Rhys aka Shah-dey
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2009 4:20 pm
I have two long documents for my character. The first document is for his culture and the second is his actual charter app.
Varchakh Culture
The Varchakh are a large tribe of nomadic gypsy like were-lynxes. Like most were-creatures the Varchakh are a three fold being, part human part animal and part magic. Varchakhians have innate magic abilities aside from the powers normal Shifters posses; these usually consist of some psychic manipulation of the astral plane.
Varchakhian magic manifests in several different and distinctive abilities each unique to a particular clan. A few examples from the five richest and most influential Varchakh tribes include, Rhys’ clan the Silvorin are known primarily for their empathic abilities while his father’s the Suloosun are rather exclusively telekinetic, the clan of his Lyuba Mala the Vasak are clairvoyant, the Tsogde are psychometrists, and lastly the Kalderash are telepathic. A rare but highly prized magical skill amongst the Varchakh is the ability to tell true bishani from counterfeit. This is often thought to be related to the tribe’s magical nature but what ever the reason for it this group of traders and merchants prize such a rare and profitable skill so much as to try and place a bishani reader within every clan.
As well as their psionic powers each Varchakhian has standard Shifter traits. Varchakhian Shifter powers and weaknesses include shifting from human to form the of a large lynx and any stage in between, the ability to heal most major wounds within a week at most, a deadly aversion to silver, and an extended lifespan of approximately one hundred and eighty years.
Varchakhians in human form, due to the relatively small size of their great cat counter part, tend to be of slightly smaller than average humans in height and build but with a noticeably developed musculature. As well as their somewhat diminutive stature Varchakhians in human form can be identified by some notable features. The eyes of the Varchakh people are always of three main colors, deep sapphire blue, glittering gold, or a soulful dark garnet red. The ears of the Varchakh almost never lose their lynx like pointed shape and long furred tufts. The upper canines of the Varchakh peoples are often longer sharper and more pronounced than in humans, while not a true fang per se Varchakh canines are noticeable in a broad grin or a gaping mouth. Finally the fingernails of the Varchakhian peoples tend to stay slightly longer, much sharper, considerably pointier and a lot stronger than normal humans fingernails.
These distinguishing traits are derived from two long established Varchakhian traditions. The first being the common practice of staying in anthropomorphic form as often as is practical. The second is the tradition of only marring within the tribe. Some less than patriotic Varchakhian once betrayed her clan and went to an outside scientist were she was informed that a habit of marrying one’s distant cousins might be detrimental to the well being of the group at large.
Unfortunately these combined physical features and the cultural practice of the anthropomorphic form being the normative means adopting certain habits of dress and behavior to evade detection and or persecution where is necessary. Such habits and behaviors include, wearing loose clothing being standard whenever and wherever a sudden shift might be required, concealment of the hands and ears, refraining from smiling to big or laughing to loudly in magic-phobic crowds. All these behaviors tend to make Varchakhians seem even more outlandish to many of the townsfolk they visit but it is usually accepted as part of the Varchakh’s inherent oddity after all they are gypsies.
Varchakh chose long ago for his people to be nomadic for a plethora of reasons. The primary reason being staying in semi-constant motion allows them to escape predation and persecution easily. Also traveling well established trade routes offers some measure of economic prosperity. The Varchakh’s nomadic travels primarily consist of traversing the northern and southern trade routes, as well as some lesser know trade routes, between Eyropa and Tiag Xia. The great trans-continental travels of the Varchakh peoples means that while the tribe itself is only equal to about half the population of Thar Shaddin, the tribe’s territory is quite vast covering a very large portion of the globe.
The Varchakh peoples are composed of approximately twelve clans with each clan has a standard of eight families and each family having on average of seven to eight members. Each clan and each family might have more or less depending on whom you ask, most are of varying sizes and strengths.
Each clan within the tribe travels a particular section of the northern and southern trade routes. In an average trip across a clan’s territory an individual clan would most often be responsible for performing a great many duties. Many of these duties would include exchanging goods with their neighboring clans and other traders, maintaining what roads that need it, upholding whatever diplomatic relations may exist, spreading news and or mail from one group of settled people to another, visiting any towns villages or settlements along their path where they might trade entertain and perform some magic and or petty larceny.
As the winter solstice nears, the Varchakhian tribe migrates to each year’s tribal campsite for their annual Eef Deroom, which means moonlight by the snow. Every Eef Deroom is held in a secret location determined at the close of last years camp and shared with only the clan chieftans. The Eef Derooms are often a place of great importance as they serve many functions. Winter camps host, weddings, tribal meetings, holiday celebrations, reunions, high level training sessions and tests in the martial, magical and artesian practices, birthday parties and in accordance with lynx reproductive cycles a great many births.
The Varchakh people commonly practice arranged marriages especially amongst the children of the clan chieftains. Arranged marriages are considered beneficial because the practice is supposed to encourage cooperation between the clans, bring about a sense of greater tribal unity and diminish clan wars. Unique to Varchakhian culture is the practice of the husband moving into the wives’ clan and in the case a young chieftain he is set up to rule his wife’s clan, this is done to insure a sense of continuity throughout the tribe but more often than not causes much strife amongst the individuals within the clans.
A successful example of the Varchakh’s marriage practices is Rhys’ own family, his father was the son of a Suloosun chieftain and his mother the daughter of a Silvorin chieftain. This arrangement was a particularly successful one as the betrothed were not only members of culturally similar clans with strong peace treaties and equal sway held over the tribe, Luljeta and Alphanzo were what is known as Lyuba or “true loves”, two young people who loved each other and wanted to be wed to one another.
As with most Karchakhian children Rhys’ name is an example of epithet or cognomen naming practices i.e. his various names comes from features, behaviors, or achievements particular to him or his people.
Rhys: an epithet originating from the word risk due to his rather excessive tendencies in young adolescence to ignore the dangers and run headfirst into any situation.
Silvorin: a two-part name referring to his clan’s fur pattern. Silvo refers to the silver-grey coloring and Rin refers to the medium to small ring like spots that would start around the collar bone and diminish as they spread across the shoulders and down the back.
