“Here’s how we began…”
As told to Sandomir the Sailor, Kroviyan merchant, by a drunken Aahtel warrior in a brothel in Palola
“If you want to know the truth of it – the real truth, not the twaddle they teach you at your mother’s tit – then listen, because I’ll tell you.
“In the beginning, the Aahtel people lived in all the land you call Kroviy, all the way up to the northern mountains. Now in those days the land was bigger, because then the land stretched all the way down to what’s now the western tip of Harvikka, unbroken and fertile and green. We lived there with our gods, who had made us from mud and blood, and we were happy because we fought each other and the monsters in the woods and the swamps and we were warriors.
“Then came you Kroviy from the north, crossing the mountains with your strange ways and your strange gods. You couldn’t beat us in war but we let you settle anyway because there were only a few of you and it amused us to have someone to kill besides each other. But you bred like rats and brought your cousins from across the mountains and before we knew it you were many, and not just a few. So we had a war then, a long war that your people have forgotten all about but we remember. And for hundreds of years we fought you and our gods fought yours and the land was laid to waste and ruin.
“And then your gods came to our gods under a branch of truce with a proposition for dividing the land between your people and ours, because you Kroviy are cowards who have no stomach for a real fight. And a few of our gods were against it – Harvikk and Nuava, Karppu and Kovguulu, the brothers Rihhiloand Riihilatu, and Innamu and Pettuo – but most of them decided to make peace and divide the land, you Kroviy in the north and us real people in the south. Back then we had many gods, not just Eight, you see, and most of them wanted peace because they were just as cowardly as your gods.
“So the gods who wanted peace met with your Kroviyan gods for a great feast to celebrate the peace. The Eight who didn’t want peace stayed away, and that was a good thing too because your gods were treacherous. Of course. They drugged the beer of our gods and put them to sleep, and then killed them while they slept. And then they sent a great cataclysm to the land of the south where all our people had gone in anticipation of the peace. They broke the land and sank it into the sea to make us drown, or threw up the land in great mountains to make us plunge to our deaths, thinking that they could kill all our people at once in that way. But the Eight, who had their domains furthest to the south, managed to save their lands and the people on them, and that’s how the Eight great Aahtel Islands were made, and how you cowardly Kroviyans came to have the fair and fertile lands while we Aahtel got stuck with the crumbs. And that’s why we’re determined to this day to take back what belongs to us and show you Kroviyans what’s what.
“Now drink up. You’re a good fellow. See that whore over there with the red hair? I’ll buy her for you tonight.”
Introduction
The Aahtel are a violent and aggressive warrior culture that have inhabited the scores of islands in the
Society, Culture and Attitudes
Aahtel society is based primarily on the concept of heimo, or clan. A heimo is a group of extended families related through intermarriage and proximity, with strong ties going back often hundreds of years. Heima may be anything from 50 to 500 persons strong. The heimo is the fundamental social, religious, political and military unit of society, and all activities revolve around it. An Aahtel’s first loyalty is to clan first and anything a (distant) second. A heimo is a peaceful social unit where there is surprising harmony and warmth. An Aahtel considers all members of his heimo to be first-degree relations, so that an insult or offense to one is an insult or offence to all – likewise a favor to one means that all are in debt until the favor is repaid.
The heimo is run by equally by the Selja, the council of the wisest and eldest members of the clan (male and female), and the Johtijuus, who is the elected by all adult males as the most respected adult male in the clan; most Johtajuusa are great warriors, but some are priests, smiths, traders, or others who have made their name in some way. Within the heimo no fighting is allowed; all disputes are referred to the Selja and their decisions are final.
There is no question that the Aahtel have a male-dominated society; only males can own property, bring grievances before the Selja or the Johtijuus, and only males can initiate divorce proceedings. Aahtel men are expected first and foremost to be superb mariners, as boats play such an enormous role in their culture. They are expected to be strong, brave and resolute, utterly honest, faithful to their word when given, good with weapons and their trades, and inured to suffering. Men are esteemed in proportion to their abilities at fishing, farming, crafts, and arms, as well as their courage, honesty, ability to father strong children, good nature, and stoicism in the face of pain or danger.
