Ahe Kin'toni Clan

History

The Ahe are a noble clan of the Itkali kingdom, and are also referred to as the soldiers clan due to the numerous members that voluntarily serve in the Itkali army despite no requirement of the clan to be the sole provider of the soldiers for the army. At present the Ahe are in control of the capital of the Itkali kingdom, and have been distinguished above the other clans by being bestowed the title of the cupbearers for the king. The popularity of the Ahe is not merely limited to the king, but also to the Yuaa Kin'toni Clan, as they are now called the Head clan for the temple of the Shepherd.

The Ahe are perhaps the most powerful clan in the whole kingdom besides the Yuaa clan which is the conduit clan between God and the people of the kin'toni nations as a whole and not only for Itkal. Thus there are a few people that would even claim that the Ahe are even more important in the present times than the Royal clan of the Itkali people, which is the Valsok Kin'toni Clan. This was not always the case, in the olden times, the Ahe were no more than an auxiliary to the Valsok, but their fates seem to have reversed since the time of the Shattering.

Perhaps the most surprising reversal or rather change has been in the role that they play in the army, prior to the Shattering, it was the Ahe that commanded the legions of the Itkal kingdom into war, and the Ahe formed a group of the petty officers that implemented the vision of the generals of the Valsok Clan. This all changed with the death of the first emperor, Dedunova Eelmalera. Many kin'toni blamed the failure of the Valsok in defending the old monarch, and when the new King rose, the Valsok were removed almost to a kin'toni from command.

The Ahe that had been most vocal in admonishing their Army generals, instead of being reprimanded were instead rewarded and provided with an opportunity to become the new leaders of the army. They were promoted to the positions of Generals of the army, and several hundred of their number were sent to the lands of the Fa'aka Kin'toni Clana’akaF, and in the Military college located at the Swaynis Highland, the Ahe became legendary commanders. They have now commanded the forces of the Itkali kingdom for a long time, and have made reverses on all the lands they had lost during the battles of the Shattering.

Besides their last failure in the engagement with the Adon Kingdom, the Ahe have outdone themselves and severely overshadowed the accomplishments of the Valsok clan. It is now said that the Ahe may soon be given the privilege of being named the royal clan, this is not something that has ever been done before and kin'toni are unsure of even the implications of such a move. Others however agree that it should be possible to oust the Valsok and include the Ahe since the king shares as much blood with the Ahe as he does with the Valsok clan.

Psychology

The most characteristic trait of the Ahe is definitely their loyalty to the King of Itkal and to the legacy of the kingdom they serve, their love for the monarchs and the people of the Itkal seems to run from an endless spring. The founding of the Valsok was done just as much by Dedunova Eelmalera, the First Emperor, as by Oomuechu Ysijotu, who was a Valsok clan member until he was granted the privilege of founding his own clan in return for exceptional services rendered to the First Emperor during the campaigns against the zu'aan nations that were once found in Erea.

In this way, the Ahe share the blood of the royal clan and have as much claim to the title as the Valsok do themselves. One thing that Oomuechu Ysijotu inculcated in the clan most thoroughly was the devotion and worship he himself had towards the Itkali throne. The death of the First Emperor was a difficult blow for all the kin'toni of Itkal for all the deep love they bore him, but it was an especially difficult period for the Ahe, who went into a long period of extended mourning.

They withdrew from battle and all wore the blood red colours of the Monarch in tribute to the First Emperor, in fact, Oomuechu Ysijotu, has completely forsaken the colour of his clan despite being its founders and only ever clothes himself in the deep red colour that the First Emperor had claimed for himself. This is a privilege that has continued to be afforded him by the current monarch as well, in fact the new king and Oomuechu Ysijotu are ver fond of each other.

The new King and the Ahe founder were born of the blood of the same kin'toni of the Valsok clan, and were especially close to the First Emperor during his life. When the current monarch was crowned the new king of Itkal, he forsook the title of Emperor and declared that there would ever only be one emperor of Itkal, and that would be Dedunova Eelmalera, instead he took up the title of king. The Yuaa priests have claimed that the decision of the king to forsake the title of emperor was one that was inspired by the founder of the Ahe clan, Oomuechu Ysijotu.

Besides being fiercely loyal and patriotic, the Ahe are diligent kin'toni warriors, since the tradition of sending their senior leaders to train with the Fa’aka was begun, the clan has continued it without the assistance of the Itkali treasury. The Ahe clan now sends most of the kin'toni that have seen enough battle to the Fa’aka for training, as such the armies of Itkal have only grown in their stature and haven’t really diminished. In fact, most of the kin'toni that are familiar with the events of the Erea also claim that the defeat of the Itkali forces by the Adon kingdom was predicted by the Ahe commanders who had counselled the king against the manoeuvre.

