World of Kralis

Fhen Khanur

(pronounced: fen KAAN-or)

An Erdo Fhen Khanur

It is a well excepted sage theory that Chovah and humans were the first true non-monstrous species to walk out of the veil of time at the beginning of the Age of Mortals. Yet, to hear it told from the skardi, Fhen Khanur were among those blessed species to first walk upon the earth of Ta Los. Lost in the mists of times is the truth, according the Vheronic Texts of the giastori of ancient times, the Fhen Khanur are “descendant” of the giastori bloodlines. According to the texts in 55,000 B.F.A., the giastor clan Dulfirgog was exploring a dark foreboding reagion of the Thogshu Mountains(present day Cethia Mountains) when the encounter a strange and powerful magical force brought forth by the heilarks of the “wild and aggressive humans dressed in furs, pelts and colored waist clothing; the call themselves the “Isande People”. During the ensuing battles and magics the Dulfirgog fell to the power of the heilarks and were mutated into the first Fhen Khanur. In an attempt to cure themselves the clan returns to the Athigurian Kingdom but find themselves considered unequal to the giastori and are enslaved in the Fythalu Mountain Mines for hundreds of centuries.

In 52,000 B.F.A. during a fierce battle along the edge of the Fythalu Mountain mines, several clans of Fhen Khanur flee south in the great forest of Junik (present-day Garandor).

The Kingdom of Ahgrinuu, as it will be called, is established in 51,000 B.F.A. west of the Thogshu Mountains, as fugitive Fhen Khanur clans make their way north as the black ice of Iztalik recedes northward.

Thus the of the Fhen Khanur people began and in the receding centuries they have come to be known as a force of good against all that is evil, vile and chaotic. While they are not a warrior-species, they serve the forces of good and neutrality with hands wrapped around heavy weapons and armored from head to toe.

Culturally speaking the Fhen Khanur people are of two very distinct types of thinking and general philosophy. One has retained the ancient ways of the first Fhen Khanur the other has reached for the future and have embraced the more cultured ways of the rest of the world.

Those of the Erdo ethnicity are characterized by their “uncivilized” views of life. These Fhen Khanur follow more of their ancestral ways of life when it comes to freedom of life, choosing to live away from civilization choosing instead to roam and live in the deeper wild ranges of the world.

Despite their more archaic lifestyle, the Erdo are a mechanically advanced species and have developed much of their own high tech tools unique to their own culture that allows them to exist in harmony with the environment of their world. Both sexes are often covered in tattoos from all over the world, from places that they or their ancestors have journeyed to, as well as names of lost comrades and family members.

Orias are well known through out much of Ta Los, Kralis and the Khirius Solvetras region of the Omniverse for their openness, and generally friendly attitudes towards other species, and readily become emissaries or ambassadors for the Fhen Khanur species. They are especially known for their loyalty and dedication to their code of freedom They are devoted to friends and family and to those whom they feel they owe a life debt. Orias believe that those who pledge themselves to a life debt can only be adequately repaid in giving up of one’s life to another.

Orias prefer a less archaic way of life, enjoying large settlements that fit to their much larger sizes. Many times the orias settle into large near surface caverns where they are able construct and carve out buildings and homes that fit them perfectly.

Psychology

When a Fhen Khanur child (iltu) is born they do not cry, this is very unsettling to other species,. There is a soft cooing, but there are no tears or cries that most newborns express. Some believe that the reason that they do not cry is that at birth they have no soul. Sadly, this false believe as lead many to believe that their ancestral bloodline connection to the giastori runs deeper than the Fhen Khanur would like to admit.

Still others believe that, besides humans, the goddess Gishra favors the Fhen Khanur as her protectors of the natural world and has blessed their souls and spirits with a contentment that can only be described as otherworldly.

Those who encounter a Fhen Khanur for the first time might think them overwhelming, over-caring, too kind, and wholly flexible like they had known each other for many years. Fhen Khanur are an open, caring species that view the needs of the group over ride the needs of the individual.

Fhen Khanur are ever mindful of the need for personal expression and experience while maintaining the Laws of Karta. Because of their size, Fhen Khanur give each other a wide berth, and tend to apply this to others. However, Fhen Khanur are a tight knit species, caring for each other in a deep spiritual connection.

They are creatures of giving and zeal, spending hours everyday working to help others in their clans, or close friends to satisfy their needs and goals.

Fhen Khanur, while physically imposing, believe that strength of will and spirit are as important as being able to withstand against the elements and physical dangers of the world. Fhen Khanur are the perpetual good guy always standing up for the weak, the young and the aged.

