Varma

The Varma is a Lord of Laran. Well-versed in the secrets of Inkallu, they can command dark forces untold, magicks which make grown beings quiver in fear, shaking in their boots. A Varma's wrath should not be incurred, for a Varma can conjure nightmares to haunt you in your sleep, horrors to terrorize your waking hours. This Lati can and will butcher you for sport, simply to test their abilities. An incarnation of death, only half the Lati in Laran ever achieve this title, and only one in five of them ever surpass it.

Qualifications

The title of Varma is granted by any Erati or Laka, generally given for having become a powerful Lati or proving their loyalty to the granter.

Requirements

A Varma usually works within an Erati's powerbase, and such continues their duties, with more responsibilities.

Appointment

There is no requirement for Varma to be granted the title, as such many Lati from influential families grant their Apprentice's the title as soon as they leave the Otanli academy. This is much more trouble than the prestige of having many Varma in the powerbase grant, as the Laka Council discourages and frowns upon this practice. The more powerful Lati one has, or one claims to have in their power base, the larger the target on it, so the more reasonable and/or traditional Lati wait until they believe an Apprentice or Acolyte is ready before they grant it.

Duties

A Varma is part of another Lati's power base, except for the rare instances in which an Acolyte survived long enough to receive the title. No matter what a Varma was before gaining the title, they still have to attend to the duties they had previously.

Benefits

Earning the title of Varma grants with it prestige, a Lati climbing up the ladder of ascension has just cleared the first rung. Being gifted the title while unworthy tends to muddy the Dynasty of Power waters, granting the appearance of faking their power. Lati may be corrupt, many are sniveling cowards only out for selfish gain, but the one thing that they can all agree on is that one should never fake power, or if they do, they should fake it well. Being able to hide weakness is its own sort of power, and if a Lati can tell that a Varma has not truly earned the title, as so often happens with ancient Dynasties yearning to regain their influence, it leaves a black mark on all associated with the unworthy Lati.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

Like the Erati title, being granted the title of Varma is a lifelong medal. A permanent signifier that "Yes, this Lati was powerful enough, or had enough connections, that they became a Lord of Laran."

History

The Varma title was first recorded as being used in 574 KRD, but it was just to denote the master of a master & apprentice duo, the master taking the title of Erati . It was used by a small, now extinct sect of Lati who believed that a master should only take one apprentice, one they should groom as a successor, and the titles spread to the rest of the sect. When an apprentice killed their master, they would take the title of Erati and give their old title to their apprentice. It isn't known exactly when the Varma title started to be used as a way to signify an Erati's powerful subordinate, most of the guesses revolve around the early BKS era, but eventually, it was.

Customs

A custom among Lati who gain the title of Varma is for them to relegate their names to personal use, and adopt a Lati name. This is usually a word from Quri-Tul Lati warped a fair amount to prevent someone who had a poor choice of names from blowing something up. It usually has something to do with that Lati's specialization, such as Zhan Zheng, the Laka of Military Influence naming themselves War. This name is usually kept for use with the Erati title as well.

Type

Nobility, Non-hereditary

Status

In Effect

Form of Address

My Lord

Alternative Naming

Lord

Source of Authority

Power

Length of Term

Death

Reports directly to

Erati

Related Organizations

• Laran
• Lati