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THE
KAAER'DÁR'SHÍN
HALF-ORCS |
The half-orcen Kaaer'dár'shín people of the Themed'lon Forests of Northern Sarvonia are a tribe born from the fires of war and conquest. The birth of the Kaaer'dár'shín was witnessed by terror, fear and rebellion during one of the most devastating wars Sarvonia has ever suffered. The tribe today is said to be the descendants of orcen and human offspring that began during the dawn of the Third Sarvonian War of 298 b.S. Sages note the Kaaer'dár'shín peoples' strength, resilience, and strong devotion to nature as the reason that they have survived for as long as they have. In addition, the Kaaer are the subject of many whispered Northern tales involving shapeshifting creatures known as the fylja fur-folk. The tribe exists today divided into three clans: the Stoneblessed (Kaaer "Gyn’orchén"), the Mist Stalkers (Kaaer "Noq’vak'hol") and the Grey Keepers (Kaaer "Suk’rom’da"). They are known to the Kuglimz as savage animal-men and to the Antislar as mysterious forest watchers. To the elves, the Kaaer are known as "Thróg'zoumáth" (Styrásh lit. "Beast Dwellers") and to the orcs, the Kaaer are known as "Traag'hag Suun" (orcen lit. "those who command the darkness and the trees"). The Kaaer'dár'shín are a mysterious tribe in many ways, but one cannot deny that they are tenacious survivors.
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Appearance.
The Kaaer'dár'shín people think of themselves as the embodiment of nature
itself and live comfortably among the harsh northern elements. Kaaer body types
are as varied as any human, but given
their orcen bloodline, they possess physical attributes of both races. Dark
skin tones of brown, grey, black or even green are typical. Their skin is
weathered and free of blemish giving them a healthy and well worn appearance.
The Kaaer possess powerfully lean musculature with arms and legs taut with wiry
muscle. They are quite athletic and swift runners. Both male and female Kaaer
have broad shoulders and are accustomed to heavy lifting. As adults, both sexes
average just under two peds in height with females typically shorter than the
males. Adults are also estimated to be between one to two
pygges in weight giving
them the stature of light, swift movers.
The half-orcs' agile bodies are well suited
for swift running and stealthy movement. Their physical training begins at an
early age and as young children, they already have built hearty bodies capable
of tirelessly running or riding long distances. Their lean legs and wide feet
are well suited and balanced for agile movement. The Kaaer also possess nimble
hands with dexterous fingers. Their grip is strong and they wield their
weapons with extraordinary agility.
Each individual Kaaer can possess a wide range of human and orcen-like facial
features. Generally, both sexes possess wide and flat faces with a high brow
and widely spaced eyes. They have slightly wider noses with larger nostrils
than most other human tribes. They have
gracefully high cheekbone structure with strong chins and a pronounced jaw
line. Their teeth are larger than most other human tribes, and are square and
blocked shaped. The ears are wide and Kaaer women enjoy decorating their lobes
with shiny fish scales or bone studs. The orcen
trait of pointed ears can also be seen among certain individual Kaaer depending
on the family lineage.
Hairstyles among the tribal members would be considered plain and ordinary.
Most Kaaer'dár'shín men wear their hair long, approximately shoulder length,
tied back with leather cords. A scalp with several long braids tied off with
cords is another typical hairstyle. Some men prefer to have no hair at all and
practice shaving it off with their daggers. Their bald scalp is then painted
with black or red paint patterns. Still other men shave part of their hair off
around the sides leaving a braided length along the top and back. Women adorn
similar hairstyles as the men, including shaved or partly shaved painted
scalps. Often, family and clan members appear similar to each other with the
same hairstyles being worn by generations of each family.
Clothing made of animal hides constitutes the majority of the tribe's wardrobe.
Robes, cloaks, pants and vests made of the hides of the
Tsor-Shotak lizard, the
uncil cat, the
snow wolf, the
cuncu sheep and the
Cartashian bear are all common. The
colder climate of the tribe's homeland means most clothing is heavy furs in the
winter and lighter hides in the warmer months. Footwear is typically hide boots
or sandals crafted by the women clothiers. During the warmer months, most of
the tribe prefers little clothing with the men typically having no shirt on at
all or a simple vest and pants. The women also wear midriff pants and wraps
around their chests.
Coat of Arms/Sign.
All of the Kaaer clans recognize the traditional coat of arms known as the
"To'ava Dro" (Kaaer lit. "Nature mark").
It is depicted as a runic tree with two branches, one on either side. To the
tribal shamuts, the tree symbol itself signifies a pendrowe and the
Themed'lon, their sacred home.
The two branches represent their racial heritage,
human and orcen. Behind the tree symbol
are two circles depicting Suriot ("Light Father") and Leigor ("Mother
Darkness"). The wavy line below the circles represents Gynturg ("Earth
Brother") and Bynapryl ("Water Maiden").
