Kyushu
Tree Stand
Rik-al-Mere watched the sky darken to the west. The monsoons came early this year. He would soon be soaked and on the watch for flash floods. Briefly, he scanned the horizon for a bluff. He thought of abandoning his hunt, however, did not occur to him. Jaite, his mount, rumbled low – echoing the thunder. The antelope would be skittish with the upcoming storm and would stampede easily. Rik-al-Mere hoped that they did stampede. The humans that came to hunt for rhino horns would be caught in a sea of hooves and horns, and perish instantly. All but one – anyway. He watched the hunter in the tree-stand. An easy target, some twenty feet above the Savannah, the human had a strange bow, mounted on a square platform. A blind Kyushu could see him in that tree. Perhaps he felt that height, not stealth, would win the day against the Rhino. Perhaps he simply was scared of the lumbering beasts – frightened by the goring that killed one of the party earlier in the day.
Regardless of the human’s reasons, Rik-al-Mere was glad that he had elected to use the tree stand. It would make him easy prey. Rik-al-Mere paused – he sought strong food – should he not hunt on of the humans that dug the pit in the grounds beneath the tree. After all – they would be more difficult to kill. No. Rik-al-Mere sought cunning in his strong food and despite the fact that his tree stand would not help the human, it was cunning that led him to build it. He would be strong food indeed.
Jaite’s muscles tensed as the sky went dark. Black clouds rolled across the sun like tumble weed. A brilliant flash of light, followed by the sharp crack of thunder, signaled that the time was right. Rain fell sharply, more like stones hurled by a warrior than like water falling from the heavens. With a sharp kick, Rik-al-Mere sprung Jaite into action. Through the darkness, the human did not see the lion until he was in mid-air – mere feet from his face. Jaite’s weight split the tree stand, but before his massive paws hit the ground below the tree, Rik-al-Mere’s spear struck the human’s chest. The other humans dropped their shovels in fright. Like antelope, they froze. Jaite roared and the antelope stampeded. Rik-al-Mere knocked an arrow and begin firing – be it antelope or human, his tribe would eat well tonight.
Personality
The Kyushu are a fierce race. Though small in stature, they are stout in heart. The Kysuhu are pragmatic, introverted, and suspicious of others. Living in the dangerous Bertagin Savanah they live in small tribes of 50 to 100 Kyshu of all ages. From the time they are born, Kyushu are taught two things: how to ride the beasts of the plains, and how to fight with spear and bow. Tribes are generally hostile to visitors – seeing everything as a threat. Uninterested in trade, most Kyushu live sparse lives and have little desire for material goods. In fact, most Kysuhu see personal possessions, beyond a spear, bow, and mount, as vanity and a weakness. Tribes migrate from place to place. While they may stop for days or weeks at a time to rest, the urge to roam pulses through their veins, and rarely spend more than a moon in a single location.
As creatures who live nomadic lives in a hostile wilderness, Kyushu have learned to live in harmony with nature. They have an uncanny ability to communicate with most birds and animals. Although they cannot speak with these creatures – the Kyushu understand the body language and facial expressions to use when confronting nature’s beasts. While this does not always protect them from the great predators of the Savannah – it does put them on a more equal footing. This relationship with nature has led many Kyushu to choose mounts other than ponies for which their tribes are famous. Kysuhu warriors often ride antelope, wolves, and even rhinoceroses into battle. Like the Kysuhu who ride ponies, warriors riding other beasts ride bareback. The fiercer the creature, the more respect the warrior earns in the tribe. Of all the beasts, the lion is considered the fiercest – only the bravest warriors earn themselves a lion mount.
Naturally lower on the food chain than many beasts, the strength of the food a Kyushu eats is important to them. Eating a creature such as a quail or swine may provide substance for the body, but not for the soul. The flesh of an antelope or buffalo is stronger. Although these creatures are still herbivores, they are fierce fighters when cornered. The flesh of wolf, lion, or other predator is preferred over all other meals. These creatures are not only larger than the Kyushu, but armed with natural weapons and savagery that strengthens the Kyushu soul. The greatest of meals, however, is the flesh of a humanoid slain in battle. Be it human or Kyushu warrior, feasts of this flesh strengthen the soul with the most powerful weapon of all – humanoid cunning. Strangely, despite the fact that some dinosaurs are the most powerful hunters in the Savannah, Kyushu refuse to eat their – or any other reptile’s – flesh.
Kyushu are, in general, a mirthless, quiet race. Laughter is rarely heard from a Kyushu – as it is seen a disrespectful. Idle chatter has no place on the dangerous Bertagin Plains. The exception to this silence, however, is in the Kyushu’s stories. Elderly Kyushu are master story tellers – passing the history of their race on to the children of the tribe in nightly gatherings. As these elder’s pass into the next world, the next generation takes up their mantle and begins story-telling. Strangely enough, the adults of the tribe neither tell nor listen to stories – so an elder begins to tell stories for the first time, she must reach back into her childhood to remember the tales. The tales, however, remain exceedingly identical from generation to generation.
Physical Description
Kyushu are short humanoids – standing only three to three and a half feet tall. They have dark skin that ranges from coffee to ebony in color. Most paint their faces in bright yellows, reds, and blues. Certain symbols are used for religious ceremonies but in general, face painting is a part of the everyday dress of a Kyushu. One special ceremony – tracing the bone structure of the face with white paint – is important to note as it means the Kyushu is appealing to the death spirits. Kysuhu often use this technique when preparing for war. Almost all Kyushu have green eyes. The shape of their eyes – perfectly round – often causes stares. Their hair ranges from dirty blond to black – with blonde more common in females. Many Kyushu wear their hair long –either in a topknot or in feather and bead layered braids. Like Soulmeliti and Kari-Zaro, the Kysuhu have slender ears that come to a point. Kysuhu ears also have tufts of hair at their apex.
