The Tharici in Tarsikka
Sibling, parent, magi, thief, guide, evil, untrustworthy, savior. The Tharici are called all of these things by the people of Tarsikka every day.
The wanderers known as the Tharici are amongst those that believe Tarsikka used to be the Empire of Tharicia. It is from this great, bygone empire that they take their name. They claim that they are the true heirs to Tarsikkan soil and nobility, having long been cast out. Tharici wander the lands of Tarsikka, peddling their wares, acting as guides and bodyguards to those that need it, and serving as wise men and women for those that request their considerable magical services. For it is true, the ritualists in Tarsikka are incredibly skilled, but even they do not possess some of the secrets that the Tharici hold. To many ritualists and cabals, this is an affront to their sensibilities. These wandering vagabonds waste secrets of power on frivolities and superstitious locals to make some quick coin. It is unsurprising that many Tharici caravans are found attacked and looted in the far reaches of the nation, with only their documents and magical implements missing.
However, wander they must. Tarsikkan nobles are not known for their generosity towards the Tharici, and many commoners believe the Tharici are to blame for the ills of the country. The insular nation is quick to blame any new woes on outsiders, for their mistrust of outsiders has only escalated with time and isolation since the Creeping War. If a person mysteriously vanishes, or livestock become dry, or crops wither, it is the Tharici that catch the blame. They must be quick of tongue and even quicker with their feet to survive in Tarsikka. Certainly, there are times when a Tharici man or woman is indeed to blame. Things have been stolen, only to be found later in a caravan when it stops at another town. Commoners have woken up just in time, after being poisoned or influenced by magic, to see their homes being robbed or a blade about to be buried in their chests. None can deny the strange magics that certain Apa, the elders and leaders of the caravans, sometimes wield. It is this strange magic, sometimes drawing on blood, flesh and even the stuff of spirits that many in Tarsikka covet. Some come to bargain with the Tharici, and some might even be taught the secrets. Some never return at all. Rumors in Tarsikka have Tharici performing unhallowed and vicious rites alone and in the woods, binding themselves with dark pacts and bargains, and becoming horrific instruments of vengeance and murder. When asked of this, the Tharici make warding gestures and turn away from the inquisitive customer. Asking Silver Swordsmen about this results in a stern glare indicating that this line of questions leads only to the dungeons.
In spite of this, the Tharici are more welcome here than anywhere else. Their reputations do not always paint them well, and other nations are wary of outsiders in some cases. Many Tharici accept this wandering in Tarsikka as part of their lives, and try to survive without making too much fuss. Others struggle against the perceived injustice, and work to be more accepted in Tarsikka and reclaim the glory they claim was once theirs. Still others do not accept this lot at all, and punish the people of Tarsikka for being so foolish. A smaller minority, yet still a present one, leave Tarsikka all together, seeking to learn about the world and either find a new home, or find something that might allow their people to rest and stop their wandering.