Bans

There are many breeds of bans, who can be used as pets, hunting beasts or even beasts of burden, or as guards for house, family, or herds. The best-liked ban breeds are plushy herderbans, whose fur is also worn; hunting bans in all sizes, from small energetic tunnelbans to the mighty surabans with their powerful jaws; and of course the affectionate and intelligent kalagrenos, who make excellent pets and learn many tricks. Wild bans are rare, although some small packs of domesticated bans that run wild exist.

"Between my orla, ban, yaaf, and myself, I think I'm the worst hunter. But at least the best cook, and I swear they are going for the fat prey first because it tastes best when roasted."
— Chrekor, hunter

The most basic build of bans is slender with long legs, thin horizontal ears and a narrow snout. They are omnivores but prefer meat, and hunt for smaller animals like amphibians and rodents, but also eat up insect states. The bans in northern Gdera specialize in catching birds. Preferences and character often depend on breed; some dislike water while others won't get out again; some are husky and lazy while others won't stand still. The appearance is equally dependent - from plush, multicoloured fur to being covered with wire, and from flat, shortlegged hunters to gracious, fragile runners, everything goes.


Artists' notes
Bans take the place of dogs in Genius Loci. After some consideration I threw out all Earth names for creatures, and have them look differently. It's just too tempting to make all kinds of weird animals that do what well-known animals do normally - mounts, cattle, pets. Now there are pervons instead of cats, wempons instead of camels, bans instead of dogs, and I'm happy.

The Eastwesterners

"A few years ago, some wise guy thought if he murdered an Eastwesterner, there would be an open spot for him. It speaks for their skill that the fool survived his stunt. I think they made him a listener as punishment, but that won't improve his chances either."
— Adjila, Gamahanian

The Eastwesterners are the famed defenders of the great city Gamahan. They defend the city first and foremost, while they also have less known objectives. Their honour is legendary, as is their strength; their main weapons are the five-man-bow and the hammeraxe, even the raganaj among them wear full armour and can still fly, in short, the Eastwesterners are a sight to behold.
The Eastwesterners are a small order, with little more than two hundred members at any time. The city council may call upon them, but rarely does, and so the Eastwesterners frequently lend their strong arm to the voices and their unfathomable goals.

"As students we used to imagine legendary warrior team-ups, and we all agreed: The most impressive would be a bunch of Eastwesterners and a handful of Brightholdians. We excitedly shuddered at the thought; I do hope that a need for something like that never arises."
— Renolen Megurin, captain

The legendary feat of the Eastwesterners was the protection of Gamahan during the Splinter War. When the shapeshifter armies invaded, the Eastwesterners were the spearpoint of the counterattack, and their devastating blows, fierce tactics, and unwavering line freed Gamahan within only days; a service the Gamahanians have not forgotten.


Artists' notes
Factions, orders, and guilds are among my favourite subjects in computer rpgs; which to choose, how to balance the sometimes contradictory principles, what ranks to obtain in which order to gain what special feats and skills...
Ever since I learned of the existence of oversized bows - to be drawn lying down and using both hands and feet, with arrows the size of spears - I wanted to have a fantasy element where that is the actual main weapon, and here we are.

Funi Oldjor

The funi oldjor are creatures of legendary might. In A'ruhs, the rhu'khach language, their name means "king of honour". Funi, as they are called for short, live in the Lozirian wilderness. They are hunters, and it is said they choose one opponent whom they hunt down, to challenge them to a duel. And that there's no escape from them. The duel need not end in death, but there is a certain etiquette to follow; it's considered impossible to hunt a funi outside of a duel it chose itself, and on the few occasions it was tried, the funi created terrible devastation. The few survivors swore the funi could whisper.

"Then it bowed to me. And then it came charging. I parried, I struck, I jumped aside; it bit, it kicked, it tumbled me like a ball. Finally, breathlessly, I came to stand again, but only just; it bowed again. I bowed back. Then it left. I have never come home from hunt without quarry again."
— Eralin, Lozirian hunter 

A funi oldjor is as tall as a human, slender, and white with dark saddle and mouth, and has a red-tipped tail. It's said this red colour was the blood of its slain enemies when it swishes through it.
Funi have recently gained even greater renown when their rulers, Lord Giva and Lady Tchiboyé, came to human society to teach them shapeshifting.

