The Satyrs

The Satyrs are a race of great contradictions native to Ecumene, making their home in the taigas to the North of Oriens. As one of the Intelligent Races, they have achieved a high level of technology, intelligence, and society that not many other species have, and while their geographic position tends to isolate them from the rest of the world, they care not, and seek only to make the best of their mortal lives. They are a member of the very broad "Demihuman" group of Races, which includes races that are not entirely bestial in appearance, but not entirely Humanoid. This group also includes Centaurs and Satyrs, although the three races are only distantly related.   This race is primarily known for its bovid attributes, but to truly understand the race we must also understand its "human" parts. Satyrs, like their distant cousins the Centaurs and Dryads, are divided into two parts, their primate-like upper half, and their lower, more ungulate like half. In comparison to the much taller races of Men and Elves, the Satyrs are quite short, perhaps due in part due to their origins as people of the cold North. However, one would be a fool to call a Satyr frail or weak. Most of a Satyr's bones are sturdier and thicker than those of Man, specifically their shoulders, ribcage, and elbow joints, allowing them to take heavy blows easier. Their forearms are shorter but much more muscular than those of other races, with genders of both species having hair reminiscent of that on their lower halves covering their arms from below the elbow. The shortness of their arms is hardly an issue for the race, however, due to their short height. Because of this (and the Square Cube Law), a well-built Satyr can often beat larger races in feats of strength. Indeed, the muscle structure of a Satyr is more similar to those of other apes than those of the other races (though the skeletal structure of a Satyr waist up is almost identical to Mankind's), and when combined with their height, a Satyr can work very hard, although they generally have less stamina than Men. However, this all comes at the cost of slightly less finely tuned motor skills, though not nearly enough to stop the Satyrs from using and developing highly advanced tools. The race exhibits slightly pale skin most of the time, with their head and facial hair most commonly being various shades of brown.   While the skull of a Satyr is generally similar to those of the other primate-like races, although it has evolved to be quite shock resistant, the things the skull holds give the Satyr many advantages over the bigger folk of Ecumene. Firstly, the ears of a Satyr are actually quite similar to those of the Gnomes, being five inches long, and just as thick. Due to this, a Satyr can more easily find the origin of a sound. Satyrs have incredibly strong teeth that are specifically made for sustained chewing and grinding. This, when combined with the large ruminant stomach and quite potent digestive acids of a Satyr, allows members of the race to chew up and digest things other races wouldn't even think of. However, due to their four-chambered stomach, Satyrs regurgitate fiber-rich food back into their mouths in the form of cud and chew it a bit more before swallowing again. While this may seem gross to an outsider, it is a fact of life for a Satyr, and most even enjoy the experience. The most interesting facet of the Satyrian biology (above the beltline at least) is their pupils. Much like other bovids, Satyrs have horizontal pupils, which increases the amount of light their eye takes in from in front of and behind them while reducing the amount of light from above and below. This allows them to have a nearly panoramic view of what they are directly looking at as well as their peripheries, but the very top and very bottom of their eyesight are blurred.   Satyrs of both genders have keratin horns sprouting from their heads. These horns tend to begin to grow out around the time a kid (the term for a baby Satyr) is teething. While the initial growth of the horns is painful for the kid, further growth is nearly painless outside of small aching, with growth stopping around when a Satyr reaches adulthood. Despite being made primarily of keratin and proteins, a Satyr's horns have nerves, blood vessels, and small and nearly invisible hairs. This makes breaking a horn incredibly painful and sometimes deadly if the break is bad enough. Satyr horns do not grow back and come in many different forms, with the type of horn being determined by genetics. Horns similar to those of rams, domestic goats, mouflons, oryxes, addax, and bharals are common, though a Satyr may rarely be born with horns similar to those of a markhor. Of course, while Satyr horns may be similar in appearance to those above, they are often scaled down to fit the small size of a Satyr.   From the waist down, a Satyr takes on a far more goat-like appearance. The divide is marked by the large, stocky hips of a Satyr and a transition between the relatively hairless skin of the upper body to the shaggy and thick coat (usually colored a shade of brown or tan in youth) of the lower body, as well as the appearance of a short tail. The legs of a Satyr jut forward strongly at the knee and then gradually bend backward until the hock of the Satyr is reached, where it then gradually goes forwards once more. While this may seem overly troublesome, it allows a Satyr as much mobility as if they had straighter legs (although they are forced to move in much greater strides), and may actually be one of the reasons for the race's incredible powers of balance. The legs of a Satyr end in a cloven hoof with a dewclaw attached a bit above. As each of their hooves are split into two parts, this gives them very good traction, perfect for keeping balance on precarious surfaces. The hooves of a Satyr grow out, but they grow out quite slowly, and most Satyrs just file them down slightly once every month or so.   At first glance, the sexual dimorphism of the Satyrs is similar to that of other more Humanoid looking races, as they both have "traditionally" masculine facial features for bucks (males) and feminine facial features for does (females). Does, of course, have mammalian breasts upon their chests, and male Satyrs have larger horns than their female counterparts, as well as the ability to grow facial hair. Bucks have been known to lactate, though this is a rare occurrence and is seen as embarrassing by Satyr society. The race has a reproductive system more similar to those of bovids, although male Satyrs maintain a permanent erection after they hit puberty. As members of the Intelligent Races, Satyrs can feel attraction to all of the other races, though they can only breed with members of their own species.

