[CHAR] Do The Eagles Circle The Mountains? - A Eastern "Middle Ages" Fantasy RP

[Dinh AaronMk]

Realm:
Manyaa-Samya Raj
Location:

Race:
Satyr
Backstory-history:
The history of the satyr of Manyaa-Samya can be traced back before the Vishput in local lore. Though some might chronicle their origins from the Visha themselves. For whichever the case a certain amount of cultural identity and an awareness of heritage came upon the Satyr in their four centuries of enslavement by the Visha, and they might say they blossomed in their darkness, coming of age and maturity.

In their earliest stories of identity they talk of the grinding smoke and demands of the Vishput's industry. Of the fierce humiliation of being enslaved to the mighty underground Empire. Though they recognize their masters as brilliant craftsmen and aristocrats their positive role on the fledgling Satyr race never went further as their own qualities were eclipsed and over shadowed by their own slavery. As the Babylonians to the Isrealites the Vishput were not a kind master. For them, the Satyr were a beast of burden and a sort of entertainment to them. They forced them to work underground in hauling the coal and minerals their masters demanded. Or if not that they were dressed in obscene, skimpy ways to serve and dance for them; a reflection of their image of the surface as being barbaric.

When the Vishrashtan Empire crumbled – almost quite literally by their later accounts – the satyrs were able to escape the crumbling realm and make for the surface. It was for the first time in centuries. For many, stepping hoof first into the blinding brilliance of their most sought after sun was too much. Stepping into the open fresh air, their lungs taking their first gasp of warm clear air the many thousands that fled nearly collapsed them. Many more sought to return to the claustrophobic mines they had known all their lives, but the plumes of smoke, cutting dust, and ravaging fires left in their wake was such as ferocity that return was impossible. Those who went back, ran out blinded more from the smoke than the sun, and vomiting forth inky black soot.

Prior to their escape, the Satyr race had been led to revolt. Lead by a towering man of a half-horse, Sithsravat Amin. Inspired by spiritual enlightenment, Sithsravat had come to the conclusion that their slavery was doomed to be eternal. But not that the cycle could be ended. Within the orthodox Satyr faith – Booen – with its many gods he had been enrolled into the cult of Krivasha, the god of Martyrdom. By him he believed that his people may be lead out of slavery and in doing so caste down the Visha into hell. The option violent revolution, to martyr them all so they may move ahead into a better left after and their captors may burn for many a millennium in the Hells.

There was no plan to Amin's mission save to invoke as much chaos as possible in their city of mass, Samana. Though there were many more of his kin spread across the Visha Maharaj. It was hoped his display of action would inspire them to follow in some way. But during the chaos of the mass slave revolt in Samana something went terribly wrong.

It would be a generation after the fact the Satyr would be capable of describing what happened in words, but even so in vague terms. Not even the revolting slaves or Amin understood what was happening. In the midst of their act of martyrdom a great noise rocked the massive underground city. described as a clap of thunder a blinding light engulfed the cavernous city; from which brewed sulfur and smoke. And those Visha who were not in the way of their clubs cried in fear. The sound of the screaming and the rushing of heat is said to have been like the cries of Hell ushering from the ground. And in fear, they all ran. Fleeing with the scattering Vishput for the surface.

When the shaken slaves managed to shake off the fear and open their eyes to the sun for the first time they believed to have been in paradise. But when they lowered their gaze to the ground they found to their surprise and horror the Visha. If they had ascended to paradise, how was it they have joined them? Sithsravat Amin saw and quickly understood, and wasn't about to squander their fortunate escape. Amin ordered the execution of the surviving Visha; man, woman, and child alike. On recovering from the massacre and getting their grips with an infinite ceiling, Amin led them on an exodus across the wilderness.

For several years they lived as nomads, perhaps as a left over of from before they were enslaved. In due time their wanderings found land to anchor on. In Conquest.

Coming into ill relations with a local human lord a quarrel broke out between the locals and the satyr tromping across the fields. The liege-lord came into strong dispute and attempted to remove the “vermin” by force. Only to find they would not push over like sheep or cattle. Amin only needed a quick few battles, but what he fought was enough that for them to acquire the upper hand. And taking the king's son hostage were able to negotiate his abdication and the exile of he and his followers from his capital.

With territory of their own the thousands of survivors could settle down, and over the years thousands more of the enslaved satyr found emancipation. Migration steadily expanded the population of the fledgling city-state, gradually pushing the surface human population about as Amin showed preference to his fellow half-breeds.

The growth and demands of the growing refuge soon began to overflow the legal boundaries of Sithsravat's lands and they were forced to engage in conquest to ease the burdon. Several years of expansive warfare pushed out their territories as he began to construct the territory of Manyaa. Ultimately though, his ambition caught up with growing piety and he began to complain about his perceived sin. After several decades in power, he abdicated as an old man and retired to a monastery as a monk to cleanse his spirit, his original purpose all but lost in its different direction and he now no longer fighting his sworn enemy.

His son, Rapala Amin took control of the state, ultimately filling it out to its current borders. Considered shrewd and cunning, he wasn't lacking in his pragmatism. Though he notably displaced many to grant privileges to the satyr noble class around him he was notable conscious of the bitter respite by the human class and took note. Even if following generations wouldn't be nearly as aware.

His son and the generations after experienced the gradual population growth of the kingdom from continued satyr migrations. Over the next several generations the balance between man and beast entered into a state of balance. Commentators note it as a social harmony, if sometimes stressed. Though even with the expansive interest of their multitude of identities they never forgot about the Visha. Even if coming to a state of temperance in the generations since and a lapsing of the Amin family out of power there's a notable wariness of anyone related to the Visha or who show notable similarity to what are considered the Vishpustani.

Name
"Satyr"

Basic Description
The basic physical grasp of the satyr is the upper torso of a human and the lower torso and legs of a horse or that of a goat. Behaviorally they are much like any other sentient creature, if freakish in their hybrid nature. Susceptible to the same afflictions as man, though may get the shits like a horse.

Their understanding as a race and a society isn't well grasped by scholars due to a notable lack of a written language before the Visha. To historians and ethnographers studying the race, their appearance in a way coincides with that of the Visha themselves, leaving some to suggest they were created by the Visha themselves. While on the other hand, the satyr lay claim to a oral mythology as long as human or other pre-Visha myth.

The satyr live scattered across the continent as a side-effect of their enslavement to the Visha who used them either as sex objects or as slaves in their mines or factories. Though the revolt of Sithsravat Amin freed a fair few and carved out a land that they may call home there are scattered communities living abroad for any number of reasons.

Social

Socially the satyr are a diverse group fitting into whatever castes that may be in where ever they're welcome. They prefer to not claim to live at odds with other groups or religious customs due in part to their immense pantheon of many millions of deities in the umbrella religion of Booen. Booen being such a large continuous community it's not impossible for there to be fairly well integrated cult-communities surrounding the many popular gods, or even off-shoot religions. The later none the more apparent than in the raj of Manyaa-Samya.

[Byrd Man]

Faction: The Uwan Isle Republic

Race: Human

Location:



History

Government:

The Uwan Isles government is a very loose republic made up of three branches.

The Captain's Quorum

The electorate and legislative body of the Uwan Isles, the Captain's Quorum is made up of every citizen who owns and operates their own ship. From fishermen in dinghies to merchants with fleets of trade ships, every man is captain of his own boat and every man has one vote. The current Quorum is made up of roughly two hundred captains. The Quorum meets once a year for a three week period. During that time they elect the Sealords and any other officers they need, as well as pass any laws that are needed.

The Sealords

The Sealords act as executives for the Republic. They all must be members of the Quorum for at least six years before they can be elected. They are elected by the Quorum to two-year terms, no Sealord serving more than two consecutive terms. They enforce the laws of the islands and conduct the day to day business of the government. Any executive decision must be passed unanimously by all three lords.

First Sealord

The chief executive of enforcing laws, the First Sealord acts as head of the isle's provincial law enforcement service as well commander-in-chief of the Uwan Republican Navy. The First Sealord serves as the president and chairman of the Captain's Quorum whenever it is called. He is considered as first among equals with the other Sealords, acting as chairman in executive committees.

Second Sealord

The Second Sealord's duties rely more on foreign relations. As the chief diplomat the Second Sealord is responsible for maintaining strong diplomatic, cultural, and economic ties with the islands' trading partners.

Third Sealord

The Third Sealord regulates commerce and collects the few taxes the Republic levies. The Third Sealord is also empowered to levy any taxes as they see fit, but only with a unanimous decision from the executive committee. He works with the Second and First Sealords to help balance the cost of government and keeping the Republic's governmental expenses as small as possible.

The Chief

The top arbitrator in the Uwan Isles, the Chief is responsible for upholding laws passing judgement on all civil and criminal cases. The post is elected by the Captain's Quorum for a five-year term. No man can serve consecutive terms as Chief.

Backstory

The people of the Uwan Isle Republic are fiercely independent. Part of their independence comes from being one of the few parts of the world not to have close contact with the Visha. A nation of fisherman and sailors, they value rugged individualism over the trappings of large governments, monarchy, and institutions. In their eyes, a man is only a man if he can provide for himself and those he loves.

Their roots lay in their old homeland of Sharod. Many years ago they sailed from Sharod in a massive armada to invade the Visha mainland. Storms, disease, and the Visha's sheer military ability forced the invasion off the mainland and to the archipelago just off the coast. With only a fraction of their armada remaining, the commanders were not sure how to proceed. Stuck in boats and afraid to venture back to the mainland or back home, where the price for perceived cowardice was steep, they found their new home on the islands.

