Kashirum

Spirit folk bound with gossamer light.

Basics

• Taxonomic Order: TheFolk

• Alignment: Infernal

• Energy: Gossamer Light

• Lifespan: Variable - they may senesce to death at age 100 or at age 3,000, depending on how many souls they consume

• Diet: Blood and souls or common mortal fare with more bugs

• Habitat: Temperate regions

Origins

The Dwonnic elves sold their souls to the mithran Ettuttu in order to ascend into something more powerful and spare themselves from extinction.

Description

Kashirum appear to be humans with arthropodal features. Their appearances range from humans with half of their bodies and arthropods with the rest to humans with just a few slight arthropodal features. The commonest arthropods they resemble are spiders, ticks, centipedes, beetles, flies, locusts, mantises, mosquitos, moths, scorpions, dragonflies, and wasps. Culturally, these are chosen because they are associated with power. When they are born, they resemble their parents’ physical appearances, but they molt by the age of eight and get to choose a new form if they wish.

Procreation

Kashirum procreate sexually with one another. However, they are not always viable with each other - it varies by their anatomy. Those that are more arthropodal may even lay eggs or have reproductive processes similar to their arthropodal antecedents. They may also reproduce by binding a mortal of another species to their arthropodal emblem and forcing them to become a kashirum; this process is done only to create slaves, culturally.

Powers

Kashirum have the innate ability to spin light into gossamer light, the infernal energy of manipulation. They do this using mouths, their saliva, which transforms any light they “consume”, then spitting it out as a white slurry. They consume light simply by shining it into their mouths, closing them, and filling up with saliva.

Binding

Kashirum use their gossamer salvia to bind other living things. If they apply enough saliva, the person will be bound to them. Each binding allows for more control, each binding gives the kashirum power over another facet of the target’s Name: first mind, then heart, then body, then soul, then the full True Name.

Binding the mind requires only a little saliva. Anything they apply a drop of their saliva to will dissociate mildly, allowing the kashirum to more easily manipulate them.

Binding the heart requires a stronger dose. Anything they apply a mouthful of their saliva to will dissociate significantly, allowing the kashirum to more deeply manipulate them.

Binding the body requires a full wrap of the torso and legs (or equivalent). Anything they tie up in their saliva will be bound as if in spiderwebs, drained physically and slowly, allowing the kashirum to drink their blood for nourishment.

Binding the soul requires a total body wrap. Anything they enshroud in their saliva will be bound as if in spiderwebs, drained metaphysically, allowing the kashirum to steal a tenth their remaining average lifespan (maxing out at 500 years per victim) if they are of an intelligent mortal species. Non-conscious animals, plants, and fungi simply nourish the kashirum as if they ate a significant meal. Inmortal species give a kashirum an extra 500 years. An average kashirum will do this enough to live to the age of 300 or so, but most cannot afford the slaves or victims needed to do this. No kashirum can live beyond 3,000 years of age without some kind of potent supernatural intervention beyond their abilities. If they never consume a single soul, the average lifespan is about 100 years.

Binding the True Name requires performing the four previous bindings. Anything they bind four times will be subject to the fifth binding, which allows them to consume elements of the target. If the target is an arthropod, this allows the kashirum to take on parts of the arthropod in their appearance. If the target is any other living thing, it allows the kashirum to manipulate other beings of that species supernaturally through speech, touch, or gaze for up to a year and a day.

Binding something is exhausting, and most kashirum must rest up to eight days after consuming an intelligent mortal victim at any level. Non-intelligent creatures take less energy, unless they are otherwise supernaturally potent.

While bound in gossamer light, victims may resist. If they successfully resist, they may break free, and during the first 30 seconds or so after the binding is broken, the kashirum will be dazed and vulnerable.

Molting

Kashirum are born resembling their parents, having the same arthropodal features as their birthing parent and the same human-like appearance as their other parent. But at age eight or so, they molt, losing their arthropodal features and remaining vulnerable and raw until they find an arthropod of their own to bind and consume. If their parents are supportive (for any reason), they will be provided with one, but many are forced to find one on their own.

