Elak Kin'toni Clan

History

This clan is the one that originated in the Twilight Age, The Eawa kin’toni clan. The Eawa kin’toni clan only worshipped its founder, Magdar kin’toni, which was found to be disagreeable by some. Magdar was clever, strong and a political genius who was famous for being able to defeat - and kill - 10 of the zu’aan in single combat. Magdar ruled mercilessly, punishing those who he thought didn’t obey him or were hesitant to worship.

He had his kin’toni construct a beautiful throne made of gleaming stones of pink salt. The kin’toni excavated it themselves, risking their lives and even some getting killed in this dangerous process without much precaution. He himself decorated this throne with the blood and bones of the animals and zu’aan he killed. The blood dripping from the throne, paired with strings of bones and teeth and the altogether pinkish hue of the throne itself, successfully casted the image he wanted to create.

A kin’toni with the world in his fist. Anyone who dared disobey him, would meet a very bloody end. Anyone who even dared leave the clan would be dealt with too. He had also created a force which further strengthened his rule. A force as brutal as he was. Which was aptly named, ‘The Unara’ force or the ‘Shadow force’. They existed in the shadows, attentively listening in to any conversation. The kin’toni could never tell if they were being seen as the Unara were infinitely skilled at picking out those who they thought could rebel.

Some of these Unara were even disguised as normal citizens, to crush any rebellion even before it could take hold. They rounded up all these ‘criminals’ at the end of the week and executed them in front of the whole clan. Magdar himself was known to drink the blood of these kin’toni as he said it made them even less then animals or the zu’aan. This made Magdar’s rule even bloody and violent and the majority of the oppressed clan aching for change.

It took years but eventually a secret operation started, which was able to detect the cracks in Magdar’s forces. Among them were the kin’toni of the now Elak kin'toni clan too. These forces faced many hardships in the beginning as most of them were executed for not being discreet enough. This force was named the ‘Kuchamasa’ or ‘the ray of hope’. They passed information rather cleverly, into little chits in baked bread and if the message had to be longer.

They inserted it in a selected manner in between the seemingly normal praises of Magdar himself, in various speeches or handwritten on pieces of tree barks. These methods were although slow, but they made sizable dents in the hold Magdar had on kin’toni. But Magdar wouldn’t have been Magdar if he hadn’t been able to detect that something was going on. He soon learned about this operation by one of his kin’toni of the Unara force, who was embedded among the citizens as a mere baker.

A word from him was all it took to get Magdar’s forces to the doors of the secret base of the Kuchamasa. A few escaped but most of these kin’toni were brutally tortured and then impaled. “Let this be a lesson to you all, all who think they can defeat the mighty Magdar! I am your God! Obey me or witness my wrath!”, he shouted for all the kin’toni to hear him. This was how the force of the Kuchamasa ended.

But justice and equality are the forces that the more they are oppressed, the more they rise. Change is inevitable and those who know better, allow it to take place and those who stubbornly refuse are crushed under its weight. So, as Magdar joyously reveled in his victories and became personally inactive, the Kuchamasa took hold again. This time, they were careful not to make the mistakes their founders had made.

Thus, this force strived in secret and became extremely cautious on who they let know about the existence of this group. It took years but the work of these devoted kin’toni fighting for justice was well paid off. After 50 years of living under the suffocating rule of Magdar, these kin’toni took their weapons and led one big movement against Magdar’s forces. Although many lives were lost to this cause, the Kuchamasa won.

When Magdar surrendered, these Kuchamasa decided to give Magdar the mercy he wouldn’t show to so many. They spared his life and told him to keep the now ruined-by-war wasteland. These Kuchamasa then parted ways and formed different clans, who believed in different ideas and desired to live in different places. One of them were the Elak clan. They came to Tayaelakia, a place near the Maya sea and formed their own ideals, government, religion etc. They are still known to be living there.

Biology

The Elak are adapted to the seaside Earr Knoll. Like the Danynn Kin'toni Clan, they are short and muscled with a swimmers' build. Their center of gravity as lower as to be better at balancing on cliff edges and steep inclines. The core muscles are strong as to aid balance. Their skin is mottled shades of brown and grey to blend into rock faces. Their skin is rough and somewhat scaled, as to protect from the rocks and coral of the region.

These small scales also aid with shedding water. Over time, the kin'toni are growing more and larger scales. The scales that once only grew in small patches are now growing to cover entire limbs. They lack all body hair, to reduce drag in the sea. Their eyes are amber on black. The color was just a random mutation. The eyes have an see-though membrane to protect the eyes from sea-spray and underwater.

