Name: Satyr
Description:
Evolution: The Satyr were born of the mountains where they resided as a foragers amid the rocky outcroppings and valleys for many thousands of years. The advantage of full hands gave the Satyr a distinct advantage in their ability to craft complex tools. Although their homeland greatly hindered their ability to forge a proper life-style and many family tribes lived in migration from one valley to another, gleaning from nature their means to live.
For their early paleolithic history the Satyrs lived in caves throughout their mountain homes, moving from one valley or peak to another. In their travels they left behind an assortment of simple illustrations for the next band. These markings and paintings allowed for new bands to read the previous band's general census of the area. Although the effort was wise, it did little to afford them the time and energies to settle down as a sedimentary race and they would have lived that way for many more centuries.
However winds of change blowed from the north bringing to their homes the Pegasi race. The nomadic lifestyle of the Pegasi did not at first bother them as they kept to the high peaks. But as the numbers grew and they became hungrier tribal raiding against the Satyr intensified forcing many early nameless clans to abandon the mountains in and effort to evade the wings of the Pegasid.
Loose and disorganized the Satyr managed to out range the Pegasi as they put down their roots on the cliffs they once called home.
Settling the coastal lowlands proved a boon to Satyr lifestyle with the opportunity of stationary or semi-nomadic agriculture arose. Satyr civilization developed and branches in the lowlands and their race spread as the population grew. Growth in this range however was difficult to maintain as they went deeper into the cold south and over time many returned slowly to the mountains they had once called home in a forgotten time. The gradual process lead to a split of culture into two major groups: the Dionsydis and the Gyn.
The Gyn is the Dionsidean word for the over-all “uncivilized” of their kin who had fled into the mountains. In the legends, they are written as a race who was banished from the Green Lands by the gods for a number of reasons ranging from sodomy to lethargy and that the hero Pen was tasked to drive them to the land where they must work to live, barring them from the wealth and leisure guaranteed through proper tasking.
In reality the rise of the Gyn is a unwritten mystery and they simply are. As a race of Satyr they no more lack in their ability to work as the Dionsidean. However the major factor that would explain for the coastal, agricultural distrust for the mountain tribes is their taste for meat, which sets them apart considerably from the largely vegetarian lifestyle of the Dionsidean cultures.
The Dionsidean are themselves builders of civilization with a multitude of kingdoms that span the coastal territories. Largely favoring the consumption of sugar-rich fruits and grains their diet for some part often includes fish.
Dionsidean culture is not united, is some part less so than the Pegasid to the north. The largest split in their own cultural-ethnic group lies in the division between the Panien and the Rumen, with the Rumen being subjects to the Pegasid kings who rule over the northern Satyr coast.
The Panien Dionsidean abhore the idea of being a servant and refuse to accept that the Rumen would voluntarily work under another alien race. Their shock has not however translated to a sense of liberal freedom for their fellows and has in fact polarized a potential third schism in the Dionsidean psyche. To them, death would be preferable to servitude.
To the Rumen, the relationship between Pegasid and them is of mutual benefit. Though considered largely second class by the Pegasi nobility or Patricians there exists a relative sense of independence between the two based on the understanding the Satyr will perform their duty as craftsmen or peasants and the Pegasi will fulfill theirs as statesmen and guardians.
Strengths: A nimble race with the physical faculties to make more delicately produced crafts, great runners, well hung.
Weaknesses: In comparison to their neighbors they're not the most maneuverable, even with adept track and field skills. Not being able to fly has greatly effected their ability to range or outpace the Pegasid. Even the mountain dwelling Gyn can not tackle the types of peaks the Pegasid often occupy. In addition they are sensitive to many foods or conditions of foods which bar them from things like grain-based alcohol.
Location:
Satyr (blue) in comparison to the Pegasid (Yellow)
