Taresh
| Age 34 |
| Gender Male |
| Origin Born a nomad in Suldaza |
| Occupation Performer in The Kyvoli's |
Born to a group of nomadic Devahni that roam the Sudaza, Taresh has known nothing but travel his whole life. Taught at a young age to sense the weave, Taresh found that his already impressively large body responded well to tempering with the weave. There were some in his caravan that had begun renting themselves out as mercenaries for hire as they traveled up and down the east coast of Sudaza. Although he found great joy in battle, this endeavor soon brought unfavorable attention upon their whole band, not only those participating. So they chose to end the endeavor in pursuit of something a little less likely to bring assassins in the dead of night. Thus a group known as The Kyvoli's was born. For the past 5 years they have roamed around performing in villages, small towns, and occasionally cities. Although they are still relatively unknown and nameless, their shows are cheap and often attract the lower-class of the places they visit.
Leaves rattled as a cool morning breeze rolled down off of the Dragon’s Teeth Mountains. A murder of ravens erupted from the trees, the flap of their wings ringing through the air. These sounds filled the meadow where a small ash skinned Devahni youth was attempting to meditate. From his head sprung a mess of tangly black hair that covered his ears and reached halfway down his neck. From his brow were two small horn-like protrusions that were similar in shade to his skin, they looked to be about three finger-widths in length and curved slightly up. A thin tail could be seen curled into his lap. He was sitting with his legs crossed on the top of a tree stump in the middle of the small clearing. Black rough spun pants covered his legs but his shirt could be seen in a small pile on the ground next to a pair of worn leather boots. At a glance he seemed to be sitting perfectly still, but goose bumps began to spread over his exposed flesh as the cool breeze gently tussled his hair. Suddenly his tail flicked, not unlike the tail of an annoyed house cat, and the muscle in his jaw clenched.
All at once his composure left him, his straight back slouched as his clawed hands clenched into fists and his crossed legs were pulled up against his chest. “This is so dumb.” The youth groaned to himself, the heat of his breath feeling divine on his clenched fists.
“That doesn’t sound like successful meditation I hear!” Rumbled a deeper more mature voice from somewhere in the trees. A moment later an older male Devahni came walking slowly into the meadow. His skin tone was closer to that of a tanned human, but his large horns, protruding from his brow, were mostly black with gray tips. They rose from his brow, curved back over his head, then turned to point up at the sky before ending in moderately sharp tips. His moderately short hair was dark brown with some gray streaks. He was wearing black rough spun clothing that matched the young Devahni’s, even down to the leather boots. “The point of this is not to make you miserable Taresh. You have demonstrated some connection with The Shroud, but if you cannot develop some sort of control over that connection then it will do you no good. In fact it could be a danger to you and those around you in times of great stress or peril.” His deep voice carried through the clearing as he spoke with a patient tone.
The young Devahni, Taresh, stood on the stump before hopping down beside his boots and shirt. Upon closer inspection he appeared to be about 8 years of age. His yellow eyes shone in early morning light as he stretched his arms over his head and filled his lungs with a deep breath. “I know it’s not supposed to be miserable, but none of these techniques have been working. Master Jalif, do you really feel The Shroud more deeply when you’re freezing in the woods with a bunch of murderous crows flying around?” The question was clearly rhetorical and a smile lit up Taresh’s face as he spoke to the older Devahni.
Master Jalif sighed, but a small smile formed on his face. “I feel The Shroud all of the time Little One. But yes, when I was at your stage in the process spending time in nature did help me feel out The Shroud and grow more sensitive to it.” A pause and then, “The cold wind and crows…not so much.” The master pulled out a small pack that had been concealed on his back. “Now how about a little bit of breakfast? You can eat as we walk back.”
Taresh’s eyes widened, first in surprise at Master Jalif’s admittance, then in excitement as the pack came into view. “Yes Sir!” He yelped as he grabbed his shirt and wrestled it on before digging his socks out of the boots so he could get them on as well. Once Taresh was fully clothed, Master Jalif tossed the pack to him. Within seconds there was half a loaf of bread disappearing down his throat. Next went a few small strips of dried meat.
“Don’t forget to breath.” Master Jalif said with a chuckle. He was long used to Taresh’s ravenous appetite, which had only grown more astounding since the first time he claimed to have felt The Shroud a few months earlier. “While we walk back I would like to ask you some things. At this point, we have tried just about every method I know for helping Weavers develop their connection to The Shroud. I know you have told me before, but remind me again what was going on when you felt The Shroud.”