After their first consuming, they have to molt every eight to 64 years, depending on their powers. After they molt, they are very vulnerable until they find another arthropod to consume. For this reason, most keep a stock of their favored arthropod. If they do not consume a new arthropod within eight days, they regrow their arthropodal form but minimally. Their gossamer saliva powers will fade over time, and they will become nearly indistinguishable from humans, having only a few minor arthropodal features inherited from their birthing parent.

Most choose to keep using the same arthropodal form over and over, often preferring their first form consistently, but some choose to change it up.

Venom

All kashirum have some kind of venom, even if their arthropod doesn’t. If they have a stinger, they will have a venomous sting. Otherwise, they will have a venomous bite.

Weaknesses

Just after molting, they are extremely vulnerable (-6 to all stats at least, if not more). If they attempt to consume aetherial or celestial light to create gossamer light, it will burn them from within.

Nations

There are 12 nations of kashirum, each one having their preferred arthropodal forms:

• Abauzakian: beetle-kin in the Hollow.

• Bazaunian: mosquito-kin in Vendale.

• Falzurian: fly-kin in Lyfane.

• Kthiki: scorpion-kin in Ghaestr.

• Mronim: moth-kin in Jhuin.

• Nzogki: dragonfly-kin in Gest.

• Skreskh: locust-kin in Skree.

• Srisian: spider-kin in Srisia.

• Tepetes: wasp-kin in Nakatan.

• Tnozga’m: tick-kin in Endruin.

• Usonzigk: mantis-kin in Mysaral.

• Wvalsen: centipede-kin in Lann Kurat.

Culture

The original kashirum culture is that of Srisia. The spiderkin were formed by Dwonnic elves, guided by the Prophetess of Ettuttu, who sold themselves to the power of the Spider God in exchange for escape from extinction. They were tricked, manipulated, and became at first demons. At the end of Second Shem, they attempted to free themselves, not knowing once again that they were deceived, and transformed themselves in the Infernal Realm into spirit folk. They were enthralled and worshiped the Divine who had them fooled. Vital to their formation is the fact that in their new form, they are not required to use their powers to consume, manipulate, or transform - they do so for the sake of power.

On Third Shem, they were placed in Srisia and set up as the dominant “race”, the ruling nation, and given dominion over the other nations in the area. Indoctrinated by Ettuttu, they built an empire that spanned much of eastern Ansulym. From there, they colonized much of the world, either directly or through economic domination. They developed rapidly through stolen technologies, slave labor, and brutal exploitation of other nations.

The Srisian Empire is known throughout the world. To many, it is the enemy, a country known for plundering the rest of the world, but to others, due to the Srisian propaganda machine - empowered greatly by their supernatural talents for manipulation - they are an emblem of liberty and individualism. The first and only law of the land is “don’t get caught”, as the Srisians joke amongst themselves.

The Srisian Empire is run by the Emperor- or Empress-Elect. While in theory anyone can run and be elected, consistently, the same two-dozen families retain the office. There is a Senate, which is a hereditary legislature, and a Great Council, which is elected, mostly “middle class” people who all want to become richer and more powerful. There is a massive, complex legal system designed to confuse and manipulate the populace, but heralded as the model for true justice.

The kashirum are positioned as the rightful rulers of this empire. Through ruthless propaganda and subtle but potent control of all media, education, major religions, and cultural institutions, the kashirum promote their own inherent supremacy amongst the Srisian populace. A hierarchy of other nations exists, some more privileged than others, but all are subject to the whims and wants of the kashirum.

