Dakarans by 5MARTIST on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Iskara is a place of magic, politics, and ancient secrets. Various nations and races call the world home, all with their own beliefs, goals, and cultures. Depicted here is a concept for the Dakarans of Ankar. Once the seat of one humanity’s earliest kingdoms, the lands of Dakar are now a shadow of their former glories, but that is not to say that they are weak, for it still remains one of the stronger nations of Ankar. The Dakarans themselves are a traditional people who value their ancient ideals of honor, swordsmanship, and faith. Such values have created a society that places immense value in those that demonstrate keen martial abilities and uphold the tenets of their faith with righteous fervor. And while outwardly Dakaran leadership projects a message of cooperation, in secret they prepare for war, both to reunify ancient Ankari territories and to stave off the pressing threat of the Sarkosh.

Unlike the other human subraces however, the Dakarans detest any and all forms of magic, believing it to be a vile agent of the Void, a collection of hellish realms controlled by the Abyssal Princes. Their hatred runs so deep that when a mage is discovered they are quickly apprehended and executed, though such a drastic “punishment” is not given equally, for it is quite common for noble families to hide their arcane children from those that would seek their end. This has of course created a growing discontent among those with magical abilities that are forced to hide them, and while most often seek refuge in neighboring nations, more and more have begun to organize in secret to plot revolution.

A defining feature of the Ankari peoples, Dakarans included, is that parts of their skin hardens into a metal-like material that is extremely durable both to the elements and to injury. This “bio-metal” begins to form in a Dakarans youth and is a relatively painless process. Much like the markings of the Sareni or the Corruption of the Avar, this “bio-metal” serves as an important part of Dakaran identity and it is common for the middle and noble classes to engrave family sigils into them.

Very rarely among the Dakarans are those that are born with the ability to manipulate this “bio-metal” to create objects, primarily weapons, and move them with a refined grace. Known as Sword Singers, these individuals were once the greatest rulers and heroes throughout Dakaran history, but after the Incursion, a near-apocalyptic event in which the Lords and demons of the Void invaded, the Dakaran’s hatred of magic began to fester and the Sword Singers, despite their heroics in the past, were not spared from this hatred. Now most have found refuge in the deepest reaches of the Dakaran deserts, where few dare to tread.

Commissioned by "Zima Blue". Thank you