A Hollow Mountain: Breilin and Beyond

(This is the last in my series of worldbuilding posts for A Hollow Mountain, the second book in The Brightest Shadow series.)

Combining the first two books of the series and the Blades Falling Softly novella, we've now explored all of the continent of Breilin. Though you could read the explanation in the book itself by the illustrious Telekrainas the Great, I'll provide a map in greater detail here:

Though some disregard Breilin as a relatively uncivilized continent, most respect the nations of the Maenhu in the north, and the many factions of Nol and Tur-Nol to the south. The Sotunn Mountains and the Chorhan Expanse are regarded as almost completely unknown territory on many other continents.

The Brightest Shadow will explore many corners of the world, but it won't abandon the landscapes already uncovered. The characters might have left them behind, but the wars in the three Coran kingdoms have continued to intensify, and minor details there might prove more important than they first appeared. We'll also have an opportunity to return to the southern third, many years after the events of Blades Falling Softly.

Other areas have yet to be touched. Hettin Island, the home of Slaten's Oken ancestors. Harkein, a strange land kin to no other region. Estronn, Laeri's home. Even the places we've already visited have secrets left to uncover.

But there is also a much broader world.

I've removed the fog of war from the entire continent of Breilin as well as continent names and other regions mentioned. You'll probably want to click to see the larger version to make it legible.

The third book in the series, tentatively titled The Unnecessary Victory, won't launch into all of it yet. Instead, it will draw together story threads introduced so far into a significant climax as the characters all reach a new stage in their lives. It is set for release in 2022, so I hope you will look forward to it and beyond!

A Hollow Mountain: Espal, Portant, and Wahleen

(This is the third in my series of worldbuilding posts for A Hollow Mountain, the second book in The Brightest Shadow series.)

Though the three nations of the Maenhu have been referenced during the previous posts, each has a culture and history of its own. The second book only passes through them, but they'll play a major role in the series going forward, so I wanted to at least preview them in greater depth.

One example of the similarities and differences is the societal views of hair. In all three nations, hair is seen as an important part of the individual, to be treated carefully. Women's hair is generally regarded as sensual, but the proper methods of handling it differ. Men's beards are considered essential representations of themselves in varying ways, with clean shavenness being either a bold statement or a trait of barbarians.

From the outside, many view the nations of the Maenhu as squabbling factions, but some of the differences run deep...

Espal 

Occupying the western third of the Maenhu, Espal has the unique advantage of a string of islands providing easy access to the continent of Fareshel. This has had an influence on their trade and culture, though it also leads to naval weakness: they have a strong enough navy to deter pirates, but otherwise trade is highly individualized instead of controlled by the state..

One tradition unique to Espal is that politicians and diplomats often wear large metal collars, the meaning of which has varied over time. Once it had a military use as part of armor, but since the era of warrior leaders it has been said to represent the weight of office, among other things. Sometimes these are inscribed, though rarely with information readable to anyone outside of a given court system.

Espali men are expected to braid their beards according to specific styles. These are sometimes codified to represent specific positions in society, but since fashions change over time, these messages tend to be opaque to outsiders and somewhat ambiguous even to natives. Espali women are expected to wear wraps that obscure their hair, though allowing some to be visible is a common risqué statement.

Among the nations of the Maenhu, Espal has the most gender segregation, with women overrepresented in government and underrepresented in the military. The one exception to this is their archery divisions, which tend to be primarily women. Though archery is common as a practical skill across all three nations, Espal is the only nation to make heavy use of massed archery, including with sein arts.

Espali errants tend to wear leaner armor, with wraps instead of articulated joints. They're also the most likely to use adjustable visors. Many of their martial traditions are inherited from desert warfare, since Espal needs to control the Sotunn Desert in a way the other nations do not, thanks to its effect on their coastal trade.

Portant 

Situated between the other two nations, with only inhospitable seas to the north, Portant is the next best thing to landlocked. When war has broken out in the Maenhu, they've nearly always needed to fight on two fronts, leading to traditions of both aggression and of diplomacy.

Portant has the least restrictive cultural norms regarding hair, seen as purer or less civilized depending on who you ask. Men are expected to wear their hair and beards long, but keep both well-maintained. Women are expected to braid and coil their hair whenever they're in public, though different contained styles are sometimes used.

