The World of San'Dora

Var
History	Nations	Characters
Castes	Culture	Clans

Varic Nation-states

The Var have dwindled over the millennia since they crushed the power of the Haelfinan, but they are still a presense in the west of Danorshorvas and their influence over the world is still felt.

VARHOLDS

The Var don't have any specific homeland; the geography of their nation is mostly underground anyway. Instead Varholds exist at many mountains throughout the continent, wherever a particularly metal-rich or advantageous terrain feature might exist.

Each Varhold is semi-independent, and in a strange way mobile. Each Mountain is named by the Var and a Varhold takes its name from the Mountain it is located at or beneath. Thus the Varhold men call Vidar is more properly the Varhold at Vidar -- Vidar is the name of the Mountain, and there is a Varhold there.

A Varhold is made up of the people in it, not the structure of the residences. In some cases the residents of a Varhold might pick up and entirely move to another Mountain, chasing after a vein of metal or after a region has been mined out. Such a Varhold would receive a new name from the new Mountain they settled at, but in the minds of the Var it is the same Varhold. This can make Varic histories confusing to read for non-Var, but few other races have the patience for long-winded Varic sagas in any concern.

The Var are strongest in the Dregga range, but also face the most conflict with their fallen cousins, the Kor, in this region. In the southeast of Danoshorvas many Varholds were lost to the Gersaani about 1500 years ago in the Gersaag Range.

In the modern age there are ten Varholds in the southern portion of Danoshorvas, another seven in the northern portion of Danoshorvas, and two in northern Ullushorvas in the modern age, though the mountain ranges of both continents contain the husks of abandoned or destroyed Varholds ranging from 1000 years to nearly 20,000 years old.

Danoshorvas
- Southern Varholds
  - Vures
  - Viba
  - Visar
  - Vidar
  - Vashan
  - Vorthis
  - Voroshai
  - Varshig
  - Volg
  - Velka
- Northern Varholds
  - Vrenak
  - Vorag
  - Vorun
  - Valen
  - Vern
  - Vul
  - Vanor
Ullushorvas
- Bhargi
- Bharak

COINAGE

The Var invented the idea of money and thus the hard currencies of the northern continent are measured against the so called "Varic standard". The practice spread via trade to Worfinal and from there to much of the rest of the world, though most that got the idea via Worfinal call it the "Sea standard" or "Trade standard" or something similar.

The Var standard is simple and consists of three coins against which everything else is measured:

Aur: (AHR); these round golden coins set the gold standard of commerce.
Arian: (air-EE-ahn): these round silver coins set the silver standard of commerce. Ten Arian are worth one Aur.
Faerkoer: (fairk-OO-er): ten of these round brass coins are worth one Arian

Each Varhold stamps their coinage differently, and a knowledgeable person can identify where they came from by such marks.

WAR

The Var are doughty fighters, but with the exception of two of the Clans aren't overly aggressive. The Var are most formidable on the defense, as they build their Varholds to be nearly impregnible and are brutally effective in tight underground quarters. Nevertheless, their ability to press an offensive war is not to be disdained.

Of the Twelve Clans, six (Bragwyr, Gwerthfawr, Gyrru, Methu, Peiriant, and Saer Maen) prefer to avoid combat, leaving the bulk of the fighting to the other six (Anweledig, Caregan, Llanastr, Marchog, Tanllwyth, and Trinoedd)

The Marchog typically assume command if present, for despite the Trinoedd's usual protests they are the finest warriors and tacticians the Var have taken as a whole. The Trinoedd provide a solid core of heavy infantry, and the Tanllwyth are useful as shock-troopers.

The Anweledig provide support using their stealth to spy on the enemy. The Cargegan usually arent combatants themselves, but bring the healing mercies of the Earth with them, treating the wounded; they can also raise fearsome magics underground or in rocky areas. Finally the Llanastr have many skilled scouts and trailblazers among them, and also some crossbowmen.

The Peiriant can also be helpful in a prolonged war, and invaluable in any seige situation, the Methu can provide extra bodies to a line, the Gyrru turn out high quality weapons and armor, and the Saer Maen are invaluable on the defense.

