End of Empires - N3S III

Everblack said:

From Zar:

What are you trying to propose to us since you got our Chief attention?

Click to expand...

OOC: The "To" line is important

I'll wait for stats and the new deadline before making big decisions.

Yep, my bad with the stats, work caught up with me. I have a four day weekend for labor day so expect to see them very soon.

"Attend me, Tythas." she said, her voice carrying out from the inner chamber. Tythas stood - the leather straps of his artekon creaking - and pushed aside the curtain of lavender cotton that hung there between them. The Prelate Eres stood before a tall bronze mirror of surpassing clarity, bare to her waist. Their eyes met on the surface of the mirror, and despite himself he blushed and looked away. An obligate stood behind her, silently tying her black hair into braids. Eres simply smiled and tilted her head to regard him as she spoke: "Your modesty no longer charms, Tythas. We must hope the Rihniti maidens display gratitude appropriate and strip it from you. My chemal. Attend." She motioned insistently with her hand. Tythas took the breastcloth and the long cotton undershirt from the back of a nearby chair, and attended. The smell of her perfume was subtle, and of cinnamon. The obligate finished her work, inclined her head, and stood aside. Eres lifted her arms, and Tythas dressed her in her chemal. She continued to regard him from the mirror. "We will blood you on the field, Tythas, and you will then be Roenon. Even your father shall be proud, though you shall wear the saffron and not the crimson. My artekon." she said, motioning once more. He retrieved the stiff linen armour, and set about his work. "The Red Brothers do not regard us well, it is true. That Sisters of the Order fight upon the field somehow displeases them. But by the Precepts it is the duty of a Sister as much as it is the duty of a Brother to fight and die for our Republic, and so we do. Atop a horse, my sword is as sharp as any man's, and my lance just as strong." she said, her eyes mischievous.

"I do not doubt this, Lady Eres. The Brothers and Sisters of the Roenon are fine horsemen, and strong and stalwart among the fighting septs. I shall be pleased that I should ride with you upon the field, and it is my great desire that I should be blooded, and so be vested fully among the Order." Tythas said as he secured the girdle of steel scales across her stomach.

"Think well upon Righteousness, and upon your duty, and I do not doubt that it will be so." she said as he knelt to gird her greaves upon her legs.

"I shall. I am your shield, as I am shield to the Republic. The foe is faithless, and will be driven before us." he said as he took up her crestless bronzen helm and placed it in her hands.

"The foe is faithless, but his sin has made him clever. Be Mindful, and you shall be safe." she said as she took up her kelthon - the long cavalry lance favoured by the Roenon - and as he strapped the companion shield upon her arm.

"Peace settles upon my mind as the falling leaf on still water. The Precepts guide me in all that I do, and this is by your grace, my Lady." he said, and took up his own kelthon.

She laughed then, as she spoke. "Come, let us gaze upon our army." And they did, stepping out into the dry breeze.

---------

A Sampling of Opulensi

on - indicating interaction, something used, held, worn, etc.
th - usually indicating the property of sharpness or cleverness

keph - saffron, the spice or colour
roin - red or crimson
tel - blue
un - black

kal - water
de - stone, earth, a place upon the earth.
hael - fire
dar - the mind

sar - new
rha - solid, unyielding
ea - of, belonging to
os - many, a city
ta - gap or separation
isi - port or harbour
kel - horse
pis - fish
inan - an agreement, a republic
talan - a room or hall
onde - fortress
thon - spear
thet - dagger or sword
chemal - undergarments, particularly those worn beneath armour
artekon - armour, particularly that made of cotton or linen
roen - a high backed saddle with a solid tree, the accouterments of a lancer

Considerations on the Beliefs of the Farlanders
Original Manuscript
By Jarceunci Matzu

Preamble

There are only two major beliefs followed by the Farlanders. “Atahizem” or the worship of the “Atah”, the Lightbringer, and "Indahgahor" or the Seeking of “Ahor”, Enlightenment. This is known.