Melechon, the then king of Sharod, had been a particularly cruel one to his people. The men of te armada had saw what the rule of kings could do and hastened to fix it. The captain of each ship gathered to a conference aboard the admiral's flagship the Uwan, there they laid out the constitution for a new nation. No longer ruled by kings or monarchs, they were instead ruled by laws. A decentralized government they proclaimed the Uwan Isle Republic.

Now that Republic stretches across the archipelago. Their chief economic service to the world is fish, trade, and transport. While not a militant people, they are a nation of seaman with the ability to unite to become one of the most prolific navies in the world.

Characters

Jock Munrue

First Sealord. Jock is currently halfway through his two-year term as the chief executive of the Republic. A merchant seaman, Jock is a self-made man who started out as a cabin boy aboard on a trade ship when he was twelve. From there he learned the tools of the trade until he became captain of his own ship at twenty-five. He served in the Republican Navy as captain, later Rear Admiral, in a previous war with Angoria. He is a long-serving member of the Captain's Quorum and is seen as a strict constitutionalist who abides by the will of the captain's and takes his role as First Sealord seriously.

Iomhar Cinead

Second Sealord, Cinead is in many ways a stark contrast to Jock. He is from one of the wealthiest families in the Uwan Isles, a prosperous trader who has an entire fleet of ships at his disposal. By employing several ships under contract, Cinead has a large block of votes in his pocket anytime the Captain's Quorum is called. His expertise in global affairs and trade makes him a natural at the diplomatic skills needed to serve as Second Sealord.

Eachann Wallis

Third Sealord. A "landlover", a man who has a boat but only so he may be part of the Quorum, Wallis has a sharp mind for numbers and is an expert at the administrative tasks that comprise the Third Sealord's duties. His being branded a landlover means that the Quorum will never seriously vote for him to rise past the post of Third Sealord.

Hamish Sturgeon
Pirate/captain of the pirvateer vessel Dromon

[Wilted Rose]

Faction
Dari'a
Race
Humans
Location

Backstory-History

The Dari'a Commonwealth was once nothing more then a river with small city states, or "Dari", dotting its long winding trail to the coast, before emptying out through it's estuary into the warm water of the ocean. The Dari themselves were hardly cities any more then large farming communities using the vast arable land around the river.

Luckily for the Dari, their lack of any note worthy resources other then food and water made them able to remain outside of the Visha's expanding spheres of influence for a time. Eventually, however, a form a tribute system was created where the many Dari along the river were forced to give up portions of their harvest and even people on some occasions to be used in the Visha's slave force. As unfortunate as this was, however, this was also the first sense of unity between the many Dari.

As the time went on, life continued. Crops were gathered, fish was caught, and men and women were sent away to the deep underground never to be seen from again. The time was unpopular for all of the people, yet the Dari simply had no way to end it realistically, so they were forced to live their lives under the "Siṭī masūla" the Visha had imposed.

The Siṭī masūla also had a positive effect on the Dari, as the shortening of food supplies and reliable manpower became more evident across the area, trade began in earnest along the river. Despite most of it being by small raft along the river or by caravan along the many trails, the people has found a way of living that kept them just as prosperous as before the Siṭī masūla period.

Records of the time during the ending of the Visha and the Siṭī masūla period are few and far between, due to a much larger event(to the Dari, at least) happening directly after.

When the Dari first expirenced the disspearence of the Visha, it was a time of joy and festival. At long last, they were free from a very demanding tribute system, and this feeling was felt all over the many cities. Before too long, the many leaders had met together in the Dari of Śukaraguzāra in an attempt of alliance and unification of the Dari to prevent such foreign influence of falling upon them again. The meeting had ended in a failure to many outside lookers. The formation of the Dari'a Commonwealth was nothing more then a large collection of highly autonomous city states agreeing to free trade and a defensive alliance. Hardly a unified people.

While many Dari people would say the same, the fact remains that the Dari'a due stand united against threatening foreigners. Yet, the Dari people are hardly xenophobic either. Due to a large lack of natural resources such as iron and copper, the Dari'a are forced to trade with many other groups in order to secure such resources. In return, many artisans within the 'Capital City' of Śukaraguzāra create wondrous creations to send to other states. From jewelry thanks the clams offshore, or simple benches and tables from the forests.

The Dari'a Commonwealth, while united only in name and commerce, has its influence in many ports and cities along the western coast.

Government-
Despite not being united, the Commonwealth does have a governmental system that holds very little true power when it comes to the highly autonomous Dari.

The Cōnakāra - The Cōnakāra is an elected figurehead for life, and is elected from one of the ruling families of the many Dari. Despite being the ruler of the Dari'a Commonwealth, he or she doesn't hold much power, since most Dari maintain their ruling families dictation of laws and actions. The Cōnakāra however, does hold power over the capital of Śukaraguzāra, where most citizens do consider themselves a united people.

Ghaṭa prīśada - The Ghaṭa prīśada is the only part of the Commonwealth 'Government' that has the power to make decisions having to do with foreign affairs, but are still unable to effect the independent Dari directly. Even when it comes to foreign affairs, they do not have to authority from the Dari to declare wars. Instead they act as a trade management council, choosing who to trade with and managing the few ports along the coast.

Dari Royal Families - The only people with any power in the Dari are the several families who each own a single Dari to their name. They alone have the authority to pass individual laws and acts within the city of their ownership. This causes a great deal of problems since there are uncountable number of conflicting laws between the cities.

[Vilageidiotx]

Faction: Kingdom of Poertia

Race: Human, with Gul/Vampire ruling dynasty.

Location:


Backstory-History

The land that is now called Poertia was, in antiquity, the home of tribal peoples who made their homes in the arable river valleys amongst the mountains. In these days, there was no single name for these mountain cultures. Despite any shared characteristics they might have shared, they considered each other as quite separate. The word "Poertia" is a Shapuran bastardization of "Purita", one of the tribes in the sandstone hills that sit next to the desert, while the Vishput preferred "Hurut", the name of a different tribe further in the mountains. Some current day tribesmen have began to use the term "Hurut" to distinguish them from the Shapuran conquerors, but this has not brought any true sense of unity to their race.

Historically, their relationship with the Vishput was one of loose, nominal fealty. The Vishput hired some tribal peoples to guard their border with the northern deserts, who's nomadic peoples enjoyed raiding Vishput outposts. Though there was cooperation between the two peoples, there was little trust. The mountain tribesmen called the Vishput "Jinn", a term both them and the peoples of the northern deserts used to describe demons and trickster spirits. Children and women were taught to avoid going out at night, or else the Jinn might drag them away. Warriors bragged about slaying Jinn abductors they met along the roadside. Some superstitious sorts even avoided looking out windows or doorways at night, afraid that a Jinn might be just outside watching them.

The arrival of Shapur changed the political atmosphere of the area. Shapur was a king from a land far across the deserts in the distant north or east. His armies were so large that legends have been born from their alleged enormity. Some say that the deserts once bloomed until Shapur turned his armies to fight the Vishput, and they ate up every living thing. Others tales have it that it took so long for his forces to cross the land that the vanguard will have died and been replaced by their children before the men in the back of the column arrived. Whatever the case, Shapur's forces had a difficult fight ahead of them. The wars between Shapur and the Vishput lasted decades, and at their end all Shapur had managed to wrestle from them was the mountains where he would establish the Satrap of Poertia.

What happened after Shapur's death is less known. It is said that he was succeeded by a frail ten year old daughter named Sulena, but the details of her reign are muddled. Some say she left the territory for good to govern her fathers homeland far away, while others say she was murdered. These stories have been dwarfed by the official tale that is told by the current rulers of Poertia: That she lived, and she sired a dynasty of Vampires, or as the locals call them, Guls.

In this official story, Sulena's frailty and the ambition of her father's officers puts her in danger until a mysterious wanderer offers her powers. He tells her of the things that he can give her, strength and long life, the ability to inspire fear and fight like her father had. By the time he reveals himself to be a Gul, she is intrigued and orders her guards to spare the monster. She takes up its offer and is turned.

The Gul is a creature of regional myth that lives off the flesh of men and goes mad. Folklore presents the condition as a punishment given to those who try to circumvent the Gods and increase the spans of their lives. Their lives grow longer, but they become wretched and pathetic as the years go by, until all dignity is gone and they are animals. For Shapur's people, similar creatures called vampires were known, though in their world they were servants of the God of Death, and much more dignified and respected. The term "Gul" is most commonly used by the native peoples, while the Gul's themselves refer to their kind by the "Vampire" term of their Shapuran ancestors.

Sulena's story varies wildly from teller to teller. Some say she turned her infant child when he was just born, destroying his ability to come of age and turning him into the freakish killer-infant named "Kizzeh." Many scholars point out, however, that the Kizzeh is referenced in some folk stories and art that predate the Shapur dynasty. The official story does not elaborate on this. Eventually, she has children who she allows to grow older before they are turned, and their dynasty becomes the "Gul Shapur's" and all that remains of their old empire is Poertia.

As monsters, local mistrust and fear threatened the Gul Shapur early on. It was with a few clever strokes that they would secure their thrown. First, they helped to hunt all other Gul's to extinction within the realm of Poertia, and they swore a solemn pact to kill themselves before their condition drove them into madness in old age. This kept the beastly later form of the Gul's from ever taking place. Next, they promised to only feed on tributes taken as captives in battle, or on raids against other peoples. Twice a year, taking place on each solstice, a delivery of captives takes place in the form of a religious ritual. In this way, the Gul Shapur have ascended to a sort of demi-god status, and their thirst for flesh is quenched by the vanquishing of the realm's enemies rather than murder and mayhem.

