Varaki

"I don't think I'll understand greed. How does one horde resources without sharing it with their kin?" - Visnas Suhaream

Written by: jester2b

Artwork by: Robin Waldbrunner

The Varaki are an exotic race originating from Marasstrix, an island off the eastern coast of Ostenland. Their mastery in portal magics has allowed the Varaki to spread their influence across many worlds. Most knowledge of the realms beyond Nostrina comes from these adventurous explorers. The typical appearance of Varaki is a large humanoid frame with noticeable insect-like features, making them unlike any other species found on Nostrina.

Appearance

The Varaki are bipedal species with insect-like features. Standing at an average of 2.13m (7ft) tall with sturdy frames, even the meekest individuals are quite imposing. The Varakis' bodies are covered in light chitin, most commonly an ebony coloration, with some Varaki developing gray or black-blue chitin. Their hands have three fingers and one thumb, each having a pointed tip made of chitin. The joints have a small opening in their chitinous armor which exposes their soft gray flesh underneath. The chest and back are protected by slightly thicker chitin, with short, dull spikes lining following their spine. Their feet have three long spiked claws on the front and two more on the heel to aid in climbing. The heads of the Varaki have a triangular shape, six horns protruding upwards, two large ones at the top, and a pair of small horns below the larger ones. Varaki have two eyes which come in orange, red, blue, green, and white. Their jaws are lined with sharp, needle-like teeth and are protected by a pair of mandibles used to grip food and protect their mouths. Male and female Varaki look extremely similar, with the only visible difference being their horns; male horns are completely straight while the horns of females have a slight curve.

Reproduction and Growth

In Varaki society, mating is a highly organized and planned process involving the whole community. Varaki will have a breeding season known as Braksess, which lasts for about seven months and happens once every three to five years; each clan has a different time period for their mating rituals. Before the mating season begins, the community will set up a nursery where the eggs will be placed. This building is heavily protected from any threats and kept warm, so the eggs stay safe. As this is being done, all the adult males and females are paired up to ensure the highest number of eggs are laid. Couples already bonded will still be paired together, although single Varaki will be assigned together with complete strangers or their friends, which is expectedly extremely awkward for some Varaki. The purpose of this practice is solely productivity-focused, though some will claim it fosters new relationships and brings the community together.
Once Braksess begins, the paired-up couples will mate and lay a clutch of one to three eggs after two months. These eggs will be brought to the nursery to be kept safe and warm until they hatch after two months. Once the eggs begin to hatch, individuals are assigned roles as caretakers to care for the newborn larvae. For the next three months, the soft-shelled larvae will stay within the nursery under the care of the adults until they are about three months old. The three-month-old larva can leave the nursery and wander through their community under the supervision of adults within the community. With their sensory organs, they can tell which larvae are their siblings and who their biological parents are. Their biological parents and the rest of the community will help raise the young larvae, though they stay in their nursery until they are three years old. Varaki larvae grow into adults after five years, which is the fastest out of any other sentient race on Nostrina. An odd trait unique to the Varaki is that female Varaki can control their fertility, meaning they have complete authority over when they breed, although mistakes can still happen. Since female Varaki can control when they are impregnated by a male, breeding out of season is illegal in most clans since the larvae will have to be raised without the proper preparations.

History

Origins

The Varaki are descendants of the now-extinct Karikul, a species of bipedal insects which laid the blueprints for the modern-day Varaki. The first Varaki settlements in Marasstrix are estimated to have been built circa 5000 AE, however, it is believed that the Varaki have been living on the island for far longer, possibly back during the Primeval Era. Little is recorded from this point to the creation of the Omnurix in 103 1E. The few texts describing this period detail an inward-focused society that sought to strengthen themselves within their homeland.

