Bolster

The Bolsters (singular: Bolster) are a beaver-like Landfolk race which are occasionally found in the watershed regions of Howl Basin, especially in the northeast. Like most Landfolk, they're known for a strong sense of community. They are considered by many to be the most industrious of the Landfolk, and blend in well between Landfolk and Hivefolk factions in mixed communities. They are experts of industry and have taken to the latest industrial advancements with great promise, while keeping enough of their old traditions alive to satisfy even the discerning Cervano.

History

The Bolsters are not native to Howl Basin, and have begun to settle it only relatively recently, since the Frontier was expanded to include it. Most have come seeking to improve their fortunes, whether that's a wealthy Bolster industrialists expanding their business interests into a new market, a prospecting Bolster looking to tap a region of untapped resources, or even just freeholding homesteaders seeking the space needed to fully indulge in their lives.

Culture

Art and Architecture

Bolsters are the great builders of the Landfolk. While all the other Landfolk build very capable and robust buildings, the Bolsters always try to push the envelope of what is possible with the resources available to them. They are talented engineers, with a proud and long-running tradition of grand infrastructure projects, especially water-works, with which they are considered to be experts. Their own propensity for these works and an affinity for waterside living has made them capable boatbuilders and dam constructors. The largest single artificial structure in Howl Basin, the Crush Valley Dam, was initiated by Bolster industrialists and designed by Bolster architects to manage the supply of fresh water to the nearby Hilton City, and several Bolster dams are under construction for hydroelectric power generation.

Bolson Lodges

Bolster have a cultural artifact known as Bolson Lodges, of which many adult Bolster are often members. These can be thought of as closed fraternal organizations, usually with a unique-to-them ceremonial spin. While many in the Howl Basin distrust the lodges due to their secretive and exclusive nature, most Bolson Lodges are little more than social clubs, though many also have their own business or charitable interests.

Language

The Bolson language is thought of as an offshoot of Lagosi, sharing a common alphabet. The two languages are close enough together that many Bolster choose to learn both, and certainly most any Bolster found in the Howl Basin will also speak Lagosi, which is perhaps the most common language in the region.

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.

In addition to the usual regional staple vegetables, and even some game meats, the Bolster have a special fondness for seafoods (including, in fact, especially, freshwater fish and shellfish). Some have gone to great lengths to cultivate such foods, and those Bolsters lucky enough to be able to dam off their own ponds or lakes will stock them for sport fishing, or else practice small-scale aquaculture.

Religion and Spirituality

Bolsters have a high degree of religious orthodoxy and tend not to take reports of Strangeness too seriously; when they do, they ascribe them to religious interpretations. Some Bolster communities are effectively cloistered and practice a church-first way of life, while most are more cosmopolitan.

Science and Technology

Bolsters, unsurprisingly, have fully embraced the modern revolution in industrialization and technology, which was created in part by their own contributions to the fields of architecture and engineering, and which in turn allows them to further push the envelopes of those fields.

Entertainment

"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.

Society

Bolster by and large tend to find their welcome in many communities, and while a few traditionalist Bolster still keep up single-family homesteads, most prefer to be in larger communities, including proper towns and cities. Unusurprisingly, they are usually found in social roles tied closely to industry, either as labourers, engineers, architects, planners, developers, and magnates. The more charismatic among the Bolsters sometimes become organizers against abusive industrialization. These two camps, in addition to being held in tension with each other, hold the Bolsters in tension with the Hivefolk; the two groups occasionally feeling some kinship-of-purpose, but very often disagreeing about the nature and degree of changes and sacrifices needed to bring about the Industrial Age.

Physiology

General Body Plan

Bolsters can best be described as sturdy; they range from 1.6 to 2m tall (similar to the Lagos), but their broader proportions and thicker overall body structure lead to them wearing half again or twice as much as their comparable and common cousins. Beaver-like anthropoids, Bolster have a thick coat of somewhat waterproof brown fur, and prominent teeth, which they take great pride in maintaining in excellent physical condition. They have somewhat small and delicate hands for their overall size, but their hands are posessed of remarkable dexterity that comes in handy in their knack for fine engineering.

Bolsters have tails, like most Landfolk, though theirs are by far the most pronounced - often extending nearly to the ground, and broad and flat. These tails are well-muscled, if not especially prehensile, and can be used to create a loud slapping sound by impact when swimming as a mode of alerting. Fattening of this tail has been known to occur with ample diet and is seen as somewhat desirable; culturally, it is associated with comfort and wealth.

Ethno-Geographic Variances

"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.

Bolsters are not extremely well distributed in the World and are actually native to the Continent, just not to Howl Basin. Their relatively narrow range and common mingling of their communities has actually lead to less variation in appearances over time than the comparable opposite extreme, the Lagos.

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

Bolster characters being play with +1 Strength and +1 Analysis, exchanged for -1 Willpower and -1 Agility.

Heritage Trait

All Bolsters have the Lake Lungs (Heritage Trait) property.

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

• Lodge Initiate (Heritage Trait) - Bolsters who are initiates into their local Bolster Lodge begin play with an additional Connection.
• Axe Bite (Heritage Trait) - Some Scrappy Bolsters have learned how to use their teeth as an effective tool in combat, dealing increased damage on Unarmed Attacks that include a bite.
• Bolster Ingenuity (Heritage Trait) - Bolsters with the stereotypical penchant for industrialization and technology restore Analysis-derived pools at double the normal rate.