Lotharro

Fast Facts

Height: ......................	5'8" - 7'
Weight:	160-300 lbs.
Life Span:	Up to 100 arcs.........
Creator	Thetros
Notable Features	Endurance, animalistic traits
Leader	The Roksgard
Mostly Live In	Uthaldria
Racial Bonus	One non-arcana skill +25
Fast Track Skills	Player choice of one non-arcana skill
Notable NPCs	Lotharro NPCs
Player Characters	Lotharro PCs

History

For all of his life as an Immortal, the Creator could never properly find a place. Much as the tribes of old, he was nomadic, incapable of ever claiming one land as home and one people as his kin. In the face of great adversity and the war between Immortals and mankind, the Immortal Thetros could only feel isolated. However, some time in his travels, he came to wander the lands of Western Idalos and the Fields of Gauthrel. Perhaps it was the witnessing of what dwell in the fields that inspired him to create his own flock to follow - while seeing humans bond, mate and build families never quite struck him, realizing that even the horrific beasts of Gauthrel harbored bonds only cemented his initial and great inner loneliness.

He told himself that he would create his own place, as his distance and seclusion from the outside world had begun to grow heavy on him. Like many other Immortals, he wanted to leave a mark. A legacy. By Arc 317, he developed the race of men known as the Lotharro, often called Lothar and Lotharen. They were built from the blood and bones of the monsters he slew as he carved his path through Gauthrel, yet he designed them to be as he was. They were to be liberated, free spirited, adventurous and passionate. And they would always remember each other and their past vividly. He gifted them with the ability to look into their previous lives - which he so gifted to them - as a way to recollect the beauty of Idalos as Thetros often did. He gave them strength, valor and courage so they could survive the tumultuous fields from whence they came.

He let them grow into a vast tribe and he led them across Gauthrel for over a hundred arcs. Then, when he believed they were ready to be free from his protection, he returned to the rest of the world and left them to grow on their own. However, while the Lotharro began as traveling nomads, much as their creator, life before settling Uthaldria was unbelievably difficult. With the brutality of the fields and the colossal dangers posed by the beasts that lurk within, their numbers dwindled the longer they traveled and the lack of infrastructure and agriculture disabled the men from expanding. All of life became an uphill battle for the early Lotharro, and despite their adventurous nature, they eventually settled down and built the early city of Uthaldria in Arc 543.

The difficulty then became the life of urbanization. As a people who had always wandered aimlessly, bloodily carving their way through great danger and colossal beasts, living with the expectation of harvesting crops and sewing together fabrics was something many of them couldn't bear. The early days of Uthaldrian civilization were surrounded in violence, disagreements and anger.

Life without a true purpose - whether that was killing monsters or seeing new lands - was something the Lothar could not handle, and they festered in depression and alcoholism until something changed their perception of life: the first monster invasion of Uthaldria. In the midst of the chaos and the death of many of their young, one would expect the Lotharen to grow imperiled and despondent; for many civilizations this would only further decrease morale and send them astray from their purpose.

For these men, however, something different kicked in: the greatest protective instinct they'd ever known. Protecting Uthaldria and the Lotharen who had built it was as strong a desire as witnessing all the beauties of life, and they refused to surrender their hard work and their liberty to beasts who would consume their blood and bones.

Uthaldria became their city, not just a city. It signified the unity and the bond between all Lothar and it laid as proof of their strength in the face of great adversity. When the invasion was quelled and the beasts lay dead at their feet, the Lotharro followed a new and greater drive. They formed the three distinctive Paths, structured their civilization, and formed the Roksgard. From then on, it became all about expansion, and taming the Fields of Gauthrel as if they were a conquest - their greatest beast to slay.

Biology

Firstly, it is important to mention that the Lotharen are an all-male race. This means that - quite obviously - there are no female Lotharen, and there has never been an exception to this rule. While women live in Uthaldria in decent number, their roles are often quite notably different largely due to the significant biological differences between Lotharen and the other races. They do not have wings like the Avriel, or the ability to breathe underwater like the Mer. They don't have spiritual familiars or serpentine physiology. Instead, they are renowned for their remarkable endurance, their naturally large and durable physical bodies and their tendency to harness their adrenaline into wild outbursts.