In Srisia, the kashirum are always spider-kin. If someone takes on another form, they are denounced, banished, imprisoned, enslaved, or otherwise shunned and scorned. The spider is the national symbol, and even those who are not kashirum embrace spiders as a sacred animal. Kashirum believe that the more they resemble a spider, the greater their privilege and power. There is some evidence that this prejudice exists in Srisia, but it is not formal or systemic. In truth, it is the opposite - the privileged and powerful are the only ones capable of more fully embracing arachnoid forms. The most powerful kashirum replace their lower bodies with bulbous spider bodies, making them like spider-centaurs, but only if they have the luxury to live remotely and not interact much with the public. Public-facing figures tend toward more human-like appearances, keeping only the mandibles, eyes, and an extra set of arms or legs.

What species of spider they choose is not indicative of their status save in three cases: black widows are always restricted to the priestesses of the same name; tarantulas are exclusive to the military; and cellar spiders (daddy long legs) are considered an embarrassment.

Because kashirum are a privileged nation, most of them are part of the Srisian nobility. While ostensibly Srisia is a (bourgeois) democracy, the noble class remains from the olden days and still has quite a lot of wealth and power. They allow others to do the hard work of governing, save for key roles, but they hold the keys to the bank vaults, so to speak. Usually, they hold positions in government that allow for maximum control and influence without being in the spotlight. The only exceptions are the Emperor-Elect and the head of the Senate.

Poor kashirum live as any working class people do, but they have great pride in their “race” (read: species) and aspire to be part of the ruling class. Rich kashirum live in opulence and use their power to influence everything that meets their whims. They are deeply involved in politics, and they make sure their agendas are pushed through. They keep their wealth by employing thousands of slaves, prisoners, and super-exploited workers around the world; they often have their fingers in many terrible pies, ranging from Agikaani breeding programs to Uraymean slave markets to Aeldian plantations to mining interests in the Low Mines and logging operations in eastern Palhur to oil companies in Mahad to shipping consortiums run out of Merukis to colonizing distant planets. If they can siphon profit and power from it, they do.

Srisia’s main industry is finance. It is the largest export and their most influential sphere of business.

As children, kashirum are either raised by their immediate families or by slaves or servants. Their ages are not counted until they have their first molting, at which time they are said to be eight years old (this is usually more or less true). Their birthday is then set by the day of their first molting and their age measured from there. If their parents are supportive (whether out of love or practicality), the child will usually be provided with a spider to consume. Some parents have traditions of requiring the child to find their own spider, but make sure there are spiders nearby to be captured. Others make the child find their own. Others still don’t bother to care about their children enough to support them at all.

Kashirum recognize their birthdays, but they only celebrate after a molting. At molting parties, they share gifts (usually at least one gift will be a slave) with the molter, provide protection during their vulnerable period, and drink blood and eat cake.

Once the child has taken their first spider, they are required to go to school. Srisian schools are indoctrination factories designed to teach kashirum children that they are inherently superior - unless they are poor, and then they must have done something wrong - and deserving of the riches of the world. Other children are taught to respect, obey, and serve kashirum. By the time they are of age at 18, kashirum will graduate either to some kind of speciality school, college or university, or occupation.

As adults, kashirum are expected to participate in Srisian society as “examples” to the “lesser races”. This usually means keeping their more depraved and violent tendencies hidden. As children, they can get away with outright murder, unless it’s murder of a powerful kashirum noble or someone useful to a powerful kashirum noble.

Srisian music is full of drones, buzzes, and clicks that reflect the arthropodal voices of kashirum. Their art is designed to be emotionally manipulative and to spread ideas that favor the Srisian ruling class. Fashion is heavy on silks (especially gossamer) and whites and greys. Men and women wear loose clothing apt for the temperate climate. Kashirum with more arthropodal bodies wear clothing that suits their forms, usually robes or drapings.

Entertainment amongst the kashirum is usually violent blood sports engaged in by slaves for their entertainment, word games of psychological manipulation (written by šaţāru), or, in modern eras, television. Television stars and other celebrities are called mahāru, and they are extremely popular. Puppet shows are also extremely popular, because the esotericists known as puppeteers are a powerful force in Srisia, and they mask their powers by posing as entertainers. In all eras, advertising is a major industry, controlled behind the scenes by the state, and used to indoctrinate people.

