Tathra
“In the dawning of Nirthas we toiled in the lands of the sun. The Elf did come and enslave us. They stole the Gift of Athar and made it their own; and our temples they broke. The Gods were destroyed, all save the cunning Harut, who had never limited herself to a Nirthani shrine. So it was by her aid that the last of us were saved, whisked away to the far reaches of our home with what remained of our pride and our power.”
-Chronicle of Fables, on the Raaka, 1:17
Appearance
Tathra stands at an uninspiring height for his kind. His face gives away his northern heritage with its wide and almost flat features including his shortened beak, giving his face a near owlish appearance. His eyes strike most as perhaps the greatest distinction of his person (aside race): deep amber glass that holds back the fury of a storm. Tathra’s plumage around his core body and the bulk of his wings is at the base white and gradually becomes tawny. The tips of his wings, ears, and tail all become darker in coloration.Tathra usually wears a wrap around his torso and waist, and can be often found with a small satchel of supplies. His feet and hands are rarely covered, and even then only in harsh conditions. He carries with him a peculiar yet simple staff with opposite facing crooks on either end.
Skills and Abilities
Hermetic Magic- Similar to, if not largely considered the same as College Magic, Hermetic mages tend to study their magic in smaller, more remote areas of the world. Ideally, these conclaves will find places of power around which to study. However, the semantics are virtually lost in translation, as many Hermetic conclaves still communicate with each other and the colleges. Tathra, while capable of many forms of magic, is most talented with disrupting and creating enchantments, specifically wards. His meticulous mind is able to formulate the complex magics needed to swiftly make a competent ward. By the same line, he understands the complex strands that keep magical effects in working condition. However the disruption of magic can truly be applied to any kind of magic; it is on this point that Tathra has spent the bulk of his life studying.
Flight- Like many of the Raaka, Tathra is capable of flight. While it is useful, it has a great many limitations. Raaka cannot fly while overly burdened, able to carry only upwards of 25 kg in sustained flight, and even that should be distributed as evenly as possible. It is for this reason that Raaka caravans still travel on the ground, and almost all Raaka keep their personal belongings light as possible.
Lycanthropy- A disease virtually unheard of among the Raaka, Tathra had the misfortune of coming upon it during his studies at the College of Elbion and became infected. Before it could be discovered, he abandoned his tenure in favor of “returning to the field”. This form a lycanthropy turns him utterly savage during his episodes, barely able to understand language, let alone adhere to it. Much to his dismay, Tathra recalls each episode with vivid detail.
Personality
A scholar and a youth, Tathra seeks any lore that he can find, and then tries to impress that lore on those around him. He prides himself on his ability to read, and frequently will try spreading that skill to those who will take it. While not overly destructive by intent, he does enjoy picking at magic and seeing all of the potential interactions. This does occasionally lead to unstable enchantments breaking down and causing some small problems. He, unlike many of his kind, holds a particular dislike of most Elvenkind, as opposed to outright hatred. While this has been tempered by his time among the other races, shades of it still leak into his interactions with the Fair Folk. He disdains his lycanthropic nature, and would see it removed if he could.