Territory.
The Kaaer'dár'shín occupy three regions of land within the
Northern Sarvonian peninsula
of Caaehl'heroth. The Stoneblessed clan make their home in the tribes'
traditional colony of Torik (Kuglim-Seitre
lit. "Home") and Eph'denn. The
colony is situated along the northern borders of the
Themed'lon Forests at the fork
of the Kharim River. Torik was the tribes' original settlement is the largest
one. The Stoneblessed clan function as leaders, traders and advisors to the
other clans. They are primarily the clan whom other foreign tribes relate and
trade with.
The Themed'lon Forests are
home to the Grey Keeper clan who take responsibility for maintaining the
balance of the vast forests. The entire forest region is considered sacred and
holy to the tribe and the Keeper clan rarely leaves the borders of their forest
home. The Themed'lon has been
called one of the most beautiful woodland regions in all of
Northern Sarvonia by the
Injerín ranger Saryas Kelweather. He noted
that it compares with even the elven woods which is, coming from an elf, a
grand statement.
The Mist Stalker clan are the nomadic group of the tribe and roam the Heaths
and lands far to the north of Torik. They are hunters and wildsmen who live off
whatever they can find. Over time, many have come to settle an area around the
great Mount Osthen near the southwestern edges of the
Mists of Osthemangar. Here,
the Kaaer have integrated themselves with the smaller
Osthen orcen clans. As a result, the Mist
Stalkers have far less human bloodline then their southern kin. The Stalkers
are the embodiments of Durgho's hunting passion and enjoy challenging
themselves against the many dangerous beasts of the
Mists.
People.
The Kaaer'dár'shín people are composed of three separate clans with each having
certain responsibilities and skills. Given the tribes' complex religious and
spiritual needs, it was necessary long ago that the tribe divide themselves in
order to best serve the nature spirits that dwelled with them. Each clan is
ruled by a chieftain (the Wood Keepers are ruled by a shamut) and together, the
three rulers and their families lead the tribe.
The
Stoneblessed Clan (Kaaer lit. "Gyn’orchén")
The clan known as the "Stoneblessed" serves as the tribes' overall face to the
outside world. They are so named because clan members are said to have a close
communion with the Earth Brother spirit and are blessed by him to bring forth
the fruits of the ground. The Stoneblessed clanmen serve primarily as the
tribes' traders, farmers, crafters and laborers. This clan conducts the trade
and business with other tribes and are whom most visitors to the Themed'lon
often interact with. The artisans of this clan are renowned among Northern
humans as producing exquisite stone, wood
and bone carvings. The clan also serves as the tribes' main source of warriors
and tribal leaders. The Stonekeepers also breed and train the
Landesh pony for use as work
animals and mounts for the warriors. In addition, food, weapons and furs are
all produced and traded by this clan.
The Grey
Keeper Clan (Kaaer lit. "Suk’rom’da")
The Grey Keepers are known to outsiders as being the most mysterious and
secretive of the Kaaer clans. Scholars can only guess at the true nature of the
Suk’rom’da, but enough is known to be said that this clan functions as the
chief religious class. The Keepers live solely within the
Themed'lon and rarely ever
venture outside of it. They maintain a close vigil over the region and
safeguard it with their very lives, not even allowing other clans to venture in
uninvited. It is said that the Keepers have close communion with the pendrowe
tree-creatures (Kaaer "pafalka" or "wood-men"). It is believed by some scholars
that the Grey Keepers have such a close connection to nature that they can
change their bodies into those of an animal such as an uncil cat or snow wolf.
Some sages maintain that from these whispered rumors come such mythical
creatures as the fylja, or
folkbeasts, of Northern legend.
The Mist
Stalker clan (Kaaer lit. "Noq’vak'hol")
The Mist Stalkers, or Veil Hunters, are a clan well known for their hunting
prowess and tracking skills. Most Mist Stalkers can be found around the base of
Mount Osthen, though a good number live among the Stoneblessed and Grey Keeper
clans. They are so named because they vow to follow in Durgho's way in every
aspect of their lives. The Noq’vak'hol have become friendly with some of the
Osther-Oc clans of the region and many
orcs join the Mist Stalkers as members. True
to their name, the Noq’vak'hol favour hunting in the dreaded
Mists of Osthemangar where
they stalk and kill many twisted and horrific spawns of the
Netherworld taint. A question often
asked among Northern scholars is how the Stalkers protect themselves from the
Mists' corrupting influence. The Stalkers themselves say it is their faith in
Durgho that shields them. A common trinket worn by all of the clan members is a
symbol of the tree and wolf's head, two
traditional symbols of the nature spirit Durgho.
