Category:Kushite



KUSHITE "Giant black men squatted in the doorways of their thatched huts, or lolled on the ground in their shade. Black women went up and down the streets with water gourds or baskets of food on their heads. Children played or fought in the dust, laughing or squalling shrilly. In the squares the black folk chauffeured and bargained over plantains, beer and hammered brass ornaments. Smiths crouched over tiny charcoal fires, laboriously beating out spear blades. The hot sun beat down on all, the sweat, mirth, anger, nakedness and squalor of the black people." Kush is the name of one of many nations struggling to rise above the others in the southern realms. Situated just below Stygia on the shoreline, Kush is the Black Kingdom most often visited by Stygians, Shemites and the Hyborians.

Description
Kush is separated into two peoples, the Gallah and the Chaga.

The Gallah are the original inhabitants of Kush and are by far the most numerous. The Gallah people are ebon giants and dark brown in color.

The minority Chaga are the ruling caste, descended from conquering Stygian adventurers. The Chaga are even taller than their subjects and lighter in color, although they are darker than their dusky Stygian ancestors. They probably left Stygia because of the oppressive theocracy.

Different tribes rule the wilds of Kush:
 * The Mandingo live along the coast in a long string of trading villages. These tribes pay tribute to the Chaga of El Shebbeh, the inner city of Shumballa.
 * Kordafan – Kordafan is a grasslands kingdom to the east of Kush and the west of Tombalku. The Kordafan people are intensely black, with narrow heads, aquiline features and kinky hair. The hair is often trimmed into fantastic patterns and crests.
 * Lua – The Lua are a peaceful, coastal Kushite people. They are known as mariners. They dwell just north of the coastal Mandingo people.

Clothing
THE GALLAH The Kushite horsemen described in Black Colossus ride stark naked. Loin-cloths are also likely. Women are often nude, or wear a wisp of silk wrapped around their hips. Some tribes dress their women in leather or rope belts on which depend several leather or rope strips that hang to just above the knee. Some urban Kushites dress in djebbehs.

THE CHAGA The Chaga men dress in djebbehs and/or silken cloaks. The women usually wear little more than silken skirts. Some may wear jeweled breastplates.

Behavior and Notable Oddities
The Chagas and the Gallahs live in a state of constant tension that seems always on the brink of snapping into open conflict.

THE GALLAH
 * The Gallah Kushites are typically hunter-gatherers and are warlike and expansionistic.
 * They are not nomadic, they hunt.
 * The Gallah Kushites are prone to see omens everywhere and acknowledge the smallest coincidence as evidence of a spirit’s will.
 * Men may have more than one wife.
 * The spear is the favorite weapon of the Kushite barbarian, although those enslaved by other cultures are often given other weapons to wield.
 * Status for the Gallah is often determined by how many white slaves a warrior has, although he is always technically subservient to the Chaga.

THE CHAGA
 * The Chagas and the Gallahs live in a state of constant tension that seems always on the brink of snapping into open conflict.
 * Nobles in Kush are of Chaga descent. They are tall, dark people. They are not as dark as their Kushite subjects but are darker than their Stygian ancestors.
 * The Chaga love to hunt and they love to dive into politics. They do not care much for priests, however.

Religion

 * Set
 * Jullah
 * Derketo
 * Inquices & Damballah
 * Primitive Beliefs

The ruling class of Kush worship Set, while the common masses of Gallah worship Jullah in opposition to Set. The Chaga have modified their Set worship somewhat over the centuries from the original Stygian ceremonies, mixing in doses of witchcraft, shamanism and Gallah superstition.

In addition to Set and Jullah, particularly along the shores and the border of Stygia, the Kushites have adopted Shemite Derketo as Derketa, Queen of the Dead. She is probably a type of Earth Mother figure, a goddess of fertility as well as of death, symbolising the circular nature of life. She is probably represented as the mate of whatever god each tribe holds supreme. The Gallah of Punt probably represent her as the mate of Jullah. Worship of Derketa, Queen of the Dead, probably involves orgiastic rites done before squat golden idols. Human sacrifice is likely also part of her ceremonies, possibly using the poisoned fruit called the Apples of Derketa. The juice of those fruit kills, whether by ingestion or external application.

