Rakshani...
... A History.
The Rakshani race is a young one. Their history is one that is still being written and only a treatise compared to the lengthy tomes of elves and humans. Their story goes back far though, 1,000 years ago in a land controlled by the dark humans, the Abadon. Their king, Argadiv, had a fantastic zoo in his Basalt Tower, his favored animal.. the cat.
He had cats of all types and sizes, from his world and even other worlds. Tigers and lions, domestics and wilds, spirit and darkling, he had all of them. His most favorite were kept in his throne room and chambers. But just because he loved them, does not mean they were treated well, the heart of a evil man is a twisted thing. While they were fed and watered, they were beat if they did not growl or cry upon command, those that attached and bit Argadiv became part of his wardrobe. Things were looking bleak for the cats, but everything has it's price... Especially cruelty.
Among his favored was a tiger by the name of Raksha. Raksha seemed especially obediant and was the first among all of the cats in the prison zoo. Raksha was a patient creature, cunning like all hunters and wiser than all others. He consoled all of the other cats in the prison zoo and meditated upon their plight. The answer came to him as he saw Argadiv in his library, performing a spell. The tiger thought this must be an awesome power, it must come from the funny markings on the paper and that's when it hit him... Raksha and the cats will learn to read! The tiger then began an extensive and secretive campaign to learn and teach the other cats to read. In the night, Raksha would steal books, he saw his master use. It took some time but he learned to decipher it and began to teach the few passages to all of the cats. The spirit cats thought this was amusing and the darkling cats saw opportunity for much mayhem and they began to teach the cats to speak in the tongue of humans. In time, Raksha's wisdom and cunning intelligence grew and the tiger formed a plan, he told all of the cats, teaching them about it's intricacies and then the cats laid in patient wait.
Argadiv was none the wiser in all of this, the cats seemed more complacent than ever and this made him feel victorious. He smiled at his cruelty and looked to Raksha who wore an unfamiliar smile. "Odd cat, you must be going senile in your age. Why do you smile like that? Or would you like a beating?" To Argadiv's surprise the tiger spoke back "You old fool! I smile for I know your fate..." And the tiger's tongue spoke the words, the first spell known to the rakshani magi... The spell of Slumber. Forever would this spell be ingrained into their being thought the spirit and darkling cats, who were very aware of this consequence. Then all of the cats began to speak the spell, tossing guards and warriors to a great slumber. Raksha worked to free them all from their cages and the slumber spell fell upon the Basalt Tower, which fell under the spell as well. The cats ran from their prison zoo and cried in graditude to Raksha. The largest of the spirit and darkling cats came before Raksha, granting all of the cats his name so that he maybe immortal. Raksha gave the Spirit and Darklings his worship for their aid. Thus the Rakshani and their gods were born. The Great Rakshani pride moved far from the tower, into the forest where they lived for some time. As the rakshani had found new voices they created music with them. They wanted beauty around them and open doors. For generations they seemed happy. But each generation changed, growing more and more humanoid. Evolving... Then the Basalt Tower awoke. The Rakshani felt a terrible breeze coming from the evil place as it yawned from it's long slumber and Argadiv sent forth his arm groggily to find the cats. The Rakshani knew nothing of war but only of the hunt. They won many fierce battles, but their losses were great. They were pushed back further and further, until they found a door with no wall. In desperation they ran through the door, appearing before the gates of Mirras Ven. They pleaded to the Lady Xylona, who allowed them to live in the city. They contributed to the city with arts, keepers of the peace and magi with their own fresh wisdom. After several more generations the Rakshani stopped evolving, looking more like elves than cats, they Rakshani learned and taught beauty. Their Gods following them to their new home, have been finally reunited in the recent years...
With the coming of the Mystical Storm and the many doorways to other words, the rakshani look to the horizon and see it's just a hill with a brand new valley on the other side. Who knows what their future holds for them now?
... A Culture.
The Rakshani Culture is based on comfort as a consequence of their actions in their revolt. They enjoy hospitality and often begin business that revolve around such things like taverns, resturants, inns, hostils and spas. They love art, especially more involved forms like acting and music. They're homes are welcoming and often have well stocked kitchens and many places to lounge and sleep. It's not unknown for a rakshani home to have some sort of bed or plot to sleep in in almost every room besides the kitchen. Even their dining halls have low tables and surrounded by pillows for big meals and naps.
