The Q'tari (kuh · TAAR · ee)

Living in the Sticks

The Sea of Sticks, in the southwest part of the continent, is more or less what it sounds like, though the sea is metaphoric. It's something more like miles and miles of mulch rife with sticks, branches, and logs on what would otherwise be called plains. It is hardly noticed by the area's larger residents, sky-scraping creatures known as the behemoths. It's nothing more than prickly grass beneath their massive feet as they tromp through the Sticks and the badlands to the south.

However, to some of the area's smaller residents, it is home. This includes a rather intrepid weave of species called the rodentians in the Trade tongue and q'tari in their own tongue, though "q'tari" has worked its way into the Trade tongue, as well. Rodentians are also called “roadies,” and “ratkin”, both largely neutral abbreviations used by outsiders. The latter, “ratkin,” is occasionally used derogatorily, but actual rattusari, the closest humanoid species akin to rats and themselves a q'tari species, seem to like it better than any other name in the Trade language. That said, others do not care for it, and it doesn't accurately describe all rodentians, so the common, neutral abbreviation "roadie" is always the safest if one eschews the use of the more formal "rodentian" or, preferably, "q'tari."

Rodentian species have widely varying traits, though all are humanoid and also bear some resemblance to rodents...short fur, compact bodies, and teeth for gnawing. They are somewhat short-lived compared to other sapient species; some live to be 50 or a bit older, but anyone over 40 is on borrowed time. As a result, bards are among the most revered members of the species, carrying the stories of each generation to the next. Some q'tari species are ancient and wise. Almost all are full of mischief and curiosity. If the q'tari were all to be categorized by outsiders as boisterous ne'er-do-wells and lovers of all things shiny, that would likely be correct more often than not, though that characterization hardly speaks to the complexity of the ancient species. Some say the q'tari (rodentians, roadies) are among the oldest species in the world, and at least some evidence points in that direction. In any case, they were around in the early days of the elves as said elves rose to power many thousands of years ago.

That description may have been as confusing as, well, as q'tari society seems to outsiders. Many q'tari species commingle freely, though there are four primary species that make up the majority of the population.

The four primary q'tari species:

• griseri (grih-ZARE-ee)
• musari (moo-SAHR-ee)
• primeri (prih-MARE-ee)
• rattusari (RAT-oo-SAHR-ee)

The Q'tari (All Species)

They're not renowned as magic-users, though some excel at the arcane arts. Some don't do well in the front line of any skirmish, though others (particularly the primeri) have proven their prowess on the battlefield. And the emotive bursts characteristic of their culture make some unlikely candidates for the job of party negotiator, though they are also accustomed to barter and banter in ways that can make them perfect for such a job. They are known for their ability to move downwind and out of sight, and most know the value of their treasures. Q'tari are survivalists. They're happiest in large groups, and they make for excellent merchants, guides, fences, pirates, and assassins when they aren't found doing just about anything they set their minds to.

Notably, the q'tari were once nocturnal in their earliest tribal days. Given the activity of other sapient species and adjustments they made to make the most of their circumstances, they became cathemeral, like most cougari; they are active throughout the day and night cycle and tend to sleep when they're tired, though high noon in the Sticks and the badlands tends to mean too much heat for anyone, let alone furred creatures, so most q'tari sleep through the noonday sun.

The massive ocean of mulch they live on provides room for endless tunnels. Repair of those tunnels, in addition to making sure as few people as possible are lost to behemoth footfalls as possible, is of the highest priority. (“Prints” refers to the footprints left after a passing beast caves the sticks and dirt in on the tunnel system, sometimes fatal events for the q'tari.

Most q'tari now live in the Sea of Sticks (“sitra oniron,” or just “sitra” to most q'tari,) as larger humanoid races like the elves and humans forced the q'tari out of their claimed territories over the centuries. At least 90% of the q'tari population lives in The Sticks. The remainder live primarily in adjacent foothills and woods, generally burrowing, but occasionally taking to mining and adapting to cave systems. A handful of q'tari live among the larger races (all large, outsider species are referred to at once as the “linta” among q'tari) and fewer still make names for themselves as explorers and adventurers. Those who do, however, are widely celebrated.

