Category:Abanii

Player Created Clan

This is one of the many Player-Created Duskwight Clans.

Who are the Abanii

The Abanii are a close-knit family-oriented clan of nomadic Duskwight that make their home in eastern Eorzea in the rocky coastlines, deep cave systems and old ruins of Mor Dhona, Gyr Abania and the Black Shroud. The Abanii are made up of several familial units and while it is plausible for Duskwight of other clans to be initiated into the Abanii through bonding with a member of the clan they are deeply prejudice toward non-Duskwight outsiders. Beholden to a very rigid and timeless set of spiritual beliefs and honor code the Abanii are a difficult people to deal with if it is not done on their terms.

The Honor of the Abanii

Honor is the very soul of the Abanii people, without honor a person is worse than a revenant. A person without honor should be pitied for their life is meaningless and they will never have a place in the Light.

• Never surrender to fear. Retreat only to gain a tactical advantage not because you are afraid to die.
• Never rush into a battle you know you will lose. Fortune favors the bold not the foolish.
• Never swindle one’s own kin. Betraying one’s blood is like drinking one’s own poison.
• Never abandon your family. Blood is blood until it is a dried stain upon the stone.
• Never reveal the secrets of the Homestead to the outsiders.

Dealing with the Abanii

Trade

The Abanii will trade with outsiders but will always do their best to come out ahead in a deal. They prefer to trade with the Beast tribes finding them more trustworthy and respectable than the major cities that like to oppress any culture outside of their own. It is not unheard of for the Abanii to cheat or swindle outsiders with the exception of other Duskwight with whom they consider distant cousins and would consider it a mild dishonor to swindle them.

Opinion of other Races

• Wildwood – Distant cousins that they consider ‘soft’ and ‘misguided’ but are tolerated with mildly less disdain than most other races. They are often considered on a case by case basis though on rare occasions may be tolerated as the mate of an Abanii clansman.
• Miqo’te - The Abanii frequently trade with some tribes of the Keepers of the Moon and share some similarities in their culture that make it easier for them to get along with them the Miqo’te in general are regarded with the same amount of cool disdain as is afforded the beast tribes. The Keepers of the Sun are less tolerated, especially the Nunh who are a direct contradiction to the Abanii’s more monogamous and matriarchal society.
• Roegadyn – There is little distinction between the variants of Roegadyn so rarely are they seen. Considered to be part ogre it is a common misconception among the Abanii that this tall men and women are less intelligent but sturdy. They should be dealt with in a cunning manner rather than a physical one whenever possible.
• Lalafell – The Abanii have no dealings with the Lalafell of any kind and rarely is the diminutive race seen in their native lands. Most Lalafell are mistaken by the Abanii to be Hyur children and when in trade negotiations may refuse to even speak directly to a Lalafell preferring someone of more substantial stature.
• Hyur – Like a fungus the Hyur spread out from wherever their spores take root infesting the land with their kind. The Abanii treat the Hyur with an aloof disdain and consider many of their kind to be without honor. Taken on a case by case basis they may deal with the Hyur for the reasons of trade or mutual benefit but only so far as it benefits the clan. Cheating or swindling a Hyur is not considered dishonorable; in fact the Hyur should really have seen it coming.

Abanii Culture

Professions / Specialties

All Abanii must know how to fight either with bow or daggers. In addition some chose to pursue the arts of Metallurgy, Alchemy, Mining, Goldsmithing and Cabalism (A more tribal form of scholar). The Abanii do not pursue any fighting style that uses heavy armor as it is too noisy and heavy.

Naming Convention

Native-born Abanii have three-word names that includes their Common Name, Honor Name and Family Name. When an Abanii is born they have only two names—Common and Family, the Honor name must be earned when the Abanii reaches an age of maturity and undergoes the right of passage known as the Great Hunt. When dealing with the outside world the Abanii may also go by a pseudonym or nickname that is used in every day conversation giving their True name to only to kind and cousin (other Duskwight).

