The Lutheran Triad has a unique way of dealing with Dark Eden's deadly environment. This is called the Cleansing. When a Lutheran child is born, a baptism is held to bring the child into the Church. This is not only a blessing upon the child, but it involves the first of several severe surgical alterations that eventually lead to the smooth, nearly featureless face that clansmen of the Lutheran Traid are known for.

Clansmen of the Lutheran Triad have no nose, no mouth. They breathe and take sustenance through a surgically implanted device called the Jehovah Box, which is attached to the windpipe and the gullet. Sustenance is gained by basically pouring liquified foods down the gullet pipe, which is normally kept capped, and then washed down with water. But even without this deliberate alteration, those of the Lutheran Triad are somewhat deviated from normal humans to begin with, for their eyes have no discernable pupils, nor irises.

The Lutheran Triad clansmen live in the Isles off of Europe. The Ash Kin live in the storm-ridden mountains of the north, and dress almost completely in black, and are known to be almost impervious to pain. The Kain Kin of the Western Isles are proud of their Celtic heritage, and cover their bodies in tattoos, which they believe to instill supernatural powers in them. They dress in the tartans of their forefathers, and carry huge Helmore blades into battle. Lastly, the Wrought Kin of the Southern lands are known for their fear of things supernatural -- they have developed a near-immunity to mystical attack.

Lutheran Triad Horses

While many tribes on Dark Eden make use of machines or of mutated creatures to get about, the Kinsmen of the Lutheran Triad make use of horses that are pretty much unchanged by the apocalyptic travails of the world that the Kinsmen live in. While the Kinsmen take drastic measures to make themselves able to live in the outdoors, their horses are equipped with protective eyewear and gas masks when outdoors. These creatures are descended from several horses that were actually down in bunkers along with other supplies and creatures that the predecessors to the Lutheran Triad Kinsmen used to escape the devastation of Luna's attack on Earth. Ironically, the horses have undergone less change over the centuries than their owners have ... though they are still exceptionally hardy.

Language

Lutheran Triad clansmen (also known as "Kinsmen") are unable to speak or vocalize, which means that they don't generally have cause to understand (let alone use) any spoken language. However, due to the necessity of dealing with the other Tribes, the more educated among them often learn to understand Eurostandard (if they have dealings with Rasputins or -- less likely -- Templars of Gaia), Crescentian, or possibly some of the corporate languages if they have been contacted from beyond Dark Eden.

Between themselves, Lutheran Kinsmen still use written English, though their writing style has taken on an "old English" flavor at times. Furthermore, they have developed their own sign language for communicating more complex ideas with each other without access to writing utensils.

More fascinating, however, is the idea that the Kinsmen have developed a limited form of telepathy ... or at least, that's how some perceive it. In actuality, in a development born of necessity, Kinsmen have developed an intuitive affinity for understanding the body language of each other. By the most subtle of gestures, Kinsmen subconsciously convey simple ideas to each other -- They are not even consciously aware of this, and believe it to be a miraculous power granted to them by God, and thus proof of their blessing over the other Tribes.

This by no means allows any sort of true telepathy -- Kinsmen must be able to see each other clearly. Emotive messages are more likely to be conveyed -- They are far better at judging each others' agitation than outsiders might be able to, for instance. Only the simplest of commands and ideas can be conveyed, with more complex ideas -- such as specific names, specific objects, locations, etc. -- only understood by the context. You can't teach someone a new word or introduce someone's name by means of this ability ... but ideas such as "Go get help," or "What is wrong?" can be conveyed while outsiders would think that the two Kinsmen aren't even paying attention to each other, let alone conveying anything.

Lutheran Triad Religion

Lutheran Triad society is dominated by religious leaders known as Patriarchs, and their overall religious and political ruler is known as the Archbishop, who reigns from a cathedral known as the Dome, constructed in the center of ancient Avalon.

Despite their religious nature, the Lutheran Triad has not reacted favorably to attempts at overtures by the Brotherhood. They believe that the Cardinal is the most vile of heretics, and that those who follow him are likewise corrupt. That the people of the Brotherhood pray to the Cardinal, they take as further evidence of this.

That is not to say that Lutheran Triad religion should be taken as a purer offshoot of Christianity. Much of Lutheran religion involves ritual and superstition, and they believe Stonehenge to be a place of great power. Much of Lutheran Triad ritual involves self-mutilation, and self-inflicted "stigmata" (though those of the Ash Kin purportedly develop "stigmata" during battle spontaneously). It is a common thing for the weak and dying amongst the clans to have themselves put up on crosses hanging on a hill overlooking a battlefield, so that they can encourage their kin with their own self-sacrifice. After the battle, these crosses are carried back -- corpses still hanging from them -- and placed in a place of honor (always known as Martyr's Hill) just outside the village, where a ghastly scene of rows of crosses with shriveled remains watches over and "protects" the village.

PC Requirements:

Ash Kin:

Wrought Kin: