Vartach
The Vartach (pronounced var-toch) are underground-dwelling mages and scholars with a rigid caste system.
Quotation of a Vartach
“Rider Branduv,
I reject your summons to appear before the Assembly of the Saoi. How dare you command a fellow Rider to do anything at all, let alone travel across the Realms to answer to your jumped-up symposium? Yes, I burned the text you mentioned, because it contained dangerous and evil knowledge. If it was written by some holy madwoman of yours whose every word must be venerated, then it is the Saoi that need to reflect and ask the Shaper for guidance, not I.
Tadhg Mac An’Buabhallaí
Rider of Seachnas”
Who are the Vartach?
The Vartach are a people with magic woven into their very bones, and they bear its mark upon their faces as proof. They are one of the playable species in Five Oaths, and if you’re playing a Vartach you will likely be trained in the arcane arts, or if you do not have the ability to cast spells you will be dedicated to a particular pursuit or martial discipline. It takes a lot to bring the Vartach up from their subterranean home in the Realm of Draíod, and those Vartach who emerge into the outside world are often the most driven and determined.
Every Vartach is marked by one of five birthmarks called “brands”, most often on their forehead or cheek. These brands are seemingly random and they do not follow family lines, however traditionalist Vartach set great store by them and will judge individuals by the brand they bear. These brands begin as a jumble of abstract lines in childhood before resolving themselves into one of five signs. The five brands are the Sun Spear, the Broken Chain, the Clashing Swords, the Hook, and the Line Breaker. Even as children, Vartach are expected to live up to their brand, or their parents’ expectations of what their brands will be. If you are branded with the Sun Spear, you are deemed to have a great destiny, and will receive intensive tutelage from a young age in order to meet your full potential. At the other end of the spectrum, Line Breakers born in traditionalist communities are considered cursed and will be blamed for any misfortune. Vartach with the brand of the Line Breaker often leave their homes at a young age, before someone else decides they cannot abide a pariah in their midst any longer.
The other brands have less extreme interpretations. The Clashing Swords indicate a steadfast defender of Vartach kind, and often become guards. A Broken Chain foretells that the bearer will be a trouble maker to be watched. The Hook marks decent, solid working folk, who often become clerks, scribes or artisans.
Vartach among the gallóglaigh run the gamut from the brightest and best to those who could find no other home. A natural desire to excel and to demonstrate their superiority means that the Vartach can be found among the most highly-ranked of gallóglaigh. It is unusual but not unheard of for a Vartach to join the gallóglaigh unaccompanied by at least one of the Fathach, the stone people brought to life by Vartach magic, and similarly dedicated to their life’s purpose.
| Lifespan of the Vartach | |
|---|---|
| Average life expectancy | 70 years |
| Maximum life expectancy | 80 years |
| Common causes of death | Old age, magical fatigue, tunnel collapse. |
Origins of the Vartach
The Vartach believe they were born deep below the surface of Tirneach, as the five elements flowed together through the ley lines and converged in Draíod. The Shaper wove the powers together and made the Vartach, a people with a thirst for knowledge of all kinds who could discover and appreciate the full breadth of the Shaper’s creation. Some say that the Vartach were produced by the confluence of magical power alone, but they must still acknowledge that the power would not be there without the Shaper’s influence.
The origin of the Vartach brands is the subject of disagreement. One of the most common stories says that when the Vartach first made it to the surface they encountered the Gwyllt and soon their terrible influence spread throughout the caverns. To protect future generations, a great ritual was carried out and all Vartach since have been born with the brands to ward off the Gwyllt. Other stories abound of an ancient caste system long since abandoned, or a terrible crime for which all Vartach are held responsible and marked forever, or many even more strange and unlikely causes. Each Vartach has their pet theory, and interpretation of their own brand.
The Vartach are still mainly found in Draíod. The Vartach make up the vast majority of the Saoi, the Draíodach term for Riders who possess enough magical power to take their place in the Assembly which advises (or some say controls) the Iarla of Draíod. Many with the Line Breaker or Broken Chain brand find life easier amongst other people where they will not constantly be the object of suspicion, but every Vartach yearns for the power that sizzles through the caverns and tunnels of Draíod, and will return there at least once a year if they can.
How the Vartach view the other Species
Creidhe: Not as trustworthy as the Fathach, but they are still very useful in their own way.
Drakeblooded: If their will and imagination was as great as the power of the ancestors they boast of, they might be a threat. Instead, they are a distraction.
Fathach: Our loyal children. They are here for us to guide. What would they do without us?
Firetouched: Excellent entertainment, and useful traders too, but they seem a bit ambitious for new arrivals.
Humans: Their creativity makes them inspirational assistants, but do notleave them unattended.
Krieger: Give a bandit a title, and they still remain a bandit. Watch your purse around them.
Leasiar: They surpass us in precisely two qualities- lifespan and arrogance.
Wildlings: Our power comes from the land, they come from… Something else. They are not to be trusted unless you enjoy having your throat torn open.
Playing a Vartach
If you’re playing a Vartach you will likely be trained in the arcane arts, or if you do not have the ability to cast spells you will be dedicated to a particular pursuit or martial discipline. It takes a lot to bring the Vartach up from their subterranean home in the Realm of Draíod, and those Vartach who emerge into the outside world are often the most driven and determined.