They are truly nature’s ally and have been known to stand up against the destruction of the natural environment by others, especially those that have proven themselves to be wanton destroyers of the natural world, wasting it for profit or worse.

Despite their auspicious beginnings Fhen Khanur have a maturity of soul that challenges that of the Chovah. They have a greater appreciation and natural understanding of things that are dismissed by other species.

Spiritually inclined and with an inherent sense of the workings of the whole Omniverse, Fhen Khanur gravitate to the natural world. They see the power in knowledge and happiness that comes from this connection.

Society and Culture

The cornerstone of Fhen Khanur society is its deep sense of community. The traditions that they hold dear and the virtues that guide them are anchored in their tribal social order.

Both the Orias and the Erdo are divided into four specific castes within their tribe. Each tribe is governed and directed by a chieftain. Uniquely, all Fhen Khanur acknowledge that they are “ruled” over by a single powerful King or Queen which is generally elected from the number of chieftains and is given ruling responsibilities for all the Fhen Khanur no matter their location, either on Ta Los, or in the Omniverse.

Fhen Khanur society observes an arranged social caste: akukia (commoner), dium (craftsmen), nasiku (priesthood), and karum (nobility). There is a fifth class of Fhen Khanur that is reserved for those that have been outcast from a clan or have shamed themselves that they no longer are seen as a Fhen Khanur these individuals are marred with a symbol, it is this symbol that gives this group its name: shuezu (outcast/betrayer). These castes are a basis of order and regularity within the various Fhen Khanur clans.

Many other species depict the Fhen Khanur as a raging, uncouth and brutal. While most Fhen Khanur prefer to live in large, multi-chambered caves in hills and mountains, many also choose to live in more open areas. Most of these open area settlements are typical small, rarely containing more than ten or twenty families and are usually located in a natural clearing within forests, amongst hills or in mountain valley. These settlements remain a fairly constant size as members leave or die.

The buildings in these villages vary in form but normally consist of long-houses (labu-rutum) that are built from timber and stone with thick turf and wood roofs to retain heat during the winter and coolness during the summers. These Labu-rutum have a stone hearth in their center and are divided in several rooms based on their function. The center of the settlement is generally home to the oldest of the settlement as well as those of the noble caste and craftsmen.

Cave settlements are arranged in such a fashion that the center of the caves contains the oldest, the young and the weak, and thus the heart of the community. Surrounding this center are the various noble houses and craftsmen.

A good number of Fhen Khanur, however, can be found in the larger cities of Ta’Jahu, Chovah and humans, as they enjoy the company of these species.

Freedom is an essential part of the clan thinking and thus the thinking of most Fhen Khanur. They tend to value free will over all other things. Each clan however, conducts itself by a codes of conduct. At the center of this code is the idea that individuals should be judged based upon their actions and their honor.

The clans live by these codes as they are used in nearly every aspect of Fhen Khanur life. While every clan interprets the code and laws differently, they all agree that preservation of Fhen Khanur society, culture and future is the highest priority of every individual and clan and they all see these laws and codes as vital to their survival in this cold harsh land.

Family and Structure

Fhen Khanur society can be though of in terms of layers, each of which furthers the concept of family, tribe and clan. At the center of this is the family structure. Generally, speaking most Fhen Khanur immediate family consisted of parents and their children. This is extended to include the grandparents of both parents, as well as brothers and sisters of both parents. These extended family circles are called Edatu, while not all Fhen Khanur within an edatu were related most were.

The edatu is generally lead by the eldest Fhen Khanur, which more often than not is a great-great-grandmother. Though the family was not matriarchal in nature. While the edatu was lead by the Mirguhabb, it was left up to the men of the edatu (generally the oldest eligible son of good health) to enforce and protect the family.

Most edatu own their own land where they build labu-rutum in conjunction with farmland and large cave systems (known as la’atu), which tend to be dug out of ground and reinforced with heavy timber and stone.

All fit and eligible members of the edatu, generally young Fhen Khanur that have come of age, assist in the upkeep of the lands, the labu-rutum and the la’atu.

The edatu farm is comprised of several labu-rutum interconnected by heavy stone walls. Though the large fields are left unprotected except by sharpened timber fences that could be easily moved about to increase the size of the land as well as used as borders between different edatu within the community.

Community

The Fhen Khanur community first begins with the edatu, this is the core of the community or tribe known as edahum. An edahum consists of ten to fifteen edatu, with 100 to 150 individuals total.

Each edahum has its own distinct identity and customs. They are more or less independent of each other, although they are bound by ties if kinship and loyalty. Within a large region there could be 5 to 10 edahums which make up the whole of the Fhen Khanur realm (known as an Edadalu).

