Kuspir Vabaseli

Kuspir is the oldest child of Heru Gargimnai and Mutur Vabaseli, farmers who live in Zhustir. He has a sister a few years younger than himself, Shosti. When he was fourteen he went to Nemnosti to become an acolyte there, although his parents probably assumed he would return after completing the courses. However, while there, he fell in love with one of his fellow acolytes, Geme, and they got married quite young, when he was eighteen and she was seventeen. Together they had two children, Irdomila and Rugu. Kuspir became a stoneguard once he had completed his training, and remained at Nemnosti to serve the Lady there. He was considered a promising up and coming young stoneguard for a while, until a tragedy occurred. Five years ago, his wife died in a sudden accident when she slipped on the stone stairs on the way down towards the river after a rainfall. Heartbroken, and seeking to make sure his children still had a mother, Kuspir had her brought back as a revenant, but with terrible consequences. Geme was alive, but no longer able to bear human contact. The sensory overload of being around other people made her suffer unbearable pain, and she can only live in complete isolation. This was very hard on Kuspir and the children, and he has struggled to move on with his life. He maintains contact with his wife via letters, which he writes every day, and has stubbornly refused the suggestion (from his family as well as hers) that he could divorce her and marry someone else. He seeks to ensure that his children are brought up safely, and performs his duties with adequate diligence, but whatever spark or enthusiasm he had for the world has faded. He gives little thought towards his own needs, and his former drive and ambition have waned to the point where he is largely just going through the motions.

Role

As a stoneguard, Kuspir's main responsibility is to the guarding and security of the entire ulajeta, including the interred Ancestors, the temple structure and its Voices, and of course the Lady Herself. In ordinary times it is a position of readiness and alertness, including training and exercises. Sometimes there are crimes requiring the use of force, but they are quite rare. You coordinate with locals and especially with the vultures to ensure that the Pardopasu and environs are kept clear of any threat. When there are unknown or untrusted guests, Kuspir would have some responsibility for ensuring everyone's physical safety, including the Ancestors who often receive visits from real or purported descendants. Kuspir has occasionally taught or trained acolytes in basic self-defense; it is not a military academy but some very basic skills are important. Of course Kuspir has duties to his children, but there are many Nemni around who also share that responsibility, so his home life is manageable.

