Calyia Kin'toni Clan

History

The Calyia kin'oni Clan are one of the most feared and treacherous armies of kin'toni hunting members of zu'aan society. They have resorted to their baser instincts and function only on what is necessary for them to survive. It is a wonder that they were ever able to gather and formulate a tribe of like-minded individuals at all. Barbaric in nature, their name comes from the old zu'aan term for “forsaken”. This is strictly a zu'aan term when referring to them. The Calyia do not call themselves by any other name than their own sounds for brother and friend.

Their form of communication is through grunts and echoes. zu'aan scholars have never stayed alive long enough within their ranks to decipher their language. Nor has a Calyia prisoner ever survived long enough in zu'aan prisons to be observed. Once captured, Calyia self-mutilate until they are deceased. It seems that they will choose death over captivity no matter the circumstance. From what little information the zu'aan know about them, it is hypothesized that the Calyia kin'oni Clan began as a starving group of zu'aan settlers in a village abandoned to the kin'toni and encroaching ice.

The only member of the Calyia that has ever been spoken to is often recognized as their leader. Messengers of the zu'aan call him Morfiel, the zu'aan term for “dark one”. It is hypothesized that Morfiel was the leader of a forsaken zu'aan village that lies abandoned near the edge of the ice. The village is little more than a ghost town now, having been frozen over and left to the wastes for many years. The zu'aan believe that Morfiel’s original name was Zelphar Druin. He was the head of the village’s largest family and was the strongest voice that many of the villagers listened to before the tribe itself succumbed to ice.

In life before the disease, Zelphar believed in survival and the health of his village (no one else’s). It was his stubborn mentality and strong convictions that led the forsaken to become so isolated from other zu'aan. When the time came to defend their borders, no guardsmen, healers, or reinforcements from other zu'aan tribes arrived. Zelphar Druin and his village immediately succumbed to the disease. In the treacherous ice they lost their speech, their faith, their customs, and their minds. Now Zelphar is only Morfiel. They are a monstrous clan of kin'oni that never stop moving.

They wander from cave to cave, hiding in the dark and only appearing once the sun has fallen behind the rolling hills. They are the boogeymen that all zu'aan know and fear. When they strike, it is hard and fast. If the guardsmen can catch one, they can usually kill them easily if they are skilled enough with their weapon. The Calyia flail blindly like murderous wolves. They foam at their mouths near blood and become ravenous when within range of its scent. The only thing that calms a wild kin'oni of the Calyia Clan is the touch or voice of Morfiel himself.

Without him, they would surely have succumbed to the wastes, or cannibalistic kin'oni, or some brave and strong warrior of the zu'aan.

Biology

The Calyia kin'oni Clan are known for their light yellow irises with white sclerae and vertical slit pupils. Their average height is 6' - 6' 4" for males and 5'6" - 6' 3" for females. They have a total of 40 teeth. It includes 10 incisors, 4 canines, 16 premolars, and 10 molars. Only the upper 2 canines extend beyond their lips as "fangs". Their fangs are longer than the average kin'toni. Their tongue is pale and has a strange yellowish tint. The tip of the tongue is blunt and rounded. They have a heightened field of vision, especially at night. And their sense of hearing is unmatched by other kin'oni

They have an incredible sense of smell. This sense is the most sensitive towards blood; especially fresh blood. A Calyia kin'toni is known to be able to smell fresh Zu'Aan blood from as far as 20 miles. They are extremely vulnerable to cold weather. Subzero temperatures are often known to kill Calyia kin'toni. Probably as a result of their near death when abandoned in their original village along the encroaching ice. Their foreheads have three ridge that run horizontally. These are called "frontal ridges". In the mid-line, the frontal ridges of the two sides meet each other to form three "frontal tuberosities".

