Ekain

Species

The oldest bloodlings that still roam the land, the deer population is mostly located on the Ekain steppes. In fact, "Ekain" is just an abbreviation of the Basaktet phrase "Ekaiapnetann" ("those who are red inside").

They were created on a whim by Bhaitat after he snuck into his brother's garden, and have been at odds with most plants ever since. The Beasts are their natural enemies for that very reason.

They take pride in having strong frames, value darker fur tones and longer coats, and, in case it wasn't obvious enough, there is no such thing as oversized antlers for a stag. A powerful rack is, after all, the most prominent and valuable trait a male deer can develop—a sign of dominance and virility inherited from an age that preceeded the concepts of 'logic' or 'reason'.

History

They have been united under High King Isifikh's rule since The Long Silence, though some groups remain independent in The Western Limits.

Social Standing

Deer are most likely the dominant species in Dakhná; the Ekain population extends across the vast expanse that belongs to Acazhor, surpassed only in numbers by Ibex in Aktemuisirat and Makedar in their various Forests of People.

There are several vastly differentiated rank within this positon of privilege: from the Lords that watch over the many provinces of Acazhor and that live to continue its expansion, to the many mayors and guildsmen required to keep towns running without the aid of their so called protectors, to caravaneers, sailors, merchants, artisans and dancers, down to the farmers, miners and lastly the many lesser professions one may acquire through the Kingdom.

No official rank matters quite so much as that of horn size, though. Any peasant with vast enough horns could earn even the attention of a noble. Any noble rendered hornless would speak as loudly as the lowliest mud picker.

The Ekain Identity

Ekains come in all manner of sizes, coats and colors. The life of a stag is a constant battle to prove their worth to their kinsmen from the moment their horns are turned to live bone by the Zarzagán of their town upon their third shed, and this pointless battle to prove who is and who is not worthy of the title of "True Deer" extends to their identity as a species.

Red Deer, with their long brown coats and huge curved antlers, are vastly recognized as 'undisputed' Ekain, keeping the name firmly for themselves and designating all the 'others': Fallow Deer from the Northern steppes, with their palmed horns and wide range of shades; Roe Deer from the Southern reaches, with their short antlers and sand-colored coats; Pudú Deer, the smallest nomads that roam the steppes; etc.

Roes firmly believe themselves to be Ekain from antlers to hooves, but the rest of subspecies do not recognize them as such, believing their yellow fur to be the result of miscegenation with Barhans. They are extremely vocal about their bile towards Horneaters as a result.

Dimorphism and Gender

Assigned male at birth and assigned female at birth deer tend to differ quite a lot from their infancy, but gender is not seen as a perpetual sentence. In spite of, or perhaps due to how much a stag's life revolves around proving what their identity is and the importance of horns as a signifier, gender is quite fluid and open across the steppes.

A doe who did not for one reason or another suppress her shedding in her childhood may, at any point in her life, choose to saw off her horns completely, with the only requirement that she saves them to give them to a stag that never grew his to begin with, so that they too many have their rite of age and have them turned to bone.

Some choose to forego this ritual altogether, attaching their horns to helmets that they may put on and remove as they see fit.