#askkaconenan

I think Matuzu Kingdom actually has reason to tolerate the Kaconenans to some degree, because the Kaconenans are their first line of defense against the Crescent Cult. In fact, the Kaconenans are uniquely positioned to deal with the cult very effectively.

The Cult is based in the Serkel Desert. Kaconenan territory stretches across the entire savannah, just south of the desert. The Cult does travel by air sometimes, but that's expensive, so usually they're on land. Kaconenans can't do much to flying targets, they mostly prey on land travellers...but they're extremely good at it. They use speed, walls of arrows, magical illusions, and swarming tactics to overwhelm even larger groups than themselves.

A LOT of money flows through Matuzu via trade caravans. Both the Cult and the Kaconenans want a piece of these caravans. Kaconenans can be bribed to go away, but the Cult resorts to violence every time, so Matuzu much prefers Kaconenans over Cultists in their territory. It has to be one or the other because here's the thing: these two groups can't coexist. At all. They both survive almost exclusively by raiding.

Thqt means every caravan sacked, every traveler killed or kidnapped by the Cult, is money that the Kaconenans have lost out on. They do NOT like Cultists stepping on their turf, and unlike the Great Kingdom militaries, they aren't afraid to retaliate and piss off Disgrace. They straight up don't give a shit because they know Disgrace doesn't have the resources to deal with them. Matuzu, the richest power on Gaia, spent centuries and obscene amounts of money trying to smack down the Kaconenans and failed miserably.

Disgrace and his cult don't stand a chance--they know it, the Kaconenans know it, and the Matuzans know it. The Kaconenans aren't even rich, far from it, it's just their unique nomadic lifestyle and branched tribal structure that makes them a major pain in the ass. No other faction really does this as effectively as they do.

When Kaconenans catch Cultists crossing the savannah (and they ALWAYS catch them, because the Cult is about as subtle as a freight train) they don't even give them the option to bribe, they just immediately kill them. This is great news for Matuzu.

You might say Kaconenans are "free" security for Matuzu, but that's not exactly true. Matuzu spends a lot of money cleaning up their damages. It just happens to be a lot LESS money than they'd spend trying to deal with the Cult if they got a foothold in the kingdom.

Matuzu: Kaconenans are the worst thing that ever happened to our kingdom! Horrible fiends! The most disgusting and vile terrorists to ever--

Crescent Cult: lol hi

Matuzu: ...uummmm hey Kaconenans 🥰 we'll gargle your balls if you go deal with that bullshit for us 😋 kthx love u bye 😘

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Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost

When Matuzan troops hunt down Kaconenans, they take a "scorched earth" approach...that means men, women, and children are all valid targets. Matuzan culture usually frowns upon this kind of thing, but everyone makes exceptions for the Kaconenans because of their brutal reputation.

Kaconenan women don't join their men on raids, but that doesn't mean they never fight. It's their job to defend their camps while the men are gone, so they stay armed at all times. They will mercilessly attack any outsiders who get too close to the camp.

Kaconenan children are no pushovers either. They are given a weapon and taught how to fight as soon as they can walk. Matuzu Kingdom once had a policy to spare all Kaconenan children during attacks, but this never worked out because these children were just so damn vicious in battle, it was too hard to subdue them peacefully.

Let's just say many Matuzan soldiers have fallen at the hands of armed toddlers...these kids are taught dirty tactics to get the upper hand on their adult foes. They're known to cry and act helpless until their foe lets their guard down, and that's when they strike. They also use their size to their advantage, hiding in small spaces to ambush enemies.

As far as the Matuzans are concerned, the only good Kaconenan is a dead one.

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Questions/Comments?

Lore Masterpost