Wathite

Metahumans empowered by attempting the impossible.

Basics

• Taxonomic Order: Aliens / Metahumans

• Alignment: Shebvic

• Energy: Oalkhaylaoataa

• Lifespan: 250-300 years

• Diet: Mortal fare, but more of it

• Habitat: Temperate to boreal montane forests

Origins

The original wathites lived on the world of Wath in a time that was roughly the same as the early days of First Shem. They arose from the ashes of a previous species that had gone to war with its gods. They fled this world when an apocalyptic deity destroyed it and drove them away with the last of their gods.

Description

Wathites have the same range of appearance as human beings, but they are about 8' tall on average, and many have supernatural physcial forms based on the feats they have done.

Procreation

Wathites reproduce sexually with each other, other metahumans, and humans, and their offspring’s species follows that of the mother. Outside of metahumans or humans, reproduction is impossible without supernatural intervention.

Powers

Wathites have a commanding, intimidating presence. They have supernatural strength, speed, and prowess.

Feats

If a wathite attempts and succeeds at something that is at the highest level of difficulty for them (a feat--a 1 or 2 vs. a 10 or 11, for instance), they gain power and strength from it. A truly profound feat can alter their bodies as well as their powers. Often these are cumulative feats or results of cunning as well as strength. Most wathites achieve about five greater feats in their lives that give them a whole new power and/or alter their bodies, and dozens of lesser feats, which merely make them stronger, faster, more aware, etc.

Senses

A wathite can sense when someone they view as an enemy is near to them, even if they can't see them.

Weaknesses

Failure at something that should be simple for them can reduce the power of a wathite.

Nations

There is only one wathite nation left, synonymous to the species.

Culture

The original wathites lived on the world of Wath in a time that was roughly the same as the early days of First Shem. Their nation arose from the ashes of a previous nation that had gone to war with its gods. The wathites were nomadic at this time. They came, eventually, to a place they wished to settle, but in order to do so, their god challenged them to twelve trials. The twelve leaders of their nation stepped forward to be tested, and as they succeeded, they were altered. This is the source of their empowerment by feats. The twelve leaders became known as Lionslayer, Serpentkiller, Deercatcher, Boarbinder, Rivershifter, Birdscatterer, Bullrider, Maremaster, Belttaker, Cattledriver, Applethief, and Hellwalker. These names are not allowed to be used again.

On Wath, wathites lived complex, dangerous lives of war, conquest, brutality, and political intrigue. They were conquerors who dominated seven worlds, thousands of nations, and billions of people. But that all came to a horrifying end when an alien god of destruction swept through their worlds with his destroyers. The people of Wath fled, protected by their god, whom they call Kratsats Meky, the Fist of Wath. They eventually settled on Shem, where they coalesced into a single nation despite their diverse backgrounds. This new nation found a home in the mountainous regions of Wymmera.

Wathites have a complex view of strength and honor. Instead of a simple test of muscle or mind, they take a more holistic approach. A person who has no legs is not considered weak if they have other kinds of strength or skill. A person with developmental disabilities can still have great strength. What others might consider disabilities, wathites just consider different. They do not seek to accommodate those with different kinds of bodies or minds, but they do find ways to support them in adapting. Those who cannot adapt in any way to some important part of wathite life are instead asked to bring something new to the culture. For instance, a legend tells of a wathite known as Glass-cutter who had terrible eyesight and invented spectacles to improve their vision, or of a wathite named Longstep who was missing her left foot. She introduced into the culture a new way of movement that allowed her to compete with others and best them in her own way. This became a popular sport called longstep.

Wathites have a very different concept of honor, which is very important to them culturally. Honor is a major part of combat. Those who are stronger are considered honorable if they rely on their strength to win. Those who are clever are considered honorable even if they use trickery. Those who bully the weak are considered dishonorable, but those who command the weak are considered honorable. The differences can be nuanced and subjective, depending on the community. It is dishonorable to let someone suffer, starve, or go without if you have enough to share while still being able to care for those for whom you are responsible, but it is also dishonorable to insult someone by offering them food, drink, or shelter if they have no need of it. Knowing the right time to offer is a critical part of honor.

