The Khadan Humans

History

“We’re each other’s harvest; we’re each other’s business; we’re each other’s magnitude and bond.”

This ancient adage is well-understood by the Khadans. Originally a group of nomads that roamed the wasteland of Anjyarr, the Khadans were known for their perseverance and prevailing sense of unity. While most historians in Eden judge the Khadans’ unity as a legacy of their nomadic lifestyles, some others claim that the roots of this quality can be in fact traced back to before the Khadans set foot on Eden.

Although little is known of the mysterious ancestral home of the Khadans, most believe that their ancestors left the native land in search of asylum. As such, it is also believed that the ancestors of the Khadans first realized the significance of unity through witnessing how their beloved homeland disintegrated in years of quarrels and wars.

Due to the harsh climate and the lack of available resources, the ancestors of the Khadans initially separated into two groups with one group traveling along the shoreline and the other moving in-land. This decision eventually led to the rise of two clans that share the same philosophy but each adopting a different way of living. Although the two clans resemble each other in the sense that they both hold family values and self-fulfillment in high regard, the clans also differ greatly in terms of skills and traits.

harsh climate which allows for relatively little maintenance, only needing a few drinks of water over the course of a day.

This clan wouldn’t be as skilled in combat as their counterparts in clan Zenthir, they would quickly learn to appreciate the art of archery. Using a special short bow they would take their Anjyarrian steeds in search of wildlife to hunt, tracking them to bodies of water which would afterward make a suitable place to stay for the clan as well as providing food and water.

The two clans lived in concord for five generations after the Khadans’ arrival in Eden. Through the few established trade routes they would barter goods such as livestock, life necessities and basic weaponry with each other and even the Hadrians on occasion. Despite the existence of trade routes, bartering did not take up a considerable part in the culture of both clans given that there were very limited kinds of commodities to be traded for. But as the resources – wildlife and especially fresh water – in both clans’ territories started to run short, their passes began to cross more often.

The search for available resources led to an increasing conflict between the clans, and with another massive drought occurring, the two clans eventually broke into fights over the still existing bodies of water which came in the form of the two rivers that still run through Anjyarr to this day.

It is known that on a certain day both clans would cross paths at the river known as Ifriq that now flows through the city of Al-Khadir, a day that will forever be remembered as both the beginning and the end of an era. Upon the arrival of the clans and purely based on friction caused by the dire circumstances, the two chieftains clashed and engaged in combat. A battle erupted under the ever-burning sun that would shine brightly upon the battlefield. This battle would decide the fate of both clans or so they thought.

Knowing that the defeat would certainly lead to the demise of their respective clan, neither of the chieftains was willing to give in easily. It is believed that the battle on the riverbank of Ifriq lasted for three whole days, and by the sunrise of the fourth day both chiefs were wound-covered, exhausted, and on the edge of collapsing. Yet they were so well matched that neither could gain an upper hand.

Appearance

The Khadan, also known as The Orphans of Anjyarr, are quite different in comparison to the other humans inhabiting the lands of Eden. The Khadan are generally a bit shorter than the Hadrians and grow to be about 180 cm tall at most, with their female counterparts usually only reaching a height of about 170 cm on average.

Previously split into two clans, the Khadan are known to vary in skin colour between the ones who decided to settle down near the coast of Anjyarr and the ones who travelled farther inland. The Khadan skin can range from olive to an almond brown. The Khadan invariably come with a full head of wavy black/brown hair. Within Khadan culture it is also common to see women with braided hair due to the heat.

The eyes of the Khadan are often dark in colour. There are however a wide variety of possible colours, like the occasional sea greens or sapphire blues which are seen as very attractive amongst the Khadan.

Beauty amongst the female Khadan is often recognized by having an oval shaped face, long dark eyelashes and well defined arched eyebrows which act as complementary features to one's eyes which are the main focal point.

Whereas men in contrast to their dark brethren are regularly seen with well maintained facial hair. Beards and moustaches are seen as attractive features.

A general consensus within Khadan culture is that scars are seen as a sign of beauty and a badge of strength and courage.

Apparel

Despite the many differences between the characteristics of both races, the inhabitants of Al-Khadir have managed to develop a common trend in apparel.

The harsh climate of Anjyarr favors loose, layered robes often made out of many different materials like cotton and linen or silk and satin depending on one’s wealth. The wealthy will often be seen wearing clothes accessorized with jewels as well as wearing jewelry which are mostly made out of gold.

These robes are usually very colourful and often have accents of gold weaved within the fabric. The only true difference, between the humans and Azari’cill that together form the Khadan, when it comes to their apparel is that the ‘lunn seem to prefer elegant dark-coloured robes decorated with mostly purple gems and inlaid with silver instead of gold. The Khadan are often seen wearing piercings, with the ‘lunn preferring silver over gold once more.

When it comes down to the armor worn by the Khadan it is well known that their armors exist out of similar robes, protected by chainmail and then covered in brass plates heavily enameled and inlaid with shining silvers and golds. Both sexes favour armour of ornate design. The Khadan usually wear gloves and boots made out of leather which is both lighter than any kind of metal as well as making them more agile, which heavily plays into their kind of fighting style. These armors are often accessorized by mostly red coloured cloaks to keep the sun out. It is common to see the Khadan wrap their helmets in long scarves to prevent the sun from beating down upon it.

While travelling through the deserts of Anjyarr, the Khadan are often seen wearing hoods over their heads as protection as well as to conceal their identity.On top of that the women are often seen with veils in front of their faces to keep sand out of their face and prevent it from reaching their eyes.