Alatharya
Appearance
Alatharya are sapient giants descended from the ancient race bearing the same name. They appear as enormous humans, with heavy, bulky builds and thickly-muscled limbs. Their hair is long and flowing, and ranges from white to grey in color. Their eyes are particularly keen, and may range from brown to black, or light to dark blue. Their skin always has a distinct silvery cast, although the precise shade may be lighter or darker depending on their region of origin. They average nine feet in height, making them larger than the similarly-sized chaja. Due to their lingering tribalism, it is common for alatharya to have one or more tattoos.
Personality
Alatharya concern themselves mostly with strength, endurance, and neutrality. An individual alatharya often takes pride on his strength in battle, as it is one of the few areas in which he excels. It also gives him one of his few bargaining chips with others, as weaker races often respect an alatharya's physical power. Because many alatharya live servants' lives, they have a healthy appreciation for the ability to endure. This may mean completing tasks, tolerating difficult company, or surviving betrayals. Although the details are long forgotten, the lingering racial memory of the fall prevent alatharya from ever willfully entering the struggle between good and evil. This creates a difficult balance, as their war-like proclivities draw them to battle, and their fear of punishment prevents them from taking permanent sides.
Because of the limitations placed upon their intellect by the Sundering, alatharya often have difficulty seeing the greater picture. They frequently fail to notice manipulation, which is only enhanced by their often overbearing gratitude at being treated kindly. Because the alatharya have little in Avendar to call their own, they are often outsiders wherever they go. They usually know well their limitations, and the difficulty of their lives; as a result, they frequently reject mainstream religions or creeds. The succor of Enirra seems to be one of their few blessings, leading nearly all alatharya to integrate at least some elements of Her worship into their lives.
