Tehir

For extended documentation on the Tehir, see The Tehir - A Primer and Life and Being in the Sea of Fire.

The Tehir are a relatively primitive nomadic people of a tribal culture. They live in the Sea of Fire where they have adapted to the extremely harsh environment within the great desert, typically migrating from oasis to oasis throughout the seasons, herding their few goats and yierkas, and living off of the sparse desert bounty.

Sometimes referred to as the Veiled Men, due to their tradition of wearing veils over their noses and mouths to show that a man has reached adulthood, Tehir legend holds that this veil protects against the evil spirits of the desert. The various styles and colors of the veil have additional meaning, e.g., one color might reflect strength in combat, while an unusual cloth indicates wisdom of an elder.

Tehir women do not wear facial veils, rather they wear head-scarves once they have married. It is customary among Tehir women to have elaborate tattoos on their faces and necks, which the Tehir people find to be very attractive. Tehir men also wear tattoos, though they tend to be around the eyes and on the arms.

Goatskin and yierka-hide tents woven by the women of the tribes are the most common shelters in Tehir culture. In the southeastern desert, nearest the mountains separating the desert from Hendor, caves within desert cliffs are sometimes used for the more sedentary tribes.

While there are a handful of Tehir tribes that are on good or neutral terms with the Empire, most of the fierce Tehir are constantly in conflict with the Turamzzyrian Empire over the copper mines found within the Sea of Fire. The Tehir hit-and-run tactics coupled with the harsh environment make them a difficult enemy for the Empire to defeat. At the same token, the Tehir are unable to drive the outlanders from the mines, and often their raids are ineffective against the well-guarded imperial caravans.

Prior to the discovery of copper mines within the desert, the Tehir tribes often fought one another for control over various oases and herds. On the occasions where such conflicts led to a complete defeat, or the capture of enemies, it was not uncommon for the victors to enslave their captives. This practice is still held in a few of the Tehir tribes, and it is rumored that on rare occasions imperial soldiers have been taken as captives. By and large, however, the practice of enslaving captives has dwindled or died out in most of the Tehir tribes.

Spirit-weddings

Spirit weddings are a tradition of some Tehir tribes. One known spirit-wed individual is Avidleigh na-Aorthana, wed to a white vulture. In many cases, the spirit-wed are honored as symbols of the spirit protectors; however, in some cases the spirit-wed acts merely as a scapegoat for the tribe's misfortunes. Spirit-wed are marked as appropriate for their gender -- a woman may have a decorated head-scarf while a male may have decorated veils or elaborate tattoos around his eyes.

Tribes

Known tribes are as follows:

• Senkara Tribe
• Hunted Feather Tribe
• Bennu Tribe
• Al'Dur Tribe
• Al'u'mr Tribe (inactive)
• Al'seithe Tribe (inactive)
• Sudha Tribe (inactive)
• Al'Akra Tribe (inactive)

Although not a tribe, the Cult of al-Rakeesh is Tehir related.

Behind the Scenes

The community of players with Tehir characters has been exceedingly creative and devoted to the culture. For lack of much information about the Tehir, they have created content to help enrich their roleplaying experience. Such content includes the aforementioned tribes, as well as the spirit wedding. While some Tehir characters are roleplayed with discrepancies, there is nothing that officially counters the above information.

Resources

• The Tehir - A Primer
• Life and Being in the Sea of Fire
• Research:Tehir Language
• The Sea of Fire on Play.net