Revani - Player's Choice

[Zieg dil' Tulfried]

Revani – Home on the Great Serpent’s Back

In the Beginning, the World was not as it was today. Lima, the Mother Sea, enclosed the surface under her turquoise silk blanket. She protected all beings from the burning anger of Suruki, the Sun Goddess, who shines relentlessly on all who ventured on the surface.

However, Reva looked through Lima’s crystal clear blanket and longed to meet the Sun Goddess Suruki. The Great Serpent, his lithe form a thousand times a thousand of that of any of our ancestors rose from the inky depths and broke through the Mother Sea’s shroud and raised his eyes towards the Sun Goddess. He sang, in the ancient language of the Ancients, asking for affection from his infatuation. Suruki, however, found the deep rumbling voice a nuisance and his ragged scales an abomination in her eyes. She mocked the Great Serpent and bore down on him with her Almighty Flames, scorching the Serpent to cinder where he floated.

Reva the Great Serpent, however, did not die altogether. His tough scales preserved the Ancient’s heart while his flesh was turned to dust. Creatures, once bound to the Mother Sea, crawled upon his charred remains and propagated new life, turning the once-barren shell into an island full of life.

Suruki’s younger sister, Ashimiri, was taken aback by her sister’s terrible behavior and pleaded with Mother Sea to mitigate this potentially destructive power before the Mother Sea decided to banish her sister into the Nether.

Lima took note of Suruki’s anger and, fearing for the safety of her Children, casted her silk blanket into the sky, trapping the Sun Goddess above. Ashimiri, in turn, coaxed her sister into slumber with her serene song and brought Night with her to cool the populace of Reva’s remains.

Thus, today, the Sun Goddess remained in the sky for the day and the Sister Moon took watch over for the Night, waiting for the day the Great Serpent will awake once again and disappear into the safety of the Mother Sea.

~ Excerpt from “Origin of Revani – Legend of the Ancients”

Location

Revani is a small chain of islands, in truth they are an archipelago chain stretching down from the Kebiras continent. The archipelago chain itself is very small and far-removed from the main continent and the currently explored regions of Althanas. The entire island stretches about 80 miles from East to West, its northernmost point about the same latitude as the southernmost tip of Fallien. The island measures only about 5 miles across at the widest point and resembles a crescent moon with gently-sweeping curve opening to the south.

Population

It is a wonder how these creatures came into being on an island with such limited resources. The Revani may appear humanoid at first glance, many standing around 5 to 6 feet as adults, and many could be fooled into thinking so if it was not for the blatant feature found on nearly every Revani alive. Gill slits could be seen on both sides of the throat and many Revani wore fairly long hair to hide the from plain view. Other features are the webbed fingers and feet, though not nearly as observable as the razor-like fins on each arm. Fins are also found on the legs, though not nearly as visible possibly from having less important use.

These “fishmen” live in small grassy huts along the coast, fishing and hunting for food. As the water current grows strong, most stayed indoors while the stronger, more resilient ones venture deeper in-land in search of herbs, vegetation and small game.

The Revani, as their lives revolve entirely around the Mother Sea while living on the rumored corpse of Reva, were bound to neither land nor water. They are agile swimmers, though not the best in the sea they can easily out-swim any human they might encounter. The ocean current sweeping across the entire island chain, however, prevented many from leaving their homeland for many centuries. Considering that the average lifespan of a Revani is 35 years, many did not live long enough to even see the next generation bear their successors.

Many Revani still use their own native tongue, though those who dared venture away across the Mother Sea have learned quite a bit of Tradespeak as well as some Elven tongue, though only crudely at best.

History

No written record existed for the Revani themselves had no permanent means of writing, saved for the strange symbols they use to mark the sands as well as their sea vessels. However, that did not mean they had no language at all.

Kalul, a village seer, once told an Elven Expedition team of their homeland and history, writing strange characters in the sand while rambling on about his people’s past in native tongue. Though the Elven Team had a hard time understanding the language, one lucky Elf was able to decipher a short passage with the help of his peer’s song magic:

We are the offspring of Lima and the dead(?) Reva Serpent. Our kin came out from Lima’s cloth, raising onto our new feet and stalked this dry land. Our ancestors lived and toiled under Suruki’s raging fire, threatening to slay us where we stand. Thank the Mother Sea Lima and Sister Moon Ashimiri for the sky and the night where Suruki’s wrath could not reach.

