History Myth / BetiPahuinMythology

* MenDontCry: Bikuékué-bi-Loroto chastises his nephew for getting emotional over his two fiancee's: "Would you be sentimental? I warn you that a powerful man should not be bothered with sentimental emotions. A mighty man is the fire that cleans the bush; his heart is of rock, his mind of iron. Sentimental people are effeminate people who are dangerous to introduce into society. Take your position as a powerful man seriously and
do not weigh down your mind with the tears of little virgins."

* BlowYouAway: Nze Medang's son Efoua Medang flew around surrounded by a whirlwind. When he arrived in Oveng from Akoga he blow dust all over Akoma Mba's court. He took another deep breath and blew the dust cloud away, revealing himself.

* TheEeyore: Fiana Bendoman was a country of these. Nobody smiles, nobody laughs, nobody dances, nobody celebrates, nobody is happy. * ElementalPowers: Nkoum Akok Ndong Bibang of the thorn tribe fought against Engouang Ondo with sunlight, rain, and fire as weapons.

* BoulderBludgeon: Nze Medang smashed a boulder over Ella Minko’s head.

* HellBentForLeather:

* OverprotectiveDad: Mve Minlame adored his granddaughter Nseng Ondo to an unhealthy degree. He had her initiated as a baby so she would become very wealthy and beautiful and bear many children one day. He abducted her from her parents and when she was 17 years old he instructed her to carry him on her back to his tomb when he finally died. Once there, he trapped her in a magic ball inside the tomb.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority:

* '''Akoma Mba''' is the supreme leader of the Ekang. Feared by almost all, his secret is that he has no secrets. He was the one who made immortality possible. His brothers call him ”Biyang” or the dominant one.

* AmbiguousDisorder: Angone Zok one of the nicest guys in Engong. He is actually quite good-natured unless he has been angered or is faced with a crocodile man from Oku. Then all bets are off. He flips a switch and becomes an utterly blood-crazed psychopath.

* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex:
** Obame Andome and Eyeng Ondo (in disguise) had passionate sex from sunset to sunrise after Engouang Ondo's clone failed to show up for another attack.
** Elone Kam Afe was an excellent lover who pleasured his wives from the tips of their toes to their hair. Amanessigha was overwhelmed with delight, and the shy Efoutame had a fantastic experience despite being very nervous.

** Asseng Mbane's sacred shrine contained an abyss in the floor, from where rainbow colored fumes wafted out.

%%* BaldBlackLeaderGuy: Akoma Mba could be the page image.

* TheLostWoods: Ebomam is a vast forest by the Meko Mengone mountains. The eastern slope is covered perpetually by a mysterious fog. Nobody ever goes there. Not a soul in the world knows what happens there.

* SupernaturalIsGreen: Asseng Mbane had green eyes.

* AdultFear:
** When Medza Metougou’s daughter Oyane is kidnapped by Asseng Mbane to be sacrificed to complete a ritual that will turn him immortal.
** Engouang Ondo has his infant son kidnapped by Eyene Ndong of the Yemimfum.

* RapidAging: Oveng Ndoumou Obame was as developed as a 14 year old by the time he was 6 months old.

* Reincarnation: Andome Ella was allowed to reincarnate after losing his court battle against Akoma Mba and the Ekang, still seeking revenge. He was born as twin brothers: Bizango Nkut Obama and Eyegue Obama.

* ReptilesAreAbhorrent: Alum Ndong Minko the crocodile-man was born from a giant floating egg. He was one of the most vile foes the immortals faced.

* RingOfPower: Engouang Ondo owned a copper ring which allowed him to teleport to Nda Bigouba if he twisted it.

* RuleOfThree: Enforced by the Ekang. The council of elders is headed by a representative from each of the three warrior clans. Any military expedition by the Ekang must have a representive from the three clans.

* SacredHospitality: Very important in Beti-Pahuin culture. Hosts must always be accomodating to guests and guests must always be polite to hosts. Even the Ekang take great care to make their guests comfortable. Serious matters are only discussed the day after the arrival of travelers.

* ScaryScorpions: Oveng had huge black scorpions among the gifts his ancestors gave him. Ntoutoume Mfoulou tried to cut off one’s stinger with scissors and failed. The creature stung him quite badly and their brawl sent them flying out of the mountain and back to Angone Zok & Engouang Ondo’s location. Angone slew the monster with a magic arrow.

* ShearMenace: The entrance of Angone Zok's home has a massive pair of scissors which chop up tresspassers with lightning speed.

