Rhousk Kin'toni Clan

History

The Rhousk kin'toni Clan was founded in 4E 42 when Arsali Vin abandoned her clan to make her clan, which lived in a prairie, where she could be the leader and the orderer. She began looking in the valleys first, but they didn't suit her, for she wanted a rocky place which she is good at dealing with it. In 4E 52, she found the Jakyla Lava Tubes, when she wandered Terael hoped to find a place that will satisfy her wants. She took found some zu'aan and turned them into kin'toni, and married one of them. By the end of 4E 66, she managed to make a clan with only one thousand, three hundred and fifty members. The clan was called the Rhousk kin'toni Clan.

Arsali began training her clan members how to walk on rocks quickly and silently. That made the clan more dangerous, and it is rumoured they can attack someone without being noticed most of the time. She also trained them to make "the work done quickly". Within only fifty-three years, the clan had a great military force. This resulted in making a royal family, and a royal castle had to be built. In 4E 88, her second child decided to make the clan even larger, so he lead the clan to turn another five hundred people into kin'toni. He also taught them how to trick people, which they, again, became good at it.

Many of the nearby clans tried to take over it but the Rhousk clan warriors were strong enough to protect themselves against the other clans. However, unlike Arsali and her children. They didn't care a lot about making their clan larger as long as they're strong, independent, and safe. In the Shattering, the Rhousk kin'toni Clan lost five thousand of their ten thousand kin'toni from fighting other clans. Their founder, Arsali died in battle from a stay rock that was thrown and hit her on the head. It hit her so hard, she was out cold very fast and died of bleeding in the brain soon afterwards. With her loss, the clan ran from the battle.

Two of her children, the first called Xya and the second called Mya, had been killed holding off the foes, leading most of the clan to buy time for the rest of escape. Only five hundred of the two thousand who had been in the battle got out alive. The attempts at taking over the clan by other kin'toni Clans have taken their toll. The clan is slowly weakening as more and more of their kin'toni are dying from attacks by other clans. Every attack is weakening the clan a little more and get further destroying the clan. Now, with only two hundred and thirty members of their clan left, will they be able to survive the times ahead?

Psychology

Being independent makes them less likely to ask for help from nearby clans, they believe they're powerful enough to take on even the deadliest of things and believe that their military is far superior. This can be a weakness and nearly lead to the fall in the Shattering they had to hide and not take much part in the Shattering, for they lost many kin'toni to their pride. The Rhousk kin'toni are one of the hardest headed of them all and the most stubborn of them. Although there are not many kin'toni left in this clan, most of them have a good heart and that is one of their best traits; however, their persistence and perseverance have left them as a hollow shell of their former selves.

Perhaps the main reason behind all of this is their inability to depend on other clans for assistance; therefore, as a result of this inability that plagues them, they do not have many clans to fall back on and they do not have many allies in general. Another trait that has plagued them throughout their existence as a clan is their overall abrasiveness and an inability to cope with tragedy and loss, which may have been brought about by constant losses and death during battle. They had many losses and this has scarred them as a kin'toni Clan. Although other kin'toni have not yet been able to study these kin'toni up close and personal.

They generally assume that their mental illnesses range from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder to Clinical Depression; however, due to their inability to study the Rhousk clan up close their claims have often been shunned and shamed by those that have been able to study the Rhousk clan personally; therefore, some or all of the claims made by the Vampyrian biologists and psychologists might not be entirely valid. Vampyrian experts from across Terael have studied their behaviours in the far past and have concluded that they suffer from an acute case of Coprolalia, a form of Tourettes Syndrome that is defined by the sufferer's persistent use of swearing.

However and this is probably the most important thing of all, the typical Rhousk kin'toni has a unique behavioural pattern that exhibits his or her ability to function in certain situations, whether it be feeding themselves, bathing themselves, or completing a simple or not-so-simple task. They also have a way of communicating with each other that cannot be understood or translated, so much so that their official language consists of a distinct range of groans, claps, two-syllable utterances, and whistles. One trait of kin'toni in this clan is courage, also known as bravery and fortitude, the ability to confront fear, pain, risk/danger, uncertainty, or intimidation.