Varchakh: Rhys belongs to one of the larger tribes of were-lynxes in Eastern Eyropa and western Tian Xia and from them he derives his tribal last name as do all within the tribe.
The Varchakh peoples have a rather interesting system of patriarchal government. A council of ten elders runs the tribe as a whole. With four from the largest strongest clans, the Silvorin, the Suloosun, the Vasak and the Tsogde, and the remaining three are elected by the tribal members from the elders of the remaining weaker, smaller, clans. While the tribe as a whole is governed by the council each individual clan is ruled by a chieftain and his advisors who are often elected by each clan’s adult members.
The Varchakhian legal system is a standard one given their government. Matters requiring an authoritarian or objective party are brought before the chieftain and or his advisors and they rule out a decision based on personal judgment and the loose set of laws Varchakh peoples live by. It is the laws themselves that are quite frustrating to many outsiders as they are found to be vague and limited depending on their interpretation.But the Varchakhian people wouldn’t have it any other way. They can become quite maddened by too many laws dictating their lives.
Varchakhian Laws
1. Do not encroach on others of your kin, clan, tribe or kind.
2. Never share the secrets of your kind.
3. Respect and care for the world in which you live.
4. Always deal fairly with those who deal fairly with you.
5. Learn good things, for through a mind attuned to growth one can pursue enlightenment.
6. Never abuse your strengths or feed your weaknesses. Less you become their slave.
The Varchakh tribe’s views on intercultural relations are a three pronged contradiction. On one side the Varchakhians are a peaceful and generous people therefore they usually get along well with most people. The first prong of contradiction is, as much as the tribe can be friendly and generous their own impermanent nature leads them to somewhat larcenous. The Varchakhian people’s philosophy on another’s possessions is that if someone else has too much of something the Varchakhian’s want well then the original owners will share whether they know it or not. The third aspect on Varchakhian relations with other peoples is that the tend to be ethnocentric meaning that they tend to be very tight knit to the point of excluding and distrusting all others. These three things come together to make a group of people who will smile in your face, take you in as if their where your own then stab you in the back and desert you like yesterdays bad news.
The one constant cause of violence and turmoil the Varchakhians find themselves up against is a ragtag group known mostly as the Caracals. The Caracals are a group of shifters who are more a big cat with a human side than vise versa and thus they are so independent and territorial as to have no official name and no form of government. This wouldn’t be a problem except that the Caracals inhabit the Middle Eastern areas that the trade routes traverse and thus the Varchakhians themselves must interact with the Caracals fairly often.
In all the long history of the Varchakhian people they have successfully avoided war many times and thus far are peaceful with most of their neighbors and associates excepting of course for those who persecute gypsies just for the sake of being gypsies. No matter how peaceful the Varchakhians are or how they may get along with their customers the Varchakhians can always be assured that the bigots will persecute them and the Caracals will hate them but mostly the Caracals will hate them.
Ok you still with me?
Player name: Sean
Character Name: Legal name Rhys Silvorin Varchakh. Current alias Shah-dey (pronounced Shaw-Day)
Race: Were-lynx
Age: Chronologically 38. In maturity and appearance 19-20
Height: 164 cm or about 5’4”
Weight: 50 kg or about 110 lbs
Physical Description:
Shah-dey is a small wiry young man with silvery brown hair cut long over his garnet red eyes and fur tipped pointed ears. Several articles make up Shah-dey’s standard outfit the most notable are, well worn traveling boots, loose dark pants of a heavy muslin variety, a dark red shirt, grey scarf commonly worn around his head and ears, with a lighter dusty grey robe over it all. Shah-dey’s most noticeable article of all is his ever present green spectacles. Shah-dey appears to be a quiet and content young man who easily blends into the crowd despite his noticeable green shades.
Possessions:
Travelers’ kit which includes a little more than the basic supplies a traveler on the road might need. Slightly depleted
Two Karambit style daggers or as he calls them his cheuri, these he inherited from his parents.
A set of thieves tools.
About five small egg size stone orbs gifted to Shah-dey on his wedding day by a mysterious stranger. Shah-dey doesn’t know about this but the stones bring out any latent magical abilities their owner might inherently posses.
An antique good luck charm given to him by his grandmother.
A few books on various subjects
A couple twists of tobacco and a bundle of duhat leaves.
A small parcel of Bishani equal to about a month’s income for most citizens of Marn.
Powers or Strengths:
Aside from the normal Shifter powers of, shape changing, long life and accelerated healing Shah-dey has a few other things going for him.
Novice level telekinesis: Within the last year or so Shah-dey has started to acquire his father’s people’s ability to manipulate objects without actually touching them. Thus far he has trained himself to maintain a wobbly control of the orbs he carries. Even this level of skill requires much concentration and application of as much energy as he would utilize to move the orbs more conventionally thus he moves things the standard way and relegates the telekinesis to times of solidarity.
Empathic insight: Since early childhood Shah-dey has been trained in his ability to sense the emotions, intents, and to some extent the true nature of others. Throughout time and with training Shah-dey has become somewhat adapt to the point of even being able to have a minor influence over the emotions of those around him. A common side affect of his psychic gifts is an overwhelming feeling of pressure from the thoughts, feelings, and possibilities emanating from those around the gifted individual. This has sometimes led to antisocial; behaviors within Shah-dey’s normally people friendly personage.
Karambit fighting style: Shah-dey is moderately skilled in the use of his small, curved, claw shaped daggers. As proficient as he is becoming with his cheuri Shah-dey is only beginning to develop skills in hand to hand combat. And therefore without much hope if he had to face a proficient opponent without his weapons.
General knowledge: Shah-dey is quite knowledgeable about music, geography, economics, sociology, history, and a basic proficiency in weights, measures and computations. Shah-dey can be somewhat snobby in his views of others whom he considers less knowledgeable or from a lower social standing than he originally was.
Trades skills: Shah-dey has an apprentice level mastery of various larcenous arts including pick pocketing, breaking and entering, and lock picking and escaping.
Weaknesses:
Slight frame: because of his were animal and four years of malnourishment Shah-dey has a small and some what fragile frame. His smallish stature often leads to him being targeted by bullies, muggers and other predators.
