Ralveran Lore and TTRPG Rules: The Ul'Varin

Greetings from Devar,

As of late, many explorers have sought me out seeking knowledge on one particular subject that has captivated many a traveler and terrified a good handful more; the Ul'Varin. The skeletons of fire and ice who live out their undeath upon the slopes of the Vents themselves!

Hence their more colloquial moniker, the Ventwalkers.

If you seek this knowledge yourself, read on. I will do my best to impart what discoveries have been made on the Ul'Varin, and what we have yet to uncover.

Original concept art for Varin, the Prophet Knight. Drawn by John Spencer, as of the rest of the art in this post.

The Ul'Varin

I suppose I should start at the beginning. The Ul'Varin are a race of elementally-charged skeletons that reside upon the slopes of both the Scorch Vents and the Frost Vents. While they were once alive—some from recent decades and others from ages long past—none remember anything but their name. There are a few indisputable rules when it comes to the resurrection of an Ul'Varin skeleton. First and foremost, they are always human. There are no reanimated raptor or tauninagan skeletons slithering around on the Vent slopes, as horrifying or intriguing as you may find that. Once resurrected, an Ul'Varin's new life will last anywhere from sixty years to well over a century and a half, as long as their bones can hold the energy that pulses within.

Secondly, and for unknown reasons, there can only be a fixed number of Ul'Varin alive at each Vent. It is theorized that the size of the Vent dictates how many it can resurrect at a time. The Ysera Vent only supports a few hundred Ventwalkers, while the Tarakos Vent has a population in the several thousands, with both Frost Vents supporting even more. The exact numbers have escaped my records, but it is well-known that when one Ventwalker falls, another skeleton claws its way up from the rubble to take its place. Thus, every Ul'Varin settlement will scavenge and hoard corpses in vast catacombs beneath their fortresses, so that when one of their own dies, there is a higher chance the next skeleton will resurrect safe from the raging elements and roaming monsters of the Vents. Many skeletons find their new undeath cut viciously short due to unlucky circumstances of their revival, melted beneath a rogue lava flow or slashed apart by a Vent beast.

Luckily for the Ul'Varin, there is no shortage of skeletons buried in the wastes of the Vents. Foolish adventurers add more every year.

Brought back into unlife by the unnatural power of the Vents, the Ul’Varin believe their sworn duty is to stand as the first line of defense against the monstrosities that crawl from the Vents; even those that leave the Vents, whether to see the world or find other purpose, are usually the most steadfast travelers you can encounter. Those that stay on the Vents’ slopes become warriors of unrivaled ferocity, their devotion to Varin and the defense of Ralvera sometimes bordering on zealotry.

Now this sparks another question. Who exactly is Varin? The skeletons evoke his name quite often. Since this is a lesson of history, not mythology, I will spare you the finer details of the story (for now), but know this. Varin is the Prophet Knight, God of Duality and of the Ul’Varin. According to Ul’Varin myth, the Vents were created in an apocalyptic battle between Varin and Immortanus, the Calamity Hydra. Varin buried Immortanus deep within the earth, and the roar of her eight fiery red heads and two icy white ones erupted into the Vents we know today. The Ul’Varin believe their god will return to finish what he started, sealing the Vents by defeating the Calamity Hydra. Thus, they take their eternal watch, slaying the hideous beasts that spawn within the earth and await their god’s return.

Just like his worshippers, the Prophet Knight is dual-faceted, with a warrior’s arm and a scholar’s mind. That brings us to the Ul’Varin-Rak and the Ul’Varin-Zul.

Original concept art for the Zul and Rak. A revamped version of the Rak made it into The Oasis Stone, and the Zul art looks suspiciously like Eiklo.

The Ul'Varin-Rak

The Rak dwell in rocky monastery fortresses, jutting from the jagged obsidian spires of the Scorch Vents. They place their belief in the Knight aspect of Varin, practicing strict martial discipline amongst their tight-knit fighting forces. Their skeletons are charged with fiery elemental power, and their bones are infused with unnatural raw strength. Even the weakest Rak has a strength that rivals ten full-grown men. The most skilled warriors amongst the Rak are provided phoenix mounts, which they fly with glorious abandon into ashen battle.

The Ul'Varin-Zul

The Zul worship the prophet aspect of Varin, seeking contemplative solace in their glacial cathedrals, built in the shadows of the world-shaking Frost Vents. These skeletons are charged with ice-cold elemental power, lacing their bones with freezing rime. While they lack the inhuman strength of their fire-clad Rak brethren, the Zul have a special sense that allows them to locate Vent beasts, even at great distances. The most accomplished Zul priests have the ability to press their will over such Vent beasts, putting them to sleep or even, rumor has it, taking control of their mind. This is absolutely necessary for their survival on the Frost Vents, where the leviathans are of such horrific size that a battalion of Rak would struggle to take them down.

Volcomancy Amongst the Ventwalkers

While you and I may known it as the Ventix Stratus, the Ul’Varin believe the power of volcomancy comes from the blood of the Calamity Hydra, spilling over the land. They call it the Du’ul Immortanus—the Du’ul, for short. It is not uncommon for a Ventwalker to have some volcomantic training. Living on a Vent, it is far easier to trap and manifest the Ventix Stratus, and the skeletons will use any means necessary to bring down a Vent beast. The Rak will always have a fire-based Natural Manifestation, and the Zul will always have an ice-based one. The elements are simply too ingrained in their being.

Final Thoughts

As a whole, little is known about the Ventwalkers because most people want nothing to do with them. Undead beings of fiery bone and glowing eyes, born from the most treacherous landscapes in Ralvera, are considered just as approachable as a gorgonwolf. However, those that do befriend an Ul’Varin will always find a brave soul or insightful scholar, devout to their cause and loyal to the people of Ralvera.

Thanks for reading, fellow explorers.

See you in Devar and farther,

Jack

Ul'Varin Rules for D&D 5E

Want to play an Ul’Varin in your D&D game? See below to build your own skeleton. If you’re playing a spellcaster and want to be extra immersive (or just extra), limit yourself to only fire or ice-based spells, depending on your flavor of skeleton.

D&D Statblocks formatted with the Homebrewery