Orcs, Dragons And Monsters, Oh My!

Hello everyone! This is Arwen Kenobi here! Welcome to the official side blog where I essentially monologue about a mythology I’ve been writing for the past three years. Please do not steal my characters and ideas! The ask box is always open ❤️

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Plant Description: Navy Potatoes and Butter Rice

These two plants are cultivated widely throughout Varkaus and are common staple foods among all races/species. Navy potatoes are, as the name implies, often the only food available on Navy ships (and ships in general). While they resemble potatoes, they have the texture and taste of salsify and are a strange, earthy, blue colour.

Butter rice is almost identical to normal rice grown on Earth, but with a distinctly buttery taste. Like its Earth counterpart, the plant is grown in paddies.

That’s all I’ve got for the plants of Varkaus so far! Next up, I’ll be sharing some info on the historical figures of the Varkaus Mythos, the first one being my absolute favourite and one of the first I wrote about: Flint Obsidian!

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Plant Description: Ruthelas

A ruthela is a carnivorous plant that can be found in various locations across Varkaus, but mostly in Kadonnut Forest. The plant stands at around 12 feet tall when fully grown and resembles a hybrid of an empty dandelion seed head and a pitcher plant. It gives out a strong, intoxicating scent almost exactly like salted caramel, using this to lure in its prey. It eats anything and everything. The ruthela reproduces asexually, creating genetic copies of itself.

Some have speculated that the ruthela may not in fact be a plant, but a fungi, seeing as how it reproduces in an extremely similar way, although its overall classification is a subject of serious debate among Elf and Human botanists. Ruthela seeds fetch a high price and are treated the same way as marijuana is in our world; smoked and enjoyed by many, yet having a hugely negative view in the eyes of the law (what law there is, anyway).

Several notable people, mainly Orcs, have been rescued after falling into the hidden ‘mouths’ of ruthelas and have described the experience as “like being drunk; pleasant at the time, but looking back on it, you wonder what the hell you were thinking” And as for the name of the strange plant, nobody knows how it got it. It shall have to remain a mystery.

Up next, navy potatoes and butter-rice.

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Species Description: Aranyas (Spider-Demons)

The only inhabitants of an island off the coast of Varkaus, Aranyas are the subject of many tales of terror from travelling sailors. They resemble gigantic spindly spiders with marbled skin, but with a humanoid torso where the cephalothorax of a normal spider should be.

The large stingers on their underbellies are rumoured to either anesthetise their prey or liquidise them, but sources may vary.

Not much is known about the culture of the Aranyas, as only one individual has ever made himself known to the outside world, that being Sargent Major Willow, who seems to follow a strict regime comparable to the British Military.

Their status is not officially recognised as a class of intelligent beings, not that the Aranyas mind. They prefer to stick to their own island. Willow acts as a representative of his entire species and has confirmed that he would prefer that his people be allowed to live their lives uninterrupted by intruders.

Up next, there’ll be something slightly different; a description of various botanical specimens located across Varkaus. Plants, basically.

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Species Description: Changelings

So, here’s the thing about Changelings. A Changeling is born when two individuals, one each from a different Varkausian people, marry or are in a sexual relationship. There aren’t many records of Changelings in historical documents, but it is clear that different species have varying levels of compatibility.

Elf/Human Changelings, depending on whether the one who carried them to term is human or Elven, don’t tend to stand out that much. They might have natural highlights in their hair and heterochromic eyes at best and a severe overbite at worst, but overall it’s difficult to tell.

Orc/Human Changelings tend to have the skin tones and physical features of Orcs, such as a tail and the ability to click to communicate, but will be taller than the average Orc and with finer features, as well as an overall more human build.

Orc/Elf Changelings are very rare. The few individuals on record appeared to be shorter than the average Orc, with a generally stockier build, yet with Elven ears and tusks and an unusual agility.

Interestingly, the only species that Akari can create Changelings with are Mages. These will have the appearance of Akari, but possess the elemental powers of their Mage parent.

Mages can create Changelings with all species, all of which will take the form of their non-Mage parent, yet possess the supernatural and elemental powers of the Mage with whom they share half of their genes.

Changelings do not belong to any distinct culture. Some will identify with and adopt the ways of their non-Mage parent, but most tend to be wanderers and lonely travellers. Two exceptions to this would be Prince Aaron of Tuhon Mää (Later known as King Aaron the First of Taured) (human/mage) and Luka Ravenwood (later earning the title of Grand Duke) (orc/human). But that’s another story.

Up next, Aranyas (aka Spider-Demons)

[arwenkenobi48]

Species Description: Humans

Any and all humans that you’ll find in Varkaus arrived there by falling into one of the many time/space portals that lead to it, located at various points around the globe. The first few were unable to handle the terror of being flung into a different universe and subsequently died. But over time, the human race has adapted to living in Varkaus, occupying the northeast side of the continent.

Tbh that’s about it. Varkausian humans are like Earth humans from the Middle Ages, surperstitious as fuck, ridiculously arrogant and either terrified or hateful to anyone who’s different from them. Funnily enough, there is a way to tell Varkausian humans from Earth humans; they all have six fingers on their left hands.