Portantese errants are notable for typically wearing open-faced helms. It's been said that in the northern forests, visibility was more important than protection, but the exact origin of the tradition is unknown. They're also the most likely to use polearms, which are sometimes seen as a lesser weapon in the other two nations, due to general use by untrained soldiers.

Deep in the history of Portant, before it was a nation with that name, there lies an ancient tradition of mysticism. Though viewed as arcane sorcerers by some outsiders, in practice the mystics of Portant have been herbalists and spiritual leaders. A few of their orders do have complex sein arts that differ from those found elsewhere in the Maenhu.

Wahleen 

To the east, Wahleen possesses both the most land of the three nations as well as the best coastlines. Without established trade routes, it had to develop a powerful navy, which it uses both for international trade and to threaten the other two nations from the sea. It is said that these advantages are countered by Wahleen's errants having less sophisticated sein arts, though this is hotly debated.

Hair is less strictly controlled, with women requiring only a hood of some sort for modesty, which is viewed as licentious by outsiders. Men are expected to go bearded, but to keep their facial hair cropped short.

All three nations stretch from the Sotunn Desert to the frozen north, but Wahleen has the largest territory that is too cold to be suitable for agriculture. Military orders have often resided in these lands, protecting the fertile south and trying to maintain control of the Chilgaan Islands north of Breilin. Winds from the Terant Ocean also leave Wahleen with the fiercest winters, so they're well-prepared against the cold.

Errants in Wahleen wear the bulkiest armor of the three nations, and correspondingly wield the heaviest weapons. Female errants are common and tend to wear hoods over their armor, despite the helm already covering their hair. This isn't actually required by propriety, but many women prefer it as a matter of keeping the army civilized.

Food and Culture 

With metal at a premium and frequently controlled by governments, the people of the Maenhu tend to eat with utensils we'd call chopsticks. These can often be sharpened at one end, however, and come in distinct styles between nations. All three nations are working with similar foods, but exactly how they're prepared and eaten varies considerably.

This has been a first glimpse of the Maenhu, not an exhaustive explanation. Notably, the path of the errant is a strong but limited one, and not every warrior with potential can follow it. All across the Maenhu there are also warriors calling themselves Fools, though they stay out of the limelight and don't receive the acclaim of errants.

The Maenhu will be introduced in the second book, then play a critical role in the third and be a continuing presence in the series. Please look forward to it, and feel free to ask if you want to know about any more details!

A Hollow Mountain: Conflict in the Maenhu

(This is the second in my series of worldbuilding posts for A Hollow Mountain, the second book in The Brightest Shadow series.)

Where the Chorhan Expanse was moving toward warfare, the northern part of Breilin is already deeply entrenched in several different conflicts.

Sotunn Raiders

The Sotunn Mountains are the largest range on the continent, the passes challenging and the summits uninhabitable. There are two networks of passes that link the Maenhu and the Chorhan Expanse, one on the eastern end of the range and one in the west. Since both reach major northern rivers, these passes are major highways of trade... and that means raiders preying on that trade.

Numerous clans of raiders have sprung up in the mountains over the past few generations, from the organized Coldsteps to the mansthein-hating Bloodskins to the Stormpeaks who prey on other clans. Instead of a long tradition, their society has formed from this brutal lifestyle. With limited food in the mountains and merchants increasingly avoiding the passes, they're engaged in a long war of attrition. They're one of the few cultures that's oppressive to women, and untrained young men are also second class citizens.

Sotunn raiders lack technology and steal all their weaponry, but they have one innovation that makes them feared: their training techniques focus on the body first, rendering them able to fight through most wounds. As such, they can conduct charges that would be suicidal for any other force, overwhelming caravan guards and stealing what they need to survive.

The Mansthein 

Several centuries ago, mansthein sailors shipwrecked off the coast of Wahleen and were rescued by humans. More followed and they were slowly incorporated into the nation, independent of the Silver Senate or other mansthein leadership. Most speak Reili and view themselves as Wahleenese, though they aren't fully integrated with the human society.

Over those years, Wahleenese mansthein have assimilated in many ways, notably their use of armor and head wraps for women. They're a sufficiently separated population to have developed a uniquely reddish coloring, related to the Feinan ethnicity but still distinct.

