Kalinor 101
1. The Basics
Why do people visit Kalinor?
Male surface dwellers visit Kalinor to trade. Female surface dwellers usually come here as surrogates. They have either been lured here with vague promises or they have been captured. Symenestra come to Kalinor because it’s the only Symenestra city in Mizahar and the only place where they are left in peace.
Why do people not visit Kalinor?
Symenestra are inherently racist. Many will consider surface dwellers or even halfblood inferior. If you are anything but 100% Symenestra, you will always stand out. Many parts of the underground city are difficult or even impossible to reach for surface dwellers. It’s dark. The food sucks. And for women visiting Kalinor is nothing short of lethal.
What can you expect as a PC in Kalinor?
Frequent moderation: Kalinor currently has two moderators: Macabre and me. Colombina also sometimes works on Kalinor, so there is always a moderator there that will tend to your needs. I am online every day, and Macabre and Colombina are also online quite frequently.
Constant development: We are always adding new locations to Kalinor and new things to the Lore articles on Kalinor and the Symenestra. If there is something that you are missing however, just send one of us a PM, and we’ll talk about it.
Adventures: This is something that I am currently planning to make the city more interesting for PCs.
An impact on Kalinor: I believe that PCs should at least in part shape the future of the city. I’m not the kind of moderator that desperately clings to his beloved locations and NPCs and refuses to let PCs do anything with them, so if you have an idea for a thread, tell me about it.
A job: If you want to start a PC in Kalinor and would like to have a job and earn some money, we’ll arrange something for you.
What do we expect from you?
If you are visiting Kalinor or want to start a PC in Kalinor, I expect you to read the Lore articles on both Kalinor and the Symenestra so that you get a better grasp of them. This post only contains information that is not in the Lore articles or not as detailled as it should be.
I also expect you to put a minimum amount of effort into your posts. I don’t like seeing one-liners or posts that are full of spelling errors or grammatical errors. If you give me a long post, you’ll get a long post from me in return.
And lastly, I advise you to read the OOC thread every once in a while. New additions to Kalinor or important information are announced there.
2. Kalinor
What is above Kalinor?
Above Kalinor is a small rocky hill that gives way to a forest.
Which animals can be found in the forest?
Take a look at this website. Most of the animals can be found above Kalinor.
How deep underground is Kalinor?
Kalinor is about seven hundred feet underground.
How long does it take to reach Kalinor anyway?
It takes about twenty minutes to reach Kalinor.
How hard is it to enter Kalinor for a surface dweller?
It is very hard. There are several entrances, but all but one are inaccessible to anyone but a fullblooded Symenestra. You have to climb through underground tunnels and caves, and most surface dwellers just aren’t very good at climbing. The Woven Gate is virtually the only point of entrance for a surface dweller, and even there you need to convince the guards to pull you up into the city.
How dark is it in Kalinor?
It’s very dark in Kalinor. There is a noticeable lack of natural light. Symenestra can see well in the dark, but as a surface dweller you’ll have a hard time.
What do the houses in Kalinor look like?
The houses in Kalinor don’t look anything like what you are used to. They aren’t square, they aren’t angular, and they don’t stand on the ground. Instead they are roughly pear shaped or shaped like a drop and hang from the ceiling. They don’t have windows, and the entrance is located at the very top of the house. From there stairs usually led down, towards the living quarters. Symenestra homes usually don’t have a lot of rooms, but niches in the walls where the individual members of a Web store their things or sleep. The houses are made of stalactites or stones, and they are connected to each other by thick cords of silk.
Is all of Kalinor populated?
A lot of houses on the edge of Kalinor are empty due to the ever dwindling population of the city. These houses are not always safe. There are other things than Symenestra that live in the cave – dangerous things that want to hurt you.
What’s under Kalinor?
The bottom of the cave in which Kalinor is located is even more dangerous. Unless you are suicidal or look for some kind of dangerous adventure, you should not go there. Symenestra don’t recycle their waste, and they don’t do anything special with it. They just dump it onto the cave floor. If you try to get down there, you’ll must likely hurt yourself or catch a nasty disease. There are also monsters down there.
