Gondal

Insinsis existing within boundaries.

Basics

• Taxonomic Order: Insinsi

• Alignment: Shebvic

• Energy: Mashoaab

• Lifespan: 1,000 years

• Diet: Minerals and metals

• Habitat: Subterranean

Origins

Gondals evolved from shemir who fled underground during a cataclysmic event, seeking shelter within the walls of caverns.

Description

Gondals appear to be anthropomorphic beings with high foreheads and a variety of color skin hues (golden, shimmering diamond amidst a sea of black, silver, iron, ruby and sapphire). They have fingers that are proportionately longer than one might expect from the size of their hands. They have hair on the fringes of their heads but not on top.

Procreation

Gondals reproduce sexually with one another. They sometimes reproduce with other insinsis, where the species of the offspring follows that of the mother. Reproduction with any other species requires supernatural intervention.

Powers

Gondals can see in low light and are resistant to both higher temperatures and lower temperatures.

Accumulation

Gondals can phase through solid matter such as stone and metal (but not living matter). y phasing through stone, gondals accumulate trace amounts of metals. These are converted in their veins into pure mashoaab, which allows them to absorb more metals as they phase through stone. As they accumulate, they must expel the excess mashoaab, which they do either by releasing it into the stone (by touching with their hands) or into other gondals (usually children who cannot yet feed themselves or the sick, disabled, or elderly) through touching their heads. Their capacity to accumulate increases as they age, and around the age of 120, assuming they are healthy and have had an average amount of accumulation over the course of their life, they can keep what they accumulate no matter what. At this stage, sharing their accumulated energies is no longer compulsory and they can hoard if they choose. Most choose to share, but at a price.

Weaknesses

Drenante weakens them.

Nations

There are 10 nations of gondals, one for each layer of the Subterranean Realm:

• Buuchari: the gondals of Finbuuchar in the Hollow.

• Doeni: the gondals of Findoen in the Grottos.

• Elkoi: the gondals of Finelko in [[Stagnum Ignis].

• Ilhari: the gondals of Finilhar in the Inner Core.

• Joeki: the gondals of Finjoek in the Hypogaeum, the original nation.

• Namahi: the gondals of Finnamah in the Low Mines.

• Ozraen: the gondals of Finozra in Shadowdeep.

• Shuuri: the gondals of Finshuur in the Voidbarrens.

• Tahami: the gondals of Fintaham in the Lithosphere.

• Yashuri: the gondals of Finyashur in Barathrum.

Culture

Gondal society is focused on trading, buying, selling. Their clans are led by elected leaders, all over the age of 820, from the more powerful families amongst them. The whole country is led by a leader elected from the clan leaders. Clans all focus on trade, each one trading a different kind of metal, gem, or stone that is extracted in their territory.

Children in gondal society are raised by their families. They go to clan-run schools and learning is focused on basics, economics, and skills. They reach adulthood when they graduate school, and they must decide then what they wish to do. If a clan is powerful, the young adult will have many options in trading, banking, or politics. If the clan is of moderate power, they will usually be smaller merchants, clergy, doctors, lawyers, or other mid-level professional careers. The low-ranking clans all become workers (most often miners) and artisans.

Gondal cities and towns are formed in massive tunnels below the surface of the world. These are crafted out of stone and pockets along the massive walls of their tunnels. Each town or city is held by a powerful clan, and the resources around it are owned by the clan leaders. Weaker clans are allowed to live and work there for tribute. The cities and towns are split into different sectors: banking and trading, mining, lake district (if any) (recreational), crafts district, industrial sector, etc. Everything is owned by the most powerful clan, but other clans have control over different areas to some extent. This can lead to internal conflicts in times of hardship.

The core of their trade and business is their contracts, which are empowered by mashoaab. They use it often to gain esoteric powers that they wield to build great cities and towns and farms.

The culture of the Joeki nation, which is the largest and the original nation of gondals, centers on their vast trading concerns. However, though the rulers of the clans are focused constantly on wealth and their interests in what land and businesses they own, the people spend time creating statues of gold and silver, jewelry made and worn simply for its beauty and not for its value, and wondrous architecture out of the stone hollows and tunnels in which they dwell. They grow vast fungal fields for both food and for culinary arts, and they keep unusual pets they import from different parts of the underworld.