A general belief among the
Kaaer is that those not of the tribe have little understanding of nature and
its ways. Because of this, the Kaaer are generally distrustful of other races
and should a stranger cross into their lands, the half-orcs
will challenge them directly. Strangers are viewed as something possibly
destructive and unclean until proven otherwise. Some
elven and
dwarven clans have earned the respect of the Kaaer over the years and are
welcomed into the Themed'lon
(though dwarves visit so rarely given
they prefer underground places). The Injerín
and Kurakim have learned long ago to shed
their biases towards the Kaaers' orcen
ancestry and recognized them as unique among orc-bloods.
Kaaer and human interaction has evolved
into a far more complex matter. The half-orcs
have always found human women to be attractive and suitable as mates. Kaaar
clan chiefs often favour human females to
breed with and it is common sport for Kaaer hunting parties to raid
Kuglimz settlements and "steal"
human girls and women. Likely this
attraction is inborn having evolved and been maintained since the birth of the
tribe between humans and orcs. The Antislar tribe has never been as resistant
to sharing their women given that some of their own tribe is also of
orcen/human
lineage. In fact, the Antislar have at times willingly traded away groups of
human girls in exchange for Kaaer ponies,
herbs and furs.
Children born to each clan are raised in that particular clans' traditions and
practices. Rarely does a child leave the clan for another. Family ties are
important to the Kaaer culture and children are seen as vital to carry on the
tribes' traditions to the next generation. From the age of 10 years, children
are taught the ways of their clan and the tribe. Hunting, tracking, reverence
for nature and combat skills are taught to both male and female children. Women
are known to take an active role in each clan, but typically they are seen as
homemakers and caregivers of the young and elderly.
Housing.
Two styles of housing are prevalent within Kaaer'dár'shín settlements: the
bromer and the stilt-house. Bromer houses resemble tent-like structures built
using wooden logs and sticks draped over with stitched together furs. Small
fire pits are built on the ground in the
center of the bromer for cooking and warmth. The
fire smoke escapes from a hole built at
the tip of the bromer. Around the firepit, the occupants lay down furs and
hides for sleeping and sitting. A single bromer can fit up to four people
comfortably. The bromer can be built with two to three tent poles together
making for a larger structure. Due to the simplictic structure of the bromer,
it can be assembled and disassembled relatively quickly and easily for
transport. The nomadic Mist Hunter clan uses the bromer primarily as they tend
to move locations to find the best hunts. Kaaer bromer camps can be found as
far north as Mount Osthen near the
Mists of Osthemangar or along the southern regions of Caaehl'heroth beyond
the Wood Forest. During winter when the snows cover the ground, bromers are
abandoned in favor of stilt houses.
The stilt house is a structure built atop thick upright standing logs. This
home is usually round or rectangular in shape approximately nine peds in length
and six peds across. The
size can vary depending on the amount of occupants. The stilt house is favored
as a year round home that not protects the occupants from the cold ground in
winter and the occasional flooding in the spring months. A ladder extends from
the ground to the entrance. The inside walls are draped with furs for warmth
and a firepit made of stones sits in the center. The two largest Kaaer
settlements, Torik and Eph'denn,
are comprised primarily of stilt homes.
Clothing.
The North can be a quite cold with an unforgiving climate. As such, the
Kaaer'dár'shín dress for warmth as well as light weight movement. Typical
clothing is composed of hides and furs from a variety of animals found in the
Northern regions. Hides from the
woolly boar, Tsor-Shotak lizard,
the wolverine, the
uncil cat, the
snow wolf, the
cuncu sheep, mountain wison or the
Cartashian bear are used. These hides can
be made into robes, coats, leggings and shoes that provide more than adequate
protection from the winds that blow from
the north icelands or from the gulfs.
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Clothing does not vary much between the genders. Warriors and hunters typically
wear clothing that allows them maximum range of movement and agility when
fighting in hand to hand combat or when riding upon the
Landesh pony. The clans favour
darker coloured apparel with a dark green or brown mantle and dark-brown
leather sole pads for stealth with the hide of the
Tsor-Shota as armour for the
warriors.
Attire made from the hide of the
wolverine is probably the most favoured and most valued. A Kaaer'dár'shín
warrior who finds victory in slaying a ferocious wolverine is fortunate to be
able to have a cloak or vest made from the soft, durable and
water-resistant hide. Generally, the more
difficult and ferocious the prey, the more valued the hide. The skin of the
oogorim creature of the Caaehl
Mountains is highly prized among the Mist Stalkers. Frequent rumours from
human traders claim that the ruling Kaaer
chieftains wear a dragon hide cloak as a badge of office, but this claim has
never been proven.
The Kaaer'dár'shín are a deeply superstitious folk and believe in wearing
charms upon their bodies. These charms are known as "to'vatars" to the people
and can be made of bone, teeth, wood, stone or metal. Hunters and warriors
favor wearing woolly boar tusk,
the teeth of the Tsor-Shotak lizard
and the bones of fallen enemies as to'vatars. Among healers, water stones are
worn and farmers and craftsmen can be seen with stone charms. They believe
these charms provide everything from protection in battle, successful hunts,
good crops and favourable weather.
