Pelagekin

Pelagekin is a blanket term for all manner of upright, sentient animals. Not all are strictly anthropomorphic - rather, they range widely in appearance, from fully humanoid individuals with only subtle bestial traits, to beings who are little more than upright animals. Some have human-like legs while others walk digitigrade, some stand fully upright while others are hunched, and all manner of in-between forms exist. This incredible diversity has resulted in a fractured people, with dozens of independent lieges commanding dozens more distinct villages, giving rise to a weak and scattered realm often ravaged by raiders, monsters, and political fragmentation.     The suffering the world has dealt to the Pelagekin is not for a lack of willpower, however. Through the centuries, the Pelagekin have stood firm in defiance of any invasion, regardless of the cost in blood. Most peoples of the Pelagekin federation share a conservative mindset - one set in stone like the fortresses they hide among. You will seldom find a resident who flees in the face of danger, unless it is to reinforce yet another trench or barricade. They are resolute, stalwart, and stoic, only ever showing their softer, more affectionate sides to each other. Warrior spirits are highly valued, and homes are constructed with defense in mind. Families conduct regular drills and exercises. If you manage to uncover the softer side of a Pelagekin, you will have earned a companion, friend, and defender to the last breath.     Their villages are highly organized and hierarchical, as efficiency and coordination are paramount in their dangerous homeland. At the head of each village is a governing duo: a civil leader known as the Minister, and a military commander called the Judge.     The Minister oversees legal disputes, distributes inheritances, manages taxes and spending, approves construction projects, and coordinates the trading of food, coin, and raw materials with nearby villages.     The Judge maintains a troop of mounted scouts, oversees the village's armor stockpiles, arranges fortification projects, brokers weapon and armor trades, and enforces criminal punishment.       Beyond these roles, every homestead upholds a specific profession vital to the village’s survival. Many families pass these trades down through generations. Most villagers tend fields or forage, while others specialize in masonry, woodwork, smithing, or hunting. These specialized homes often grow into halls—larger, multi-generational centers of craft and production. In peacetime, these halls ensure steady supplies of food and materials and provide meaningful work. In wartime, they serve as barracks, strongholds, and logistical hubs. The entire village transforms with startling speed: farmers take up pitchforks to join the levy, skilled builders raise barricades, and storage is shifted to defendable spaces.     On a national level, the Pelagekin maintain a complex network of alliances, forming a loose federative entity that shares military resources and trade. A council made up of the largest settlements commands the joint army. Their forces are built for mobility and adaptability, supported by an immense number of work animals and mounts. This allows them to navigate the forests swiftly and deploy troops even to fringe settlements under threat. Their equipment is highly variable, as designing standardized armor for such a wildly diverse range of body types is nigh impossible.     Though they appear unified on the surface, the Pelagekin are still creatures of instinct - divided deeply by the ancient tension between predator and prey. Entire cliques form around this primal divide. One village may adore its neighbors across the valley but harbor deep fear and suspicion toward those just across the river. Skirmishes erupt without warning and often end before the federal council can intervene. As a result, the Era of the Withering Bloom has kept the Pelagekin on edge, ever watchful and ever ready to fight for their own.