Raith Karanis

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RaithKaranis02.jpg
Raith Karanis
Player: @Taosin
Also known as: Rayth Karanis, Raith Karanys, Varasin, Varasin Karanasi
Age: appears to be mid to late-twenties
Description: 6', athletic build, green eyes sometimes black, grey hair Raith
Base of Operations: Paragon City (Kings Row), The Rogue Isles (Cap au Diable)

Table of Contents

Synopsis
Overview
Skills, Lore and Capabilities
Demeanor and Social
Friends, and others
Assets and Resources
The Circle of Labal
Detailed Background and Articles

Synopsis

Raith appears to be a grey-haired man of approximately 30 years, usually quick of wit and with a wry sense and sometimes low sense of humour. Some will realise he is a peacebringer of sorts, while others may understand he is also Varasin Karanasi, priest, scholar and a mage of sorts. Raith lives in both Paragon City and the Etoilles, and seems to know a lot of people.

Raith Karanis

Varasin Karanasi

Overview

Varasin was a talented priest and scholar who came to the isles as a (hopefully) final step in a long task he was required to achieve. Arriving in the Isles in early 2008, he settled there, made friends, and comsistently worked towards this goal — along with the others he had come with. Along the way he had a relationship for a time with Asher Mitchell. He later met Tom Frost, they fell in love, and they have been together since.

At the very end of 2008 Varasin managed to complete the task he had commenced all those years ago. It cost the life, in a way, of Kleon. Kleon the man who with Varasin had been the constant other half in this task. It also cost Varasin his soul and body. Originally, he had planned it would cost him his mind as well. However, as the time drew near he found he could not face this, and sought a method way within his skills and lore to return to Tom in some fashion. This was the one and only compromise Varasin ever made throughout this quest. He found that way.

Through a stange quirk of fate, Varasin had encountered, and aided, Raith Karanis some years before. At the time, he had sensed some very faint connection of sorts between them, but never delved into what that was. In late 2008 he again encountered Raith. In fact, he was drawn to the place where Raith lay dying, his mind guttering out after a violent attack. Varasin did not have the skills to save Raith's mind, not in the mere moments left to him to act. He had, however, been researching Nictus for his task and to aid Miss Ollie at a later time, if required. Specifically the primeval Nictus of ancient Cimerora. One in particular he knew of, 'brother', in a sense, to the one that sits to the left of Romulus. This he summoned. It answered, they talked, and Ara Tenebrae agreed to rest within Raith and anchor the mind to his body and soul for a time, but only for a time.

And at the time Varasin accomplished his task, his mind — memories, will and psyche — were able to return to Raith's body. This permitted the being of Raith to continue. However, it is Varasin's mind that is dominant. Raith's mind is harmed and fragile, without the ability to connect to body and soul for any length of time without harm and degradation. It rests within and is cognizent and aware; although Raith's mind often sleeps in despair, still. Ara Tenebrae also rests within, slumbering, not yet fully awake.

Varasin had made plans if he had returned, these he put in place; easily able to move about Paragon City and the Etoilles. Still, it is a period of flux and change for him, a new accommodation and a shifting of priorities.