Another result has came from the taking of prisoners. With glory and honor now placed in raiding and plundering, the mountain tribes have become much more warlike. Some neighbors have chosen to pay tribute rather than face bloody attacks for sacrifices. As time goes on, the kingdom has began to slowly grow, and new populations means more warriors seeking to prove themselves. If they were to leave their mountain homes, Poertia and its Gul masters could become a threat to most peace loving peoples. And the Gul Shapur's remember when their ancestor ruled half of the world.

---

Name:Gul (Shapuran: Vampire)

Basic Description:
Physical:
A curse (or blessing, depending on who you ask) given in adulthood, there are no immediate physical changes. The most obvious change is the two which they are most known for: Immortality, and the need to eat human flesh. Though they can consume blood as well, they can live on anything edible taken from the human body, and tend to prefer choice cuts the same way normal people prefer certain parts of a cow or a pig.

Children can be given the curse, but the changes in them are much more extreme and result in feral monstrosity. The mountain peoples tell legends of Kizzeh, infants who were given the Gul curse, that hunt along the roadsides and trick their prey by crying so that travelers think they are abandoned babies. When somebody takes pity on them and approaches, the Kizzeh springs out and feeds on them. Stories about Kizzeh vary wildly, with some traditions giving them wings, while others suggest they have god-like agility. As far as anyone can tell, however, these are just stories, and there have been no believable reports of them in recent memory.

For the adult Guls, the changes they undergo take time. Their skin loses color at first, so that darker-skinned people slowly go a brown-grey and light-skinned people go a ghostly white. This happens within the first year. Next, their hair begins to lose color, turning red in the first few decades of the curse, before eventually cycling through red to faded pink to platinum white. Their hair is usually white within fifty years of being changed. As they get especially older, their hair will grow thin an translucent, and they will begin to lose it roughly one hundred and thirty years after being changed.

Their eyes also lose color, becoming either red, pink, or grey as time goes on. It is said their eyes have a faint glow to them as time goes on. Their skin ages, but in a very different way, so that they remain youthful looking until around the time their hair goes white, and even then their skin doesn't grow loose. Rather, it seems to grow tighter, like their skin is being stretched. Once they reach the last few decades of their sentience, their skin grows thinner.

Guls are harder to kill, impervious to disease, infection shock, or sepsis, though they can still bleed out and will suffer the same effects as humans do when it comes to damage to their organs. They are technically immortal, but mid to late 100's they will begin to lose their mental facilities until they become rabid beast-like creatures. The Gul-Shapur of Poertia have countered this with a promise to commit suicide once they reach this advanced stage, and the entire dynasty swears to police itself. Outside of that kingdom, however, different rules may easily apply.

Reproduction is peculiar for them. Male Gul's are sterile, but females can give birth to human children so long as she has a human mate. For the child to become like their mother, they have to receive the curse in adulthood, thus they are human in childhood with human weaknesses and needs

The other physical changes are these. They do not sleep. Though they can eat and drink typical food, they do not get sustenance from them. They are more energetic than normal people and have a tendency toward mania, causing them to take more risks, seek more pleasures, and be more aggressive on the battlefield.

Despite wives tales of the sort, Guls/Vampires do not have pointy teeth. They do not sleep during the day, and the only danger the sun causes them comes from the lack of protective pigment in their skin, causing them to be more susceptible to sunburns.

Historical:
In the lands of the old Vishaput Empire, Vampiric legends tells of the Guls. These were men punished for their hubris and their attempts to live like the Gods. They become predatory, paying for their extended lives by the need to feed on human flesh so that they are forced out of society. Eventually madness grips them, and the lesson the Gods have taught is complete, that no man born mortal can handle the effects of Godhood. Before the Gul-Shapur came to power, Guls were mostly hermit-sorcerers or monsters living in the dark places of the world, and they were hated and feared. Heroes hunted them down, finding their lairs and slaying them with displays of heroic heroism.

The people of Shapur from the forgotten lands across the desert had similar legends about the creatures they called Vampires. The Vampires of the Shapurans were people so great that death himself chose them to serve him. Death, Shapuran legend has it, was the first man ever made by the Gods. The Gods made it so that the first man would not age because they did not understand what aging meant, and when the man died they fixed his wounds and brought life back to his flesh. His life was a struggle, fighting to survive and suffering any time he failed, only to be brought back to suffer all over again. After thousands of years, the First Man grew tired, and he begged the Gods for his life to have an end. The Gods could not understand death, because it was not of their nature, but they felt that the first man could, so brought him up to true Godhood and allowed him to become the force of death because they knew he would be wise in that matter. When he ran across men who he felt could handle immortality, he would allow them to continue living so long at they chose to serve him. In these stories, the Vampires are noble heroes who prey on the weak and stupid so that the strong and clever shall live on and prosper. Vampire stories often involve two men, a hero who is a great fighter and a villain who is weak and cowardly, or a hero who is clever and wise and a villain who is immoral or foolish, who are put to the test by the Vampire. The villain dies, the hero survives, and the Vampire grants the hero the property, offices, and wife of the villain.

CHARACTERS

The Gul-Shapur
-Alecta. A female Gul in her late forties. Attractive, looking to spawn children before she gets too old. Description/Introduction

Nobles of Poertia
Chultecii
-Javid. Young Cataphracti and current patriarch of the Chultecii line. Description/Introduction
-Sadaf. Squire and nephew of Javid. Fifteen, young, cockey, and cannot grow a proper mustache. Description/Introduction

People of Poertia
-Omid. Poor warrior from the countryside. Thinks a lot of himself. Description/Introduction
-Kuleb (DECD). Younger brother of Omid. Scared of the Kizzeh. Description/Introduction

Foreigners
-Irjunu. A traveling Peacock Kshatra with a bushy mustache. Description/Introduction

Non-appearing characters
-Jali-Ali. Rajput of Vinrash. A beautiful young warrior who leads his people against the apes. Description/Introduction
-Aha-Ah-Mah-Ah-Ah-Uh (DECD). A Raja of the Apefolk in the jungles of the south who died years ago. Description/Introduction

POSTS
1:Introduction. Omid and Kuleb assaulted by monster on the way to the Gul-Shapur capital of Sarnath.
2:A captive is sacrificed to the Gul-Shappur. First look at the castle of Sarnath and the Guls.
3:Javid and Sadaf introduced. Javid strolls the camps and goes to the Sacrificial Ball
4:Javid meets Irjunu the Peacock Kshatra, who relates the beginning of his tale of Jali-Ali vs the Apes

[TheSovereignGrave]

Realm
Great Kingdom of Svargiya
Demonym
Svargiyani
Race
Bandara
Location

Backstory-History
The Great Kingdom of Svargiya traces its origins back to the oral lore and mythology of the bandara themselves. The bandara believe themselves the descendants of a great and ancient mountain kingdom, where they lived in peace and tranquility among its hidden vales and rivers. The original name of this kingdom has, however, been lost to time thanks to the Vishput. For bandara legend also tells of the fall of their great kingdom, a time of war when the bandara refused to bow and pay tribute to the Vishput. And it was for this reason that the Vishput set upon the bandara, attacking the bandara and plunging their kingdom into a great war. The bandara believe that the war lasted for an extended period of time, with the Vishput's eventual victory coming only at great cost to their empire. But their are no records of such a massive war, and so if this legendary kingdom did once exist it was likely a small polity that the Vishput easily invaded and conquered.

The time that followed was the time of the bandara's enslavement at the hands of the Vishput. The Vishput were brutal and cruel masters to the newly enslaved bandara, oppressing them and destroying every part of their culture they could. Bandara legend tells that the Vishput refused the bandara the rights to even speak their very language. Whether that is true or not is unknown, but it seems that over the centuries of enslavement the bandara did come to adopt the language of their masters, as the current language spoken by the pople of Svargiya is similar to that of the Vishput. But it is a known fact that the Vishput were unkind to the bandara, sending most of them to work themselves to death beneath the earth in their mines and their tunnels and their pits. Others were pitted against one another in blood sports for the amusement of their master, to fight until they were killed in battle or were so old or injured that their 'performances' were no longer entertaining. It is from this treatment that the current Svargiyani word for the Vishput, Julamagaro, comes, as it translated to oppressor or tyrant.

This period continued for centuries, until the time came that the Vishput Empire came tumbling down. The Svargiyani believe it was a judgement from the gods, who had finally deemed the Vishput unworthy of continued existence because of their wanton cruelty and greed. The ancesotrs of the Svargiyani used the chaos of the sudden fall of the empire to rise up against their masters and escape once and for all. All the while slaughtering and killing any Vishput they came across, for centuries of mistreatment and oppression had not endeared the Vishput to them in the slightest and they killed Vishput men, women, and children with as much thought as one would give to swatting a fly. And thus began to next, considerably shorter, chapter of Svargiyani history.

