Erath Hauu Kin'toni Clan

History

The Erath Hauu were long time supporters of the Diwarale Kin'toni Clan kin'toni during the 2rd age of chaos and the great blood letting between the smaller clans. It was during this era that Clan Diwarale planned a great offensive against Tav'aat Qurri. However Tav'aat Qurri spies successfully convinced the Erath Hauu that the attack was doomed to fail and that they should instead kill the leader of Clan Diwarale and assume command. This, they thought, was most logical and the rest of the clan would fall in line once Erath Hauu assumed control of the armies. During the siege Erath Hauu moved against their ally and tried to assassinate the leader. While they were able to wound him, their former ally easily slew the remaining 2 assassins and declaired total genocide to all Erath Hauu.

After the crushing defeat Arath Hauu regrouped at the edge of the battlefield. There the new Erath Hauu were founded by sub-commander Hundimfn Ovami. Hundimfn looked through the stragglers, made a speech, then killed any seriously wounded. With a smaller, leaner group he decided they needed to “go to ground” and find a distant safe place to lay low until a new attack, if any, could be launched. All were in agreement as this seemed the most sensible. The Arath Hauu were not particularly imaginative but were pragmatic strategists. They headed West towards the coast. Aside from minor skirmishes with rival kin'toni and bounty hunters they encountered no other kin'toni or zu'aan to feed on and the few mountain goat type animals didn’t provide much sustenance.

The final blow to their survival was the crossing of the (blah) mountain pass. Starving and weak they finally settled in an abandoned zu'aan village. It was here they were found by the Arcillari, just newly settled in their underground lair. Arcillaris met with Hundimfn Ovami and a deal was struck. The Arath Hauu assisted the Arcillaris Tribal Zu'Aan in the defeat of a small zu'aan settlement. The genocide was total. In light of this perfect victory both parties agreed to deepen the commitment through marriage of Arcillaris and Hundimfn Ovami. It was agreed that Arcillaris would be turned(Become Erath Hauu) in order to prove her loyalty to the clan. Not long after the marriage and turning, Arcillaris denounced the leadership ability of Hundimfn publicly and a day was set for divine combat.

Arcillaris doused her cloths with a poisonous mushroom spore known to cause breathing problems in Kin’toni. Not long into the battle Hundimfn sensed that he was defeated before the battle had begun and allowed Arcillaris a clear kill shot rather than risk harming the new leader of his people. Arcillaris then claimed leadership over both tribes. The Arath Hauu saw the wisdom in this bold move and swore allegiance to their new leader. Given the history of betrayal in the Erath Hauu, swearing to serve means little. It is simply that they will follow absolutely commands without question. However any sign of weakness in leadership will open the door to a re-shuffling of leadership.

Psychology

Erath Hauu are strategic thinkers, pragmatic and emotionless. They may appear angry or bothered in the company of others but it’s just that they have kind of mean looking faces, suited to flight. They don’t care what you think of them except where it directly impacts their mission. They don’t get angry and can’t be insulted. They can get “wound up” when prepping for or entering battle. During these times they are quite vicious in speech and action. They have a unique adrenal system and physiology. It turns on or off rapidly depending on situations, voluntarily. They never seek to wound or subdue an enemy only kill as quickly and directly as possible. Erath Hauu are not supermen. They make mistakes and lack of general empathy makes them vulnerable to deception (ie. lies).

While they make the best of their current life they could only truly excel in flight/combat. The alliance with Arcillari has many benefits, not to mention a ready food source should the need ever arise… Erath Hauu adapt rapidly to changing conditions and take action while most are still trying to figure out what happened. They will move together observing and assessing the path of allies and adjusting their own accordingly. In battle they may be observed apparently fleeing when they are drawing enemies into a trap or regrouping for another attack. Erath Hauu are constantly assessing situations for tactical advantage and imagining scenarios of combat with various outcomes.