All that changed when a Zeitai arrived on the continent, bringing with him a new legion straight from Orphos. Wahleen was split between human and mansthein, with the mansthein's imperial ambitions fracturing business relationships and increasing tension all across the Maenhu. Worse, the Hero is now traveling north...

War in the Maenhu 

Espal, Portant, and Wahleen have a long history of warfare. Prior to the modern era of respect codes and ranked errants, there were countless atrocities, many of them still remembered. The borders between the three nations have been redrawn countless times, and the leadership councils still argue over certain regions.

These ancient conflicts may be mostly dormant at the present, but they're not easily suppressed. Currently, warfare is limited to controlled engagements. Scholars disagree about whether these standards can contain conflict between the nations or whether the Maenhu is a powder keg waiting for the right spark...

A Hollow Mountain: The Maenhu

(This is the first in my series of worldbuilding posts for A Hollow Mountain, the second book in The Brightest Shadow series.)

The second book in The Brightest Shadow takes the main characters out of the Chorhan Expanse, exploring the the northern part of the continent. They'll journey across the Sotunn Mountains, a brutal range filled with vicious raiders, and to the nations of the Maenhu.

The northern region of Breilin, bounded by oceans and the vast Sotunn Mountains, forms a distinct cultural region. Though considered the far north by many, it spans a significant latitude, ranging from hot desert in the south to frozen shores in the north. Though the three nations are similar ethnically, they have sharp cultural differences and a history of warfare between them.

In ancient times it was ruled by an empire and fiefdoms controlled by powerful warriors, but for the last several centuries it has been dominated by three nations that continually fight over their borders. Where the Chorhan Expanse is a meeting of countless strangers from across the world, the Maenhu is a firmly established and insular region.

The three nations of Espal, Portant, and Wahleen are each governed by a semi-democratic council. This system has proved remarkably durable over the years, allowing powerful sects to maintain seats while limiting their control. Likewise, the rise of a merchant class was easily absorbed into the council system with the creation of mercantile seats. Overall, the Maenhu has a weakened noble class, spreading authority across more social institutions.

Most warriors in the Maenhu are known as errants, following a wide variety of paths that nonetheless have certain elements in common. The Maenhu has pioneered the use of sein with metal, both when creating and wearing equipment. Sufficiently powerful warriors might be able to cut ordinary steel, but armor forged in the north and filled with an errant's sein takes on far more durable qualities.

Though a few errants operate independently, most operate within a national army, sect, or organization. They are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with a code of respect, though this is often more theory than practice. An errant's status is precisely ranked in accordance with the Maenhu's system.

Ranks 

In ancient times, the mystics of Portant pioneered a technology to precisely measure sein. This was eventually refined into an object called the Wooden Judge, which simultaneously welcomes and resists sein flow: when a person touches it, the wood reaches a certain equilibrium, which can be used as a way to approximate the depth of their sein.

Use of Wooden Judges during the imperial era was rampant, the centerpiece of a campaign to locate peasants who were training and crush their rebellion before it could begin. In the modern era, how much a Wooden Judge reacts to an individual determines their rank, and in turn their position in the Maenhu's warrior society.

Beginners are known as Ironsquires, often weaker than soldiers with sein training, but groomed to ascend higher. Once they have reached the rank known as Ironlord, they are considered errants in truth and gain both privileges and responsibilities.

Each of these ranks has subdivisions, skipped over for our present purposes. Once someone passes beyond the peak of Ironlord, they're considered Steeljudges. Though Steeljudges can no longer be evaluated by Wooden Judges, they have their own methods, eventually leading to the peak rank of Steelmaster.

Unlike the Chorhan Expanse, training in the Maenhu follows a strict order. Ironlords focus almost entirely on their sein, with bodily arts being reserved until Steeljudge. The average peak Ironlord has exceptional understanding of their sein, but physically is no more than an athletic person. By the time they reach the peak of Steeljudge, this has radically changed, and as Steelmasters they explore deeper matters of soul.

Beyond Steel 

Though multiple nations incorporate steel and heavy armor into their sein arts, the Maenhu is unique in how far it has pushed its forging techniques. Its most characteristic technology is bloodsteel, traditionally red but actually able to be forged in multiple colors.

Bloodsteel is forged not just with blood, but with the embodied sein of a warrior. Compared to ordinary steel, it retains a sharper edge for longer, but its true potential is seen when a warrior gives the blood for their own weapons. The steel becomes a part of their body in a spiritual sense, able to carry far more of their sein than it otherwise would. Though others might be able to use it well, or value swords forged by particularly powerful warriors, its true peak is only available to one.

