Svarog
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The world of Dagda is populated by six sentient subspecies, the Raijin, Ryujin, Fujin, Savitr, Mani and Svarog. The final subspecies are amongst the three most under-developed of subspecies on Dagda. The Svarog are the most dissimilar of subspecies to the 'standard' Dagdan appearance. They still have the same elongated ears but they do not have the tendrils or fleshy tails; instead they have strange flames that appear like hair. They have powers over fire, able to produce and manipulate it, which comes from this strange flame-mane.
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Homeworld
- Main article: Dagda
The world of Dagda is a small Terran planet, consisting of oceans, great continents and varied forms of flora and fauna. It holds several sentient subspecies that all share a common ancestor, they are the Raijin, Fujin, Ryujin, Savitr,Mani and Svarog, each separated by racial defined boundaries and countries. The three most prominent subspecies reside on the northern bound continent and minor islands, whilst the others live on the gold rich southern continent, which has a much more inhospitable climate and terrain.
Biology
Appearance
They are humanoid, possessing the simple two legs and two arms connected via a torso. The major differences between humans and the Svarog is that no hair grows upon a Svarog's body. Their ears are also elongated, similar to that of a drow, but are also 'upside down', similar, perhaps, to certain species of dog. Their skin is coloured red and some are orange, appearing, at times, similar in skin tone to certain darker Raijin. Due to their shorter lifespans than most sentient species, Svarog mature at a much earlier age and are considered adults at ten years. Physically, and mentally, a ten-year-old would compare to a sixteen-year-old human. The most unusual feature of the Svarog are the unusual flames upon their body. These flame-like energies flow and flicker as though it were real fire, blow in the wind and are subject to gravity. It acts and appears much like hair on a human head. The tail is also made of flame.
Powers & Talents
The Svarog have the power to produce and control fire. They cannot control natural fire, however, only flame that is produced by their own bodies. This fire can be manipulated in a number of ways, such as heating things up, melting, smelting or setting things on fire. The Svarog have also been known to use their powers as 'fire-work displays', creating great images in the sky to tell tales and stories. However the capability to wield this power varies person to person and some may not be able to use the power at all, whilst others are naturally gifted with great amounts of power. They cannot control the flame that 'grows' upon their heads or and a tail. Fire, even that not created by themselves, has no effect upon any Svarog, though they can still gain warmth from it.
Biological Characteristics
Raijin, Fujin, Ryujin, Savitr, Mani and Svarog are all subspecies of Dagda. Capable of interbreeding, each subspecies is, however, very unique. Varying breeds of dog or cat would also be considered subspecies, for comparison.
The unusual nature of the flame upon the Svarog's body has never been fully explored. It is believed that the flame is not true fire at all, but a magickal energy that merely resembles fire. It is known, however, that it this magickal energy that gives each Svarog their power of fire. The energy passes through the air around them, from their heads or tail, and is cast where the Svarog directs. This energy is created by special glands that are contained within the scalp and around the spine tail. They have no control over this flame and it cannot be cut, so most Svarog will have very long flowing flames when they reach old age. This energy is resistant to water until it is dispelled from the Svarog's body as pure fire, and not energy.
Society
Culture
The Svarog reside upon the southern continent of Dagda known as Eostre. The majority of Eostre is sandy plains, allowing large herd animals to survive, as well as the three subspecies Mani, Savitr and Svarog. The Svarog, however, managed to locate the most fertile land on Eostre, located to the west where Mount Gebirge Ymir, a volcano, has caused this fertility.
The Svarog have long settled upon this land and have taken to farming and fishing. The looming threat of the volcano is a risk they are willing to take to gain a stable life and supply of food. The volcano is relatively quiet, having only erupted once in a thousand years. Due to this the Svarog tend to live sedate, peaceful lives. They have no monetary value, trading, instead, with produced goods or labour in return for food. They live in stone houses, built from bricks, clay and wood; though wood is still a precious commodity even in the fertile west of Eostre.
The Svarog are known for their celebrations, even as far as the northern continent Hotei. The festivals come three times a year and they involve a lot of alcohol, food, dancing and 'fire-works'. The Svarog are also known for their stories and fables, which are often told with small 'fire-pictures', which are fire-works on a smaller scale. Stories of adventures and monsters are told at these festivals. The festivals themselves are to simply celebrate life and the joy of living.
