Lore

The History and Lore of the Nahara - Class creation and artwork By C. Gray, revision v2.1, for use with the World of Imarel.

Services and Training

Becoming Nahara isn't only a matter of choice but of being chosen. A woman may work for years, learn all the arts, and still be denied her official status if her devotion, personality, or performance are seen as inadequate. Training takes no less than ten years and the Companion is required to learn at least one instrument, several forms of dance, singing if she should have a pleasant voice, etiquette, aromatherapy, massage, psychology, philosophy, any number of intimate arts, accounting, and self defense, as well as a multitude of other options that make each Nahara's repertoire unique.

There is no such thing as a protégé who completes this training in less time. Ten years is a required length of time, though some may learn more skills in that time than others. It's not unusual for it to take two or three times that long.

The Nahara should always seek to expand her skills and knowledge. She should see her life as a form of art and it's beauty and quality should always be the core of her ambitions. There is no such thing as an angst-ridden Nahara, a woman of such personal weakness would never see through the requirements of training nor have her official status recognized.

Only one in ten women who train achieve their official status and the Order of Rhoah has no qualms about refusing the inadequate or undesirable no matter how much money or time they put into their training. The Order is considered one of the stricter and it's graduated, official members are seen as women of the highest quality and afforded the deepest respect.

Upon being accepted into the order, a Nahara is admitted to a new school of training; Nahara ritual magic. These magics are both spell and performance, accomplished in the form of complex combination of chant, material components, and dance. The Nahara practice a sort of ritual magic. It is highly specialized and the secrets of it are closely guarded. This form of magic is very difficult. On an individual basis simple songs and dances can accomplish canatrips and glamors but for any significant effect it takes many Nahara working in concert. These effects can vary from seer's arts to curses or blessings. One Nahara alone could not place a dangerous curse and Nahara are very selective, preferring to reserve use for only the most dire and significant circumstances for those kinds of magic.

The Nahara revere the Spirits of Tranquility and Pleasure and their rituals and dances are a tribute to inner peace and equilibrium. For the larger part these ceremonies are for blessings, divination, and protections. Nahara typically use the Divination, Abjuration and Charm/Beguilement schools. Magic is an integral part of the training, as spells must be cast subtly and mingled with sensuous movement, song or other pleasing art forms.

Most Nahara are Asyndi with Shei blood, or simply known as Asyn-Shei. An ancient family of this caste founded the Order. While any woman (or man) may join classes and take the training, it is usually only the long lived half-breeds of this caste that have the patience, devotion, and grace to achieve official status. There have been rare Shar'Vaire of noble houses, those with Human gypsy rather than elven blood, a scattering of full elves and Quar'Vess who have managed to gain their official status. Regardless they must all meet the rigorous standards of the Order. It is not an equal-opportunity occupation; the same standards apply to any woman of any race who takes the training.

What makes a Nahara vastly different from a prostitute starts in her very purpose. She may take on a client who desires only her company to a dinner or her attentions as a masseuse. Her purpose is to offer her presence as a fulfilling and enlightening experience. One of the most renowned women ever to grace the Order died a virgin well past her three hundredth year. To call a Nahara a prostitute is to call a Crusader a heretic and the suggestion would cause deep offense.