http://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Pigasus#BlkDragon*Inn - User contributions [en]2026-05-02T19:49:56ZUser contributionsMediaWiki 1.44.0http://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8451Najjir2018-05-27T22:36:00Z<p>Pigasus: /* The Crystal Frontier */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Emperor that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The Emperor gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The device did activate but it shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a cosmic monstrosity. There were almost no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen allegedly sacrificed their lives to slam the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through. It is said that the being remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what did or did not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
Two main rivers run through Najjir: the Siham in the East and the Annaki in the West. A half-dozen smaller tributaries flow into each of the two drainage basins. There are several pressurized underground lakes, which burst to the surface as springs, creating oases. The biggest one sits below the city of Sh'hazrid.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
Najjir has mountains around its edges. Its mountain people tend to be provincials, who are much less cosmopolitan and more puritanical than the city dwellers and the people in the lowlands.<br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruin of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
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As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
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Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
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* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
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Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
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Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
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The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
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When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
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Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
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==Economy==<br />
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The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
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Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
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Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
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===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
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Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
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===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
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The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
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===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
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Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
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===[[Bassij]]===<br />
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The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
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===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
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A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
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===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
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Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
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===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
<br />
The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8450Najjir2018-05-27T22:31:34Z<p>Pigasus: /* Geographical Features */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Emperor that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The Emperor gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The device did activate but it shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a cosmic monstrosity. There were almost no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen allegedly sacrificed their lives to slam the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through. It is said that the being remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what did or did not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
Two main rivers run through Najjir: the Siham in the East and the Annaki in the West. A half-dozen smaller tributaries flow into each of the two drainage basins. There are several pressurized underground lakes, which burst to the surface as springs, creating oases. The biggest one sits below the city of Sh'hazrid.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
Najjir has mountains around its edges. Its mountain people tend to be provincials, who are much less cosmopolitan and more puritanical than the city dwellers and the people in the lowlands.<br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
<br />
As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
<br />
Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
<br />
===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
<br />
The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
<br />
===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
<br />
Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
<br />
===[[Bassij]]===<br />
<br />
The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
<br />
===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
<br />
A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
<br />
===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
<br />
Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
<br />
===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
<br />
The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8449Najjir2018-05-27T22:26:17Z<p>Pigasus: /* Amas'kyaa Falls */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Emperor that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The Emperor gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The device did activate but it shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a cosmic monstrosity. There were almost no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen allegedly sacrificed their lives to slam the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through. It is said that the being remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what did or did not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
<br />
As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
<br />
Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
<br />
===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
<br />
The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
<br />
===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
<br />
Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
<br />
===[[Bassij]]===<br />
<br />
The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
<br />
===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
<br />
A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
<br />
===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
<br />
Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
<br />
===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
<br />
The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8448Najjir2018-05-27T22:25:46Z<p>Pigasus: /* Amas'kyaa Falls */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Emperor that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The Emperor gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The device did activate but it shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a cosmic monstrosity. There were almost no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen allegedly sacrificed their lives to slam the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through. It is said that the being remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
<br />
As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
<br />
Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
<br />
===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
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The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
<br />
===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
<br />
Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
<br />
===[[Bassij]]===<br />
<br />
The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
<br />
===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
<br />
A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
<br />
===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
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Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
<br />
===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
<br />
The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8447Najjir2018-05-27T22:25:28Z<p>Pigasus: /* Amas'kyaa Falls */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Emperor that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The Emperor gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The device did activate but it shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a cosmic monstrosity. There were almost no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen allegedly sacrificed their lives to slamm the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through. It is said that the being remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
<br />
As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
<br />
Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
<br />
===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
<br />
The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
<br />
===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
<br />
Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
<br />
===[[Bassij]]===<br />
<br />
The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
<br />
===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
<br />
A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
<br />
===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
<br />
Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
<br />
===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
<br />
The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8446Najjir2018-05-27T22:23:12Z<p>Pigasus: /* Amas'kyaa Falls */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Emperor that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The Emperor gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The device did activate but it shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
<br />
As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
<br />
Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
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===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
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The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
<br />
===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
<br />
Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
<br />
===[[Bassij]]===<br />
<br />
The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
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===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
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A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
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===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
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Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
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===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
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The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8445Najjir2018-05-27T22:22:20Z<p>Pigasus: /* Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Emperor that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The Emperor gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The gate did activate, but it led to some dark and terrible place beyond the stars. It shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
<br />
As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
<br />
Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
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Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
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===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
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The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
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===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
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Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
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===[[Bassij]]===<br />
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The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
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===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
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A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
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===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
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Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
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===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
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The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
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===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
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[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8444Najjir2018-05-27T22:21:48Z<p>Pigasus: /* Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Emperor that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The Emperor gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces.<br />
<br />
==Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The gate did activate, but it led to some dark and terrible place beyond the stars. It shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
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=Military=<br />
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No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
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Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
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As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
<br />
Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
<br />
===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
<br />
The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
<br />
===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
<br />
Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
<br />
===[[Bassij]]===<br />
<br />
The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
<br />
===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
<br />
A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
<br />
===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
<br />
Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
<br />
===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
<br />
The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8443Najjir2018-05-27T22:20:28Z<p>Pigasus: /* Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Emperor that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The Emperor gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces.<br />
<br />
==Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The gate did activate, but it led to some dark and terrible place beyond the stars. It shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a deep cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
<br />
As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
<br />
Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
<br />
===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
<br />
The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
<br />
===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
<br />
Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
<br />
===[[Bassij]]===<br />
<br />
The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
<br />
===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
<br />
A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
<br />
===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
<br />
Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
<br />
===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
<br />
The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8442Najjir2018-05-27T22:20:01Z<p>Pigasus: /* Amas'kyaa */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. The linguistic magic of glyphs, was harnessed for enchantment and control, such as with mental domination tattoos. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citizens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Pharaoh that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The pharaoh gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces. <br />
<br />
==Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The gate did activate, but it led to some dark and terrible place beyond the stars. It shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a deep cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
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=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
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The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
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The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
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==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
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Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
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Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
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Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
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=Government, Politics and People=<br />
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Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
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=Military=<br />
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No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
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=Religion=<br />
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[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
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==Menxiyeh==<br />
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Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
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The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
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The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
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===Observance===<br />
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Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
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As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
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There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
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==The Old Gods==<br />
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Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
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Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
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* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
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==Other Faiths==<br />
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Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
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=Society and People=<br />
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Etymology:<br />
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Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
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Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
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Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
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==Common Culture==<br />
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Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
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The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
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When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
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==Social Status==<br />
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Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
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==Economy==<br />
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The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
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Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
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Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
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=The City-States=<br />
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===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
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Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
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===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
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The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
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===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
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Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
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===[[Bassij]]===<br />
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The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
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===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
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A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
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===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
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Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
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===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
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The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
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=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
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===Shushan Travelers===<br />
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They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
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Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
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===Emshi Nomads===<br />
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Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
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Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
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The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
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The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
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===Buhucha===<br />
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The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
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[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
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=Language=<br />
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==Ankenah==<br />
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Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
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Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
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Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
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With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
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===Modern Day===<br />
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Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
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As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
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International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8441Najjir2018-05-27T22:15:13Z<p>Pigasus: /* Ancient History */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling throughout history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. They also discovered the linguistic magic of glyphs, which were used for many things, including gateways between different cities and a magical field around the emperor's palace. They were also used to create special control tattoos, etched into certain slaves and prisoners to rob them of their ability to carry out their free will. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citiezens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom. <br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Pharaoh that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The pharaoh gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces. <br />
<br />
==Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The gate did activate, but it led to some dark and terrible place beyond the stars. It shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a deep cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
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Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
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=Military=<br />
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No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
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Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
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===Observance===<br />
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Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
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As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
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There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
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==The Old Gods==<br />
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Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
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Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
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* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
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==Other Faiths==<br />
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Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
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Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
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Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
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Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
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The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
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When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
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==Social Status==<br />
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Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
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==Economy==<br />
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The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
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Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
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Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
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===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
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Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
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===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
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The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
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===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
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Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
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===[[Bassij]]===<br />
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The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
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===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
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A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
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===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
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Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
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===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
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The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
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===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8440Najjir2018-05-27T22:14:26Z<p>Pigasus: /* Ancient History */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling during the height of the Old Kingdom. <br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom. <br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. They also discovered the linguistic magic of glyphs, which were used for many things, including gateways between different cities and a magical field around the emperor's palace. They were also used to create special control tattoos, etched into certain slaves and prisoners to rob them of their ability to carry out their free will. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citiezens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom. <br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Pharaoh that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The pharaoh gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces. <br />
<br />
==Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The gate did activate, but it led to some dark and terrible place beyond the stars. It shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a deep cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
<br />
As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
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Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
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===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
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The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
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===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
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Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
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===[[Bassij]]===<br />
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The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
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===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
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A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
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===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
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Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
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===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
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The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
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===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8439Najjir2018-05-27T22:14:19Z<p>Pigasus: /* Ancient History */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling during its history.<br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom.<br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. They also discovered the linguistic magic of glyphs, which were used for many things, including gateways between different cities and a magical field around the emperor's palace. They were also used to create special control tattoos, etched into certain slaves and prisoners to rob them of their ability to carry out their free will. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citiezens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom. <br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Pharaoh that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The pharaoh gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces. <br />
<br />
==Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The gate did activate, but it led to some dark and terrible place beyond the stars. It shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a deep cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
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The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
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===Observance===<br />
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Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
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As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
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There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
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==The Old Gods==<br />
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Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
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Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
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* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
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==Other Faiths==<br />
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Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
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Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
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Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
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Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
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Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
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The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
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When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
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==Social Status==<br />
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Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
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==Economy==<br />
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The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
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Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
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Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
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===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
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Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
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===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
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The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
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===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
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Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
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===[[Bassij]]===<br />
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The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
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===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
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A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
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===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
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Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
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===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
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The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
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=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
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===Shushan Travelers===<br />
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They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
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Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
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===Emshi Nomads===<br />
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Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
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Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
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The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
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The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
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===Buhucha===<br />
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The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
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=Language=<br />
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==Ankenah==<br />
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Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
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Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
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Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
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With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
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===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
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As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
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International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
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[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8438Najjir2018-05-27T22:13:29Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. These cities sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling during the height of the Old Kingdom. <br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom. <br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. They also discovered the linguistic magic of glyphs, which were used for many things, including gateways between different cities and a magical field around the emperor's palace. They were also used to create special control tattoos, etched into certain slaves and prisoners to rob them of their ability to carry out their free will. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citiezens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
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Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom. <br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Pharaoh that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The pharaoh gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces. <br />
<br />
==Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The gate did activate, but it led to some dark and terrible place beyond the stars. It shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a deep cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
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=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
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As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
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There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
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Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
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Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
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Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
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===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
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Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
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===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
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The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
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===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
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Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
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===[[Bassij]]===<br />
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The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
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===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
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A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
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===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
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Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
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===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
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The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
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===Shushan Travelers===<br />
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They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Najjir&diff=8437Najjir2018-05-27T22:12:30Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Najjir<br />
| image = Najjir.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| capital = Najjir has no capital, but major cities include [[Qarsythe]] and the ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]],<br />
| language1 = [[Najjir#Language|Najjira]]<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Various Native [[Najji]] races,<br />
| race2 = [[Dwarves]], and<br />
| race3 = [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan Elves]]<br />
| religion = Primarily [[Najjir#Religion|Menxiyeh]], among others.<br />
| government = [[Independent City-State|Independent City-States]] and Domains.<br />
| ruler = <br />
| population = <br />
| currency =<br />
}}<br />
<br />
The city-states of the northern desert are collectively called the land of Najjir. Each city-state is a small domain, including the outlying towns and villages that depend on its protection. The city states sit on rivers and oases, islands of life in an ocean of drifting sand.<br />
<br />
