The Reksyni

August 21, 2004

The Reksyni[1]

Origins:

In order to understand the Reksyni we have to go back to about 5,530 BT when the horse was first domesticated. We have no real information about the culture or social organization of these early horse people. All we can say is that they were still a Neolithic[2] people because the Lythian Bronze Age does not start until 3,800 BT and they probably spoke Ketar. According to their legends they lived on the banks of the Great mother river that they called the Donna.[3] Until they domesticated the horse the Reksyni were very poor. They wandered about on foot with their meager possessions in back packs or on travois pulled by dogs. They hunted Bison but, because hunting Bison on foot can be very dangerous,[4] most hunts were conducted by driving the Bison over a cliff or embankment by using fire. This method depended on having a cliff or embankment down wind of herd of bison and it was very wasteful of bison because a small group of Reksyni would often kill far more animals then they could use. It often also created a feast or famine situation that made it necessary for the Reksyni to depend on other sources of food.[5] Once the Reksyni acquired horses their hunting methods changed. Instead of having to wait for a favorable chance to conduct a drive they could follow the buffalo herd and take only the animals they needed at the moment.

It is uncertain when the Reksyni and Phari peoples began to merge. It might well have been before the rise of Ketar militarism about 1,750 BT and the Reksyni might have not been a part of this militarism. In any event the two groups both fought and merged so that the Reksyni became a mixed people. The mixture came about because the Reksyni enslaved the surviving women of defeated Phari groups and adopted their younger children or the local Phari allied with Reksyna clans. As time passed the Reksyni pushed further into the Quarph area and began to acquire metal weapons. Just when this happened is uncertain but probable began after 1,300 BT when smiths started to settle in the area. Eventually the Reksyni occupied most of the Quarph area leaving pockets of Quarph and other people in the wooded areas.

Life Styles:

There are three main life styles among the Reksyni. These are nomadic, semi-nomadic and sedentary:

About eight-five percent of the Reksyni are semi-nomadic following the bison herds on the steppes in spring, summer, and fall. While following these herds the Reksyni live in conical tents made of leather. They use travois to carry their camp baggage. In the in the winter they live in semi-subterranean pit houses that are dug into the base of a bluff overlooking a river valley in a location sheltered from the worse of the winter winds. Their horse herds are pastured in the valley. The pit houses are dug down about three feet at the end facing the valley but are usually somewhat deeper at the rear. Benches or shelves are left at the sides for sitting and storage. The rest of the pit house is made by digging a trench about two feet from the edge of the excavation on each side and setting willow or cottonwood saplings in the trench. The saplings are bent over and fastened together then sticks are woven among the saplings and a layer of mud mixed with grass is plastered on. The house is finished by placing the sod from the original excavation and additional sod as necessary over the frame. Smoke holes are left in the roof. Some of these pit houses are for a single family; others are communal with several families living together.

Less then five percent of the Reksyni are nomads who like their semi-nomadic kin follow the bison herds on the steppes in the spring, summer, and fall. Like their semi-nomadic kin they live in leather conical tents. They differ from their semi-nomadic kin in that they pitch their tents in a sheltered location for their winter camp.[6]

About ten percent of the Reksyni are sedentary. The sedentary Reksyni live along rivers where there is enough soil in the river bottom to permit farming. Their main crops are grains. They keep herds of horses although far fewer then their nomadic kin. They also keep cattle and flocks of sheep and goats. They live in villages that are enclosed in earthen walls often with sod towers at the corners. Their dwellings are made by piling up walls of sod and roofing them with saplings covered with more sod. Most houses will be built against the exterior earth wall but some will be in the center of the village. Village Chiefs may have a two or three-story house. Most sedentary clans will spend some time living in tents on the nearby steppes while hunting bison.

Social Organization:

The Reksyni are matrilineal[7] with inheritance and social rank depending on the mother. The leading women of the clan choose male leaders. The preferred arrangement is for the leader of a clan to be the brother of the head woman of the clan. Fraternal twins of the correct social rank are considered to be especially “blessed” for such roles but any brother sister combination will do. Sometimes a woman who wishes to have a son or daughter become a clan leader where a brother or sister is lacking will arrange to adopt a son or daughter. The adopted individual gives up his or her affiliation with their former clan.

