Vanir

The Vanir are a group of people coming from Vanahiem, the Land Of Scorpio. As a Vanir they believe in the dogma of the scorpion god, seeking knowledge and truth for the betterment of their people as well as the understanding of the dark and its various entities and factions and how to use that to their advantage. The vanir are seen as insane and foolish to the rest of zodia for their fascination and pursuit of the dark and its knowledge but they won't let the closed minded light stop their pursuit.

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

Vanir typically speak abyssal and infernal to each other and common to outsiders.

Culture and cultural heritage

Vanir culture revolves around the use of secrecy, the accumulation of knowledge, and the use of the dark. Ever since Hades came along and gave the vanir a home under his rule, dark & lurid abilities, but kind and reasonable identity the people have rallied behind him to prosper where the light failed to aid them.

Shared customary codes and values

Knowledge is power and can't be disclosed to everyone. The vanir are aware that Hades or any other high ranking member of vanir society has a good reason for hiding certain information and don't mind being kept in the dark about things.
The vanir believe that no power is evil and no dark power is too dangerous to use. The only time any power would be not used by the vanir is for other reasons and not closed minded fear and ignorance. No dark power is too dangerous and the only thing needed is understanding and caution to use these powers.
The truth will set everyone free even the harsh truth. The vanir will not hesitate to speak the objective truth to their peers or others as once the truth is accepted one can progress in a meaningful way. This makes the vanir seem like heartless, negative people with no regard for others emotions but they have the belief that truth is more important than kindness and coddling.
The light and those "acceptable" powers can only take someone and a society so far to truly succeed and survive one must be able to understand and use the dark and more "taboo" powers.
Life is just one phase of the eternity of existence and once life has come to an end death becomes their next stage of existence as a greater form.
The vanir doesn't waste time brooding over what has to happen. If a vanirn has to kill to defend themselves or another they won't waste time feeling bad about it.
Morality & Law aren't synonymous with each other and therefore laws broken aren't taken with scrutiny so long as the action was done for a moral reason.
The outside world is full of those who don't understand them and therefore never trust them too much. Knowledge and information is gathered and retained when their "allies" inevitably turn on them.
Scorpions are sacred beasts to the vanir and are never to be harmed.
Vanir Saying

Stay close to the ground with a low profile.
Law is a myth we work via our own morality.
Never ponder the morality of shedding blood as we shed the blood of the deserving.

Average technological level

The vanir's technology is highly magical through Hades's dark magic and Sirkakinesis miracle much of the Vanir's technology is organic from their weapons and armor to their infrastructure.

The Scarlett Core: The main means of energy for the vanir is a combination of many types of biofuel. The Scarlett Core is composed of a hemo-electric damm, the decomposition of flesh, & an osteokinetic orb that generates electricity as the blood augments the amperage.
The Scarlett Network: A network of teleportation circles that connect each and every one of the Scarlett Church's temples, cathedrals, and monasteries accessible by members of the Scarlett Church.
Sirka Cores: The main means of energy for vanir ships are made of bone & generating electricity to power them.
Divine Magic: The divine magic of their patron god Scorpio although few use it as per his dogma as many use arcane magic.
Arcane Magic: A popular technology to the vanir who use it more than divine magic. Vanir mages often practice dark magic like enchantment, illusion, and necromancy although the other schools of magic are used evocation is never used.

Weapons & Armor

Vanir Pincers: The primary weapons of Vanir warriors are a pair of twin short swords lightweight and great for silent deadly attacks.
Vanir Stingers: A secondary weapon of vanir rouges wrist mounted crossbows that fire poisoned bolts.
Scorpion Tail: One of the most popular vanir weapons wielded by some of the most popular rouges. Scorpion Tails are a pair of shortswords capable of extending like a whip from the hilt up to 20ft. long.
Scorpion Claws: A primary weapon of vanir rouges, a pair of twin one-handed scythes very versatile weapons.
Vanir Leather Armor: The main armor of vanir rouges black leather great for stealth and camouflage in the dark.
Vanir Chitin: Sought after armor by vanir huntsmen black leather with the enchanted chitin of scorpions great for evasion and defense.