Their eyebrows are thin and straight, and they have minimal eyelashes. The Calyia have 214 bones. The extra bones come from the 14 pairs of ribs and a pair of clavicles made of two attached bones. The bones are solid with no medullary cavity as there is no bone marrow making blood cells. Their hair color usually varies from chestnut brown to jet black. A few Calyia kin'toni are known to develop hair of lighter shades, although that is exceedingly rare. Their ear lobes are broad and always attached.

The Calyia have pale skin with a hint of yellow. This jaundiced appearance of their skin results from long hemolyzed red blood cells that were never washed out of their systems but remain adhered to their subcutaneous tissues.

Their hearts have 3 chambers instead of 4; two atria and a single ventricle. Their hearts are also significantly smaller than the average Zu'Aan heart. Their livers are brown, dry, and firm in consistency. And their spleens are atrophied and nonfunctional. The Calyia blood vessels have "dried up". Except for a few major arteries and veins, few smaller vessels remain in their bodies. The capillaries have completely disappeared in them. All remaining blood vessels are clogged with hemolyzed blood cells. Since they have no capillaries, their lung alveolis are degenerated.

As a result, their lungs are significantly smaller, harder, and darker. Their feet have arches. Their speed of running is incredibly fast compared to that of an average Zu'Aan. Exposure to sunlight, even for a short period, can be fatal for Calyia kin'toni. They develop burning rashes on their skin, followed quickly by painful blisters. Within the next few minutes, their skin starts to fall off their body. Even a 10-minute exposure to broad daylight has been known to kill a Calyia kin'toni. Fresh Zu'Aan blood forms their only diet. An average Calyia kin'toni can go 100 days without fresh Zu'Aan blood after their last full meal.

There is no substitute for fresh Zu'Aann blood for the Calyia kin'toni. It is the only thing that sustains them. And they will hunt to the edge of Taerel to get it.

Culture

The Calyia kin'oni Clan possess extraordinarily little in the way of culture. They function on base instincts and it has not left them with the mental capacity to create, love, and/or worship anything. What little culture they have is simple and animalistic at best. Much like wolves, they function and hunt as a pack. Their chosen alpha, Morfiel (known as Zelphar Druin as a zu'aan before contracting the kin'toni disease), is the strongest among them. Because of his strength and status, all women in the clan are considered his possessions. This does not exclude the other males of the clan from mating with the women.

It simply means that Morfiel is the only one with access to all of them and is also the only kin'oni of the Calyia Clan that turns zu'aan and adds more soldiers to their undead ranks. Marriage is nonexistent but the Calyia do have a functional mating system. Once a male Caylia has chosen his female, only he mates with her, but all females mate with Morfiel. The women of the Caylia have little respect and are often mistreated. With the lack of ability to have children amongst the kin'oni, women in this barbaric clan are considered little more than toys and not something necessary for continued survival.

In fact, if the clan has traveled for an extended amount of time or has had to stay secluded and have not hunted for over 100 days, Calyia women will be offered as a substitute for zu'aan blood. It is not enough to sate their appetites, but it is enough to survive until the next meal. The Calyia kin'oni Clan love and worship fire. They live, feed, and sleep near skillfully made flames. Their fear and sensitivity of the cold has left them in great need of constant warmth. The night that they must dwell in has not left them with many options. With what little skill they have they have bent metal scraps into makeshift lanterns and will always carry a source of warmth with them.

These lanterns and torches are often a signal of a Calyia invasion. If it is much too cold for the Calyia to afford to douse them, it is a great warning for observant zu'aan cities and tribes to prepare for battle. The grotesque and carelessly made lanterns drive fear into the hearts of many zu'aan and are considered a symbol of one of their greatest fears. When decimated tribes of zu'aan are found, it is said that the Calyia’s discarded “black lanterns” will not be far behind. Instead of a weapon or a spouse, a Calyia kin'oni’s most prized possession is his source of light and warmth.

The more embellished and horrific it is the more respected and admired the kin'oni is amongst the ranks of ravenous Calyia. To lose their lantern is a horrible sign amongst the Calyia Clan. Morfiel preaches that if a Calyia kin'oni forgets or drops their lantern while hunting, it is a strong omen of their impending death or demise.