It closes on reflex when a wave hits or the kin'toni is underwater. The kin'toni of this clan have ears that can rotate apart from each other as to hear sounds over the ocean. The internal shape allows them to hear even the faintest echo in a cave or sounds of prey. The ears are short to avoid damage and are pointed. Their sense of smell is powerful, as it is used to track prey even though the strong air currents of the ocean.

Even the faintest whiff of what could be prey does not go unoticed. Their noses have complex olfactory organ, adapted to tell apart prey from the salted air. The clan's fingers and toes have rubbery gripping pads to help grip slippery rock. Their claws are shorter and thicker, adapted to gripping onto rock. The clan's slightly hands have long, strong fingers and an extra thumb.

Some members of the clan are developing more prominent webbing o their fingers and toes. Their legs are muscled and strong as they need to climb and deal with rocky, uneven terrain. This clan's members have long, strong and prehensile tails used for balance when running. It also is able to be used as an rudder in the water. It has dense muscles and interlocking vertebrae, allowing it to be used as another limb.

This tail is around half the height of the kin'toni in length. The lungs are high capacity and strong, able to hold a large amount of air. The clan has an uniquely efficient circulatory system, allowing them to operate underwater for extended times. Their blood has large amounts of hemoglobin in it, much like those of the mountain clans. The kin'toni have developed vein and artery "pumps" is to help circulate the blood better.

Their needle like teeth are able to inject a paralyzing venom dangerous to local marine life. The clan's digestive system are adapted to their diet rich in raw fish and blood. It can break down small bones and scales using strong acids. This acid can be projected as a close range weapon and causes burns. It is only used as a last resort weapon as the outside of the Elak is not resistant to the acid.

Culture

The Elak kin’toni clan, being devoted worshippers of the moon have many festivals but the most prominent one being “Surkhala wa raya” meaning “The night of the red moon”. This night comes every 150 years and is the most anticipated festival for the Elaks. Since the Elaks worship the moon and it’s pale, milky glow, they were quite flabbergasted when suddenly on a night when the moon was to be completely full, the sky turned red.

The kin’toni cowered away and went inside thinking that the sun was back early. They soon discovered that it was the moon that had turned red, thinking that their God must be infuriated with them for some reason, these kin’toni begun preparations to try and please it at once. They decided to organize a game, in which the participants (the ones willing to take such risks) would be asked to creep in, alone, in one of the zu’aan tribes.

This kin’toni would disguise itself as a zu’aan and would attempt to abduct the chief’s children or if not that, then the chief himself. The Elak decided that this was the best course of action to be taken and would certainly please the moon. A few faithful kin’toni presented themselves for this challenge. The first time, the zu’aan were unaware and thus couldn’t do anything. But it later dawned on them on what happened when one captured kin’toni spoke under torture.

They investigated of the reason the moon turned red in the land of the kin’toni, when it didn’t elsewhere. They soon found out the reason which was that at a specific time, after more than a century, the moon reflects light perfectly on a piece of red gem stone embedded in the mountains. Such that when the light struck it and reflected off, it illuminates the whole Tayaelakia.

The kin’toni are unaware of that and believe this to be a holy matter and thus hunt special zu’aan down for offerings. This night is taken as a very serious custom and is prepared for properly. As for the zu’aan, now that they know the truth, they have alerted everyone and asked them to take special precautions for this day. This makes this ritual even harder for the kin’toni.These kin’toni are also skilled in making items to catch more fish in less time.

The most famous one being the net. It was weaved with the barks of the trees which were only spotted around the sea. They also developed spears. They made their homes using the long leaves of the nearby trees and made sure to cover it properly so that not even a speck of sunlight could enter.They have other fishing festivals too, in which they display their skills by staying underwater the longest, swimming the fastest etc.

They also prepare many delicacies using fish and other animals found. The Elaks are known for their dish named ‘kacha’ which is made up of a large fish, zuuhu, dripped in blood and decorated with zu’aan bones.

Government

In view of the fact that the Elak kin’toni clan worships the moon, they also have plenty of knowledge of the night sky. They have learnt to calculate the days by the shapes of the moon and have made whole charts for it. They make these charts using glow-in-the-dark ink by grinding up corals with glow-in-the-dark ink qualities in them. They can also predict futures with the help of the stars. Often times, it is wrong though. This study is called ‘Awaiotama’ or ‘Sky after dark’.

