They are called the Secluded, not because they were driven away, but because they chose to withdraw. No one knows when the Secluded first came to Leonoria. Ask a Midlander scholar, and they will argue timelines—placing their arrival near the time of the Great Death, some eight thousand years ago. They will point to ruins, to shifts in culture, to sudden leaps in understanding of Materium. Ask the Secluded, and you will receive nothing. Not denial. Not confirmation. Silence. Their history is not lost. It is kept. And whatever truth lies within it is guarded with a discipline that has never once faltered.
Though their origins are hidden, their impact is not. Across Leonoria, remnants of their early empires remain—vast, elegant ruins that defy time. Structures grown as much as built. Cities that once spanned entire regions, now swallowed by forest, sand, or stone. These are not crude remnants. They are precise, intentional, still resonating faintly with Materium, as if the world remembers their touch even when history does not. The Secluded do not reclaim these places. They leave them. Whether out of reverence, regret, or something else entirely, none can say.
Form and Abilities
The Secluded are unmistakable. Tall and poised, often matching or exceeding the height of Northmen, though more refined in build, their forms are athletic, balanced, and controlled—every movement deliberate without seeming forced. Their skin carries a muted grey-green tone, subtle but striking. In forested environments, this gives them an almost unnatural camouflage, as though the world itself softens their outline. Their eyes set them apart completely. A faint blue glow lingers within them—not bright, but constant. It does not flicker. It does not dim. It simply is. To meet their gaze is to feel seen beyond surface, as if something deeper is quietly observing. They dress as they live: with intention. Clothing and armor are intricate, elegant, and functional—never excessive, never crude. Even in war, they carry themselves with a sense of composed purpose.
If any race can be said to truly understand Materium, it is the Secluded—not merely in use, but in principle. They grasp its flows, its balances, its consequences. Magic, to them, is not a tool to wield freely, but a force to engage with carefully. As such, they are naturally gifted in nearly all aspects of Materium, particularly those tied to cognition, structure, and balance. They learn quickly, adapt precisely, and refine endlessly. But they restrain themselves. The darker aspects of Materium—the volatile, corruptive, or dominating forces—are deliberately avoided. Not because they cannot wield them. Because they choose not to. To a Secluded, power without restraint is failure.
Combat and Philosophy
The Secluded are not weak in combat—far from it. They produce skilled archers, disciplined swordsmen, and warriors who fight with precision rather than fury. They do not seek battle, but when forced into it, they are efficient and composed. Yet there are paths they will not walk. Deception, dishonor, unnecessary cruelty—these are not tools they accept. This makes them predictable to some, frustrating to others, and difficult to work with. Their sense of honor is not flexible. It is not negotiable. When confronted with those who act outside of it, the Secluded do not adapt—they resist. This often leads to conflict, even among allies.
Today, the Secluded maintain a single, central empire deep within the Sanctuary Lands. Unlike their ancient predecessors, this empire is not expansive. It does not reach outward. It does not seek dominion. It endures. Hidden within ancient forests rich with Materium, their cities are subtle, integrated into the land rather than imposed upon it. Outsiders rarely see them—and fewer are invited. They are not isolationists out of fear. They are selective.
There is one exception to their restraint: the Dark Ones. Where the Secluded chose discipline, their cousins chose something else—something the Secluded neither forgive nor forget. The divide between them is absolute. There is no diplomacy, no uneasy alliance, no coexistence. Only enmity. A Secluded will never knowingly stand beside a Dark One. And if forced to choose between compromise and conflict, they will choose conflict. Every time.
Playing a Secluded
- Strengths: Master of all Materium types, exceptional intellect, combat precision, magical resistance
- Weaknesses: Inflexible morality limits tactics, difficulty in informal settings, predictable in combat
- Key Traits: You are highly gifted in Materium and cognitive mastery. You act with precision, not impulse—both in magic and in combat. Your sense of honor is absolute, and often puts you at odds with others. You avoid darker paths, not out of fear—but conviction. You carry the weight of a history you will never fully share.
- Class Affinities: Wayfarer Marksman Elementalist Scholar Stormcaller Lifewhisperer