Other techniques abound, from ordinary ways of making lighter steel to mystical arts such as soulsteel. Except for certain complex mechanisms, the forging techniques of the Maenhu are unmatched for their potency and variety.

A Hollow Mountain Release

The new book is out! Please expect a series of three new worldbuilding posts over the next three weekends, but for now, I hope you enjoy the book. ^-^

Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0964H588M

Description: The arrival of the Hero was worse than anyone could have imagined.

The Hero's mad quest to purge the world continues beyond death, but a journey to the far north promises that knowledge might succeed where power could not. Allegedly there are wise sages who understand the Legend, though Tani fears that they have also been consumed by its light. As the group travels into fearsome mountains, they can only hope to prevent the Hero from destroying new lands.

Though the sage's mountain promises a simple destiny for everyone, it will test the earthly commitments of each individual. Tani will have her moral ideals challenged, Slaten will encounter a strange young woman among barbaric raiders, and Celivia will struggle with the demands of her military superiors. All will need to change as they meet the steel-clad errants of the far north, and their war that has been simmering for generations...

The Brightest Shadow: Mansthein Titles

This is an unplanned bonus worldbuilding segment, due to popular demand instead of part of my series. A decent number of readers have requested that the titles mansthein use be explained explicitly instead of via context, so this post will cover that and add some hopefully interesting context.

When mansthein are speaking formal Futhik, titles should always be used before a person's name, in some cases considered almost part of the name. Dropping titles is considered informal, which can be rude or companionable depending on the context.

Common Mansthein Titles:

• Naen: Basic polite address, male or genderless.
• Naena: Basic polite address, solely female.
• Nin: Military or organizational inferior.
• Kaen: Military or organizational superior, equivalent to a genderless "sir".
• Feinan, Laenan, Seinan: References someone's ethnicity, with the implications heavily context-dependent.

Uncommon Titles or Ranks:

• Catainan: Acknowledges status as a Catai, positive unless used derisively by a superior.
• Koreinan: Formal title for a societal superior, similar to "Lord"  .
• Zeitainan: Used solely to acknowledge Zeitai.
• Amios: Affectionate title similar to "beloved".
• Senatorios: Formal title for a senator.

Ethnic Titles: An extremely fraught issue. Historically, the term "Feinan" is for social inferiors and "Seinan" is for social superiors. These exactly mirror the names of higher and lower ethnicities, thus reinforcing that social hierarchy, which has led to linguistic backlash among Feinan mansthein. It's possible for two Feinans to use that title to represent brotherhood.

Rarer Ethnicities: The same linguistic rules can be applied to the rare mansthein ethnicities, though actual use is idiosyncratic. The Vear use the title "Vearnan", though that's overcorrection to match the formula and should technically be Vearios. "Berskan/Bersknan/Berskios" could exist in theory, but is not used due to the social status of the Bersk. Feras mansthein are linguistically ambiguous, with "Ferios" gaining prominence even though it isn't grammatically correct.

Neologisms: Any word in Futhik can be modified into a title, but it's uncommon because it's seen as crude in the upper classes, while lower classes are less likely to use full titles. But if someone worked as a farmer, they might be called "Farmerios" as a joke.

Linguistic Details of Suffixes: Older titles end in -en instead of -an (with -ena as a rare female suffix), codified before a vowel shift. Loan words to Futhik or certain neologisms end in -ios. However, this is also dependent on what "sounds right" to mansthein ears. Catainan would be something like "Cataios" if their language followed its rules completely, but only a few stuffy types say this, because most consider Catainan much more euphonic.

Local Slang: What's described above is formal Futhik, as spoken among the educated classes on Orphos. Different populations use them differently, notably the Laenan scorning the old ethnic hierarchy. Another example is name chopping to create nicknames, primarily among certain female populations. For example, "Reina" becomes "Rei" among friends.

There you go, most of my notes on the subject that don't delve into future books. I hope that clarifies things for those who find the number of titles excessive!

The Brightest Shadow: Beyond the Chorhan Expanse

(This is the seventh in my series of worldbuilding posts for The Brightest Shadow, leading up to the release of the second book, A Hollow Mountain.)