The ones who are interested in this are encouraged to go forward as the position of the right hand of the leader is for the one who’s most talented and educated in this field of study. What makes it difficult is that futures are hard to predict. With even the stars to help and the moon to navigate, if even the slightest thing goes wrong, whole wars can be lost. One wrong interpretation could mean heavy losses.

That is why the position of The Lawda (meaning ‘the night teller’) is a precarious one with the teller’s head in the balance. This practice ensures that only the most skilled and devoted kin’toni are appointed as the leader’s advisers. One who rarely makes mistakes and luck also favors him.

The leader of the tribe is tested through a series of tests to see if that kin’toni is worthy enough for this position. The requirements are;

1. The kin’toni must be at least 150 years old to go for this position.

2. Must be the strongest. This is proved after the kin’toni passes a series of tests that include hunting, swimming etc.

3. The kin’toni must also know his clan. He should be aware of all the customs of this place and should be able to connect with everyone, even before he decides to go for leadership.

4. The kin’toni should also know his enemies thoroughly. To note their advantages and disadvantages alike.

5. He must understand the power and force of the military.

6. Should also be a regular and faithful worshipper of the moon.

7. Lastly, and the hardest, this kin’toni should participate in the ‘Surkhala wa raya’. He should be brave and willing enough to sacrifice his life for the moon, if he is captured or killed. This tests the kin’toni’s determination, his wit and above all; the power to bring the zu’aan to their knees.

If a kin’toni is able to get past all their defenses and is able to bring an offering back, it is proved that he and only he, is worthy for this position. But if the kin’toni backs out, he is executed. They say that he shouldn’t have applied for this position in the first place and when he did, he should be brave enough to surpass everything.

These conditions are often not fulfilled completely as they demand too much from a kin’toni. Thus, only the toughest and the most committed kin’toni moves forward. Since the zu’aan know about this ritual of the kin’toni, they are thoroughly prepared for it. This makes the challenge even more difficult but when one kin’toni does pass all these obstacles, he rules for 150 years until the next Surkhala wa raya comes, often a longer time, as there are not many who would willingly risk their lives for this.

The current leader of this tribe was chosen 157 years ago, a kin’toni named Balakawa. He is tall and muscular, with eyes that miss nothing. His Lawda is an original, one of the first. He was here when this place was chosen and has studied the Awaiotama for most of his life.

Military

The Elak kin’toni clan consists of 300 well-trained kin’toni who are at their best in combat. These kin’toni are naturally best in swimming, because of their webbed fingers and feet and also their speed. They can also hold their breath underwater for 5 minutes minimum and so their military is able to utilize these skills effectively. The military positions are like the rings of a tree. With the outer circle consisting of common soldiers and the inner most, and the smallest, consisting of the generals.

The kin’toni of the outermost ring are the largest in number. With 300 trained kin’toni, both turned and originals, this ring is the most enduring and the toughest of them all. These kin’toni are trained and have to qualify for many things to be able to reach here. These kin’toni are given various jobs; from protecting the clan’s perimeter, to fighting wars. They are muscular and the most willing to sacrifice their lives for their God and clan.

The next ring consists of 70 kin’toni. All of them trained spies. The kin’toni of this ring are of a leaner built and are fast on their feet. They have been trained in the art of blending in easily with the crowd and know how to pick up valuable information. They are sent on various missions which can be to the lands beyond the sea or zu’aan tribes. The kin’toni don’t trust each other. They might look united but aren’t.

The second ring’s spies make sure to spread-out all over Taerel and to listen in to any conversation. They spy on the zu’aan by blending in as one of them or on their own kin’toni, just other clans, by pretending to be one of their own commoners. These spies have been the key influence in planting rumors in other clans. They gain both the other kin’toni and the zu’aan confidence through these and worm their way through their clans/tribes.

They have strengthened their own clan through this way. They report once a month on the matters of their appointed area, or come back immediately if it is an urgent matter. The third ring consists of 15 top most generals and commanders. They are responsible for organizing the military and making strategic plans. These kin’toni are smart and know how to effectively use their advantages.

They have kept secret most of their finds from the lands beyond the sea to themselves, so that if a dispute arises, they may have the upper hand. These kin’toni train regularly and teach the rest. Because of this the whole troop now knows how to swim backwards and make weapons themselves. Their most popular weapon is the axe. With a thick handle and a sharp-edged blade, their swinging axes become a blur in the midst of a battle.