Sirka Weapons & Armor

Sirka Swords: One of the main weapons of the Skira line of weapons are sharp, serrated curved swords made of bone.
Sirka Blunderbuss: One of the sirka line of weapons made of bone and fires a 15ft. cone of bone shrapnel.
Sirka Rattler: One of the sirka line of weapons wielded by the Scarlett Vanguard made of bone and fires sharp serrated bone shards as bullets.
Sirka Crossbow: One of the sirka line of weapons wielded by the Scarlett Vanguard made of bone and fires bolts made of hard, condensed bone capable of piercing through armor and flesh. It can fire crystal blood bolts full of poison that gets in the system once melted in the bloodstream.
Sirka Armor: One of the sirka lines of armor made of hardened & lightweight bone as durable as half-plate armor.
Sirka Plate Armor: The most durable sirka armor wielded by the heavy undead of the Scarlett Vanguard made of durable bone capable of blocking bullets and arrows.

Siege Weapons

Osteo Grenade: A grenade that sends forth electrified bone shards in a large area.
Bone Ballista: The Bone Ballista was a siege unique to the vanir made through Hades Sirkakinesis. The very first of the Vanir siege weapons, the Bone Ballista would fire a condensed bone projectile that could pierce through people's bodies and pin them to walls.
Sirka Turret: One of the siege weapons of the Vanir made through Hades Sirkakinesis and necromancy animating the turret. The Sirka Turret once notices an enemy will fire a series of blood and bone shards shredding the target.
Osteo Cannon: A simple siege weapon of the Vanir fires a condensed orb of bone that plows through enemy obstructions.
Sirka Cannon: An improvement on the Osteo Cannon, this cannon would use a unique effect to generate and discharge electricity in a focused laser beam.
Sirka Tiller: A simple vanir siege weapon that launched bone boulders that would explode in mid air and land on the battlefield allowing those who could control bone to manipulate the land to their advantage. The Sirka Tiller could also launch blood crystal boulders that would detonate and cover the battlefield in blood.

Vanir Transportation, Vehicles, & Vessels

Skira Steed: A winged skeleton horse that is used for transportation around Vanahiem.
Scorpion Sparrow: An organic vehicle made of bone and uses liquid biofuel to move up to 150mph.
Sirka Dropship: A vanir ship that carries undead and vanir soldiers to the battlefield.
Sirka Warship: A vanir warship made of hardened bone that fires boiling blood, & electric cannons.

Alchemy

Necrophyl: One of the highly toxic biological agents of the Vanir a thick black mixture of purge fluid, cadaverine, & putrisciene all compounds naturally made in decomposing flesh. Necrophyl was highly used by vanir as they coat their ammunition in the toxic compound being able to poison others in a lethal way once injected it can inhibit healing and regeneration causing black markings in their veins.
Nerium: The lethal poison of the plant Nerium Oleander used by vanir hunters to poison their ammunition.
Belladonna: A lethal toxin made from Deadly Nightshade commonly used to make their ammunition lethal.
Effluvi Bomb: A device that spreads gaseous effluvium in a large area poisoning many people who breathe it in.

Common Etiquette rules

The vanir have complex greetings in the form of secret handshakes & verbal codes that lets them know if someone is impersonating their friends.
Vanir Huntsmen are expected to act as a traditional assassin, steadfast, silent, and patient.
Scorpions are cared for and kept safe.
The vanir address leadership by their formal title as 2nd. nature.

Common Dress code

The vanir wear black light clothing lined with scarlet silk.

Art & Architecture

Art

Vanir art like paintings and statues where lurid and dark in nature their paintings showed deadly displays of rot and decay. They use bones and other organic materials to produce the art & statues making it out of flesh and bone.

Architecture

Vanir architecture is gothic and lurid; the streets, walls, and buildings are made of flesh & bone sculpted by Hades own will and his undead. The bases of the walls, height of the towers, and buildings have sharp jagged bones on the edges. Skulls with scarlet markings are lined around the architecture and statues. Temples and other religious sites have their entrances hidden and only a native vanir would know how to enter.

