E Ada Sindo

Stubborn explains Ivore, though she had more intense focus than the word implies. When her people told her her tribal affiliation, her caste and her gender precluded her from martial arts, she laughed and proved them wrong.
Then she did the unthinkable; she allowed everyone and anyone to join the Kan. As long as they had the drive and the temperament to follow her mission, she embraced them. This was especially true of the e ada sindo.

~ Pendarrin, Genophyte of the Iovan Palace School, Soline

E ada sindo:

by Genophyte Pendarrin

All artwork by Shade Melodique
unless otherwise stated
featured image: biletskyie, Envato

Brief Comment About Catak:

The Flame

Ivore had several things she wished to accomplish after she became Kykini Cede, Flame Dragon of Kassak's companion, and one of those was to create a martial order that did not discriminate against those of lesser tribes, lesser means, and lesser genders.
She formed the Kan (Flame) martial order with Kykini Cede, constructing a difficult but rewarding art that focused not on what one could bring to one's overlord, but what one could bring to general society. Leaders of other sindarin disliked her focus and disliked that she, as a woman, created an art to rival theirs. They attempted to condemn and undermine her, but one gigantic problem glared at them whenever they attempted it--Kykini Cede.
The dragon had no qualms about helping Ivore develop a new art. Adding his name to its creation lent the Kan legitimacy in most aki n'di ori minds, and when tradition upholders protested, he gifted them his fiery stare--and they meekly scuttled away, embarrassing them and their sindari.

When those who did not pedantically follow aki n'di ori traditions began to join, Ivore smiled. When foreigners and those of lesser tribes, means and genders joined, she cheered. But something still bothered her about the sindari. While it accomplished one motivation, not all those who practiced it had the lust for justice that drove her. They wanted to keep the Kan as a regular sindari, not one that would set about changing society more than it already had.
Those who thought society needed more than a bap upside the head were led by the reta mi kator. They were a loose-knit group of aki n'di ori women who sought to right wrongs in their local communities. They were often ignored, and sometimes driven from their hearth and home when their neighbors disliked their interference in criminal proceedings.
Ivore welcomed them into her sindari and many joined, finding relief and respite in an official order. She created a woman-only sub-order that kept more of her original ideas in their teachings.
Both sides remained congenial during her lifetime, but after she passed, her husband, Khethi, knew it would not last. In meetings with their daughter Navari and selected members, he formed plans for the sub-order to split from the Kan. After his death they did just that, forming the E ada sindo.

The reta mi kator (trans. vexing folk) were often middle-aged or older women who did not have martial training or any background in fighting, nor did they own a weapon. They showed up at the Glass Volcano with a small pack and little more.
Neither Ivore nor Kykini saw this as a problem. They worked to create an introductory training that eased these women into fighting skills, taking their age and health into consideration.
The training attracted those with disabilities that kept them from acquiring other work.

Founding

Ivore's confrontation with the uken ili dan tribe is a central part of her myth.
The uken ili dan, a prosperous and influential tribe, decided that a woman trying to create a martial art far exceeded proper behavior, and their ke din sent a large force of angry young men to show Ivore and through her, other women, their appropriate place in society.
When they arrived at the small hut with several practice circles etched in the dust, they saw Kykini Cede rending a large bull apart. Entrails, blood, bits of flesh were strewn about. He made certain they realized how easily his claws ripped through hide and muscle, how easily his teeth broke bone. Blood dripped from his fangs as he snarled at them for interrupting his meal.

Ivore exited the hut, eating a du kati leg, and asked if she could help them. The men realized they had no adequate protection against the Flame Dragon, and would likely end up in pieces if they attacked Ivore, but their ke din expected results.
Kykini solved the dilemma by kick-portaling them to the palace gate in E ama din a lay, along with the mangled bull.
The ke din, furious at being disregarded, made a personal visit and died by dragon claw. His body was flung into the courtyard of the ifenede diniki ruling family stronghold as a warning to all rulers, one no one else ignored.
The e ada sindo consider this their founding act of justice.

The e ada sindo emblem. The sword represents justice, the warped fingers how difficult it is to achieve, the bloody hands the lengths the members will go to in their hunt for fairness. The flame is their origin, and the gold background represents Kykini Cede; it's the color of his magick.

