- the basics
beyond civilization and technology, lies a village known only to a select few. here, they are gifted with the knowledge of secrecy, stealth, and intellect. if you do not naturally come by these three talents, you do not belong in the smoke. there is only so much that can be acquired through guidance, many hours of practice, and otherwise.
traditions
assassination began in the early days of the smoke. they believe in silencing the problems before they begin, to prevent as many wars as possible.
nocturnal habits first came to the smoke when they realized that they worked better under the cover of silence and shadow.
hoods and masks were worn by the first smokey- the habitants of the smoke- and have been the attire for generations. perhaps it is because they enjoy the darkness, or the secrecy.
horse-back travel is the only way- aside from boat travel- that members of the smoke travel. horses are especially prized and normally bred frequently. they do not use saddles or bridles.
war paint is used on both horses and all ranked villagers.
more to come.
terrain
deep in the mountains, outside of all civilization lay a village completely made by hand. a river surrounds the camp, isolating it like a tiny island among the mountain ranges. inside the tiny island are eight buildings; the infirmary, the dormitory, the barn, the diner, the barracks, the royal court, and the showers. the village was built to carry up to 100 soldiers, 50 royal court members, and 150 commoners; though the numbers have never reached that high due to the secrecy of the village and the exclusive access.
infirmary: the warlock's + nurse maiden's sleeping quarters and the smoke's form of a hospital.
domitory: where all the commoners sleep, along with recruits and littlies.
the barn: where the animals are raised and slaughtered. outside of the barn is the field, where crops are grown.
the diner: where everyone gathers to eat meals, three times a day. stories are often told here. it is also referred to as the main hall, as it is always bustling with energy and movement.
the barracks: where the soldiers and other ranked villagers sleep.
the royal court: where the chief queen and her family sleep, eat, and otherwise.
training hall: where recruits, soldiers, and other ranked officers spend their time sharpening their skills and preparing for battle.
the showers: hygiene is important to the smoke, despite their ancient ancestry, and all of that is done here.
the ranks
chief queen: unlike most villages, a woman's perceptiveness, lack in size, and light weight makes her an obvious choice to the throne. her word is law, and left unchallenged by even the brawniest of men. strength no longer means power. she gives all the orders.
chief king: married to the queen. selected, not inherited, to the rank. men with great valor and stealth are chosen by the queen.
princess: the queen's daughter, heir to the throne. she is often the first born of the queen. there are no princes, if a son is born to a queen, he is immediately transferred to a nurse-maiden and to be raised by them.
warlock: the smoke's version of a shaman, or a healer. he uses dark magic to conjure and heal wounds. he is rarely ever human- as humans are not born with supernatural powers or abilities.
general: receives orders from the chief queen, and relays them down to the other village members. usually human, as they are impartial to the racial divisions among species.
assassins: a variance of villagers who do not fit in with the commoners; they are often masked, secretive, and quiet. they are typically scouts, or as their rank suggests, permanent silencers.
soliders: one rank below assassins, these are the villagers who are keen eyed, combat-skilled, and die-hard loyal to the smoke. they fight off all dangers and are always at the front of battle fields.
hunters: receives orders from the general. typically the most agile and lithe built, with a lot of stamina. most hunters are elves. they provide food for the commoners.
commoners: the commoners are also known as dead-weight and gatherers. though they tend to a farm, gather materials, clean and make clothes, ranked villagers see them as useless. they are also disabled men, or children under twelve{referred to as littlies.}, or retired rank holders. {men or women older than sixty.}
sergeant: in charge of all recruits training. they will lead them to the path most suited for them, spend the most time with the children above seven years older.
recruits: children twelve and older, learning which rank they will one day hold.
littlies: children under twelve.
nurse maidens: along with giving birth to children, these women aid the warlock should he ever need help. they clean, cook, and pick up after ranked villagers.
species
humans: a rarity among the smoke. humans are too fragile. rare species.
orcs: odd, green skinned creatures of the dark. they have gnarled canine teeth and are not especially attractive. their bodies resembles closely to humans, as does their hair and facial features. a rare species.
light elves: light colored, honey skin. closely resemble humans, with long hair and sharp, pointed ears. usually beautiful. common species.
dark elves: darker, greenish to blackish skin with odd, prominent eyebrows, eyes, or noses. not normally attractive. uncommon species.
vampires: beautiful, alluring creatures with pale skin and sharp canines. bitten to be turned- not usually born. uncommon.
werewolves: rough, natural hunters with tanned skin, and long hair. share blood to turn- not usually born. uncommon.
food
italicized; grown or bred
bolded: gathered or hunted
protein: wooly mammoths, goats, deer, cows, sabertooth tigers, wolves, chickens, pigs, birds, squirrels, rabbits.
vitamins: corn, wheat, carrots, potatoes, apples, peaches, spinach, peas, squash, cow + goat milk, cow + goat cheese
for my chief queen, please use this gif as a reference to her looks code.
