Sarr | Tyrrapedia: Encyclopedia of Tyrra

Sarr are a race of intelligent and civilized feline-humanoids that live in a kingdom known as Myrr, which is just west of Lake Quentari, across from the Elven lands. They look like humanoid cats.

Sarr do not refer to themselves as Sarr. The word they use for themselves is "Gorbé." When the Gorbé first settled in Myrr, they were met by Quentari elves. In their first communications the elves asked, "What are you?" and pointed at the Gorbé. They replied, "Sarh," which means "head." The Gorbé had misunderstood and thought the elves were pointing at their heads.

Gorbé are color-blind and have a heightened sense of smell, which allows them to detect disease or poison but does not allow them to identify it. Something that smells unpleasant to a human will smell twice as bad to a Gorbé. They can detect poisons by smell and those few Gorbé who go adventuring sometimes join on with a group as food testers and or bodyguards. Although they cannot see different colors, their other senses are very sharp and they have exceptionally quick reflexes. In addition, Gorbé are resistant to disease.

They are also very fierce, and may not seem too civilized to non-Gorbé. They usually kill by tearing their victims apart and they are in great demand as assassins. Gorbé will often consume their kills on the field of battle, while the blood is still fresh, however, many Gorbé also supplement their diets with fruits, vegetables, and bread. They prefer swords and other edged weapons to all others.

Gorbé do not approve of the use of celestial magicks; being more instinctually attuned to the earth, they prefer and understand earth magicks much better. Chaos is the accepted, legal form of battle magic within the Gorbé Clans. The Gorbé are, however, completely opposed to Necromancy with regard to the creation and control of undead. These things are considered atrocities against the Earth, and Gorbé are taught from birth to respect and defend the sanctity of the Earth. The destruction of the corrupt Gorbé that practice this form of Necromancy is quite common, obliterations being the rule rather than the exception. The Gorbé have a few problems with human laws. Though most Gorbé will argue strongly about the distinct differences between Battle Magic and Necromancy, they won’t openly defy the law. Now, this is not to say that Gorbé healers won’t whip off a few Cause Mortal Wounds when they’re with people they trust or if they’re in a more lenient kingdom, but generally obliteration is enough of a threat to keep their itchy Chaos fingers in check.

The Gorbé sometimes have difficulty adapting to the customs and habits of non-Gorbé. They especially do not understand why Humans and others allow dogs in their towns and farms, and they have difficulty getting along with some of the other races on Tyrra. Most Gorbé, however, have managed to adjust to the ways of civilization.

The Gorbé are a matriarchal society, the females outnumbering the males 4 to 1. In Gorbé society, females give the family its name as well as being the only members of society able to inherit and/or hold a title. A Grand Matriarch, the eldest female of the eldest family, rules each clan. A council made up of the eldest female from each family assists her. This eldest female holds the title of "Sandaj", a rough translation being "lady," no matter how rich, poor, old, or young she is. A council of the eldest females of the other families assists her in her duties. Ladyships are inherited, while the title of "Sangar," or dame, is earned. It is very difficult to gain such an honor, and anyone that you encounter in game with such a title deserves your character’s respect.

Families within Myrr usually live within a compound of "apartments" where the entire extended family lives. All Gorbé of the generation older than oneself are referred to as "mother" or "father," all Gorbé of the same generation are referred to as "brother" or "sister," and those of a younger generation are referred to as “son” or "daughter."

They are fierce warriors and hunters, but enjoy competing with one another for sport, they do not make war upon each other, or their neighbors, without good cause. Being patient, a Gorbé will not forget a wrong done to him or her. A Gorbé will wait, sometimes years, for just the right moment to get revenge. 'Cat and mouse is a great game as long as you are not the mouse,' goes an old saying. The killing of a fellow Gorbé, even through inaction, can be frowned upon to the point of banishment from Clans or death.

The highest form of treason is fighting between families, even worse is the causing of war between two Matriarch’s families. Being convicted of such a crime usually means death or banishment from Clan. A traveler is quite safe among the Gorbé, unless he or she violates their laws or commits a grave breach of hospitality.

The Gorbé quite often find themselves outside of their homelands, as they suffer from the wanderlust that most races also endure. When the Gorbé make their way out into Tyrra, they tend to find one another and form informal packs. Gorbé dwellings, or Cathouses as the humans call them, are common in most towns. Though several of the big cats hunt alone, this is not true of the Gorbé, who seem to find comfort in the presence of others of their kind. There will always be loners, of course, and most Gorbé respect these choices.