Alright, it's finally time to talk about the bigger picture. Both in the first book and these posts, I didn't want to just throw a million ideas in everyone's face. But as I hope is obvious, the world I have in mind for The Brightest Shadow is much bigger than what's been seen so far.

Here's the world map, with only the areas seen so far revealed:

I'll be updating that map as future books cover more of the world. I know this probably seems overambitious, but I hope those of you who have followed my past work can look forward to the world I've been working on.

This post will quickly talk about three cultures that appear on the borders of the first novel. They have many internecine conflicts and variations of their own, but for now the story hasn't reached them.

"The Lands of Nol" are actually two large nations with many factions, but since they're separated from the Expanse by rivers and the Nolan Ridge, they're only experienced as travelers. Most Nolese in the Expanse are traders or warriors simply due to being far from home.

Nolese traditional arts take many forms, but most of them are significantly softer than the hard skills found on the Expanse. As such, they're known as martial artists and sometimes mistrusted by those who don't understand their arts.

Nol is the setting of the novella Blades Falling Softly.

To the east lie the Estronese lands. Though the people of Estronn are divided into smaller factions instead of kingdoms, they're a relevant power in the entire continent. To outsiders, they're generally considered the most advanced cultural group on Breilin.

Though the continent has many different groups, the Estronese come from further away than most, their light hair and skin standing out. They have a fundamentally different conception of sein than local cultures and as such develop different abilities. They're renowned as healers and their offensive skills include significantly more explosive skills than most local cultures.

Eraes Tor Yin hails from Teralanth, one of the most advanced nations in the world of Myros. They're currently locked in an ugly conflict with local mansthein, which will be explored in time through a variety of characters. Meanwhile, Teralanthan diplomats, merchants, and occasionally mercenaries can be found throughout the world.

Teralanth is known for crafting excellent weapons and building some of the worlds largest castles. Their warriors are usually set on paths that have been optimized for specific results over years of tradition. Though some know them for their airships, the secrets to that technology actually originate from a nation on Younten Trathe instead.

Yenith is commonly played in Teralanth, but it is widespread throughout the world. Though the origins of Yenith are unclear, most agree that it represents an ancient battle over a critical mountain. Expensive boards feature elevation differences or even carvings of terrain, while cheaper boards simply represent these by color.

Each piece represents a type of military unit, but different cultures have different names and explanations. In the Okeni version, each piece is a type of warrior, whereas the Teralanthan version labels some as beasts or structures. The movement abilities of each piece are mostly consistent across the world, but special movement rules around the center and corners vary.

Victory in standard play is achieved by defeating or trapping all three of the opponent's elite pieces. There is a major game variation in which victory is achieved by holding four of the five elevated positions. Regardless of exact rules, Yenith is considered one of the deeper strategy games.

With the three periphery cultures described, that concludes the introductions of the main groups so far! Though I have a great many other locations and cultures I want to talk about, I'll restrain myself. All of that will be introduced when it's necessary for the story. ^-^

The Brightest Shadow: Three Cultures, Three Maps, One Region

(This is the sixth in my series of worldbuilding posts for The Brightest Shadow, leading up to the release of the second book, A Hollow Mountain.)

I like fantasy maps. Not just grand maps at the beginning of a book that encompass a story, but I also enjoy documents from the world and maps in general. To that end, I wanted to do something a little different for the maps of the first book.

Instead of a single objective map, in this post I present three different maps of the same region. Each takes on a different style and a different purpose, many drawing from the way maps in the real world have been used in different eras.

First we have Tani's map. The idea of seeing the world from a bird's eye view was actually uncommon in the ancient world, so instead many maps served as conceptual aids. This one gives you the Nelee view of the world and their neighbors: they're very familiar with Rhen tribes, but less clear about the differences in groups outside the Chorhan Expanse. If you've read the book, you can figure out why Tani took the route she did to get to Bundlin.

Second we have a "world map" from Corah, taking inspiration from the medieval mappa mundi and T&O maps. This map is even more of a conceptual aid for those focused on Coran matters, the sort of thing that might appear on a noble's wall. Like in the ancient world, far-off lands are places of mystery and the unknown. For those who stay within the Coran kingdoms, this is their view of the world.

Finally we have the map that might look the most familiar to modern eyes, a survey of the region for the sake of military exercises. The mansthein have a branch of Voidwalkers also skilled as surveyors who develop quite accurate maps, if a bit unclear on details that don't matter to their military campaigns.