* SufferTheSlings: Obame Andome was furious that the Ekang had invaded the Essighlessi capital of Messola Nkini, especially that they stood in the guardhouse as if they owned the place. So he took his sling and shot a pebble at them, which exploded. Engouang Ondo sensed the danger though and tore off the roof, using a net to scoop his comrades back up to the rainbow cloud they flew on just in time.

* SuperSpeed: Nguema Nsing Bere is faster than thought.

* SwallowedWhole: This was your fate if Ombure was in a good mood.

* SympathyForTheDevil: Mba Evine spared Zok Memveme despite the latter having killed his father Evine Ekang.

* TheSwarm: During the war of giants and dwarfs the dwarfs flew around in great numbers like bees and stabbed them all over.
* ATasteOfTheLash: Nkabe Mbourou flogged Ella Minko to humiliate him after claiming his whistle and rattle.
* TheTease: Eleng Akena in her beautiful form held Engouang Ondo's hand, smiled at him, and ran away. He chased her around in the dim light for a while before she allowed him to catch her. After playfully resisting him they consumated their desires.
* TellMeAboutMyFather: After years of wondering, Elone Kam Afe asks his father why he died. Kam Afe tells him that he was visiting Assangone Obiang in Maane Meni after returning from Mikour-Megnoung-N'Ekobègne across the Mveng Metué river. He had recently married a young woman and had a huge train of animals as wedding gifts with him. It was then that he ran into the terrible Anvam Eyeghe Bong, the scourge of Etone Abandzik Meko Mengone who kidnapped his new bride and stole the vast fortune in wedding gifts. Kam Afe did not want anyone to tell his son about this and gravely warned him to flee Anvam Eyeghe Bong immediately if they ever met. Kam Afe told Elone that he was the last precious thing he has left in the world of the living, causing the youth to cry and hug him again.

* TheTrickster: Afougou Zogo was a mortal joker to the Ekang. He gave them plenty of fun trying to murder him.

* TykeBomb: When Engouang Ondo was born Akoma Mba came to the hut where everyone was cooing over the baby. He took the infant and vanished with him. Then he went to the king of magic Angouang Bere to initiate the boy. Akoma Mba was shown a perfectly clear pool of water which the trio entered. They all dematerialized and then rematerialized at the crossroads of the world. At the center was a fire, surrounded by three stone altars in a triangular shape. On each altar was a pot filled with water and magical ingredients. Next to the fire was a great mat. Around this formation stood the almighty (N)Zame Mebegue, Kare Mebegue, and Zong Mebegue the lord of evil. There stood also the ghosts of Nguema Ekang, Nkome Ekang, Mboungoa Ekang, Mengone Ekang, and Eyang Mba. Even the Oku wizard Ayangoum was part of the semi-circle. They had all been invited by Akoma Mba. Engouang Ondo had been chosen to lead humanity, and as such he required the greatest of all powers to initiate him. Little is known about the initiation itself. What is known is that Engouang Ondo rapidly grew into a young man 20 dry seasons of age and witnessed his own initiation. Then he turned back into a baby. Akoma Mba then put all the fetishes present into a cylindrical container. Everyone at the ceremony including Akoma Mba had to swear they would never initiate anyone or even participate in the initiation of anyone who could ever rival Engouang Ondo's power. God himself was the first to march over the Nsek (cylinder full of fetishes) and Akoma Mba was the last. Akoma Mba then ate the Nsek and Engouang Ondo's famous white Evus was activated.

* VolcanoLair: Not exactly a volcano but the Flame tribe wizards conducted their meetings inside a mountain which would open and close at their will. Oveng later hid his people here while the Ekang were trying to commit genocide against them.

* WeatherManipulation: Nsangane Obame Ndong was initiated by his uncle and gained the power to control rain. He began charging high fees in order to release them. This led to a horrible drought. Akoma Mba rallied the Ekang for war while Angouang Bere hunted for the rain.

* WhyWontYouDie: Zok Memveme became increasingly frustrated and erratic trying to kill Mba Evine.

* WingedHumanoid: The Ekang were known to give themselves iron wings to fly around with.

* WomanlinessAsPathos: Even aside from the fights over the love of women like Nkudang, Eyenga, and Oyane you have characters insulted by being compared to women or influenced by women.

* WorldsMostBeautifulWoman: Aloume Ndong Minko from the village of Aloum. She was said to be more beautiful than moonlight.

* {{Yandere}}:
** Zong Midzi flew into a homocidal rage when he caught Nsure Afane strolling with his proposed fiancée Nkudang, and also flirting with his wife Esone Abeng.
** Engouang Ondo chopped down plenty of men who made the mistake of trying to get comfortable with his wife Meki M’Assigue Nseng.