Kashirum live in complex houses. As spiderkin, every house has rooms draped densely with spiderwebs, both natural and supernatural, and the house of every kashirum has access to the underground tunnels called the spiderwarrens. These are vast catacombs filled with supernatural spiders.

While kashirum devour souls and blood from their victims after molting, they do not make a common habit of it. These substances nourish them more than almost anything, but they also require a period of rest afterward that makes them vulnerable. It also causes distress amongst the “lesser races” when they eat one of them. Therefore, they mostly eat common mortal fare except when seeking power. Srisian cuisine does have a tendency toward richer foods, expensive foods from other parts of the world, and lots of arthropods. As spiderkin, they enjoy eating bugs, and they make delicacies of it.

National Cultures

The other kashirum nations always tend to find themselves as part of the ruling nations of other countries:

• Abauzakian: in the Hollow, they are part of the ruling class of Thaurgkall alongside the tyrannical ruling chthonian nation there. They take on beetle-kin forms and prefer massive, armored bodies. They are a warrior nation of brutal, violent brutes.

• Bazaunian: in Vendale, they are a swamp-dwelling nation of mosquito-kin who have a predilection for drinking blood. They are a nation of mystics, bloodcasters, blood mages, and webweavers who trade in slaves and political power.

• Falzurian: in Lyfane, they take the form of fly-kin so that they may thrive in the industrial wastes. They are allied to the industrialists and thrive in the polluted bogs and trash heaps. They are vulgar and cruel, but very, very rich.

• Kthiki: in Ghaestr, they take the form of scorpion-kin and practice powerful necromantic arts. They are among the only living things in the area, allied to vampires and greater undead, and they often become greater undead themselves.

• Mronim: in Jhuin, they ally themselves to the powerful pleasure class, taking the form of moth-kin. They prefer more human-like features with beautiful wing patterns and colorful eyes.

• Nzogki: in Gest, they dwell in the chaotic swamps as dragonfly-kin and live as violent warriors who are keen on political alliances that change often.

• Skreskh: in Skree, they take the form of locust-kin and devour what food they can. They are survivors in a great host of warriors and conquerors, one of the more powerful warrior nations there.

• Tepetes: in Nakatan, they are wasp-kin who wield powers of mollesse to depress the population and maintain control. They ally closely with other powerful nations and have their own warlords.

• Tnozga’m: in Endruin, they take the form of tick-kin and practice blood magic. They ally closely with the cythreulig nations there.

• Usonzigk: in Mysaral, they practice void arts and take the form of mantis-kin. They are a small and strange nation with a penchant for technology.

• Wvalsen: in Lann Kurat, they ally with the mammonite nations and take the form of centipede-kin. They are also a warrior nation and usually take the centaur-ish form with a lower body of a centipede and upper body of a human.

Esoterica

Kashirum are beings with inherent powers of gossamer light, and they are its greatest users. They wield it directly and naturally, and many common kashirum are de facto webweavers. Some use it as puppeteers, religious figures, or melultu, powerful esotericists seeking to solve the legendary Puzzle of Webs (a complex puzzle that connects all people, places, and things throughout history via prophecy, politics, and class relations).

Kashirum also commonly wield quaestus, razdavit’, msawhat, stravomenos, peccatum, imperium, infernum, corrogatio, bedrog, drenante, feirua, mollesse, hollow energy, and vile energy. D’qiarsea, kakraohy, shavev mashkalran, blood energy, Raesian energy, mashoaab, emotional resonance, psionic energy, vonzot, complexity, nommos, soul energy, gebvel, and gemtkhereg are also commonly used. They eschew using aetherial, poioumenonic, or celestial energies out of cultural imposition.