Distinctive features: As is common with his people Shah-dey’s eyes, ears, teeth and fingernails all betray his shifting nature and thus must be hidden one way or another. At least while in Thar Shaddin.
Long life: Due to his people’s long life spans and slow maturation rate Shah-dey has a difficult mix of 38 years of experience and at best 20 years maturity which often makes him socially awkward.
Troubled past: Shah-dey has experienced truly horrific episodes in his life and thus suffers from severe trauma. From what would be called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder if it where diagnosed on other worlds. Some of the symptoms of Shah-dey's suffering include, nightmares, flash backs, emotional detachment, social avoidance jumpiness, paranoia and an overall sense of hopelessness.
Meditative state: Due to his PTSD and the anxiety inducing pressures of his empathic abilities Shah-dey must maintain a deep meditative state for a total of at least one hour a day.
Addiction: In his travels Shah-dey has acquired the taste for exotic tobaccos rolled in the leaves of the duhat plant. The combined effects of both plants is similar to that of low dose opium in the high created and identical in the resulting addiction.
History:
Early life: As is common with most of his people Shah-dey was known by a childhood name early in life and due to his clan’s security and prosperity little came along to change his happy and content childhood except the occasional acquisition of a new name as his life progressed.
As a child Shah-dey was a friendly, enthusiastic, optimistic, and bright young child. He had a yearning for knowledge and a love for the world around him and all those in it. Traveling from place to place and meeting new people encourage both his kind demeanor and his thirst for knowledge but it often exposed Shah-dey to those who would take advantage of the young and naive.
Growing up traveling the road with his two younger brothers and a twin sister Shah-dey had quite a few interesting adventures but his favorite times were when the whole tribe would gather together every winter for the Eef Derood. At the Eef Derood Shah-day would enjoy all the best things in life. Just a few of these lovely experiences would include; playing with friends old and new (including the love of his life Mala), hearing great stories old favorites and exciting new tales, seeing awesome feats of acrobatic skill, listening to beautiful music. And for a young growing boy the best thing of all was that a feast was held almost every night for there was a party most everyday.
Teen years: As Shah-day grew he acquired more responsibilities and more training so that he might one day follow in the footsteps of his forefathers and become a clan leader himself.
As he grew into a young man Shah-dey become less loving and more suspiciousof those non tribe members in the world around him and more arrogant with every one who wasn't a chieftain's son.Throughout his teen years Shah-dey grew in his sense of responsibility to his tribe, clan and family to the point of almost being fanatically loyal in this way he still maintained a great deal of youthful naivete. so while he might have been an arrogant jerk at times if any of his people needed him he was the first to rise to the occasion.
Of all of Shah-dey’s childhood his teen years were irrefutably the most exciting. Not a day would pass where Shah-dey wasn’t learning something; be it in, leadership, psychic arts, government, self defense, economics, larceny, or any of a whole host of other subjects Shah-dey’s young mind would eagerly absorb it all. Unfortunately these times were also filled with much pressure and stress for young Shah-dey because just as he was learning to be a man his world was getting turned upside down.
As was custom when the winter neared its solstice Shah-dey’s clan joined the rest of the tribe for the Eef Deroom only to find that his young Lyuba Mala the daughter of the Vasak chieftain had been kidnapped by the Caracals. For the Caracals abducting Mala was declaring open war on all Varchakhians for Shah-dey it was the beginning of the worst time of his life.
War years: Since the kidnapping of his beloved Shah-dey and his people have openly waged war against the Caracals, often times with Shah-dey on the front lines exposing him self to the most risk and thus earning his official name Rhys. For the first time in the tribe’s remembrance their mortal enemies have been organized enough to not only hold a long term campaign against the Varchakhians but also gain serious ground and even show signs of winning. Needless to say this horribly drastic turn of events in an otherwise peaceful existence has devastated the economy culture and progress of the Varchakh people. Indeed this war brought to a screeching halt to all but the martial and survival aspects of the lives of Shah-dey and his kin.
This period brought about many changes within Shah-dey. Most noticeably this great war brought an end to his somewhat idealistic lifestyle and thus knocked Shah-dey off of his childhood pedestal. Having been put into a role similar to that of a guerrilla fighter and militia officer caused Shah-dey to grow in many ways he actually practiced much responsibility and this caused him to lower his value of life and the the living while raising his esteem for his tribe. Shah-dey's wartime experience taught him to hone his fighting skills and his ability to influence the emotions of others most especially those causing fear and confusion. In the successful practice of these arts Shah-dey grew in notoriety within his tribe and because of his aclaim he began to gain back a fraction of his old arrogance.
Betrayal: All of this was supposed to come to change when the Caracals and the Varchakhians agreed to a truce. A truce that unbelnownst to Shah-dey was to be cemented by the marriage of Shah-dey to the head Caracal’s daughter Nadya and Mala would marry Emilian the son of a preeminent Caracal leader. Upon first hearing this news Shah-dey was appalled and disheartened. Shah-dey thought this was the worst possible outcome. Not only was it bad enough that they would be allies with such vermin but, Shah-dey and his true love Mala were not to be wed, insult on top of injury Shah-dey would be forced to leave the tribe and spend the rest of his existence with what he thought were not much more than blood thirsty monsters.
Shah-dey did not take any of this laying down; he went straight to the council, listed his objections, pleaded his case, screamed and shouted, fought and argued. Finally Shah-dey was forced to beg the council, there had to be a better way, and there had to be someone else. Alas logic ruled out, there was no one else and with no other option in sight Shah-dey consented to what appeared to be the good of all concerned. Or at least so everyone thought till five months later.
The fated Day arrived and Shah-dey’s stomach was all a twitter he hadn’t slept in nearly three days, he hadn’t eaten in almost two, but despite his earlier apprehension Shah-dey was almost excited. Over the last few months Shah-dey and others from the Varchakh tribe had met with emissaries from the Caracals and found them and their lifestyle to be almost tolerable. To make things slightly better for Shah-dey personally, reports from trusted eyewitnesses led him to believe that Nadya was quite beautiful, although she was still not his Lyuba.