* WouldntHitAGirl: Engouang Ondo refused to fight Nkeyeng Assoumou because she was a woman, despite her great power. Said it was unworthy behavior.

* YouKilledMyFather: Elone Kam Afe swears to avenge his father Kam Afe against Anvam Eyeghe Bong.

* YourSoulIsMine: Mefoumou Mba Foumou kept dried or pickled body parts from his slain enemies which his wizard Mbale Biang turned into fetishes. He would command the ghosts at will and their powers increased his own powers. He once tried to pull this on Nguema Nsing Bere and Medza Me Mfoulou, hoping to become the most powerful man in the world by stealing the souls of two immortals. It did not work.

* ImAHumanitarian: The old sage Bitome Bizo'o knew his death was approaching soon, so he performed a ritual where he removed his own liver and heart with a knife and served them to his disciples as a meal. He told them every Mvet player will have a piece of his heart and liver, and the art will live on that way.

* Immortality: The Ekang men enjoy CompleteImmortality, however the women of the Ekang are explicitly barred from immortality.

* InLoveWithTheMark: Asseng Mbane fell in love with Oyane Medza and decided to keep her for himself instead of sacrificng her for immortality like the wizards of his tribe wanted.
** Similarly Obame Ndong fell in love with Nsagone Akoma despite his mission to kidnap and sacrifice her to create a Byeri for his clan. He did not want to let such a beautiful girl go to waste.

* Invisibility: Akoma Mba turned himself and the Ekang assembly invisible with a wave of his hand at the start of Obame Andome's fight with Efoua Medang and Engouang Ondo.

* KidHero: Oveng Ndoumou (physiologically and mentally) and Elone Kam Afe were both early teenagers.

* KillerGorilla: Some tribes would capture gorillas and unleash them during melees to raise hell.

* KissingCousins: Bella Mindzi in some tellings, resulting in the birth of Akoma Mba. The Beti-Pahuin do not really distinguish between siblings and cousins.

* LoveIsAWeakness: Among many others, Akoma Mba especially believed in this. Despite having seventeen wives and a son (Ondo Biyang) by one of them he absolutely refuses to fall in romantic love. He views his women more like possessions and sources of pride. Even when he has sex with them he maintains absolute discipline and sees it as a purely physical act.

* MagicCauldron: The Essighlessi wizards used one to brew a magic sauce to try initiating Obame Andome by force. When they brought a spoonful to him the cauldron exploded, scalding and blinding all the sorcerers. Those who didn’t die immediately fell incurably ill before succumbing.

* MagicMirror: Akoma Mba owned one which he used to watch events in the world.

* MagicPotion: Obame Andome poured one at his feet and then smashed two turtle eggs from his satchel in order to free himself from the copper hooks Efoua Medang had attached to him. He did a frantic ritual dance and flew away.

* MakeMeWannaShout: Ntoutoume Mfoulou was known for his supernatural vocalizations. During the cave battle against Oveng’s forces he screamed a mob of Gorillas into the walls before killing them.

* MakeMyMonsterGrow: Mefoumou Mba Foumou turned a mouse into a terrifying Ebigane in order to destroy the python bridge on the Melole river.

* MenDontCry: Bikuékué-bi-Loroto chastises his nephew for getting emotional over his two fiancee's: "Would you be sentimental? I warn you that a powerful man should not be bothered with sentimental emotions. A mighty man is the fire that cleans the bush; his heart is of rock, his mind of iron. Sentimental people are effeminate people
who are dangerous to introduce into society. Take your position as a powerful man seriously and

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: Akoma Mba eventually admitted to himself that he was an absolute monsterwho had caused an unmeasurable amount of suffering and misery in the world in the pursuit of power at all costs. This made him and his wife Melou Me Ne Mbeng decide to seek out Nzame to be cleansed of his sins.

* NatureAdoresAVirgin: New initiates can only be fed food prepared by virgins in order to maintain ritual purity.

* Nephewism: Engouang Ondo was raised by his uncle Akoma Mba per the instruction of Mba Evine. Akoma Mba was a devoted and loving uncle: he taught Engouang how to hunt, how to fish, how to fight, how to do magic, how to farm, and how to be wise.

* NothingButSkulls: All over the place, considering the key role of the Byeri cult.

* OurGiantsAreBigger: The man eating giant Mbuandong had to be dragged from his lair using a great ship.

* OurOgresAreHungrier: Ezuzums were nasty bush devils who ate people.

