Aldrian

Racial Overview
Considered the definitive race of The Lost Legacy, the Aldrian are a lizard-like race of proud warriors and devout priests. Pledging their lives and actions to their deity of justice and lightning, Malsudon, Aldrian are a race of nationalism, racial pride, and extreme physical strength.

The Aldrian are powerhouses, built for physical prowess. Labeled as industrial masterminds of the ages, the Aldrian were among the first to capitalize on the relatively new discovery of gun powder. Implementing this powerful new height of alchemical excellence to their seafaring vessels have made the Aldrian realm of Alder one of the supreme naval superpowers.

Aldrian is a word also nearly synonymous with hubris. Their excessive pride for their kind is apparent in almost every Aldrian, whether he is a great warrior, a pious priest, or a wise engineer. Aldrian believe that their god, Malsudon, has set them aside as the single race that will survive the End of Days. They view themselves as the pinnacle of civilization.

They have leathery skin, not scales, which ranges in color from dark browns and greens to aquamarine or teal shades. They have large heads, their skulls coming forward in a beak-like snout, and a foot long bone crest protruding from the back of their craniums. Their massive size allows for them to use the larger two-handed weapons in single-handed combat.

The First Age saw the Aldrian with a steady push forwards in the ways of engineering and law. Their borders were pushing ever outwards from Tyranton and Garathar. The race's pride was never higher as the machine of Aldrian industry churned through the years and brought the Aldrian to the forefront of technological advancement.

The early years of the Preages saw the Aldrian of Glodeat enslaved to the Red Dragonline. Duthalinas the Motherwyrm and her Elderwings oversaw the Aldrian race, demanding sacrifices, offerings, shrines, and other tokens of 'affection' to satisfy their unending greed. While there exists no written history of how the Aldrian were freed from the Red Dragons, or what exactly transpired, the church of Malsudon claims that the deity himself descended in the form of an Aldrian champion, slew the great Tyraxolorius, eldest of the Elderwings, Red Broodmate to Duthalinas herself. He threatened the life of Duthalinas, and the Motherwyrm, truly intimidated by Malsudon's might and strength of conviction, pulled her Red Dragonline back from the Aldrian lands, retreating west, past modern-day Tyranton Empire, in what has been called Redmoon. What Red Dragons that did not follow her either retreated into hiding across Glodeat or were slain over the coming years by the Aldrian.

This historical background with the Red Dragonline has given the Aldrian of the First Age a natural hatred for the Red Dragons, and many have trained themselves to be more skilled at facing Wyrmkin in general. Other Aldrian focus their time and energy on their racial enemy for countless centuries, the Seral. The Aldrian of the south, as far south as Draindell, are frontier fighters, who patrol the borders of the expanding Garathar holdings and dispense 'Diplomatic Relations' with the Seral of the south.

Religion
Throughout the Ages, there have been many splinter-sects of the Church of Malsudon, across all regions and lands of the Aldrian. Their dogma, while based upon the same teachings and lessons, varies in strictness and in practice. All of the sects are of good moral standing, and extremely lawful.

The Forerunners
"An Aldrian of the Church must remove himself of all temptations. It is through these distractions that even the most devoted eyes can turn from the path of Malsudon." -Book of Repentence, Forerunner Holy Book

Considering themselves to be the original Church of Malsudon, The Forerunners are of the strictest nature. Their paladins and priests take the highest pride in their church, and the ways of Malsudon are heavily incorporated into the rules and laws of their lands.

The Tyranton Empire being the shining example, and greatest concentration, of Forerunners, the emperor himself is considered to be hand-chosen from Malsudon. Picked through a long series of religious ceremonies and rituals in the Holy Tyranton Cathedral, one of the High Marshall Paladins of Tyranton will ascend into the role of Emperor when the current ruler dies. Bloodline has no hand in the selection of rulers.

Following the teachings of Malsudon to, as they believe, the most accurately, they have some practices that have become actual laws of the realm of Tyranton. Marraige and relations is forbidden from High Members of the church. If an Aldrian ascends to the rank of Paladin, he must take a vow of celibacy. High Members of the church must not allow any deed of evil or dishonest nature to happen. A Paladin cannot simply stand by and allow a captive to be tortured, for instance.

The Forerunners do everything in their lives to the service of Malsudon, believing that when the Great Ending comes to Natheria, that Malsudon will save them from destruction before any others, even other sects of the Church.

The Sages
"''Of the Nine Virtues of Malsudon, the greatest has been named Forgiveness." ''-Honor and Duty, Sage Holy Book

The Sages are the most prominent splinter-sect of Forerunners, having become their own sect as far back as the founding of Garathar Realm in the Preages. While they still embody the Aldrian hubris that has become the trademark of their culture, the Sages tend towards a more forgiving view of Malsudon's teachings as opposed to their Forerunner predecessors.

Garathar Realm was, in its most prosperous times, the capital kingdom for members of the Sage sect. Unlike the Forerunners, the Sages believed that the idea of a government was a gift from Malsudon to be used at their own will, not a tool of the church. As such, the government of Garathar was kept separate from the church's teachings, although the Lords through the Ages kept, through precedent, the Sage Grand Marshall Paladin and Sage Supreme Priest as part of their closest advisors.

Often at odds with the Forerunners, the Sages believe in the Nine Virtues of Malsudon, a list of the nine fundamentals that all Aldrian, or all believers, should adhere to. The Nine Virtues of Malsudon are patience, forgiveness, integrity, duty, honor, courage, justice, respect, and trust. These are the laws of the people, beyond even the reach of the government. It is by these virtues that the church determines its officials and judges its people.

The Sages also believe that it is in the hands of all Aldrian, all followers of Malsudon, to carry out the will of their deity as best they can, to live a life exemplifying the Nine Virtues.