Diet.
The Kaaer'dár'shín are primarily meat eaters. Their main staple diet consists
of the dried and cured meat of three beasts native to the Northern lands: the
woolly boar, the mountain wison
and the Tsor-Shotak lizard. Fish
are also a means of meat. The tribe also grows small amounts of crops such as
berries and vegetables.
The Kaaer'dár'shín are simple cooks. They believe in using most every part of
the animal for food, clothing, shelter and charms. The
woolly boar is hunted
year round and can be prepared in several ways, depending on the cut of the
meat. The
boar is favoured during the Feast of Horkcha, when up to fifty boar
are caught and roasted over a massive open fire pit. The meat is prepared using
fruit juices to give it a tangy flavor and portioned off in large chunks.
The mountain wison is usually cured in the sun and dried before eating. The
meat provides a long term food source as it can be stored for long periods or
taken on hunting parties and eaten as needed. Wild male wison are important in
the Festival of the Pit Horn, where a wild wison is loosed in a fenced off
arena and pitted against warriors who attempt to kill the animal with their
bare hands. Once the wison is killed, it is slaughtered, cooked for two days
over a pit and eaten by the victorious warrior's clan.
The Tsor-Shotak lizard's meat is also cured and used for long term feasting.
The animal is revered and is never killed for anything except for food and
armour. The meat of the lizard has a stringy and tough consistency, and is
usually cut in strips and dried before eating.
Living so close to two main bodies of water provides the tribe with a
substantial supply of fish. There is typically no special means of preparing
the fish other than stripping off the scales and cooking it over an open fire.
Not all of the Kaaer'dár'shín eat fish. Only the clans and families living
close to the coastal areas consume fish as a primary food source. The
Kaaer'dár'shín living in the plains and mountain areas are boar, wison and
lizard eaters.
The tribe has also developed a type of bread-like wafer from the bulbous roots
of the maizet plant. The hardy stalks of brown plant grow in abundance along
the heaths and the tribe has even cultivated the plant in fields to the east of
the Themed'lon. The roots are pulled during the late summer and ground up in a
mixture of flavoured dried moss and water producing a sticky paste. The paste is
then baked in a domed oven to form flat, flaky bread. The tribe call this
starchy food "tor'mata".
Also, the tribe eats another staple food in the form of the althz'onn bean
plant that grows along the southern and eastern sides of the heaths. The bean
is a favourite side dish as it can be boiled in water until it becomes soft and
then smashed into a pasty substance and served with meat.
Weapons.
Kaaer'dár'shín warriors are adept at light range combat on foot and upon a
horse. They are skirmishers, ambushers
and primarily use hit and run tactics against their enemies. Light weight, hand
held weapons that can be held easily
when running or riding are favored among the warriors. The few Kaaer'dár'shín
daggers and hand axes that have been seen outside of the tribes borders command
respect and awe. The dagger, known as the "ru'noq" (Kaaer lit. "swift blade")
is intricately designed with a curved or barbed blade and a handle wrapped with
thin strips of Tsor-Shota hide.
The blade is light and designed and balanced according to each warrior's hand.
The tribal warriors are experts in the use of the bow and arrow. All males are
provided with basic training in the bow as a means of fighting and hunting.
Warriors are given additional training to be able to shoot while riding a
swiftly moving horse and to hit targets
far away. The skill of the bow and arrow cannot be understated as it provides a
means of hunting and fighting.
Typical Kaaer'dár'shín bows are made from the trees of the
Themed'lon Forest. The bows
come in long and short forms, and can be decorated with feathers, paint or
strips of animal hide. The tribe's bowyers are a clan to themselves and are
revered for their bow making skills.
The spear is another
weapon of the Kaaer'dár'shín warrior.
The spear can be thrown or used as a hand to hand weapon. The wooden shaft of
the spear is made from the forest trees of the
Themed'lon. The sharpened tips
are carved from bone or stone. A few spears have barbed tips or curved blades,
but those are not used for hunting, but more for ritual purposes.
Hand axes and special, smaller daggers are used as ranged weapons for throwing
and in hand to hand combat. The axes are also made and balanced accordingly so
as to be handled easily when dual wielded or thrown. The tribes warriors are
trained to have extraordinary accuracy when throwing the axe and some veteran
warriors can hit a moving target over twenty
peds away with an axe or
a target up to ten peds away with a dagger.
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The T'lark (lit. "Blood Defender"). Among the most
sacred and revered possessions among the Kaaer'dár'shín warriors is the
T'lark, or the "Blood
Defender". This is a special holy buckler made by a coming of age warrior after
his first kill. The buckler is made of heavy hide from the
Tsor-Shotak lizard and is an
effective defense against sword or mace strikes. Also, the Defender is small
and easily carried by a fast moving skirmisher.
