Dridder Relations with other species (and the Dridae)

I have found it interesting in my study of Felaryan cultures, that while the relationship (in the most negative terms) between the Dridders and the Nagas is extremely well known, the Dridder relationships between the many other sentient species of Felarya have gone silently overlooked.

For instance, while it is still true tha tdridders very often feed on humans, they have also been observed protecting human villages from attack by other predators. Clearly, the motives are not any more altruistic than protecting their food source, and the behavior has been observed in other predator species as well. However, it has been observed that in such circumstances, they can develop a certain respect for particularly effective, or brutal warriors that fight by their side.

Of course, after a conflict has been resolved, the predator-prey relationship between Dridder and Human goes back to its normal state. Interestingly, the Honored status often sticks and a Dridder tribe will avoid simply slaughtering humans who have fought alongside them and will instead give them a chance at fair combat. This seems an odd phenomenon among a species that seems to prefer ambush and pillage over ordered warfare.

Note: This is a slight generalization, though in general, an honored human would be more dedicated to guarding towns than guarding caravans, which are definitely a more likely Dridder target for ambush anyway.

Amongst other predators, Dridders will sometimes seek peaceful relations as long as the other species is respectful of territory. They will also fight alongside other sentient predators in order to fight a non-sentient threat. Like with human villages, as soon as the threat is gone, so is the alliance.

Lone Dridders are also likely to act as mercenaries to other predatory species, but rarely to "prey" species like humans, and they will never fight their own kind as a mercenary.

In some cases, a warrior becomes attracted to the dark reputation of the Dridders and actually seeks to become a part of that reputation. This can happen among any species (aside from Nagas of course) but is most common among fairies, humans, elves and nekos. In most cases, this stems from gaining Honored status with a Dridder clan in one of the aforementioned battles. More rarely, a warrior gains enough of a reputation that the clan has a pre-conceived respect for him or her. In these cases, they may become accepted into the clan as a Dridae.

Note: Though the term Dridae originated from the words "Dridder-Fae", the term refers to any species brought into a Dridder clan.

The requirements to become a Dridae are twofold. First, the member must become honored in battle with the clan that they wish to join. This is done either through mutual combat with an outside enemy, or through single combat with the elder of the clan. In the latter case, the combat is done with non lethal weapons, but a defeated non-dridder is invariably devoured.

The second requirement is a series of rituals, the first involving numerous tattoos that identify the Dridae to other Dridder clans, and the second are essentially mild brainwashing techniques to change the psychological self-identification of the subject to that of a Dridder. Interestingly that the personality doesn't change due to the ritual, though many humans would find a human Dridae to be cold and callous to human suffering due to this disassociation.

Note: In many cases, the second set of rituals is extremely painful. Though the pain seems to be in proportion to the amount the mindset is changed, and may be avoided largely by identifying with the Dridders before the ceremony begins.

very interesting. there is a lot of culture to explore in dridders.

Mhh interesting ideas here
You explored further the seeker of Sineria religion concept ^^

Karbo wrote:

Mhh interesting ideas here
You explored further the seeker of Sineria religion concept ^^

Hmm, I wasn't particularly thinking of the religious aspect of it, though I figure there could be definite connections between the two. For instance, I'd imagine that the Seekers of Sinera are more likely to be citygoing humans that probably look up to the more wild Dridae.

Of course, the Dridae are probably as welcome into the Seekers' ranks as full-fledged Dridders.

Nax Driders, on their home world, have an interesting relationship with the human/elf population. Essentially they have manufactured a culture/religion within those species that has the driders as a central theme. They will "sacrifice" members of their community to feed the driders in exchange for protection, technology, or perceived religious "immortality". The belief that has been fostered is that a consumed humanoid will merge with the drider and live on as a distinct and seperate consciousness within the drider. This is seldom the case (they will absorb memories, but total consciousness download is very rare and very dangerous for the drider), but the Nax Driders have no problem maintaining that illusion

Well, I'm trying to start a story that will hopefully help draw out allot more cultural aspects about dridders. My idea was that they are sarcastic, condesending, and put forth a cold exterior. But at the same time, they are loyal, rational, more empathetic than they let on. They are also quite capable of forming interspecies bonds, infarct they can depend on it.

If any one has a link or 2 of any good Dridder stories, plz I would love to have them to read.

This is a interesting theory but unfortunatly it does increase the bad reputation of Dridders.(which is already low)
This is of course depending on how a person writes a story...