They, being kin’toni, know that they can use their fangs and nails, but it requires the target to be at a close proximity. Thus, the Elaks prefer the axe. This military as a whole is the backbone of this clan. They have survived zu’aan and other clan invasions because of these troops. This clan’s military is always striving to dominate the world and to make their clan the finest of all others.

Religion

After the clans broke off from the Eawa kin’toni clan, the ones who decided to worship the moon became known as the Elak kin’toni clan. For a few days they wandered, not knowing where to build their homes and start anew. These kin’toni were terribly broken, torn by the battles and the rebellions. They had lost their loved ones and hoped for a better start. Since their numbers had dwindled, they had to attack a zu’aan tribe and turn them.

They went through many fields and mountains but found none to be of their liking. On the 10th night of their wandering, they all started to dispute. At first, they had been terribly oppressed for years under the rule of the Eawa kin’toni clan and its leader and now that they were free, they didn’t understand where to go. Each one of them bared their fangs and put themselves in a fighting stance, the ones who tried to stop them were pushed aside.

All of a sudden, the moon came out from behind the clouds and casted its pale light all over them. The kin’toni abruptly halted, not knowing why and turned to see a pale, waxy ray of moonlight. They followed the moonlight and found themselves on the edge of a cliff. Beyond that cliff was a raging sea, which paired with the bright and bold glow of the moon, looked breathtaking. The kin’toni went down on their knees at once, for under the guidance of the moonlight, they had finally found a place to rest and build their homes.

From then onwards, the Elak kin’toni clan has worshipped the moon. Under its reflected light, they found the warmth they would never have found under the scorching heat of the sun. They hunted by its light and sang praises of it often. All of Elak were united by a single belief and that was their belief in the moon. On the nights the moon ceased to appear, they prayed endlessly for it to reappear, fearing that it had left them.

Abandoned near a raging sea. But the moon always reappeared and so their faith in it never left and they became the proud worshippers of the moon, firmly believing that there could never be anyone more worthy of being worshipped. From the moon they are said to of learned many things such as; the art of glowing and feeling enough even when you feel far from full, etc. This sea is known as the Maya sea and the place as Tayaelakia.

Miscellany

The Elak kin’toni clan hasn’t stayed idol all this time. They have done their very best in trying to make sure that they are not left behind the other clans in the overall development sector. As they live near the sea, it was impossible not to get enamored and fascinated by its constant beauty. They slept during the day but awoke to find the dreaded sun going further and further down the horizon.

The night brought its own wonders; the blue roaring sea lapping at their feet in a constant motion, the sky illuminated by the specks of stars and the glow of the moon. All this made them wonder if there was a world beyond this vast sea. They started to think of ways to cross it. They couldn’t get too much lost in it as they had to be back by sunrise. To swim across the sea was also impossible as they didn’t know how many nights it could take and the swimmer could die if the journey takes longer than one night.

Thus, they knew they had to develop ways to get across. They tried hollowing a tree trunk, to test if it could float while holding weight. It could. Gradually, advancements were made and after a series of trial and errors they were able to make a boat with two paddles. They tested it in the sea and when they found out it could withstand the test of the waves, sharp rocks and heavy rains, the were left overjoyed at this breakthrough.

After sending it out for fishing purposes one night, they were able to capture a type of fish they had never known to exist before. It was red scaled and had a black dot on its head. After eating it, the kin’toni were delighted as it was delicious and they said that its blood was also much fulfilling. This way, they were able to explore many areas around them and the species that inhabited them.

However, they had to be careful to stay within the time limit and to be back before sunrise. But if a boat was stuck at sea, with some kin’toni on it and they couldn’t make it in time for the sun to rise, then there was every possibility that they would be burned alive. To prevent this, they constructed shades and shelters on the boats, as a precaution. This also proved useful to store nets and weapons.

They even learnt to use this shade as a way to travel during sunlight even, but since it was deemed extremely risky, it was abandoned. Through these advancements, these kin’toni developed a lot. They navigated using the stars and its study, Awaiotama. They made maps and journals of their voyages. Over many years, they discovered many new places, brought back so many exotics and were able to provide the best for their clan and others too. In these places, they attacked unaware zu’aan and brought back many prisoners.

Through this they have become one of the fastest expanding clans and the one of the most valued ones too. All this was possible through the simple, yet complex invention of the boat.

Nearby Groups

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Elak Kin'toni Clan

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