"The speakers think one of them is a human, but don't know which one. So human shapeshifters never died out after all? Or is shapeshifting a gift a beast lord gives their love?"
— Genarha, Lozirian

Artists' notes
Ah, mythological beasts, I could invent them all day. These are rooted deeply in the history of Genius Loci already, since their lords came forward to teach the lost art of shapeshifting again. And they are the first who were a couple, almost all other lords I invented are single. Except for the burrmo, who stole children.

Art on deviantArt: Broken Jaw Rocks, Area Gate, and Insanity

I need reasons to post images in this blog, so when I paint something that's not immediately related to an article, they may lie around for a while. But of course I do a lot of sketches and speedpaintings for Genius Loci, and have decided they might as well be posted on deviantArt. For now, there are the illustrations for the Broken Jaw Rocks (already published here), Insanity (also blogged), and Area Gate, a surreal piece for Genius Loci's mindscape.

Why do I tell you this? Because the quotes are never the same, and you might just learn something new about Genius Loci.

Elementarians: Plasmats

Plasmats are the elementarians of fire and the south. They are made of hot air, made visible by structures of molten dirt - the enormous heat tranforms any material into precious stones, and plasmat gems are said to have great supernatural properties. Their shape is a bulky legless torso with a flat head and strong arms, the size changes fluidly between several and several dozen meters. It's the plasmats' choice what they burn. They have a good feeling for earth's heat and often travel to new volcanoes to greet them.

"Overcoming weaknesses is a principle of the south, and my plasmat teacher really made it a point. When he sent me into the world, I felt like I had been thoroughly reconstructed."
— Crowned Aslahenaed of Brighthold

Plasmats are seen as harbingers of change and are counted among the good omens. They are also muses and can light the spark of inspiration in both leaders and artists, who seek them out to be taught. Plasmat mentors are relentless, but very successful, and all their apprentices have done great deeds. It's said the rhu'khach had been under their blessing.

"I heard a plasmat is on his way to the Gorngon plateau. I guess soon it won't be so flat anymore."
— Ferha, messenger

Artists' notes
I am rather fond of the name plasmat. I was looking for nice, innovative names for elementarians, and classic dryads and stone giants were nicely completed by fleeters and plasmats, I think. Teaching great heroes is a bit inspired by the centaur that taught Hercules - mythical creature teaching mortal.

Dustships

Dustships are called so because the main element of the airships' workings is the famous floating dust. Rocks lift a hull like a naval vessel, sideway sails provide thrust, the dust is the main adjustment tool. Aside from those general workings, little is known; dustsailors are a secretive lot and guard their ship's secrets with their lives. Regiment aboard is liberal, but closed to outsiders; dustsailors not even have darlings on land. It's a great honour to be accepted into the crew of a dustship. While many sailors are skilled fighters, the ships follow a code on nonviolence and are all unarmed.

"We are proud to have played part in the construction of some of today's greatest structures. I could do without all the spying engineers we have to pluck from the dustworks before they've figured everything out, though."
— Appandanurast, captain of the Upwards

Dustships transport all kinds of things; easily spoiled goods or passengers, or they offer messenger services. The "grounders" regard them with a mixture of joy and wariness - exotic goods for moderate prices, but the feeling of still being conned somehow.
Widely known dustships include the strong Upwards, and the great Gral-én'tach.

"The trip would take us fifteen days, unless we travel by dustship. I'll rather pay to be behind lock and key in luxurious quarters than make my way through the Red Desert this time of year. The view's nicer, too."
— Gutria, traveler

Artists' notes
I like flying ships as much as the next fantasy artist, and I am very fond of this particular idea. It's fun to figure out the engineering, how the crew handles the ship, what the captain is like and so on. It also provides nice storytelling devices for fast transportation, secrecy, and power. I play in a roleplaying group with half-magical wooden spaceships that are just awesome, and which made me bold in my choices of airships.
I have invented several ships so far which I am eager to employ, their captains and specialties, and plot ideas to use them for.