* TheQuietOne: Engouang Ondo is the strong silent type. He never raises his voice. Even in the heat of battle or when commanding his warriors.

* ValuesDissonance: A man was well within his rights to hit his own wife, albeit she was free to run back to her family if it became intolerable. Nkudang eggs on Nsure Afane to fight Zong Midzi after the latter slapped her for being a relation of Angone Zok. "Hasn't a husband the right to strike his wife?" was her implication that she was
Zong Midzi's for now, and he should should take her back by force.
** Bride-kidnapping was just a fact of life. If a man was too poor to pay bride-price, he simply stole a girl. It was the tribe or clan's responsibility to be strong enough to prevent bride-kidnappings or to recover the girls.

* ArtifactOfPower: Ngurangurane’s grandfather owned a magic talisman. He didn’t realize that it answered to Ombure only, and it betrayed his escape plan to the beast. Fortunately Ngurangurane was able to subject the charm to his own will, using it to call down a lightning strike against Ombure.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority:
** Akoma Mba was already beating up other boys as a lad and claimed numerous heads in battle when most boys had only recently finished initiation. He was considered to be the master of his own (step) father. His ascent to power was almost entirely driven by fear.
** Ntoutoume was angry his lineage didn’t have a great man yet so he challenged the descendants of Etounga and Mba to a a duel. They were evenly matched so Ntoutoume’s bloodline were called the hammers (like Etounga’s were stone and Mba’s were iron, a reference to smithing).
* AttractiveBentGender: Almost every man wanted to marry the gender bent Akoma Mba, allowing him to get close to his enemy Abo Mama and learn the secret of his staff.
** Ntoutoume Mfoulou had his mother transform him into a beautiful lady so he could lure out Angone Obame Ndong.

* BadassFamily: You could consider all the descendants of Ekang Nna to be this. Even before Akoma Mba discovered immortality they engaged in numerous conquests on their campaign to Engong.

* BarbarianTribe: The Yemebong who live on the banks of the Assoumami river. They are the wildest, most lawless, most chaotic tribe in all of Oku. They spent their days bare-knuckle brawling and insulting each other.

* BitchSlap: Medza me Mfoulou slapped the shit out of Mboumefek of the Bedzingoh tribe before Mboumefek calmly crossed the python bridge of the Melole.

* CainAndAbel: Akoma Mba and Andome Ella. In Fang culture cousins are not distinguished from siblings. A male cousin is considered a brother and a female cousin is considered a sister.

* CarryABigStick: Mfoumou Angong Ondo wielded an iron club the size of a Baobob tree.

* TheClan: All over the place. Engong is home to four clans, but three of them are famous.

* Cloudcuckoolander: Angone Zok once demanded he be made into a chief by Akoma Mba. Bemused, Akoma Mba asked him WHAT he wanted to be chief of. Angone Zok went on a tangent about how it didn't matter WHAT he is chief of, only that he be a chief. Akoma Mba thereby named him Chief Angone Endong.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Discussed. When Obame Andome visits his father Andome Ella in the underworld, his father notes that it was foolish of him to try kidnapping the powerful Engouang Ondo head-on. Andome Ella tells him that he would have been more successful if he kidnapped a woman, a child, an elder, or a disabled person instead to make the heroic Engouang Ondo follow him into his clutches.

* CoolAirship: Ngouba was a flying wicker basket which the Ekang sometimes used, it gave off rainbow exhaust fumes.

* HorseOfADifferentColor:
** Eyenga Nkabe rode a leopard with whom she had a psychic connection.
** Angone Zok rode a flying mouse the size of an elephant.
** Ntoutoume Mfoulou rode a pelican.
** Mefoumou Mba rode an elephant.
** Many immortals were fond of flying around riding iron or rubber balls.
** Engouang Ondo humiliated Zip Bibana of the Biguila tribe by forcing him to be his mount in public after defeating him in battle.

* CreationMyth: Oyono Ada witnessed Eyo create Aki-Ngoss which exploded into Mikour-Mi-Aki. Mikour-Mi-Aki generated Biyem-Yema-Bi-Nkour or the nebulae. Biyem-Yema-Bi-Nkour brought forth Dzop-Biyem-Yema or the sky. Dzop spawned Bikoko-Bi-Dzop or the heavens. The first spirit called Ngwa was born from Dzop. Ngwa made Mba-Ngwa who made Zokomo-Mba who made Nkwa Zokomo who made Mebegue-Me-Nkwa. Mebegue spawned three spirits: Zame the god of earth & life, Kara the divine ancestor of the Ekang, and Zong the god of evil/ruler of evil spirits. In other tellings their if a fourth god called Ndong who is the divine ancestor of mortal humans.

