Which Demeanor do you see yourself being? Or to put it another way, what Demeanor do you see yourself playing as a character in the world of Olgantha?

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Demeanor

The concept of “alignment”, of strict forces of good and evil does not exist in the world of Olgantha. Life exists in shades of gray, not emphatic black and white, especially not in so much as “dark is evil” and “light is good.” Life is more complex than that. However, from an analytic perspective, there is a scale that can be helpful is examining the interactions of various factions and races and indeed individuals in the world. This is the Scale of Mortality, or Demeanor. Base Demeanors are generally simple to understand if only in comparison to the infinitely more complicated Immaculate Demeanors of those not shackled to the mortal coil. Using this color tier, the Demeanors are organized thusly:

Tier Drive Method Benefactor Sin
Red Strength Emotion Individuality Wrath
Black Ambition Freedom Individuality Gluttony
Gold Competition Commerce Community Greed
White Peace Order Community Pride
Blue Progress Knowledge Individuality Lust
Green Nature Instinct Community Sloth
Violet Aberrant Aberrant Aberrant Envy

Red: Red is essentially the most basic point on the Demeanor Scale. It’s about as close to animal as a mortal can get without being an impulsive beast. It champions individuality gained through shows of strength and emotional appeals. Red is the color of blood and fire and chaos and sometimes shedding blood, starting a few fires, and stirring chaos is necessarily for individuality to flourish in the mind of a pure red Demeanor. Naturally, at its worst it is expressed best by the sin of wrath, and woe be to any unlucky enough to fall within its warpath. However, at its best, it can topple corrupt regimes exploiting the common people and bring joy and love when it is needed most. Unfortunately, red Demeanors also tend to burn the candle from both ends and extinguish quickly. Wars started by reds are won quickly and violently or not at all; the long game is a myth for them. Pure red Demeanors are best shown in the monstrous races. The goblins that seek the destruction of the dwarves for driving them out into the light from their subterranean kingdoms, the wild orcs that want to watch the elven forests burn for the fae fall of grace, and the insane gnolls who will kill anything that is bothering them at a particular moment in time fall into this nicely. It’s no wonder either that these groups (save for the military hobgoblins) turn on each other in quests for power to show who is strong and who is weak when exterminating the common races isn’t on the agenda. Kali the goddess of war and fire fits this Demeanor as well—on a superficial level, anyway. She is also the patron goddess of children and childbirth, showing the more positive side of the red Demeanor.

Black: Not particularly swayed by pure emotion, black Demeanors still tend to have a singular focus: numero uno. While not necessarily exploitative, it can come off as selfish to some, but more than anything else, black types want to be left to their own devices and leave others to their own devices as well to do whatever they want. Black types are driven by ambition, often to a solitary goal and rarely driven by strength. That doesn’t mean black Demeanors won’t get into a scrap to get what they want, but they won’t go out of their way to pick a fight either. Often the least troublesome way to get what you want is best and damn anyone who thinks otherwise. Black, more that any other, is the color of the common man, trying to live their lives unperturbed and left to their own devices. This Demeanor tends towards amorality not immorality (it’s not that they buck against moral behavior, it’s just that they don’t care), so often don’t see eye to eye with those that attempt to force their morals on others. However, black types often may not be concerned with just themselves, but also include close family and friends into that focus, doing what needs to be done to keep the people they love safe, to hell with the consequences. Unfortunately, black Demeanors are often fraught with conspicuous consumption, tending towards addiction as ambition. Many kobolds and any number of humans fit this mould whether that consumption is phosphor, alcohol, sex, or any other number of drugs. Gnoll chieftains are literal gluttons, completely self-justified in cannibalizing their own kind to heal their wounds, even in the midst of battle. Followers of Samedi can fall into this tendency quite easily through their unusual outlook of death and the living, as does Charlemagne and his followers—especially the stupid ones that flash their wealth around openly.

Gold: This Demeanor is above all concerned with worldly possessions and success. Whether obtaining or retaining wealth, or a creator of goods in the open market, gold is the color of itself. That being said, gold Demeanors are concerned with open circulation and productivity for everyone involved and generally understand the ecology of trade, if not from continent to continent, then between one city and the next. Even within athletic circles, this is a significant factor. However, this Demeanor can quite easily lead one to see one’s own success far above that of one’s peers. Adventurers tend to be the archetypal gold Demeanors, as do dwarves and followers of Tyche for obvious reasons. Brand and his adherents, always competing and striving, could also be considered gold Demeanor.