Biology

The Ahe are tall and lean kin'toni, their years in the battle lines have hardened not only their bodies but also their minds, it is possible to identify an Ahe merely by the cadence of walk and speech without even looking at their features. Like the rest of the Itkali people, the Ahe clan too is particularly pale, but unlike the rest of the clans, the Ahe tower above other kin'toni. The shield blocks that the Ahe are able to form are impenetrable and deadly, easily rivalling the work of the Galaka Kin'toni Clan from the Tamor Drylands of the Ashat nation.

They are also without fur, just like the Valsok with whom they hare lineage, the Ahe do not grow the translucent fur that is associated with the Itkali people. The Ahe’s years on the battle fields in the cold winter lands of the Itkal have also allowed their bodies to adapt to the unique conditions prevalent in the region that make fitting a war difficult. One adaptation of particular note is that of their blood, the Ahe are famously also called the Bloodless clan.

This name was given to them by the zu'aan armies that the Itkali forces regularly clashed with when their presence in the region was significant. The Ahe’s bodies have adapted to the cold of the Itkali empire by drawing away blood vessels from the subsurface of the skin, and this retraction seems to be more powerful during the course of battle. This retraction has been known to be so severe in some instances that despite being run through with a sword, the Ahe warrior would still not spill any blood.

This means that it is practically impossible for an Ahe warrior to bleed out on the battlefield unless they had lost a limb. This ability despite being a serious advantage in not just battle in the cold but battle anywhere for that matter, does have its own drawbacks as well. The biggest drawback is the fact that the Ahe are susceptible to frost bite and gangrene. Since their blood is drawn away from the surface of the skin, their extremities suffer significantly, especially the digits of their hands and their feet along with the tips of their ears and noses as well.

Even though its not impossible to fight away the effects of frost bite or take precautionary measures, most of the kin'toni that fight in the Ahe clans are known to have cut off the smallest toes of their feet leaving only two of the largest ones. This is done to prevent the spread of gangrene for its first hits the smallest fingers and if not treated early it can lead to the loss of the whole limb.

These missing toes affect their balance, and as such its not very common to see the Ahe favouring or actively seeking single combat, instead they prefer to fight all battles from within the ranks of their shield blocks where one warrior is able to assist the balance of the other. Their eyes have red irises with white sclerae and vertical slit pupils.

Culture

The Ahe are culturally very close to the way of the shepherd, and throughly follow the guiding of the temple priests of the Yuaa, in all things they put their religion and the kingdom before themselves. In one way they could be seen as the complete opposites of the Valsok, where the Valsok are selfish and indulgent, the Ahe are selfless and Spartan. Although most kin'toni of the Ahe clan are successful commanders of the Itkali army, there are several other kin'toni of the clan that are just simple merchants in the kingdom, despite their differences all the Ahe contribute to the funds of the clan.

Their community is deeply invested in the life of their members, taking active interest in the well being of their clan members. Although this is mostly a positive thing, and it helps the Ahe remain together and closely bonded with one another, the Ahe clan at times can be problematic due to its over closeness which can translate into very little privacy. The community organises regular events for the celebration of the important events of the Itkali kingdom.

In the times past, these celebrations were small gatherings that did not really have a lot of pomp or flair but since the Ahe have gained the favour of the King, their celebrations have taken on a grand air. However, most elders of the clan will certainly confess that despite the increase in the size of the celebrations, at the core of it, they all remain tied to the same emotion that the Ahe have held onto for centuries. As such, though the Ahe have become less tied to the concept of a small community that tries to celebrate its festivals in limited means.

They remain the same Kin'tois who try and express their love for the region and the king with just as much fervour within their means. The Ahe are perhaps one of the youngest clans in the Itkali kingdom, they are still just as old as one of the Ashat Nations’ pioneer clans, for although the Ashat nation continued to grow rapidly, the Itkali people grew at a much more sedate pace. Given their age, the Ahe always try to ensure the preservation of the old ways, they are well aware of the difference of opinion that exists between the Ashat nation leadership and that of the Itkali kingdom.

For the Itkali, it is essential that the ways outlined by the first kin'toni of the world are preserved for they were chosen both by nature and the will of the shepherd, as such they have the natural right of rule. Keeping with that view, the Ahe shun all technological advancements that aim to alter the running of the Itkali kingdom or change the way of the life of the kin'toni. Increasingly there are many clans in the Itkali citizenry that seem to disagree with this viewpoint and have begun to include some of the wares that have been developed by the scholars of the Ashat nation, but Ahe are not one such clan.

