Sekryn

The sekryns have a complicated and dark past. They were born from darkness and corruption, teryns exposed to the dark horrors of the Void, beyond the protection of magical shields or the protective Light of creation. Many teryns also embraced the darkness, consuming the power the Void had to offer. These became the sekryns.
The sekryns have lived with their own shame and stigma for thousands of years, bearing the distain and often outright hatred of other races, particularly the lithryns. The mark of their past sins are still upon them, their skin pure dark, yet they have endured and thrived in their own ways with the realm of Nothrea.

Basic Information

Anatomy

The sekryns are humanoid in appearance, with limbs and anatomy similar to that of a regular human of other worlds. They are generally smaller but bulkier than other races, and their skin is pitch black and dark. The most distinct part are their tendrils that jut out from behind their ears, which are scaly and tipped. A long cord emerges from the back of their head, at the bottom of which is a small orb. In addition, sekryns have distinct white markings on their face, which set them apart from the other teryn races.

Biological Traits

The sekryns are most distinct due to their tendrils, of which they have three. The primary tendril that emits from the back of their head is a biological wonder, but twisted by void energy. Now it dispels arcane and ligth energy, and stores small amounts of darker magical energy. A sekryn can siphon void or fel energy, which they can then use to augment themselves through adrenalin or rapid mutation. However, storing too much dark magic can lead to sickness and increased biological mutation and breakdowns. Sekryns can become mindless begins, rabid monsters, and they continue to store and contain too much energy, they will explode and be completely destroyed. (This specific trait of the sekryns has led to the development of sekryn "bombs")
Sekryns are also able to commit coshar, which is a specific and special ability of teryns that allows them to "connect" their primary tendrils together, and share and understand each others emotions. This is an incredibly personal action, and is only performed by close friends, family, or spouses.

Genetics and Reproduction

The sekryns have reproductive cycles nearly the same as other humanoid races, with a gestation period of about nine months.

Growth Rate & Stages

The sekryns grow slightly faster than other races, but it is almost unnoticeable. After birth, a child sekryn grows up normally, quickly developing the normal structures of their race. At around 3-5 the tendrils upon their face begin to expand and develop, and they greatly increase in intelligence and curiosity. Typically around the age of 12-14 a sekryn enters puberty, and begins, and they fully develop the coshar or "sacred bond" that is frequent across their race. Sekryn are in their prime from their 20s to their 30s, and regularly live up to 60-75 years.

Additional Information

Facial characteristics

Many sekryns have fair faces and all have black hair, like a starless night. Specific racial white markings are found on their faces, and their have slightly pointed ears. They have three "barbs" on their two front tendrils.

Geographic Origin and Distribution

Sekryns are almost exclusively found in the cold northern regions of Telreymor, specifically Nothrea. They can be found in smaller numbers in Telar, often in specific ghettos and quarters.

Civilization and Culture

Naming Traditions

The sekryns have a near identical naming tradition to the lithryns, due to their long and complicated history together, though they have their own distinctive style. The names of a sekryn are given at birth, with their surname marked by the family name and the name of one's parent. Traditionally, the father names the child.
Each entire name is divided into a first name (the personal name), followed by the name of their father (or in case of the fatherless the mother's name), and the name of their people/tribe they come from. "esh" is used to denote "son of" and "esa" is used to denote "daughter of" while "esha" denotes "of the house of" or "of the line of." Finally, "azh" is used to denote "of the people of ____" or "of the ____ people" or "___ite".
For example, Jekas Telas'esh Uroz'ash Nayam'esha could be interpreted as Jekas Urozite, Son of Telas of the House Nayam.
Some common male names include: Vekas, Jurzkasha, Kelaza, Dulmashar, Vinter, Vishnar, Zalashis, Thalatin
Some common female names include: Venatra, Jennai, Tethanri, Marshania, Talalyri, Kithrunil, Kinimer, Senace

Major Organizations

Currently, two major factions dominate the minds of sekryn: the Black Brothers, and the Nothri Resistance. The fanatic Black Brothers are a spread-out cult that governs and rules Nothrea. There true motives and plans are not entirely known, but they rule through spies, assassins, and dark magic. They twist sekryns into void monsters and try to convince all sekryns to accept their dark heritage. Perhaps there greatest example of there dark powers they serve and wield is the Void Queen, Tethalyra Ambros’esha. Once the princess of Nothrea, she was prophesied to be their "chosen darkness" and has been turned into a malevolent being of dark powers.
Against them are the numerous, but scattered, Nothri Resistance. They are an informal army of rebel cells, all linked together by a common cause: to free Nothrea. They strike when they can and have grown in strength and boldness, but have not yet managed to break the standstill between themselves and the Black Brothers.

Major Language Groups and Dialects

The major tongue of all teryns is Teloish. All teryn races speech it, including the sekryns. However, there are distinct dialects between groups, with a lithryn dialect, a sekryn dialect, and a raleryn dialect, with further sub-dialects and accents between these groups. Sekryn typically have eight major dialects, one for each of the people groups.

Common Etiquette Rules

The sekryns have a rougher view of life, but still hold some ideas of common etiquette for all. Respect for elders and family is universal, and one is expected to have a "rough kindness" for others.