There are a few Svarog that have had the opportunity to travel north to the Island of Manannán, which has Dagda's largest university complex. It is also the only building of education that welcomes all subspecies of Dagda, including those from Eostre. The university will fund these Savitr, Mani of Svarog that wish to learn, though there is a limit to the number they will give such aid to.
Technology
The Svarog are under-developed when compared to the technology used by the northern subspecies of Hotei. However their access to plant life has given the Svarog an advantage in medicinal technology as well as a benefit in variable foods. They use small boats to sail out and fish for more exotic sea food that is unavailable in rivers or the coastal waters. The Svarog do not have war-craft, however, and rely, instead, upon the threat of their flame power to keep greedy Mani or Savitr eyes from their lands. Mani have been known to sneak into Svarog lands and steal kept farm animals.
The Fujin, however, are the subspecies with the greatest technology, which rivals even modern Earth. This technology has seeped into Svarog society through trade, the Fujin wishing for shelter on their travels or maps of the landscape. Unlike the Savitr, who have become reliant on this trade, the Svarog have less need for it and thus do not actively seek it, seeing the whole idea of trade as a friendly custom to foreign neighbours. They even trade with the Savitr, though the journey is rarely worth the great strain of crossing the breadth of Eostre.
Government
The government of the Svarog is lead by the Master Scholar, who is elected by the rest of the scholar caste. The scholar caste are in charge of all others due to their knowledge and wisdom, which is kept from all other professions below. The scholars also act as upholders of the law, judge and jury.
Class Structure
The Svarog are split by a simple caste system, families being set by their profession. A blacksmith will raise his children as blacksmiths, a scholar will raise his children as scholars. There is no gender discrimination.
The scholars are considered superior to all other professions, which is enforced by the coveting of knowledge. The system is largely peaceful with any disgruntlement being hammered out of teenagers by parents eager for their children to learn their trade sooner rather than later. They have no notion that they might become something more, or even something else. The scholars are led by a Master Scholar, who is elected by the scholar caste. It is only ever one of the scholar caste that will be able to attend the university of Manannán.
Language
In the past each country and subspecies would have had their own language, however the Fujin language has become the common tongue for the whole of Dagda. Even the subspecies of Eostre speak the Fujin language, having it replace the simple mode of communication that they previously used, not in the least due to the growing trade with the Fujin. However most subspecies still retain certain culturally specific words, or, as in the case of the Raijin, naming conventions. Place names also retain their original pronunciations, even if the spellings change to match the Fujin alphabet.
Overall the Svarog accent is similar to Southern USA accent and doesn't vary according to region because there is little distance between homesteads.
History
The Svarog are believed to be the 'newest' of the subspecies of Dagda and are said to be more closely related to the Raijin of Hotei than either the Mani or Savitr. It is also clear that most of the earliest technologies were created by the Svarog, including the simple cart, irrigation, aqueducts and sewers. However the manner in which the scholar caste has always controlled knowledge has rendered the Svarog ability to progress lame. The Fujin believe it incredibly fortunate for themselves that the Svarog were so impaired else the southern subspecies might have ruled the globe.
However the Svarog were not always controlled by the scholars. They once had a royal family, which was viewed just like any other caste; children were born into a profession and raised to perform that job in their parents' place. But the scholars, who held all the real power, in the form of knowledge, deposed the royal family and took control. The whole affair was done over a great period of time, the royal family originally being subjected to role of 'puppet', then to 'figurehead' and finally being cast aside in favour of the title Master Scholar. With it being a gradual change, the Svarog people barely noticed the passing.
The Svarog have long kept to themselves, allowing the Savitr and Mani to live their own existences. Although these rival subspecies posed some element of threat due to their development of weaponry, the scholars believed in their own knowledge and the flame powers of the people, the fear of which long kept the other subspecies at bay.
Relevant Characters
Player Characters & Other Major Characters
None.
Non-Player Characters & Associated Characters
None.
Player Notes
I always wanted Dagda to have some 'primitive' subspecies, especially ones that had lost their powers, so the creation of the Savitr and the Mani began. I only had them as names and powers (albeit lost) for a long time, concentrating on the northern subspecies, which bore more influence over the character Taranis, whom the whole world was built up to characterise. Yet I also wanted another empowered subspecies to be on the southern continent that could have been a threat to the northern ones, and so I made the Svarog. They had potential but their caste system renders them impotent.