Government

The role of the Ahe in the administration of the kingdom of Itkal is one that is complex and continuously evolving, especially since the Shattering. The polity of the whole kingdom has in fact been affected severely and changed several times since that event, particularly the role of noble clans like the Ahe. In times of the First Emperor, in the feudal system of governance, the First Emperor concentrated more on the expansion and defence of his claimed lands and left the matters of administration to his nobles.

Whose role it was to ensure not only the economic prosperity of the kingdom but also the well being of the kin'toni population of the kingdom, in order to ensure that there was proper accountability among the nobles and that the citizens were being provided for, the king divided his domain into provinces. Each province was to have an overlord noble clan that would ensure the matters within their domain were being kept as per the wishes of the king and the way of the shepherd.

This system of management did not involve the Ahe clan, for although the clan was created from the blood of the Valsok, all of the kin'toni in the clan were newly converted by the founder, and so the Ahe were given the role of squiring the Valsok clan. In so doing, the First Emperor had thought to provide the Ahe with an opportunity to learn about the proper methods of administration, and eventually be promoted to the position of a noble clan. This plan of action did not proceed as expected, for soon after the creation of the clan came the Shattering.

And during this cataclysm the Ahe were forcibly removed from their role of mere squires to that of being a part of the army. Their change in status was a need of the time and had very little to do with how the monarch felt, it is possible though that the Valsok had a hand to play in this change. They were given the role for the petty officers in the Itkali army given their young age and yet important lineage, they excelled at the position and came to win the trust of not only the First Emperor but also that of the Yuaa clan.

In the end however, they could not seem to impress the Valsok who kept the Ahe posted at the same level despite their clear victories and progress. When the Emperor passed away, the Ahe were so utterly betrayed by the action of the Valsok and their seeming muted mourning, they withdrew themselves from service, in this way they exposed themselves to royal punishment, for it had been the monarch that had placed the Ahe at the disposal of the Valsok. The incoming monarch did not share the view of the Valsok that came forward to demand punishment for the Ahe.

In fact the monarch instead saw in the Ahe a deep loyalty to the throne and rewarded them for it. The Yuaa which have been particularly vocal about the vices of the noble clans have only ever spoken positively of the Ahe.

Military

The Ahe are now the most important military clan of the Itkali kingdom, since being instituted as the commanders of the Itkali forces they have changed several things about the manner of the administration of the armed forces. The Itkali forces are said to be fearsome not only due to the loyalty of the troops but also the conniving nature of the military commanders that come from the Ahe clan. Although they do not have a lot of experience of their own to draw from, the Ahe have been expertly taught by the Fa’aka warrior clan of the Adon Kingdom, who run the elite Military college in the Swaynis Highlands.

Almost all of the members of the clan that now have a place in the army of the Itkali kingdom have served a decade at the college. Even among the graduates of the Military college, the Fa’aka hold the Ahe in special esteem, but they haven’t yet been recognised as one of the warrior clans by any of the other clans of this category on the landmass of Erea. The Yuaa are quick to claim that the Ahe are as much of a warrior clan as the Fa’aka of the highlands or the Galaka of the Drylands, but the other warrior clans have categorically stated that politics plays no part in recognising a warrior clan.

For although the pirate clans that founded the Tharis nation are hated by all, they are still viewed as a warrior clan. The Daera Kin'toni Clan of the Mal Jade Cliffs have offered an explanation in this regard during a recent interaction with the envoy of the Ahe, according to the Daera, the Ahe do not qualify to a warrior clan because they have no particular sense of honour. All the Warrior clans that have been granted the title in the lands of Erea have lived by a code of honour, and though it isn’t always as clear as the rules with which the Galaka live, it still exists.

Even the Oola Kin'toni Clan, no matter how blood thirsty or savage they can be during battle, once can never claim the Oola to be dishonourable, even though their sense of honour is probably very twisted. The Ahe on the other hand hold nothing scared besides their religion and their nation. This zeal with which they serve I converted into a most brutal and heartless method of fighting, the Ahe give no quarter to those kin'toni that surrender in battle, they care nothing about a battle well fought.

They target the weakest link, and resort to tricks if they must in order to win the day, this zealousness is what is in fact admired by the Fa’aka. It is evident that no matter the skill or the results that the Ahe have been able to produce they are still seen as mere soldiers and not the famed warrior clans of Erea that have won for themselves renown across the whole of Taerel. The Ahe have confessed that the title of a warrior clan is impressive but it has never been something that they have desired or even actively worked towards.

