Humans in Aktesh
Quickstats
Language & Communication
The language of Akteshen humans is a guttural, growly one. Most can read and write their runes, but their written form of language is not complex, often substituting drawings for things with no names. However their system of whistles and calls to signal each other are reminiscent of bird song, and are far more complicated. Akteshen humans also utilize some extremely loud, ornately decorated horns which they use to summon those who've left their camps, and can be heard from as far as ten miles away depending on the echo. The sounds the horns make range from deep and bellowing to ear piercingly high, each conveying different senses of urgency.
Violence & Warfare
Akteshen humans prefer close range, hand to hand combat when fighting with other humans. While they do dabble in archery and guerilla tactics for skirmishes or to initiate battle, the majority of the fighting is up-close and brutal.
Tools & Weaponry
The average human will have a tomahawk and stone dagger in their belt at all times for around-the-house purposes and protection. More decorated warriors will have battle axes, bow and arrows, even the chance steel sword - the latter of which is always short and old, as the metal reserves in their homelands were of limited supply, and weapons are passed down through the family or are trophies from kills. The handles of their tools are usually wrapped in brightly colored string for better grip as well as beauty.
Diet
Meats (primarily venison), dairy (in their homelands but no longer), berries, fish, anything edible. Since landing on the beaches of the East, they've added crabs, clams, sea urchins, otters, seals, and whales to their diet.
Medicine
Very little medicine exists, and that which does is primitive. The exodus from their homeland has left the humans of Aktesh without any of their native plant life, and without it most of their traditional remedies are gone. Shamans encourage long cold soaks, frequent and diverse eating, and meditation as methods to get rid of illnesses.
Religion
Akteshen humans pray to a six faced, genderless god known as Tahongrahira, who has the fangs of a wolf and the antlers of a deer. Singing and meditation are considered the best ways to connect with them. Shamans lead clans in ritual prayer to this god by chanting, singing, and dancing.
Clothing
The humans settling in Aktesh come from a colder, snowier climate than the East, something evident in the garments they brought with them. Snowshoes and parkas are the most obvious examples. While most clothing is made from various animal furs and leathers, Akteshen humans have also brought beautiful robes and spectacular feather accessories from non-native birds. Jewelry out of small animal skulls, bones, and teeth are not uncommon.
Armory is a specialty among their people. They create much of their armor out of bones, the best warriors sporting headgear made out of the skulls of animals. Much of their clothing has easily accessible pouches and bands sown into the arms and leggings, perfect for sticking trinkets and weapons into. Longer haired people might wear headbands to keep their hair out of their eyes.
Transportation
For the most part, they walk. They were unable to bring their horses with them, and are now very interested in finding new ones, or any substitute animals they can domesticate. Their ships are similar to those they Vikings had - long, slender row boats composed mainly of wood with some metal parts, all of them sporting huge, bright-colored flags. Sterns typically have animal heads carved into them, and lanterns are hung in their gaping, toothy mouths.
Animals
The humans have domesticated wolves for thousands of years already in their homeland, and the end result is the wolfish-looking dog of the now. The biggest difference is that the wolfdogs have thicker, heavier-set bodies as opposed to the light athletic ones of their cousins. The dogs were bred for hunting bears and to be guardians - they have high stamina, brutish strength, and a strong sense of loyalty toward their human families. Because of the selective breeding done for strength, they've lost the speed of their wild cousins and will eventually fall behind if told to pursue a wolf.
Akteshen humans have also brought their foreign falcons over with them, which they use to send messages to each other. They're smaller than most of the falcons native to Aktesh, but this gives them a speed and agility that outstrips the larger birds and keeps them out of harms way.
In their home lands, Akteshen humans kept very little livestock - only a few somewhat domesticated boars and goats littered their yards and villages to be either milked or fattened up and then slaughtered. To their misfortune, they were unable to bring any livestock with them on their cramped boats.
Shelter
The humans of Aktesh live in a hodgepodge of different types of houses, each archetypal of different ranking members in their villages, and made based on whether the settlement is temporary or permanent.