Taresh stopped shoveling bread into his mouth and looked up at the trees above them, seeming to contemplate his master’s words as they walked through the forest. After a few more moments he swallowed and took a deep breath, “Well, I was in the forest with a few of the others, and we were playing on this old tree that looked like it had been struck by the sky bolts. A few of us were wrestling and we smashed into the tree, then it toppled over and pinned Mikael to the ground.” Taresh used his hands to imitate the tree falling over onto someone.
“Ky ran to get help but we were pretty far away and Mikael didn’t seem like he could breath very well. He was crying and asking for help at first, but he got quiet pretty fast.” Taresh’s eyes got a distant look in them as he continued speaking. “We were all trying to lift the tree! But it was heavy and there were only three of us after Ky left. I….I know I’m big for my age, but I’m still only eight..” His voice trailed off as he remembered.
The Master remained silent and waited patiently for Taresh to continue. After a few more moments of silence he blinked and looked back to Master Jalif. “Anyway, I started feeling scared, and Mikael was so pale, and the others were all looking at me like I was supposed to do something. Like they expected me to be able to save him or something!” The last part came out kind of loud, and a little angry.
Master Jalif had noticed before that Taresh seemed incapable of telling the story without reliving the emotions he had felt in the moment. Even though the memory seemed to take it’s toll on Taresh, Jalif was sure that these strong emotions were in some way tied to how he was able to weave the way he did.
“I felt angry..” Taresh said quietly and Jalif listened, this was new. “Angry at them first, for expecting so much of me. Then angry at myself for being angry at them. Then angry at myself for not being able to do anything. I was just so angry! I wanted to yell at all of them for expecting so much of me. But mostly I was so angry at my body for not being able to do what I wanted it….what I NEEDED it to do.” Tears were streaming down Taresh’s face now as he spoke. “That’s when I felt it…” He whispered. “It was like I could feel something deep within me connected to the world around me. And my body felt so alive, and it listened. And suddenly I knew, I just knew without a doubt that I could move that tree. And I did it. All by myself I grabbed it and lifted it enough for the others to drag Mikael out from under it. And then… the feeling was gone.”
Taresh seemed to come back to himself as he finished with the story. He quickly looked away from Master Jalif as he wiped his face dry. They walked along in silence for a few minutes. Finally Master Jalif spoke. “I think I have one last idea for helping you feel The Shroud. We can give it a try tomorrow.”
Taresh looked at his master with hope burning in his yellow eyes. After a few moments he spoke, “Does that mean I can have more breakfast when we get back?”
Master Jalif’s booming laughter echoed up the nearest mountain and was quickly answered by the flight of thousands of crows.
Leaves rattled as a cool morning breeze rolled down off of the Dragon’s Teeth Mountains. A murder of ravens erupted from the trees, the flap of their wings ringing through the air. These sounds filled the meadow where a small ash skinned Devahni youth was attempting to meditate. From his head sprung a mess of tangly black hair that covered his ears and reached halfway down his neck. From his brow were two small horn-like protrusions that were similar in shade to his skin, they looked to be about three finger-widths in length and curved slightly up. A thin tail could be seen curled into his lap. He was sitting with his legs crossed on the top of a tree stump in the middle of the small clearing. Black rough spun pants covered his legs but his shirt could be seen in a small pile on the ground next to a pair of worn leather boots. At a glance he seemed to be sitting perfectly still, but goose bumps began to spread over his exposed flesh as the cool breeze gently tussled his hair. Suddenly his tail flicked, not unlike the tail of an annoyed house cat, and the muscle in his jaw clenched.
All at once his composure left him, his straight back slouched as his clawed hands clenched into fists and his crossed legs were pulled up against his chest. “This is so dumb.” The youth groaned to himself, the heat of his breath feeling divine on his clenched fists.
“That doesn’t sound like successful meditation I hear!” Rumbled a deeper more mature voice from somewhere in the trees. A moment later an older male Devahni came walking slowly into the meadow. His skin tone was closer to that of a tanned human, but his large horns, protruding from his brow, were mostly black with gray tips. They rose from his brow, curved back over his head, then turned to point up at the sky before ending in moderately sharp tips. His moderately short hair was dark brown with some gray streaks. He was wearing black rough spun clothing that matched the young Devahni’s, even down to the leather boots. “The point of this is not to make you miserable Taresh. You have demonstrated some connection with The Shroud, but if you cannot develop some sort of control over that connection then it will do you no good. In fact it could be a danger to you and those around you in times of great stress or peril.” His deep voice carried through the clearing as he spoke with a patient tone.
