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Podlak
The most powerful shade of all blue colored Iralvi economically and military-wise is the colour “Deep sea, looking down, 30 Length units from coast on a sunny day”. As they are the most powerful shade they carry the Iralvi word for “Blue” as their title: Podlak, or the “Great Shade of Podlak”. Together with the other Great Shades the Podlak dominate the ruling body of the Common Cult, the organization that rules all of Iralvi space.
History
After the Events of the War of the less than People and the Great Subdivision, the newly created Iralvi peoples were spread over the surrounding worlds by the Returned Ones in order to avoid overpopulation in one place. So was the Podlak people, created from one Iralvi individual that was not exaclty a winner in the Great War, but one of the last ones standing.
Now, as a young people, much smaller than they used to be, with memories too big to compute, they felt mind boggled by the powers they once wielded and the space they once ruled. They turned their backs on this past and hoped for a new life in the wilderness of their new worlds, far away from power and rule, in order to find peace from the memories of the war they started in their earlier life.
So they lived in the fashion of the beasts of the wild in deep forests for hundreds of years, not knowing that other, non-iralvi people rose outside of the forests. When these early civilizations began to clear the Podlak forests their meeting was inevitable. To prevent the rising tribes from panicking or attacking them the Podlak revealed themselves to be sentient and showed themselves as benevolent beings, who wished to be left alone in their forests. This worked better than expected.
Those people began to worship the Podlak and kept away from the now sacred forests. Yet, this hindered the tribes in the forest regions in growing and developing. Other civilizations rose in the planes much faster, high cultures emerged on the verges of deserts. These began to spread aggressively and threatened the existence of the tribes worshiping the Podlak. These asked the Podlak for protection and guidance in their battle against the invaders.
Especially the younger Podlak could not ignore these calls. They began to live among the Non-Iralvi people, guiding them, leading them in their battles. But they did not stop when they successfully defended their tribes. Instead they led their new loyal fighters to conquer the high cultures of the planes and deserts. Once they controlled their entire world the Podlak slowly remembered that they once ruled many worlds. They felt hunger for rule of dominion.
This happened on several worlds. The Podlak spread over space and united with other Podlak in peace or by force. Over generations the tribal guides and leaders turned into a caste of nobility. In a more or less homogenous Podlak space royal and noble families rose to power, forming their feudal system and the Great Houses.
Podlak Shapes
Podlak take a quite anthropomorphic shape, mimicking the majority of the other sentient and cultured races. Their arm number ranges between two and six, but is always even. Their bodies remind of some sort of old fashioned, stiff, exotic military like uniform, with characteristic, protruding shoulders covering most of their upper body. All Iralvi share a very thin waste and most have wide upper bodies and hips. Their legs are broad and wide safe for the the joints, with almost diamond shaped, protruding calves, while their arms show a form of segmentation in the joints similar to insect legs.
There is little difference between female and male Podlak. Usually both genders have a very androgynous body shape, but rather tend to look masculine. While they do mimic other mortals, just like they mimic biological genders, female Podlak seldom bear female features safe for a higher pitched voice. The best hint is the shoulders. When they are pointed upwards the Podlak is male, downwards female. Yet the general shoulder form varies from Great House to Great House and the difference is usually subtle or found in the edge of the shoulders.
Habits
Their bodies are covered with golden medals representing their feuds. These medals come in three shapes: The pearl indicates the ownership of a street or factory in a factory world, the most common four point star indicates a feud on a Plantation world, stars with more points or irregular stars indicate ownership of a building or room on a Residence world. Sometimes they use these medals as currency, but they are exchanged exclusively with other Podlak or their Rainbowborn offspring.
The Podlak are quite open minded when it comes to the rainbow born, offspring of a Podlak and any other Iralvi parent. These however are born without the common memory of all Podlak and without the knowledge of the common tongue, which they first have to relearn. While they are considered part of the family, the house, they are also seen as bastards. They can earn low ranks of nobility, own feuds and rise to above average positions in administration and military but not further.
Almost all Podlak collect antiquated weaponry, be it swords, spears or ancient plasma rifles. It's a sign of their nobility to always carry around their weapons. Some carry them on their insides but let them stick out visibly, making them seem impaled. It's also common for Podlak to wear leather stripes and satchels strapped on body, carrying various items. This is not only for things that are not allowed to become wet as they would if they were carried on the insides of the Podlak.