Webweaving

Webweavers are users of gossamer light who manipulate people from behind the scenes. They are often found in key positions that give them maximum power and minimum attention. Most kashirum practice these arts naturally and culturally, but those who specialize in this are the shadow government in control of Srisia.

Puppetry

Puppeteers are wielders of gossamer light who control people via sympathetic magic by using puppets, marionettes, and other dolls bound by gossamer light. Puppeteers in Srisia are almost always this kind of puppeteer and never mundane, though many find posing as mundane puppeteers to be useful. Among the kashirum, puppetry is a popular hobby, though some take it up as an occupation as it is easier than webweaving. However, it costs more to make the puppets than it does to emotionally and mentally manipulate people.

Puzzle of Webs

Melultu are those who study the Puzzle of Webs, one of the potent esoteric puzzles of Shem. They use gossamer light to manipulate people, places, and things in order to reveal the connections between all and understand the universe, in an attempt to control it.

Religion

The Srisian Church is perhaps the most powerful institution in the entire world. It is a front for the wealth and power of the family Sris, the oldest noble family of spiderkin in the world, and the religion promoted by it spreads the gospel of individuality. It is designed to promote personal empowerment while demonizing communal empowerment, resistance, or love. It is a mixture of prosperity gospel, toxic individualism, and racial purity. It is a cocktail of lies designed to mask the rampant manipulation, exploitation, and oppression of the masses by the Sris family and the Srisian ruling class.

The Srisian Church is run behind the scenes by the Prophetess of Etttuttu, an Aeonian spiderkin who predates the spiderkin species. She controls the church, the empire, and her own network of agents, all in the name of the Spider God’s grand designs. Most people believe she died at the end of Second Shem; this may be true. Regardless, the black widows, priestesses of the Spider God, are said to be the daughters of the Prophetess, and they hold immense sway in the church from behind the scenes. They are in truth the real power behind the chuch, even more so than the Hierarchs, but they operate almost entirely in secret.

The words of the Prophetess are read and shared by the kurgarru, special lesser prophetesses who are chosen by the black widows or the Prophetess herself (depending on if you think she is dead or not). The kurgarru are only eight in number, and they live in a secluded spiderwarren below the ground. They come out every eight years to make proclamations. Usually, they simply announce there are no new proclamations.

The head of the church are eight necrarachs called the Hierarchs of Srisia. Most are undead of other species who contorted themselves into spider-like forms. They are served by agents and attendants called dayyālu and eresìkiin. These may be kashirum or other species, but they do the work of the hierarchs and directly interact with the public. The main job of the dayyālu is to act as spies within the church. The main job of the eresìkiin is to serve the interests of Ettuttu directly or the serve the Hierarchs as servants or sacrifices.

Below the Hierarchs are mortals, almost always kashirum, known as lugals, who are eight high priests. They are the council who runs the church’s political, social, and moral agenda. It is said, correctly, that they have more power and influence over Srisian life than the Emperor-Elect, and historically, they have often overridden the Senate. A lugal is always a man. Lugals are elected by the rank-and-file of the church, but they usually control the elections.

The rank-and-file of the faith, amongst men, are the gukallu. The gukallu are clerics of Ettuttu who do the day-to-day business of the church. They are extremely manipulative and vile people, usually, and they enjoy the luxury and power of their positions. They are petty bullies. Below the gukallu are the gùtadés, who are tasked with the work of preaching and spreading the doctrines of the Spider God. They are sent amongst the people, and therefore, their work is both more vital and more intensive.

The lowest rung of the church are the abdu, most of whom are not kashirum. These are people entirely enthralled by the Webweaver, the Prophetess, the Hierarchs, or the lugals. They are victims of mass manipulation, and they believe that the power of their Divine controls them (which it does, but not kindly).

All kashirum are expected to worship Ettuttu. Most do not attend church after leaving school, but the indoctrination sticks. Technically, Srisia has freedom of religion in that anyone may worship privately as they please, but the only organized religion allowed is the Srisian Church.