Culture and Cultural Heritage

Due to the nature of their land and their heritage, the sekryns often have a harsher-seeming culture. They value endurance and unflinching loyalty. The greatest one can do is serve their family, their people, and their nation. A common-held belief is that the there is a type of structured hierarchy. Fathers are above sons, nobles are above commoners, kings are above all. Those in power are expected to wield it justly and wisely, while those under them are expected to submit and serve.
There is some influence from lithryn culture, due to their long connected past, but the sekryns are quite distinct and prefer to keep it that way.

History

The sekryns were born from the Great Darkness during the Day of Night, when the vast powers of the Void Lord Dimensius bombarded the peoples of Telarith. During this time, many outlining teryn tribes, far from the protection of any anchor of the Dawnstone, were twisted and tormented, some killed by the exposure, others mutated into vile gargantuan monsters, and a few were changed, but retained some sanity and semblance of their former bodies.
As the Great Darkness carried on, many more portals to the Void exposed more teryn tribes, especially some to the north, innocents killed or changed. A few, however, heard the whispers of the Void, saw its dark power, and willingly succumbed to it. Many teryns elders and leaders, during the Day of Night and the time afterword, succumbed to the whispers of the Void, and willingly accepted its dark power. The greatest of these traitors was Salatish Sekkor (Darkbringer), who became a champion of darkness during the early onsets of the Great Darkness. From the north he grew an army of void-fueled teryns, spreading south to pillage and slaughter whole villages, while raising those who accepted his pack as a part of his new race.
Those who would be known as the sekryns were led by their lord and continued to pester and attack the forces of the First Alliance, and great hatred grew between the cursed teryns and their blessed counterparts. Only when the great Tenaloth Sava'esh personally fought and slew Salatish did the unified hordes fall apart, and they were dealt and total crushing blow at the Battle of Sundered Kin. There, the naaru triarchy proclaimed them sekryns, cursed for their treachery, but with a chance for redemption. The remaining broken sekryns were cast north, travelling and settling the harsh wintered land of Nothrea.
These tribes were led by eight leaders, from came the names for the eight peoples of the sekryns: the Akkadites, Sumarites, Mesities, Chaldites, Medites, Parsites, Urozites, and Arakites. Each group settled a different region, and would struggle but endure as primitive tribes and societies. They would eventually form their own city-states, alliances, and paltry nations. The sekryns would frequently be conquered or captured by lithryn kings, and the sekryns were often a thorn in the side of Telar, raiders, pillagers, and sometimes a great threat when united.
Over thousands of years, the sekryns developed a distinct warrior culture, some trying to atone for their ancestors mistakes with honor, others giving in to their dark birthrights. Many vying dukedoms and principalities formed, as well as several warring royal lines. These common conflicts formed a strong martial and militaristic culture. They were united five times by several great leaders, who would establish a strong, if small, northern empire, and would begin a great southern military. However, once these leaders fell, by assassination, age, or combat, their empire would fall apart and the sekryns would return to their old ways.
During the conquest of Telreymor by the Ajaran Empire, the sekryns stood united against them under Reshur Mes'azh Ren'Ynadain. They held off against the aj'ra for a time, but their magics and coordinated military strategy meant they were eventually overcome by 3047 AD. During the Great Teryn Rebellion the sekryns were some of the most zealous contributors to the fight for freedom. Once the aj'ra were defeated, the sekryns were given their own lands and a begrudging respect of many lithryns.
However, soon the kingdom of Telar would conquer most of the region, but the shackles of the lithryns were thrown off by after many centuries of lithryn rule. Telamaor Ren'Ambros led a united nation and freed his people in 3589 AD. This established the powerful Ambros line that would rule the vying houses and peoples of the nation of Nothrea.
There would be repeating periods of prosperity and recession, but in later centuries Nothrea would expand further, attempting (and failing) to colonize Eaggami. When the oliogga invaded Telreymor, the sekryns joined, temporarily, the League of Allied Kingdoms, but would eventually leave. In 3742, the Black Brothers, a secret cult of void-worshipers, staged a coup and took control of the sekryns. Now, the Nothri Resistance faces off against their own fanatic cult, with the future of their nation, and their world, at stake.

Common Myths and Legends

The mythology of the sekryns reflects both their dark past and present, but also their bright possibilities and capabilities. Several oral legends speak of the history and life of Salatish Sekkor, who is considered the father of their race. However, many sekryns refrain from their ancestors in the Great Darkness.
There are far more codified and recorded myths concerning the travels and settling of the sekryns in their homeland. Distinctive myths follow each of the eight leaders that led the sekryns north, and there adventures. Eventually, each leader left with his own people and settle a land for them, forming the major eight regions of Nothrea.
There are countless other legends about warrior-kings, great heroes who vanquished monsters and went on grand adventures. However, most of these are oral tales, kept alive by bards and travelling singers. Only a few are written down. 
One epic that most stands out is the Vekaa named after the aforementioned hero. On a long arduous journey, he faces his own fears and trials, saves countless kingdoms and his own love. After facing and conquering his own failings and fears, he is at last redeemed and accepted by the Light. This represents many sekryns hope, that in time they too will be redeemed from their own dark past.

Origin/Ancestry

Teryn

Lifespan

55

Average Height

5'3"-6'2"

Average Weight

150-200 lbs.

Body Tint, Colouring and Marking

Sekryns have pitch black skin, noticeably marking them as different than all other teryn races. They do have distinctive white lines across their faces, similar to the other markings of lithryns and raleryns.