Tribes of Akere

Akere is a land of hardship and limited resources for a people whom are fast to reproduce and even faster to adulthood. The land is dominated by two subgroups of catfolk the mostly human and even tempered looking Miqo'tei and the animalistic and wildly aggressive Arke'tei. Tribes roam far beyond the borders of the Akere lands thanks in large part to the primary export of Akere being extremely capable mercenaries valued by other nations. Roaming tribes and clans often are hired by nations they are passing through to provide military, logistical, or monster removal services often in exchange for food and materials. Cause of the roaming clans and the hired out mercenary forces the exact number of Akere nationals cannot be pinned down by a census and thus the only proper count of population is in that of the primary settlements.

## **Tribes of Akere Hierarchies**

### **Social Hierarchy**

* **Nunh miqo'tei**: With a tribal counsel as the governing body of these lands only a Nunh in control of a settlement has a say in land laws as well as territory disputes. The Nunh Miqo'tei serve as the speakers of all Miqo'tei tribes and clans that reside with in both city and roam the frozen forests. These Nunh are more civilized then there counter parts and often act as diplomats for Akere as well as their role as a ruling caste but only in matters of a none military nature.
* **Nunh Arke'tei**: The counter part to the Nunh Miqo'tei is the Nunh Arke'tei. A recently established caste as various clans finally came together and settled land and laid down roots. These Nunh are aggressive and territorial. No matter how savage they act they still share equal voices when discussing land laws and territory at the tribal council. They also better equiped for keeping track of roaming clans beyond the borders however the values of keeping records of citizenry is still lost on them.
* **Mercanarium:** The voice of the clans military and mercenary organization. All military matters are handled by the coalition of catfolk whom stand apart from the clans. While a representative does attend the tribal council they have no voice unless a tie is to be negotiated between the settlements. By far the most organized and well trained of all the castes for war.
* **Nunh**: Clan level Male or Futa/Herm whom has either distinguished themselves as a mercenary and earned the right to start a clan/harem or proved them selves in single combat against a clan/harem leader to avoid being made beta. These individuals often gather their women from free women whom are unattached to clans. The provide local administration of laws in the form of one whom sits in judgement. They also create their own tribal laws and customs. Nunh are welcome in settlements however are limited to the outer limits and interact with only the beta's found there.
* **Houri**: Women whom have been taken into a clan and accepted a nunh often after either having been bred or the Nunh taking fancy in them. Most Houri are often the Nunh's own daughters whom choose not to become a mercenary or a free woman. Once accepted into a clan they assume responsibilities within the clan where as Beta's do the manual labours the Houri take on the crafting ones to make goods necessary for survival in the frozen forests. They are the cooks the weavers and other trade craft that is not to labor intensive. Houri when in settlements have the right to roam freely.
* **Free Woman**: A woman with out a tribe or clan whom rejects belonging to a nunh or has not found one with him they desire to stay with. That being said protections for free women are based on which tribes they are around and while common agreement is that they are to be left to roam as they desire there are clans whom seek to gain power and force these women to be come Houri. Free women in settlements are ensured freedoms in the Miqo'tei settlements and are more at risk in Arte'tei settlements.
* **Trodaí (Miqo'tei):** The males of the people whom have undergone the trials of the island or having successfully served as a mercenary in the *Mercanarium Eternium.* Males of this rank are allowed with settlements and tribes as respected contributors till they are ready to make their own clan. They are not as restricted as beta's however they are not allowed to have relations with a Nunh's houri beyond conversations. Arke'tei do not recognize this rung of Miqo'tei society.
* **Free Peoples**: outsiders whom adapted to life in Akere. To become a free person you have to either challenge and defeat a nunh and their personal houri in battle on your own, Face the horrors of the Tir na Nog on the island off shore, or serve 5 years with the mercanarium.
* **Outsiders**: People whom are not of the catfolk, but have come to live among them. They are not segregated from the clans however the customs and traditions of the catfolk take time to adjust to often resulting in more returning to their homelands then actually staying. Others leaving cause of the bitter winters. The few that stay for life being the ones to best adapt to the culture and climate. Outsiders and free people are not represented in the council however are subject to laws and are required to pull their own weight.
* **Beta's**: The lowest rung of society is the beta males. These men serve as the manual labor of the clans performing dangerous or task requiring heavy lifting. They are with out rights to breed females as they have not proven themselves worth of such rights. Like wise they are treated more severe for breaking land laws and tribal laws. If a beta is found having bed a female they are often exiled or killed pending which subgroup of catfolk is in charge of the clan they belong to. Once made Beta there is no way to climb up out of this caste often marked with visible ink declaring their status. How one becomes beta are numerous and subject to Nunh's discretion, but examples are Criminals, Dishonorable individuals, Cowards, Non-contributors, and so on.

