Their teachings find widespread acceptance among the Chindi who, as a whole, embrace individualism and freethinking.. • Cheraah, or Chindi “doomsayers” are ironic actors hired to shout a
Trang 1apostles wander freely between villages, striking a
living contrast by being educated and erudite but
forever filthy and destitute
• The Pa: Adherents of Pa are an offshoot of the Lexai
that remain in the wilderness, shunning cities and
any organizations larger than a family group Their
teachings find widespread acceptance among the
Chindi who, as a whole, embrace individualism and
freethinking
• Banarth, or “wish makers,” repeat a client’s wishes
at special statues or fountains for a fee to help make
them come true; during the spring rains, romantic
hopefuls (or meddlesome parents) keep the
ban-arth busy well into the evening weaving elaborate
love wishes They often mark themselves with the
red tear gemstones taken from regelthi stone worms
(see Chapter 7)
• Cheraah, or Chindi “doomsayers” are ironic actors
hired to shout at buildings and families to indirectly
bring them good luck
Customs & Culture
Chindi celebrate life in all things and their culture
supports and honors life as much as possible They also
have a wide variety of traditions and habits tied to the
sun and the moons
In good times, Chindan villages are joyful and active
into the evenings with music and dancing Regardless,
they curtail their evening activities beneath “paired
moons,” which they consider to be ill omens Chindi hold numerous festivals during the year, some of which are overtly procreative fertility rituals while others cele-brate midsummer, the harvest, and other notable times
of the year A unique Chindan festival—celebrated four nights after a settlement’s first post-Midsummer birth—
is the Mothers’ Feast to celebrate any new mothers from the past year
Nearly all Chindi are literate, and well versed in her-bology and agriculture Organized public education is common in Chindi communities Any argument should
be supported with appropriate quotations from litera-ture, and few love arguments more than the Chindi Their enthusiasm for such verbal exchanges makes oth-ers think they are overly stubborn Letting a disagree-ment or argudisagree-ment escalate from words to blows brings scornful eyes down upon the offender
Chindi welcome newcomer humans into the tribe through marriage or adoption They even allow new-comers to practice previous tribal traditions while among them In fact, many Chindi traditions shift and evolve over time, a consequence of their openness to individuality and new ideas Chindi distrust all Nordor,
an attitude dating back to migratory days when compe-tition for the best lands caused considerable strife and many battles They embrace the pachyaur as kindred spirits, though they are careful to avoid capture and en-slavement Chindi feel that both the Kuad Ahir and Gare Attessa harbor dangerous agendas, so both groups are commonly persecuted among them Chindi despise the