Umurinzi

Shelled home-builders of Taggarus. Plural form is “abarinzi”, which means “guardians”.

Basics

• Taxonomic Order: TheFolk

• Alignment: Celestial

• Energy: Hegnh

• Lifespan: 200 years

• Diet: Common mortal fare

• Habitat: Houses

Origins

The abarinzi evolved as tiny people with shells who protect houses, which they help build for themselves and others.

Description

Abarinzi stand about 2’ tall at the highest, usually closer to 15”. They have hair over every inch of their bodies and large shells of various kinds on their backs.

Procreation

Abarinzi reproduce with one another sexually. They rarely reproduce with other spirit folk of similar size, but if they do, their offspring will be the same species as the birthing parent. Reproduction with any other species is only possible with supernatural intervention.

Powers

Abarinzi’s shells are nearly impossible to break. If an umurinzi hides within their shell, they also become camouflaged with the area around them if they are within a few miles of their home (how many varies by individual, but the maximum is 10 miles and the lowest is a single mile). They can store up to 50 lbs. of materials within their shells and not feel encumbered.

If they lose their shells, they must replace it within eight days or they will grow sick and die.

Home

When an umurinzi takes up dwelling in someone’s abode, they automatically bring certain protections to it. Infernal energies are blocked if the umurinzi is welcomed into the home, and tasks and chores around the house become easier to complete if the umurinzi is given food and drink regularly.

If someone asks umurinzi to build their home with the intention of having them live there with them (and with fair compensation for the work), the house will be even more powerfully protected.

Weaknesses

Being ousted from their homes will weaken them. Losing their shells will kill them if they cannot replace it.

Nations

There is but one nation of abarinzi, synonymous with their species name, in south-central Taggarus.

Culture

The abarinzi live in a region of Taggarus that is clustered around a massive lake called Ikiyaga Kinini. For many Ages, they lived there in a series of powerful kingdoms, culminating in a kingdom that united the abarinzi peoples who had dwelled there for so long. This kingdom was very stratified, with a land-based economy that focused on livestock and agriculture, but was destroyed during the imperial periods. Multiple conquests saw the abarinzi nearly wiped out and their many nations coalesced into one, which fled into the wilderness for survival.

Eventually, the abarinzi, united with other indigenous nations in the area, repulsed the colonial invaders, and the abarinzi asserted their place in the countries that formed there in the wake of the liberation struggles. Though these countries would later face economic issues and further exploitation as neo-colonies, the abarinzi found ways to survive.

Abarinzi families are large. They form complex communities living amongst other nations, though without assimilating into them. Because of their powers to protect homes, abarinzi are welcomed by most, and their powers and pride keep them from entering into exploitative relationships with other nations or individuals for the most part. Their large families live in special rooms or spaces within the homes of others, or in special housing structures designed just for them.

Each family is its own community. They have their own traditions and stories, and the family structure varies from family to family. Most commonly, the eldest of them are de facto leaders, and everyone raises the children together. “Family” is defined as “a group of abarinzi who take care of one another”, so blood-ties are not necessary. However, most often, they are blood-related. See below under Gender for more information.

Children are raised communally (usually). A young umurinzi is born without a shell. They grow their first shell at around age three. Once their shell is fully formed (which takes about six months), the family gathers to celebrate and help the toddler decorate their shell for the first time. The parents provide gifts to the child to place in the shell (usually toys), and the rest of the family brings colorful paints, chalk, and ornaments for the shell. Abarinzi do not grow to be very large, so they are fully grown by age 12, but in the years between three and 12, they shed and grow new shells every nine months or so after the first one. For each new shell, they have another ceremony of decoration. The first shell is kept as a keepsake by the parents, and the other shells are given away to other families to use to protect unshelled abarinzi children, as uncareful children often lose their shells to accidents.

Once they have their adult-sized shell (though not their adult shell), they do not have to change shells as often. They end up keeping their shells for about a decade. Every new shell is still celebrated, however, though the parties change as they age, shifting from colorful celebrations of the community to more personalized parties. Abarinzi do not celebrate birthdays, as their shell-days have replaced them.

The community also takes part in teaching young abarinzi, training them in various skills, teaching them the history of their people, and how to care for themselves and their shells. They are considered adults at age 20, at which time, they are considered a voting member of the community and expected to contribute more significantly. Though some specialize in certain roles, most take up the various tasks of the community together.

Umurinzi food is focused on cassava, pulses, and plantains, with the occasional fish or goat. Fermented milk called ikivuguto is common as well. They usually share food with the other peoples they live with, and cooking feasts is a common way abarinzi show their appreciation for others outside of their communities. Music and dance features prominently in all of their ceremonies and festivals, and storytelling is a common practice for entertainment or during special ceremonies. Their music is focused on drums, sometimes made from old shells. Their traditions of musical poetry are called ibitekerezo, and these are used to tell their histories and share their legends.

