OUT-OF-CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Eshkin
Type: Race
Credits: Picture 1 / Picture 2 / Picture 3 / Picture 4 / Picture 5
Consolidation Thread: N/A
Intent: To bring some horror to the world of Terra
Description:
- Name: Eshkin (Esch - Kin)
- Designation: Humanoid Vermin
- Countries: N/A
- Provinces: East of Terra
- POIs: Kuozadum
- Average Lifespan: 30 - 40 years
- Estimated Population: Population unknown due to their vast underground empires, yet after the great purge of their kind their numbers have been at an all-time low.
PHYSICAL INFORMATION
- Average Height of Adults: 1 - 4 meters
- Average Length of Adults: N/A
- Skin colour: A sick grey, white or beige
- Hair colour: These creatures come in various colours such as brown, grey, black, white, ginger, and blond and all shades between those colours.
- Distinctions: Rat-like facial features, sharp teeth, long fingers ending in sharp claws, wiry and agile bodies, crazed faces and stench of rot. These creatures are often put under the effect of large quantities of radiation and foul magic that has caused mutations to spur up in the gene pool of these vermin.
- Profilic Breeders - Their ability to quickly produce offspring has saved these creatures in their vast campaign of expansion, being able to regrow their numbers in a matter of months
- Modifiable - Something about the gene composition of these disfigured rats, allows them to be easily affected by mutations and magical augmentation. Even being able to more easily pass on these new gene alterations to offspring, allowing for new kinds of Eshkin to be created in the dark laboratories.
- Expanded minds - Although the Eskin are technological creatures, many of their kin have been blessed with a magical attunement, allowing them to cast blight-full spells upon the battlefield or in packed cities. Their twisted minds hold a great spell book of creations all themed around the torturous death of others.
- Frightful - These beings just like their normal counterpart are incredibly frightful and cowardly in the face of danger. Most are forced into battle by their masters, knowing that greater harm would reach them would they deny their owner's wishes. And even the great warlords of the Eshkin would only go to battle if they knew they could win. You would not find a noble or brave warrior amongst the ranks of these bastards.
- Short-lived - Their life span is incredibly short, due to their tendency to war and kill plus their closeness to radiated stones and power-hungry researchers. Although some rats live up until their 40th year most never make it past their early 30s
- Pack Dependent - By itself a Eshkin is nothing compared to the other races, their feeble bodies breaking quickly under the might of the other races.
- Diet: Flesh preferably raw and rotting. In dire situations, they will also eat anything else they find.
- Communication: The Eshkin language, known as "Queekish," is a guttural and hissing tongue filled with clicks, chitters, and squeaks. It is a language born of the underground tunnels and warrens where the rat volk dwell, shaped by their unique physiology and social structure. Their sentences are short and to the point with efficiency being very important in their structure. To outsiders, their language can seem primitive and simple due to their lack of complex words, and their simplified syntax and rat terminology. In addition to this, the Eshkin use scent marking to convey additional layers of meaning. This includes pheromones secreted from scent glands located on their bodies, which can convey emotions and intentions. In summary, Queekish is a complex and expressive language shaped by the unique biology and culture of the Eshkin. It allows them to communicate effectively within their society, conveying a wide range of emotions, intentions, and ideas, often with a sinister undertone.
- Technology level: In their campaign for power and dominance the Eshkin have developed into a technology-high race of beasts, where in magic is seen as a second-hand ability that could not reach the peaks of their riffles and abominations. Their technology although controversial has reached an all-time high with new and more efficient war machines or horror being thought up by the tech priests of the Eshkin.
- Religion/Beliefs: The Eshkin religion centers on the veneration of the Great Esh, a deity embodying pestilence, decay, and cunning. The rats believe that the Great Horned Rat, residing in the darkest depths, watches over them, guiding their actions and rewarding those who prove themselves cunning and ruthless. They offer sacrifices of rotting flesh and diseased vermin to appease their god's insatiable hunger, conducting elaborate rituals led by powerful shamans known as Grey Seers. These shamans interpret signs and omens to guide the Eshkin's actions and predict the future. The beasts also make offerings of stolen treasures and artefacts, believing that by doing so, they can gain the favour and protection of their deity. The Great Esh is revered as the ultimate schemer, and Eshkin aspire to emulate his cunning in all aspects of their lives, believing that only the most devious and cunning can earn his favour. These rats' religious texts speak of a prophecy called the Great Feast, in which a chosen champion will lead them to victory over their enemies and usher in an era of unparalleled glory for the Eshkin race, dominating the surface world with their power and influence.
- General behaviour: Deceptive and treacherous, Eshkin are driven by an insatiable hunger for power and dominance. They constantly scheme and plot against each other, betraying alliances at the slightest opportunity. Their society is organised into ruthless clans, with the strongest and most cunning Eshkin rising to the top through manipulation and assassination. The weaker rats are sent to the mines, research labs or the front of their armies as cannon fodder little care is given to these misbegotten rats. Some members of this species leave the rotting wholes in which the Eshkin breed and live to hunt a better life among other races, often becoming merchants and thieves, often combining these two to make a living. Despite their ferocity, the Eshkin were not without their own internal conflicts. Clan wars raged across the under-empire, with rival warlords vying for dominance. Assassinations, sabotage, and backstabbing were commonplace as the clans schemed and plotted against each other. After the crusade, most of these vermin out of fear have returned to their once powerful city. The city of Kuozadum stands as a testament to their tenacity, a sprawling network of tunnels and warrens that serves as their unholy capital.
HISTORICAL INFORMATION
The history of the Eshkin is a murky tapestry of betrayal, conquest, and survival, woven through the strains of time. The Eshkin, which means children of Esh, have always lurked in the shadows of the world, their origins shrouded in mystery. Legends say they emerged from the darkest corners of the earth, born of the corruption and filth that festers in the deepest tunnels and sewers. Over the centuries, they have plagued the lands of Terra, their numbers swelling as they spread like a plague. In the early days, the Eshkin were little more than vermin, lurking in the forgotten depths of the world. They preyed on unsuspecting travellers and settlements, stealing food and resources to sustain their ever-growing numbers. As they spread, they began to organize into clans, each led by a ruthless warlord hungry for power. The rise of the Eshkin brought them into conflict with the other races of Terra. Human kingdoms, Dwarf holds, and Elven realms all fell victim to Eeshkin's treachery and aggression. The rat-men waged war with relentless fervour, launching ambushes, raids, and sieges with terrifying speed and brutality. Eshkin are known for their savage way of living and inhumane treatment of their own kin. These giant rats have always sought to sow discord and chaos wherever they tread. Despite numerous attempts to eradicate them, these monsters always manage to survive and rebuild, their resilience matched only by their cunning, however, in recent years their numbers have been reported at an all-time low due to a crusade against this retched race of rats. The Eshkin's lust for power led them to seek out powerful artefacts and ancient secrets. They delved into forbidden magic and twisted science, creating abominable war machines and monstrous creatures to serve their dark ambitions. Throughout their long and bloody history, these beasts have remained a dark and sinister presence in the world, a reminder of the dangers that lurk beneath the surface. Whether they will ever achieve their dream of dominating Terra or simply fade into obscurity remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: as long as there are shadows to hide in and enemies to betray, the Eshkin will endure.
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