The Winged Horde (ウイングホード, Uinguhōdo), sometimes referred to as Winghorde and, derogatorily, Wingers (ハネつき, Hane-tsuki), are a race in the Suikoden series. Several characters in the series have been members of this race.
Overview
The Winged Horde are a demi-human race, with large wings on their back and clawed feet. Their wings do not support sustained flight and were made of a thin membrane. Rather, they are used for gliding purposes. They use nerek, a foul-smelling liquid to protect their wings and repel insects.
This and their custom of storing food for long periods of time, gave rise to a stereotype of Winged Horde as malodorous. They were also known as sanguine, which lent itself to mischief. The term "Winger" was often used to refer to Winged Horde but was considered derogatory.
Their largest known settlement is in Two River City, although other communities apparently exist in the Grassland. They once had settlements in Tinto Principality but were forced from the area due to a combination of Tinto's strip mining began to damage the land and attacks from the Highland Kingdom during the Highland-Jowston War.
A displaced people, the Winged Horde were brought to Two River City by Genkaku in 432, where they were given land on the sandbar that divides the Lana River and recognized as citizens with the right to be involved in the civil process there. This action was approved by the City-State of Jowston but paid for out of the military budget, upsetting some, such as Darell.
Over time, their traditional clothing became less and less worn save by a few, such as Marnie. However, some cultural traditions remained intact, such as their annual Spirit Festival which payed respect to the dead.
A common game among Winged Horde children and adolescents was a ball game where two teams would compete to throw or kick a ball, usually made of leather and filled with cloth, into the opposing team's zone, usually marked by a net tied between two trees or other supports.
The reputation of the Winged Horde in Two River suffered to a lack of cultural understanding between the races there. However, their bravery during the Dunan Unification War was noticed and following the conflict, the persecution they suffered in the past has ceased.
References
- Genso Suikoden I & II Official World Guide Book (ISBN 4-471-36033-7), page 59
- Genso Suikoden II 108 Stars Character Guide (ISBN 4-88317-769-6), page 252
- Genso Suikoden Encyclopaedia (ISBN 4-575-16297-3), pages 32-3, 216
- Genso Suikoden Short Story Collection 4 (ISBN 4-8402-2106-5), pages 265-296
- Marugoto! Genso Suikoden Book (ISBN 978-4-7577-3673-3), page 110
- Genso Suikoden Kiwami Encyclopedia (ISBN 4-575-16297-3), pages 130, 282