*-"Mercanarium Eternium"*-

* **Grand Raj**: The one that head the Mercanarium often having lived long hard lives of battle and showing wisdom and cunning across many field of battle. A Grand Raj is not appointed or handed down, but earned. Raj are not the only one whom can ascend to this rank even a lowly Beta if they had the skill could become a Grand Raj. Once earned a Grand Raj can only be removed with his death. A grand Raj does nto bother themselves with day to day tasks of the mercanarium. Nor do they negotiated contracts that can be taken by Palco. Their duty lies in making sure the Mercanarium reputation is never in doubt to the other kingdom.
* **Raj**: Varied in number based on how many divisions are abled to be fielded. These individuals are the only ones other then a grand Raj whom can take war contracts on behalf of a division. They are the generals that govern the big picture of tactics and battle. Often far removed from the battlefields the division they command are fighting on. With out these key individuals the larger picture of each war contract would likely be lost. These individuals command the respect of the Nunh of Akere.
* **High Palco**: High Palco command a battalion of Akereian mercenaries. The can take battalion contacts which consist of mostly policing and removal of dangerous monsters and beasts. Not as far removed from battle often can be found in field commands during a war contract or over seeing the battalions battle field from a far.
* **Esteemed Palco**: Esteemed Palco are given command of a Platoon of Akereian Mercanaries. These individuals can take more dangerous contracts that require a smaller coordinated effort needed to put down. These individuals lead from the front often bringing their own strength and reputation to the battlefield directly. These individuals command respect and are feared by intelligent foes on the field of battle.
* **Palco**: Palco command a squad of legion and are the most direct commanders of the Mercanarium Eternium fields. They are allowed to take Squad contracts. Commanding respect of those under them these individuals inspire their men and women to push the lines or render the objective safe. Once a Palco these individuals can leave the Mercanarium Eternium and take women as a Nunh and form their own clan.
* Legion: A legion is a mercenary. They can take solitary contracts to help develop their personal reputations.

### **Free Womens Rights**

1. A free woman has the right to roam where they want.
2. A free woman may earn a living with any clan with out having to render their bodies to that clans Nunh.
3. Free women have the right to choose the Nunh they wish to be with However the Nunh has the right to reject them.
4. A free woman is not entitled to meals provided by a clan to its houri.
5. A free woman is not entitled to clothing given free to its Houri.

### **Land Laws**

1. None may lay claim to a Houri with in another's settlement should a Nunh be found interacting with another's Houri that male will be subject to punishment of the settlements Nunh.
2. Wars between clans are to be decide by only those clans no allies from out side the clan can lend aide other then the supplied guarantied to them from their service in the Mercanarium Eternium. Nunh in violation of this land law can be striped of their title and forced back into service as a legion.
3. Territory occupied by a Arte'tei can not be likewise occupied by a Miqo'tei the reverse is also true. If territory is in dispute the two Nunh can dictate whom can occupy the disputed land by having Beta's or Houri fight for said rights. Nunh whom come to blows with each other directly or intentional infringe upon one or the others claimed territory will be subject to the land law of Cullna.
4. Cullna a Nunh can challenge another Nunh to ritual combat at the arena of Abor. This battle is between two Nunh and up to 4 of his chosen Houri and Beta. The victory earns the right to slay or spare the opposed Nunh and then absorb their clan as their own if they see fit or make demands of migration territory. Clans with out a surviving Nunh will be divided among the settlement clans the remained rendered as free women.
5. The old traditions are considered criminal to observe unless outsiders seek to steal the lands of the Akereian. The savage and barbaric practices are reserved for those that seek to destory our way of life.
6. Any Nunh can challenge a settlement Nunh for the right to control said settlement and control of the resident clan.