* CreepyCave: The Ekang communicate with their ancestors using an eerie cave. In the outer chamber is a circle of the red skulls of their forefathers. In the inner chamber is a wooden cylinder topped by a gorilla skull. When the skull is removed an enormous constrictor snake emerges and tries to devour anyone nearby.

* CruelAndUnusualDeath: Dismembered and fed to leopards? Chopped in half by scissors? Decapitated? Immolated? Ripped apart by ravenous ghosts? Forced to swallow molten iron which makes the stomach explode? Smashed between rocks by a hairy giant and devoured? Flayed alive before having your skin worn as a coat or exterior decor? Eaten by a massive crocodile? Slammed on a spike from the earth? Drowned in a bubbling pool of wailing lost souls? There were plenty of ways to die.
** Mefoumou Mba Foumou fled the cavern filled with smoke armed only with a dagger right into the pounce of Medza Me Mfoulou's rodent-canid monstrosity. The beast tore deep into his flesh with it's fangs and claws, taking long gulps of blood as it feasted upon the frantic Mefoumou. He continued to run straight into the metal noose Medza Me Mfoulou had placed by the cave opening, and was pulled high into the air with the monster latched firmly onto him. Medza then flew off with both hanging from a trammel. Ntoutoume Mfoulou looked up at his little brother and cheered heartily along with the rest of Engong. Ultimately subverted in that his Evuses and fetish named "Avalga" were just strong enough to save him.
* CruelElephant: Mve Minlame's ghost took the form of an elephant. He killed many brave warriors from Oku who dared approach his tomb attempting to save Nseng Ondo.

* Dandere: Nseng Ondo is quite shy around men. But she is playful with her husband Engouang Ondo.
* DarkestHour: Engong has faced two. Once when Engouang pissed off the Mississim to teach Ntoutoume Mfoulou a lesson, and the other when Obame Andome was poised to utterly destroy Engong with his solar powered hand canon.

* DavidVsGoliath: Considering all the Ekang were giants thheir wars with Oku could count for this.

* DeadPersonConversation: Oveng Ndoumou has a heart-to-heart with the ghost of his grandfather Obame Ndong. Obame Ndong tells him about how he didn't give him such powers to chase wild ambitions like he'd been doing early in the tale, but to simply protect and rule over the Yemikabe. Despite this Obame Ndong was aware Oveng had gotten himself into tons of trouble and agreed to help him out nonetheless.

* DefeatingtheUndefeatable: As much as the Ekang love to show off their invincibility, Obame Andome left them pissing their pants after taking the fight to the heart of Engong.

* DefeatMeansFriendship: Defied in the following case. Zok Memveme respected Mba Evine so much after their fight he asked the youth if he could adopt him into his clan as his new son. Mba Evine refused on the grounds of protecting the line of Evine Ekang. Instead they agreed to a non-aggression pact.

* DisproportionateRetribution: Akoma Mba’s brother-in-law lost his head for offering him three chickens and four ducks. This gift was way too small for someone of his stature, so he killed him.

* DoppelgängerAttack: Engouang Ondo sent a clone of himself to fight Obame Andome while he figured out what to do with the trial of Akoma Mba rapidly approaching.

* DropTheHammer: Engouang Ondo at one point gives Ntoutoume Mfoulou a hammer and demands he strike him on the head three times with it. The first time he did it, a rooster appeared on Engouang’s head. The second time, the rooster went into his skull. The third time the rooster came back and exploded in a mess of feathers, blinding Oveng Ndoumou.

* ElementalPowers: Nkoum Akok Ndong Bibang of the thorn tribe fought against Engouang Ondo with sunlight, rain, and fire as weapons.

* TheEeyore: Fiana Bendoman was a country of these. Nobody smiles, nobody laughs, nobody dances, nobody celebrates, nobody is happy.

* EngagementChallenge: Chief Ole Mfegue of the Ngoul tribe had a splendid daughter named Eyumane Ole. He said the man who could take her off a gigantic crocodile’s back would be her husband. She sang each day for Nze Medang to rescue her from her lonesome fate, but he never seemed to answer.

* EnhancedPunch: Ntoutoume Mfoulou would insert his fist into his burning hot mouth and use it to throw devastating punches.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: Ntoutoume Mfoulou and Angone Zok were absolutely sickened by the two bandits who tormented and kidnapped Okomo Nkabe after murdering her brother Atomo Nkabe when he refused to rape her.

