Sluagh

Upon birth, all Sluagh inherit a Contract signed in times before memory with a great and ancient nameless Force. In virtue of this deal, each of them received the strength to survive and prosper in Farbeyond. In exchange, they had to forfeit all chances to leave their scores unsettled.

Still today all Sluagh are known to be Revenant from Farbeyond in memory of the long journey that led them back into the House. By the power of this Contract, the Sluagh have become Unbleeding and gained the extraordinary ability to heal even mortal wounds. This gift made them fearsome warriors during the First Household War.

The counterpart of their Contract is Debt. All Sluagh must honor any debt incurred after losing a bet if they wish to avoid Terrible Terrible Things.

The Sluagh Folk arrived in the House many years after the Master’s disappearance. Treaties tell us that they came from a place so far that nobody even remembers it, and they call it Farbeyond.

The day the Sluagh entered the House is known as Samhain, but some traditions also refer to it as “the Wild Hunt”.

As we all know, the first period of coexistence be tween the Sluagh and the other Household Folks was less than peaceful, and to this day, the many prejudices, rumors, and falsehoods against the Sluagh are proving hard to eradicate.

It is hard to define what Sluagh are, as possibly their main trait is their heterogeneity. A sluagh could be half as tall as a fairy, while the next could be even taller than a boggart. Their skin can go from ghostly white to shiny black, and spans many hues of green, brown, purple, and red. As a rule, the Sluagh have long pointy ears that can either stand straight and rigid or droop downward, and dark eyes that are either extremely small or way too large for their face.

But inside, all Sluagh are the same. They indeed all have the same black, tacky blood flowing through the veins, a peculiarity that makes them extremely resis tant, if not even immune, to most known poisons and illnesses.

Sluagh culture is extremely complex and different from that of other Folks, which has caused many misunderstandings and diplomatic incidents throughout History.

Sluagh from the Kashab are expert travelers of the Sawdust Waste, nomads hardened by the False Fire and staunch keepers of some of the most ancient traditions in the Household. Viletians, who live in the shade of the Pinwheel, are passionate littlings who love food, music, and good company. Near La Escalera, the Sluagh know the best way to welcome travelers with warmth, and they know how to charm them with Ratadores. In Al Sehir, on the other hand, they gather around the Great Blade with their bazaars filled with marvels, busy as bumblebees.

But there is one thing that most Sluagh cultures share, and that is a great respect for tradition. Many homes and towns are still decorated with statues or images of various idols of their ancient cults from Farbeyond. A vast majority of sluagh still feel a very strong bond with the teachings of these golden figures, usually represented as beasts or monsters like the Spider, the Scorpion, and even the mythical Snake.

Sluagh are an extremely populous Folk and they make up about half the population of the House If you ever visit the Rusted City, you’ll understand how the overpopulation causes widespread poverty, which in turn pushes many sluagh to migrate in search of better fortune, or to take on dangerous jobs that promise high pay.

Figures show that most sluagh are employed in war-re lated sectors, in entertainment, and in commerce. They are widespread throughout all Household territories, but still mostly concentrated in the Basement, beneath the Quivering Stairs.

Most people of this Folk speak Slugan, a language with more than 100 dialects that sometimes share so little with one another to appear as completely different languages.