Quillions

The Quillions (singular: Quillion) are a porcupine- or hedgehog-like Landfolk race which are commonly found all throughout Howl Basin's more forested areas. Like most Landfolk, they're known for a strong sense of community. Outside of those communities, they have a reputation for fierceness, with some outside the Landfolk zeitgeist considering them borderline Mountainfolk. They are known to be excellent woodworkers and lumberers (though are less known for this than their Bolster cousins) and those who have earned their trust know that their generosity outpaces their prickly nature.

History

While the Quillions are found throughout the temperate northern regions of the World, and even parts of the Frontier in native populations, perhaps surprisingly, they are relative newcomers to Howl Basin, arriving only as the region began to be settled. For the most part, Quillions in the basin are there trying to find quieter and isolated lands in which to build their own communities, but they aren't above working with other Landfolk cultures in that endeavour.

Culture

Art and Architecture

Quillions are fond of the use of wood in construction and prefer it over almost all similar materials, with many Quillions being quite talented in its use. There's a rich tradition and even cottage industry of folk carving as well.

Quillions have a peculiar cultural predilection for the construction of treehouses as an entertainment for their children, when resources and time are sparing. The technique is highly popular and some more adventurous Quillons make their livings maintaining networks of such structures as hunting stands.

Language

The Quillion language, Quillic has a complex structure, with similarities to Varki and Bolsterish. It also has its own unique scrypt formed fine wedge shapes as a hold over to a time it was frequently written with their own spare quills via impression, similar to cuneiform.

Food

Quillion cuisine is broad, and their diet is omnivorous, though vegetable matter is favoured over meats as the bulk of the diet. They have a strong tradition of preserving nuts and berries for extended periods. A specific beverage, Quillion Tea, is a traditional preparation made from conifer needles, often mixed with dried or fresh berries, and is variously consumed as a beverage, tonic, or taken as medicine - in the latter case, it is thought to be useful against respiratory disease.

Religion and Spirituality

"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.

Science and Technology

Quillions, as far as the Landfolk go, are second only to the Bolster in terms of their willingness to experiment with and even outright adopt new technologies, and they're not uncommon to find as engineers, technicians, or even outright inventors. Quillion families are not nearly as expansive as Lagosi families, and even with the adoption of increasing levels of industrialization their labour needs seem to always outpace their free hands, leading to an attitude of generally desiring better ways to do things.

Entertainment

Quillions have a strong storytelling culture, with some ascribing the creation of the fireside story to them. While the fireside story is a tradition almost as old as speech, they've certainly raised it into a high art. Most nights on a Quillion homestead end with the family gathered around the fire and at least one rousing (or soothing) tale from each member of the family, mostly made up on the spot by blending the events of the day with well-known traditional tropes.

Society

While they're relative newcomers to the Basin, Quillions are generally seen as welcome wherever they go, like most Landfolk. Their Landfolk kin respect their upstanding nature, appreciate their generosity, and admire their willingness to take risks where defending themselves and their friends is concerned. Woodfolk communities tend to raise their children with an appropriate respect for the "Bristlebacks", however they frame the peaceable landfolk.

Physiology

Quillions are large and heavy for the folks of the Howl Basin, approaching (and occasionally exceeding) 2 meters in height, and usually possessed of proportions best described as stout. A variety of factors create some variation in the porcupine and hedgehog-resemblance of the Quillions, and the combining difference of snout proportions, quill length, and plain-fur length combine to cause them to resemble a variety of different species of both general types of creature.

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 Apptitudes

During character creation, all Quillions have +1 Strength and +1 Hardiness, along with -1 Agility and -1 Presence.

Heritage Trait

All Lagos have the Spines (Heritage Trait) property.

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

• Longquill (Heritage Trait) - Longquill Quillions have longer than usual quills which are even harder to avoid contact with in close combat than normal. Their Spines (Heritage Trait) applies in close combat, not just in a grapple.
• Silk Quills (Heritage Trait) - Some Quillions have long, plain fur mixed amongst their quills that hide the quills from view. They do not suffer from the social drawbacks of the Spines heritage trait.
• Climbing Claws (Heritage Trait) - Some Quillions have learned the trick of leveraging their claws effectively while climbing. They have a boon whenever they are climbing any structure made of wood (including trees).