As the big day progressed more and more people arrived, delegates from both groups, notable peoples from surrounding communities, ambassadors from long standing Varchakian allies, all to witness this historic day. The wedding was to be a dual ceremony incorporating both culture’s practices and with Mala and Emilian’s weddings along with Shah-dey and Nadya’s. It was quite an impressive occasion with no expense being spared, all were decked out in the greatest formal wear and the venue was abuzz with magical finery.
Maybe it was the magic overflowing in the decorations or the optimistic spirit in the air, but no matter what it was no one expected what happened next. Mid ceremony three of the council members representing the smaller, poorer, weaker clans spontaneously opened assault on all those gathered their friend and foe alike. This onslaught was immediately followed by a joint attack from those Caracals unsatisfied with the new dictatorship.
From there it was a blur, all Shah-dey is sure of is that the leaders of both tribes were amongst the first to die then there was pain followed by blackness. As Shah-Dey was coming to he found his love Mala slumped over his body apparently a bolt of energy had been directed toward the back of his head when Mala’s clairvoyance warned her just in the nick of time to jump in front of the bolt and absorb most of the damage. Enough of the bolt’s energy passed into him causing searing pain in the base of his neck before rendering him unconscious.
After the initial overwhelming trauma had passed Shah-dey pulled himself together enough to realize he was the only survivor. This was due in no little way to Mala’s sacrifice and the great burn on the back of his neck which would have led anyone to believe that both he and Mala had been taken out at one time. Shah-dey pulled himself to his feet gathered what necessities he could find in acceptable condition and set out for vindication.
Shah-dey tried to make his way to the nearest town, which was where he believed the adjunct authorities would be. Upon leaving the ceremonial sight Shah-dey decided to tuck his possessions into a bag and traveled in full lynx form with his empathic abilities turned on all the way. Although the onslaught to both his senses and his psyche caused a migraine that rivaled the pain he already bore from his recent injury Shah-dey was convinced the influx of information and limited disguise was well worth the discomfort.
As Shah-dey drew near the town he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and treachery mirrored by, betrayal, pain and anguish. From a distance Shah-dey assumed some of these feelings to be his own and yet not quite his own but as he neared the town the origins were obvious, the whole town grieved and the culprits lurked within.
Upon entering the town Shah-dey was immediately clapped in irons and placed in confinement under the care of one of the treacherous wretches who had initiated the massacre in the first place. As Shah-dey was jailed he found out he was to be tried before a tribunal of the respective powers in the region since “his” crime went beyond the realms of anyone peoples. At his trial sat not only his jailer but the caracal dissidents and the daughter of one of the human victims. It did not go well. Even though Shah-dey pleads his innocence and tried to tell his story he was ultimately found guilty. Shah-dey’s sentence was to be, tortured, made to confess his guilt and finally executed in the most horrific style legally accepted.
After ninety six hours of straight torture where even the professional sadist had to take shifts Shah-dey broke. Delusional, suffering blood loss and in more pain than most creatures could ever recover from Shah-dey admitted to the unthinkable. After his confession the guards threw him to his cell floor so that his recuperative powers might ready him for his torturous death. After two and a half days Shah-dey found himself being slowly and gently carried out of his cell, expecting the worse he summoned whatever psychic strength he had left and empathically pleaded for mercy. Fortunately, it was the calm comforting voice of Shah-dey’s best friend Tamas’ voice in his head responding. “Whoa, whoa there. You’re safe it’s just me Tamas. We’re getting you out of here.” At this Shah-dey let himself drift off to sleep.
As he began to wake Shah-dey first took in the emotions of those around him and to his grateful surprise not only were they all concerned for his well being they were all familiar psychic waves. He clearly read his sister’s now widower Besnik, his best friend Tamas the noted telepath, His cousin Guaril from his clan, and so many more. Shah-dey slowly and carefully awoke to find a small troop of friends and family members assembled around his bedside.
Looking at all the faces present the only thought to surface amidst all the mixed emotions running through Shah-dey was how many would be forever absent. “How did you know?’ Shah-dey asked. Tamas an incredible telepath and Shah-dey’s best friend responded “I heard your cries.” “Hmm” was Shah-dey’s only grunt, though he looked on them all with sincere appreciation and did his best to broadcast to all his eternal gratitude for their returning his life to him.
“What now?” Shah-dey asked.
“Well you can’t go home” Guaril stated.
“I had hoped to, but I guess I knew that I couldn’t.” Shah-dey responded.
“In fact you can’t even stay in the region, sorry buddy.” Tamas explained.
“Well, what is to become of me then?” Shah-dey asked.
“Travel. See the world far beyond your territorial experience, sail, anything you just can’t stay here.” Besnik told him.
Shah-dey hung his head in sadness and quiet contemplation and then looked up and said “Well, I’ll need new clothes.” to which they all laughed and presented him with the shades from which he derives his name.
Recent years: Since his rescue and exile Shah-dey has been pursued all around the globe and back. Shah-dey’s continual status as a hunted fugitive has lead him to pursue the darker side of society and to his detriment he has started to enjoy it. The very fact that he is an independent being after years of being the chieftain’s son in a xenophobic clannish culture is exhilarating for Shah-dey. To exacerbate his degrading morals Shah-dey has come to realize that he is talented in a certain skills that place him high demand. In order to alleviate the moral repugnance of some of his jobs and to relax enough to forget about his past and sleep Shah-dey has developed an addiction that might readily consume him
Unfortunately it is his addiction that almost got him caught the most recent time. Just as Shah-dey was about to light his second duhat he felt aggression aimed towards him coming up the stair case and down the hall. Still mostly sober at this time Shah-dey slams the door shut and locks it telekinetically (no small feat for him especially when intoxicated) while he grabs his meager essentials and jumps out the window into the bed of a moving wagon. He’s hugging the floor boards of the wagon as it rolls along the cobblestone streets Shah-dey then manages to bribe the driver to take him far out of town and then drop him off.
Present: Shah-dey is now in Marn attempting to live as much under the cover as a thief for hire can. He really needs to stay incognito but he knows trying to do that and support his habit are diametrically opposed goals and realistically he’ll side with his addiction every time. Shah-dey knows that it’s only a matter of time before he slips up again and gets himself caught but for the time being Shah-dey is happy to do whatever jobs come along, get paid, smoke his duhats and forget about it all.
