Suel Culture (part 4) - Tilvanot and Lordship

This is the last instalment of the Suel culture serie. The Suel of the Tilvanot are probably the only real evil Suel on the planet but those of the Lordship of the isles are yet again quite different.

Tilvanot Peninsula

“The universe runs on the principle that those who exert the most control on others run the show.” Unkown Uncle in the Scarlet Brotherhood

Moving south we will encounter Suel that cling to their ancient lust for power as well as those that can barely be called Suel.

Those of the Tilvanot Peninsula, in the south are known to be the most organized and totalitarian. Records of every citizen’s ancestry are kept on file here, as are all facets of a citizen’s life. Not everyone is a citizen here, however. Only those of pure Suel blood and born on the Peninsula, are considered true citizens in the Tilvanot, any racial admixture – however slight – bars a person from full citizenship. Those with impure Suel bloodlines are sub-citizens and it shows that the caste system is very much alive here. Specifically, under the Scarlet Rule, where citizens never perform menial tasks, but subjugated humanoids and slaves do these various tasks. The life of the Suel here is defined by the laws of the Office of Purity from birth to their eventual death. Not only are they known to experiment with crossbreeding where they look for the perfect slave-people or thralls made for war (on the island of Lof Bosak), the Brotherhood mainly seeks to impose obedience through breeding. Citizens are not exempt from the office of Purity breeding program that determines appropriate matches. Citizens are not allowed to bear children outside this breeding program and an unsanctioned child is removed immediately from its parents and, if found unacceptable, reduced to sub citizen status and fostered into a family of the appropriate rank. Citizens consider the breeding program part of their public duty however, they know that they are chosen to mate because of their best qualities, and that their children will receive excellent education, training and care. Participation in the pro- gram is for the betterment of their race and nation.

The whole society on the Tilvanot is highly regulated by a government that is divided into various offices, each with a specific area of control and directed by a single citizen; these positions are the highest possible in the Brotherhood, and all members, even those of equal class and rank, refer to then, with the highest respect. The Office of Obedience is the controlling organization and determines the overall plan for the conquest of the Flanaess, regulates how the other Offices interact, and determines policy for all people subject to Brotherhood law. All citizens are required to obey the Father of Obedience unquestioningly who is elected for life by a council of the highest-ranked monks.

The citizens of the Scarlet Brotherhood enjoy a wide variety of leisure activities. Athletic contests of all sorts are popular, especially boxing, running, archery and endurance spares such as rock climbing and swimming. A large number of people enjoy hunting for sport; some of the crueller ones purchase old slaves, bred thralls or imprisoned criminals and use them as prey. Others focus their talents in other directions, creating beautiful stonework, statues, carvings of rare woods and stained or etched glass. Most citizens with any sort of social standing learn traditional Suel dances, all of which tend to be very rigid and formalized. The dances of the commoners tend to be simpler and more exuberant, though they remain recognisably similar to the traditional ones.

Lordship of the Isles

“The Ship is my arrow, the sea my bow and the world my target.” Captain of the Iron Lady, Lordship of the isles

The Lordship of the Isles has proved valuable in acting as a "neutral" intermediary for goods from the Scarlet Brotherhood. Even though they are, somewhat secretly, under Brotherhood rule, they do have various degrees of independence which should enable the Prince of The Lordship Isles to convince more nations of their neutral status. The Suel here have much in common with those of the Tilvanot Peninsula and racial purity is a high priority to them as well as dominion over others. They are also a vital link between the Flanaess and Hepmonaland. The seven islands that make up the principality are covered with forests rich with exotic animals and plants that sustain the economy of the islands, primarily through their export to the mainland, where they are exchanged for hard coin. In the areas cleared by humanity near the coastal towns and seaports, sugarcane, pineapple, and coffee plantations are commonplace. These isles are also one of the few sources of rare woods such as mahogany, ebony, and teak, that are highly prized on the continent.

Since the Lordship of the Isles guards the ways between the mainland of the Flanaess and the Tilva Strait as well as the shores of mysterious Hepmonaland, much income is derived from exacting levies from trading vessels passing through local waters. Not to mention their expeditions into Hepmonaland to secure slaves, exotic animals and plants as well as minerals and gems. The Suel in the Lordship Isles are an industrious people, working hard for their local Baron who answers to the island’s Count and the seven counts answer directly to the Prince. The structure has served them well and made the inhabitants very nationalistic.