Eshu
The wind at my back, a tale upon my lips, and a hearty stack of bills in my pocket! Now that's the good life! — Carolan Walks-far, eshu storyteller
Contents |
History
Explorers and entrepreneurs, dashing heroes and dastardly villains - eshu are never the supporting cast. These restless African fae embody the spirit of adventure, and as such can be found nearly anywhere in the world, pursuing quests and telling tales of their previous travels. Fae royalty in their homelands, eshu have since adapted to their involvement in Kithain society and the return of the sidhe with both humor and outrage. Few of their European or Amercian brethren recognize their titles, and so that eshu take a loose view of title and nobility. Besides, it's hard to be a ruler on the open road anyway, and an eshu will take that freedom over some stuffy post anytime. Natural advocates of freedom and fierce individualists, eshu would no sooner lay claim over another than they would be held themselves. Eshu also have a deep love of tradition and custom, and abide by a wayfarer's code of sorts, which demands they respect the customs of their host and refuse no other traveler aid any more than they would wish for themselves. When slighted past the point of their considerable politeness, eshu make formidable enemies, and one will go to great and creative lengths to take revenge on the one who insulted her.
Although not hams in the way of pooka and satyrs, eshu are still consummate entertainers. They view life as a heroic movie or wonderful tale in which they are central characters, which make them very intimately aware of their 'audience.' Eshu can become very cross if often interrupted or denied a dramatic entrance. Dignity and poise is almost as important to them as their freedom, and an eshu always take pains to appear on top of things.
Eshu tend to find jobs as entertainers, gamblers, dilettantes, reporters - any trade that lets them indulge their thirst for travel. Although once primarily of African, Arabic and even Gypsy origin, eshu of all races now walk the roads of the earth; an eshu's fae form is tall and graceful, with deep skin tones and fathomless eyes. Eshu chimerical clothing tends to favor colorful Arabian-style flowing garb with sashes and adornments, or African tribal finery.
Background
One of the more ancient of all the changeling races, the eshu came into existence in the savannas and deserts of Africa. Thousands of years ago, Bantu, Masai and Somali tribes called them Eshu. These native peoples believed that the Eshu ran with the leopard, climbed with the monkey and swam with the crocodile. Because the tribes lived a nomadic lifestyle, migrating with the seasons and the animals, so did the Eshu, an attribute they have never lost.
The Arabs who migrated into Africa in the Middle Ages had an enormous impact on the Eshu. They initiated the change to the modem name, "Eshu." Over the centuries, Arab beliefs turned them from playful sprites into powerful, honor-bound warrior fae who protected the land and anyone who traveled across it, especially traders. By the 16th century, the Arabs had established many trade routes in and around the coast of Africa. Thus, the eshu evolved into the serious, nomadic, trade-loving changelings known today.
Over time, a more sedentary society developed in Africa, and these people began to look down upon and fear the nomads. Those who roamed acquired a reputation for thieving and running scams. This reputation extended to the eshu as well. They became known for their ability to outwit others, especially when money was involved.
Attitude
The eshu tend to approach life as if it were an epic movie and they are the main characters. Many take their roles to heart, dressing the part and playing to the audience. Some play the gallant knight riding in to save the day on his white charger. Others prefer a more subtle approach, stepping in as the silent hero who never stays long enough for people to thank him. Still others take the part of the dastardly villain, wicked yet witty to the end.
An eshu can become quite irritated if her entrance is spoiled or her plans are thwarted, and she despises an anticlimactic ending. Throughout her life, the eshu may play many roles, whatever feels right at the moment. In the end, the wealth of the tale is all that matters. Keep in mind, however, that the eshu does not act it — she lives it.
Despite their tribal origins, the eshu have cultured, polished manners. They believe strongly in social tradition and rituals. With open inquisitiveness, they study other cultures, often adopting their host's customs in his presence. This endears them to many different people.