I hope these maps offer a fun look into the world of Myros. There is a world map, but I won't be hinting at that until the final post in this series...

The Brightest Shadow: Oken

(This is the fifth in my series of worldbuilding posts for The Brightest Shadow, leading up to the release of the second book, A Hollow Mountain.)

The Oken are one of the most insular groups on the Chorhan Expanse, clustering by the western shore and advancing only somewhat into the mountains to the north. Their society is focused on the good of the group, with each person taking a role to serve the greater good.

The Oken are well-known across the Expanse for the quality of their fabrics and brightly colored dyes. They trade these frequently with outsiders, but within a given township, color and fabric are rigidly controlled. Each represents a different class, rank, or family (though the exact meaning varies slightly from township to township).

Traditionally, Oken always wear their mantle in public locations and do not wear it at home. The exact definition of "home" can seem strange to outsiders, as it includes some public markets and squares. Not following these customs is a source of gossip if not anger, though outsiders are generally exempt if they're allowed into a township at all.

Oken eat overall diverse diets, though generally heavy on seafood. This is true regardless of distance to the coast, so in regions where seafood is scarce it is restricted to the higher classes.

The Oken prefer to outfit entire companies with a single weapon, leading them toward generalist forms. Guards commonly use quarterstaffs, while warriors use the traditional Oken sword: a weapon capable of cutting, thrusting, and hacking in the hands of a sein-trained warrior.

The game of Shiil originated on the continent of Fareshel, but the Oken are the main culture that plays it on Breilin. There are several major rule variations, but all forms of the game are a conflict over control of the board.

In the original rules, whole groups of pieces can be removed or replaced if they become captured by opposing pieces. The primary Oken version only allows pieces to be replaced when completely surrounded, which is a rare circumstance. Generally pieces can only be placed in proximity to other pieces, but there is a major variant where this is untrue and the board can swing wildly even toward the endgame.

In all forms, Shiil is a game of strategy that requires long term thinking along multiple fronts. It has been said that the fate of kingdoms has been decided over games of Shiil, though such stories lie in times of legend.

The Brightest Shadow: The Rhen

(This is the fourth in my series of worldbuilding posts for The Brightest Shadow, leading up to the release of the second book, A Hollow Mountain.)

Though the outsiders call them the Rhen, in truth they are a diverse collection of factions and tribes. They were a single ethnicity in the distant past, but they have splintered into different niches around the Chorhan Expanse. Their leaders occasionally meet at a Confederation of Tribes, and if they united for war their forces would be formidable, but this has not occurred in centuries.

The Rhen are fiercely individualistic, so the above examples don't capture the full diversity of the tribes. It most directly represents the Nelee (Tani's tribe). War masks are more characteristic of the Kelfaa, however, and archery is most known in the western tribes.

Most Rhen village clusters are self-sufficient, though they freely trade with other groups. Each group has its own particulars, but very few Rhen are proficient in smithing or stonecraft while many tribes are known for elegant woodworking and embroidery.

Maturity isn't counted at puberty, but instead following a ceremony in which the youth affirms their decision to join the tribe and decides on their path in life. The exact rituals vary, but they commonly occur between 17-22 years old and involve a major commitment (such as Tani's Farwalk). Unlike some other cultures, the Rhen train nearly everyone in sein in childhood, though only the talented train beyond their formal induction into the tribe.

Rhen food is extremely diverse and generally eaten as many different dishes shared in a family or small group. Most eat whatever fruits and vegetables are local, though tribes that manage livestock can eat significant amounts of meat in season.

Most Rhen warfare takes the form of raids from which civilians are exempt, thus many favor light weapons. The Nelee are particularly notable for weapons with smaller reaches, given their history of forest warfare.

Each Rhen tribe keeps a closely-guarded set of traditions and techniques. In their own language, the word for sein is "wind". Though significant variety exists, in general Rhen techniques are known for speed and subterfuge. In their view there's no shame in learning techniques from other traditions, so long as the warrior has a clear vision of their path.

The sacred texts of their techniques are generally kept in special cases and held by a respected master of the tribe. Individuals are free to ignore the texts, but damaging the texts of any other group is deeply shameful. For some tribes, intentionally destroying texts is a crime punishable by death.