Once they were free of the Vishput's crumbling cities, they faced a choice. They were now free and the masters of their own destiny, but that came with extra responsibilities. They had to decide for themselves what they would do and where they would go and how they would now live. Some decided to settle down where they were, while others took up a life of wandering. The ancestors of the Svargiyani were in the latter category, though they wandered across the lands with a purpose. They sought what remained of the great kingdom of their legends, they sought the land of their ancestors, where they had lived as masters of their own destiny in the time before the Vishput enslaved them. But such a goal was easier said than done, for they were far from the great mountains they held the legendary kingdom and they had no idea of where to begin their search. In addition they were not always welcomed with open arms by those whose lands they wandered across. Many a battle was fought between them and the armies of petty kings and natives who claimed the land they traveled over as their own. But while they suffered casualties from this, there were also those willing to join them. Other bandara who had escaped from other regions controlled by the Vishput and just those who saw safety in numbers joined with the group. And while they wandered and searched for over a decade, it seemed as though they would never find what they were searching for, and many of their number grew disheartened with their failures. Then when hope seemed lost, a youth named Girisa claimed to have received a vision in the night from the Gods themselves showing him the way to the old kingdom, which they had told him was named "Svargiya", Paradise in their new tongue.

While not all were willing to follow the so-called visions of one so young, most were convinced thanks to the efforts of Viswasa, a respected priest who openly embraced Girisa's visions as truly the work of the Gods. And according to legend, they were right in following Girisa as it was not long after they departed that they spied a great mountain range. Invigorated by this, they traveled farther and farther on, following the lead of Girisa deeper and higher into the mountains. And then they came to an uninhabited valley, with a great river flowing through it and it was then that they knew that Girisa was truly divinely-guided. They had found the home of their ancestors, and they declared Girisa their first Rana, or King. It was here that they established the first city of Svargiya, which would grow into the capital of the Great Kingdom of Svargiya, for Svargiya wouldn't stay small forever.

Over time the settlement grew, and Svaryani spread out into the surrounding area to found new towns and cities. This growth was aided by an effort to find any bandara still wandering the world and offer them a place in Svargiya. However, the Kingdom's growth would eventually bring them into competition with others. For the bandara were not the only ones living in the mountains; there were tribes of humans making their homes in the surrounding areas and most weren't exceptionally happy about the Svariyani incursion into what was viewed as their land. Raids and attacks were common, carried out by both sides who viewed the land as their own. However, Rana Girisa was not willing to declare outright war on them, hoping that their differences could be reconciled peacefully. Unfortunately, most of the tribes in the area weren't open to such reconciliation. And Rana Girisa would pass away, leaving Svargiya in the hands of his only son Ghirena. Ghirena was of a more martial persuasion, and was more than willing to wage war on the humans he saw as squatting on the Svargiyani's god-given land. And unfortunately for his enemies, Rana Girisa's efforts at diplomacy were not wholely unfruitful and those who he had convinced to live in peace with the Svargiyani were more than happy to join Rana Ghirena in his wars against the other human tribes.

Over time a combination of bandara migration in and a more warlike approach of Ghirena and several of his successors would expand Svargiya ever eastwards in the mountains, eventually resulting in the current borders seen today. The expansion ceased for several reasons, most notable of them being the Ranas taking a less militaristic worldview, a more accepting view of the humans in the region (most of whom had adopted Svargiyani ways), and a simple lack of need for more land due to the fertile valleys along the four Svargiyani rivers providing enough space and food for the population.

In the early times of Svargiya the Rana was elected from among the sons of the previous Rana, with the electors being those of notability in the Kingdom. The leaders of settlements were likewise elected, though in those cases they were elected from among the most influential of the settlement's individuals. Over time, there were several changes to the political structure of Svargiya. Eventually those who actually owned and controlled land began to dominate the politics of Svargiya, and more often than not the leaders of a settlement were from a group of the most prominent land-owning families. Eventually the Rana bestowed a noble title upon the head of a settlement, and began to take a role in the selection of the heads of the major settlements. Likewise, Svargiya would grow too large for the informal 'all influential individuals vote' election of the next Rana. And so the elections were limited and formalized as a system in which only those who held titles as the head of settlements voted for the next Rana. And as time went on, the Rana started to exert more and more control over the 'elections' of major settlements until the title eventually became a Rana-appointed official. However, as Svargiya grew larger and larger the Rana being so involved in the governance of small areas became more difficult and a measure of delegation was necessary. Over time the Rana would often appoint one of the sons of a previous title-holder as the new title-holder, until the position became expected to be hereditary and eventually actually hereditary.

The next major change is the change from a Kingdom to a Great Kingdom; Svargiya had grown too large too maintain as centralized a system. So Rana Hitendra elevated the title of Rana to that of Maharana, dividing Svargiya into the Vadali Ran, Lala Ran, Sapheda Ran, and Pila Ran and granted a kingdom to each of his sons. Upon Hitendra's death his son Girisa, Rana of the Vadali Ran was chosen to ascend to the position of Maharana by all of the landed nobles of Svargiya. It was likely because of his status as the eldest son of Hitendra and his title of Vadali Rana; the Vadali Ran contained the settlement founded by Rana Girisa I (now known as Maharana Girisa I, despite the title not existing anytime near his life), and so it was considered a prestigious title. It was during his rule that he once again reformed the electoral system; now only the Ranas could vote for Maharana from among themselves, and the Ranas were elected by the nobility of their Ran in a manner similar to the pre-Maharana Rana of Svargiya. Most of the next several Maharana were also the Vadali Rana, to the point that the title became linked together. The electoral system for both the Maharana and Vadali Rana were abolished, with the titles becoming hereditary (though the Maharana chose which of his sons would succeed him).

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Race
Bandara
Basic Description
Physically the bandara resemble a cross between a human and an ape, though they resemble apes more than thy do humans. They are slightly taller than humans and walk upright like a man, but their bodies are almost entirely covered in thick hair; only their faces, finger, palms, and soles are bereft of hair. The colour of it differs, though most of the bandara of Svargiya have brown to black hair, and as they get old their hair begins to turn silver, usually beginning with the hair on their backs. Their faces are similar to that of an ape, with a pronounced brow and flat nose.

While they have no written history that is known prior to their enslavement by the Vishput, they have an extensive oral history of the time before their enslavement that they have written down and that they accept as essentially true, even if reality differs in the specifics. Though interestingly enough, there have been known to be small groups of bandara that weren't enslaved by the Vishput and most of them seem to not have the same extensive historical believes as the bandara that were enslaved by the Vishput, which lends credit to the accepted idea that they were a natural race enslaved by the Vishput.

Though Svargiya is a major civilization of bandara, they are not the only place one could find bandara. Aside from the aforementioned bandara who appeared to have never been enslaved by the Vishput there are communities all across the continent of bandara who escaped the Vishput Empire during its collapse. Not all bandara were in the group that would go on to found Svargiya or migrated their later, and their descendants can be found all over the continent.

[Kassarock]

The Principalities of Vös

Location



Race
Vös-Vishastani

The elite ruling castes of the Principalities of Vös are Vishastani. Genetically, the Vös are essentially the same as the rest of humanity, however they do share a few traits and characteristics and distinguish them from others. The Vös are typically slightly shorter and significantly more robust and stout than average, their skin the colour of dark copper and their hair darkest brown or black.

What makes the people of Vös Vishastani is their culture, which is almost exclusively derived from the culture of the Visha. The Vös also claim blood descent from the Visha as well, noting their robust nature as evidence of this. They say that in the days of old, the beautiful daughters of the Visha were wed to the human men of Vös to create the current Vös. However, the claim of blood descent from the Visha is a very politicised one, that should not be taken at face value.

The lower castes have humans from other parts of Gaṇājya, as well as the other races that exist across the continent. The personal slave harems and household slaves of the ruling princes are particularly diverse in their racial composition.

History

The Principalities of Vös are old and soaked with the blood of ages.

They trace their origin back into the days of the old Empire of Vishashtan, when it was emerging from the Northern mountains in its violent conquest of the rest of the known world. Back in those days the Vös had been a warlike human people who eked out a meagre existence fighting one another and their neighbours for control of flocks of goats and grazing land. They were not princes back then, nor truly Vös, as much of what would come to define their culture and their society was given to them by their soon to be patrons, the Visha.

If the peoples of the ancient Vös had a talent for one thing, it would have been violence. They fought with savagery and brutality that was unrivalled amongst their kinsmen. When a Vös fought, you could think the fate of empires and armies were at stake, not a few hides of poor land and a herd of mangy goat flesh. They were inspired in their ability to kill and maim, but unfortunately something was holding them back from achieving their true capacity: weapons and discipline. The Vös were goat herders, not blacksmiths, they lacked the weapons and the armour to turn them into warriors. They also lacked a strong hand, a controlling force that could turn transform the individually deadly and barbaric Vös into a fighting force that would unite like an iron fist to crush anything in its path.

The Visha, would provide both of these.

If you are a clever, ambitious and expanding people, what do you do with a violent, yet poor and wretched neighbour? You arm them, you train them, you make them owe everything they have to you. You make them loyal. The Visha approached the Vös and became their benefactors. They gave them weaponry and armour made in their great forges and factories, they taught them tactics and strategies thought up by their superior thinkers, and most of all, they gave them supremacy over all the human neighbours of the Vös. They became masters of these violent dogs and put them use hunting down the enemies of Vishastan.

The Vös were the vanguard of the oppressing Visha armies. They fought and died as soldiers for the Visha in their wars and conquests, and in return they were rewarded with wealth, power, and stewardship of lands above grounds. And for this the Vös worshipped the Visha. They began to imitate them in all ways, dressing and grooming like them, as well as adopting the Visha tongue. They even abandoned their gods in favour of the ideology of the Visha.

Eventually, using their wealth, they moved from the narrow and poor valleys of their homelands down into the central lands of the rapidly growing Vishastan Empire, which were then rich and beautiful, for this was long before the Visha carved it up to fuel their industries and turned it to desert. Here they built fortresses and palaces atop the mountains and crags from which they ruled the surface slave populations as Rajas, all under the hand of the Visha governors. But obviously, this was not to last...