Many centuries ago, the mighty [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]] empire spanned the area, but it has long since been destroyed by a magical cataclysm, permanently fracturing Najjir into balkanized domains. Thousands of relics of the Old Kingdom remain scattered throughout the land. <br />
<br />
Nonetheless, modern Najjir is united culturally and linguistically. Dialects vary all throughout the land but all Najjira people can understand each other. Menxism, a common faith, also draws them into a common identity. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
Relic studies show that the modern Najjira had their own distinct precursor race, though its blood would undergo a lot of mingling during the height of the Old Kingdom. <br />
<br />
Before the earliest kingdoms, the proto-Najjira were tribal humans and elves, who had just started to split off into nomadic and sedentary groups. It was around this time that a few of them made contact with psychic, extraplanar travelers. It's disputed whether the travelers were looking into the growth of psi crystals in the area, or whether their visit introduced psi crystals in the first place.<br />
<br />
The tribes who made contact saw their development accelerate rapidly. As they became wise in the ways of science, money, psionics and war, their power and influence grew until it became a nation. The nation's political system fell apart twice before it found its footing. Over time, the nation grew into an empire and it was called Amas'kyaa, the Old Kingdom. <br />
<br />
==Amas'kyaa==<br />
<br />
The capital was built on top of the massive Siham river, when its largest branch still ran through the center of Najjir. It was a city of gleaming crystalline walls, towering edifices to the gods, and far-reaching psychic technology, ruled by a god-emperor. The capital's power extended into northern Kahlara, the land of Thalaa, the Salt Desert and parts of Rashnad. Cultural diffusion bled in from all the different ethnic groups under the emperor's reign. <br />
<br />
People close to the central city lived in relative prosperity; however, the individual was worth very little. Amas'kyaa had developed language early, and surviving records say that laws, poems, and bureaucratic records could be found on surviving walls and tablets. They also discovered the linguistic magic of glyphs, which were used for many things, including gateways between different cities and a magical field around the emperor's palace. They were also used to create special control tattoos, etched into certain slaves and prisoners to rob them of their ability to carry out their free will. Psi crystals were used for everything from lighting a room to inserting subliminal thoughts into unruly citiezens. These arts have mostly been lost to modern generations.<br />
<br />
Every so often, a child was born with extraordinarily vibrant eyes, usually colored blue, purple, or aquamarine. As these children matured, they found themselves developing various psychic abilities such as psychokinesis, telepathy, or biofeedback. While early specimens of the gift were either killed or feared as sorcerers, later leaders found that it was better to utilize these people in service of the kingdom. <br />
<br />
==Ankenahotep and the Amas'madeen==<br />
<br />
Following a barely-thwarted internal plot against the throne, the Thinker Ankenahotep suggested to the Pharaoh that the empire needed an elite force of psionic guardians that could swiftly respond to any threat with stealth and power. The pharaoh gave consent, and Ankenahotep handpicked fifteen psychic disciples, gradually developing a comprehensive fighting system augmented with mental energy. He called his warriors the Amas'madeen, or Guardians of Amas'kyaa, and charged them with teaching other carefully-selected recruits.<br />
<br />
In only one generation, they became legendary. Their vibrant eyes and spooky mental powers made this small but well-trained force renowned throughout the empire. The primary weapon of the Amas'madeen were specially made and psychically encoded crystal knives called the [[Ekri-nam]] or "weaponized self." The warriors' will to fight and protect the empire charged the knife, giving it supernatural sharpness and striking power on top of the capability to contain more substantial abilities. When Ankenahotep died, his successors took over leadership, doing such diverse tasks as discovering malicious plots, hunting [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]], or even serving as diplomats to administrate relations between provinces. <br />
<br />
==Iznagar and the Anathema - Amas'kyaa Falls==<br />
<br />
At the height of the empire, an organization called the Elucidation Brotherhood or simply Elucidation became a prestigious source of membership for mages, Thinkers, high priests, philosophers and other nobility. Besides competing to try to understand the mysteries of the universe, core members of Elucidation were trying to build a star gate that would take them into the realm of the gods, to walk among them.<br />
<br />
The core members were actually disguised illithids and their thralls, who worshipped alien star spawn. As more and more resources fell into their hands, they completed the star gate before anyone who had doubts could move against them. The gate did activate, but it led to some dark and terrible place beyond the stars. It shredded the sky over the city into a giant vortex, which stabilized into a gateway, through which crawled a deep cosmic monstrosity. There were no survivors. Not even the city was spared - even its buildings were corrupted and driven mad. An area hundreds of miles in diameter around the city became a twisted anomaly zone that even most adventurers avoid.<br />
<br />
The Amas'madeen supposedly slammed the gate shut on the cosmic horror before it came all the way through, hence it remained trapped in the cursed city for centuries, feeding on the souls of adventurers and pilgrims who came to take a look. But the being is so poorly understood, it's hard to say what could or could not affect it. Even though adventurers claim to have destroyed a giant abberation in the heart of the city, it may only have been a larval cast-off, while the invader's true essence remains unaccounted for.<br />
<br />
==Time of Troubles==<br />
<br />
With the fall of the capital city, the rest of Amas'kyaa soon fractured and fell apart into various city-states and wandering tribes. Without having to pay tribute to the emperor, nobles in the [[Eretz]] and in [[Qarsythe]] moved quickly to consolidate their positions. As the most powerful domains, the two promptly entered into a conflict. Qarsythe tried unsuccessfully to annex Eretziyeh lands, using sorcery which darkened the sky temporarily. It was henceforth known as [[Twilight War]]. [[Mashriq]] also cracked down on the [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves at the behest of the growing trade guilds. The Arcanists consolidated power in Qarsythe at the same time, using the drums of war to slowly take over the functions of government. <br />
<br />
Around this time, [[Sh'hazrid]] was founded, when a Qarsythian master architect escaped with the help of his lover, a palace vizier named Kamil. The two conceived of the city, gathered the crews, and built Sh'hazrid over decades, one single building of a city, with irrigation and gardens built right in. Kamil became its first Sultan. Over on the east, [[Khorzem]] was building its confederation out of alliances and assassinations.<br />
<br />
==The Rise of Menxism, Guilds, City-states==<br />
<br />
[[Goxal]] and [[Igmerinds|Igmerind]] missionaries tried to bring [[Menxism]] to Najjir but had little luck until Rashid al-Mahiyat, a [[Najjir#Buhucha|Buhucha]] commoner, decided to reinterpret Menxism and use his local connections along with [[Templars of Menxvan|Templar]] gifts to conquer most of Najjir and convert it to his faith. The crusade was partly successful because rulers were allowed to keep their positions in exchange for enforcing the new religion. The prophet suffered a heart attack shortly after his conquest, in the city of [[Ul'habad]], the highest point in Najjir. A giant church was instantly built around his body and that remains the center of Menxist faith to this day. Over the next few hundred years, Najjira people got used to Menxism as a way of life, which fostered greater communication and thus, trade between domains.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
[[file:Najj2.jpg|thumb|Map of the region showing the area of influence of the various city-states.]]<br />
Najjir is a region bounded by [[Kahlahra]] in the south, [[Taj Jahan]] in the east, and the [[Long Sea]] to the north. Its heart is the smoldering [[Najjir#The Crystal Frontier|Fareedah]] desert, and its periphery is full of burgeoning life.<br />
<br />
The [[Eretz]] is the name of a long, crescent-shaped peninsula sticking out of the north coast of Najjir. While close to the desert, the hilly Eretz experiences a milder climate and more frequent rainfalls, making it a fertile breadbasket. The peninsula and the land around it are renowned throughout Najjir as a paradise and, throughout the centuries, control of the area has shifted often as various powers vied for control of Najjir's prime real estate.<br />
<br />
The area known as [[Buhucha]] encompasses southern Najjir, including the lands that border [[Kahlahra]] and [[Rashnad]]. There is less open desert here so much as rolling hills of scrubland and trees suited to grow in rocky places. Occasionally, the hills dip into fields of crimson poppies tended to by [[Elves#Dune Elves|Shushan]] minders. <br />
<br />
==The Crystal Frontier==<br />
<br />
Northwest of [[Sh'hazrid]] lie the sparkling dunes of the Fareedah desert. The area is littered with natural crystal formations large and small, their glassy multicolored facets making the desert glow eerily in the moonlight. Monstrous [[Goliath Scorpion|Goliath scorpions]] lurk under the surface, and a dried out riverbed snakes its way through the shifting sands, running past ruins and relics of ancient societies.<br />
<br />
Once the axis of Najjir, the Fareedah is now a single impenetrable obstacle, and all Najjira travelers must move in a circle around it. Crossing the crystal frontier means entering a warped and cursed ground where the air is thick with congealed time, and everything is covered in destructive astral fallout. Going deeper, travelers experience hallucinations and risk losing their minds. In the heart of it all sits the haunted ruins of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], alive and driven mad by memories. To date, only a handful of adventurers have ever survived the city. Once every several decades, a swarm of mutated pestilence covers the Fareedah, seeming to come from the very bowels of the accursed ruin itself. To travel there during this time is suicide. Neighboring domains go on high alert, deploying mages to their borders to help drive off the alien threat.<br />
<br />
Recent studies by Qarsythian scholars into rock fragments brought back from the dead zone suggest that the crystal formations growing in the desert may be a type of living creature, with extremely fine silica nerve strands woven through the hard rock. A live 'thinking crystal' continually generates a mental field, similar to a psychically gifted creature. It can explain the presence of this gift among early Amas'madeen and modern Emshi nomads, who are the only ones who live anywhere close enough to the crystal frontier to receive the effect. Scholars speculate that the scorpions may be involved in a symbiotic relationship with the crystals but are unsure of its nature.<br />
<br />
=Government, Politics and People=<br />
<br />
Individual city-states within the region operate their own governments.<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
No organized military force exists; however, individual domains may have their own soldiers. The Qarsythians field the strongest army overall but the Eretziyeh men at arms have also been regarded as well-trained and capable.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
[[Menxism]] is the predominant religion across Najjir. In some domains, it’s the official state religion, while others are more permissive of other belief systems. The worship of [[Menxvan]] (often spelled Menxwan or Menqs’wan) originally came from what is now [[Arangoth]], but the Najjira interpretation of the faith differs from its counterpart. Most Najjira people are Menxists, though not everyone practices. Other people may worship the old gods of the [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]] empire or adhere to other faiths entirely.<br />
<br />
==Menxiyeh==<br />
<br />
Much of the tenets of Najjira Menxiyeh come from the prophet Rashid Mahiyat, who radically re-envisioned the religion brought by the [[Templars_of_Menxvan|Templars]] of the south. It was he who took the faith from isolated Templar outposts, interpreted it from a Najjira perspective, and amassed a crusade that swept through Najjir, converting a majority of the population. Historians have linked the rise of [[Menxism]] to Najjir’s cultural renaissance after the collapse of the ancient empire of [[Najjir#History|Amas’kyaa]].<br />
<br />
The tenets of the faith are enumerated in a tome called the "Menxiyeh Mahiyati," penned by Rashid Mahiyat shortly before his death. Much like in the Arangothian version, there once existed but a single mind, [[Nehed]], the god of gods. It pleased Him to create the universe, but since He was all that ever had been, he split his consciousness into millions of fragments in order to create "soul-templates" for all that exists. Two of Nehed’s greatest souls contained the seeds of their father’s wisdom: the elder Al-Menxwan and the younger Al-Menxruk.<br />
<br />
The twins became the caretakers of creation until the day when all souls would re-coalesce into perfect one-ness. Since Nehed was greater than the sum of His parts, His constituent souls needed to grow in wisdom and goodness before they could rejoin with one another. Menxwan created [[The Empyreann]], where noble souls come together to dwell in bliss, awaiting the eventual apotheosis. His brother [[Menxruk]], however, became seduced by matter and grew unwilling to return to singularity. Menxruk employed his army of [[Djinn]] and [[Demons]] to lead sentient-kind astray and stave off apotheosis, and now he seeks to seize control and remake creation in his image. Menxruk is often known as Al-Shaitan – The Adversary. Any action that supports The Adversary prevents the rest of creation from achieving its purpose; therefore heretics, Menxrukians, and other sinners are seen as holding everyone else back.<br />
<br />
===Observance===<br />
<br />
Observing the Menxiyeh involves keeping a spiritually pure lifestyle and helping advance Menxwan’s agenda. Those who follow Menxruk are seen as heretics and often not accepted openly in society. Prayer is essential to maintain the spiritual link to Menwan’s Empyreann. In large cities, Menxwanite clerics let people know when and how to pray by singing from tall towers in the morning, at noon, and at sunset. The First, Second and Evening songs are also often used to tell time. In smaller settlements with no tower, traveling clerics perform the functions of both human prayerbook and almanac.<br />
<br />
As an orderly god, Menxwan prescribes keeping one’s affairs in order. The Holy Book contains a description of the ideal family life, a section on resolving disputes, and a list of rules for an orderly society. The laws of most domains are influenced by these rules. Menxism also calls for charity, acts of kindness, and being a good citizen. At the same time, the dogma forbids harboring those who would spread the will of Menxruk. In the hands of some clerics, this passage has turned into a witch hunt.<br />
<br />
There is currently a schism among the churches related to two interpretations of the Menxiyeh Mahiyati. The more hardline [[Mahadi Faction]] believes in strict retribution against heretics, whereas the more peaceful [[Salafi Sect]] strives to embrace them "because Menxwan’s wisdom will inevitably win." Both the truly righteous and the corrupt can be found on either side of the debate.<br />
<br />
==The Old Gods==<br />
<br />
Long before [[Menxism]] came to Najjir, during the time of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], people worshiped an entirely different system of gods. The pantheon consisted of rebels from monstrous cosmic star-spawn that once controlled this plane. The original tales are said to have passed down to proto-Najjira people from extra-planar travelers. This polytheistic faith still has followers today, though in far fewer numbers.<br />
<br />
Despite Menxism’s initial success, many people continued to combine the two religions in their mind, looking to [[Menxvan]] for the future of their souls, but turning to the old ones for lesser things. Shrines to the old gods can be found here and there throughout the land, and some have formed secret sects around the worship of one old god or another. Sect members usually don’t discuss it in mixed company for fear of ostracism. The nomadic tribes of Najjir are the biggest worshipers of the old gods. All that’s known of these deities has been recovered by historians from the ruins and records of the former empire. The following is an incomplete list:<br />
<br />
* '''Akhthon''' – The Prime Mover, god of the sun and wielder of lightning. This leader of the gods' insurrection slew his mother, the she-wyrm Attu, and drove his father, the time-squid Zxulh, to exile beyond the gate of stars. Akhthon’s will keeps the chariot of the sun circling and the world heated and lit. He always watches from his golden observatory to see whether cosmic danger approaches and if all is well in the universe.<br />
* '''Nadah''' – The Winnower. As a spiritual gardener of the gods’ realm, she is in charge of weeding out the bad souls from the good after their death. The good souls get to stay in the realm of the gods. Bad or unwanted souls end up in Tepemkau’s vault.<br />
* '''Ahmose''' – The Lanterner, god of the moon, time, and agriculture. This reclusive insomniac deity carries the lunar lantern around the sky while Akhthon’s chariot is underground. As the pantheon’s calendar keeper, he is responsible for watching over the proper flow of time, and his lantern is always present to inform everyone of the passage of days and seasons.<br />
* '''Inash''' – The Master Healer. This is a god of life, alchemy and healing. The sacred profession of medicine falls under his purview. Inash empowers followers who ease the suffering of others and take on the stresses of the world. On the other hand, he is also the god of poisons and various other alchemical combinations. People pray to Inash for the health of their families, crops and livestock, and the removal of blights, both biological and societal.<br />
* '''Matathu''' – The Dreamer. She is nocturnal goddess who presides over the court of dream and nightmare. She knows all the hopes and fears of sentient-kind and is most in touch with the pulse of humanity, rewarding either with bliss or punishing with insanity. Amas’kyaan psychics and astral travelers try to appease Matathu in exchange for the soundness and safety of their minds.<br />
* '''Tukkul''' – The Manifold. He is the four-headed, multiple-personality god of the winds, weather, change, and erosion. Praying to him is complicated because one needs to know which of his personae dominate his mind at any one time.<br />
* '''Siamah''' – The Laughing Conqueress, goddess of warfare, passion, and love. People in Amas’kyaa believed that love and strife are two sides of the same coin and that Siamah represents them both. No god but Akhthon can best her in single combat, though one or two have tricked her in order to defeat her in a spar and get in her bed.<br />
* '''Nedresh''' – Siamah’s younger brother, the god of art, music and revelry. Though he is among the weakest gods of the pantheon, everyone loves him because he makes life worth living.<br />
* '''Tepemkau''' – The Great Death. He is a deity of sun-bleached skin and sand-blasted bones who walks through the deserts collecting the dead. Tepemkau is the keymaster of the vault where all unworthy souls are kept. His vault has eight compartments, the last of which opens up into the pit unto the star-gate to beyond, where star-spawn languish in their squamous exile. The worst souls go through the gate to feed them.<br />
* '''Khamesh''' – The Fateweaver, trickster-deity of fate, roads and information. The great manipulator is so enigmatic that no one is really sure whether Khamesh is male or female. The Fateweaver alone can see the multicolored strands of information that comprise the lives of mortals and gods, and as such, possesses the gift of divination. Khamesh is the patron deity of couriers, travelers and magicians. The Fateweaver’s sacred animal is the Fennec fox. The wandering [[Najjir#Shushan Travelers|Shushan]] elves place Khamesh the highest in their pantheon.<br />
<br />
==Other Faiths==<br />
<br />
Other faiths can be found among Najjir in smaller numbers. Pockets of foreigners in coastal cities typically retain their earlier beliefs, and cultural diffusion bleeds over from neighboring lands. As Najjir relies on trade, foreigners are free to practice any religion they wish without too much ostracism - followers of Menxruk are one major exception.<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
Etymology:<br />
<br />
Najjir (noun) - refers either to the region or the entire body of people living there.<br />
<br />
Najjira (adjective) – refers to the Najjira language or to a person’s background, i.e. “A Najjira man.”<br />
<br />
Najj, Najji (slang) – an informal, occidental way to refer to someone from Najjir.<br />
<br />
==Common Culture==<br />
<br />
Najjira populations cluster around city-states that sit on rivers, crossroads, or oases. Usually, a city has a satellite of villages and farmland spread out around it. The city’s ruler exerts a sphere of influence over the surrounding land to the extent that he can protect it. These spheres of influence are commonly called domains. Some domains like [[Qarsythe]], are enormous, containing many towns and cities, while others, like [[Dastarkhan]], are tiny in comparison. Most people, with the exception of some tribes, are patriarchal and polygamous. Marriages are usually arranged, and the number of wives a man has is often a sign of his social status. Other status symbols include the amount of land or livestock a man has, whether he was born as a noble or a commoner, and his level of education. Slavery is an accepted practice in Najjir, and free people always have more rights than slaves.<br />
<br />
The Najjira are a trading people, but they are also a people of letters. Najjira scholars try to translate as many cultures’ written works as they can, and a handful of the larger cities boast public libraries. Najjira natural philosophers have made some important breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, and linguistics (see [[Najjir#Ankenah|Ankenah]]). Customs vary, but most free Najjira value piety, hospitality, and eloquence. Poetry is a national pastime, to the point where all educated people are expected to be able to speak and write in verse. Family is of paramount importance to any Najjira, and family honor and reputation is worth more than material wealth. Young men like to declare blood feuds against people who have brought dishonor to their families.<br />
<br />
When a Najjira household entertains guests, the host is expected to share his best food, wine, and lodging, and guests should accept it without question. It is expected of the guest, the traveler, to regale the host with road tales and news from abroad. A guest should never hesitate to follow the host in prayer, even if they worship a different deity; if they pray silently, their thoughts are their own. Most Najjira dwellings have two sections--one for men and one for women--and depending on a guest's gender, they must make sure to sleep on the appropriate side of the house.<br />
<br />
==Social Status==<br />
<br />
Rulers, their advisers, and high nobility stand at the top of society. They live in palaces or manor-houses with lush gardens and sizable harems of up to dozens of women. Usually, such powerful people have their own private guards or command detachments of the domain’s soldiers. The powerful love to bask in ostentatious displays of their wealth, hiring artists and decorating everything they own with jewels and precious metals. No less wealthy are the top merchants and guild masters. They enjoy a very high standard of living but tend to invest their money into more liquid assets than expensive palaces. Because they command not only great wealth but also the means of trade that fills their ruler’s coffers, they enjoy a great deal of influence in society. A powerful merchant’s reach may extend across many domains, where Emirs and Princes eat out of the palm of his hand. Smaller merchants, master craftsmen, plantation farmers, and educated scholars are next on the social ladder. They are comfortably well-off but lack the opulence of their wealthier counterparts. They might have only a handful of wives, a nice house, and a plot of land that brings in a decent income. Journeymen crafters, small farmers, and semi-skilled laborers usually have only one wife and a small house. Though they have the means to make their daily bread, they won’t always be comfortable. On Bazaar days, their likes clog the market stalls, hoping to sell enough to maintain their meager lifestyle. Most low-ranking guards and soldiers also fall into this category. Unskilled laborers, dervishes, beggars, and subsistence farmers have it worst of all. They rarely go a day without experiencing hunger pangs. Sometimes these poor souls turn to a life of crime out of desperation. Slaves are at the bottom of Najjira society and are entirely at their master’s disposal, though they sometimes eat better than the free poor.<br />
<br />
==Economy==<br />
<br />
The economy in the big cities and their surrounding areas is structured around the concept of the bazaar – a huge marketplace in the very center of town that forms daily, except on religious holidays. Everything is bought, sold, and traded at the bazaar, including the administration of most social functions, making it the nexus of Najjira life. The bargaining tradition is deeply embedded in the bazaar culture; expect to haggle for everything except food and tea. In some cities, bargaining is an art of competing in eloquence, while in others, haggling fulfills a more practical role. If a prospective buyer doesn’t haggle for their goods, most vendors will lose respect for them and drastically inflate their prices.<br />
<br />
Traders intersect the desert in camel and mule-drawn caravans, banding together for protection and hiring guides to lead them along the treacherous roads. Heat, the lack of water, and banditry are all common threats to any caravan. Caravans can either be conglomerates of various traders, belong to a single merchant, or consist of professional transporters with their own camels and guards who hire themselves out to people for safe passage. Traders often cross national boundaries to do business with [[Rashnad]] and more recently, [[Arangoth]]. Animal breeders often make mercantile forays into [[Kahlahra]] to purchase the prized [[Khalar Horses|Khalar horses]] for the upper crust of society. The port cities of [[Mashriq]], [[Bassij]] and [[Khorzem]] receive ships from all over the world.<br />
<br />
Guilds are the biggest players in the Najjira economy. In any given city, large and small guilds devoted to all sorts of crafts and professions can be found. Some guilds are local, while others are spread out across Najjir. Membership often equates to a more favorable place in a bazaar; high-ranking guild officers can control supply and thus, prices. In some cities, guilds have de-facto taken over the functions of government (see [[Qarsythe]] and [[Khorzem]]). There are some special types of guilds, such as the shipwright cartels in the port cities and the pan-Najjira association of scribes, described in greater depth in the [[Najjir#Language|language]] section.<br />
<br />
=The City-States=<br />
<br />
===[[Mashriq]]===<br />
<br />
Najjir’s largest port sitting on a fertile breadbasket and Najjir's second-most powerful domain. The locals consider themselves worldly, cosmopolitan and practical. Maritime access to the world is often choked by a guild of rapacious merchants. <br />
<br />
===[[Qarsythe]]=== <br />
<br />
The largest, most powerful domain in Najjir, ruled over by a guild of mages, who attempt to find magical solutions to a big percentage of their problems. Qarsythe is a big center of learning and a top producer of magic items. <br />
<br />
===[[Sh'hazrid]]===<br />
<br />
Sh’hazrid is an architectural marvel – entirely planned out and constructed as a single sprawling building with aqueducts, hanging gardens, dwelling spaces and walkways woven right into it. Major coffee exporter. <br />
<br />
===[[Bassij]]===<br />
<br />
The second largest port in Najjir, quickly becoming just as important as Mashriq. Bassij sits in the [[Silver Sea]], which means it has access to [[Kazamki]] and [[Drache]], and it's a big exporter of silver, iron and copper. <br />
<br />
===[[Khorzem]]===<br />
<br />
A confederacy of merchant houses banded together in a loose and spread-out "city", dotted with farmers growing opium poppies and other drugs. <br />
<br />
===[[Dastarkhan]]===<br />
<br />
Originally a demilitarized zone between Mashriq and Qarsythe, now a thriving little domain and home of the land's best musicians and chefs. <br />
<br />
===[[Ul'habad]]===<br />
<br />
The mountains of [[Bassij]] open up onto a vast plateau that dead-ends into a two mile vertical drop into the prairie below. Perched on this shelf are the towers of Ul’habad, the worshipful home of priests and mystics from the east of Najjir. <br />
<br />
=Unsettled Tribes=<br />
<br />
===Shushan Travelers===<br />
<br />
They call themselves Shushan, but the rest of Najjir refers to them as Travelers or [[Elves#Dune Elves|Dune Elves]]. At one time, they dominated northern Najjir but have since been reduced to disconnected nomadic tribes traveling along the circumference of civilization as herders and traders. Though once more numerous, the wandering Shushan fell victim to Najjira's military, economic, and political wrangling as the Najjira spread northward from the desert's heart. As a result, they were steadily displaced or, in some cases, violently put down by human tribes.<br />
<br />
Shushan are often stereotyped as simple camel and sheep herders, but in reality, the dune elves have a culture as old as Amas'kyaa itself. Though they have a shorter lifespan than other elves, it still exceeds that of humans three times over. Their tribes have an intricate system of interconnections and politics, prompting the Traveler expression: “Myself against my brothers; my brothers and I against my cousins; my brothers, cousins and I against the world.” How the Shushan are regarded varies widely depending upon where in the [[Salt Desert]] one happens to find them. Some cities have banned them from entering on pain of immediate execution, while others have small Shushan cantons. [[Mashriq]] especially has seen violent clashes in the past, and the emir of the city has only recently re-admitted the elves into his city. In the south, some settled Shushan communities exist, tending to the vast poppy fields which are a major producer of the area’s opium.<br />
<br />
===Emshi Nomads===<br />
<br />
Cresting the dunes of Fareedah are the xenophobic tribes of the nomadic Emshi, an old word that literally means "windblown." Descendants of the final defenders of [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], they have never reconciled with the new Najjir and remain nomadic and insular to this day. They are divided into tribes of about thirty to fifty people, and all tribes congregate once a year in one oasis for a spiritual holiday.<br />
<br />
Unlike the Shushan, the Emshi dwell almost exclusively in Najjir’s unforgiving interior. Among the hardiest people in Najjir, the Emshi have adapted to the rigors of surviving in the open desert. They know every oasis like the back of their hand, know the signs to a sandstorm, and are taught from an early age tips for surviving in a harsh and unforgiving climate. They freely wander outside the frontier of the cursed ground and make use of relics from the old civilization. A curious cultural custom of the nomads is the fact that men wear headscarves and occasionally veils, but the women do not. Their clothing tends to be of a deep indigo color. <br />
<br />
The attitude of people in settled lands regarding the Emshi varies, but it is mostly one of mistrust and grudging acceptance. Emshi tribesmen are superior guides through Najjir's unforgiving interior and are often paid by caravaners to escort them through the desert safely. There is a high demand for relics from Amas'kyaa and for desert crystal harvested by the Emshi and sold at city bazaars where they make temporary rest stops. Aside from this, their livelihood depends on herding hardy animals such as [[Jilab Sand Hopper|jilab sand hoppers]] and camels. The Emshi have simple gardens set up in some oases and collect crops as needed, with a strict understanding that each tribe may only take what is needed and to not let food and water go to waste.<br />
<br />
The Emshi are the only ethnic group in Najjir which has psychics occasionally born into it at a rate of one to one hundred. Scholars think that this may be due to how close the nomads live to the crystal formations that are the source of their power. Emshi psychics who travel outside the Fareedah lose access to their powers unless they carry a focusing device made out of the local gems.<br />
<br />
===Buhucha===<br />
<br />
The Najjira people of Buhucha have a more rustic lifestyle than the city-state dwellers of the more northern regions. Yurts are a common structure, and most families have at least several animals that they raise. The traditional wool robes, often brown or off-red, protect against the nighttime cold. Often, families have more than one dwelling, made in different places, for different seasons, even though most dwellers of Buhucha are not truly nomadic. There is agriculture here as well as multiple trading towns that resupply caravans on their long trek south. Many have called Buhucha a blend between [[Khalars|Khalar]], [[Rashnaditz]] and Najjira cultures. Most villages or towns tend to be dominated by members of a single tribe. The tribes of Buhucha have a tradition of cattle rustling and bride-stealing as a facet of inter-village rivalry, and stolen brides often get absorbed into their husbands’ clan.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Tribal Groups]]<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
==Ankenah==<br />
<br />
Of all the mystical and scholarly movements in Najjir, none have broader a reach than the philosophy of Ankenah, which unites scribes, linguists, and scientists, even across the deserts. Originally introduced in ancient [[Najjir#History|Amas'kyaa]], modern Najjira people have rediscovered the discipline and expanded upon it.<br />
<br />
Tekhem "Ankenahotep" as-Tyrakhon was perhaps one of the famous Thinkers ever to advise the Pharaoh of Amas'kyaa. Over twelve years of his life, he worked out a system to synthesize the linguistic magic of glyphs, the zodiacal priesthood, and natural philosophy. He gave the system the name "Ankenah," which means roughly "The Insight," and wrote a very large book by the same name. Shortly thereafter, people began calling him Ankenahotep or "Great Insight/Source of Insight."<br />
<br />
Scholars in Amas'kyaa had already discovered the magical properties of glyphs and sigils long ago, but Tyrakhon was the first to propose a “system of everything” based on them. He realized that human beings interface with each other and the world around them using abstract concepts turned into symbols – language, in other words. Everything that humans have created, from pies to pyramids, has started from an abstract mental blueprint that could be translated into linguistic forms. Extrapolating this idea, he decided that the minds of gods must function in the same manner, and that all of creation can be abstracted to an interlocking series of concepts which could then be turned into symbols and translated. Going even further, Tyrakhon realized that there must be a universal language somewhere, the words and sentences of which spell entire world-phenomena and whose rules of grammar define universal laws and magic as it is known. The patterns of the constellations, the wavy arrangement of sand, and the blueprint of the human body were all different encryptions for one master key. The goal became to find this key and translate it into a language that could be used by humans.<br />
<br />
With Amas’kyaa’s collapse, the Ankenah movement fell into obscurity. However, a group of practicing Thinkers retreated to the plateau of [[Ul'habad]], taking with them as much from the imperial archives as they could. There, they formed a quasi-monastic order dedicated to preserving and expanding the Ankenah so that humanity didn’t have to start from scratch in the coming years. Eventually, the Ul’habadi School came to be known as the preeminent authority on Ankenah.<br />
<br />
===Modern Day===<br />
<br />
Najjir changed over the years, and the Ankenah discipline changed with it. Newer generations of linguists are almost all Menxist. Deity-neutral Ankenah fit very well into Menxism; people saw it as a way to understand the mind of [[Nehed]], who embodies the universal blueprint. More importantly, the alphabetic Najjira language replaced the old glyph language of Amas'kyaa.<br />
<br />
As language became increasingly standardized throughout Najjir and Ankenah gained popularity, most scholars and domain rulers agreed that Najjira should become the universal tongue of art and science. A grand summit was held in Ul'habad where scholars established the official form of High Najjira, and rulers agreed to enforce the purity of the language in an official capacity. Most domains instituted a law that all working scribes and teachers be language-certified from accredited Ankenah institutions in order to practice their trade. The law is not uniformly enforced, however, and many dropouts from Ankenah institutions become illegal scribes who subsist mainly on things like forgery, illegal across nearly all domains (unless the forger works secretly for a nobleman).<br />
<br />
International trade brought Najjira scholars in touch with their counterparts in foreign lands. Since Ankenah values the cumulative insight of sentient-kind, interest in international discoveries swelled. Scribes throughout Najjir mobilized a massive movement to acquire and translate as many foreign works of magical and natural theory as they could obtain. Ankenah mystics have pioneered linguistic magic in order to make learning foreign tongues as efficient as possible. Najjir's ravenous appetite for foreign texts is ever on the rise, and today, Ankenah scholars take all forms. Some are individual, knowledge-obsessed hermits, while others belong to lavish societies of noble figures. Some hold a quill all day, translating texts, and some perform new research and write original treatises. All rulers employ at least one advisor who is discerning in the Language of the Stars.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
[[Category: Menxism]]<br />
{{Navbox Religion}}<br />
[[Category: Religion]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8414Greater Pentland2018-04-19T22:07:39Z<p>Pigasus: /* Religion */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans.<br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
<br />
Kargaan-Eurymedon, also known as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
<br />
Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
<br />
Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
<br />
Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a ''relatively'' recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble fiefs dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past few centuries, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Pentland became an empire several hundred years ago and since then, has been more centralized. The imperial ruler is called either King or Emperor, depending on the social context of the conversation. The kings, usually dynastic, inherit the Obsidian Throne in the capital city of Kalimnost. The king's power is somewhat balanced by a council of nobles. While it's rare for a noble coalition to successfully challenge the king's decisions, the monarch depends on his nobles for his power and must have at least some of them on his side to govern effectively. <br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland's navy is the pride of the empire and the strongest military branch.<br />
<br />
Early Pentlanders used dromons and galleys, which began to be displaced by oarless vessels early on. Cogs and hulks were the mainstay for centuries until the development of the caravel. The Pentlanders iterated on these designs, favoring the square rigged foremast of the caravela redonda. Continued experiments led to Pentland developing a type of carrack independently from other nations, which came up with their own forms of carracks around roughly the same time. <br />
<br />
Pentland's most formidable warships are its large four-masted carracks, some of which are made from Thymvraan oak, which gives then unparalleled resistance to structural failure. The use of this construction material, however, is too expensive to use for the majority of its men o' war and merchantmen. Smaller carracks and square-rigged caravels comprise the backbone of the navy. <br />
<br />
While broadside combat has been around since 400, line of battle tactics are a recent development in Pentland's history, which the empire is eager to test out and perfect. <br />
<br />
Pentland also uses specialized vessels, some of which are still experimental. Coastal defense ships called Ankylos utilize dinosaurs' bone plating as an armored sheath over its deck as it rams, ignites or boards enemy ships from close range. These haven't been used extensively due to the rarity of any vessels assaulting Pentland's coastline. <br />
<br />
Pentland's largest ships by far, are trimarans developed and greatly scaled up from Fionn multi-hull canoes. While massive and ponderous, they are not any slower than the biggest warships and can generally keep up without an issue. While the trimarans have initially been used for logistics, they have now been adapted to carry one to several cavalry drakes or wyverns, along with their riders, handlers and feed. This enables Pentland to bring its air superiority to any sea battle or coastal raid. The use of these carriers is limited by their great expense. <br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk can also act as marines and sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
<br />
==Pentlanders==<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant human ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Pride and 'face' is important in society and this importance grows with higher socioeconomic status. <br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
===Sample Pentlander Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
==Arrants==<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
===Sample Arrant Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
==Tuil Fionn==<br />
<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. As a cultural trait, caution competes with the spirit of adventurousness that enabled them to explore so much of the ocean. Since the conquest by Pentland, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
===Sample Fionn Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
==Tuil [[Oneidhae]]==<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the [[Oneidhae]] are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
The mysterious merfolk live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances most of which involve some humanoid torso along with the traits of fish, marine mammals, crab or even jellyfish. There is some variation based on which city they're from, but caste plays the biggest role in determining an Oneidhae physiology. Strict adherence to the caste over hundreds of thousands of years caused stark differences between each group.<br />
<br />
Many Oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some castes are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom castes have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When caste-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives if they survive into adulthood. The Oneidhae have a dedicated warrior caste: The Myrmidons, who are some of the fiercest fighters in the South Sea.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society.<br />
<br />
Oneidhae religion is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep and see sentient marine life as a single massive hierarchy leading from the divine to the mortal. <br />
<br />
===Sample Oneidhae Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
==Malkraan Lizardfolk==<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. <br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
===Sample Malkraan Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