In society, the rakshani take jobs that they will do for a long time. Businesses seem to stay in a family for generations. Civil positions usually tend to be peace-keeper types, even city guards. Those that descend from more predatory cats tend to be investigators, with severe attitudes but working to bring proper justice. Others take jobs keeping records, being librarians or bookkeeping fascinated by patterns and script, the very thing that brought their kind freedom. Then comes those who become scholars, learning everything they can. They become historians, instructors, diplomats, even magi, scientists and clergy of the Rakshani Faith. Others tend to follow an odd wanderlust and travel beyond their homes, carrying their odd ways to other places and worlds.
The Rakshani Faith is one devoted to freedom and knowledge. Halka, at first was two beings, the darkling and the spirit that passed on Raksha's name to the Rakshani but after the peace came the two came to an agreement to aid the Rakshani and became one being. Alien to most outside of the rakshani culture, Halka gives aid and guidence to the Rakshani. He is often his worst enemy, but this dichotomy is necessary for the race's survival. Nag'wa is the herder of the dead, who named the afterlife after himself. He herds the rakshani who have died to Nag'wa, the Trial Lands. If they are found unwise, unknowledgable or simply just inexperienced, they are sent back to the living realm. Each rakshani has 9 attempts at life. Those who succeed are given a choice, to stand before Halka and join his pride or return to the land of the living as a Whispering Wind, a guiding conscience or helpful spirit. This drives many rakshani to be the best rakshani they can be, and to contemplate their existance as such. Other gods are; Pala- Goddess of Love and Affection, Naga- God of Marriage and Devotion, Kundr- Lord of the Hunt, Uhmr- The Smiling Thief, Pul'ku- Goddess of Festivities and Dance, Mal'kr- God of Voice and Music, Dwan- Keeper of the Great Tomes, Di'ana- Goddess of the Moon and Hy'pirnon- Lord of the Sun.
The Rakshani love festivals, often celebrating other culture's holidays as they were their own. They celebrate life, mourn death, marriages, house warmings, bon voyage, anything that can get their community together. They do observe the Lunar New Year and it's 5 days of Calibration. As the year changes the 5 days of the 13th month of the year are a special time for the rakshani and they do something that seems very odd to outsiders who don't know of their habits. They stay awake, fasting for the five days, drinking only water. They re-calibrate their bodies to the year, sleeping the entire day of the new year.
... A Physiology.
The Rakshani are lithe, dexterous and fast. They have fast metabolisms that tend to slow down as they reach older ages. They love to climb, jump and run, kittens are known for their tremendous amounts of energy that boggle the minds of adults of other races. They are also notorious for eating tremendous amounts of food as well, which make them a bad omen and bringers of death to the cultures of worlds where food isn't plentiful.
The rakshani resemble elves, though they tend to have markings on their skin and tails. Their feet is padded and their toes and fingers are tipped with claw like nails. Their skin is soft, sometimes covered with thin, soft fur and their hair is not really hair, but long thick fur-like substance with a touch of softness. A rakshani's ears are long and tipped with little tuffs and their sense of smell and hearing are rather strong. All have rough tongues they use to clean their tails and sharpened canines to help with their food and even in courtship rituals. They love to decorate their tails for special events and festivals, colour ribbons depending on the festival or celebration.
The other odd thing is tied to their very birth. All rakshani sleep ungodly amounts per day. This is tied to the Slumber spell they used to escape, it wound into their very soul causing them to take naps often throughout the day. Which also contributes to their insane amounts of energy, but also has an interesting side effect. People around the Rakshani tend to be a touch calmer. The effect is almost unnoticeable at first, but over time it can become very apparent. Anger cools just a touch, pain dulls a bit and so on.
Another interesting tidbit that rakshani rarely voice and use is their ability to shapeshift into their breed of cat. Most rakshani families are of certain breeds of cat, certain rakshani have interbred and their breed forms look rather odd, a lynx with tiger stripes, a house cat sized lion. But they are part of the rakshani's abilities, a gift from Kundr, Lord of the Hunt, to remember where they came form.