As stated before, the Satyr race has the same reproductive system as most bovid species. The gestation period of a Satyr is about 6 months, with dizygotic twins being the most common outcome, unlike other mammalian races who commonly have one child. This is not to say that a single kid, or even triplets, is not impossible. Out of all the mammalian races, Satyrs are most likely to have quadruplets, quintuplets, and even sextuplets, though having these many kids at once is quite rare.   A Satyr is completely dependent on its parents until it reaches the age of 3, although it is able to walk as soon as it comes out of the womb (though not without difficulty). It does take them until about one year old to do much else, however. A Satyr remains a kid until around age 13, where it reaches adolescence and puberty. Full adulthood is reached at around age 18, and then a senior at around 75. Once a Satyr has reached seniority, both their head hair and lower body coat begin to go grey, and wrinkles begin to develop on their skin.

While the Arctic Chain of the Ogres and the Orienal Taiga of the Satyrs are on the same latitude, they are quite different areas. The geysers and permafrost of Borealia are replaced by mighty forests and steady rainfall, owing to the Suntouched Current. This allows the native Satyrs to have a fairly large agricultural sector, with animals such as unicorns, hogs, sheep and chickens all being raised within the Hinterland. However, hunting and foraging continue to be a major part of Satyrian culture and diet, with deer, moose, elk, reindeer, and muskox being just as common as farm animals. Meats are often fixed into sausages, smoked, sautéed, or stewed. Wild berries and mushrooms such as raspberries, blueberries, lingonberries, cloudberries, cranberries, arctic brambles, strawberries, chanterelles, ceps, milkcaps, and russulas are all quite common. Berries are often dried out to preserve them for the winter. They can also be put into traditional rye or oat porridge or even stuffed into bread of the same type, as both types of grain are quite commonly grown in that far northern land. While it can often be hard to grow them, Satyrian cuisine is not without vegetables. Tubers such as turnips, beets, and potatoes are the most common veggies, but kale, fiddlehead ferns, peas, cabbage, spinach, and cow parsnip are also quite popular. Satyr cuisine is not often spiced, and when it is, it is not spiced heavily.   Milk of all kinds is by far the most beloved drink in the Hinterland, as it can be drunk cold, warm, or even fermented. Tea is not too common, however, due to the relative isolation of the Satyrs. Alcohol is completely prohibited by the Satyrian religion.   The Satyr race usually has three meals a day. The first is Aamiainen (Breakfast), which is often made up of bread, porridge, and cold meats. Lounas (Lunch) is a much heavier meal of stews, cooked meats, and vegetables. The last meal of the day is Illallinen (Dinner) and is quite similar to Aamiainen in structure.

