Eterti

"Tinia's Wrath opened our eyes. The isles are ours, given to us by the gods, and if we cannot protect the gods' gifts from the defilers, we do not deserve them. We will sink every Runberi that dares sail these waters. We will sooner give them blood and steel than let them set foot upon our land."
— Vesia of Calisna, an Eterti.

The Eterti, meaning roughly "those who belong", is a cultural label adopted by some hardline clans mainly residing in the eastern archipelago. Largely a reaction to the increasing influence of the Condominium and their outright rule of much of Grand Tescary and many islands in eastern archipelago, the Eterti have declared outright war on the Condominium, declaring any of their vessels to be fair game. To outsiders, "Eterti" tends to be considered a synonym for pirate. Many of these clans are itinerant to avoid being caught by the far superior Red Sails forces, and sustain themselves in part by plundering Condominium (and other) trade ships. Even among the Tescarana, there are sometimes questions about whether a specific clan claims the label "Eterti" out of conviction or greed.

History

The Eterti first appeared as an idea shortly before the Condominium takeover of the Alfne-Cacni confederation. Though Tescarana pirates had always existed, before they were merely considered to be warlike clans. As the Condominium moved to take over more and more territory, and the Duchy of Fahrig joined in on the landgrab the idea of protecting the Tescaries from foreign intrusion began to take hold. The clans that had been less involved in trade with foreigners took this moniker with relish, though as time has went on, even clans that were originally open to trade with the Runberi have in some cases turned Eterti. Tinia's Wrath was a major breakout point for the Eterti movement. As news of the calamity spread, the dominant view among the Tescarana was that the storm was an act of god, a withdrawal of his gift from a clan unwilling and unable to defend it. Resolved not to fail their gods and betray their faith, many clans in the archipelago became Eterti. Where the Condominium already has presence, the Eterti have mostly been suppressed but the eastern archipelago has become increasingly hostile to them, resulting in an escalation in Red Sails recruitment and operations.

Culture

Shared customary codes and values

The Eterti are Tescarana, and share their values. However, they tend to be more vigilant about their territories, and immediately hostile to the Condominium. Many have vowed to never buy anything from or sell anything to a Runberi. The Kilthians have also earned their ire to a lesser extent. While generally distrustful of outsiders, Eterti clans may still offer traditional Tescarana hospitality to foreigners, even Runberi if they do not believe the Runberi in question is affiliated with the Condominium. However, a rare few will attack any Runberi on sight.

Parent ethnicities