The Famous Woodcut Ithisian Gothic
Description
Two of the most unique characters to wander the world of Cyrus are Rhuak Shin and Harvis. Rhuak Shin is a large large battle hardened ogre, with so many earrings and nose rings detailing his past battle victories that he has been called the windchime by some. He barely talks but has been instrumental in some of the greatest battles throughout the land. Harvis is a lanky and lean Shepperd who quite possibly holds the greatest amount of magical knowledge any one man is capable of holding. The two will sometimes travel together and are steadfast friends.
History/Story
Harvis was traveling with his palamino horse named gunshy one day. His sheep were behaving and all of them were moving in the same direction for once. Harvis’s long bore single shot was tied in tightly but the skys were starting to look like rain. As luck would have it there was a cave opening large enough to just fit the sheep the horse and the man. Harvis entered and camped out. When he was digging a pit for the, ahem remainings of the day he broke into a clay wall. Digging more and more he eventually broke through into a storeroom of scrolls and spells long lost to the world and written in some strange tounge.
Harvis spent many days and nights there in the scroll storeroom and traveled there again often over the years. Being gifted with an incredible memory he absorbed and memorized almost all of it.
Travelling in the area a few years later Rhuak Shin had killed a mountain goat and was cooking it. The large ogre had been on a sabbatical from his village, gaining solitude and peace away from the other ogres. He was out composing poetry in the woods and after many days of unwanted fasting had been overjoyed to come across a wild ram caught in a bush. Rhuak thanked taoes and then broke the rams neck and started cooking it.
Harvis having lost a few sheep lately had been out hunting the wolf he thought took them. He came across rhuak’s camp. Smelling the meat and seeing wool in the trees Harvis jumped to conclusions. He tried to strike up a conversation and eventually began accusing Rhuak Shin for his silence. The two began to fight and at the end were both left bloody and beaten. Harvis cussed using some of the words he had been memorizing but unable to understand on the scrolls in the cave. Rhuak Shin immediately stopped and began writing down the words, they were the perfect Ogre quatraine he needed for his latest poem. Reciting it aloud it appeared the phrase when spoken by one ritualized, Rhuak being a natural born spirit mancer, was a spell of fire control. The flames of his fire leapt into the air and created a light show in the sky. This was how they discovered that the scrolls were written in Ogre and were magical in nature.
The two traveled together translating what Harvis remembered of the scrolls and Rhuak Shin found himself very apt at actually using the magics. Harvis and Rhuak became fast friends over the next few years and traveled throughout the lands. This was hundreds of years ago, but by some means Harvis and Rhuak are still seen roaming the lands today. They are sought out as magical fonts of knowledge but in reality they only want to continue their simple lives. Some say that Harvis and Rhuak shin often travel to a place called Shamballa to drink of the life giving waters there. Others say within the scrolls was a spell for immortality. The site of the scroll cave has been found and it was discovered that flood waters had entered the cave from the hole that harvis had made, thus ruining the remaining scrolls.
Harvis and Rhuak Shin inadvertently left much of their translated writings behind in various towns across Pero and Ithis. Those writings were turned into much of the esoteric magical knowledge we have today and incorporated into the Gnostic teachings, and it is said that within harvis’s limitless memory there are hundreds more yet to be discovered. Harvis, however is reluctant to share his magical knowledge. Rhuak Shin has been known to be more forthcoming with his knowledge and will aid those who prove to him they have good reason and good cause. When he speaks he is the voice of reason as his thoughts having usually been reasoned for many many days before an utterance emerges from his lips. Rhuak shin has been known to say the right words at the right time in tense situations to stop entire wars. If that doesn’t work he usually has a devastating spell at hand to end the situation entirely.
Addendums
- Rhuak Shin and Harvis were first sighted aroudn 300 a.e. and later around 450 a.e., 623 a.e., 850, a.e. 1070 a.e., 1490a.e., a.e. 2053 a.e. and 2290 a.e..
- Various rumours have started around the reaons why these two have been seen at various ages. It is said that they have found spells for immortality, are celestials or dragons who sleep between the ages, are transported to a magical land where they live on a different timeset and are foul demonic vampyres who arise only to feast, and many other reasonings.
- The most likely explanation though is found in the start of the cult which arose and followed the original Rhuak Shin and Harvis. This group went around collecting the writings and translated poetry of Rhuak Shin, and attribute most of the translation to Harvis. Many of these became gnostic texts and the basis for many arcanist spells. The book of Spirit, a collection of spell-songs and poems by Rhuak Shin is one of the most read books in the continent of Pero. A while ago it became popular in Ithis and Clave as well. As well as promoting the works of the two it is said that when an ogre and a human from this cult attain mastery of their texts they take up the name Rhuak Shin and Harvis and travel around in honor of the originators. It is said that certain disciples are groomed to fulfill these roles. Since the reawakening of magic these journeys have been less and less and have never been truly verified.
