings and living spaces look very similar to those found elsewhere on Enga. Lots of wood, and even stone buildings. Thatched roofs, and few paved roads (outside larger cities). Agriculture centers mainly around raising livestock, and the food for the livestock, as well as fishing and marine harvesting (whales, larger sea creatures).
Dietary Needs and Habits
- Young Ormsliki nurse for several months until teeth come in, then transition to soft foods. Eventually, as they get older, they are moved to the standard diet of adult Ormsliki, which is much more meat based than other races on Enga.
Additional Information
Social Structure
- Mirrors the Firar Jarldoms, but the ties to the Jarl are much tighter. Rarely does the Jarl change due to ritual combat, often they die in battle, of sickness, or of old age. After these deaths there is a protracted funeral and mourning period before ritual combats of potential successors begin. Unlike with the Firar, these are rarely to the death.
Facial characteristics
- Head features blunted snout, strong brow, reptilian frills on cheeks and ears. Ropy almost dreadlock like hair that is actually hornlike scale material. Eyes typically red or gold, but can also be silver and black.
Average Intelligence
- Similar to the Firar.
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
- Magic: Though it is not an often pursued line of study, those that do study magic seem to have an affinity for it. Refuse leadership roles in the Arcana of Toft, should they reach qualify for them. Ormsliki spell casters almost solely learn from their own peers. Rarely involved with outside magic users.
Civilization and Culture
Naming Traditions
- The Ormsliki choose a name to be know by to outsiders around the age of 15. While they may never use it unless they have contact with outsiders to the isle, all of them have one as a matter of practicality. This results in a a large number of common names (think “Sven” or “Olga”) due to an expectation they will never use it.
- To their fellow Ormsliki, they have names that mean things like “Bright Sword” or “Fatal Strike” in their own tongue. These names are rarely if ever known outside of those the Ormsliki individual considers family.
Major Organizations
- The Ormsliki have but a single Jarldom that covers their entire homeland. They raid outside their lands, never against other Ormsliki.
Beauty Ideals
- Tails are seen as disgusting throwbacks to a far gone primitive past, to the degree that some who are born or develop them will remove them.
Gender Ideals
- Egalitarian.
Courtship Ideals
- Elder family and village members arrange marriages based on traditions and centuries old agreements.
Relationship Ideals
- Typically, relationships are utilitarian, they're just to further the family line. Once children are 4-5 years of age, these relationships are typically dissolved. Parenting then typically falls on the village at that point as all adults are seen a surrogate parents and teachers.
Average Technological Level
- Ormsliki Longships: Long, heavily armored and often brutish, they are faster in shallow seas and coastlines due to crews that are outright more powerful than their Firar counterparts.
Common Etiquette Rules
- Enthusiastic and proud. Rarely brood over their failures for long, press on with a drive to do better. Forward, often seen as “in your face”. Open with their thoughts, often to the embarrassment of other races. See hiding their opinions or thoughts as deception.
Common Dress Code
- Much the same as other races, furs, leather, mail.
Culture and Cultural Heritage
Value and drive to be honorable in all things. Believe that the worst crime you can commit is to break an oath. Will go out of there way to fulfill oaths, even if it means death. Honest to a fault and cannot abide lying. Holds others to this same standard. Never breaks their word.
Strong dislike, often hatred of the Nidhoggr. This is typically because they are often blamed for the actions of the Nidhoggr, or at lest distrusted like them by the Firar and other species. Often work very hard to gain the friendship of other races when they are around them.
- Typically work to enhance their city, town or village prestige.
- On Enga, the Ormsliki have taken to the Firar gods as models of action. Most favored among them are Odin and Thor, though like elsewhere, other Aesir are worshipped. Unlike elsewhere, those that take too and worship the Aesir are very fervent in their beliefs. Often militant versus Gothi.
- All Ormsliki strive to be the best at what they do. More so, they are proud of who they are, what they have accomplished and the part they play in the growth of their family and people.
Common Taboos
- Oathbreakers are shunned.
- Romantic relationships are not acceptable with other races.
- Cowardice is punishable by death. Retreat is acceptable if it serves the greater good, but not if it's out of fear.
- Defending the weak, other than enemies, is a matter of honor.
Interspecies Relations and Assumptions
- Firar: Genrally relations are as good as seen on Enga. However, there is a long term animosity between them and the Rikr Jarldom of Lofot, especially the Jarldom of Konarhella.
- Aldr: Trade relationships with the Aldr of Sannligr who view them as they view everyone.
- Skratte: The Ormsliki are not really sure what to think of them. No Skratte live in their lands, and when they have encountered them, the Skratte have fought with honor, so they view them as worthy of respect. Traveling Ormsliki have been known to step in to defend Skratte that are being picked on by the Firar.
- Dvergr: Little is known about the relationship the Ormsliki have with the Dvergr. It is assumed they have very little contact, since both races have a similar approach to the outside world.
- Ulda: Interactions between the Ormsliki and the Ulda are almost entirely based on architecture and engineering. Ulda shipwrights are frequently hired to help improve the Ormsliki longship designs. Not the whole, the Ormsliki treat them similar to how they treat the Skratte.
Lifespan
80 Years + 1d20
Average Height
5’6” + 2d8”
Average Weight
175 + (2d6 * Height Roll) lbs
Average Physique
- Typically powerful, appear strong and dangerous.
Body Tint, Colouring and Marking
- Scales come in a number of hues: scarlet, gold, rust, black, gold and silver are the most common.
- Ability Score: Strength +2/Charisma +1
- Age: 15 +1D12
- Height: As per article.
- Weight: As per article.
- Speed: 30ft
- Languages: Ormsliki (Draconic), Common.
- Breath Weapon: See PHB.
- Variant Capabilities:
- Dark Vision: Roll 1d20. On a 18-20 you have Darkvision: 60ft, Dim as Bright, Dark as Dim
- Multi-Breath: At level 4 roll 1d20. On a 19 or 20 you gain a second breath weapon. See PHB for list.
- Nidhoggrs Endurance: Roll 1d20. On a 15-20 you gain this trait. When reduced to 0 HP but not killed outright you can drop to 1 instead. Can only be done once per long rest.
- Tail: Roll 1d20 on a 15+ you have a tail. As a bonus action on your turn you may strike with it doing 1d4 damage. (Strength based). Additionally, you have disadvantage on persuasion or intimidation rolls against other Ormsliki.
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