"Thu Vara? I prefer it from the inside of a building, to tell you the truth." -Basrana, a legendary sailor and thief
Description[]
Appearance[]
The people of Thu Vara tend to be around the same height as most other human cultures, with many reaching between five and a half to six feet and three inches in height at adulthood. Individuals of seven feet have been recorded. Skin color is dark, as are hair and eye color, with a fair number of both genders removing their hair entirely.
Personality[]
Thu Varans are a bright people, and every adult citizen is able to read and write in at least the Thu Varan Common dialect. They are welcoming to strangers, though they do not typically get along with goblins, and are cautious around Calgarians and loathe the gnolls who live to their south.
Clothing[]
Clothing in Thu Vara is always colorful regardless of social class, for sources of dye are abundant. The upper classes tend to display their wealth with patterned clothing and a golden chain displaying the academy at which they studied. Male archmagi prefer to wear garments known as shendyts, leaving their upper bodies mostly exposed.
Arms and Armor[]
In times of war, those Thu Varans who use weaponry prefer lighter armors that allow their skin to "breathe". As such, many prefer breastplates at the most, unless they can afford a suit of some other type of armor that has been enchanted with spells that aid in body heat management. Wealthier warriors will forego conventional forms of armor entirely, wearing enchanted jewelry and bracers instead. Around Etlae's Garden, where the climate is more reasonable, heavier types of armor are more common.
Thu Varan warriors prefer to fight on foot, as horses are rare in most parts of their land. Halberds are a favored form of weaponry, as are scimitars and falchions. Military picks are popular among lighter warriors, as are daggers and sickles. All archers are trained in the use of bows quarterstaves, which they use to defend themselves in close quarters.
Culture[]
General[]
Thu Varans, like their allies in Padan, value knowledge, but prefer the more mystical side of the coin to philosophical. Even the very young are taught the importance of magic in the everyday lives of Thu Varans, but are warned against becoming too dependent upon it with powerful stories. And like their allies, the Thu Varans enjoy a more or less egalitarian society, with both sexes having the same opportunities for advancement. Of course, like in most places, individuals may have personal biases.
Children are taught to read from the moment they speak their first word, and exceptionally bright youths are taken into the academies that dot the landscape; upon reaching adulthood, they are taken into one of several academies. Those whose intellects are above average are sent to study magic, while those who have greater physical gifts tend to become warriors. Youths whose families can not afford academic learning are trained in a craft. In some rare cases, the exceptionally bright will choose to take up arms rather than fight.
Religion[]
The people of Thu Vara worship the god Danabris above all others, not only because he was once one of them, but because of his ties to magic. Viphia, too, has many cults in Thu Vara, and is less likely to be vilified. Other gods of intellect, such as Durist, Listria, and Pharyngia, are also worshipped here. Some Thu Varans have adopted the Huikan philosophy of "The Way".
Government[]
Thu Vara is ruled by the highest-level spellcasters in their cities, with their magical inferiors answering to them, and all others answering to them. It is worth noting that even spellcasters visiting for but one day will be shown preferential treatment over others, even nobility and royalty. Despite this, they never enjoy rights greater than those of the lesser spellcasters. And, despite their preference for those magically gifted, Thu Varans are quick to set right arrogant rulers, with imprisonment being the penalty.
There are strict laws on the use of magic within Thu Vara's borders, with particularly harsh penalties being imposed upon necromancers who exhume corpses without permission. Transmuters and those who create golems are also watched like hawks, and creating new life forms, whether "of an existing model" or "of a new type", is strictly forbidden. The punishment for breaking these laws range from a simple warning, to fines, to death in the most severe cases. It has been remarked that a traitorous potter will be given more lenity than a necromancer who provides himself with corpses.
Mind-Magi[]
In addition to normal spellcasters, Thu Vara is home to quite a few psionically talented individuals, who are referred to as "mind-magi". While extensive study has gone into what causes psionic talent to "take root" in one's mind, Thu Varan scholars have come to the conclusion that traumatic experiences and "lucky births" are the underlying cause.
For the purposes of advancement in society and crime and punishment, those with psionic talents are considered to be the same as spellcasters.
Character Classes in Thu Vara[]
Cleric: Clerics are actually relatively rare in Thu Vara, but those that exist learned their craft in temples dedicated to the gods of magic or knowledge, or received a "calling".
Fighter: Warriors are a common sight in Thu Vara, and relied upon in warfare and defense of cities. Thu Varan warriors seem to favor large swords and long bows.
Magic-User: Thu Vara is tied with Padan in the highest number of magic-users. Most of the time, magic-users are called "Arcanists". There are academies where they can learn their trade, and private domains as well. Those who prove themselves especially worthy (11th level) are called "High Arcanists", while those who are some of the best in the land are called "Master Arcanists".
Thief: Thieves are more common in the coastal settlements of Thu Vara, where they prey upon visiting nobles and adventurers, but universally frowned upon unless they blend their talents in with that of another profession. ...for obvious reasons, of course.
Other Classes: Combinations of classes are rare in Thu Vara, though there are a fair amount of Cleric/Magic-Users in the academies.
Noteworthy Individuals[]
- Danabris, the God of Magic, was once an archmage of Thu Vara.
- The Fourth Sleeper is a psionically-talented woman who guards caravans that go all over En.
- Basrana, a sailor and thief who went on seven great journeys in the name of Danabris.
- Hulkar, the half-blooded son of a particularly bothersome gnollish warlord named Vippi, retired adventurer, and subject of much study.