Creation of the Omnurix

On 103 1E, inventive Varaki built the first Omnurix, a structure that can quickly transport individuals between realms. This gateway between worlds completely changed everything for the Varaki, who had up to this point been heavily isolationist. Adventurous Varaki took the opportunity to discover new wonders and explore places they could only imagine. The isolationist attitudes within the Varaki began to slowly die out over time, ending completely when the Varaki began to make contact with their western neighbors. Trade with the humans and elves living along the eastern coast of Ostenland brought on a wave of cultural diffusion and exposure the Varaki were completely unprepared for. Marasstrix experienced an era of growth and prosperity, but the once tightly unified Varaki society was beginning to crack. Communities began to split off and rule themselves, while newfound hostilities began to form, born out of opposing ideologies regarding the future of Varaki society. A Varaki civil war was on the horizon if nothing was done about the brewing tensions.

Birth of the Clans

In 986 1E, with the Varaki on the brink of civil war, the leaders of many Varaki communities came together to create the Rass Afriss, which would form the clan system that still remains in the second era. This agreement stated that Marasstrix would stay a unified nation of Varaki, with those who wished to rule themselves needing to leave their homeland. Marasstrix would be the territory of Rass Marasstrix, which would not be infringed upon by a rival clan. Other clans would be allowed to establish territories anywhere outside of Marasstrix, which would be respected by the other clans. Most Varaki honored the agreement and traveled to new lands within and beyond Nostrina. The few stubborn Varaki either assimilated into Rass Marasstrix or decided to fight the newly established clan. These conflicts were short but came at the cost of many innocent Varaki.

Culture

Society

Varaki society values intellectualism and efficiency. Nestled in their densely packed cities are great libraries of knowledge collected by studious individuals who've dedicated their lives in the pursuit of knowledge. Many Varaki are accomplished mages who pushed the boundaries on what is possible with magic. Among their greatest feats is the mastery of portal magic, which adventurous Varaki have used to explore and colonize worlds outside Nostrina.
In general, Varaki society seeks to use its resources in the most efficient way possible and encourages every member to do their part in supporting their community. Selfishness and greed are heavily looked down upon, for they only benefit individuals, not the needs of the many. Individuals seen as harmful to the community's health are exiled in a practice known as Sivinass. The exiled Varaki will have a special mark added to their horns that signifies them as outcasts and are shunned from society for one year. After their year is over, the exiled individual may return to their community if they show that they've learned from their mistakes. This practice is intended to teach exiled individuals the value of community support by taking it away from them for a time. This sometimes works as intended, but oftentimes it leads to hatred and resentment from the exiled individual, who choose to never return from their exile. Some of these outcasts have been taken in by Rass Sivina, a brutal crime syndicate run by Varaki outcasts.
Divisions in their society led to the creation of the Rass Afriss, the clan system that has dominated Varaki civilization since its inception. Each clan's culture deviates from the original clan, Rass Marasstrix. The clans each have their own territory that another clan cannot infringe upon as per the agreement. Doing so would be a declaration of war that would pit the malefactor against every other Varaki clan. Some clans elected to leave Nostrinia entirely, staking out their domains in lands beyond the Varaki homeland. Each clan is distinguished by its own banners and sigils, which are worn by its members.