Podlak Commonwealth
Most of Podlak space is made up by the Commonwealth. It's formed by the worlds controlled by the five Great Houses and some lesser Houses and Families. A large portion is directly controlled by the Orange King, who is also the leader of one of the five Great Houses. All Houses are obligated to provide troops for the Commonwealth's army, money and or services for the Commonwealth. In return the Orange King is obligated to defend all worlds within the Commonwealth. There exists a parliament made up by noblemen and a Commonwealth Court. Still, there is no obligation for peace, the members of the Commonwealth can still fight each other, excluding the current Orange King, who is not allowed to attack any member.
The death of the current Orange King sparks a civil war in the commonwealth that later turn into a succession war. The four Great Houses unite and rise against the House of the past Orange King. After they defeat the troops loyal to that House and after the head of the defeated House renounces inheritance of the Orange Throne, the four remaining Great Houses turn on each other. The winner of this succession war becomes the new Orange King. Almost half of the Orange Kings in history have come from House Dragonslayer.
Worlds
The worlds controlled by the Podlak fall into following categories: Factory worlds, Plantation Worlds, Residence Worlds and Fortress Worlds. Additionally Dragonslayers have Hunting Worlds while House Void and Storm mostly lacks Residence Worlds due to their nomadic lifestyle. Worlds in Podlak space are parceled into ten thousands if not hundred thousands feuds. Some feuds only cover a few square kilometers.
Factory Worlds, where the most income of the Podlak empire is generated, are densely covered by manufactories, factories, mines, chimneys and the barracks of Non-Iralvi workers. The ecological situation is severe, smog and other pollution kill thousands per year per world. In general the workers, all Non-Iralvi, are oppressed and have little rights even when they are officially no slaves. Their living conditions are only little better than those found in slums. Their Podlak rulers actively keep their subjects from education, the larger part is illiterate, working in manufactories equal to an early level of industrialisation. Still there exists something like a middle class and upper class, formed by more skilled and educated workers. These are able to build and handle more complex machines, factories and products and work in much more efficient plants than the unskilled masses. There are even industrial robots and computer controlled production lines. Enabling more subjects access to schooling the Podlak could produce much more goods with higher quality.
Still the Podlak keep production inefficient in most parts to “provide busywork to the thousand hands of a thousand worlds to keep the mere ones in work and bread”... (and) “not leave them time to clench their hands to fists and raise them in unrest.”
Plantation worlds are covered as the name implies in fields and plantations. These worlds produce the food for the workers of the Factory World and the population of the Residence Worlds and products dedicated for export, like spices, tea, drugs, and things gathered from animals, like fur, horn and ivory. These are the second most important sources of income.
While buildings on all Factory Worlds look pretty much alike, it's the Residence Worlds which each Podlak House uses as show-case of their individual art and architectonic styles. All Podlak have the right to live on a Palace world, as privilege of their nobility. Some have their own little palace, but many are housed by more powerful Princes and are part of their court. The majority of Podlak social life takes part on the Residence worlds and it's where they spent most of their lives, safe for the nomadic House of Void and Storm.
Fortress worlds are the designated battlefields of all wars between the Houses or Families or even Individuals of Podlak among each other. While there are defensive structures and systems on all worlds to defend them against any outside attacker, the Fortress worlds mostly serve the purpose of concentrating battles of infights on a hand full of worlds and sparing the productive Factory and Plantation Worlds, as well as the palaces of the Residence Worlds. Additionally Fortress Worlds offer a good defense against non-Podlak invaders aswell.
House Dragonslayer
The first important thing to mention about this house are their steeds. The Dragonslayers are very proud of their mounts, whether they are organical or mechanical beings, bound devils or angels, golems or undead creatures, and almost never travel without them. Recently sentient steeds became popular. The House Dragonslayer have naturally the best cavalry of all Podlak Houses. On all worlds controlled by the Dragonslayers stables can be found in all places just like large park like ranges, where they ride and hunt.
