Hipparion Tribe (South Shroud)

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Hidden deep within the trees of the southernmost point of the Black Shroud, to the far East of Urth's Gift one might never see the light of day again. For deep within the trees, using fog and foliage to their advantage, there lies a rather curious Seeker Tribe. Few have laid eyes upon it and lived to tell the tale, and what few have can only provide shreds of information gathered over the course of the seasons.

Currently this tribe can be found in Western Thanalan, hidden in a cave inside Nophica's Wells.

Tribe Details

Location: The Western Side of the Thanalan Desert (Current)
Race: Miqo'te
Clan: Seekers of the Sun(?)
Tribe Indicator: K' (Pronounced koo)
Tribe Beast: The Mighty Hipparion
Tribe Leader: K'lmaya Ihzu (Nunh) and K'ihzu Nunh (Shaman)
Tribe Size: 8 Known Members
Breeding Nunh: N/A


Appearance

Physique
Perhaps due to the abundance of shade provided, most Seekers in this tribe appear to be fairly pale-skinned. Rare is it that a Seeker born in the Shroud has tanned skin, and those that do tend to be the hunters. Males tend to average at a height of 5 feet, 4 inches (about 162.5 cm), whereas females average at a height of 5 feet, 2 inches (about 157.5 centimeters). Their limbs tend to be longer and their figures slimmer, due to a combination of genetics and a shortage in food. Their muscles do not bulk, and agility is the strong suit of many in this particular tribe.
Hair and Eyes
Hairstyle on these Seekers can vary by individual, as it often does. The Nunh, however, is easily identified by braids clipped together with silver clasps. The primarily dominant hair colour is black with a slight blue tint. It is not, however, unheard of for members of the tribe to produce others with shades of blue or green somewhat lighter than the normal, or even a dark brown. Any hair colour deemed light (ex - blond, white, or light shades of blue or green), however, is seen as unusual and an ill omen.
Aesthetics
All adult members of this tribe have a white, tribal tattoo on the right side of their face. In addition to this, Elders, Sickly, and Disabled wear a dulled, silver collar around their necks instead of the traditional gold. Tias of all ages have white, tribal tattoos on both their arms, from hands to elbows. They are periodically added to as Tias get older, until the eighteenth nameday. Breeding Females wear golden clasps on their ears and golden rings on their right hands.

Traditions and Norms

Pack Ritual

Each child that has reached their 4th nameday is brought before the tribe in a traditional ceremony. Tribe Members pray for the children's health and well-being before they are brought before the Nunh. The Nunh evaluates each child, based on knowledge from the elders and the child's mother, before assigning them their hunting pack. When the ceremony is over, they are considered bonded for life.

Hunt Packs

Hunt Packs consist of up to 4 members. They eat, sleep, and learn the basics of the hunt together under the guidance of the tribe's hunters and huntresses. By age 5, most children will have learned the basics of climbing, stalking prey, and fighting in hand-to-hand combat. By age 8, they will begin accompanying older Hunt Packs on official hunts in order to watch real combat, and learn how to clean prey. By age 10, they will know how to wield a weapon and hunt small prey.

Hunt Packs are bonded for life, and they can do anything from guarding the tribe from outsiders and hunting for food to gathering supplies. While most of their hunts take place in the surrounding area, some may travel to Thanalan in order to gather materials not found in the Shroud.

Hunting Trial

Because of the severe shortage of food, most children are tested once the last of their hunt pack members has reached their tenth nameday. They are tested based on their work as a team, not their success on the hunt. They accompany the eldest hunter, who allows them to roam within the hunting grounds from sunrise to sunset. During this time, the hunter watches and evaluates each member of the pack to determine how they work as a team. Should the pack succeed in a kill, as a team, they are brought back to the tribe and honoured through song and dance. If they fail — and most do — or choose not to find a kill, they must bring back anything of value for the tribe — be it new hunting grounds, foraged food, or an accessible resource.

Sun Festival

The Hipparion give thanks and make offerings to Azeyma on the longest day of the year. Because of the location of the tribe and the few members it has, they light a small fire rather than a large one. Members pray to their goddess and offer a handmade carving representative of themselves to the flames, signifying their devotion. Once the last of the carvings have been eaten by the flames, the Nunh leads the tribe in a ballad passed down through the generations. The finale of the festival sees the hunters dancing with flame-tipped staffs, and huntresses wielding the power of fire in alluring dances. Outsiders are not permitted to participate nor watch.

Tribe Hierarchy

The Nunh makes all executive decisions for the tribe's well-being, from food distribution to relocating, and leads all ceremonies.

Tias that are of age aid in the Nunh's duties to a lesser extent, and they carry out tasks that the Nunh may be unable to (if they involve leaving the tribe for long periods of time).

The Shaman is akin to Gridania's conjurers. The Shaman, by tradition, is the previous Nunh before the current, and shares the wisdom that he may have learned over the years. He determines and teaches those able to utilize the aether around them, as well as help heal any grievous wounds that may befall a hunter. A Shaman often has up to two apprentices learning under him.

Breeding Females and Elders are often the ones looking after the youngest children and sickly who cannot be unsupervised while the hunters and huntresses are away. If capable, they are also the primary individuals who repair clothes, cook food, and other daily tasks required to keep the camp running.

Hunters and Huntresses provide food, materials, and security for the tribe members.

Tribal Law

History

Outsider Speculation

Members

Nunh

K'lmaya Ihzu

Shaman

K'ihzu Nunh

Tias

K'washi Amada
K'shan Tia

Females

K'nya Mra
K'wyra Mra

Children

K'nta Tia
K'nim Shan

Dispossessed

K'heyo Tia

OOC Afterword

This page is in no way, shape, or form a completely accurate representation of any Seeker tribe, and its main purpose is to serve as food-for-thought and partial backstory-ness to K'washi Amada. That being said, if you would like to use this page as part of your own story, feel free!