“Those that are strong will be free and those that are free will be strong. You cannot have one without the other. It is why you are bound by your misconceptions and why I can flourish in this world, above the chains that bind and the doubts that grasp.”
The Hukari are a deeply divided nation of Masters and Slaves situated among mangrove swamps and upland marshes South of the Dendarr Nations on the far North Eastern side of Esterra. A mysterious people, they have had very little dealings with The Concord since its founding that have extended beyond the shadows. What the people of The Concord have managed to gather is based on conversations in other ports and through limited meetings.
Known History and Geography
South of the mountain range known as ‘The Snarl’ in far North East Esterra is a land awash with dozens of notable rivers that flow southeast out into the Explorers Sea. In the uplands, these rivers form deep channels with wide floodplains. Closer to the sea they wash out wide into sandy deltas dominated by mangroves and vine-tangled jungles. It is in this land that the Hukari can be found.
While their land is no more ‘closed’ than many other nations, its nature as a waterlogged jungle or marsh means that most interactions outsiders have with the Hukari will be through their cities rather than in the general countryside. These Hukari cities are vast raised constructions of arcstone and limestone quarried in The Snarl and floated downriver which create the pylons that raise the homes, markets and temples of The Hukari above the squat treetops of their homes. Hukari architecture is strong and favours gentle angles, crenellations and raw stone, favouring the beauty of natural things. Many travellers have remarked that Hukari cities can be an assault on the nose as thousands of competing recipes to ward of insects are constantly burning, evaporating or being spread through the air.
The Hukari in these cities are ‘High Hukari’ as they would call themselves, or ‘Free Hukari’ if you wanted to be less charitable. The Hukari organise themselves into extremely competitive ‘Kaludas’ which approximates somewhere between clan, guild and sect. These Kaludas compete with each other in economic and political spheres of public life, leaving the constant rise and fall of affluence difficult to track within the nation. Rivalries within an individual city are complex, adding into that rivalries between cities and then between the coastal Hukari and their inland cousins create a viper's nest of a nation.
These Kaludas in turn own hundreds or thousands of slaves who reside in the countryside, moving from worksite town to crafting settlement at the whims of distant masters. These ‘Common Hukari’ form the vast population of the Hukari people and are responsible for its resources, might and reputation. Stripped of liberty, they serve at the best of the High Hukari through a system poorly understood by outsiders. What is known is that the Kaludas have not raided for slaves in hundreds of years, only ever purchased them or relied on a stable population of Common Hukari within their own lands.
Recent History
The Hukari are known to have some sort of diplomatic understanding with The Onyx Aristocracy. It is unknown if this was entered into after some sort of conflict or if it comes as a result of diplomatic dealings. Regardless there are no reports of the armies of the dead within the cities of the slavers.
The Hukari Kaludas are known to trade with any nations that can confirm the safety of their heavy ships. As such it is common to see the many banners of trading Kaludas within ports such as Kameiros to the North and Crownsport to the East.
Look and Feel
The High Hukari are easily spotted through their prevalence towards long but light garments. The tradition of silk weaving is common in many of the Hukari cities. The High Hukari dress conservatively with little skin shown but also ostentatiously with gold and silver jewellery common in belt chains, bracelets, rings and veils. Each Kaluda will often claim a single colour as their own attributing great meaning to it. However when in doubt the High Hukari favour emerald green, a colour seen as belonging to all High Hukari.
Common Hukari are a practicable people who are largely spurned of wealth. Favouring hardwearing cloth of buckskin if they are lucky, linen if not. Largely uncoloured, however, if a Common Hukari Slave is favoured by their Kaluda they may wear a sash of colour as a mark. Protective sandals, bracers and even armour are often dried woven reeds or leather.
The Hukari in Play
Much like the Dendarri Nations, the Hukari are quite a distance from The Concord, but still a part of Esterra. A rather minor nation, their unique geographical situation has created a very particular social system unseen in much of Esterra.
There is nearly no contact between The Hukari and The Concord as a whole, as such there is very little to say on the subject. If your character is interested in having greater ties with the Hukari people it would be advisable to take a naval investment and engage with the Hukari through the ‘Trade with Foreign Ports’ action. Any greater contact with the Hukari, particularly within The Concord at this time is unlikely.
Players who trade with the Hukari should expect to receive natural goods such as Shimmering Scales, Beastbone, Essencite and sometimes artisans Talismans. However all such goods will have been created with the work of slaves.
As The Concord has lacked any strong ties to the Hukari up to this point, much of this information may be out of date or perhaps based on rumour.