Hunting is another point of importance for the Dragonslayers. They travel great distances, even venturing to worlds outside of their domain to hunt the most dangerous creatures and claim them as new steeds or their heads as trophy. But usually the Dragonslayers hold their hunts on the so called Hunting Worlds, worlds that have been left wild and untamed. For some hunts, the Dragonslayers release previously captured creatures to hunt them.
Leaving the business of administration to local bailiffs and stewards the House Dragonslayer is running quite efficiently. The Dragonslayers are seen as a boon in dispatching dangerous beasts and are quite popular among their peasants. Their high prestige has made many noble Podlak families join the House Dragonslayer. These are the main reasons why their House is today the most powerful of the five Great Houses being almost as powerful as the other four combined.
House Hand Behind
This House is ruling as administrators and bureaucrats rather than classical nobleman. Most Hand Behind sit in their Justice Palaces, unreachable by their peasants, and extremely difficult to reach by other Iralvi. Their administrative machinery appears as monolithic, mysterious and confusing, far above everyday life, yet controlling the very everyday life of all who live within the Hand Behind Domain.
It is to say that House Hand Behind does not bother with low level manufactories. All factories are far more advanced than the basic ones and more strictly organized than those of the other Great Houses. They are efficient yet ruthless. Work accidents lead to far more cases of death than pollution and malnutrition. Still the end products are heavy tanks and other mechanical vehicles that cannot be produced by the other Houses in similar numbers.
For that reason House Hand Behind provides the best machinery, heavy units and artillery to the troops of the Commonwealth. But unlike all other Houses, Hand Behind members do not partake in battle in any way. They rather sent their armies of hired mercenaries.
House Mage Mogul
This House was founded by very actual Mage Moguls, grand and ruthless wizards. They bent reality as well as the minds of their peasants and violently undid all those who opposed them with highly destructive magic. The tombs of these ancient Mage Moguls cover entire worlds, cursed and wicked necropolises.
Modern Mage Moguls are far from that. They are rather magic enthusiasts than serious wizards. Noble men and women with too much leisure time, who are interested in the occult, seances and mysticism. They love to partake in summonings, be it demon, angel, spirit or undead summonings – depending what is on vogue.
Yet, compared to the other Houses, the Mage Moguls are experts in the Arcane, as most Podlak refuse to use magic themselves. For that reason Mage Moguls can be found at many courts of other Houses, serving as court mages and counselors in magic affairs. As a result of that they are very well connected and usually make better diplomats and spies than mages.
They of course provide battle magic and magical services to the Commonwealth.
House Void and Storm
This House is often accused of being pirates rather than honourable noblemen. Instead of spending most of their lives in palaces, the House Void and Storm fashioned their space crafts into flying palaces and fortresses. It is true, that there are many robber-knights in House Void and Storm, and trade is suffering from either attacks or racketeering. Yet, House Void and Storm is a strong opponent to the Trading Guild and usually spares Podlak and other Iralvi traders.
Entire fleets of flying palaces and warships travel from world to world. While their movement seems erratic, there is system behind it. While worlds in Void and Storm space are mostly self governed there is still rumors of uprise and revolution here and there. The nobles in such a case proactively travel to such a world, which then is forced to house the fleet. The effect is similar to a locust swarm. When House Void and Storm pays one of their worlds a visit, it's always a harsh punishment beforehand.
House Void and Storm provides space crafts and their armada to the Commonwealth.
House Blood Gods
While most Podlak partake on the battlefields of their wars, most enter the battle at a late stage, when the victory is in certainty. Not so the Blood Gods. They engage in battle early on when there is the slightest chance. House Blood Gods is widely known for seeking battles and fights and duels are extremely common. Thanks to the Iralvi biology they always survive these, as long as the combatants stick to conventional weaponry.
The Blood Gods engage in bloody games, staged gladiator battles, reenactment of important battles but with actual fighting. On all their worlds arenas can be found. Their subjects, too, enjoy the games. Even so much, they are less likely to revolt than peasants on other worlds.
Just like most Iralvi the Blood Gods are omnitheist, acknowledging the existence of all Gods and worshiping a pantheon of their personal choosing. Yet, the Blood Gods insist on bloody mortal sacrifices to honour their Gods. On all their worlds the temples are a little larger and have an extra area for ritual killings.
House Blood Gods provides the elite heavy infantry to the Commonwealth.
