Gorgoron

Humanoid, with the eyes and fangs of a venomous snake. Many Gorgorons possess hard protective scales covering the line of their spines, but which can sometimes extend across their backs and even down to their forearms.

Ability Score Mods: +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence, -2 Wisdom   Medium sized creature, base speed of 30 feet   Taste the Air: A Gorgorian is never caught unawares. You possess Blindsight through touch.   Always a Snake: Gorgorons may not shed their skins, but they are fork-tongued all the same. +2 to Intimidate and Sleight of Hand checks.   Venom:  Injury; save Fort DC 10 + 1/2 the Gorgorgon’s Hit Dice + the Gorgoron’s Constitution modifier; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex; cure 1 save.

Gorgorons physically mature at around sixteen years of age, but are not formally considered adults until the age of nineteen. This three year transition period is called the allasso, or the Change. During this time, Gorgorian males are fostered by a mentor in their future profession. Most females are expected to learn all the skills they need to be successful wives and mothers during this time, and to arrange prospective marriage matches.

Gorgorons have the widest spread population of the sapient races of Xalendria, and as a rule can adapt to any environment they choose to inhabit.

Most Gorgorons are omnivorous, though some refuse to eat meat if they were raised in a city heavily populated by the Minos, who are uniformly vegetarian.

Gorgorons tends to be rather intelligent, though they also tend to believe they are far smarter than they actually are. This inbred arrogance can lead to disastrous consequences if they are not careful.

Four of the five Gorgoron senses are no more acute than those of the average human. However, many Gorgorians possess a sense of touch so well-developed they can navigate a room while blinded and deafened by the air-pressure alone.

Gorgorons use both a given name and a family name when introducing themselves, especially if their families are wealthy or influential. Eldest sons are named after their grandfather (this can be maternal or paternal, the deciding factor being who possessed a higher social status). Naming children after Gorgoron gods or mythical figures, albeit with slightly altered spellings, is also a common occurrence.   [Author's Note: Gorgoron culture is loosely based off of Classical and Hellenistic Greek culture, so feel free to find some name inspiration in this generator.During this historical time period, surnames were not used in the way we think of family names today, but many upper-class families identified themselves using a complex system of patronymics that traced their lineage back to legendary figures from Greek myth.]

Gorgorons are, as a rule, incredibly vain. Traditionally, they equate physical beauty to inner beauty, and those Gorgorons blessed with particularly attractive features are considered to be of the highest moral character. For all three genders, youth is seen as the cornerstone of beauty. Those who have not received the Taste of Eternity are almost obsessive about preserving their youthful good looks. The market for cosmetics, powders, and lotions designed to put off the effects of aging are in high demand with this sector of the population.   Males who are tall, dark-haired, and slender are considered to be the height of perfection. Most prefer to be clean-shaven, as this is seen as a sign of youth. Women are expected to be petite, plump, and have very long, straight hair. Eteros Grogorons tend to conform to whatever beauty ideals fit the gender they choose to present as.

Gorgorons are patriarchal, with the dominant male of a family line having an often suffocating influence over the rest of the family. Everything from career choices to marriage prospects must be approved by the patriarch. Making unapproved choices can lead to imprisonment in the family home, painful corporal punishments, or complete excommunication from the family. Male Gorgorians are often forced to walk a fine line between being brash and masculine enough to gain their patriarch's approval, while still acting obedient enough not to offend said patriarch. When the head of a family dies, any would be successors are often embroiled in a bloody war of stealth to win the mantle of leader from other males in the bloodline. Professions, businesses, and landholdings are often given to the eldest (or simply the most favored) son, and these males are usually the first to be targeted after a patriarch dies. Of course, these favored sons have also been known to hasten their fathers to the grave, so they might gain their inheritance in a more timely manner.   Female Gorgorons traditionally live a stifled, limited existence. They are considered to be "under the wardship" of their family's patriarch, with their direct care being seen to by their father, husband, or closest male relative. Many Gorgoron patriarchs prefer for the females of their line to be limited to caring for the villa and the children, allowing them to receive no education beyond how to handle these domestic affairs. In the most archaic city-states, female Gorgorons are not allowed to leave the family home unless shrouded and accompanied by a male relation. Though they can now participate in government affairs, own property, and are no longer legally bound to their patriarch's will, change is a slow process for these females. Those females who seek to break the traditional mold by starting a business or refusing to marry can suffer from the same extreme punishments as disobedient male family members, though these punishments are more often fatal for females. And depending upon the area, these murders may never be investigated, let alone solved.   The more rebellious sections of the Gorgorian population, since the formation of the Republic, have taken to escaping their patriarch's control by escaping to city-states controlled by other races. In these liberated populations there is a third gender, simple called eteros, or "the other." Perhaps inspired by the Bennu's ahawti-shmt or even the Minoan's lack of gender roles altogether, these individuals who once would have been stifled or even killed in traditional Gorgorian society seek to create their own space in the world. Eteros can be male-representing or female-representing, though a small minority conform to neither ideal.