=Groups of Interest=<br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8413Greater Pentland2018-04-19T22:05:12Z<p>Pigasus: /* Ancient History */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans.<br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
<br />
Kargaan-Eurymedon, also known as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
<br />
Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
<br />
Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
<br />
Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
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[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
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One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
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High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
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Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
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[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
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The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
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[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a ''relatively'' recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble fiefs dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past few centuries, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Pentland became an empire several hundred years ago and since then, has been more centralized. The imperial ruler is called either King or Emperor, depending on the social context of the conversation. The kings, usually dynastic, inherit the Obsidian Throne in the capital city of Kalimnost. The king's power is somewhat balanced by a council of nobles. While it's rare for a noble coalition to successfully challenge the king's decisions, the monarch depends on his nobles for his power and must have at least some of them on his side to govern effectively. <br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
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The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland's navy is the pride of the empire and the strongest military branch.<br />
<br />
Early Pentlanders used dromons and galleys, which began to be displaced by oarless vessels early on. Cogs and hulks were the mainstay for centuries until the development of the caravel. The Pentlanders iterated on these designs, favoring the square rigged foremast of the caravela redonda. Continued experiments led to Pentland developing a type of carrack independently from other nations, which came up with their own forms of carracks around roughly the same time. <br />
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Pentland's most formidable warships are its large four-masted carracks, some of which are made from Thymvraan oak, which gives then unparalleled resistance to structural failure. The use of this construction material, however, is too expensive to use for the majority of its men o' war and merchantmen. Smaller carracks and square-rigged caravels comprise the backbone of the navy. <br />
<br />
While broadside combat has been around since 400, line of battle tactics are a recent development in Pentland's history, which the empire is eager to test out and perfect. <br />
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Pentland also uses specialized vessels, some of which are still experimental. Coastal defense ships called Ankylos utilize dinosaurs' bone plating as an armored sheath over its deck as it rams, ignites or boards enemy ships from close range. These haven't been used extensively due to the rarity of any vessels assaulting Pentland's coastline. <br />
<br />
Pentland's largest ships by far, are trimarans developed and greatly scaled up from Fionn multi-hull canoes. While massive and ponderous, they are not any slower than the biggest warships and can generally keep up without an issue. While the trimarans have initially been used for logistics, they have now been adapted to carry one to several cavalry drakes or wyverns, along with their riders, handlers and feed. This enables Pentland to bring its air superiority to any sea battle or coastal raid. The use of these carriers is limited by their great expense. <br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk can also act as marines and sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
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The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
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Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
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The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
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The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
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Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
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The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
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The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
<br />
==Pentlanders==<br />
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The Pentlanders are the dominant human ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
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Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Pride and 'face' is important in society and this importance grows with higher socioeconomic status. <br />
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Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
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Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
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Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
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Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
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===Sample Pentlander Names===<br />
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'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
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'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
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'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
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==Arrants==<br />
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The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
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The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
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Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
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Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
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===Sample Arrant Names===<br />
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'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
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'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
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'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
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==Tuil Fionn==<br />
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The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
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Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
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Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
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The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
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As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
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Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. As a cultural trait, caution competes with the spirit of adventurousness that enabled them to explore so much of the ocean. Since the conquest by Pentland, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
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Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
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===Sample Fionn Names===<br />
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'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
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'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
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Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
==Tuil [[Oneidhae]]==<br />
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Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the [[Oneidhae]] are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
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The mysterious merfolk live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. <br />
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The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances most of which involve some humanoid torso along with the traits of fish, marine mammals, crab or even jellyfish. There is some variation based on which city they're from, but caste plays the biggest role in determining an Oneidhae physiology. Strict adherence to the caste over hundreds of thousands of years caused stark differences between each group.<br />
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Many Oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some castes are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom castes have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When caste-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives if they survive into adulthood. The Oneidhae have a dedicated warrior caste: The Myrmidons, who are some of the fiercest fighters in the South Sea.<br />
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The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
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Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society.<br />
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Oneidhae religion is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep and see sentient marine life as a single massive hierarchy leading from the divine to the mortal. <br />
<br />
===Sample Oneidhae Names===<br />
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'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
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'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
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Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
==Malkraan Lizardfolk==<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. <br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
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The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
===Sample Malkraan Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
=Groups of Interest=<br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8412Greater Pentland2018-04-19T22:03:43Z<p>Pigasus: /* Pentlanders */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
<br />
Kargaan-Eurymedon, also known as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
<br />
Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
<br />
Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
<br />
Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a ''relatively'' recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble fiefs dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past few centuries, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Pentland became an empire several hundred years ago and since then, has been more centralized. The imperial ruler is called either King or Emperor, depending on the social context of the conversation. The kings, usually dynastic, inherit the Obsidian Throne in the capital city of Kalimnost. The king's power is somewhat balanced by a council of nobles. While it's rare for a noble coalition to successfully challenge the king's decisions, the monarch depends on his nobles for his power and must have at least some of them on his side to govern effectively. <br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland's navy is the pride of the empire and the strongest military branch.<br />
<br />
Early Pentlanders used dromons and galleys, which began to be displaced by oarless vessels early on. Cogs and hulks were the mainstay for centuries until the development of the caravel. The Pentlanders iterated on these designs, favoring the square rigged foremast of the caravela redonda. Continued experiments led to Pentland developing a type of carrack independently from other nations, which came up with their own forms of carracks around roughly the same time. <br />
<br />
Pentland's most formidable warships are its large four-masted carracks, some of which are made from Thymvraan oak, which gives then unparalleled resistance to structural failure. The use of this construction material, however, is too expensive to use for the majority of its men o' war and merchantmen. Smaller carracks and square-rigged caravels comprise the backbone of the navy. <br />
<br />
While broadside combat has been around since 400, line of battle tactics are a recent development in Pentland's history, which the empire is eager to test out and perfect. <br />
<br />
Pentland also uses specialized vessels, some of which are still experimental. Coastal defense ships called Ankylos utilize dinosaurs' bone plating as an armored sheath over its deck as it rams, ignites or boards enemy ships from close range. These haven't been used extensively due to the rarity of any vessels assaulting Pentland's coastline. <br />
<br />
Pentland's largest ships by far, are trimarans developed and greatly scaled up from Fionn multi-hull canoes. While massive and ponderous, they are not any slower than the biggest warships and can generally keep up without an issue. While the trimarans have initially been used for logistics, they have now been adapted to carry one to several cavalry drakes or wyverns, along with their riders, handlers and feed. This enables Pentland to bring its air superiority to any sea battle or coastal raid. The use of these carriers is limited by their great expense. <br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk can also act as marines and sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
<br />
==Pentlanders==<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant human ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Pride and 'face' is important in society and this importance grows with higher socioeconomic status. <br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
===Sample Pentlander Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
==Arrants==<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
===Sample Arrant Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
==Tuil Fionn==<br />
<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. As a cultural trait, caution competes with the spirit of adventurousness that enabled them to explore so much of the ocean. Since the conquest by Pentland, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
===Sample Fionn Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
==Tuil [[Oneidhae]]==<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the [[Oneidhae]] are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
The mysterious merfolk live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances most of which involve some humanoid torso along with the traits of fish, marine mammals, crab or even jellyfish. There is some variation based on which city they're from, but caste plays the biggest role in determining an Oneidhae physiology. Strict adherence to the caste over hundreds of thousands of years caused stark differences between each group.<br />
<br />
Many Oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some castes are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom castes have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When caste-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives if they survive into adulthood. The Oneidhae have a dedicated warrior caste: The Myrmidons, who are some of the fiercest fighters in the South Sea.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society.<br />
<br />
Oneidhae religion is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep and see sentient marine life as a single massive hierarchy leading from the divine to the mortal. <br />
<br />
===Sample Oneidhae Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
==Malkraan Lizardfolk==<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. <br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
===Sample Malkraan Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
=Groups of Interest=<br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8411Greater Pentland2018-04-19T22:00:33Z<p>Pigasus: /* Sample Fionn Names */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
<br />
Kargaan-Eurymedon, also known as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
<br />
Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
<br />
Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
<br />
Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a ''relatively'' recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble fiefs dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past few centuries, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Pentland became an empire several hundred years ago and since then, has been more centralized. The imperial ruler is called either King or Emperor, depending on the social context of the conversation. The kings, usually dynastic, inherit the Obsidian Throne in the capital city of Kalimnost. The king's power is somewhat balanced by a council of nobles. While it's rare for a noble coalition to successfully challenge the king's decisions, the monarch depends on his nobles for his power and must have at least some of them on his side to govern effectively. <br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland's navy is the pride of the empire and the strongest military branch.<br />
<br />
Early Pentlanders used dromons and galleys, which began to be displaced by oarless vessels early on. Cogs and hulks were the mainstay for centuries until the development of the caravel. The Pentlanders iterated on these designs, favoring the square rigged foremast of the caravela redonda. Continued experiments led to Pentland developing a type of carrack independently from other nations, which came up with their own forms of carracks around roughly the same time. <br />
<br />
Pentland's most formidable warships are its large four-masted carracks, some of which are made from Thymvraan oak, which gives then unparalleled resistance to structural failure. The use of this construction material, however, is too expensive to use for the majority of its men o' war and merchantmen. Smaller carracks and square-rigged caravels comprise the backbone of the navy. <br />
<br />
While broadside combat has been around since 400, line of battle tactics are a recent development in Pentland's history, which the empire is eager to test out and perfect. <br />
<br />
Pentland also uses specialized vessels, some of which are still experimental. Coastal defense ships called Ankylos utilize dinosaurs' bone plating as an armored sheath over its deck as it rams, ignites or boards enemy ships from close range. These haven't been used extensively due to the rarity of any vessels assaulting Pentland's coastline. <br />
<br />
Pentland's largest ships by far, are trimarans developed and greatly scaled up from Fionn multi-hull canoes. While massive and ponderous, they are not any slower than the biggest warships and can generally keep up without an issue. While the trimarans have initially been used for logistics, they have now been adapted to carry one to several cavalry drakes or wyverns, along with their riders, handlers and feed. This enables Pentland to bring its air superiority to any sea battle or coastal raid. The use of these carriers is limited by their great expense. <br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk can also act as marines and sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
<br />
==Pentlanders==<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Pride and 'face' is important in society and this importance grows with higher socioeconomic status. <br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
===Sample Pentlander Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
==Arrants==<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
===Sample Arrant Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
==Tuil Fionn==<br />
<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. As a cultural trait, caution competes with the spirit of adventurousness that enabled them to explore so much of the ocean. Since the conquest by Pentland, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
===Sample Fionn Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
==Tuil [[Oneidhae]]==<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the [[Oneidhae]] are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
The mysterious merfolk live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances most of which involve some humanoid torso along with the traits of fish, marine mammals, crab or even jellyfish. There is some variation based on which city they're from, but caste plays the biggest role in determining an Oneidhae physiology. Strict adherence to the caste over hundreds of thousands of years caused stark differences between each group.<br />
<br />
Many Oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some castes are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom castes have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When caste-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives if they survive into adulthood. The Oneidhae have a dedicated warrior caste: The Myrmidons, who are some of the fiercest fighters in the South Sea.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society.<br />
<br />
Oneidhae religion is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep and see sentient marine life as a single massive hierarchy leading from the divine to the mortal. <br />
<br />
===Sample Oneidhae Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
==Malkraan Lizardfolk==<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. <br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
===Sample Malkraan Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
=Groups of Interest=<br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8410Greater Pentland2018-04-19T21:59:36Z<p>Pigasus: /* Tuil Oneidhae */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
<br />
Kargaan-Eurymedon, also known as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
<br />
Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
<br />
Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
<br />
Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a ''relatively'' recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble fiefs dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past few centuries, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Pentland became an empire several hundred years ago and since then, has been more centralized. The imperial ruler is called either King or Emperor, depending on the social context of the conversation. The kings, usually dynastic, inherit the Obsidian Throne in the capital city of Kalimnost. The king's power is somewhat balanced by a council of nobles. While it's rare for a noble coalition to successfully challenge the king's decisions, the monarch depends on his nobles for his power and must have at least some of them on his side to govern effectively. <br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland's navy is the pride of the empire and the strongest military branch.<br />
<br />
Early Pentlanders used dromons and galleys, which began to be displaced by oarless vessels early on. Cogs and hulks were the mainstay for centuries until the development of the caravel. The Pentlanders iterated on these designs, favoring the square rigged foremast of the caravela redonda. Continued experiments led to Pentland developing a type of carrack independently from other nations, which came up with their own forms of carracks around roughly the same time. <br />
<br />
Pentland's most formidable warships are its large four-masted carracks, some of which are made from Thymvraan oak, which gives then unparalleled resistance to structural failure. The use of this construction material, however, is too expensive to use for the majority of its men o' war and merchantmen. Smaller carracks and square-rigged caravels comprise the backbone of the navy. <br />
<br />
While broadside combat has been around since 400, line of battle tactics are a recent development in Pentland's history, which the empire is eager to test out and perfect. <br />
<br />
Pentland also uses specialized vessels, some of which are still experimental. Coastal defense ships called Ankylos utilize dinosaurs' bone plating as an armored sheath over its deck as it rams, ignites or boards enemy ships from close range. These haven't been used extensively due to the rarity of any vessels assaulting Pentland's coastline. <br />
<br />
Pentland's largest ships by far, are trimarans developed and greatly scaled up from Fionn multi-hull canoes. While massive and ponderous, they are not any slower than the biggest warships and can generally keep up without an issue. While the trimarans have initially been used for logistics, they have now been adapted to carry one to several cavalry drakes or wyverns, along with their riders, handlers and feed. This enables Pentland to bring its air superiority to any sea battle or coastal raid. The use of these carriers is limited by their great expense. <br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk can also act as marines and sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
<br />
==Pentlanders==<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Pride and 'face' is important in society and this importance grows with higher socioeconomic status. <br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
===Sample Pentlander Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
==Arrants==<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
===Sample Arrant Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
==Tuil Fionn==<br />
<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. As a cultural trait, caution competes with the spirit of adventurousness that enabled them to explore so much of the ocean. Since the conquest by Pentland, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
==Sample Fionn Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
==Tuil [[Oneidhae]]==<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the [[Oneidhae]] are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
The mysterious merfolk live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances most of which involve some humanoid torso along with the traits of fish, marine mammals, crab or even jellyfish. There is some variation based on which city they're from, but caste plays the biggest role in determining an Oneidhae physiology. Strict adherence to the caste over hundreds of thousands of years caused stark differences between each group.<br />
<br />
Many Oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some castes are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom castes have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When caste-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives if they survive into adulthood. The Oneidhae have a dedicated warrior caste: The Myrmidons, who are some of the fiercest fighters in the South Sea.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society.<br />
<br />
Oneidhae religion is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep and see sentient marine life as a single massive hierarchy leading from the divine to the mortal. <br />
<br />
===Sample Oneidhae Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
==Malkraan Lizardfolk==<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. <br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
===Sample Malkraan Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
=Groups of Interest=<br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8409Greater Pentland2018-04-19T21:59:04Z<p>Pigasus: /* Society and Peoples */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
<br />
Kargaan-Eurymedon, also known as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
<br />
Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
<br />
Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
<br />
Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a ''relatively'' recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble fiefs dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past few centuries, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Pentland became an empire several hundred years ago and since then, has been more centralized. The imperial ruler is called either King or Emperor, depending on the social context of the conversation. The kings, usually dynastic, inherit the Obsidian Throne in the capital city of Kalimnost. The king's power is somewhat balanced by a council of nobles. While it's rare for a noble coalition to successfully challenge the king's decisions, the monarch depends on his nobles for his power and must have at least some of them on his side to govern effectively. <br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland's navy is the pride of the empire and the strongest military branch.<br />
<br />
Early Pentlanders used dromons and galleys, which began to be displaced by oarless vessels early on. Cogs and hulks were the mainstay for centuries until the development of the caravel. The Pentlanders iterated on these designs, favoring the square rigged foremast of the caravela redonda. Continued experiments led to Pentland developing a type of carrack independently from other nations, which came up with their own forms of carracks around roughly the same time. <br />
<br />
Pentland's most formidable warships are its large four-masted carracks, some of which are made from Thymvraan oak, which gives then unparalleled resistance to structural failure. The use of this construction material, however, is too expensive to use for the majority of its men o' war and merchantmen. Smaller carracks and square-rigged caravels comprise the backbone of the navy. <br />
<br />
While broadside combat has been around since 400, line of battle tactics are a recent development in Pentland's history, which the empire is eager to test out and perfect. <br />
<br />
Pentland also uses specialized vessels, some of which are still experimental. Coastal defense ships called Ankylos utilize dinosaurs' bone plating as an armored sheath over its deck as it rams, ignites or boards enemy ships from close range. These haven't been used extensively due to the rarity of any vessels assaulting Pentland's coastline. <br />
<br />
Pentland's largest ships by far, are trimarans developed and greatly scaled up from Fionn multi-hull canoes. While massive and ponderous, they are not any slower than the biggest warships and can generally keep up without an issue. While the trimarans have initially been used for logistics, they have now been adapted to carry one to several cavalry drakes or wyverns, along with their riders, handlers and feed. This enables Pentland to bring its air superiority to any sea battle or coastal raid. The use of these carriers is limited by their great expense. <br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk can also act as marines and sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
<br />
==Pentlanders==<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Pride and 'face' is important in society and this importance grows with higher socioeconomic status. <br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
===Sample Pentlander Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
==Arrants==<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
===Sample Arrant Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
==Tuil Fionn==<br />
<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. As a cultural trait, caution competes with the spirit of adventurousness that enabled them to explore so much of the ocean. Since the conquest by Pentland, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
==Sample Fionn Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
==Tuil Oneidhae==<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
The mysterious merfolk live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances most of which involve some humanoid torso along with the traits of fish, marine mammals, crab or even jellyfish. There is some variation based on which city they're from, but caste plays the biggest role in determining an Oneidhae physiology. Strict adherence to the caste over hundreds of thousands of years caused stark differences between each group.<br />
<br />
Many Oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some castes are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom castes have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When caste-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives if they survive into adulthood. The Oneidhae have a dedicated warrior caste: The Myrmidons, who are some of the fiercest fighters in the South Sea.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society.<br />
<br />
Oneidhae religion is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep and see sentient marine life as a single massive hierarchy leading from the divine to the mortal. <br />
<br />
===Sample Oneidhae Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
==Malkraan Lizardfolk==<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. <br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
===Sample Malkraan Names===<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
=Groups of Interest=<br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Peoples_of_Pentland&diff=8408Peoples of Pentland2018-04-19T21:51:14Z<p>Pigasus: /* Tuil Oneidhae */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Greater Pentland]] is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. It is known for its powerful navy and the dragonkin that live on the central island. Merfolk and lizardfolk can also be found here.<br />
<br />
=Pentlanders=<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Pride and 'face' is important in society and this importance grows with higher socioeconomic status. <br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
==Sample Pentlander Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
=Arrants=<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous Ellurian pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
==Sample Arrant Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
=Tuil Fionn=<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. As a cultural trait, caution competes with the spirit of adventurousness that enabled them to explore so much of the ocean. Since the conquest by Pentland, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
==Sample Fionn Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
=Tuil Oneidhae=<br />
<br />
The mysterious Oneidhae live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances most of which involve some humanoid torso along with the traits of fish, marine mammals, crab or even jellyfish. There is some variation based on which city they're from, but caste plays the biggest role in determining an Oneidhae physiology. Strict adherence to the caste over hundreds of thousands of years caused stark differences between each group.<br />
<br />
Many Oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some castes are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom castes have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When caste-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives if they survive into adulthood. The Oneidhae have a dedicated warrior caste: The Myrmidons, who are some of the fiercest fighters in the South Sea.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society.<br />
<br />
Oneidhae religion is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep and see sentient marine life as a single massive hierarchy leading from the divine to the mortal. <br />
<br />
==Sample Oneidhae Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
=Malkraan Lizardfolk=<br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
==Sample Malkraan Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
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[[Category: Races | Pentland]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Peoples_of_Pentland&diff=8407Peoples of Pentland2018-04-19T21:46:33Z<p>Pigasus: /* Pentlanders */</p>
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<div>[[Greater Pentland]] is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. It is known for its powerful navy and the dragonkin that live on the central island. Merfolk and lizardfolk can also be found here.<br />
<br />
=Pentlanders=<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Pride and 'face' is important in society and this importance grows with higher socioeconomic status. <br />
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Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
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Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
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Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
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==Sample Pentlander Names==<br />
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'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
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'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
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'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
=Arrants=<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous Ellurian pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
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The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
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Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
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Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
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==Sample Arrant Names==<br />
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'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
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'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
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'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
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=Tuil Fionn=<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
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Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
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Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
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The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
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As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
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Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. As a cultural trait, caution competes with the spirit of adventurousness that enabled them to explore so much of the ocean. Since the conquest by Pentland, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
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==Sample Fionn Names==<br />
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'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
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'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
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Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
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=Tuil Oneidhae=<br />
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The mysterious Oneidhae live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. The Oneidhae are a highly mobile people and don’t have permanent cities as such – viewing the entirety of the reef as their home. Still, various castes are only allowed certain territories<br />
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Oneidhae come in very diverse appearances. Almost all of them have some sort of fish-tail, a pair of arms, gills and specialized eyeballs. The rest varies. Some are thick and round, with pudgy flippers, others are long and sinuous. Some are covered in scales like nagas, others have slick dolphinlike flesh. Groups of Oneidhae with similar builds form the different castes of society.<br />
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At the top are statuesque tritons with long graceful tails and long trails of wispy, membranous “hair.” A few have quills and some have kelp-like fleshy appendages. The higher castes are born with a few innate magical abilities such as being able to assume a human form and walk on land for a day or two at most. Prolonged exposure to the atmosphere is harmful to them and they must soak in some body of water in order to “recharge.”<br />
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Oneidhae culture is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep but also share the Fionn belief in a “spirit realm.” At first glance, their livelihood seems as simple as that of gardeners or prairie hunters but their caste system is very complex with lots of subdivisions, hierarchies and social roles. The Oneidhae have an army of myrmidons armed with weapons made of hard, stinging coral. They also use trained sharks, dolphins and other marine life.<br />
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==Sample Oneidhae Names==<br />
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'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
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'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
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Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
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=Malkraan Lizardfolk=<br />
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The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
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The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
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Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
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Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
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The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
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Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
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==Sample Malkraan Names==<br />
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'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
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'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
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The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
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[[Category: Races | Pentland]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8406Greater Pentland2018-04-19T21:45:07Z<p>Pigasus: /* Navy */</p>
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<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
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The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
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Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
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Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
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The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
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The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
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After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
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==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
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Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
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Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
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While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
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==Colonial Expansion==<br />
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As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
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Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
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Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