The edahum is lead by council of karum, which are the heads of each of the individual families. These karum are made up of both men and women, young and elder. Often referred to by others as chieftains, though this is not an accurate description as these positions as they are not divinely assigned nor hereditary. They tend to be elected by a combination of popular acclaim, general reputation and strength of honor of the individual. Not every edahum had a seat in the karum, but every edahum was represented. An unpopular karum could be easily replaced, it was expected that when asked to step down they did so in order to either regain their honor or maintain their honor.

Within the edahum, each edatu is responsible for maintaining its duties to the whole, often times several edatu can hold sway over a specific responsibility. These responsibilities dealt mostly with farming and agriculture so that the whole of edadalu could be successful and continue to survive.

Of great importance to nearly all edadum’s and the edadalu is what is known as the kuzirum or warband. The kuzirum is not a professional warrior class like the Bhahuul or Chovah societies. Rather they are a group of men and women who are well equipped, skilled and reliable in battle that were often used by nobles, chiefs, and craftsmen. This group is the first choice when a clan has a problem to go deal with and although they are not professional soldiers there are most likely to be the most experienced in battle and war.

When a larger force was to be mustered from the general populace those within the kuzirum are used to captain or command the force as well as demonstrate how soldiers are to conduct themselves in battle.

The kuzirum are generally a group of informal comrades and friends that gathered on mutual respect, fighting prowess and trust. Those of the kuzirum are held in high regard, and those that re chosen to be a part of the group were given as much prestige as craftsmen.

Art

As with all species, Fhen Khanur art is a combination of visual expressions as well as poetry and music. Unlike the Bhahuul with their massive constructions, Fhen Khanur are more focused on the fine details of pottery, jewelry and weapons.

Much of their art is geometrical in decoration with energetic circular forms and spiral forms compromising most of the design. They often include animal shapes and narrative scenes. They use precious metals such as silver, gold and red steel. Their metalwork is often very complex and uses techniques of smithing that only Fhen Khanur seem to have mastered.

While Fhen Khanur art is beautiful, it is equally utilitarian. Crafting item just for its beauty without having a use is considered a waste time, effort and resources.

This dedication to the fine details is often found inlaid onto the walls of their buildings and cavern corridors, often depicting stories of the heroics of the members of the edatu, edahum and edadalu.

Fhen Khanur music is deep and resonating with heavy drums, large horns and upright bass strings. The music is hauntingly beautiful and calls to the souls of those that hear it. Their skardi (lore tellers) are sought after by rulers of various kingdoms and realms for their ability to weave great tales and stories that touch the heart and grasp the spirit.

Customs, Traditions and Beliefs

Fhen Khanur have a many, ancient traditions that focus on coming of age, seasonal transitions, and their deities. Coming of age within Fhen Khanur society, like in many others, is often a religious/spiritual/social celebration that celebrates that young Fhen Khanur’s accomplishments in becoming a functioning member of the edatu.

In many edatu young men mark their coming of age in a paKaidum ritual, a ritual of willpower and endurance of pain. This ritual requires the young Fhen Khanur to search out and gather several death ants from the surrounding region. These are then sedated by magic and then weaved into a soft glove with the stingers pointed inwards. When the ants recover from their magical sleep they are angrier than ever and the ritual begins. The young male Fhen Khanur has two choices: clear his mind and attempt to calm the ants before they begin to bite and sting their arms and hands or endure their painful, blistering bites. By either enduring the pain or calming the ants it demonstrates the boys’ readiness for manhood. In some cases those that actually calm the ants find themselves moving towards the priesthood. These gloves are worn for ten minutes.

For Fhen Khanur females there is no room for shyness in their traditional coming of age ceremony. Traditionally all girls are required to complete the sudustu or the puberty ceremony, during the summer following their first menstruation. During this seven day ceremony the girls must abide by certain rules, preventing them to wash or touch their skin, or drink from anything other than their drinking tubes.

They must also reenact the Fhen Khanur Origin Myth which is meant to draw each girl spiritually closer to the first Fhen Khanur female ancestor called ezzuisah. In doing so they obtain her power during this special time which often leads the young female into becoming a craftswoman or a part of the priesthood.

In many Fhen Khanur edatu, it is considered disrespectful to not stand when speaking to elders or when they enter a room. Similarly it is expected that elders will be the first to be greeted and served in social gatherings.

