Yenya - Race Artwork Overview

Race Profile – Yenya
  
Much like the orcs, the Yenya have been driven away to make room for the humans. But they were  pushed to the south, past the deserts and into the barren wastelands to scratch a living from this place where sandstorms are born. Determined to continue, the Yenya have often pitted themselves against the  humans, raiding the outlying villages and harrying traders. But what else can be done? Though diminished, they have young to provide for, and if it means allying themselves with bandits then so be. They have no sympathy for those that tore their once proud home from them.   
 

Rulers & Government    

Once they were a great people who lived in the intricate cliff cities along the Greenback mountain range. But that was long ago. Now they eek out a living among the Red Wastes, banded together in small groups to ensure their safety and survival. No one yenya stands above the others, but each recognized member of the pack has a place in the meetings and decisions that effect the pack. Once a yenya pup achieves adulthood by killing a member of the Verdant military, they are a full member and entitled to have their say among the others. Respected members of the pack are those who have been victorious in raids against Verdant based caravans or who have won valor in combat against their military. Their old stories used to tell that they had emperors and empresses, but unless they could unite under one banner once more, no one would dare try to claim that title for their own. Any point of contention or major decision is voted on by the pack, with majority winning.    
 
Allies & Enemies  
  
The Yenya people trust none but their own kind, and while the occasional lucky gabelins has managed to make profitable trade agreements with them, most are warned to steer clear of their encampments. They hate the orcs, who they partially blame for their exile from Verdant. But they despise the humans who were the ultimate instrument of their people's destruction. Anyone who sides with them is considered an enemy. Though some Yenya packs have begun to forge alliances with the raiders and bandits who plague the highways. After-all, one must find a way to feed their family.    

Religion & Belief  
  
The Yenya pack believes heavily in a cycle of reincarnation. No soul has ever been around only once, or so they say. Many believe that because their peoples numbers are dwindling, many old souls of their ancestral past are being left without a body to dwell in, which contributes to their bad luck and difficulty surviving. Because of this, yenya are known to craft little dolls which are meant to represent the unborn life. They are given to pregnant women as a 'house' for their ancestors to dwell in until the child is born, giving them a better home. It is considered miserably bad luck to break one.    
  
The yenya believe in tutelary deities which watch over their people in a general sense. They don't give them names, because they believe that will limit the spirits power as if attempting to call upon them. But they believe these deities hold sway over natural forces and can twist things to the advantage of their people when needed.    
  
As much of their culture dies out, only the oldest of the tribe remember the stories their grand parents told them of the temples and spires where they would worship. But even then, the religion of it is faded into a set of folk beliefs. Little things like the set belief that because everything they had was stolen from them, they are within their rights to steal it back.    
 
Survivors, Raiders, Storytellers  
  
After the exile from their homelands, the remaining yenya knew they could not survive in the wastes with such a massive group trying to survive together. They split off into smaller packs, knowing that this would mean less protection, but also less work trying to provide. They had to push themselves in order to find ways to survive in an unforgiving land with little to no resources. Many died during the initial decade, but since then they have learned to stay alive in a place where no where else can do so successfully. They have built families together, but even then, as the centuries rolled by, much of what was once a mighty culture has been lost to them.    
  
In an effort to keep their families fed and their people going, many yenya packs have taken up raiding along the Verdant borders and caravan trails. It is viewed as a necessity among the packs, as there is little opportunity for them to make ends meet any other way. But it is also seen as a very low method of feeding your family by the elders, who still remember the stories of the proud people they once were. Many younger pack members have joined in with human raiders, much to their parents disapproval. It's better than trying to survive off venomous scorpions and serpents in the dust. But for what it is worth, the yenya has a natural resistance to toxins, meaning that they do not need to fear the stinging and biting creatures of the Red Wastes.  

As their people try to hold on to the memory of what once was, they tell stories to one another by the campfire. They hope to spark inspiration in the next generation by passing down these tales of their people. Each year, fewer yenya are born to replace those who have passed on. Yet they keep telling stories to every child. The elders work tirelessly, as their people were once known as great orators. They tell that there was once a respected position within their empire, where those with talent and skill could make even a fearless warrior weep with the beauty of their storytelling. That artform is almost gone, as there is no one left to teach the tradition the way it once was.    
 
Family & Marriage  
  
Unlike many of the other races, the yenya encourage their young to go and find love for themselves. There is little to no adult arrangement involved, though like all parents they want to ensure their young find good matches. It is the male yenya who make an effort to display themselves, dying their fur bright colors and dancing at pack meetings to get the females attention on them. If they catch her eye, the female yenya will make the next move, going to his tent at night and enticing him out. Groups of newly adult yenya will sneak off to carouse in the night, to flirt and compete for affection.    
  
If a marriage is agreed to, the couple moves out of their parents huts and begins to put a considerable amount of work into the construction of their first home. No one is supposed to help them, and they are expected to do all they can to ensure it is a fitting domicile for them to raise a family in. Once married, the pack rejoins them to celebrate their union and to encourage them to get to pup making as soon as possible. No yenya with any amount of pride will leave the hut for several hours, as it is considered that a good marriage is proceeded by copious copulation. Married couples will often greet one another by pressing their noses together in a gestures unique to the yenya known as 'snooting'.  
  
It is worth noting that the yenya have no stipulations against same-sex marriage. It is also worth noting that a sizable portion of their people are inter-sexed, and this holds a cultural significance. It is thought to be good luck to fall in love with someone who is two-in-one, as it is believed to bring healthy litters to your household.