The Lion King
A Jotunn warrior, before and after receiving his demonic "gifts" through horrid acts of slaughter and savagery. A thrall trembles at his master's feet.
OUT-OF-CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To create an external threat primarily for Midvinter and further its lore on top of adding another playable species to the site.
- Image Credit: Artwork by Alex Boca (left) and Kekai Kotaki (right)
- Canon: N/A
- Permissions: N/A
- Links:
- Crucible submission
- Blood Gate submission
- Midvinter submission
- Valkyri submission
- Prior appearances in roleplay:
- We Are the Children of the Sun
- We Are All Bound by Purpose
- Name: Jotnar [sing. "Jotunn"]
- Designation: Sentient
- Origins: Crucible; the Netherworld
- Average Lifespan: 150 standard years; can be artificially increased through unholy "gifts".
- Estimated Population: Rare
- Description: Jotnar are a warrior race native to a sliver of the Netherworld known as the Crucible, where they are born into an endless machine of slaughter and bloodshed. Only the physically strong thrive in their bleak world, as each member of their species seeks to become the greatest warlord of the wasteland by felling hundreds of their own in combat. As blood is spilt by their hand, they grow increasingly monstrous in physical appearance and in spirit. These mutations will, in most cases, turn the host into mere slaves to their darkest desires, reduced to the most basic of intelligence.
- Breathes: Type I; Type II
- Average Height of Adults: 210 cm (males); 190 cm (females)
- Average Length of Adults: N/A
- Skin colour: Pale/Grey/Black (from infant to old age)
- Hair colour: Black/Grey/White (from infant to old age)
- Distinctions:
- The Jotnar are hulking and brutish in appearance, imposing in physique and possessing a level of physical strength far greater than that of the average human, on par with that of the Valkyri. They are born with pale skin which darkens with age until charcoal black; similarly, all are born black of hair which with maturity turns an ashen grey, then eventually pure white. Males tend to be taller with more muscle mass than female Jotnar; both are however exceedingly tough and supremely strong opponents. Due to the scarcity of food sources, the Jotnar often resort to cannibalism and are born with a set of sharpened teeth with which to tear flesh from bone with greater ease. To complete their ominous visage, each is born with a pair of empty sockets where instead of eyeballs there burn two eternal flames extinguishable only by the ending of the person's life. Their fiery gaze burns brighter as rage consumes them, or diminishes when calmer tempers prevail.
- As Jotnar prove their skill and ferocity in the Crucible, they may receive "divine boons" in the form of various mutations. These may range from sprouting a set of demonic wings, growing a spiked tail, horns, claws for hands, or in some other way increasing their prowess in battle until no longer recognisable. These "gifts" are usually accompanied by horrific deformities as well as grotesque tendencies as humanity is replaced with horror.
- With inbreeding as common as it is among Jotnar, those born misshapen, lack physical prowess, or are otherwise considered weak are made thralls; a truly miserable existence consisting of daily torture and brutal labour, often used as training dummies or for target practice by their cruel masters.
- Races: N/A
- Force Sensitivity: Force Dead
- Superior physical strength compared to humans.
- Society revolves entirely around war, savagery, and cruelty, and they excel at each of them.
- As they earn them, mutations may improve combat efficiency in various ways:
- Greater size and strength
- Increased durability
- Regeneration
- Higher intelligence (RARE)
- Without strong leadership to unite them, Jotnar will fight each other and whatever else they come into contact with.
- Possess slim to zero knowledge of the outside world.
- Possess no standard or advanced technology, such as blasters or starships.
- Confined to the Crucible unless successful in activating the Blood Gate, allowing travel to the mortal realm.
- As they earn them, each mutation increases the likelihood of:
- Reduced intelligence
- Loss of sentience
- Feral behaviour
- Inability to speak
- Diet: Carnivorous. Too many mutations render members of their species feral, their complete loss of sentience forcing them to wander the wasteland as mere beasts. Jotnar will later hunt down these grotesque creatures to feed themselves, effectively cannibalizing their own.
- Communication:
- Spoken language(s): Blood Speech, a native tongue of the Jotnar so foul and ominous that prolonged use cracks and scars the lips of whoever speaks it. Their ability to speak often devolves with further mutations, as sentient thought is replaced with mindless savagery.
- One of the many gifts the Crucible may bestow upon a Jotunn is the so-called "Gift of Tongues", granting them the uncanny ability to challenge any opponent in their native tongue.
