'Elokh

Structure

Droghi First Officer Second Officer Third Officer Fourth Officer Followed by a number of elite troopers of other types (such as the Drop Unit ), infantry, retired army in civilian work, and civilians.

Culture

'Elokh was most known as the gatekeeping droga for the Stenza's migration routes, and as such gained a reputation as a favored clan of the Snow Pup Migration. As a result, 'Elokh picked up many of the lore and practices of the Greater Pass, with an added emphasis that the anomalous pups enjoy being played with, and this activity is encouraged. 'Elokh was a pioneer in early versions of the hospitality code and inter-clan alliances, born out of the necessity of avoiding conflict during both migration and hunting seasons. Lore around the region tended to emphasize the "hospitality test" aspect of Snow Pup behavior. 'Elokh's members have also been known for two characteristics of their weaves: one, like many other Low Pass Stenza, they have adopted a lot of Lesser Pass Stenza weaving practices, including tubular edging and sturdy yarn; and two, every extant garment from the clan has, somewhere in its structure, a deliberate flaw. This flaw may be connected to the local belief that Stuz'a told mortals the stories of the gods while he was teaching them to spin and weave (and therefore he advised the practice), or it may be connected to Tapestry weaving in the region as part of its symbolic and visual vocabulary. Or it may be a reflection of pup behavior, from ordinary pups and Snow Pups alike.

History

'Elokh is one of the oldest settlements (until recently) still occupied by a clan. It predates Jal'sa by at least two thousand years, and its position near a migration route has allowed it to maintain cultural significance for almost all of its life. During two pre-Unification wars, 'Elokh served as a headquarters for an alliance of clans, precursors to the grander Unification to come. While 'Elokh's prominence waxed and waned over the course of Unified Stenza history, it was on the rise prior to the Clan Killings, and the elder was strictly opposed to new leader T'zu-Crae's positions on, well, everything. As a result, the 'Elokh settlement was hit hardest by the killings. There is one known survivor, who was taken in by the Clan of the Lost, but there are rumors that he and his blood sister will form the nucleus of rebuilding the clan.

Mythology & Lore

'Elokh is one of the clans who believed (and thus recorded in their oral histories) that Stuz'a taught mortal Stenza the stories of the gods and their exploits alongside teaching them to spin and weave. By consequence they also have a rich history of Tapestry weaving, although naturally such activity was discontinued following the Clan Killings. 'Elokh is also held to have a special relationship to the Snow Pup Migration, dating back into their earliest history (and influencing a possible "filler" episode involving Migration leading the Stenza's ancestors out of the Ice Flats and onto land in the first place). This connection persists in the local area, where Migration in Mourning is frequently recorded, especially among Low Pass Stenza youths.