Only the Bragwyr and Gwerthfawr lack some special contribution to a war effort, but the Bragwyr provide copious beer to a war effort, and the Alchemists among them can churn up some explosives and other nasty battle-worthy concoctions earning them some measure of good will. As the only Clan without some millitant aspect, it is perhaps not suprising that the Gwerthfawr aren't very common in the more traditionally enemy beset Varholds.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Each Varhold manages it's own alliances and emnities, but some generalities regarding how the Var deal with other groups of people can be made.

HUMANS

Generally speaking the Var get on decently well with most groups of Humans. Most Humans like the fancy things the Var make, and the Var like the food the Humans grow and catch. Works out, by and large. Most Humans dumb enough to contest with a Varhold have learned the hard way that the Var are a bad folk to count as enemies.

Some groups of Humans are particularly close or friendly with the Var, such as the Wundvolding Clan of the Machtig, some of the border folk of Jarval-Beah and Folgetova, and the Ablanclanders of the Nordmanner.

HAELFINAN

The Var and the Haelfinan fought for many millenia, and the Var nearly wiped the Haelfinan from existance. Thus the Haelfinan strongly dislike the Var, who they beleive to be treacherous little creatures that dared to bite the hands of their own creators. For their part the Var believe the Haelfinan to be cruel, selfish, and heartless.

The end result is that they are not on the best of terms. However, the Var are more tolerant of folk that are only partially Haelfinan; afterall, the Var are themselves creations of the Haelfinan.

KOR

During the Age of Opposition some Var of the Methu Clan were lured away from the worship of the Earth by the cult of an entity known as Kor-vash (CORE-vosh), and were altered by their patron. After a series of failed cousp in numerous Varholds the true Var expelled their fallen kin and have been in a state of sporadic war with them ever since.

AFFELAUNES

During the Age of Expansion many Varholds in the Gersaan range were destroyed by the four armed monstrosities created by the Zhaiirian Union. Some of the survivors found their way to other Varholds, particularly Vures and Vibas, but not all of them were so lucky and were essentially left a broken remnant of themselves.

Forced to wander semi-nomadically and eke out a substinence existance, these Var interbred and generally degenerated both culturally and hereditarily over the course of a several millenia. In the modern age pockets of them exist in the highlands of the southeast of Danorshorvas and the north of Ullushorvas.

In general the Var pity them and don't harbor any special aggression or ill will towards them, but on the other hand won't suffer them to be nuisances either.

HURGUR

Hurgur (HER-gur) are big thuggish humanoids, largely hairless, that live among the the mountains and occassionally stray down into the highlands. They are tough and fierce combatants, and can be rapacious raiders even in small numbers. They were greated specifically to fight the Var by the Haelfinan, but they weren't terribly effective at it. Var harbor no specific ill will towards Hurgur, nor any special friendship.

VORSHEK

Vorshek (VOOR-shek) are ancient descendants of one of the Haelfinan's many creations, created to fight the Var in their own environment. Large but hunched over, standing around nine or more feet tall when coaxed to rear up, powerfully built, with a hide possessing a rock-like consistency, and an ability to heal greivous wounds in seconds makes the Vorshek incredibly dangerous foes. Few weapons can hurt them and they can deal incredible damage with their rock-hard limbs.

Fortunately the Vorshek were a great failure at their intended purpose as they are not overly aggressive in general and are happy living in simple caves and underground passages. The Var are generally content to leave them be if they keep to themselves, but they will hunt down rogue Vorshek that cause trouble in their lands.

GROL

Grol (GROLL) are an ancient race of non-sentient flying creatures and live high among the peaks of mountains and thus are a frequent nuisance to the mountain dwelling Var, particularly to the Llanstr clan.

Large and very dangerous nocturnal predators that will poach livestock and unwary Var, a Grol infestation cannot be ignored. Llanstr frequently mount Grol hunts when a clutch of Grol moves near their settlements and sometimes young warriors from other Clans will join in as well to gain some battle experience.

ULLU

For reasons they will not discuss with outsiders, the Var of Bharak hate the Ullu and have been known to attack them on sight. Other Var have no particular grudge with the Ullu as a people.