Atahizcen tend to live in the North, where Light and Warmth is scarce. Thus, they seek It and embrace it. They follow the Prophecies, which state that the Atah, the Lightbringer, returns from time to time to, of course, bring more Light. This Light is both figurative and, seemingly, literal. The Karnohwen Atahizcen speak of the “Dahahehohuh” on whom the Sun does not shine. The “Zatar” must steal their light from the Faithful through promoting “Zataz.” This is known.

Indahgahorcen tend to live in the South, where Light and Warmth are plentiful. Thus, they disparage the Atahizcen, and in turn seek Ahor. Ahor is a knowledge a Righteous Man must die for to one’s Righteous Soul know. Then the Righteous Soul shall be Eternal. The Indahahorcen follow three Rules. First is that flesh is weak. Second is that Ahor is received onto Righteous Souls. Third is that Righteous Souls must be Mindful to receive Illumination. This is known.

Both Atahizem and Indahgahor pander to Light. This Light, so it seems, shines upon both body and soul. For Atahizcen this Light is bought by both the Sun and the Lightbringer to their cold lands. For the warmer Indahgahorcen, this Light is brought by death and makes a Righteous Soul Eternal. Thus, the Farlanders follow only one real Belief, that of Light. This is known.

In this manuscript. Sayings, Words, and Writings of the Farlander Beliefs on Light shall be brought into proper Consideration. May you practice Querjarec, the True Belief of Partheca.

OOC: Dunno what I am referring to? It should sound phonetically close enough :3
If anything is incorrect, it /should/. The Archives are quite comprehensive, but unlike the Sephashim the scholarly tradition is comparably new and almost an afterthought, built more for records than for new works. Now, that might change, but I thought this might be something fun to write real quick.

Can I join as the Adanai Eshai?

Considerations on the Beliefs of the Farlanders
Original Manuscript
By Jarceunci Matzu

On Darkness

In the beginning, there was nothing but Light. This is known.

Then, there was nothing but Light. There were no Aspects watching over the World. There were no Spirits inhabiting the stars. There were no living thing. The Light, the cruel Light burned all. This is known.

The Moon saw this, and felt sad. For she herself can change and shift, while all others are bathed by the Light sister Moon and brother Sun gave the World. Thus, she gave up her Light, and invented Darkness. This is Known.

Her Light became the Spirits. Her Darkness became the Living. This is Known.

Darkness is not Evil. Light is not Good. And yet the Farlanders believe just that. This is Known.

The Atahizcen call on their Lightbringer to bring more Light from the Heavens, for they fear their Northlands were too Dark. Darkness is shunned as unnatural and evil. The “Wardezcen”, former protectors of the Light, were seen to have turned from their duties. For this, the cities of the Barunnecwen and Kurchenwen and Galatawen were burned to the ground, their seeming darkness, or less brightness, punished with the second ultimate representation of Light: Fire. This is Known.

The Indahgahor seek enlightenment. They see their soul as Dark, their dark bodies as Weak, their life as Unworthy. They must seek Ahor, and it’s Light, for Light is good. To find Ahor, their bodies must Die, for their bodies are Weak, Unworthy, and Dark. To find the Light for their Spirits, they must find death for their Flesh. Yet, to seek death is Darkness. No, they must seek the Light to their Life, while finding Death to their Darkness. Only then shall they find Ahor. This is Known.

The Dahahihohu, those upon whom the Sun does not shine, were seen as the most depraved beings of all. Self righteous for their Zataz, but also self loathing for their darkness, the Zatar constantly attack the Atahizcen to steal their light. Karnoh was said to be once a Zatar city, who exclaimed Zataz as they ate their enslaved Atahizcen and claimed their Light. This is Known.

So is Zataz Darkness? This must be asked.

Zataz appears to mean merely the Righteousness of the Mighty, or rather, Might Makes Right. For only the strongest rule the stronger, and the stronger the strong, and the strong the weak, and the weak the weaker, and the weaker the weakest, and so forth. In the name of Zataz the Zatar of old fought themselves. In the name of Zataz one Zatar defeated the chiefs of six others and claimed their leadership. In the name of Zataz the Zatar conquered the world. In the name of Zataz the Zatar, the Strong, enslaved the conquered, the Weak. This is Known.

So if our Kingship is chosen by Might, does this make us practitioners of Zataz? And if so, even if not so, does this make us followers of Darkness? This must be asked.

