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That which exists can die.- First Salt King Assidye
THE LATEST TALES FROM ABROAD
We have just come out of a tremendous Dark Age. While the land was once prosperous, the people many, and the cities grand, it all came crumbling down. Little is known about the time before now, any records that might have existed have been long lost in the abandoned sites around the area. Yet, through the darkness, bits and pieces of prior art and literature have been found. Civilization and culture grows once again, along with population. You now live in a land occupied by many small, but thriving city-states, coupled with barbarian tribes, and even some growing Kingdoms. Anyone who still looks to the past as a if it were some sort of 'Golden Age' is foolish. Your people are tenacious, smart and creative. As you manage your growing city, a messenger comes in with the news.
To start, my lord...
The
Sijilamar, or 'cliff dwellers' as they've become known constructed a city in the high mountains of the Darateli mountain range. Carving their domain into the rock itself, the Sijilamar have began a rather successful ore trade, hampered only by the occasional winding ridge, or steep incline as the minerals get passed from the Capitol to the smaller towns on the lower parts of the mountains. The civilization's founders are a mysterious bunch, with oral tradition claiming they descended from the top of the mountain themselves. The local Ogreback tribes dispute the claimed 'divine appearance' of the Sijilamar, and their own lore claims the 'cliff dwellers' came somewhere from the west (perhaps connected to the Tarukhs?).
The Ogreback mountains have not yet been civilized, and two aggressive tribes, the
Bedlams and the
Ivorlams reign supreme over it's summits. Their focus largely remains inward at each other, and they make war constantly, fighting over what limited water-sources are found on the mountains, and other uncivilized matters. A cousin tribe, the Frielams have completely removed themselves from the interior of the mountains, and headed to the south-east, looking not only for more water-sources, but to move away from the expanding Darateli civilizations.
The Sijilamarians have effectively gained control of the southern peaks and area of the Darateli mountains, with it's only competition being to the north, with the city states of
Olmitraia and
Crimiri across the peak, and even then relations between the three are amiable. They all have the same Darateli culture, and all reap the benefits of a thriving ore trade.
If one was to head east from the bottom levels of the Ogreback mountains, they'd find themselves crossing through the lands of the peaceful
Frielams Tribes, related to the more war-like Ivorlams and Bedlams. By-passing them, one would eventually reach the Ildren river, and in the territory of the city of Sarhit. Sarhitians are a vehemently religious people, and one of Sarhit's most notable sons was the Prophet Nezer, claiming to be a direct descendant of the first Great Spirit. Nezer started a religion, which gained his name, and Nezerism spread along the coast and inland to the Ogreback foothills, thanks in large part to Sarhitian priests attempting to 'spread the word'. While the city of Sahrit is a large trade hub, outside of the stone walls lays a land still reminiscent of olden times. The peasantry is largely dislocated from the bureacracy in the city, and have struck up quite friendly relations with the
Tianeli city-state and it's open markets.
The Tianeli and the
Indisenna are two city states that have no real claim to fame, aside from convenient positions between Sahritian trade, and Gallrohite trade. A brief war between Indisenna and local tribes set the tone for it's relations with any non-civilized people, creating many smaller enemies in the process.
Further on past some dense forests, and some open fields, on the aptly named Gallrohite peninsula stands the city of
Gallrohad, led by the charismatic Primarch Nektolus. The young Oligarchy established itself on a peninsula jutting out into the sea. As the city grew in size, attempts to expand it's farming systems into the outlying region infringed on territory owned by the City-State
Daurni. Conflict between the armed peasantry led to intervention by the governments of both cities, and after a short but vicious war, with the Patrician Spearmen leading the assault, Gallrohad forced the Daurnians to retreat towards the coast, and cede the fertile farming land they had claimed. While this created a temporary boon for the growing Gallrohadite agricultural market, it also created an enemy in it's closest and only civilized neighbor. Fear of reprisal from the Daurnians, and the occasional visit from the mysterious, yet piratical
sea-people has led to hesitance among the noble families in Gallrohad to expand further then it had already. While the
sea-people's visits have been few and far between, the notable destruction of a large part of the Gallrohad navy has many Gallrohites looking towards the seas with an ever so wary eye.