Some rare kashirum (or other Srisians) engage in druidry, bonding to spiderwarrens via gossamer light, becoming the protectors of the warrens. They are considered corrupted versions of bright druids, though few speak of them this way. They practice mortal sacrifice and believe spiders are perfect animals.

Web of Srisia

The Prophetess of Ettuttu has her own personal force of spies. They serve her and her black widows and kurgarru. They are all webweavers, puppeteers, and other powerful wielders of gossamer light. They are perhaps the greatest, most secretive, most powerful spy network in the world. They employ agents both willing and unwilling, assets both knowing and unknowing, and they use every trick in the book to gather information for their mistresses.

Gender

Srisia proudly promotes itself as a country where men and women are equal, but this is an illusion. They are a deeply patriarchal country where the only way for a woman to gain power is to sell out her gender by backstabbing other women. The power of women is built on other women. The power of men is built on the backs of people of all genders. Deviance from binary genders is only accepted if the individual has the power to enforce it; otherwise, they are subject to patriarchal violence.

Marriage as an institution is common in Srisia. Among nobles, it is usually arranged for political or economic gain. Among commoners, it is done for the same reasons, but not arranged. Courtship involves a lot of emotional manipulation and abuse. Among the rich and powerful, both husband and wife will have sex slaves or manipulate servants or others they view as “lesser” for sex. Same-sex relationships are accepted only if the individuals have the power to enforce acceptance. Otherwise, they are subject to patriarchal violence.

Economy

Srisia is an imperialist country.

Military

The Srisian military is the most well-funded military in the world. Using the vast wealth extracted from their colonies and dependents, the imperialist ruling class of Srisian funds a massive military that enforces their control of the globe.

The military is split into eight groups:

1. Airforce: depending on the era, these are either supernatural airships and flying cavalry or jets and drones.

2. Army: the extensive ground forces of Srisia.

3. Communications: the communication corps is all media, telecoms, etc. used by the military.

4. Esoteric Corps: esotericists who support all other parts of the military.

5. Intelligence: spies and scouts.

6. Navy: all aquatic and subaquatic forces.

7. Spaceforce: all forces in outer space.

8. Subterranean: all forces operating below ground.

The Srisian military is highly regimented. Each part is headed by a supreme officer, and below them are eight subordinates, and below them another eight, and so on. These are structured as follows:

1. The Marshal of the Srisian Military

2. 8 Supreme Officers of the Corps (head of the army, navy, etc.), usually a specific rank such as general, admiral, etc.

3. 64 Division Commanders (eight for each corps), usually a lesser general or admiral

4. 512 Regiment Commanders (eight for each division), usually colonel or commander

5. 4,096 Battalion Commanders (eight for each regiment), usually a lesser colonel or commander

6. 32,768 Company Commanders (eight for each battalion), usually a captain or major

7. 262,144 Platoon Commanders (eight for each company), usually a lieutenant

8. 2,097,152 Squad Commanders (eight for each platoon), usually a sergeant

9. 16,777,216 Soldiers (eight for each squad), common soldiers or sailors or airmen

This massive force is never full (the esoteric corps, for example, has fewer than 8,000 people in it), so empty slots are taken up by undead, constructs, or animals (usually large spiders).

Srisian Guard

The Srisian Guard are the elite forces of Srisia. They are warriors who wield poisoned lances, spears, daggers, or swords using gossamer light. They are capable of manipulation and control, but they are also subtly manipulated to be thoroughly indoctrinated. Some are of a special group called the Srisian archers, and they use poisoned arrows in their bows.

Threndrir

Mounted aerial cavalry who fly on horrible beasts called kappumamu. They wield poisoned weaponry and are recruited from the most elite of the Srisian guards. They are part of the airforce and army, usually.

