Chorav

The Chorav - (Desert Halflings)

Stats

+2 Dexterity
+1 Constitution
-2 Strength

Skill Focus: Search
Skill Focus: Lore
Skill Focus: Appraise
Small Stature: +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus to attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus to Hide checks, but she uses smaller weapons than humans use, and her lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
Bonus Feat: Negotiator
Fire Resistance 5/- Cold Vulnerability 25%

Favored Class: Rogue

Description

The Chorav often wear thick cloaks and face-masks to protect themselves from desert sandstorms and harsh weather, but by appearance one thing is certain. They are small. Unrobed a Chorav is just like a human, except in stature. Generally standing between two and a half to four feet tall, the desert halflings are easily underestimated, but should not be. Their skin tones can range from beige to brown, and their hair is often brown or black. Like a human their appearance is often determined by genetics, and family members tend to have similar physical traits. Their movements are usually graceful and fluid, and their tongues are sharp, in trade and in banter.

The Chorav have been living in the desert for a very long time. Their race seems to have adapted to the heat to such a degree that they are able to wear thick heavy robes and face masks without feeling the discomfort of the visible heat in that area. While Chorav are less sensitive to heat than most other races, they seem very uncomfortable in colder climates. A Chorav in the mountains is a rare sight, and generally if a Chorav is forced into a colder climate they are very uncomfortable. They tend to refer to Dwarves as 'cold-dwellers' in a derogatory fashion. While there is no palpable tension between the two races if they come face to face, it is obvious that there might be some reason that the Chorav harbor a mild resentment toward the Dwarves and their ability to adapt to the colder climate.

Clan, Family & Trade

The Chorav live in separate clan families, each with distinct, separate territories for living and scavenging. Each clan is typically lead by a Clan-Chief, also known as a 'Korzan', who is typically male. Often this position is given to the eldest male in the family. However the overall operation of the Chorav clan is generally overseen by a female devout of Faergol called a "Shinra". A female Chorav becomes Shinra by either possessing some kind of divine ability with which to perform magic, overcoming an illness accompanied by a hallucinatory vision or was chosen and trained as the successor to the current "Shinra".

The primary activity in a Chorav's life was scavenging and trading between themselves and other caravan clans or travelers. The Chorav do have a hub within the desert though. While small trades can be made between the Chorav while they travel, anything that a Shinra determines is rare or valuable is brought to an oasis that the Chorav use as an open market.

While each clan varies in size and success they all travel on a regular basis. There is only one clan that stays in a single place. The Nandia family founded the Oasis settlement, if it can be called that. The cluster of wagons, shops and tents within the desert oasis is a dusty market filled with sharp tongued traders and rip off artists, most of which are members of the founding family. The market, under the protection of the Nandia family, is the place where most Chorav bring their 'treasures' to sell them. Often overpriced, the Chorav appraise things differently than most. This could be taken as ignorance, but the Chorav happen to know that even with newer towns springing up across Eramere, it is a long walk to another market.

If there is anything the Chorav have learned to do, it is adapt. One example of their ingenuity would be their use of massive beetles found within their desert home. Through the application of ropes and a little help from magic the Chorav have managed to tame a few and use them to transport wagon caravans. The beetles work well for desert travel, being adapted to its harsh climate and terrain.

Another example is during the Halmorian Invasion. When the Empire did not come with wagons and merchants, but with portion of a Legion, intent on ransacking the wealth of The Oasis, the Chorav knew knew how to deal with that. Each attempt was met with a simple copse of trees, a bright blue lake, and an old crumbled Temple to Faergol, with not so much as a bolt of cloth to show that the area was ever inhabited. The Halmorians also quickly learned not to linger, as scouting parties never returned, and the nights were full of terrifying howls, and blood soaked sands remained where outer sentries had stood.

Religion

While Chorav religion can vary as widely as human religion does, a vast majority of the Chorav follow Faergol. At a clan campfire one would be wise to be wary of pranks and to close their ears to the Chorav bed time stories. They are fond of attempting to out-gore each other in their tales, and this may be viewed by some as a method of attempting to please Faergol. A few smaller sects of Scorsheth, and Ephaesus have grown up among the Chorav as well; the latter inspired by Beeker Dabir. In his footsteps many of his clan now pay homage to both Overseers, though much of their devotion is in word only, as clerical gifts are no longer available, however a bardic tradition has grown up, dedicated to keeping the knowledge of Ephaesus alive and growing.

A Shinra in a Chorav clan always follows Faergol, even while the rest of her clan may not. There are some clans, however that exclusively follow The Cracked Mirror, and do so in such a way that sets them apart from the rest. Occasionally referred to as "death's eyes" these devout followers take it upon themselves to guard the dead after they have died. Vehemently opposed to grave robbing, they can often be found lurking around crypts and cemeteries, if they can be found at all. These Chorav will not kill an enemy who is found defiling a grave, as death is a gift in their eyes, but they will often mark the trespasser cruelly, to make it easier for Faergol to sort through them when their time does come.

Some say these devout followers were blessed with certain gifts to punish them, because they were graverobbers once upon a time, and others say that setting these tiny, almost feral guardians loose in the world is one of Faergols best tricks ever. Whatever the case, these mysterious sects in the Chorav culture are unique in ways humans have not yet begun to understand.

More information on important Choravs, the desert, and Chorav society is available in the Chorav forum.