They are often characterized as volatile and berserk individuals. They have a biologically driven protective instinct, inherited from their creator - who emphasizes the fierce protection of your flock - and when that instinct is triggered they are known to unleash the full breadth of their abilities in a violent rampage against their chosen foe. Due to their relentless nature in combat, they are both biologically and educationally known to possess greater endurance than other races. A Lothar is one of the few who can survive a beating from another of their kind.

Additionally, as a final note, Lotharen tend to develop animalistic traits that manifest in their physical form. For example, very commonly the Lothar possess sharp claws in place of regular fingernails, and during their adrenaline outbursts these traits seem to manifest much more clearly. Their canines are often observably quite sharp, their skin and flesh is quite commonly very thick much like the prey they hunt. The nature of these men, quite literally originally created from monsters slain, is one that is beastly as it is civilized.

Spiritual Vulnerability

Although the Lotharro are known to be an astounding warrior race, the nature of their cyclical reincarnation has imparted them with a great vulnerability, one that has damaged their people across the years. While not much is known of this vulnerability, it is said that the Lothar are receptive - dangerously so - to spirits. Possession is easier, and in some cases Lothar (such as the Soraanar) have been known to fully merge with spirits, typically malevolent ones. This vulnerability seems to always bring about the worst of spirits to Gauthrel without the right precautions.

Psychology

It is said that the Lotharro are possessed by a singular primary drive from the time they are cognitively able to function. Most Lotharro will admit to knowing who they are and what they want in their lives by maturity, which is considerably earlier in their development. A Lotharro child will typically decide on one of three lifestyles; the hunter, the breeder, or the defender.

To hear a Lotharro describe how they knew their Path is a bizarre tale. Many Lotharro would say that they knew very early on what they wanted to do, and they drove all their ambition and passion into that Path. Officially, each Lotharro has a strong affinity towards a certain path naturally, and will often go with that passion to build their life. Though extremely rare, there have been instances where the Lothar chose, later in life, to alter his Path, and moved from one to the other. It is not recommended, however, unless the Lothar is sure that his path is different than the one he walks currently, because assimilating to another path later in life is likely to cause high amounts of stress and difficulty.

Those who take the path of the Hunter are taught that tenacity and cunning are key to survival. Due to the nature of the creatures around Uthaldria, the child is taken at age 5 and taught how to hunt these beasts, and are typically taught how to wield a shortbow or longbow. They are taught that the skills and weapons they use to hunt these creatures are key to the survival of their people, whether to feed them or keep them safe from the beasts that roam. Hunters are responsible for bringing in a great deal of thick and diverse meats to the fold, as Lothar tend to obsess over protein and meat due to their intensive lifestyle of rigorous physical training.

Those who choose the path of the breeder are instructed in the ways of animal husbandry. They are taught that breeding and selecting the traits for their livestock is the best way to ensure that their people grow healthy and strong. Because of Uthaldria’s position in Idalos, the Lotharro guard their secrets to their husbandry with extreme prejudice. They are singularly responsible for ensuring that the people of Uthaldria never run out of meat to eat. It’s also not unheard of for the breeders to breed massive war animals, such as wolves or bears, that are loyal to the Lotharro. Additionally, breeders are responsible for farming. Due to the endurance of the Lothar, they are said to be some of the greatest farmers around - they work the fields tirelessly in the day, with little rest, as the men of Uthaldria are known for their exceptional appetites.

And finally are those who choose the defender. Because there is not a lot of outside contact, the Lotharro have learned to become hardy in their constitutions to help them through intense winters or food shortages. The defenders also train with weapons, usually axes or polearms to repel invaders, raiders or the stray monster from the wilds. These warriors are feared for their passion and inexplicable ferocity in battle, and some say that they are said to take on animalistic traits when they fight. They are the largest branch of Lothar, noted due to the protective nature of the race, as well as the harshness of Uthaldria and the surrounding beasts of the Fields of Gauthrel. Very uncommonly are these great warriors on the winning side of the war with the monsters of the fields, and so defenders are always needed in great number.

