Urn'ash Kin'toni Clan

History

Nobody knows really from where the Urn’ash kin'toni Clan comes from, but they claim descent from the righteous dead, and say they have come to the world with a message of purification. They claim their disease is actually a blessing from the Lords of the Underworld and that only the most spiritually advanced are able to become one of the Urn’ash. These lofty claims bear little on their behavior since the Urn’ash will never hesitate to kill a zu’aan, since they consider them inferior, spiritually underdeveloped beings, akin to cattle.

The Urn’ash history, despite their unknown origins, is rich and varied; since they have sprout a series of monastic-predatory traditions, where a Master Drinker will instruct a whole host of disciples and acolytes of the rite, and teach them the Ways of the Bloods as transmitted by its tradition. There are four Urn’ash main traditions known as the Way of the Broken Bow, the Way of the Silent Ring, the Way of the Feather Father, and the Way of the Hollow Wood. Each of the Ways emphasizes a different branch of combat, different feeding tactics, and finally, different criterions for turning someone into a member of the Urn’ash clans.

The Way of the Broken Bow was founded by Master Samyadi Lefnerskatter, and emphasizes martial melee combat over all other aspects. The melee reference is why the bow is “broken”. The Master is still alive (to the measure a kin'toni can be said to be alive, in any case) and teaches his top pupils directly, however, these have taken over the daily duties of the monastery and will not tolerate intruders or “deviations” from their chosen paths. They only eat the wounded, weak, old and infirm, but they can convert the young and strong. The Way of the Silent Ring emphasizes discipline and ruggedness.

They train below waterfalls and in secret tunnels. Their name is a reference to ancient water wells found in the jungle. They are master swimmers. Their original teacher is unknown but now the monastery is run by the Lavan Sisters. They promulgate eating the men and converting the young women, while sparing the old ones. The Way of the Feather Father is a combat style and doctrine based on the observation of birds of prey. They ask for the strength of the falcon and the sight of the eagle. Their master is Lena Tarumsdatten, a middle aged kin'toni with an axe to grind against all zu’aan.

Her teachings emphasizes none should be spared, and that pity is equivalent to weakness. Last but not least is the Way of the Silent Wood. This unorthodox fighting technique lays the emphasis on hiding inside hollow tree trunks. Their tactics are ambush. Their policy on conversion and feeding is simple: Convert the children, feed on everyone else. They believe in the innocence of a child and that they are the better disciples. Their founder is simply known as “he who hides”.

Biology

Members of the Urn’ash kin'toni Clan sport dark pink irises with black sclera and vertical beaded pupils. Their eyes are considered deeply unsettling to look at. There are those who believe the clan has hypnotic powers, based on their strange eye movements that include turning of the pupil beads, and side blinking. In reality the side blinking is a special membrane that protects the eyes of members of the clan when underwater, be it swimming or meditating. Indeed, the Urn’ash kin'toni characterize themselves by deep periods of inactivity similar to sleep.

Where their body functions are toned down to a minimum, thought ceases, and their body temperature drops. This allows them to endure on cold climates and pools of near frozen water for extended periods of time. The ability is useful for hunting, since noise is suppressed but peripheral perception is retained. Resource preservation is key in the deep areas of the north, where the zu’aan population is scarce. Besides this, Urn’ash kin'toni hunt bears and deer for nourishment, though their sustenance is inferior and they need the occasional blood of anthropoids to survive, be it zu’aan or other kin'toni.

In fact the Urn’ash kin'toni tolerate cannibalism to an extent, but never as a predatory behavior. They are only allowed to take a portion of the blood of their kinsmen if it is freely offered. They believe that to take the blood by force would mean a premature death. That doesn’t mean coercion doesn’t exist since all members of a monastery are expected to give periodical blood to the Masters of their Way.

Further than this, the Urn’ash kin'toni don’t bear the external marks of skin deterioration many of their kin'toni brethrean suffer, and maintain a “Healthy” in appearance skin tone – if it were not for their unsettling eyes, an Urn’ash kin'toni might as well pass for a normal zu’aan, at least at first sight. Their abilities of stasis and their self-preservation has contributed to the dynamic of monasteries, and goes a long way into explaining why, despite the time passed since their founding, many of them are still lead by their original creators.