Notable Clans

Rass Marasstrix: Based within Marasstrix, the Varaki homeland, this clan is the oldest out of all the Varaki clans. Members of Rass Marasstrix pride themselves as being the cultural epicenter of the Varaki, with some looking down upon the other clans. The clan attempts to set itself above the other clans and does its best to maintain peaceful relationships with Barbarossan Empire and New Brauven. Rass Marasstrix's banners are green with gold outlines and sigils.
Rass Sivina: A brutal clan of criminals and outcasts, Rass Sivina has held the criminal underworld of New Brauven in a stranglehold and has expanded into Barbaross along with occasion incursions into Marastrix. The majority of the clan's members are Varaki who've been exiled under the law of Sivinass. Fueled by anger and bitterness, Rass Sivina's members are ruthless and vengeful, taking out their hate upon the clan's rivals and victims. Rass Sivina is involved in many illegal activities like the drug trade and has many officials in New Brauven in their pockets. This clan of outcasts wears their mark of exile as their banner.
Rass Cressull: Known alternatively as the Crescent Blades, this clan of warmongers from the world is known as Rahuss. Rass Cressull was formed by warriors exiled from their homeland for trying to conquer lands east of Marasstrix. Within Rahuss, the exiled warriors unleashed their full might upon the natives, carving out an empire that expanded across the entire realm. Rass Cressul is the largest Varaki clan, though most of their population is comprised of genetically altered clones serving as expendable soldiers. This clan's members can be identified by their red banners and crescent sigils.
Rass Provesstum: Comprised of explorers and opportunists, Rass Provesstum seeks Provectian structures and artifacts in the hopes of harnessing their power. Stationed within their stronghold in the eastern mountains of Kronenstien, the Varaki of Rass Provesstum horde Provectian artifacts for study. Teams are sent out by the clan to locate Provectian structures and secure them from outsiders. This clan carries a blue banner styled after Provectian designs.

Language

The native tongue of the Varaki is Vasstris, notable for its hiss-like sounds and continuous words. The letters P, B, J, G, T, K, and C are never used at the end of words and names since they are physically incapable of pauses in their speech. When a Varaki speaks, they have to draw out their words or hiss when they finish talking since their vocal cords close slower than humans. Clans living in other realms with little contact with their homeland have created their own branches of Vassris, incorporating their own rules and practices into their language.

Naming Conventions

Varaki names are always six letters long and end in a two-letter suffix that varies depending on gender. Male suffixes begin with either I or O, while female suffixes begin with A or E. The second letter of the suffix will be either X, M, S, Z, W, Y, or L. Some clans outside of Nostrina use suffixes that start with U for gender-neutral names. These names are often followed by a title, which can signify their role within their community or something else that makes them stand out. Examples of this are "Merrisca", which means blacksmith, or "Yarkriv", which means battle-scarred.

Art and Architecture

Varaki architecture is built with the principle of practicality above all else. Each building is designed to fulfill a purpose, and no resources are spared for extravagance. They'll use any materials they can find for building and often dig out tunnels and caves to make room for more structures on the surface. This practice for building extends to Varaki living in other realms, who've built their settlements with whatever is available to them. Whenever a building has lost its original purpose, Varaki will not hesitate to either repurpose the structure, renovate it for their needs, or tear it down to use those resources for something else. Their settlements are chaotic and densely packed with every inch of land used. Outsiders often describe Varaki buildings as ugly and colorless, with no discernable motifs and styles beyond simple practicality.
Words are how Vraki have expressed themselves artistically for centuries. Many of Nostrinia's greatest authors and poets were artfully minded Varaki, whose work has been translated and distributed across Nostra. Famous examples include Essran, who wrote the popular children's novel "Hearts of Stone," and Tolkem, who wrote the epic "Sailors of the Far Horizons." Well-known poets include the duo Lewris and Clarom, who wrote about their many travels across many worlds, or Jolrix, a battle-hardened warrior who contemplated the beauty and fragility of life. Sigrissul is an abstract form of painting that uses writing and symbols to convey emotions. This form of art grew popular among the Varaki for its accessibility to all.

Religion

Nostrinian Varaki and the majority of off-world clans live in a secular society. Their fascination with higher beings is expressed in research and study, not worship and devotion. Varaki treat them as natural phenomena holding many secrets they could spend centuries unraveling. An old saying states that when a man meets a god, they would drop to their knees and pray; the Varaki, on the other hand, would begin to interview the god. The Varaki value progress and innovation above all else and believe faith is a hindrance to progress. Clans living in other realms live by many of these same principles, although select groups have diverged from the norm and formed fanatical cults in isolated Varaki colonies.

Visnas Suhaream, a young Varaki mage by Robin Waldbrunner

Scientific Name

Virsectum Varakus

Lifespan

60 Years

Average Height

2.13m (7ft)