debwani

the southern forests

To the south of the Plains are thick, dark forests filled with life and death, mists and roots. The brave, early Dorobian tribes that ventured into these ancient trunks did not lose their awe of the gods or the mysticism of their culture, unlike their fellow Plainsmen. However, these southern tribes did loose their horns and their size, for both were hindrances for moving through the thick forest. Horns became tangled in vines while large statures were not nimble enough to dart between trunks while running from predators. Also, to further blend into the forest, nature selected heavily striped bodies and large, sensitive eyes. These large, Debwani eyes chosen by the Mother are said to be able to see into the Spirit World, and this is why they retain their beliefs.

As these nimble, striped Debwani moved deeper and deeper into the trees, remaining alive relied as much on instinct as it did luck. Poisonous plants and insects, predacious creatures and shrubs; even the very mists, shadows, and earth seemed to hunger for the Debwani peoples' blood. It was a hard and terrible time for the small, striped creatures—their numbers dwindled to a small, scared tribe despite their adaptions of stripes, no horns, and dilutive size for surviving in the forest.

In defeat, the Debwani began to leave the thick trees, slowly migrating back towards the Plains—they could not stay in so dangerous a forest. But the Debwani were a proud people, and despite its dangers, the forest had grown to become their home. So they stalled amid the large, safe roots and massive canopy of an ancient ɗan ɓaure, or fig tree. With heads bowed and knees prone, they pleaded to their ancestors and to the Debwani the forest had claimed—both tears and prayers soaking into the roots of the ancient tree.

The intensity and unity of the Debwani carried from their prayers, to the ancestors, to the godsar—pulling spiritual life into the very canopy and roots they sheltered beneath. And so Uwar was created, or the Mother Tree. Her roots pulled up out of the earth, creating a home for the Debwani and sheltering them from any dangers. Fruit budded from her limbs, giving sweet and life-giving nourishment. Clean and un-poisoned water pooled in her large leaves for her children to drink.

The Debwani rejoiced, staying beneath their Mother Tree until their numbers repopulated, eventually spanning back into the forest. But now, with the protection of Uwar, their ancestors’ spirits, and the gods, they could survive the forests’ dangers.

The quiet Debwani people's isolation did not last, however, for eventually the Dorobian Plainsmen began to covet the rich resources of the forest that the Debwani had come to master. So war began to ravage the small, striped race; fires burned the small clans and trees they called home, creeping further and further towards their Mother Tree. Until one day the unthinkable happened: flames began to lick up the trunk of their beloved Uwar. What was created by desperate need of a unified people was now destroyed by greed and lies.

Eventually the attacks dwindled to guerrilla warfare, once a few Debwani tribes began to fight back. However, the damage was done, and now the Debwani are cast adrift in their cultural identity, having only the charred skeleton of their Mother Tree left.

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• As a whole, Debwani are cautious and quiet creatures; although, every individual is different.
• Being a uniform culture, individuality is often frowned upon; to stand out too much in the forest would be a beacon for danger in the dark forest.
• The Debwani worship their ancestors because spirits are accessible to the physical plane, while the gods are not. The spirits act as a 'go-between' for mortals and gods.
• The Demisa, or 'leopard men', are a small band of Debwani that live deep in the forest. Few are 'chosen' by the spirits to join this band. They emerge only when injustice and wrong-doing grows prevalent with the Debwani, consuming a particular mushroom that causes them to go into a vengeful, altered mental state. While in this state, the gods and spirits may tell them who these wrong-doers are, and they Demisa ruthlessly murder and consume parts of their bodies. They have no control over this, and may end up murdering their own family or kin.
• Debwani live on a unique diet of plants, mushrooms, honey, and insects.
• Masks play a large role in Debwani, used for many ceremonies and rites of passage. There are different masks for each, and they provide the symbol of the act and therefore imbue the wearer with whatever 'properties' that role is entitled to.
• There is a Rite of Passage for both male and female Debwani as they enter adulthood. Males live a month deep in the forest with the male elders who wear frightening masks and make them perform frightening tasks. Females live a month beneath the Mother Tree with female elders, not allowed to talk and must commune/use all parts of the mother tree.
• more to come...

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• Kyauta :: Debwani Demisa stallion whose past is dark, convoluted, and mysterious.

• Echo :: Debwani/Dorobian wiseman with no love for the Makutano. Contact Ali if interested!
• Jatau :: Debwani with no set history/personality yet. Name can be changed. Contact smitty if interested!
• Nasiru :: Debwani with no set history/personality yet. Name can be changed. Contact smitty if interested!
• Turai :: Debwani with no set history/personality yet. Name can be changed. Contact smitty if interested!
• Unnamed :: Unnamed Debwani with no set history/personality yet. Contact smitty if interested!

The Southern Forests are home to the Debwani which are small, nimble, primitive Equines. They are generally heavily striped, and very few have horns! They speak mainly their native tongue (Hausa), and are usually more superstitious or God-fearing. 

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Hausa Dictionary