The E ada sindo

E ada sindo meant "Fair Hand" (trans. Justice), referencing the hand that held a weapon, or that was a weapon itself. Ivore often said she viewed the Kan in this light, and the women honored her perception. And, as a final, flippant act towards the people who disregarded their founder's vision, they only admitted women.
The outrage was instantaneous--and again, Kykini Cede cast a glare upon those protesting, and they slunk away, hunch-shouldered and mumbling. Only this time, government and community leaders expected Kykini Cede's close attendance to wane since Ivore had traveled to the Nine Abysses. When he finally withdrew back into the Glass Volcano, leaders of the uken ili dan chose to seek revenge.
The attack went as poorly for them as the previous one had for the ke din. The women did not back down and bested their opponents with superior martial and weapons abilities. Embarrassed and unwilling to further lower their tribe's standing, the uken ili dan retreated and the e ada sindo claimed their stronghold of Im dari n'dal as their new home.
Ivore's granddaughter, Jekesa, became e vedi of the stronghold, and the order prospered despite aristocratic sentiment.

Grabbing Justice

Many sindarin wanted the e ada sindo to fail, and the women spent the first years after their official founding battling for recognition. After all, pursuing justice was hard if those who needed it refused their aid.
They made some headway in public opinion, but their true turning point came after their showing against the Condi invaders. They won their skirmishes, though the war was lost. The Ri a mira temple attacked Kykini Cede and killed several innocents in the attempt to harm him and prevent a Condi invasion. Furious at the temple, the dragon exacted dragon justice, and in the wake of his anger flooded the Condi.
King Tokindi had little choice but to concede.
Before things settled, E vedi Natara, in the company of an elderly Jekesa, traveled to Dodi on to speak with Kykini Cede. Siojhetioh Eserial attempted to deny her request, but the dragon ignored his companion and attended a secret meeting hosted by the two.
After the meeting, the e ada sindo declared their intent. Under the guidance of the Flame Dragon, their co-founder, they would right the wrongs that war excused. No one, Condi or aki n'di ori, were safe.
King Giarel exploded at the news and Eserial attempted to reign the dragon in. Her efforts went about as well as one might expect.
To prove how serious Kykini was, they marched into a Condi camp, found General Dertarven, and executed him in front of his men for his involvement in the needless razing of a farm community on the way to Dodi on. No sword or wielding could save him.
All retaliation against the order met with dragonfire. As a result, the Condi occupation of aki n'di ori lands was far more gentile than in countries further west.

Im dari n'dal was abandoned when the Condi conquered Ay a di galay in 2513 AGI because they did not want a rebellion to form there. Realizing they could not destroy the order and expect Kykini Cede to play nice afterwards, the Condi moved the e ada sindo headquarters to Dodi on and installed them in the palace to keep an eye on them.
In recent times, rumors have it that the e ada sindo secretly moved back to the ruins, and are rebuilding it to accommodate a move away from the capital.

More and more women of wealthier families who joined the order brought weapons with them. These weapons, forged to battle twilight creatures during the Dark Wars (summoner-started conflicts spanning 3000 BGI to 1000 AGI), were heirlooms often inherited from women in the family.
So many wielded these weapons, they became known as e ada sindo weapons, and their wielders e ada sindo doru an'dikor (tras. Justice by Weapons).
Jonna officials despised the weapons because the magick within them proved deadly to more than one offending siojhetioh and military officer. Attempts to remove the arms from their owners usually ended in death as well--and not the e ada sindo's.
For more on e ada sindo ranks see here

After Jonna

The order continued the task Kykini Cede assigned them through Jonna's tenure, annoying the Condi generals and siojhetioxh in charge of ruling the lands. No one could dislodge them, and by the time Kykini Cede returned to the Glass Volcano following Eserial's death, the e ada sindo were a staple of eastern Jonna Empire life.
When the vestiges of the empire dissolved in 4125 AGI, many hands vied to rule the aki n'di ori lands. Again, the battles proved more gentile than the participants wished, for the order revenged egregious wrongs. After they brought the most infamous of Tokindi's descendants to justice in a ruthlessly bloody way, the factions held more talks and fewer battles.
In the end, four aki n'di ori countries were formed; Baq, Jonnta, Rakan, and Teral, loosely based on Condi governmental regions. While Jonnta had a more diverse population and did not remain a tribal land, the other three proudly declared themselves the inheritors of Ay a di galay, and their leaders set about recovering from war.
The e ada sindo were considered a Rakan sindari. While kidon existed in the other countries, their home was Rakan, not only because Im dari in'dal was there, but because their headquarters resided in Dodi on, the new country's capital.
The e vedi of the palace kidon became the spokeswoman and authority for the order in dealing with the royal family and aristocracy.

