Skavers

These ratlike denizens of the Idaros underground are feared and reviled for the cruelty and opportunistic nature. Alone, a skaver is little to be feared: a feeble, cowardly creature with a passable bite and claws fit only for tunneling. In large numbers, however, they are a scourge upon the land, tearing vast tunnel systems into the earth with little heed for others' territorial claims or the health of the earth itself.

They are short lived, and have little love for one another. Skavers are just as likely to turn on each other as they are on strangers. A long history of brutal infighting prevented the savage clans from ever uniting into one people, until three great Strains formed the Consortium Pact, and founded the city-state of Skarl in the tunnels of Gotter Basin. From that point on, the short lives of the skavers steadily grew longer -- within the boundaries of Skarl, at least.

## Physical Description

Furry, with large ears, hairless tails, and prominent incisors that grow continuously throughout life. Their claws are build for digging and make poor weapons, so they predominantly fight by biting, tunneling away, and hiding. Their eyes are small and beadlike and often develop cataracts or glaucoma. The skavers pride themselves on extensive barbering, and love to paint their fur, head hair, and tails with colorful dyes.

The skavers also come in a variety of strains: genetic lines that were specially planned to yield offspring with certain beneficial traits.

### Pakka Strain

Bred for strength, stamina, and number of young per litter. These skavers are expert tunnelers and laborers. Brawny, but small of stature to fit better with large crowds and in cramped tunnels.

### Fuush Strain

Clever, crafty, and born with an innate sense for metals, Fuush skavers desire all things colorful and shiny, and their myriad artworks and architecture projects serve as examples to that effect. Often develop long facial hair that twitches in the presence of metal.

### Rath Strain

A strain born in the cruel world above ground, the Rath are built for adaptability, survival, discipline, and an instinct for bloodshed. They are larger and faster on average than the other strains, and the best suited for dwelling outside of tunnels.

### Snowblind Strain

Corpulent and resistant to harsh, snowy environments, the Snowblind are an adventurous and ponderous lot. Bred for patience and ambition, and a love of foreign food, these skavers make for affable traders, as they love to see distant sights.

### Duba Strain

A strain crafted by voluntary chemical experimentation and genetic planning of the Tri-Strain Alliance. This strain was specifically adapted to the harsh, toxic mushroom forest of the Slickwash Wetwood. A curious and quiet people, eager to explore. They make their homes in giant mushrooms and even wear toadstool caps upon their heads. Their resistance to toxic spores is considerable, though not without limits.

### Bloodbrother Strain

A strain created by lawful edict of the Fuush Strain. The females of Fuush clans were forced to birth as many offspring by the warlocks controlling their council. This new strain contained more magic-conscious skavers than any other, and bore other bizarre traits besides. Bright eyes of ghostly violet or bloodred, and a naturally dark, ruffled appearance. Their teeth grow freakishly fast, making the strain prone to malocclusion unless properly sated with excessive gnawing or teeth grinding. They are also deathly skinny, no matter how much food they eat. Many other skavers consider them horrifying abominations.

## Society

Those few amongst them proficient at magic are idolized and raised to the Consortium’s shamans, showered with wealth and given largely ceremonial positions until such time as they are needed to avert disasters and fight wars. These shaman are most deeply associated with earth, disease, and poison elements.

## Relations

Skavers are fearful of strangers, so they are reluctant to contact their neighbors. As a largely introverted and awkward species, they would rather run and hide than strike up a conversation. When they eventually get over this anxiety, skavers find common ground with neighbors who wish to keep things private and professional: trading when there is a mutual gain to be had, and then returning to pretending their respective neighbors do not exist.

Skavers are averse to direct confrontation, but they have no compunctions for *indirect* confrontation. When it comes to war, skavers take this maxim to the extreme. They hide from their foe and strike at the optimal moment.

## Philosophy and Religion

Skavers above all love wealth and prosperity. A large nest and progeny appeases the skavers' religious mission as set down by the shamans of Old Warren. Under Warrenism, one is expected to provide bones for the old god of the earth. The more offspring, the more offerings for Old Warren. In return, in every ten thousand or so skavers born one is blessed with the magics of earth, bone, and flesh.

To obtain prestige in the temple, on the hunt, or through one's wealth are the key ambitions of skavers. Three major Strains eventually came about through natural selection. These were each more suited to carrying out one of the three key ambitions. Respectively, they are Pakka (temple), Rath (hunt), and Fuush (wealth). The Pakka procreate faster than the other strains, and so increase their odds of being blessed with magic. The Rath are sturdier, faster, and more capable of working together than most skavers, and so succeed more often in the hunt. The Fuush have keener eyes and sharper minds than the others, and so developed wealthy societies with extensive plans for the future.

## Sample Names and Language

Male: Rakk, Lish, Porran, Beyor, Leeshik

Female: Ishir, Meera, Poyona, Teera, Keeshi

## Age Range

Neonate (helpless and hairless): 0-1

Pup (active, pre-wean): 1-3

Weanling (independent child): 3-5

Breedling (able to breed, adolescent): 5-7

Young Adult (fully grown): 7-15

Adult: 15-30

Aging: 30-50

Elderly: 50+

Limit (no skaver has lived past this age): 74

Average Lifespan: 32

## Average Height and Weight

Male: 3'3" - 4' / 35 lbs - 50 lbs

Female: 3" - 3'10" / 30 lbs - 45 lbs