Vantha
From Mizahar Lore
 The People of the Aurora Borealis | |
| Height | 4'8"- 6'0" |
|---|---|
| Weight | 80-150 lbs |
| Lifespan | 80 - 100 years |
| Major features | Dark skin, Black Hair, deep vividly colored eyes that change color with their moods. |
| Abilities | Winter Survival and Carving |
| Population | 5,000 |
| Most common in | Avanthal |
| Reputation | Carvers and Storytellers |
| Racial gods | Morwen, The Goddess of Winter and Rhaus God of Bards and Music, Numerous Other Gods and Goddesses |
| Racial bonus | +10 Carving |
The Vantha, or the People of the Aurora Borealis as they call themselves, are humans that dwell in the far northern reaches of Taldera and within their lovely ice city of Avanthal. Hearty, well-adapted to snow and extreme cold, these people have a rich history that stretches out well prior to the Valterrian and is rife with storytelling and carving at its foundation. Famed for their intricate carvings and masks, and the storytelling that goes with them, the Vantha have a tremendous oral history that not only explains the beginning of the world, but how the world will end as well. Also famed for their changing eye color, the Vantha claim that everything about their existence is owed to the Goddess Morwen who dwells among them for three seasons before venturing out in Winter to walk the rest of the world.
Contents |
History
It is said, in some of the favorite hold stories, that the Vantha arrived on Mizahar through the colored pathways suspended in the stars. To a Vantha, simply looking up in the night sky of the extreme north is proof enough that the stories are real. No other place on Mizahar do Morwen's Lights or the Aurora Borealis shows itself. And these colorful ribbons of blue, green, violent, pink, yellow, and orange hum and crackle with the static energy which the Vantha believe can be channeled into a pathway to other worlds. It is this same pathway they believe they came through when the world was still very young. They settled it, and because some of the oldest living people on Mizahar in the modern age. And the proof they have that they are indeed beholden to these wondrous lights is in their eyes. For unlike other humans, the Vantha's eye color changes as their moods change, but always remaining in vivid jewel tones and deep rich color that reflects Morwen's Lights.
Biology
Physical Appearance
The Vantha are a sleek athletic people that have a smaller stature and perhaps shorter height than a lot of Mizaharian races enjoy. They range from 4'8" to 6'0" and never really get heavier than around one hundred eighty pounds. The Vantha always have dark hair, usually black, though it can go silver and finally white with age. Unusually though, their hair seems to shimmer with highlights that often reflect the color of the aurora. This trait is one of the reason they are considered 'People of the Aurora'. A man might have black hair with blue highlights, while a woman might have black hair with a subtle shimmering of green to its glossy features. Their hair can be straight or curly, though regardless it is often (especially when venturing outside in the cold) braided and wrapped with fur. The Vantha also have an unusual trait to their eyes. Unlike other humans, the Vantha enjoy vibrant hues to their eyes, which are always darker in color, which changes with their moods. Deep greens, brilliant violets, rich dark blues, subtle ruby, and even luminous gold are not uncommon colors for Vantha eyes. This feature, they claim, validates their oldest tales that the Vantha did indeed come from the stars. It is not even uncommon for their eyes to be multiple colors at once, banded or blended as their moods mix and transition.
Their skintone ranges from olive to almond, to almost a golden brown, though this can vary considerably. They almost never have extremely pale skin tones, instead tending towards richer deeper coloring. In terms of facial shapes, The Vantha tend to have smaller more rounded heads, rather than the elongated or square shaped faces. Their noses are somewhat small, sized to fit their features, while their hairlines tend to be set low on their scalp. Their eyes are not as big and wide as some humans enjoy, instead, the Vantha can be described as almost subtle or delicate in terms of their features. They have an almost ethereal quality to their beauty, that often makes one think of the twilight time, when the Borealis is strong, and night is chasing day away or vice versa.
Common Traits
Most Vantha, while not being terribly strong, are considered very hearty. This isn't so much a physical trait as it is a learned ability from having lived generation after generation in the frozen northern wastes of the Ice Reaches. But otehr
Psychology
Having a flare for the dramatic, a Vantha can easily take what most people would equate to a rather boring mundane day and spin it into a tale of epic proportions without ever changing any of the facts. Given enough time, they can probably produce costumes, props, and orchestrate sound effects to make the tale even more lively. Their extroverted friendly behavior comes from the season after season of being crowded together in their snowbound homes, and being forced to entertain themselves when all the work is done and night has fallen. For the most part,the Vantha are showman to the core, taking careful precaution to make every word count, have meaning, hold intent, and lure an audience into an astonishing audio experience.
Reproduction & Aging
Society
Social Structure
Language
Names
Vantha names are varied. They have no set form or structure, but do tend to sound alike from Hold to Hold. Here are a few examples of names. Vantha rarely if ever use surnames. They do however, tend to associate themselves with their Holds. So, a Whitevine Hold resident might call themselves Kavi Whitevine.
Example Names
- Slaryn
- Senra
- Isastle
- Coren
- Svisra
- Nenith
- Keliselle
- Fenia
- Slarra
- Nohadar
- Minosa
- Dadaryi
- Aviastas
Family Life
Everyday Life
Weapons
Religion