In spite of the aforementioned, females hold a high and honored place in society; females have sole say on how children are raised, how their houses are run, and who may enter the house. Adult females are never subject to harm by another member of their heimo (though corporal punishment is a frequent event for children of both genders) and any husband who beats his wife or mistreats her in any other way is subject to intense pressure from the other members of the clan to mend his ways. Women are respected largely in proportion to their ability to bear healthy children, cook, keep good house, mend fishing nets, gather and grow foods, tend animals, provide good conversation and companionship, and give good advice.
For children too the heimo is a welcoming and safe place. Although spankings and beatings are common enough for misbehavior, since every member of a heimo is a first-degree relative children have as many fathers and mothers as there are men and women in the clan. They never lack for education, attention and mentoring, and their guidance and growth is one of the primary concerns of the heimo as a whole.
As peaceful and nurturing as life within a heimo is, relations between clans are liable to be turbulent and violent. Aahtel honor is a touchy thing, and anything from an insufficient offer of bride-price to failure to yield at the crossing of paths may lead to a feud. Feuds may be settled by nonviolent contests in athletics or riddles, by a payment of silver or kind, or by an apology; however, most feuds are settled with combat. Combat in feuds may range from a fistfight between two men to a deadly battle between whole heima, and they may continue to escalate and spiral if one or both sides refused to accept the verdict of the contest. Often enough feuds leave several on both sides dead or crippled before they are settled by the wise heads of the Selja of the involved clans.
Aahtel culture is based around farming, herding, and especially fishing. Craftsmen are respected – and smiths are revered as wizards – and traders are generally tolerated as useful undesirables. Priests are given an honored place as mouthpieces of the gods, but the Aahtel are a vaguely irreverent people at the best of times and as likely to give nothing more than lip service to a priest as to obey his commands.
The Aahtel have always been a slaveholding culture. However, Aahtel custom expressly forbids the holding of Aahtel as slaves (raataas), even those of other heima. Therefore, the number of raataas in their possession was always limited to those unlucky coastal-dwelling or mariner Kroviyans they could carry away. However, with their successful invasion of the mainland, many tens of thousands of raataas have come into their grasp, and as such the economies of the Aahtel chieftainships has become largely a slave-based economy, with raataas doing all the menial work and even being used as currency. Given how plentiful raataas are they are viewed as somewhat expendable; however, Aahtel do not tend to wantonly and randomly kill their own slaves (the raataas of other heima are, of course, another matter and when clans are battling slaves are usually slain out of hand if they cannot be carried off). That is not to say the life of a raataa is a good one – they’re worked mercilessly, punished harshly, and subject to whatever indignities their masters desire to inflict – but they are at least viewed as valuable property.
The typical Aahtel displays an attitude that is paradoxical and puzzling to most outsiders. On the one hand he is belligerent, touchy, violent, greedy and aggressive, and thinks nothing of killing anyone outside his own heimo; on the other hand he is generous, honest to a fault, courageous, daring, clever, and extravagantly hospitable when he has offered hospitality. During times when there is no active state of war, most Aahtel heima even welcome Kroviyan traders and travelers, which confuses many Kroviyans. Aahtel always tend to be boisterous, however, and almost all of them have a propensity to drink in excess and become violent when they do.
Aahtel religion is polytheistic and worships eight gods, each of whom have both sphere and geographic identification:
Harvikk, Lord of Oaths and Leadership, and of Harvikka Island
Innamu, Lady of the Sea, Storms and Winter, and of Innamo Island
Karppu, Lady of Crops and Herds and All that Grows on the Land, and of Karppa Island
Kovguulu, Lord of Weapons, War, and Feuds, and of Kovguula Island
Nuava, Lord of Ships and Fishing, and of Nuavo Island
Pettuo, Lady of Birth and of Women, and of Pettu Island
Rihhilo, Lord of Striving and Glorious Death, and of Rihhila Island
Riihilatu, Lord of Strength and Enduring Suffering, and of Riihilati Island
Unlike Krovist priests who are priests of an entire pantheon, Aahtel priests are sworn to the service of a specific deity. Priests may be identified by the elaborately carved “godsticks” they carry; each deity has its own specific shape and decoration pattern for its stick. The separation of worship in this manner tends to lead to rivalry between Aahtel from various islands; usually benign, this rivalry can turn violent if drink is involved – and with the Aahtel, drink is always involved.