Gorgorons have their own language, Gorgorian, with some variations in accent depending upon region. Many Gorgorons have an ear for language, with bilingual and trilingual individuals being the rule and not the exception. Bennuan is a popular second language, though Minoan and Cackle are close seconds. Some Gorgoron spies are also fluent in popular human dialects such as Rayvethan.   The Gorgorian written language relies on an alphabetic script made of twenty-four characters, making it the simplest writing system in Xalendria. As a result, all government documents, even those originally recorded in Bennuan or Minoan, are translated into Gorgorian before being archived.

Gorgorons are known to be wildly emotional, so much so that being called "frigid" is seen as deeply offensive. Young Gorgorons are encouraged to express their feelings however they see fit, be they negative or positive. Needless to say, it is not uncommon to see feuding Gorgorons hissing at each other in public or engaging in loud shouting matches no matter the setting. Everything from violent cursing to grandiose displays of public affection to spitting venom at another Gorgorian is considered normal behavior. [Author's Note: The described behavior above is common amongst all modern Gorgorons and those living in socially progressive areas. Females Gorgorons living in archaic city-states are expected to be as silent and forgettable as possible.]   In addition to being customarily volatile, Gorgorons have an innate need to come out on top no matter the situation and are rabidly competitive. This can manifest in something as simple as an intense haggling session with a market vendor over the price of olives to a situation as severe as assassinating a business rival. Bargaining is considered to be an essential Gorgorian skill, and Gorgoron merchants often take offense if a buyer does not engage in at least a little haggling (this is seen as an inference that the merchant's goods are not worth the time to haggle for them).   Social status is extremely important to Gorgorians, and refusing to bow to a Gorgoron elite can lead to disastrous consequences. City leaders and tyrants, family patriarchs, and high-ranking priests are all considered "above" the rest of the population. A slight against one can lead to a public beating, banishment from a city-state, or even execution if the insult is grave enough.

Gorgoron clothing is sewn as little as possible, with most garments being wrapped and folded around the body and held in place with pins, buttons, and belts. Female Gorgorons favor long, sleeveless dresses called peplos that drape over one shoulder. Males wear knee-length garments called chitons which do have sleeves, though some females wear an ankle-length version of the same garment. These are topped with a himation, an often brightly-dyed wool mantle that can be pulled up into a hood. Shoes can range from simple sandals to knee-high boots, and can range in material from wicker to leather. Farmers, fisherman, and other laborers also favor wicker hats with wide brims to keep the sun off their faces.   Jewelry is a status symbol for the Gorgorians, and is worn almost exclusively by the upper classes. To see pins and buttons of solid gold on the garments of the most powerful family patriarchs is not uncommon. Perfume, however, is used by most Gorgorons almost daily. Certain scents such as mint and rosemary are easy to acquire and readily available to common consumers, while more exotic scents such as amber are distilled in exclusive perfumeries financed by wealthy families.

Gorgorons have a tempestuous relationship with the other sentient species of the continent. They once attempted to suppress the Crocotta, and successfully enslaved a portion of the Minos population for a time. Some urban Gorgorons living in mixed populations have attempted to mend fences with both groups with varying degrees of success. After all, the vain, competitive, and arrogant natures of most Gorgorons do not make them ideal peacemakers.   It is with the Bennu that Gorgorians have the most volatile relationship. Tradition-minded Gorgorons hate the Bennu with a burning passion for forcing them to join the Republic, stripping patriarchs of much of the legal power and immunity they enjoyed before the joint government was formed. This animosity can also be traced to another source: fear. Bennu are the only known species to be entirely immune to the effects of Gorgoron venom, making many Gorgorons question whether they could easily fend off an aggressive Bennu.   Due to their wide geographic distribution and despite their difficulties getting along with other races as a whole, Gorgorian hybrids are the most common blends in Xalendria. It can be a toss-up as to which traits these hybrids inherit. Some retain the scales, others the venomous bite, though most commonly only possess the serpent's eyes of their Gorgoron parent.   [Author's Note: Hybrids are not playable at this time.]