Will write onwards. SouthernKing, I apologize for the below "ripoff" pieces, but I found them necessary for one to piece together a good, solid foundation for my own riffs. Also, personally, I like when people steal from me. I feel special that way. Eh.
Again, will finish this, I think. Hopefully.
Starting Location: You know where.
Society: The Adkuratur are divided in an innumerable number of clans, or essars in their tongue, that have rights of private property guaranteed by the local noble "master essar" or the Nessukudra clergy. The origin of this agreement of protection was aeons ago, when local villages and families came to different warlord families with coin support in exchange for help. This guarantee has farmsteads and businesses protected by the government by military and law. In return, the essars pay their master essars in tax, and they support their master in warfare by providing the essar's able males in draft. This is an early system of feudal power in the hands of the master essar, but due to the influence of the Nessukudra (who do not want the noble essars to come into too much power) as well as the old laws that protect the vassal essars, the subdued essar generally experience a upheld rights not normal in this time of mankind. Of course, there are pitfalls to the system: First off, one must belong to an essar in order to gain specific rights, such as the right to trade or fish in an area, making competition somewhat stale, and secondly, due to the clanlike nature of the system, it is difficult for non-citizens to archieve protection within the city states.
Lastly, many individuals do not experience much happiness as the essar heads usually decide most marriages and arrangements of work; while you are certain you will definitely have your life protected by everyone, depending on your personal relationship with your essar head, there is a good chance you can't find the love of your life, settle in an area you prefer before your birthplace and do the trade you want to do the best. Do recall that the essar heads are human and generally understand the emotions and wants of the individual essar member, and want the best for everyone - but sometimes it just can't be done, especially if the essar is at a time of problems.
The Nessukudra, however, experience some other kind of freedom. When joining the clergy, you have to pay a small wealth upfront; you will lose your essar and gain status of Nessukudra druaikat. Usually, you're put into their military, but after a small time in service, you will arise in the ranks and begin having the great influence upon the Adkuratur people as they do. You can, however, not participate in trade and can not be seated as essar masters due to the old law.
The old law of the Adkuratur is generally upheld within the width of the realm. Most conflicts happen when the interests of different essars clash, especially with the master essars. Each essar would translate into a city-state or a NES nation.
The middle class trading essars are interesting because the nobles are very dependent on them when filling their coffeers. Therefore, they have a lot to say within the court of the master essar.
The government is usually an essar council with a president with first and final say belonging to the master essar.
Religion(s): I suppose you could call it Adkuratur-Jivanaism or The Adkuratur-Jivanan way while the Jadkarai school might be called Jadkaraia-Jivanaism or The Jadkaraia-Jivanan Way. This could very well be called Nessakudra-Jivanaism or something similar too.
Heavily influenced by Jadkaraia, then by Assatur. The Adkuratur do not believe in "gods" per se; they believe that there is an underlying entity behind the universe, which they call Jivana, and that that entity manifests itself in all physical objects, seeing all. Jivana is not a being; rather, it is an all-seeing force, which can be tapped into. This entity naturally judges the actions of sentient souls, and as such the Jadkaraia believe in Dustaya, which we would call karma.
The Adkuratur believe that this earth, which they call Visvataia, is only one world in a long cycle of worlds; in fact, it is the Fourth world, out of nine. The first in this cycle of worlds is a paradise called Udkassu, where souls can flow outside the confines of a body. However, Jivana has punished Modala for corruption, and Modala is dying. To reach salvation in the final world, another paradise called Konaya, souls must endure seven lives, all lived goodly, confined within human bodies. If at death, Jivana decides that one has lived goodly, he may pass to the next world in the sequence. If not, then one is reborn in the same world, unless on the Fourth world, which is the most violent and horrible of the lot. This is where the chains of damnation are truly cast away, however in a feeble balance; if one lives dishonorably and underhanded in the name of greed or insatiable malice, one is cast into an eternal life of punishment as a malevolent spirit in this world. Things like plague, famine, war and death are usually incited by these ancestral spirits; and the clergy of the Adkuratur has an established organization of faith, the Nessakudra, that seeks out these spirits and cleanses them from this world with exorcist rituals. The spirits may even possess living people who, if unable to let go of their evil, must be burned upon stakes in order not to infect others with malice.
One never remembers anything about his or her previous temporal life.
Past: I might get back to this later. I might not. According to legend, they came from the eastlands by sea ages ago. They're closely related to the Jadkaraia, so their pasts must be equally similar.
Economic Base: Many are shepherds or fishermen. The nobility and middle class earns his power in trade, especially with the rich tin mines in the mountaineous area bringing materials for the cities' artisans. There are a handful of benefecient rights for the merchant and taxes are usually smaller than most contemporary societies; this is, however, due to the very powerful merchant class' heavy influence on the political system. The tin mines bring plenty of income, but causes some disparity between the interest of the trader and the statesman.
Nation Names: Kuttukar essar, Jinkudra essar, Assari essar, Ekkatur essar, Ukundru essar
Person Names: Ussun, Jaikedri, Asjidka (female), Entedu, Kudrussar, Kussatur
Place Names: The peninsula they live on is called Kodkur.
I've been waiting for a fresh start too.