When the Empire of Vishastan collapsed into smoke and ruin, the Vös endured. Though there was revolt, civil war and conflict in those first few decades of blood and fire, the princely Rajas of Vös still rule from their mountaintop fortress-palaces. They have lost influence and land, as well as having to reform and rebuild their economies, but Vös still endures.

Society

The Vös take almost the entirety of their culture from their former Visha masters, in many ways the Vös wish to recreate the Empire of Vishastan, in their own image. However, Vös is not an Empire, it is not even united under a single ruler. The Princely Rajas of Vös are all fiercely independent warlords who rule their mountain strongholds, half fortresses, half palaces. They all fight for dominance and dominion over all the Vös but none have achieved it since the last Visha governor of Vös died over three hundred years ago.

Vös is ruled by a number of oligarch families called a 'Great House', headed by a Princely Raja. Each of the Great Houses can supposedly trace their lineage back to the Visha, and therefore, they claim this this gives them, and them alone, the right to rule. Infighting and skirmishes amongst these Houses are common, as is the use of assassins and treachery. Above the Princely Rajas, there is no formal higher authority, however, there is the Magnate.

The Maharaja (meaning: 'Great King') is considered to be the most powerful individual amongst the Princely Rajas, and therefore the most powerful man in Vös, in a given generation. Their rule is informal, and often changes between Houses and lineages upon their death and often with bloody wars of succession, but nonetheless, they do enforce a slight sense of unity and common purpose into the Vös.

Power in Vös is concentrated in the hands of the few, and wider society focuses in around the Fortresses of the Princely Rajas. There are no real large cities in Vös, most towns are settlements to support the Fortress Palaces, however, some larger market towns are developing in the region.

The Vös Caste System

However, there are rules and structures which cross the boundaries of the Raja states. One of these is the Vös caste system. People in Vös are divided into seven castes, with an additional eighth caste reserved for the sacred dead ancestors, the Visha. Together these form the eight spoked wheel of existence. Within the living castes, there are three high castes, which are exclusively made up of the Vös-Vishastani, and four low castes which are made up of people of other races.

The high castes are ranked thus in order of sacredness, from most to least sacred:
- Suktatar, The Warrior Caste, virtually all Rajas come from this caste
- Vaitana, The Learned Caste, scribes, priests, and the mysterious enchanters are drawn from this caste
- Mutareskt, The Merchant Caste, traders, merchants and large landowners

The low castes are ranked thus in order sacredness, from most to least sacred:
- Junrayan, The Solider Caste, the rank and file of Vös armies, lead by Suktatar, often raised from slavery.
- Kyrania, The Craftsman Caste, skilled trades people like potters, masons, or smiths
- Buratpur, The Labourer Caste, unskilled workers and servants
- Duriatatap, The Slave Caste, all slaves belong to this caste, they can perform any trade from the lower castes.

Men cannot change Caste unless raised by a Raja in accordance with priests of the Vaitana as well. Rajas often do this with slaves as children to raise levies for their armies. Women can marry up and down the castes, but a woman marrying from a low case into a high one is virtually unheard of.

Religion in Vös

The Vös-Vishastani worship their own distorted version of the religion of the Visha, based around the concept of acquiring divinity through conquest and dominion over the world, but with addition ideas of ancestor cult and remnants of the ancient pantheon of Vös from before their integration into Visha culture revived by the priesthood to explain the demise of the Visha.

The Vös believe that like the Visha, divinity can be achieved through shaping the world in one's own image. Great men have great karma is an old saying to this effect, that it is those who shape the world and are powerful and great, who are most holy and most sacred. Where the Vös significantly differ from the Visha is their additional focus on the veneration of the great dead, the ancestors who were most powerful and greatest in their own generations. This has lead of the widespread practice of ancestor worship of both Vös-Vishastani, and the Visha themselves.

The additional major component in Vös theology, is the concept of three primordial Gods who administer the forces of the world and effect change in it: Aem the Creator, Veloth the Preserver, and Sil the Destroyer. These were the principal three Gods of the old pantheon of Vös, originally lost to the ages, preserved only as myth, they experience a mass rival around the time of the destruction of the Empire of Vishastan.

The explanation offered by the Priests was that the Visha had erred in their application of acquiring divinity. They served the Aem the Creator in their empire building, but had neglected their worship of Sil the Destroyer, and thus he had enacted in the forces of the universe and wrought destruction upon them. The Vös survived because they were chosen people of Sil, being principally ruled by warriors who bring destruction and thereby bring honour to Sil and enact his will.

With the death of the Visha, Aem offered the place of the principal creators in the universe to the Vös, and through their survival of the crisis, they were also shown to have the favour of Veloth the Perserver as well. Therefore, whereas the Visha were unbalanced in their attainment of divinity, the Vös honour all for forces of the universe, and therefore are destined to exceed the Visha, and build an empire that will last for all of time.

Outside of the ruling classes and the Vös-Vishastani, there are many religions in Vös brought from all over Gaṇājya by the slaves taken there, mostly worshipped in secret.

Images of Vös

Economy

The economy of Vös relies on two key cornerstones: slavery and trade routes.

The lands of Vös are now mostly poor in natural resources and infertile, after centuries of exploitation by the Visha, so the Vös make their money off of stealing and slavery. The slave markets in Vös are some of the biggest in Gaṇājya, traders come from all over the known world to buy and sell in life. Vös is both centrally placed, is a nation of slave owners, and has the military might and will to readily acquire slaves, making it an ideal hub for the slave trade.

The location of Vös is also key to its second great preserve, its taxation of foreign trade. The Princely Rajas of Vös control the southern entrances to the two central mountain passes to the north of Gaṇājya. They also control the deserts to the south of their mountain homes, where trade going between the eastern and western coasts often passes. The Vös never fail to exact their dues on the caravans and merchants that travel these routes, and should one try to escape paying, the Vös will seize their cargo as payment instead.

The secondary industries of Vös are ceramic wares, silver mining, iron mining, goat herding, and camel rearing.

Clay is abundant in the south and west, and ceramics from Vös are known to be of fine quality. There is unexploited iron veins in the north of the territory, and old silver mines dug by the Visha in the central regions. The south-east is the most fertile and best irrigated lands of Vös. All the lands have ample sandstone for quarrying.

Agriculture is the weakest link in the Vös economy, often food and virtually all lumber have to be imported from outside of their lands.

[Chapatrap]

The Angorian Kingdom

fleg
'Detailed' map of the Angorian Kingdom

Race: Humans

History:
The Angorians lived in the province the Vishput called 'Angori' for millenia before the dwarfs invaded with their golems and powerful weaponry. Angori was transformed from a tribe-ridden jungle region into a civilised, obedient Vishput province that specialised in silviculture and fishing. The Visha founded the ancient city of Angor a millenia ago and it became a hub of activity for Angorians and Visha alike. Angori was an obedient province with revolts being frowned upon. When the empire began to decline and living conditions for Angorians deteriorated, however, trouble began to rumble among the Angorian nobles.

And one fine day, control over Angori collapsed completely. The Visha elite, a minority in their own province, escaped the crumbling ruins of Angor 400 years ago and left the region to its own devices (which, unfortunately, were bickering nobles). After the collapse of the empire, Angori split into several moderately powerful states, each vying for control of the other. However, in these early days, one young nobleman, Sriv Pak, took a chance and conquered his neighbours, forming the Angorian Kingdom and declaring himself Narayang - Visha Reincarnate. The Angorian Kingdom was one of the more successful states that emerged from the turmoil that ended the Empire and is today one of the oldest Human kingdoms still in existence. Taking advantage of his weakened and divided neighbours, Sriv Pak launched invasions in every direction and at its peak, the Angorian Kingdom controlled vast swathes of land to the west of its current borders.

Sriv Pak, as he grew older, grew less fond of war and gathered an interest in spiritualism and the Visha. It is said that during a visit to the ruins of Angor, he came across a Visha wisemen who revealed to him the ancient wisdom of their people. Although these claims are dubious at best, many believed their beloved leader enough to found a religion around him when he died. Sriv Pak has become something of prophet or guru to the people of Angori and his teachings of the Great Balance of Peace have gained traction in every class of Angori society..

After the death of Sriv Pak (in which his body is said to have disentergrated into space dust), the question of inheritance became a hard one to answer. Sriv Pak bore no sons in his long life and many were disgusted at the idea of being ruled by one of his daughters. The crown was put up for grabs and an election was called amongst the nobles for a new king. The competition was fierce, with numerous alliances being forged and destroyed as the month-long nomination process went on. In the end, Jang Bahutar became the second Narayan and was declared to be the reincarnation of Sriv Pak. The Bahutar dynasty has lasted to this day, over 200 years later.

Upon Sriv Paks death, the soldiers pulled out from their invaded provinces and returned home. The current borders of the Angorian Kingdom have more or less stayed the same for the last 300 years, save the frequent wars with their southern Republican neighbours and the several failed attempts of moving northwards. The Angorian Kingdom is currently looking at the tail end of a golden age and an uneasy period with a stagnant economy and revolt are just over the horizon. The most recent emperor, 12th Narayang Shen Bahutar, is a young, careful man who looks to the future with a grimace. Rising tensions with the Isle Republic to the south are reaching a head as the two powers fight for control of a few islands, the right to trade and the right to kill pirates of both countries. Some say the denizens of the lost city of Angor are re-awakening and are travelling into the night to capture children and livestock. Whether these rumours are true or not is to be discovered.