A T'lark is often decorated with small symbols or pictures depicting each
battle a warrior has won (or lived through) and other kinds of decorations vary
depending on the warrior's preferences. Some have boar tusk or hide attached.
Some have feathers while others are plain with simple markings. The T'lark is
sacred and always carried into battle. A warrior who returns home with a broken
or lost buckler is allowed to make a new one, but only if the Defender was lost
in battle with an enemy.
Occupations.
The Kaaer'dár'shín fight for survival amongst enemies on all sides, namely the
various orc tribes that surround the
Kaaer'dár'shín borders. As a result, the tribe's main occupations are centered
towards warfare and most family clans understand that their role within the clan
is to support the warriors both physically and spiritually.
Warrior (Kaaer lit. “Uck”)
Kaaer warriors, like the hunters, are known for their horsemanship, keen
weapons skills, tracking ability and how
to blend with the environment. Although warriors can come from any of the three
clans, it is from the Stoneblessed group that most are born and trained. Both
male and female children can become able warriors and usually identified when
they are about ten years of age. Those with strong bodies, cunning minds and the
ability to work well within a group are requirements for warriors. Warrior
training camps are located all over Kaaer lands. The chief enemy of the Kaaer
has been certain clans of Osther-Oc and
Antislar who have made unsuccessful attempts to conquer the
Themed'lon over the years.
Recently, however, the tribes of Caaehl'heroth have enjoyed an uneasy peace.
Crafter (Kaaer lit. “Olot’uuk”)
Men and women of the tribe are capable of serving as craftsmen, and were
schooled in weaponsmithing, bow making, fletcher (arrow making), tool making and
trap making. These men and women are second only to the warrior in importance as
they provide the means for a warrior, and tribe, to carry out their duties and
the tools with which to hunt. A typical craftsman takes a life long vow to serve
the tribe using his or her skills and begins in childhood under the tutelage of
a master, usually the child's closest relative, or if no relatives are
craftsmen, the child is apprenticed under another master. By using the readily
available material around them, such as wood, stone and steel (the steel
typically taken from fallen enemies), the craftsmen creates extraordinary
weapons, tools and traps for the tribe.
Shamut (Kaaer lit. “Uon'kh'al'on”)
The third most important occupation within the Kaaer'dár'shín is the holy man,
or shamut. The shamut is viewed as the embodiment of the spirits of life and
protection and the tribe sees the shamut as the most wise person in the tribe.
The shamut advises the chief warrior in all manner of subjects - warfare,
management, spiritual matters, politics and laws. The shamut is typically an
older warrior who has proven himself in battle and is chosen on the basis of his
victories. It is said that an esteemed warrior is chosen with a vision from the
spirits and becomes the holy man by a vote from the council.
Hunter and Fisherman (Kaaer lit. “Kaaer'kun” and
“Fashaal”)
Hunting and fishing are done by both the men and women of the Stoneblessed clan
and these occupations serve an important purpose, obviously, to keep the tribe
fed and nourished. Hunters are trained with the
bow, spear and dagger and join a group
of warriors on hunts for wison, woolly
boar or Tsor-Shota. Every
spring, summer and fall, the tribe gathers at the
Themed'lon Forest and hunts for
days at a time during the Festival of the Hunt. All able hunters would join
small groups of warriors and journey north and south from the
Themed'lon and hunt wison,
woolly boar and Tsor-Shota and
bring back the spoils to the tribe where they were dispersed to the families.
Government.
The Kaaer'dár'shín have a loose system of government where a single leader from
each of the three clans ultimately rule. A shamut from the Wood Keeper clan, a
warrior from the Stoneblessed clan and a renowned hunter from the Mist Stalker
clan are charged with governing the tribe together. Each leader can be male or
female. The shamut is responsible for the spiritual welfare of the tribe while
the warrior and hunter are responsible for the physical welfare of the tribe.
The three elder leaders are responsible for all major decisions that the tribe
has to make such as laws, warfare and hunting.
The elder shamut is the spiritual head of the tribe and thus is charged with
interpreting all of his visions and others' visions. He leads in prayer and all
religious ceremonies and rituals. He blesses all festivals and hunts. He also
leads prayer for victory over the war parties. The elder shamut is seen as the
embodiment of Durgho's power and is revered, respected and obeyed without
question.
The elder warrior is responsible for all leadership in war and craft. He
oversees all tactical decisions during warfare and, along with the elder hunter,
determines the best method of fighting the tribe's enemies. He is also charged
with making sure the warriors have their tools and
weapons by governing the craftsmen and
weaponsmiths and making sure there are enough workers to function properly.
