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The Yasa - the Traditions of the Horde of Karakorum at Night

The Anda don't trace their lineage back to Caine, but to Itügen and Mongke Tengri, and their child Dobrul the Brave, who became the founder of the Anda. They therefore don't follow the Traditions allegedly laid down by Caine, but an adapted version of Mongolian tribal law.

The Khan (who is comparable to the "Prince" of European lands) gets considerable leeway in meting out punishments - and one of the core features of the Yasa (both mortal and vampiric) is that parts of it are secret and only known to the Khan. Arbitrary rulings, favouritism, bribery, blackmail and flattery run rampant - especially when it comes to crimes wide open to interpretation, and when vampires end up hurt who the Khan doesn't mind to see hurt. Conversely, it is not uncommon to be hit with a punishment for a surprise crime when acting against the Khan's favoured subjects.

If the great, the military leaders and the leaders of the many descendants of the ruler who will be embraced in the future, should not adhere strictly to the Yasa, then the power of the state will be shattered and come to an end, no matter how they then seek Dobrul Khan, they shall not find him.

I: The Horde

The Horde shall remain united in its support of their Khan. All vasalls shall do their best to serve their Khan. All vasalls shall treat their peers fairly and equally, upholding the strength and unity of the Horde.

Vasalls are not to hurt each other and to forget offences completely, to spare countries and cities which submit voluntarily, to free from taxes temples consecrated to God, and to respect old people and beggars. Whoever violates these commands is to be put to death.

Spoils of conquests and endeavours are to be shared equally by all those who have participated. Whoever tries to hide away treasure or swindle his comrades is to be put to death.

The yam network of messengers is every vassal's responsibility, and everyone shall do anything to maintain, support and protect it.

All vassals shall present all their blood servants to the Khan at the beginning of each year, so that he might choose some of them for himself and his children.

II: Wayfarers

The Khan does not belong to any religion, nor does he put any creed above another. All Religions and Roads are to be respected and no preference shall be shown by the Khan to any of them.

When a wayfarer passes by vasalls drinking, he must alight and drink with them without asking for permission, and they must not forbid him this.

Any wayfarer who is an ambassador of his lord is sacrosanct and shall not be hurt. Mistreatment of an ambassador is punishable by Final Death.

No taxes or duties should be imposed upon fakirs, priests, monks, religious devotees, lawyers, physicians, scholars, people who devote themselves to prayer and asceticism, muezzins and those who wash the bodies of the dead.

III: Capital Crimes

Whether vasall, wayfarer or vagrant, the following crimes are punishable by Final Death, unless the great Khan decides to grant his mercy:

  • Cowardice
  • Defection
  • Treason
  • Whosoever puts his foot on the threshold of the tent of the Khan or his office holders shall also be put to death
  • The man in whose possession a stolen horse is found must return it to its owner and add nine horses of the same kind: if he is unable to pay this fine, his children and blood servants must be taken instead of the horses, and if he have no children, he himself shall be slaughtered like a sheep.
  • Whoever intentionally lies, or spies upon the behavior of others, or intervenes between the two parties in a quarrel to help the one against the other is also to be put to death.
  • Aiding a slave or captive against the wishes of the rightful owner
  • Failure to return a runaway slave or captive to their rightful owner
  • Attacks and sabotage on and interference with the yam network, its messages and its messengers.
  • Theft of a mortal woman belonging to a vassal or his herd
  • Whoever takes goods or favours (on credit) and becomes bankrupt, then again takes goods or favours and again becomes bankrupt, then takes goods or favours again and yet again becomes bankrupt is to be put to Final Death after the third time

    • IV: Our shared blood is to be kept clean, just like the shared water of the kine

    Just as any mortal who pollutes the flowing water and summons the wrath of the dragons is put to death, so will any immortal be put to death who pollutes the flowing blood of our mortal herds and summons the wrath of their united retribution.