If you were in the company of Erath Hauu for any amount of time you could be certain that they have assessed your threat level and decide how best to kill you. They do this automatically, without thinking. They can occasionally be caught daydreaming but they were actually deep in planning ways to kill you. They don’t make friends easily even with other Kin’Toni. Bullying by other kin'toni never gets an immediate response from them. They plan, wait and strike to kill. Unfortunately this approach led to their being defeated and running for their lives after the siege of Tav'aat Qurri. Erath Hauu do not intentionally intimidate others preferring instead to be underestimated in combat. If it weren’t for their collective instinct to kill more effectively, together they would most likely kill each other.

This is a very specialized race that requires firm leadership to survive. They were never intended to lead themselves. The union with Arcillaris was a huge boon to them. Even though they are much more powerful than the Arcillari allies they understand the need for a clear strategy and strong leadership. Arcillaris intuitively set upon this course once she got to know the weakened Erath Hauu leader. She took a huge risk in partnering with them and knows that some time in the future she must fail and then her people will once again be at risk. At present no one knows what alternate plan she may have should Erath Hauu turn against her and the Arcillari. She maintains a delicate balance and keep them occupied with conquest of smaller zu'aan tribes in the vicinity and intelligence gathering from visitors to the village.

Biology

Erath Hauu were genetically engineered to be fighter pilots long ago. During the great war the tribe was used to operate aircraft and battle vehicles. Unfortunately for them, they are less effective without a machine to operate. They are less fearsome looking than other Kin’toni. They are often called upon to prove themselves to their more brutal and physical peers. A favourite tactic of Erath Hauu is to make use of their dense frame to absorb damage, apparently cower, letting themselves become overwhelmed by the fierceness of an attacker. Once the opponent feels like he’s winning Erath Hauu will then slip inside the enemy guard and eviscerate their opponent with a concealed blade. The strength and speed of this action looks to outsiders as if someone's guts have exploded. There is no recovery from this.

Small in stature compared to others, about 4’6” to 5’ max height. They have grey patchy skin and ears that do not separate from the skull but instead barely come to the surface, like an ear was glued to the skull(to better accommodate helmets). They have straight Black or blond hair that is kept short in a military buzz cut style. Almost cartoonishly large eyes with an additional nictitating membrane. The eyes are especially vulnerable because of the size, but allow them to see great distances and assess details of objects at speed. They can see into the uv spectrum that gives them a kind of night vision. The pupils are round much like an owl. They have golden irises. The fingernails are only slightly pointed, not like claws.

This was intended to make it easier for them to push buttons since claws would get in the way. They may look smaller but they have some special abilities. They were made to be fighter pilots. They have enhanced distance vision. Very sharp reflexes. Tend to make correct choices in the heat of battle while others are panicking. They are deadly strategic thinkers, prepared to sacrifice their own kind in order to achieve a worthy goal. They are more dense than other creatures in order to withstand high-G combat. It really only helps them these days by having a higher resistance to bleeding to death and some resistance to blunt trauma. They have limited endurance when it comes to long treks or physical work over an entire day.

They are not fast runners over distance but do tend to wade into battle in a style much like close up boxing or Wing Chun. Their natural density helps to fend off blows and when punching they deliver much more force that their size might indicate. The more time they have to assess an individual, the more likely that they will win in a fight. Much like turtles the Erath Hauu can eat then go for weeks without, depending on exertion. They more more likely to show aggression towards others after a tough battle because they need to re-fuel. Without enough food they will simply drop dead suddenly rather than a gradual decline. These kin'toni were designed to be very analytical and strategic thinkers.

They were never meant to live outside of their assigned machines much and lack many of the hardened survival characteristics of other Kin’toni.

Culture

Living almost directly over the Arcillaris stronghold. The Erath Hauu sever a vital role in the survival of both clans. Serving as enforcers, spies and soldiers they are the great secret of the Arcillari. The Erath Hauu work with the Arcillaris Hell Bore elite and help to maintain a facade of a small trading town. The town called (blah) is known for its mineral wealth and other tribes visit to trade food and other goods. Since the Erath Hauu are smaller, they can pass for zu'aan from a distance wearing hoods etc. They tend not to draw much attention and are disciplined enough not to do so. They will however kill and eat stragglers who seem not to belong to a group or come alone. There is a bar in town where Hell Bore gather intel and will mark potential victims for the Erath Hauu.

