Quote: “That sounds like quite an adventure, but I have a tale to top that one! Pass me some of that spiced wine, and I’ll tell you…”

Eshu embody the spirit of adventure, originally descended from the dreams of the ancient tribes in Africa, India and their homeland in Chaldea, the eshu can be found in any part of the world. When they left their homelands, the eshu set forth into the world and wandered wherever their dreams would take them. Consumed by wanderlust, they value traits that ensure survival on the road, such as charm, sharp wits and ingenuity. After millennia of such travels, they have learned to adapt to and to adopt the cultures they have encountered. This has made their talents for songcraft and storytelling truly amazing.

The reputation of the eshu precedes them. Learning to live by her wits, a wise traveller always looks like an angel. If this means running a good scam, so be it. For the eshu, this works both ways. If someone else manages to out-scam an eshu, he certainly worthy of respect. Such tricksters are grudgingly rewarded for their accomplishment; after all, how else are the eshu to learn new scams?

An eshu’s curiosity and vanity can get him into all sorts of trouble. For this reason, eshu are slow to trust and tend to keep their own council. Their secret ceremonies are held away from other Kithain, and only a few fellow travellers are invited to attend. An invitation to an eshu festival is an honour that’s difficult to achieve.

Consummate tale spinners, bards, traders and con artists, the restless folk use the wisdom of a thousand journeys to guide their Arts. Performance art suits them well, for eshu consider the spirit of the moment to be everything. Anyone who provides an eshu with new tales, good songs or dances, a blissful liaison or strong drink is treated as a dear companion…until the spirit of the moment has passed. Inspired by this bliss, they move on and seek even greater adventures. Other Kithain might think them fickle, but who cares? One who cannot follow the path is best left behind.

Eshu follow those paths with pride, and impressing others is important to their kind. Mere survival is not enough - an eshu must have class. Dignity is everything to them, even if it involves an odd definition of “self-sufficiency”. An eshu will go without food and shelter if accepting it means giving up her pride.

Whenever possible, these Kithain dress in splendid garb and jewellery, which others consider exotic or flashy. To blend in, they sample the local arts and fashions and quickly learn to emulate them. Once they feel they have learned enough, they take the knowledge with them. Whether rich or poor, each eshu carries with him the collected wisdom of all his travels. Regardless of who others may call dukes or kings, eshu consider themselves princes of the road.

Appearance: Although eshu of all racial stocks exist, most have dark complexions, black hair and black or deep blue eyes. They tend to be tall and muscular, with long limbs and narrow features. Whatever fashion they follow, eshu are always dapper and charming, though they tend to favour scarves and silks with a Middle Eastern or African flavour. It is said that the dawn of time itself can be seen by staring into an eshu’s eyes.

Lifestyle: Eshu are always on the move. Their wanderlust takes them anywhere and everywhere. Reporters, gamblers, dilettantes - any trade that allows for travel suits them well.

Childlings make better followers than leaders. Always attentive and polite, they are full of questions and observations. They’re primarily loners, though, and will never follow the same adult for long. Many prefer to live as runaways or stowaways.

Wilders believe that the greatest adventures are yet to come. A young hero might style himself as anything from a modern-day African deity to a resourceful wanderer. Any legend of a great hero is a challenge for him to exceed.

Grumps tend to prefer a few locations to which they return again and again. They learn to settle at each place longer and trade stories of deeds that have already been done; their bardic circles are legendary.

Affinity: Scene.

Spirit Pathways - Eshu have an amazing sense of direction and exquisite timing; they always seem to arrive at their destinations at the most opportune moments. The path an eshu follows is always the most interesting route possible, filled with danger and challenge. Seelie eshu triumph righteously over adversity; Unseelie eshu leave bitterness and misfortune in their wake. Either way, the stories are always worth the trouble! No matter what he encounters along the way, an eshu will always find his way to his destination…eventually.

Talecraft - Whenever an eshu encounters a true adventure, he becomes wiser and his repertoire of stories grows. Eshu characters gain an additional experience point for any session in which they learn a fantastic new story or perform an incredible feat. (Tricking a chimerical dragon or outwitting a lofty noble are two examples of such feats.)

Eshu can never botch rolls involving Performance or Empathy.

Recklessness - Confidence and curiosity are inborn traits. Eshu cannot resist a challenge, gamble or quest if there if there’s a way to come out of it alive. They’re not stupid - they won’t take on suicide missions - but they do believe their luck can carry them through any hardship.

Hear the tales of Hazim Rashad, a courier of the Kingdom of Apples.

On Boggans - I have never understood commoners who are content to live in one place and serve but one freehold. Their hospitality, though, is wondrous.

On Nockers - Cynical artisans who have no recourse but to get caught up in the world of their creations. Too bad. The real world is far more fascinating.

On Pooka - A pooka generally makes an outstanding travelling companion, even if he has an odd way of showing you respect.

On Redcaps - Hideous, brash and dangerous. Stay out of their way, and beware of their foul moods.

On Satyrs - Always ready for a saucy tale of romance or a wild party. Be careful of what they carry in their wineskins, though.

On Sidhe - Their dreams are made of glass. If they studied this world a little more closely, perhaps they would not live in so much pain.

On Sluagh - Whispered secrets make for interesting stories, and they are very good audiences. It’s worth the effort to coax a tale or two from them.

On Trolls - Once you earn the respect of a troll, you can trust him with your life.