Q'tari adventurers are sung of endlessly in the woodhalls of Sisketar, the central city of the q'tari, deep in The Sticks and radiating all the way out to the stick towns of Laniri, Yolani, and even the northern caves of the griseri and the q'urq'uri, their cavernous and slightly more mouse-like cousins (well, not much more mouselike than the griseri, though slightly smaller on average). Heroes like Janfir, probably the most legendary of q'tari heroes, lived so long ago that his tales blend with myth and legend. Janfir was an extraordinary rogue. That is, most any skill you might associate with such a word as “rogue” was a skill that came so naturally to Janfir that every undertaking was a joy to him, and challenges, rare to him, were gladly accepted. But Janfir was also a man of faith, and that, too, is woven into his story as he refers regularly to “fate” and the role he “has to play.”

Janfir, in one of the twice-told tales of old, visited a midyam, a hermit shaman of mythical history. She tells Janfir that the q'tari are the eldest sapient species in the world, older than both elves and certilians, and far older than humans. But even now, most q'tari history is passed on through the oral tradition. A few q'tari scholars and librarians work to preserve the history of their people, but for most, it's just another day in The Sticks, as it has been for many generations.

Having noted that, the q'tari are also a convivial species. After living in what others might deem impossibly stressful circumstances for ages, they are quite casual about the idea of death. They look to avoid it, but accepting it completely has been a cultural necessity in the Sticks. Few q'tari travel beyond the west coast of the mainland, but they do have their share of explorers and prospectors among them.

Griseri

The griseri are cave-dwellers, often living near or among gnomes not far from The Sticks. They are often said to be the most beautiful q'tari both with outsiders and among their own kind. They are more like mousekin than ratkin, perhaps. They are among the shortest of the q'tari, rarely exceeding 5'0". Their coats are short, soft, fine fur in colors ranging from a dark, ashy gray to a muted blue and their eyes tend to be lavendar, gold, black, or a soft pink. In addition, albinism is more common among the griseri, so about one in twenty will be white with red eyes. Merle coats are also fairly common, though they bring with them some unfortunate health conditions, such as deafness and blindness, when a "double merle" inherits the coat from both sides of the family.

Fur color does not determine social standing, but there are many old legends about coat and eye colors among the griseri. As a result, albinism is considered lucky, as the legendary hero Janfir was white with red eyes. The griseri also have exclusive myths of the gods of beauty and fashion, and Meliana, the goddess of beauty, is white with red or ruby eyes. Her husband, Toredis, god of fashion, is black with green eyes. The other coat and eye combination most remarked on is the blue merle with a white undercoat and blue eyes, which is seen as the most attractive combination among the griseri regardless of gender, though it is most associated with femininity. Lore holds it to have been the color combination seen in Ishara, one of Janfir's traveling companions, and in more recent, recorded history with the Marquess Ophira, who governed the griseri two centuries ago and presided over the Channel Treaty. She also saw her people through the Expulsion, an elven campaign meant to completely rid their lands of q'tari "pests" that resulted in a q'tari alliance with the gnomes.

Although griseri are not all that much smaller than their cousin species, they are different enough that reproduction is not possible. Other than a few other mouse-like sub-species that exist in small numbers, no joining outside of their own species will produce offspring. Yet many rattusari, musari, and some primeri still find them attractive and want to "join" with them. This has devolved into camps of various ethics over the years. For the most part, griseri support individuals doing whatever they please. While there are a few cults opposed, most of the opposition comes from the primeri, who are the most religious of the q'tari. They see the lack of offspring as a sign from the gods that the griseri are, among the generous, not intended by the gods as q'tari parents. Among the less generous, they are descendants of apostates carrying a curse, and they will pass the curse to others. While pregnancy is not possible, a sexually transmitted disease called Breson's Disease, but more commonly known as "The Itch," is fairly common among q'tari and all the more common among the promiscuous, though as it isn't life-threatening and can be healed by magic, it has done little to dissuade the sexually free. Thanks to the curse myth, griseri are often blamed for The Itch, though it exists among all the q'tari. It cannot be passed to non-q'tari.