The elder hunter is responsible for making sure the tribe has adequate food and
that the tribe knows where the good hunting grounds are during the year. He
leads the nomadic Mist Stalkers in providing food and pelts for the tribe. The
elder hunter typically has an impressive record of hunting successes with many
of the past hunter leaders trophies including oogorim heads, spinewyrm tails or
drake claws.
The elder shamut and elder warrior are chosen from a select few revered and
veteran men (or, in the case of the shamut, sometimes a woman has filled this
role) and typically voted by on by the all of the heads of the families of the
tribe. Each family is led by a man (or, if the man is dead or no longer able to
fulfill the role of leader of the house) or a woman. The meet and decide from a
group of capable leaders and vote.
To become an elder leader, one must show extraordinary skills in leadership
ability. This usually means for the elder warrior, he must be gifted in war and
have had many victories in battle and be a proven leader of men. For the elder
shamut, the process is similar. Usually a wise and worldly person is chosen for
this role. One who is blessed with visions and one who can bestow confidence and
courage to the people. The typical elder shamut is someone gifted in speaking,
interpreting and decision making.
Each family within the tribe is headed by the male who is responsible for
leading his family in the ways of the tribe and is given the order to train his
children and to determine his children's gifts.
Religion. The
Kaaer’dar’shin half-orcen tribe of
Northern Sarvonia are a deeply
spiritual people who revere both nature and the hunt. Their religion is known as
the "To'ava'yarna" (Kaaer lit. "Natural or primal spirit way"). They respect the
wilds' savage instincts and believe that the world is nurtured by five primal
nature spirits called the "To'ava". These spirits each represent an aspect of
nature that encompasses the surrounding living world. Represented are the Tree
(or Beast), Earth,
Water, Light (sun)
and Darkness (moon and death). The To'ava is lead by one "male gendered" spirit
considered the oldest and most powerful called Durgho. He is typically
represented in the form of a tree or wolf.
The Kaaer believe that each member of the tribe is born with the essence of one
of these natural aspects. Through meditation, prayer, songs, the use of totems
and successful hunts, every Kaaer's natural spiritual essence grows in power and
eventually they obtain the gift to perform divine
magic by bringing forth their spirits'
power.
A Kaaer'dár'shín legend story known as "The Mask Unearthed" tells how a wise
shamut named Krull'mor discovered a powerful relic (unknown to them to actually
be elven in origin) known as the Mask of the Tree Cousin in 1300 a.S. Krull'mor
donned the mask he found and was immediately given gifts of wisdom and
foresight. It was then, he later claimed, that the primal spirits of the world
spoke to him and instructed him to lead his people in reverence of nature. The
Kaaer belief system was born. After living under many generations of harsh
orcen and dark elven rule, the Kaaer had
finally found a path with which to journey upon their own.
The Primal Self ("Yarna"). The Kaaer believes that
each member born of the tribe (regardless of clan) inherits an essence derived
from each of the To’ava primal spirits. These spirits (some would say souls)
together are called a “Yarna”.
The Nature of the Yarna. Each yarna is identified as an essence of one of the primal spirits. Each spirit of nature represents specific gifts, or areas of power. As children, each Kaaer develops their own walk in life with interests and talents of their own. The Kaaer do not believe that this process is accidental or random; rather they believe that a particular To’ava leads them along their path in life. For example, a sympathetic young girl with a gift for comforting and aiding wounded is believed to be strong with the To’ava Benapryl, or the representation of Water (healing). A boy may be particularly talented with building and crafts and thus is strong with the To’ava Gynturg, or the representation of Earth (craftsman). The following representations are described below:
Beast Yarna
War, combat, tracking, animal husbandry, skinning and cooking. Those strong with
the beast yarna are said to be capable warriors and hunters of the tribe. They
are trained in the use of weapons,
tactics and are responsible for keeping the animals.
Earth Yarna
Harvesters, gardening, food preparation, planting, caretakers of the forest.
Those strong with the earth yarna tend the fields and are especially close to
the pendrowe of the Themed'lon.
They are the builders, craftsmen and artisans of the tribe.
Water Yarna
Healers, comforters, soothers of the mind. These gifted are trained in the use
of medicinal herbs and salves. They possess a talent for calming the mind and
are a soothing influence.
Light Yarna
Those gifted with the light yarna are few, for they are blessed with great
wisdom and leadership skills. Most shamuts are of light yarna and are
responsible for passing down the lore and history of the tribe.
Dark Yarna
While the darkness may be deemed something negative in other cultures, the Kaaer
believe the dark is just as important as the light. Those with the dark yarna
are responsible for communicating with the dead and performing funerary rituals.
Production/Trade.
The Kaaer'dár'shín are gifted
weaponsmiths and the tribe's craftsmen produce some of the finest small hand
weapons
in the North. The skill of iron working was a skill that the Kaaer brought with
them when they broke from the Kuglimz.