A wathite will take their last name from their greatest feat. Before they achieve a feat, they have no last name. As they grow, they gain new names as their feats grow. Some achieve a feat so great it is unlikely to ever be topped, or perhaps they simply find a name they like, and they stick to it. A name-giving feat will be one that alters the wathite physically, so all can see proof of it.

Wathite families are massive extended families headed by the strongest of the wisest of the eldest (those above 200 years old). These extended families form a clan, and the leaders of each family form a council that leads the clan. The whole clan votes on three leaders from among the council to be part of the national council, called the kalwath. The kalwath meets every 20 years to decide national laws and issues. Though wathites have a property-based class system akin to a slave-based economy, every family or clan has a system of rank based on feats that often supercedes property. The clan owns all property over all, and the clan leaders determine how it is used. Clans have members or captives from other clans who serve as laborers, but these laborers can earn a better spot in the clan.

At age seven, all wathites are taken to a special school where they are trained in combat, social practices, and basic education. During this time, they live in a state of scarcity. Basic food, water, a hard mattress, a small cell, and no decorations were allowed. Clothing is only off-white and practically designed. As they grow and learn, they may be rewarded with better conditions or ornamentations. Anyone who performs a greater feat during this time is automatically given a better room. However, any spectacular failure is met with harsh punishments and loss of privileges. Stealing is permitted as long as it is from one another, as it is considered a valuable skill.

By age 25, a wathite is considered an adult even if they have not achieved a greater feat, but anyone above the age of 16 who achieves such a feat is considered an adult early. Adults are free to do as they please within the bounds of honor, unless they are a slave-laborer (slave-laborers must earn the right to adulthood, having fallen to their level by a particularly egregious failure or being captured in an inter-clan battle). They may remain with their families, marry into another family, petition another family for adoption, switch clans even. They are free to do this until they are 33 years old, at which time they are expected to choose permanently.

Specialized roles in wathite society usually occur because of the trajectory laid out by what feats they occur when younger.

Wathites eat large amounts of normal mortal fare, but they tend to favor the meat of large and dangerous beasts (aurochses, bears, etc.), intense spices (very hot peppers or strong-flavored things like ginger), and potent alcohol (wathite ale is much higher proof than normal ale). To be able to handle one's drink is considered very important. Those who choose not to drink are also considered strong. Those who become addicted are considered sick. But those who drink to excess and misbehave are considered dishonorable, and if they blame the drink and do not take accountability, they are punished by law.

Sports are extremely popular among wathites, especially track and field. Athletic competitions are part of their upbringing, but also a chance to court and socialize.

Weavers among the wathites create special quillwork patches for clothes and armor in the colors of red, black, and yellow, which had special meaning on the original worlds of Wath. The art was started by two legendary wathite twin women called the Firstweavers.

Wathites measure time on a lunar calendar that counts 39 full moons (one of each moon 13 times) as a year. This makes their calendar very different from other calendars and their counting of time is far off from common calendars.

Esoterica

Wathites are beings of oalkhaylaoataa, the energy of inner strength and might, and they are its greatest wielders. They can and do use almost every other esoteric energy, but some are considered less honorable than others.

Religion

Because the Fist of Wath saved them from apocalypse, they choose to honor him. Religion is complicated amongst wathites and varies from clan to clan, but generally, it is considered dishonorable to disrespect the way someone chooses to honor the Fist of Wath unless they are themselves being disrespectful.

Gender

Marriages are social unions, but sex is another matter. Sex between two people who could produce offspring is considered a sacred rite, but any sex that is unable to produce offspring is common, encouraged, and usually very casual. Gender is something mostly left to the individual to decide (and in some cases, defend). Marriage means a transfer of political allegiance and property (if any).