Varchakh Culture
The Varchakh are a large tribe of nomadic gypsy like were-lynxes. Like most were-creatures the Varchakh are a three fold being, part human part animal and part magic. Varchakhians have innate magic abilities aside from the powers normal Shifters posses; these usually consist of some psychic manipulation of the astral plane.
Varchakhian magic manifests in several different and distinctive abilities each unique to a particular clan. A few examples from the five richest and most influential Varchakh tribes include, Rhys’ clan the Silvorin are known primarily for their empathic abilities while his father’s the Suloosun are rather exclusively telekinetic, the clan of his Lyuba Mala the Vasak are clairvoyant, the Tsogde are psychometrists, and lastly the Kalderash are telepathic. A rare but highly prized magical skill amongst the Varchakh is the ability to tell true bishani from counterfeit. This is often thought to be related to the tribe’s magical nature but what ever the reason for it this group of traders and merchants prize such a rare and profitable skill so much as to try and place a bishani reader within every clan.
As well as their psionic powers each Varchakhian has standard Shifter traits. Varchakhian Shifter powers and weaknesses include shifting from human to form the of a large lynx and any stage in between, the ability to heal most major wounds within a week at most, a deadly aversion to silver, and an extended lifespan of approximately one hundred and eighty years.
Varchakhians in human form, due to the relatively small size of their great cat counter part, tend to be of slightly smaller than average humans in height and build but with a noticeably developed musculature. As well as their somewhat diminutive stature Varchakhians in human form can be identified by some notable features. The eyes of the Varchakh people are always of three main colors, deep sapphire blue, glittering gold, or a soulful dark garnet red. The ears of the Varchakh almost never lose their lynx like pointed shape and long furred tufts. The upper canines of the Varchakh peoples are often longer sharper and more pronounced than in humans, while not a true fang per se Varchakh canines are noticeable in a broad grin or a gaping mouth. Finally the fingernails of the Varchakhian peoples tend to stay slightly longer, much sharper, considerably pointier and a lot stronger than normal humans fingernails.
These distinguishing traits are derived from two long established Varchakhian traditions. The first being the common practice of staying in anthropomorphic form as often as is practical. The second is the tradition of only marring within the tribe. Some less than patriotic Varchakhian once betrayed her clan and went to an outside scientist were she was informed that a habit of marrying one’s distant cousins might be detrimental to the well being of the group at large.
Unfortunately these combined physical features and the cultural practice of the anthropomorphic form being the normative means adopting certain habits of dress and behavior to evade detection and or persecution where is necessary. Such habits and behaviors include, wearing loose clothing being standard whenever and wherever a sudden shift might be required, concealment of the hands and ears, refraining from smiling to big or laughing to loudly in magic-phobic crowds. All these behaviors tend to make Varchakhians seem even more outlandish to many of the townsfolk they visit but it is usually accepted as part of the Varchakh’s inherent oddity after all they are gypsies.
Varchakh chose long ago for his people to be nomadic for a plethora of reasons. The primary reason being staying in semi-constant motion allows them to escape predation and persecution easily. Also traveling well established trade routes offers some measure of economic prosperity. The Varchakh’s nomadic travels primarily consist of traversing the northern and southern trade routes, as well as some lesser know trade routes, between Eyropa and Tiag Xia. The great trans-continental travels of the Varchakh peoples means that while the tribe itself is only equal to about half the population of Thar Shaddin, the tribe’s territory is quite vast covering a very large portion of the globe.
The Varchakh peoples are composed of approximately twelve clans with each clan has a standard of eight families and each family having on average of seven to eight members. Each clan and each family might have more or less depending on whom you ask, most are of varying sizes and strengths.
Each clan within the tribe travels a particular section of the northern and southern trade routes. In an average trip across a clan’s territory an individual clan would most often be responsible for performing a great many duties. Many of these duties would include exchanging goods with their neighboring clans and other traders, maintaining what roads that need it, upholding whatever diplomatic relations may exist, spreading news and or mail from one group of settled people to another, visiting any towns villages or settlements along their path where they might trade entertain and perform some magic and or petty larceny.
As the winter solstice nears, the Varchakhian tribe migrates to each year’s tribal campsite for their annual Eef Deroom, which means moonlight by the snow. Every Eef Deroom is held in a secret location determined at the close of last years camp and shared with only the clan chieftans. The Eef Derooms are often a place of great importance as they serve many functions. Winter camps host, weddings, tribal meetings, holiday celebrations, reunions, high level training sessions and tests in the martial, magical and artesian practices, birthday parties and in accordance with lynx reproductive cycles a great many births.
The Varchakh people commonly practice arranged marriages especially amongst the children of the clan chieftains. Arranged marriages are considered beneficial because the practice is supposed to encourage cooperation between the clans, bring about a sense of greater tribal unity and diminish clan wars. Unique to Varchakhian culture is the practice of the husband moving into the wives’ clan and in the case a young chieftain he is set up to rule his wife’s clan, this is done to insure a sense of continuity throughout the tribe but more often than not causes much strife amongst the individuals within the clans.
A successful example of the Varchakh’s marriage practices is Rhys’ own family, his father was the son of a Suloosun chieftain and his mother the daughter of a Silvorin chieftain. This arrangement was a particularly successful one as the betrothed were not only members of culturally similar clans with strong peace treaties and equal sway held over the tribe, Luljeta and Alphanzo were what is known as Lyuba or “true loves”, two young people who loved each other and wanted to be wed to one another.
As with most Karchakhian children Rhys’ name is an example of epithet or cognomen naming practices i.e. his various names comes from features, behaviors, or achievements particular to him or his people.
Rhys: an epithet originating from the word risk due to his rather excessive tendencies in young adolescence to ignore the dangers and run headfirst into any situation.
Silvorin: a two-part name referring to his clan’s fur pattern. Silvo refers to the silver-grey coloring and Rin refers to the medium to small ring like spots that would start around the collar bone and diminish as they spread across the shoulders and down the back.
Varchakh: Rhys belongs to one of the larger tribes of were-lynxes in Eastern Eyropa and western Tian Xia and from them he derives his tribal last name as do all within the tribe.