* EverythingsBetterWithRainbows: Subverted much like in many African mythologies. The rainbow is considered uncanny at best and frightening at worst. Ndoutome the Rainbow snake was a bridge between the underworld and the heavens. He swallowed the souls of the dead to bring them up to the skies. Ntoutoume Mfoulou once summoned Ndoutome to coil around Oveng Ndoumou and fly off with him to infinity. Oveng was heavier than a mountain so the rainbow failed and tried breathing flames all over him. Oveng responded by using a magic rattle to vaporize Ndoutome.

* EvilOverlord: Akoma Mba before he mellowed out.

* EvilUncle: Bikuékué-bi-Loroto was an UngratefulBastard who cheated his nephew Elone Kam Afe out of his inheritance.
He was also a DirtyCoward unlike his big brother Kam Afe.

* Familiar: Mengono Ondoa sends a bat to Akoma Mba bearing a message about his capture by Mfim Ekie.

* FlamingSword: Efoua Medang owned one.
** Mekui Me Mengomo also had one.
* FlayedAlive: Subverted in Akoma Mba's case. He only skinned Assame Ella AFTER killing him.

* FortheEvulz: In most cases it’ll be Angone Zok or Ntoutoume Mfoulou. It’s even lampshaded when they cross the forest of smoldering ash heaps, noting that this place is the type rogues would love to haunt...like themselves.
* FountainOfYouth: Nkeyeng Assoumou would instantly rejuvenate every year, becoming more beautiful each time.

* FromNobodyToNightmare: Akoma Mba was just the bullied bastard son of an incestous pair. He would become the most powerful and fearsome man on earth.

* {{Geas}}: Ekang Nna had a taboo that said he could not have sex with a woman who'd had sex with any man except him. He could also only have sex with the most beautiful ladies in a region.

* GenocideDilemma: Engouang Ondo isn't happy when it's been decided he should exterminate a tribe, but he'll obey the elders regardless. Just like during the war with the Flame tribe.

* GeometricMagic: Obame Andome drew a magic circle in the underworld from which he shot his slingshot at the Ekang.

* GirlsLikeMusicians: The mysterious sage Ngom of the Olee tribe learned about the Mvet from Oyono Ada Ngone. He became a famous musician who made it his habit of having sex with all the married women in villages he visited, inspiring the rage of their husbands.

* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: Obame Andome and Eyeng Ondo (in disguise) had passionate sex from sunset to sunrise after Engouang Ondo's clone failed to show up for another attack.

* SupernaturalIsGreen: Asseng Mbane had green eyes.

* HeavySleeper: Engouang Ondo slept through Nze Medang breaking multiple swords against the ropes of his hammock in an attempt to wake him. Almost everyone in Engong is terrified of waking Enouang Ondo from his slumber. Nze Medang had to poke his brain through the ear with a knife to get him out of bed during the emergency caused by Andome Ella's reincarnations.

* HellBentForLeather: Alum Ndong Minko wore leather clothing made from human skin.

* HumanityOnTrial: Subverted, just some of humanity. Andome Ella became even more resolved to defeat the Ekang after Engouang Ondo formally declared a death threat on his son Obame Andome. Andome Ella was so angry and desperate to save his child he traveled the world assembling a massive following of people and animals who had been victimized by the Ekang before. He led a humongous train of disgruntled lifeforms to the court of Nzame.
* HumanSacrifice: Ombure demanded offerings of a man then a woman on alternate days, and a beautiful virgin girl each full moon. After the tribe attempted to flee him he punished them by doubling the tithe.

* Hunk: Medza M'Otounga Mba was the most handsome of the Ekang.

* Akoma Mba is the supreme leader of the Ekang. Feared by almost all, his secret is that he has no secrets. He was the one who made immortality possible. His brothers call him ”Biyang” or the dominant one.

* Engouang Ondo is the general of Engong’s forces. He is called the battle bull and wields unimaginable magic powers, but oddly enough is the most peace loving of the Ekang. He has the most powerful evus (complicated, but in short: a spirit that facilitates magic) in the world. He watches over Engong at night and spends most of the day asleep.

* Medang Boro is the close companion of Akoma Mba. He is known as the bravest of braves. In battle he frequently fights alongside Otungu Mba and Mfoulou Engouang. He brings to them magical recipes on par with the famous Angouang Bere.

* Nze Medang who is likened to a leopard that spices the eyes of children. He torments his reckless opponents mercilessly and flips mountains. He is the messenger of Engong and more importantly the leader of the junior warriors.