Of a particular tradition is the way Fhen Khanur commonly “shake hands”. Many Fhen Khanur adhere to the ancient tradition of labu, in that after shaking hands the right hand is commonly placed against the heart - a sign of friendship. In other settings when a handshake is not possible - when one’s hand is dirty - the right hand placed over the heart can substitute for the absent handshake.

All Fhen Khanur adhere to specific codes of conduct, which help the clans maintain a strong sense of community, kinship, and justice. The laws and codes are derived directly from the pages of a sacred text to Fhen Khanur: Karta - The Book of Aramazda Darkoak. These laws begin with the following: • Bravery, honor, strength, and loyalty above all else. • Clan honor is above all other honor • Honor all beings as equals • Secret charity is considered grand valor • Speak honestly and preserve your honor and valor.

Marriage

Fhen Khanur accept love for what it is, a universal mystery, a source for inspiration, devotion and honor. While marriage is an intrinsic part of Fhen Khanur life, for young Fhen Khanur the pursuit of love is a popular pastime.

The love between family and friends is highly valued by the Fhen Khanur, and is often the central plot to many stories, both the tragic and the grandiose.

While the edatu is of great importance to Fhen Khanur, the center of every edatu is the family and at that center is the marriage. Marriage is as important to a Fhen Khanur as is their edatu, and is an important transition not only for the couple but for the families involved. In most respects marriage is a legal contract with implications, however for the young couple involved it is about a good relationship in addition to the legal bindings.

Courtships tend to last decades amongst the Fhen Khanur. Once two Fhen Khanur have entered into a “proper” courtship, the couple focuses on the relationship more or less to the exclusion of other love interests, at least while the involved get to know each and determine if they are right for one another.

While Fhen Khanur do not arrange marriages, the approval of both parents of the prospective couple and the edatu’s mirguhabb is sought out. If approval is not gained, which is rare, the courtship cannot be ordained for marriage and the couple must disengage. Those unhappy souls that are caught disobeying this decree can result into forced separation and at worst they are sent to serve in separate kuzirums long enough for the pull of the relationship can extinguish, lest they become shuezu.

Weddings are a long and collective process subject to various family rituals and clan rules that culminate in the wedding feast itself. In Fhen Khanur belief these procedures have to be followed for the divine powers to sanction the marriage and avoid a bad marriage afterwards. The families of each courter provide the couple with dowries, it is customary for the edatu leaders to bestow some valuable gift upon the newly wedded couple.

Holy/Dates of Importance

There are many Fhen Khanur traditional festivals that are observed through out the year, there are two of note that are particularly important to nearly all Fhen Khanur: Kisru (Mid-Summer) and Napha (New Year). These festivals marked the beginning of the new year and the mid point of the year.

Dress/Clothing

Fhen Khanur clothing tends to be a wide variation of personal style, comfort and usually accounts for the variance of the seasons and location.

Traditional clothing makes extensive use of leathers, with natural tones of browns, whites, yellows, blues, grays and greens. Very rarely more exotic colors such as maroon, purples and oranges are used as highlights on clothing, and are typically worn by those that wishing to make an artistic statement with their style.

A typical outfit for males includes leather pants, decorated with unique patterns, much like their art. When within the walls of the edatu they tend to wear soft billowy cotton shirts of soft colors. Males also have been known to dress in kilts made of leather or wool and are dyed in the colors of the edatu and edadum.

Females tend to dress in much of the same fashion that males do, but with an added use of dresses and form fitting corsets that emphasize their figures and beauty. Shirts are often cropped, revealing the muscular mid-riff that they are legendary for.

In most all cases high calf to knee-high leather boots are worn, but occasionally leather sandals are worn for comfort and ease of use.

Food

Fhen Khanur are fairly straight forward in their food tastes and drink types. Most of the Fhen Khanur food has been described is bland, lacking a richness of flavor that is often found in other species food. Most of the flavors are earthy, nutty and extremely salty.

A staple in most Fhen Khanur kitchens is the 'dze lapia', a corn dough wrapped pork or venison with onions and some spices. It is often served with a white, sour-tasting cheese that has chunks of fermented green cheese.

Netu is type of noodle made from rice. It is eaten from a bowl filled with vinegar and salt. The biting liquid counters the over sweetness of the rice.

Erenu is a traditional dish that is made by kneading the intestinal fat from sheep into lumps. These get air dried in out outhouses were wind can blow through and fermented with salt and cinnamon. It is often served melted on the side with a variety of cold water fish.

