The Qvi Belli, which literally translates as People of War, are a warrior people inhabiting an island of the same name to the southeast of the continent of Karpathia. Trained in combat from their youths, the qvi belli have gained a reputation as some of the finest swordsmen in the entire world. Although rarely sighted outside of their native island, qvi belli expeditions are known to occur on occasion.
All qvi belli seem to be of similar appearance — medium height, whip lean, wearing light armour and a white, enamelled mask.
Qvi Belli Society
Qvi belli society is a hierarchy exclusively based on the martial prowess of the individual. All qvi belli who successfully survive to adulthood don a mask with a number of markings signifying their position within the qvi belli hierarchy.
The substance used to mark a mask is described as a mixture of charcoal, saliva, and human blood.
The overall commander is the
Qvi Belli First and he has no marks on his mask, the
Qvi Belli Second is second-in-command with one mark on his mask, and so on. The top ten in rank are known as the ruling Ten, or
Decem Regnandi
The Mille Honored - In order to advance within the society, a warrior of a lesser rank had to defeat a qvi belli warrior of a higher rank, in single combat, thus acquiring that warrior's position within the society. The 1,000 highest ranked qvi belli are known as the
Mille Honored. A high ranking qvi belli can take the role of
Praeceptorem, which roughly translates to some combination of patron, commander, and teacher.
Initiate Levels - The lowest level warriors are First Level Initiates known as
Blackmasks. The exact number of possible levels is not known, however, Senu was an Eleventh Level Initiate, which had taken him fourteen years to achieve. There are likely at least three to four hundred Level Eleven warriors.
The qvi belli see fighting as "a form of religious dedication and expression." They are committed to perfection of form and technique. At the highest level, duels can be fought without bloodshed, the winner to be determined based on a judging body's appraisal of speed, technique, and execution. To question the judges' ruling is to risk being expelled from the martial order.
The qvi belli rarely speak, communicating instead via body language. They assert dominance with posture, faint gestures, stance, and head tilts. Qvi belli of a lower rank are required to act humbly and to be servile towards members of higher rank, lest the former provoke a disciplinary attack by the latter. If a lower ranking warrior wishes to challenge one of higher rank, he can do so by acting superior towards the one whom he wished to challenge.
Sustained eye contact is considered a challenge, and visible unease is treated as submission.The qvi belli are an intelligent society, despite the culture of ritual combat as a form of advancement in 'political' rank.
Not all qvi belli are fighters. Some are farmers, craftsmen, or servants. But these members of society are forbidden to wield weapons and are at the bottom of the social ladder.
When encountering non-qvi belli, verbal communication is handled by the lowest ranking member present and is considered a shameful act. If an outsider attacks or merely possesses a weapon in a qvi belli's presence they will be slain, regardless of whether they are aware of qvi belli custom. If an outsider is able to defeat a Seguleh, they gain their opponent's rank just as if they had been a qvi belli themselves and are subject to the same right of challenge. The qvi belli do not fight women unless attacked.
The qvi belli also have provisions for outsiders who help them. They are classified as
Eshen-ai, outsiders with countenance. It means that they are willing to protect the person who is under their patronage.
Currency
Qvi belli currency resembles ridged bars.
History
Not much is known to outsiders of the qvi belli, save that they are a very fierce warriors and tend to keep to themselves.
The scholar, Samar Dev, surmises thqt the qvi belli are likely descendants of the servants of the
Valheru as the word means "The Anvil" in that civilization's language. He surmises the qvi belli had been a fragment of an army from the empire's period when variations on such names had been common among the
Valheru military. It was not uncommon for such a remnant clan to settle on a pleasant island as reward for some great victory.
Ranked Non-Qvi Belli
If an outsider defeats a ranked qvi belli in combat, they are granted rank among the qvi belli just as if they are a native. These foreign qvi belli are subject to the same rights of challenge as any other qvi belli and can rise or fall in the qvi belli rankings without limit.
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