Might makes right, the brutal politics of the Testers
Maylar's primary followers, the Testers of Strength, more commonly just "the Testers" are known as an independent and often belligerent lot.
Many Scarterrans scoff at the very notion that the Testers are smart enough to grasp even basic politics. They might not have anything resembling conventional politics, but they do have a unified philosophy.
On the surface, it looks like the Testers are just doing what they want all the time, and what they commonly want is to hurt other people. They murder, they steal, and they sometimes spread poison and disease. Everything they do falls under the credos of "might makes right" and "that which doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."
Some even claim that their actions to "strengthen" Scarterrans are actually forestalling the Third Unmaking and that the First Unmaking and the Second Unmaking were precipitated by societal weakness.
Maylar has some followers who are hypocrites (all the the Nine have some followers who are hypocrites), but Maylar does have a code that differs from the other so called "evil" deities of Scarterra. If a mortal thwart's a scheme of Greymoria or Phidas they should probably expect some form of future retribution, but Maylar will just shrug, "you passed my test, you are strong" and leave it at that.
Maylar's followers are also expected to not hold grudges, and they are expected to take their defeats in stride. More than a few Testers are little more than selfish and cowardly bullies, but a lot of them genuinely believe that in carrying out harsh actions against others, they are truly making individuals and Scarterran society at large incrementally stronger.
Maylar, named by Zeta Gardner
Execution
Most Testers are not a part of respectable Scarterran society. Instead, Testers commonly dwell on the fringes and periodically swoop in to engage in their mischief and then disappear into the wilderness before they face retaliation from the rest of the Nonagon or the secular powers that be.
The Testers argue that this dance of move and countermove makes both sides stronger and ultimately serves Maylar's end of making Scarterra stronger.
If the Testers are feeling especially confident that they are strong and the local leaders are weak, they will try to set up protection rackets where they demand tribute for their protection. While Testers don't hold to the values of chivalry very often, they do take the protection aspects of a protection racket seriously. Any outside party trying to harm or extort their people under their protection is infringing on their territory and is effectively issuing a serious challenge against them. No Testers worth their spears will refuse a proper challenge.
A few places in Scarterra will arrest Testers on sight and exile them if not kill them. Most don't, so as not to offend Maylar himself or to avoiding provoking a wider response from the Tester community at large.
More often, Scarterran rulers are reactive against the Testers rather than proactive. If a Tester is caught stealing or killing or doing some other crime, they are sentenced for that specific crime, not for the crime of being a Tester.
by me with Midjourney
Participants
Because the Testers exist largely as anti-social outsiders, many formal Maylar rituals are carried out by non-Testers. Commonly Keepers or the Cult of the Compact will step in to preside over a Maylar worship ritual if no Tester is available.
This old norm is slowly changing. A new breed of friendlier and less violent Testers is emerging, led by the faction known as the Herders of Men. They are seeking wider societal acceptance and they are peacefully stepping in to oversee Maylar rituals in many places.
Most Fumayans and most Borderlanders demonstrate strength, so they have our support. If this leads more Fumayans and Borderlanders entering Maylar's tent, all the better."-Ujarek, leading figure in the Herders factionby Eron12 on Hero's Forge"Me and my followers have not caused any trouble for King Henryk or his vassals and we have even helped them find and kill inferior Testers who tried to start trouble in their lands. Over the generations, Fumaya has endured many hardships and not only survived but thrived. We don't need to test them because Maylar and Scarterra have already done so. As priests of Maylar our purpose is not to punish the weak. Our purpose is help people become stronger.
Even these friendlier, less violent Testers still don't put much moral weight on oaths and fealty. They obey the laws and avoid making waves because they respect the people of the lands they are in, not because they believe in the abstract value of fealty or honor. The Testers fight amongst themselves a lot, and it surprises no one that the Herders are frequent targets of other Testers who often see them as traitorous sell-outs, but steel sharpens steel. The Herders are frequently winning these skirmishes against other Testers and are slowly earning the grudging respect from rival factions. Whether this a temporary fluke or the sign of a new evolution for the Testers as a whole remains to be seen.-Vesstan Heithana, elven school teacher in the Principality of Silfûrhëimby Eron 12 with Hero ForgeI don't know what is more frightening, militant Tenders or friendly Testers. Humans never cease to find new ways to surprise me. I suppose we should give these supposedly friendly Testers a fair shot to prove themselves, but don't ever turn your back on them. Human politics is a many things, but it's never boring.
Feudalistic Monarchs versus Absolute Monarchs
by me with Midjourney
Primary Related Location
Related Organizations
What About Testers among nomadic peoples?
Commissioned camazotzflying, grey background by Diana Rahfoth
Loved the article, wouldn't wanna meet the Testers though :P
If you like that, you might like to find out what happens "A Lantern, a Rover, and a Tester enter a bar" in the sidebar of this article
Religious Based Slang Terms in Scarterra
Common religious based vernacular in Scarterra