Kasniska Culture

"Our Dumata was a queen and a warrior. She fought for us, gave us these scales that reflected the power emanating from the strongest forces of the world around her. We will be her legacy." -Kasniska Champion Galdurix Skamundarun

The Kasniska are Draelish who trace their lineages (whether through heredity or succession) back to the glory of the Draelish Kingdoms and those who sided with Kykuun. Believing that the Sankara sided with the one who brought about the ruin of their kingdoms and invited schism between the Duma when unity was needed in order to prevail against the forces of darkness, Kasniska to this day view the Sankara in a pitiful light, for the they believe that the Sankara made all Draelish weak. With such dishonor against their warrior hearts, the Kasniska strive to prove their worth, and have built a society that is constantly testing each other, with rest being found in moments of carved-out tranquility.

Clan Politics

Kasniska society involves a concentric web of families vying for prestige, influence, and craft. The family, cabal, or guild who has the most influence over the other families, has won prestige in countless clan events, and owns esteemed artifacts of craft and trade, can become elevated to the role of Dynasty. They are the ones who preside over all the other families and controls a portion of power over the clan, furthering the clan's name with themselves as its custodians. They are also the ones who regulate mating rights, which are won through clan games, sports tournaments, well-executed projects, or generous donations of food, material, and craft, and making sure one family isn't monopolizing power over the others. Families may marry into more powerful ones in order to gain these benefits as well. It is important for the leading Dynasty to keep the clan active and feeling a healthy dose of initiative and challenge.
Though the Dynasty may appear to rule the clan, there are checks and balances put into place. For instance, only the priests may preside over the clan's strongest point of Essence, temples, shared Clan hatcheries, and archives. If one too many families host dissent over the ruling Dynasty, they may challenge them through contests determined by Clan Traditions. Rarely do Draelish want to devote themselves to killing each other, for once the bloodlust starts, it is hard to control the range of destruction it may cause. Because of this, efforts are taken to reduce inter-clan divisions that result in bloodshed, having disagreements be decided by other means, such as the Clan Meet, where each head of family gathers together with the other heads of families and the leading Dynasty, or Clan Tournaments.
The individual families themselves are based on heredity, and spend much time working on adding their deeds to the family tapestry in the hopes that it may be hung in the clan's Wandering Hall, or even chiseled onto the pillars themselves if they become the leading Dynasty. Kasniska families sleep together within the centermost portion of their stronghold, sometimes sectioned off by seniority in concentric circles or geometric sleeping chambers. A family may have multiple homes providing various functions, some more public than others, especially if the leading Dynasty has awarded them a hatchery, prominent market plaza, guild halls, bath houses, or other public work to preside over. These may be taken from them and given to another family if the current one loses favor however, so care is taken to construct a personal stronghold where their greatest possessions are kept, though each family relishes the opportunity to add their own touch to the clan whenever they get the chance to do so.

Mating and Expansion

For da'Kasniska, eggs are hatched in family hatcheries, with the parents who mate caring directly for the eggs, though they may have helpers if they are powerful enough or if the Dynasty determines it to be done so. Draelish rarely present themselves as servants, even to each other. Mating between differing families may result in an alliance, with one of the families either acting as an honored vessel or, if both are equal in honor, forming an alliance or even merging, though this is rare. Rarer still are new families formed without any previous tradition, except in the case when groups are sent out to search for Essence hotspots and, once a favorable one is found, may forsake their previous clan in order to form their own. Though each family looks to itself first, the Clan as a whole is strengthened as a result.

Competitive Nature

Kasniska culture revels in martial prowess, as any Draelish would, though Kaniska prefer spending their time on developing sports that test strength and endurance, with room for flair. Care is taken to teach the basic skills needed for martial arts, crafts, and trades, but advanced skills, personal discoveries, and learned shortcuts are often kept hidden in the effort to push each individual Kaniska to excel on their own. These secrets are kept hidden within the family whose individual found them, teaching them only to students who have sworn and incorporated themselves into the family. Betrayal of this trust is looked down upon, with the accuser challenging the supposed breaker to a dual, sporting match, or trial under the leading Dynasty.

Taboos

Banned among the Sankara clans and rarely held in Kasniska one, Blood Sports are challenges or duels where the losing individual or, in higher stake matches, the entire team forfeits one of their living crystals to the opposing Draelish or team. Losing means carving out the living crystal located at the back of a Draelish, oftentimes on the tail itself, leaving a nasty scar that rarely heals with time. These crystals are filled with Essence that become more potent with age, and may hamper the collection of Essence for the Draelish who loses one too many.
Due to the dishonor brought upon losing one's living crystals, a Draelish could instead choose to pay with their life. Because of these drastic forms of payment, a family would rarely agree to engage in blood sports, doing so only out of desperation or for payment of a crime.
Another taboo is known as Kin's Bane. As Draelish get older, it is believed that the darkness that nurtured the Neskil Midar seeks to lull those who have grown in power or have grown dim in age, creeping in like a disease onto the mind and heart. If an aging Draelish begins to detect it in themselves or if it is brought up and proven before their family and clan, then they must prepare for and start the ritual known as Razuunkarae, where they are to isolate themselves (though chosen kin are allowed to stay if requested) and drink a concoction in order to induce death or, failing that, exile. If it has gotten to the point where death is needed swiftly, then the head of Dynasty along with those chosen to accompany them slays the Kin's Bane and lays them to rest.

Martial Artist

Art by Guilherme Nakashima at artstation.com/artist/nakanino

Master Artisan

Bharash Shestendeliat'h by Sam Santala

Warrior

Rook by Sam Santala