Every Vartach is marked by one of five birthmarks called “brands”, most often on their forehead or cheek. These brands are seemingly random and they do not follow family lines, however traditionalist Vartach set great store by them and will judge individuals by the brand they bear. Even as children, Vartach are expected to live up to their brand. If you are branded with the Sun Spear, you are deemed to have a great destiny, and will receive intensive tutelage from a young age in order to meet your full potential. At the other end of the spectrum, Line Breakers born in traditionalist communities are considered cursed and will be blamed for any misfortune.
Vartach with auspicious brands generally have a high status in Draíod, and further afield they are respected for their knowledge and power. They are held in suspicion by some Drakeblooded, whose legends tell them that the dragons of old were sapped of their power before their disappearance or death, and wonder what role the Vartach and their precious ley lines had to play in that. We expect the Vartach to be a popular choice for players who want to portray characters with a magical background, or a character who is determined to achieve their personal goals.
In gameplay terms, Vartach have the Mark of Destiny Feat. A Vartach’s brand, or lack thereof, is a guide to the destiny written in their soul. This means they can pick two Spells or Feats which will cost 1 less Vigour for them to use, giving them an edge with those skills.
Vartach Brands
Vartach society is fundamentally based on the five marks that define them as a species, called brands. Starting as an indistinct tangle of black and gold magical veins, these coalesce as they start to come of age, and the shape it takes defines the rest of their life. There are five brands observed in the Vartach, and below is further detail on how the brands influence the lives of those who bear them.
Sunspear
The most auspicious mark, those chosen by the Sunspear have a bright future. It is a mark associated with power, wisdom, and good fortune. Many Sunspears become great mages or military commanders, and they make up the vast majority of the Council of Saoi. Regardless of what their specific destiny is, those marked by the Sunspear are seen as having tremendous potential and being meant for something great.
Upon developing the Sunspear, the Vartach usually receives a significant scholarship stipend to either attend one of Draíod ’s most prestigious colleges of magic or receive other intense training suited to their skills.
Clashing Swords
Those marked with the Clashing Swords are well regarded, and seen as stalwart defenders of Vartach kind. While this is often interpreted in a martial fashion there have been many Swords who became renowned healers to defend their people from disease, or teachers to protect the Vartach from stupidity. The mark of Clashing Swords is associated with courage, loyalty, and strength.
Upon developing the Clashing Swords, the Vartach often enter a period of intense martial training, and many will end up serving with the Gallóglaigh for a time with almost any Vartach (or indeed Fathach ) Gallóglach being happy to sponsor a Clashing Sword.
The Hook
The most common brand, the hook is seen as the mark of the honest, decent, hardworking Vartach . While not destined for individual greatness, the industriousness of the Hooks is seen as vital to the success of the Vartach, and Draíod as a whole.
The mark of the Hook is associated with duty, intelligence, and honesty.
Those marked with the Hook normally enter a year long period of apprenticeship shortly after developing it, moving between multiple professionals to find the craft that their talents are best suited for.
The Broken Chain
The Broken Chain is seen as an ill omen, a warning sign of an untrustworthy individual. A Broken Chain is normally the first individual to be investigated when a crime is discovered. While they are not necessarily excluded from Vartach society like the Line Breakers are, they are generally viewed as troublemakers and often have difficulty obtaining and keeping positions of influence.
The Broken Chain is associated with untrustworthiness, anger, and criminality.
After developing the Broken Chain, a Vartach is often assigned a mentor to oversee them and attempt to keep them on the straight and narrow, frequently a Hook or a Clashing Sword.
The Line Breaker
Those marked as Line Breakers are viewed as the biggest threats to Vartach society. The least common of the five signs, these individuals are destined to destroy Vartach society if they are not opposed and thwarted. They are generally feared and despised by Vartach society as a whole.
The mark of the Line Breaker is associated with doom, destruction, and chaos.
Many Vartach who develop the mark of the Line Breaker are summarily exiled from their community and must find a place in the world among the other species, generally outside of Draíod . Some families continue to shelter and care for their Line Breaker kin but the many famous examples of those who attempted to live up to their mark means that they are kept under close observation.
The Marred
Some Vartach either feel their destiny is a burden they wish to reject, or do not wish for others to know what destiny is in store for them and burn off their brand. This is a painful process not lightly undergone, and leaves a permanent and very obvious scar where the mark was, which never fades away.
Those who chose to hide their mark are generally treated with suspicion by the rest of Vartach society and are frequently assumed to be Line Breakers. Because they don’t have a mark they are considered to be outsiders to Vartach society who have chosen to reject their place in it along with their destiny.
Vartach Facebook Group
The Vartach don't yet have a Facebook Group, but no doubt they'll soon task a Fathach with making one for them.
Costuming Requirements
When you’re playing a Vartach, the main expression of your heritage is the brand upon your face, which should be applied in black or gold face paint or some other non-permanent method (please do not get a facial tattoo just for Five Oaths!). The five brands (as discussed above) are the Sun Spear, the Hook, the Broken Chain, the Line Breaker and the Clashing Swords. The exact form of the brands is not something we are going to prescribe, however your brand must be recognisable as one of the five, and you cannot have more than one brand. Your character may instead have chosen to reject the destiny the brands have allotted them, and had it removed, and in that case they should have a visible scar where the brand once was. Vartach have the same range of skin tone as humans. Vartach often grow their hair long, or cultivate luxurious beards, as symbols of personal power and victory.