They are very careful not to take someone who will be missed. On the other hand if a visitor goes to far and picks a fight with one of the locals or makes an unplanned discovery(snooping) a visitor may be surprised when the entire village becomes a killing zone. Ways in and out of town are always watched and plans have been made to capture any who think to leave in a hurry. They have even gone so far as to create “easy escapes” for trouble makers who will end up in pit traps etc. Erath Hauu do have one notable past time. During luls in action they play a kind of “lawn darts” called “feathers” using short spears with flights. Think “giant arrows”. The game is for 2 players to stand outside a circle approximately 50m radius with a 3rd player standing in a target drawn on the sand. T

he “ringers” lob darts, sometimes as high as 100m up, towards the centre. The blocker must catch the dart before it lands, but may only catch one. This means one will always hit. The strategy is for the blocker to only allow the weakest shots in. After 3 rounds all players rotate one. In the end the score is tallied the winner being the one who prevented the most bullseyes. The ringers will often work together with strategies like intentionally aiming for the blocker so that he’s forced to catch or be hit. Sometimes they will delay the second toss so that the blocker must guess if the first one is going to land closer. Erath Hauu love to watch this game and will comment on shots as they land. zu'aan would likely not survive this game.

The village borders on the edge of a forest and swamp. A water way allows for small boat traffic and is the prefered method of most visitors. The valley extends into mountainous limestone features. Tunnels lead East into the mountains were the Arcillari stronghold lies. The Erath Hauu are a great help to the spying of the Hellbore elite. Part of the deal is the Erath Hauu get fed Allicari criminals and anyone they think they can capture without getting found out. The Hellbore work with them and infiltrate other zu'aan tribes.

Government

Erath Hauu follow a strict hierarchy with Arcillaris at the top. This is the Queen but is more like the “commander and chief”. Below her they are governed by a squadron (12) of senior fighters. Essentially they hand down orders. There is little room for dissent and they expect to be obeyed. Many of the 1st squadron are survivors of the fall at Tav'aat Qurri. They are seasoned combatants but lack anything like tact or more subtle strategies. They would not make good politicians but can handle basic leadership tasks and will talk endlessly about battle strategies. They aren’t so good at planning for needs beyond the basics and this shows when they run low on food and have to take action immediately rather than at a better moment.

Arcillaris does her best to curb this but is constantly world weary from the demands of babysitting this group of killers. The age of Erath Hauu is not easily determined by zu'aan. Arcillaris was the founder of Arcillari and since her turning became the de facto leader of both Erath Hauu and the Arcillari. To the Arcillari she is a goddess with magic powers who protects them from the evil Kin’toni. To the Erath Hauu she is simply the best leader they’ve ever had and therefore will follow her commands without question. The Erath Hauu believe that since she is turned(one of them) her loyalty to them is beyond question. There is some tension between the Erath Hauu and the Hellbore.

While in mundane matters the Erath Hauu will defer to the Hell bore but during combat Erath Hauu may “change the plan” during combat if they see a better option. This causes much frustration and danger for the Hellbore who must also adapt as best they can. The Erath Hauu may not intentionally intimidate the Hellbore but often do by callous disregard for the lives of the Hellbore and occasionally sizing one up as a potential food source. There are rumours of Hellbore going missing at night during a patrol with Erath Hauu retuning and simply shrugging their shoulders at the disappearance. Arcillaris is 100% loyal to the Arcillari. She has made huge sacrifices to ensure their survival. The Erath Hauu are again blinded by their lack of empathy and unable sense her true loyalties.