White: Traditionally, white Demeanors are often associated with “good”. Indeed, this Demeanor strives for peace using law and order to control the chaos of the natural world. It creates community both as a way to reinforce and justify said law and order. However, one of the most effective ways to do all these things is to root out dissidents and the Other. White Demeanors appropriately tend to see the world more strictly in dark and light terms where dark is unquestionably evil, wrong, and needs to be dealt with swiftly and with great prejudice. “Us vs. them” is an exceedingly common trait of a white Demeanor that discourages individuality for the greater good. If red is best idiomatically described by “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” then white is undoubtedly “The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.” A white society, while concerned for the well-being of its society, is undoubtedly insular and can be downright hostile to any that oppose what it considers moral and right. Indeed white Demeanors are the most likely to actively proselytize, considering forced conversion a virtuous endeavor. Pride and tyranny buffs the cobbles of well-tended white cities and is essential to hobgoblin power structures. It is also an exceedingly common Demeanor for many humans, especially for the Knights of the Golden Knot at their most powerful when they declared war on lycanthropy and any foolish enough to question their goals. Agdolis, especially from the hobgoblin point of view, can be—and often is—seen to be purely white. Agdolon, once a refuge for all peoples, has any number of instances erupted in violence against one race or another, leaving bodies floating in a mockery of the floating city.

Blue: Blue Demeanors are devoted to progress and learning and understanding the world around them. They seek perfection not through strength but through enlightenment. Their goal for improvement expands beyond their own goals but also for the “betterment” of the rest of the world—not that those two things are mutually exclusive. Indeed, for blue Demeanors, they are one and the same. And what if ethics or morals get in the way from time to time? After all, you must crack a few eggs to make an omelet of mass destruction. This Demeanor embodies the sin of lust, but not in the physical sense (blue Demeanors are rarely interested in physical distractions) but mentally speaking. The promise of ever expanding consciousness and dark secrets are constant lures for unwary practitioners of the eldritch arts. Even so, blue Demeanors embrace technology and the new and are always willing to experiment with novel possibilities, but aren’t generally interested in individuals. Gnomes are often considered to be blue by nature of their advanced technological breakthroughs and general distance to others by native Olganthans. Many city orcs, especially the astronomers of Dyrøje, might fall into this category. Phio, goddess of learning and knowledge, is often considered blue as well. Blue Demeanors often denote an air of mysticism and a magical quality, as well as a lack of emotion very unlike mortals and so are often considered less mortal as a result.

Green: This Demeanor is intrinsically tied to the natural world. It focuses intently on not only the security of things in nature, but also the elimination of those that would harm it. Green Demeanors also believe in the care of one’s own community as well. Interlopers are rarely treated with tolerance, let alone mercy. For this reason, this Demeanor tends to see itself as the final bulwark against the intrepid and unrelenting march of progress that it believes seeks to eliminate the environment for its own gain. Whether this is true or not, green Demeanors staunchly oppose technological developments to an irrational extent, preferring the status quo to new and potentially disastrous knowledge. Instinct drives these individuals above all else and though they are opposed to progress, they do allow for evolution—preferably dealt by their own teeth and claws, naturally. Without a doubt, elves define this Demeanor through and through, as do both Faoladh and Morrigan, so tied are they to their fae nature. Both Ufrea and Garn Augustine are intrinsically green deities. Green Demeanors often denote an air of primalism and a magical quality, as well as a lack of sympathy very unlike mortals and so are often considered less mortal as a result.

Violet: This Demeanor is purely an aspect of the fae and other such otherworldly beings. The drive is not understandable to mortals; their methods are nothing short of alien. All that is understood—albeit poorly—is that they envy mortals. But not the way you might envy a friend’s lucky shot where you just missed, but the envy a person might have for a pet. Similar to how a mortal might wonder, “What would it be like to look through the eyes of Kneebiter, good ole boy,” a violet Demeanor would wonder the same about a mortal—before gouging out the mortal’s eyes, tearing off his head and wearing his face like a mask. Violet Demeanors are endemically sociopathic because they operate on a completely different set of assumptions, mainly that death is little more than a trifling annoyance little more inconvenient than a stubbed toe and mortals are completely silly for getting so worked up about the whole thing. However, trying to call a violet Demeanor “evil” is much like calling a mayfly’s lifespan rather pointless—they feel the same way about us. Unseelie fae, demons, and the like would fit into this category, as would Dahcik and many of his most powerful, insane, and thoroughly imprisoned priests. Technically speaking, wild animals without the capacity to understand right from wrong can be considered violet in their Demeanor.

Demeanors are a tool for understanding a creature or character’s motivation and/or personality. Just as people in the real world aren’t so easily pigeonholed, neither are characters in Olgatha. Indeed, any character can be considered to be of any one or two Demeanors upon character creation (and even during character advancement as per GM discretion; after all, people change).