It became clear to the new ruler, Queen Iyuma, that the common people expected the e ada sindo to carry on their pledge of justice in local communities. This made her nervous, and her nobles did not like it either. The aristocracy, after centuries of Condi marriages, had more Condi blood than aki n'di ori, and they felt the common people would see that as a blight on their rule.
Having learned nothing from the succession battles, they plotted to end the e ada sindo and any retaliation the sindari might implement.
They ordered the strongest martial artists at the palace to do the deed.
The artists refused.
They ordered the palace and capital guards to do the deed.
They refused.
They hired mercenaries, who had little to do, now that the succession wars had ended.
The mercenaries, once they realized the target, backed out of the deals.
The Condi soldiers who retired to Rakan refused to lift a finger. No other sindari would agree to help.
Before Queen Iyuma could find a willing group to take on the women, the palace e vedi appeared at a court function. As leader of the e ada sindo, she declared their loyalty to the throne--as long as Iyuma did not sit on it. Her daughter would do well enough.
Before the queen could blink, her nobles voted to oust her and handed her daughter the crown the same day. Iyuma retired to Baq to avoid assassination, and Queen Deratari began a new Ifenede diniki dynasty.

One of the first things Deratari did was create a fund to pay the e ada sindo for their service, continuing Jonna Empire practices and, perhaps, purchasing a bit of goodwill.
The sindari is still funded by the Rakan throne, which pays for upkeep, salaries, and pensions.

The modern e ada sindo continue their search for justice, in communities large and small. They consider upholding their tenets a sacred duty given them by Kykini Cede, and they have not changed their creed or beliefs.
Respect for the order is profound, especially in rural communities where the law is non-existent. They often officiate ceremonies, celebrations, holidays, and other important events.

Modern Sindari

The e ada sindo still uphold their mission, bringing justice to those who cannot find it themselves. To do this, they emphasize both martial arts and education.
Unlike other sindarin, they have no upper age limit on who may join, though they prefer children to have the first four steps of Rakan education before they become an initiate (usually around age 8 or 9). While training is conducted at each kidon, due to limited resources and personnel, smaller ones often send their initiates to larger ones.
Once accepted as an e su van'di, the girls and women begin their physical and mental training. Mornings are taken up with classes, afternoons with martial arts. An initiate's background, age and health are taken into account, and teachers create individual plans that best fit each student.
Depending on previous experience and age, training can last up to twelve years. Once all final tests are passed (both written and martial), an e su van'di becomes an e ada sindo. They reside in the kidon until they retire or die.

Kidon have an e nadi and an e vedi who give all others specific tasks and missions. These include:

• accept complaints
• investigate complaints
• bring justice as needed
• escort the apprehended to the nearest cage for imprisonment (usually in a larger town or city)
• return body/bodies to families or tribes for burial
• fine any who have lied/taken advantage of the order
• bring justice to those who thought to use the order for their own selfish purposes
• maintain relations with the local community so citizens are not frightened to go to them with problems

Girls and women who have physical and mental disabilities can find a place among the martial order. Not all can do field work, but there is plenty of opportunity in a kido, like taking complaints, conducting interviews and inventories, and the like.
Many older women become quartermasters, maintaining the kido and equipment and hiring non-members to cook and clean. They are the ones who manage the funding from the throne and keep track of e ada sindosina so they can receive their pensions.

The e nadi is second to the e vedi and tends to lead missions to apprehend or end the most dangerous perpetrators.
The e vedi is the ultimate authority in every kidon. The palace e vedi is the only woman who can promote to, or remove other e vedi from, their positions.

E ada sindosina are those women who have retired from service. They receive a pension from the throne for the sacrifices they made during their tenure.
Anyone who does not receive a pension committed some wrong that ended with them shunned and expelled from the order.

The sindari has two major celebrations a year; one honors Ivore's death and the other their arrival at Im dari in'dal.
Most women who wish to leave the order turn in their resignations during Ivore's death day, so the event becomes one that honors their service as well.
These are usually women who wish to start families and do not want them to become targets of revenge.