Yeah, that’s humans 😂

Up next: Changelings!

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Species Description: Elves

Humanoid in nature, yet strangely animalistic, Elves are arboreal beings located in the North-West of Varkaus.

They dwell in Alfheims, incredibly complex and ornate cities built into the trunks and branches of trees so immense that they make sequoias look like pieces of broccoli. Aside from the occasional dragon-hunting trip, most Elves will never set foot outside their Alfheim.

Biologically, Elves are not too different from humans. They are, however, taller by a couple of feet, possess their signature pointed ears, are much more agile and light on their feet. The most bizarre feature of Varkausian Elves are their tusks. Resembling saber teeth and curving down over their lower lips, Elf tusks are primarily an evolutionary trait. They are also very sensitive. As a result, Elves always wear masks covering the lower halves of their faces when in public.

There are four clans of Elves, the leaders of which all answer to one leader; Lord Jadestone. Each clan has visited earth as one point and has drawn inspiration from various cultures, from the Samurai of ancient Japan to the Iron Age Celts of Britannia (which is now the UK).

Elves pride themselves on being wise, learned scholars, alchemists and philosophers, yet are also violent in nature. Many moonlight as assassins, mercenaries and bounty hunters working for various criminal organisations. In addition to this, they also abduct and smuggle various subspecies of dragons and other wild animals.

In fact, Elves are famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) for domesticating and breeding dragons. They treat them as utility animals and essentially use them as slave labour. Despite their millennia-long feud with the Orcs, some Elves will traffic dragons to Orc smugglers for quite a tidy sum.

In a way, Elves are the antithesis of Orcs. While they may be elegant and alluring in appearance, Elves are often cold towards outsiders and to each other. There are exceptions, of course, but they ultimately only look out for themselves. Orcs, on the other hand, may not be easy on the eyes, but have a deep love for anyone who has the decency to treat them like, well, people.

Up next, humans and Changelings!

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Species Description: Mages

The very first creatures in Varkaus to be created, Mages are comparable to the Djinn of our world. In fact, they are practically the same class of beings. Mages are supernatural entities, whose numbers vastly succeed any other Varkausian race/species. Their sole habitat is the immense forest that encompasses the majority of the continent; Kadonnut Forest, also known as The Forest of Lost Souls. They have collectively taken a vow to never leave the Forest as long as there are other races sharing the landmass. They believe everyone except their own to be corrupt and will not engage with them.

Mages have no concrete form, either turning completely invisible or shapeshifting. The one form that they all seem to share, however, is that of a ten-foot-tall humanoid with silver skin, four arms, large, spear-like ears and a long tail where their legs should be. They typically have some sort of pattern on their foreheads, looking like a tattoo made with dark green ink, and plumes of colourful hair adorning the tops of their heads.

Mages are elemental beings, born with their soul being bound to each one; Earth, Fire, Water and Air. If a Mage is a fire elemental, they are considered taboo and outcast from the community. The reason for this is that while Earth, Water and Air Mages have the ability to shape the world around them (such as creating rivers and making trees grow), Fire Mages can become instruments of destruction. This is not always the case, as the lonely Fire Mages often befriend travelers by lighting the way for them. Although, it probably doesn’t help that the most powerful and dangerous Mage of all happened to be a Fire Mage, that being Lord Temno.

What is especially interesting about Mages is that, rather like the Genies in the story of Aladdin, they can also inhabit magic lamps and rings (but some prefer pendants). They do not grant wishes, however, but seek out a mortal ‘host’ whose soul will be bound to theirs, creating a dyad (if I may use a Star Wars related term) of sorts between the two. The Mage will be able to hone its elemental abilities to expert level and the ‘host’ will also thrive, provided they both treat one another with respect and love. If this does not happen, the bond will become toxic, even parasitic on the part of the Mage, and will inevitably break, leaving the former ‘host’ a depressed husk.

A common misconception is that Mages are the equivalent of demons. They are not. They are essentially Djinn, so while they are the same class of beings as demons, they are not inherently evil. They have just as much moral ambivalence as any other intelligent race.

Up next, Elves!

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Species Description: Akari

An alien race from another world, the Akari arrived in Varkaus after their homeworld was destroyed. It was either blown up due to being too close to a supernova or sucked into a black hole, but that is a subject of scholarly debate. Settling on the south east side of the continent, the Akari are a secluded, but technologically advanced race.

(Akari is plural, Akar is singular)

Akari resemble humans, for the most part. Their facial features resemble those of an anime character, making them look a lot younger than they actually are. They can live for up to 250 years. The reason for their uncanny, childlike faces is to do with their brain structure, which is almost identical to a human one, but a component referred to informally as the ‘mind steak’ due to its shape gives them the ability to communicate via telepathy. They can also perform telekinesis and psychokinesis. Some can perform astral projection, although it is rare.