## History of Akere

### **Origin**

The origin of the tribe is known only to the people of Akere as an oral story however inquiries into the area by archeologists and other learned people support the oral telling mostly. The catfolk did not originate from this world but rather from the world they call Tir na Nog or translated to common "land of the young" we have come to know this place as the first world. As the oral telling goes the Miqo'tei and Arke'tei were once slaves and would shift like werebeings from Miqo'tei to Arke'tei and vice versa. At this time we were called celts or people with out will as was very much so our minds basically that of wild beasts. That was till the first Nunh awaked from the eternal rut and learned to control his transformations.

Needless to say this made him dangerous to the fey masters as he now had free will and could think on his own. Seeing the state of our people he moved to free us from their control how ever teaching what he had learned was a slow and often difficult finding that other males as per our traditions to this day acted as alpha to the areas they control. His luck better put toward awaking females to fight along side him. Course what we know now and what they did not know then was just how dangerous the feylords are and how impossible the task was. Many awakened celts were recaptured as the concept of death in that world was wrapped in the sense that no true death could come to pass. It was a hopeless task but the first Nunh would not surrender or suffer death in those wild lands instead he would learn as the land as well as its twisted people there where timeless living forever not like we are now with limited time on this world glorious as it is. The first Nunh learned of a method to open a path to another world wonderous as the idea was it was done before by others that took them to a world the feylords declared tainted. The nunh would not open the path to that place instead he wanted to bring our people to another one that would be our own. So he hoped at least.

He gathered as a many as he had awakened to thoughts and will to take us all there to the world he had envisioned and in so doing drew the wraith of lords. Let it be known that if he had not done so that the lords would have known either way and would have captured him with ease as we as a people even the will-less ones whom had been brought along. All fought for a common goal that day before we looked upon a true sun and moon. Many lost but yet to be reclaimed as the nunh worked the magics and when he finished his life blood flowed from him to the magic as only feylords could work it with out consequences. Yet they could not do so with such power as the nunh HE TORE a piece of that world away from them and in so doing trapped a lord in the space between Tir na Nog and Guden forcing a portal to remain open on An chéad blúire domhanda beyond our shores a land untouched by snow and as warm mid-land summer all year round. Through his sacrifice we found freedom but also we were divided.

### **Guden - Celts Divided**

Before we arrived in this world we could shift between the two forms when we arrived we learned that while those that had once been mindless and will less could now think freely which was joyous. We the celts soon learned that we could no longer shift between forms those of us whom had awareness before could still shift, but it was harder and every time they changed it became harder and harder till they could no longer and became trapped in one form for all life time. The other thing was that we learned that death in this world was lasting. The other thing we knew was that the portal to the first world was still open and things still came from it hunting us. We had to move quickly and did finding we landed in waters of thick ice before the fragment melted it all and made the mighty bay and warmed our shores to bearable. Our people crossed the ice even though the world beyond was cold and harsh it was better then slavery that and leaving the island for the lands beyond instilled in us another lasting change. We became mortal able to die. Those that sought to drag us back feared this change and did not pursue after us. The warmth left behind we toiled in the frozen forests of our new home barely surviving and learning much differences between the two forms of our people.

This is when the Miqo'tei and Arke'tei almost split off from each other if we had not needed each other. The Miqo'tei developed much more mental prowess while the Arke'tei developed physically and instinctually. We made tools, huts, tents, and medicines as well as learned the magic of the land we now dwelled while the Arke'tei hunted and carved the woods for what we needed to stay warm and eat. They felt we took advantage of the ones whom could hunt and like wise we felt the ones whom hunted often left us in grave danger when predictors came near our camp. We as celts tried to make it work, but even our bodies where being taxed by the lack of transformative magics and started to feel the changes the others spoke of. Before we lost our senses of self we made the wise decision to split the tribe and divide the land. There was so much land we did not need to settle it all and the knowledge had been shared freely to survive and craft and so we did. The two wises Nunh for each of the celts lead the most like forms with them to across the lands. Females of our tribe having less aggression and more sense then the males acted as go betweens for the two tribes and in so doing we could share more of what we learned of the lands.