National Cultures

The other nations have very similar clan structures, but their cultures vary by the terrain they dwell in.

• Buuchari: the gondals of Finbuuchar in the Hollow control much larger mushroom farms and ranches for subterranean livestock. They have the reputation of “doing everything bigger”, and their focus is often on shipping.

• Doeni: the gondals of Findoen in the Grottos have a much smaller region where their focus is on banking and finance.

• Elkoi: the gondals of Finelko in Stagnum Ignis dwell near the immense heat of the magma sea and its toxic fumes, so they have intricate special ventilation systems and sealed off chambers, but they remain there because of the extraction opportunities there.

• Ilhari: the gondals of Finilhar in the Inner Core dwell in a small commune where they study esoterica and the flow of energies through the world, using it to attune to the financial currents of the countries above.

• Namahi: the gondals of Finnamah in the Low Mines are rich and often much fatter than other gondals due to the incredible amount of metals present in their area. They control a massive mining conglomerate.

• Ozraen: the gondals of Finozra in Shadowdeep dwell in the darkness and live off esoteric silvers. They are strange and powerful in esoteric powers, but aloof.

• Shuuri: the gondals of Finshuur in the Voidbarrens use incredible technologies and trade with the void-countries.

• Tahami: the gondals of Fintaham in the Lithosphere have ties to all of the surface countries and control massive trading routes.

• Yashuri: the gondals of Finyashur in Barathrum are part of the ruling class of multiple countries in the fiery region, wielding infernal powers to offset the intense heat and dangerous atmosphere.

Esoterica

Gondals are beings of mashoaab. They are its greatest wielders. They also wield menab’e, kakraohy, kazaddarean, bailaohu jinghua, vonzot, mijjit, and other powers that accentuate their lives in the deep underground.

Religion

Gondals worship Mahan Vyaparee, the Great Trader, who blesses all contracts and brings good fortune in business. He is a Divine of wealth and commerce. The religion followed by gondals is one of exchanges. They offer minor sacrifices (a bit of wine, a bit of food, giving up some indulgence, etc.) and expect something equivalent in return. Their priests (purohits) maintain books that tell other gondals what the exchange rate for various offerings are. Mahan Vyaparee is known for selecting some priests to be his brokers or agents, whom he calls dalaals, in order to argue his side of the deal, while common priests represent mortals. Upadeshaks, or preachers, are those who go out amongst the people to wheel and deal for their salvation.

Gender

Gondals view gender expression as an exchange of values. They make an offer to their clan leader, and if the clan leader accepts, they are granted any gender they please. Courtship is mostly focused on dating amongst clans of similar economic/social rank. Dating outside one's socioeconomic strata is frowned upon and can lead to banishment from the clan.

Economy

Gondals have complex economies that focus on trade. Their clans usually operate in a feudal or capitalist mode of production.

Military

Every gondal nation has its own warriors. Charioteers and drill-warriors underground called barame are the most renowned warriors, but there are warriors in every clan who use all sorts of methods of combat. They use ambush tactics very often.

Language

Some of their language is based on Hindi, but it’s all over the place.

Trade

Trade is the heart of every gondal culture. They trade in anything, from raw materials to manufactured products to esoteric powers.

Occupations

Some common occupations include the following:

• Chamakana: a gondal jeweler.

• Chudail: gondal witches who make contracts with other women.

• Mataka Nirmaaata: a gondal potter.

• Mazadoor: a gondal who works on a contact basis.

• Medzavi: one who creates a contract via sex magic.

• Saadhak: a gondal who hunts valuables.

• Tukkad: a gondal bhat.

• Vendu: a gondal who dances through stone.

Outside View

Gondals are viewed either as exploiters or as admirable and fair merchants.

Notables

• Heeramann, Gondal Manifest, Aeonian

• Kolm, the Goldvein, Legendary Hero, Aeonian

Estimated Populations

• Buuchari: 50,000

• Doeni: 10,000

• Elkoi: 1,000

• Ilhari: 1,000

• Joeki: 80,000

• Namahi: 40,000

• Ozraen: 1,000

• Shuuri: 1,000

• Tahami: 40,000

• Yashuri: 1,000

Sample Stats

PRO 8
ATH 8
STR 8
AWA 8
WIL 8
PRS 9
STH 9