Tharsan
These beings look very reptilian but are closely related to birds and dinosaurs. Capable of walking on two legs, they are also the fastest bipedal beings on Lainshoa. They live on the volcanic isle Tharsa. Unlike Mizar, the Tharsans can tolerate the cold and dry just as well as heat and wetness. Of course, if it is cold, they’ll bundle up just as we would. Their skin colour is most often a rusty red-brown colour, but may range, darkening to black and lightening to yellowish or even white. Many of the higher-ranking individuals will paint their claws and dye their skin different colours, according to their position in society. Brilliant colours, such as reds, gold and green are usually indicative of high rank. Tharsans eat mostly meat, but may imbibe alcohol and herbs for supplementary nutrition, social reasons, or for medicinal purposes.
Tharsans can see in colour, which is a good thing, as they are all nearsighted. This is correctable through eyeglasses, which the Tharsans do not make themselves, so it is extremely rare, and looked down on by their culture. Their sense of smell is like that of the Mizaræ. Because they do not like the smell when they are at sea, Tharsans are poor sea navigators. Out on the sea, everything smells the same — salty. Therefore, it is rare to find Tharsans off the Island of Tharsa.
Tharsans have poor lip control and cannot pronounce any labials (sounds made by putting your lips together: b, m, p & w) and their fricatives come out as sounds very unlike ours (sounds made by the letters f & v). This can add greatly to role-playing.
Every Tharsan has upon his/her back a spinal ridge of bone which sticks out four to twelve centimetres (1.6 to 4.75 inches) above the rest of the back. This will look much like a lumpy fin if the Tharsan arched its back. This is difficult to injure, and should be treated as hard leather. The rest of the Tharsan’s skin is also tough and will deflect damage like a leather jacket.
The society of Tharsans is very rigid. They are ruled almost completely by their Taskar (wizards). Of course, any Tharsan with a great skill in his trade will be respected. The Taskar supervise the choosing of careers, which is done at age fifteen, the age considered adulthood (even though many Tharsans continue to grow past this age). Until then, Tharsan young are made mostly to serve in social functions and assist in food gathering and hunting. They are made to clean the village and homes of all who live there. The young live in communal halls where they are given basic education in literacy, mathematics, tactics or other skills for they which show early aptitude. This begins the foundation of common career skills, from which they will further specialize.
Tharsan youths rarely know who their parents are. The Taskar keep track of who hatches from which clutch of eggs, this way they do not allow inbreeding to occur. Each clutch is given a name by the Taskar, and this is one way a person knows not to become involved with certain others, but parents may hatch more than one clutch, so people are told by the Taskar if they are becoming interested in one who is too closely related by blood.
It is also the Taskars' duty to care for the eggs of all clutches. Therefore, when a clutch comes of age, if there are any new Taskar to be chosen, they will know first. All other careers are secondary. To train as a Taskar, one will be given several tasks to accomplish proving one’s courage, will, intelligence, and aptitude. There are very few Taskar, and any may decline if chosen. It is considered better to decline than to die in your training. Sometimes people from other fields of interest may pay the Taskar for the right to have a certain individual train under him or her. This helps to ensure that you receive the best in your field. All young Tharsans will be given some form of career. Tharsan society is completely communal, and the community comes before all else. Individual greed is essentially unheard of amongst these people.
As Tharsa is completely independent from the outside world, Tharsans have developed some unique crafts and highly developed skills. Much of these Tharsan items are desired for their quality, uniqueness and strange beauty. Tharsan metallurgy is such that they are nearly equal that of the Ælfs; it is not quite as light a metal, but it is as strong. And the Tharsans willingly trade this with Human traders. Mizar are the only race not permitted to land on Tharsa, due to bad dealings, and the fact that Tharsans consider them lesser intelligence because of their propensity to eat other intelligent beings (which no Tharsan will ever do).
Tharsans have only one thing they will never trade to the outside world: Tchuragh, a type of cloth that is so strong it will turn a blade as well as bronze chain maille. Of course, to use it as mail one must wear appropriate padding underneath. This material is also used in decorative work and for rope. Tharsans are also very effective fighters. Their speed, natural armour and weapons make them very formidable. As well, because of previous raiding by Mizaræ, they have developed an extremely organised and efficient fighting force. The Darron Ælfs have hired them for this ability—for which the Darron have paid rather exorbitant prices. It is said that in small group combat, particularly in rough terrain, there is no better combat unit than those of Tharsa.
Tharsans cannot be Mentalists nor learn the spirit elements of magic in either Magery or Witchery.
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