The Daurnians meanwhile, have been hit hard by the lack of decent farming land. The city of Daurni itself has been left to fall into disrepair, as many of it's limited trade partners send their ships and wagons to Gallrohad, or
Kailissa to the south.
The city of Kailissa has been not-so-lovingly described as a city of 'nomads and misfits' by the semi-civilized
Uten tribes to the northwest. While their words may be coated in jealousy (many of their own traders prefer the markets of Kailissa over their own in the city of Jutensoo!) they do hold some truth. Various peoples from far and wide gathered in Kailissa to start a city after being chased by an evil force (or one of the Ogreback hordes that had used to roam and raid the area). The city they founded was one that became a premier spot for merchant trade along the coast. It's lax trade laws, and relative secure position brought with it a steady stream of trade, with some vessels coming as far as
Sarhit to trade in special grains and pottery. Overland trade too has been beneficial to the city, with the relatively peaceful Uten's allowing for trade through their lands, and the growing
Bynani Kingdom to the south offering a way-point between the civilizations further town the coast. The only real impedance has been the occasional raid by the
Unonna tribes to the north.
The Uten and Unonna are brother tribes. The Uten tales claim that the Unonna wished to stay committed to the older ways, and the older Gods, while the Uten settled in a more civilized manner. Onlookers from civilized cities, such as Gallrohad, and Kailissa hesitate to consider the Uten to be fully civilized, and their lack of a central government makes any complete transition difficult. Yet, those who travel through Jutensoo would see the hallmarks of civilization, a market, roadways (dirt) and even a tribal hall for inter-tribe meetings. The Unonna mean while have not forsaken all progression, with many of the tribes on the Kailissa and Daurni border acquiring some of the finest weapons from fallen civilized warriors. One relief is that the Unonna are far too decentralized to pose any real threat to a structured state, but if one was to anger the Unonna tribes collectively, they very well may band together and wreak some real havoc. It has happened before, after all.
The Bynani Kingdom is a collection of many smaller villages and towns that were willingly annexed by the cities of Skornis in the north, and Yanisse in the south. Those two cities, both constructed by the ancestors of the Bynani tribe formed a political union to not only increase each others strength and numbers by two, but to erase any and all serious trade and settlement competition on the plains. And for awhile, settlement of the Bynani plains was very much a competition between the two cities, the other Bynani city state in the north,
Vaecin, and the horse-riding tribes of
Oipao. The union solidified Bynani dominance on both the land, and at sea, as trade with the Oipao brought stronger breeds of horses for Bynani cavalry, and the maritime importance of both Yanisse and Skornis made the need for a strong navy a necessity. If there is any real crack in the stability of the Kingdom, it is purely the fact that old rivalries don't simply die overnight. Both Skornis and Yanisse's ruling merchant families (the Hetwodes and the Gardyner's) have been actively trying to undermine one another's operations, specifically with trade deals regarding Vaecin. What seems to of been little more then a few unsavory business moves has got most of the Bynani court up in arms over which side in 'in the right'.
Vaecin meanwhile has benefited from the trade 'war', with it being able to buy and equip it's citizen cavalry units with very fine equipment. If anything could be said about Vaecin (and at the present time, that's not much!) it's becoming obvious that it's a City-state eager for expansion. So much so that Vaecinian scouting parties have already been clearing routes to locations further into the Bynani Plans, but disturbing Oipao herders in the process.
Oipao themselves are a rather friendly race, whose tribes rarely war among themselves, let alone outsides. Some critics within the larger Oipao tribes have began questioning the constant trade and dealing with the 'coastal peoples', the Oipao general phrase for the Bynanian cities. This has led to a significant source of controversy within the tribe system, and the recent Vaecin disruption of Oipao herding groups have only been a catalyst for growing tensions between the Oipao and the Bynanians.