- Written language(s): None
- Spoken language(s): Blood Speech, a native tongue of the Jotnar so foul and ominous that prolonged use cracks and scars the lips of whoever speaks it. Their ability to speak often devolves with further mutations, as sentient thought is replaced with mindless savagery.
- Technology level: Below average, as there are no natural resources with which to advance their way of living, nor do they care to.
- Religion/Beliefs: Jotnar believe in one thing and one thing only: Bloodshed, by whatever means. They do not bow their heads in prayer, but rather offer tribute to the Crucible by bathing in the blood of their enemies, seeking the gift of mutation. They believe shedding their humanity for greater prowess in battle to be a worthy sacrifice, striving for evermore monstrous advancement in time for the next Blood War. As time draws near, the strongest Jotunn - whether it be physical strength, skill-at-arms, demonic powers, or cunning - is named Blood Lord; effectively made king and leader of the entire war host.
- General behaviour:
- There is no word for "love" in Blood Speech; no oaths of holy matrimony between husband and wife, nor any compassion passed down from one generation to the next. Women are looked upon as property and used as broodmares, often the cause of many fratricides or patricides as the younger seek to dethrone their elders. Rarely do women partake in the Blood Wars, for their sole task is to give birth to new sons with which to replace the countless dead. As for any daughters, their fate is as grim as that of their mother.
- Jotnar sons, meanwhile, are regularly beaten and tormented by their fathers into becoming the apex warrior from birth. They are encouraged to fight the other boys for supremacy, commonly resulting in one or several murders before they reach the tender age of ten. It is customary for rival fathers to pit their firstborn against one another to decide the outcome of important disputes. No tears are shed upon the loss of said progeny; they can be replaced. Loyalty to kith and kin is not considered a virtue by any means.
One of the most ancient tales shared around Valkyri hearths is how in the First Age mankind fought alongside the Gods to defeat the Giants of Ice and Fire to earn their freedom and supremacy over all others. It has long been agreed among scholars, what few there are, that Ice Giants refer to the revolt against the Beorni, resulting in the latter species' defeat and exile. All while the identity of these Fire Giants remains an enigma.
This was the first appearance of the Jotnar in the mortal realm, as crimson gateways were raised from the very ground by some dark power, and from them poured the unending armies of the first-ever Blood War. They ravaged the countryside and laid villages to waste, butchering all they came across until the many warring clans of the Valkyri banded together and met them in open battle. According to the ancient tales, it is said that mankind was only victorious that day after the Warrior-God Helm defeated the Jotnar Blood King in single combat, causing his demonic hordes to scatter and retreat back to whence they came. It is more likely that some unsung hero performed the deed, thereby accomplishing the same result.
It was sometime following the First Blood War that the Crone-Queen Gríma Hagraven, a powerful dark sorceress and believed to be the Valkyri Goddess of Death, found herself in the Crucible looking to recruit an army to her cause. The Jotnar proved an intriguing choice, regardless of their unruly nature. Many times her demands that they follow her were refused but when champion after champion sent to take the Crone's head was soundly defeated, the Jotnar eventually threw their lot in with her, crowning her as their first and only Queen. Many millennia were spent building her forces until finally, she moved to invade Midvinter.
Her initial reveal was however thwarted by the combined strength of the Three Kindreds; the Valkyri were no longer divided and, now supported by both the Aelvar and the Beorni, they proved a formidable force not as easily routed as last time. Chief among her adversaries that day was Thurion Heavenshield, brother of High King Thyrian Hearthfire, and his wife Coci Heavenshield. Though she would see victory against the pair, the united effort by the defenders would go on to cast them back into the Netherworld. The Crone bided her time for a second, more cunning invasion.
Then came the Great War, known to the Jotnar as the Second Blood War. The ancient capital of Tháinbroek was turned to ruin and King Thyrian was captured by the Crone's forces, prompting Thurion Heavenshield to band together the full might of Midvinter and march on the Valkyri capital. The largest battle in the history of the planet commenced and would prove a history-defining moment for all involved. At great cost, the Crone was vanquished once and for all, her armies slaughtered to a man.
Now, as Midvinter still deals with the aftermath of that horrific day, the Jotnar surge in numbers yet again, with a new Blood Lord intent on avenging their past defeats by laying claim to the mortal realm once and for all. Whether it be Midvinter or some other world unlucky enough to receive a visit...
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