For example. Makirelle Ruivette Doiler is an Abanii of the Doiler bloodline. She received the Honor name of Ruivette upon her return from her Hunt. To Outsiders she would introduce herself as Maki Rui, a short hand of her Common and Honor name while some Abanii choose their own names to give to Outsiders such as ‘Blacktooth’ or ‘Devil’ completely disguising their clan name.

Heirarchy

The Abanii are a matriarchal society that values family above all else and as such the Elders of the clan hold a very special place. In most affairs the Donna, or strongest eligible female, along with her mate (if she has one) conduct the clan and makes most of the decisions for the benefit of all. The Donna decides when the clan will move, where they will stay, who they will trade with as a clan and whether or not a trespasser lives or dies. The Elders of the clan however may give counsel in all matters and the Donna will generally respect them. In the rare occasion when the Elders council and the Donna may disagree the Elders may call for a Trial in which case the Donna must defeat the Elder’s champion. If the Donna loses the fight they will lose all status and privilege and the victor shall become the new Donna. It is impossible for an Abanii to become Donna without the support of the Elders council, challenging the Donna without the backing of the Elders is grounds for expulsion from the clan.

The Elders council is comprised of the oldest living members of each of the Abanii bloodlines and is limited to a maximum of two per bloodline. The Donna and Don may not be members of the Elders council and no member of the Elders council may become the Donna.

Relationships

The Abanii are a very family-oriented clan and as such put high praise on the creation of new families. In nearly all cases the Abanii are monogamous for life even at the detriment of the couple’s happiness. With a very pragmatic view when it comes to coupling the purpose of a mated pair is to produce strong Duskwight babies for the benefit of the clan as a whole. Love is often times not even a factor and arranged marriages while not a mandated practice is fairly common amongst adult Amanii that have better things to do than go through a frivolous courtship process. The Festival of Hearts is a common time when eligible single Abanii men and women come together to assess the value of potential mates and decide who they will spend the rest of their lives with.

Divorce is not even a word in the Abanii language as they have no traditional marriage practice either. Lacking in a ceremony to celebrate their union it is the act of consummation itself that is considered the finalization of their commitment to honor and cherish one another. The only way for a woman to leave a man (or vice versa) in Abanii culture is to murder your previous partner and to commit such a violent act of bloodshed against your own must come with good reason or may invoke the Donna’s wrath. In most cases infidelity, treason and grievous abuse are all legitimate grounds for murdering your former lover.

Culture Events

Festival of Hearts

The Festival of Hearts is a week-long celebration of food, dancing and fighting for sport. It is a ceremony that celebrates life and the changing of the seasons but is also a time of unions. Abanii in search of a mate often will use this festival to evaluate the potential of one another as well as old bloodlines striking up new deals. As a rule, no one who has not ‘come of age’ is allowed to attend the Festival of Hearts meaning only those whom the clan recognizes as a full-fledged adult (having successfully created their Hunt) may attend.

Great Hunt

A coming of age tradition where a young Duskwight having graduated from adolescence into young adulthood is sent out into the world to kill a great Beast. It is a rite of passage proving an ability to survive, a strength of ability, a sense of character and the wits to navigate the trials without anyone else to lean upon. While it is called a ‘Hunt’ historically what has been brought back to the tribe has not always been a conquest of a felled Monster though that is the most common. The more impressive the prize brought back to the clan the more clout or virtue the individual is given.

Although rare, one such example of the Hunt not resulting in a dead animal would be the Rite of Bastion Klous Moie who successfully outwitted a mercenary band escorting a trade caravan through Ala Mhigo. Upon taking possession of the wagon he drove the entire thing right into the Amanii camp where the profitable seized goods were celebrated with much jubilation. There are reasons the Duskwight are considered unscrupulous thieves—their very culture celebrates their ability to trick and elude outsiders.

Returning to the tribe before one’s Hunt is complete is considered a great taboo. Those who never complete their Hunt are considered without Honor and less valuable than a dog. They will be given anything but the unwanted scraps living on the edge of the clan worth less than a dog. While not policy among the Amanii, it is not unheard of for a bloodline to snuff out such a person. Fear of this may lead some Amanii to never return home if they find themselves incapable of success.