Further to the south like the dual states of
Drachos and
Axewick. While they are close in proximity, their similarities largely stop there. The Drachosians have settled themselves into a highly elaborate, if not strange social system, in which the Drachosian women take on the civil work of the city, and essentially run the government, leaving the men to handle all military matters. The system has come under criticism from most other city-states, for the importance placed on women under the Drachosian culture. But criticism or not, they have made it work, and the extra-men allotted to the military has given the Drachosians one of the most potent fighting forces in the region, and have given the Imperial Cult muscle, behind it's preaching.
Axewick, on the other hand manages itself in a similar way to most other city-states. It's history is best understood as little more then a series of conflicts with various tribes that forced it's people to settle where they are now, and also etched an anti-barbarian type mentality into the minds of the average citizen. With whispers about the Battle of Nobles' Court always present among the Sciri citizenry, any government attempts at reasonable relations with the
Amova or
Saranthum tribes have been mostly frowned upon or disregarded.
The Amova tribe is a small, mostly peaceful tribe, found across the water-way that the Drachosian civilization strattles. Little is known about the tribe, aside from the fact that they recently migrated into the area from the further east, and it seems evident that they were on the run from something. What that is exactly, is a question to many Drachosians eagerly looking to expand Eastwards. The Saranthum Tribes, in comparison have been a fairly constant presence in the region. Far more civilized then the mysterious Amovas, the Saranthum's have actually banded together to takeover the city-state of Saranthum (thus the name) a few dozen years prior to the current times. The once majestic city-state has now become an interesting hybrid of civilized architecture mixed with 'barbarian' culture. It has become the central location through which the Saranthum tribes organize themselves in the loose oligarchy they managed to gather together.
Despite a rather peaceful demeanor, the Saranthum Tribes have an enemy in the city-state of
Ukra, located on the base of a peninsula to the west. Ukra has been in somewhat of a questionable political state, as drama in the Royal court has shaken the average Ukran's trust in the government, but do not be fooled. The Prince of Ukra, Pyotrious, leads a loyal and dedicated army, that has recently dealt several stirring defeats to the Saranthums, with more then a little help from the neighboring city state
Corina, which has become quite a good ally with Ukra.
Further north of Corina is the city of
Onis. Onis is the result of several nomadic tribes (probably Oipao) deciding to settle-down on the south-western coast. The prime farm-land, and good natural harbor made Onis a popular early trade destination of the far off Hutten cities. The Onisian government has never had any one notable leader in particular, but is instead headed by a Democratic Assembly, somewhat of a novelty to the local tribes and peoples, who are used to a more autocratic form of government. Regardless, bronze-making, and their love of electrum has made Onis a city adorned in both, with electrum holding a quasi-religious value to the average Onisean.
From Onisean, if one was to follow the coast, they'd come upon the cities of
Stougland and
Scalla. The Stougs seem to be little more then a city founded by outliers in what had been the Scallan tribes. They share a similar culture, and a similar wanderlust, but unlike their Scallan brethren have little opportunity to act upon it. Their small city is stuck between the coast and the
Utur Tribes, preventing any real exploration, let alone expansion. Scalla, however, faces no such problem. Their city is well placed on the coast, allowing for their well-crafted ships to sail around the coast, towards the Hutten bay, and down to Drachos. Their contact with the Uter have been mostly amiable, as the Uter tribe can be best described as being 'docile', though some Uter movement into lands Scalla has been eyeing as created a bit of tension in the relation.
Many Scallan ships, heading north dock in the lucrative trading port of Tarukh. Tarukh has quickly become the designated trading spot for merchants that wish to trade up and down the coast. Tarukh ships can also commonly be seen bringing in large bounties of fish, and even the occasional whale. The entirety of the Tarukh culture is maritime, with most young men aspiring to serve aboard a ship, be it military or merchant. Needless to say this culture has created a necessity for a powerful navy, which has thus far kept any type of piracy far away from Tarukh waters. Despite the powerful navy, the Tarukh have been evenly matched on land by
Zanadar, another maritime city to the north. Zanadar was originally founded by the same peoples that founded Tarukh itself, but poor governing on behalf of Tarukh, and a need for more adequate self-defense eventually led to Zanadar casting off Tarukh rule, which led to several violent confrontations, with Tarukh gaining the upper hand, but ultimately being unable to capture Zanadar itself.