Red-Black: These individuals are truly focused on number one and feel justified doing whatever they want. Often self-centered and impulsive, this Demeanor might be the unsavory lout trying to start a fight with everyone he sees or the hedonistic life of the party—and they’re probably actually the same person. Brawlers and many a draught-quaffing hero fit the bill for this Demeanor.

Red-Gold: These individuals often forego such things as trade, diplomacy, and good sense, instead preferring whatever their physical skill can earn quick dough, and they aren’t afraid to harm or coerce others to get it. Kick-in-the-door adventurers, pirates, and laborers are this Demeanor.

Red-White: These individuals represent a truly unusual combination of antiauthoritarianism and a love of order; law vs. chaos. That being said, these unique traits allow them to accomplish far more than their separate parts. Often they use violent means to reach peaceful ends. Vigilantes, bounty hunters, police officers that read the book then wiped with it fall under this Demeanor.

Red-Blue: This combination is the ultimate expression of individualism. Mad scientists, passionate artists, genius scoundrels, and other such characters represent the melding of heart and mind that embodies this Demeanor.

Red-Green: “Don’t think; feel” is the mantra of this combination. Unpredictable and utterly destructive, this Demeanor is ruled by emotion and instinct and little else. Not that that can’t be amusing, of course. From a distance. Traditional barbarians and comic relief are this Demeanor.

Red-Violet: “CRUSH. KILL. DESTROY.”

Black-Gold: This combination is what happens when you decide the market is yours to do with as you wish and competition is you winning and everyone else falling down dead from hemlock poisoning. And then eating their bodies. Tycoons and conmen are this Demeanor.

Black-White: This curious combination, while seeming too disparate to work, can be quite magnetic. Opposites attract, after all. These individuals are natural leaders with a focus not on themselves—well, not entirely—but on others. Their protection and well-being comes first and they’ll do anything to assure that. Anti-heroes, vengeful protectors and true tyrants are this Demeanor.

Black-Blue: This combination truly seeks self-improvement above all else. Maybe these individuals have a few close friends, but they’re likely there out of pity, fear, or a contingency plan to keep them from blowing up the world. The most ambitious masters of the eldritch arts are this Demeanor.

Black-Green: Wielding the concepts of life and death in both hands, this combination is something to be feared. All of nature, because death is a part of nature, is beautiful in the eyes of these characters. The cycle is inevitable and these types are all too willing to help and hurry you along. Followers of the Way of Blood and many a grim hermit are this Demeanor.

Black-Violet: “You have such lovely bone structure.”

Gold-White: These individuals see controlling the markets and trade as the most effective way of controlling a populous. By manipulating who gets what where, it’s possible to instill paranoia or jubilation in a region, stifle revolutions or foment them. If the GUA’s beliefs of the gnomes’ goal in the Penumbrate are to be believed, they’re right. Savvy businessmen and corsair’s are this Demeanor.

Gold-Blue: Scientific achievement for monetary gain and scientific achievement to assure dominance appears to be the end goal of the GUA to usurp CWI’s impressive hold on the firearms market in Olgantha.

Gold-Green: This combination seeks to replace currency with a direct barter system where goods are traded for other goods or services and is common in more isolated parts of the world. Hamaran elves prefer this to handling copper, silver, gold, or platinum as do tiny, interconnected villages and communes.

Gold-Violet: “Make a wish. Any wish.”

White-Blue: These individuals are a solid combination of a striving to learn and responsibility for their charges. Knowledge is a weapon used to protect and assist the ones they care about. Oftentimes this conflict of passion and purpose can lead to a distance between professionalism and a desire to fit in. Halflings are the quintessential white-blue Demeanor.

White-Green: Simply put, these individuals eschew individual goals and ambitions for the better of the community. Perhaps the most benevolent of all Demeanors, a white-green individual also has virtually no identity as conformity is a must. But hey, that whole peace and productivity thing is pretty nice, isn’t it? In its own twisted way, this philosophy is the end goal of the hobgoblins—after they murder everyone else not like them, everyone will be the same.

White-Violet: “It’s for your own good you have to die.”

Blue-Green: When a well-meaning scientist or wizard decides to play god with the natural world, you fall into this combination. The scientist sees potential in the natural to become supernatural, more often than not creating some of the most terrifying and spectacular beings in Olgantha. The scientific wizards of Arcane Innovations with their wisp-binding technologies fit this Demeanor to a T.

Blue-Violet: “I will make you better than you were before. Now hold still…”

Green-Violet: “Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn.”