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==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
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A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
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Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
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=Geographical Features=<br />
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Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
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Kargaan-Eurymedon, also known as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
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Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
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Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
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Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
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==Flora==<br />
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Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
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[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
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One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
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==Fauna==<br />
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Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
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High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
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Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
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[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
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The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
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[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
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[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
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[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
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Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
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=Government and Politics=<br />
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Strong central authority is a ''relatively'' recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble fiefs dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past few centuries, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
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Pentland became an empire several hundred years ago and since then, has been more centralized. The imperial ruler is called either King or Emperor, depending on the social context of the conversation. The kings, usually dynastic, inherit the Obsidian Throne in the capital city of Kalimnost. The king's power is somewhat balanced by a council of nobles. While it's rare for a noble coalition to successfully challenge the king's decisions, the monarch depends on his nobles for his power and must have at least some of them on his side to govern effectively. <br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
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=Military=<br />
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==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
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Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
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The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
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==Navy==<br />
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Pentland's navy is the pride of the empire and the strongest military branch.<br />
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Early Pentlanders used dromons and galleys, which began to be displaced by oarless vessels early on. Cogs and hulks were the mainstay for centuries until the development of the caravel. The Pentlanders iterated on these designs, favoring the square rigged foremast of the caravela redonda. Continued experiments led to Pentland developing a type of carrack independently from other nations, which came up with their own forms of carracks around roughly the same time. <br />
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Pentland's most formidable warships are its large four-masted carracks, some of which are made from Thymvraan oak, which gives then unparalleled resistance to structural failure. The use of this construction material, however, is too expensive to use for the majority of its men o' war and merchantmen. Smaller carracks and square-rigged caravels comprise the backbone of the navy. <br />
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While broadside combat has been around since 400, line of battle tactics are a recent development in Pentland's history, which the empire is eager to test out and perfect. <br />
<br />
Pentland also uses specialized vessels, some of which are still experimental. Coastal defense ships called Ankylos utilize dinosaurs' bone plating as an armored sheath over its deck as it rams, ignites or boards enemy ships from close range. These haven't been used extensively due to the rarity of any vessels assaulting Pentland's coastline. <br />
<br />
Pentland's largest ships by far, are trimarans developed and greatly scaled up from Fionn multi-hull canoes. While massive and ponderous, they are not any slower than the biggest warships and can generally keep up without an issue. While the trimarans have initially been used for logistics, they have now been adapted to carry one to several cavalry drakes or wyverns, along with their riders, handlers and feed. This enables Pentland to bring its air superiority to any sea battle or coastal raid. The use of these carriers is limited by their great expense. <br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk can also act as marines and sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8405Greater Pentland2018-04-19T20:45:54Z<p>Pigasus: /* Government and Politics */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
<br />
Kargaan-Eurymedon, also known as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
<br />
Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
<br />
Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
<br />
Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a ''relatively'' recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble fiefs dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past few centuries, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Pentland became an empire several hundred years ago and since then, has been more centralized. The imperial ruler is called either King or Emperor, depending on the social context of the conversation. The kings, usually dynastic, inherit the Obsidian Throne in the capital city of Kalimnost. The king's power is somewhat balanced by a council of nobles. While it's rare for a noble coalition to successfully challenge the king's decisions, the monarch depends on his nobles for his power and must have at least some of them on his side to govern effectively. <br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8404Greater Pentland2018-04-19T20:40:29Z<p>Pigasus: /* Geographical Features */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
<br />
Kargaan-Eurymedon, also known as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
<br />
Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
<br />
Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
<br />
Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble enclaves dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past decades, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Many thousands live in the capital city of Valgrade where stern, grand constructions loom over the city's wide open plazas and expansive squares. The palace itself, a spiky semi-ring broods over a short artificial waterway constructed from it to the sea. The Pentlander monarch sits on a throne made from obsidian from nearby volcanoes.<br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8403Greater Pentland2018-04-19T20:40:10Z<p>Pigasus: /* Geographical Features */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland consists of one massive island (Kargaan-Eurymedon), four very large islands (Tuil Sianaach, Arrantiada, Thule and Adoración) and dozens of smaller isles. It also has respectably sized colonies on the mainland, along the north and south coasts of the Inland Sea. <br />
<br />
Kargaan-Eurymedon, also knowsn as the Imperial Isle, has the lion's share of the population living in its well-defined provinces, united by decent roads and over a dozen rivers. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale, situated around the massive Eurymedon river. The vale is the most intact piece of the former Draconic life stewardship experiment. Its unspoiled nature is both breathtakingly beautiful and extremely deadly. The north of the island is mountainous, with small dead calderas clustered around the single massive Halistur volcano, which hadn't erupted for centuries. <br />
<br />
Arrantiada is technically four islands - one big and three small. It has a mild climate, ideal for agriculture and the sea around it is usually teeming with fish. It is mostly settled, with cities and large plantations covering much of its arable land. The island faces the strait of Aranquivir, which is used by many imperial and foreign ships. <br />
<br />
Closer to the equator, a crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. <br />
<br />
Thule, Adoracion and other islands have features that are a mix of what has already been described.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their colossal size (hundreds of meters), and their teal-colored leaves, their wood is exceptionally strong for its weight. When the wood breaks, it has a fantastic ability to repair its own structural failures, even after it's been cut to planks (up to a certain degree). It is extremely prized in shipbuilding. The leaves and sap of the Thym-Oak contain medicinal properties that can be used to remove pain and greatly increase a body's healing rate. Each cultivated oak is a plantation unto itself, carefully harvested and kept alive for many hundreds, if not thousands of years. <br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble enclaves dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past decades, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Many thousands live in the capital city of Valgrade where stern, grand constructions loom over the city's wide open plazas and expansive squares. The palace itself, a spiky semi-ring broods over a short artificial waterway constructed from it to the sea. The Pentlander monarch sits on a throne made from obsidian from nearby volcanoes.<br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8402Greater Pentland2018-04-19T20:20:17Z<p>Pigasus: /* Later Human Migrations */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations and Imperial Formation==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
While this was happening, Pentland made the transition from a union of semi-independent fiefs and cities into a true empire. Bloodshed accompanied the change, but relatively few people died and the newly Imperial Pentland remained a strong nation, with everything to gain from its newly expansionist doctrine.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
The three biggest islands in the archipelago are Pentland (also known as the Imperial Isle), Arrantiada and the Tuil Sianaach. A few dozen smaller isles lie scattered around them. Pentland is the largest, with well-defined provinces and territories and major population centers such as Valgrade and Dravenport. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale. Arrantiada is a little smaller but the minor islands next to it are a little larger and it has a milder climate. A great half-submerged atoll sits at the extreme west of the Archipelago. A crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. It has no capital to speak of. The dwellers of the archipelago come in different shapes and sizes and hail from distinct ancestries.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their turquoise leaves, the wood of these mighty trees has a fantastic ability to regenerate itself, even when chopped down. They are prized in building extremely resilient ships that are very hard to sink. The ships of the line of the Pentlandite navy are all made from this species.<br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble enclaves dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past decades, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Many thousands live in the capital city of Valgrade where stern, grand constructions loom over the city's wide open plazas and expansive squares. The palace itself, a spiky semi-ring broods over a short artificial waterway constructed from it to the sea. The Pentlander monarch sits on a throne made from obsidian from nearby volcanoes.<br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8401Greater Pentland2018-04-19T20:08:05Z<p>Pigasus: /* Later Human Migrations */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled several of them. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary.<br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
The three biggest islands in the archipelago are Pentland (also known as the Imperial Isle), Arrantiada and the Tuil Sianaach. A few dozen smaller isles lie scattered around them. Pentland is the largest, with well-defined provinces and territories and major population centers such as Valgrade and Dravenport. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale. Arrantiada is a little smaller but the minor islands next to it are a little larger and it has a milder climate. A great half-submerged atoll sits at the extreme west of the Archipelago. A crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. It has no capital to speak of. The dwellers of the archipelago come in different shapes and sizes and hail from distinct ancestries.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their turquoise leaves, the wood of these mighty trees has a fantastic ability to regenerate itself, even when chopped down. They are prized in building extremely resilient ships that are very hard to sink. The ships of the line of the Pentlandite navy are all made from this species.<br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble enclaves dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past decades, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Many thousands live in the capital city of Valgrade where stern, grand constructions loom over the city's wide open plazas and expansive squares. The palace itself, a spiky semi-ring broods over a short artificial waterway constructed from it to the sea. The Pentlander monarch sits on a throne made from obsidian from nearby volcanoes.<br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8400Greater Pentland2018-04-19T20:07:01Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across a series of large volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, dinosaurs, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else.<br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have once been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on its neighbors. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled four of them hundreds of years ago. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary. <br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
The three biggest islands in the archipelago are Pentland (also known as the Imperial Isle), Arrantiada and the Tuil Sianaach. A few dozen smaller isles lie scattered around them. Pentland is the largest, with well-defined provinces and territories and major population centers such as Valgrade and Dravenport. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale. Arrantiada is a little smaller but the minor islands next to it are a little larger and it has a milder climate. A great half-submerged atoll sits at the extreme west of the Archipelago. A crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. It has no capital to speak of. The dwellers of the archipelago come in different shapes and sizes and hail from distinct ancestries.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their turquoise leaves, the wood of these mighty trees has a fantastic ability to regenerate itself, even when chopped down. They are prized in building extremely resilient ships that are very hard to sink. The ships of the line of the Pentlandite navy are all made from this species.<br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble enclaves dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past decades, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Many thousands live in the capital city of Valgrade where stern, grand constructions loom over the city's wide open plazas and expansive squares. The palace itself, a spiky semi-ring broods over a short artificial waterway constructed from it to the sea. The Pentlander monarch sits on a throne made from obsidian from nearby volcanoes.<br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8399Greater Pentland2018-04-19T20:06:26Z<p>Pigasus: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else. <br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have until recently been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on neighboring isles and even the mainland of [[Veth]]. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled four of them hundreds of years ago. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary. <br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient.<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
The three biggest islands in the archipelago are Pentland (also known as the Imperial Isle), Arrantiada and the Tuil Sianaach. A few dozen smaller isles lie scattered around them. Pentland is the largest, with well-defined provinces and territories and major population centers such as Valgrade and Dravenport. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale. Arrantiada is a little smaller but the minor islands next to it are a little larger and it has a milder climate. A great half-submerged atoll sits at the extreme west of the Archipelago. A crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. It has no capital to speak of. The dwellers of the archipelago come in different shapes and sizes and hail from distinct ancestries.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their turquoise leaves, the wood of these mighty trees has a fantastic ability to regenerate itself, even when chopped down. They are prized in building extremely resilient ships that are very hard to sink. The ships of the line of the Pentlandite navy are all made from this species.<br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble enclaves dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past decades, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Many thousands live in the capital city of Valgrade where stern, grand constructions loom over the city's wide open plazas and expansive squares. The palace itself, a spiky semi-ring broods over a short artificial waterway constructed from it to the sea. The Pentlander monarch sits on a throne made from obsidian from nearby volcanoes.<br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8398Greater Pentland2018-04-19T20:05:58Z<p>Pigasus: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else. <br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have until recently been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on neighboring isles and even the mainland of [[Veth]]. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled four of them hundreds of years ago. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary. <br />
<br />
==Colonial Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient. <br />
<br />
==Notable Historical Figures==<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
The three biggest islands in the archipelago are Pentland (also known as the Imperial Isle), Arrantiada and the Tuil Sianaach. A few dozen smaller isles lie scattered around them. Pentland is the largest, with well-defined provinces and territories and major population centers such as Valgrade and Dravenport. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale. Arrantiada is a little smaller but the minor islands next to it are a little larger and it has a milder climate. A great half-submerged atoll sits at the extreme west of the Archipelago. A crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. It has no capital to speak of. The dwellers of the archipelago come in different shapes and sizes and hail from distinct ancestries.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their turquoise leaves, the wood of these mighty trees has a fantastic ability to regenerate itself, even when chopped down. They are prized in building extremely resilient ships that are very hard to sink. The ships of the line of the Pentlandite navy are all made from this species.<br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble enclaves dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past decades, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Many thousands live in the capital city of Valgrade where stern, grand constructions loom over the city's wide open plazas and expansive squares. The palace itself, a spiky semi-ring broods over a short artificial waterway constructed from it to the sea. The Pentlander monarch sits on a throne made from obsidian from nearby volcanoes.<br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8397Greater Pentland2018-04-19T20:03:46Z<p>Pigasus: /* History */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else. <br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have until recently been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on neighboring isles and even the mainland of [[Veth]]. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
==Ancient History==<br />
<br />
In ancient times, most of the isles were part of a landmass inhabited by High Dragons, who used it as a laboratory of life, according to research by religious scholars. The stewardship theory posits that dragons created new species to thrive or perish. This explains the abundance of dinosaurs and strange plants and animals. Scholars argue about whether the stewardship is still ongoing.<br />
<br />
Thousands of years ago, a colossal volcano exploded and shattered the landmass into islands. The blast also caused tsunamis and darkened the skies, killing tens of thousands across the South Sea. <br />
<br />
==Oneidhae Golden Age and Collapse==<br />
<br />
The merfolk living on continental shelves throughout the area slowly developed a centralized society and entered a golden age, according to Oneidhae loremasters. But harsh treatment of the laborer castes caused an uprising, after which the society entered a decline. As unity dissolved and Tuil Sianaach was no longer the center of merfolk life, cultural progress slowed and decentralized. Conflicts drove out several factions, spreading them across the oceans. <br />
<br />
==Early Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn people are the earliest recorded humans to populate the remaining archipelago. It's unknown whether they came from Veth's main landmass or from undiscovered lands in the Great Ocean. Using their multi-hulled canoes, the tribal Fionn explored most of Greater Pentland's current territory, settling down and forming communities on some of the islands. The main community settled on the Tuil Sianaach's above-surface portion. The Fionn were the first surface men to make contact with the Oneidhae.<br />
<br />
==Middle Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles from the continent, most likely from Vallaria. They settled on Kargaan-Eurymedon, which is now called the Imperial Isle. Most of the area's volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs roamed the land. The Pentlanders survived against these odds, carving out ever greater feudal enclaves and slaying or taming the terrible beasts. As they expanded, the Pentlanders pushed existing Fionn communities aside and came to intrude on the dragons' territories.<br />
<br />
After a prolonged and terrible stalemate, the dragons made an agreement with the humans about how much land can be developed and how much must remain wild. The dragons are rarely seen these days, preferring to stay in the wilds for mysterious reasons. The militant history left a mark. Pentlanders see themselves as heroic monster hunters and bringers of civilization. <br />
<br />
==Later Human Migrations==<br />
<br />
Tollorian explorers also came to some of the isles and settled four of them hundreds of years ago. Though some Fionn and a handful of Pentlanders already lived there as independent enclaves, the Tollorians' negotiation skills let them establish colonies. The largest was called Arrantiada, which became their collective name. After a few generations, hostilities broke out between the colonial residents and the Tollorian governor, who was overthrown by a nascent spiritual-revolutionary movement. <br />
<br />
Elluria and Tollor sent warships to reclaim the area and the Arrants asked Pentland for help, knowing that the Pentlanders were several years away from conquering the area anyway. Through shrewd diplomacy, the Arrants retained a great deal of independence including the right to a representative republic, while becoming Pentland's tributary. <br />
<br />
==Pentland's Expansion==<br />
<br />
As Pentland's naval technology developed and grew thanks to independent discoveries and cribbing from neighboring cultures, their ships became a growing presence in Tuil Sianaach. Eventually, Pentlanders discovered a wealth of natural resources, both organic and inorganic. The ensuing exploitation was the last straw for some of the locals, who killed several ships' worth of Pentlander sailors, marines and scholars.<br />
<br />
Soon, the imperial navy navy descended on the atoll in force. The Fionn were eventually subdued but Pentland had more trouble with the Oneidhae. A solution was found in the form of alchemical ships designed to release concentrated poison into the Tuil's massive coral reef system. The Oneidhae surrendered instead of watching their ecosystem be destroyed. Pentlanders deny ever using the poison in a demonstration, while the merfolk insist that a demonstration did occur, ruining part of the reef for several generations. <br />
<br />
Pentland's colonial ships also sailed around the Inland Sea and the western edge of the continent, establishing cities like Amparos, Placida Nova, and others. They often clashed with the local cultures and made heavy use of their powerful warships and their drakes, wyverns and dinosaurs to claim territory and pacify insurgents.<br />
<br />
==Civil War and Modern Day==<br />
<br />
A few decades ago, King Arcturus died while on the throne, leaving only his infant son as heir. As Pentland was already having economic trouble from colonial over-extension and a bloated military, some of the opportunistic nobles saw their chance to fight for dominance. This turned into a brutal internecine conflict that almost resulted in the loss of most colonies. Former lord general Wyrne seized the throne and held onto Pentland's territories but also instituted brutal repressions at home.<br />
<br />
Wyrne's opponents rallied against lord general Philemonis, who had a drop of royal blood and showed himself a more honorable ruler. Philemonis killed Wyrne and became king, launching his own dynasty. He continues to be a generally competent but not amazing ruler. One of his goals is to greatly increase Pentland's trade with Arangoth, the Southlands, Najjir, Mwayambi and the Orient. <br />
<br />
==Notable Historical Figures==<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
The three biggest islands in the archipelago are Pentland (also known as the Imperial Isle), Arrantiada and the Tuil Sianaach. A few dozen smaller isles lie scattered around them. Pentland is the largest, with well-defined provinces and territories and major population centers such as Valgrade and Dravenport. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale. Arrantiada is a little smaller but the minor islands next to it are a little larger and it has a milder climate. A great half-submerged atoll sits at the extreme west of the Archipelago. A crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. It has no capital to speak of. The dwellers of the archipelago come in different shapes and sizes and hail from distinct ancestries.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their turquoise leaves, the wood of these mighty trees has a fantastic ability to regenerate itself, even when chopped down. They are prized in building extremely resilient ships that are very hard to sink. The ships of the line of the Pentlandite navy are all made from this species.<br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble enclaves dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past decades, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Many thousands live in the capital city of Valgrade where stern, grand constructions loom over the city's wide open plazas and expansive squares. The palace itself, a spiky semi-ring broods over a short artificial waterway constructed from it to the sea. The Pentlander monarch sits on a throne made from obsidian from nearby volcanoes.<br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Peoples_of_Pentland&diff=8366Peoples of Pentland2018-04-13T22:35:40Z<p>Pigasus: /* Tuil Fionn */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Greater Pentland]] is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. It is known for its powerful navy and the dragonkin that live on the central island. Merfolk and lizardfolk can also be found here.<br />
<br />
=Pentlanders=<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Many a father had intense training of a son that had been beaten up in a street fight so that the kid could come out victor next time.<br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
==Sample Pentlander Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
=Arrants=<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous Ellurian pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
==Sample Arrant Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
=Tuil Fionn=<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. As a cultural trait, caution competes with the spirit of adventurousness that enabled them to explore so much of the ocean. Since the conquest by Pentland, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
==Sample Fionn Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
=Tuil Oneidhae=<br />
<br />
The mysterious Oneidhae live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. The Oneidhae are a highly mobile people and don’t have permanent cities as such – viewing the entirety of the reef as their home. Still, various castes are only allowed certain territories<br />
<br />
Oneidhae come in very diverse appearances. Almost all of them have some sort of fish-tail, a pair of arms, gills and specialized eyeballs. The rest varies. Some are thick and round, with pudgy flippers, others are long and sinuous. Some are covered in scales like nagas, others have slick dolphinlike flesh. Groups of Oneidhae with similar builds form the different castes of society.<br />
<br />
At the top are statuesque tritons with long graceful tails and long trails of wispy, membranous “hair.” A few have quills and some have kelp-like fleshy appendages. The higher castes are born with a few innate magical abilities such as being able to assume a human form and walk on land for a day or two at most. Prolonged exposure to the atmosphere is harmful to them and they must soak in some body of water in order to “recharge.”<br />
<br />
Oneidhae culture is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep but also share the Fionn belief in a “spirit realm.” At first glance, their livelihood seems as simple as that of gardeners or prairie hunters but their caste system is very complex with lots of subdivisions, hierarchies and social roles. The Oneidhae have an army of myrmidons armed with weapons made of hard, stinging coral. They also use trained sharks, dolphins and other marine life.<br />
<br />
==Sample Oneidhae Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
=Malkraan Lizardfolk=<br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
==Sample Malkraan Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Races | Pentland]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Peoples_of_Pentland&diff=8365Peoples of Pentland2018-04-13T22:24:53Z<p>Pigasus: /* Tuil Fionn */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Greater Pentland]] is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. It is known for its powerful navy and the dragonkin that live on the central island. Merfolk and lizardfolk can also be found here.<br />
<br />
=Pentlanders=<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Many a father had intense training of a son that had been beaten up in a street fight so that the kid could come out victor next time.<br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
==Sample Pentlander Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
=Arrants=<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous Ellurian pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
==Sample Arrant Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
=Tuil Fionn=<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. Caution is the overriding cultural trait that only deepened when Pentland took over. Since that conquest, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
==Sample Fionn Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
=Tuil Oneidhae=<br />
<br />
The mysterious Oneidhae live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. The Oneidhae are a highly mobile people and don’t have permanent cities as such – viewing the entirety of the reef as their home. Still, various castes are only allowed certain territories<br />
<br />
Oneidhae come in very diverse appearances. Almost all of them have some sort of fish-tail, a pair of arms, gills and specialized eyeballs. The rest varies. Some are thick and round, with pudgy flippers, others are long and sinuous. Some are covered in scales like nagas, others have slick dolphinlike flesh. Groups of Oneidhae with similar builds form the different castes of society.<br />
<br />
At the top are statuesque tritons with long graceful tails and long trails of wispy, membranous “hair.” A few have quills and some have kelp-like fleshy appendages. The higher castes are born with a few innate magical abilities such as being able to assume a human form and walk on land for a day or two at most. Prolonged exposure to the atmosphere is harmful to them and they must soak in some body of water in order to “recharge.”<br />
<br />
Oneidhae culture is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep but also share the Fionn belief in a “spirit realm.” At first glance, their livelihood seems as simple as that of gardeners or prairie hunters but their caste system is very complex with lots of subdivisions, hierarchies and social roles. The Oneidhae have an army of myrmidons armed with weapons made of hard, stinging coral. They also use trained sharks, dolphins and other marine life.<br />
<br />
==Sample Oneidhae Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
=Malkraan Lizardfolk=<br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
==Sample Malkraan Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Races | Pentland]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Peoples_of_Pentland&diff=8364Peoples of Pentland2018-04-13T22:23:46Z<p>Pigasus: /* Tuil Fionn */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Greater Pentland]] is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. It is known for its powerful navy and the dragonkin that live on the central island. Merfolk and lizardfolk can also be found here.<br />
<br />
=Pentlanders=<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Many a father had intense training of a son that had been beaten up in a street fight so that the kid could come out victor next time.<br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
==Sample Pentlander Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
=Arrants=<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous Ellurian pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
==Sample Arrant Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
=Tuil Fionn=<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are a big larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Generations under the subtropical sun caused them to evolve from their pale ancestral hues to darker olive skin tones. Their eyes can be a variety of colors.<br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other people. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. Caution is the overriding cultural trait that only deepened when Pentland took over. Since that conquest, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
==Sample Fionn Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
=Tuil Oneidhae=<br />
<br />
The mysterious Oneidhae live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. The Oneidhae are a highly mobile people and don’t have permanent cities as such – viewing the entirety of the reef as their home. Still, various castes are only allowed certain territories<br />
<br />
Oneidhae come in very diverse appearances. Almost all of them have some sort of fish-tail, a pair of arms, gills and specialized eyeballs. The rest varies. Some are thick and round, with pudgy flippers, others are long and sinuous. Some are covered in scales like nagas, others have slick dolphinlike flesh. Groups of Oneidhae with similar builds form the different castes of society.<br />
<br />
At the top are statuesque tritons with long graceful tails and long trails of wispy, membranous “hair.” A few have quills and some have kelp-like fleshy appendages. The higher castes are born with a few innate magical abilities such as being able to assume a human form and walk on land for a day or two at most. Prolonged exposure to the atmosphere is harmful to them and they must soak in some body of water in order to “recharge.”<br />
<br />
Oneidhae culture is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep but also share the Fionn belief in a “spirit realm.” At first glance, their livelihood seems as simple as that of gardeners or prairie hunters but their caste system is very complex with lots of subdivisions, hierarchies and social roles. The Oneidhae have an army of myrmidons armed with weapons made of hard, stinging coral. They also use trained sharks, dolphins and other marine life.<br />
<br />
==Sample Oneidhae Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
=Malkraan Lizardfolk=<br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
==Sample Malkraan Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Races | Pentland]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Peoples_of_Pentland&diff=8363Peoples of Pentland2018-04-13T22:21:36Z<p>Pigasus: /* Tuil Fionn */</p>
<hr />
<div>[[Greater Pentland]] is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. It is known for its powerful navy and the dragonkin that live on the central island. Merfolk and lizardfolk can also be found here.<br />
<br />
=Pentlanders=<br />
<br />
Due to centuries of battle against nature, monsters and each other, Pentlanders value ruggedness and determination. They tend to look down on frivolity – whimsy is beaten out of children at a young age with the sharp smack of a ruler. Youths are trained to stand their ground. Many a father had intense training of a son that had been beaten up in a street fight so that the kid could come out victor next time.<br />
<br />
Women aren’t encouraged to fight but they win respect for being multitaskers. Among the free folk, the more trade skills a woman knows, the more she is valued as a wife and as a citizen. On the other hand, serfs are serfs and few distinctions are made between men and women on a lord’s estate.<br />
<br />
Pentlander folklore includes many national epics that describe the feats of the forefathers in forging a future for the rest. The peninsula’s fauna left storytellers with a wealth of material: tales of dragon slaying and monster hunting abound. One example is the series of stories about Pendran Astartes whose family was slain the moment they set foot on the isle (though some tales have him being born from a volcano.) He becomes the first drake-rider and he and his allies perform fantastic primordial feats.<br />
<br />
Sculpture and architecture are also favored artforms. Builders and artists often use bones, scales and enamel of dead dragonkin for building material and enjoy inserting a decorative twist into an otherwise functional siege tower or moat wall.<br />
<br />
Arcane Horticulture became a popular artform recently. Practitioners use biomancy to twist and shape Pentland’s exotic plantlife to their bidding. Through careful manipulation of selective strains, a master could organically grow an entire house with waterproof leaves for roof shingles, inner spaces for rooms and furniture and bioluminescent fungi for lights. A few elves from the mainland have emigrated to Pentland to better learn the style.<br />
<br />
==Sample Pentlander Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male given names''': Vifrim, Nillas, Adraast, Andronikon, Dragos, Ajaan, Angkoor, Nidrus, Theunis, Praxio, Talos, Xaander, Norlin, Dysmas, Eton, Krysos, Zosim.<br />
<br />
'''Female given names''': Altheia, Alexandra, Neventhia, Nihilit, Annika, Akantha, Alcimene, Cassimi, Danae, Kyria, Polymia, Taanis, Malarie, Semile, Ilythia, Zenais.<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Philemonis, Erebyrne, Vaasilik, Wyrne, Tessavraal, Taaldis, Eurymach, Kallistrat, Kyriak, Metrophan, Onesiphoros.<br />
<br />
=Arrants=<br />
<br />
The Arrants descended from the most adventurous Ellurian pioneers who entrusted their lives to the sea and foreign climes. They speak an evolved, musical-sounding version of the Southlander dialect with noticeable Pentlander influences. Most urban dwellers are at least educated enough to read coarse-hand. Arrants do a lot of trade and fishing but the island is big and mild enough to sustain significant agriculture and thus, cuisine. Arrant dishes are renowned throughout the empire.<br />
<br />
The main theme of Pentlander art is combat but the main Arrant motif is romance. Arrants love music and dance, especially singing and stringed instruments. One famous musician quipped that his culture has more love-songs than it has eligible maidens. Arrantiada has a great number of festivals, some brought over from Elluria and some of more recent origins. Many of these involve singing, dancing, masquerades and feasting.<br />
<br />
Sophia’s influence created a stronger drive towards education among the well-to-do members of society. Arrant nobles tend to put their children through long, tedious curriculums as a status symbol. The most prestigious is the Merced Academie, colloquially known as the School of the Flower, where up and coming movers and shakers get trained in diplomacy and rhetoric. Other departments study natural science, history and magic.<br />
<br />
Arrants live in towns and haciendas throughout the isle. There are several major cities, Caperne, the capital, being the largest. Pentland contributed resources towards the city’s beautification to make it a pleasant vacation spot. As such, Pentlander architecture can be seen interspersed with the lighter, Rococo-style of the Arrants.<br />
<br />
==Sample Arrant Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Guillermo, Andrenas, Berenguer, Emigdio, Quio, Fernan, Injgo, Joaquin, Octavio, Ramir, Tadeo, Zekario, Hieronymo, Marius<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Amparo, Adoracion, Belen, Dolores, Caridad, Ynes, Reina, Odalys, Nita, Nieve, Lucia, Carmelita, Esperanza<br />
<br />
'''Surnames''': Fonseca, Quintana, Tenorio, Sandluco, Greyes, Penasco, Maduras, Fresneda, Himaras, Barrameda, Sidonia<br />
<br />
=Tuil Fionn=<br />
<br />
The Fionn are humans who lived on small islands for many generations and have adapted to marine life. Their hands and feet are a big larger and more flexible; with longer fingers and toes. They tend to be muscular, capable of easily storing up and metabolizing large amounts of body fat, which results in greater body fluctuation than other humans. Their chest cages tend to be larger, to accommodate their extremely high-capacity lungs that enable them to stay underwater many times longer than other humanoids. They tend to have good strength and excellent cardio and excel at detail work.<br />
<br />
Strong ultraviolet radiation guided adaptation from the pale bodies of their ancestors to the darker olive hue of contemporary Fionn. Their eyes can be a variety of colors, including brown, green, blue, gray and black. <br />
<br />
Rare Fionn are born with physical anomalies like their neighbors, the Oneidhae. These usually express as minor marine mammal-like traits, making them look like merfolk-human hybrids. These people are considered closer to the ocean, but by the same token, farther from humanity. More often than not, they end up being loners, with jobs that take them away from contact with other members of their tribes. <br />
