Hkitem

Hkitem are Uchem, who were created by the Gchoulems after the Gchoulems were cursed to have stony bodies by Wchaxemn. The Gchoulems originally planned to enslave the Uchem and became their gods, but the Uchem betrayed their creators just like the Gchoulems betrayed theirs, and the Uchem fled south and escaped the Unending Dun. Those who stayed away from the coast became the Hkitem, while those who live in coastal cities are the Bchoem. Over time, pure heartless Uchem became all but extinct; now all Uchem contain at least some semblance of a heart.

Due to having much weaker hearts than other humanoids, Hkitem are often considered to have superhuman patience. Their shamans are thus considered to bear great wisdom, and their nomad scouts can keep watch for far longer than any man can. They are well-adapted to living in wild environments, and are said to be impossible to kill by attrition. This is mainly because they have the ability to subsist on loamy soils for weeks, possibly an incidental remnant of their Gchoulem origins. They live a simple godless existence, communing with the natural world and steering clear of the politics and conflicts of civilised peoples further south.