Biology

The Rhousk are adapted to the hot, low light and geologically active features of the Jakyla Lava Tubes. They are short and wide of build, with dense muscles and broad shoulders. Their legs are thick and bowed. This gives them the stability to navigate the shifting piles of scree and the near-vertical ascents. The downside of this, is that being short and compact, they have a limited maximum running speed and and a lack of leaping skills. The skin is a thick, obsidian-black thing, with an layer of thick scales that are adapted as a thermal barrier to allow them to tolerate the heat of the lava tubes.

This thick layer is also heavy and slow to heal. The hair has been replaced with short, keratinous nubs on the scalp and joints. This helps keep them cool. The eyes are black in color, with an heat-absorbing layer that minimizes glare from molten rock. They also have a layer that allows them to perceive infrared radiation. This allows them to navigate in total darkness and pinpoint active lava flow. This sense can be overwhelmed near lava or other heat sources. The ears are just small ridges around the ear canal, to lower heat transfer and stop volcanic ash and debris from entering.

The nose is flatted, with slit like nostrils that are angled downwards. These have an system to filter out superheated ash and noxious gases. They are also able to detect subtle shifts in mineral vapor and internal heat plumes. The teeth are short, wide and with flat crushing surfaces made of a densely packed, iron-rich enamel. These teeth are for crushing prey bones for mineral intake. These teeth are also bad at cutting though thick hide for blood drinking. The claws are short, thick, and non-retractable with a spade-like tip.

These claws are adapted to chipping away rock for digging lairs or for climbing. These claws being dull, are bad for combat (as they lack cutting power). Their feet have retractable fibrous barbs on the soles in order to grip the rocky or even near vertical surfaces. These barbs are also prone to damage, forcing energy use to regenerate them. The internal circulatory system has a large amount of redundant, shielded arterial routes. This allows them to major blood vessels from surface-level heat trauma. The spinal structure is segmented and heavily reinforced using thick bones.

This allows them to absorb the constant the effects of seismic activity and rockslides within the unstable tubes. The downside of this is a lack of flexibility. This makes tight spaces hard for them to enter. The chest cavity has an thick, protective fatty sheath that acts as an insulation layer against heat around their internal organs. This fatty layer is prone to being lost in starvation conditions and leads to added sensitivity to heat. Under the skin, they have sacs that allow them to store water for leaner times. These sacs are prone to damage if struck hard.

They have an glandular organ that recycles water from their breath and skin secretions as to lower the need for water in such a hot environment. They also have blood that is altered to have high concentrations of oxygen-releasing compounds. This allows them to withstand areas with sulfur rich air or depleted oxygen levels.

Culture

Since the Jakyla Lava Tubes in the Sayddel region have served as this clan's home for thousands of years it would only make sense if they drank several drops of hard cold lava that is said to be able to cure whatever illnesses they have in their bodies at that moment in time. There is no proof that it works. It seems to not affect them. It would also make sense if the craggy and rather rocky ground that the Rhouskans walked on the craggy ground for exercise every night for several hours a night. What is peculiar about the kin'toni of this clan is that they ingest kin'toni blood every night.

This serves as their main source of caloric intake, albeit for some of the kin'toni in this clan. They are addicted to eating dirt from the several volcanoes that are located on the left and right edges of the Sayddel region. The reason for such an addiction is probably because the thickest layer of dirt that is located in the inner skin of the volcanic architecture has been known to absorb an undetermined amount of lava. This may just be an addiction. Another interesting but strange part of the Rhousk clan's culture lies within the confines of their origins, which date back to the existence of the clan founder, Arsali Vin.

As you may or may not know, Arsali Vin discovered that she could eat the dirt of the two volcanoes on the left and right edge of the Sayddel region as long as it contained a certain amount of water that seeped from it upon the bite. Therefore, according to urban legend, Arsali Vin considered volcanic dirt from the outer part of the volcano's skin to be some sort of a delicacy. The Vin family legacy has lasted ever since the founding of the Rhousk clan and has seen more than five generations come to pass, making them one of the oldest families in the kin'toni'ati race.