The shape and form of an umurinzi’s shell has social significance. Once an umurinzi is an adult, they often seek out new designs or new shells. Larger shells are considered ostentatious and inconvenient, but shells that are too small are dangerous. Colorful shells are associated with those who do not need to hunt or fight to survive, thus celebrated and honored, whereas spikes on shells are reserved for those who hunt or fight. A shell that is both colorful and spiked is seen as confusing or impractical or even insulting to the warriors of the community. A shell with spirals is often used by those who engage regularly in dance or performance, and shells with pentagonal patterns are seen as much more practical and common.

Esoterica

Abarinzi are beings of hegnh. They derive power from carry their homes on their backs, and therefore, they are among the best wielders of this energy. They are also commonly users of juaih, euergasia, tmakikan, curacion, holy virtue, aemoa, ujjval aatma, and yahas. Other powers are not unheard of but not commonly wielded, but infernal powers are extremely rare.

Religion

The religion of the abarinzi focuses on worship of Izamu (called Prostátis Estías in Stayflies, where the goddess was popularized with the rest of the world), called the Hearth-Protector, the Mother of the Home, a goddess who represents the protection they received that kept them from dying out. She is a mother goddess and a worker goddess, one who teaches them the skills needed to build and maintain homes, a guide to communal living, and a protector of domestic workers. Their faith is animist and shamanic, and the leaders of their faith are the elders of the community or others within the community who specialize in learning the histories and legends of the family to share, leading ceremonies, and communing with spirits and ancestors.

All abarinzi honor their history by returning to the site of the great genocidal battle that nearly wiped them out on the eastern shore of the lake they live near. When they do this, they are called kugaruka, or pilgrims, and there is a series of prayers and rituals they undertake on the journey.

Gender

Abarinzi consider all children “girls” until they decide their own gender after the age of 12. Once they choose a gender, they are allowed to change it after their next shell change. Gender is indicated by how they choose to decorate their shells, though there are no hard and fast rules. Abarinzi select the decorations that represent their gender and place them in the spot where their shell meets their neck. This spot is helpful because they can hide it when they please. There are nine recognized common genders among the abarinzi, but these can be mixed and matched or discarded entirely for unique genders.

The abarinzi do not have marriage as a concept in their communities. Their social rules about sexual interaction is essentially “don’t sleep with someone within the community”, so when an umurinzi wants to engage in romantic or sexual activity, they seek it out by visiting other communities or waiting for inter-communal events. If they live in a remote area, they often leave their own communities for months or years to actively seek someone to be with (if they wish to). This is known as ingendo. Abarinzi do this once every few years until they are well past their 100th year of life.

Economy

Abarinzi have a socialistic approach to their own communities, perhaps even communist, but they interact with the economies of those around them.

Military

Warriors among the abarinzi are called murugos (homeguards) or umurwanyi (shelled warriors). The former are guardians of the community who protect their homes, while the latter are those called upon to go to war outside the community. The latter wear heavier armor to complement their shells, while the former carry heavy wooden/hide shields but wear no other armor.

Language

Their language is based on Kinyarwanda.

Trade

Abarinzi trade their home-building skills, their services, and their protections with friendly homeowners or others in their area, usually for food and basic needs.

Occupations

Other occupations include the following:

• Abashaka: experienced uwabikoze whose role is to inspect newly built homes.

• Abasiganwa: those who ride giant snails to race.

• Guteka: cooks.

• Intiti: those who keep the oral traditions of how to build.

• Intumwa: abarinzi who travel between communities carrying messages.

• Ipine Shobuja: uwabikoze who build house-wagons rather than stationary homes.

• Kugaruka: pilgrims to the lake.

• Kugenda: rangers of the lake-lands who bond to the landscape and protect great wilderness ranges, often part of multiple umurinzi communities.

• Kutimuka: umurinzi in urban areas who entertain on the streets by being living statues.

• Mukuru: elders.

• Mwarimu: an umurinzi who prefers to teach the young in the community.

• Umucuruzi: traders between umurinzi communities.

• Umugore Wo Mu Rugo: witches who serve the women (or other non-men) of the community.

• Umukanishi: uwabikoze who focus on mechanics and engineering.

• Umukinnyi: athletes who represent the community in inter-communal games.

• Umupadiri: priestesses of Izamu who guide ceremonies.

• Umuririmbyi: drummers.

• Umurimyi: gardeners.

• Umusizi: wandering musicians and historians.

• Umutako: home decor designers.

• Umwubatsi: uwabikoze who focus on designing homes.

• Uwabikoze: the builders.

Outside View

Abarinzi are viewed as house pests by oppressor nations or countries and as friendly and helpful by those who truly know them. Most in the world are unfamiliar with them.

Notables

• Nyina W'urugo, Umurinzi Manifest, Aeonian

Estimated Populations

• Taggaran: 1 million

• Other: 50,000

Sample Stats

PRO 8
ATH 8
STR 4 Shell 30
AWA 8
WIL 8
PRS 8
STH 12