Eynleyni

From Almeopedia

Eynleyni [ejn 'lej ni] are a people of northeastern Ereláe. They are distant relatives of the Qaraus. They have been initially hunters and gatherers, but after about -1350 they have learnt agriculture from the ktuvoks, which of course made them their slaves, forming the infamous empire of Munkhâsh. Later, as the empire expanded, the Eynleyni became one of the dominant human peoples of eastern Ereláe (ruling other nations was the chief reward for their loyalty to the demons). After the destruction of Munkhâsh in 1667 they were briefly ruled by the Caďinorians and Tžuro, and later by the Carhinnoi. Today, they form the human elite in Dhekhnam. The success of Dhekhnam owes as much to the Eynleyni as to the demons, which indicates that the relationship has probably become more symbiotic.

The Eynleyni are often called "demon worshipers", especially in the older Almean texts. From what is known, however, their religion, called Gelalhát in Verdurian, bears little or no similarity to terrestrial Satanism. It is a strict and hierarchical polytheistic religion in which the gods are imagined as supernatural ktuvoks. The religion is despised by other human cultures because of widespread human sacrifices. Eynleynis are also known for tattoos, earrings, body paint, and other bodily modifications intended to scare their enemies.

Eynleyni languages are said to be "mellifluous", but unfortunately little of them is currently known. There are three named languages:

• Munkhâshi, the extinct language of ancient Munkhâsh
• Demoshi, the language of Demóshimor and the official language of Dhekhnam (thus known less correctly as Dhekhnami)
• Tyellakhi, the language of Tyellakh

Author: Stilgar