It is generally assumed that the Vin family, which presides over this clan, has a unique culture about it and like to do creative things for fun. One fashion in this clan favours stylized, tight light green garments. Tops are typically cropped with low necklines. Stockings and leggings are also customary. Earrings and veils are popular accessories. Iconography and collars are staples of the style. Dark gold, gold, and dark yellow are also common colours. One holiday in the clan is Cruf, which is a joyful holiday celebrated just after the first new moon of spring. It commemorates a change in plans.

It is associated with dreams, compassion, a secret and entropy. Celebrations last nine days. Traditions include private charitable donations, playing of instruments and contests of strength. Many cities celebrate it differently.

Government

The clan leader usually holds an annual holiday on the first day of the last month of every year where they pass down their leadership to the next kin'toni who has accepted and gained the right to be the leader of the clan, although most of the time this role is passed down to a female kin'toni, who is chosen to be the new clan leader. Sometimes if the clan leader has a child by turning a zu'aan, that child becomes the heir and is married to the most capable kin'toni. Furthermore, this is a unique annual tradition that has been celebrated for over 15,000 years.

This is dating back to when Arsali Vin was an ancient kin'toni that was full of days and elderly; however, although Arsali Vin was given the opportunity by one of her offspring. To rule the clan alongside her family until she died, she instead chose to appoint the eldest of her children to be the clan leader, who was a male of the name Ygraz Vin. This old tradition of passing down leadership to the eldest male kin'toni continued until 20 years after Arsali's death, at which point Ygraz then decided to appoint his sister, Taniaraza. To the role of clan leader; this appointing of female clan leaders.

Has been a tradition in this clan ever since. Since the leadership of the clan is often passed down to a female kin'toni it is generally assumed that this leadership role is passed down to a female every time; however, according to several kin'toni who did a study on the clan several hundred years ago, when this annual holiday is celebrated in a year ending in a number other than three, six or zero, leadership is generally assumed to be passed down to a male kin'toni. Otherwise, leadership during a year ending other than one, two, four, five, seven, eight, or nine is generally given to a female kin'toni; therefore.

It is generally assumed that there is a seventy per cent chance each year. That a female kin'toni will be appointed the clan leader as opposed to a thirty per cent chance of a male assuming the clan leader role. What is often considered, nonetheless, is the possibility of the clan going extinct someday, which is a possibility considering this clan only has a couple of thousand kin'toni left. Three of the laws is The penalty for evading taxes on wine is life imprisonment, The penalty for killing an animal is a considerable fine, the penalty for a foreigner illegally trafficking corpses is death.

Military

At the peak of this clan's existence in the year 4E 170, the Rhousk clan's military, then referred to as the Order of Change and Enlightenment, had nearly three hundred members; however, during the Shattering of 4E 100 to 4E 150, this clan suffered innumerable losses and were nearly wiped off the face of Terael. Some suggest that this clan lost most of its military population, but many kin'toni from across Terael say otherwise, claiming that the clan suffered four thousand, five hundred casualties during the Shattering. The Rhousk clan's military, although it was greatly reduced during the Shattering.

Has a strange but relatable hierarchy. At the bottom of this chain are the fledglings, who make it through basic training and are initiated into the military to accustom to the military leader's ways. From there the fledgling can rise the ranks if they are loyal enough, eventually becoming a master militant over a thirty to fifty-year span, depending on how dedicated and determined they are as soldiers. However, it is also possible for one to gain military experience outside the Rhousk clan's military by engaging in prerequisite basic training tasks.

This is with the granted permission of the Rhousk clan's government, which is primarily made up of the Vin family. Through service, hard work, and trustworthiness, one can potentially guarantee themselves an automatic spot in the clan's military after completing enough missions over several decades, which may also lead to faster promotions and more responsibility. In conclusion, it is generally assumed by kin'toni'ati military veterans who have studied the Rhousk clan's military force that you would have to dedicate close to a century of your life and existence.

To serving and protecting your clan with a purpose; but although this is the case, there is a catch to this, for when one is expelled or suspended from this clan's military it would often be considered quite difficult to find their way back in as they would then have to endure many more years of intense labour to please the Vin dynasty and return to their position in the military. They are famous for valour and their harsh discipline. Each corps contains ten companies of ten soldiers. They are famous for their loyalty to each other and for violating treaties.