Typically a Reksyni clan will number between two hundred and two hundred and fifty and have about forty warriors ranging in age from about fourteen or fifteen to the late fifties. They will also have about eight to ten maiden and matron archers. The maiden archers are girls aged from about fourteen to eighteen who are not married and have no children[8] while the matron archers are older women who no longer have young children to watch. All children receive war training starting at about twelve.

Traditional Leadership:

Reksyni clans are autonomous but most will belong to a tribe that will consist of fifteen to twenty-five related clans and will usually have between ten and twenty allied clans. The attachment of allied clans to tribe may be very tenuous and such clans may attach themselves to two or three different tribes. Since much of prestige of a tribal Khan depends on how many warriors he can muster ambitious Khans will try to have as many clans as possible attached to their tribe and may offer inducements to allied clans of another tribe to get them to join “his” tribe. The head women of the tribal clans elect the khan from the males of eligible lineage.

The Khan’s major role is to defend the tribal territory. A Khan, aided by the council of sisters made up of the head women of the clans, will try to prevent quarrels between clans in their tribe from reaching the point of violence.[9] If two clans do start fighting the Khan and sisters will try to stop the fighting, or if this cannot be done, determine who is at fault. If the fault is evenly divided both clans may be expelled from the tribe but if one clan is found to be at fault it will be expelled and allied clans are more likely to be found at fault and expelled then kindred clans. Expelled clans will be forced to move out of the tribal range and their winter lodgings, if any, will be destroyed. Some of these clans are unable to enter new tribal confederacies and have been forced to the very edge of Reksyna. The warriors of the tribe will attack clans that refuse to leave the tribal territory. Once such a clan is defeated the clan’s women and children are taken into the other clans and the men who survive are stripped and sent out on to the sea of grass to be hunted like animals. Both the women and their children lose their social rank

Among the settled Reksyni a number of villages in close proximity may make up a clan. When this is the case the Khan will have a two to three story tower surrounded by an earthen wall inside of which are a number of smaller houses for his chosen warriors and other attendants. The Reksyni call these sites Khan houses but the Ivinians often refer to them as “King’s” houses.

Sometimes a number of tribes will have a Kakhan who will be their principal leader. They are selected in the same way as Khans. A Kakhan’s principal task is to defend the territory of the tribes that make up his Khanate and prevent feuds between the tribes.

Warfare:

There is very little warfare among the Reksyni but they do war against their neighbors. In the north these are the Altish and the Mengolan; in the east the Ketari; to the south the Anil Ketari, Urmech, Karejian, and Azeryani; and in the west the Quaph. Most warfare is cross raiding.[10] War parties are lead by chiefs called Khagans. Each clan will have a Khagan who leads the clan warriors in battle. A tribe will have a Khagan Khan while a confederacy of tribes will have a Khagan Kakhan. From time to time a Khagan Genghis Kakhan will raise a considerable force and engage in serious warfare with one of the neighboring groups. These super tribal confederacies last for the lifetime of the Khagan.

Religious Beliefs:[11]

The Reksyni believe in an earth mother who gave birth to Kethira, Nolomar, Yael, and all of the other objects in the sky. Her birth waters filled all the rivers and lakes. She also gave birth to the spirit forms of all living things and lastly to the first men. She had, they believe, several sons who displeased her and were sent away and then she gave birth to the Reksyni and was pleased. Later she took human form as a woman and lived among the Reksyni. She taught the Reksyni the herbs that can be used in healing and also brought with her the mother of all horses so that her people would learn how to have horses as their friends and helpers. As she traveled among the Reksyni her lover, Yealero who accompanied her, taught the Reksyni about tools. Once an evil demon in the form of a woman tried to kill her but wolf, who was her companion, along with first horse, killed the demon.

All clans have a shaman who teaches the legends of the Reksyni and serves as a healer. More than three quarters of all shamans are woman.[12] In addition to the shamans who live with the clans there are small enclaves of shamans who live apart from any clan. Those who feel they have a calling to serve the mother will often seek out one of these enclaves and live there for some time studying. The shamans who live in an enclave keep small herds of horses and many also keep wolves. They support themselves by hunting, collecting plant foods, and by “offerings” left by nearby clans. Most clan chiefs and tribal Khans welcome an enclave of shamans in their vicinity because of the prestige of having a place found acceptable by the shamans.