Government

The Caylia kin'oni Clan have an extremely limited form of government. It follows the same rules as a simple wolf pack. The weak and cursed are left behind while the strongest physically reaps all of the rewards. For the Caylia kin'oni Clan, the alpha has always been one man who has been with them through their Clan’s birth. Morfiel (or in old zu'aan, the Dark One). Morfiel was once the leader of a zu'aan village, and he held the name Zelphar Druin. Several of the Caylia Clan have challenged him and all have failed. His strength and sheer will remain truly untested.

During raids it is his shadow that inspires fear in the hearts of all zu'aan who look upon him. This is no different from the fear he instills in his kin'oni followers. Among the female Caylia kin'oni the hierarchy becomes a bit more complex. There are many petty squabbles and large shows of combat and sexuality amongst the female kin'oni all vying to be Morfiel’s one mate. In a barbaric fashion, he switches through spouses as soon as a better prospect becomes available. Although he is able to mate with whoever he chooses whenever he chooses, his one true woman is another representation of his strength and power within the clan.

Therefore, his mate is constantly changing. The strength and appearance of one woman can always be outshined by another. Especially if Morfiel chooses to turn a chosen zu'aan for the sake of making her his mate. In recent years, the Caylia kin'oni Clan has seen its longest running female leader since the clan’s inception. For two years the one zu'aan messengers call Loraleth (or the Light One in old zu'aan) has stood confidently and triumphantly at Morfiel’s side. As with Morfiel, many women have challenged her strength and beauty, but none have stood a chance against Loraleth’s charms and power.

Whatever hold she has over the great Caylia kin'oni leader, it is uncertain. They rush into battle together and at times, Loraleth can be seen not only wielding her “black lantern”, but also Morfiel’s. Something that is unheard of in the Calyia kin'oni Clan’s short history. The greatest show of power and strength that Morfiel and Loraleth possess is their great collection of “black lanterns”. These are taken from the bodies of challengers they have defeated. Some zu'aan hypothesize that if this clan of kin'toni have any consideration for the existence of a soul, the Caylia kin'oni probably believe it is attached to their lanterns.

A Caylia kin'oni without his lantern is assumedly dead or cast out. Those that wonder the wastes without a source of warmth are very rarely seen again. It is presumed they are either taken by the elements or are consumed by delirium and fear. Perhaps if a Caylia kin'oni were ever clever enough to question their own practices and realize the strength one possesses by possessing another Caylia’s lantern – there would one day be a coup in the Caylia government where a weaker kin'oni simply stole Morfiel’s lantern and defeated him without a single strike.

Military

There is no true form to the Caylia kin'oni Clan’s military. There is nothing that distinguishes one monstrous Caylia from the next in regard to title and authority. The only true leadership is held by the clan’s Alpha, Morfiel (or the Dark One in old zu'aan tongue). He was once known as Zelphar Druin before contracting the kin'toni disease. His role as Alpha empowers him to make all decisions on whom to attack and when. He also directs his followers with shouts and grunts on when to flank and who goes where. The most telling aspect of Morfiel that expresses his power and command amongst the other Caylia kin'oni is his massive collection of their “black lanterns”.

The “black lanterns” are considered to be a representation or extension of the Caylia kin'oni’s soul. Reasonably, one could assume that Morfiel maintains his power through sheer example of the number of “souls” he has taken amongst the Caylia kin'oni’s ranks. In battle, female Caylia kin'oni are seen as rogues. Masters of stealth and disguise. A softly cloaked female figure can easily infiltrate a busy city of zu'aan men. But one word from the Caylia’s mouth and the zu'aan immediately strike them down. Such is the dismal life a female Caylia leads. Often sacrificed for the success and health of the entirety of the Caylia Clan.