We do not practice Zataz. For the Trials are not but contests of battle and blood. The Trials are also contests of eloquence, of craftsmanship, of wit. Everything the Zatar are said to hold to be weak, we hold to be Strong. We are not Dahahihohu. This is Known.

Yet, we are followers of Darkness. This is Known.

Darkness is Life. This is Known.

Light is Death. This is Known.

The Spirits are already of the Light. Our Spirits, and those of the Rocks and Trees, and even of the Sun and Moon and Stars. But what use is Light alone? The Light alone cannot breed life. The Light is Death. The Indahgahor know this, they seek Death yet they do not seek Death, for Death for the Righteous is Ahor. Yet, they do not know. For all Spirits are already of the Light. This is Known.

The Living are of the Darkness. Our bodies, the physical, the movable. The space between the stars, upon which the Aspects and Stars dance. Even the Aspects, composed of uncountably many Spirits, are of the Darkness. The Aspects are the space between the Stars, not the Stars themselves. They are the areas of the Light, but not of Light itself. For Darkness is but one one hand Shadow, and without Light there cannot be Shadow, and without Shadow there cannot be Darkness, and without Darkness there cannot be Life, and thusly without Light there cannot be Life. Yet, Light is NOT OF Life! THIS IS KNOWN!

Light is Death. The Absence of Light is Life. This Absence is Darkness. This is Known.

The Absence of Light is Darkness. The Absence of Darkness is Light. This is Known.

Light cannot change. Darkness can change. This is Known.

We are of the Darkness.

This is Known.

OOC: Um... thanks for your contribution?

Anyway, welcome to NESing! N3S is AWESOME! And the Adani Eshai are cool. NK said he would most likely finish stats with the long weekend, so he will be more available then.

Can i take the Khatri Eshai?

From: Adanai Eshai under Vashalai Malanin-Sathar Ongotrowulanoke
To: All nations that we know of.
The Great Eshai seeks peace with the Eshais. But anger us, and the Riders from Trowulan[1] will run you down, only stopping when you are vanquished.
[1] The capital of the Adanai

Also, there are some things in there which are contradicted by canon. The ruler of a given Eshai is a Vashalai, or a Vashaluy depending on which Eshai you're in.

Internet problems at my new apartment, won't be frequent for a few days.

North King, while you're here, I want to ask permission to spam bless the Wiki with many articles about the myriad Kings and Figures of Parthecan History.

Please go ahead.

Taking Khatri Eshai.

Explorations : On the Peoples and Places of the Northwestern Farlands
Third Edition
Written by Princeling Nuzaril Dascawen
Edited by Hajarceunci Wareth

Introduction of the Yutalicen and the Purolincaltose

North of River Lelian and the Catcancen dwell many tribes of Yutali. Their land was a fractured one, and so was their people, and so was their language. The Yutalicen, as tall and as thin as their trees. Thus found.

The Purolincaltose, the Purolin Peninsula, is a beautiful land covered in needleleaf pines and lined with gurgling streams. In the winter, the pines bear the snow and the streams bear the ice. The land is flatter than Zarcasca, but even more divided and rough. Everywhere there are dales and streams, hillocks and ridges, thickets and meadows. And to each to their own. Clans and tribes are as plentiful as their lands. Their lands often covered by a blanket of mist and fog. Thus found.

There are no principal rivers or major islands on the Purolincaltose. Even their great streams could not match the Lelian or the Centa. Even so, there are notable streams dwelled by notable tribes. Thusly:

River Maytas divides to form an island at the base of the Purolincatose, just north of the Lelian. There lives the southernmost tribe of the Yutalicen, the Harcendalwen. Surrounded by Catcancen tribes, the Harcendalwen yet retain their Yutalicen traditions and words. Thus found.

River Guthmar is home to the great Catcancen tribe of the Purolincaltose, the Guththaththethwen. The Guththaththethwen migrated from the River Lelian generations ago, and married into or took over seven Yutali tribes in the region. River Guthmar hosts the last decent harbor all around on the Purolincaltose. Thus Found.

