Valois

The Gallant

History

The Valois people had a lengthy and proud history, stemming back from the very start of their people. One thing to note however is the distinct start of the race as a whole. The Valois people were initially migrants from Aestatia, settling along the Eastern Shores of the provinces in droves. Over the centuries, the Aestatian language grew more vulgar as the Aestatians intermingled with the Southern Yusati populace and the Northern Avaltan populace. In many ways including language and appearance, the Valois people have nabbed from many of these cultures into their large conglomerate.

Perhaps one of their most central figures, The Lady, plays a key part in the more legendary founding of the Valois people. Said to have graced the lands in which they lived with fertile crop, clean water, and strong arms, the Valois were able to conquer and protect the lands around them, founding a legacy that scholars say will continue to impact the realm as long as a sentient race sets foot upon the realm. With this in mind, it is important to note the many motifs that remain from the Aestatians within the Valois persona. This is exemplified by their marble statues and paid homage to their architecture and designs.

Physical Description

The Valois are rather variable as far as their appearance goes, though do hold a few commonalities in terms of stature and appearance. Most notably, the Valois most commonly hold a complexion that is olive or tan in tone. Though there are Valois that are paler in complexion, it is rare if nigh impossible to find a dark-skinned Valois of true blood within their midst. Most Valois are known to have brown eyes and brown hair with rather broad features, though this is not applicable to all. The Valois found more northwards tend to be more pale with blue or green eyes, whilst the more southern Valois are darker with brown or grey eyes most commonly.

The Valois wear varying clothing, which most distinctly notes their status within their social hierarchy. The common peasant, farmer, or serf is in the most rudimentary clothing, sometimes even lacking shoes; they are often un-bathed and smell rank with their filthy clothing and complexion. Peasant women wear simple dresses, though remain somewhat cleaner than the men by staying in doors. It is common that these people go long periods without bathing and thus hide their scent with fragrance. Nobility however and members of the clergy are known to bathe most commonly. Adorned in fine jewelry and clothing, they do not go without luxury.

• Common Height:
  • Male: 5'6" - 6'
  • Female: 5'1" - 5'7"
• Common Build: Ectomorph, Mesomorph, Endomorph
• Common Eyes: Brown, Grey, Hazel, Green, Blue
• Common Hair: Brown, Black, Blonde
• Common Skin Tone: Tanned, Pale

Culture

The Valois were a group of honor-bound and adventurous humans. Their early founding on the East of the provinces cemented them as both an ambitious and resourceful bunch. Conquering large swathes of the continent from East to West, many of their ruins remained around the land, having been left from times past. Their structures were rather large, and they are known for their religious zeal to their fallen divines. It is said that these people know not peace, and are finding their way constantly into conflict. There is notably a large divide of classes monetarily and socially. The nobles and monarchs rested at the top, then the knights, followed by the artisans, the peasants, than the slaves. Off to the side members of the clergy operated in each part of this class divide, depending on their stature and lineage naturally.

The settlements of the Valois usually centered around large cities. Here, castles of stone are to be at the side of the town, often lofted on a hill to look down upon the common-folk and remain more safe from sieges and other such hindrances. The cities themselves are large, usually containing a large and extravagant chapel, with smaller homes and merchant stalls scattered throughout the many winding streets and squares. Many influences of Aestatian architecture permeated through their work, though some inspiration from other cultures such as the Avaltans and Yusati have changed it more locally. Most notably the more southern Valois incorporate more domes, whilst the more northern ones are considered to be more gothic, drawing from cultures like that of the Hestark in specific. Throughout the countryside, small farming hamlets provided tithes of food and sometimes other goods to their feudal lords above. Valois usually settled near the coast to have seafaring ports, being rather adept at seaward travel compared to many others; many having mastered the art of shipbuilding.

Religion can be broken down into three simple facets for the Valois people: the Lord, the Lady, and the Wayman. In Some Valois cultures, these may be different, but a constant in the Valois pantheons is that a female deity is the one to take charge. This is usually led by the equivalent of the fallen gods of Ombra or Arvora, the Valois priding themselves on Creation, Strength, and the Arts. With this, the other two deities are usually interchangeable with how they are analyzed. In past times, the Lord who is most similar to the lost Dahriim or Vassas and the third was the Mountain, comparable to the lost Domm. An odd facet of the Valois religion is that there is no direct analog for many of their deities, their triumvirates often having one figure encompassing more than one deity. Foli however, is usually seen as a enemy of sorts, as the chaos she spreads is counter-intuitive to their drives to create order. These were most commonly prayed to in a church, and the faith itself is tradition more than anything, passed down generation after generation, being a social norm among the Valois.

The Valois had a rather basic diet of bread and greens, with the occasional bit of meat. Knights and their seaside resident very commonly have fish in their diets, allowing them to grow strong and healthy from the large amounts of protein. Many dishes are made in the various monasteries scattered about the lands, the monks wishing to save and conserve as much food to feed both the poor and themselves. This is how many treats came about, as well as different sausages. A few examples of this are: Linguiça, Pasta del Nata, Crème Brûlée, and other such dishes. Rice and pasta are also common features among Valois cuisine.

Mechanics

• Lifespan: 65-85 years old on average.
• The Valois due to their adventurous history hold great skills in deciphering traps and opening locks. Though this is a natural aptitude, it does not mean it is so easily done without the proper training and time put into it.
• The Valois are perhaps the most adaptable of any race, most peculiarly finding refuge in anywhere ranging from the far reaches of the north to the southern points. Natives to the provinces, these people have colonized various parts of the world. Both their skills and acclimatization tend to be fairly flexible due to this.

The Realm of Ephimoria • Beyond the Fracture