There be dark days ahead.

Government and Class System

The Angorian government is a hereditary monarchy, with the monarch being considered a religious as well as political leader. He is referred to as the Narayang - God Reincarnate. There have been twelve Naranyangs as of today and the current is a young man known as Shen Bahutar. Shen is the current reincarnate of 11 former Narayangs, which according to Angorian religious texts, means he is 11 times as powerful as the original Narayang and the next Narayang will be more powerful than him.

Shen holds court in Kehlo, the political capital of the Kingdom that sits along the coast. Although most smaller matters are handled by his Suktra (ministers/governors), he is the highest authority in the land and demands respect from all those below him. Angori is split into five castes - slaves, peasants, clergy, Suktra and the Narayang himself. Mixing between classes (apart from with the Narayang) is strictly forbidden and the punishments are harsh. The Clergy and Suktra are often odds with each other, with each grasping to hold influence over the Narayang. While the Suktra are more warlike, political and encourage the Narayang to strike hard against his enemies, the Clergy are more fond of spirtualism and encourage the Narayang to meet with his people more reguarily. A minority in both classes encourage the Narayang to explore into Angori's past, more namely the Visha. At the end of the day, however, the Narayang often makes up his own mind and is in fact more influenced by his family than anyone else.

Upon a Narayangs death, the highest members of the Clergy class cremate the body and begin looking for a successor. The successor is either the eldest son or, fail that, younger brother of the dead Narayang. Upon being chosen, the next-of-kin spends three days within the Monastery of Angor, where he is dabbed with the ashes of his father and 're-incarnates'. When the new Narayang is declared reincarnated, he is sent back to the capital and is crowned Narayang in front of an adoring crowd.

Culture of the Angorians

The Angorians are named for the former great city that was founded in the region by the Visha, Angor and the region they live in is called Angori. Despite the fact that the Visha are gone, they are not forgotten. Many look back at their former overlords with fondness for the stability and prosperity they brought with them to the Angorians. Angorian culture is heavily influenced by the pre-Visha cultures that existed in the region, the Visha culture and the religious worship of the Narayang. The langauge of the Angorians is a bastardised mix-match of the spoken languages prior to the Visha invasion with a sprinkling of High Vishiput on top.

Music and arts are usually religious in nature, mostly depicting Sriv Pak and the Narayangs. Instruments are usually simple in form - large drums, bells and flutes are among the most common. The main religion within the country is worship of the Narayang. There is no centralised authority telling people how to worship the Narayang. Each person is encouraged to pray to the Narayang in their own way, whether it be through meditation, sacrifice or a life of solitude. Churches do not exist at all but most homes hold a painting or statue to the current Narayang.

People obey the Narayang, as he is the God Reincarnate and it is believed he will lead them to the next life with his wisdom in the Great Balance of Peace. The teachings of Sriv Pak, known as the Great Balance of Peace, are popular among all levels of society. They argue in order to maintain balance in ones life, you must not be afraid to defend yourself or your people from harm. In order the balance of peace to be level, you must not be too aggressive nor too passive - you must be Quesh. When one is Quesh, they must remain Quesh in order to move onto the next life.

People within the Kingdom usually have three names - a class title, a given name and a family name. For example, Twelth Narayang Shen Bahutar. A women who had sexual relations with a Narayang is known as Nym-Narayang. Narayangs are forbidden to marry but often take court concubines to be with them, producing sons and daughters. Narayangs must always be male, so the daughters are married off to Suktra men. It is considered a great honour to sleep with a Narayang and Nym-Narayangs often hold great power within court.

Characters:

The Bahutars

(12th Narayang) Shen Bahutar: Religious and political leader of the Kingdom. Young man in his mid-twenties. Unmarried but already with a young son to court concubines.

(Nym-Narayang) Desha Bahutar: Shen's mother, an older women in her late fifties. She had sexual relations with Shen's father and was declared Nym-Narayang upon Shens birth. She is seen in court as the women who holds the most sway over Shen.

Qin Bahutar The eldest and only son of Shen, Qin is a healthy young boy who is cared for by the concubines of the court. He is unaware of his mothers identity and is being moulded for reincarnation by Shens advisers.

The Court of the Narayang

(Suktra-Higher) Puya Bikram: A Suktra-Higher (general within the army) who is hot-headed and is happy to start wars with the Kingdoms neighbours. Despite being a rather unlikable man, he is loyal to the last to his Narayang. He is an older man and a veteran to many wars. He has become one of Shens closest advisers.

(Clergy-Higher) Wu Ganesh A young Clergy Higher (equivalent to a bishop) within the court who advises his Narayang on matters pertaining spiritualism and the welfare of thestate. Young, unexperienced yet well liked around the court. He acts as Shens spiritual teacher and is wise well beyond his years.

Others:

Wanli Shiva: A young peasant serving in a southern unit of the army.

(Suktra-Higher)Rana Shivret: Ambassador to the Uwan Isle Republic.

[gorgenmast]

Faction
Sharodites, Fire Islanders

Race
Humans, Sirens

Location
Northwestern archipelago, on and around the volcanic island.

Backstory-History
Sharod is a distant land far removed from Ganajya by a great gulf known as the Sea of Glass, which extends five hundred leagues from the western shores of Ganajya to those of Sharod. Travelers who have returned from this land recount a wooded, hilly land of poplars and cedars situated on the flank of a low mountain range. A people with fair, olive skin called this land home for many centuries. A tradition of shipbuilding and metallurgy gained the realms of this land some renown. Their mastery of the forging of iron blades and the ability to craft tunics of shimmering bronze gave the Sharodites a mighty advantage in battle against their neighbors. In great cycles, mighty and tyrannical dynasties would gain control over Sharod and launch great expeditions into foreign lands, only to decay and collapse on the account of their bloated, unwieldly domains.

King Harupun of the Amon Dynasty was the first Sharodite king to launch one such foray to Ganajya nine centuries before. His army of bronze-clad warriors marched from the recently-conquered realm of Batkra along the Western Shoulder into Ganajya proper. In shimmering phalanxes and chariots, King Harupun's host marched two hundred leagues in search of a rumored city deep in the mountains, said to be full of vaults of gold and treasure. King Harupun and his warriors found this city at Sadyo Raj, along with a mighty Vishatan host commanding a far mightier host of slaves that stood in wait for the foreign marauders in those deep mountain passes. Unprepared to be thought a coward, Harupun foolhardily launched his armies against the Vishatan defenders. The Sharodite host, accustomed to battles on level terrain where their chariots could be brought to bear against their enemies, were woefully unprepared to fight in Vishatan warriors in the close confines of the mountain passes. The Sharodites were utterly crushed; King Harupun and his survivors beat a hasty and shameful retreat back home.

King Melechon of the Sardosh Dynasty brought a greater host to bear against The Vishatan Empire four hundred years later. Twenty thousand warriors came by sea, sailing past the Fire Isles and down south along the western coast of Ganajya to plunder the vault cities of Tatpu and Angor. The Sharodites marched inland, fresh and eager to take the riches of Angor back to Sharod. Melechon's forces met ten thousand Visha leading another ten thousand slave warriors on the plains of the Angala River. At the helm of the Vishatan army was the Samraat himself, flanked on either side by a cadre of automatons - marvels the likes of which the Sharodites had never seen. The automatons, beasts of metal with fire and steam for blood, crushed rank after rank of Sharodite hoplites. The Vishatan warriors followed in close behind the automatons, rending through the shattered ranks while the slave levies went about to flank the invading army. Melechon's legions were utterly broken that day. Those who survived and evaded capture fled East on their ships to an archipelago several leagues off the mainland. The descendants of that routed invasion survive to this day as the Uwanese.

The century after the debacle at Angor saw the Sardosh Dynasty decline towards collapse. The tremendous expense and loss of warriors incurred by the Ganajya campaign catalyzed the empire's impending decline. Splintered factions camped outside the Sardosh capital at Yerak and laid siege to its mighty walls on and off for nearly a decade. But control of Sharod did not fall to the warring factions within the vast empire, but to enemies beyond Sharod's shores. Just beyond the shore, that is.

A legion of sirens rose up from the waves and invaded Sharod, slithering in from the very surf. This vile legion of undersea warriors was led by Gormon, a purportedly handsome and majestic sea demon who held dominion over the sirens as their lord and master. Gormon and his sirens waged a savage war against the Sharodites, making up for its brevity with sheer brutality. The Sharodites attempted vainly to reunite to stand against the sea demons, but generations of infighting had weakened their armies too gravely to resist. The besiegers of Yerak were brushed aside; Gormon entered the capital and disposed of the Sardosh Emperor, claiming Sharod as his own.

For three centuries, Sharod languished under the yoke of its sea demon masters. The ancient Uraic faith was supplanted, temples that had stood for more than one thousand years were demolished. Slaves raised high the stones of shrines built to honor the vanity of their siren masters. Yerak was razed, and Chakum Gorma - the City of Gormon - was built in it's place. It was the largest and most lavish palace in all the world. A hundred thousand thralls perished to realize a house worthy of the Master of the Oceans, their new god.

Gormon's appetite for all things was voracious. New annexes of the palace-city were under ceaseless construction even when there were entire portions of the palace which he had never visited. Concubines from throughout the known world were brought to his chambers to partake in heinous - often lethal - acts of fornication. But the gods had cursed Gormon with boundless avarice; nothing could satisfy the Siren King's appetites. And so his legions of enslaved Sharodites must march across the world, plundering neighboring realms that the spoils of their conquests might appease their god. And it is said that the ancient underground nexus cities of Ganajya are full of Visha treasures.