<br />
The Fionn live as a series of tribes across a large series of islands extending into the South Sea and the Great Ocean. Most of these cluster around the Tuil Sianaach, the sickle of the ocean. Some Fionn are even rumored to live on legendary motile isles: floating landmasses on the backs of placid seabeasts or collections of vegetative matter, that are tiny ecosystems unto themselves. <br />
<br />
As island specialists, the Fionn are known for their excellent boat building and navigation skills. Early on in their history, they have pioneered a double-hulled canoe that took them farther than many larger deep-water ships that other races have come up with, much later in their development. They are also well-known for taming aquatic creatures such as giant crabs and other exotic marine life. Some creatures are herded, others are used for hunting, transportation, or even battle. The Fionn have an almost supernatural understanding of how to make use of the marine life in their vicinity. They practice underwater and surface agriculture as well, sometimes trading with the Oneidhae or other visitors. <br />
<br />
Fionn otherworldly beliefs describe the two domains of ocean and sky. They consider themselves the people who straddle the border between these realms and also think that they live close to the edge of the world where sky and ocean blur into each other. Their folktales are full of air or water spirits that control the elements or steal children into the depths. Caution is the overriding cultural trait that only deepened when Pentland took over. Since that conquest, sullenness and melancholy crept into the ethnic character as well.<br />
<br />
==Sample Fionn Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Partry, Niall, Bradach, Feidhlim, Odrhan, Tearlach, Murchadha, Domnhaill, Ciaran, Aedh, Maddoc, Teague<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Caitrionn, Aibhilin, Else, Muirinn, Siochain, Creirwy, Gwenhwyvi, Mairghana, Margwen<br />
<br />
Fionn use no surnames, instead using the first names of their parents for identification: (ex: Siochain-of-Teague-and-Margwen.)<br />
<br />
=Tuil Oneidhae=<br />
<br />
The mysterious Oneidhae live beneath the waves of the great atoll, making their home throughout the coral reef. Through pruning, they control the shape of the coral deposits, growing barriers, passageways and public fixtures as they see fit. The Oneidhae are a highly mobile people and don’t have permanent cities as such – viewing the entirety of the reef as their home. Still, various castes are only allowed certain territories<br />
<br />
Oneidhae come in very diverse appearances. Almost all of them have some sort of fish-tail, a pair of arms, gills and specialized eyeballs. The rest varies. Some are thick and round, with pudgy flippers, others are long and sinuous. Some are covered in scales like nagas, others have slick dolphinlike flesh. Groups of Oneidhae with similar builds form the different castes of society.<br />
<br />
At the top are statuesque tritons with long graceful tails and long trails of wispy, membranous “hair.” A few have quills and some have kelp-like fleshy appendages. The higher castes are born with a few innate magical abilities such as being able to assume a human form and walk on land for a day or two at most. Prolonged exposure to the atmosphere is harmful to them and they must soak in some body of water in order to “recharge.”<br />
<br />
Oneidhae culture is poorly understood. They revere the ancient gods of the deep but also share the Fionn belief in a “spirit realm.” At first glance, their livelihood seems as simple as that of gardeners or prairie hunters but their caste system is very complex with lots of subdivisions, hierarchies and social roles. The Oneidhae have an army of myrmidons armed with weapons made of hard, stinging coral. They also use trained sharks, dolphins and other marine life.<br />
<br />
==Sample Oneidhae Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Ixion, Anaxhid, Iakkos, Artairis, Innenin, Omphaelos<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Nerys, Una, Anais, Nyx, Ismene, Mneme, Nada, Ullisa<br />
<br />
Instead of surnames, Oneidhae identify each other by caste and if that’s not enough, by some physical trait. Example: Bluegreen Ionar the Myrmidon.<br />
<br />
=Malkraan Lizardfolk=<br />
<br />
The powerful Malkraans inhabited the imperial isle before it was a glimmer in any human’s eye. Nowadays, most of them live in the Kargaan wilds and the magma pools of the Heathdern volcano. Pentlanders refer to them as Lizardmen which is a misnomer – the proud creatures have more in common with fire-breathing dragons than with cold-blooded reptiles. The ancient race lives to serve their god, Malkraas, master of the wilderness and patron of the hunt.<br />
<br />
The Malks stand over seven feet high, with a hunched posture, a scaly lizardlike flesh and a long, toothy mouth. Tufts of quills extend from the base of their heads; their serrated tails reach to the floor. They walk on a pair of powerful legs and sometimes wear metal plates to augment their already impressive natural armor. Their eyes are a molten orange. Their partial draconic qualities make them highly resistant to heat and flames, making them natural smiths.<br />
<br />
Malkraans don’t have much of a society to speak of. One time they lived in greater numbers with elites and institutions but even then, they were a highly individualistic race, prone to wandering alone and lording over a territory in solitude. Long battles with the humans and the deaths of great wyrms who once ruled over the race have driven them farther and farther apart. It’s uncommon to encounter two Malkraans in the same place at the same time.<br />
<br />
Still, the lizardfolk have built a series of meeting markers throughout the island and come together there sometimes to exchange goods and information. Males and females pair off and produce several children, then drift apart again once the young can survive on their own.<br />
<br />
The lizardfolk believe that they were created by the dragon-god, Malkras, to have dominion over the beasts of the isle and to maintain and enforce ecological balance. As such, some become rangers. Their tales say that their god has given them the power over tools in order to compete against larger predators, including enemy dragons. Despite being behind humans in civilization, they know certain tricks of how to make watered steel and adamantium. Some of the most renowned armor and weapon smiths in the realm come from Malkraan stock.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, most lizardfolk live as citizens of the realm, for the most part, obeying the laws set forth by the king. But they weren’t meant to live this way and their numbers are on a slow but steady decline. A few have banded together to demand domain throughout Kargaan Vale and Heathdern but they run up against local human lords who will not hear it.<br />
<br />
==Sample Malkraan Names==<br />
<br />
'''Male Given Names''': Tammuskerebrazassek, Anaxirandolovrejs, Pengrastragvenrtr<br />
<br />
'''Female Given Names''': Malinaxatararesh, Vinitrianiskrite, Imbohlinadrashattra<br />
<br />
The Lizardfolk do not use surnames.<br />
<br />
[[Category: Races | Pentland]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Greater_Pentland&diff=8362Greater Pentland2018-04-13T21:52:16Z<p>Pigasus: /* Society and Peoples */</p>
<hr />
<div>{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = <br />
| image = Pentland.jpg<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = Proud we stand forever <br />
| capital = Valgarde<br />
| language1 = Pentlandite Common<br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Humans, <br />
| race2 = Malkraan lizardfolk, <br />
| race3 = Oneidhae merfolk<br />
| religion = Mixed<br />
| government = Monarchy<br />
| ruler = King Andrathon Philemonis<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = Pentlandite "pieces of five" are in wide foreign circulation<br />
}}<br />
<br />
Greater Pentland is a multi-ethnic empire stretched across the Drackon Archipelago, a series of volcanic islands to the south of the continent. The islands are known for their breathtaking abundance of life, including great dragons, dragonkin, merfolk and thousands of exotic species of plants and animals that can't be found anywhere else. <br />
<br />
The people are known for having one of the most powerful navies in the hemisphere; a substantial air force of drake and wyvern riders; and their militant expansionist doctrine. Though Pentlander ambitions have until recently been curbed by a prolonged civil conflict, the reunited empire has once again set its sights on neighboring isles and even the mainland of [[Veth]]. <br />
<br />
=History=<br />
==History of Pentland==<br />
<br />
The proto-Pentlanders came to the isles many centuries ago. Some historians think that these proud people share a common ancestry with the former [[Vallaria|Vallarian Empire]] to the north. Others think that Pentlanders branched off from the southron Alesians. Whichever the case, the initial colonization happened when most of the archipelago’s volcanoes were still active and massive dragons and dinosaurs inhabited the primordial forests.<br />
<br />
How the humans survived against these odds is unknown but the heroic tales are richly woven into Pentland’s folklore. The storybooks are replete with tales of mighty heroes waging epic battle, conquering the evil dragonkind and making alliances with the good. Whatever the reality, it explains the militant national character and the robust, survivalist streak in Pentlanders.<br />
<br />
The early Pentlanders established a foothold on the main island and spread throughout, growing stronger. Beasts were hunted for safety, meat, bones and scales. Some were hunted to extinction. The sentient dragons had a mixed relationship with the humans, depending on who was in charge, where, at what time. Human numbers and ingenuity won out and the draconic population declined, receding into the Kargaan wilds.<br />
<br />
Pentland eventually developed a navy and expanded its imperial ambitions, conquering the isles of Arrantiada, Tuil Sianaach and Verdigrain. Pentlanders also colonized the nation of [[Marilsan]] on the mainland, until its war of independence roughly a century ago.<br />
<br />
The humans had plenty of conflicts among themselves. The turbulent history of the Pentlander dynasties would take up several tomes. The most recent upheaval arose in the year 453 when General Wyrne, the Usurper slew King Arcturus and took the obsidian throne, instituting a series of brutal repressions. Two years later, General Philemonis struck back, killing Wyrne and taking the throne for himself. So far, his reign has been more tolerant.<br />
<br />
==History of Arrantiada==<br />
<br />
Arrantiada has a briefer history than her colonists. Arrants were originally [[Tollor|Tollorians]] who settled the handful of the larger southernmost isles during the Tollorian age of exploration, two hundred years ago. The islands proved mild and fertile, with an abundance of fish nearby. But the Tollorian governor turned out incompetent and his mistakes and overreactions dragged the new colony down towards frequent hunger, banditry and disorganization. Several armed uprisings whittled away at the governor’s guards until he had to send a missive to Tollor for reinforcements.<br />
<br />
Shortly, three damaged vessels beached near Arrantiada, carrying human escapees from [[Griffon’s Aerie]] and [[Leturia]] as well as a handful of [[Secca|Seccan]] mercenaries. Among them was one Sofia Soptibi (later changed to Sidonia,) a human descendant of Vallaria whose outward appearance betrayed a strong trace of Griffon blood. She fled the Aerie after being accused of defying the [[Lilism|Lil]] and rabble rousing.<br />
<br />
With her, Sofia brought a mystical reinterpretation of Lilism as practiced on the continent. Details vary but most stories hold forth that after a brief detention by the governor, Sofia went into the countryside with her refugees, healing the sick, feeding the hungry and teaching something she called “flowery warfare” – a synthesis of rhetoric, psychology and mysticism to select individuals. The downtrodden masses saw her as a heroine and prophetess. Under her influence, the residents banded together, deposed the governor and started a republic. Sofia died shortly afterwards and was widely mourned. The School of the Flower was soon founded in her name, eventually becoming a renowned academy for diplomats.<br />
<br />
Independence didn’t solve Arrantiada’s problems – Tollor would be back soon, ready to reap the benefits of the thriving colony. But Pentland got there first. The warships of Admiral Tessavral surrounded the island and Arrants, lacking the means to fight, invited the Pentlanders ashore. After a lengthy negotiation, the King allowed the Republic to remain intact and placed it under the protection of the imperial navy in exchange for taxes and concessions. Of course it’s understood that the King can come down on Arrantiada at any moment but he has no reason to. Arrant advisors and courtiers influence royal decision-making in the obsidian court. <br />
<br />
==History of Tuil Sianaach==<br />
<br />
The Fionn and Oneidhae lived side by side for centuries, sometimes trading, sometimes skirmishing. Neither welcomed Pentland’s repeated incursion into their waters. Still, the Pentlandite navy was content to treat the Tuil Sianaach as a pretty freshwater stop until several fishing vessels pulled up rocks lined with rich ore deposits from underwater volcanoes. A Pentlander revenue cutter and its accompanying ships confiscated the find and cruised the atoll for weeks, forcing the locals to dive for treasure. The captain finally discovered some diamonds. That night, an unknown party sabotaged the ships, causing them to sink, killing all crew aboard.<br />
<br />
A month later, the navy descended on the atoll in force and a bitter war above and below the surface ensued. The Fionn were quickly routed and subjugated but the navy had more trouble with the Oneidhae. Some time after, Pentland sent new, strangely bulbous galleons armed with alchemical contraptions designed to pump concentrated poison into the coral reef. The Oneidhae surrendered rather than have their ecosystem destroyed.<br />
<br />
Over a century has passed since then and a Fionn minority now lives in cities thoughout the empire. They are almost always lower-class and looked down upon by Pentlanders and Arrants. The navy keeps a force of ships at the Tuil Sianaach at all times, exploiting the atoll for its resources. Some Oneidhae have even joined the navy as marines. <br />
<br />
==Notable Historical Figures==<br />
<br />
=Geographical Features=<br />
<br />
The three biggest islands in the archipelago are Pentland (also known as the Imperial Isle), Arrantiada and the Tuil Sianaach. A few dozen smaller isles lie scattered around them. Pentland is the largest, with well-defined provinces and territories and major population centers such as Valgrade and Dravenport. It is also home to the famous wilds of Kargaan Vale. Arrantiada is a little smaller but the minor islands next to it are a little larger and it has a milder climate. A great half-submerged atoll sits at the extreme west of the Archipelago. A crescent island juts from the water, surrounding a round seabed shelf that supports an enormous coral reef and drifting motile isles made of flotsam and life. Indigenous peoples call this place the Tuil Sianaach – sickle of the ocean. Two intelligent species share this ecosystem: the air-breathing Fionn and the underwater Oneidhae merfolk. It has no capital to speak of. The dwellers of the archipelago come in different shapes and sizes and hail from distinct ancestries.<br />
<br />
==Flora==<br />
<br />
Perhaps the most noteworthy of Pentland’s tall trees is the [[Thymvraan Oak]]. Distinguished by their turquoise leaves, the wood of these mighty trees has a fantastic ability to regenerate itself, even when chopped down. They are prized in building extremely resilient ships that are very hard to sink. The ships of the line of the Pentlandite navy are all made from this species.<br />
<br />
[[Iridion Trees]] describes pairs of species: the [[Wyrdant Nightshade]] and [[Feyglow fungi]]. Primarily growing next to streams, the twisting tree spreads its night-flowering canopy overhead while the symbiotic fungi grow on the branches of the tree, feeding off its juices. Once fully mature, the fungus begins to glow with a soft light that ranges from pale blue to violet. This light attracts nocturnal insects which then pollinate the tree and keep it reproducing. Sometimes, the fungus releases luminous spores which drift through the forest like sparkling fey.<br />
<br />
One thing to always look out for is the magical [[Krimian Pine|Krimian pine]]: short and solitary trees that have developed a frightening defense method. Their reddish needles contain traces of magic elemental fire along with hollow cavities in the stubby branches. If someone disturbs the tree with force, the cavities burst, showering the offender with incendiary needles that burst into flames and cinders. The tree self-reproduces by growing a number of rounded pine cones that explode violently when the time comes, scattering their rock-hard seeds throughout the surrounding area. These trees usually have a several yard barren space around them. Resourceful humans have learned to carefully harvest them for alchemical and military ingredients.<br />
<br />
==Fauna==<br />
<br />
Pentland is renowned for its reptilian and draconic life. It also has many other strange beasts and critters.<br />
<br />
High dragons are the undisputed masters of the wilds. Kargaan Vale, which takes up nearly a quarter of the Imperial Isle's total landmass, is off limits to human habitations larger than ranger huts, because of an agreement for the humans to keep settlements out. <br />
<br />
Imperial [[Drakes|drakes]] look like two-legged dragons with wings, roughly the size of a camel. Drakes aren't fully self-aware but some species are highly intelligent and possess weak telepathy. The dumber, more common varieties are called "wyverns" - instead of empathy and breath weapons, they evolved quills and stingers. Humans have trained both types as mounts and all airborne cavalrymen are called drake-riders.<br />
<br />
[[Kargaan_Raptors|Kargaan Raptors]] are fast carnivorous lizards about the size of a horse. They walk on two powerful hind legs and have smaller vestigial front “arms” that are mainly used for balance and bracing. They use long jumps and bursts of speed to chase down their prey and devour it with their jagged teeth. Though extremely dangerous when encountered in the wild, humans have been able to capture, train, and even breed them as mounts. <br />
<br />
The [[Drakontos|drakontos]] (or 'ontos) are herbivorous beasts distantly related to dragons. Far less sinuous, they have large stocky bodies resembling a longer-legged version of basilisks, with hind legs that are notably bigger than the other limbs. They are covered in hardened scales and massive horns on their heads that protect them against predators. The bull varany have magical breath weapons: usually fire or corrosive gas that they also use for protection and territorial fights. These have also been domesticated in parts of Pentland. Bulls are sometimes trained as special mounts for important people.<br />
<br />
[[Kaas Rippers|Kaas rippers]] are numerous small lizards that travel in packs. They like to swarm larger prey, surrounding it and eventually gnawing it to death. Many rangers have horror stories about these little creatures. One way to hold them at bay is to exploit their fear of fire.<br />
<br />
[[Dartscales|Glowscales]] can generate an electric charge from the hundreds of tiny filaments on their bodies. One shock is usually enough to deter most predators. If many are close together and shock at once, it can kill a human.<br />
<br />
[[Vampiric Gliders|Vampiric gliders]] are furry tree-dwellers with flaps of skin between their arms and legs. They usually pounce from trees and glide up to their prey, injecting their fangs into the flesh and releasing a numbing, paralyzing toxin that makes it hard for the victim to move. They then drink the victim's blood. Few victims ever die from the blood loss but their hampered movement makes them highly vulnerable to other predators.<br />
<br />
Kargaan vale is home to a big number of insect species, some of which are quite large and range from annoying to deadly.<br />
<br />
=Government and Politics=<br />
<br />
Strong central authority is a recent phenomenon. The early Pentlanders’ tendency to form survivalist enclaves developed into a sort of feudalism with strong, turbulent nobility that doesn’t always obey the will of the Imperial Liege. Noble enclaves dot the land, fortified behind keeps and castles. In the past decades, a number of towns and villages sprang up in south of the main island, as Pentland is now safe enough not to require people to live behind walls.<br />
<br />
Many thousands live in the capital city of Valgrade where stern, grand constructions loom over the city's wide open plazas and expansive squares. The palace itself, a spiky semi-ring broods over a short artificial waterway constructed from it to the sea. The Pentlander monarch sits on a throne made from obsidian from nearby volcanoes.<br />
<br />
==Notable Government Officials==<br />
<br />
=Military=<br />
<br />
==Army==<br />
<br />
When talking about the military, it’s useful to note that there are two types of armies: that fielded by the king, and that fielded by the nobility. The latter consists mostly of vassals, conscripts and however many knights a nobleman’s dominion might have. Frequent alliances keep a shifting balance of military power. If Pentland is called upon to fight some battle, the nobles are clearly obliged to unite under the flag of the king. Depending on the strength of the monarch, that may not always happen immediately.<br />
<br />
Still, it’s a bad idea to get on the monarch’s bad side. He commands a standing army as well – this one mostly volunteers, around Valgrade and Perrenia. These soldiers are considerably better trained and better paid, which speaks of their superiority. The Lord Protector commands the king’s infantry and dragoons.<br />
<br />
The regulars are subdivided into arms (battalions) and claws (companies) in that order, named after parts of the dragon anatomy. Each claw is commanded by a high officer or knight. Each arm is commanded by a general.<br />
<br />
==Navy==<br />
<br />
Pentland’s navy is the pride of the empire and definitely the strongest military branch. The Lord Admiral has command over all naval vessels and in emergency situations declared by the king, over all forms of marine vessels belonging to Pentland, including personal fishing and mercantile boats of individual proprietors. These are divided into fleets, each with a lesser admiral of its own.<br />
<br />
The naval force contains the infamous Thymvraan ships of the line which are made exclusively out of self-regenerating wood from the trees deep in the kingdom’s heartland. Scores of frigates and various smaller brigs and cutters for fast reconnaissance round out the mainstays. The Hyperion is the flagship of the admiral’s personal fleet.<br />
<br />
The Pentlander navy employs some Tuil Oneidhae expatriates. It presents some logistical challenges to accommodate a water-breathing species aboard ships but a handful of Oneidhae myrmidons can dive underwater, swim underneath an enemy ship and make a big hole through it. The merfolk who are gifted with transformation also make ideal marines, being able to sneak up on enemies right from the shore.<br />
<br />
A number of naval ships are outfitted with wyvern handler decks – designed to carry either one or two flying mounts and all their feed. Cavalry dragonriders striking from the decks of ships can scout ahead for enemy ships or cause severe damage to them.<br />
<br />
==Cavalry==<br />
<br />
While Pentland has horses and routinely uses them for internal communication and transportation, the military cavalry utilizes mainly reptilian/draconic creatures as mounts (see fauna.) On the ground, riders are trained in the use of Kargaan raptors, and the highland drakontos. The latter are used by particularly gifted riders, usually in conjunction with various shooting weapons. The raptors with their rapid speed and sharp jaws are considered lighter cavalry, while the drakontos with their tough hides, large size, and breath weapons are considered heavy. The king has a number of personal 'ontos specially kept for him and no one else.<br />
<br />
The flyers are slightly less numerous than the ground cavalry and use drakes and wyverns as mounts. The Pentlandite drakes are semi-sentient beasts that make use of their breath weapons and spell-like abilities in combat. Wyverns are considered of a lesser quality, because they are just beasts that must be guided with limited vocal and tactile commands. Neither has an advantage in speed but wyverns lack breath weapons, which adds to their list of drawbacks.<br />
<br />
That said, drake riders are somewhat less common due to the greater level of skill and commitment it takes to handle one. Since drakes operate best under a single rider with a close mental connection, they are less interchangeable than dumber mounts, and bonds between drake and rider tend to last for a long time. Wyvern riders are a little more common, and what they lose in striking power and prestige, they make up for in rider-mount versatility. Still, the act of taming a drake is considered a paragon act of manhood in Pentland and the flyer corps are some of the most smug and oversexed in the military.<br />
<br />
The flying unit often does not resemble the rest of the military. It consists mainly of small-framed and light individuals (because lighter riders fly better). They are divided into the first and second wings, and trained in the use of bows, crossbows, lances and javelins, as well as how to use the claws, teeth and stingers of their mounts to maximum effect.<br />
<br />
==Mages==<br />
<br />
Finally there are the battle mages and clerics. While there are few dedicated evokers in their ranks, Pentland’s supernaturalists excel at using the mana-drenched organic life in their country as a weapon. Their acumen ranges from externalizing the explosive potential of a Krimian pine into their foes or imbuing allies with some combat features of dragons. Many of these mages tend to be Arrants who are ecstatic to study something as exotic as Pentland’s flora and fauna. Priests form the medical corps of the military and are called upon to use their knowledge of chirurgery and magical healing.<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
Religion is a tangled subject in the empire mostly because its constituent races have different viewpoints about gods and afterlife. Pentlanders and Arrants have three divisions of the world: earth, sea and sky. Fionn and Oneidhae take out the earthy middleman. The lizardfolk worship only their supposed creator. Minor deities and spirits from each of the faiths bleed over into one another through cultural diffusion.<br />
<br />
The Pentlanders worship a trio of major gods: grim and reclusive '''Jormandares''' for the earth, impulsive and hotheaded '''Sevelos''' for the sky and wise but malleable '''Thurisaaz''' for the ocean. Each god commands two different colored dragonflights. A variety of smaller gods and goddesses have more specialized roles delegated by the trio. Pentlanders will pray at different shrines depending on what they want.<br />
<br />
The Arrants also have a major trio of gods they inherited from [[Elluria]] – [[Ellurian Religion|Gitaro, Ekki and Seviro]]. Attempts have been made to reconcile the two religions but there are some major differences – for example, the Arrant sky/sun god is calm and wise while the Pentlander one is frequently angry. One forward-thinking king built a series of shrines dedicated not to gods but to elemental domains. These caught on in bigger cities and it’s common to see a Pentlander merchant praying to Thurisaaz for fair winds next to an Arrant fisherman’s widow begging Seviro to restore her husband.<br />
<br />
Outside of their pantheon, many Arrants also follow the teachings of Sofia Sidonia. Some of what she preached seems contradictory: standing up to unjust rulers but also nonviolence; justice and fairness for all but also unlocking individual human potential through the gathering of knowledge. There are multiple interpretations but the philosophy’s bent away from confrontation, towards negotiation predisposes Arrants to be an indirect, manipulative people. The mystic core of the discipline allows for near-arcane feats of misdirection, pattern reading and human influence.<br />
<br />
The Fionn believe themselves to live on the narrow strips of land that separates the two great abysses of sky and ocean. They have gods similar to the sky and sea gods the Pentlanders but these are background watchers and most movers and shakers are the many spirits and entities that live throughout reality. Spirits come in two types: '''Tuatha de Siamnhaill''' and '''Tuatha de Tuilseach''' for air and water, respectively. The Oneidhae merfolk have similar notions of these spirit-realms but they revere the totemic “Deeplords” such as the dreadwhite shark, the sea serpent, the kraken, etc.<br />
<br />
The dragon-god, '''Malkras''', appears heavily in both the Pentlander and lizardfolk mythologies. He is the master of Pentland’s wilds and makes his home deep within the spirit-mirror of Kargaan Vale, invisible unless he wants to be seen. He maintains the natural balance, introduces and removes species from existence and assigns caretakers. The Malkraan lizardfolk believe that they are one such caretaker race but many human rangers revere Malkras as well. They say say that only the beasts that Malkras had personally killed, eaten, and revived can be seen by hunters; the others are invisible to the human eye.<br />
<br />
=Society and Peoples=<br />
''Main Article: '''[[Peoples of Pentland]]''' has more detailed information about the five major races of Greater Pentland. <br />
<br />
The Pentlanders are the dominant ethnic group that lords over all the others. Most of the nobility comes from their stock and they are stereotyped to be cool and haughty. Like most stereotypes, it doesn’t always hold up to reality and Pentlanders come in both rich and poor. However, there is a culture of supremacy among the Pentlanders and they enjoy the best standard of living compared to the others.<br />
<br />
The Arrants were originally Ellurians who colonized a hospitable segment of the archipelago closest to [[Bahija]] and declared independence, only to be reconquered and made a protectorate by Pentland. Unlike their staid colonists, Arrants are considered inquisitive bon vivants who enjoy intellectual labor more than the art of war.<br />
<br />
The Tuil Fionn are the sullen sons of the Tuil Sianaach, a big, crescent island to the extreme west of the Archipelago. The Fionn are humans with a twist: extra large hands and feet and a much greater lung capacity. These adaptations make them perfect swimmers and divers, allowing them to take advantage of the maritime topography of the island. Sizable Fionn ghettoes exist throughout the empire. They share a lingering resentment towards the Pentlander ruling class for their bloody conquest and towards Arrants whom they consider “bootlickers.”<br />
<br />
Probably the strangest of the empire’s ethnic groups, the Oneidhae are a race of water-breathing humanoids that live under the ocean surface. They are able to spend limited time (a day or so) on land. Few detailed accounts exist of their underwater cities. The Oneidh have great variation in the way they look, from different fish tails, to manta-like ‘wings’ to sea-dragon-esque spines covered with leafy membranous ‘plumage’. Appearance usually determines capability and, as such, caste.<br />
<br />
Malkraans walk on two legs but share the blood of dragons. They are found mostly in the forested wildlands of Kargaan Vale and the volcanic heights of the central island where they revere Malkras, the Draconian god of wilderness and the hunt. The group is somewhat aggressive and xenophobic and its tribes have accepted the preeminence of their human liege to different degrees. Still, as time wears on, it became increasingly common to see Malkraans in human cities. They keep to themselves and tend to favor careers in ranging and smithing. <br />
<br />
==Kargaan Rangers==<br />
<br />
Stalking through middle Pentland’s wilds are those best suited to the zone’s survival: the Kargaan rangers. These hardy men and women were usually born in the vale and have learned to thrive in the midlands. They know most nooks and crannies in the woods, the safest paths from town to town, and whether a herd of ontos has passed by, and how long ago. The rangers tend to be consummate lifers who don’t imagine a life outside the kingdom’s forested heartland. Fortunately, their services are in high demand. Rangers tend to be Pentlanders and Malkraans.<br />
<br />
Most rangers split their time equally between human towns and their wilderness dwellings. They are usually on the move, whether escorting their countrymen through the vale, scouting for useful flora, or following prey. The king and nobility, recognizing the rangers’ usefulness have been known to issue “letters of domain” that give the rangers certain rights like policing lumber works and freedom from taxation. The letters are often given in exchange for services like surveying and reporting on the state of the forests, rivers, and activities therein.<br />
<br />
Kargaan rangers are best known for the following:<br />
<br />
===Bestial Ken===<br />
<br />
Living so closely side by side with Pentland’s animals and semi-sentient creatures gives the rangers an in depth understanding of their behavioral and communication patterns. Unlike the royal dragonriders who might have a mental connection to one particular drake, the rangers have a more diffuse almost-supernatural knowledge of just how to handle Kargaan vale’s unusual beasts and tame them if necessary. The royal cavalry depends on the services of rangers for some of their mounts.<br />
<br />
===Boomerangs===<br />
<br />
An esoteric weapon that only the rangers typically know how to use. When made out of Pentland’s magical trees, these tools become invaluable. Besides returning, they can be used to efficiently kill several creatures in one throw, draw out prey with an affixed noisemaker, and strike a target from a completely unexpected direction. Depending on their makeup, the boomerang can occasionally have other functions. Designing a ranger’s boomerang is a trade skill in and of itself and oral traditions abound throughout the<br />
kingdom.<br />
<br />
===Huntsmaster’s Patrons===<br />
<br />
A ranger’s career by definition falls under the purview of Malkras, the god of the hunt and caretaker of the wilderness. While the Huntsmaster does not require dedicated worship per se, there’s a certain set of understood rules among the ranger and hunter communities of what Malkras does and does not allow. For instance, white animals are not to be touched; creatures are not to be hunted for enjoyment alone; pay attention to the balance of plants and animals in your area and don’t just kill or chop down one kind, etc. In addition, Kargaan raptors are sacred to the Huntsmaster and have a set of rites associated with either killing them or trying to tame them for a mount. These rules are not always observed by non-rangers, and are sometimes a point of friction. Rangers always mention terrible things that supposedly happen to people who break the Huntsmaster’s covenant.<br />
<br />
=Language=<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
[[Category: Countries]]</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Oneidhae&diff=7398Oneidhae2017-07-31T05:47:28Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category: Races]]<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
<br />
{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Oneidhae<br />
| image = <br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = <br />
| capital = <br />
| language1 = Oneidhae <br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Merfolk<br />
| race2 = <br />
| race3 = <br />
| religion = Gods of the Deep<br />
| government = Aristocracy<br />
| rulers = Vary by Citystate<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = <br />
}}<br />
The Oneidhae are a family of diverse sub-aquatic humanoid races. Their population centers are scattered across various continental shelves under the seas and oceans of the known world. The mysterious merfolk have created an elaborate civilization stratified by castes based on appearance and abilities. Some of the merfolk can move about on land and have made contact with the races of the surface.<br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances. There is some variation based on which city they're from. But most variations cut across the entire species. As a result, the Oneidhae have different races comprised of individuals with similar looks and abilities. Their society is caste-based, where each race occupies a certain social stratum and has its own range of responsibilities. <br />
<br />
Many oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some races are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom races have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When race-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society. <br />
<br />
==Common Appearance==<br />
<br />
Humanoid upper halves: all merfolk have some kind of humanoid torso with at least one pair of arms. Some torsos have slick skin, others have scales. They may or may not have webbed hands, fins, quills or membranous "plumage" coming out of their arms or backs. A handful of rare individuals, usually female, may have multiple pairs of arms. <br />
<br />
Head shape: ranges from almost human-looking to having a short dragon-like snout. Membranous appendages like those of an axolotl or a sea dragon may sweep back from their heads like hair. Some have short but nimble tentacles protruding from their lower jaws. Some have crests and quills. Many have large specialized eyes that have heightened sensitivity and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum to compensate for the low light underwater. <br />
<br />
Tail shape: Most of the merfolk have long fish-like or serpent-like tails below their torso. The fins and appendages coming out of the tail vary in shape and number. Some castes can separate their tails into two individually articulated legs to walk on land, while some others can slither on land like a naga. A small minority octopus-like tentacles for a bottom half instead of a tail. <br />
<br />
==Some Caste Groups==<br />
<br />
The exact way appearance maps to caste is largely unknown by surface races (and is a work in progress.) A few known caste groups are presented as an example, with the equivalent of their caste names rendered in surface-common. <br />
<br />
'''Thelassians''' or Highborn tend to have a long tail with smooth flesh like that of a dolphin, ray or eel. They frequently have long fleshy appendages or plumage extending from their heads, which serves the same function as hair and as a self-defense tool, lined with stingers. They are medium-sized, graceful and intelligent, if haughty and convinced of their superiority. Most sorcerers and priests to major deities are Thelassians. There is additional stratification among the highborn, with the topmost echelon ruling over society. <br />
<br />
'''Pelagiads''' are below the highborn and could be considered a middle class. Their tails are covered in fish-like scales as are parts of their bodies. Most pelagiads are physically average, lacking any special abilities or weaknesses. There are further subdivisions among their kind, ranging from respected artisans to basic semi-skilled laborers. The pelagiads as a social stratum have the greatest amount of internal social mobility in Oneidhae society compared to other caste groupings. <br />
<br />
'''Myrmidons''' are the some of the Oneidhae's elite warriors. While many commoners can be made to take up arms, the Myrmidons are evolved for mayhem and excel at it. They are covered with scales that resemble overlapping armor plates. Their tough fins are anchored with sharpened quills that could be used for offense and defense. Their tails are highly muscular, making them the Oneidhae's fastest swimmers. Some even have the ability to split their tails in two and use these as crude legs for surface walking. <br />
<br />
'''Inumidans''' are a strange group characterized by bioluminescent appendages, eyes bigger and more bulbous than the rest, and extra appendages in the form of prehensile tentacles. These tend to be specialists such as scientists, scribes, advisers, healers, certain priests or, occasionally, magic-users. While quick and intelligent, they are more physically vulnerable than common warriors and less charismatic than the aristocrats. <br />
<br />
'''Drudges''' is a catch-all term for the laborer castes, which tend to be of a smaller size than other Oneidhae but more plentiful in their reproduction. Lacking many physical or social advantages of the higher tiers, the various drudge castes are responsible for the core of society's menial work - building, cleaning, carrying, mining, farming, etc. When the labor has skill involved, groups of drudges are sometimes supervised by a Pelagiad or Inumidan. Drudge uprisings aren't unheard of but tend to only happen when the current aristocrats go overboard with the negative treatment. <br />
<br />
==Acoustics and Language==<br />
<br />
The use of sound has paramount importance to the Oneidhae. Because sound carries so well in water compared to light, the Oneidhae evolved highly sophisticated echolocation and communication methods, capable of inflecting and harmonizing sound waves like no other creatures. Merfolk communicate with each other through multi-ranged song that simultaneously communicates content, mood, social standing, level of importance and other intangible qualities. The higher castes have incrementally graceful command of language. A conversation between two highborn can almost qualify as a harmonic duet - pleasing to the air and infused with layers of meaning. <br />
<br />
Oneidhae can engage their vocal cords to replicate surface speech but it loses a great deal in comparison. Surfacers have a hard time hearing Oneidhae speech since much of it occurs at a higher or lower register than most humanoid ears can discern. A great deal of Oneidhae artform is linked with the manipulation of sound and creative acoustics play an important role in city planning. <br />
<br />
=Geography=<br />
<br />
The majority of the Oneidhae live in elaborate underwater cities. Most of these are built atop massive coral reef systems or carved out from the rocks of an underwater cliffside. Most cities are built on relatively shallow continental shelves to allow some light and heat to reach them. <br />
<br />
Compared to the surface cities' horizontal sprawl, merfolk cities are much more three-dimensional. Varying depth layers form different "neighborhoods" that serve different purposes. Cities tend to be marvels of integration with indigenous sea life. Grand vertical gardens, large decorated buildings and bioluminescent lighting give these cities an air of unmatched splendor. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae practice agriculture/aquaculture to feed their populations. Sprawling farms of kelp and other edible plants populate the shallows. Massive schools of fish are raised and herded for their meat and labor power. <br />
<br />
Not all Oneidhae are urban. There are nomadic merfolk groups who live off the sea through hunting and gathering. They tend to be much more hardy and aggressive and prone to raiding. Also, individuals encountered in the "wilds" might be outcasts, hermits, explorers, adventurers or long distance couriers. <br />
<br />
==Known Cities== <br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae worship a pantheon of gods and demigods. General themes of Order, Chaos, and Neutrality, Good and Evil, are present within their religion. The religion is as stratified as their caste system, with Oneidhae positioned near the bottom of the pyramid. The gods are: Elder Goddess Javanikrys, God of Order Enterolos, God of Chaos Cephakos, Goddess of the Spirit Realm Colene, God of Death Iumentorid. Javanikrys is worshipped as the primary goddess of all life, who created the realm of the sea. Brothers Enterolos and Cephakos were created by Javanikrys from pure whimsy, but they control the balance of the world and keep each other in check. Colene was created from the combined tentacles of Enterolos and Cephakos. She reigns over the spirit realm, which is an ever growing cluster of eggs. <br />
<br />
Beneath these gods are demigods created when the three siblings copulated with various lesser sea creatures. The merfolk originated from the demigods as they copulated amongst themselves until their sacred lineage became thinner and thinner. Thus, higher caste Oneidhae are said to be closer to sacred.<br />
<br />
==Greater Deities==<br />
<br />