Male shamans, called Yealer, are the principle toolmakers of the Reksyni. They are smiths and many are very skilled weaponcrafters. The famed Reksyni sabers are product of their skill. On the average a Yealer will take about a month to make one saber. They also make mail byrnies but seldom more then one or two a year. When a youth feels the calling to be a Yealer he will seek one out and become an Acolyte.[13] Most metal fittings for ring and scale byrnies along with daggers, knives, etc. are made by Yealer Acolytes.

There are about five to six thousand shamans active at any one time. Most will have an Acolyte.

All Reksyna will have a guardian totem that they believe will aid them in their life. Those of children are “discovered” by the clan shaman and revealed on the child’s naming day that comes ten days after birth. These childhood totems are believed to leave the child at puberty. This is considered a very dangerous time in life, especially so for girls who are not supposed to have any contact with men or even boys of their own age. Young children are allowed but for all others they must have an older woman with them to “guard” them. During this time and up until their “womanhood” ceremony they are given instruction in the things they will need to know as women. Boys at this stage of life are also considered to need special protection and are usually kept busy and away from the clan camp by the men.

Social Interaction:

The main form of social interaction among the Reksyni is the summer meeting. Every tribe will try to meet once a year at a central location. This is a time for trade, boasting, marriages, change of clan or tribal leaders, competition, and ceremonies. The most important ceremony is the womanhood ceremony at which the girls reaching the age of menstruation are “opened.” Following this ceremony the girls are recognized as having become women. The next most important ceremony is the manhood celebration during which pubescent boys are recognized as having joined the ranks of the men. Before this ceremony the boys will be “instructed” in the way to “pleasure” a woman by older women who have volunteered for this task. To mark them so the boys will know who is “available” these women will wear red ribbons on their clothing and go bare footed after dyeing their feet red. Both ceremonies end with the boys and girls receiving their sabers and other warring gear. As Reksyni tradition dictates the presentations are from the mother’s male relatives.

Must young Reksyni men will go on a journey before marriage. Usual two or three men will go and they may travel for a few months to a few years visiting distant Reksyni clans. Some will marry and join a distant clan and some just vanish. Some young Reksyni women will also go on journeys before marriage. These trips seldom go as far or last as long.

Marriage:

Marriages are usually “arranged” after the young people involved have indicated an interest. When a marriage is “arranged” the mother will set the bride price the groom’s mother must pay with the help of her siblings. Often the head women of the bride and groom’s clan will become involved. Bride price includes items to help the young couple get started in life but it is also a payment to the bride’s clan for her loss. The higher the bride price the higher the woman’s status and thus the higher the status of her children. A male from a high status linage will not pay as high a bride price as a man from a linage of lower status. Usually a man will try to marry the highest status woman he and his mother’s linage can afford.

Economics:

The Semi-nomadic Reksyni are primarily hunters. They mainly hunt Bison although antelope and other game are also taken. The preferred Bison are yearling and two year old bulls. Almost every part of the animal is used. Spring and summer hides are used to make heavy leather used in Kurbul armor, shields, tents, and saddles among other things. The fall hides with their heavy fur are used for sleeping robes. Hides are also traded. Antelope and deer hides are used to make clothing. While following the Bison herds in the spring the Reksyni collect the wool that the Bison are shedding. This wool together with wool curry combed from their horses is used to make both felt and the thread used in making clothing and the famed Reksyni carpets. The carpets are used as ground and bed coverings in both the tents and pit houses. Some of these carpets are double sided and are hung as dividers in tents and pit houses. The common pattern of these carpets includes a boarder that is identical on the two sides with a center pattern that is different. There are regional variations in the patterns of Reksyni carpets with those from the far northeastern Reksyni being the rarest and most valuable.

Most Reksyni trade with caravans of mercantylers who come to their summer meetings. Some Reksyni will travel to one of the towns or cities in Reksyna to trade.

Reksyna Regions:

1) The northern region: This is the area north of the river between Horoka and Prelyne.

2) The southern region: This is the area south of the river.

3) Gothmir.

Cities:

There are three cities with defensive works in Reksyna. These are:

1) Prelyne: An independent trading town in northwestern Reksyna. The population is a mixture of Ivinians, Reksyni, and Alts.[14] The Government is by an Ivinian Valhakar who lives in a clan enclosure with his family and Huscarls. There is a temple of Sarajin that also serves as a clanhouse and a clan house occupied by a metal crafting clan. The clan enclosures and the town are encircled by a ditch and berm with a palisade on top. The population is a mixture of craftsmen, including a number of metal and weapon crafters, and farmers. The total population is about 2,500.