Religion

In the early centuries of the Rhousk clan's existence as a clan, Arsali Vin experimented in the worshipping of the sky and often considered the clouds to be gods in a special kind of way, hence the reason why so many people were initiated into this clan were converted from their previous religions to what is considered to be the religion of Aurealism or the worship of the endless sky. From the moment she founded this clan until her death she served as the leader and religious adviser of her clan. It is unknown when Vyrism started to be worshipped in this clan or why it happened.

However, there came a wave of "worship vandals" after her death that managed to somehow seize control of the Rhousk clan for a still-undetermined amount of time; although some kin'toni suggest that these religious vandals had control of this clan until they were defeated by the military of an ally of this clan in the Hathdani clan some around the year 4E 135 years ago, other kin'toni believed that it was a rival clan of the Rhousk clan that managed to help the Rhousk clan take back control of their clan and the Vin family empire, although both groups agree that it was approximately in the year of 4E 140.

Aurealism, or the worship of the sky, serves as the primary religion of this clan, with an overwhelming majority of the clan's population believing in this religion and a slight but vigilant minority believing in Vyrism and practising their respective religion in private. Nevertheless, it is also suggested that although the sky serves as the home of the cloud gods, it is the cloud gods themselves that reside directly in the clouds as it is the only way they can control the weather, according to the Vampyrian mythology. On a date, around the year, 4E 175, however, it was much different.

As half of the clan believed in Aurealism and the other half of the clan believed in Vyrism or the worship of clan founders. Eventually, the two groups of religious worshipers engaged in a rather bloody battle over which religion was more important; subsequently, about three days after the start of the battle and close to three hundred casualties on each side later the Aurealist group decided that they didn't want to fight anymore, at which point the Vyrist group realized that it didn't matter which religions were more important, so they called a truce, signed a peace treaty, and have lived in solace ever since, religiously speaking.

Miscellany

The majority of the people in this clan that are followers of the Aurealist religion are referred to as the New Mass, whereas those that fall under the small minority that believes in Vyrism are often referred to as the Old Mass; this is generally according to a group of kin'toni who conducted a recent study on the remaining members of the Rhousk clan. However, what has not been considered is the fact that this study was done in approximately year 4E 22320. Another strange thing that people never seem to know about the Rhousk clan is the generalized conception that those that fall under the category of the Old Mass are supposedly rejected from other clans.

They abandoned them and couldn't find any further use for those that were previously in the clans that they were in before being sent to the Rhousk clan. Most of these Old Mass minorities converted to Vyrism long ago and practice their religion each day in secrecy. However, there are scribes from recent Terael history that suggest that the majorities falling under the New Mass had converted from Vyrism to Aurealism because of the simple fact that, according to those that converted, the cloud gods that reign over their universe also created kin'toni kind and all of the animals on Terael one day before creating everything else the day after that.

They also suggest that the cloud gods may hold the key to the future of Terael and their universe as a whole. Nonetheless, the Old Mass and New Mass make up the population of the Rhousk clan; this group consists of kin'toni that are proficient in things such as music, construction, scribing, religion, science, and synchronized acrobatics — and, in some cases, those that are proficient in all of the above. Not a single one of the kin'toni in this clan are talentless, nor are they incapable of talent, which makes this clan one of the most unique clans in existence. The flag of this clan is a rectangle with three diagonal stripes of sea green, dark red and fiery red, and a diagonal bar of blue-green from left to right.

One holiday in this clan is called Aeraph, a joyful holiday celebrated on the winter solstice. It is associated with confidence, a contest and grounding. It is also associated with the colour green and coyotes. Traditions include public and private releasing from oaths, contests of cleverness and airing of grievances. Some regions celebrate it differently. The clan's written language has characters that are formed with lines and sharp angles in a detailed style. They represent a mix of sounds and concepts. Most of the characters are taken from an ancient culture's writing system.

Nearby Groups

Unknown

Rhousk Kin'toni Clan

Unknown