Hayka

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Hayka
Hayka.jpeg
CreatorXero
Information
Average Height190-230
Average Lifespan110 years
Hair ColoursRed, Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, Black, White, Purple
Eye ColoursVaried
Skin ColoursGrey, White, Black, Blue, Red, Green
Current LeaderRosanna Andrea Bloodwaters
CapitalPortegral
PlanetSaberos

Vikings and Pirates of old have always feared the Hayka, a race of Shark Humanoids that tread the seas of Saberos and beyond with a powerful navy and merciless intent, for whomever crosses paths with a Hayka is sure to be fed to the monsters of the oceans. The Samudrakhaas, an old Vishaali monument that depicts the history of ancient Saberos, depicts the shark-like people scourging the seas and pillaging coastal lands even as far back as nine thousand years prior to the Era of Unity. Other pieces of scripture originating from races now extinct write of the Hayka as monsters without cease or law that would kill with ruthless abandon and take whatever they sought for themselves, among them a race known as the Rachakr would witnessed first-hand their treachery when their whole species was razed and killed, leaving only whispers of their existence to the currents.

For the large majority of their history, the Hayka have been led by Dread Captains and lived off of raiding and pillaging, constantly at odds with the Vishaali who they shared their planet with since the beginning. Scattered across the island planet, the Hayka have hardly ever known unity in numbers and instead they've spent the better part of their existence competing against rivaling pirate crews who they shared the sea with.

Holy Four-Eye War

Thousands of years plundering and raiding the other nations of Saberos would paint a picture of strength for the Hayka that others would see as a challenge. By the end of the eighth century other nations would seek to best these pirates in naval and aerial combat but discover that they are not as easily bested as a gang of Goblins or a tribe of Gnolls. Even the sea of stars, a vast empty space between worlds, would become the Haykas' playplace once Skyships became more common. The fight against the Hayka Sky Pirates would incur the wrath of Archbishop Lazarus Solidus, then ruler of Luxfordia and the Church of Divinity, who would send an army to the Hayka home planet and begin a full-on onslaught against them. Leading the Luxfordian offensive would be Marisidon, a poet as as he was a general, and through his orders and foresight the fortress of Portegral was built as a forward post onto the world. A war on earth, sea and sky was fought between Luxfordia and the scattered Pirate Crews of the ocean planet which Marisidon took as an advantage in his push to colonise Saberos in the name of the Archbishop.

To win the war, Marisidon would reach out to Dread Captain Crystalfin of the Diamond Raiders to hire her crew as mercenaries. At that time, Crystalfin's crew was one of the greatest and it was taught that no man nor coin could persuade her yet Marisidon's wits and charm would ultimately win her over. For two years the war lasted, one by one taking the seaside outposts of the Hayka and razing them with holy flame. What started as a righteous war quickly turned into a bloodbath that even Nova Voltex spoke out against. Lazarus in his endless ego had wanted not only for the death of all Hayka, he sought the conquest of all of Saberos leading to tensions with the Fenik and by extension also the Vishaali. Even Marisidon, eternally loyal to his kingdom, began to see the wrong in his actions when it became children who died by the blade of his men. Lazarus would learn of Marisidon's ploy of recruiting the Diamond Raiders and be disappointed in him, leading to Divine Champion Ondos to be appointed as the new general in charge of the kingdom's offensive on Saberos. Under Lazarus' rule, the Diamond Raiders would be stabbed in the back by Ondos' men and thrown out of their ranks without their promised pay. Having learned of this, Marisidon would speak out at the Archbishop when he made his presence known in Portegral, asking that the attacks end. For this, Marisidon and those who agreed with him were deemed treasonous rats and sentenced to execution - their bodies skewered on the lancehead of Ondos before being thrown to the ocean.