The clothing worn by the Kyushu is simple and often considered “drab”. Most warriors wear hides of the beasts of the Savannah as badges of honor. While making them appear fierce, this habit also tends to give them an uncivilized appearance. Artisans and gatherers (the Kyushu do not farm) often wear simple smocks, skirts, and trousers woven from the linens that grow wild on the Bertagin Savannah. Some Kyushu will use berries to dye their linens, though the practice is rather haphazard, creating a tie-dyed look. Sandals and moccasins adorn the feet of the Kyushu – sandals for the hunt and moccasins for the tromping around the camp.
Relations
In general, the Kyshu do not like strangers. Their hostile homeland has taught them that strangers are often predators – and it is better to be weary and alive than curious and dead. Some humans have attempted to open trade with the Kyushu and most have had their heads adorning posts around a tribes camp. Such posts are often left behind as a warning to others – humanoid and otherwise – to leave the Kysuhu alone. Occasionally Goblins tribes will move onto the plains. The Kyushu generally declare open war on the Goblins, and after a seeking the spirits guidance, organize night-time raids to exterminate them.
Alignment
Survival is more important than ethos to the Kyushu. They have little use for concepts of good and evil - as each has its place in toils of daily life. Similarly, the Kyushu generally find that while some cir circumstances require structure, others require spontaneity. In general, they tend towards neutrality.
Kysuhu Lands
The Bertagin Savannah is harsh land full of wild beasts. Rains come but once year to this land – during the monsoon. The rest of the year is spent in the dry dust of the tall yellowing grass. Herds of antelope, buufalo, and dinosaurs dominate this vast expanse of Tarien. Birds of pray circle, waiting to swoop down and pluck an unsuspecting rider from his pony. Predators – from packs of Savannah wolves to the lumbering Tyrannosaurus Rex – on the hunt often make the Kyushu their prey. Most dangerous of all is the great Tarraresque, which stalks the plains every decade – bringing terror to all creatures and exterminating everything its path.
Religion
The Kyushu are a practical race. As the world is guided by the dead, the Kyushu find it practical to worship the sprits of their ancestors. Worship, however, is not a lavish ceremony, but rather a direct communion with these ancestors. To a lesser extent, the Kyushu worship the mother spirit (Shar’iish’ta), dedicating the night preceding the summer solstice to a fest in her honor.
Language
The Kyushu language is an off-shoot of their cousins, the Kari-Zaro. It is a simple language, used for basic communication during a hunt around the camp. It has little use words other than nouns and verbs – in fact, it is the only language on Tarien to avoid the use of articles altogether. The Kyushu language has no written component. History is kept in oral stories, passed from one generation to another.
Names
Kyshu names are short, compound, and rarely have significance beyond the ancestor spirits for which they were named. As such, many Kyushu have the same – or similar names. Posh-tan, Riven-kal, El-par-dee, and Joran-al-tan are common male names; Fiera-yan, Mora-mala, Tika-dee, and Swee-shite are common female names.
Adventuring
Kyushu that are curious rarely live long in the Savannah. Although rare those that have great courage and wits to match their curiosity, often leave their tribes – seeking what lies beyond the next bluff. Those that wander west eventually find human settlements in the Hinterlands and seek adventure from here. More often, however, a small party of Kyushu will head north – seeking the Sapphire Savannah. Those that survive the journey to find themselves at the edge of the Eldorian Sea and the cradle of civilization rarely return to their tribes.
With faces painted as white, crimson and gold feathers in their hair, and the bones of their foes in necklaces around their neck, the Kyushu rely on fear as much as prowess in battle. The average soldier—upon seeing such a warrior, begins to lose his nerve. Of course, the lions, rhinos, and dinosaurs that the Kyushu ride don’t do much to help morale, either.
Kyushu Yurts on the Bertagin Savanah
Related Organizations
Kyushu Racial Traits
- Ability Scores: +2 to Dexterity, -1 Wisdom. Kyushu are small in stature, but agile and in tune with their natural surroundings..
- Size: Small.
- Speed: Kyushu base speed is 25 feet.
- Darkvision: A Kyushu can see up to 60 feet in dim light as if it were brightlight and in darkness as if it were dim light. their surroundings and they gain the Alertness Feat.
- Combat Training: All Kyushu know how to wield the weapons of the hunt. They have proficiency in the javelin, lance, sling, spear, and short bow.
- Hunter's Stealth: A good hunter is silent and invisible to his prey. All Kyushu gain the Stealth proficiency.
- Natural Riders: Kyushu use many wild creatures - form Zebra and antelope to rhinoceros and lion as mounts. They gain advantage on any skill check made while riding or handling a mount.
- Nimble: Kyushu are adept at dodging larger creatures and can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than themselves.
- Survival: Kyushu are one with nature and can find food, water, and dangers in nearly any environment. They gain proficiency in Survival.
- Wild Empathy: Kyushu are one with the creatures of the wild. When attempting to influence the reaction of any Beast, they gain Advantage.
- Automatic Languages: Kyushu [/ll] [ll]Bonus Languages: Choose two of the following: Azermathian, Goblin, Sylvan. A Kyushu may elect to spend one of these slots to learn to read our write and of their languages instead.