Defenders are additionally known to be capable of stoneworking. They are responsible for building the walls around Uthaldria's surrounding settlements and keeping them maintained.

Outside of merely the Path, the Lotharen are a boisterous and rowdy people. They are known for their tolerance of mead and their passionate nature. In general, they tend to have vibrant relationships with their peers. Sex for them is quite simple and animalistic, engaged in frequently . Much of what they do is biologically imprinted into them - they are a naturally passionate and strong-willed people, and the intensity in all that they do is evident. Psychologically, they can act and think like any other human, but are renowned for their intense drive in whatever they're primarily pursuing.

Women, Relationships, and Sexuality

The Lotharro are a primarily passionate race, and as such, form deep and passionate relationships. Though they may be open sexually, and often explore the other races with an intense curiosity, the Lothar tend to take singular life-mates. Though it is not uncommon for the Lothar to father many children around Idalos, those from his life-mate are considered to be stronger and flourish more than those from wanton sexual encounters.

Because they can form such a deep bond, many Lothar are fiercely protective of their life-mate and the offspring produced by them, whether male or female. The child, if male, is reared as the Lothar are, trained in the ways of their Path. However, if the child is female, and thus the maternal race, she is treated as the mother would be. Should the child get into art or find herself passionate about work around the city, she is afforded the same opportunities as everyone else in Uthaldria. The women are allowed to leave just as the Lotharen are, and should they return, are afforded the same opportunities as had they stayed.

Perception of the World

As a whole, the Lothar consider the world to be a place of excitement and passion. Though they do not care for those of other races, they enjoy traveling and seeing other cities and regions, and more importantly, making memories and experiencing new passions. Individually, it is important that the Lothar choose his own path, whether it takes him into the world beyond Uthaldria or not.

Lothar who leave Uthaldria and return after any amount of time are received as if they’d never left. They are often reintegrated into their path in the society, going about their daily lives as usual.

The Lotharro are fascinated by the passions of the other races. If they come across those particularly passionate about art or their craft, they may try to convince them to return to Uthaldria to ply their craft. They are particularly interested in female artists, and often find themselves making those women their life-mates.

Views on Magic

Considering Thetros' liberal views on magic - and his strong belief that mages can be good or evil like anyone else - Lotharen tend to be quite tolerant of magic . . . if it's by their own brothers. Western Idalos has a history of producing some of the most terrible mages in history, so there's a definite fear of mages that come from outside of Uthaldria, even despite their lack of full exposure to magic in general. However, with their own brothers, as long as it's kept regulated they don't mind; they see its use, especially in slaying great dangers to Uthaldria even such as outside mages who would wish to damage their society.

Magic and the Reborn

Considering the nature of the spark - and how it sticks with one throughout their existence - a Reborn Lotharro may have sparks that manifested from their past life. They do not need to be initiated for magics gained through their past life, as the spark has already come to be within them. However, they must use their racial memory to truly unlock the spark and recall the way in which to manifest their magic.

OOC Note: They cannot begin with more than two magics, like any other PC. They do not begin with mutations as their spark washes clean after their death. Also, a revealed Lotharro cannot be reborn, as it changes their physiology and their spiritual connection to Thetros.

Culture

The Lothar believe that every Lothar, and those of the other races in the city, must contribute to the society as a whole, though most do so without acknowledging that it is expected of them. When the Lotharen choose a Path, they devote themselves to bettering Uthaldria through it, and don't consider it their duty so much as their opportunity.

The culture of Uthaldria has much to do with bonds and hierarchies as it has to do with the Path. While the society of the Lothar is patriarchal, it is not patriarchal in the typical way (by strict family structures) but rather in that all Lothar generally have brothers and father/leader figures they look up to and mesh with. Though they are given an immense amount of liberty in society, they must be ready to answer the call of labor or combat if it is what is necessary for their civilization to succeed and expand.