Most of their iron comes from the fallen weapons
of the tribes enemies, the orcs,
and the metal is re-processed in weaponsmithy enclaves. Most of the weaponsmiths
are located in the main Themed'lon colony of Torik.
The tribe's warriors rely on stealth and speed when they fight and have a need
to carry lightweight, smaller weapons.
Among the weapons produced by the
Kaaer'dár'shín are the dagger, throwing knife, hand
axe and short
spear. Each
weapon is crafted to fit the warrior
wielding it and the warrior is charged with keeping his
weapon in excellent condition. While
fully encouraged to use their weapons
against the tribe's enemies, each warrior proudly displays their
weapons and usually a
weapon is passed down through
generations. In the case of the throwing daggers and throwing axes, this is not
always the case, nevertheless, each throwing
weapon is still a finely crafted piece of work.
Kaaer weapons are uncommon outside of
their homeland as the tribe is isolated between two seas and various
orc tribal lands so rarely does a
Kaaer'dár'shín dagger (ru’noq) or axe appear outside of the North. Even if it
did, very few people would know the difference other than weapons of Kaaer make
are of excellent craftsmanship.
The Kaaer'dár'shín have a talent for producing exceptional items from animal
hides that are sometimes traded with the neighboring Imlith dwarves, Injerin
elves or Antislar humans. The skin of the
Tsor-Shotak lizard makes an
excellent light armour and is highly valued by the few non-Kaaer'dár'shín who
have traded for it. The tribe women make warm blankets and clothing from wison
and woolly boar hide. In the cold
north, having good, warm clothing is paramount to survival.
Natural Resources.
The area surrounding the Themed'lon Forest hosts many natural resources used by
the tribe. The Themed'lon is a large forest, and with the unique distinction of
having the Kaaer'dár'shín as the sole humanoid
tribe living in and around it. The tribe uses the forests trees for a host of
tools, weapons and items.
Bows, tents, homes and shields are all made
from the Themed'lon's woods.
The tribe lives between two large gulfs and thus the
Themed'lon colony has an
abundant supply of fresh fish for food. The tribe does not have any kind of
large fishing vessels and fish close to the shore but the seas are abundant with
fish of all kinds.
Horses provide a large service to the
Kaaer'dár'shín. The tribe catches and breeds the
Landesh pony chiefly because this
animal is small in relation to the larger
horses of the North and strong in build. The Kaaer'dár'shín favour stealth
and speed when fighting and the
Landesh provides both due to its size and strength. The Kaaer'dár'shín
people are shorter than an average man of other tribes and a large
horse would prove a disadvantage to
them.
The
Landesh are
caught along the Heaths to the north and south of the Themed'lon. A group of
warriors will form a hunting party and catch a group of male and female ponies
to bring back to the tribe's breeding stockades for domestication and training.
The Kaaer'dár'shín have kept the long tradition and skill of the
Kuglimz horse training skills and are also exceptional
horse breeders and trainers. Unlike
their orcen cousins, the Kaaer'dár'shín do
not eat horse meat.
Festivals.
There are three main festivals the Kaaer'dár'shín celebrate:
Feast
of Horkcha
This feast is an annual feast celebrated in the spring by the entire tribe. A
massive fire pit is constructed near the
Themed'lon colony and the women and children spend many days constructing spits
for roasting entire boar. Fifty warriors gather on
horseback and with the blessing of the
shamut, they go forth into the plains and hunt
woolly boar. Each of the fifty
warriors is expected to bring back one
woolly boar ithin five days for the
feast. Not all of the warriors return, as hunting
woolly boar can be dangerous. Those
that do return with a boar are honoured and the feast begins with as many of the
boar they have. The feast celebrates the hunt and if all fifty warriors return,
it is a sign of an especially blessed year to come.
Festival of the Pit Claw
Another festival
celebrating the warriors is the Festival of the Pit Claw. During this festival,
held in the winter months, all able bodied warriors gather around a fenced
arena. Three warriors on horseback are placed within the arena. A single male
Cartashian bear is loosed in the arena and
the warriors are given the challenge of subduing and killing the bear with a
short sword or spear. The warriors must work together if they are to be
successful. The festival is celebrated regardless if the
bear is killed or not, but special
privileges are given to the surviving warrior(s) if they slay the
bear. Typically this includes higher
ranking in the clan and a unique symbol painted upon their
t'lark.
Dance
of the Tusk
This festival is
celebrated by the women of the clan. It is held twice a year, in the summer and
winter, when all of the clans women and girls create beautiful dresses and
cloaks in honour of the wild spirits. The cloaks are decorated with beads,
bones, animal tusks, feathers and paint. The women gather for six days and,
accompanied by a group of up to twelve drummers, the women dance in celebration
of their role in the tribe and are honoured by the men and boys. A feast
accompanies this dance, usually fish and
Tsor-Shotak lizard
is eaten.
Myth/Lore.