Foods & Cuisine

Vanir food & cuisine is quite unique compared to the other parts of the world due to their unique ingredients. While peasants often eat bread and cheese from vanir cattle as wells as cherries, sap, and pomegranate.

Vanir Food & Cuisine

Taphir Soup: Soup made with the sap of the Taphir fungus is a very nutritious food. Taphir soup is one of the favorite foods of the vanir due to its taste and nutritional value.
Valis Steak: A popular meat made from the Valis Cattle. It goes well with the scales of the purple emperor butterfly.
Black Fowl: A popular flightless bird often used for food by vanir.
Pomegranate: A popular fruit to the vanir and grown in orchards tended to by vanir druids.
Cherries: A popular fruit often eaten by vanir of all social classes.
Scarlet Sap: The sweet honey like sap of the Scarlet Trees and often eaten by the vanir and traded around the world. It's a primary ingredient for Scarlett Venom.

Vanir Alcohol

Scarlett Venom: The most popular wine to the vanir made from pomegranate and the sap of the Scarlet Trees. It's loved for its sweet taste and thickness as well as a hint of cherries.
Angel's Bane: A sour and bitter alcohol made with the foul nectar of the Aconite flower. Only the hardiest can hope to drink it and it's often drunk by the undead vanir residence.

Common Customs, traditions and rituals

Vanir Sacred Beasts

The vanir have taken up the taming of scorpions, crows, and ravens using them as pets, familiars, and scouts. Vanir uses the undead for extra defense, labor, and construction. They also collect various venomous fauna to extract their venom snakes, spiders, ect.

Vanir Alchemy

The vanir are heavy users of alchemy cultivating gardens for alchemical ingredients most of all poisons.

Vanir Magic Customs

Vanir mages are typically necromancers although others are enchanters and illusionists never will evocation be used. They are open to using darker magics and hexes using swarm sorcery, umbronification, and dark ether. They don't frown upon bending blood or bone rather lionizing the art due to its sheer power and versatility.

Vanir Worship

The vanir for their sermons use bloodletting shedding their blood on altars of scorpio, specifically the scarlet bloom & belladonna flowers arranged at the base of the altar to show their loyalty. Those with the most scars from this are seen as the most devout followers of scorpio. These cuts are written in eldritch runes carved with ceremonial knives made with the chitin of scorpions. Religious sights and graves are decorated with belladonna to symbolize death and scarlet bloom flowers to symbolize blood. Prayers to scorpio are typically spoken in the internal language though the most devout followers use deep speech.

Bone Jewelry

Vanir either through osteokinesis or with regular tools will make bone jewelry, the bones typically purchased. Bone Jewelry is used for many purposes, decorations, and gestures of romantic interest. Some vanir craft arrows and bullets out of bones for sale.

Scarlett Venom

A thick & sweet alcoholic drink made with the fruit of pomegranate trees & the nectar of scarlet bloom and the most popular alcohol in Vanaheim. Scarlett Venom is often used to celebrate momentous occasions, & as a gesture of good will to outsiders.

Secrecy & Misdirection

The vanir are heavy users of secrecy and misdirection, often having traditional temples built to hide the real temples. Various locations require special passcodes to enter or even be able to see and the passcodes change every other month.

Vanir Marriages

Vanir marriages are done in dark dimly lit caverns under the temple decorated in traditional vanir fashion hidden from sight. The area is decorated in scarlet bloom, belladonna, skulls and other bone jewelry. The two being married cut the palm of their hands and connect the cuts during the kiss to be bound by love and blood. Vanir wedding rings are typically made of elven bone and have either bloodstone, red diamond, topaz, beryl, opal, amethyst, aquamarine, or tourmaline as the gemstone.

Vanir Hazing

The vanir have many ways of hazing new recruits like having scorpions crawl and sting them, being swarmed by crows and ravens, going through a rotten grove ect

Birth & Baptismal Rites

Vanir infants are baptized in the blood of the priests & priestesses to symbolize their life as new blood.