Their telepathic abilities enable the Akari to form psychic connections with one another, and even other races/species (albeit temporary ones). They are selectively mute and can only communicate verbally in certain environments and/or around certain individuals. Married couples often talk entirely through telepathy with one another. In addition to this, the Akari can change their biological sex at will, similar to certain species of fish. Despite their humanoid appearance, Akari are cold-blooded and regulate their body temperatures by standing in the sun for hours at a time. They have ornate markings on their arms and faces that resemble woad tattoos, which they use to absorb solar energy. As a result, Akari are often scantily clad on their upper bodies, with some even going around completely topless in public.

Another strange factor of Akari biology is their conical horns, which protrude and curl upwards from their foreheads. Referred to as ‘crowns’, the number of these horns vary and size and number on each individual, and are connected directly to the brain. They use them to enhance their psychic abilities. If these crowns become damaged in any way, the individual Akar will experience seizures similar to epilepsy and become completely non-verbal, only able to use sign language to communicate with others.

The Akari have a culture similar to the Force-Wielders of Star Wars. They even have weapons similar to lightsabers, although these are called Sun-Swords. Their architecture is also more advanced than other Varkausian peoples; it bears a neogothic style as opposed to a medieval one.

Despite being overtaken by the Dark Lord, Temno, and having their society morphed into a sort of cult, the Akari were able to break free of his control and are now viewed by the rest of the world as noble guardians. They certainly try to be. And who is Lord Temno? Well, that’s another story.

(Also their tongues are really long and secrete sexual fluids and kissing in public is forbidden for them bc that’s basically like banging out in the open, so yeah)

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Species Description: Orcs

One of the oldest species in Varkaus, Orcs are a semi-nocturnal, subterranean race, living in gigantic underground cities reminiscent of rabbit warrens. Descendants of Grindan (or Grendel in our world), there are three Hordes of Orcs, each with its own distinct culture. Obsidian, the closest to Tolkien’s Orcs, Ravenwood, avid scholars and the ‘friendliest’ of all Orcs, and the chaotic and kleptomaniacal Ormhal, who will literally rob you blind and ask questions later. When combined, the first letters of the three Hordes form the Spanish word Oro, meaning ‘gold’, a common love of all Orcs.

Appearance-wise, Orcs are not a pleasant sight. They are never taller than five feet, and have a higher body mass index than humans, and look rather bloated and stout, for lack of a better word. Their hands resemble a mole’s paws and they all have long tails that act as an extra limb. They have round, owlish eyes, large ears that function like a bats, pointed noses with flared nostrils and teeth that can put a piranha to shame.

While Orcs can speak, they also communicate to one another through a series of squeaks, chirps and cackles, in the same way that bats and and dolphins communicate. They are also unusual in the fact that they are both bipedal and quadrupeds. When an Orc bites your shoulder, it’s a sign that they trust you. An Orc bite can normally leave one severely injured, but a shoulder-bite does not; they’ve shown you that they won’t hurt you even if they can.

Depending on the gender of the Orc, they refer to each other as boars and sows. Orcs have huge families, with the average sow giving birth to three litters of five pups, making that 15 pups in total! Of course, baby Orcs are called pups. They have short childhoods, entering puberty at the tender age of 7 and being fully mature by the time they’re 13. The average lifespan of an Orc is 50 years, although a world record for the oldest Orc was Malachite Obsidian, to made it to a whopping 65 years of age!

Orcs train gryphons and use them as steeds when raiding or hunting/foraging. They also train Scallywags, small animals resembling a hybrid of a wolf and a Japanese dragon, to sniff out precious minerals and hidden treasure. They form close emotional bonds with their animals and refuse to be parted with them.

Although they lean more towards the carnivorous side, Orcs are omnivores and love their vegetables, especially cabbages and potatoes. They also love mushrooms and eggs. The quickest way to befriend an Orc is by preparing an omelette for them. The only vegetable they will never eat under any circumstances is zucchini/courgette.

When it comes to dealing with Orcs, they can’t resist a good bribe. Make sure you can actually hold up your end of the bargain, though. Also, never call an Orc a goblin under any circumstances! The word is only to be used by other Orcs. Anyone else who uses it has earned themselves an instant death sentence.

Stay tuned for more content!

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So, as my first post on this sideblog, allow me to explain what the Varkaus Mythos is

This initially started out as a school project. I was assigned the task of writing a screenplay and what started out as a ten-page piece of homework turned into an extensive world building project which I’ve been working on since late September of 2017.

The Varkaus Mythos is an original mythology centred around the lives of the people of Varkaus, a supercontinent on a small alien planet which is connected to Earth through a series of time/space portals. It is home to a variety of weird and wonderful characters, races, animals, plants and magical forces. Orcs, Elves, humans, genie-like beings called Mages, Aranyas (better known as Spider-Demons), a telepathic race called the Akari, and the mysterious Changelings are all inhabitants of Varkaus.

I’m planning to turn this into a multi-film franchise, animated in the style of those cult classics from the early 2000s we all know and love. I’ll be posting character biographies, descriptions of historical events and even some little whimsical scenarios too. Might even take requests and open the submissions box if anyone wants to make some concept art of my characters, but let’s start small for now and work upwards.