In temporary settlements, the average family or warrior living on their own will live in a large tent made of animal hides propped up by slim wooden pillars light enough to be carried when they move next. Floors are strewn with layers of hides, while beds of gorgeous thick furs are used to sleep on. Tents have flaps in their roofs that can be pushed aside, so that if cooking is done in fire pits inside the tent, the smoke has a way of escaping. Shamans and chiefs have similar arrangements, however, their tents are structured in a circle, with doorways made of brightly painted wood covered with runes of legends and lore.
Permanent settlements are dug under large mounds of dirt, a layout not exactly designed for the dense forests and damp ground of the East. Grass is then grown on the roofs of these mounds, save for an opening at the top to allow light into the home as well as an exit for cooking smoke. Their homes are typically surrounded by fences to enclose livestock within. Each house must have a totem pole propped up in the yard - each different from the next, with painted faces carved into it.
Social Hierarchy
The chief is the highest position in the clan, followed by the spiritual leader known as the shamans, and then the rest which consists of warriors, elders, the disabled, and the young. Women and other non-men are seen equally, and no one lifestyle is assigned to each - it's not uncommon for tribes to have non-men chiefs or shamans. In fact, most shamans are of non binary genders, as they are seen as bridging the gap between the two dominant genders of male and female.
Lifestyle
In their home lands they were a people that typically settled in one spot, and moved every few years. They would send hunting parties to range out over the course of a week or two to bring back lots of meat, so their pilgrimage to Aktesh is not an unfamiliar way of living. However they've now been forced into a more nomadic existence in an unfamiliar land, since they were driven out of their home lands by neighboring warlords.
Sexuality
Sexuality is promoted in the clans, especially partnerships capable of producing children (which does not necessarily mean a heterosexual one). However a relationship that cannot produce children is still a valid and celebrated one, and they will be asked to participate in raising children to give biological parents a break.
Ethnicity
While our world's ethnic groups don't exist in the world of Aktesh, the human invaders look Tibetan.
Approx. # of Humans: 25-50 Number of Clans: One Current Location: Tamarack Forest, the East
Language & Communication
The language of Akteshen humans is a guttural, growly one. Most can read and write their runes, but their written form of language is not complex, often substituting drawings for things with no names. However their system of whistles and calls to signal each other are reminiscent of bird song, and are far more complicated. Akteshen humans also utilize some extremely loud, ornately decorated horns which they use to summon those who've left their camps, and can be heard from as far as ten miles away depending on the echo. The sounds the horns make range from deep and bellowing to ear piercingly high, each conveying different senses of urgency.
Violence & Warfare
Akteshen humans prefer close range, hand to hand combat when fighting with other humans. While they do dabble in archery and guerilla tactics for skirmishes or to initiate battle, the majority of the fighting is up-close and brutal.
Tools & Weaponry
The average human will have a tomahawk and stone dagger in their belt at all times for around-the-house purposes and protection. More decorated warriors will have battle axes, bow and arrows, even the chance steel sword - the latter of which is always short and old, as the metal reserves in their homelands were of limited supply, and weapons are passed down through the family or are trophies from kills. The handles of their tools are usually wrapped in brightly colored string for better grip as well as beauty.
Diet
Meats (primarily venison), dairy (in their homelands but no longer), berries, fish, anything edible. Since landing on the beaches of the East, they've added crabs, clams, sea urchins, otters, seals, and whales to their diet.
Medicine
Very little medicine exists, and that which does is primitive. The exodus from their homeland has left the humans of Aktesh without any of their native plant life, and without it most of their traditional remedies are gone. Shamans encourage long cold soaks, frequent and diverse eating, and meditation as methods to get rid of illnesses.
Religion
Akteshen humans pray to a six faced, genderless god known as Tahongrahira, who has the fangs of a wolf and the antlers of a deer. Singing and meditation are considered the best ways to connect with them. Shamans lead clans in ritual prayer to this god by chanting, singing, and dancing.