Appearance
Although the eshu come in all colors, the majority tend to have dark skin and African or Arabic features. Their dark eyes can seem shadowed and mysterious, or bright and piercing. They wear their dark hair in a variety of ways; some even shave their heads as did their ancestors. In their faerie guises, the eshu stand taller than most other changelings. They often resemble Arab sheiks or nomads, wrapped in brightly colored silk and satin. Some also dress in the garb of African tribesmen, mostly naked, wearing split skirts made of animal skin with another hide or a broad red scarf thrown over one shoulder and tucked in at the waist. The Unseelie eshu tend to favor the more flashy dress of silks and satins.
- Spirit Pathways
Founded in the ancient belief that nomads can read the wind as if it were an open hook and use unexplainable means to find their way, the eshu's uncanny sense of direction continues to baffle other changeling races. An eshu will always arrive at her destination eventually, even though the route may not be the safest or most direct. She may not even know where she is heading. Her destiny guides her. Each eshu believes that if she follows her heart, it will lead her down the correct path.
Her destiny will take her to the right people at the right times, cause her to find or lose items at the right moment, or put her where she is supposed to be when relevant meetings or incidents are occurring. Because of this, the eshu is much more likely to stumble into an inobvious clue that will guide her toward fulfilling her role in life.
This ability is not restricted to locational, physical destinations. It has a much more metaphysical bent to it. Some would call it intuition; others would call it magic. Whereas most others have learned to ignore or fight the path which has been set for them, the eshu let go and follow it with incredible trust.
The passing of knowledge among Africans has long been an oral tradition. Stories handed down from father to son taught lessons of morality, culture and skills, as well as merely entertaining. Ancient African legends speak of the Eshu visiting villages in the guise of old men and telling grand tales beside the ceremonial fires. The Eshu were said to use their stories to charm whole tribes while the tribe's enemies sneaked up on them.
The legend went two ways, however. It was believed that good tales worked against the Eshu as well. The means to capturing the wealth of an Eshu lay in weaving a tale so intriguing that the faerie would feel obligated to pay the storyteller. Many tribespeople would share tales around die fire in the hope that when they awoke, a gift from the Eshu would await them next to their mats.
Over the ages, the eshu have become master storytellers, and they have never outgrown their adoration of it. They use stories in the same way the peoples of Africa did: to keep in touch, to educate and to entertain. Even more importantly, though, they use their storytelling as a means to fight back the Banality that would overtake the world. Their love of stories, both as tellers and as listeners, has remained their greatest talent and their greatest Achilles' heel.
- Recklessness
The eshu have so much faith in their own destiny that when an opportunity arises, they rarely pass it by, even if the odds seem outrageously against them. Other changeling races would see this as recklessness; the eshu merely see it as another act in the play. To an outsider, the eshu's view of destiny and their philosophy of freedom may seem to conflict. To an eshu, it makes perfect sense. The destiny that guides their lives can be denied. If it is, then the eshu believe they will be doomed. The path dictated by destiny will never be an entirely safe path. The eshu know and accept this. They view challenges as they would any other path that destiny has set before them, and feel that to avoid one out of simple fear or cowardice steers them from their true path and damns them to a life of directionless wandering.
Organization
A strong oral heritage ties the eshu together. They gather often to share tales of their own and others' adventures and misadventures. Similar to youth hostels, these special eshu freeholds have been established throughout the world. An open invitation to all eshu is well-known. Few pass up the opportunity to stop in and get their fix of great stories, when in the neighborhood. Many grumps eventually retire to these places, glad for the reliability of an appreciative audience that is renewed nightly. One such freehold exists in nearly every major city of the world; however, the one in Barcelona, Spain, has become renowned as the largest and most visited of them all.
These freeholds also serve to keep the roaming eshu in contact and up to date on their friends' activities. Messages come in the form of stories passed along from mouth to mouth. Although not time-efficient, this serves as an effective way for independent spirits to keep in touch.
- Social Dynamics
Originally nearly all the eshu followed the precepts of the Seelie fae. The majority still do. A disturbing trend has begun, however, in which some eshu have twisted the meaning of Uhuru into a more selfish concept.
Seelie Eshu
Two tenets separate the Seelie and the Unseelie eshu. Foremost, the Seelie revere love and honor. The two greatest gifts that an eshu can give are his love and his word. He gives neither lightly, for each is a bond which diminishes somewhat his freedom.