Religion

Like the rest of the clans found in the Itkali lands, the Ahe too follow the way of the shepherd. They are particularly ardent about their faith and rival only the Yuaa themselves in service to the temple of the shepherd. In contrast, the Shepherd’s lament, a compilation of the teachings of the shepherd along with the details of his tragic life, do not ever mention the Ahe, this is unfortunate since the book was compiled much later but was written only on the words of the Shepherd.

Since the Ahe were only brought into existence by the decree of the First Emperor, they were not present at the time of the Shepherd, and as such he could never have known of them. This is a sensitive topic for the Ahe, since they are only among the handful of clans that are not accorded this honour, and to many it seems that in order to compensate for this loss, the Ahe go out of their way in order to prove their devotion to the Shepherd. Somehow hoping that by being devoted to his cause now, they can overcome the fact that the shepherd had never truly known of them.

To all those that whisper that the Ahe clan is not loved by the Shepherd, the Ahe have made a monument of the love they bear for the shepherd. The coniferous forest of the Itkali kingdom is perhaps the most fertile region of the whole kingdom, not only does it house the seat of the king and royal clan but it also bears the distinction of being the only city in the whole kingdom. In the times past, this region has also become important as a source of foreign export, which earn the kingdom the crucial currency that it requires to fund its near endless wars.

The geographically important region was handed to the Ahe on the eve of the defeat of the Ashat Armada, which had invaded deep into the Itkali region in order to take advantage of the weakened throne after the passing of the First Emperor. None of the Itkali noble clans had made any moves to stop the advance of the several thousands strong kin'toni army that the Ashat nation had been moving towards the capital. It is said that the Ashat council had bought out several of the noble clans with promise of a place at the councils seats, in exchange for Itkali lands.

The Ahe however stood alone and took on the whole Armada all by their lonesome, and were nearly destroyed by the larger army. The peasantry that saw the brave fight of the Ahe was moved by their courage and took up arms to repel the forces of the Ashat Nation. In the end, the noble family that was to have the responsibility of the defence of the capital was put to the death, and the Ahe were raised as the provincial overlords. In their first action, the Ahe had commissioned several temples to be built within the capital, and these still are considered some of the grandest temples of the shepherd.

Miscellany

The Yuaa and the Ahe are uniquely close, despite the fact that they represent polar opposites of their strengths and beliefs, what seems to tie the two together is both the love for the monarchy as well as that for the Shepherd. Their relationship truly began to develop when the Ahe publicly stood against the Valsok following the death of the First Emperor, for its common knowledge that the Yuaa and Valsok positively despise each other. The Yuaa hate the disrespect the Valsok have always displayed for the blood the Yuaa carry.

Which they claim is just as pure as the blood the Valsok have in their own veins, since they are both descended from kin'toni that were altered by nature and guided by the Shepherd. On the other hand, the Valsok have hated the Yuaa for having the ear of the monarch, the First Emperor, although he wasn’t as smitten with the clan as the current ruler still included them in their counsel. According to the Valsok, the only things that the Yuaa have been good at is motivating the troops and keeping the peasantry in line, they have no role in administration.

This view of theirs was of course turned on its head, as accordion to the present system of governance, it is the Yuaa that are the administrators while the Valsok have seemingly no role. And according to many, the Yuaa were able to bring about this change due to the presence of the Ahe, for the Ahe are the sword that the Yuaa wielded to cut down the political power of the Valsok clan. This began with the public refusal to obey the orders of the Valsok in battle, it is said that the Yuaa were one of the loudest supporters on the action of the Ahe and publicly condemned the Valsok with the same accusations.

Perhaps the result would not have been as dramatic had the King not been bloodkin with the founder of the Ahe clan, and the Ahe probably would have been punished, but instead of being punished, the Ahe were rewarded by the King and the Valsok were unseated. In this way, the Yuaa began to slowly dismantle the position of the Valsok and instead began to state in their place the Ahe, who were not only fiercely loyal to the crown but also had a seemingly deep love for the shepherd.

In fact, their position has changed so much that now the Ahe are thought as being closer to royalty than the Valsok, and it is said that the Yuaa may yet bring this about altogether, that they may yet have the Valsok disbanded and the Ahe made the royal clan of the Itkali kingdom. It can’t be said that the Yuaa have been completely naive to the action of the Yuaa but they seemingly believe in the vision of the Yuaa and agree that the way to a greater Itkal is through the reduction of the power with the Valsok.

covers Twilight Age years 201 to 300.