Fordun
| Fordun | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Creator | Xero |
| Information | |
| Average Height | 160cm-200cm |
| Average Lifespan | Eternal |
| Hair Colours | Any |
| Eye Colours | Any (Glowing) |
| Skin Colours | Any |
| Current Leader | Archduke Vincent Uhrwerk |
| Capital | Ashbourne |
| Planet | Voi'Runil |
The Fordun are a race of beings that are shrouded in an cloak of mystery. Drawing their life essence from forbidden magics, they preserve their souls within mechanical dolls.
In the year 2360 tensions would have begun to rise between the kingdom of Luxfordia and the Bjorn Empire, causing High King Edward Greymoore IV to amass his mighty star fleet, also known as the Luxfordian Royal Fleet, to prepare for a direct assault against the people of the frozen world. Among the fleet was Legatus-Prince Larothron, the King's oldest offspring; Sir Arnold Swordbract, The King's war advisor; and Artificer Elizabeth Von Herstel, the chief engineer of the royal skyship, the Crown Duskbloom.
To make their arrival a surprise, Larothron commanded the fleet to remove itself from the Ethereal Chain and take a route passing by the Voi'Runil Vortex, to the opposition of Swordbract's advise. Despite taking a dangerous yet subtle reroute, the fleet would be found by the allies of Bjorn - the United Tribes. Led by Elder Kura at the time, the tribes were quick to become hostile and act in dispatching the incoming fleet knowing the warmongering nature of Humankind. The Royal Fleet was hit by the Avari's own superior air onslaught and defeat was certain. Larothron sought to fight until his, and his soldiers' dying breaths but at the last moment Sir Swordbract took command away from the foolish boy and ordered a surrender.
Yet Elder Kura was not content with the Humans surrendering and leaving with their lives. Watching from the bridge of his jeweled vessel he commanded his fleet to throw the Luxfordian fleet into the dark vortex that plagued the sea of stars, to make heed that the Avari and the Urson are not to be trifled with. The screams of countless Luxfordian soldiers echoed as they were spun and torn into the raging storm of the lost planet, a sight and song Elder Kura revelled in.
As they fell, their war vessels were torn apart in the ensuing storm they were forced into. Unable to do much else but pray to the gods for salvation and forgiveness, Swordbract gathered who he could and shielded them with the brimming light of his devotion. Together with the clerics and priests onboard, this shield expanded and widened to protect the fleet from utter destruction even as the chaotic energies of Voi'Runil caused Swordbract's magic to wane.
The crash occurred in a brilliant nova of holy light that blasted out in a singular ring of gold across the darkened lands. Swordbract, still alive, mustered his strength and looked on in horror at the expanse he stood in now - a plains in which the grass festered, tendrils of evil sprouting out from the soil and dark clouds gathering overhead. He knew now that he was certainly in hell.
The history of what happened next to the survivors of the fleet is etched into four record discs which playback the turmoil and burdens of the lost in song and dance. These discs are revered by the Fordun and are given the collective name "Movements of Ashbourne".
A recap of the Movements shows that the Human survivors of the Royal Fleet quickly separated themselves into three warring factions - The Royal Executioners, who sought to use what little time they had left to fight in a blaze of glory any monster, demon and person who would stand to besmirch their honour; The Elate, a people who desperately prayed to make their voices heard to the gods but ultimately fell prey to the machinations of a rogue Veryn, transforming them into Vampires; and the Artificers, a group of engineers and scientists who researched the land that slowly devoured their mortal bodies and devised new mechanical bodies into which they could import their souls. The first model of these mechanical doll bodies would be known as the Ave1.0, a result of the combined intelligence of Elizabeth and Gunther Ereben, a brilliant mind who had previously worked under her as a mechanic.
Conflicting ideals between the three factions would result in a war in which the Artificers came out on top, led by Elizabeth Von Herstel. Following their victory, Elizabeth would see to the establishment of a new government as the mechanical remnants of Luxfordia's fleet began to see Voi'Runil as their new homeworld. They would begin to call themselves Fordun, a name that was etched into the old ruins of the land that would serve as the fundament for their new city - Ashbourne. Elizabeth Von Herstel would promote Vincent Uhrwerk as the Archduke of this city, establishing him as the voice of their people while she sat back and continued to lead the Artificers in developing newer and more refined bodies. When Gunther was forced to be apprehended and deactivated by Elizabeth, a new brilliant mind would step up and help develop Fordun bodies with Elizabeth - Arztor Augmech, who would revolutionise their peoples' mechanical nature with body augmentations previously unheard of.
Many decades later, a group of Vampire refugees would ally themselves with the Fordun and gift them with a superior magical understand in exchange of shelter and protection.
Religion and Culture
The Fordun practice no religion and are actively discouraging any who do, believing that the existence of Gods is null and void. Their faith is instead put into the absolute ideals of Elysium and the artificial system of life they lead. To a Fordun, the only afterlife is "Systemic Collective" where their souls go to await remaking following the unfortunate shutdown of their bodies.
Devoid of a faith, Fordun have learned to enrich themselves with unique forms of culture including the renowned dance known as "The Mechanical Rhythm". They also practice poetry and artistry to remember the splinters of their Luxfordian history.
They refer to the rest of Auria as "Albion", a term that means "Old World" in their dialect.
Society and its Structure
The Fordun are led by an Archduke who is currently Vincent Uhrwerk. Their nation is called Elysium.
Beneath the Archduke is the Ivory Administrative Agency ( I.A.A. ), a government body that dedicates themselves to the continued development of Elysium.
The Fordun doll bodies do not age, allowing for a Fordun to live an eternal life. They do, however, deteriorate over time and require maintenance provided by the nation to all working citizens. New Fordun are made with a joint effort between the Divine Scar Vampires and the dollmakers of the Artificers, merging a lost soul with a basic doll to give it new life. They call this process "the Joined Emptiness".
Racial Traits
Augmentation - Thanks to their mechanical bodies, Fordun can augment their bodies using Augmech Licensed bodyparts to drastically change themselves. While expensive, these bodyparts allow a Fordun to grant themselve new bodyparts, weapons or other capabilities previously unavailable to them.
Cosmobane - Fordun are mechanical dolls inhabited by purified corrupted souls of Voi'Runil (or elsewhere). In order to house such souls, Fordun bodies are built out of Cosmobane Alloy, a tough metal that is resistant to cosmic influence. This grants all Fordun built this way a natural resistance to Cosmos.
Forsaken Mortality - Fordun do not need to eat or drink to maintain their lives. Instead their bodies rely on energy cells which naturally regenerate while resting. These energy cells can also be modified to be charged in different ways befitting the environment.
Tinker Proficiency - Due to the necessity of maintaining their bodies, all Fordun have a basic understanding in Engineering.
Knowledge of the Dark - Fordun have a bonus to intelligence as well as a proficiency to cosmology and science.
Physical Appearance and Behavior
The Fordun are beings who have created doll-like mechanical bodies to inhabit, allowing for a theoretical infinite possibilities of appearance. Despite this, most Fordun take on the appearance of a Human or Asvar in their doll form.
A Fordun is often somber and dull in their personality, rarely showing signs of cheeriness. They find comfort and joy in darker and serious subjects, telling crude and otherwise tasteless jokes that may often be perceived as offensive to other races. Though they are cold-hearted by nature, a Fordun is not outright hateful or despicable toward others, though they may act distrustful towards those they do not know requiring a greater deal of good will to be generated to gain the friendship of a Fordun. They often find elegance in perfection and perfection in elegance, striving to reach a peak in both.
