Thalorim

Basic Information

Anatomy

Average Physical Appearance and Traits

The Thalorim possess an otherworldly beauty, a haunting mix of ethereal and unnerving traits. Their skin tones vary widely, ranging from alabaster to deep ebony, often with a faint, unnatural shimmer reminiscent of twilight. This ethereal glow is one of their distinguishing characteristics, hinting at their ancient origins.

Males and Females share similar features:

• Eyes: One of the most striking features of the Thalorim are their eyes, often pupil-less, that shimmer in shades of white, black, or red.
• Build: Both genders tend to have slender and graceful builds, their frames optimized for agility, though the life force they consume can enhance their physical strength and endurance as needed.
• Hair: Thalorim hair is generally dark, often black or deep shades of blue, silver, or violet with some individuals preferring to incorporate elaborate accessories or weaves.
• Clothing: Their dress tends toward dark, elegant attire with functional elegance. Their style reflects their need to move silently and their cultural association with the shadows.

Biological Traits

• Life Drain: The Thalorim have the ability to drain the life force from others. This act not only sustains them but can heal wounds, reverse aging, and grant them near-immortality if regularly performed. This ability has made them both feared and envied across Alathor​.
• Regeneration: As long as they have access to life force, the Thalorim can regenerate quickly from injuries. This healing ability is directly proportional to the strength of the life force they consume.
• Agility and Strength: The life force they consume enhances their physical abilities, granting them exceptional speed, strength, and endurance.
• Immortality’s Cost: Despite their near-immortal lifespans, Thalorim age when they abstain from consuming life force. Unlike many of their kin, Valtheris Norrikai has chosen to accept aging as part of his restraint, making him an outlier among his people.

Genetics and Reproduction

Reproduction among Thalorim is fraught with peril:

• Natural Reproduction:

  Rare and difficult. Thalorim are often sterile, and successful pregnancies can lead to life-threatening complications for both the mother and the child.

• Ritual Transfusion:

  Offspring do not inherit the Drinker traits at birth but must undergo a ritual transfusion of life energy from an elder Drinker to gain their abilities.

• Prime Ancestry:

  Successful reproduction and survival of Drinker offspring are more likely if the non-Drinker parent has Prime ancestry, which also correlates with innate magical abilities.

Behaviour

The Thalorim walk a delicate line between predators and philosophers, navigating the eternal tension between their need to drain life essence and their deep introspection. This has shaped a complex morality, where individuals often find themselves balancing the preservation of their identity with the darker necessities of their existence.

• Survival through Secrecy: They live in constant secrecy, often in the shadows of society, concealing their identities with makeup, disguises, and masks. However, their distinctive eyes are difficult to hide.
• Emotional Restraint: The centuries have taught most Thalorim the value of emotional restraint. Unlike their wilder ancestors, modern Thalorim value control and moderation, especially when it comes to their consumption of life force. Those who do not embrace such self-control are often the hunted, as their more indulgent behavior has historically led to fear and persecution.

Civilization and Culture

History

Origin and Creation of the Thalorim

The Thalorim were originally created by a Harbinger, a malevolent celestial being, who sought to mimic the Stewards' methods when they created the new races from the Prime, in hopes of creating a race to contest them. Using dark and twisted magic, this Harbinger manipulated the essence of living beings, infusing them with the ability to drain the life force from others. This manipulation resulted in the creation of a race capable of extending their own lives indefinitely by draining the essence of other living creatures, healing wounds, and even maintaining eternal youth, subsequently shortening the lives or outright killing those they drained.
Zun-2 was the first to discover the Harbinger and its creation. After slaying the Harbinger, Zun-2 considered ending the existence of the newly formed Thalorim but chose to spare them, in part due to regret and doubt he had been harboring over for leading the war against and resulting extinction of the Prime. These new people were still like children in terms of experience, and while they had been created by the Harbinger, they were terrified - both of the world outside of their confines, and even of themselves. Zun-2 wanted to believe that this was perhaps a chance at redemption, to set in small part right what he had done, and that their power could be harnessed for good - though his first idea of that "good" use was entirely selfish.
Zun-2 then developed a plan to transfer his and Huichi-2's powers to the Thalorim, believing that Stewards with Drinker abilities could recharge their Steward Stones indefinitely. He reasoned that, by consuming lifeforce from other beings, rather than giving it over entirely to a new vessel, they would no longer have to choose between the potential complete drain of the Steward power or sacrificing themselves in order to transer the power to a new vessel to be recharged.
However, this plan unraveled when Huichi-2, tired of Zun-2's endless advances and the lengths he appeared to go to, transferred her power to a young Drinker named Zera, who became Huichi-3. Upon awakening, Huichi-3 immediately attacked Zun-2, draining his life force and forcing him into hiding. Huichi-3 then disappeared and has not been seen since.

The Rise and Fall of the Thalorim in Early History

After their creation by the Harbinger and the intervention of Zun-2 and his clash with Huichi, the Thalorim were left to navigate their newfound existence on their own. Though they had the capacity for great power, they also bore a curse—the need to drain life essence to survive. For a time, they lived in isolation, honing their abilities in the shadows of the world, carefully siphoning life only when necessary.