The priests of Set and the rival priests of Jullah vie for power in Shumballa. The priests of Set do not have as much power in Shumballa as they have in Stygia.

Kushite Witch-Finder: The Kushite witch-doctors, witch-men or witch-finders are particularly famed for their counter-magic abilities. Their duties are to protect the tribe from rival witches, predict the future and curse tribal enemies, in approximately that order of importance. Most favor feathers, bones and animal skins as their outfits, in classical shamanic style. Often they also sport long, wild dreadlocks.

Government
Ruler: King Arrakkamani

The government is similar to Stygian government, save that nobles rule instead of priests. The Gallahs strongly resent Chaga rule. The crown of Kush passes along matriarchal lines – the queen mother selects among her children the one most fit to rule.

The king of Kush, King Arrakkamani, is a much disrespected king. He is cruel to the Gallahs and his sister Tananda dominates him utterly, ruling Kush through him. He is afraid of conflict and dissent, making him tolerate situations instead of engaging in active problem-solving.

Economy and Common Professions
The Chaga accrue fabulous wealth by controlling the movement of trade goods through the kingdom. In exchange for Stygian grain, Shumballa sends ivory, incense, hides, carnelian, gold and slaves north to Stygia.

Kush and Stygia carry on a crude form of trade in slaves, although neither pays the other for the merchandise. Instead, they just raid each other for their slaves. The Kushites raid Stygia, even as far as Kheshatta, for white or dusky-skinned slaves and the Stygians repay in kind, raiding Kush to acquire human chattel for slavery or sacrifice. Kush also raids inland tribes for slaves to be sold along the coasts to Argossean, Zingaran and Shemite traders.

The blacksmiths of Kush make iron heads for spears and lances, garnering themselves a reputation of bordering on magical. They steep their art in mystery and guard their secrets of turning raw iron ore into durable metal tools.

Blacksmiths become the shamans or work closely with them.

Common professions:
 * witch hunter
 * warrior
 * shaman

Sex Roles and Marriage
THE GALLAH Marriage rituals differ from tribe to tribe.

Most Gallahs do not particularly subordinate their women politically. Indeed, some women rise to chieftain positions. Women who bear children are seen as strong, so women with many children and who manage houses with many wives are practically trained to be fine leaders; the Gallahs recognize this. Men are expected to be able to provide their wives with enough cloth for two outfits each every year; however, men are usually found sitting under a tree talking to other men if they are not out raiding, while the women are always doing work.

THE CHAGA Women of the Chaga are highly respected and treated as equal to men in many ways. Legally, they can run businesses, own land, inherit property and appear in court. They face the same penalties under law as men do. Women can hold professions and run households. In marriage, women retain their independence and control their own assets; Chaga women are not subordinated to their husbands nor are they treated like property.

Chaga women often live in luxury.

Slavery
Slavery is a common thing in Kush, in Zabhela streets are full of slaves and slave stockades. Among Gallah Kushites status is often determined by how many white slaves a warrior has. Enslaved warriors are trained as guards. Slave soldiers are often trained primarily in the scimitar or tulwar (sabre, sword).

Influences
Architectural influences: The Kingdom of Kush.

The Chaga have kept many aspects of their native Stygian culture and with the fabulous wealth they've acquired by controlling trade routes through the kingdom they have built impressive cities. Their architecture is similar to Stygians, mixed with influences from the Black Kingdoms.

Tip: T2 stone in general is fitting, but also T3 stone for single important structures are viable options for Chaga Kushites.

More Information
RPGS:
 * Return to the Road of Kings (Kush, p 147-150)
 * Faith and Fervor (Gods of the Black Kingdoms, p 25-29)