### **War**

Our people where slaves to more then just the fey we had not realized it till generations had passed. Males always seeking to be alphas or the Nunh of our tribes and the two groups even divided from each other found that they could not sustain as they did with so many about. Worse yet females with male parts also showed this aggression towards males and so they sought the power. Much fighting happened in this time till we found what worked smaller tribes with mostly women to one man and any males willing to listen to the Nunh and accept the old tradition of castration. barbaric times it was but it was for the good as our aggression back then was not tempered as it is now for we know much more of this worlds dangers.

However even with the two tribes divided into smaller ones respective much fighting happened still. over hunting lands, farming lands, safe lands from natural dangers and fey whom braved the this world hunting for us. Fighting happened over things like whom had the most women or children. The best magic. Stones and metals. It was endless still is endless. However time gave way to laws and rules and wisdom and cooler heads prevailed as the laws of the land became established. No we did not have the council of nunh yet that came much later, but peace was brought to us. Though not between us. The tribes of the northern lands started to some what unite can call themselves the Arke'tei like wise we became known as the Miqo'tei and while we came from the same people this had become forgotten and only women would be accepted from either tribe to the other recognized as something else.

The tribes warred and fought each other unaware of the other dangers of farther off lands whom had come to notice the fragment of another world upon it. Back then travel was hard and their journey very dangerous. It was not as it was now. The road to the other lands did not exist and ships could not carve the frozen sea as they can now. While we fought we remained unaware of their passage into the lands of Akere as we had called them and cause of this we had no clue as to what was to happen once they returned to their people with what they found. Our first encounter with them was violent well more like the Arke'tei as they had come from the north. They mistaken the outsiders as Miqu'tei whom had invaded Arke'tei lands. What was not slaughtered fleed our lands and when we saw these people again we encountered them again and when they returned it was not good for either tribe.

### **The people united**

It was at this time we hand traveled far and wide beyond the lands of Akere to avoid more infighting. We realized naught that the lands we walked "belonged" to others. the outsiders whom encountered us knew of us and how dangerous we where and so would drive us off. Course we realized naught they had much in the way of knowledge of war. Far beyond our peoples sadly as far as tactic and knowledge. They had seen us in fights and as well as how we handled ourselves and believed us to be good slaves for other ventures if they could break us.

It was hard but they did and when that happened they saw how truely powerful we are in the thick of fights weaving our way through the battle fields. What they truely loved was how fast we reproduced a few of us they could repopulate front lines and show little care for our well being as they bombarded the battlefields with their more... reckless tactics. They invaded our lands to enslave even more of us. What they lacked knowledge of was that which made them crave us for their own purposes also made us most dangerous to them. 40 generations of us and even with all the infighting we had managed to spread across much of the lands roaming where their eyes cant see us. When they attacked the home land even if we did not all agree we knew one thing the humans, elves, dwarves, and so on of this world would never force our people to bend a knee to them. While the messengers took long to coordinate the tribe of distant lands and many dead for trying all it took was one to reach tribes beyond Akere to awaken the enemies greatest fear. They called us Catfolk case of our feline traits matching the small animals of this world they domesticated into pets. They sought to make us the same. What they did not realize was that we could think and organize.

The many tribes rose up with in their lands and while small compared to other tribes there where many of them. The smallest of the tribes was more then a company of humans. By then the tribes beyond the border numbered in the thousands. They never saw the threat coming till it was to late. Our people are ruthless knowing just how to destroy morale cause it was the only way to survive that hell of a world. They had claimed much of Akere and even built the fort Mercanarium Eternium well mostly built it. While they focus on the conquest of our lands the ones back home realized that the war was over before it begun. In the end they where forced to acknowledge us as a nation even divided as we where as when an outside threat presented we united caring naught about arke'tei or miqo'tei, but about freedom. They made treaties with us which forced us to make a group they could communicate with this group would work from the Mercanarium Eternium and communicate with the counsel of Nunh whom dominated the regions of Akere. They also freed our enslaved people that survived enslaved at their hands. These outsiders even went on to offer to supply our people if we willingly served as mercenaries in their armies. We agreed to this as well as it was logical at the time plus their structures out faired our own and promised much. Plus we heard of a land that threatened this world in a way that we understood in an odd way feeling the death of magic far from our lands resound through the world.