Zanadar is Tarukh's main trade competitor in the region, with ships from
Az'kuru prefering the closer port, causing some friction between the Tarukh navy, reliant on trade tariffs, and Az'kuran merchants supporting the 'renegade' city. The lack of a decent relationship with Tarukh can't be placed anywhere specifically, though legends claim that one of the families that left Tarukh for the mainland eventually settled in what is Az'kuru. Regardless of the antagonism, the real worry Az'kuru has, isn't with the maritime affairs of Tarukh and Zanadar, but with the growing Uribium kingdom on it's border.
The Uribs are a war-like people, who have expanded rapidly by the edge of the sword. Recent conquests involve small tribes of barbarians on the border, which in turn were transferred into client kingdoms. For the Uribs, war goes hand in hand with politics, and while they aren't particularly strong fighters, their large army has made them a dominant presence in the region's political forum. While their army may be successful, Urib internal rule is fairly weak and divided. The Urib King Corysul is a weak and ineffective ruler, and as quickly as the Urib Kingdom rose, their has been talk of secession and civil war, in the conquered cities of Damundas (on the coast) and Hibanaia (towards the Ogrebacks).
While many are wary of Urib power, however decentralized it may be, Corysul's armies have brought any organized barbarian tribes under the rule of Urib, or scattered them enough so as they don't pose any significant threat to the Hutten Bay city-states. Huntra and the other Thejan cities Orir, Olon and Ebar have specifically has benefited from this. The lack of outside conflict (aside from the occasional confrontation with Assidye) has allowed for the states to develop culturally together. A recent war against a coalition of the Thejan states has allowed for Huntra to annex a large swathe of land along the Western River, also insuring the absorption of a minor Thejan state Jitre. The city proper, and it's inhabitants fled elsewhere, to set up anew, while the new-found local power Huntra gained from the war has put it in direct conflict with the cities of Olon and Orir, who have thus far successfully acted like a counter-weigh to Huntran expansion.
Ebar's distance from the other Thejan states has allowed for it to culturally become linked to the Hutten (cultured) states, Perilias, Teressia, Zannah and Plagueis., leading to a slow removal of the city from the Thejan sphere. Which seems to be a good move for it, as the Hutten cities are, compared to the Thejan cities, much more peaceful. While different in areas of expertise, it is apparent that the founders of the Hutten cities all had some type of common ancestor. The Thessalians are notable for their ship-building prowless, and growing bureacracy. It's location at the mouth of the rivers Ilyona, Kess and Rumar has also made it an important trade point for the bordering Arias Tribes to the north. The Arias tribes are a strange bunch, and border on the edge of the civilized world. Because of this, their location has made them a valuable trade partner with Teressia, as many of it's goods can be shipped through various water-ways to the port of Teressia.
It's sister city, Perilias is also an important trade destination on the Hutten bay, and has become well-known for it's rather grandiose pottery, a hot trade-commodity. Across the bay, lays the small city of Zannah, for which the entirety of the peninsula is named after. Zannah is an old city, long past it's prime, though it's inhabitants are busy trying to get it back in the lime-light. But as trade ships look for more lucrative ports to dock in, Zannah is stuck trying to reinvent it's former glory. No such problem plagues Plagueis on the tip of the Zannah peninsula, a bustling city, that has seen a fair share of gold from it's growing fishing industry. Relations between Plagueis and Teressia have been fairly amiable, especially with the Teressian allowance of Plaguein warriors still being allowed to make their customary track through Teressian lands to the River Kess, in order to finish out their warrior training.
And despite the different cultures, the Thejan and Hutten people's have largely coalesced into a larger Bay culture. The only real outlier is the semi-civilized Assidye nation, that resides on the shores of the Hutten bay islands. The Assidyans have ben largely ostracized by the cities on the Hutten, much to the chagrin of the current Salt King, the de facto ruler of the Assidyans. Assidye is a nation hard to describe, as it seems on the verge of civility, if it wasn't for it's reluctance to stick with the old ways. Regardless of what tensions may aspire, the Hutten cities can agree that the Assidye grip on the Hutten islands is a tough one to crack. The Assidyans even give their slaves, the Thralls some hope of bettering their lives, something rarely seen elsewhere.