The Island Revnihan lies north of the River Guthmar, the Guththatthethwen recently defeated the Thirteen Tribes of Revnihan. Unable to hold it, they sold it to us. Revnihan hosts no great bays, but it has many suitable ones. Guthaththethwen are always willing to let us dock in the shadow of their Great Hall during the fiercest Winter Storms. Thus Found.

River Zurlapah extends from South to North. It weaves along the length of Purlincaltose, and divides the Catcacen on the east coast from the rest of the Yutalicen to the Northwest. It winds between vale and ridge, wood and swamp, perhaps the greatest river on the Purlincaltose. Countless tribes and clans call it home. It’s flow is strong and its bed so deep that it rarely freezes in the winter, but it is treacherous as well. Fords are rare, and perhaps it’s why the Catcacen refrained from crossing to the other side. Thus Found.

Rivers Barthis, Opporah, Ferdos and Licapon form the Four Fathers in the Yutalicen Heartland. Thus Found.

River Barthis is an oversized stream both straight and wide out of the Uplands, and is often the first to freeze over in the winter. Thus Found.

River Opporah flows from the tallest peaks of the Uplands, and her sources shows as she cascades her way towards the sea through rapids and waterfalls. Thus Found.

River Ferdos is a narrow, hungry river sipping from a dozen lakes in land. It’s current seems to race itself to the sea, branching into dozens of islands and lakes across the Lowlands. Thus Found.

Finally, Licapon is a lazy and slow river along the Lowlands. During the spring melt, however, the Licapon often rises many dozens of feet to cover entire valleys. It is surrounded by swamps and marshlands that freeze hard in the winter. Thus Found.

These four Rivers are joined by hundreds of streams named and unnamed. Those are joined by forests and swamps and hills and dales. Together, these physical beings divide the Yutali into hundreds of tribes. Even if a tribe defeats a rival, they do not take their land. Rather, they divide from themselves a new tribe and give them the new land, and welcome the unwanted from all other tribes for their first few generations. Thus Found.

The greatest feature of the Purolincaltose are their enormous, beautiful trees. Both needleleaf Pines and palmleaf Trees dot the land in enormous numbers and sizes. However, the greatest of all are the Strong Oaks. Standing many men high, so high one can scarcely see their tops, standing head and shoulders, nay, torso and knees above their fellows. Thus Found. One can only wonder at the power of the Spirit that flows in its veins. One can only wonder if even the Aspects would allow such trees to be cut down for future vessels, and if said vessels would be blessed or cursed by this. This must be Asked.

The Yutalicen are divided into many tribes. Unlike many peoples we’ve found, the Yutalicen tribes do not look to Kinship or Blood for relations. Rather, they divide themselves by land. Each piece of land has its own tribe, and each tribe has its own labor. Wandering between the tribes, like our own Parca, are the Tribeless. The Tribeless include anyone from those seeking more gainful labors, priest, merchants, craftsmen of all stripes. Even if a healer lived in a tribe for generations, he remains Tribeless, for no tribe exists solely to heal. Thus Found.

Even if a tribe has only one man, or one family, no other tribe seeks to take over said land. Even if a forest remains a single tree, protected by said single man, even if that man is merely appointed by the Tribe of the Meadows which has reduced the forest to a single tree, that tribe seeks not to take that last tree, erase that forest, destroy that tribe, remove that man. And so much of the Purolincaltose remain pure from the diggings and makings by the hands of Man. Thus Found.

The caveat is, of course, that a Tribe of a Meadow often includes some woods. A Tribe of the Forest some clearings. A Tribe of the Lake some land. A Tribe of Land some water. A Tribe of the Hill some Soil. A Tribe of the Dale some Rock. This is Known.

The most common labor of the Yutalicen is fishing. From the many rivers and streams of their land they catch upstreaming fish by the tons, to be smoked and stored for the long winters. By the sea, clams and shellfish are included. And great warriors of certain tribes sail deep to the north, to drag behemoth corpses behind their canoes to dissect and eat. Thus Found.

And so is the Land of Purolin, and the People of Yutali. Thus Found.

OOC: Is this canon? Anything I should change?

Aeda.