The Varchakh peoples have a rather interesting system of patriarchal government. A council of ten elders runs the tribe as a whole. With four from the largest strongest clans, the Silvorin, the Suloosun, the Vasak and the Tsogde, and the remaining three are elected by the tribal members from the elders of the remaining weaker, smaller, clans. While the tribe as a whole is governed by the council each individual clan is ruled by a chieftain and his advisors who are often elected by each clan’s adult members.
The Varchakhian legal system is a standard one given their government. Matters requiring an authoritarian or objective party are brought before the chieftain and or his advisors and they rule out a decision based on personal judgment and the loose set of laws Varchakh peoples live by. It is the laws themselves that are quite frustrating to many outsiders as they are found to be vague and limited depending on their interpretation.But the Varchakhian people wouldn’t have it any other way. They can become quite maddened by too many laws dictating their lives.
Varchakhian Laws
1. Do not encroach on others of your kin, clan, tribe or kind.
2. Never share the secrets of your kind.
3. Respect and care for the world in which you live.
4. Always deal fairly with those who deal fairly with you.
5. Learn good things, for through a mind attuned to growth one can pursue enlightenment.
6. Never abuse your strengths or feed your weaknesses. Less you become their slave.
The Varchakh tribe’s views on intercultural relations are a three pronged contradiction. On one side the Varchakhians are a peaceful and generous people therefore they usually get along well with most people. The first prong of contradiction is, as much as the tribe can be friendly and generous their own impermanent nature leads them to somewhat larcenous. The Varchakhian people’s philosophy on another’s possessions is that if someone else has too much of something the Varchakhian’s want well then the original owners will share whether they know it or not. The third aspect on Varchakhian relations with other peoples is that the tend to be ethnocentric meaning that they tend to be very tight knit to the point of excluding and distrusting all others. These three things come together to make a group of people who will smile in your face, take you in as if their where your own then stab you in the back and desert you like yesterdays bad news.
The one constant cause of violence and turmoil the Varchakhians find themselves up against is a ragtag group known mostly as the Caracals. The Caracals are a group of shifters who are more a big cat with a human side than vise versa and thus they are so independent and territorial as to have no official name and no form of government. This wouldn’t be a problem except that the Caracals inhabit the Middle Eastern areas that the trade routes traverse and thus the Varchakhians themselves must interact with the Caracals fairly often.
In all the long history of the Varchakhian people they have successfully avoided war many times and thus far are peaceful with most of their neighbors and associates excepting of course for those who persecute gypsies just for the sake of being gypsies. No matter how peaceful the Varchakhians are or how they may get along with their customers the Varchakhians can always be assured that the bigots will persecute them and the Caracals will hate them but mostly the Caracals will hate them.
Ok you still with me?
Player name: Sean
Character Name: Legal name Rhys Silvorin Varchakh. Current alias Shah-dey (pronounced Shaw-Day)
Race: Were-lynx
Age: Chronologically 38. In maturity and appearance 19-20
Height: 164 cm or about 5’4”
Weight: 50 kg or about 110 lbs
Physical Description:
Shah-dey is a small wiry young man with silvery brown hair cut long over his garnet red eyes and fur tipped pointed ears. Several articles make up Shah-dey’s standard outfit the most notable are, well worn traveling boots, loose dark pants of a heavy muslin variety, a dark red shirt, grey scarf commonly worn around his head and ears, with a lighter dusty grey robe over it all. Shah-dey’s most noticeable article of all is his ever present green spectacles. Shah-dey appears to be a quiet and content young man who easily blends into the crowd despite his noticeable green shades.
Possessions:
Travelers’ kit which includes a little more than the basic supplies a traveler on the road might need. Slightly depleted
Two Karambit style daggers or as he calls them his cheuri, these he inherited from his parents.
A set of thieves tools.
About five small egg size stone orbs gifted to Shah-dey on his wedding day by a mysterious stranger. Shah-dey doesn’t know about this but the stones bring out any latent magical abilities their owner might inherently posses.
An antique good luck charm given to him by his grandmother.
A few books on various subjects
A couple twists of tobacco and a bundle of duhat leaves.
A small parcel of Bishani equal to about a month’s income for most citizens of Marn.
Powers or Strengths:
Aside from the normal Shifter powers of, shape changing, long life and accelerated healing Shah-dey has a few other things going for him.
Novice level telekinesis: Within the last year or so Shah-dey has started to acquire his father’s people’s ability to manipulate objects without actually touching them. Thus far he has trained himself to maintain a wobbly control of the orbs he carries. Even this level of skill requires much concentration and application of as much energy as he would utilize to move the orbs more conventionally thus he moves things the standard way and relegates the telekinesis to times of solidarity.
Empathic insight: Since early childhood Shah-dey has been trained in his ability to sense the emotions, intents, and to some extent the true nature of others. Throughout time and with training Shah-dey has become somewhat adapt to the point of even being able to have a minor influence over the emotions of those around him. A common side affect of his psychic gifts is an overwhelming feeling of pressure from the thoughts, feelings, and possibilities emanating from those around the gifted individual. This has sometimes led to antisocial; behaviors within Shah-dey’s normally people friendly personage.
Karambit fighting style: Shah-dey is moderately skilled in the use of his small, curved, claw shaped daggers. As proficient as he is becoming with his cheuri Shah-dey is only beginning to develop skills in hand to hand combat. And therefore without much hope if he had to face a proficient opponent without his weapons.
General knowledge: Shah-dey is quite knowledgeable about music, geography, economics, sociology, history, and a basic proficiency in weights, measures and computations. Shah-dey can be somewhat snobby in his views of others whom he considers less knowledgeable or from a lower social standing than he originally was.
Trades skills: Shah-dey has an apprentice level mastery of various larcenous arts including pick pocketing, breaking and entering, and lock picking and escaping.
Weaknesses:
Slight frame: because of his were animal and four years of malnourishment Shah-dey has a small and some what fragile frame. His smallish stature often leads to him being targeted by bullies, muggers and other predators.
Distinctive features: As is common with his people Shah-dey’s eyes, ears, teeth and fingernails all betray his shifting nature and thus must be hidden one way or another. At least while in Thar Shaddin.