There is no one Satyrian government, but they all follow a basic template. Each village is completely independent from the other, and each is ruled by a Druid. Essentially, the Druids are Priestess-Queens, having absolute power over the Satyrs in their village. When she is not leading the village in rituals, she will mediate disputes between those in her village, organize its warriors, and deal out punishments to lawbreakers. Usually, the daughter of a Druid will become the new Druid on her death, but there is nothing stopping a Druid from grooming another successor.    However, individual Satyrs have a great deal of freedom. They do not pay taxes, they choose what to grow and what to sell, and if they commit a crime (which is usually religious in nature, and if it isn't, it's a universally agreed-upon boundary), they will not be taken in by a proper law enforcement force, but instead a group of citizens that have been roused to action by the Druid. If a Satyr wants to merge their farming or business operation with others, they obviously can, but such a thing must be consensual on the part of all parties involved. There is no real currency within the Taiga, with bartering being the main tool of commerce.

While Satyrs do have given names, their surname is patrilineal but is instead matrilineal. This is due to the fact that Satyrian society is matriarchal rather than patriarchal. Interestingly, the middle name of a Satyr is also quite important, as it is always the name of the town the Satyr came from and is, therefore, a great source of pride. As such, Satyrs will always introduce themselves using their full name. For example, a male Satyr's name could be something like "Usko Outontio Kujala" or "Viljam Räpima Huhtala", whereas a woman's name could be something like "Sara Pärtu Marttila" or "Aallotar Kärlamäe Juuntunen".

Like most things in their culture, Satyrian views on gender are deeply intriguing. In contrast with every other culture on Ecumene, the Satyrs believe that women must govern society, even though it is also up to them to rear children and take care of domestic business. Indeed, their faith, the Totem Dance, proclaims that life itself is holy, and as women bring life unto the earth, it is their job to rule it. Druids and Seers, the rulers and priests of the villages, can only be women, and it is expected that women, not men, work as warriors for their village. After all, as women give life and make the home, it should be their job to defend the very same from harm. Conversely, it is the job of the men to labor. They are the farmers, hunters, and craftsmen of Satyrian society, taking care of the physical whilst the women take care of the spiritual. Wooden pan pipes are the traditional symbol of Satyrian masculinity, so when a Satyr becomes a man, it is usual that the Druid of his village gift him a pair.

Satyr relationships are, at least to others on Ecumene, very weird. While monogamy is common, the Satyrs do not recognize marriage as an institution, so polyamorous relationships are not only somewhat common but fully accepted. Men can have multiple female partners and women can have multiple male partners. However, homosexuality is seen as Unnatural. Furthermore, the co-habitation of the sexes is also seen as Unnatural. Even if a man and a woman have been in a committed relationship for decades, they are prohibited from living with one another for any extended period of time. The only acceptable instance of a man and woman living together is if a mother is raising a little boy, but even then, when he turns 18, he is expected to go live with the men.   Most Satyrs are born as twins, and because of this, siblinghood has a lot of weight in Satyrian society. Two sets of twins are expected to be quite close to one another, telling all their secrets to the other and keeping them close. Furthermore, if one is murdered or otherwise harmed, it is the duty of the other twin to get revenge.

Satyrian religion teaches the concept of the Unnatural. This is to say that anything that does not come from the soil, from the sky, or from the word of the Gods is completely disallowed within their society. Therefore, out of their own volition, the Satyrs have not constructed cities or nations, they are disgusted by steel and electricity, and are horrified by trains and telegraphs. Furthermore, the race despises and refuses to use magic.

Satyrs speak a language known as "Satyrian" which is in essence real-life Finnish. This language uses a syllabary system of writing known as "Glyphic", traditionally carved into rock or painted onto leather, as paper is Unnatural.

When a Satyr wants to greet another of their kind, or really any member of the Intelligent Races, they will bleat (as Satyrs are capable of making goat-like noises) while stamping one of their feet. Foreign reservations towards various gas releases from the body are not a thing within the rough and naturalistic Satyrian culture, and such expulsions are even seen as a courteous way to compliment the chef if one is eating someone else's cooking. In other circumstances, they are seen as no more embarrassing than being struck by a fit of coughs. The race is also known for their casual friendliness, with foreign observers marveling at the Satyrian ability to strike up an hours-long conversation with complete strangers, as this sort of openness and extraversion is common courtesy within the Taiga.