Lumgud

Srisian guards recruited to be devoured and reborn in the spiderwarrens to be, essentially, werespiders. They are the most elite warriors in Srisia, and they serve the most powerful of Srisians directly - always behind the scenes. They are special forces, assassins, spies, and bodyguards not to the Emperor-Elect, but to the black widows, kurgarru, certain noble families (including the Sris family), and the Web of Srisia.

Daiālu

Rangers of the spiderwarrens who gain special powers of perception and stealth, which they use as scouts in the military. They wield poisoned arrows in their bows and control animals via manipulation. They are usually covered in tiny, highly venomous spiders.

Pa'asu

Elite assassins, sometimes lumgud, but usually just elite Srisian guards recruited for their skills at stealth. They are part of the Web of Srisia as well as the Intelligence service.

Ḫālilum

The skilled webweavers who serve as spies in the Intelligence service and the Web of Srisia.

Sararu

The Srisian secret police who are part of all the military and the Web of Srisia.

Language

Srisian language is a hodgepodge of many languages, but the term “kashirum” and many other terms associated with Srisia come from ancient Akkadian or Sumerian. This is an affectation by the kashirum, whose original species name was “spiderkin”. They have no relation to Lohar, the actual “Sumeria” of Shem; they simply chose it because of its legacy as one of the world’s earliest empires. They claim falsely to be descended of it.

Trade

Srisia exports finance capital and imports profits. They “invest” in every kind of business, both nefarious and not, and exploit the entire world.

Occupations

See Military, Esoterica, and Religion for occupations relevant to those institutions. Other occupations include the following:

• Aburu: someone who offers transportation through the spiderwarrens.

• Busur: professional gamblers who use subtle manipulation to rig games of chance.

• Damgàra: manipulative merchants.

• Karsi Akalu: aqyns who praise people in verse and song in order to manipulate them.

• Kas: a messenger for the powerful who specializes in delivering messages in a way to manipulate communications for their masters.

• Kaššāptu: a witch who wields gossamer light through controlling emotional cycles.

• Kibzuh: someone who manipulates the stock market or financial institutions.

• Gossamerweaver: those who weave silk cloth from gossamer light.

• Gutaka: those who sew clothing out of gossamer light.

• Igizalsur: puppeteers who practice their art in the guise of being jesters or clowns.

• Puppetmaker: those who make esoteric puppets for puppeteers.

• Rahāšu: dancers who control gossamer light through their movements. Webdancers.

• Saĝšuaka: a slaver who uses gossamer light to control slaves.

• Sahirru: political scholars who manipulate information.

• Subar: someone who is enslaved via gossamer light.

• Ummânu: weavers of gossamer light who create works of art that manipulate people emotionally.

• Widowweaver: webweavers who use sex magic.

Outside View

Kashirum are viewed either as paragons of individuality and freedom, champions of personal liberty, or as exploitative monsters.

Notables

• Aremmon Zarus, the Treeslayer, Aeonian, Locust-Kin

• Artemesia Enerith, Priestess of Deseria, Aeonian, Assassin Bug-Kin

• Ciprian Sris, the Great, Marshal of the Srisian Military, Aeonian, Spiderkin of a Thousand Faces

• Ghehennus Ghaalar, Spiderkin Manifest, Kashirum Manifest, Aeonian

• Manhunallam Khaldaf, Scorpionkin Necromancer-King, Ghastrian Royal, Aeonian

• Rhevalla Sris, Prophetess of Ettuttu, Aeonian

Estimated Populations

• Abauzakian: 5 million

• Bazaunian: 50,000

• Falzurian: 5,000

• Kthiki: 800

• Mronim: 3,000

• Nzogki: 4,000

• Skreskh: 1 million

• Srisian: 40 million

• Tepetes: 25,000

• Tnozga’m: 5,000

• Usonzigk: 1,000

• Wvalsen: 5,000

• Other: 10 million

Sample Stats

Stat for spiderkin only. Other nations may vary:

PRO 9
ATH 11
STR 14
AWA 13 Kinesthetics 15
WIL 9
PRS 11
STH 9