NPCs

People

Ailal Takovenga: AKA Sister Hush. Warden - caretaker of Nemnosti's grounds and nearby areas, the person to go to if something is broken or amiss at the ulajeta. She is a descendant of your dimirabas Fezef so you have a friendly relationship with her from that connection.
Ajemika Nemni: AKA Knots or Cheva. A distant relative of your Nemni folks, eldest daughter of the hengi, Hojon. She was an acolyte just after you and a great friend of Zurusha who helped you get together. Hojon runs the lineage but it's probably fair to say that Ajemika runs the ulajeta, and is highly trusted by the elders of the lineage. Her daughter Henda is around the same age as Rugu and they play together.
Bache Tokanai: Usually called Cascade, they are a robber / brigand in the Pardopasu who sometimes cause grief, but you and the other stoneguards have a deal with them and their followers, and they even sometimes can provide useful information about what's going on outside the vicinity of the cloister.
Dadim Nemni: AKA Dumpling or Zhinozh. Zurusha's younger brother, runs a tavern called the Coathook in Naftusa where acolytes and locals often hang out. A good source of information, a friendly guy and of course you have a family connection.
Detevus Nemni: AKA The Coma or Ashas. The senior active stoneguard at Nemnosti but not the most powerful, usually has the privilege of guarding the Inner Caves. Cousin of the hengi and his family, more distant from Zurusha's branch. No-nonsense, somewhat sullen fellow.
Ganu Vabaseli: Your lineage's hengi, since about a year ago, still fresh in his job. His father and yours were close friends, but Ganu went to school in Onighus while you were an acolyte, and he's a bit older than you and used to hang with his friends at Gil Pirtu when you were small.
Ghegra Honogh: You usually would call her Khuz - you were acolytes together along with Zurusha. She is the new hengi of her lineage in Hertu, but is spending more time at Nemnosti, visiting Ancestors, training in weapons (with you and others), and seeking a husband.
Ghorgimbe Sortusai: AKA Braidworthy or Jazra. Noblewoman-turned-acolyte who chose the life of a stoneguard, in charge of weapons training for acolytes and adults at the ulajeta, and has been your teacher for 15+ years. Passionately loyal to Nemnu and the cloister. Knows every battle site and military event in the region's history.
Heru Gargimnai: Your mom - call her Black Kidney at your peril! Doesn't talk about her executed parents much, but you know she believes in upending the social class system. You definitely get your size/strength from her. Lives in Zhustir, been a while since you've seen her.
Irdomila Nemni: Your daughter, extremely bright, inquisitive, and compassionate, just like her mom. About to start acolyte training, with an aim to become a mystic - you have mixed feelings about that, perhaps. Very protective of her brother Rugu.
Jonte Gorga: AKA The Muzzle. Jonte is groom / Master of Horse and anything to do with the stables. Around your age, but wasn't an acolyte - you mainly know her through her older brother, your friend Legonosh.
Junu Arfendazi: AKA Quellstorm and Jagu - you could call him either. Acolyte about a year ahead of you, now one of the country's finest sculptors. Smartest person you know who isn't a mystic, full of clever jokes and keen observations. A good friend.
Kesta Ghaglizote: AKA Ringer and Tifrin. Kesta was an acolyte at the same time as you, and at that time she and Ghegra Honogh were girlfriends, and they're still close. Kesta taught crafts at the ulajeta for many years before some sort of dispute with Nemnu led her to leave. She now works as a skilled weaver in Naftusa and as an advisor to her aunt, the hengi of her lineage.
Legonosh Gorga: AKA The Hoof, Kefun. Was an acolyte just before you, a bit of a bully back then, now in charge of discipline of acolytes. Never had the theological inclination to become a stoneguard, has an enormous booming voice. Loves rock and wall climbing with you and others. Going grey early, but just as strong as ever, or moreso.
Mutur Vabaseli: Your dad. Spends most of his time talking about the state of his fields, his lineage, of which he's very proud, and his two kids, you and your sister Shosti.
Naka Igriz: Your mother-in-law, only ever Naka to you. You have a common bond in that you both married into the Nemni. Wants Irdomila to become her successor as herbalist at the ulajeta. Has an acerbic wit, but is actually a super kindly generous person.
Nezel Varokhi: Sentinel based in Naftusa, captain of the garrison there. Sometimes has joint operations with Nemnosti, but more often, quarrels over jurisdiction and getting in each others' way. Not a fan of the ulajeta's independent streak.
Pomirabe Sortusai: AKA Teeters (after a drunken incident) and Elof. Pomirabe is a close friend - you were acolytes and trained together in various martial pursuits, but whose noble family would not hear of him staying to become a stoneguard, but insisted on him training as a sentinel, in which capacity he now works at the garrison in Naftusa. He has a lot of money and plenty of political connections but you went through a lot together and are still close. His son Rembes is just about the same age as your Irdomila.
Regivus Losturi: AKA Micho. Regivus comes from a good common lineage, as you do, and like you, married into the Nemni (his wife Ajemika is Hojon's eldest daughter). You and Pomirabe are the same age as him and used to hang out a lot as acolytes, although Regivus has never cared for physical training. He now works as the cellarer at the ulajeta making sure that there is always enough and proper food and drink present.
Rembes Kaisastelovis: Sentinel, great military hero of the nobility "The Lion", now hengi of his lineage. Had a role in putting down the rebellion of Ekrakosh and other military actions in the area. Very involved in politics, including at the ulajeta.
Rubo Keronaf: AKA Trundles or Aikesh; you would call him either of these, or Rubo in mixed company. Your ally and good friend, kind of a big brother. VERY big. Super friendly, beloved of the stoneguards at the ulajeta. Comes from a poor country lineage from Hertu; married to a Ravre woman who lives up the hill in Akapa Sogo.
Rugu Nemni: Your son. Definitely struggling hard with his mom's condition, has been prone to tearful outbursts but really normally a quiet kid, very cautious with his life and yours.
Sakasa Nemni: AKA Vivid-red / Viv / Vinda. Envoy for the ulajeta, a distant cousin of Zurusha, a couple years older than you. Long-time friend of you and Zurusha. Single since her divorce, there has been talk among the Nemni about you and her as a kind of partnership, but she does NOT seem interested in attachments.
Shosti Vabaseli: AKA Burnbean / Bean, which you often call her. Your sister, somewhat of a loud and overbearing temperament, and strong of opinions. You get along fine, with the usual range of annoyances, and you really do wish her well with this latest marriage prospect.
Tamandu Sempi: AKA Pavavi; few still living call him Tamandu. Former Hulti, convert and now one of the most loyal acolytes. You rely on him when you need to pull magic arms and armor from Nemnu's vast repository. Family in Zhustir knows yours well.
Zaren Nemni: AKA Zesty and Ronu. Your father-in-law, father of Zurusha, Ifa, Izu, Dadim. A retired stoneguard after a serious injury more than a decade ago. Proud of his family and very proud of you. Fond of a friendly conversation about weapons and a nice warm beska beer.

