J’kharni

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J’kharni is a fan OC for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. He is a centuries old pure-blooded Vampire Lord from Elsweyr who runs a mercenary guild in Falkreath called Ketri-katatajna, or Playful Bite, which is run very much like a mafia. His rivals are the Companions, Skyrim’s own special mercenary guild, which, ironically, are secretly werewolves. By his side are his two trusted bodyguards, Ko’misha and Zayuln, who share a history with him as vampire lords from the cult they all left behind.

Appearance

J’kharni was born sometime around the end of the 3rd Era under the waxing Mercer and full Secunda moons, and so he is a Cathay Khajiit, but is taller than average, standing at 6’8″ (2.03m). He appears as a fit, anthropomorphic feline with plantigrade legs. He has yellow-orange eyes with very narrow black slits and black sclera. His fur is light brown with manila and lighter brown markings, black stripes and spots, and long, reddish-brown hair that he usually keeps draped across his left shoulder. He has three scars on the right side of his snout. His mouth is curled, making him look like he’s permanently smiling, and his fangs simply look like an average Khajiit’s canines. He has three bronze piercings on both ears with the bottom piercing sporting a Senche tooth.

In his vampire lord form, he’s a much larger, hulking figure standing at 9’3″ (2.82m) with a sickly green palette. He sports fleshy wings, his hair is more wild, and the fur around his face grows out. He also wears traditional clothing worn by his tribe.

Personality

J’kharni comes off as a wise, caring and responsible leader despite his young looks. He is a confident, smooth-talking and generous individual, and can get out of just about any situation through his charismatic words (and sometimes with his vampiric abilities). Despite being very large for a Cathay Khajiit, he doesn’t take advantage of his size unless absolutely necessary. He prefers to use his words to settle conflicts, or, if need be, using his appearance to seduce someone. He is a very patient individual and bides his time to achieve his goals, but he is also ambitious and power-hungry, building his own empire as the leader of a less-savory mercenary guild. Deep down he has a cruel streak, and likes to crush his enemies or dominate someone in battle, drinking their blood like a crazed animal.

History

J’kharni was born as a mortal and was raised in a cult called the Kha’jay-kuza Shir or “Moonteeth Clan”, which consists of pure-blooded Khajiit vampires who live out in the Anequina deserts of Elsweyr somewhere around the Weeping Scar (more on them here). He was a natural and charismatic prodigy, and he was, as per his mother’s dying wishes, set to replace his mother as a Clan Mother, but was denied it at every turn. This was because he was highly aware that he was in a cult, but he wanted to change its ways, being power-hungry and influential, and also, unlike the rest of the clan, he viewed outsiders differently, and got into all sorts of trouble mingling with them in his youth. That never really went away in his adulthood albeit now layered with promiscuous desires, and eventually this would come to bite him in the ass one day.

Scarred and humiliated by one of the Clan Mothers for an unapproved relationship, J’kharni was further denied his mother’s title, and was forced to be under supervision at all times when leaving the clan for duties and trade. Despite this, he considered this to be a temporary punishment, and bid his time by influencing the rest of the clan with his charisma and generosity to force the Clan Mothers’ hand. The Clan Mothers considered him a threat and tried to get rid of him at every turn, but he was always one step ahead of them due to his influence. The cult had also been dealing with instability for the past decade, and during this instability two clan members, Ko’misha and Zayuln, attempted to create their own unapproved thralls— a violation of the tenets— and then fled prosecution. In exchange for his mother’s title, J’kharni, along with his supervisor, were tasked with hunting down these fugitives.

However, he was aware that the Clan Mothers were trying to get rid of him as always— he knew his supervisor was going to eventually kill him once they found the two women. As they travelled across Tamriel meeting new faces and cultures, he reflected on his original desire to become a Clan Mother, and the horrific abuse he endured at their hands. He set a plan in motion, and purposely feigned incompetence while apprehending Ko’misha and Zayuln to prolong the hunt. Once he reached Skyrim, he finally stopped playing around and turned on his supervisor and spared Ko’misha and Zayuln, convincing them to start a new life in Skyrim once he learned they were fleeing the cult for personal freedom. From then on, he decided he will cut all ties from the cult, and start fresh and anew but with purpose: to form a business empire, and he planned on doing this as the leader and owner of a private mercenary guild.

However, since the cult was situated out in a place of high crime, he was raised on loose morals, and found nothing wrong with engaging in criminal activity as long it didn’t harm the weak and vulnerable. It was hard work, but he and his new companions made a name for themselves in Falkreath. After earning the Jarl’s favor, J’kharni was able to purchase land and form an official mercenary guild there, funded mostly through gambling, smuggling, and the Jarl’s coffers. They called it “Ketrikatatajna”, stylized as “Ketri-katatajna” for easier pronunciation for the Nords, and it means “playful bite” in Ta’agra- he wanted the name of his guild to sound friendly, mostly. He hired Ko’misha and Zayuln to be his personal bodyguards, even though he seems to be protecting them more than they are protecting him.

Despite his criminal activities, he also protected the community very well. Most know him as a generous, kind-hearted guild leader with a strict moral code and a love for the local community, but there were rumors flying around about his cruelty to his enemies, his dark dealings with not just the Jarl but his own guild members. There were also rumors about his and his companions’ vampirism, and him welcoming vampires into his ranks, but this remained only rumors due to his, and the Jarl’s, influence. In truth, he has never passed on his vampirism to anyone, but vampires are secretly welcome into his guild, even ones deemed “lesser” by the cult’s standards, except he disallows anyone from turning people unless deemed necessary.

Trivia

• His given name is Kharni, but he calls himself J’kharni to signify he’s a bachelor. He does not plan on marrying any time soon due to his vampirism. And his romantic appetite.
• He does not know who his father is (nor does his mother), nor does he really care to know since his mother and the clan were all that mattered to him in the past.
• J’kharni used to be claustrophobic as a child. He sometimes still has nightmares of being buried alive in a coffin as a child— a hazing ritual he underwent in order to prepare for his undead future. He becomes wistful in burial crypts now, and may become distracted enough to where you can easily spook him.
• He absolutely adores children, and wants to adopt one someday. He would make a great father, albeit a little controlling and overprotective, but he still has a lot of trauma to heal from before he can be ready.
• He developed a winter coat when he came to Skyrim.
• It seems that people keep thinking he’s a tiger due to his markings, but no; he’s a mix of a bobcat, cougar and lynx.

J’kharni

Remake of a portrait from 2023.

Natural Form

Vampire Lord Form

Remake of a portrait from 2023.

Natural Form

Vampire Lord Form

Information