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+--- Thread: Qestir headcanons (/showthread.php?tid=13505)
Qestir headcanons - ManaAria - 09-21-2015
So I haven't seen anyone post a thread for this up yet, nor seen very much at all about the subject online, so I figured I'd start one since I've had an interest in other people's ideas. This thread will be for the discussion and (hopefully) solidification of different people's headcanons about the Qestir Xaela tribe. Through this, I hope that people can get more ideas on how their character's backstory might've been, and so Qestir that run in to each other might have a better chance of not having two completely different ideas on how the tribe works. Without further delay, I'll post my own ideas about the subject below, along with some alternatives I've talked to a few people about, and hope others will voice theirs so we may come up with some more overall community-accepted rules.
Names - Children are named at birth, and called that name by their family until around the age of six, after which it is no longer spoken. Some families may choose to continue to speak their names while around each other while in private, along with close friends. One's name is allowed to be given to outsiders in the situation that they cannot divulge it in any other way.
(Alternatively!) - Names may be one thing that is widely accepted to speak, in order to differentiate who one is trying to communicate with, or get a specific person's attention. Some may still choose not to, though.
Communication - Qestir are taught from an early age to pay attention to expressions and body language. Because of this, some are naturally expressive and use many motions of their body when conveying something to others to make it easier for other Qestir to understand their feelings. They have some gestures and hand signs that they use that are generally easy to pick up on the meaning of. When hunting, in battle or over long distances, some shouts and whistles are used to convey things like injuries and positions.
(Alternatively!) - Qestir may have a more complex form of gestures that they use among themselves, generally keeping the easier gestures for speaking with outsiders, such as when trading. 'Easier', of course, is subjective, though.
Hunting/Combat - Generally when hunting, small groups of two to four are used. Up and coming hunters will be in groups that constantly changed until people with a good compatibility with each other are found, after which they are solidified as a group and taught to further complement each other. Through this, these groups gain a strong synergy with each member, covering their faults and lessening any need for communication within the group. These groups are kept the same during wars with other tribes, generally using more guerrilla tactics and small-scale ambushes. Because of the strong synergy within these groups, it is not uncommon for hunting partners to end up in romantic relationships with each other.
(Alternatively!) - Some people that have a natural affinity with many people are instead kept as 'reserves', filling in for members of other groups when people are sick or injured.
Strictness/Laws - The one overarching law of the tribe should be obvious, "Do not speak language." Children, however, are allowed to be lenient with this law as they grow, though are pushed towards silence more as they get older. After members reach about ten, they are expected to keep to the rule of the tribe, and will generally only get one harsh warning after reaching this age. If one is caught speaking language by a less lenient member, or multiple members, then they could very well be exiled from the tribe. Some exiles, depending on the strictness of the current tribe leader, will be branded to show that they have broken this law and are not allowed to return.
(Alternatively!) - It could be that speaking is simply thought of to be vulgar, and only frowned upon by the general members of the tribe. One might not be exiled for speaking, but doing so would be a sign that they are untrustworthy.
This post may be edited to add further ideas.