Inciters

Inciters have long been the face of Tengri Oni military might. Able to turn the might of a hundred soldiers into a thousand through fast and graphical lyrics poetically laced over heartbeat raising war drums, these phonic standards are the lifeblood of any force they fight in. While an adept warrior in their own right, the true strength of an inciter comes in their boon over those in their company. With its first disciples using their craft to liberate thousands of oni from slave camps two centuries ago, inciting has become an art form that now interwoven with the identity of the oni nation.

## The Inciter's Code

Strict on tradition and the reverent methods of which inciting should be done, inciters that uphold the 'ways of the first' adhere to a code of four laws:

1. All inciting is done for the benefit of community and nation. Inciting is never to be performed for the glory of one's self.
2. While the desire for physical conflict is always natural and latent in all oni, it is an inciter's role to resist the urge to fight physically and to instead deciding in favor of rallying his comrades.
3. An inciter, while considered by almost all as a superior asset to the military and community than most of the general rank, must maintain the same resolution as those he supports on the battlefield. All Oni lives are equally valuable and an inciter is never to hide from danger behind status.
4. Every inciter's style is unique and personal and these talents should embrace taking root in self-realization and awareness to be fertilized to maximum potential.

## Traditional Kit

An Inciter's traditional kit includes a parallel four items that mirror these four ideals holding deep personal and traditional representation. They also mark an oni for all to see as an aspiring or accomplished hero of the people.

1. Hailer: A bardic focus that helps one project their voice over large crowds and

battlefields. Traditionally a large cone with a handle, new varieties are being
created that are involving new technologies and magics from other lands. Every
hailer is designed to symbolically represent the inciter's lyrical style and
cadence. Different shapes, lengths, and handle styles have been seen and many feature arts personal to the inciter speaking of their origin and personal hopes for their community.

1. A Mask: An inciter's mask is designed to represent a personal mantra. As inciting has grown out of the need to liberate onis from oppression, inciting was a practice that had strict rules on elevating community with lyrics rather than focusing glory on one's self. The mask is traditionally worn as a commitment to the purpose, message and humility that inciting should hold.
2. Blade: Every inciter carries a double-edged blade into a battle that they aspire to never use. Designed around the oni's favored war beat style, an oni

with a greatsword would favor thick heavy drum beats while an oni with twin scimitars would likely favor quick marching snare beats. An oni in battle feels a bloodlust like few other creatures on the planet and Inciters, not immune, must resist this urge and stay focussed, a great feat of willpower. An inciter that fails to do this becomes but one soldier rather than a boon to hundreds. The double-edged sword represents the balance that Inciters must understand between knowing the immense weapon that they rouse within their comrades and not letting it overtake themselves.

1. Robe: It is a ritual for Onis to wear a robe that is discarded as they enter a battle. While in a sober mind, Oni understand the great boon that inciters are to their armies. When frenzy takes over, many oni drop the knowledge that someone not swinging a weapon is still useful and feel that this vocal individual thinks themselves too high for the general ranked soldier. The

dropped robe exposes the chest revealing no armor, a statement that declares 'I am not wielding a weapon as is convention but I am still here with you, I can still fall in battle with my brothers and sisters in the carnage we will create.' A robe typically is embroidered and dyed with depictions and symbols
that reference the inciter's connections to community, warband or city. These robes are worn at most times in declaration of service to the Inciter's local province and as such the oni kingdom as a whole. When shed outside of the battlefield, it declares a proposed or accepted challenge between two inciters for the purpose of exhibition, community moral raising or training.

## Oathtests

Two or more inciters may compete in an Oathtest to attempt to break each other's resolve. Oathtests have two types performed at different times of the year. The first and most common is Ankhny Tsusny which translates to 'of first blood'. The
inciters may initially taunt each other before beginning their inciting, a slew
of magic-infused lyrics erupting from their mouthes as rhymes that rises the
desire for bloodlust in all around including the inciter themself. A winner is
declared when they can cause their opponent to submit to their bloodlust and
draw their weapon to strike for first blood on their opponent. A heavily
scarred inciter is a decorated inciter with self-inflicted scars for acclaim
being far more shameful than losing a hundred times. An Oathtest held under the
eclipse influence of Brakkas Zanzulu is called Süüliin Tsusnaas which translates to 'of
last blood.' These battles have much more dire results which are fatal to the
loser. Under this sixty-day period, the oni who drew first blood is branded by
searing moonlight leaving a crimson mark. This mark allows anyone to legally
murder this oni on sight for failing their oath as an inciter usually enacted
almost immediately by the victor.