The half-orcs and the mythical
fylja fur-folk share a unique
connection that is only whispered about among the tribes of the North. The
legends among the Kuglimz tell that the
fylja are shapeshifters, people
gifted (or some say cursed) with the ability to change their bodies to that of a
beast. While no one among the Kuglimz knows what
became of their lost exiles so long ago after they were banished, some have
heard through orc reports that the exiles
were lost to the wilds and overcome with bestial urges and ate each other to
survive. Others correctly assume that they exiles were subjugated by
orcs and turned to slavery. Still, a few
rumours have come from brave adventurers through the years that say that the
Kuglimz exiles not only survived their exile, and
survived their orcen occupation, but actually
live as beasts in the Themed'lon Forests. The whispered tales persist that the
lost Kuglimz are a race of shapeshifting beasts, capable of changing into
wolves, bears and even eagles.
The truth about the half-orcs, perhaps, can never be known. A single testimony
survives to this day from an orcen child who lived among the Kaaer’dár’shín
since he was an infant. When he was of the age of ten seasons, in approximately
Changing Winds, 1400 a.S., he was lost in the woods south of the
Themed'lon. He
wandered alone, frightened and sick, for many days until he was found by a
Kuglimz caravan. The child was brought to the village of Salmador, along the
Ulaenoth river. The
orcen child told a fantastic story of his life among the
Kaaer’dár’shín (as told by a Kuglimz translator).
The story raised even more questions about the mysterious half-orcs.
The child spoke of trees in the shape of beasts, swift warriors on ponies
wielding deadly spears. Archers who could
strike the sky with their arrows and even trees who could walk on their own. He
spoke of a man wearing a tree mask who spoke so powerfully that even the very
winds ceased in their blowing and the
animals sat and listened to his words.
But even more extraordinary, the boy spoke of some in the tribe who ran as fast
as the wolves themselves. He described how
the shamut with the tree mask would sit in his bromer for hours at a time.
Bestial growls and snarling could be heard within the bromer. Then, as the night
would come upon the land, the shamut emerged secretly from his home and would
race away across the heaths. His form was as a beastman, no longer standing
upright, covered in thick fur with paws for hands and a wolf-like face. The
shamut would return days later, in the stillness of the night, in his beast form
and would not be seen for many more hours when he would then appear as a man
again. The boy thought others in the tribe were as beasts, too, yet he only
claimed to have witnessed the shamut as a beastman.
The orc boy's tale was quickly spread, but
just as quickly, they were dismissed as the silly dreamings of a stupid orc
child. Yet, the tale persists to be told among the more scholarly folk of the
North. It is surmised that the mythical
fylja fur-folk are indeed the
Kaaer’dár’shín half-orcs. However, the tribe
is so isolated and they are a secretive people who do not readily welcome
visitors, so definite proof of a shapeshifter tribe does not exist.
Most of the stories and rumors say that the half-orc
shapeshifter is capable of one of several beast forms, each one being a revered
animal of the Beastlord. The wolf is a
common animal form and the one that is frequently seen and heard in most tales.
The uncil cat is another common beast
form, as is the woolly boar and the
toran eagle. Even the
bear is whispered to be a potential beast
form, and probably the most dangerous, given the size and strength of a single
bear.
Another question arose during Azhira's research into the supposed half-orc's
shapeshifting powers: does the shifter's sense of self-awareness and
intelligence remain with them as an animal? How potentially powerful a shifter
must be if he keeps his human intelligence
and knowledge when in animal form! Or, when a shifter changes, does he take on
the mere basic instincts of the animal he becomes? Does he have any knowledge of
his actions as an animal when in human
form? Such questions cannot definitively be answered as no one within the tribe
will speak of this secretive power, let alone the shamut, who is rumoured to be
a shifter himself. However, the few outsiders who have visited the tribe have
sworn that wolves, eagles and the
occasional uncil cat and
bear can be seen in and around the half-orc
settlements, tamed and calm. But could these be shifters amidst their own? Or
perhaps they are simply tamed familiars?
None of the legends can explain how a half-orcs
shapes himself into the beast forms. With such drastic differences in physical
shapes and sizes between a man and animal, it is hard to imagine how horrific,
let alone painful, a change must be. Some say dark
magic is the source of the shifting while
others say a shifter undergoes a painful process where the bones and skin
literally reshape themselves in unimaginable ways.
The Northlands researcher, Azhira El'rosse, is known to have made many
excursions to the Kaaer’dár’shín lands and she is thought to be on friendly
terms with the half-orcs. Whether or not she
has proof that the half-orcs are
shapeshifters is unknown. She has surmised, however, that given the tribe's deep
connection with nature and their devotion to the Beastlord god has given them a
unique bond with the animals. It would not be so extraordinary to say that a
tribe who claims to be able to speak to trees can also have the touch of the
Beastlord himself and can become one like him.
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