Satyrian clothing is usually made of wool or animal skin, with both male and female Satyrs often dress up in Gákti shirts, highly decorated and oftentimes colorful garments adorned with bands of contrasting colors, braids, tassels, and a high collar. This item of clothing is often considered to be something fancy and is only really worn on holidays and other events of note. Male Satyrs will often wear wool or buckskin shirts and pants, and in the winter, they will also wear a poncho-like cape known as a Luhkka. This is usually made of wool, as to keep water off the wearer. On the other hand, women will wear simple wool or buckskin dresses, often with a long reindeer coat known as a "beaska".   Male Satyrs can grow facial hair, and will often do so in the form of goatees, goat patches, van dyke beards, and french fork beards. They will seldom style their hair, instead preferring it to be incredibly short, although women will often tie theirs into braids and pigtails. If it is available to them, women will also tie jewelry around their horns.

Houses And Architecture
As a purposefully primitive people, most Satyrs live in villages made up of various homes built in the barabara style. These are homes dug into the dirt, often with two rooms: one as a main living area and the other as a bedchamber. The roof is usually made of sod and grass layered over a wooden frame, with the entrance to the home being located on the roof.   The Totem Dance forbids the creation of cities, as large urban areas are said to be Unnatural. As such, no cities have ever been founded within the Taiga, and most towns are fairly small.   Music And Art
The great totem poles the Satyrs use for religious purposes are great pieces of art in of themselves, with many Satyrs exhibiting skill in native painting styles, as well as practical crafts. Music is also an important part of Satyr culture, with their folk songs ranging from wild chants to party songs. Common Satyrian instruments include jouhikko, kantele, fadno, carnyxes, pilai, sámi drums, and, of course, panpipes.   Sports And Games
Traditional Satyr games tend to be pretty violent, as Satyr sportsmen are to truly feel their animalistic spirits while playing these games. The most popular of these is "Väkijoukko". It is similar to soccer, with teams of six having to either kick or throw a ball into a goal. However, the players can tackle, punch, kick, headbutt, and even gore each other. Even murder is legal, as long as the player does not die on the field. This glorified bloodsport is yet another example of the dark side of the Satyr's fun-loving culture, with outside observers noting that the cheers of the race only grow louder as more blood is spilled onto the grass.   Funerary Traditions
The Satyrs believe that to hand one's Soul over to the Gods in its entirety, all the blood within the body must be drained out. This is to remove any extra life force that may be in the Satyr's body. After all the blood has been drained out by the local Druid, the body itself is simply placed out somewhere far from the village to serve as food for the animals and enrich the local environment.   Philosophy
The racial philosophy of the Satyrs is intrinsically tied with their religion. It is their belief that the world has been ruined, with the Satyrs being the only race that has not had a hand in this. But, hope is not yet lost. It is their firm belief that, at any time, the Gods shall return to them and cleanse the world, making a new era free of death and free of the Unnatural. To this end, the race waits in the North, unbothered by the happenings of the Southerners as long as they are not bothered themselves, content in the knowledge that this Age of Ash shall come to an end.

Offensive Slurs And Taboos
Slurs for the Satyrs include "Cud-Chewers", "Hornheads", "Sheeple", "Half-Beasts", and "Brayers".   Satyrs often refer to other races as "Unnaturals" or "Steam Breathers" (in reference to their industrial technology).   Cultural Taboos
Any heresy against the Satyrian faith is a profound and unforgivable taboo within Satyr culture, as the faith is the lifeblood of the race itself. While it is not a taboo of themselves really, for the Satyrs are beyond such things, the "civilization" of the Taiga by other races (the current offenders being the Northbounders) is something that cannot be let slide, with it being the duty of the Satyrs to force the offenders out of the last pure land on Ecumene.    It is a tradition that all Satyrs, no matter their gender, learn how to properly hunt game, and to not hunt others for your food is seen as quite deviant.

As horses are not native to Northern Oriens, the Satyr race is one of many that uses the Orienal Giant Elk as their preferred mount, be it for riding, farm work, or as a pack animal.   Satyrs are, almost as a rule, incredibly xenophobic. After all, they see the other races as Ecumene as Unnaturals, those who burn and scar the earth, with their faith preaching that no love must be held for these sinners. Because of this, the Satyrs have a particular hatred of missionaries, be they Orthodox and Commonalist, and those who are foolish enough to try and settle the land that is theirs by right.