Others point out there is no proof this is really so, and say that no kin'toni could really hope to lead for such a long time. The monastery Masters, then, must be impersonators and identity thieves that are just using the name of the old Masters to rule, even if they are long dead. These theories, of course, are not to be taken as fact, since it is known kin'toni don’t age in the conventional sense of the word, so being the same individual is perfectly possible as far as anyone could be concerned.

Culture

The Urn’ash kin'toni eschew luxury in favor of a Spartan monastic lifestyle. They despise jewelry and all external marks of opulence, with the notable exception of pearls, which are symbols of spiritual purity. Accordingly, most Urn’ash kin'toni monasteries are located close to the seashores, which provide the only known source of this valuable status symbol. That doesn’t stop or detract from some settlements in the deep woods and other unreachable areas, since the value of secrecy and seclusion is seen as very high. Indeed, Urn’ash kin'toni are few in number.

And have to defend themselves from would-be trespassers, zu’aan and kin'toni alike, with deadly fury – if they hope to survive at all. Unique amongst the Urn’ash kin'toni is the respect demanded and expected by the elders and superiors of a Monastery. The Masters of Drinking are seen as awe-inspiring and near-infallible by their pupils. This isn’t a feigned reverence as in other clans, but actual and sincere admiration. Urn’ash kin'toni don’t just expect discipline: They worship it.

To perfect oneself physically is seen as a way to attain also higher spiritual perfection. The Urn’ash kin'toni are convinced sentient beings have multiple souls and that they are more “soulful” than others. Discipline is a way of developing ones “yuur’ashen” or divine souls. The zu’aan like this particular kind of soul –so the doctrine goes-, at least until they are turned into an Urn’ash kin'toni. But not all are deserving of this fate, and only chosen zu’aan will be seen as “worthy” to undergo conversion. Those deemed as lacking in discipline or faith are never given the chance, seen only as “essence” to be devoured.

Hierarchy amongst the Urn’ash kin'toni is marked by the color of their clothing. Each Way has a distinct color-coded hierarchy that allows any member to know immediately the rank of a superior or inferior. Higher ranked pupils are expected and even encouraged to embarrass their lower ranked brethren. This is seen as a way to “build character”, but is supposed to be done in good spirit (which, in practice, is not always the case). Training regimes requires to practice selective abstinence, including partial and temporary abstinence from drinking blood.

This is considered the hardest and also the most necessary of abilities to develop for a harmonious inner and outer life. Attention to detail such as impeccable clothing, personal hygiene and grooming, are seen as paramount to overcoming these impulses. A fully respected Urn’ash kin'toni still drinks blood regularly, of course, but they need to demonstrate “complete control” over their cravings if they are to ascend in the monastery hierarchy. Furthermore their appearance must also be aseptic and clean, leading this clan’s aesthetics to differ a lot from other, more savage-looking tribes.

Government

As mentioned the Urn’ash kin'toni are divided into four Ways. What they all have in common is that the word of the Master Drinker of each of them is considered supreme. Anything they say is law and they only speak “ex cathedra”, giving decrees with their every uttering. That being said, to see a Master of the Way is rare, and to be able to hear them doubly so. In practice this means there is a subdued struggle for power in the upper echelons of the monastery, each of the higher teachers and disciples squabbling amongst themselves about who is the wisest, and the most apt to lead.

A normal observer woudn’t see anything about these squabbles and struggles, however, because they opt to appear monolithically linked and always in tune to any “outsider” and even attempt to maintain this charade to the lower ranks. Each monastery location has a Chaptermaster that has as their duty to ensure all daily operations run smoothly. In the day to day disciples pay deference to this position, but it also carries as stigma than being so “outside-focused” can be to the detriment of the spiritual development of the individual. Combined with the harrowing tasks and responsibilities, this position isn’t really envied.

Then there are the High Teachers, the spiritual successors of the Masters and the ones that perpetuate the teachings of their Ways. Normally these are the only ones to have direct access, in theory, to the Master, but even then they can’t their chambers without permission. The High Teachers are the ones that have the right to turn zu’aan into kin'toni. All others are barred of doing this without permission. The Medium Teachers are only allowed to “see” the Masters through a veil in the room, and to hear them through music or whispers.