There is a great deal of emphasis on 'the people', 'the kin', 'the brothers' in Lotharen society. Given their intense instinctive need to protect their kin, they are naturally designed to look at all of their society as an extension of their own self. As a result, Uthaldrian society pushes them to strive to be at their best and contribute as much as they can to the community and by extension the people they hold dear.

Importantly, any Lothar, whether Reborn or Bred, can enjoy the same level of success in Uthaldria as long as he puts in the work necessary. The Roksgard, which are elected, are chosen from among each of the paths, and there is no consideration as to whether the Lothar is Reborn or Bred.

However, those of other races in they city may never rise to the Roksgard. Though they are afforded immense liberty in the city, women and men of other races can never aspire to lead the Lotharro. Because they are fiercely proud, the Lotharen are adamant that the city remain theirs, even if the depend on the others for the city to flourish. Typically, though, there is little quarrel with the arrangement. The Lotharro are not tyrants, nor do they impose any strict cultural regulations on non-Lothar.

Cities Occupied

Uthaldria is the home of the Lotharro and probably always will be. Other than Uthaldria, the Lotharro are a minority in many West Idalos cities like Argos and Ne'haer.

Clothing and Grooming

Because they are so individualistic, the Lothar do not have a set grooming style that they wear their hair or beards. On average, most of the Lothar have beards and long hair, but there is no racial prejudice towards it. Mostly, it comes down to their desire to focus on their passions, most of which do not concern hair or beard hair. Some, however, may choose to style their hair differently, or weave their beards into braids. All forms are accepted.

Typically, the Lothar wear furs and simple clothing throughout their lives. Not ones for fineries, they prefer to skin their hunts or domesticated animals and tan the hides, making simple leather armor. Traditionally, the Hunters will take a cap from the skinned skull of an animal they themselves have hunted, so wolfskin cloaks with hoods made from the head of the animal aren't uncommon.

Tattoos are regarded with some level of expectation. Each Lothar has a Path, and their first tattoo must resemble that path. A Hunter may get an arrow or an animal or prey, while a defender may get an axe or a shield. The Breeders may get their livestock, or a shepherd's crook. Once the first tattoo is acquired, the rest usually follow suit, telling tales of that Lothar's advancement in their lives and Paths.

Arts and Crafts

The artistic side of the Lothar is perhaps one of their more underdeveloped sides. Lacking in any notable advancements in fashion, ceramics, arts, they are quite behind the times in terms of their more artistic crafts. Much of the art of Uthaldria came as a result of Lotharen adventuring to the outside world and bringing back the art of other cultures and civilizations, or even flat out bringing artists to live in their city. While they enjoy art, they have a notable lack of aptitude in it on average and only a few Lotharro have been masterful artists in history.

However, artists of other races are treated exceptionally well in Uthaldria. It is not uncommon to see non-Lothar artists celebrated at festivals or beerhalls, and often they are considered guests of honor anywhere they go. Female artists, particularly, are sought after, and are hailed nearly as well as any Lothar in the city.

Music and poetry, however, are quite common and celebrated in Uthaldria and by Lothar in general. They enjoy creating verse, whether to make jests about one another or to celebrate battles and life experiences. The mess halls of Uthaldria are often filled with great songs after a great beast has been slain, and perhaps one of the few ways Lothar profess love for others is by song of their journey together.

Worship

The Lothar are known to be resolute in their worship of Thetros. Though they are not opposed to the other Immortals, they find that, like their creator, they are indifferent to them in general. Because they are so open and free, and the idea of removing their freedom is appalling, they tend to have a distaste for the Immortals whose domains would infringe on those liberties.

Reproduction, Family Structure, Aging, and Death

The Lotharro, being an all-male race, have one of the most distinctive styles of reproduction. For the pureblooded Lothar, there is no necessity to have a female to procreate. Instead, if a Lotharro is to die, their incarnation is quite literally born from their corpse. There is a saying among Pureblood Lotharro that they are born from blood, defeated but never dead - and this is quite a literal interpretation of their reincarnation process. When the Lotharro dies, whether from combat or natural means, their next life is born from their corpse. Their body and its organic materials often converge and create, essentially, the conditions for proper birth. The child is born shortly afterward from the flesh and blood of their past life and very commonly, the shield brothers of their last incarnation will raise them as their flock.

