Legends of Belariath

Sheyka History

History Handed Down In Tales

So little one you would like to hear the tales of our people... The Sheyka? Then do have a seat and let me tell to you the stories of our ancestors and how the Sheyka came to be. " The old sham moved about a bit getting comfortable since this obviously was going to take some time.

It all began when one day the skyfather was passing over this place that most called Belariath he looked down and saw the bests of the field and the running streams and the beauty of this land and thought that there should be on this place people to enjoy this beauty. So he formed the Sheyka under the cover of darkness from the darkness itself so great was the power of the sky father. We were formed of the darkness which explains out black skin and without the light there is no darkness which explains our white hair and the eye color the father took from the colors of some of the rocks about. The sky father realized that he could not oversee his new creations all the time so he set up between he and the Sheyka the spirits to be guides and to be protectors. Our shamans are our go betweens from our realm to the realm of the spirits. Each person has their own unique spirit linking them to the sky father. Some have animals some have elements and some have long dead ancestors. The Sheyka grew and prospered in the lands the sky father had given them eagerly moving from place to place to see more of the gift they had been given. The Sheyka knew no violence until they came in contact with the Dark Elves for the first time. It was a slaughter the likes the Sheyka are taught never to forget. The Dark Elves came upon the Sheyka and attacked in mass dragging many off the be slaves. The men who were left took the few weapons that the Dark Elves had left behind opting to carry off more slaves then weapons. They covered their faces with scraps of leather and charged out after the group of Dark Elves. The Dark Elves had made a camp this being a raiding party to the surface and were not worried about the people they had come across who had not put up much of a fight at all. They posted 4 sentries and the rest of them slept. The silent warriors of the Sheyka crept up on the Dark Elves who were after all out of their element and slit their throats quickly. They Sheyka moved through the Dark Elves ranks killing as they went until they found their Sheyka clans men and released them. This incident spurs a great hatred between the Sheyka and the Dark Elves. This also established the tradition of Sheyka warriors wearing masks and hoods to disguise them from their enemies. No non Sheyka ever sees a Sheyka warrior's face it is considered a very great dishonor of this happens. This introduced the Sheyka into a new world where everything wasn't happy and nice.... this was a world of slavery and violence concepts formerly unknown to this race. The Sheyka took to these concepts amazingly well the warrior took the stolen Dark Elves weapons and armor and began to learn to use them to a deadly efficiency. The Sheyka warriors hold to the belief that if they cover their faces one will not who or what is attacking them until it is to late. Warrior mask are normal decorated and made in such a way to try and resemble one protector spirit.

Among the people known as the Sheyka the standards to which the hold one another are very high. Honor and courage in the face of all things being 2 things all Sheyka children are taught from a very early age. To bring dishonor to ones tribe is something that will earn the Sheyka a banishment from the tribe and possibly even the loss of the spirit protector. In Sheyka society women and males alike are not allowed to be with anyone sexually until they reach the age of 18 summers. Males are the leaders in Sheyka society... they are the warriors, the hunters, and the leaders and every Sheyka male knows their place from very early on. The women of the tribe are the gatherers, the menial everyday tasks of the tribe