They can’t see them directly, and a great taboo weights upon even trying to do so. The penalty may be death, decided and decreed by the High Teachers for such indiscretion. The Low Teachers can only communicate with the High Teachers and never the Masters. They are the ones that teach the base pupils their day to day tasks, like meditation and discipline. Low Teachers are ascended from the pupils themselves, selected from the ones that show most cleanliness, promise and obedience to the strictures of the monasteries. The number of pupils per Low Teacher varies across the different Ways.

It is fifty for the Way of the Broken Bow, forty for the Way of the Silent Ring, thirty for the Way of the Feather Father, and just twenty-five for the Way of the Hollow Wood, since ambushing requires less people while the Broken Bow allows for swarming tactics. Low Teachers are aided in their tasks by the highest ranking and better equipped students. This is a way of ascension since these students may be eventually rewarded into becoming Teachers themselves, if they perform all their duties “correctly and in line”. This means the Monasteries are largely meritocratic.

At least in theory, despite (or rather because) still being ruthless against any failure and indiscipline.

Military

Military organization varies across monasteries and Ways but there is no doubt that again, discipline is placed above all else. So much is this so that individual members of the Urn’ash kin'toni Clan are formally barred from hunting zu’aan on their own. They can hunt wild prey such as squirrels, but not any anthropoids and certainly not other kin'toni, unless their own Monastery gives permission and is fully involved in the operation. Generally, the expeditions to feed are called Pilgrimages, a name that doesn’t coincide with their potential as attacks.

Low Teachers normally lead Pilgrimages, aided by their top students, and the Pilgrimages are undertaken by their classes themselves. They serve both a practical purpose and a teaching purpose. Pilgrimages to eat animals are called “White Pilgrimages” since they occur in the snow. Pilgrimages to drink the blood of the zu’aan are called “Gray Pilgrimages” due to the necessity to occasionally venture into roads and urban areas. Gray Pilgrimages are directed by a Medium Teacher, since Low Teachers themselves aren’t considered developed enough tactically, strategically or spiritually to lead such operations.

To carry out a Gray Pilgrimage successfully is a great honor and a sign of spiritual development. Conversely, to fail is seen as a great dishonor and merits a review from the High Teachers. If the High Teachers deem that the Medium Teacher acted without discipline or regard for their Way, they may be demoted. If they deem their act malicious and deliberate, they will be eaten. This last conclusion is very rare since Medium Teachers are considered quite attached to their monastery and their Way – they are only three recorded incidents of them being deemed traitors, two of them in the Way of the Hollow Wood.

There are also Black Pilgrimages. These are undertaken under the personal direction of the High Teachers themselves. Their purpose is to attack other kin'toni Clans. Their purpose is punitive, since the nutritional value of them is deemed quite limited and they are considered “tainted blood”. Normally these expeditions are reserved against “trespassers and undesirables”, but if inter kin'toni conflict escalates, the mobilization can be massive. Members of all monasteries of a Way may be called upon to defend their doctrines and way of life against threats considered apocalyptic.

Sometimes these are invoked against kin'toni warlords that believe themselves with the right to rule all of the race – a claim that the Urn’ash kin'toni unanimously dispute. Last but not least there are the Transparent Pilgrimages. Rarely is one of these ever seen, and they are supposed to be led by none other than the Master Drinker of a Way in person. Their purpose is to “teach” other Urn’ash kin'toni about the superiority of a particular Way – by force. It is said in legend that once these conflicts were common, and many times did Master Samyadi Lefnerskatter face the Laban Sisters in combat.

However, these days such happenings are only remembered in legend and myth, and the Masters seldom leave the consecrated grounds – at least in public.

Religion

As it was to be expected, religion permeates every aspect of the Urn’ash kin'toni Clan life, since religious life is paramount to the experience of every individual. From the moment they are converted, Urn’ash kin'toni experience a deep sense of spiritual and religious awakening. Whether this is a delusion cause by infection, or a true message of the gods, is open for interpretation, but the sensation of being a “chosen one” is real for each and every one of them. Their spiritual development is a drive as elemental as the need for food and drink.