The Rakshani race is a young one. Their history is one that is still being written and only a treatise compared to the lengthy tomes of elves and humans. Their story goes back far though, 1,000 years ago in a land controlled by the dark humans, the Abadon. Their king, Argadiv, had a fantastic zoo in his Basalt Tower, his favored animal.. the cat.
He had cats of all types and sizes, from his world and even other worlds. Tigers and lions, domestics and wilds, spirit and darkling, he had all of them. His most favorite were kept in his throne room and chambers. But just because he loved them, does not mean they were treated well, the heart of a evil man is a twisted thing. While they were fed and watered, they were beat if they did not growl or cry upon command, those that attached and bit Argadiv became part of his wardrobe. Things were looking bleak for the cats, but everything has it's price... Especially cruelty.
Among his favored was a tiger by the name of Raksha. Raksha seemed especially obediant and was the first among all of the cats in the prison zoo. Raksha was a patient creature, cunning like all hunters and wiser than all others. He consoled all of the other cats in the prison zoo and meditated upon their plight. The answer came to him as he saw Argadiv in his library, performing a spell. The tiger thought this must be an awesome power, it must come from the funny markings on the paper and that's when it hit him... Raksha and the cats will learn to read! The tiger then began an extensive and secretive campaign to learn and teach the other cats to read. In the night, Raksha would steal books, he saw his master use. It took some time but he learned to decipher it and began to teach the few passages to all of the cats. The spirit cats thought this was amusing and the darkling cats saw opportunity for much mayhem and they began to teach the cats to speak in the tongue of humans. In time, Raksha's wisdom and cunning intelligence grew and the tiger formed a plan, he told all of the cats, teaching them about it's intricacies and then the cats laid in patient wait.
Argadiv was none the wiser in all of this, the cats seemed more complacent than ever and this made him feel victorious. He smiled at his cruelty and looked to Raksha who wore an unfamiliar smile. "Odd cat, you must be going senile in your age. Why do you smile like that? Or would you like a beating?" To Argadiv's surprise the tiger spoke back "You old fool! I smile for I know your fate..." And the tiger's tongue spoke the words, the first spell known to the rakshani magi... The spell of Slumber. Forever would this spell be ingrained into their being thought the spirit and darkling cats, who were very aware of this consequence. Then all of the cats began to speak the spell, tossing guards and warriors to a great slumber. Raksha worked to free them all from their cages and the slumber spell fell upon the Basalt Tower, which fell under the spell as well. The cats ran from their prison zoo and cried in graditude to Raksha. The largest of the spirit and darkling cats came before Raksha, granting all of the cats his name so that he maybe immortal. Raksha gave the Spirit and Darklings his worship for their aid. Thus the Rakshani and their gods were born. The Great Rakshani pride moved far from the tower, into the forest where they lived for some time. As the rakshani had found new voices they created music with them. They wanted beauty around them and open doors. For generations they seemed happy. But each generation changed, growing more and more humanoid. Evolving... Then the Basalt Tower awoke. The Rakshani felt a terrible breeze coming from the evil place as it yawned from it's long slumber and Argadiv sent forth his arm groggily to find the cats. The Rakshani knew nothing of war but only of the hunt. They won many fierce battles, but their losses were great. They were pushed back further and further, until they found a door with no wall. In desperation they ran through the door, appearing before the gates of Mirras Ven. They pleaded to the Lady Xylona, who allowed them to live in the city. They contributed to the city with arts, keepers of the peace and magi with their own fresh wisdom. After several more generations the Rakshani stopped evolving, looking more like elves than cats, they Rakshani learned and taught beauty. Their Gods following them to their new home, have been finally reunited in the recent years...
With the coming of the Mystical Storm and the many doorways to other words, the rakshani look to the horizon and see it's just a hill with a brand new valley on the other side. Who knows what their future holds for them now?
... A Culture.
The Rakshani Culture is based on comfort as a consequence of their actions in their revolt. They enjoy hospitality and often begin business that revolve around such things like taverns, resturants, inns, hostils and spas. They love art, especially more involved forms like acting and music. They're homes are welcoming and often have well stocked kitchens and many places to lounge and sleep. It's not unknown for a rakshani home to have some sort of bed or plot to sleep in in almost every room besides the kitchen. Even their dining halls have low tables and surrounded by pillows for big meals and naps.
