Virrah (Asylon Supplement)
Virrah is an absolute monarchy in the center of southern Aina, and is completely covered by sprawling jungles. Bordered to the East by mountains constantly enshrouded in misty clouds and to the West by the Gulf of Tears, Virrah is a predictably wet land with daily showers and frequent downpours. While the trees in this area can't match the height of those evergreens found in northern Hikipale, they are by far the most sprawling in the world, with their roots draped above and below ground for miles around their trunks. It is theorized that these greens were cultivated by Utsirte with the help of the Bosmer just after the Cataclysm, as a means to devour those Merran ruins she couldn't outright destroy. It is fact that Virrah and Hikipale have the highest concentration of Merran ruins of any region in Aina, which means that the Bosmer forbid both Altmer and Dunmer from setting foot on this ground. Kaasha, queen of the jungle and leader of the Ra'Virr, helps the Bosmer by patrolling her own lands and offering much harsher punishments for incursion than her jovial neighbors.
To that end, Ra'Virr culture has settled almost exclusively in Merran ruins, developing into a thriving society amongst the rubble of their ancient masters. It is in these communities that Ra'Virr children learn the basics of honorable conduct, wariness of the outside world and those who would abuse Virran honor pacts, as well as hunting. Hunting is perhaps the strongest, most visible tradition amongst the Ra'Virr, and there are many different rituals and methods associated with it. Hunts are most often undertaken by either two or six Ra'Virr, depending on the size of prey, and can vary from ostentatious displays of aggression to patient, careful stealth. Before the hunt is a ritual sacrifice, usually of small game, and after the hunt is a prayer offered to Vessli; large-scale hunts are often followed by celebrations that include music, dance, and feasting.
The spiritual capital of Virrah is Jungleheart, one of the largest extant Merran facilities and home to over 900 Ra'Virr. This is the home of the Heartfang tribe, to whom all the other tribes of Virrah pay their respects. Kaasha rules from these ruins and commands a suprising force of expert strike teams, including the most elite Ra'Virr warriors: Falcons. These Ra'Virr train to use a special polearm and to leap to great heights, using gravity and their weapons to fell gigantic beasts and whole platoons of their enemies. The rest of the Ra'Virr are loosely organized into over 250 tribes, each with anything ranging from 50 to close to 1000 members.
Heraldry: As a primitive culture, Ra'Virr have no civilized heraldry. However, the various Ra'Virr tribes identify themselves by adorning their weapons and clothing with different colored feathers from all kinds of jungle birds. Roc feathers are especially prestigious, and are the symbol of Virran Falcons.
- Imports: Magic Items
- Exports: Exotic Creatures, Potion Components
Classes (Common)
- Rogue: Most Ra'Virr end up as rogues, with many adhering to the wilderness rogue variant. Rogues in Virrah are renowned for their stealth more than their trickery or silver tongues, and are often masters of paired hunting.
- Ranger: For those Ra'Virr that find they have magical talents, the life of a ranger can be very enticing. These Ra'Virr are the most likely to take up the bow rather than their racial preference toward polearms, and they often take another feline as an animal companion.
- Monk: Thanks to their facility with acrobatics and clawed limbs, many Ra'Virr find they are well-suited to unarmed and unarmored combat. There are several cloisters of Ra'Virr monks scattered throughout Virrah, the most legendary being the monastery outside of Snowcrest high in the Shrouded Peaks.
Classes (Uncommon)
- Alchemist: One of Virrah's most lucrative exports is potion components, and some Ra'Virr decide that they'd prefer to keep these materials for themselves. Alchemy has a small but loyal following amongst the Ra'Virr, who prefer its "natural" magic to more sophisticated arcane displays.
- Druid: Ra'Virr that choose to embrace magic usually do so only in balance with physical combat. Rangers are far more popular in Ra'Virr society, but those rare Druids that do arise are noted for their particular devotion to the protection of nature, often to the point of terrorism against other Ra'Virr who would remove resources from the jungle for trade.
- Witch: Some Ra'Virr that feel the pull of the arcane choose to isolate themselves, studying in seclusion to gain questionable powers. These Ra'Virr almost always become witches, making terrible deals with Verilahr and darker Draenen in exchange for powerful foresight, poison touches, and other powers.
- Fighter: Ra'Virr fighters are not as popular as rogues. Those that do choose a life devoted to full combat often make use of teamwork and their dexterity to defeat their enemies and bring down beasts.
Classes (Rare)
- Oracle: Oracles are rare all across Aina, and Virrah is no exception. In Virrah, Oracles are often called upon by Vessli or Bahrumbo; nature and winds are subsequently popular mysteries. These Ra'Virr take their duty seriously, serving as seers, defenders, and healers for their tribes.
- Bard: There is a strong tradition of music and dance amongst the Ra'Virr, but bards aren't a popular class choice. The foundations of Virran hunting are stealth and teamwork, but stealth is too important to be sacrificed for bolstering songs and melodies in the midst of combat.
- Cleric: While Ra'Virr are usually deeply spiritual and often worship at least one god, there is no solid community of worshipers in Virrah. Put simply, religion is an integral and seamless part of life; there is little need to distinguish it from any other part. For this reason, very few Ra'Virr choose to take up the banner of their deity.
- Summoner: Most Ra'Virr consider it more honorable to kill a creature personally, and all of them understand the gravity of a bound servant. Summoning is therefore a rare practice among the Ra'Virr, and is sometimes even looked on with disgrace.
Classes (Restricted)
- Cavalier: Ra'Virr don't often take mounts, and never engage in open warfare. The Cavalier is simply an alien class choice for them.
- Inquisitor: If Ra'Virr have qualms about the commitment to act as a cleric, they certainly would never consider the life of an inquisitor.
- Paladin: Even rarer than clerics, paladins seem very out of place in Ra'Virr society. These usually charismatic, heavily-armored holy warriors simply don't have a home within the jungles of Virrah or the hearts of its people.
- Sorceror: There have never been any sorcerors within the jungle, and if the Ra'Virr have anything to say about it, there never will be. This has almost nothing to do with detesting magic, and far more to do with the realization that there are dangerous secrets waiting to be discovered in the darkness of the jungle floor.
- Wizard: There have never been any wizards within the jungle, and if the Ra'Virr have anything to say about it, there never will be. This has almost nothing to do with detesting magic, and far more to do with the realization that there are dangerous secrets waiting to be discovered in the darkness of the jungle floor.
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