Each Urn’ash kin'toni feels itself connected to a “fragment”; which they perceive to be beyond life and death. Fragments look like crystals to an Urn’ash kin'toni mind’s eye, and they can communicate with them and “Hear” them. It is possible this is just a hallucination, but it feels as real as anything that can be heard or touched. The messages of the crystals are enigmatic and there are few that claim to be able to understand them at first. Due to the difficulties of understanding the crystal’s message is that even guildless Urn’ash kin'toni search for the guidance of the Master Drinkers.

For the Master Drinkers have studied the Messages for centuries and are surely able to decipher them. Few disciples, however, get to really see the Master of their Way in person, and most have to make do with the interpretation of the highest-ranking senior staff rather than get to ask to Master themselves. Crystal messages can be anything, from simple things such as “cleanliness is next to godliness” to full tracts about the nature of reality and the planet, to egomaniac ramblings of dead and mutated beings from beyond eternity. In any case, the ones “Infected” by these visions have no choice but to obey their crystals/

Since disobeying would mean quickly going insane with the demand. Only the intention to make the crystal sentences into a reality brings peace of mind. With this peace of mind, that comes from crystalline-obedience (or the manifest intention of doing so) is also unlocked the aforementioned ability of meditation and the slowing of bodily functions. There are several techniques to do this that vary according to the school:

Way of the Broken Bow

Breathe deeply and visualize the impending destruction of your enemies.

Way of the Silent Ring

Close your eyes and feel the world moving around you. Think on how to end it.

Way of the Feather Father

Visualize yourself soaring on endless blue skies, and falling upon your hapless prey.

Way of the Hollow Wood

Be one with the wood, one with the earth, one with the forests. Strike as one.

As these doctrines make clear, idiosyncratically the Urn’ash kin'toni are still predators, and what is more, despite their calm external demeanor, their religion is still without exception eschatological and apocalyptic.

Miscellany

There exist amongst the zu’aan a few that, through misunderstanding or desperation, truly want to form part of the Urn’ash kin'toni. They say they believe in their prophecies and also desire to partake in them. That they wish to hear the voices of the Crystals and to embrace the Ways of the Blood. Every seven months, caravans of these believers will set off from main zu’aan settlements seeking the Monasteries to be converted. The monastery-keepers actually hate this, since, though they bring easy food, they also bring unwanted attention to their existence.

Indeed some of these parties of zu’aan prospective worshippers also come with embedded spies and military attaches from the cities, eager to discover the secret locations of the Urn’ash kin'toni monasteries. This is why, in reality, few to none of these parties are turned, in whole or in part. Rather, they are seen as nuisances to be obliterated, undisciplined and wretched. Despite the stories of the caravans being just eaten, many believe this to be just zu’aan propaganda and not the true facts. They are certain “the Urn’ash kin'toni will welcome them as one of their own”,

And believe fully that this would be a better life rather than being subject to poverty, disease and the abandonment of most zu’aan by their governments. Interviewed by an officer, a woman of a caravan manifested her desire “to join the undying ones in eternal worship of the higher orders” and “to enter a life without disease or death, where everyone lives harmoniously to the highest of their potential”. These romanticized descriptions of course omit the regular murder and hunting that even the most disciplined Urn’ash kin'toni must undertake if they will to maintain their body working.

But these “details” don’t stop the worshippers from trying their best to look and act like an Urn’ash kin'toni (from what they believe of them from incomplete, distorted and absurd “information”) when they set off in their caravans in order to find the Monasteries. Not all of them are killed by the Urn’ash kin'toni and there is no need: Many are old and infirm, others are families woefully unprepared for the rigors of the journey. The cold of the North, savage animals like wolves, and other kin'toni clans are more than eager to devour these worshippers.

Long before they have the chance to even find the Monasteries based on their inaccurate, obsolete and outright fake maps. There have been calls amongst the zu’aan to stop the caravans and their misguided people, forbidding them to set off from the relative safety of the walled cities and other guarded, protected settlements. However the truth of the fact is that governments don’t have any true motivation to do so. Some governors are actually happy that such caravans set off, since it “rids them of the undesirable and the insane”, at the same time that it distracts from their own plots and incursions in other to conquer kin'toni territory.

Being an efficient “smokescreen” for military and political maneuvering alike. This “efficiency” doesn’t really console any loved ones of the departed ones, of course.

Nearby Groups

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Urn'ash Kin'toni Clan

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