* Angone Zok is the warrior with a ghost mother. He interacts with the dead as casually as he interacts with the living. Out of everyone in both Engong and Oku he is the most feared of all: In Oku he is the great instigator, who is always figuring out ways to incite wars. He is feared in Engong because Akoma Mba rarely denies him his wishes. In Engong he functions as something of a mayor and police chief. While Akoma Mba has supreme authority in all things, Angone Zok is a surprisingly proactive administrative leader.

* Medza Metougou is the wealthiest man who ever lived. He has over 900,000 wives and business connections everywhere in the world. Because of this, he is the most compassionate of the Ekang elders towards the tribes of Oku.

* Ntoutoume Mfoulou is called the storm, and the fearless one. Nothing takes him by surprise. He is the rage of Engong and the great terror of Oku. He is the hammer and daredevil of the Ekang. The first volunteer for any dangerous mission. He watches over Engong during the daytime.

* Angouang Bere is the head wizard and priest of Engong. He’s the one they call father of magic, and initiates all the Ekang youth into their magical mysteries. The secrets of Engong are all entrusted to him. In his ear lives his hornbill. He is called "Ayom Ngang" or the Old Fetish. The only wizard in the world who can compare to him is the mighty Ayangoum.

* Mbot Okomo Sala is the “snitch” of Engong. He works for Angone Zok, and watches the activities of the Ekang which he reports back to Angone Zok.

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[[caption-width-right:350:Fang Ngil mask]]

* AbductionIsLove: Defied by Aloume Ndong Minko. She despised Ekang Nna for kidnapping her and hurting her parents. So much so she became a sorceress hoping she could eventually kill him with her spells.

* TheAce: Akoma Mba frequently figures as a deus ex machina to resolve battles that have escalated too far. He mastered all forms of magic during the battle on the moon and was recognized as a great warrior before he was even a man yet. Akoma’s very name means “Creator of Mba” who is his own (albeit step-) father.

* ActionFilmQuietDramaScene: Eyenga Nkabe’s reflection about her life on her wedding night with Oveng.

* AdultFear: When Medza Metougou’s daughter Oyane is kidnapped by Asseng Mbane to be sacrificed to complete a ritual that will turn him immortal.

* AlbinosAreFreaks: Albinos were thought to have magical powers among the Beti-Pahuin, and their remains were highly valued for the construction of Byeri guardian statues. Attitudes toward them ranged from ordinary respect to fear.

* AllGirlsWantBadBoys: Nkudang fell for the bloodthirsty Zong Midzi after merely hearing about him and his apparently attractive name.

* AncientTomb: Ngame Ekang was made to guard the great stone tomb of Ekang Nnna day and night while his brothers led the tribe. He became frustrated by this treatment and it caused him to leave Mboulamiame with his mother Nkene.

* TheArchmage: Anouang Bere (AKA Ayom Ngang or "the Old Fetish") was one of, if not the greatest wizard in the world. He watches over the descendants of Ekang Nna like a hen for her chicks. He is always conducting countermagical activities and closely watches the scheming of mortal wizards from Oku. Part of Engong's immortality comes from his ability to counter virtually any poison, sickness, or dark witchcraft (believed by the Beti-Pahuin to be the main causes of death). He gave up his manhood during initiation for magic knowledge. The great sorcerer of the Yendzok tribe is ubiquitous: walking heaven, earth, and the underworld.

* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: Akoma Mba was already beating up other boys as a lad and claimed numerous heads in battle when most boys had only recently finished initiation. He was considered to be the master of his own (step) father. His ascent to power was almost entirely driven by fear.

* AxeCrazy: And the winner is Angone Zok. He likes torturing his enemies for the hell of it. Once he was asked why he hasn’t killed everyone in the world yet, he answered there would be nobody fun left to kill then. His house has a giant pair of scissors by the entrance that chop up uninvited guests, and sometimes invited guests. When he arrived in the capital of Engong at the start of the war with Zong Midzi he drove his elephant mecha around like a crazy person to remind everyone he was a man to be feared.

* Badassnormal: For a given measure of normal anyway, the tribes of Oku may not often prevail but their champions can match the immortals blow for blow.

* BadBoss: Mfim Ekie was a slave driving king who used defeated warriors as laborers and trade goods.

* BatmanCanBreatheInSpace: During the great sorcery conference on the moon breathing wasn’t a problem for any in attendance. When Ntoutoume Mfoulou was punched to the moon his biggest issue was the possibility of being stuck there dangling from the neck.