The elder goddes, '''Javanikrys''', is worshipped by all in private with home altars or openly by cultists. Javanikrys, an humanoid octopus of immense magnitude, is the mother of the gods, Enterolos, Cephakos, and Colene, and creator of the oceans and lesser aquatic plants and animals. She is a terrifying goddess of fickle whims. The worst natural catastrophes: mega cyclones, abyssal earthquakes, undersea volcano eruptions, are said to be caused by her fury. She has a deep hatred for land dwellers, since many of them were created in her primordial ocean soup but betrayed her to walk on land and have since forgotten her existence and later pillage the resources she's created. <br />
<br />
Merfolk fear and respect her as the creator of their realm, but they understand Javanikrys holds no favor over the merfolk as they were tangentially created from her whim to create the gods. Merfolk that hold severe hatred toward land dwellers believe they have her favor, however, and dedicate their raids to her. Splits between merfolk factions occurred over the worship of Javanikrys as more merfolk started emulating the God of Order and/or the Goddess of the Spirit Realm, who are seen as gentler more approachable deities.<br />
<br />
'''Enterolos''', God of Order, and '''Cephakos''', God of Chaos, are giant humanoid octopus brothers that represent a duality. They were sculpted from volcanic rocks by their mother, Javanikrys, then instructed that only one may rule over the profane realm. Thus, a bitter rivalry began. The two are constantly battling with each other, which can cause giant cyclones over the ocean as anger rises. The two occasionally team up against their mother when her whims effect something that the brothers are mutually invested in. Some merfolk factions worship one brother over the other. Other factions see the two as providing a balance in life. When one brother starts to get too powerful, the other checks him. Depending on this take, a merfolk faction may act as a lawful, neutral, or chaotic entity with scales tipped towards good or evil.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Enterolos creates societies that strictly adhere to laws and protocols. Cities created by those who publicly espouse the God of Order are engineered with the newest merfolk technologies. Merfolk-made reefs, bioluminescent lighting, elaborate kelp gardens, and multi-tiered structures are common features.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Cephakos creates unpredictable and nomadic societies. Structures tend to be impermanent and flimsy, tools are more primitive, and life is determined on a day-to-day, sometimes hour-by-hour, basis. These merfolk are volatile, act on impulses, and/or will do things just to see what happens potentially at the expense of others.<br />
<br />
- Those who treat the brothers as equals are the bridge between the two. They live in small enclaves composed of permanent structures and public works, but much of their life is tied to the ebb and flow of nature.<br />
<br />
'''Colene''', the Goddess of Spirit Realm, also known as Giant Octopus Mother, was created by Javanikrys from two tentacles ripped off from each brother during a fight. She represents neutral forces within nature. Upon witnessing the plight of merfolk spirits trapped in their corporeal bodies, she created a realm in which to tend to them after their corpses were consumed by Iumentorid's hordes. The spirit realm is a clutch of eggs, created after the emergence of mortal merfolk so that their spirits had a place to rest. Her perpetual delicate care of the egg clutch is seen as an act of true altruism, and some merfolk factions make it a tenant to follow her example. Merfolk factions that do this tend to value Enterolos more or the brothers as equals. Javankrys cultists still see Colene as the keeper of their souls, but that Javankrys ultimately decides who does or doesn't reach the spirit realm via Iumentorid, who they believe was created by the elder goddess. To them, any merfolk that associates with land dwellers is cursed to remain trapped in their lifeless corpses.<br />
<br />
'''Iumentorid''', the Ghost Whale God of the Dead rules the underworld, the Abyssal Realm, and glides over the deep sea terrain with hordes of ghost sharks, goblin sharks, ratfish formed from chunks of Iumentorid's rotten flesh. These hordes eat the dead that falls to the ocean floor in order for their spirit to be freed of their corporeal body. He is said to have been created by Colene or Javanikrys from a dead whale. Prior to Iumentorid's creation, merfolk corpses never decomposed, thus their spirits never freed. The only way to return to the spirit realm is by having merfolk send their corpses to the Abyssal Realm. Merfolk that are seen as outcasts, betrayers, or undesirables are often denied this burial by keeping their corpses from ever sinking into the abyss. This would be the merfolk version of hell. <br />
<br />
All factions worship the God of the Dead and hope to be eaten by his hordes when they die so their spirits may be released. Once every such and such double full moon, Iumentorid rises from the abyss, leading his hordes along with him. It's said that it's a bad omen if a living creature witnesses Iumentorid, and that they'll be joining him soon. This god is neutral and treats all corpses the same. Javanikrys cultists would say that she decides who Iumentorid brings back to the spirit realm.<br />
<br />
==Demigods and Mortals==<br />
<br />
Beneath the gods is a menagerie of demigods of the deep. They're the offspring of the gods and profane creatures of the oceans. These are colossal versions of creatures normally found in the oceans. Different clusters of merfolk might consider one of the demigods as a "house deity" that has more of an impact on their day-to-day lives than the upper echelon deities. <br />
<br />
Merfolk were then created by the demigods as they propagated amongst themselves until only a faint trace of sacred lineage was left. This is also the basis for the caste system. Parentage determines one's abilities and position at birth, and the higher the caste you're born into, the closer to the gods and demigods you are. Caste is determined by the matron of the family<br />
<br />
Merfolk born with an excess of limbs or conjoined are thought to sit just below the demigods and above normal merfolk. It's believed their spirit was touched by a tentacle of a god when they were created. Being born with strange birth defects and deformities overrides the caste system.<br />
<br />
=Magic=<br />
<br />
Females comprise the big majority of magic users - especially those from Thelassian and Inumidan backgrounds. <br />
<br />
Most magic users need to put in many years of disciplined study before they can start to use arcane secrets. However, some Oneidhae are born with strong innate magical potential. These are the merfolk with deformities - conjoined bodies; excessive limbs or eyes. It is said that these merfolk are the closest their kind will ever be to godly, given their stratified religion that justifies the caste system, and magical abilities is further proof of their prestige and status. It's caused many merfolk to cross caste lines with the glimmer of hope that their offspring will bear the mark of the gods, which in fact rarely occurs thus leading their offspring to lead ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
Typical arcane abilities involve hydromancy, occasionally with freezing abilities. Some can produce electricity through arcane means, while with others it's a natural defense mechanism. Others can create mirages and illusions. <br />
<br />
Divination abilities are also seen with healing abilities, contact with sacred planes, scrying and detection spells.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Oneidhae&diff=7397Oneidhae2017-07-31T04:53:13Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category: Races]]<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
<br />
{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Oneidhae<br />
| image = <br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = <br />
| capital = <br />
| language1 = Oneidhae <br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Merfolk<br />
| race2 = <br />
| race3 = <br />
| religion = Gods of the Deep<br />
| government = Aristocracy<br />
| rulers = Vary by Citystate<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = <br />
}}<br />
The Oneidhae are a family of diverse sub-aquatic humanoid races. Their population centers are scattered across various continental shelves under the seas and oceans of the known world. The mysterious merfolk have created an elaborate civilization stratified by castes based on appearance and abilities. Some of the merfolk can move about on land and have made contact with the races of the surface.<br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances. There is some variation based on which city they're from. But most variations cut across the entire species. As a result, the Oneidhae have different races comprised of individuals with similar looks and abilities. Their society is caste-based, where each race occupies a certain social stratum and has its own range of responsibilities. <br />
<br />
Many oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some races are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom races have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When race-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society. <br />
<br />
==Common Appearance==<br />
<br />
Humanoid upper halves: all merfolk have some kind of humanoid torso with at least one pair of arms. Some torsos have slick skin, others have scales. They may or may not have webbed hands, fins, quills or membranous "plumage" coming out of their arms or backs. A handful of rare individuals, usually female, may have multiple pairs of arms. <br />
<br />
Head shape: ranges from almost human-looking to having a short dragon-like snout. Membranous appendages like those of an axolotl or a sea dragon may sweep back from their heads like hair. Some have short but nimble tentacles protruding from their lower jaws. Some have crests and quills. Many have large specialized eyes that have heightened sensitivity and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum to compensate for the low light underwater. <br />
<br />
Tail shape: Most of the merfolk have long fish-like or serpent-like tails below their torso. The fins and appendages coming out of the tail vary in shape and number. Some castes can separate their tails into two individually articulated legs to walk on land, while some others can slither on land like a naga. A small minority octopus-like tentacles for a bottom half instead of a tail. <br />
<br />
==Some Caste Groups==<br />
<br />
The exact way appearance maps to caste is largely unknown by surface races (and is a work in progress.) A few known caste groups are presented as an example, with the equivalent of their caste names rendered in surface-common. <br />
<br />
'''Thelassians''' or Highborn tend to have a long tail with smooth flesh like that of a dolphin, ray or eel. They frequently have long fleshy appendages or plumage extending from their heads, which serves the same function as hair and as a self-defense tool, lined with stingers. They are medium-sized, graceful and intelligent, if haughty and convinced of their superiority. Most sorcerers and priests to major deities are Thelassians. There is additional stratification among the highborn, with the topmost echelon ruling over society. <br />
<br />
'''Pelagiads''' are below the highborn and could be considered a middle class. Their tails are covered in fish-like scales as are parts of their bodies. Most pelagiads are physically average, lacking any special abilities or weaknesses. There are further subdivisions among their kind, ranging from respected artisans to basic semi-skilled laborers. The pelagiads as a social stratum have the greatest amount of internal social mobility in Oneidhae society compared to other caste groupings. <br />
<br />
'''Myrmidons''' are the some of the Oneidhae's elite warriors. While many commoners can be made to take up arms, the Myrmidons are evolved for mayhem and excel at it. They are covered with scales that resemble overlapping armor plates. Their tough fins are anchored with sharpened quills that could be used for offense and defense. Their tails are highly muscular, making them the Oneidhae's fastest swimmers. Some even have the ability to split their tails in two and use these as crude legs for surface walking. <br />
<br />
'''Inumidans''' are a strange group characterized by bioluminescent appendages, eyes bigger and more bulbous than the rest, and extra appendages in the form of prehensile tentacles. These tend to be specialists such as scientists, scribes, advisers, healers, certain priests or, occasionally, magic-users. While quick and intelligent, they are more physically vulnerable than common warriors and less charismatic than the aristocrats. <br />
<br />
'''Drudges''' is a catch-all term for the laborer castes, which tend to be of a smaller size than other Oneidhae but more plentiful in their reproduction. Lacking many physical or social advantages of the higher tiers, the various drudge castes are responsible for the core of society's menial work - building, cleaning, carrying, mining, farming, etc. When the labor has skill involved, groups of drudges are sometimes supervised by a Pelagiad or Inumidan. Drudge uprisings aren't unheard of but tend to only happen when the current aristocrats go overboard with the negative treatment. <br />
<br />
=Geography=<br />
<br />
The majority of the Oneidhae live in elaborate underwater cities. Most of these are built atop massive coral reef systems or carved out from the rocks of an underwater cliffside. Most cities are built on relatively shallow continental shelves to allow some light and heat to reach them. <br />
<br />
Compared to the surface cities' horizontal sprawl, merfolk cities are much more three-dimensional. Varying depth layers form different "neighborhoods" that serve different purposes. Cities tend to be marvels of integration with indigenous sea life. Grand vertical gardens, large decorated buildings and bioluminescent lighting give these cities an air of unmatched splendor. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae practice agriculture/aquaculture to feed their populations. Sprawling farms of kelp and other edible plants populate the shallows. Massive schools of fish are raised and herded for their meat and labor power. <br />
<br />
Not all Oneidhae are urban. There are nomadic merfolk groups who live off the sea through hunting and gathering. They tend to be much more hardy and aggressive and prone to raiding. Also, individuals encountered in the "wilds" might be outcasts, hermits, explorers, adventurers or long distance couriers. <br />
<br />
==Known Cities== <br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae worship a pantheon of gods and demigods. General themes of Order, Chaos, and Neutrality, Good and Evil, are present within their religion. The religion is as stratified as their caste system, with Oneidhae positioned near the bottom of the pyramid. The gods are: Elder Goddess Javanikrys, God of Order Enterolos, God of Chaos Cephakos, Goddess of the Spirit Realm Colene, God of Death Iumentorid. Javanikrys is worshipped as the primary goddess of all life, who created the realm of the sea. Brothers Enterolos and Cephakos were created by Javanikrys from pure whimsy, but they control the balance of the world and keep each other in check. Colene was created from the combined tentacles of Enterolos and Cephakos. She reigns over the spirit realm, which is an ever growing cluster of eggs. <br />
<br />
Beneath these gods are demigods created when the three siblings copulated with various lesser sea creatures. The merfolk originated from the demigods as they copulated amongst themselves until their sacred lineage became thinner and thinner. Thus, higher caste Oneidhae are said to be closer to sacred.<br />
<br />
==Greater Deities==<br />
<br />
The elder goddes, '''Javanikrys''', is worshipped by all in private with home altars or openly by cultists. Javanikrys, an humanoid octopus of immense magnitude, is the mother of the gods, Enterolos, Cephakos, and Colene, and creator of the oceans and lesser aquatic plants and animals. She is a terrifying goddess of fickle whims. The worst natural catastrophes: mega cyclones, abyssal earthquakes, undersea volcano eruptions, are said to be caused by her fury. She has a deep hatred for land dwellers, since many of them were created in her primordial ocean soup but betrayed her to walk on land and have since forgotten her existence and later pillage the resources she's created. <br />
<br />
Merfolk fear and respect her as the creator of their realm, but they understand Javanikrys holds no favor over the merfolk as they were tangentially created from her whim to create the gods. Merfolk that hold severe hatred toward land dwellers believe they have her favor, however, and dedicate their raids to her. Splits between merfolk factions occurred over the worship of Javanikrys as more merfolk started emulating the God of Order and/or the Goddess of the Spirit Realm, who are seen as gentler more approachable deities.<br />
<br />
'''Enterolos''', God of Order, and '''Cephakos''', God of Chaos, are giant humanoid octopus brothers that represent a duality. They were sculpted from volcanic rocks by their mother, Javanikrys, then instructed that only one may rule over the profane realm. Thus, a bitter rivalry began. The two are constantly battling with each other, which can cause giant cyclones over the ocean as anger rises. The two occasionally team up against their mother when her whims effect something that the brothers are mutually invested in. Some merfolk factions worship one brother over the other. Other factions see the two as providing a balance in life. When one brother starts to get too powerful, the other checks him. Depending on this take, a merfolk faction may act as a lawful, neutral, or chaotic entity with scales tipped towards good or evil.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Enterolos creates societies that strictly adhere to laws and protocols. Cities created by those who publicly espouse the God of Order are engineered with the newest merfolk technologies. Merfolk-made reefs, bioluminescent lighting, elaborate kelp gardens, and multi-tiered structures are common features.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Cephakos creates unpredictable and nomadic societies. Structures tend to be impermanent and flimsy, tools are more primitive, and life is determined on a day-to-day, sometimes hour-by-hour, basis. These merfolk are volatile, act on impulses, and/or will do things just to see what happens potentially at the expense of others.<br />
<br />
- Those who treat the brothers as equals are the bridge between the two. They live in small enclaves composed of permanent structures and public works, but much of their life is tied to the ebb and flow of nature.<br />
<br />
'''Colene''', the Goddess of Spirit Realm, also known as Giant Octopus Mother, was created by Javanikrys from two tentacles ripped off from each brother during a fight. She represents neutral forces within nature. Upon witnessing the plight of merfolk spirits trapped in their corporeal bodies, she created a realm in which to tend to them after their corpses were consumed by Iumentorid's hordes. The spirit realm is a clutch of eggs, created after the emergence of mortal merfolk so that their spirits had a place to rest. Her perpetual delicate care of the egg clutch is seen as an act of true altruism, and some merfolk factions make it a tenant to follow her example. Merfolk factions that do this tend to value Enterolos more or the brothers as equals. Javankrys cultists still see Colene as the keeper of their souls, but that Javankrys ultimately decides who does or doesn't reach the spirit realm via Iumentorid, who they believe was created by the elder goddess. To them, any merfolk that associates with land dwellers is cursed to remain trapped in their lifeless corpses.<br />
<br />
'''Iumentorid''', the Ghost Whale God of the Dead rules the underworld, the Abyssal Realm, and glides over the deep sea terrain with hordes of ghost sharks, goblin sharks, ratfish formed from chunks of Iumentorid's rotten flesh. These hordes eat the dead that falls to the ocean floor in order for their spirit to be freed of their corporeal body. He is said to have been created by Colene or Javanikrys from a dead whale. Prior to Iumentorid's creation, merfolk corpses never decomposed, thus their spirits never freed. The only way to return to the spirit realm is by having merfolk send their corpses to the Abyssal Realm. Merfolk that are seen as outcasts, betrayers, or undesirables are often denied this burial by keeping their corpses from ever sinking into the abyss. This would be the merfolk version of hell. <br />
<br />
All factions worship the God of the Dead and hope to be eaten by his hordes when they die so their spirits may be released. Once every such and such double full moon, Iumentorid rises from the abyss, leading his hordes along with him. It's said that it's a bad omen if a living creature witnesses Iumentorid, and that they'll be joining him soon. This god is neutral and treats all corpses the same. Javanikrys cultists would say that she decides who Iumentorid brings back to the spirit realm.<br />
<br />
==Demigods and Mortals==<br />
<br />
Beneath the gods is a menagerie of demigods of the deep. They're the offspring of the gods and profane creatures of the oceans. These are colossal versions of creatures normally found in the oceans. Different clusters of merfolk might consider one of the demigods as a "house deity" that has more of an impact on their day-to-day lives than the upper echelon deities. <br />
<br />
Merfolk were then created by the demigods as they propagated amongst themselves until only a faint trace of sacred lineage was left. This is also the basis for the caste system. Parentage determines one's abilities and position at birth, and the higher the caste you're born into, the closer to the gods and demigods you are. Caste is determined by the matron of the family<br />
<br />
Merfolk born with an excess of limbs or conjoined are thought to sit just below the demigods and above normal merfolk. It's believed their spirit was touched by a tentacle of a god when they were created. Being born with strange birth defects and deformities overrides the caste system.<br />
<br />
=Magic=<br />
<br />
Females comprise the big majority of magic users - especially those from Thelassian and Inumidan backgrounds. <br />
<br />
Most magic users need to put in many years of disciplined study before they can start to use arcane secrets. However, some Oneidhae are born with strong innate magical potential. These are the merfolk with deformities - conjoined bodies; excessive limbs or eyes. It is said that these merfolk are the closest their kind will ever be to godly, given their stratified religion that justifies the caste system, and magical abilities is further proof of their prestige and status. It's caused many merfolk to cross caste lines with the glimmer of hope that their offspring will bear the mark of the gods, which in fact rarely occurs thus leading their offspring to lead ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
Typical arcane abilities involve hydromancy, occasionally with freezing abilities. Some can produce electricity through arcane means, while with others it's a natural defense mechanism. Others can create mirages and illusions. <br />
<br />
Divination abilities are also seen with healing abilities, contact with sacred planes, scrying and detection spells.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Oneidhae&diff=7396Oneidhae2017-07-31T04:47:12Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category: Races]]<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
<br />
{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Oneidhae<br />
| image = <br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = <br />
| capital = <br />
| language1 = Oneidhae <br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Merfolk<br />
| race2 = <br />
| race3 = <br />
| religion = Gods of the Deep<br />
| government = Aristocracy<br />
| rulers = Vary by Citystate<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = <br />
}}<br />
The Oneidhae are a family of diverse sub-aquatic humanoid races. Their population centers are scattered across various continental shelves under the seas and oceans of the known world. The mysterious merfolk have created an elaborate civilization stratified by castes based on appearance and abilities. Some of the merfolk can move about on land and have made contact with the races of the surface.<br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances. There is some variation based on which city they're from. But most variations cut across the entire species. As a result, the Oneidhae have different races comprised of individuals with similar looks and abilities. Their society is caste-based, where each race occupies a certain social stratum and has its own range of responsibilities. <br />
<br />
Many oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some races are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom races have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When race-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society. <br />
<br />
==Common Appearance==<br />
<br />
Humanoid upper halves: all merfolk have some kind of humanoid torso with at least one pair of arms. Some torsos have slick skin, others have scales. They may or may not have webbed hands, fins, quills or membranous "plumage" coming out of their arms or backs. A handful of rare individuals, usually female, may have multiple pairs of arms. <br />
<br />
Head shape: ranges from almost human-looking to having a short dragon-like snout. Membranous appendages like those of an axolotl or a sea dragon may sweep back from their heads like hair. Some have short but nimble tentacles protruding from their lower jaws. Some have crests and quills. Many have large specialized eyes that have heightened sensitivity and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum to compensate for the low light underwater. <br />
<br />
Tail shape: Most of the merfolk have long fish-like or serpent-like tails below their torso. The fins and appendages coming out of the tail vary in shape and number. Some castes can separate their tails into two individually articulated legs to walk on land, while some others can slither on land like a naga. A small minority octopus-like tentacles for a bottom half instead of a tail. <br />
<br />
==Some Caste Groups==<br />
<br />
The exact way appearance maps to caste is largely unknown by surface races (and is a work in progress.) A few known caste groups are presented as an example, with the equivalent of their caste names rendered in surface-common. <br />
<br />
'''Thelassians''' or Highborn tend to have a long tail with smooth flesh like that of a dolphin, ray or eel. They frequently have long fleshy appendages or plumage extending from their heads, which serves the same function as hair and as a self-defense tool, lined with stingers. They are medium-sized, graceful and intelligent, if haughty and convinced of their superiority. Most sorcerers and priests to major deities are Thelassians. There is additional stratification among the highborn, with the topmost echelon ruling over society. <br />
<br />
'''Pelagiads''' are below the highborn and could be considered a middle class. Their tails are covered in fish-like scales as are parts of their bodies. Most pelagiads are physically average, lacking any special abilities or weaknesses. There are further subdivisions among their kind, ranging from respected artisans to basic semi-skilled laborers. The pelagiads as a social stratum have the greatest amount of internal social mobility in Oneidhae society compared to other caste groupings. <br />
<br />
'''Myrmidons''' are the some of the Oneidhae's elite warriors. While many commoners can be made to take up arms, the Myrmidons are evolved for mayhem and excel at it. They are covered with scales that resemble overlapping armor plates. Their tough fins are anchored with sharpened quills that could be used for offense and defense. Their tails are highly muscular, making them the Oneidhae's fastest swimmers. Some even have the ability to split their tails in two and use these as crude legs for surface walking. <br />
<br />
'''Inumidans''' are a strange group characterized by bioluminescent appendages, eyes bigger and more bulbous than the rest, and extra appendages in the form of prehensile tentacles. These tend to be specialists such as scientists, scribes, advisers, healers, certain priests or, occasionally, magic-users. While quick and intelligent, they are more physically vulnerable than common warriors and less charismatic than the aristocrats. <br />
<br />
'''Drudges''' is a catch-all term for the laborer castes, which tend to be of a smaller size than other Oneidhae but more plentiful in their reproduction. Lacking many physical or social advantages of the higher tiers, the various drudge castes are responsible for the core of society's menial work - building, cleaning, carrying, mining, farming, etc. When the labor has skill involved, groups of drudges are sometimes supervised by a Pelagiad or Inumidan. Drudge uprisings aren't unheard of but tend to only happen when the current aristocrats go overboard with the negative treatment. <br />
<br />
=Geography=<br />
<br />
The majority of the Oneidhae live in elaborate underwater cities. Most of these are built atop massive coral reef systems or carved out from the rocks of an underwater cliffside. Most cities are built on relatively shallow continental shelves to allow some light and heat to reach them. <br />
<br />
Compared to the surface cities' horizontal sprawl, merfolk cities are much more three-dimensional. Varying depth layers form different "neighborhoods" that serve different purposes. Cities tend to be marvels of integration with indigenous sea life. Grand vertical gardens, large decorated buildings and bioluminescent lighting give these cities an air of unmatched splendor. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae practice agriculture/aquaculture to feed their populations. Sprawling farms of kelp and other edible plants populate the shallows. Massive schools of fish are raised and herded for their meat and labor power. <br />
<br />
Not all Oneidhae are urban. There are nomadic merfolk groups who live off the sea through hunting and gathering. They tend to be much more hardy and aggressive and prone to raiding. Also, individuals encountered in the "wilds" might be outcasts, hermits, explorers, adventurers or long distance couriers. <br />
<br />
==Known Cities== <br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae worship a pantheon of gods and demigods. General themes of Order, Chaos, and Neutrality, Good and Evil, are present within their religion. The religion is as stratified as their caste system, with Oneidhae positioned near the bottom of the pyramid. The gods are: Elder Goddess Javanikrys, God of Order Enterolos, God of Chaos Cephakos, Goddess of the Spirit Realm Colene, God of Death Iumentorid. Javanikrys is worshipped as the primary goddess of all life, who created the realm of the sea. Brothers Enterolos and Cephakos were created by Javanikrys from pure whimsy, but they control the balance of the world and keep each other in check. Colene was created from the combined tentacles of Enterolos and Cephakos. She reigns over the spirit realm, which is an ever growing cluster of eggs. <br />
<br />
Beneath these gods are demigods created when the three siblings copulated with various lesser sea creatures. The merfolk originated from the demigods as they copulated amongst themselves until their sacred lineage became thinner and thinner. Thus, higher caste Oneidhae are said to be closer to sacred.<br />
<br />
==Greater Deities==<br />
<br />
The elder goddes, '''Javanikrys''', is worshipped by all in private with home altars or openly by cultists. Javanikrys, an humanoid octopus of immense magnitude, is the mother of the gods, Enterolos, Cephakos, and Colene, and creator of the oceans and lesser aquatic plants and animals. She is a terrifying goddess of fickle whims. The worst natural catastrophes: mega cyclones, abyssal earthquakes, undersea volcano eruptions, are said to be caused by her fury. She has a deep hatred for land dwellers, since many of them were created in her primordial ocean soup but betrayed her to walk on land and have since forgotten her existence and later pillage the resources she's created. <br />
<br />
Merfolk fear and respect her as the creator of their realm, but they understand Javanikrys holds no favor over the merfolk as they were tangentially created from her whim to create the gods. Merfolk that hold severe hatred toward land dwellers believe they have her favor, however, and dedicate their raids to her. Splits between merfolk factions occurred over the worship of Javanikrys as more merfolk started emulating the God of Order and/or the Goddess of the Spirit Realm, who are seen as gentler more approachable deities.<br />
<br />
'''Enterolos''', God of Order, and '''Cephakos''', God of Chaos, are giant humanoid octopus brothers that represent a duality. They were sculpted from volcanic rocks by their mother, Javanikrys, then instructed that only one may rule over the profane realm. Thus, a bitter rivalry began. The two are constantly battling with each other, which can cause giant cyclones over the ocean as anger rises. The two occasionally team up against their mother when her whims effect something that the brothers are mutually invested in. Some merfolk factions worship one brother over the other. Other factions see the two as providing a balance in life. When one brother starts to get too powerful, the other checks him. Depending on this take, a merfolk faction may act as a lawful, neutral, or chaotic entity with scales tipped towards good or evil.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Enterolos creates societies that strictly adhere to laws and protocols. Cities created by those who publicly espouse the God of Order are engineered with the newest merfolk technologies. Merfolk-made reefs, bioluminescent lighting, elaborate kelp gardens, and multi-tiered structures are common features.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Cephakos creates unpredictable and nomadic societies. Structures tend to be impermanent and flimsy, tools are more primitive, and life is determined on a day-to-day, sometimes hour-by-hour, basis. These merfolk are volatile, act on impulses, and/or will do things just to see what happens potentially at the expense of others.<br />
<br />
- Those who treat the brothers as equals are the bridge between the two. They live in small enclaves composed of permanent structures and public works, but much of their life is tied to the ebb and flow of nature.<br />
<br />
'''Colene''', the Goddess of Spirit Realm, also known as Giant Octopus Mother, was created by Javanikrys from two tentacles ripped off from each brother during a fight. She represents neutral forces within nature. Upon witnessing the plight of merfolk spirits trapped in their corporeal bodies, she created a realm in which to tend to them after their corpses were consumed by Iumentorid's hordes. The spirit realm is a clutch of eggs, created after the emergence of mortal merfolk so that their spirits had a place to rest. Her perpetual delicate care of the egg clutch is seen as an act of true altruism, and some merfolk factions make it a tenant to follow her example. Merfolk factions that do this tend to value Enterolos more or the brothers as equals. Javankrys cultists still see Colene as the keeper of their souls, but that Javankrys ultimately decides who does or doesn't reach the spirit realm via Iumentorid, who they believe was created by the elder goddess. To them, any merfolk that associates with land dwellers is cursed to remain trapped in their lifeless corpses.<br />
<br />
'''Iumentorid''', the Ghost Whale God of the Dead rules the underworld, the Abyssal Realm, and glides over the deep sea terrain with hordes of ghost sharks, goblin sharks, ratfish formed from chunks of Iumentorid's rotten flesh. These hordes eat the dead that falls to the ocean floor in order for their spirit to be freed of their corporeal body. He is said to have been created by Colene or Javanikrys from a dead whale. Prior to Iumentorid's creation, merfolk corpses never decomposed, thus their spirits never freed. The only way to return to the spirit realm is by having merfolk send their corpses to the Abyssal Realm. Merfolk that are seen as outcasts, betrayers, or undesirables are often denied this burial by keeping their corpses from ever sinking into the abyss. This would be the merfolk version of hell. <br />
<br />
All factions worship the God of the Dead and hope to be eaten by his hordes when they die so their spirits may be released. Once every such and such double full moon, Iumentorid rises from the abyss, leading his hordes along with him. It's said that it's a bad omen if a living creature witnesses Iumentorid, and that they'll be joining him soon. This god is neutral and treats all corpses the same. Javanikrys cultists would say that she decides who Iumentorid brings back to the spirit realm.<br />
<br />
==Demigods and Mortals==<br />
<br />
Beneath the gods is a menagerie of demigods of the deep. They're the offspring of the gods and profane creatures of the oceans. These are colossal versions of creatures normally found in the oceans. Different clusters of merfolk might consider one of the demigods as a "house deity" that has more of an impact on their day-to-day lives than the upper echelon deities. <br />
<br />
Merfolk were then created by the demigods as they propagated amongst themselves until only a faint trace of sacred lineage was left. This is also the basis for the caste system. Parentage determines one's abilities and position at birth, and the higher the caste you're born into, the closer to the gods and demigods you are. Caste is determined by the matron of the family<br />
<br />
Merfolk born with an excess of limbs or conjoined are thought to sit just below the demigods and above normal merfolk. It's believed their spirit was touched by a tentacle of a god when they were created. Being born with strange birth defects and deformities overrides the caste system.<br />
<br />
=Magic=<br />
<br />
While some magic can be learned, those with strong innate abilities are ones born with deformities -- conjoined, excessive limbs, and/or excessive eyes. It is said that these merfolk are the closest their kind will ever be to godly, given their stratified religion that justifies the caste system, and magical abilities is further proof of their prestige and status. It's caused many merfolk to cross caste lines with the glimmer of hope that their offspring will bear the mark of the gods, which in fact rarely occurs thus leading their offspring to lead ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
Typical arcane abilities involve hydromancy, occasionally with freezing abilities. Some can produce electricity through arcane means, while with others it's a natural defense mechanism. Others can create mirages and illusions. <br />
<br />
Divination abilities are also seen with healing abilities, contact with sacred planes, scrying and detection spells.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Oneidhae&diff=7395Oneidhae2017-07-31T04:40:58Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category: Races]]<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
<br />
{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Oneidhae<br />
| image = <br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = <br />
| capital = <br />
| language1 = Oneidhae <br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Merfolk<br />
| race2 = <br />
| race3 = <br />
| religion = Gods of the Deep<br />
| government = Aristocracy<br />
| rulers = Vary by Citystate<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = <br />
}}<br />
The Oneidhae are a family of diverse sub-aquatic humanoid races. Their population centers are scattered across various continental shelves under the seas and oceans of the known world. The mysterious merfolk have created an elaborate civilization stratified by castes based on appearance and abilities. Some of the merfolk can move about on land and have made contact with the races of the surface.<br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances. There is some variation based on which city they're from. But most variations cut across the entire species. As a result, the Oneidhae have different races comprised of individuals with similar looks and abilities. Their society is caste-based, where each race occupies a certain social stratum and has its own range of responsibilities. <br />
<br />
Many oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some races are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom races have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When race-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society. <br />
<br />
==Common Appearance==<br />
<br />
Humanoid upper halves: all merfolk have some kind of humanoid torso with at least one pair of arms. Some torsos have slick skin, others have scales. They may or may not have webbed hands, fins, quills or membranous "plumage" coming out of their arms or backs. A handful of rare individuals, usually female, may have multiple pairs of arms. <br />
<br />
Head shape: ranges from almost human-looking to having a short dragon-like snout. Membranous appendages like those of an axolotl or a sea dragon may sweep back from their heads like hair. Some have short but nimble tentacles protruding from their lower jaws. Some have crests and quills. Many have large specialized eyes that have heightened sensitivity and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum to compensate for the low light underwater. <br />
<br />
Tail shape: Most of the merfolk have long fish-like or serpent-like tails below their torso. The fins and appendages coming out of the tail vary in shape and number. Some castes can separate their tails into two individually articulated legs to walk on land, while some others can slither on land like a naga. A small minority octopus-like tentacles for a bottom half instead of a tail. <br />
<br />
==Some Caste Groups==<br />
<br />
The exact way appearance maps to caste is largely unknown by surface races (and is a work in progress.) A few known caste groups are presented as an example, with the equivalent of their caste names rendered in surface-common. <br />
<br />
'''Thelassians''' or Highborn tend to have a long tail with smooth flesh like that of a dolphin, ray or eel. They frequently have long fleshy appendages or plumage extending from their heads, which serves the same function as hair and as a self-defense tool, lined with stingers. They are medium-sized, graceful and intelligent, if haughty and convinced of their superiority. Most sorcerers and priests to major deities are Thelassians. There is additional stratification among the highborn, with the topmost echelon ruling over society. <br />
<br />
'''Pelagiads''' are below the highborn and could be considered a middle class. Their tails are covered in fish-like scales as are parts of their bodies. Most pelagiads are physically average, lacking any special abilities or weaknesses. There are further subdivisions among their kind, ranging from respected artisans to basic semi-skilled laborers. The pelagiads as a social stratum have the greatest amount of internal social mobility in Oneidhae society compared to other caste groupings. <br />
<br />
'''Myrmidons''' are the some of the Oneidhae's elite warriors. While many commoners can be made to take up arms, the Myrmidons are evolved for mayhem and excel at it. They are covered with scales that resemble overlapping armor plates. Their tough fins are anchored with sharpened quills that could be used for offense and defense. Their tails are highly muscular, making them the Oneidhae's fastest swimmers. Some even have the ability to split their tails in two and use these as crude legs for surface walking. <br />
<br />
'''Inumidans''' are a strange group characterized by bioluminescent appendages, eyes bigger and more bulbous than the rest, and extra appendages in the form of prehensile tentacles. These tend to be specialists such as scientists, scribes, advisers, healers, certain priests or, occasionally, magic-users. While quick and intelligent, they are more physically vulnerable than common warriors and less charismatic than the aristocrats. <br />
<br />
'''Drudges''' is a catch-all term for the laborer castes, which tend to be of a smaller size than other Oneidhae but more plentiful in their reproduction. Lacking many physical or social advantages of the higher tiers, the various drudge castes are responsible for the core of society's menial work - building, cleaning, carrying, mining, farming, etc. When the labor has skill involved, groups of drudges are sometimes supervised by a Pelagiad or Inumidan. Drudge uprisings aren't unheard of but tend to only happen when the current aristocrats go overboard with the negative treatment. <br />
<br />
=Geography=<br />
<br />
