From megst19+@pitt.edu Mon Nov 24 21:59:01 1997 Date: Fri, 7 Nov 1997 11:42:51 -0500 (EST) From: Mischa E Gelman Reply-To: mystara-l@lists.io.com To: mystara-l@lists.io.com Subject: [Mystara] Malpheggi HWR Part 1 Well, it's a bit later than expected, and not really as complete as I had hoped, but here's the Malpheggi Hollow World Reference, in 2 parts. Comments definitely appreciated and enjoy! Malpheggi Lizard Man Hollow World Reference/Gazzetteer by Mischa Gelman Many thanks to John Howell, Diego and Garafaele Galeifel for serving as editors,contributors and critics Ethnicity Gender Marriage Family Structure Age Social Status/Malpheggi culture Foreign Relations Domestic Relations Entertainment Critters Housing Ethnicity While Malpheggi vary greatly in color, and while many communties have arisen in different locales around the swamp, they see themselves as one people. Such a belief descends from the days when they first came to the Hollow World, few in number, and had to cope with the reality of being a small group reliant on one another. Also, as racism is not common on Mystara, it makes little sense for them to see skin color as at all important. There are no tribal conflicts within the Malpheggi, though they possessed such on the Outer World. Such ideas were lost in the transition to the Hollow World and most Malpheggi would scoff at the notion at such divisive ideas. The communities they have formed see one another as brethren and not as another group with which they are in competition. Gender The two genders are basically equal in Malpheggi society, with more or less equal numbers of scouts, foragers, kelinths (see Social Status section) and shamans being female and male. The Malpheggi are ruled by a queen, as is each community. The Malpheggi do not focus much on gender issues, and their speech is decidedly gender-neutral, moreso than any other Hollow World culture. The tendency of nearby cultures to treat their women as lower beings is frowned down upon by the Malpheggi, who see it as a sign of barbarism. (It should be pointed out that many of these same cultures see the equality of the Malpheggi as barbaric in nature.) Marriage Malpheggi generally marry for love, but occasionally the child of a communal leader will be placed in an arranged marriage. Malpheggi are rather forward, and when they do care for another often make their emotions known to the other party at first oppurtunity, avoid long courtship rituals. Marriages are presided over by a shaman of Ka. In the situation that two Malpheggi of different communities marry, the couple often moves into the land of the female, though it is not uncommon for the two to join the male's community or a different one altogether (often in such a case one between the former homes of the two). Malpheggi marriage vows are recited again after 1,3 and 5 years and every 5 years after that. If either lizard person does not want to renew the vows, then the couple becomes seperated and if one is from another community, they often return to it. This is a rather rare circumstance though, and most Malpheggi are married for life once they have found the right mate. Family Structure All Malpheggi take responsibility for the young of the community and try to raise them and discipline them as if they were their own. The parents do take final responsibility for their own brood, though, and will always place their life ahead of the life of their child. The lizard men and women do not have a typical familial arrangement though, adapting more of a communal approach. Often members of a family will be separated for hours,days or weeks on end if called upon by the community to undertake an action neccesary for the sustainment of the group at large. This is accepted as a neccesary part of life and when it occurs the community takes an even larger role in caring for a spouse or a child left behind. While they are very interdependent, the Malpheggi are also raised to be very independent, capable of surviving on their own for long durations. As such, when a Malpheggi is found away from the family she or he loves, their focus is often found to be on the task ahead and not on those they left behind. Age As mentioned, all Malpheggi take an active role in educating and training the community's youth. Malpheggi though mature faster than humans and do not reach the same losses of mind and body with age, meaning most Malpheggi are in good shape, of sound mind and capable for fending for themselves. Respect is not given to older Malpheggi simply due to their age, rather respect and admiration are gained by impressive deeds of any sort or achievement of a high social status. Past the age of maturity, few Malpheggi track their ages, finding it a silly notion of humans. Social Status (inc. Leadership,Religion,Military and much other information on Malpheggi culture as a whole) The Malpheggi have only a few major roles among their people that people fulfil. The role considered the most important is that of Queen. The Queen makes decisions for the Malpheggi as a whole, especially considering matters dealing with the Azcans and Schattenalfen. Her word is law, and not questioned by more than a tiny fraction of the people. The position is not hereditary despite the useage of the title Queen, but rather when a Queen dies or can no longer fulfil her duties of leadership, the shamans convene and perform a complicated ritual which few Malpheggi and no outsider knows the specifics of. At the end of this ritual, each attending shaman is informed by Ka as to the identify of the next Queen, who is then notified of her role. No special event marks this transition, though the word is spread quickly by the shamans as they return to their homelands. The Queen, while the leader of society, is still responsible for her community (she never moves from her home community, and if she marries, the spouse moves into her homeplace) as any other Malpheggi is, and will instruct youth or forage or do whatever the community would have asked her to do before. Should these duties overlap, the duty to the nation comes first. The Queen rarely requires advisors or a bodyguard, as Ka selects a lizard woman capable of defending herself and making solid decisions on her own. The lone mark of office is a golden amulet that the Kelinths say was granted by Ka to the first Queen. This amulet is rather simple compared to human jewelry, but is also magical, granting the Queen a -5 to AC and defending her