Many generations before mine, the stone-skins invaded our peaceful home and razed it to the ground. Many of us, including the first great seer of our lineage, escaped into the sea and away from those terrible fiery claws. We lived in hiding in the sea caverns for so long, many of us had forgotten what it was like to breathe air and walk on dry land. And then, the “Demons” left and we rejoiced. However, the damage had been done.

Some of our brethrens had been corrupted and now hunt for their people’s own blood and flesh, caring not of past relations. They are the ones called Revakah, “Fallen Children of Reva.” Our warriors fight to hold these tormented souls at rest within the watery depths, many never to return. We now rely only in trust and affection from another, keeping our hopes high and wishing those going to battle that the Mother Sea be kind and swift in death. We do not know how long until the Revakah will break through our warriors and decimate our kin. I only pray it is not within my grand children’s time.

Landmarks

Revani is mostly flat with sparse terrestrial flora and fauna. Most of the interesting locales, however, are all underwater. There are roughly about 30 villages on land and another 17 underwater.

Gando Victanu: The largest and farthest west of all villages, it is still quite small compared even to the towns and cities of Lornius. It is here that foreigners are most likely to find first and make land before venturing further inland. It is also here that the largest and busiest market exist – boasting wares from the outside world as well as souvenir shacks for foreigners to buy shell necklaces and armlets.

There is a crude dock here as well, mainly to act as the unloading point for foreign crafts. Each village has their own small fishing dock where they also build their Sea Skimmers, light ocean-going catamarans. Each village and family have their own unique design passed on from generation and generation through word of mouth and experience.

Revakah Kushara: The cavern where “Fallen Children of Reva” were driven into. Only the most hardy and courageous Revani Warriors guard this entrance and ward off any who may try to escape or enter the Forbidden Ground.

Elio sho Ginshu: “Elio’s Keep” was the natural underwater fortress the Revani hid themselves in when the Demons invaded. To this day, it remained as the Revani’s Holy Ground and graveyard. All dying Revani make their last pilgrimage here and go to sleep outside the revere fortress.

The North Stream: It is actually an extremely strong current sweeping along the northern part of Revani. The current is strongest just about three feet from the surface, though it reaches almost to the sea floor. No single Revani has managed to swim through the “Wall” of water and lived to tell the tale.

Society

The Revani has little to no official governing system – they had no need to. Villages are scattered all along the coastline, concentrated around the southern concave beaches where the water currents are more forgivable than the treacherous Northern Stream. Each village is headed by a Seer and a Revah’ Nur, “The One Chosen by Reva” equivalent to the headmaster of the village. Once every two Moon Cycles, the Revah’ Nur hold a meeting at an undisclosed location in the center of the island. What goes on there was sworn to secrecy by each headmaster.

Population Breakdown

Revani (indigenous) – more than 98%
Other (foreigners and mix-breeds) – less than 2%

Technological Level

Late Stone Age to Early Iron Age.

Military Strength

The Revani have no standing army, only the Revani Warriors who hold off the intrusion of the Fallen Children. At last estimate (including those on station at the Cavern) there were around 70 in total, 50 warriors charged with guarding the cavern alone. All are armed with sharp coral-tipped harpoons and a crude tin knife of simple design. All are at least the age of 17.

Religion

As one could tell by their oral tradition, their religion revolves mainly around Lima the Mother Sea, dormant Great Snake Reva, The Sun Goddess Suruki and Sister Moon Ashimiri. Most Revani tribesmen worship the Mother Sea for her benevolence and love, Great Snake as the sign of Life-Giver in Death, Sister Moon and the starry followers for guidance and the Sun Goddess in her relentless passion and judgment.

Many Revani warriors wear a polished sea shell carved into the shape of a seven-ray sun with angry eyes in honor of Suruki and to plead to her for courage and protection.

Lima is honored by a giant conch carved with a feminine face and wavy long hair. Every household has at least one facing the open sea.