Little surprise it is then that Gormon has moved to secure a foothold in Ganajya. The Siren warlord Enuma, backed by a fleet of Sharodite warrior-thralls, arrived in the Fire islands a generation ago and subjugated the indigenous peoples. In the years since their arrival, the lush forests of the islands have been felled to build ships and fuel forges. Very soon, the Siren-led Sharodites will make an effort to secure a foothold on the mainland. And once there, the Sirens will not be sated until all the treasures of the Visha are theirs.

[Thrashy]

deleted

[Maavoimat]

Application

“Verigarde”

Race: Human

Physiology:
Verigards are generally bigger than other humans, a feature that grants them a greater degree of physical strength at the expense of agility and adroitness. Their skin is fairly thick and is usually a dark shade of beige. Their hair varies, but is commonly rather dark and straight. They usually achieve a height no greater than two meters.

Hjen

History:
Existing only as tribal city-states for a majority of their existence, the Verigards likely originated from handfuls of travelers that crossed the mountainous region into to endless green pastures that resided above. Isolated from the rest of civilization, the Verigards were free to wage war on each other without interference. Their quarrels were not about the fields they settled in, but instead about the metal-rich mountains to the east. Up until the past century, the tribal city-states lived in bitter hatred of each other. The Jotan tribe's chieftain, later named Oleg the Dauntless, launched a massive campaign against his opponents, and forced the five tribes to unify, either willingly or by the sword. This event was known as The Great Conquest. Ever since, the unified Jotani Republic has turned its attention towards other nations, often times with the intention of conquering them. They are aware of the other nations that dwell within the mountains, but they have yet to interact with any of them. After the death of Oleg the Dauntless roughly fifty years later, his eldest son took control of the Republic, renaming it after the Veriga mountains, which are considered to be a gift from their gods, who, according to Verigard lore, placed the mountains there specifically for the tribes as a gift.

Their territory was expanded during the reign of Oleg II to include a lake and river system that could potentially enable the Verigards to connect with the other nations.

The Verigarde capital is known as Hjen, and is located within the province of Jotan. Some 40,000 Verigards inhabit the city, making it one of the most populated cities in Verigarde, second only to the city Tavara with 42,500.

Culture:
Verigards retain their violent nature. The unlawful killing of another Verigard is strictly forbidden, but no laws were established in regards to outsiders. Organized raids on villages outside of their borders are not uncommon. Even though said raids generally appear to be work of thieves and criminals, they are actually conducted by soldiers of Verigarde, who reportedly are led by Verigarde generals. Some villages refer to this “army” as a well regulated mob of butchers and rapists, an analysis that is not far from accurate.

Their government is comparable to a Constitutional Republic. Their constitution, known as the “Grunnelov”, dictates the laws of the Verigards. First and foremost, it states that any man from any of the five tribes is equal to each other. There is no hierarchy, and there are no social classes. This law was implemented more for the other four tribes, who were initially skeptical about the Jotani intentions. The constitution then sets economic and social standards for the Verigards, which in summary force “work-shy” individuals into the mines.

The Verigards religion is composed of a series of stories and explanations that date as far back as the Verigards go. The polytheistic religion states that there are four primary gods:

• Hyllodyn, the god of the sky, sun, and stars.
• Myradeen, the goddess of the sea and the all life of any form.
• Bolakkyr, the god of the earth.
• Suramir, the god of fate.

The Verigards believe that none of the gods are wholly evil, and instead believe they have conflicts and faults, much like the tribes. In the Verigard lore, Hyllodyn and Bolakkyr are in a constant battle for Myradeen's hand in marriage. Unlike Myradeen, who is generally depicted as being fair and pleasant in nature, the male gods are depicted as being unforgiving and relentless. Events like earthquakes and thunderstorms are explained as being provocative measures taken by Bolakkyr and Hyllodyn, respectively. Similarly, stars and valuable minerals are described as being the gods' ways to win over Myradeen. It is predicted that once one of the gods wins her heart, the other will simply cease to exist, meaning at some point the sun or the earth will vanish entirely, according to the Verigard lore.

Their economy is fairly straightforward. Most of the society is fairly self-sufficient. The farmland that they control is mostly run by women and soldiers who are not otherwise preoccupied. Their metal mostly comes from the mines that they have been digging out for as long as the written word has existed for the Verigards. Mining is generally considered to be a noble way of work, as the miners spend long hours in close to total darkness. Another popular profession that started to pick up in recent years is felling. There are areas of the eastern territory where significant quantities of trees grow, and with a more sophisticated economy comes a greater demand for raw resources.

Military:
The Verigard military is composed predominantly animal-driven, specifically, horsemen and Mahouts. which are collectively known simply as the Imperial Mounted Army. Cavalry is divided into light (Light Cavalry) and heavy (Cataphracts) units, both of which serve individual purposes.

Light Cavalry

Forms of Light Cavalry have existed since horses were domesticated in the territory of Verigarde. Light Cavalry were used to harass infantry in the tribal wars. After the Great Conquest, Light Cavalry have become very active in the raids on opposing villages as they are capable of moving quickly and can hold large quantities of plundered items.

Cataphracts

The first cataphracts were used almost thirty years ago. They are significantly slower than the Light Cavalry, and are generally not set outside of Verigarde. However, they make formidable opponents, wielding long spears intended for dismounting their opponents in a brutal manner. Their armor is mostly leather (or in some cases wool, which is obtained from the fur of the Sauka.) with small steel tiles lining the exterior. The only solid plates on the cataphracts are the helmets and the chestplates.

Mahouts

Back during the Great Conquest, Oleg the Dauntless suggested using armored elephants with crossbowmen as riders. The purpose was mostly for terrifying their opponents, which they successfully did at the siege of Tavara. Ever since, war elephants have been used in the Mounted Army. With thick steel plates applied to the head and the shoulders of the elephant, and a body armor similar to that of the Cataphracts, the Mahouts continue to be an excellent symbol of the Verigarde's military power.

The infantry is a much smaller force, with no more than 1,500. Most infantry serves a defensive role, and has not been used since the end of the Great Conquest.

Technology:
To suit their broad physiology, Verigards technology is generally heavier and bulkier.

Blades

Verigards learned that heating iron with a charcoal-driven furnace hardened the metal, turning it into steel. Ever since, they have used steel not only in their mining equipment, but also in their weapons. Two main swords are used by the Verigard: The first is more commonly found amongst their infantry. This blade is straight and is almost a meter long. The second is a curved blade, used by their cavalry for striking down lightly-armored opponents. It is also close to a meter long.

Crossbows

After using simplistic slingshots, the tribes began experimenting with crossbows designed to launch rocks at their opponents. From there, the tribes started to use arrows instead, as the design was more aerodynamic and proved to be much more accurate. Crossbows have always been cumbersome and difficult to reload, and they are used only by designated crossbowmen.

For transportation, the first option would be the ever indefatigable Mogeal, a hard-working farm animal that is best described visually as a four-legged land manatee. The animal is used for its simplicity: it moves forward when ordered, and it does not halt until it is ordered to. The second option would be horses, which have always existed in the northern region, and many were used in the tribal wars. Now, most horses that are raised in Verigarde are used by the horsemen in the Verigard Army.

In addition to the nation, I have provided two quick applications for my two animal races I mentioned in my nation's application that do not actually exist.

Mogeal

“Mogeal”

A typical farm animal, the Mogeal is a powerhouse animal with four large legs and a comically small head. Its skin is much like that of a Rhinoceros or an Elephant, and is generally around the size of an American cattle. Verigarde, and presumably other nations in the region, make use of this animal on farms.

Sauka

“Sauka”

A wool-covered animal that is usually found peacefully grazing throughout Gaṇājya. They are good sources for wool and meat, and are frequently used for both. Imagine a cotton ball with legs.

Adjustments will be made at any individual's request.

[Inlaa]

Application:

Oumaoro

Realm: The People of Oumaoro
Race: The Oracles, Humans
Location:


Backstory-History

History is not simply a series of facts
nor merely a matter of the strong overcoming the weak.
Two opposing stories often are both true
and no people, however weak, are truly powerless.
Those bound to a single, absolute truth
have no understanding of what or why history is.

- Oracle Omauoi

Legends and myths may only be stories to those that call themselves civilized,
but they are as much a part of history as the books the civilized hold so dear.

- Oracle Uluip

-------------------------------------------------------

The pale, beautiful, serpentine creatures known as the Oracles have dwelt far beneath the earth since times immemorial. Legend says that when the dwarves, the Vishput, first found them, they believed them to be nothing more than strange cave animals. So, the dwarves captured these gentle beings and butchered them, savoring their soft, sweet flesh. When the first Oracle spoke to them in the words of their own language, the gluttonous people were themselves speechless. That Oracle had learned to speak the language of the Empire of Visha in the span of a fortnight.

There were many more Oracles in that bygone era. The Vishput, however, did not appreciate the cleverness of their species. They saw the Oracles as a threat, as an infestation that had to be burned away before it could bring total destruction to their world. And so that is what they did: the Vishput found where the peaceful Oracles made their homes and set about murdering a great many of them. Yet the Oracles did not fight back: they let the dwarves have their way, and when the petty destroyers finally saw the passivity of the creatures, they had already slain so many that the caverns were flowing with blood that went up to their knees, so the legend goes.

The Oracles did not hate the Vishput for this.