Marisidon, however, would miraculously survive his ordeal and be pulled beneath the waves to a place he could only describe as being "dream-like". There he met the mystical Lamia and a host of Hayka refugees, children and women mostly, who healed him to full health. Unable to live with the guilt of what he had allowed to happen, Marisidon swore to aid Dread Captain Crystalfin in retaking her homeland, joining her crew which he would support with vital information of their enemy, doing so with only one ask in return - "Spare my men, even though they did not spare yours."

Thus begun the second phase of the Holy Four-Eye War that took Ondos by surprise when lesser settlements of his started to be cut off from his influence. One by one the Hayka were united and driven together as one force onto Portegral with Marisidon acting as their informant. Crystalfin's army besieged Portegral on the dawn of summer's start of 792 and in a day they swept through besting Ondos' best men, honouring their promise to Marisidon with much reluctancy. Sir Marisidon and Madam Crystalfin would seek out and confront Ondos at dusk, the two fighting him in one last bloody duel that brought the ironclad soldier to his knees. Rather than kill him however, Crystalfin demanded Ondos to take his men and return whence they came and deliver news of his failure to his so-called holy father.

After Ondos' defeath, the Holy Four-Eye War would end with the liberation of the Haykas, yet the effects of the Luxfordians' colonisation would not be retractable - Crystalfin's Diamond Raiders would take over Portegral and allow Marisidon to stay by her side as an advisor on the simple premise of developing the Hayka society further.

Through Marisidon's aid, a nation of law started to emerge from Portegral and outwards that attempted to do away with the Hayka's pirating. For a time, the nation grew and absorbed the scattered Hayka city-states into their empire, forming a considerable maritime kingdom. Yet through unity, difficulties would arise that would ultimately cause greater divide among their own ranks. Different ideas on their race's future would cause power struggles in Hayka society.

Religion and Culture

To a rightful Hayka, no God is above that of the God of Water Aquaneph and the God of the Seas Raj'Samud. Though they do not take part in active worship like Humans do, the Hayka revere the seas with a high standing and claim any who would dare to defile it an enemy of their people. Through this belief, piracy across the seas of Saberos and beyond have lived through, the Hayka acting in their eyes as the true children of the sea who safeguard it with their life.

They say the quickest way to a Hayka's heart is through one's purse and this may say a lot when it comes to the shark people. Their love for currency thrives them to do almost anything even if it means murder or theft. Many Hayka pursue these selfish and greedy lifestyles simply out the thrill of it, while others do it out of desperation considering the condition the city of Portegral is in, where strength and backstabbing can get you the farthest when it comes to success and loyalty will leave you in the dumpwaters.

A lot of Hayka practice a form of Elementalism which focuses mainly on Water, conjuring devastating hydromagic to deal with their enemies. They may also mix in wind to summon sudden storms to destroy vessels at sea. The Hayka have a strong connection with the Fenik and the two races often make partnerships and deals that may profit one another greatly. As such, the Hayka have access to a powerful arsenal of weapons that can land devastating long-ranged attacks with a huge focus to blowing things up.

Society and its Structure

The Hayka people are split into dozens of pirate factions. The current de facto faction is known as the Coralfang Swashbucklers led by Dread Captain Rosanna Andrea Bloodwaters, although this can change with a change in leadership. Ultimately it is whoever controls Portegral that is deemed the ruler of the Hayka. After leading a revolution against Dread Captain Rao the Ruthless 250 years ago, Volucia took control over Portegral and made it the capital of their race from which other new settlements were built among the countless islands of Saberos. Still, even now some Hayka refuse to work under the leadership of Portegral and actively try to fight against them, causing mayhem and chaos among their ranks.

Since the age of Marisidon, the Hayka have adopted a culture inspired by ancient Luxfordia which is carried on to this day.

Physical Appearences

Hayka are Humanoids with notable shark-like features including the head of a shark and a long and girthy finned tail that serves as a battering weapon at times of desperation. Their physique is above average as man Hayka focus on their physical strength to wield heavy two-handed weapons and cannons or to beat someone up a lot faster. Their sharkskin is also tough, able to withstand small point-blank explosions and slashing attacks without a scrape, making many of them rather bold and reckless much like the Sark.