The leader of these women is constantly changing. The longest running leader has been Morfiel’s latest mate, Loraleth (or the Light One in the old zu'aan tongue). The position of militant leadership over the clan’s women has always fallen to the Alpha’s mate. Loraleth boasts her own large collection of the female classes “black lanterns”. Some of her collection even features the “black lanterns” of some of the over ambitious males that vied for her affection. Many zu'aan scholars who have managed to observe the Caylia kin'oni Clan in recent history believe that Loraleth’s long standing as Morfiel’s mate is in part thanks to his respect for her leadership and influence during battle.

She is more than willing to make difficult calls and brings the barbaric practices of the Caylia’s military to new extremes. She has sacrificed more women in the pursuit of infiltration and feeding than any mate before her. Her ruthlessness is well known amongst the women of the clan and as of late no one has had the will to challenge her long reign. With each passing day it seems that Morfiel’s apparent love and respect for her grows. Many assume that this may be the last mate and soon scholars will need to create a term for a female version of the Caylia kin'oni Clan’s Alpha.

Some even believe that Loraleth is simply biding her time. That she has greater ambitions to become the Alpha herself and ultimately dispose of Morfiel entirely. This thought gives some hope to the women amongst the Caylia; that perhaps one day they will be more than worthless toys meant for sacrifice and pleasure. That one day the tides will shift, and it will be the men paying the price.

Religion

Despite their barbaric and monstrous practices, religion amongst the Calyia kin'oni Clan is not unheard of. Their beliefs go unspoken but equally understood amongst their ranks. There is no singular great deity that they worship or even an idol, simply a belief of death and the soul’s attachment to its physical form. In a way, the Calyia kin'oni Clan are a group of single-minded atheists. They believe in living their lives through a single moment stretched across days and time. They live to fulfill base instincts and not to worship or praise anything they might perceive as being stronger than they are.

The religion they practice and preach is in their respect and love for fire. Fire as an entity is what gives them life and protects them from the dark and encroachment of ice. Through fire they survive another day and do not meet their oncoming and permanent death. Coupled with their love and awe of fire, their only innovation are their “black lanterns” or what some call their “soul lanterns”. These grotesque and warped shards of metal house a flame that never leaves the possessing Calyia kin'oni’s side. Days are spent shaping and changing the style and power of their lanterns.

In the time that they are not feeding, sleeping, fighting, or mating – the Calyia kin'oni are admiring their lanterns and constantly improving their effect. Much respect can be gained from one kin'oni to the other based on the style and sheer power of their lantern. The lantern’s initial purpose was to provide warmth and a source of light in the dark. After years of coveting these objects, it was only a matter of time before they took on a deeper meaning for such simple-minded individuals that function as little more than animals.

A kin'oni whose light does not shine bright is seen as weak. Their lantern is often seen as a direct reflection of their willpower and strength in battle. Thus, a Calyia kin'oni protects their lantern as they would their very life. The clan’s Alpha, Morfiel (the Dark One in ancient zu'aan tongue) teaches that the loss of a Calyia kin'oni’s lantern is a sure omen of their impending doom. Once a lantern has been lost and its owner remains alive and well, they have two choices. To war with the Alpha for their honor and die a respectful death or to be banished and wander in the wilderness alone and without their soul (or usual source of warmth).

Other than their “soul lanterns”, there are other sources of warmth and light that the Caylia kin'oni covet. Although they are always traveling, at each cave they rest in they stoke and create a great bonfire that illuminates and warms the entire room. Lanterns are forged from this great flame through the molding and warping of discarded metal and stolen weapons and armor from the kidnapped zu'aan during Calyia attacks. At times, when supplies are low, Morfiel will launch a raid simply to obtain more material in order to craft more soul lanterns for his initiates.

If the raid fails, the Calyia know that the initiate is not worthy, and they become another lost soul to wander the wastes of Taerel until they are consumed by the wilderness or the ice.

Nearby Groups

Unknown

Calyia Kin'toni Clan

Unknown