The young Devahni, Taresh, stood on the stump before hopping down beside his boots and shirt. Upon closer inspection he appeared to be about 8 years of age. His yellow eyes shone in early morning light as he stretched his arms over his head and filled his lungs with a deep breath. “I know it’s not supposed to be miserable, but none of these techniques have been working. Master Jalif, do you really feel The Shroud more deeply when you’re freezing in the woods with a bunch of murderous crows flying around?” The question was clearly rhetorical and a smile lit up Taresh’s face as he spoke to the older Devahni.
Master Jalif sighed, but a small smile formed on his face. “I feel The Shroud all of the time Little One. But yes, when I was at your stage in the process spending time in nature did help me feel out The Shroud and grow more sensitive to it.” A pause and then, “The cold wind and crows…not so much.” The master pulled out a small pack that had been concealed on his back. “Now how about a little bit of breakfast? You can eat as we walk back.”
Taresh’s eyes widened, first in surprise at Master Jalif’s admittance, then in excitement as the pack came into view. “Yes Sir!” He yelped as he grabbed his shirt and wrestled it on before digging his socks out of the boots so he could get them on as well. Once Taresh was fully clothed, Master Jalif tossed the pack to him. Within seconds there was half a loaf of bread disappearing down his throat. Next went a few small strips of dried meat.
“Don’t forget to breath.” Master Jalif said with a chuckle. He was long used to Taresh’s ravenous appetite, which had only grown more astounding since the first time he claimed to have felt The Shroud a few months earlier. “While we walk back I would like to ask you some things. At this point, we have tried just about every method I know for helping Weavers develop their connection to The Shroud. I know you have told me before, but remind me again what was going on when you felt The Shroud.”
Taresh stopped shoveling bread into his mouth and looked up at the trees above them, seeming to contemplate his master’s words as they walked through the forest. After a few more moments he swallowed and took a deep breath, “Well, I was in the forest with a few of the others, and we were playing on this old tree that looked like it had been struck by the sky bolts. A few of us were wrestling and we smashed into the tree, then it toppled over and pinned Mikael to the ground.” Taresh used his hands to imitate the tree falling over onto someone.
“Ky ran to get help but we were pretty far away and Mikael didn’t seem like he could breath very well. He was crying and asking for help at first, but he got quiet pretty fast.” Taresh’s eyes got a distant look in them as he continued speaking. “We were all trying to lift the tree! But it was heavy and there were only three of us after Ky left. I….I know I’m big for my age, but I’m still only eight..” His voice trailed off as he remembered.
The Master remained silent and waited patiently for Taresh to continue. After a few more moments of silence he blinked and looked back to Master Jalif. “Anyway, I started feeling scared, and Mikael was so pale, and the others were all looking at me like I was supposed to do something. Like they expected me to be able to save him or something!” The last part came out kind of loud, and a little angry.
Master Jalif had noticed before that Taresh seemed incapable of telling the story without reliving the emotions he had felt in the moment. Even though the memory seemed to take it’s toll on Taresh, Jalif was sure that these strong emotions were in some way tied to how he was able to weave the way he did.
“I felt angry..” Taresh said quietly and Jalif listened, this was new. “Angry at them first, for expecting so much of me. Then angry at myself for being angry at them. Then angry at myself for not being able to do anything. I was just so angry! I wanted to yell at all of them for expecting so much of me. But mostly I was so angry at my body for not being able to do what I wanted it….what I NEEDED it to do.” Tears were streaming down Taresh’s face now as he spoke. “That’s when I felt it…” He whispered. “It was like I could feel something deep within me connected to the world around me. And my body felt so alive, and it listened. And suddenly I knew, I just knew without a doubt that I could move that tree. And I did it. All by myself I grabbed it and lifted it enough for the others to drag Mikael out from under it. And then… the feeling was gone.”
Taresh seemed to come back to himself as he finished with the story. He quickly looked away from Master Jalif as he wiped his face dry. They walked along in silence for a few minutes. Finally Master Jalif spoke. “I think I have one last idea for helping you feel The Shroud. We can give it a try tomorrow.”
Taresh looked at his master with hope burning in his yellow eyes. After a few moments he spoke, “Does that mean I can have more breakfast when we get back?”
Master Jalif’s booming laughter echoed up the nearest mountain and was quickly answered by the flight of thousands of crows.
