Akach
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Author: Jim Vassilakos
Homepage:
System: AD&D 2nd Edition
Type: NPC
Category: Fantasy
Requirements:

Background:

(c)1991 Jim Vassilakos (jimv@ucrmath.ucr.edu). All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to copy for personal use.

"Remember now... not all barbarians are barbarians."

Akach was born of the Tribe Karacgh within the Clan Draug, his people known only as the Fangs of the Druatan by outsiders. His premature birth, early in the month of the Winter Wolf, was most remarkable, and during his childhood, stories were often told by elders of how his mother's womb was inexplicably chewn from the inside causing her subsequent death. Although popular, the story is a sad one for the elders as his mother was a valued Mogis (Priestess) of the tribe, and the first of her order in over a century to attain the Shewolf's blessing.

Therefore, in the proper time her son, the sacred child of the people, was traded to the wolves for one of their own (the Sacred Draug) thus reaffirming the ancient pact with the Shewolf. However, after three years the child returned, driven from the Vulfen den by the leader of the hounds. The disgrace could not be lost upon the Tribe, and with the broken pact, Akach was committed to exile.

However, his father, Azga, still grief-stricken due to the loss of his mate, purchased his son's banishment at the cost of his own. The Sacred Draug, the second party to the trade, remained close to tribe thereafter, often visiting upon the Woses as they would move from one settlement to another.

In his 4th year, Machta, the wiseman of the tribe, conscious of the Akach's need to learn the ways of his mother, called to the Nibelung to repay a longstanding debt owed the by forest-dwellers since one of their number was named the wolf-parent of the child. The Children of the Mist, often regarded as the most reclusive of any race, answered the wiseman's request, sending Ulma, their rain-maker. She became Akach's ward and mentor and is the only parent the youth ever really knew although dim memories of his father still linger.

It was Ulma who introduced Akach to Skylos, the sacred wolf who often followed the tribe at a distance. With her aid, he learned to speak the strange tongue of the wolf, thus making a friend of it even though it would never enter the tribal encampments. When he came into his 14th year, Akach had the right to declare himself a man, and after the ceremonial hunt was tattooed across his chest with a symbol of the Ngwaw (see the Legend of Canis). His became the Isil, a crescent moon which is considered a powerful ward against evil spirits of the darkness.

On his following birthday while journeying to find his place of birth, a falling star struck nearby, fragments showering for miles around. Although badly hurt, he managed to recover after several weeks and made his way back to the tribe. Afterward, he found within himself the innate psionic abilities of complete healing, absorb disease, and lend health (DM's discretion advised, see ADnDv2 Complete Psionics Handbook for details). However, these powers tax heavily upon him, and he has not learned how to entirely control them.

He has the skills of hunting, trapping and foraging, however, he is not well accomplished at anything aside from thieving which he was taught by Ulma. Although she did not consider these skills proper for one such as Akach, she honored her duty as bequested by Machta to the best of her ability, and at the completion of the training permitted Akach the gift of her TriBlade, an ancient magical weapon of her people which is hurled at adversaries and returns of its own volition.

Here's more background information on Akach's culture.

Draug, The Vulfen Nation

The Draug arise from Wose stock, their appearance primitive and apelike, with dark ruddy-brown skin, squat frames, and thick, imprecise features. Also called the Druatan and the Wardogs, these are a race of fierce warriors, their gene-pool long since polluted by the Auduin invaders of millennia past.

The Counting of Moons

The twelve moons of the year, each of approximately twenty-eight days duration are (from January to December), the moons of the Goat, Cave Bear, Gar, Ram, Bull, Eagle, Crab, Lion, Dryad, Owl, Scorpion, and Winter Wolf. Their wandering month is that of the Black Horse.

On Hunting

Most tribes hold ten hunts each year, one at the wane of each moon save that of the Goat and the Winter Wolf. Each tribe generally has between 100 and 500 people, one-third of which are hunters. The hunters typically meet at the tribal center a few days before the new moon for a ceremony which instills strength and courage into the hunters' spirits. They then split into bands of between fifteen and thirty and hunt until the close of the moon, returning with their kills for the newmoon festival where they display their victories to the tribal chief.

