#khokhala

It takes a village to raise a warrior. It takes a city to raise a cavalry. It takes a frikking huge city to muster the kind of army people want to see in epic movies.

Most cities in Khokhala can do this, but not on their own. Most of them rely on smaller, outlying settlements to supplement what the city itself can provide. Add to this a practice more like that of Ancient Rome wherein a proper warrior buys his own gear as he can afford it, or it gets passed down from one generation to another. 

Then you add in the fact that Khokhala has magic, and large cities have enough mages to regularly produce enchanted weapons and armor for those who can afford it. So if your great-great grandaddy was a badass enough dude to be a Captain, Lieutenant, or even General in a city’s army, he’s going to have very high quality gear that’s been enchanted, and even more likely made out of a special material. Mithral and Cold Iron are the most common. Dragon skin, dragon bone, and Adamantine are much more rare but still sighted. That’s the kind of gear that becomes heirlooms and passed down to the next Really Good Warrior in the family. Heirlooms defray some of the cost. But not all of it. It still needs maintained and repaired. Not to mention, some people die and don’t come home. Stuff gets lost. People are buried with really awesome gear. Adventurers become an important part of society, because Uncle Bob lost Great-great Grandpa Angus’ Awesome Sword of Fiery Glory and we’d like it back, please. But I digress slightly.

Understand that when the whole of the Caste of Warriors for the City of Kothbyrn is mustered, this is not just in the city itself, but also in the outlying villages, towns, and trade hubs that the city protects. The number of troops that are constantly mustered, is right around 300, give or take. About a third of that is on the walls and patrolling the city. The rest is on walls or patrolling villages and responding to small threats in the surrounding wilderness. These troops are constantly rotated out every few months. When a Warrior is on active duty, that’s all he’s doing. He (or she, we do have some badass ladies) is visible, armed, and armored 24/7. They have to be ready to respond to a threat when it arrives. When they are not on active duty they’re still visible, usually by the symbol of their Caste, and the way they carry themselves. But they are not armored, and they are doing other things. They run businesses. They tend to farms, mines, and quarries. They take care of their families. The typical rotation is seasonal. Most will be on duty for a season, and then off the rest of the year. Some will have multi-year breaks, depending on needs. Officers are always considered to be active. 

When the whole caste is active, Kothbyrn can send 100,000 troops into the field. I want you to take a moment to think about that. That’s an incredibly huge number. That takes a massive economy to support. That takes a lot of farming, foraging, forging, animal taming and training, and Gods know what else to get an army that size onto the field. This only happens when there’s a serious war about to happen, rather than simple posturing at one another. That can be handled by officers and maybe 1,000 troops, tops. That whole number, that 100,000, is every member of the Caste of Warriors in the city and the surrounding area. When they are not home, however, no settlement is defenseless. The Warriors are the obvious deterrent. The citizens are something any bandit worth his salt rightly fears.

Every person when they come of age swears fealty to their city, or to their town, or village, or whatever settlement they chose to live in. Smaller towns in turn swear fealty to larger cities for mutual benefit. Every citizen is expected to come to the defense of their city or town, should the need arise. Thus, the first weapon every person in Khokhala learns how to use is a dagger. They learn as children, and they learn where to strike for maximum efficacy. Farmers know how to turn pitchforks, shovels, hoes, scythes, and sickles from gentle tools to instruments of war within seconds. Children practice with slingshots for more than just simple sport. Women wear long, metal hairpins for good reason. Every smith knows how to deal solid blows with their hammers, and not simply to metal. Every man, woman, and child is potentially armed. For this reason, the vast majority of bandits tend not to attack small settlements that are unwalled and only lightly guarded. The people are much more a threat than the obvious guards. Instead, they go after more heavily guarded cities.

Logistically, this does sound backwards, but bear with me. Even though there are even more armed opponents in a city as opposed to a tiny farming village, cities are huge. The bigger the city, the easier it is to raid, and it’s very much a brutish, smash and grab type of raid. They plan their target, charge in, grab what they can, and disappear into the wilderness. It takes longer for active guards to respond, and most citizens will let the warriors take on a threat first, if there are warriors active. Men are more likely to respond quickly to a threat, warriors present or no. Women tend to grab children and get out of the way. This is simply the nature of people. Men tend to fight, women tend to grab children and flee. Not always, mind you, that is merely the trend. If all they’re taking is food and supplies, most of the time guards won’t even bother to give chase. If something particularly valuable was taken, they’ll pursue, but only to a point. Adventurers are easier to risk than citizens. If they take people, however, then inactive Warriors will show up to help track the bastards down, and they don’t stop until they’ve gotten every last citizen back. So for a bandit to attack a city with intent to kidnap, he is either rightly confident in himself and his fellows, or he is an overconfident moron. The overwhelming majority of the time, it is the latter.

There are a few other exceptions to the general Only One Spouse At A Time rule, and they generally regard very specific situations.