from spells levels 1-3. Below the status of the Queen is that of the community leader, who is decided upon by the members of the community. Oftentimes the Kelinths of the community will decide on the community leader though, the rest of the locals agreeing readily with their choice, as the Kelinths are assumed to know best which community member is comparable to the leaders of the past who have done a good job. The community leader is not shown the same reverence of the Queen and is rarely known outside the immediate area of those they rule, but bears the same responsibilities, albeit on a lesser scale. The Kelinths are the next highest lizard people on the status scale. The Kelinths are responsible for passing on the history and lore of the community and of the Malpheggi in general to the next generation. They often do this through music (they are the only musicians among the Malpheggi) and the greatest tales of the Malpheggi have become hour-long works of song that every Kelinth knows by heart. Outsiders rarely notice the import of these Malpheggi, but the lizard women and men themselves show great deferrence to those who have attained more knowledge than any other in the community. Kelinths are also responsible for the rare deviant in society, and are almost always succesful in correcting the behavior of such troublemakers. There is no real way to sum up their contributions to society, as they are social worker and historian, singer and academian, teacher and drummer. A Malpheggi must study many years before (s)he is recognized as a Kelinth and this occasion is considered a great time for joy among the family of the new Kelinth. The formal recognition ceremony is conducted by the foremost local shaman with the entire community present. Upon becoming a Kelinth, a Malpheggi stops his or her former role, something that does not happen even if they had become Queen or the community chief, yet another sign of the Kelinth's importance to the swamp dwellers. As evidenced by the previous descriptions, the shaman plays an integral role in the Malpheggi world. They are often very humble, realizing they can never hope to know and fulfil every wish of Ka, and their flaws are thus acceptable to the community as a whole. They are seen as the guides to the next life though, and a such have great respect and any error is seen as worse than if another Malpheggi had commited the wrong. There are a wide variety of rituals and ceremonies that a Malpheggi shaman must know in order to be recognized as properly fulfilling his or her duties. Shamans do not correct wrongs as often as the Kelinths do, but it is still often their responsibility as well. Oddly, foragers rank a high role in society despite their large numbers. As they are more integral to the day to day functioning of the community than any other, perhaps this can be a sign of the Malpheggi practicality (the farmers of other Hollow World civilizations rarely being considered vital). Foragers are expected to be knowledgeable of the wide variety of flora and fauna that exist in the swamp, and are often wiser about the effects of herbs and plants than the healers of other societies. The Wokani are next on the status line, often relied upon in times of emergency, but rarely aiding in the daily life of the community. Wokani are very specialized, with those living in the middle of the swamp focusing on magic affecting plants of the swamp, those living on the borders focusing on magic of combat, offensive and defensive. This is a very generalized statement, though, as Wokani can be found that specialize in magic affecting nearly every aspect of life. While their magic is of low level, they have created a vast number of spells unknown by other mages, either of the Hollow World or Outer World. They are often seen as separate from the community and have little role in community life nor much say in the life of the community, a large difference from the shaman. The next group in the social status chain are the warrior/scout/guides who deal with foreigners. This work with foreigners is what gives their group the low status it maintains, though it is seen as awfully neccesary, bringing in gold in mercenary pay and defending the civilized lizard people from their barbaric human and elven neighbors. The typical Malpheggi warrior/scout/guide is knowledgeable of every aspect of swamp life, but only moderately trained in weaponry, making them rather different than the uneducated but soldier-trained warriors of nearby civilizations. The average Malpheggi warrior relies on brute strength and wits to compensate for this lack of combat training. The craftsmen who provide the weapons,clothing and tools of the Malpheggi are not shown much honor, as these items are not considered neccesary, but rather luxuries that the Malpheggi can afford to have now that they have a large and secure population. The Malpheggi, while taking pride in their work, are rather poor craftswomen and men, their tools considered crude and primitive by nearly any other culture. Equal respect is given to tailors,smiths,fletchers and weavers as all these skills are considered to be equal in terms of need and value. The next to last group in Malpheggi society, still shown great respect by the rest of the community (there are no 'untouchables' or other outcasts), are those who cannot work. The elderly and young (both in smaller proportions than in other civilizations as mentioned earlier) and the disabled (physically or mentally) fill out much of this category. They are still responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the community but they are not relied upon as are the other groups in society. The lowest group in the Malpheggi social status scale are the adventurers. The reckless, impractical Malpheggi who wishes to see more of the outside world or who goes alone or in a small group to deal with menaces of the swamp is valued only if they make an impact of great import (say, finding an ancient relic of the Malpheggi or killing a rampaging T-Rex that the individual communities cannot handle). Adventurers are supported by each community they arrive at, in hopes that they will either settle down or eventually commit a remarkable achievement, but the locals rarely socialize with these nomads. Still, the situation is better for those who stay inside the swamp than for those who head out and must deal with the prejudices of each nation. Those who exit the swamp often do so because