Economy

Military

Every clan has its own warriors and mystics who serve the interests of the clan, though most wathites have some mystical abilities and all wathites are trained in combat. The country has a military formed by volunteers or conscripts from the clans.

The role of thieves in wathite society gets more complex when they become adults. Because most property (at least, major property like land or resources) are owned by the clan, it is dishonorable to steal such things within the clan. Stealing from another clan is welcomed, especially if it is a rival clan. However, the targeted clan, of course, can capture the thief as long as they are still within clan territory and punish them. Those who make it out of clan territory can be hunted by special warriors called kotho, who are essentially inter-clan police who answer to the kalwath. This is very rare, as the kotho will only come out at the request of the aggrieved clan, and clans usually do not like to admit they were robbed. Once a thief is in their own territory, however, not even the kotho may capture them.

In times when the country is threatened (war, disaster, famine), the clans unite under the kalwath, and their warriors join as a nationwide force, their resources shared, and all feuds, grudges, and rivalries put on hold until the threat is passed.

Language

A mix of English and various west Asian languages.

Trade

Wathites are proud of what they create and trade it with other countries at high prices.

Occupations

Common occupations include

• Agirkuruku: foundry worker whose feats are with working with molten metal.

• Ailgakh: terrorists with no honor who harm other clans.

• Baszak: warrior women of New Wath who define themselves as a distinct gender.

• Boekh: martial artists who use only their bodies to fight, wrestlers.

• Dawıs: those whose feats are with their incredible voices, scops of New Wath.

• Edgeegch: those who perform feats of healing.

• Eñqattı: those who speak the words of the Fist of Wath as a feat.

• Gar Taslagch: those who engage in wrestling as entertainment for the clans.

• Khab'kiapaa: quarry workers who perform great feats of lifting stones.

• Kheruulch: extortionists with no honor, bullies who are hated by the clans.

• Khurandaa: military officers whose feats are tactical.

• Khutchteier: warriors defined by their feats fo combat.

• Kötergiş: those who lift the throne of the Fist of Wath, attendants.

• Lam: monks whose feats are physical and mental.

• Maeb'danaa: slave-laborers who have disgraced themselves and must earn their spot again.

• Megaia: those who perform feats of sex.

• Rahip: priests who honor the Fist of Wath and have feats of faith.

• Sergek: vigilantes who informally protect within the clans.

• Shulam: those who perform feats of witchcraft.

• Toltırılğan: those who are overwhelmed by Divine will as a feat.

• Tonaw: those who perform feats of thievery against other clans.

• Urı: bandits who raid the clans and have no clan. Honorless.

• Uzınqadam: longsteppers, athletes.

• Valitsema: those who specialize in capturing difficult targets to make them be khab’kiapaa.

Outside View

The commonest view of wathites by outsiders is that they are barbarians, looters, and brigands. They are assumed to be violent, loud, and angry. When wathites leave their own society for others, their sense of honor and their understanding of property often gets them in trouble. However, they are much wanted as slaves or soldiers by some countries.

Notables

• Giselda Greatsoul, Wathite Manifest, Aeonian

• Othar Swordtitan, Legendary Wathite Clan-Leader

• Janna Leadskin, Queen of Chevrons, Consort of the Fist of Wath

• Mikka Hickoryheart, Jack of Wath, Consort of the Fist of Wath

• Yanok Strongvoice, Speaker of Wath, Loudest Wathite

• Grand Dorgan, Wathite Hero, Steward of Wath

• Gaea Spellheart, Technomage, ascended

• Sarkan Mountaincrusher, Hammer-Wielder

• Vellir Mysticeyes, Hickory Mage, Consul of Wath

• Aldaia Stoneweaver, Witch of Wath

• Proda Skydoom, Stormshaper

Estimated Populations

About 2 million.

Sample Stats

PRO 14
ATH 14
STR 14
AWA 14
WIL 14
PRS 14
STH 14