2) Horoka: A trading city in central Reksyna where goods are transferred between boats on the river and caravans. The population is at least half Ivinian. The city is well defended but finds it prudent to pay off some the local Reksyni chieftains.[15] An Ivinian Valhakar who maintains a large force of Huscarls heads the local government. The clan enclosures and the town are encircled by a ditch and berm with a palisade on top. The population is a mixture of craftsmen, including a number of metal and weapon crafters, and farmers. Most of the farmers are Quarph speakers. The total population is about 7,500.

3) Ekyne: A trade center north of Gothmir. The town survives by virtue of its military strength and alliances with key Reksyni chieftains. The trading and military classes are Ivinian; the rest of the population is a cosmopolitan mixture.[16]

Metal and Weapon Crafters:

Armor and weapons: The Reksyna do have metallurgical skills. Their problem is the supply of essential raw materials. They have no mining skills or mines to produce iron. Most of the trees on the steppes grow in the river valleys and these are mostly willows, cottonwoods, or junipers (or their Kethiran equivalents). These trees are softwoods and unsuitable for making the charcoal needed for iron working. The iron and charcoal must be imported into an area that has little in the line of goods suitable for export. Given the transportation and labor costs armor and weapons cost about five to eight times as much in Reksyna as they would cost elsewhere.

There are only two items that can be used to pay for the iron and charcoal. These are hides that command only a third of the price in Reksyna that they would fetch elsewhere and carpets[17] and they fetch only 10d per square yard.[18] Given the unfavorable rate of exchange all metal items will be very expensive in Reksyna.

Metal crafters and weapon crafters: Most sedentary Reksyna metalworkers are metal crafters and most of these are Ivinians. Almost every settlement of the settled population has metal crafters who make plow shares, hoes, sickles, knives, daggers, adzes, axes, nails, needles, iron fittings for carts and wagons, and horse gear. They might also make iron half helms, and the metal parts for ring and scale armor. The famous Reksyni sabers and mail armor are beyond their skill. Weaponcrafters make these items.

Weapon crafters: There are three groups of weapon crafters in Reksyna. These are bonded weapon crafters maintained by many of Khans of the settled and semi-nomadic people. Most are Ivinians. The second group of weapon crafters are Ivinians who live and work in the three trading towns. I estimate that there are about 60 of these weapon crafters each with a journeyman or two and an apprentice or two. The third group of weapon crafters are the Yealer mentioned above.

[1] Reksyni translated into the common language means “real people,” or “true human.” Such ethnocentrism is common in human groups or as Kipling put it they consider all other humans to be “lesser breeds without the law.”

[3] This is the river shown on the Lythia map as running from north of Larhakul to the sea through Mengola.

[4] Just how dangerous can be shown by the number of tourists who are gored by the semi tame bison (American Bison) in Yellowstone National Park each year.

[5] I am reminded of remark made by an archeologist studding a supposed mammoth hunter site in eastern Europe who is supposed to have remarked: “If these people were such mighty mammoth hunters why do I keep finding all these bunny bones?”

[6] These clans are out clans without tribal affiliations who live on the fringes of Reksyni society and are often at feud with their Reksyni neighbors.

[7] I am basing this on the Iroquois tribal confederation. Also known as the five (after 1723) six nations.

[8] The Reksyni do not consider an unmarried woman with a child at any real disadvantage if she has undergone her womanhood ceremony. In fact an unmarried woman with a child is considered especially desirable because she has “proven” that she can have children.

[9] . The Iroquois did not fight among themselves but were at war with the related Hurons who spoke the same language.

[10] Cross raiding is a style of warfare in which most combat is by small war parties of at most a few dozen warriors.

[11] Some of the ideas in the section are drawn from Jean M. Auel’s Earth Children Books.

[12] The Reksyni believe that woman are closer to the original earth mother and are therefore more suited to the role.

[13] That is what the Reksyni call a Yealer apprentice.

[14] All of the preceding except word in italics quoted from Lythia 12; Lythia Continent Module, Encyclopedia Harnica 5001; CGI.

[15] All of the preceding except word in italics quoted from Lythia 8; ibid