Darrig



(full title in the old tongue: "Far Darrig")

Personality/Behavior
Most all Earth Fae have been gifted with the power of creation and ingenuity; to build and shape the world with their hands…that is all except the Darrig…who were born to destroy it. Seen as pit bulls of the fae world, most Earth Fae believe the Darrig are necessary to maintain balance between the forces of creation and destruction. Darrig are highly aggressive and violent by nature if brought to anger, but have a deeply rooted code of morals and conduct that all adhere to, this infallible honor being the only factor that has kept them from being considered a threat to those around them. Their Dwarf kinsmen have put their destructive impulses to good use, employing vast work forces of their kind as miners and demolition experts. It is said that there are only three things Darrig cannot comprehend; fear, mercy and pain. Despite their aggressive temperament however they can be very jovial and upbeat as long as you stay on their good sides and they have a few drinks in them. Most fae in high society see Darrig as little more than vulgar hillbillies and drifters but few will ever meet a culture with more emphasis on overcoming adversity and insurmountable courage.

Description/Biology
At first glance it may be assumed that Darrig are related to Goblins in some way but their closest blood relatives are actually Leprechauns and Nockers, standing between 5-5 ½ feet tall with thick, ropey limbs ending in powerful forearms, large fists and large feet with somewhat goblin shaped ears and sharp teeth. Their most striking feature is a rudy pink skin tone that lightens up at the palms of their hands, soles of their feet, darkens slightly at their cheeks, nose and other areas of heavy wear and their hair is stark white from birth. Their bones are incredibly dense, making them heavier than they appear and very resistant to injury. Females are normally quite buxom and well endowed with curvy figures (but if one catches you staring, you WILL lose a favorite body part)

Climate/Terrain
Any

Territories
Darrig share many of the same territories as other Earth Fae and are found through the White and Gold mountain ranges and all along the northern regions of the Seelie and Independent Territories. They stake no claim to a “homeland” as far as anyone knows.

Society
To the Darrig, society and culture is all about family. Their society is clan based divided into about 20 or so known tightly knit family groups that each follow their own unique variation of the core Darrig cultural beliefs and practices. Each holds great pride in their particular bloodline and will fight tooth and nail to prove it to any and all challengers; meaning no two families are ever on the best of terms with one another although vaguely effective oaths and pacts forged through marriage or through shared conflicts against a common enemy have been known to occur. Despite any bad blood, they do share a common culture and will gather to celebrate events of great importance like festivals and holidays…all of which usually involved excessive drinking, exhibition fights and promiscuous sex. Darrig live on the fringes of society as laborers, miners, bodyguards, bouncers, mercenaries or gladiatorial fighters. While they rarely hold any allegiance or even faith in the more large scale military machinations, they can be convinced to fight if only to prove their own superior strength over another.

Species Relations
The way they related to other races is interesting…since no one really wants to piss off a Darrig, they can be rather sociable with most any race as long as no one deliberately insights their short tempers. They're particularly fond of their Gnome cousins (they call "cuz'num"), frequently work alongside Dwarves and come under fairly regular employ by Leprechauns seeking labor or protection (taking advantage of their race relation while at the same time embarassed that they could be related to such a crude and violent group). Outside the Earth Fae they tend to associate with the more rowdy Satyr or Ogre.

Gender Relations/Roles
Darrig don’t acknowledge difference based on gender; only physical aptitude, determination and bravery set one Darrig apart from another. Where males tend to be more physically powerful, the females make up for it in superior speed and dexterity so as a species is concerned they equal each other out rather nicely. This does shift slightly however when regarding a pregnant woman who is treated with only a faint degree of tenderness which seems like nothing to outsiders but is much more apparent among their own kind.

Love/Courtship
One of the most misunderstood aspects of Darrig society is the subtle nuances of their love and courtship rituals. For one thing, they don’t understand the concept of “true” love. The closest they tend to come to is close friends with benefits that they’ve come to trust more than any other. Traditionally however, a male or female may instigate a courting ritual with any they choose, but results in a rather brutal combative display, with one trying to overpower the other. Spectators would see such a display as resembling forced and unwanted advances or a wild wrestling match but it is a very ritualistic process with rules of conduct; no damage to genitalia and if one is knocked unconscious, definitely no taking advantage of them in such a vulnerable state. If the Darrig who instigated the ritual is victorious, the other yields and submits to their whims. If they fail, they can never again court the same prospective partner again (and will be nursing their damaged pride for a very long time). In old world Darrig society, such events were a spectator sport for others of their kind to watch (including the copulation that may follow) and are still practiced in some areas of high Darrig population. A handful of the Darrig families practice having a mate from another family join their own, but such an individual would have to fully renounce their own family name and any contact with their old family, fully becoming a part of the new clan in every conceivable way.

Sex
Not surprisingly, being such a brutal species, S&M practices are highly common since it’s fairly common for a highly dominant and assertive individual to have submission and punishment as their secret fantasy. Once one has submitted to the other, they are there’s to do with what they will, the level to which they can handle whatever their new lover dishes out is a testament to their resilience and strength. Of course, only the most SADISTIC and relentless tickle torture is to be expected and the Darrig's superior stamina and resistance to physical damage means they could withstand such torment for HOURS if desired. On a side note, while not normally sexually active with those outside their species, the same rules apply for being bested in combat which is seen as especially impressive; but only results in casual sex and friendship rather than anything too binding.

Birthrights

 * Breaking Point: Darrig are attuned to the nature of destruction and as such are inherently gifted in the art of breaking things; inanimate matter including stone, household objects or weapons and armor.

Favored Class
The vast majority of the species are Brawlers by default but the occasional Rogue or Troubadour is not unheard of.

Combat
Darrig inherently believe that the living body is the only weapon worth putting ones faith in and abhor the use of weapons or armor; only their fists and a lot of guts. Their brutal fighting style known as “Dar'nockem” is both effective and horrifying to watch if you have a weak stomach. They believe in a full offensive assault, pummeling the target into submission and never letting up even if faced with certain death…they share the Dwarf ideal of the “good death” but not their more tactical principles.

Development
The Darrig actualy have the longest and most complicated development process of any race so far. The original inspiration came from all sources, but the character Mickey from the movie "Snatch"...the idea of an entire race made up of these abrassive, aggressive brawlers with an strict honor code just spoke to me for some reason. Learning more about the real Irish/English Gypsies that inspired the character only furthered my thought process. Originally I had been using the name "Nockers" for the race but as the idea developed, it moved MUCH further away from the original Nocker myth and ethnically didn't really seem to fit. Finally I came across an Irish folktale about the "Far Darrig" who were like a more aggressive and rowdy cousin to the Leprechauns...the pieces finally fit together.