Forming an Alliance With a Human
Giving up immortality
When rootlings and humans cross paths its not always a pleasant sight. However, some rootlings and humans will form a bond. It is a special event that will last the rest of their lives.
Why it Might Happen
Rootlings live on a fantasy medieval version of our earth. Humans exist here, too. The relationship between humans and rootlings is complicated, and you can read more about it here. Some rootlings live within villages, settlements, towns, or near wandering travelers. Players may come up with their own story for how and why their rootling and its human met. Perhaps the human slowly befriended the rootling over time, or maybe it happened very suddenly. Players are encouraged to work on story development for both the rootling and the human, and come up with reasons why they met. Players should consider how, why, when where, and for what purpose their rootling is bonding with a human. Does it benefit them in some way? Is this a symbiotic relationship? Was the rootling tricked? The rootlings are bearers of sacred magic, and this always creates a barrier between them and humans. They may not form romantic connections, only platonic friendships and collaborations. |
What it Costs
If a rootling creates a bond with a human it will lose its immortality and gain a lifespan of 100 years. It is thought that when a rootling's knowledge of human craft becomes deep enough to mimic, then their lumesse is a touch less pure, and will no longer sustain an infinite age.
If a rootling creates a bond with a human it will lose its immortality and gain a lifespan of 100 years. It is thought that when a rootling's knowledge of human craft becomes deep enough to mimic, then their lumesse is a touch less pure, and will no longer sustain an infinite age.
The Nature of Humans
Every human individual is unique in character and morality. While some may view the rootlings as ancient creatures to be respected and protected, others may treat them like resources to be taken advantage of. Humans can form genuine relationships- or they can be manipulative and tricky. Rootlings are often standoffish and distrusting of humans due to the uncertainty of their hearts. Any connection a rootling makes with humans will last forever, so if it unknowingly becomes bound to a manipulative and cruel human, then it will have a most unfortunate life.
Every human individual is unique in character and morality. While some may view the rootlings as ancient creatures to be respected and protected, others may treat them like resources to be taken advantage of. Humans can form genuine relationships- or they can be manipulative and tricky. Rootlings are often standoffish and distrusting of humans due to the uncertainty of their hearts. Any connection a rootling makes with humans will last forever, so if it unknowingly becomes bound to a manipulative and cruel human, then it will have a most unfortunate life.
Creating an Alliance - Quests these prompts receive the quest bonus of 15LP per artwork
These art prompts serve as quests your rootling can complete in order to build an alliance with a human. Rootlings may bond with one human, or with a community of people, or with a small tight-knit group of people (such as a family or a friend group.) Whichever the rootling chooses, it must only form this connection with one of the choices. The alliance your rootling forms, the people it is connected to, the reasons why it happens, and the benefits or consequences it brings should be rooted in the story you are aiming to tell.
These art prompts serve as quests your rootling can complete in order to build an alliance with a human. Rootlings may bond with one human, or with a community of people, or with a small tight-knit group of people (such as a family or a friend group.) Whichever the rootling chooses, it must only form this connection with one of the choices. The alliance your rootling forms, the people it is connected to, the reasons why it happens, and the benefits or consequences it brings should be rooted in the story you are aiming to tell.
- Meeting | your rootling has come across someone new. Perhaps it sees a campground from the view of a cliff, or maybe it has come face to face with a child in the woods. At some point in your story the rootling encounters a human, or group of humans, with which it will form an alliance in the future. This might be the first meeting, or it can be the tenth meeting, but it should be the beginning point of the bond.
- Acquaintance | the rootling and the one(s) it has met have their first interaction (or sequence of interactions.) The dynamic of their relationship might be static from beginning to end, or it may change over time. The art in response to this prompt should portray how the characters feel about each other in the beginning of their journey. Do they get along right away? Does their friendship take time to grow? Is there a specific subject or activity they bond over?
- Observation | This is an important stage of learning for the rootling. Depending on your story thus far, this could be your rootling's first up close experience of the human life. There will be a lot of things to take in. Portray your rootling and its person experiencing this new growth together. The human could be teaching the rootling a new skill, or the rootling may be teaching the human about nature.
- Integration | At this point your rootling is quite familiar with its chosen party, and has spent a good deal of time learning about the humans in this area. The rootling has spent so much time, in fact, that it is now able to mimic man-made artifacts in its own bodily form. The rootling finds its own way to somewhat "integrate" into human society by creating a version of itself made up of various trinkets. This prompt may be portrayed as the rootling investigating some of its favorite objects further- or it may display your rootling introducing its human friend(s) to a brand new humanoid shapeshift form. Humanoid shapeshift will now be available as a consistent form your rootling can take at will going forward.
- Utilize | How does your rootling use its shapeshift? How do the rootling and its alliance use their connection to each other? Perhaps the rootling helps the humans with tough tasks with the supernatural abilities its lumesse gives it, or maybe the humans work to help the rootling protect its dwelling. Use this prompt to show how the alliance is ultilized in your story. Why is it important? What purpose does it serve? How is it unique? How has it changed since the first meeting?
Humanoid Shapeshift - available after the completion of alliance quests up to "Integration"
Rootlings may spend a good deal of time around humans. They may be observing, interacting, playing, or learning with them. As they increase their knowledge of each other, the rootling will eventually be able to mimic them in certain ways. Rootlings are creatures of spirit, and so they are much more attuned to arts than to flesh. Their bodies may appear constructed of sticks, fashioned of tattered garments, strung of bones, or molded from clay. It is a blend of human craft, an inspired bipedal form, and the stem animal qualities which bleed in.
Rootlings may spend a good deal of time around humans. They may be observing, interacting, playing, or learning with them. As they increase their knowledge of each other, the rootling will eventually be able to mimic them in certain ways. Rootlings are creatures of spirit, and so they are much more attuned to arts than to flesh. Their bodies may appear constructed of sticks, fashioned of tattered garments, strung of bones, or molded from clay. It is a blend of human craft, an inspired bipedal form, and the stem animal qualities which bleed in.
- Their heads appear as masks. These can be crafted from any sort of material, and they may resemble the rootling's stem animals. (e.g. horns, antlers, ears, face paint, feathers, beak)
- Their shoulders and chests are cloaked in cloth, foliage, furs, metal, wood, or some other substance that can create a covering.
- Their anatomy is more trinket-like and less of flesh. They are more-so constructed of various things than organic forms.
- The humanoid shapeshift is always bipedal.
- Rootlings do not have any reproductive anatomy in any form.