of the negative Malpheggi attitude to adventurers. A shaman or a wokan who adventures is treated the same as any other adventurer, as the decision to seek fame causes a great loss of face. This, then, is the social status system among the Malpheggi. Respect is often linked to increased responsibility and increased aid to the local community, as well as focusing on the practically useful and knowledge-oriented groups in society. It is not egalitarian, nor is it merit-based, but it is often considered a useful,functional system by the Lighthouse scholars who have compared it to the other Hollow World societies. One last note:the course of life a Malpheggi pursues is of their choice. The lone exception is when it comes to being a Queen, a decision made by Ka. Granted, a Malpheggi may not have the skills to lead, the memory needed to be a Kelinth or the natural magical talent needed to be a Shaman or a Wokan. Any Malpheggi may study the rituals or the magic or the lore though, and it is only when they realize themselves that they are not fit that they seek another way of life. The Wokani and those groups below them have a negative stigma attached to them, making them less attractive and less represented though. Malpheggi seem to judge themselves well, and do not shy from the lesser occupations, creating a fairly stable society. Foreign Relations The Malpheggi, while selling their servies as mercenaries and scouts to their neighbors, have a decidedly negative view of the nearby civilizations. Generally, they view Azcan, Schattenalfen and Neather societies as uncivilized, barbaric and violent. The constant battles, the different treatment of people based solely on gender, the inability to survive in the swamp on their own and other traits all mark the humans and elves as inferior, a moral often taught to the young by the older generations. All hiring of mercenaries or scouts is conducted through the community leaders at the border of the swamp, as the Queen cannot be expected to second such decisions which occur often and at two opposite ends of the swamp. Should a community leader be found to make a poor decision, though, in such matters, (s)he will likely be replaced, as dealings with foreigners be conducted as perfectly as possible. The Malpheggi occasionally must aquire materials not found in the swamp. They do this by asking for goods oftentimes instead of money for their services as mercenaries and guides. Otherwise, they simply use the gold they have been paid to pay for these items that they are in need of. As cited, the only relations they have with the two main groups nearby are as mercenaries and scouts hired by both sides, with allegiance to neither. The only major changes in the future would if a representative of either side did something drastic, like an attack on the Malpheggi, or seizure of currently unoccupied swamplands. In such a case, the lizard men and women would likely sever all ties with the opposing nation and destroy any troops they sent near the swamp. The key players in these interactions are the leaders of the Azcan and Schattenalfen fronts and the Malpheggi communities near the front. Domestic Relations In the matter of intercommunity disputes, the problem is settling by a council consisting of several leaders. Three Kelinths from the area where the problem exists are chosen, prefferably one from each of the communities involved in the dispute and one from a community not involved. Two former community leaders from nearby localities and the two most esteemed shamans of the area round out the council. Often the number of members or the occupations of the councillors is changed based on circumstances, but the 7 individuals mentioned are considered the proper balance. Intercommunal disputes often involve the rare fertile regions in the rather desolate swamps, where food is of high value. Should the matter be of great importance, both sides (or all sides involved, if more than 2) bring the dispute before the Queen, who makes the decision. Entertainment The Malpheggi are not a very joy-seeking people. They get their pleasure from the simple enjoyments of every day life and do not have extravagant affairs to thrill themselves, a far cry from the Azcan tlachti tournaments and the approaches of their other neighbors. They do not seek joy out, but rather find it in what their neighbors consider tedious work only done because it maintains society. Critters Though they were plagued by a variety of swamp dwellers when they first arrived from the Known World, the lizard people have since made the swamp theirs. Many insects and reptiles still thrive, but the Malpheggi communities are as free from these pests as possible. Larger pests, like black dragons, are known to the Malpheggi as well, but they have learned to keep their distance from these beasts whenever possible, making their homes far from the lairs of these beasts. Also, the Malpheggi are quite resistant to the illnesses that the insects of the swamp often carry, and in other cases have developed antidotes and cures to these diseases. A foreigner, though, will likely be plagued by all these hazards, especially if (s)he does not have a Malpheggi guide. When the Malpheggi are troubled by an animal threat, they react quickly, banding together several nearby communities and attacking the problem head-on. With the worst problems, like an entire dinosaur herd or a black dragon, they often hold back instead, gathering forces from miles around, before acting. Never will they relinquish ground in the swamp they consider theirs to anyone. Housing A large part of why the Malpheggi are viewed as simple and barbaric by humans is that their dwellings are very simple. Due to the land in which they live, where a house would be rather impossible, they build houses on wooden stilts with ladders leading up and down as well as mud huts. Each community generally has one type of housing or the other and the Kelinths often argue among each other over which one is superior, almost always supporting the type used by their community. Often though the choice is simply based on territory, the huts being on the firmer areas of the swamp and the stilt-supported houses on the less firm regions. Never once in the week prior to the attack - as Iraqi troops on the border massed to over 2,000 - did Mr. Bush ever say, or even hint, that the U.S. would respond to Iraqi aggression with force -- Leslie Gibb, New York Times, concerning the Gulf War