However, those Lothar who are Bred still require a mother, and are growing increasingly more common as time goes on. They are born much the same as human children, and are taught from the womb, much like any other Lothar.

In determining the sex and race of the child, there are some things important to note. The Lotharro, being a race erected from monsters, have a biology and genetic code that rejects a submissive position in the creation of a child. Lothar sperm is aggressive, almost determinedly so, hijacking the female's egg and subverting it to the genetics of the sperm's donor.

Their genes are exceptionally dominant, as a byproduct of their monstrous lineage, and nearly all children conceived by a Lothar father are determined to be a male of the father's race. The very rare exceptions tend to be a daughter of the mother's race, but such exceptions are seen as abominations, with the father typically seen as one of weak seed as a result. Such children are typically not raised by their fathers, maintaining the separation of the Lotharen and the other races of Uthaldria, in all places outside of matrimony.

As an aspect of Thetros' dominion of reincarnation, many Lotharro - through time, development and sometimes streaks of passion and introspection - can recall events of their past lives and will see them vividly, as if real. This is called Strenvalla. These events can greatly shape their personality and often increase the intensity of their actions. Furthermore, they can change the Path that a Lotharro takes, which while rare has been proven to be a naturally exploratory and passionate transition in any Lotharen's life.

The Lothar that is Reborn does not remember the memories of their "father" at birth. Instead, each Lothar may go on an intensely personal and lengthy quest to unlock the racial memories. No two Lothar will share the same journey, though it is not uncommon for brothers to embark on them together.

This is, of course, only in the case of the Pureblood Lotharro. Lotharen can in fact breed with other races, though with their extremely dominant genetics, the child is virtually always going to be of the father's race and sex. While traits may uncommonly arrive from the mother - such as in appearance, skin tone, eye color, hair color and so on - the child will still be Lotharen. There is a very small chance that female children will be conceived, in which case they will be of the mother's race, though the chance of conceiving a female child borders on zero percent.

The Bred Lotharen, those born from a union rather than reincarnation, are seen slightly differently in Uthaldria. Because they do not have past lives to recollect, the Bred are often regarded with some level of pity by their Reborn brothers. Because it is possible for the Bred to gain reincarnation, they are often raised to believe that their contributions are more important to the society, and they are typically more passionate and hard-working, if such a thing is possible. The Reborn often try to encourage and support the Born Lothar, trying their hardest to help them achieve something that is worthy of the gift. If a Bred Lothar is gifted Reincarnation, the city celebrates with a week-long festival of drinking and song, praising that Bred for his achievements.

As a note, Naerikk and Lotharro cannot have children. Their biologies reject one another when attempting to procreate - Lotharen sperm attempts to mutilate a Naer's egg.

Family Structure

The Lotharen family structure (and the Uthaldrian family by extension), considering their unique methods of reproduction, is one that deviates from the norm of Idalos. Instead of a father and mother raising a child, older members of the same Path of the child will usually look after them. When the child has not yet clearly demonstrated their Path, they are raised by the companions of their previous incarnation and taught about their surrounding world. Every phase of the Lothar's life is crowded with hard work and learning about their natural environment. The family exists largely as instructors and rolemodels in this regard.

For Bred Lothar - those born to a biological father and mother - they are usually raised by their biological father until they're ready to choose their Path, and most maintain a relationship with their father throughout their life, though not in quite the same way as in human societies. Lothar are known for their liberated personalities and their fiercely independent behaviors. As a result, strict familial hierarchies simply due to biological influences do not generally appeal to them. The father is not a 'leader', but instead a companion, a friend. He becomes like a brother to them.

Most Lotharro do however have a father figure, as hierarchies must exist when you're such a militaristic people. Who they choose largely depends on the courage, valor and strength of the man they aspire to be like. They are almost always members of the same Path as them who are more experienced and who command a deal of respect.