Teeming swarm of people. Seething mass of humanity, wood and mud and mortar and a thousand shades of stone and brick hugging tightly to the Mother River Thala. Ruler and ruled, farmer and merchant and tailor and smith and mason and slave and priest and lord lived packed in dense and vibrant streets older than the oldest sources of the written word.

No city in all the known world could claim a more ancient heritage. The peoples of the Three Rivers and the Sea reckoned their years from the founding of Aeda’s long-lost empire, one thousand, four hundred and thirty-five years past. Yet among the Aedann the Amure Reckoning had only ever been an export. In the city itself, the year was not 1435, but 6194. Some Aedann said the Years of Aeda stretched even further distant into the forgotten mists of time than their calendar measured. Those who believed in a creator-god said Aeda had been created complete, old when the world was young.

Yet the might of Aeda was diminished in these later ages. From the sudden eastward sweep of the Tollanaugh Empire until a few years before the modern day, political power lay outside the city. With the seat of government elsewhere, Aeda had become a more reduced, contained, limited city. A thriving commercial hub, to be sure, especially since the completion of the Grand Canal during the Middle Period of the Dulama Empire, but no mighty imperial juggernaut. Latter-day incarnations as rebel capital and then capital-of-last-resort in the waning of the Dulama Empire hardly changed the nature of the city. And so, its occupation by the Trahana from the south barely phased the people of Aeda. Yet another foreign ruler was come to the city.

In fact, another foreign ruler had come, in truth as well as in metonymy. Arjanunn III, Emperor of Trahana, visited the city in the aftermath of his armies’ occupation of the city. By Arjanunn’s arrival, the remnants of the Dulama posed no threat to ongoing Trahana occupation of the city, yet the Trahana were as-yet uncertain what to do with their suddenly won prize.

The Hall of Emperors was a grand but incomplete structure built by the rebel emperor Aidren during the Great Collapse. It had served as palace to the last crop of Dulama rulers following the abandonment of Mora, and now it hosted a new ruler. Deep within the palace, the newly arrived Emperor Arjanunn met with his highest generals to discuss the status of Trahana advances in the area.

“What word have you regarding the Dulama remnants?”

“They are scattered, your great majesty, and weak—”

“Yes, yes, very good to know that, but I am more concerned with facts and numbers.”

“Yes, your majesty. The Dulama forces outside of our control, or that of the Vithanama, have fragmented into many parts.

“By far the largest of these armies is that to the northeast, led by General Amethaine, about 10,000 men strong. No serious threat to our control here in Aeda, or to the Thala valley in general, but not a complete joke. Amethaine is a wise general, one of the better of a crowd of poor generals who led the armies of the late empire. It is because of that wisdom that he escaped from the Battle of the Mora Bridge, when Cairl XX was slain and his other generals captured or killed as well. Amethaine had been in the dead emperor’s poor graces for his failure to overrun the Vithanama’s northern defensive line, and there was little love lost between them. Rumor among some loyalists to the old regime says that Amethaine betrayed Cairl XX at the Mora Bridge to carve out his own kingdom, withdrawing his soldiers from the front before it was necessary.

“The truth of that last claim is hard to verify. It appears unlikely that Amethaine’s 10,000 would have been enough to save the Dulama at Mora, though it may have bought Cairl XX’s life. At the time, we believed our victory to be assured. In any case, word has reached us that Amethaine declared himself to be the Emperor Cairl XXI just two months past. Whether that means he intends to claim the full reach of the Dulama Empire, or only a small realm of his own ruled from the city of Luchas, is as yet unclear. He does have some very distant relation to the old imperial family—he was the seventh cousin twice removed of the late Cairl XX, I believe—though there are others even here in this city with better blood claims. I do not think he is such a fool as to believe that his small army can conquer himself an empire. In my view, Amethaine desires only his own independent state centered on Luchas, though some will disagree. Regardless, his armies have not engaged our own forces for nearly a year. The Vithanama and Narannue still report ongoing skirmishes with Amethaine’s armies along their frontiers. He may simply lack the ability to cross the Thala and threaten our own holdings; there is no bridge at Luchas.”

The Emperor sat thoughtfully before responding. “That is interesting news. We ought to contact to this Cairl XXI, whom we knew as General Amethaine, and discern his motives. I will consider him further this evening. What of the Thuaitl valley? I have heard ill things there.”