The most powerful shade of all blue colored Iralvi economically and military-wise is the colour “Deep sea, looking down, 30 Length units from coast on a sunny day”. As they are the most powerful shade they carry the Iralvi word for “Blue” as their title: Podlak, or the “Great Shade of Podlak”. Together with the other Great Shades the Podlak dominate the ruling body of the Common Cult, the organization that rules all of Iralvi space.
History
After the Events of the War of the less than People and the Great Subdivision, the newly created Iralvi peoples were spread over the surrounding worlds by the Returned Ones in order to avoid overpopulation in one place. So was the Podlak people, created from one Iralvi individual that was not exaclty a winner in the Great War, but one of the last ones standing.
Now, as a young people, much smaller than they used to be, with memories too big to compute, they felt mind boggled by the powers they once wielded and the space they once ruled. They turned their backs on this past and hoped for a new life in the wilderness of their new worlds, far away from power and rule, in order to find peace from the memories of the war they started in their earlier life.
So they lived in the fashion of the beasts of the wild in deep forests for hundreds of years, not knowing that other, non-iralvi people rose outside of the forests. When these early civilizations began to clear the Podlak forests their meeting was inevitable. To prevent the rising tribes from panicking or attacking them the Podlak revealed themselves to be sentient and showed themselves as benevolent beings, who wished to be left alone in their forests. This worked better than expected.
Those people began to worship the Podlak and kept away from the now sacred forests. Yet, this hindered the tribes in the forest regions in growing and developing. Other civilizations rose in the planes much faster, high cultures emerged on the verges of deserts. These began to spread aggressively and threatened the existence of the tribes worshiping the Podlak. These asked the Podlak for protection and guidance in their battle against the invaders.
Especially the younger Podlak could not ignore these calls. They began to live among the Non-Iralvi people, guiding them, leading them in their battles. But they did not stop when they successfully defended their tribes. Instead they led their new loyal fighters to conquer the high cultures of the planes and deserts. Once they controlled their entire world the Podlak slowly remembered that they once ruled many worlds. They felt hunger for rule of dominion.
This happened on several worlds. The Podlak spread over space and united with other Podlak in peace or by force. Over generations the tribal guides and leaders turned into a caste of nobility. In a more or less homogenous Podlak space royal and noble families rose to power, forming their feudal system and the Great Houses.
Podlak Shapes
Podlak take a quite anthropomorphic shape, mimicking the majority of the other sentient and cultured races. Their arm number ranges between two and six, but is always even. Their bodies remind of some sort of old fashioned, stiff, exotic military like uniform, with characteristic, protruding shoulders covering most of their upper body. All Iralvi share a very thin waste and most have wide upper bodies and hips. Their legs are broad and wide safe for the the joints, with almost diamond shaped, protruding calves, while their arms show a form of segmentation in the joints similar to insect legs.
There is little difference between female and male Podlak. Usually both genders have a very androgynous body shape, but rather tend to look masculine. While they do mimic other mortals, just like they mimic biological genders, female Podlak seldom bear female features safe for a higher pitched voice. The best hint is the shoulders. When they are pointed upwards the Podlak is male, downwards female. Yet the general shoulder form varies from Great House to Great House and the difference is usually subtle or found in the edge of the shoulders.
Habits
Their bodies are covered with golden medals representing their feuds. These medals come in three shapes: The pearl indicates the ownership of a street or factory in a factory world, the most common four point star indicates a feud on a Plantation world, stars with more points or irregular stars indicate ownership of a building or room on a Residence world. Sometimes they use these medals as currency, but they are exchanged exclusively with other Podlak or their Rainbowborn offspring.
The Podlak are quite open minded when it comes to the rainbow born, offspring of a Podlak and any other Iralvi parent. These however are born without the common memory of all Podlak and without the knowledge of the common tongue, which they first have to relearn. While they are considered part of the family, the house, they are also seen as bastards. They can earn low ranks of nobility, own feuds and rise to above average positions in administration and military but not further.
Almost all Podlak collect antiquated weaponry, be it swords, spears or ancient plasma rifles. It's a sign of their nobility to always carry around their weapons. Some carry them on their insides but let them stick out visibly, making them seem impaled. It's also common for Podlak to wear leather stripes and satchels strapped on body, carrying various items. This is not only for things that are not allowed to become wet as they would if they were carried on the insides of the Podlak.