Ashimiri is honored with a necklace of six small pearls (usually milky white) and a large illustrious pearl in the middle to signify the Moon and her six servant stars – Yanu the Dream Walker, Shiza the Night Watcher, Kadel the Spirit Seeker, Bindi the Demon Chaser, Harom the Sea Guider and Aska the Lore Keeper. All six servant stars keep watch and protect the Revani during the night while many seek the safety of Mother Sea during the day. In particular, Sea-Skimmer Revani are most thankful of Harom as he is supposed to help the sea-faring tribespeople sail their agile ships in the dark nights.

Reva, the Giver of Life in the culture of Revani, is honored as a totem in the shape of a humungous Serpent-like fish, carved entirely out of limestone. His death gave those alive the appreciation for balance between Life and Death. Also, many of the Revani warriors have the motto “In Death, Life Begets Anew.”

Natural Hazards

Earthquake:

Believed to be the Great Serpent trembling in his long slumber, the Revani will flee at the first sign of shaking into the ocean. The relatively simple homes built from materials gathered from the native trees ensure quick reconstruction of their new homes once the danger had passed.

Giant Waves:

Many Revani believed that even the benevolent Mother Sea can become upset by Reva’s death and try to reclaim the Great Serpent’s remains with her waves. Most Revani caught in the giant waves either swim back a few weeks later or are lost forever, mostly from getting caught in the North Stream and swept away to another part of Althanas.

The Northern Stream:

No true Revani would not know about the infamous Nothern Stream. Some even nicknamed the incredibly strong ocean current “The North Slip Route” because anyone who ever ventured into it or was caught in the current never returned. No one knew where it ends and could only assume the Stream led to the very edge of the turquoise silk Mother Sea blanketed the world with. It helped little to explain anything, due to the fact that the legend remained that Lima’s blanket covered the entire world.

Beastiary

The Revakah:

Though not truly “beasts” in a sense, the Fallen Children of Reva have been cursed by bloodlust of the demonic overlords who came to conquer the peaceful tribe many thousand years ago during the Age of Darkness. Now, the only thing on their minds are to slay any living creature they come across, asides from those also tainted by the Demon Lords. To this very day, the Revani warriors battle with great sorrow in their heart to keep their “Fallen Brethren” inside their cavern.

Dukasho:

Outsiders could consider these rodent-like creatures “sea rats” and still be able to convey its meaning to the locals without much trouble. The difference between these “rats” and the terrestrial rats are the webbed feet and caudal fin in place of the ropey tail. However, the Dukasho have long lost the ability to breathe underwater and will spend most time on land, eating what little herb and insect there is to be found. Many Revani housewives find the distinctly sweet flesh a refreshing breakaway from the fish they normally eat.

Revona:

While a great many sea creatures that come and go in Mother Sea and can also be found elsewhere as far west as Lornius, the Revona is a unique kind of creature found only around the Revani coral reefs. Its outer appearance resembles that of the dreaded Sea Serpent with its slender body covered in illustrious emerald scales with a bony crest atop its flattened head. Its feeding habit resides mainly on large fish, even sharks from time to time, but it is also known to attack unwary Sea-Skimmers if the Revani sailors were unlucky enough to be nearby when it was hungry. From the most recent sighting the population is estimated to be about 7-8 individuals, the longest and oldest reaching up to almost 20 yards in length.

Flora

Coruso Tree:

Appears similar to the widely-known coconut tree, it is surprisingly light and easy to shape with primitive tin tools. Many reach up to ten yards in height and make excellent Sea-Skimmer hulls. The widest known Coruso tree is only 6 feet in circumference, thus not nearly as useful for larger ships built by the rest of Althanas. Its fruit is meaty and soft, containing a large concentration of sugar and juice. No one had learned the great discovery of fermentation, though, so alcoholic drink is a relatively new idea to these simple sea-dwellers.

Unique Invention

The Revani Sea-Skimmer: Light double-hull ships made from the relatively sparse lumber harvest on the island, the design varies from family to family. Still, the key attribute in all Sea-Skimmer is Light, Agile and Unwavering. Most are made of the naturally spongy Coruso trees (vaguely similar to coconut trees in shape and foliage, but the fruits are small and fleshy) and sport two hulls with a single large sail. From here on, the designs vary with time and tradition, though the most crew anyone had been capable of carrying had always been less than 4. It is said that in a strong wind, the Sea-Skimmer will literally “fly” over the wave crests, though it has yet to be confirmed.

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