Post by Kenneth New on Jun 12, 2011 4:20:34 GMT -5
Kith bear a strong resemblance to humans, but are much smaller. They claim to be the first race of Rhiada, the children of the Whistler (a trickster figure in Kith folklore) who gifted them with wits, agility, a talent for music and a strong wanderlust. They live in family groups that are organized into clans and tribes. There are two types of kith tribes: the water tribes and the land tribes. The water tribes use river boats to travel the larger rivers of Rhiada or even shallow bottom coastal vessels to travel from river to river. The land tribes use ponies to travel across the face of Rhiada. Unlike other peoples of Rhiada, they’ve never had a nation or an empire of their own, preferring to keep on the move and to make their way through trickery and stealth.
Among the kith, wits and trickery are valued more highly than strength. They also value slings and bows over swords, preferring to fight from a distance. The errant rogue is a cultural hero. This may be one reason that many folks believe the kith to be a race of sneaks, thieves and conmen. It is true that they view bigo folk as rubes to be fleeced whenever possible. Usually this takes the form of fierce haggling. The kith don’t view it as unethical to steal things from people who haven’t the wits to protect their possessions. However, they generally respect the property of other kith and friends of the kith.
The kith speak their own language (Kethlen), but most also speak the local language. Religiously they’re extremely eclectic, borrowing from whatever faiths surround them. They have a reverence for the spirits of the natural world and for the moon goddess Selene, whom they call Mother Niera. But their most important religious figure is known simply as The Whistler, a trickster figure who travels with different companions on his many adventures. Stories tell of him tricking various gods, giants, dragons, demons and other powerful beings. He is a patron of thieves, travelers, merchants, conmen, magicians, musicians and scoundrels.
Each major river has its own tribe of kith. For example, in Elocia there are the Inarion River tribe and the Hylas River tribe. In Acheron there is the Acheron River tribe and in Tyrathis there is the Essen River tribe. The Endymion Coastal tribe connects the various tribes around the Sea of Endymion. The largest number of kith are the Halueth River tribes who live in the Salt Fens of the Halueth River, traveling from the Sea of Endymion in the south to the Bay of Cimber in the north.
In some of the larger cities, there are groups of sedentary kith who act as middlemen between their nomadic kin and the locals. In Elocia, they are also called the Rivertown Kith. They control a quasi-legal market where you can buy just about anything. Like most kith, they appear to be open and friendly, but are actually quite clannish and secretive around outsiders.
Kith stand 1 to 1.4 meters tall and weigh 20 to 40 kg. They can have a skin tone that ranges from tan to cholate brown. Eyes are typically dark gray with hints of blue, gold or silver.
Among the kith, wits and trickery are valued more highly than strength. They also value slings and bows over swords, preferring to fight from a distance. The errant rogue is a cultural hero. This may be one reason that many folks believe the kith to be a race of sneaks, thieves and conmen. It is true that they view bigo folk as rubes to be fleeced whenever possible. Usually this takes the form of fierce haggling. The kith don’t view it as unethical to steal things from people who haven’t the wits to protect their possessions. However, they generally respect the property of other kith and friends of the kith.
The kith speak their own language (Kethlen), but most also speak the local language. Religiously they’re extremely eclectic, borrowing from whatever faiths surround them. They have a reverence for the spirits of the natural world and for the moon goddess Selene, whom they call Mother Niera. But their most important religious figure is known simply as The Whistler, a trickster figure who travels with different companions on his many adventures. Stories tell of him tricking various gods, giants, dragons, demons and other powerful beings. He is a patron of thieves, travelers, merchants, conmen, magicians, musicians and scoundrels.
Each major river has its own tribe of kith. For example, in Elocia there are the Inarion River tribe and the Hylas River tribe. In Acheron there is the Acheron River tribe and in Tyrathis there is the Essen River tribe. The Endymion Coastal tribe connects the various tribes around the Sea of Endymion. The largest number of kith are the Halueth River tribes who live in the Salt Fens of the Halueth River, traveling from the Sea of Endymion in the south to the Bay of Cimber in the north.
In some of the larger cities, there are groups of sedentary kith who act as middlemen between their nomadic kin and the locals. In Elocia, they are also called the Rivertown Kith. They control a quasi-legal market where you can buy just about anything. Like most kith, they appear to be open and friendly, but are actually quite clannish and secretive around outsiders.
Kith stand 1 to 1.4 meters tall and weigh 20 to 40 kg. They can have a skin tone that ranges from tan to cholate brown. Eyes are typically dark gray with hints of blue, gold or silver.