Podlak Commonwealth
Most of Podlak space is made up by the Commonwealth. It's formed by the worlds controlled by the five Great Houses and some lesser Houses and Families. A large portion is directly controlled by the Orange King, who is also the leader of one of the five Great Houses. All Houses are obligated to provide troops for the Commonwealth's army, money and or services for the Commonwealth. In return the Orange King is obligated to defend all worlds within the Commonwealth. There exists a parliament made up by noblemen and a Commonwealth Court. Still, there is no obligation for peace, the members of the Commonwealth can still fight each other, excluding the current Orange King, who is not allowed to attack any member.
The death of the current Orange King sparks a civil war in the commonwealth that later turn into a succession war. The four Great Houses unite and rise against the House of the past Orange King. After they defeat the troops loyal to that House and after the head of the defeated House renounces inheritance of the Orange Throne, the four remaining Great Houses turn on each other. The winner of this succession war becomes the new Orange King. Almost half of the Orange Kings in history have come from House Dragonslayer.
Worlds
The worlds controlled by the Podlak fall into following categories: Factory worlds, Plantation Worlds, Residence Worlds and Fortress Worlds. Additionally Dragonslayers have Hunting Worlds while House Void and Storm mostly lacks Residence Worlds due to their nomadic lifestyle. Worlds in Podlak space are parceled into ten thousands if not hundred thousands feuds. Some feuds only cover a few square kilometers.
Factory Worlds, where the most income of the Podlak empire is generated, are densely covered by manufactories, factories, mines, chimneys and the barracks of Non-Iralvi workers. The ecological situation is severe, smog and other pollution kill thousands per year per world. In general the workers, all Non-Iralvi, are oppressed and have little rights even when they are officially no slaves. Their living conditions are only little better than those found in slums. Their Podlak rulers actively keep their subjects from education, the larger part is illiterate, working in manufactories equal to an early level of industrialisation. Still there exists something like a middle class and upper class, formed by more skilled and educated workers. These are able to build and handle more complex machines, factories and products and work in much more efficient plants than the unskilled masses. There are even industrial robots and computer controlled production lines. Enabling more subjects access to schooling the Podlak could produce much more goods with higher quality.
Still the Podlak keep production inefficient in most parts to “provide busywork to the thousand hands of a thousand worlds to keep the mere ones in work and bread”... (and) “not leave them time to clench their hands to fists and raise them in unrest.”
Plantation worlds are covered as the name implies in fields and plantations. These worlds produce the food for the workers of the Factory World and the population of the Residence Worlds and products dedicated for export, like spices, tea, drugs, and things gathered from animals, like fur, horn and ivory. These are the second most important sources of income.
While buildings on all Factory Worlds look pretty much alike, it's the Residence Worlds which each Podlak House uses as show-case of their individual art and architectonic styles. All Podlak have the right to live on a Palace world, as privilege of their nobility. Some have their own little palace, but many are housed by more powerful Princes and are part of their court. The majority of Podlak social life takes part on the Residence worlds and it's where they spent most of their lives, safe for the nomadic House of Void and Storm.
Fortress worlds are the designated battlefields of all wars between the Houses or Families or even Individuals of Podlak among each other. While there are defensive structures and systems on all worlds to defend them against any outside attacker, the Fortress worlds mostly serve the purpose of concentrating battles of infights on a hand full of worlds and sparing the productive Factory and Plantation Worlds, as well as the palaces of the Residence Worlds. Additionally Fortress Worlds offer a good defense against non-Podlak invaders aswell.
House Dragonslayer
The first important thing to mention about this house are their steeds. The Dragonslayers are very proud of their mounts, whether they are organical or mechanical beings, bound devils or angels, golems or undead creatures, and almost never travel without them. Recently sentient steeds became popular. The House Dragonslayer have naturally the best cavalry of all Podlak Houses. On all worlds controlled by the Dragonslayers stables can be found in all places just like large park like ranges, where they ride and hunt.
Hunting is another point of importance for the Dragonslayers. They travel great distances, even venturing to worlds outside of their domain to hunt the most dangerous creatures and claim them as new steeds or their heads as trophy. But usually the Dragonslayers hold their hunts on the so called Hunting Worlds, worlds that have been left wild and untamed. For some hunts, the Dragonslayers release previously captured creatures to hunt them.