Aahtel worship tends to be a crude affair marked by simple ceremonies. Most ceremonies and holidays are tied to a specific deity and are marked by sacrifices and rites particular to that deity. The only four general holidays are the two equinoxes and the two solstices. All deities require blood sacrifice (usually animal, though priests frequently draw their own blood in special services, and all deities have at least one holiday that calls for human sacrifice).
Ekkulatti Edestakainen (Cult of the Return)
The most important religious movement in the
Military
Every Aahtel able-bodied male is trained as a warrior from the time he is strong enough to bear mock weapons, and every male so trained is expected to bear arms during war. However, the Aahtel have no professional military class such as rycerz; every warrior has another profession as well. All the males of a clan assemble at the call of the clean leader and follow his direction. Aahtel rely on personal courage and valor for their effectiveness in combat and generally know no tactical maneuvers beyond “charge” and “hold fast.” Exceptional warbands, such as those under Juumo, can be a very definite exception to this, however.
All Aahtel are trained to fight on foot as infantry and aboard ships for battles at sea. They have no tradition of cavalry, though important or wealthy warriors do sometimes ride to battle before dismounting to do combat. Typical Aahtel warriors wear studded leather armor and carry a medium shield along with a spear, a long knife, and several throwing javelins. Wealthy warriors frequently wear chainmail, though they also carry a medium shield; wealthy Aahtel tend to use swords over spears, though they too use javelins and carry the Aahtel long knife as a backup weapon. The Aahtel have no tradition of using the bow, though since their conquest of large stretches of Kroviy individual warriors have begun taking up the weapon.
Political Groups and Divisions
Although the Aahtel have their primary political affiliation at the level of their clan, four broad political alliances have occurred as their lands have expanded. These are not in any way kingdoms, as their leaders are far too fractious and formally recognize no higher authority, each grouping has a “first among equals” leader that is usually deferred to by virtue of his accomplishments.
The Aahtel Islands Chieftains occupy the traditional homeland of the Aahtel people, the multitude of islands in the Selekon Sea. Although their population was much depleted over the past 20 years through war and emigration, they still remain powerful and important. The current “leader” is Maunu, a priest of Riihilatu. He is an outspoken opponent of Ekkulatti Edestakainen and the invasion, saying frequently and to all who will listen that the invasion is a foolish mistake that will lead to disaster for the Aahtel.
The
The Northern Chieftains are the most populous and powerful confederation of Aahtel. Their leader Emppu is a firebrand Kovguulan priest who is currently the most effective leader of the Ekkulatti Edestakainen, and he has drawn to him like-minded warriors and settlers from all the other chieftains. This large group of barbarians is eager for another fight and is spoiling to attack their next foe; they will probably attack Narostia as the greatest remaining threat, but the possibility exists that they will turn their attentions on Dziki or Sokol instead.
Led by the canny and experienced warlord Juumo, the
Physical Description
The average Aahtel is both taller and broader than the average Kroviyan or Thegan, with large and muscular frames. They tend toward being shorter of limb than most other ethnicities which often gives them a barrel-chested appearance of great strength. Males average 71” in height and 180 lbs; women average 67” and 155 lbs. Their skin is fair. The most common colors for hair are light brown, blonde, red, and white (many Aahtel children are born with white hair) while eye color tends toward blue, gray, or violet. Their features tend to be high-cheekboned with long, straight noses and long chins.
Men grow long beards from the time they come of age, generally wearing them chest-length throughout their lives. Beards are braided and adorned in a specific manner based on clan relationship, which serves to some extent as heraldry does in Kroviy. Most of the time adult men dress in the best clothes they can afford, as there are no sumptuary restrictions (though it is considered bad form to dress better than the head of your clan) and tend to wear a great amount of jewelry and precious metals.
Women grow their hair long from the time they come of age, never cutting it except to express shame or mourning. Aahtel females tend to be broad of shoulder, hip, and bust, and although they tend toward a ruggedly beautiful appearance their overall size often makes them intimidating for peoples of other races. In contrast to men, women dress plainly, even severely, and never wear jewelry or makeup.
Aahtel children of all classes dress in rugged clothes suited to hard wear. Children of both sexes dress the same and have their hair trimmed almost to the scalp, making it difficult to tell boys from girls, especially for outsiders.
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