The majority of the Oneidhae live in elaborate underwater cities. Most of these are built atop massive coral reef systems or carved out from the rocks of an underwater cliffside. Most cities are built on relatively shallow continental shelves to allow some light and heat to reach them. <br />
<br />
Compared to the surface cities' horizontal sprawl, merfolk cities are much more three-dimensional. Varying depth layers form different "neighborhoods" that serve different purposes. Cities tend to be marvels of integration with indigenous sea life. Grand vertical gardens, large decorated buildings and bioluminescent lighting give these cities an air of unmatched splendor. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae practice agriculture/aquaculture to feed their populations. Sprawling farms of kelp and other edible plants populate the shallows. Massive schools of fish are raised and herded for their meat and labor power. <br />
<br />
Not all Oneidhae are urban. There are nomadic merfolk groups who live off the sea through hunting and gathering. They tend to be much more hardy and aggressive and prone to raiding. Also, individuals encountered in the "wilds" might be outcasts, hermits, explorers, adventurers or long distance couriers. <br />
<br />
==Known Cities== <br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae worship a pantheon of gods and demigods. General themes of Order, Chaos, and Neutrality, Good and Evil, are present within their religion. The religion is as stratified as their caste system, with Oneidhae positioned near the bottom of the pyramid. The gods are: Elder Goddess Javanikrys, God of Order Enterolos, God of Chaos Cephakos, Goddess of the Spirit Realm Colene, God of Death Iumentorid. Javanikrys is worshipped as the primary goddess of all life, who created the realm of the sea. Brothers Enterolos and Cephakos were created by Javanikrys from pure whimsy, but they control the balance of the world and keep each other in check. Colene was created from the combined tentacles of Enterolos and Cephakos. She reigns over the spirit realm, which is an ever growing cluster of eggs. <br />
<br />
Beneath these gods are demigods created when the three siblings copulated with various lesser sea creatures. The merfolk originated from the demigods as they copulated amongst themselves until their sacred lineage became thinner and thinner. Thus, higher caste Oneidhae are said to be closer to sacred.<br />
<br />
==Greater Deities==<br />
<br />
The elder goddes, '''Javanikrys''', is worshipped by all in private with home altars or openly by cultists. Javanikrys, an humanoid octopus of immense magnitude, is the mother of the gods, Enterolos, Cephakos, and Colene, and creator of the oceans and lesser aquatic plants and animals. She is a terrifying goddess of fickle whims. The worst natural catastrophes: mega cyclones, abyssal earthquakes, undersea volcano eruptions, are said to be caused by her fury. She has a deep hatred for land dwellers, since many of them were created in her primordial ocean soup but betrayed her to walk on land and have since forgotten her existence and later pillage the resources she's created. <br />
<br />
Merfolk fear and respect her as the creator of their realm, but they understand Javanikrys holds no favor over the merfolk as they were tangentially created from her whim to create the gods. Merfolk that hold severe hatred toward land dwellers believe they have her favor, however, and dedicate their raids to her. Splits between merfolk factions occurred over the worship of Javanikrys as more merfolk started emulating the God of Order and/or the Goddess of the Spirit Realm, who are seen as gentler more approachable deities.<br />
<br />
'''Enterolos''', God of Order, and '''Cephakos''', God of Chaos, are giant humanoid octopus brothers that represent a duality. They were sculpted from volcanic rocks by their mother, Javanikrys, then instructed that only one may rule over the profane realm. Thus, a bitter rivalry began. The two are constantly battling with each other, which can cause giant cyclones over the ocean as anger rises. The two occasionally team up against their mother when her whims effect something that the brothers are mutually invested in. Some merfolk factions worship one brother over the other. Other factions see the two as providing a balance in life. When one brother starts to get too powerful, the other checks him. Depending on this take, a merfolk faction may act as a lawful, neutral, or chaotic entity with scales tipped towards good or evil.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Enterolos creates societies that strictly adhere to laws and protocols. Cities created by those who publicly espouse the God of Order are engineered with the newest merfolk technologies. Merfolk-made reefs, bioluminescent lighting, elaborate kelp gardens, and multi-tiered structures are common features.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Cephakos creates unpredictable and nomadic societies. Structures tend to be impermanent and flimsy, tools are more primitive, and life is determined on a day-to-day, sometimes hour-by-hour, basis. These merfolk are volatile, act on impulses, and/or will do things just to see what happens potentially at the expense of others.<br />
<br />
- Those who treat the brothers as equals are the bridge between the two. They live in small enclaves composed of permanent structures and public works, but much of their life is tied to the ebb and flow of nature.<br />
<br />
'''Colene''', the Goddess of Spirit Realm, also known as Giant Octopus Mother, was created by Javanikrys from two tentacles ripped off from each brother during a fight. She represents neutral forces within nature. Upon witnessing the plight of merfolk spirits trapped in their corporeal bodies, she created a realm in which to tend to them after their corpses were consumed by Iumentorid's hordes. The spirit realm is a clutch of eggs, created after the emergence of mortal merfolk so that their spirits had a place to rest. Her perpetual delicate care of the egg clutch is seen as an act of true altruism, and some merfolk factions make it a tenant to follow her example. Merfolk factions that do this tend to value Enterolos more or the brothers as equals. Javankrys cultists still see Colene as the keeper of their souls, but that Javankrys ultimately decides who does or doesn't reach the spirit realm via Iumentorid, who they believe was created by the elder goddess. To them, any merfolk that associates with land dwellers is cursed to remain trapped in their lifeless corpses.<br />
<br />
'''Iumentorid''', the Ghost Whale God of the Dead rules the underworld, the Abyssal Realm, and glides over the deep sea terrain with hordes of ghost sharks, goblin sharks, ratfish formed from chunks of Iumentorid's rotten flesh. These hordes eat the dead that falls to the ocean floor in order for their spirit to be freed of their corporeal body. He is said to have been created by Colene or Javanikrys from a dead whale. Prior to Iumentorid's creation, merfolk corpses never decomposed, thus their spirits never freed. The only way to return to the spirit realm is by having merfolk send their corpses to the Abyssal Realm. Merfolk that are seen as outcasts, betrayers, or undesirables are often denied this burial by keeping their corpses from ever sinking into the abyss. This would be the merfolk version of hell. <br />
<br />
All factions worship the God of the Dead and hope to be eaten by his hordes when they die so their spirits may be released. Once every such and such double full moon, Iumentorid rises from the abyss, leading his hordes along with him. It's said that it's a bad omen if a living creature witnesses Iumentorid, and that they'll be joining him soon. This god is neutral and treats all corpses the same. Javanikrys cultists would say that she decides who Iumentorid brings back to the spirit realm.<br />
<br />
==Demigods and Mortals==<br />
<br />
Beneath the gods is a menagerie of demigods of the deep. They're the offspring of the gods and profane creatures of the oceans. These are colossal versions of creatures normally found in the oceans. Different clusters of merfolk might consider one of the demigods as a "house deity" that has more of an impact on their day-to-day lives than the upper echelon deities. <br />
<br />
Merfolk were then created by the demigods as they propagated amongst themselves until only a faint trace of sacred lineage was left. This is also the basis for the caste system. Parentage determines one's abilities and position at birth, and the higher the caste you're born into, the closer to the gods and demigods you are. Caste is determined by the matron of the family<br />
<br />
Merfolk born with an excess of limbs or conjoined are thought to sit just below the demigods and above normal merfolk. It's believed their spirit was touched by a tentacle of a god when they were created. Being born with strange birth defects and deformities overrides the caste system.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Oneidhae&diff=7394Oneidhae2017-07-31T04:38:16Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category: Races]]<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
<br />
{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Oneidhae<br />
| image = <br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = <br />
| capital = <br />
| language1 = Oneidhae <br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Merfolk<br />
| race2 = <br />
| race3 = <br />
| religion = Gods of the Deep<br />
| government = Aristocracy<br />
| rulers = Vary by Citystate<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = <br />
}}<br />
The Oneidhae are a family of diverse sub-aquatic humanoid races. Their population centers are scattered across various continental shelves under the seas and oceans of the known world. The mysterious merfolk have created an elaborate civilization stratified by castes based on appearance and abilities. Some of the merfolk can move about on land and have made contact with the races of the surface.<br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances. There is some variation based on which city they're from. But most variations cut across the entire species. As a result, the Oneidhae have different races comprised of individuals with similar looks and abilities. Their society is caste-based, where each race occupies a certain social stratum and has its own range of responsibilities. <br />
<br />
Many oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some races are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom races have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When race-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society. <br />
<br />
==Common Appearance==<br />
<br />
Humanoid upper halves: all merfolk have some kind of humanoid torso with at least one pair of arms. Some torsos have slick skin, others have scales. They may or may not have webbed hands, fins, quills or membranous "plumage" coming out of their arms or backs. A handful of rare individuals, usually female, may have multiple pairs of arms. <br />
<br />
Head shape: ranges from almost human-looking to having a short dragon-like snout. Membranous appendages like those of an axolotl or a sea dragon may sweep back from their heads like hair. Some have short but nimble tentacles protruding from their lower jaws. Some have crests and quills. Many have large specialized eyes that have heightened sensitivity and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum to compensate for the low light underwater. <br />
<br />
Tail shape: Most of the merfolk have long fish-like or serpent-like tails below their torso. The fins and appendages coming out of the tail vary in shape and number. Some castes can separate their tails into two individually articulated legs to walk on land, while some others can slither on land like a naga. A small minority octopus-like tentacles for a bottom half instead of a tail. <br />
<br />
==Some Caste Groups==<br />
<br />
The exact way appearance maps to caste is largely unknown by surface races (and is a work in progress.) A few known caste groups are presented as an example, with the equivalent of their caste names rendered in surface-common. <br />
<br />
'''Thalassians''' or Highborn tend to have a long tail with smooth flesh like that of a dolphin, ray or eel. They frequently have long fleshy appendages or plumage extending from their heads, which serves the same function as hair and as a self-defense tool, lined with stingers. They are medium-sized, graceful and intelligent, if haughty and convinced of their superiority. Most sorcerers and priests to major deities are Thelassians. There is additional stratification among the highborn, with the topmost echelon ruling over society. <br />
<br />
'''Pelagiads''' are below the highborn and could be considered a middle class. Their tails are covered in fish-like scales as are parts of their bodies. Most pelagiads are physically average, lacking any special abilities or weaknesses. There are further subdivisions among their kind, ranging from respected artisans to basic semi-skilled laborers. The pelagiads as a social stratum have the greatest amount of internal social mobility in Oneidhae society compared to other caste groupings. <br />
<br />
'''Myrmidons''' are the some of the Oneidhae's elite warriors. While many commoners can be made to take up arms, the Myrmidons are evolved for mayhem and excel at it. They are covered with scales that resemble overlapping armor plates. Their tough fins are anchored with sharpened quills that could be used for offense and defense. Their tails are highly muscular, making them the Oneidhae's fastest swimmers. Some even have the ability to split their tails in two and use these as crude legs for surface walking. <br />
<br />
'''Inumidans''' are a strange group characterized by bioluminescent appendages, eyes bigger and more bulbous than the rest, and extra appendages in the form of prehensile tentacles. These tend to be specialists such as scientists, scribes, advisers, healers, certain priests or, occasionally, magic-users. While quick and intelligent, they are more physically vulnerable than common warriors and less charismatic than the aristocrats. <br />
<br />
'''Drudges''' is a catch-all term for the laborer castes, which tend to be of a smaller size than other Oneidhae but more plentiful in their reproduction. Lacking many physical or social advantages of the higher tiers, the various drudge castes are responsible for the core of society's menial work - building, cleaning, carrying, mining, farming, etc. When the labor has skill involved, groups of drudges are sometimes supervised by a Pelagiad or Inumidan. Drudge uprisings aren't unheard of but tend to only happen when the current aristocrats go overboard with the negative treatment. <br />
<br />
=Geography=<br />
<br />
The majority of the Oneidhae live in elaborate underwater cities. Most of these are built atop massive coral reef systems or carved out from the rocks of an underwater cliffside. Most cities are built on relatively shallow continental shelves to allow some light and heat to reach them. <br />
<br />
Compared to the surface cities' horizontal sprawl, merfolk cities are much more three-dimensional. Varying depth layers form different "neighborhoods" that serve different purposes. Cities tend to be marvels of integration with indigenous sea life. Grand vertical gardens, large decorated buildings and bioluminescent lighting give these cities an air of unmatched splendor. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae practice agriculture/aquaculture to feed their populations. Sprawling farms of kelp and other edible plants populate the shallows. Massive schools of fish are raised and herded for their meat and labor power. <br />
<br />
Not all Oneidhae are urban. There are nomadic merfolk groups who live off the sea through hunting and gathering. They tend to be much more hardy and aggressive and prone to raiding. Also, individuals encountered in the "wilds" might be outcasts, hermits, explorers, adventurers or long distance couriers. <br />
<br />
==Known Cities== <br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae worship a pantheon of gods and demigods. General themes of Order, Chaos, and Neutrality, Good and Evil, are present within their religion. The religion is as stratified as their caste system, with Oneidhae positioned near the bottom of the pyramid. The gods are: Elder Goddess Javanikrys, God of Order Enterolos, God of Chaos Cephakos, Goddess of the Spirit Realm Colene, God of Death Iumentorid. Javanikrys is worshipped as the primary goddess of all life, who created the realm of the sea. Brothers Enterolos and Cephakos were created by Javanikrys from pure whimsy, but they control the balance of the world and keep each other in check. Colene was created from the combined tentacles of Enterolos and Cephakos. She reigns over the spirit realm, which is an ever growing cluster of eggs. <br />
<br />
Beneath these gods are demigods created when the three siblings copulated with various lesser sea creatures. The merfolk originated from the demigods as they copulated amongst themselves until their sacred lineage became thinner and thinner. Thus, higher caste Oneidhae are said to be closer to sacred.<br />
<br />
==Greater Deities==<br />
<br />
The elder goddes, '''Javanikrys''', is worshipped by all in private with home altars or openly by cultists. Javanikrys, an humanoid octopus of immense magnitude, is the mother of the gods, Enterolos, Cephakos, and Colene, and creator of the oceans and lesser aquatic plants and animals. She is a terrifying goddess of fickle whims. The worst natural catastrophes: mega cyclones, abyssal earthquakes, undersea volcano eruptions, are said to be caused by her fury. She has a deep hatred for land dwellers, since many of them were created in her primordial ocean soup but betrayed her to walk on land and have since forgotten her existence and later pillage the resources she's created. <br />
<br />
Merfolk fear and respect her as the creator of their realm, but they understand Javanikrys holds no favor over the merfolk as they were tangentially created from her whim to create the gods. Merfolk that hold severe hatred toward land dwellers believe they have her favor, however, and dedicate their raids to her. Splits between merfolk factions occurred over the worship of Javanikrys as more merfolk started emulating the God of Order and/or the Goddess of the Spirit Realm, who are seen as gentler more approachable deities.<br />
<br />
'''Enterolos''', God of Order, and '''Cephakos''', God of Chaos, are giant humanoid octopus brothers that represent a duality. They were sculpted from volcanic rocks by their mother, Javanikrys, then instructed that only one may rule over the profane realm. Thus, a bitter rivalry began. The two are constantly battling with each other, which can cause giant cyclones over the ocean as anger rises. The two occasionally team up against their mother when her whims effect something that the brothers are mutually invested in. Some merfolk factions worship one brother over the other. Other factions see the two as providing a balance in life. When one brother starts to get too powerful, the other checks him. Depending on this take, a merfolk faction may act as a lawful, neutral, or chaotic entity with scales tipped towards good or evil.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Enterolos creates societies that strictly adhere to laws and protocols. Cities created by those who publicly espouse the God of Order are engineered with the newest merfolk technologies. Merfolk-made reefs, bioluminescent lighting, elaborate kelp gardens, and multi-tiered structures are common features.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Cephakos creates unpredictable and nomadic societies. Structures tend to be impermanent and flimsy, tools are more primitive, and life is determined on a day-to-day, sometimes hour-by-hour, basis. These merfolk are volatile, act on impulses, and/or will do things just to see what happens potentially at the expense of others.<br />
<br />
- Those who treat the brothers as equals are the bridge between the two. They live in small enclaves composed of permanent structures and public works, but much of their life is tied to the ebb and flow of nature.<br />
<br />
'''Colene''', the Goddess of Spirit Realm, also known as Giant Octopus Mother, was created by Javanikrys from two tentacles ripped off from each brother during a fight. She represents neutral forces within nature. Upon witnessing the plight of merfolk spirits trapped in their corporeal bodies, she created a realm in which to tend to them after their corpses were consumed by Iumentorid's hordes. The spirit realm is a clutch of eggs, created after the emergence of mortal merfolk so that their spirits had a place to rest. Her perpetual delicate care of the egg clutch is seen as an act of true altruism, and some merfolk factions make it a tenant to follow her example. Merfolk factions that do this tend to value Enterolos more or the brothers as equals. Javankrys cultists still see Colene as the keeper of their souls, but that Javankrys ultimately decides who does or doesn't reach the spirit realm via Iumentorid, who they believe was created by the elder goddess. To them, any merfolk that associates with land dwellers is cursed to remain trapped in their lifeless corpses.<br />
<br />
'''Iumentorid''', the Ghost Whale God of the Dead rules the underworld, the Abyssal Realm, and glides over the deep sea terrain with hordes of ghost sharks, goblin sharks, ratfish formed from chunks of Iumentorid's rotten flesh. These hordes eat the dead that falls to the ocean floor in order for their spirit to be freed of their corporeal body. He is said to have been created by Colene or Javanikrys from a dead whale. Prior to Iumentorid's creation, merfolk corpses never decomposed, thus their spirits never freed. The only way to return to the spirit realm is by having merfolk send their corpses to the Abyssal Realm. Merfolk that are seen as outcasts, betrayers, or undesirables are often denied this burial by keeping their corpses from ever sinking into the abyss. This would be the merfolk version of hell. <br />
<br />
All factions worship the God of the Dead and hope to be eaten by his hordes when they die so their spirits may be released. Once every such and such double full moon, Iumentorid rises from the abyss, leading his hordes along with him. It's said that it's a bad omen if a living creature witnesses Iumentorid, and that they'll be joining him soon. This god is neutral and treats all corpses the same. Javanikrys cultists would say that she decides who Iumentorid brings back to the spirit realm.<br />
<br />
==Demigods and Mortals==<br />
<br />
Beneath the gods is a menagerie of demigods of the deep. They're the offspring of the gods and profane creatures of the oceans. These are colossal versions of creatures normally found in the oceans. Different clusters of merfolk might consider one of the demigods as a "house deity" that has more of an impact on their day-to-day lives than the upper echelon deities. <br />
<br />
Merfolk were then created by the demigods as they propagated amongst themselves until only a faint trace of sacred lineage was left. This is also the basis for the caste system. Parentage determines one's abilities and position at birth, and the higher the caste you're born into, the closer to the gods and demigods you are. Caste is determined by the matron of the family<br />
<br />
Merfolk born with an excess of limbs or conjoined are thought to sit just below the demigods and above normal merfolk. It's believed their spirit was touched by a tentacle of a god when they were created. Being born with strange birth defects and deformities overrides the caste system.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Oneidhae&diff=7393Oneidhae2017-07-31T04:37:43Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category: Races]]<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
<br />
{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Oneidhae<br />
| image = <br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = <br />
| capital = <br />
| language1 = Oneidhae <br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Merfolk<br />
| race2 = <br />
| race3 = <br />
| religion = Gods of the Deep<br />
| government = Aristocracy<br />
| rulers = Vary by Citystate<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = <br />
}}<br />
The Oneidhae are a family of diverse sub-aquatic humanoid races. Their population centers are scattered across various continental shelves under the seas and oceans of the known world. The mysterious merfolk have created an elaborate civilization stratified by castes based on appearance and abilities. Some of the merfolk can walk on land and have made contact with the races of the surface.<br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances. There is some variation based on which city they're from. But most variations cut across the entire species. As a result, the Oneidhae have different races comprised of individuals with similar looks and abilities. Their society is caste-based, where each race occupies a certain social stratum and has its own range of responsibilities. <br />
<br />
Many oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some races are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom races have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When race-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society. <br />
<br />
==Common Appearance==<br />
<br />
Humanoid upper halves: all merfolk have some kind of humanoid torso with at least one pair of arms. Some torsos have slick skin, others have scales. They may or may not have webbed hands, fins, quills or membranous "plumage" coming out of their arms or backs. A handful of rare individuals, usually female, may have multiple pairs of arms. <br />
<br />
Head shape: ranges from almost human-looking to having a short dragon-like snout. Membranous appendages like those of an axolotl or a sea dragon may sweep back from their heads like hair. Some have short but nimble tentacles protruding from their lower jaws. Some have crests and quills. Many have large specialized eyes that have heightened sensitivity and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum to compensate for the low light underwater. <br />
<br />
Tail shape: Most of the merfolk have long fish-like or serpent-like tails below their torso. The fins and appendages coming out of the tail vary in shape and number. Some castes can separate their tails into two individually articulated legs to walk on land, while some others can slither on land like a naga. A small minority octopus-like tentacles for a bottom half instead of a tail. <br />
<br />
==Some Caste Groups==<br />
<br />
The exact way appearance maps to caste is largely unknown by surface races (and is a work in progress.) A few known caste groups are presented as an example, with the equivalent of their caste names rendered in surface-common. <br />
<br />
'''Thalassians''' or Highborn tend to have a long tail with smooth flesh like that of a dolphin, ray or eel. They frequently have long fleshy appendages or plumage extending from their heads, which serves the same function as hair and as a self-defense tool, lined with stingers. They are medium-sized, graceful and intelligent, if haughty and convinced of their superiority. Most sorcerers and priests to major deities are Thelassians. There is additional stratification among the highborn, with the topmost echelon ruling over society. <br />
<br />
'''Pelagiads''' are below the highborn and could be considered a middle class. Their tails are covered in fish-like scales as are parts of their bodies. Most pelagiads are physically average, lacking any special abilities or weaknesses. There are further subdivisions among their kind, ranging from respected artisans to basic semi-skilled laborers. The pelagiads as a social stratum have the greatest amount of internal social mobility in Oneidhae society compared to other caste groupings. <br />
<br />
'''Myrmidons''' are the some of the Oneidhae's elite warriors. While many commoners can be made to take up arms, the Myrmidons are evolved for mayhem and excel at it. They are covered with scales that resemble overlapping armor plates. Their tough fins are anchored with sharpened quills that could be used for offense and defense. Their tails are highly muscular, making them the Oneidhae's fastest swimmers. Some even have the ability to split their tails in two and use these as crude legs for surface walking. <br />
<br />
'''Inumidans''' are a strange group characterized by bioluminescent appendages, eyes bigger and more bulbous than the rest, and extra appendages in the form of prehensile tentacles. These tend to be specialists such as scientists, scribes, advisers, healers, certain priests or, occasionally, magic-users. While quick and intelligent, they are more physically vulnerable than common warriors and less charismatic than the aristocrats. <br />
<br />
'''Drudges''' is a catch-all term for the laborer castes, which tend to be of a smaller size than other Oneidhae but more plentiful in their reproduction. Lacking many physical or social advantages of the higher tiers, the various drudge castes are responsible for the core of society's menial work - building, cleaning, carrying, mining, farming, etc. When the labor has skill involved, groups of drudges are sometimes supervised by a Pelagiad or Inumidan. Drudge uprisings aren't unheard of but tend to only happen when the current aristocrats go overboard with the negative treatment. <br />
<br />
=Geography=<br />
<br />
The majority of the Oneidhae live in elaborate underwater cities. Most of these are built atop massive coral reef systems or carved out from the rocks of an underwater cliffside. Most cities are built on relatively shallow continental shelves to allow some light and heat to reach them. <br />
<br />
Compared to the surface cities' horizontal sprawl, merfolk cities are much more three-dimensional. Varying depth layers form different "neighborhoods" that serve different purposes. Cities tend to be marvels of integration with indigenous sea life. Grand vertical gardens, large decorated buildings and bioluminescent lighting give these cities an air of unmatched splendor. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae practice agriculture/aquaculture to feed their populations. Sprawling farms of kelp and other edible plants populate the shallows. Massive schools of fish are raised and herded for their meat and labor power. <br />
<br />
Not all Oneidhae are urban. There are nomadic merfolk groups who live off the sea through hunting and gathering. They tend to be much more hardy and aggressive and prone to raiding. Also, individuals encountered in the "wilds" might be outcasts, hermits, explorers, adventurers or long distance couriers. <br />
<br />
==Known Cities== <br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae worship a pantheon of gods and demigods. General themes of Order, Chaos, and Neutrality, Good and Evil, are present within their religion. The religion is as stratified as their caste system, with Oneidhae positioned near the bottom of the pyramid. The gods are: Elder Goddess Javanikrys, God of Order Enterolos, God of Chaos Cephakos, Goddess of the Spirit Realm Colene, God of Death Iumentorid. Javanikrys is worshipped as the primary goddess of all life, who created the realm of the sea. Brothers Enterolos and Cephakos were created by Javanikrys from pure whimsy, but they control the balance of the world and keep each other in check. Colene was created from the combined tentacles of Enterolos and Cephakos. She reigns over the spirit realm, which is an ever growing cluster of eggs. <br />
<br />
Beneath these gods are demigods created when the three siblings copulated with various lesser sea creatures. The merfolk originated from the demigods as they copulated amongst themselves until their sacred lineage became thinner and thinner. Thus, higher caste Oneidhae are said to be closer to sacred.<br />
<br />
==Greater Deities==<br />
<br />
The elder goddes, '''Javanikrys''', is worshipped by all in private with home altars or openly by cultists. Javanikrys, an humanoid octopus of immense magnitude, is the mother of the gods, Enterolos, Cephakos, and Colene, and creator of the oceans and lesser aquatic plants and animals. She is a terrifying goddess of fickle whims. The worst natural catastrophes: mega cyclones, abyssal earthquakes, undersea volcano eruptions, are said to be caused by her fury. She has a deep hatred for land dwellers, since many of them were created in her primordial ocean soup but betrayed her to walk on land and have since forgotten her existence and later pillage the resources she's created. <br />
<br />
Merfolk fear and respect her as the creator of their realm, but they understand Javanikrys holds no favor over the merfolk as they were tangentially created from her whim to create the gods. Merfolk that hold severe hatred toward land dwellers believe they have her favor, however, and dedicate their raids to her. Splits between merfolk factions occurred over the worship of Javanikrys as more merfolk started emulating the God of Order and/or the Goddess of the Spirit Realm, who are seen as gentler more approachable deities.<br />
<br />
'''Enterolos''', God of Order, and '''Cephakos''', God of Chaos, are giant humanoid octopus brothers that represent a duality. They were sculpted from volcanic rocks by their mother, Javanikrys, then instructed that only one may rule over the profane realm. Thus, a bitter rivalry began. The two are constantly battling with each other, which can cause giant cyclones over the ocean as anger rises. The two occasionally team up against their mother when her whims effect something that the brothers are mutually invested in. Some merfolk factions worship one brother over the other. Other factions see the two as providing a balance in life. When one brother starts to get too powerful, the other checks him. Depending on this take, a merfolk faction may act as a lawful, neutral, or chaotic entity with scales tipped towards good or evil.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Enterolos creates societies that strictly adhere to laws and protocols. Cities created by those who publicly espouse the God of Order are engineered with the newest merfolk technologies. Merfolk-made reefs, bioluminescent lighting, elaborate kelp gardens, and multi-tiered structures are common features.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Cephakos creates unpredictable and nomadic societies. Structures tend to be impermanent and flimsy, tools are more primitive, and life is determined on a day-to-day, sometimes hour-by-hour, basis. These merfolk are volatile, act on impulses, and/or will do things just to see what happens potentially at the expense of others.<br />
<br />
- Those who treat the brothers as equals are the bridge between the two. They live in small enclaves composed of permanent structures and public works, but much of their life is tied to the ebb and flow of nature.<br />
<br />
'''Colene''', the Goddess of Spirit Realm, also known as Giant Octopus Mother, was created by Javanikrys from two tentacles ripped off from each brother during a fight. She represents neutral forces within nature. Upon witnessing the plight of merfolk spirits trapped in their corporeal bodies, she created a realm in which to tend to them after their corpses were consumed by Iumentorid's hordes. The spirit realm is a clutch of eggs, created after the emergence of mortal merfolk so that their spirits had a place to rest. Her perpetual delicate care of the egg clutch is seen as an act of true altruism, and some merfolk factions make it a tenant to follow her example. Merfolk factions that do this tend to value Enterolos more or the brothers as equals. Javankrys cultists still see Colene as the keeper of their souls, but that Javankrys ultimately decides who does or doesn't reach the spirit realm via Iumentorid, who they believe was created by the elder goddess. To them, any merfolk that associates with land dwellers is cursed to remain trapped in their lifeless corpses.<br />
<br />
'''Iumentorid''', the Ghost Whale God of the Dead rules the underworld, the Abyssal Realm, and glides over the deep sea terrain with hordes of ghost sharks, goblin sharks, ratfish formed from chunks of Iumentorid's rotten flesh. These hordes eat the dead that falls to the ocean floor in order for their spirit to be freed of their corporeal body. He is said to have been created by Colene or Javanikrys from a dead whale. Prior to Iumentorid's creation, merfolk corpses never decomposed, thus their spirits never freed. The only way to return to the spirit realm is by having merfolk send their corpses to the Abyssal Realm. Merfolk that are seen as outcasts, betrayers, or undesirables are often denied this burial by keeping their corpses from ever sinking into the abyss. This would be the merfolk version of hell. <br />
<br />
All factions worship the God of the Dead and hope to be eaten by his hordes when they die so their spirits may be released. Once every such and such double full moon, Iumentorid rises from the abyss, leading his hordes along with him. It's said that it's a bad omen if a living creature witnesses Iumentorid, and that they'll be joining him soon. This god is neutral and treats all corpses the same. Javanikrys cultists would say that she decides who Iumentorid brings back to the spirit realm.<br />
<br />
==Demigods and Mortals==<br />
<br />
Beneath the gods is a menagerie of demigods of the deep. They're the offspring of the gods and profane creatures of the oceans. These are colossal versions of creatures normally found in the oceans. Different clusters of merfolk might consider one of the demigods as a "house deity" that has more of an impact on their day-to-day lives than the upper echelon deities. <br />
<br />
Merfolk were then created by the demigods as they propagated amongst themselves until only a faint trace of sacred lineage was left. This is also the basis for the caste system. Parentage determines one's abilities and position at birth, and the higher the caste you're born into, the closer to the gods and demigods you are. Caste is determined by the matron of the family<br />
<br />
Merfolk born with an excess of limbs or conjoined are thought to sit just below the demigods and above normal merfolk. It's believed their spirit was touched by a tentacle of a god when they were created. Being born with strange birth defects and deformities overrides the caste system.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Oneidhae&diff=7392Oneidhae2017-07-31T04:37:27Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>[[Category: Races]]<br />
[[Category: Countries]]<br />
<br />
{{Infobox Country<br />
| name = Oneidhae<br />
| image = <br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
<br />
| motto = <br />
| capital = <br />
| language1 = Oneidhae <br />
| language2 = <br />
| language3 =<br />
| race1 = Merfolk<br />
| race2 = <br />
| race3 = <br />
| religion = Gods of the Deep<br />
| government = Aristocracy<br />
| rulers = Vary by Citystate<br />
| population = <br />
| currency = <br />
}}<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae are a family of diverse sub-aquatic humanoid races. Their population centers are scattered across various continental shelves under the seas and oceans of the known world. The mysterious merfolk have created an elaborate civilization stratified by castes based on appearance and abilities. Some of the merfolk can walk on land and have made contact with the races of the surface.<br />
<br />
=History=<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Society and People=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae or merfolk come in a range of different appearances. There is some variation based on which city they're from. But most variations cut across the entire species. As a result, the Oneidhae have different races comprised of individuals with similar looks and abilities. Their society is caste-based, where each race occupies a certain social stratum and has its own range of responsibilities. <br />
<br />
Many oneidhae, especially the nobility, believe that some races are inherently superior to others and more fit to rule. The bottom races have very little wealth and power, living like servants. When race-mixing happens, the offspring tend to have difficult, ambiguous lives.<br />
<br />
The society is largely matriarchal. Females, while smaller than males, have a higher affinity for magic, naturally putting them in charge. The priests, mages and governors tend to be females, though males sometimes fill these roles. Lineages are traced from the mother. Still, female Oneidhae can be found in the lower castes.<br />
<br />
Some merfolk are born with anomalies like multiple pairs of arms or as conjoined siblings. Their shape is considered auspicious, touched by the divine. This overrides their ordinary caste in determining their place in society. <br />
<br />
==Common Appearance==<br />
<br />
Humanoid upper halves: all merfolk have some kind of humanoid torso with at least one pair of arms. Some torsos have slick skin, others have scales. They may or may not have webbed hands, fins, quills or membranous "plumage" coming out of their arms or backs. A handful of rare individuals, usually female, may have multiple pairs of arms. <br />
<br />
Head shape: ranges from almost human-looking to having a short dragon-like snout. Membranous appendages like those of an axolotl or a sea dragon may sweep back from their heads like hair. Some have short but nimble tentacles protruding from their lower jaws. Some have crests and quills. Many have large specialized eyes that have heightened sensitivity and can see into the ultraviolet spectrum to compensate for the low light underwater. <br />
<br />
Tail shape: Most of the merfolk have long fish-like or serpent-like tails below their torso. The fins and appendages coming out of the tail vary in shape and number. Some castes can separate their tails into two individually articulated legs to walk on land, while some others can slither on land like a naga. A small minority octopus-like tentacles for a bottom half instead of a tail. <br />
<br />
==Some Caste Groups==<br />
<br />
The exact way appearance maps to caste is largely unknown by surface races (and is a work in progress.) A few known caste groups are presented as an example, with the equivalent of their caste names rendered in surface-common. <br />
<br />
'''Thalassians''' or Highborn tend to have a long tail with smooth flesh like that of a dolphin, ray or eel. They frequently have long fleshy appendages or plumage extending from their heads, which serves the same function as hair and as a self-defense tool, lined with stingers. They are medium-sized, graceful and intelligent, if haughty and convinced of their superiority. Most sorcerers and priests to major deities are Thelassians. There is additional stratification among the highborn, with the topmost echelon ruling over society. <br />
<br />
'''Pelagiads''' are below the highborn and could be considered a middle class. Their tails are covered in fish-like scales as are parts of their bodies. Most pelagiads are physically average, lacking any special abilities or weaknesses. There are further subdivisions among their kind, ranging from respected artisans to basic semi-skilled laborers. The pelagiads as a social stratum have the greatest amount of internal social mobility in Oneidhae society compared to other caste groupings. <br />
<br />
'''Myrmidons''' are the some of the Oneidhae's elite warriors. While many commoners can be made to take up arms, the Myrmidons are evolved for mayhem and excel at it. They are covered with scales that resemble overlapping armor plates. Their tough fins are anchored with sharpened quills that could be used for offense and defense. Their tails are highly muscular, making them the Oneidhae's fastest swimmers. Some even have the ability to split their tails in two and use these as crude legs for surface walking. <br />
<br />
'''Inumidans''' are a strange group characterized by bioluminescent appendages, eyes bigger and more bulbous than the rest, and extra appendages in the form of prehensile tentacles. These tend to be specialists such as scientists, scribes, advisers, healers, certain priests or, occasionally, magic-users. While quick and intelligent, they are more physically vulnerable than common warriors and less charismatic than the aristocrats. <br />
<br />
'''Drudges''' is a catch-all term for the laborer castes, which tend to be of a smaller size than other Oneidhae but more plentiful in their reproduction. Lacking many physical or social advantages of the higher tiers, the various drudge castes are responsible for the core of society's menial work - building, cleaning, carrying, mining, farming, etc. When the labor has skill involved, groups of drudges are sometimes supervised by a Pelagiad or Inumidan. Drudge uprisings aren't unheard of but tend to only happen when the current aristocrats go overboard with the negative treatment. <br />
<br />
=Geography=<br />
<br />
The majority of the Oneidhae live in elaborate underwater cities. Most of these are built atop massive coral reef systems or carved out from the rocks of an underwater cliffside. Most cities are built on relatively shallow continental shelves to allow some light and heat to reach them. <br />
<br />