Long life: Due to his people’s long life spans and slow maturation rate Shah-dey has a difficult mix of 38 years of experience and at best 20 years maturity which often makes him socially awkward.
Troubled past: Shah-dey has experienced truly horrific episodes in his life and thus suffers from severe trauma. From what would be called Post Traumatic Stress Disorder if it where diagnosed on other worlds. Some of the symptoms of Shah-dey's suffering include, nightmares, flash backs, emotional detachment, social avoidance jumpiness, paranoia and an overall sense of hopelessness.
Meditative state: Due to his PTSD and the anxiety inducing pressures of his empathic abilities Shah-dey must maintain a deep meditative state for a total of at least one hour a day.
Addiction: In his travels Shah-dey has acquired the taste for exotic tobaccos rolled in the leaves of the duhat plant. The combined effects of both plants is similar to that of low dose opium in the high created and identical in the resulting addiction.
History:
Early life: As is common with most of his people Shah-dey was known by a childhood name early in life and due to his clan’s security and prosperity little came along to change his happy and content childhood except the occasional acquisition of a new name as his life progressed.
As a child Shah-dey was a friendly, enthusiastic, optimistic, and bright young child. He had a yearning for knowledge and a love for the world around him and all those in it. Traveling from place to place and meeting new people encourage both his kind demeanor and his thirst for knowledge but it often exposed Shah-dey to those who would take advantage of the young and naive.
Growing up traveling the road with his two younger brothers and a twin sister Shah-dey had quite a few interesting adventures but his favorite times were when the whole tribe would gather together every winter for the Eef Derood. At the Eef Derood Shah-day would enjoy all the best things in life. Just a few of these lovely experiences would include; playing with friends old and new (including the love of his life Mala), hearing great stories old favorites and exciting new tales, seeing awesome feats of acrobatic skill, listening to beautiful music. And for a young growing boy the best thing of all was that a feast was held almost every night for there was a party most everyday.
Teen years: As Shah-day grew he acquired more responsibilities and more training so that he might one day follow in the footsteps of his forefathers and become a clan leader himself.
As he grew into a young man Shah-dey become less loving and more suspiciousof those non tribe members in the world around him and more arrogant with every one who wasn't a chieftain's son.Throughout his teen years Shah-dey grew in his sense of responsibility to his tribe, clan and family to the point of almost being fanatically loyal in this way he still maintained a great deal of youthful naivete. so while he might have been an arrogant jerk at times if any of his people needed him he was the first to rise to the occasion.
Of all of Shah-dey’s childhood his teen years were irrefutably the most exciting. Not a day would pass where Shah-dey wasn’t learning something; be it in, leadership, psychic arts, government, self defense, economics, larceny, or any of a whole host of other subjects Shah-dey’s young mind would eagerly absorb it all. Unfortunately these times were also filled with much pressure and stress for young Shah-dey because just as he was learning to be a man his world was getting turned upside down.
As was custom when the winter neared its solstice Shah-dey’s clan joined the rest of the tribe for the Eef Deroom only to find that his young Lyuba Mala the daughter of the Vasak chieftain had been kidnapped by the Caracals. For the Caracals abducting Mala was declaring open war on all Varchakhians for Shah-dey it was the beginning of the worst time of his life.
War years: Since the kidnapping of his beloved Shah-dey and his people have openly waged war against the Caracals, often times with Shah-dey on the front lines exposing him self to the most risk and thus earning his official name Rhys. For the first time in the tribe’s remembrance their mortal enemies have been organized enough to not only hold a long term campaign against the Varchakhians but also gain serious ground and even show signs of winning. Needless to say this horribly drastic turn of events in an otherwise peaceful existence has devastated the economy culture and progress of the Varchakh people. Indeed this war brought to a screeching halt to all but the martial and survival aspects of the lives of Shah-dey and his kin.
This period brought about many changes within Shah-dey. Most noticeably this great war brought an end to his somewhat idealistic lifestyle and thus knocked Shah-dey off of his childhood pedestal. Having been put into a role similar to that of a guerrilla fighter and militia officer caused Shah-dey to grow in many ways he actually practiced much responsibility and this caused him to lower his value of life and the the living while raising his esteem for his tribe. Shah-dey's wartime experience taught him to hone his fighting skills and his ability to influence the emotions of others most especially those causing fear and confusion. In the successful practice of these arts Shah-dey grew in notoriety within his tribe and because of his aclaim he began to gain back a fraction of his old arrogance.
Betrayal: All of this was supposed to come to change when the Caracals and the Varchakhians agreed to a truce. A truce that unbelnownst to Shah-dey was to be cemented by the marriage of Shah-dey to the head Caracal’s daughter Nadya and Mala would marry Emilian the son of a preeminent Caracal leader. Upon first hearing this news Shah-dey was appalled and disheartened. Shah-dey thought this was the worst possible outcome. Not only was it bad enough that they would be allies with such vermin but, Shah-dey and his true love Mala were not to be wed, insult on top of injury Shah-dey would be forced to leave the tribe and spend the rest of his existence with what he thought were not much more than blood thirsty monsters.
Shah-dey did not take any of this laying down; he went straight to the council, listed his objections, pleaded his case, screamed and shouted, fought and argued. Finally Shah-dey was forced to beg the council, there had to be a better way, and there had to be someone else. Alas logic ruled out, there was no one else and with no other option in sight Shah-dey consented to what appeared to be the good of all concerned. Or at least so everyone thought till five months later.
The fated Day arrived and Shah-dey’s stomach was all a twitter he hadn’t slept in nearly three days, he hadn’t eaten in almost two, but despite his earlier apprehension Shah-dey was almost excited. Over the last few months Shah-dey and others from the Varchakh tribe had met with emissaries from the Caracals and found them and their lifestyle to be almost tolerable. To make things slightly better for Shah-dey personally, reports from trusted eyewitnesses led him to believe that Nadya was quite beautiful, although she was still not his Lyuba.