The blind creatures were enslaved by the Vishput, but not as mere laborers or soldiers. Some were kept as pets in zoos or in the courts of Visha princes. The species was recognized for its keen intellect, however, a shrewd nature that equaled or perhaps even surpassed that of the ancient dwarven peoples. So, in an odd twist of fate, the same creatures that were often seen as pets to those very princes would be offering their sagely advice to their owners, and a great many still were kept in the Stone Library of Samra Raj as lorekeepers and scribes. Those Oracles were tasked with recording history, teaching it (under Vishput supervision) to others, and maintaining the purity of the records. They were punished terribly for any damage done to the archives, for allowing any falsehoods - falsehoods in the eyes of the Empire's rulers - to enter the Stone Books, and for any measure of disobedience. Execution or dismemberment was often the means by which justice was dispensed, and the remains of the guilty would find themselves in the guts of wealthy families of the Empire.

And still the Oracles did not hate the Vishput.

It is here that the memories of the past become murky waters. As the Empire of Visha fell, some say the Oracles stood by their masters to the last hour, still bound by their gentle nature and unwillingness to harm. A greater number say the Oracles rose up violently like others did, devouring the foul Visha for their wicked ways in an ironic sort of revenge. A few say the Oracles did nothing of import in this time. Most Oracles, however, say the story is quite different: they saw the dark times that would befall the Vishput and sought to bring that end about more hastily. They say that seeds of discord were planted by their kind, that whispers in the ears of princes were used to light the fires of jealousy and paranoia, which helped bring the final days of the Empire to fruition.

That is, at least, what the stories say. The stories say more: the Vishput blamed the Oracles for some great tragedy, and so the gentle creatures were slain by the hundreds wherever they could be found by those vile builders of empires. Those in the Stone Library managed to survive, but only a sparse few outside of Samra Raj were able to escape death. Those Oracles have long since withered in their old age and passed away in distant lands.

The fall of the Empire was absolute. The gentle Oracles kept the doors to their great libraries sealed until the violence stopped. When they opened the door, they saw a city in ruin, a place full of ghosts and terrible memories. So, they gathered as many of the countless Stone Books as they could and left the city, traveling south into the wet marshlands of what is now called Oumaoro ("The Watery Place" in the Oracles' ancient language).

The city the Oracles found was in terrible disrepair. It was not as large as most other cities, was of very little significance, and was one of the first places to be abandoned in the wake of the troubles. Much of its surface half had been devoured by the swamp - including its great dam - and many parts of the underground were flooded or collapsed. This, however, was exactly what made it so attractive to the Oracles. The amphibious beings turned the watery ruins into their new home and filled its underground pools with their eggs.

For a time, there was peace there. The earth soon spawned a new threat to their existence, however: the Shishkarat. The little creatures would come and try to kill them from time to time, but centuries of being punished by the Vishput had taken away the utter passivity in the Oracles. The young ones fought back, using their massive jaws and their whip-like tails to drive back the vicious Shishkarat. It was a terrible thing to them still: they had no desire to fight, and even despite their efforts their numbers slowly dwindled. They needed help.

Humans came, having heard hearing stories from adventurers of great, pale dragons that lived beneath the swamps. They met the Oracles in their subterranean home, marveling at their size, their beauty, and their kindness. The Oracles let them take whatever they wished from the city and the surrounding land and allowed them to settle wherever they wished. It quickly became clear to both parties that they could help one another: the humans had trouble fending off creatures in the wetlands while the Oracles could maneuver through the waters with ease. Conversely, the Oracles were hard pressed to fend of the seemingly endless Shishkarat attacks whereas the humans, while not well adapted to tunnels, could wield weapons and wear armor that allowed them to defend the Oracles from the endless waves of monsters. A symbiotic relationship was quickly formed.

Years went on. The humans of the territory and the Oracles shared much with each other. The humans came to respect the Oracles and revere them as great seers and teachers. The humans managed to make the decaying city, now called Oumal, inhabitable. They lived above the ground while the Oracles lived below, and soon they did not need the Oracles to help them protect themselves from the threats in the marsh.

From this city and the settlements that sprouted around it was the nation of Oumaoro born. They did not call it a kingdom, nor a republic, nor any of those other terms; it remains simply the Watery Place, as the place where they have built their city, as their home. At the heart of this storm-ridden land is the Flooded Temple in Oumal, the place where the Oracles still record history in the Stone Books. It is the Oracles that are appealed to for counsel by those that lead the people of the marsh, and it is the humans that march the shadowed halls beneath the earth, seeking out those threats to their benefactors.

That is, at least, what the stories say.

Government

There is no unifying central government for the people of Oumaoro. There is, however, a pact of non-aggression and general cooperation that is shared between the people of this wet region. They govern themselves as they will. Most have a plutocratic form of governance, though a couple are in truth independent fiefdoms ruled by men claiming noble birthright.

All the townships look to the Oracles for guidance. The Oracles, while not rulers of this land, hold great sway over the people and provide sagely advice to help them expand and protect themselves. If the Oracles were to say the time for war had come, then war would likely be waged; if they were to say they had a vision of a great hero coming from the east, then chances are someone would be sent to find this great hero.

In times of great danger, however, Oumaoro's people will choose someone to lead them, often approaching the Oracles for guidance. The Oracles have chosen different sorts of people in the past: nobles, adventurers, peasants, beggars, and thieves have all led a confederacy of Oumaoro people before thanks to such insight. Those the Oracles choose are often either well prepared to do their job or quickly grow into the position.

In the end, however, the various townships are independent of each other and of the Oracles, choosing to work together rather than being forced to by ancient laws.

The Oracles themselves have a strange connection to one another. They hold councils over different matters, both the young and the old being allowed to participate, and make most decisions as a group. Humans are allowed to participate in these councils, and they have sometimes swayed the Oracles to take courses of action they would not have considered. Oracles who disagree with the group often acquiesce to the group's will, but sometimes choose to follow a different course of action on their own... which is one of the reasons some Oracles become travelers. The Oracles, like their human allies, will often choose one among them to lead them in times of trouble, and they also choose someone to be the chief adviser to the humans of Oumaoro.

There is no political treachery between the Oracles themselves. They do not plot the downfall of their kin, nor do they try to gain power over the others. While there are a rare few wicked Oracles that have existed, these beings often become travelers and try to exert power over lesser beings around the world.

The Oracles

There are few Oracles now, and though their numbers no longer shrink, they do not seem to be growing. There cannot be more than a hundred of them left in existence, and the people of Oumaoro bemoan the day when the species disappears from the world entirely.

Summarizing the Oracles is not an easy task. They are often known to be great, magnificent white creatures, like pale, eyeless dragons that dwell in the water and move with serpentine grace. They are eyeless, and yet somehow are able to move throughout the world around them. The Oracles say this is because they make sounds with their throats that let them listen to the vibrations of their surroundings, but legends claim that it must be magic. But perhaps what makes Oracles unique are these two qualities: they do not eat past their egg-laying age and they shrink as they grow older.

Oracles begin as eggs in the bottom of the sacred birthing pools in the subterranean half of Oumal. These eggs absorb whatever drifts down to them, and the more they absorb the larger they'll grow, but they can survive without such sustenance.

An Oracle is largest on the day it hatches, usually between thirty-five and forty feet long - gargantuan compared to most creatures in the world to say the least. These young Oracles are like great, swimming lizards in this form with tiny limbs that are dwarfed by the rest of their body. It is also during this time of youth that Oracles lay their eggs in the sacred pools; after that, they will never eat again.

Oracles shrink. Over their long lives - three hundred years long, to be exact - they slowly become smaller and smaller until they are the size of a man. When they are man-sized, they begin standing upright on their legs and can carry things in their hands, but they are at this point so old and frail that warfare is an impossibility for them. Finally, as they near death, Oracles will submerge themselves into their sacred birthing pools where they will feed their unborn children with their own bodies.

Interestingly, there are no males or females among the Oracles. They are genderless: every member of the species is capable of laying eggs and may fertilize the eggs of any other member of its species. This is confusing to other races.

Oracles are highly intelligent creatures. They are highly curious and inquisitive and are always happy to tell or listen to a story. Oracles of different ages set out into the world to discover new things, and this is a cause for their inability to grow as a species. Being so peaceful, many of these would-be adventurers are slain in the open world either by the harshness of the wild or the cruelty of man.

Some Oracles are taken into the courts of distant rulers where they become sages and teachers. This sort of position is amiable to them, but they often return home before they die so they may join their children in the sacred pools.

The species is dedicated to the preservation of the Stone Books, an ever-expanding volume of stone tablets on which the history of the world is etched. They are also willing to write almost anything into stone so long as someone is willing to tell a story. To them, a simple wives' tale has as much historical merit as the recording of a great war. This, too, has been a source of much confusion and anger; many a noble has come to the Oracles to have his legend carved into stone only to be forced to wait for a simple fishmonger to finish telling the Oracles his own story.

The humans of the land do not worship the Oracles as gods, but they do revere them as higher-than-human beings. They often come to the sacred pools to pray alongside the Oracles for guidance and wisdom, to meditate, and to watch the birth of their young. The Oracles often tell their visitors stories of the past, some of them tales of ancient kings, others of the common adventures of children in the woods. These qualities, along with their inherent kindness, their abhorrence for bloodshed, and their largely non-judgmental perspective makes them well-loved by the people of Oumaoro.

Characters

The Oracles
To be introduced.

People of Oumaoro
To be introduced.

Adventurers
To be introduced.