Esatini

Overview

The Esatini are a smaller version of the normal human one meet throughout Koria. They have grey skin and white hair. No one really knows why they look so different than their human ancestors. Except from that they are a little bit smaller than other humans and some might think they are dwarfs.

Culture

The Esatini are a culture of warriors. Even their women are warriors if they want to. They are fierce and so is their culture. They thrive in painting battlefields, skirmishes and duel, forging small and sturdy weapons and sing songs about battles, duels and lost heroes.
They live in the shadow of the Daveldare Mountains under and on high trees in tree-houses. Their clothing consists of wood, leather and all kinds of plant fibres. They don't allow metal in their clothing; all kind of metal - black, heavy, speed metal - is used in their weapons.
The Esatini are quiet people. Most of their language is based on handsigns, but they do speak. Some are really chatty, but when they speak to each other, they use handsigns. It is the best tool to use when in enemy territory or when they are on a mission.

Structure

The Esatini have no real structure. There is the leader and the others. This does not include different jobs or specialisations. All are the same before the God of Knives and before the leader.

Life & Training

With the age of ten the boys are forced into training, the girls can join if they want, but have to stay till the exam. The training itself is hard, both boys and girls are treated the same. From now on they learn everything nature, everything anatomy of animals and other species alike. It is used for hunting and killing. The younglings live in a small group of five to ten pupils. They eat, sleep and bathe - and sometimes - train together.
At the age of fifteen they are trown into battle. They get their first mission and their first kill, accompanied by their teacher. Most of them succeed, only a few fail and are forced out of the knive duty. From now on they have to provide for the village: hunting, carving, wood chopping, growing crops, herbs and grain. Weaving, stitching, cooking are also possible opportunities for the failed youngling, to have a purpose afterall.
At the age of eigthteen the younglings have their exam, their ritual with the name of Kniveholm. It is a series of tests, some of them are lethal. The last test is a duel against one of their own. Could be father, mother, a fellow pupil, the leader himself or one of the teachers. Both sides have to spill blood to win. If the pupil fails he has to re-learn a full year with another test at the end of the year.
After they are a fully grown and trained Esatini they are assigned missions throughout Koria. If they are at home, they help their wives, children and other families with their daily lives and battle each other to prove who is the mightiest of them all, with rules and prestige and everything in between.

Weapons & Armour

The Esatini use leather, plant fibres, furs and wood for their armours. Not even chainmail because all metal - death, power, glam metal - is used as a weapon or is being reforged.
The weaponry consists of four weapon types: bows, all kinds of throwing utilities, knives and swords (up to longswords). In those categories one can find all variations for every category. Even small throwing stars, forged with black metal and so sharp, meat cuts itself if it spots a throwing star.

Rituals & Customs

Besides the initiation ritual and the ritual battles between the Esatini exists no real rituals. Their "tradition" is to come together twice a week for stories, music, singing and food, but the Esatini are quiet people, so they have no need for customs. Every family can develop their own habits though.

Employment

The Esatini are mostly employed by rich or desperate people. Finding things, eliminating specific targets - except for woman under twenty and children under ten - or aquiring specific information, the Esatini can do everything. Sometimes a small group of them is hired as scouts for military operations or assassinations.

"Why is he dead?"
"How should I know?"
"You were sitting next to him?"
"There was nothing!"

— Two irritated nobles at the sight of their dead friend

"What a shot... twohundred meters?"
"Two-fifty, more likely."
"Since when are you so precise?"
"I trained."

— Two Esatini after a successful assassination

"Finally I got rid of you. You...you... uncultered whoreson! No, that is too good for you. You uncultered abscess on the hairy ass of a butcher! Rot in hell and may your cock rot away wherever you are!"

— Furious wife after an Esatini killed her brutal husband

"They do love each other. You see the twitches of their hands and their eyes? I fear what they do if their significant other is going to be killed."

— Local tradesman after dealing with an Esatini couple

Related Locations

• Daveldare Mountains