Reindeer and musk oxen are hunted in autumn while mammoth and mastodon are hunted during spring and cave bear in all seasons save winter. However, many animals such as long-horned deer, wild rabbit, ground squirrel, ice toad, and numerous fish can be hunted of caught year round.

Tradition and Culture

Legend has it that the Shewolf bore the Wardogs and gave them their homeland in return for the promise that they would take care of each other as the wolves do, and that the two races ally in times need. She is said to run with the wild packs at night and in popular belief is personified as queen of the wolves.

This covenant is symbolized in the foremost right of a newborn, to be granted a "wolf-parent", usually a member of the tribe friendly with the natural parents of the child, who fulfills the identical role of the god-parent: that of caring for the child should the natural parents die. However, members of the high order must find suitable parents outside the immediate tribe and often among neighboring peoples who owe favors. These individuals are regarded as one with the tribe, thus expanding its contacts even further while still keeping the popular saying true, that there are no orphans among the wolves.

Tribes are led by chieftains, however, there is no absolute leadership at the clan level. Each clan has a Mogan selected from among the Mogi of the varying tribes. This individual is said to have a special relationship with the spirits transcending even that of a Mogis. The duties of the Mogan are to lead the clan ceremonies and keep the collective spirit of the tribe safe from demons. The Mogan is beyond the will of the tribal chiefs and serves as a connecting force for the clan. Assistants to this position are sent out to the various tribes to practice herbal medicine and spirit healing.

Both male and female children may be granted "recognition" status, however, this only comes with the ability to hunt. Thus the boys who are often physically stronger than girls are more frequently chosen for the hunt and thus more likely to gain such status. Children may be selected for the hunt as early as their tenth year.

The mating ritual is common to all Wardog culture. Unmated females play the prey and are turned loose into the wilds for one night every year at dusk (from the last sunset of the Crab to the first sunrise of the Lion) to be hunted by the unwed males. The male must capture his prey and bring her back at dawn to show the tribe that he is worthy to be her mate. To ensure that secret deals are not made between participants but rather that the mating hunt is a contest of skill and chance, females are often drugged with a fear-inducing medicine and males with potent aphrodisiacs.

Infighting is discouraged, but when necessary, the combatants discuss the problem with the Mogis of their tribe and may request a fight to the death. If the request is judged to be unworthy or petty it is denied and the antagonists are sent to different tribes within the clan. If they fight without going through the procedure, it is a simple case of murder and the survivor is executed without chance of reprieve. If the Mogis decides that the request is legitimate, the tribal chief must set the rules governing its fair combat.

Taboos: One may not kill wolves, or owls, or each other. Chiefs are to be obeyed. When a chief is standing, lesser members must stand. They must also ask for permission to speak to chiefs. The Mogis is treated as a rank above chief is situations of honor or respect but as a rank below chief where important decisions must be made concerning the practical welfare of the tribe, clan, or nation. The Mogan, however, holds the ultimate rank in the clan.

Belief: Fire has a spirit, it is to be guarded at all times. Fire is to be respected -- it can only be put out with blessed water, or if that is unavailable, then water that has been sprinkled with the grindings of a holy leaf. Pissing on fires is forbidden.

Rituals: In the month of the Winter Wolf once every several decades, the four clans join in two common rituals. Of the first, they attempt to exchange a sacred baby with a wolfen cub. If the trade fails, it is a forecast of doom. Of the second, they also exchange gifts of unity which bind the tribes together as one clan under one common heritage.

The Legend of Canis

Canis is the man of legend who mated with the Shewolf and from whose loins all Wardog Clanspeople and their wolven cousins have sprung. He became part wolf, and ruled the Clan Draug as their Ulrik or King. He hunted for his children and gave the choicest parts of each kill to them so that they could feast. Canis gave them more than enough food during the warm seasons so that they could maintain stock for winter when the game moved to warmer climes. However, in doing so, he unknowingly stole these kills from his mate, and by winter her belly became empty so that she could not milk her young and still find enough food for herself. She asked Canis if she must starve, but he answered that he would not let her starve and that she could eat him and be satisfied. In the end, the Shewolf did just that, but later sorrow overcame her so that she howled because she realized then that it was better to be hungry than lonely. Thus, we have the Ngwaw, or the Howling, the great winds at year's end which shatter all the forestlands save the Godswoods and which both begin and end the hunting season of the Vulfen calendar.

