Voch'Khari

AKA Voch

AKA Murdergoats

AKA Goats

The Voch'Khari are a species of humanoid warriors who live inside the Redwood, in the webcomic "Alfie".

PHYSICAL ASPECTS

The Voch are very tall and thin, averaging 8 feet, and they are lean, narrow shouldered and narrow hipped, but well muscled. They are much stronger than humans. They have faces that look very human except they have ruminant eyes which are red with horizontal slit irises, and noses that are broader and flatter than human noses. Their ears are long, pointed, and thin, and generally display fewer internal folds than elf or havlin ears. They have horns similar to goat horns, but those show many different configurations. They have long prehensile tails that appear roughly 1.5 times their heights, and those tails have hairy fringes in a variety of lengths and formations.

Voch are adapted to living in trees. Their tails are used for balance and gripping when moving through trees. The tails are also used to caressing others during mating.

Voch'Khari have been noted by "Alfie" readers to have many physical similarities to the Na'avi in the movie "Avatar", and to the Dungeons & Dragons characters known as Tieflings.

NATURE

The Voch are apparently a matriarchal society. Most Voch males who appear in "Alfie" seem to be smaller and less athletically built than the females. Voch appear to be universally bisexual and to make no distinctions in who penetrates whom during intercourse. They have a very strong social ban on "selfishness", which seems to them to mean being unwilling to mate promiscuously with many others. [In related matters, see "Voroni Night".]

The Voch exhibit violent tendencies and short tempers in their interpersonal relations. They apparently use physical intimidation in keeping internal order, much like animals establishing and maintaining the "pecking order". They value strength and bravery. Killing a d'revo (AKA "tree monster"), one of the mobile carnivorous trees that live in the Redwood, is the test which determines if a Voch is admitted to the tribe as a full warrior, rather than just an inhabitant.

WAR

The Voch have been at war with humans for a period that is undefined but apparently a long time. Whether against all humans in general or just certain kingdoms is not clear. The approximate cause of the war is human attempts to prevent the continued expansion of the Redwood. Some Voch are willing to attempt a truce, and many of them have formed a coalition at the Redfort.

The Voch are tribal, and some tribes are not willing to make peace with humans. Ozge's original tribe, called the Syn, refused to make peace, and in chapter 13 of "Alfie" she says they are all gone now. Apparently they hated humans so much they preferred to fight to extinction rather than call a truce.

The most common Voch weapons are bows and spears. They are never shown with swords or shields. It is possible the tips of their weapons are stone or hardwood. It is not known if they have any metalworking capabilities, but since they have sought the help of the green men in rebuilding the Redfort, it is generally assumed their available technology is crude and their scientific/engineering knowledge is rudimentary.