Kiths of the Primal Blood

“My kin, know that there will be no respite for us—for this world. We are witnesses to the crimes against our Mother and Avakra, but our hands will not falter. In the face of calamity, we will stand tall and endure. They will try to break us, but our bodies are as Stone; they will try to shackle us, but their chains can’t bind our Spirit. Let the Takras be your guide. Stand together and survive.”

— Attributed to Octna, the Warrior-Prophet

In the western reaches of Selejia, a massive forest of dense foliage and verdant trees cradles those of wild heart. There live warriors and shamans unperturbed by the pretense of civilization, who call the world their mother, and whose souls chant in a wild hymn. Their voices, once in chorus, now sing fractured and discordant, as a cacophony of painful howls. These are the Kiths of the Primal Blood. 

Once united under the guidance of Octna, the Warrior-Prophet who freed the Oerikan from the oppression of Osterath, the Primal Blood would fracture into manifold Kiths after the disappearance of their liberator, as none of their leaders bore all of the qualities required to guide the children of Ymiris. Common ground is found between the Kiths through their core philosophy, that of the Twin Takras, laid by Octna millennia ago. This alone is not enough to unite the Kiths beneath a single banner, however. Each of these Kiths is bound by a unique culture and set of traditions, their own interpretations of Octna’s teachings. 

In each Kith, leadership is divided between the most powerful of the berserkers, who receives the title of Kor-Takra, and the wisest of the shamans, who is named Ur-Takra. Despite the teachings of Octna, this division of power is often unbalanced, with most Kiths being ruled in all but name by a Kor-Takra. While the other Great Powers tend to view these differing Kiths as a single nation— the Primal Blood of Paxos—this is a reductionist view that fails to understand their complex way of life. This lack of unity, of a single, central philosophy, has led to bitter infighting amongst the Kiths, focusing on defeating one another rather than looking outward at their enemies. Still, despite their differences and the animosity that may put them in conflict, under the shadow of the great tree that springs from the Heart of Avakra, all are treated as children of Ymiris—as one, and violence between Kiths is considered a great sacrilege.

Kiths are, in a general sense, gatherings of hundreds of individuals from the Primal Blood that share a common outlook and culture. As separate ecosystems as each Kith might be, however, this doesn’t mean that they are beyond cooperation with one another towards a common goal. Whenever one or more Kiths band together, a Host is born. The different Kiths of a Host may gather once in a while, but they do not stay together for long. Although some Hosts have become great armies that marched on the walls of Astaris or on the Free Cities, most are simply networks of allied Kiths. These networks always have a large, influential Kith at their center, which usually gives their name to the Host as a whole, and the destruction of which could shift the balance of power within Paxos.

Amongst a hundred Kiths, there are a few whose names stand above the others. They are:

The Djurii, currently the largest Host of the Primal Blood, was formed after the arrival of Thundersteps from the Malediction, when the Shamans who first found him proclaimed the Tyran the returned Warrior-Prophet. Only the Kiths who accept Thundersteps as their Warrior-Prophet and swear allegiance to the Voices of Thunder, the shamans who speak on his behalf, may join the Host. This Djurii is known to have a small warband of honored berserkers who have managed to survive combat against Thundersteps, and their names invoke fear in those who have heard their tale. Scarred as they may be, to survive at all is considered a blessing from Avakra. The Kiths of the Djurii Host move through Paxos like a wave of death, following Thundersteps and leaving a mire of crushed bodies in their wake. The Great Powers of Selejia are well aware of the danger they pose, and even Auric fears for New Osterath should they launch an onslaught against the city. 

The In’Grok Dynasty, once the greatest power of the Primal Blood following the disappearance of Octna, was ruled by a lineage of great berserkers. Unlike the other Hosts and Kiths, power was passed from father to son, and none had the strength to defy the In’Grok bloodline. After In’Valk’s death at the hands of Thundersteps, the Dynasty began to crumble, coming close to extinction. Nowadays, over four hundred years after In’Gor’s fateful defeat, the Dynasty only lives on through those who follow the Seeker, who is more than eager to rebuild his would-be reign. Under In’Gor’s leadership, the Dynasty has been reformed, coming to be known as a safe haven for all those who have been shunned by their Kiths. No matter your crime, whether you dealt in forbidden magic or failed your Trials, the Dynasty accepts all downtrodden, inviting them to become stronger.

The Feversong is one of the oldest Kiths of the Primal Blood, dating back to the Age of Strife, and is the center of a Host. For the Primal Blood, death is the ultimate communion with Ymiris, as their souls may finally return to the embrace of the All-Mother. Since the Fall, however, this process has been severed—death became wrong. Spirits and their Echo linger on in the world, lost and unable to return to their goddess. Some have learned to invoke the wisdom and wrath of these beings. Through storied songs and ceremonial dances, members of the Feversong Kith reenact the tales of heroes past, calling down their great deeds so that they may be remembered, preserved, and lived anew. By opening their souls, they are possessed by these warriors and their tales, learning their skills and sharing in their strengths, even if only for a short time. There are those, however, who have been completely subsumed by the process, becoming something new entirely.

The Sarvu, both a Kith and the center of a Host, are one of the few aware of how corrupted the Primal Blood has become. They feel the wrath and pain that seeps from Ymiris, and they see it for what it is: a maddening cloud that strips away the self. They have vowed to take control of it. Their path is not to defy Ymiris, but rather to learn and find order in the eye of the storm. Members of the Sarvu Kith see, in every creation of Ymiris, the blueprint that was used by the All-Mother to put order to a world of primordial chaos. The prowling of a predator, the tenacity of the prey—for them, these are all lessons, a natural order they seek to emulate. Eventually, these inner changes begin to externalize, and as a member of the Kith delves into this path, they become ever more bestial, with many growing horns, claws, fangs, fur, and even wings. Once you are on the path, you must never stray from it, and the more your inner monster grows, the easier it is to do so. Elders of the Kith are known to transform into fully-fledged beastmen, similar to the Shifters, but with a more gracious form and in control of their savagery. Still, should the need arise, they possess the tools to bring down their enemies.

The Antarax is, even amidst the Primal Blood, an oddity. Rather than a group bound together by the Twin Takras, members of the Kith gather under the knowledge and influence of Antarax, the Great Conscience. This entity, older than the Fall—should you trust their words—offers freedom to the Primal Blood. While members of other Kiths focus on improving the self and becoming stronger as individuals, Antarax offers the strength of becoming a part of the whole. By abandoning your ego and sense of self, a member may become one with Antarax, being freed from pain, confusion, and the burden of choice. Antarax, in their many bodies, visits the Kiths of the Primal Blood, offering aid to the wounded and purifying the sick. They do this for all, leaving behind the Gift of Spores, a connection to the entity. In time, those tended by envoys of Antarax begin to notice fungal growths on their bodies, eventually hearing the entity sheltering in their thoughts. While Antarax claims to be a servant of Ymiris, there are many who fear they may have plans of their own.