As for their 'brothers' - the strongest bonds the Lotharro form are perhaps with their fellow hunters, defenders and breeders. Those who tow the fields with them for hours on end, or leap into battle to protect their kin, are often exalted in the eyes of the Lothar and these bonds last lifetimes and even through further incarnations. The bond between a Lotharro and his companions is as strong as any bond could be - they forge a fierce protective instinct over one another and they are more than willing to die for their brothers. In fact, many of them embrace death if it's to defend their companions of the Path.

Aging

Lotharro age similarly on pace with humans, though their prime years are longer than those of most other races. They fully mature to manhood at the age of sixteen and reach their middle ages at around fifty five arcs. At this point they are no longer as capable as their peers, though with almost forty arcs in somewhat peak condition, they are a race renowned for their capability. At around seventy arcs many of them become venerable.

Death

The Lotharen don't mourn the death of the Reborn, as they are born again from the remnants of their past self. Instead, the friends and companions of the lost man take him as their own and raise him. Many consider it the apex of their relationship to raise the reincarnation of their lost friend, proving the timelessness of their bond. Much of the time they are friends again in their lives beyond, and so if anything being reborn in Lotharen society is a thing of beauty more than anything else.

With the Bred, it is a different story. In general, the Bred do not become Reborn when they die. While others of their race reincarnate upon their deaths, the unadulterated Bred does not. He is simply to die like any other, and for his loss, mourning does often occur despite the hardy nature of the Lothar. Men of this race - when not reincarnated - are not buried, but burnt, with the hopes that their soul will prevail where their flesh did not.

The possibility for a Bred to become a Reborn does exist, however, and it is often by his connection to Thetros and the leaders of Uthaldrian society. The Roksgard - through Thetros and on rare occasion - gift Reborn status to the exemplary Lothar of their culture, this gift sparking a change in their biology and exalting them in death with the gift of reincarnation.

OOC Note on Reincarnation: should the Lotharro's body be completely destroyed, so too is his ability to Reincarnate. Because he does not have flesh to be reincarnated into, his cycle ends. Additionally, in the case of drowning, burning to death, etc. The Lotharro will continue to reincarnate and die until his body is no more, however long that may take.

Language, Script, and Names

Because of their intentional seclusion, the Lothar have developed a very distinct language, Haltunga. Mainly composed of short-syllabled words and quick, guttural bursts, Haltunga is rather difficult for an outsider to learn, and may cause problems for all but the most experienced linguists.

When written, Haltunga comes in many different forms. Though they share a common structure, the different variations are a sort of short hand that each Lothar learns from their Path. Each has its use, but is mostly used for coded messages that make it increasingly difficult for outsiders to decipher, even if they learn the basics of the language.

The Lothar, in their passion, choose a name that tells a story. Names like Halbjorn, Adalsteinn, Aethelwulf, Harald and Snorri are common, though not all inclusive.

In terms of last names, the Lotharro usually choose a name with a meaning, one that represents them. Some of them - long ago - were given their surnames by Thetros in the Ancient Tongue, before Haltunga was invented. These names often stick forever, while others are free to make their own names or share a name with their clan or their biological father.

Folklore, Rumors, and Legends

Hollow Men: Though more of an insult nowadays, there was a legend that Reborn Lothar who didn't die in combat were born again as hollow shells of the men they were. They would grow like any other, but they would be evil and would do their best to sabotage the work of the others, or to take credit for work they didn't do. The men would then kill others in their sleep, perpetuating the cycle and sowing discord among the Lothar who lived.

The Gift of the Reborn: There have been many who have tried to reason how so many Reborn came into existence, when their very existence meant that it was a one for one trade, death for life. As an explanation, the Reborn have maintained that they were gifted the status by Thetros himself, though some say it was by an Exalted who carried his blessing. Though very rare, Bred Lothar can hope to be give Reborn status if they contribute to the Lotharro society in significant ways. Or so it is said.