Compared to the surface cities' horizontal sprawl, merfolk cities are much more three-dimensional. Varying depth layers form different "neighborhoods" that serve different purposes. Cities tend to be marvels of integration with indigenous sea life. Grand vertical gardens, large decorated buildings and bioluminescent lighting give these cities an air of unmatched splendor. <br />
<br />
The Oneidhae practice agriculture/aquaculture to feed their populations. Sprawling farms of kelp and other edible plants populate the shallows. Massive schools of fish are raised and herded for their meat and labor power. <br />
<br />
Not all Oneidhae are urban. There are nomadic merfolk groups who live off the sea through hunting and gathering. They tend to be much more hardy and aggressive and prone to raiding. Also, individuals encountered in the "wilds" might be outcasts, hermits, explorers, adventurers or long distance couriers. <br />
<br />
==Known Cities== <br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
=Religion=<br />
<br />
The Oneidhae worship a pantheon of gods and demigods. General themes of Order, Chaos, and Neutrality, Good and Evil, are present within their religion. The religion is as stratified as their caste system, with Oneidhae positioned near the bottom of the pyramid. The gods are: Elder Goddess Javanikrys, God of Order Enterolos, God of Chaos Cephakos, Goddess of the Spirit Realm Colene, God of Death Iumentorid. Javanikrys is worshipped as the primary goddess of all life, who created the realm of the sea. Brothers Enterolos and Cephakos were created by Javanikrys from pure whimsy, but they control the balance of the world and keep each other in check. Colene was created from the combined tentacles of Enterolos and Cephakos. She reigns over the spirit realm, which is an ever growing cluster of eggs. <br />
<br />
Beneath these gods are demigods created when the three siblings copulated with various lesser sea creatures. The merfolk originated from the demigods as they copulated amongst themselves until their sacred lineage became thinner and thinner. Thus, higher caste Oneidhae are said to be closer to sacred.<br />
<br />
==Greater Deities==<br />
<br />
The elder goddes, '''Javanikrys''', is worshipped by all in private with home altars or openly by cultists. Javanikrys, an humanoid octopus of immense magnitude, is the mother of the gods, Enterolos, Cephakos, and Colene, and creator of the oceans and lesser aquatic plants and animals. She is a terrifying goddess of fickle whims. The worst natural catastrophes: mega cyclones, abyssal earthquakes, undersea volcano eruptions, are said to be caused by her fury. She has a deep hatred for land dwellers, since many of them were created in her primordial ocean soup but betrayed her to walk on land and have since forgotten her existence and later pillage the resources she's created. <br />
<br />
Merfolk fear and respect her as the creator of their realm, but they understand Javanikrys holds no favor over the merfolk as they were tangentially created from her whim to create the gods. Merfolk that hold severe hatred toward land dwellers believe they have her favor, however, and dedicate their raids to her. Splits between merfolk factions occurred over the worship of Javanikrys as more merfolk started emulating the God of Order and/or the Goddess of the Spirit Realm, who are seen as gentler more approachable deities.<br />
<br />
'''Enterolos''', God of Order, and '''Cephakos''', God of Chaos, are giant humanoid octopus brothers that represent a duality. They were sculpted from volcanic rocks by their mother, Javanikrys, then instructed that only one may rule over the profane realm. Thus, a bitter rivalry began. The two are constantly battling with each other, which can cause giant cyclones over the ocean as anger rises. The two occasionally team up against their mother when her whims effect something that the brothers are mutually invested in. Some merfolk factions worship one brother over the other. Other factions see the two as providing a balance in life. When one brother starts to get too powerful, the other checks him. Depending on this take, a merfolk faction may act as a lawful, neutral, or chaotic entity with scales tipped towards good or evil.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Enterolos creates societies that strictly adhere to laws and protocols. Cities created by those who publicly espouse the God of Order are engineered with the newest merfolk technologies. Merfolk-made reefs, bioluminescent lighting, elaborate kelp gardens, and multi-tiered structures are common features.<br />
<br />
- Worship of Cephakos creates unpredictable and nomadic societies. Structures tend to be impermanent and flimsy, tools are more primitive, and life is determined on a day-to-day, sometimes hour-by-hour, basis. These merfolk are volatile, act on impulses, and/or will do things just to see what happens potentially at the expense of others.<br />
<br />
- Those who treat the brothers as equals are the bridge between the two. They live in small enclaves composed of permanent structures and public works, but much of their life is tied to the ebb and flow of nature.<br />
<br />
'''Colene''', the Goddess of Spirit Realm, also known as Giant Octopus Mother, was created by Javanikrys from two tentacles ripped off from each brother during a fight. She represents neutral forces within nature. Upon witnessing the plight of merfolk spirits trapped in their corporeal bodies, she created a realm in which to tend to them after their corpses were consumed by Iumentorid's hordes. The spirit realm is a clutch of eggs, created after the emergence of mortal merfolk so that their spirits had a place to rest. Her perpetual delicate care of the egg clutch is seen as an act of true altruism, and some merfolk factions make it a tenant to follow her example. Merfolk factions that do this tend to value Enterolos more or the brothers as equals. Javankrys cultists still see Colene as the keeper of their souls, but that Javankrys ultimately decides who does or doesn't reach the spirit realm via Iumentorid, who they believe was created by the elder goddess. To them, any merfolk that associates with land dwellers is cursed to remain trapped in their lifeless corpses.<br />
<br />
'''Iumentorid''', the Ghost Whale God of the Dead rules the underworld, the Abyssal Realm, and glides over the deep sea terrain with hordes of ghost sharks, goblin sharks, ratfish formed from chunks of Iumentorid's rotten flesh. These hordes eat the dead that falls to the ocean floor in order for their spirit to be freed of their corporeal body. He is said to have been created by Colene or Javanikrys from a dead whale. Prior to Iumentorid's creation, merfolk corpses never decomposed, thus their spirits never freed. The only way to return to the spirit realm is by having merfolk send their corpses to the Abyssal Realm. Merfolk that are seen as outcasts, betrayers, or undesirables are often denied this burial by keeping their corpses from ever sinking into the abyss. This would be the merfolk version of hell. <br />
<br />
All factions worship the God of the Dead and hope to be eaten by his hordes when they die so their spirits may be released. Once every such and such double full moon, Iumentorid rises from the abyss, leading his hordes along with him. It's said that it's a bad omen if a living creature witnesses Iumentorid, and that they'll be joining him soon. This god is neutral and treats all corpses the same. Javanikrys cultists would say that she decides who Iumentorid brings back to the spirit realm.<br />
<br />
==Demigods and Mortals==<br />
<br />
Beneath the gods is a menagerie of demigods of the deep. They're the offspring of the gods and profane creatures of the oceans. These are colossal versions of creatures normally found in the oceans. Different clusters of merfolk might consider one of the demigods as a "house deity" that has more of an impact on their day-to-day lives than the upper echelon deities. <br />
<br />
Merfolk were then created by the demigods as they propagated amongst themselves until only a faint trace of sacred lineage was left. This is also the basis for the caste system. Parentage determines one's abilities and position at birth, and the higher the caste you're born into, the closer to the gods and demigods you are. Caste is determined by the matron of the family<br />
<br />
Merfolk born with an excess of limbs or conjoined are thought to sit just below the demigods and above normal merfolk. It's believed their spirit was touched by a tentacle of a god when they were created. Being born with strange birth defects and deformities overrides the caste system.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Races&diff=7081Category:Races2016-11-14T20:14:16Z<p>Pigasus: /* Others From This World */</p>
<hr />
<div>The race category is under construction. Please refer to the information directly below for a more up-to-date guide on the races of the known world. <br />
<br />
Using setting-established versions of fantasy races is not mandatory. <br />
<br />
==Humans==<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
==Elves==<br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Spiri:''' Classic civilized elves, living in a great city-in-the-trees. All livelihoods. Includes noble (high) and common elves. <br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Sorani:''' Classic wild elves, hunting and gathering in the forests of Elvendeep.<br />
<br />
'''Mazewood Elves:''' Survivalist wood elves, living in isolated enclaves in a monster-infested forest. <br />
<br />
'''The Shushan:''' Tribal nomadic desert elves, raising livestock and running trade caravans.<br />
<br />
'''Oriental Elves:''' Ultra-refined and aloof nobility in Panguro, making art and pursuing spirituality. <br />
<br />
'''The Gulanaduri:''' Subterranean dark elves from an independent city-state, pursuing social darwinism.<br />
<br />
'''The Vuulari:''' Classic matriarchal dark elves of the underdark; very harsh and strict society.<br />
<br />
==Dwarves==<br />
<br />
'''Ruthmarnan Dwarves:''' Classic dwarves with cities inside mountains and strong mining and engineering traditions. <br />
<br />
'''Orjani Dwarves:''' The backbone of their nation's merchant class: the Seg clan at sea and the Boru clan on land.<br />
<br />
'''Mystonian Dwarves:''' Psionically-gifted diaspora community that lives in philosophic contemplation. <br />
<br />
'''The Kadut:''' Desert dwarves that live in mountain casbahs, ride camels and giant bugs and fight monsters. <br />
<br />
'''The Dol Drunn:''' Classic adversarial deep dwarves of the underdark. Setting addition is a work in progress.<br />
<br />
==Halflings, Gnomes== <br />
<br />
'''Halfling Diaspora:''' Classic halflings live in close-knit urban or rural communities throughout Veth. <br />
<br />
'''Gnome Diaspora:''' Gnomes of various kinds live throughout Veth in forests and shallow caves. Culture varies. <br />
<br />
'''Saku Irniq (Oriental):''' Tribal arctic dwellers, building igloos and hunting walrus for sustenance. <br />
<br />
'''Sakashtalen (Subterranean):''' Gray-skinned subterranean race of mysterious halfling-like creatures.<br />
<br />
==Orcs==<br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras:''' Dozens of clans united under a war-king's iron fist. Military-industrial powerhouse. <br />
<br />
'''Alesian Orcs:''' Orcish theocracy claiming a third of the Antarctic continent. Ancestral foes of humans.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Orcs:''' Independent tribes can be found in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
==Goblinoids, Kobolds== <br />
<br />
'''Bahr Goblinoids:''' Small urban nation of goblins and hobgoblins. Major smuggling center. <br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras Goblinoids:''' Goblin, hobgoblin and bugbear tribes serving the orc war-king.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Goblinoids:''' Independent tribes live in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
'''Kobolds:''' Independent tribes and individuals live scattered throughout the continent.<br />
<br />
==Giants, Ogres, Trolls==<br />
<br />
'''The J'lontzek:''' Forest giants of the Southlands. Can use supernatural concealment in nature. <br />
<br />
'''The Provakh:''' Hyper-competitive, cold weather mountain giants of Varstad. Accomplished monster hunters.<br />
<br />
'''Ogres:''' Individuals or groups live throughout various rugged climate zones. Poorly understood.<br />
<br />
'''Trolls:''' Different types of trolls exist in the wilds of Veth, but their origins remain vague.<br />
<br />
==Sentient Griffons== <br />
<br />
'''Aerie High Griffons:''' Can shapeshift into griffon, human and in-between forms. Resistant to magic. Soulbound to magic trees and their attendant dryads.<br />
<br />
==Anthropomorphic==<br />
<br />
'''Leturians (Tailed Humans):''' Tailed race with a medium-sized oligarchy. Enslaves non-tailed humans.<br />
<br />
'''Oneidhae (Merfolk):''' Mer-people of various shapes and sizes living in an enormous coral reef system.<br />
<br />
'''Malkraans (Lizardfolk):''' Individualistic lizard-people with dragon blood, living among human society. <br />
<br />
'''The Isska (Lizardfolk):''' Tribal, nomadic lizard-people living among barren salt flats.<br />
<br />
'''Euryalis (Snake-folk):''' Semi-nomadic desert snake-people. Females are humanoid, males are naga-like.<br />
<br />
'''Phet'kree (Cat-folk):''' Close-knit forest communities of matriarchal cat-people, hostile to outsiders.<br />
<br />
'''Kellerei (Cat-folk):''' Scattered shapeshifting cat-humanoid hybrids born of magical experiment. <br />
<br />
'''Elgarian Were-Shifters:''' The Elgar Forest has multiple humanoid communities cursed to transform into one or another animal aspect.<br />
<br />
==Faeries== <br />
<br />
'''Tor Anaan Fair Folk:''' Faeries require magic to survive and come in all shapes, from beautiful to horrifying.<br />
<br />
==Dragons== <br />
<br />
'''High Dragons:''' Individual high dragons or great wyrms are few in number but not restricted by geography. Pentland used to boast many dragons. <br />
<br />
'''Dragon-born:''' Partial dragons have no single category and vary immensely.<br />
<br />
==Undead==<br />
<br />
'''Vampires:''' All vampires in the setting are harmed and killed by direct sunlight and must have at least one other weakness. <br />
<br />
'''Liches:''' Rare beings, often spellcasters, that bound their undying soul to a phylactery, which remains their Achilles' heel.<br />
<br />
'''Mumiyé:''' A mummified priest, combining the powers of a lich and a dread mummy, rarely seen outside Mwayambi.<br />
<br />
'''Misc Undead:''' Zombies, ghouls, wraiths, etc, have all been reported in the setting at one point or another.<br />
<br />
==Demons, Celestials, Elementals== <br />
<br />
'''Evil Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but evil beings from other dimensions sometimes invade the material world.<br />
<br />
'''Converted Spellcasters:''' By using enough dark magic, a spellcaster eventually risks turning into a corrupt being of darkness.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Demons:''' Sometimes called tieflings, these hybrids sparsely populate the known world, often treated suspiciously.<br />
<br />
'''Good Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but divine servants and beings of light sometimes visit the material plane for some specific purpose.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Celestials:''' Rare hybrids, who live a tough life of balancing mortal and divine needs. Sometimes given preferential treatment.<br />
<br />
'''Elementals:''' There is no single agreed-upon birthplace of various elementals. They can arise from local magic or other dimensions and have varied sizes, shapes and abilities.<br />
<br />
==Others From This World==<br />
<br />
The known world only covers about half the planet. Strange faraway travelers from distant terrae incognitae have a long established precedent in the setting. Even explored lands may be inhabited by hitherto-undiscovered lifeforms.<br />
<br />
==Others, Extraplanar== <br />
<br />
Likewise, "planeswalkers" of various sizes, shapes, abilities and dispositions have been successfully played in the setting.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Races&diff=7080Category:Races2016-11-14T20:07:59Z<p>Pigasus: /* Demons, Celestials, Elementals */</p>
<hr />
<div>The race category is under construction. Please refer to the information directly below for a more up-to-date guide on the races of the known world. <br />
<br />
Using setting-established versions of fantasy races is not mandatory. <br />
<br />
==Humans==<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
==Elves==<br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Spiri:''' Classic civilized elves, living in a great city-in-the-trees. All livelihoods. Includes noble (high) and common elves. <br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Sorani:''' Classic wild elves, hunting and gathering in the forests of Elvendeep.<br />
<br />
'''Mazewood Elves:''' Survivalist wood elves, living in isolated enclaves in a monster-infested forest. <br />
<br />
'''The Shushan:''' Tribal nomadic desert elves, raising livestock and running trade caravans.<br />
<br />
'''Oriental Elves:''' Ultra-refined and aloof nobility in Panguro, making art and pursuing spirituality. <br />
<br />
'''The Gulanaduri:''' Subterranean dark elves from an independent city-state, pursuing social darwinism.<br />
<br />
'''The Vuulari:''' Classic matriarchal dark elves of the underdark; very harsh and strict society.<br />
<br />
==Dwarves==<br />
<br />
'''Ruthmarnan Dwarves:''' Classic dwarves with cities inside mountains and strong mining and engineering traditions. <br />
<br />
'''Orjani Dwarves:''' The backbone of their nation's merchant class: the Seg clan at sea and the Boru clan on land.<br />
<br />
'''Mystonian Dwarves:''' Psionically-gifted diaspora community that lives in philosophic contemplation. <br />
<br />
'''The Kadut:''' Desert dwarves that live in mountain casbahs, ride camels and giant bugs and fight monsters. <br />
<br />
'''The Dol Drunn:''' Classic adversarial deep dwarves of the underdark. Setting addition is a work in progress.<br />
<br />
==Halflings, Gnomes== <br />
<br />
'''Halfling Diaspora:''' Classic halflings live in close-knit urban or rural communities throughout Veth. <br />
<br />
'''Gnome Diaspora:''' Gnomes of various kinds live throughout Veth in forests and shallow caves. Culture varies. <br />
<br />
'''Saku Irniq (Oriental):''' Tribal arctic dwellers, building igloos and hunting walrus for sustenance. <br />
<br />
'''Sakashtalen (Subterranean):''' Gray-skinned subterranean race of mysterious halfling-like creatures.<br />
<br />
==Orcs==<br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras:''' Dozens of clans united under a war-king's iron fist. Military-industrial powerhouse. <br />
<br />
'''Alesian Orcs:''' Orcish theocracy claiming a third of the Antarctic continent. Ancestral foes of humans.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Orcs:''' Independent tribes can be found in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
==Goblinoids, Kobolds== <br />
<br />
'''Bahr Goblinoids:''' Small urban nation of goblins and hobgoblins. Major smuggling center. <br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras Goblinoids:''' Goblin, hobgoblin and bugbear tribes serving the orc war-king.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Goblinoids:''' Independent tribes live in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
'''Kobolds:''' Independent tribes and individuals live scattered throughout the continent.<br />
<br />
==Giants, Ogres, Trolls==<br />
<br />
'''The J'lontzek:''' Forest giants of the Southlands. Can use supernatural concealment in nature. <br />
<br />
'''The Provakh:''' Hyper-competitive, cold weather mountain giants of Varstad. Accomplished monster hunters.<br />
<br />
'''Ogres:''' Individuals or groups live throughout various rugged climate zones. Poorly understood.<br />
<br />
'''Trolls:''' Different types of trolls exist in the wilds of Veth, but their origins remain vague.<br />
<br />
==Sentient Griffons== <br />
<br />
'''Aerie High Griffons:''' Can shapeshift into griffon, human and in-between forms. Resistant to magic. Soulbound to magic trees and their attendant dryads.<br />
<br />
==Anthropomorphic==<br />
<br />
'''Leturians (Tailed Humans):''' Tailed race with a medium-sized oligarchy. Enslaves non-tailed humans.<br />
<br />
'''Oneidhae (Merfolk):''' Mer-people of various shapes and sizes living in an enormous coral reef system.<br />
<br />
'''Malkraans (Lizardfolk):''' Individualistic lizard-people with dragon blood, living among human society. <br />
<br />
'''The Isska (Lizardfolk):''' Tribal, nomadic lizard-people living among barren salt flats.<br />
<br />
'''Euryalis (Snake-folk):''' Semi-nomadic desert snake-people. Females are humanoid, males are naga-like.<br />
<br />
'''Phet'kree (Cat-folk):''' Close-knit forest communities of matriarchal cat-people, hostile to outsiders.<br />
<br />
'''Kellerei (Cat-folk):''' Scattered shapeshifting cat-humanoid hybrids born of magical experiment. <br />
<br />
'''Elgarian Were-Shifters:''' The Elgar Forest has multiple humanoid communities cursed to transform into one or another animal aspect.<br />
<br />
==Faeries== <br />
<br />
'''Tor Anaan Fair Folk:''' Faeries require magic to survive and come in all shapes, from beautiful to horrifying.<br />
<br />
==Dragons== <br />
<br />
'''High Dragons:''' Individual high dragons or great wyrms are few in number but not restricted by geography. Pentland used to boast many dragons. <br />
<br />
'''Dragon-born:''' Partial dragons have no single category and vary immensely.<br />
<br />
==Undead==<br />
<br />
'''Vampires:''' All vampires in the setting are harmed and killed by direct sunlight and must have at least one other weakness. <br />
<br />
'''Liches:''' Rare beings, often spellcasters, that bound their undying soul to a phylactery, which remains their Achilles' heel.<br />
<br />
'''Mumiyé:''' A mummified priest, combining the powers of a lich and a dread mummy, rarely seen outside Mwayambi.<br />
<br />
'''Misc Undead:''' Zombies, ghouls, wraiths, etc, have all been reported in the setting at one point or another.<br />
<br />
==Demons, Celestials, Elementals== <br />
<br />
'''Evil Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but evil beings from other dimensions sometimes invade the material world.<br />
<br />
'''Converted Spellcasters:''' By using enough dark magic, a spellcaster eventually risks turning into a corrupt being of darkness.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Demons:''' Sometimes called tieflings, these hybrids sparsely populate the known world, often treated suspiciously.<br />
<br />
'''Good Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but divine servants and beings of light sometimes visit the material plane for some specific purpose.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Celestials:''' Rare hybrids, who live a tough life of balancing mortal and divine needs. Sometimes given preferential treatment.<br />
<br />
'''Elementals:''' There is no single agreed-upon birthplace of various elementals. They can arise from local magic or other dimensions and have varied sizes, shapes and abilities.<br />
<br />
==Others From This World==<br />
<br />
The known world only covers about half the planet. Strange faraway travelers from distant terrae incognitae have a long established precedent in the setting.<br />
<br />
==Others, Extraplanar== <br />
<br />
Likewise, "planeswalkers" of various sizes, shapes, abilities and dispositions have been successfully played in the setting.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Races&diff=7079Category:Races2016-11-14T20:06:13Z<p>Pigasus: /* Other Extraplanar */</p>
<hr />
<div>The race category is under construction. Please refer to the information directly below for a more up-to-date guide on the races of the known world. <br />
<br />
Using setting-established versions of fantasy races is not mandatory. <br />
<br />
==Humans==<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
==Elves==<br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Spiri:''' Classic civilized elves, living in a great city-in-the-trees. All livelihoods. Includes noble (high) and common elves. <br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Sorani:''' Classic wild elves, hunting and gathering in the forests of Elvendeep.<br />
<br />
'''Mazewood Elves:''' Survivalist wood elves, living in isolated enclaves in a monster-infested forest. <br />
<br />
'''The Shushan:''' Tribal nomadic desert elves, raising livestock and running trade caravans.<br />
<br />
'''Oriental Elves:''' Ultra-refined and aloof nobility in Panguro, making art and pursuing spirituality. <br />
<br />
'''The Gulanaduri:''' Subterranean dark elves from an independent city-state, pursuing social darwinism.<br />
<br />
'''The Vuulari:''' Classic matriarchal dark elves of the underdark; very harsh and strict society.<br />
<br />
==Dwarves==<br />
<br />
'''Ruthmarnan Dwarves:''' Classic dwarves with cities inside mountains and strong mining and engineering traditions. <br />
<br />
'''Orjani Dwarves:''' The backbone of their nation's merchant class: the Seg clan at sea and the Boru clan on land.<br />
<br />
'''Mystonian Dwarves:''' Psionically-gifted diaspora community that lives in philosophic contemplation. <br />
<br />
'''The Kadut:''' Desert dwarves that live in mountain casbahs, ride camels and giant bugs and fight monsters. <br />
<br />
'''The Dol Drunn:''' Classic adversarial deep dwarves of the underdark. Setting addition is a work in progress.<br />
<br />
==Halflings, Gnomes== <br />
<br />
'''Halfling Diaspora:''' Classic halflings live in close-knit urban or rural communities throughout Veth. <br />
<br />
'''Gnome Diaspora:''' Gnomes of various kinds live throughout Veth in forests and shallow caves. Culture varies. <br />
<br />
'''Saku Irniq (Oriental):''' Tribal arctic dwellers, building igloos and hunting walrus for sustenance. <br />
<br />
'''Sakashtalen (Subterranean):''' Gray-skinned subterranean race of mysterious halfling-like creatures.<br />
<br />
==Orcs==<br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras:''' Dozens of clans united under a war-king's iron fist. Military-industrial powerhouse. <br />
<br />
'''Alesian Orcs:''' Orcish theocracy claiming a third of the Antarctic continent. Ancestral foes of humans.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Orcs:''' Independent tribes can be found in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
==Goblinoids, Kobolds== <br />
<br />
'''Bahr Goblinoids:''' Small urban nation of goblins and hobgoblins. Major smuggling center. <br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras Goblinoids:''' Goblin, hobgoblin and bugbear tribes serving the orc war-king.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Goblinoids:''' Independent tribes live in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
'''Kobolds:''' Independent tribes and individuals live scattered throughout the continent.<br />
<br />
==Giants, Ogres, Trolls==<br />
<br />
'''The J'lontzek:''' Forest giants of the Southlands. Can use supernatural concealment in nature. <br />
<br />
'''The Provakh:''' Hyper-competitive, cold weather mountain giants of Varstad. Accomplished monster hunters.<br />
<br />
'''Ogres:''' Individuals or groups live throughout various rugged climate zones. Poorly understood.<br />
<br />
'''Trolls:''' Different types of trolls exist in the wilds of Veth, but their origins remain vague.<br />
<br />
==Sentient Griffons== <br />
<br />
'''Aerie High Griffons:''' Can shapeshift into griffon, human and in-between forms. Resistant to magic. Soulbound to magic trees and their attendant dryads.<br />
<br />
==Anthropomorphic==<br />
<br />
'''Leturians (Tailed Humans):''' Tailed race with a medium-sized oligarchy. Enslaves non-tailed humans.<br />
<br />
'''Oneidhae (Merfolk):''' Mer-people of various shapes and sizes living in an enormous coral reef system.<br />
<br />
'''Malkraans (Lizardfolk):''' Individualistic lizard-people with dragon blood, living among human society. <br />
<br />
'''The Isska (Lizardfolk):''' Tribal, nomadic lizard-people living among barren salt flats.<br />
<br />
'''Euryalis (Snake-folk):''' Semi-nomadic desert snake-people. Females are humanoid, males are naga-like.<br />
<br />
'''Phet'kree (Cat-folk):''' Close-knit forest communities of matriarchal cat-people, hostile to outsiders.<br />
<br />
'''Kellerei (Cat-folk):''' Scattered shapeshifting cat-humanoid hybrids born of magical experiment. <br />
<br />
'''Elgarian Were-Shifters:''' The Elgar Forest has multiple humanoid communities cursed to transform into one or another animal aspect.<br />
<br />
==Faeries== <br />
<br />
'''Tor Anaan Fair Folk:''' Faeries require magic to survive and come in all shapes, from beautiful to horrifying.<br />
<br />
==Dragons== <br />
<br />
'''High Dragons:''' Individual high dragons or great wyrms are few in number but not restricted by geography. Pentland used to boast many dragons. <br />
<br />
'''Dragon-born:''' Partial dragons have no single category and vary immensely.<br />
<br />
==Undead==<br />
<br />
'''Vampires:''' All vampires in the setting are harmed and killed by direct sunlight and must have at least one other weakness. <br />
<br />
'''Liches:''' Rare beings, often spellcasters, that bound their undying soul to a phylactery, which remains their Achilles' heel.<br />
<br />
'''Mumiyé:''' A mummified priest, combining the powers of a lich and a dread mummy, rarely seen outside Mwayambi.<br />
<br />
'''Misc Undead:''' Zombies, ghouls, wraiths, etc, have all been reported in the setting at one point or another.<br />
<br />
==Demons, Celestials, Elementals== <br />
<br />
'''Evil Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but evil beings from other dimensions sometimes invade the material world.<br />
<br />
'''Converted Spellcasters:''' By using enough dark magic, a spellcaster eventually risks turning into a corrupt being of darkness.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Demons:''' Sometimes called tieflings, these hybrids sparsely populate the known world, often treated suspiciously.<br />
<br />
'''Good Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but divine servants and beings of light sometimes visit the material plane for some specific purpose.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Celestials:''' Rare hybrids, who live a tough life of balancing mortal and divine needs. Sometimes given preferential treatment.<br />
<br />
==Others From This World==<br />
<br />
The known world only covers about half the planet. Strange faraway travelers from distant terrae incognitae have a long established precedent in the setting.<br />
<br />
==Others, Extraplanar== <br />
<br />
Likewise, "planeswalkers" of various sizes, shapes, abilities and dispositions have been successfully played in the setting.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Races&diff=7078Category:Races2016-11-14T20:05:50Z<p>Pigasus: /* Others From Siveth */</p>
<hr />
<div>The race category is under construction. Please refer to the information directly below for a more up-to-date guide on the races of the known world. <br />
<br />
Using setting-established versions of fantasy races is not mandatory. <br />
<br />
==Humans==<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
==Elves==<br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Spiri:''' Classic civilized elves, living in a great city-in-the-trees. All livelihoods. Includes noble (high) and common elves. <br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Sorani:''' Classic wild elves, hunting and gathering in the forests of Elvendeep.<br />
<br />
'''Mazewood Elves:''' Survivalist wood elves, living in isolated enclaves in a monster-infested forest. <br />
<br />
'''The Shushan:''' Tribal nomadic desert elves, raising livestock and running trade caravans.<br />
<br />
'''Oriental Elves:''' Ultra-refined and aloof nobility in Panguro, making art and pursuing spirituality. <br />
<br />
'''The Gulanaduri:''' Subterranean dark elves from an independent city-state, pursuing social darwinism.<br />
<br />
'''The Vuulari:''' Classic matriarchal dark elves of the underdark; very harsh and strict society.<br />
<br />
==Dwarves==<br />
<br />
'''Ruthmarnan Dwarves:''' Classic dwarves with cities inside mountains and strong mining and engineering traditions. <br />
<br />
'''Orjani Dwarves:''' The backbone of their nation's merchant class: the Seg clan at sea and the Boru clan on land.<br />
<br />
'''Mystonian Dwarves:''' Psionically-gifted diaspora community that lives in philosophic contemplation. <br />
<br />
'''The Kadut:''' Desert dwarves that live in mountain casbahs, ride camels and giant bugs and fight monsters. <br />
<br />
'''The Dol Drunn:''' Classic adversarial deep dwarves of the underdark. Setting addition is a work in progress.<br />
<br />
==Halflings, Gnomes== <br />
<br />
'''Halfling Diaspora:''' Classic halflings live in close-knit urban or rural communities throughout Veth. <br />
<br />
'''Gnome Diaspora:''' Gnomes of various kinds live throughout Veth in forests and shallow caves. Culture varies. <br />
<br />
'''Saku Irniq (Oriental):''' Tribal arctic dwellers, building igloos and hunting walrus for sustenance. <br />
<br />
'''Sakashtalen (Subterranean):''' Gray-skinned subterranean race of mysterious halfling-like creatures.<br />
<br />
==Orcs==<br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras:''' Dozens of clans united under a war-king's iron fist. Military-industrial powerhouse. <br />
<br />
'''Alesian Orcs:''' Orcish theocracy claiming a third of the Antarctic continent. Ancestral foes of humans.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Orcs:''' Independent tribes can be found in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
==Goblinoids, Kobolds== <br />
<br />
'''Bahr Goblinoids:''' Small urban nation of goblins and hobgoblins. Major smuggling center. <br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras Goblinoids:''' Goblin, hobgoblin and bugbear tribes serving the orc war-king.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Goblinoids:''' Independent tribes live in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
'''Kobolds:''' Independent tribes and individuals live scattered throughout the continent.<br />
<br />
==Giants, Ogres, Trolls==<br />
<br />
'''The J'lontzek:''' Forest giants of the Southlands. Can use supernatural concealment in nature. <br />
<br />
'''The Provakh:''' Hyper-competitive, cold weather mountain giants of Varstad. Accomplished monster hunters.<br />
<br />
'''Ogres:''' Individuals or groups live throughout various rugged climate zones. Poorly understood.<br />
<br />
'''Trolls:''' Different types of trolls exist in the wilds of Veth, but their origins remain vague.<br />
<br />
==Sentient Griffons== <br />
<br />
'''Aerie High Griffons:''' Can shapeshift into griffon, human and in-between forms. Resistant to magic. Soulbound to magic trees and their attendant dryads.<br />
<br />
==Anthropomorphic==<br />
<br />
'''Leturians (Tailed Humans):''' Tailed race with a medium-sized oligarchy. Enslaves non-tailed humans.<br />
<br />
'''Oneidhae (Merfolk):''' Mer-people of various shapes and sizes living in an enormous coral reef system.<br />
<br />
'''Malkraans (Lizardfolk):''' Individualistic lizard-people with dragon blood, living among human society. <br />
<br />
'''The Isska (Lizardfolk):''' Tribal, nomadic lizard-people living among barren salt flats.<br />
<br />
'''Euryalis (Snake-folk):''' Semi-nomadic desert snake-people. Females are humanoid, males are naga-like.<br />
<br />
'''Phet'kree (Cat-folk):''' Close-knit forest communities of matriarchal cat-people, hostile to outsiders.<br />
<br />
'''Kellerei (Cat-folk):''' Scattered shapeshifting cat-humanoid hybrids born of magical experiment. <br />
<br />
'''Elgarian Were-Shifters:''' The Elgar Forest has multiple humanoid communities cursed to transform into one or another animal aspect.<br />
<br />
==Faeries== <br />
<br />
'''Tor Anaan Fair Folk:''' Faeries require magic to survive and come in all shapes, from beautiful to horrifying.<br />
<br />
==Dragons== <br />
<br />
'''High Dragons:''' Individual high dragons or great wyrms are few in number but not restricted by geography. Pentland used to boast many dragons. <br />
<br />
'''Dragon-born:''' Partial dragons have no single category and vary immensely.<br />
<br />
==Undead==<br />
<br />
'''Vampires:''' All vampires in the setting are harmed and killed by direct sunlight and must have at least one other weakness. <br />
<br />
'''Liches:''' Rare beings, often spellcasters, that bound their undying soul to a phylactery, which remains their Achilles' heel.<br />
<br />
'''Mumiyé:''' A mummified priest, combining the powers of a lich and a dread mummy, rarely seen outside Mwayambi.<br />
<br />
'''Misc Undead:''' Zombies, ghouls, wraiths, etc, have all been reported in the setting at one point or another.<br />
<br />
==Demons, Celestials, Elementals== <br />
<br />
'''Evil Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but evil beings from other dimensions sometimes invade the material world.<br />
<br />
'''Converted Spellcasters:''' By using enough dark magic, a spellcaster eventually risks turning into a corrupt being of darkness.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Demons:''' Sometimes called tieflings, these hybrids sparsely populate the known world, often treated suspiciously.<br />
<br />
'''Good Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but divine servants and beings of light sometimes visit the material plane for some specific purpose.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Celestials:''' Rare hybrids, who live a tough life of balancing mortal and divine needs. Sometimes given preferential treatment.<br />
<br />
==Others From This World==<br />
<br />
The known world only covers about half the planet. Strange faraway travelers from distant terrae incognitae have a long established precedent in the setting.<br />
<br />
==Other Extraplanar== <br />
<br />
Likewise, "planeswalkers" of various sizes, shapes, abilities and dispositions have been successfully played in the setting.</div>Pigasushttp://www.blkdragon.com/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Races&diff=7077Category:Races2016-11-14T20:04:25Z<p>Pigasus: </p>
<hr />
<div>The race category is under construction. Please refer to the information directly below for a more up-to-date guide on the races of the known world. <br />
<br />
Using setting-established versions of fantasy races is not mandatory. <br />
<br />
==Humans==<br />
<br />
WIP<br />
<br />
==Elves==<br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Spiri:''' Classic civilized elves, living in a great city-in-the-trees. All livelihoods. Includes noble (high) and common elves. <br />
<br />
'''Elvendeep, Sorani:''' Classic wild elves, hunting and gathering in the forests of Elvendeep.<br />
<br />
'''Mazewood Elves:''' Survivalist wood elves, living in isolated enclaves in a monster-infested forest. <br />
<br />
'''The Shushan:''' Tribal nomadic desert elves, raising livestock and running trade caravans.<br />
<br />
'''Oriental Elves:''' Ultra-refined and aloof nobility in Panguro, making art and pursuing spirituality. <br />
<br />
'''The Gulanaduri:''' Subterranean dark elves from an independent city-state, pursuing social darwinism.<br />
<br />
'''The Vuulari:''' Classic matriarchal dark elves of the underdark; very harsh and strict society.<br />
<br />
==Dwarves==<br />
<br />
'''Ruthmarnan Dwarves:''' Classic dwarves with cities inside mountains and strong mining and engineering traditions. <br />
<br />
'''Orjani Dwarves:''' The backbone of their nation's merchant class: the Seg clan at sea and the Boru clan on land.<br />
<br />
'''Mystonian Dwarves:''' Psionically-gifted diaspora community that lives in philosophic contemplation. <br />
<br />
'''The Kadut:''' Desert dwarves that live in mountain casbahs, ride camels and giant bugs and fight monsters. <br />
<br />
'''The Dol Drunn:''' Classic adversarial deep dwarves of the underdark. Setting addition is a work in progress.<br />
<br />
==Halflings, Gnomes== <br />
<br />
'''Halfling Diaspora:''' Classic halflings live in close-knit urban or rural communities throughout Veth. <br />
<br />
'''Gnome Diaspora:''' Gnomes of various kinds live throughout Veth in forests and shallow caves. Culture varies. <br />
<br />
'''Saku Irniq (Oriental):''' Tribal arctic dwellers, building igloos and hunting walrus for sustenance. <br />
<br />
'''Sakashtalen (Subterranean):''' Gray-skinned subterranean race of mysterious halfling-like creatures.<br />
<br />
==Orcs==<br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras:''' Dozens of clans united under a war-king's iron fist. Military-industrial powerhouse. <br />
<br />
'''Alesian Orcs:''' Orcish theocracy claiming a third of the Antarctic continent. Ancestral foes of humans.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Orcs:''' Independent tribes can be found in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
==Goblinoids, Kobolds== <br />
<br />
'''Bahr Goblinoids:''' Small urban nation of goblins and hobgoblins. Major smuggling center. <br />
<br />
'''Zul Kiras Goblinoids:''' Goblin, hobgoblin and bugbear tribes serving the orc war-king.<br />
<br />
'''Itinerant Goblinoids:''' Independent tribes live in wild lands throughout Veth, hunting and raiding.<br />
<br />
'''Kobolds:''' Independent tribes and individuals live scattered throughout the continent.<br />
<br />
==Giants, Ogres, Trolls==<br />
<br />
'''The J'lontzek:''' Forest giants of the Southlands. Can use supernatural concealment in nature. <br />
<br />
'''The Provakh:''' Hyper-competitive, cold weather mountain giants of Varstad. Accomplished monster hunters.<br />
<br />
'''Ogres:''' Individuals or groups live throughout various rugged climate zones. Poorly understood.<br />
<br />
'''Trolls:''' Different types of trolls exist in the wilds of Veth, but their origins remain vague.<br />
<br />
==Sentient Griffons== <br />
<br />
'''Aerie High Griffons:''' Can shapeshift into griffon, human and in-between forms. Resistant to magic. Soulbound to magic trees and their attendant dryads.<br />
<br />
==Anthropomorphic==<br />
<br />
'''Leturians (Tailed Humans):''' Tailed race with a medium-sized oligarchy. Enslaves non-tailed humans.<br />
<br />
'''Oneidhae (Merfolk):''' Mer-people of various shapes and sizes living in an enormous coral reef system.<br />
<br />
'''Malkraans (Lizardfolk):''' Individualistic lizard-people with dragon blood, living among human society. <br />
<br />
'''The Isska (Lizardfolk):''' Tribal, nomadic lizard-people living among barren salt flats.<br />
<br />
'''Euryalis (Snake-folk):''' Semi-nomadic desert snake-people. Females are humanoid, males are naga-like.<br />
<br />
'''Phet'kree (Cat-folk):''' Close-knit forest communities of matriarchal cat-people, hostile to outsiders.<br />
<br />
'''Kellerei (Cat-folk):''' Scattered shapeshifting cat-humanoid hybrids born of magical experiment. <br />
<br />
'''Elgarian Were-Shifters:''' The Elgar Forest has multiple humanoid communities cursed to transform into one or another animal aspect.<br />
<br />
==Faeries== <br />
<br />
'''Tor Anaan Fair Folk:''' Faeries require magic to survive and come in all shapes, from beautiful to horrifying.<br />
<br />
==Dragons== <br />
<br />
'''High Dragons:''' Individual high dragons or great wyrms are few in number but not restricted by geography. Pentland used to boast many dragons. <br />
<br />
'''Dragon-born:''' Partial dragons have no single category and vary immensely.<br />
<br />
==Undead==<br />
<br />
'''Vampires:''' All vampires in the setting are harmed and killed by direct sunlight and must have at least one other weakness. <br />
<br />
'''Liches:''' Rare beings, often spellcasters, that bound their undying soul to a phylactery, which remains their Achilles' heel.<br />
<br />
'''Mumiyé:''' A mummified priest, combining the powers of a lich and a dread mummy, rarely seen outside Mwayambi.<br />
<br />
'''Misc Undead:''' Zombies, ghouls, wraiths, etc, have all been reported in the setting at one point or another.<br />
<br />
==Demons, Celestials, Elementals== <br />
<br />
'''Evil Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but evil beings from other dimensions sometimes invade the material world.<br />
<br />
'''Converted Spellcasters:''' By using enough dark magic, a spellcaster eventually risks turning into a corrupt being of darkness.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Demons:''' Sometimes called tieflings, these hybrids sparsely populate the known world, often treated suspiciously.<br />
<br />
'''Good Outsiders:''' Planar cosmology is in dispute but divine servants and beings of light sometimes visit the material plane for some specific purpose.<br />
<br />
'''Partial Celestials:''' Rare hybrids, who live a tough life of balancing mortal and divine needs. Sometimes given preferential treatment.<br />
<br />
==Others From Siveth==<br />
<br />
The known world only covers about half the planet. Strange faraway travelers from distant terrae incognitae have a long established precedent in the setting. <br />
<br />
==Other Extraplanar== <br />
<br />
Likewise, "planeswalkers" of various sizes, shapes, abilities and dispositions have been successfully played in the setting.</div>Pigasus