Only through actions that do not favour the Erath Hauu will her deception come to light. In this case the Erath Hauu might simply remain anyway since it’s better than what they had going before. The Erath Hauu numbers are fairly small and don’t require much in the way of governance. They integrate well with the zu'aan Hell Bore and will defer to them in simple matters. They just want to get fed and as long as that continues to happen they don’t much care about anything else. Erath Hauu will often act as enforcers for the Hell Bore assisting with troublemakers in town or more importantly launching sneak attacks against other zu'aan tribes.

Military

All Erath Hauu are the closest living thing to what their creators originally intended. They personify an idealized vision of a combat pilot but ultimately lacked the kind of creative and adaptive piloting that zu'aan pilots had. That said, they have textbook mastery of strategy and learn rapidly when given the chance. They were designed to be fighter pilots and maintain tight discipline even now. Arath Hauu individually are fierce fighters with a natural toughness and voluntary control of the adrenal gland. They can see very far, into the UV spectrum and have heightened reflexes. They lack a formal structure but do have a natural pecking order established by previous combat and mission success. Since they don’t really have ego’s, command can flow from one to another depending on need.

When disagreements do arise about strategy usually the most senior member is generally deferred to. They don’t spend much time in discussion, they tend to think alike. They naturally crave direction and order at the command level. Moral is highest with a clear chain of command with a preference to only making decisions that immediately relate to battle. As pilots they are accustomed to independent actions, within the scope of the mission. Arcillaris is their commander and chief. Erath Hauu will take direction from Hellbore but only for mundane tasking and when being given mission briefings. The Hellbore perform essential tasks for Erath Hauu. They serve as scouts and return essential logistical information prior to attack.

Hellbore provide information on food sources and are the first contact with any zu'aan tribes and help conceal the existence of Erath Hauu. The Arcillari and Erath Hauu combine their strength for a specialized type of warfare that involves tunneling under fortifications prior to an attack. Weakening foundations of walls or coming up through the ground during a battle and attacking from within. Arcillari Hellbore will not reveal themselves to a potential enemy until they have already undermined them. The hidden Erath Hauu are able to launch a devastating attack while Hellbore engage on the surface. The Hellbore are often underestimated by enemies. Arcillari in encounters with other zu'aan will cultivate an aura of mystical power, attempting at all times to seem to be magical.

This ruse is supported by the actions of Erath Hauu who will do things no Arcillari could actually do. Things like “curses” placed publicly against a rival will be carried out at night by Erath Hauu who slip away without revealing themselves. In the morning the “cursed” one has mysteriously died or disappeared. The whole Erath Hauu/Arcillari strategy depends on deception, surprise and myth. The truth is that their numbers are so few that they could not engage in any large scale battle. They must instead strike fear into the hearts of enemies and display power under carefully orchestrated circumstances. Erath Hauu work hard to avoid any conflict that they don’t already have a plan for winning, retreating in most cases and launching surprise attacks after things have calmed down.

Erath Hauu are hated by other Kin’toni, but thought to be dead. If word of this alliance with zu'aan were to reach them armies would mobilize to wipe them out.

Religion

If forced to assign a religion to Erath Hauu it would be something similar to, but not the same as Taoism. They are most content when living in the present moment, in combat or action. Regular working life is tedious for beings with such heightened reflexes. This can make them appear grumpy to outsiders. Their code prohibits “wasted effort” or “wanton displays”. This means that they don’t often reveal powers or abilities unless it’s to actually kill someone, at least not to outsiders. Occasionally new Hellbore may assume Erath Hauu lack of action as passivity or fear only to later find themselves… food. Arath Hauu do not believe in the divinity of Arcillaris. While the Hellbore do believe that Arcillaris is a divine being these different views just never come up in conversation.

If it did, the Hellbore would feel no need to convince the kin'toni of anything. The kin'toni for their part don’t talk much with Hellbore except for mission specific issues. They could care less if Arcillaris calls herself the queen of the universe as long as she continues to make sound leadership decisions and keeps them fed. Essentially atheist, Erath Hauu don’t believe in any divinity, powers or what they can’t touch. It’s not that they have a strong opinion about it one way or the other. It’s just that they are so grounded in the now that they don’t even consider their own deaths or an afterlife. They crave successful combat or other missions. It is during these times that they focus and excel. The only code they know is victory above all.