Coming of Age Rites

A rite of passage to the vanir would be the Venom Injection being injected with scorpion venom causing them to black out and gain visions from scorpio.

Funerary and Memorial customs

Vanir will often do the same bloodletting on their peers' graves to symbolize that they will be with their fallen even through death painting the gravestones in blood. Vanir who accept the ritual of rebirth will be resurrected but not in their normal form; they were reborn as a Blight having full memory of their former life and continuing to live as undead. Vanir graves never have actual bodies in them as vanir corpses undergo a variant of embalming. This is complete deconstruction and repurposing of the body the blood, bone, organs, muscles, and other organic material is taken and reused.

Common Taboos

The vanir frown upon the use of evocation magic due to it being too simple, and unrefined it's too loud and explosive to their liking. Vanir arcane colleges won't teach evocation and evokers aren't accepted into the Scorpio Familia.
Vanir despises it when people are closed minded and not willing to accept the dark and using traditional power as a crutch.
To deface books and tomes is awful to the vanir those things hold knowledge and therefore power.
It's heresy to harm scorpions, crows, & ravens as they are the most favored creatures to scorpio; doing so would result in exile.
Vanir adores the idea of a stealthy & dexterous assassin, leading to their huntsman and huntresses being Swift and steadfast rogues and abhor the idea of using heavy armor and weapons, as well as being reckless and arrogant.
Due to the vanir's lust for knowledge and truth they wish that on others and will never lie even if the truth hurts, it's taboo to lie.

Common Myths and Legends

Stereotypes

Some people believe that the vanir are a cult of undead and demon worshipers and that their god is planning to topple the world when they do use undead and summon fiends they work to better the whole of the Zodiac Empire.
It's believed that the vanir turn their people and enemies into undead servants as well using their souls for their own ends.
Some believe that the vanir partake in inhumane experiments on their people and their enemies.
Some people believe that the vanir hate celestials and work to harm the leonians and asphodelians.

Vanir Legends

The Everlasting: The vanir believe that becoming an undead can make them everlasting and superior to the rest of life.
The Might Of The Dark: The vanir actively seek dark and eldritch knowledge and power as it has always seemed to be the best power to have. Those who master this will remain on top and gain enlightenment.
Legend Of The Swarm Mother: A vanir legend that came from a chance encounter with a swarm mage during the early days of the zodia era. Rather than do what she is cursed to do taught them about her people, their history, their runes, all she could until she died. This made them aware of beings outside the world and hopeful of the swarm people.

Historical figures

Scorpion, God Of Death & Truth

The patron god of the vanir, the one who sparked their society and worship of him once Hades made his way to the Scarlett Spire. Scorpio has been the driving force behind the society of the vanir from their gathering of venomous fauna, use of dark magics, and lust for understanding.

The Thanomir Dynasty

Hades Thanomir, Heart Of Death

Hades is the death elemite who sparked the Scorpio Familia once he made his way to the Scarlett Spire becoming a death cleric of Scorpio and using necromancy to aid his people against the Soulleal. With his magic, his steeds, cerberus, undead minions, and the might of his people he forced out the Soulleal and named his land Vanahiem. As a reward for his efforts he was blessed by Scorpio to become a Belnor and used his miracle sarkakinesis, to build the various settlements of the vanir out of flesh and bone including his palace. For hundreds of thousands of years he has lead the vanir and kept his people on the right track and was seen as someone who cared deeply for those born in death using his many forces in the Pale War in Mizu ending when the other water clergies where willing to listen to reason and no longer hurt those who were born in death.

Persephone Thanomir, The Mother Of Death

Persephone Thanomir is the consort of Hades, a human arch druid of spores being with Hades since the beginning of the vanir rebellion. She was heralded as a powerful warrior during the war against the Soulleal using her nature magic to bring forth rotten waves of miasma to cause death and decay to those who worshiped Mephiles. Hades, unwilling to accept the lifespan of Persephone, used his high magic to increase her lifespan to an ageless level. She now tends to the gardens especially pomegranate trees for the production of Scarlett Venom and her other druids tend to the various alchemy gardens in Vanaheim.