In society, the rakshani take jobs that they will do for a long time. Businesses seem to stay in a family for generations. Civil positions usually tend to be peace-keeper types, even city guards. Those that descend from more predatory cats tend to be investigators, with severe attitudes but working to bring proper justice. Others take jobs keeping records, being librarians or bookkeeping fascinated by patterns and script, the very thing that brought their kind freedom. Then comes those who become scholars, learning everything they can. They become historians, instructors, diplomats, even magi, scientists and clergy of the Rakshani Faith. Others tend to follow an odd wanderlust and travel beyond their homes, carrying their odd ways to other places and worlds.
The Rakshani Faith is one devoted to freedom and knowledge. Halka, at first was two beings, the darkling and the spirit that passed on Raksha's name to the Rakshani but after the peace came the two came to an agreement to aid the Rakshani and became one being. Alien to most outside of the rakshani culture, Halka gives aid and guidence to the Rakshani. He is often his worst enemy, but this dichotomy is necessary for the race's survival. Nag'wa is the herder of the dead, who named the afterlife after himself. He herds the rakshani who have died to Nag'wa, the Trial Lands. If they are found unwise, unknowledgable or simply just inexperienced, they are sent back to the living realm. Each rakshani has 9 attempts at life. Those who succeed are given a choice, to stand before Halka and join his pride or return to the land of the living as a Whispering Wind, a guiding conscience or helpful spirit. This drives many rakshani to be the best rakshani they can be, and to contemplate their existance as such. Other gods are; Pala- Goddess of Love and Affection, Naga- God of Marriage and Devotion, Kundr- Lord of the Hunt, Uhmr- The Smiling Thief, Pul'ku- Goddess of Festivities and Dance, Mal'kr- God of Voice and Music, Dwan- Keeper of the Great Tomes, Di'ana- Goddess of the Moon and Hy'pirnon- Lord of the Sun.
The Rakshani love festivals, often celebrating other culture's holidays as they were their own. They celebrate life, mourn death, marriages, house warmings, bon voyage, anything that can get their community together. They do observe the Lunar New Year and it's 5 days of Calibration. As the year changes the 5 days of the 13th month of the year are a special time for the rakshani and they do something that seems very odd to outsiders who don't know of their habits. They stay awake, fasting for the five days, drinking only water. They re-calibrate their bodies to the year, sleeping the entire day of the new year.
... A Physiology.
The Rakshani are lithe, dexterous and fast. They have fast metabolisms that tend to slow down as they reach older ages. They love to climb, jump and run, kittens are known for their tremendous amounts of energy that boggle the minds of adults of other races. They are also notorious for eating tremendous amounts of food as well, which make them a bad omen and bringers of death to the cultures of worlds where food isn't plentiful.
The rakshani resemble elves, though they tend to have markings on their skin and tails. Their feet is padded and their toes and fingers are tipped with claw like nails. Their skin is soft, sometimes covered with thin, soft fur and their hair is not really hair, but long thick fur-like substance with a touch of softness. A rakshani's ears are long and tipped with little tuffs and their sense of smell and hearing are rather strong. All have rough tongues they use to clean their tails and sharpened canines to help with their food and even in courtship rituals. They love to decorate their tails for special events and festivals, colour ribbons depending on the festival or celebration.
The other odd thing is tied to their very birth. All rakshani sleep ungodly amounts per day. This is tied to the Slumber spell they used to escape, it wound into their very soul causing them to take naps often throughout the day. Which also contributes to their insane amounts of energy, but also has an interesting side effect. People around the Rakshani tend to be a touch calmer. The effect is almost unnoticeable at first, but over time it can become very apparent. Anger cools just a touch, pain dulls a bit and so on.
Another interesting tidbit that rakshani rarely voice and use is their ability to shapeshift into their breed of cat. Most rakshani families are of certain breeds of cat, certain rakshani have interbred and their breed forms look rather odd, a lynx with tiger stripes, a house cat sized lion. But they are part of the rakshani's abilities, a gift from Kundr, Lord of the Hunt, to remember where they came form.
Submitted By Jian the Awkward!