Revenants

Aru Ninderulai: You normally call them by their dimir, Sadal. Your familiar relationship was shaped by their father Medimur being your dimirabas, establishing a familiarity with someone different in profession and generation. Their relationship to the Hand and the Corps is very complicated by their personal history. Always seems a bit sad.
Bem Pekai: Usually just Bem, but Lozla in in informal settings. Was an acolyte after you and you helped train her. You still train together now that she's a stoneguard. When she died and was revived just a year or so after Zurusha, that was a lot to deal with. Very sensitive about the whole Hulti / family thing.
Zurusha Nemni: Your wife, your love. Lamna when you first met; Geme is what you called her as acolytes, and still often do; Zurusha still feels hard on your tongue and Whimsy no longer fits as it once did. Your interaction with her now is all at a distance, by letters mainly, which you write back and forth all the time. She seems happy to still be able to serve at Nemnosti as a bookbinder, but especially sad about the children.

Ancestors

Fezef Takovenga: There are lots of people who are very jealous (bitter?) that he is your altamu (Pillar). But you get it - the loyalty, the intimidation, the massive 25-foot statue that you salute every day. At first, talking to him was just as intimidating as the statue, but no longer. A Ravre from the high hills, not really 'civilized' but exceptionally proud.
Medimur Ninderulai: Your dimirabas, after whom you were named by the Lady. Like you, a soldier who married into the Nemni, but comes from the nobility. He wants to know how his family and lineage are doing, which is a tough conversation every single time.

Special Notes

The Vabaseli family farmlands abut the mighty ruins of Gil Pirtu, the fort that defended the province during the two Khutu-Taizian wars centuries ago. Though now abandoned, you and others from Zhustir would play around there as kids a lot, so you know it intimately. You still have an old Omban silver coin that you found in there once. There are still parts that aren't fully explored and one time, a local kid, Vor Cheskai, got lost in there and was never found.
You never knew your mom's family much, and she doesn't talk about them. But you have a strong memory from when you were about nine, of a (then) visiting young man who your mom called Molar, who seemed kind of like a relation, and they were talking about something called Moot. When you asked about it you were sharply scolded, which solidified the memory even further.
You have a passing familiarity with the Register of Patrols, a long series of books going back centuries of the activities of the stoneguards at Nemnosti. While you are no scholar, and some of these old records are full of strange handwriting and abbreviations, you know there is a vast repository of knowledge of the everyday and the unusual in there.
The stoneguards of Nemnosti have a centuries-long tradition, of course, which includes a well-known motto "Until Feet Fail". Lesser-known (though not quite a secret) is a shared codeword, 'fervent(ly)' - when a stoneguard uses that word in a sentence it is meant to alert other stoneguards that something is amiss and to be highly alert.

Kuspir Vabaseli

Contents

Vitals

Biography

Role

NPCs

People

Revenants

Ancestors

Special Notes

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