The Trade

Wardog culture and religion centers around the relationship the nomads have with their wolf counterparts. The ritual which symbolizes this relationship is the covenant the Woses share with the Shewolf in "The Trade."

Once every several decades, during the last month of the year, usually on the winter solstice, a human child newborn is traded for a wolfen cub. The child which is traded is not yet named as that right is reserved for the wolves. For the child to later return as did Akach is an event without precedent. It is most certain among the elders, however, that the banishment spells a disintegration of the pact which has sustained the Clan Draug for innumerable generations.

The Symbols of Unity

The clan chiefs attempt to meet annually during the Winter solstice to exchange the eight sacred symbols of unity. All these objects revolve around the man named Canis, the father of the wardog nation.

The owl feather was the tail feather of the great owl who came in the night to advise Canis on the wisest courses of action. This gift from the owl symbolizes a pledge to Canis and his descendants to aid the wardog nation with wise counsel.

The mithril ring was originally a gift from Lyn, the sylvan elf princess, who made the gift in thanks to Canis for granting the Elves the inner forest and protecting them from the Shewolf and other barbarian tribes during their early years and for defeating the Green Drake of the Godswoods.

The Dragon's tooth is from the dragon which Canis slew when defending the sylvan elves. The misty gem was cut from its skull.

The stone axe was wielded by Canis during his wars with the Auduin and other barbarian tribes. The golden chalice was used by him at feasts. Both were presents from the Dwarves for aiding their fight against the Goblins, and later, the Solianic. One legend also states that the axe and chalice were used by the Shewolf to carve his flesh of Canis and drink his blood.

However, the greatest of the gifts of unity are the skull and claw of Canis, which are said to be the remains of the Shewolf's ancient repast.

Stats:

Character Name: Akach
Author: Jim Vassilakos
Gamesystem: ADnDv1 (more or less)
Race: Woses (class of sub-human)
Class: Thief
Level: 7th

Str: 12
Int: 9
Wis: 13
Dex: 18
Con: 11
Cha: 14
HP: 26

Thieving Abilities
                     7th Level   Racial Mod   Dex 18   Final
Pick Pockets            60%         -5%        +10%     65%
Open Locks              52%        -10%        +15%     57%
Find/Remove Traps       50%         -5%         +5%     50%
Move Silently           55%        +10%        +10%     75%
Hide in Shadows         43%        +10%        +10%     63%
Hear Noise              25%         +5%         ---     30%
Climb Walls             94%         +5%         ---     99%
Read Languages          35%        -10%         ---     25%

Adventure Seeds:

1. The characters have unknowingly trespassed across the Karacgh territory. Akach is sent out as a scout in order to determine their nature and intentions. He will attempt to sneak up on the party while using Skylos as a diversion.

2. The party is currently resting after it's most recent defeat at the hands of a prominent campaign villain. In town, the party is approached by Akach who is seeking his father and has been venturing through the forest for several weeks without much success. He says that the witch in the woods (yes, the same woman who turned one PC into a toad last week) told him to seek the party on this matter, that they would know of Azga and how to find him. Unbeknownst to the party, Azga is the villain who just kicked their collective hind-quarters.

3. While wandering through the woods, Akach finds definite signs of Ulma, his ward of childhood. Hoping very desperately to find her, he follows the traces, stalking her like a wild animal for several days and nights before finally realizing himself lost within the magical realm of the faerie folk. The inhabitants soon begin to stalk him instead, tormenting him for his unwarranted invasion and leaving him tied for the vultures within a blackened corner of the dwurmyrgroves seldom touched by sunlight or kindness. The PCs, similarly lost, find him pleading for aid. It may just be that their only way out of these lands is by finding Akach's ward. But can they trust him?