Alecto Thanomir, The 1st. Fury

One of the daughters of Hades and Persephone she chose to undergo a process to be imbued with eldritch essence becoming one of the furies. She was heralded as a powerful warrior with her inky powers and hydra-like transformation during the "Battle Of The Scarlett Fjord ''.

Tisiphone Thanomir, The 2nd. Fury

The second daughter of Hades and Persephone she chose to undergo a process to be imbued with celestial essence making her able to fly, bend light to produce illusions, and fire piercing beams of light. She made a name for herself during the "Battle Of The Scarlett Forest '' using her abilities to keep the Silican Drow on their guard.

Mageara Thanomir, The 3rd. Fury

The third daughter of Hades and Persephone she chose to undergo the same process as her sisters through being imbued with eldritch essence she became mutated. Her body became part insectoid growing extra insect legs from her back and could make tiny parasitic bugs that hijack and mutate her targets turning them into minions. Mageara made a name for herself during the "Battle Of The Venom Hills' ' when she used her power to hijack all 10,000 of the silican drow soldiers who invaded vanaheim.

Macaria Thanomir, The Goddess Of Blessed Death

The adopted daughter of Hades and Persephone, she couldn't become a Fury like her other sisters, rather she became a druid like her mother. Choosing the circle of spores she embraced death and her miracle brought forth a painless and merciful death upon touch or a soothing voice. She could end the suffering of others swiftly and end undead armies with her voice. She became popular after the Pale War, stopping at nothing to save her lover Thanatos from the mizians.

Melinoe Thanomir, The Goddess Of Ghosts

One of the adopted daughters of Hades and Persephone she couldn't become a fury like her sister but rather became a phantom rogue and through her miracle "Phantom" she could use the spirits of the dead to torment others. She aided her family in the Pale War keeping Macaria safe through her Phantoms and her howling dogs.

Zagreus Thanomir, The Bow Of Rebirth

One of the adopted children of Hades and Persephone, the only son of the Thanomir Dynasty. He was the best archer the vanir ever saw although everything and everyone he killed with his bow were reincarnated into other races or animals with no memory of their past although Zagreus would learn everything of his quarry. He aided his sisters Melinoe and Macaria in the Pale War to free Thanatos from the mizians.

Vanir Entities

Azathoth, The Keeper Of Knowledge

Azathoth is an aberration from the Eldritch Space who has been taken under Scorpio's service. He is tasked with governing Pluto and the Scarlett Collective. Those who intrude on the Scarlett Collective are plunged into madness.

Lycus, The Scarlett Scythe

An arc devil under the servitude of Scorpio tasked with controlling the 1st. Layer of hell being at war with the crown devils there.

Thanatos, The Wings Of Death

Once a Haloin member of the Scarlett Church who fought during the Pale War becoming an angel of death for his deeds becoming a means of holding territory in Sorrow Heart. He was famous for his skills with a scythe that beheaded all who crossed his path.

Mozenwrath, The Profaned Lord

Mozenwrath was once a valued member of the Scarlett Church, and famous among the vanir during the Soul War. He was close to Hades so close that they would call each other brother. The two were powerful necromancers but he was more violent than Hades full of hatred. Mozenwrath eventually fell to madness when his affection for the druid Persephone was unrequited choosing to become a demon lord and has been an enemy of the Vanir for thousands of years being slain by a vanir necromancer named Saveara and her party finally ending the long war.

Ostegoth Cromwell, The Lord Of Bones

The former leader of the Cromwell Family along with his wife Hemalia. Ostegoth was a bone tiefling master monk known for his Osteokinesis and being loyal to Hades for centuries fighting in the Pale War on Mizu. He was a beloved warrior blessed with immortality by Hades for his service.