In the western cities and villages, particularly those closest to the desert’s edge, men who can afford it will offer to take in widows as additional wives, with no marital obligations on the woman’s part. It is strictly for the woman’s protection, particularly if she has no grown children who can afford to keep taking care of her. The Sultan of Kes began the practice roughly twenty years after the Cataclysm in order to end a particularly barbaric practice in which widowed women, particularly the elderly, were abandoned to the sands. Upon seeing a very young woman being dragged toward the sand docks by an older man, he grew incensed and had the man arrested and brought the woman to his palace to learn the truth of the situation. Appalled that such a thing was happening, the Sultan of Kes chose to set an example, and offered to take the young widow as a second wife, in order to protect her. That year he gained thirty-six additional wives, whom he never bedded himself. By the time he died, he had seventy-seven wives in total. All of them remained in the palace and were cared for by his sons.

His actions shamed the populace greatly, and the barbaric practice ended entirely, and men began scooping up widows to protect them from death, enslavement, and entrapment in more dangerous or outright bogus marriages. This continues largely in the western regions, but it has spread throughout Khokhala and is reasonably common in most large cities, and also smaller farming communities, where having extra hands is a boon rather than a burden.

The other primary exception to the rule is in cases where one spouse is sterile or otherwise infertile. A man with a barren, or too old wife, will take on a second, usually temporary wife in order to have children. A woman whose husband is sterile or impotent will take on a second, again usually temporary, younger husband to have children. The duty one has to one’s family is to expand it, and to do so by any means possible. The practice is common, efficient, and beneficial to all involved.

Less common exceptions most frequently appear in cases where a healthy polyamorous relationship exists. Here are a few examples I have seen myself. A man loves two women, and they are willing to share him, and are friends with one another. Another man who has three wives who share him, and the women are also all lovers. A man who married a woman, but kept a male lover on the side, who was then smacked by his wife and asked why he hadn’t married his other lover, too. (I attended that wedding, it was quite fabulous.) A man who married two women, one of whom married her lady lover in addition, the other married her male lover in addition. 

Salir Darvish, genuinely curious of this habit, asked her why she did that. It was not an offensive question, and she answered it sincerely. She told him that she could not stand the thought of someone going hungry, not even a slave, if she had the power to help that. 

This one is a bit of an oddity in Khokhala, but a well accepted one. You only see them in large cities, with the exception of Yve and Sanguine. They are usually on the grounds of the main temple area in any given city, a separate building, that is no less adorned than the main temples. Each contains dozens of altars and niches dedicated to other faiths and Gods that have been made known by those who have come from outside of Khokhala. 

The priesthood of Yatri maintains these shrines, and follows all the correct rituals for maintaining them, and performing services as best they can. This is meant as a comfort to transient travelers, and to those of us who have become more permanent residents of Khokhala. As soon as knowledge of a deity, or even pantheon, is made known, a shrine is built to it, and then additional shrines are built in all other cities, as the knowledge is shared.

Most of the deities whose shrines are there I did not initially recognize. I was, however, quite surprised to see shrines to Odin, Apollo, Ganesh, Krishna, and Bast, specifically. It was interesting to speak of my own faith with other clergy and to explain, as best I could, its core beliefs. The High Priest of Yatri in Kothbyrn was delighted when I brought him copies of each religious text from Earth that I could get my hands on. It was even more delightful the day I saw them dedicate the altar to my own faith. 

For the first twenty-three years of my life, my experience with what was considered "normal" emotional behavior was that men were highly simplistic and women were all over the map. This is, of course, not at all what really happens, mind you, simply what is considered "normal" by "civilized society." It naturally came as quite a pleasant shock to me that this was not at all the case in Khokhala. 

On the whole, men and women are equally emotional beings, and are expected to be. Some are more emotional, some are less, and it doesn't take long to get used to what is any individual's "normal" emotional shifts. When someone is not behaving the way they normally would, it's a sure sign that something is wrong. 

There are some interesting differences to note. To the casual observer, it appears that women are less emotional than men in Khokhala. This is not actually the case. It is that women are more guarded with their emotions. If they are in a public space, they keep a tight reign on their behavior. They will express emotion, but to a lesser degree. To make a woman respond with extreme emotion tends to put the men on edge. Part of the reason for this is remnants of what society used to be before the cataclysm, where women showed no emotion at all in public, so as to keep themselves out of collars. The other part of this stems from the fact that women, free women in particular, are seen as something to be protected and cared for, and so no situation in public should arise that would make a woman uncomfortable enough for an extreme outburst of emotion. Otherwise there is a serious problem that needs fixing. Pronto.

Men, on the other hand, appear to be more emotional. It is a man's world for the most part, and since they have the security of power, they can afford to be freer with their emotions. However, it is also expected behavior. Men are purposeful in their words and actions, and that extends to emotions as well. A man shows plainly how he is feeling. It is not at all uncommon to see a man cry when he is sad or overjoyed. It is far more common to see great outbursts of emotion from men than it is from women, at least in public spaces.