Appearance
| Height 6'6 |
| Build Brick Wall |
| Hair Pitch Black |
| Eyes Deep Yellow |
Taresh represents the epitome of genetic variance among the Devahni. His 6 foot build carries with it a truly unbelievable amount of muscle. He has broad shoulders with a thick chest and back that make him seem to be half as wide as he is tall. If you catch a glimpse of him with his shirt off you will see nothing but bulging muscles, it seems the only place his body has managed to produce even a small amount of fat is over his immense midsection. His broad jaw and strong brow give him a brute-like appearance. His head is crowned with long black hair and two ash colored horns that protrude from the edges of his forehead and sweep back over his head. His skin has a similar ash color, and darkens closer to black in places that are regularly exposed to the sun. The smile lines around his eyes and his mouth take on a darker black appearance similar to his sun touched skin. This causes his face to appear almost like a cracking boulder.
He is often seen wearing loose draping black robes that hide his muscular form. This makes him appear unbelievably large. Under this cloak he wears dark clothes suitable for the travel that his troupe is constantly doing.
Primordial Form: Taresh' primordial form began as horned great cat with a black coat streaked in grey. As he invested his ability to weave shroud into the advancement of his standard form, changes also developed in his primordial form. His body grew bigger, as did his predatory features. His form now features a slightly elongated snout with larger than average fangs. His paws are easily the size of a dinner plate and feature claws that are several inches long. His feline body, from nose to rump, is seven feet long, his tail adds another six feet. His eyes are the same bright yellow as his bipedal form.
He is often seen wearing loose draping black robes that hide his muscular form. This makes him appear unbelievably large. Under this cloak he wears dark clothes suitable for the travel that his troupe is constantly doing.
Primordial Form: Taresh' primordial form began as horned great cat with a black coat streaked in grey. As he invested his ability to weave shroud into the advancement of his standard form, changes also developed in his primordial form. His body grew bigger, as did his predatory features. His form now features a slightly elongated snout with larger than average fangs. His paws are easily the size of a dinner plate and feature claws that are several inches long. His feline body, from nose to rump, is seven feet long, his tail adds another six feet. His eyes are the same bright yellow as his bipedal form.
Personality
Taresh is a simple being. He enjoys a good time, with good people, and good food and drink. He also rather enjoys a good fight if he can find one. He is loyal to his friends and tries to do right by strangers. Although he has bouts of seclusion and somberness, he is typically a very outgoing and friendly person who would much rather make friends than enemies.
Skills
Warhammer - While not reaching the peak of mastery, Taresh is quite skilled in combat with most heavy blunt things.
Hand to Hand combat - Probably should not let him get his hands on you...in combat that is!
Shroud Forged - By investing shroud into his physical body he has greatly surpassed his bodies original limitations in regards to most physical attributes such as: size, strength, speed, and agility.
Shroud Resistant - Although he is incapable of casting magic due to the way he has utilized the should, his body is also extremely resistant the machinations of other weavers.
Shroud Sensitive - Etremely sensitive to changes in the shroud around him.
Taresh's Honorable Mentions (The skills that he is most proud of)
Drinking game champion - Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, as far as Taresh is concerned if he's drinking he's winning.
Capable of picking up and putting back down extremely heavy objects.
Juggling - Don't call him a clown though
Acrobatics - Have you ever seen a Silverback practice tumbling?
Proficient in the Lute - How else can he find a lady?
Extremely skilled at making people enjoy being around him.
Good story teller
Packs a fantastic pipe of tobacco
Hand to Hand combat - Probably should not let him get his hands on you...in combat that is!
Shroud Forged - By investing shroud into his physical body he has greatly surpassed his bodies original limitations in regards to most physical attributes such as: size, strength, speed, and agility.
Shroud Resistant - Although he is incapable of casting magic due to the way he has utilized the should, his body is also extremely resistant the machinations of other weavers.
Shroud Sensitive - Etremely sensitive to changes in the shroud around him.
Taresh's Honorable Mentions (The skills that he is most proud of)
Drinking game champion - Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, as far as Taresh is concerned if he's drinking he's winning.
Capable of picking up and putting back down extremely heavy objects.
Juggling - Don't call him a clown though
Acrobatics - Have you ever seen a Silverback practice tumbling?
Proficient in the Lute - How else can he find a lady?
Extremely skilled at making people enjoy being around him.
Good story teller
Packs a fantastic pipe of tobacco
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