Leaving the business of administration to local bailiffs and stewards the House Dragonslayer is running quite efficiently. The Dragonslayers are seen as a boon in dispatching dangerous beasts and are quite popular among their peasants. Their high prestige has made many noble Podlak families join the House Dragonslayer. These are the main reasons why their House is today the most powerful of the five Great Houses being almost as powerful as the other four combined.
House Hand Behind
This House is ruling as administrators and bureaucrats rather than classical nobleman. Most Hand Behind sit in their Justice Palaces, unreachable by their peasants, and extremely difficult to reach by other Iralvi. Their administrative machinery appears as monolithic, mysterious and confusing, far above everyday life, yet controlling the very everyday life of all who live within the Hand Behind Domain.
It is to say that House Hand Behind does not bother with low level manufactories. All factories are far more advanced than the basic ones and more strictly organized than those of the other Great Houses. They are efficient yet ruthless. Work accidents lead to far more cases of death than pollution and malnutrition. Still the end products are heavy tanks and other mechanical vehicles that cannot be produced by the other Houses in similar numbers.
For that reason House Hand Behind provides the best machinery, heavy units and artillery to the troops of the Commonwealth. But unlike all other Houses, Hand Behind members do not partake in battle in any way. They rather sent their armies of hired mercenaries.
House Mage Mogul
This House was founded by very actual Mage Moguls, grand and ruthless wizards. They bent reality as well as the minds of their peasants and violently undid all those who opposed them with highly destructive magic. The tombs of these ancient Mage Moguls cover entire worlds, cursed and wicked necropolises.
Modern Mage Moguls are far from that. They are rather magic enthusiasts than serious wizards. Noble men and women with too much leisure time, who are interested in the occult, seances and mysticism. They love to partake in summonings, be it demon, angel, spirit or undead summonings – depending what is on vogue.
Yet, compared to the other Houses, the Mage Moguls are experts in the Arcane, as most Podlak refuse to use magic themselves. For that reason Mage Moguls can be found at many courts of other Houses, serving as court mages and counselors in magic affairs. As a result of that they are very well connected and usually make better diplomats and spies than mages.
They of course provide battle magic and magical services to the Commonwealth.
House Void and Storm
This House is often accused of being pirates rather than honourable noblemen. Instead of spending most of their lives in palaces, the House Void and Storm fashioned their space crafts into flying palaces and fortresses. It is true, that there are many robber-knights in House Void and Storm, and trade is suffering from either attacks or racketeering. Yet, House Void and Storm is a strong opponent to the Trading Guild and usually spares Podlak and other Iralvi traders.
Entire fleets of flying palaces and warships travel from world to world. While their movement seems erratic, there is system behind it. While worlds in Void and Storm space are mostly self governed there is still rumors of uprise and revolution here and there. The nobles in such a case proactively travel to such a world, which then is forced to house the fleet. The effect is similar to a locust swarm. When House Void and Storm pays one of their worlds a visit, it's always a harsh punishment beforehand.
House Void and Storm provides space crafts and their armada to the Commonwealth.
House Blood Gods
While most Podlak partake on the battlefields of their wars, most enter the battle at a late stage, when the victory is in certainty. Not so the Blood Gods. They engage in battle early on when there is the slightest chance. House Blood Gods is widely known for seeking battles and fights and duels are extremely common. Thanks to the Iralvi biology they always survive these, as long as the combatants stick to conventional weaponry.
The Blood Gods engage in bloody games, staged gladiator battles, reenactment of important battles but with actual fighting. On all their worlds arenas can be found. Their subjects, too, enjoy the games. Even so much, they are less likely to revolt than peasants on other worlds.
Just like most Iralvi the Blood Gods are omnitheist, acknowledging the existence of all Gods and worshiping a pantheon of their personal choosing. Yet, the Blood Gods insist on bloody mortal sacrifices to honour their Gods. On all their worlds the temples are a little larger and have an extra area for ritual killings.
House Blood Gods provides the elite heavy infantry to the Commonwealth.
Category All / All
Species Alien (Other)
Size 5600 x 1400px
File Size 3.48 MB
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