* BattleOfWits: Most fights against the tribes of Oku hit this point. They frequently rely on unique spells or aid from their ancestors to challenge the Ekang. The key is discovering how the spell works or convincing the spirits to abandon their efforts.

* BeastFable: While deliberating over the destiny of their tribe, one very old man of the Yemebem named Father Ofobo began to tell the story of the adventurous boar Etong Ngu, son of Essia Ngu. Etong and his clan lived in a thicket near the Assoumami river. Etong dominated the other boars in his clan and waged war all along the left riverbank. Etong's army swelled with each victory, eventually it grew into the Nkouna Ngu: the unbeatable horde of wild boars. No matter how many leopards attacked them, they always shredded the felines to death. They dominated the bush and devoured whatever they pleased. One day Etong led his horde into a lush and well cultivated field where the swine gorged all night. He was so bold he declared they would keep eating through the day too. The other boars were nervous and told him their kind had always taken care to avoid the sun when on the move. But the arrogant boar threatened them with his huge tusks and made them stay past sunrise. Before they knew it there was a storm of bullets, arrows, and spears from angry humans hitting them from every direction. Over half the boars were killed, and Etong Ngu received a terrible injury to his leg. Now bitter, he accepted that the wisdom of the ancestors should not be disregarded. The meaning of the story implied the Yemebem should emulate their ancestors and not involve themselves in wars.

* BestFriend: Akoma Mba's greatest companion and confidant was Medang Endong, bravest of braves.

* BigDamnHeroes: Oyane Medza’s husband Elone Kam Afe and her brothers from Engong arrive in time to save her from being sacrificed by the Yemebem wizards to make Asseng Mbane immortal.

* BigEater: The twins Mengono Ondoa Man Abeng and Mengono Mba Ande Biyen each ate nine thousand nine hundred bunches of bananas, peanuts, cornbread, and taro prior to setting out on their adventures.

* BigScrewedUpFamily: A natural consequence of polygamy is jealousy, and all the woes that follow it. "The jealous co-wives" is a popular theme throughout Sub-Saharan oral literature. Ekang Nna's family was an especially screwed up example. He kidnapped and raped his first wife Aloume Ndong Minko. To add insult to injury he mutilated her parents and threatened to murder her if she ever crossed him. Aloume Ndong Minko threw herself into the most wicked of the dark arts hoping she could destroy him one day. In the meantime she turned all of Ekang Nna's wives against him, except Nkene Ndong whose son Ngame Ekang became the rival of all his half brothers due to the obvious favor Ekang Nna had for him. The brothers of Ngame Ekang were furious when Ekang Nna transferred all his powers to only him during initiation. The conflict however never came to physical blows as Ekang Nna had drilled into them that the brothers must never harm each other, even after Ekang Nna's death. Instead they played tit-for-tat social chess games back and forth until Ngame Ekang became sick of it and fled home with his mother and much property.

* BladeOnAStick: Abe Mam Ondo wielded a javelin that blasted fire.

* BloodKnight: Ntoutoume Mfoulou generally only feels two emotions: boredom and homocidal euphoria. That said, he drastically prefers killing people who stand a chance of actually killing him. He lives for war. That’s why they call him Nyele Mfoulou sometimes “Yes, Mfoulou” because he says yes to death, but death continuously evades him. He had the time of his life fighting Oveng Ndoumou Obame because he could actually fight on or above his level, calling him the perfect warrior. After getting stabbed, slashed, blasted with fire, clubbed, tossed into the sky, and whipped with chains he was obsessed with fighting Oveng. Ntoutoume was excited to fake being a hostage of Asseng Mbane to raise hell in his village.

* BlueAndOrangeMorality: The Beti-Pahuin believed there were three types of people in the world. Innocents (Miemie), Initiates (Akomnge), and Witches (Biyem).

* BreathWeapon: Ntoutoume Mfoulou once devastated poor Ndoutoume Allogo Minko’s village with a fire ball from his mouth while battling the Flame tribe in his village. The fireball exploded and caused a terrible inferno which could be felt beyond the mountains shielding the village.

* BullyingADragon: The people who humiliated and teased Akoma Mba as a kid seriously didn’t comprehend who they were fucking with.

* WitchSpecies: Evuses are a sort of supernatural parasite or symbiote. They can be given to other people or taken from them. A witch is someone who has entirely given themselves over to the Evus. Everyone has an Evus, even animals have Evuses. Evuses are not entirely bad, though by nature they lean toward NeutralEvil owning to their HorrorHunger. What a person chooses to do with the Evus is what matters. Most people are selfish, so Evuses are generally used for selfish purposes.