And what is considered controlled or extreme varies wildly based also on an individual's race. Humans tend to be the measuring stick, since we have the widest range of extremes in that department. Elves are more subtle with their emotions than Humans are. They feel as humans do, they simply don't express it in the same way. However, they can also feel more strongly, and to see extreme outbursts from Elves is cause for concern. Depressive states in Elves can be deadly. Dwarves, by contrast, are more boisterous, but still run in a range close to Humans. Halflings are also roughly the same as Humans. Gnomes are exceptionally boisterous and prone to swift and sudden changes in mood and emotion. Most every one I've met tends to be a bit like a flea on a griddle not only in physical reactions but emotional ones as well.

Orcs appear to be more solemn in nature, stoic even, but really have a range like that of Dwarves. This is likely due to their naturally deeper voices.

Kobolds, while genetically related to dragons, have emotional responses much like that of small dogs, with a magpie instinct. 

Of course, many are familiar with the practice of branding livestock so that people know where an animal belongs should it wander off or get stolen. It is a common practice in Khokhala, of course, but animals are not the only thing branded.

Slaves Slaves, when they are ready to be sold, are branded upon the left thigh, on the outside about midway up, where it is easily visible in most slave attire, or can be readily shown to those searching for one. The specific mark varies depending upon who is to sell the slave, whether it is an individual Slaver, a Slaver House, or a City. Though there is a default symbol used for a slave brand. Usually a downward pointed triangle, or a chalice. 

Runaways Runaway slaves, or criminals who were fugitive for some time, are branded with the Runaway sign on the left bicep. It can vary slightly depending upon city, but in incorporates two broken circles, to indicate broken shackles or slave bracelets, indicating that the individual knows how to slip such things and should not be trusted. It is not uncommon to see a slave who has a runaway brand with a collar that is riveted closed rather than locked.

Thieves A thief, when caught, provided they are not a child or among the desperately poor, is branded upon the left cheek. Yes, that would be the face. It is usually not a very large brand, because of that. The thief brand is shaped like an open hand with the fingers spread, and the fingers usually point back toward the ear.

I find I am in a unique position regarding Khokhala and its customs. to say that they are different from those of Westeros is like saying that a desert is different from a tundra. On the surface, no one  would deem to say they are anything but opposites. Yet, when one digs deeper--well. Humans will be humans, and so, they are fundamentally the same. 

I speak now of what I have experience in. For a girl with no options, prostitution can be a hellish occupation. Yet, I see less of its true cruelties when I look upon the silk slaves of Kothbyrn, and I know them well. There is no too-thick make-up covering bruises. There is no true hesitation when interacting with men outside of the establishment. They are less guarded then we were, and I think I know why.

While Westerosi whores are given all the social status of a slave, men are well aware that we are not property to be bought and sold...or rented, as the case may be. This, for whatever reason, gives them license to treat us poorly. So we are not just used--we are beaten and bruised and taken for free if we do not exercise caution.

In Kothbyrn, it is the very opposite. silk slaves are just that--slaves. There is iron about their necks and they are considered property. For whatever reason, tis seems to earn a man's respect. I believe it's because of respect for a property owner. If one rents a room or a horse from someone, it is normal to return that property in the same condition it was found, and that norm seems to hold true in Kothbyrn for the silk slaves.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Men and women both can be exceptionally cruel, or kind. I've seen slaves mistreated. but so too have I seen common whores raised beyond their station by a kindly patron.

Outside of the brothels tells a very different story. Of course, in neither world can a young girl travel between cities alone and expect to remain unmolested. Yet, in Kothbyrn, at least, that fear is not restricted to the roads outside the city. With the idea that people--that women, in particular--can be property, come the unscrupulous who would steal a person into slavery. Hence the custom of the veils, which had always confused me until, in a moment of vulnerability, I had wandered into the Lower City unescorted. Even veiled, I was attacked. If I hadn't fought back, I have no doubt I'd be some man's pillow slave at this very moment.

Westeros is better about this. While it is never entirely safe, the threat of being clapped in irons wasn't imminent. Women don't cover themselves for fear of attack.

The main rule when it comes to marriage and relationships on Khokhala is this. A man may have as many slaves as he likes, but only one wife. Despite the wording this generally applies to all people. Slave harems can be as large or small as people desire or can manage. They generally only have one spouse at any given time. Even the great Nar ibn Khesh practices this. He has a large harem and many mistresses, but only one wife at any given time. 

There are, of course, exceptions to every rule, and the largest exception is Orcs. Whether nomads or city dwellers, Orcs value strength. The stronger an Orc is, the more spouses they have. This applies to both Orc men and women. The chieftan of Clan Darkmoon, the largest tribe of nomads, has six wives. Last I knew he was looking for a seventh. Lady Gro-shek, one of the few Orcs that lives in Kothbyrn, and a proud warrior, had three husbands when I first met her. When she became an officer within the city's army, she gained a fourth husband. 

There are legends of a great Orc warrior-king from before the Cataclysm. King Mal-keth is known to have existed and was indeed a powerful warrior in his time. He lived far longer than most Orcs did, he felled many foes, and always led his own armies into battle. Legends to exaggerate numbers a bit, but reports of those who have studied his tomb have found the remains of his wives also enshrined there. Over the course of his lifetime, Mal-keth had two hundred wives.