### **Recent History**

The catfolk as they call us in general have grown much in the 5 generations since. Well not grown as how we send our people off to fight others wars it keeps our peoples numbers in check. It was sensible as before we fought all the time over nothing almost now we fight for purpose as our people now are supplied with resources and knowledge. We build settlements now around the leading Nunh even one for women whom seek naught to be driven by lust beyond the lands of the Nunh control. Outsiders weaving into the mix with the people. Even a female Nunh coming to power even though she was a beta. The old traditions left behind as castrating males limited their aggression and that was needed for the mercanarium. Much traditions are not lost tribes still roam far and wide observing our nomadic life and acting as the insurance for if the outsiders seek to try and control us once more.

## Places and People

### **Settlements:**

* Aber - Sig'galla Clan - Akere Capital
* Geryderamsay - Siúracha'Saor Clan
* Bravonver - Mane'faur Counsel
* Lareran - Airg'gne Clan
* Mabe - Dhu'cail Clan - Arte'tei "capital"
* Anver - Org'grian Clan
* Abercycney - Dor'gael Clan

### **Leaders - Clans**

* Nunh S'bhevi - Sig'galla Clan (Miqo'tei)
* Nunh A'zehrun - Airg'gne clan (Arte'tei)
* Nunh D'zahje - Dor'gael Clan (Miqo'tei)
* Nunh O'razuh - Org'grian Clan (Miqo'tei)
* Nunh D'zifah - Dhu'cail Clan (Arte'tei)

### **Notable Individuals - Faction**

* Sadhbh - Siúracha'Saor Settlement (All women counsel)
* Grand Raj Tadgh - Mane'faur Mercanarium Eternium (Mercanary leadership)

## Facts & Misc. About Akere

Miscellaneous facts about Akere, the tribes, and other things that can be important to know. Think of it as a cliff notes of the whole of the nation.

* Nunh: Highest authority with in a clan or settlement. They have final say over what is what unless challenged to a fight that is likely to result in death of one of the parties.
* Mercanarium: In place of guards the nations mercenary military stand guard duty as nearly all the population has preformed service for the mercanarium. Making the mercanarium the only ones whom could rationally break up fights that are not formal duels.
* Houri: Each Nunh has a number of houri how ever many they have is determined by how ever many they feel they can keep with children. A traveling Clan will often be composed entirely of mating Houri and few free women.
* Caravans: Akere Catfolk as a matter of tradition and to maintain on going military operations have clan Caravans roaming all the lands. It is their trump card in the event some one attempts to take over their homeland again or stage a military campaign against Akere.
* Traditions: When Celt speak of traditions this refers to laws, lore, and customs of their clan. Old tradition is from the time before the war when Catfolk where more tribal and had left alone these tradition are now defunct however some clans still observe them.
* Currency of Akere: More like where ever the Mercanarium is known as a mark of X (Good, influence, magic, or labor). It will be honored in any branch of the mercanarium or nations that contract to them. Each mark is worth the same as what it represents when exchanged for physical goods, influence with important people, magical aide, or manual labor.
* Tattoos: The Miqo'tai get tattoos representing their status with in the community some whom have done contracts to technological nations even have more advanced versions of this. By and large the tattoos tell the tale of their exploits Arke'tei have a version of this with magical dye that persists through sheds.
* Might Makes Right: The entire society is governed by the strongest, smartest, wisest, most hardy, and charismatic of their people. Only the best can hope to maintain the overall order.
* Beta: Used to be a castrated male or futa (dickgirls). Now they are branded on the fore head with a universal mark.