Finally, Fhen Khanur produce an unusual fermented food-beverage called Amma. Amma is made from fermented mash of black and white rice and mushrooms. It is soaked, drained, steamed then allowed to cool down in a clay flask. A honey-like syrup settles on the bottom of the vessel while the remaining sour liquid divides it and the top layer is a soft sponge like cake that can be consumed as a snack. The liquid is s a highly alcoholic fermentation. The whole process takes approximately two weeks.

Religion and Spirituality

Fhen Khanur are a deeply religious and spiritual people. They abide by the laws and spiritual practices as delivered by the priesthood. One of the largest spiritual beliefs within the Fhen Khanur society is what is known as Damanu and it is characterized by examination of one’s life, discerning the will of the deities, finding the deities in all things as well as the belief that upon death Fhen Khanur souls are weighed and measured to be allowed entrance into Mudu to join ancestors or denied and sent to Pekushu (land of the dead).

Damanu is an adaptive spiritual belief that incorporates a meditative state that is a physical, mental and spiritual act of worship that is observed three times per day: upon rising, upon noon and upon going to bed. Ritually, Fhen Khanur kneel facing northward (or approximation of north) bows their heads and the prostate while incanting prayers to a specific deity or deities, depending on the need.

The Gods

Amongst the Fhen Khanur, Armazda Darkoak (though by many scholars to be an aspect of Elal) is the primary deity of their religion known as Istemi. While he is called the All Father, he is not considered the creator of the Fhen Khanur, this often associated with the giant deity Skeskia the Ancient. But since their mutation they have lost connection to this deity, or he has forsaken them as they are no longer giastori.

He is opposed by his brother Eleleth UnderTroll, god of the Underworld (thought to be an aspect of Azahak. Together they represent the duality of life and death, one cannot exist without the other. The two form a triad with Paracaz, a genderless deity of healing and light.

These three form the core of the Fhen Khanur pantheon. Often times Fhen Khanur are known to worship Gishra and Magnara.

Every edatu farm, village and town there is at least one church or chapel dedicated to the triad. Small shrines of Gishra and Magnara can be found in private homes, inns and sometimes in the same chapel of the Triad. Nasiku are an important part of daily life for most Fhen Khanur, however, acting as councilors, mediators, and judges in noncriminal matters.

Death and Funerals

Born in peace, Fhen Khanur are also known to die like a whisper softly and with a deep peace. Even in battle at the moment the fall Fhen Khanur experience a kind of bliss and calmness as their spirit prepares for the next step in their eternal cycle.

Though they do not court death, they take no pains to avoid risk, nor to they often resort to magical means to stave off death.

Edatu hold funerals to mourn the loss of family and to celebrate the continuation of the great cycle. Thus, funerals are not sad, though there is grieving the Fhen Khanur dress, dance and play music in honor of the dead. It is a type of performance in such a way that the dead is buried with music so that their spirit moves through the cycle and is cut loose to find its destiny.

This ultimately leads to a funeral party with tables set up with places for all in attendance and an empty one for the deceased. Here they serve all their traditional foods, drinks and deserts. Everyone eats, drinks, dances and plays music. Occasionally, someone will stand upon one of the tables and tell of the strength, honor and bravery of the deceased. This festival lasts for a full day and night until the guests have tired and moved on to sleep.

After Life

Fhen Khanur believe in a type of blissful celestial realm called Mudu and a horrific hellish place known as Pekushu. These two realms are located within dimensions associated with the known Celestial Realms. Mudu is accessed through the Syra Gaul Primus Rhiki, while Pekushu is accessed through the Neter-Kheret Primus Rhiki.

Mudu, elder fak-chun for resting, within the Fhen Khanur belief is the afterlife for the honored dead, where all Fhen Khanur that have lived by the Karta and have been true warriors come to rest and await their next journey into the mortal cycle, during this time each Fhen Khanur spirit partakes in great feasts, and telling of ancient stories.

Pekushu, elder fak-chun for dark death, is where the souls of the dishonored travel to when they die. It is here that the souls of the dishonored must fight through legions of demons and fiends, a place of torment and suffering where the dishonored will either perish or learn the meaning of honor, loyalty, and bravery. Those that pass through the fires of Pekushu and survive its teachings, are permitted to pass onto Mudu to begin their journey into the next mortal cycle.

Language

All Fhen Khanur speak a common tongue: Fak-Chun. Unlike other languages within the world. Fak-Chun is a free-word order language, but tends to follow two variants of noun-subject-verb or verb-noun-subject. It is a thick, heavy sounding language that relies mostly on the use of consonants more than vowels. Erdo Fhen Khanur speak Fak-Chun as well as Dala-Chun (Erdo Dialect). Orias Fhen Khanur speak Fak Chun as well as Ka-Chun (Orias Dialect).