“Ill for the people of the Thuaitl, perhaps. At last count, there were fourteen separate warlords striving for control of the Thuaitl. Trade has ground to a halt in the region with the fighting. The Grand Canal, currently on the frontier of our control, sees no ships. The warlords are of various sorts, some former Dulama governors, others Dulama military officials, retired and thus away from the battles in the Thala and Abrea valleys. One reportedly led a smugglers’ ring before the Dulama collapsed. None has any real control of a sizable force or stretch of territory. The largest army any individual warlord could field I would estimate at 2,000, though some have as few as 300 solid soldiers. Levies are a different story, and most battles between the warlords have been fought with levy troops, but they are unsustainable, untrained and disloyal. We could easily sweep the warlords of the Thuaitl aside.”

“Perhaps. Certainly disorder along the Thuaitl favors us. These warlords do not sound the sort to unite themselves, and their squabbling only reinforces the need for an imperial hand to govern. But come, you have given me much to think on. This new city—or old city, I should say—of our growing empire awaits its new Emperor. I must show myself to them.”

Later the same day, Arjanunn did just that. Aeda was hardly a naïve city, easily wooed by pomp and circumstance. Her age and patrician pedigree prevented that. Yet the Emperor of Trahana embodied something not known in the mother of cities for a century: peace, prosperity and political unity. The cheering crowds—not forced at sword-point—were sign enough of that.

Guys, please wait for confirmation before taking a country, especially one extending under the shroud. The Adanai and Khatri have a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes which I will fill you in on as soon as we get real internet back, but in the meantime please be patient.

Garatjjan Koyta (Spider Queen Clan)

Unlike most of the other Imalbajaadra of importance the Garatjjan Koyta isn't being mentioned for the number of people within its ranks. Rather, this koyta has several unusual traits among the Rihnit.

The first trait that separates the Garatjjan Koyta from the other Rihnit Imalbajaadr is their fascination with everything macabre. They find everything about the dead to be fascinating. The Garatjjan Koyta are famous for "recycling the dead," which involves using as much of a recently dead person or other animal as possible. Recycling the dead involves, molnaas (removing and tanning skin), making ijikaodra (bone rattlers), and ocula yorgaako (eye drinking).

It's thought by the Garatjjan Koyta that molnaas provides the wearer with the strength of the creature or person who the skin previously belonged to. Elite Garatjjan Koyta Soldiers use the teeth and toe bones as rattlers on their armor. They are placed in such a way that movement causes bones to brush up against each other and rattle. This is used as a method of terror as a block of Atjjan Soldiers moving can create and extremely loud series of rattling noises. Larger bones are used as bone chimes (akoiar ijikaodra) and are places in the entrances of people's houses or other important storage facilities. Ocula yorgaako is also done as a way to connect to the memories and experiences of the recently dead people or animals which the eyes used to belong to.

Rihnit Society also practices molnaas and making ijikao. But unlike the Garatjjan Koyta, ijikaodra are only used to create akoiar ijikaodra on the entrances to people's houses/properties. Additionally, Ocula yorgaako is only preformed by the general Rihnit Population when experiencing an extreme drought/starvation. For all three of these practices mainstream Rihnit Society participate in these practices solely for pragmatic reasons. The inhospitable climate makes consuming resources efficiently critical.

The second trait which sets the Garatjjan Koyta from other their aggression. The Garatjjan Koyta are much more violent and brutal than most Rihnit Imalbajaadr. Death through combat against evil is seen as the highest form of death. Retreating from battle on the other hand is considered treason by the Garatjjan Koyta. Any members within the Garatjjan Koyta who retreat are hunted down and killed.

The last trait the Garatjjan Koyta have is their strictly matriarchal system. Whatever the queen spider says goes (assuming it doesn't interfere with Rihnit Supreme Law). The queen will often be married to a harem of men. But the gaordra are also run by women. Garngatadir (the women) are taught to be dominant and aggressive.

Revisions and Dictionary: I revised this previous post with the goal of making it (hopefully) more understandable.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=12626355&postcount=4001

My internet is finally back, putting stats up presently.

The deadline is quite tentative for now.