Eunuchs

Eunuchs (Dakian: Kasati; Ravennic: Castartan; Archkalbic: Gelder) are men who have been castrated, usually for a social, political, or religious purpose. Typically, they fill the role of servant or slave in social or political contexts. However, some religions are known to require priests to be eunuchs, most notably Hadism. Some eunuchs have been known to serve as soldiers and bodyguards, such as some household troops of Ravennic nobles, or the iyong soldiers in the Sodegin cities.

In Ravennic society
In Ravennic society, eunuchs fulfill a variety of roles. Most often, they are slaves, acting as guards or servants. On occasion, castration may be done as a punishment, particularly for rapists.

Being close advisors for the upper class of Ravennic society has granted many eunuchs a tremendous amount of influence and power. If stories are to believed, eunuch servants have influenced several notable events. Allegedly, it was Emperor Laus Neft's eunuch servant who convinced him not to raise the imperial levy to put down the Uskar Rebellion, leading to the disastrous Battle of Perus Valley. It is also said that the collapse of the Western Exarchate was orchestrated by a disgruntled eunuch, who conspired to turn its nobles against each other, thus breaking apart the last proper remnant of the Empire. As a result of stories such as these, eunuchs are generally distrusted by Ravennic commoners, occasionally to the point of outright hostility. However, the accuracy of these tales remains questionable.

In Dakian society
Prior to settling in the Artean Sea region, eunuchs did not exist as a concept in Dakian, or Ipka, society. The first recorded instance of Dakian contact with eunuchs was recorded by contemporary Ravennic historian Lar Inna, who described how upon Jersis ne Dorsi's conquest of the island of Visiket, the nobles who had assisted him in this effort, aware of his inclinations, gifted him three eunuchs as a gift. Upon discovering that the men lacked their genitals, the kunik was first shocked, then enraged, as he perceived this as an insult. He subsequently had the offending nobles beheaded.

To the current day, Dakian princes and chiefs rarely keep the company of eunuchs, generally being distrustful of them. However, some have adopted the practice of keeping them as advisers and, on rare occasion, even chosen to have eunuch bodyguards rather than the more common use of the pihahti.

Castration, generally, remains a taboo in Dakians society, but has on occasion been used as a severe punishment for those who cross particularly harsh chiefs or princes.

In Poeni society
In Poeni society, one must be castrated in order to become a priest. This is done as it is believed that by doing so one becomes as close to being physically between the Mother and the Father as possible. Thus, women are barred from the clergy, and clergymen are unable to take wives.

Outside of this, the use of eunuchs as slaves, guards, and advisors has been adopted by many Poeni nobles from the Ravennic cities, and their counsel is of great importance for very similar reasons as just described.