They have no morals or ethics to interfere with choices. The consequence of this they may appear to agree with you but will turn if presented with a better option. They do have a strong respect for hierarchy. They will turn on each other if they believe it would improve the outcome of battle but otherwise remain steadfastly loyal to their own kind. All Erath Hauu carry a sort of talisman in remembrance of past glories of their ancestors. A metal coin about 3 inches across with a simplified eagle emblem on one side and flames on the back. The eagle represents flight and the fire destruction. Around the talisman is a metal ring joined at 4 points to the coin, like a cross. On the ring Erath Hauu tie thin bands of hide usually 10” long when new.

Over time, for each kill they tie a knot in the band making it shorter(the knot takes up a bit of length each time). Once they have 10 they start a new band. Bands are placed clockwise starting top right and when 100 is reached in the first quad a single band is added to the next quad and the old ones removed. This continues logically all the way round. These coins are worn under the shirt, like a necklace, during regular activities and fastened on the outside left of the chest during missions to communicate rank. It would not occur to any Erath Hauu to cheat or lie about kills. What would be the point? Outsiders may be confused by seeing Erath Hauu with many bands defer to one who has only a few small ones. Of course those with more experience will have fewer bands, at times.

Miscellany

An interesting side effect of their high density is that when the Erath Hauu die they don’t decompose easily. The usual carrion beetles and scavenger animals will leave the corpse alone. A dead one looks almost the same as the living and Erath Hauu have been known to conceal themselves amongst corpses to surprise enemies. Not bothered by mosquitos they can sit still for long periods of time and appear to be made of stone. When Erath Hauu play Feathers, the game can continue for many hours. Hellbore enjoy gambling on the outcomes but will never participate since it would most likely kill them. If one kills the blocker it does count as a kill on ones badge. Erath Hauu have been accused of “throwing wild” in order to “accidentally” kill Hellbore who bother them or seem more useful as food that whatever tasking they did have.

The general animosity between Hellbore and Erath Hauu is never very deep. But it serves to remind all that this relationship is one of convenience and could end dramatically should circumstances change. The crest carried by Erath Hauu is considered sacred. Not in the religious sense, more like being in the fraternity. None but Erath Hauu may touch it. It is a killing offence to do so. Bolder or stronger kin'toni may take one from Erath Hauu and think he got away with it but, true to their nature Erath Hauu will plan the death of such criminals for a more opportune moment. When Erath Hauu is killed, the crest is taken by any other member, preferably senior. It is not buried with him. Instead the crest is saved for a newly turned Erath Hauu.

The new member must memorize the number of kills then cut off all the bands and start fresh. The number of kills is the number that must be beaten in order for the crest to belong to you. In the meantime you are just carrying it for the fallen. It’s not all dark for the Erath Hauu. They do occasionally befriend Hellbore or other zu'aan if they are treated with respect. Their sense of humour tends to be blunt metaphor. For example, “A zu'aan walks into a kin'toni bar.” This is funny because the zu'aan will die and nothing can prevent it. It’s funny when zu'aan loose, not funny when Erath Hauu lose… Those who do befriend Erath Hauu should proceed with caution as the ultimate statement of this friendship would be a turning.

They like you because you would make a good Erath Hauu. The longer you keep from being turned the more impressed they will be with your maneuvering. They know that they could just force the issue but are entertained by the slow hunt in this case. They will start by asking about family ties and friends(so they can severe them). Later they may suggest you accompany them to Erath Hauu social events (I’m sure you will like it) or places where there are no zu'aan. You must politely evade or create excuses for why you can’t go. Erath Hauu see through your excuses and think this is the ultimate in humour. They will persist in this game over many months or unless told to stop by senior members.

Nearby Groups

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Erath Hauu Kin'toni Clan

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