Tesker

## **Biology**

Tesker are small roughly 1 foot tall semi-quadrupedal creatures. They resemble what can only be described as a version of an undead mouse or rat. All Tesker have skull-like faces, with no skin, muscle, or fur to be found anywhere other than the insides of their mouth. Because of their skinless face, Tesker can’t produce any facial expressions. Trying to gauge what a Tesker is thinking about or feeling is astoundingly difficult. This skull-like face often leads to Tesker being mistaken for Demons or Wraiths, although there’s no direct relation between these beings.

Tesker are primarily white, with a mixture of black and purple markings lining their fur coat. A large black or purple mane covers the back of their skull, along with a long black skinny tail usually with a puffy end sharing the same colours as the rest of their body. They also have sharp purple claws on both their hands and feet that are used for defensive purposes.

Tesker are not considered to be a “pure” race, but as with any beast they have their own set of identifiable “pure” traits. The less purple a Tesker has on its body the higher it’s purity would be. Desirable Tesker would be almost completely white with darker extremities; with the only purple on their body being their claws. That being said, because Tesker have yet to be introduced to the purity scale they do not find these traits desirable. Most Tesker find the striking purple markings to be attractive, and it’s theorized that the more purple one has the higher they are on the social scale.

## **Personality**

Tesker behaviour is very closely related to that of small predatory mammals such as weasels. They have deeply rooted instinctual traits that heavily affect how they act within their own society. These traits would make it difficult to co-exist with pure beings if they ever were to be discovered. Essentially, they’re akin to a talking beast rather than an intelligent race, although this will undoubtedly change over time as their civilization changes and grows.

Generally speaking Tesker are a curious race. They find new things to be fascinating rather than scary, and while they may not understand what something is or how it works they do their best to try and figure it out. While they do like learning, they can only do so via visual means. This is what’s gotten many of them into clockwork. They’re able to physically see the cogs and gears turning, which aids in their understanding.

## **Civilization/Culture**

Tesker are tribalistic when it comes to the structure of their society. Each one plays a distinct role within their clan and they are led by a single chieftain. They are not proactive when it comes to outsiders; they’re reactive. This is often mistaken for them being a peaceful or easy going kind, but that isn’t necessarily true. Rather they haven’t been introduced to the concepts of things like “war” on a grand scale, so it’s not an idea that comes to mind. Their isolation from the outside world plays a huge part in this.

Just like any other society they have their own version of jobs and a market. They don't have a distinct currency like most civilized nations. Instead they rely on trading goods of equal or beneficial value amongst themselves. Any goods related to clocks are most likely to be held at the highest value, as they view clocks as a gift from their God. Items relating to clockwork, even vaguely, are extremely valuable. Sometimes even more so than food.

Speaking of clocks, Tesker worship them. Their race was more or less “uplifted” after a grandfather clock got abandoned in the mountains and came crashing down into the cave the species is native to. Anything related to time in any way is viewed as a gift from their god. In fact, most Tesker believe that time started when the clock crashed down, and that if their clock isn’t kept ticking that time stops.

## **Relations**

Seeing as Tesker only inhabit the Land of Whispers in the Bexstone Mountain Range, they’ve yet to be discovered by the vast majority of Mirror Domain’s population. Those who have seen them write them off as Demons or Wraiths; usually killing them as a result.

Not surprisingly, because of Teskers isolation from the outside world they do not view Demons as a pest or a threat. On the rare occasion they encounter a high class or intelligent Demon they’re able to act civil. That said, because their anatomy only allows them to speak in Whispers they don’t typically move past that when it comes to forming alliances.

## **History**

Tesker are one of, if not the newest intelligent race on Mirror Domain. Their civilized history only dates back to the year 848ADI, although Tesker as a species have existed for far longer. The catalyst event for their society beginning to form was Airship Valor crashing in the Bexstone Mountain Range. Much of the ship’s cargo was strewn about the mountainside, including a very large and ornate grandfather clock which promptly crashed down into the cave. With the light gleaming upon the clock via the hole it made Teskers looked upon it in awe as this was some sort of sign from god.

Teskers scavenged around this clock for months looking for answers their new god could give them. In doing so, they found a manual for the clock. They saw the unintelligible writing inside of this manual and began to decipher it as holy texts. As well as that, the clock had a small smudged label on the back of it which the Tesker deciphered as “Mirkeep”. With the knowledge of this book the Tesker would spend the next 2 years learning how their new god’s gift worked and began establishing the foundations of their society.

While they’ve only been around for a short time, Tesker have already hit several societal milestones. They’ve founded their own religion, for one, but they’ve also turned from hunter/gatherers to farmers. They cultivate their own crops, trade with each other, and do pretty much anything else expected of an early society. They’ve also recently made the discovery of fire, although they’ve yet to use it to its full potential.

## **Religion**

Tesker follow the God Mirkeep. This religion was founded by the Tesker when the grandfather clock smashed into their home. They believe it was Mirkeep who graced them with not only the gift of the clock, which they’ve since converted into a temple, but also the ability to control time itself. Teskers believe that if they stop, rewind, or forward the grandfather clock in that time itself is being manipulated.

Because a clock has to constantly be maintained in order to function, Tesker have turned this maintenance into religious practices. The head of the church, known as the keeper of time, is tasked with winding the clock daily. Other church workers will spend their time oiling the gears, clearing dust and debris, and generally doing anything else in order to keep the clock up and running. Time is a gift given to them from the heavens, so Tesker are extremely schedule orientated.

## **Languages**

All Tesker inherently speak in Whispers, as their anatomy quite literally prevents them from speaking at a “normal” frequency. The native language of Tesker is known as “Klict”. They communicate by clicking their teeth together, accompanied by faint verbal cues and body language.

## **Names**

All Tesker name themselves in honor of their god. As such, all Tesker given names are things either related to time or to clocks, even if it wouldn’t normally make sense as a name. Whenever they learn or develop a new word relating to one of these two things it’s almost immediately adopted as a name as well. Those who do not follow this naming convention are seen as nonbelievers, and are typically ostracized from society.

## **Adventures**

Seeing as their race is only in its infancy, Tesker have yet to venture off into Mirror Domain. All of their achievements and advancements have happened right in their homeland. Few Tesker have left the Land of Whispers, and those that have most likely did so before the ascension of the race and are still out there living as beast-like animals.

## **Abilities**

Due to their diet of poisonous insects and mushrooms, Tesker are immune to the effects of poison. On top of that, because they ingest so much of it on a regular basis, a Tesker’s bite has an extremely painful poisonous sting. They do not produce venom, however. How strong these effects are are directly linked to a Teskers diet. Because of their immunity to poison, Tesker are able utilize far more plants in their diets and as medicine. Much of the Teskers “medicine” would act as a standard poison to the majority of creatures.

Tesker are inherently tied to Purple Magic. Their bodies are highly adapted to absorbing it, to the point where they’re able to pick up and use even trace amounts of it in the ambiance. That being said, their society hasn’t gotten to the point where casters are commonplace. When they do use magic, it’s more often than not in a simple potion or a flash of bright light to ward off intruders.