Hemalia Cromwell, Lady Of Blood

The blood elemite wife of Ostegoth and mother of Saveara Olgrim. Hemalia, typically called Hema was heralded as the best blood bender on Zodia although this put her at odds with another blood bender who was obsessed with being the best. She and her husband Ostegoth have a long history of battle in service of the Scarlett Church being blessed with immortality by Hades for her service.

Saveara Olgrim, The Pale Witch

The daughter of Ostegoth & Hemalia Cromwell famed for her affinity for necromancy, thought to be dead after the Iron Massacre. As she grew stronger and stronger over the years she managed to do achieve many things for the vanir as she slain the Iron Angels during the Pale Purge avenging those lost in the Iron Massacre, growing an undead army comparable to the Scarlett Vanguard, with her party slain Sucro ending thousands of years of war between the vanir and their betrayer, & even crafting a rune that enables others to traverse to Achluo finally being able to end many Soulleal members that have cyst universes. She is beloved by her people for her deeds and she remains loyal to her people as she founded the Pale Legion acting as a mercenary guild.

Ideals

Beauty Ideals

The vanir find the aging process, coming closer and closer to a natural demise as beautiful due to its connection to death and eventual rebirth. Things like wrinkles, dry skin, and the appearance of withering is appealing to the vanir.

Courtship Ideals

The vanir believe that courting should be a passionate show of loyalty and attraction. This leads to many vanir starting friendships before a relationship to allow such a bond to grow.

Relationship Ideals

To the vanir relationships are the most solid & sacred type of connection a mortal can have it should never be tampered with. Vanir relationships last until death and beyond held together through passion, determination, and love.

Major organizations

Thalomir Dynasty

The ruling family of the Vanir led by Hades for thousands of years. The Thalomir Dynasty is responsible for ruling the Scarlett Church and making almost all of the infrastructure & technology of the Vanir

The Scarlett Church

The main followers of Scorpio lead by the Thalomir Dynasty and has ruled over the vanir ever since the start of the Venom Rebellion.

The Scarlett Cloaks

The main templar order of the Scarlett Church unlike other templar orders the templars are secretive rogues and assassins.

The Scarlett Vanguard

The army of undead Hades has amassed over the years over 500,000 undead are simultaneously commanded by Hades. The Scarlett Vanguard are always at the beckon call of Hades ready to defend Vanaheim.

The Scarlett Circle

A druidic circle known for their involvement in the Venom Rebellion their leader Persephone fell for the necromancer Hades. The Scarlett Circle watches over the nature of Vanahiem and is beloved for their growing of pomegranate to make Scarlett Venom.

Venom Guild

A powerful arcane guild that is made of the most talented mages in Vanaheim known for their efforts around vanir cities.

The Cromwell Family

A bloodline that had served Hades for centuries starting around the Venom Rebellion and being instrumental in the Pale War. The Cromwell Family is beloved by the vanir for their efforts and the end of their monastery was a devastating blow to them.

The Scarlett Lords

An elite group of 12 undead warriors who defend the Thanomir Dynasty they have been for centuries.

"The vanir are some terrifying people regularly using undead and their organic weapons are disgusting coated with pathogens from the rotting bodies of their enemies fighting the vanir is a painful death." - Aerafel "They practice dark magic and seek more knowledge of the dark, seeing it as a way to learn more about it while they use it to their benefit. They don't fool me, hoping to gain enough darkness to destroy everything. What else do necromancers do? If it wasn't for the pact we all made I'd have them wiped out already." - Tyr "I've not seen the vanir deal with soulless since they discovered aconite; it must be something in the nectar of it. I've also haven't seen any underground denizens in a while the dark's secrets really are something." - Nephele "My people are too lenient on the dark. Keeping the vanir alive is a threat to our planet. If it were up to me I'd have them wiped out by my light." - Meridia.

Parent ethnicities

Zodians

Encompassed species

Related Organizations

Zodiac Empire

Related Locations

Vanahiem

Favored Gemstones

Scarlett Diamond
Bloodstone
Ruby
Topaz

Favored Animals

Scorpions
Crows & Ravens

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