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Early Integration with Mortal Races In the centuries following their creation, the Thalorim began to venture beyond their hidden enclaves, drawn by the mortal world’s burgeoning civilizations. At first, they approached with caution, understanding the need for discretion, given their dark ability to consume life. The Thalorim integrated into the courts of kings, temples of scholars, and halls of warriors, using their near-immortality and knowledge to influence the course of history, aiding Mok Tun - a fellow apparent immortal - in his conquests across the continent.
Their general scarcity, furthered by their inability to naturally reproduce, power over life and death made them revered, even worshipped in some regions. Mortals who sought eternal life, healing, or power often sought out the Thalorim, who, in return for carefully negotiated exchanges, granted their services. However, this reverence eventually turned to fear as mortals became more aware of the Thalorim's darker practices. Stories of the Thalorim consuming entire villages or draining the essence of children began to spread, often exaggerated or misunderstood.

The Descent into Persecution

The first signs of the Thalorim’s downfall began with the collapse of the Nakhasi Empire. The decline of this great empire threw the region into chaos, and with it, the Thalorim lost the protection and patronage they had long enjoyed. Without the Empire’s backing, the darker aspects of the Thalorim’s abilities became the focus of mortals. As fear and suspicion began to spread, the Thalorim found themselves increasingly isolated.
As new mortal societies began to develop, their understanding, beliefs, and views of the Thalorim’s abilities evolved, and with it, fear and distrust of the Thalorim grew. The secret of their need to consume life was exposed through betrayal, political intrigue, and the reckless behavior of some Thalorim who indulged too freely in the gift of their power - all of which happened in isolated events, and may have been forgotten by time and distance, if not for Zun-3 using this fear, and his own fear of the Thalorim (based on the memories he gained from Zun-2), to incite persecution and attempt the purge of the entire race.

The "Drinker" Purge

This growing fear culminated in the "Drinker" Purge (the term Drinker a growing derogatory term associated with the Thalorim), a coordinated effort by several kingdoms and factions, primarily in central Alathor where fanatic Zunism was strongest, to root out the Thalorim and erase their influence. The Purge was brutal and swift, with Thalorim being hunted down and destroyed. Those who survived did so by hiding deeper in the shadows, erasing all traces of their existence.
During this time, the Thalorim scattered across Alathor, their already limited numbers dwindling. Some fled to distant, forgotten lands, while others concealed themselves within the bustling cities, taking on new identities and living among mortals. Their once-powerful houses fell, and with them, the influence the Thalorim had once wielded over mortal politics and culture.

The Forgetting

The centuries following the Purge are known as The Forgetting for the Thalorim. They lived in constant fear of discovery, forced to suppress their powers and needs. During this time, many Thalorim chose to adopt strict codes of conduct, practicing restraint in the consumption of life essence, only feeding on those who were already dying or willing to offer themselves up. The Thalorim became shadowy figures in the world of Alathor—whispered about but rarely seen, considered likely extinct to the majority of the world.

Secret Societies

In the immediate aftermath of the Purge, the Thalorim were forced into deep seclusion. Though their numbers dwindled, small pockets of survivors formed secretive enclaves. These groups were less about rebuilding power and more about preserving the knowledge and history of their kind. The Thalorim understood that to survive, they needed to become invisible, integrating themselves into mortal societies in such a way that they were either overlooked or entirely forgotten.
These secret societies had no grand ambitions for influence or control; their primary goal was survival. Members shared techniques for blending in, such as allowing themselves to age naturally, so that they could fade into the background of mortal life, making it easier for them to be disregarded. Some even went so far as to relinquish their need for life essence, accepting their eventual decline and death to avoid suspicion.

Modern Era

In the present day, the Thalorim are few in number, scattered, and most are content to live quietly among mortals. Their primary mode of survival is through coexistence, keeping their true nature hidden and choosing to either embrace a quiet, mortal-like existence or, in some cases, willingly let themselves age and wither. In this way, they have become indistinguishable from the mortals they live alongside, avoiding detection and persecution. While they still possess the power to drain life essence and sustain themselves indefinitely, most Thalorim have chosen to exercise restraint. They only feed when absolutely necessary, and some, weary of their eternal lives, no longer feed at all, allowing themselves to grow old and die as mortals do.
In the rare instance that one of their kind is discovered, the Thalorim either move on swiftly or vanish altogether, leaving behind no trace of their existence. Their lives are spent in constant awareness of the risks, knowing that to draw attention is to invite danger.
For those few Thalorim who still seek connection, they may find one another in the shadows, in forgotten corners of cities, or in the wilderness. They exchange stories of the old days, of the houses that once held power, but for most, these are just memories. The desire for dominance or control is largely gone; instead, the Thalorim cling to survival and the delicate art of remaining unnoticed in a world that has long forgotten them.

Genetic Ancestor(s)

• The Prime

Lifespan

Indefinite