Further inland, the Amya Tribes make their residency in the watershed between the Rumar River, and the Western River. Not much is notable about the Amya tribes, aside from having a similar position as the Arias tribes to the north of Teressia. Yet, their trade lays more with the city of Sariath, a new town, further up the Western River. Sitting at the meeting point of the Neste, Western and Este Rivers, Sariath has become an important city in inter-land trade, with it's trade boats sailing down the Este towards Great Jian, and down the Western, towards Olon and Huntra, filled to the brim with well crafted metal weapons, and pottery (on occasion). In the center of the sprawling city, where the three rivers meet, is the monolithic fortress Monsariath, which is also an important religion ceremonial ground. Despite it's removal from the cultural center that the Hutten Bay has become, a the growing cultural groups there have directly effected the increasing Sariathi culture, which has effected the Anji-Sariathi culture of Great Jian by extension.
Great Jian is an interesting creation. The result of a recent nomadic clan settling down and absorbing local Sarianth colonies, Great Jian is a relatively young city (like Sarianth) by some standards, and it's relative isolation from other major cities or tribes have led to a sort of cultural reliance on the city of Sarianth further to the north. While many aspects of the Anji-Sarianth culture is similar to that of the Sarianth culture, there are large enough differences to necessitate an overall different culture group. The most notable of all Jianian cultural aspects, is the importance placed on 'race' or heritage, something defined generally (and arbitrarily) by the color of ones skin. The fair skinned Anji have been pushed off to form the lower-classes of society, while the darker, mixed Sarianth have grown and thrived, sometimes at the expense of the Anji. But it is the dark skinned Wazji, whose ancestors are believed to come from the north-east that really rule the Jianians. This racial balancing act has given many Wazji reasons to fear the growing Anji, and both sides have subsequently been vying for Sarianth support. Behind closed doors, of course.
Northeast from the secluded Jian, is the city Azzurh, a Merchant Oligarchy, primarily ran by the families of Tsahri, Usiri and Pecconari. They have, for sometime prided themselves for living on the edge of the civilized world, yet in recent times, attacks from both sea-peoples, and northern barbarian tribes have made them regret it. The three wealthiest merchant families the Tsahri, Usiri and Pecconari unite the Azzurh people as much as they divide them, and the true power of Azzurh is truly up in the air. While barbarian attacks, and attempted assault from the sea-peoples have brought the Azzurhians together against a common enemy, one can't help but wonder what it would take to separate one of the families from the others in the Oligarchy. Afterall, every man has is price, something the Azzurh families know all too well.
The raiding Ironfangs live not far off the coast of Azzurh. Little is known about their culture, as most ships flying the colors of the Ironfang royal family usually comes for battle, not for peace and trade. Recent treaties with Azzurh have brought any official conflict between the two peoples to a close, though many Azzurhians believe that the Ironfangs haven't quite given up their penchant for raiding, as more and more fingers are pointed towards Ashes Rest when the sea-peoples come raiding.
The cause for such raiding, be it on Azzurhian, Gallrohite or Sarhitian ships could just as easily lay across the broad ocean, on the island that the Fartol nation built their city of Harlow on. It too, has a raiding culture, though it claims to be a civilized nation, ruled by a 'Plutocratic Republican Monarchy', where the wealthiest (usually the warlords in charge of the raiding ships) have the ability to elect a new ruler when the last one dies. While Fartollian detractors call this as nothing more than a 'glorified war-council', it isn't as if they're in much of a place to do anything about it. Fartol sits far away from any conceivable threat that might harm it, depending of course, on what lies across the mountain range shielding it from the eastern lands. It's only real contact with any potent political force in the area is the barely united Byzilana Tribes, to the south. They are of a darker skin coloring, and regard the lighter-skinned Fartollians as something akin to sub-humans. Harlow, started as a colony, has far more in common with the Uten tribes, then the Byzilana, something many Gallrohites find quite amusing. This lack of a historical connection has spread to current times, with many Byzilana tribes actively raiding Fartol border towns, simply for the sake of destroying whatever progress the Fartollians may try to make inland.
