THE CANNIBALS OF THE HEARTLANDS

[Franczhiz 4437]

 

 

---

The Thraahk-na tribal culture (otherwise known as the Thraahk-na tribe)  are a mysterious tribe unknown to Heartlander society who blend into normal civilization. It is said that the tribe in question are often abandoned children or bastards who were adopted into this tribe and have been brought up to infiltrate into the normal Heartlander society. As aforementioned, for a tribe, they base themselves on gathering intel and to sow fear in the hearts of those who live upon Heartlandic land, and it would seem like people of a tribal background are rather intelligent afterall.

 

---

The cannibals, or as they are called; the Tribe of the Woods, or The Thraahk-na Tribe (the Blood Tribe), are believed to be bastards who have been abandoned at an early age, leaving the children to survive in the woods and many caves with a fierce resentment for mankind in their hearts, growing up to be born killers and to sow terror in the hearts of man.

 

Another account of origin is that the tribe is not an existing tribe but a culture that is adopted. It is often so that when the tribe takes a group of other human beings to their encampment, they butcher all except for one, who is given the choice to be sacrificed or to become a part of the tribe. It is a folklore legend that the cannibals only appear to man at night, where they will take all kinds of people as prey. Often turning the people who they kidnap from roads into effigies or throw the remaining limbs into different villages to further terrorize the people who live outside their society. 

 

Legend has it that the Thraahk-na, because of their devouring of other human life, get power from the dead and get the life years of the age of the human who has been devoured. 

 

It was however that the tribe made the decision to try and blend into the various societies on the continent. Expanding their influence and allowing anyone to adopt their culture and traditions should they be exposed to a Thraahk-na tribesman who walks among the other human societies as a normal citizen or peer. Little do the people know that he or she might be married to a member of the Thraahk-na tribe.

 

The Thraahk-na come in different forms, some adhere to their traditional tribal culture and remain in the woods, but others can also live in various settlements in the Heartlands, all without the authorities there knowing.

 

---

Tribal Thraahk-na celebrating the Shaakh Ritual

 

The Thraahk-na tribe has a variety of rituals. The rituals are a matter of proving yourself to your other tribesman. 

 

Morkh Ritual

The Morkh ritual (The Strength ritual) is a ritual that bases itself off of combat, a duel to the death. Whoever wins in this ritual is celebrated while the fallen opponent will be devoured, yet honored. The tribesman who wins has proven him or herself to the tribe and is considered an honorary member.

 

Shaakh Ritual

The Shaakh ritual (The Fire ritual) is a ritual that bases itself on hunting, specifically human prey, one who proves him or herself for this ritual is to burn their prey at the stake. This way, one proves him or herself that they are in excellence of hunting.

 

Kkhor Ritual

The Kkhor Ritual (The Slaughter ritual) is a ritual performed before other men and women of the tribe to prove yourself capable of killing. No one can get through the ranks of the tribe unless you are an able killer.

 

---

Thraahk-na shamans praying in their native tongue.

 

The language they speak is often said to be unintelligible and is therefore not able to be understood by other humans unless they have dedicated themselves to learning the language. The language is called “Thraahk-na”. The language is often described as a language inspired by daemons.

Pronounced: "Thraahk-nah"

Phonetics:

The language has harsh, guttural sounds, with lots of throaty consonants like k, g, r, and kh.

Vowels are short and clipped.

Syllables are often structured with consonant clusters at the beginning, creating a staccato effect.

Grammar:

Word Order: Subject-Object-Verb (SOV). The subject comes first, followed by the object, and the verb at the end of the sentence.

Tense: Tenses are not overly complicated. There are three: present, past, and future. The future tense is indicated by the suffix -rakh and past tense by -khr.

Plurality: Plurality is marked by repeating the first syllable of a word. Example: "Karr" (human) becomes "Karrkarr" (humans).

Possession: Possession is indicated by the prefix "Vha-" meaning "belonging to." Example: Vha-Karr (of the human, or human flesh).

Vocabulary:

Karr = Human (or flesh)

T’ka = Bone

Graakh = Blood

Thraak = To eat / Devour

Vharr = To hunt

Khrann = Tribe

Morkh = Strength / Power

Shaakh = Fire (symbolic of ritualistic flames)

Rakh = Spirit (in the sense of life force)

Kkhorr = To kill / Slaughter

Kraahk = Heart (often metaphorical for life or soul)

Vorr = War / Battle

Vhakar = Victory / Feast (indicating the meal after a successful hunt or battle)

Sample Sentences:

1. Thraak Karrkarr Vha-Kraahk.

"Devour the humans’ hearts."

2. Vha-Vorr Thraak'na Khrann.

"We, the tribe of war, devour."

3. Krrakh, Karr Vharr!

"Hunt, human, hunt!"

4. Khrann Vha-Morkh.

"The tribe’s strength."

 

---

[Enlightenment 2295]

King Mark shook his head in disdain and utter disappointment, “How could the Duke of Burgundy let this happen?”