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Known as boggarts, Unseelie boggans are often those who have been betrayed or hurt as a result of their attempts to help others. They will avenge any slight—real or imagined—with a fervor that causes even redcaps to quake in their boots. Some set out to test how truly virtuous a person is, often undoing the work of others or constantly plaguing a victim with annoying cantrips to see what the limits of his patience are. Anyone who withstands this onslaught of mischief with a sunny disposition intact will be respected and often feared by the boggart and her companions henceforth.

While many Seelie boggans try to deny the Unseelie part of their natures, nearly all boggans spend at least part of their lives ruled by their Unseelie Legacy. It is unfortunate, but few mortals or Kithain who devote their lives to helping others avoid being taken advantage of at one point or another. When this happens to a Seelie boggan, she will often fly into a rage, seeking vengeance on not only the one who wronged her, but anyone else who would abuse the kindness of others. Such is their desire to punish, these Unseelie boggans often see wrongs where there are none, and tonnent innocents instead.

Outlook

While boggans generally like to think the best of people until proven otherwise, like all kith they have their own unique perspective on their fellow changelings.

Eshu

Seelie Boggans: Jolly good tale-tellers, even if they are

a bit scruffy. I can't see how they can just run around their whole lives long without putting roots down somewhere, but I suppose that's just their way.

Unseelie Boggans: Clever fellows, those eshu. All smiles

and silken scarves, your typical eshu is—until you realize he's nicked your purse. I have little use for these scoundrels.

Nockers

Seelie Boggans: While we appreciate the work they do

more than many of our brethren, what joy can there be in such technical work? Still, their work ethic is admirable, and if a little of that would rub off on the pooka and satyrs, the Dreaming might not be in such a state.

Unseelie Boggans: Mere technicians, they know

nothing of what it means to create something that is both truly beautiful and useful. They want nothing more than to play with their little Tinker toys until the cows come home. Pretenders, that's all they are.

Pooka

Seelie Boggans: Ah, well... It's a good thing they have

folks like us looking out for them. Charming creatures, but not what you would call practical.

Unseelie Boggans: They can't be trusted, they have no

appreciation for good hard work, and they're so addle- brained they don't know what they're doing half the time. Let them frolic in the dreams of infants and leave the rest of the world to those of us with more than an ounce of sense.

Redcaps

Seelie Boggans: Poor things. If they would only sit

down and have a cup of tea once in a while like civilized beings, they'd be a lot happier with life, I tell you. Of course, the last time I had one over for tea, she ate a whole batch of cookies and the cookie sheet to boot!

Unseelie Boggans: Mindless savages. Grant them a

wide berth if possible, but never let them see fear. They are our Jabberwocky, and you would do well to beware the jaws that bite, the claws that catch.

Satyrs

Seelie Boggans: Those satyrs who think with their brains

and not their... you know... are often wise, but most simply live for the moment. That's all well and good, but eventually they'll have to learn to keep their libidos in check.

Unseelie Boggans: Mad perverts, that's what satyrs are.

To be a slave to one's own desires is beneath contempt.

Sidhe

Seelie Boggans: For all their hoity-toity-as-you-

please ways, they're decent chaps. They think they're doing the right thing, acting the part of the brave leaders. How does one break it to them gently that we've been doing just fine without them?

Unseelie Boggans: Fools. These anemic fops will

have to get it through their heads that we don't need to be told what to do, thank you very much. Don't tell me how to run my house until you've got your own straight- ened out, eh?

Sluagh

Seelie Boggans: We grant them their due as the second

best news-collectors in Kithain society, and if you ever need to get the dirt on someone, these are the ones to turn to. Heaven knows they know all there is to know about dirt'.

Unseelie Boggans: I've got two words for those raga-

muffins: personal hygiene. Eat your veggies, bathe once in a blue moon, and wash your clothes periodically, and you won't look so much like something the cat dragged in.

Trolls

Seelie Boggans: Truly noble fellows, the trolls are. We

understand their sense of honor better than anyone else, though they seem too concerned with the letter and not enough with the spirit of an agreement at times. An agree- ment is a bond between two people, not some legal proceeding.

Unseelie Boggans: So full of themselves and their

precious honor that they ignore everything else around them. Just a bunch of overgrown, muscle-bound Smurfs, if you ask me.

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

World travelers, the eshu rarely stay in one place for long. They roam the globe seeking and sharing adventure. Great storytellers, the eshu love a gixxl tale, whether they are doing the telling or listening to someone else's. They live as if every hour were their last, avoiding boredom and stagnation like the plague. Although many would classify the eshu as frivolous thrill-seekers, in truth these roving fee pursue knowledge and experience with great seriousness. Their natural curiosity often gets them into trouble, one reason why they rarely live long enough to become grumps.

Background

One of the more ancient of all the changeling races, the eshu came into existence in the savannas and deserts of Africa. Thou- sands of years ago, Bantu, Masai and Somali tribes called them Eithu. These native peoples believed that the Eithu 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 Eithu, an attribute they have never lost.

The Arabs who migrated into Africa in the Middle Ages had an enormous impact on the Eithu. 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 anti- climactic 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 pierc- ing. 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.

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 situa-

tion 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 Banal- ity. 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 your- self.

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 tradi-

tions 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

curse 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 permis- sion of the tree spirit. They also have a small ritual that they perform when- ever 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 scar- city in many regions.

Curses

The eshu believe very strongly in curses, including those incurred through

geasa or Bans. They feel that each indi-

vidual 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.

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.

Birthrights

In document PLAN DE NEGOCIOS RELANZAMIENTO MICROEMPRESA SENTÍRE (página 107-0)