Skills, Lore and Capabilities

  • Varasin was, and remains, a Necromancer. This is not the raising of Zombies and such, but the older meaning of the term, common up until the Renaissance. He uses Necromancy for weal, rather than woe. This Necromancy has it's origins in the pre-Christian tradition, is refeenced also in the bible, although Varasin's scholarly pursuits permit him to be familiar with other metaphysical and theological paradigms.
For more information see Necromancy in Komturei Lore. Typical examples include healing friends, warding them (their mind, body and/or spirit); harming or weakening foes; communing with someone's spirit and so on.
  • Demonologist. A scholarly pursuit Varasin had pursued with vigour since a relatively early age.
  • Apportation. Varasin can apport small items (from somewhere else) quite easily. He tends not to be flashy about this. (See Detective Parker if you want flashy.)
  • Diabolist. The summoning, binding, and also dismissing of various categeories of demons and otherworldly beings. It usually requires knowledge about the being concerned, the more knowledge the greater the chance of success. Diabolism is always a dangerous undertaking. Once again, a scholarly pursuit. When actually practiced, an immesnse will is always required; usually along with paraphenalia such as circles, wards, sigils and complex mandalas.
  • Priest. Varasin was an ordained priest of the Roman Catholic church. In his mind and heart he remains so. However, he will no longer publically practice his vocation, given his soul is forever gone. In private, or at the need and request of those who understand, he will, of course. He is unable to not give of himself in this way when asked.
  • Languages. English, Latin, Greek, Hebraic, Aramaic, Akkad, Russian. In varying degrees of skill.
  • Illumination and Cartography. Varsin is skilled at illumination and cartography.
  • Technology. Varasin is at best average with technology. The one exception being devices relating to teleportation and portals. He was forced to invest time in learning this to complete his task, and has an almost genius level aptitude for such.
  • Peacebringer. Raith Karanis is not classed as a Peace Bringer by the Paragon authorities. He is very careful while in the city to only be seen to behave accordingly, as he slowly develops a relationship with the (mostly) slumbering Nictus within.
  • Theologian, metaphysician, anthropologist. Following in the footsteps of Teilhard de Chardin (his exemplar), Varasin has a deep and abiding passion for these lores, with degrees in each; alongside his Doctor of Divinity.
  • Analyst.
  • Assassin. For a time after coming to the Isles in early 2008, Varasin became an accomplished assassin, apparently working for Arachnos. He was however clandestinely following the lead of Olivia Adams. He left theor service after several months, having achieved both his goals and the necessary information and lore he required. He no longer has the physical abilities he had at that time, but retains the knwledge and experiences it gave him.

Demeanor and Social

Varasin is a humanist in all senses of the word; this is possibly his defining trait. "humanist: a person having a strong interest in or concern for human welfare, values, and dignity; a person devoted to or versed in the humanities; a student of human nature or affairs; a classical scholar. Humanist: any one of the scholars of the Renaissance who pursued and disseminated the study and understanding of the cultures of ancient Rome and Greece, and emphasized secular, individualistic, and critical thought; a person who follows a form of scientific or philosophical humanism."

Assets

  • His friends and allies
  • The Komturei, and it's resources and capital located on the continent
  • His knowledge and lore
  • The Annexes, specifically the awakened structure that the physical Annexes are part of
  • His library, accessable only to him and two others.

Zahir and Aleph Creating a Zahir or Aleph is probably one of Varasin's favorite ways to try and hinder or help someone; it always has been. At times the Zahir or Aleph is what he says, at other times it is a physical or arcane thing. Loosely put, a zahir is "person or an object that has the power to create an obsession in everyone who sees it, so that the affected person perceives less and less of reality and more and more of the Zahir, at first only while asleep, then at all times." And Aleph is "a point in space that contains all other points. Anyone who gazes into it can see everything in the universe from every angle simultaneously, without distortion, overlapping or confusion." (Please note the player is a huge fan of the author Jorge Luis Borges magical realism; as well as Italo Calvino. The Zahir and Aleph motifs appear repeatedly in any signiciant RP these charcters have.)

And some text here

Friends, and others

Summary: click here to see details of the summary below.

Friends

Tom Frost
Seba'eld
Josephina
Kat
Blaze
Olivia Adams
Mark Kinsley
Lorena

Possibly not friends, or otherwise complex

Labal
Detective Parker
Asher Mitchell

Organisations

The Komturei
Phoenix Insurrection
21 Stones

Assets and Resources

Quantum Increases.

The Circle of Labal

Summary: Varasin has complex history with Labal. In June 2009 he finished a short discourse on the Ashen King of Lies, which is in limited circulation to his allies, and to some others including Labal.

Detailed Background and Articles

Varasin: Background
Raith's Story

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