As the big day progressed more and more people arrived, delegates from both groups, notable peoples from surrounding communities, ambassadors from long standing Varchakian allies, all to witness this historic day. The wedding was to be a dual ceremony incorporating both culture’s practices and with Mala and Emilian’s weddings along with Shah-dey and Nadya’s. It was quite an impressive occasion with no expense being spared, all were decked out in the greatest formal wear and the venue was abuzz with magical finery.
Maybe it was the magic overflowing in the decorations or the optimistic spirit in the air, but no matter what it was no one expected what happened next. Mid ceremony three of the council members representing the smaller, poorer, weaker clans spontaneously opened assault on all those gathered their friend and foe alike. This onslaught was immediately followed by a joint attack from those Caracals unsatisfied with the new dictatorship.
From there it was a blur, all Shah-dey is sure of is that the leaders of both tribes were amongst the first to die then there was pain followed by blackness. As Shah-Dey was coming to he found his love Mala slumped over his body apparently a bolt of energy had been directed toward the back of his head when Mala’s clairvoyance warned her just in the nick of time to jump in front of the bolt and absorb most of the damage. Enough of the bolt’s energy passed into him causing searing pain in the base of his neck before rendering him unconscious.
After the initial overwhelming trauma had passed Shah-dey pulled himself together enough to realize he was the only survivor. This was due in no little way to Mala’s sacrifice and the great burn on the back of his neck which would have led anyone to believe that both he and Mala had been taken out at one time. Shah-dey pulled himself to his feet gathered what necessities he could find in acceptable condition and set out for vindication.
Shah-dey tried to make his way to the nearest town, which was where he believed the adjunct authorities would be. Upon leaving the ceremonial sight Shah-dey decided to tuck his possessions into a bag and traveled in full lynx form with his empathic abilities turned on all the way. Although the onslaught to both his senses and his psyche caused a migraine that rivaled the pain he already bore from his recent injury Shah-dey was convinced the influx of information and limited disguise was well worth the discomfort.
As Shah-dey drew near the town he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and treachery mirrored by, betrayal, pain and anguish. From a distance Shah-dey assumed some of these feelings to be his own and yet not quite his own but as he neared the town the origins were obvious, the whole town grieved and the culprits lurked within.
Upon entering the town Shah-dey was immediately clapped in irons and placed in confinement under the care of one of the treacherous wretches who had initiated the massacre in the first place. As Shah-dey was jailed he found out he was to be tried before a tribunal of the respective powers in the region since “his” crime went beyond the realms of anyone peoples. At his trial sat not only his jailer but the caracal dissidents and the daughter of one of the human victims. It did not go well. Even though Shah-dey pleads his innocence and tried to tell his story he was ultimately found guilty. Shah-dey’s sentence was to be, tortured, made to confess his guilt and finally executed in the most horrific style legally accepted.
After ninety six hours of straight torture where even the professional sadist had to take shifts Shah-dey broke. Delusional, suffering blood loss and in more pain than most creatures could ever recover from Shah-dey admitted to the unthinkable. After his confession the guards threw him to his cell floor so that his recuperative powers might ready him for his torturous death. After two and a half days Shah-dey found himself being slowly and gently carried out of his cell, expecting the worse he summoned whatever psychic strength he had left and empathically pleaded for mercy. Fortunately, it was the calm comforting voice of Shah-dey’s best friend Tamas’ voice in his head responding. “Whoa, whoa there. You’re safe it’s just me Tamas. We’re getting you out of here.” At this Shah-dey let himself drift off to sleep.
As he began to wake Shah-dey first took in the emotions of those around him and to his grateful surprise not only were they all concerned for his well being they were all familiar psychic waves. He clearly read his sister’s now widower Besnik, his best friend Tamas the noted telepath, His cousin Guaril from his clan, and so many more. Shah-dey slowly and carefully awoke to find a small troop of friends and family members assembled around his bedside.
Looking at all the faces present the only thought to surface amidst all the mixed emotions running through Shah-dey was how many would be forever absent. “How did you know?’ Shah-dey asked. Tamas an incredible telepath and Shah-dey’s best friend responded “I heard your cries.” “Hmm” was Shah-dey’s only grunt, though he looked on them all with sincere appreciation and did his best to broadcast to all his eternal gratitude for their returning his life to him.
“What now?” Shah-dey asked.
“Well you can’t go home” Guaril stated.
“I had hoped to, but I guess I knew that I couldn’t.” Shah-dey responded.
“In fact you can’t even stay in the region, sorry buddy.” Tamas explained.
“Well, what is to become of me then?” Shah-dey asked.
“Travel. See the world far beyond your territorial experience, sail, anything you just can’t stay here.” Besnik told him.
Shah-dey hung his head in sadness and quiet contemplation and then looked up and said “Well, I’ll need new clothes.” to which they all laughed and presented him with the shades from which he derives his name.
Recent years: Since his rescue and exile Shah-dey has been pursued all around the globe and back. Shah-dey’s continual status as a hunted fugitive has lead him to pursue the darker side of society and to his detriment he has started to enjoy it. The very fact that he is an independent being after years of being the chieftain’s son in a xenophobic clannish culture is exhilarating for Shah-dey. To exacerbate his degrading morals Shah-dey has come to realize that he is talented in a certain skills that place him high demand. In order to alleviate the moral repugnance of some of his jobs and to relax enough to forget about his past and sleep Shah-dey has developed an addiction that might readily consume him
Unfortunately it is his addiction that almost got him caught the most recent time. Just as Shah-dey was about to light his second duhat he felt aggression aimed towards him coming up the stair case and down the hall. Still mostly sober at this time Shah-dey slams the door shut and locks it telekinetically (no small feat for him especially when intoxicated) while he grabs his meager essentials and jumps out the window into the bed of a moving wagon. He’s hugging the floor boards of the wagon as it rolls along the cobblestone streets Shah-dey then manages to bribe the driver to take him far out of town and then drop him off.
Present: Shah-dey is now in Marn attempting to live as much under the cover as a thief for hire can. He really needs to stay incognito but he knows trying to do that and support his habit are diametrically opposed goals and realistically he’ll side with his addiction every time. Shah-dey knows that it’s only a matter of time before he slips up again and gets himself caught but for the time being Shah-dey is happy to do whatever jobs come along, get paid, smoke his duhats and forget about it all.