Thaska

> *"Sweat and Iron! Blood of our foes!"*
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> Thaskian Warcry
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The early *Thaska* were an enslaved people,held as workforce by the Eternal Empire for the longest time after being conquered by the Valkar. After finally reigniting their courage, some fled south, forming a new nation of escaped slaves. Leaving the shamanistic ways of their ancestors behind, they embraced the path of war and new technologies, in order to fight their former masters and free their homeland. Now, they suffer from a conflict within, caught between their new war-culture and their now resurfacing old traditions.

## History

During the First Era, the T'ashk, as the early *Thaska* were called, wandered the southern plains and jungles of the Continent Dormus. There, they lived their peaceful lives close to nature and their gods, being great hunters, despite their herbivore diet. But, for unknown reason, the T'ashk never left to the southern regions of Dormus, Xolal, avoiding the north beyond the Limes Mountains. What happend during that time is not known, as the T'ashk only held oral records of their history during the First and Second Era. It was in the Third Era, when the passes of the Limes Mountains were traversed , but not by *T'ashk*. The Legiones of the Eternal Empire sought to conquer the entire continent, now reaching Xolal. Inferior to the Empire's might and Magic, the T'ashk fell to it's power. Instead of whipping them out, or integrating them into the Empire's society, the T'ashk were enslaved, serving the Valkar as an unwilling workforce from now on.

For generations the slaves, now called *Thaska*, lived as slaved for the Valkar, losing there own tradition in the progress, become docile with their hopes broken by the chains of the Empire. Only, when the conquest in the East failed, and the Crusade of the Southern Kingdoms stormed the Capital of the Empire, the fire of resistance was reignited within the *Thaska*. More and more of them fled their imprisonment to their ancestral home of Xolal. There they met the last free T'aska, who taught them the old ways of their people. But, on their path to freedom, they sought new powers to defeat the Empire and finally free themselves. The T'aska did not approve, but the *Thaska*, as former workers for the Valkar, started to work on new weapons with their knowledge of metallurgy. With the discovery of Gun Powder, they liberarted Xolal from the Empire and founded the Mihqueh Dominion. But, even as they reconquered their homeland, many wanted tot continued on their path of war, pushing onto the Heartlands of the Empire. Only, when Empress Aliqua negotiated a truce between the two powers during the Fifth Age, the war between Thaksa and Valkar stopped. Today, the *Thaska* are caught in a inner conflict between those, who value honour and their industry, and those who want peace, returning to their primal ways.

## Appearance

Similar to the T'wica, the *Thaska* are large and with an athletic build. Additionally, the differ by their hoofed feet and goat-like pupils. Different to their distant relatives, they normally are less "primitive", do to their years living amongst the Valkar.

* Skin Tones: different grey-cplours, like ash or coal
* Hair Colour: black to light-brown
* Iris: red and yellow eyes, with goat-like pupils
* Height: 1,80m - 2,00m

Many of the traditional cloths and accessoires are rather pragmatic, just like their hairstyles, which are often kept short. As they live with different profession-classes in their society, they all wear numeric tattoos on their neck, identifying their profession, date of birth and personal number. Inside the militaristic groups, ranks are often symbolised by different animals. Soldiers, serving with the Ranged Weapon division, for example, wear an helmet fashioned into the head of an eagle, while Melee-Fighters carry a boar or hog helmet or at least insignia on them.

## Culture

### Names/Languages

latin influence
 Island of Tecoli

### Characteristics

Inside the Dominion, children only live to their 10th year with their parents, while being testes annually and learning social skills with their parents and others. After the tenth year, the Directive, the governmental body of the Dominion, exams their abilities and judges them to move to one of the three big Academies. Based on their skills, there they learn a trade for another ten years.

There are three Academies, with various minor circles: The Military Academy, where soon-to-be soldiers are trained, while the most cunning are taught military tactics for higher ranks, the Craftsman Academy, mostly for the civilian population, learning a craft like blacksmithing or agriculture for the farmers, and the Science Academy, for the brightest minds to study Engineering or Biology, for example. There is also a fourth, in-official Academy, where the Agents and also all Magi are trained, often undergoing brainwashing to serve the Directive directly. The government also regulated the procreation of its citizens, trying to maximise its potential. Illegitimate children are normally searched and killed by the Directives Agents.

Only higher families and members of the Directive are allowed to have children of their own, with at least one child always inheriting their parents trade. To this caste of privileged count generals, higher scientists and the leaders of the Directive. Even though, this can be seen as unfair, the position in this hierarchy is available for anyone, who proves themselves worthy of this status. Every soldiers has the potential to become a general other join other parts of the higher-ups. It is just as easy/hard for a higher family to fall from grace though, if the Dominion sees no worth in them anymore, or they become to incompetent.

### Nations

* Mihqueh Dominion
* Atl Reservation

### Religinos

* The Directive

* Feral Gods
* Father-God