Musari

Musari call themselves "the bards of the q'tari." Storytelling is at the core of their culture, and most of the historians and archivists among q'tari are musari. Their height is average among q'tari, topping out at around 5'6". While musari have a distinct culture and tend to live with other musari more often than not, they do not have a distinct genetic line. Musari are the result of primeri, rattusari, and other sub-species inter-special breeding. They believe this makes them stronger and more diverse, and that seems to be true at least to the extent that they are far likely to suffer congenital defects or develop disease later in life. Their belief that they are stronger due to a shared history with the other species leads some to mock them, making a portmanteau of "mix" in the Trade tongue and "musari" in q'tari to form "mixari." It's been used for so long, however, that it's lost its bite, and some musari have reclaimed the term for themselves, regularly referring to themselves as mixari. Given their racial heritage, musari may be seen with almost any color fur and eyes, and their fur may be short or long. Notably, musari are completely accepted by the rattusari. They are accepted as "half-bloods" by the griseri, who do not want to lose the traits they value in their kin, though they do not treat musari differently. Primeri, however, are the most likely to call musari "mixari," and they are sometimes shunned in primeri circles.

Primeri

Primeri are said to be the first q'tari, but this is a matter of debate, as the griseri hold the same to be true. Musari, seeing themselves as more evolved, don't care about the debate, but teach that primeri are the first, while rattusari teach that the truth is unknown. It is of cultural importance to primeri, however, and debates--particularly if they involve griseri--can get heated quickly.

Primeri exhibit both mouse and rat-like characteristics, and they are quite large for q'tari, with individuals growing as tall as 5'10". Unlike other species, however, their fur is quite shaggy and thick. They are also more likely to be seen in darker shades, with fur that tends to be reddish-brown, dark brown, or black. Primeri are stereotyped as aggressive and violent. As the largest q'tari race, many have served as soldiers and warriors, and to some q'tari...many of whom favor stealth...even seeing a q'tari who faces battles head-on is off-putting and has garnered the reputation. That said, some primeri do use their increased mass to intimidate or abuse others, and while they are not the majority, that has also led to the stereotype.

Rattusari

The rattusari, the one q'tari species safely called ratkin, are quite slender and small, though they can grow as tall as 5'4” or so on occasion. Most hover a touch under five feet. Their entire body is furred, and their hand-like paws have opposable thumbs. Their voices sound a bit high-pitched to other races, and their tendency to wander off mid-sentence can be infuriating. Perhaps not as infuriating as discovering that the muttering ratkin who just wandered off managed to take your best dagger and a coin pouch while you conversed, but infuriating nonetheless.
Having noted that, the ratkin are also a convivial race. After living in what others might deem impossibly stressful circumstances for ages, they are quite casual about the idea of death. They look to avoid it, but accepting it completely has been a cultural necessity in the Sticks. Few ratkin travel beyond the west coast of the mainland, but they have their share of explorers and prospectors among them.

Speciesism Among the Q'Tari

Speciesism, hatred for other species and for those within the species for those of a different sub-species, is not particularly problematic for the q'tari to the extent that wars over such things stopped many centuries ago and their myths tend to leave them reasonably open to outsiders. While there are occasional crimes motivated by such hatred, they are taken very seriously by the Q'tari High Council.

Generally speaking, the rattusari are the least likely to engage in any form of speciesism. It's not quite a result of being open and loving...it just isn't something that concerns them, and if pressed, most would say solidarity among q'tari is more important than divisive hatred and that their religions speak against condemning outsiders prior to investigation. Rattusari are egalitarian by default, as they don't see themselves as particularly enlightened. But they are also the least likely to shun outsiders, partly because they are the second-most populous species behind the musari and the most traveled species among the q'tari. Rattusari come from a culture that is largely a meritocracy, so speciesism rarely factors into their assessments.