Despite the eshu's reputation for being scam artists, the Seelie eshu would never use outright lies or false love as tools for their ruses. They believe that to do so diminishes the value of the real thing. Of course, exaggeration is not really lying, and even Seelie eshu have few qualms about stating only part of the truth if it suits their purposes.
Secondly, Seelie eshu will rarely enslave another. To them, this constitutes the worst crime imaginable. They will often go out of their way to avoid doing so, even if it delays the successful outcome of their quest.
Unseelie Eshu
There exists a fine line between the Seelie and Unseelie eshu. Although both embrace the principle of freedom, the Unseelie do so at the expense of others. They cling to a darker, less noble aspect of the concept of freedom, autonomy without responsibility. They choose to ignore the effects their choices have on others, bogged firmly in the belief that whatever is right for them, even if it harms another, cannot be wrong.
Culture
- Beliefs
The eshu uphold a number of beliefs and customs that have been part of their heritage for centuries.
- Uhuru
The African word Uhuru, meaning "freedom," serves as a battle cry and a personal code for all eshu. The eshu value freedom above all else. Anything an eshu gives, he must give of his own free will. He does not bow to coercion. To be trapped or forced to act in a certain manner disgraces the eshu; no worse situation exists. For the eshu, freedom is a matter of pride and dignity.
For this reason, few eshu ever stay with the same person or people their entire lives. The Oath of Truehearts remains one of the most sacred oaths an eshu may take, for to take such a vow would be to give his very freedom into the hands of another. When an eshu feels he must move on, he will. Furthermore, the eshu believe that to settle down equates to giving in to Banality. Only through constant movement can one continue to renew one's self.
Many people perceive the eshu as self-serving and fickle. Quite to the contrary, the eshu feel that they would be committing a disservice if they were to remain in a place where they no longer belonged. They have a saying that in order to be true to others, you must first be true to yourself.
- Destiny
The eshu concept of destiny walks hand in hand with their treasured Uhuru. It accounts for their spontaneity and their blind faith. They believe that if an eshu is allowed to pursue her own path, she will always end up at the right place, both literally and metaphorically. Perhaps this explains their aversion to being forced or trapped into actions they would otherwise not chcxKe. In the mind of the eshu, to be forcibly driven from the path is to be damned.
- Traditions
Being several thousand years old can carry with it certain baggage. In the case of the eshu, this burden comes in the form of many traditions which have been handed down from generation to generation. The eshu would rather lose face than forget or neglect one.
- The Greeting
When two eshu meet for the first time, each one spits in or licks his own hand before performing a handshake. This tradition has its roots among the native peoples of Africa, who believe that spitting on a person serves as a promise that you will not place a purse on them. To the eshu today, it serves merely as an offer of friendship. No handshake will take place if one of the two refuses to spit. The eshu do not impose this tradition on other races.
- Animals
Most eshu abhor the practice of killing animals merely for sport. If they have to slaughter a rabbit or sheep for food, they will strangle it rather than spilling its blood. This tradition has its foundation in the belief that to waste any part of an animal is wrong. Eshu will drink the animal's blood as well as eat its flesh. They never kill an animal larger than they and their companions can eat in one sitting.
- Trees
The eshu will never break a limb from a tree without first asking permission of the tree spirit. They also have a small ritual that they perform whenever they cut down a tree. First, the eshu cuts a small branch from it, after asking permission, and lay the branch at the base of another tree. Once she has felled the tree, she must pour beer on the stump and say, "I give this beer as a gift to the Engai (spirit), if one lives here, and ask him to go to another tree." This ritual relieves the eshu of any curse which may come as the result of harming the tree spirit. The rest of the beer is then drunk by those present. Trees in Africa are sacred, perhaps because of their scarcity in many regions.
- Curses
The eshu believe very strongly in curses, including those incurred through geasa or Bans. They feel that each individual has the power to curse another, either by their actions or by spoken word. This has proven to he one of their greatest weaknesses, and one which an educated enemy can use to best them. An enemy may merely speak a curse upon an eshu, and the eshu's own power of belief will make the curse come true. Those who would curse an eshu, however, should take care, for most eshu will go to extreme lengths to kill the offender.
Referrence
- Changelings Player Guide pg. 65