Is there a place to learn magic in Kalinor?
There is no place to learn magic in Kalinor. Symenestra don’t go to a school to learn it, they do a lot of research and ask around, and if they are lucky they might find a mage that is willing to take them under their wing.
Is there a lot of crime in Kalinor?
Crime is very rare in Kalinor. Kalinor is actually one of the safest cities in Mizahar – if you are a Symenestra. There are usually only about ten property related crimes and one or two violent crimes a year.
How approachable is the ruling couple? Can every Symenestra talk to them?
They can be talked to, but Symenestra won’t approach them with mundane concerns. Representatives tend to voice collective concerns. Most Symenestra have interacted with them in some fashion however.
Does Kalinor trade with other cities?
Yes it does. Trade tends to be limited in scope however. There are no permanent trade routes.
3. Symenestra Culture
How do Symenestra pay for things?
They use barter or mizas, just like everybody else.
Do Symenestra go to school?
There is a school for Symenestra children that continues until age fifteen. The children go to school for approximately five hours a day. Attendance is only mandatory until the children have learned to read and write, but non-attendance is looked down on. The school focuses on literacy, history and symbolic systems (logic, math. etc.) The rest is spent in private lessons, leisure or trade. Symenestra tend to specialize in several skills with tutors or family members once they have finished school.
Which weapons do Symenestra use?
Weapons tend to be long range or polearms. They prefer distance and only use proximity for the final blow (usually a venomous bite). One of their preferred weapons is the Symenestran lash, a cross between a whip and a garotte. The end of the lash is metallic, and one edge is razor sharp.
Which races do Symenestra use as surrogates?
Symenestra use all races that can give them a Symenestra child as surrogates. That includes Kelvics. They don't use Konti though. Symenestra don't want Konti daughters.
How do Symenestra go about harvesting women? Do they travel in large groups?
Sometimes they will travel in larger groups, but most often they travel alone or in pairs so as to not attract unwanted attention.
Which tactics do they use?
Every Symenestra uses different tactics. Some use deceit or con artistry, others use drugs, hypnotism, blackmail, brute force or a combination of all these. After the surrogate is captured, she is usually sedated so as to make the transport back to Kalinor easier.
What do Symenestra do with their dead? Do they bury them?
Symenestra don’t bury their dead because they live in a cave. Instead they treat the bodies with special mixtures to keep them from decaying, wrap them in silk and take them to the Temple of Viratas. The bodies of all Symenestra that ever died in Kalinor are kept there. Dead surrogates on the other hand are discarded like trash, dumped on the bottom of the cave and never talked about again. The monsters that live on the bottom of the cave eat them.
4. Symenestra
Do male Symenestra have a beard?
No, they don’t. They don’t have a lot of body hair either.
When do Symenestra become fertile or infertile?
Both genders become fertile at around fifteen, a little later than humans. Fertility begins to decline at fourty. By fourty-five Symenestra are usually infertile.
I've heard that Symenestra are avid blood drinkers! Is that true?
No, it isn't. Blood only makes up a small part of their diet. It's a poor substitute for real food. For a Symenestra drinking blood is like drinking juice for a human. You can't survive on it.
But Symenestra are cannibals, right?
No, they aren't cannibals either. It's not impossible that there are a few sick, sadistic Symenestra that kill humans and eat them, but most Symenestra prefer animals and fruit - and they'd rather let the humans have their babies instead of eating them.
What does Symenestra venom do?
Unlike other kinds of venom Symenestra venom doesn't simply make people sick. If the venom is strong, and enough of it is used, it turns organic material into some kind of soup. It also has the potential to slowly corrode metal.
Why do Symenestra not simply ingest a little bit of venom every day to become immune? That would solve all their problems!
Unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Each Symenestra's venom is different, and thus drinking venom would either make you sick if you are lucky or turn your insides into some kind of mushy stuff in the worst case. |
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by Poison on June 15th, 2011, 5:46 am 