Griseri are mostly egalitarian, and their regional laws reflect this, though they do take some cultural pride in being pure griseri, largely because fur patterns are of cultural importance to them. Legally, they don't affect anything, but the fetishization of albino and merle coats, among other fur and eye combinations, does mean a blue merle griseri with a white undercoat and pink eyes is about three times as likely to find opportunities in society, affecting any jobs that are public-facing and affecting one's likelihood to be married. Recent studies have shown that gray griseri with black eyes have a lower income, are considered less marriageable, and are imprisoned at higher rates. The report was carried out by a respected High Investigator, and for better or worse, his blue merle coat meant that the report was taken more seriously. The issue is currently under review and many griseri are going through an adjustment period, some going out of their way to make it clear to others that they have gray-furred friends and that they hire gray-furred employees, though that isn't as helpful as they'd like to think. Many griseri had believed that their laws protected everyone, so everyone was thereby equal, but the cultural emphasis on coat color seems to have proven this untrue.

Musari are almost as open-minded as the rattusari, which makes some sense given that they are a culture but not a genetically distinct species. They believe their diversity makes them healthier, which is at least to some extent true, but this has also led to some musari looking down on anyone who considers themselves a pureblood.

Primeri are, perhaps, the most cautious of others and, on occasion, hateful. They have a somewhat isolationist culture, which doesn't help, and they see themselves as the prime q'tari, reflected in their species name. All other q'tari are believed to be necessary and useful, but of a different caste. (Their caste concepts are not accepted by the Council, but they are reflected in regional laws and through what often manifests as disdain for others. There are already multiple castes within primeri culture, but the lowest rung is reserved for all other q'tari. Some are openly tolerant or even accepting of others, though they are not the majority. As for other species, primeri tend to avoid them completely, though they may make exceptions in business.

Naming Traditions

Feminine names

Azena, Tayli, Xila, Ulasi, Balina, Grelda, Serisa (nickname Seri), Ishara (Ishara is a name of legend found everywhere, but most commonly among the griseri)

Masculine names

Gron, Pelter, Rax, Skeritch (nickname "Scratch"), Delak, Tyrik, Otto, Njall (NEE-yawl), Janfir (nickname "Jan")

Unisex names

Alacri, Sezin, Eris, Eltris, Glani, Wura, Holin, Eridra

Family names

Osu Sheris, Osu Keshin, Osu Maylis, Osu Fresus, Osu Mhosi, Osu Yaros, Osu Deko

Rattusari names tend to be slightly more guttural. Griseri names are often more modern, named after modern people and places (see below). Primeri use more hard consonants, and musari like the "p" sound a great deal, apparently. That said, with the exception of Griseri surnames as explained below, many names can be found throughout The Sticks among many species, at least partly due to an age-old practice called war bonding. In desperate times, all the q'tari species band together for survival. This has made a common tongue necessary, and it also means refugees from one species are frequently taken in by another. While adults do not have to change their surname, most do so out of respect, as it is not necessary to hold on to a surname in terms of lineage. If a surname dates back a long time or has a history with a revered namesake, it may be kept as a middle name. It is never considered more important than the more immediate concerns of the living and the need to show gratitude to those who might take you in.

Osu means "descendants of." Notably, the griseri only use "Su," as the "O" was traditionally used to add the meaning "descendants of (a male)." Most q'tari species don't pay attention to that any longer, but the griseri updated their language to reflect a more egalitarian society. Once in a while, a sexist will go out of their way to use "Osu" when referring to a female griseri by name...say, Ishara Osu Fresus instead of Ishara Su Fresus...this is considered to be extremely rude, and will almost invariably bring a conversation to a grinding halt, though most outsiders would need it explained to them. Griseri also use both males and females in such names, so they might have a Su Mhosi, as Mhosi was a male hero among the rattusari whose name appears among most q'tari species, or they might have a Su Ishara, a very griseri surname, as Ishara was both female and griseri herself, according to myth. The most common name among griseri women is still Ishara Su Ishara, and the name is revived over and over, rarely skipping more than a generation before regaining popularity.

Other names

Corufu. Though an uncommon name, most q'tari know someone named Corufu. Usually, but not exclusively, male. Corufu was a humanoid raven in a myth. He falls in love with Delak, a pale brown primeri mage. They can never truly be together, and their tale is bittersweet. The image of a raven man is found often in q'tari artwork as a result. Tattoos of him are common, and his name occasionally shows up as a q'tari name. Although Corufu and Delak ultimately part in the tale, their story is often called on when considering outsiders. It has also been a large part of the reason that homosexuality has never been much of an issue in q'tari society.