Clothing
The humans settling in Aktesh come from a colder, snowier climate than the East, something evident in the garments they brought with them. Snowshoes and parkas are the most obvious examples. While most clothing is made from various animal furs and leathers, Akteshen humans have also brought beautiful robes and spectacular feather accessories from non-native birds. Jewelry out of small animal skulls, bones, and teeth are not uncommon.
Armory is a specialty among their people. They create much of their armor out of bones, the best warriors sporting headgear made out of the skulls of animals. Much of their clothing has easily accessible pouches and bands sown into the arms and leggings, perfect for sticking trinkets and weapons into. Longer haired people might wear headbands to keep their hair out of their eyes.
Transportation
For the most part, they walk. They were unable to bring their horses with them, and are now very interested in finding new ones, or any substitute animals they can domesticate. Their ships are similar to those they Vikings had - long, slender row boats composed mainly of wood with some metal parts, all of them sporting huge, bright-colored flags. Sterns typically have animal heads carved into them, and lanterns are hung in their gaping, toothy mouths.
Animals
The humans have domesticated wolves for thousands of years already in their homeland, and the end result is the wolfish-looking dog of the now. The biggest difference is that the wolfdogs have thicker, heavier-set bodies as opposed to the light athletic ones of their cousins. The dogs were bred for hunting bears and to be guardians - they have high stamina, brutish strength, and a strong sense of loyalty toward their human families. Because of the selective breeding done for strength, they've lost the speed of their wild cousins and will eventually fall behind if told to pursue a wolf.
Akteshen humans have also brought their foreign falcons over with them, which they use to send messages to each other. They're smaller than most of the falcons native to Aktesh, but this gives them a speed and agility that outstrips the larger birds and keeps them out of harms way.
In their home lands, Akteshen humans kept very little livestock - only a few somewhat domesticated boars and goats littered their yards and villages to be either milked or fattened up and then slaughtered. To their misfortune, they were unable to bring any livestock with them on their cramped boats.
Shelter
The humans of Aktesh live in a hodgepodge of different types of houses, each archetypal of different ranking members in their villages, and made based on whether the settlement is temporary or permanent.
In temporary settlements, the average family or warrior living on their own will live in a large tent made of animal hides propped up by slim wooden pillars light enough to be carried when they move next. Floors are strewn with layers of hides, while beds of gorgeous thick furs are used to sleep on. Tents have flaps in their roofs that can be pushed aside, so that if cooking is done in fire pits inside the tent, the smoke has a way of escaping. Shamans and chiefs have similar arrangements, however, their tents are structured in a circle, with doorways made of brightly painted wood covered with runes of legends and lore.
Permanent settlements are dug under large mounds of dirt, a layout not exactly designed for the dense forests and damp ground of the East. Grass is then grown on the roofs of these mounds, save for an opening at the top to allow light into the home as well as an exit for cooking smoke. Their homes are typically surrounded by fences to enclose livestock within. Each house must have a totem pole propped up in the yard - each different from the next, with painted faces carved into it.
Social Hierarchy
The chief is the highest position in the clan, followed by the spiritual leader known as the shamans, and then the rest which consists of warriors, elders, the disabled, and the young. Women and other non-men are seen equally, and no one lifestyle is assigned to each - it's not uncommon for tribes to have non-men chiefs or shamans. In fact, most shamans are of non binary genders, as they are seen as bridging the gap between the two dominant genders of male and female.
Lifestyle
In their home lands they were a people that typically settled in one spot, and moved every few years. They would send hunting parties to range out over the course of a week or two to bring back lots of meat, so their pilgrimage to Aktesh is not an unfamiliar way of living. However they've now been forced into a more nomadic existence in an unfamiliar land, since they were driven out of their home lands by neighboring warlords.
Sexuality
Sexuality is promoted in the clans, especially partnerships capable of producing children (which does not necessarily mean a heterosexual one). However a relationship that cannot produce children is still a valid and celebrated one, and they will be asked to participate in raising children to give biological parents a break.
Ethnicity
While our world's ethnic groups don't exist in the world of Aktesh, the human invaders look Tibetan.