Adler

The Adler (plural: Adlers) are an eagle-like avian Eyriefolk race who are uncommonly found throughout Howl Basin, preferring mostly to haunt their eponymous eyries in the Howling Herald Mountains. In spite of their relative rarity, their culture is the dominant culture among the Eyriefolk, and responsible for many of the stereotypes about them. They are commonly seen as honourable (to the point of being hidebound), stoic (to the point of being cold and aloof), and, by many Landfolk estimations, violent. Adler ranges include regions outside the Basin and in spite of their limited numbers they have great political importance, often occupying positions of civil or military authority; few stereotypes are quite as iconic as an Adler ranger.

History

Adler are native to the Contienent, including and not limited to Howl Basin, though they are most common in the east, only having recently begun to really settle into areas in the Frontier.

Culture

Language

The Adlish language is more or less the common language of the Eyriefolk, and the claw-mark writing system used by the language is also used by the Corvados and Volo languages. Most Adler do not deign to learn another language, but adventurous Adler who find themselves in Howl Basin almost always learn, at minimum, Lagosi.

Food

"The right way to rob a movin' train is to stop it first."

- Anonymous Lagos Bandit

This article or section alludes to information that is under active development and subject to change.

Adler are obligate, and exclusively, carnivores, with their culture (and most individuals) preferring riverine fish and small game, especially poultry. The Adler who have inhabited the Howl Basin tend to favour the Stonescale Salmon that dominate several of the watersheds in the basin as food, and some have contracted with Bolster communities to deliberately stock these salmon in watersheds for trade.

Religion and Spirituality

Adler are extremely religiously orthodox - both in terms of Church religion and in terms of the civic religion of the Federation, which they in part constructed themselves. As a result of these things they tend to fall into two camps with regard to Strangeness - a group who views all such reports as unfounded superstition, and a second camp that views such reports as reports of witchcraft pushing the limits of the religious tolerance of the Federation.

Science and Technology

The Adler are largely divided into two camps when it comes to industrialization and technology. The first, and probably largest, consider technology as it currently exists to be more or less a fait-accompli, neither needing nor desiring any further advancement, as the status quo suits the Adler perfectly fine. Inversely, the other camp considers modern industrialization to have been a power grab by the Hivefolk, as the technologies largely target their way of life, patterns of consumption, and larger populations, which the Adler largely don't have.

Entertainment

"Wut in... I'm not entirely sure what you're tryin' to do here, kid."

- Unknown Varki Prospector

This section is a placeholder; the information that goes there is missing or relies on Gameplay Mechanics yet to be developed.

Society

The Adler role in society is enormous; they were influential in the early formation of the Federation and have been instrumental in its continuing function. Adler politicians are ubiquitous in spite of the relative rareness of Adlers outside their own eyries, and they feature heavily in Federal propaganda and artwork.

However, this is a double-edged sword. The association with lawmen and military roles has given the Adlers a reputation for violence among the Landfolk communities. In the Howl Basin, where many are trying to make a new start, an Adler may not always find themselves welcome, especially if they think the Federal Status Quo suits them well.

Physiology

General Body Plan

Adlers are a humanoid species, on average between 1.8 to 2.3 metres tall, with fully featered bodies and heads like eagles (and, rarely, other raptors). They are powerfully muscled, if not slender, and have winged arms and tails suitable for flying - under suitably light loads and for suitably short distances.

Gameplay Mechanics

"The right way to rob a movin' train is to stop it first."

- Anonymous Lagos Bandit

This article or section alludes to information that is under active development and subject to change.

Base Attributes

An Adlter character begins play with a potent +2 to Presence, and -1 each to Hardiness and Strength.

Heritage Trait

All Adlers have the Tactical Flight (Heritage Trait) property.

Adlers may also select any one of the following secondary heritage traits:

• Frontier Royalty (Heritage Trait) - A few Adlers are in the Frontier because they are connected to Adler families that have extreme economic and political influence in Howl Basin, the Frontier, or the Federation. They can substitute a baned Connections check on any Connection check they wouldn't otherwise be able to make, provided they are willing to admit to this identity.
• Powerful Wings (Heritage Trait) - A few Adler specialize in maximizing their use of their natural power of flight. These Adler increase the weight limits and durations of their Tactical Flight properties by one-half.
• Eyes of an Eagle (Heritage Trait) - Adler often specialize in the use of their eyes as perceptive organs. These gain a boon whenever making visual perception checks in daylight from an elevated position, including while on the wing.